Obituaries
Wallace Savitz Colbert
Service for Wallace C. “Wally” Savitz, 69, is set for 10 a.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Graveside service will follow at 1 p.m. at Tekoa (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mr. Savitz died Tuesday.
He was born in Tekoa and graduated from Tekoa High School.
He served in the Marine Corps during World War II.
Mr. Savitz had been a brakeman and conductor for Burlington Northern Railroad for more than 30 years.
He was a member of the North Hill Masonic Lodge No. 210, the Scottish Rite Bodies, the El Katif Shrine, the Order of the Eastern Star No. 163, the Marine Corps League, the Eagles Lodge No. 2, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474 and the Wandermere Men’s Golf Club.
He is survived by his wife, Helen Savitz; three sons, Ken and Bill Savitz, both of Spokane, and Ron Savitz of San Jose, Calif.; three daughters, Kathy Kaercher of Yakima, Donna Ray Scionti of San Jose and Kaye Kellerhals of Spanaway, Wash.; four brothers, Harvey Savitz of Chewelah, Wash., Gene Savitz of Seattle, James Savitz of Tacoma and Jerry Savitz of Orlando, Fla.; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children or Hospice of Spokane.
Guy Vintin Wenatchee
Graveside service for retired farmer Guy A. Vintin will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Sullivan Cemetery in Winthrop, Wash. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Vintin, 77, died Monday at Tekoa Care Center, where he had lived for the last 10 years.
He was born in Grass Valley, Ore., and graduated from high school there.
He entered the Army in June 1942 and received the Bronze Star.
He and his family lived in The Dalles, Ore., until 1947, when they moved to Goldendale, Wash. In 1962, they moved to Winthrop where he farmed alfalfa and worked for a potato grower. He retired in 1979.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mildred, at home in Wenatchee; three sons, Guy Vintin of Bothell, Wash., Bruce Vintin of Twisp, Wash., and Jon Vintin of North Carolina; two daughters. Mary Jeffers of Toledo, Ohio, and Guyla Ricks of Deer Park; two brothers, Thomas and Gene Vintin, both of Carlton, Wash.; one sister, Luella Stebbins of San Jose, Calif.; 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association.
Velma Monson Spokane
Service for Velma L. Monson, 88, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Christ Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Monson, a 45-year Spokane resident, died Monday.
She was born in Wisconsin.
She was a seamstress.
Her husband, Sigbald Monson, died in 1986.
She is survived by one daughter, Janet Monson; one son, Orlin Monson, both of Hayward, Calif.; one brother, Lavern Nyre of Wisconsin.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or Christ Lutheran Church.
Robert Milliken Greenacres
Memorial service for Robert “Bob” Milliken, 70, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.
Mr. Milliken, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Saturday.
He worked at Fairchild Air Force Base as a civilian for 37 years in the steam plant.
He had served in the Army during World War II.
He was a member of the American Legion and the National Rifle Association.
His wife, Deloris, died in 1985.
He is survived by two sons, Ross and Scott Milliken, and three daughters, Marilyn Lee, Dawn Mace and Gail Wright, all of Spokane; one brother, Tom Milliken of Georgia; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Donald Scott Sandpoint
Service for Donald R. “Don” Scott, 64, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Coffelt Funeral Home in Sandpoint. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park, Sandpoint.
Mr. Scott died in Spokane on Monday.
He was born in Sandpoint, where he graduated from high school in 1949.
He had worked for Pack River Lumber Co., in Dover, Idaho, from 1951 until 1969.
He retired as a lumber grader, from Louisiana Pacific in 1992.
He had officiated at high school basketball and football games in District 1 for more than 20 years.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing and bowling.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Scott; three sons, John Scott of Sagle, Idaho, Bruce Menard of Sandpoint and Kyle Menard of Florida; two daughters, Jackie Jones of Palouse, Wash., and Lisa Brown of Priest River, Idaho; five brothers, Merritt Scott of Spokane, Charles and Howard Scott, both of Everett, Wash., Clyde Scott of Lynnwood, Wash., and Richard Scott of Bunker Hill, Ind.; one sister, Betty Dester of Lebanon, Ore.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Josephine (Harter) Alexander Spokane
Funeral Mass for Josephine (Harter) Alexander, 91, is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Alexander, who was born in Colfax, Wash., died Sunday.
Her husband, Omer Alexander, died in 1948. That year she bought Hop’s Carmel Crisp shop in downtown Spokane.
In 1964, she got out of the carmel crisp business and went to work for the Postal Service. She retired in 1983.
A Spokane resident since 1921, she was a member of St. Aloysius Parish, the Altar Society and the Catholic Business Women.
She is survived by three daughters, Virginia Loskorn of Dana Point, Calif., Erma Jean Orth of Spokane and Joanne Grein of Olympia; one stepson, Frank Alexander of California; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Poor Clare Nuns.
Dorothy Cool Spokane
Service for Dorothy D. Cool, 78, is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Greenacres Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park, Spokane. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Joseph, Ore., Mrs. Cool died Monday.
She was a 48-year resident of Spokane and was active in the Greenbluff Grange, the Greenbluff Women’s Club and was a member of Greenacres Baptist Church.
Her husband, John Cool, died in 1994. She is survived by two sons, John Cool of Laconia, N.H., and Roger Cool of Plummer, Idaho; two daughters, Cheryl Woolery and Barbara Sapp, both of Spokane; two sisters, Edna Cool of Joseph, Ore., and Nelda Belville of Bellevue, Wash.; 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Lee Smith Spokane
Graveside and inurnment service for Lee Smith, 97, will be held at noon Saturday at Garfield (Wash.) Cemetery.
Born in Garfield, Mr. Smith died April 22.
He was a machinist for Northern Pacific Railroad and retired in 1967. He moved to Spokane that year.
He was a member of the Sinto Senior Citizens.
His wife, Ruth, died in 1987.
He is survived by one daughter, Doris Parrish of Gardnerville, Nev.; one son, Glen Fairfield of Seattle; one sister, Mary Conley of Denver; one brother, Marion Smith of Indiana; two granddaughters, two grandsons, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Norman Watson Sr. Big Creek, Idaho
Service for Norman Brian Watson Sr., 57, will be at 3 p.m. Friday at United Church of Kellogg. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Kellogg. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Watson, who was born in Beachton, Okla., died Sunday at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane.
He was a heavy equipment operator at the Sunshine Mine Co. and retired in 1992.
He was a member of the National and Silver Valley Horseshoe Clubs and the Pentecostal Tabernacle of Smelterville, Idaho.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Shirley; two sons, Norman “Brian” Watson Jr., of Yorktown, Va., and Kevin Watson of Kellogg; two daughters, Vicki McEnany of Pinehurst, Idaho, and Karen “Katie” Covey of Richland; his mother, Ethel Watson of Stayton, Ore.; two brothers, Truman and Johnny Watson, both of Stayton; three sisters, JoAnn Sears and Sharon King, both of Stayton, and Donna Roebke of Aumsville, Ore.; and five grandchildren.
Robert Collinson Spokane
No service will be held for Robert Ray Collinson, 63, at his request. The Cremation Society of Washington, is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Collinson died Tuesday at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. He was born in Newport, Wash.
He was a truck driver and moved to Spokane in 1966, where he drove mail and newspaper trucks in Washington, Idaho and Montana.
He also had served as a race car mechanic for J.R. Bossio.
Mr. Collinson served in the Army.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Agnes Collinson; one daughter, Swedette Collinson; his stepfather, Ray Ackerlund of Medford, Ore.; six stepchildren, Sharon Closson, Larry Turner, Terry Turner, Jerry Turner, and Angel Turner, all of Spokane, and Karen Lupold of Fernley, Nev.; two half-sisters in Sandpoint; 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Cleo Liberty Las Vegas, Nev.
Service for former Spokane resident Cleo Mary Liberty will be today at Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas. Burial will be at Palm Valley View Cemetery, Las Vegas.
Mrs. Liberty died Monday in Las Vegas where she had lived since 1980. She was 73.
She was born in Spokane and graduated from North Central High School. She was a homemaker.
She is survived by her husband, Arthur Liberty; two daughters, Patricia Johns of Henderson, Nev., and Tana Swartz of Las Vegas; two sons, Dale Liberty of Tonapah, Nev., and Jeff Liberty of Las Vegas; one sister, Patricia Ponac of Lewiston; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Mary Jackson Spokane
Vigil service for Mary Anne Jackson, 58, will be at 6 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mary Queen Parish. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park.
Mrs. Jackson, who died Monday, was a lifetime Spokane resident and a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Edmund Jackson; one son, Layne Jackson; three daughters, Anne Kitzan, Shari Gariepy and Mikki Franklin, all of Spokane; her mother, Grace Ehmke, and one sister, Peggy Conrad, both of Spokane; and 10 grandchildren.
J.J. Brooks Newport, Wash.
Burial of John James “J.J.” Brooks, 76, retired Army lieutenant colonel, will be at Riverside National Cemetery near March Air Force Base in California. No local service will be held.
Mr. Brooks, who died April 20, was born in Palm Springs, Calif.
He served in the Army for 23 years and worked for the government for 11 years.
Following his retirement in 1979, he spent the summer months in Newport and the winter months in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
He is survived by his wife, Gertrude Brooks; two sons, Dennis Brooks of Birmingham, Ala., and Sean Brooks of Spokane; one daughter, Charlotte Brooks of Rancho Mirage, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
Margie Kohlstadt Spokane
Graveside memorial service for Margie P. Kohlstadt, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Kohlstadt, who died Friday, was born in Thornton, Wash.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband, John Kohlstadt, died in 1983.
She is survived by one son, Gary Kohlstadt of Greenacres; and one sister, Betty Klemgard of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Edward Myrman Spokane
Graveside service for Edward H. Myrman, 85, is planned for 1 p.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Myrman, a 50-year Spokane resident, died Sunday.
He was born in Roseau, Minn., and worked as an electrician.
He was a World War II veteran and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 51.
He is survived by one sister, Myrtle Metzer of Apache Junction, Ariz.
Gerhard Mueller Spokane
Service for Gerhard L. Mueller, 86, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Mueller, who died Monday, was born in Parkston, S.D.
He had lived in Spokane for 52 years and worked as a salesman for Columbia Electric.
He was a member of the Eagles Lodge No. 2, the North Hill Masonic Lodge No. 210, the Scottish Rite Bodies and the Lutheran Church.
His wife, Muriel, died in 1978.
He is survived by one son, Ronald Mueller of Payne, Wyo.; one daughter, Delores McDaniel of Mead; one brother, Ernst Mueller of Waverly, Iowa; one sister, Freda Tilley of Mitchell, S.D.; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Harry Abell Los Angeles
Graveside service for Harry Martin Abell, retired Air Force Colonel, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. Service was held Tuesday in Northridge, Calif.
Mr. Abell, who was born in San Diego, died April 20. He was 75.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943 and served during World War II.
After he retired from the military in 1964, he became a corporate pilot in California.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Leone; one son, Martin; one daughter, Martha; two sisters, Barbara and Patricia, and four grandchildren.
Mike Floch Plummer, Idaho
Memorial service for Mike L. Floch, 67, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Plummer Bible Church. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Floch, a farmer, cattle rancher and logger, died Tuesday.
He was born in Morton, Idaho.
He was a member of the Idaho National Cattlemen’s Association and the Northwest America Red Angus Association.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Marie; two sons, Dale Floch of Plummer and Wayne Floch of Portland; one daughter, Darlene Wise of Tekoa, Wash.; one brother, Edward Floch of Valleyford; and one sister, Edna Janson of Hayden, Idaho.
Memorial contributions may be made to Worley Ambulance.
Robert Keizur Twin Lakes, Idaho
Memorial service for Robert G. Keizur, 72, is set for 11 a.m. Friday at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Keizur, a former Spokane and California resident, died Monday.
He was born in Dayton, Wash.
He graduated from Pendleton High School and the University of Washington.
He moved to Twin Lakes five years ago from the Spokane Valley.
A retired engineer for Kaiser Aluminum, he belonged to the Twin Lakes Golf Club.
His wife of 45 years, Dorothy, survives him. He is also survived by one son, Gary Keizur of Redmond, Wash.; one daughter, Lori Wood of Auburn, Calif.; and five grandchildren.