Obituaries
Daryl Benson Spokane
Service for Daryl R. Benson, 53, is planned for 2 p.m. Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Benson, who died Wednesday, was born in Colville, Wash.
He graduated from Marcus High School and attended Eastern Washington University. He received his master’s degree in education from Gonzaga University. He worked for the state of Washington for 29 years, most recently as a vocational services consultant. He had lived in Spokane for more than 28 years.
He was a member of the American Softball Association and played on numerous Spokane teams.
He is survived by his wife, Marsha Benson; two sons, Bruce Benson and Kevin Osterman, both of Spokane; two daughters, Brenda Kofmehl of Nine Mile Falls and Bridget Osterman of Spokane; his mother, Viola Benson of Deer Park; one brother, George Kurtzbein of Whitehall, Mont.; three sisters, Ann Weatherman of Colville, Bonnie Ervin of Kennewick and June McNitt of Kettle Falls, Wash.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Research Fund.
Robert Ketchum Post Falls
Memorial service for Robert Alvin Ketchum, 36, will begin at 2 p.m. today at English Funeral Chapel, Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Ketchum, a 12-year Post Falls resident, died of natural causes at home Wednesday.
He was born in 1959 in Healdsburg, Calif., and was raised in Pinehurst. He graduated from Kellogg High School and attended electronics school at Spokane Technical Institute.
He loved to fish and spend time with his two children.
Survivors include his wife of 14 years, Tracy, son Michael and daughter Shelby, all at home; and his parents, Milton Ketchum, Healdsburg, Calif., and Tommie Peyer of Petaluma, Calif.
Elizabeth Hall Spokane
Private service for Elizabeth Day Grinnell Hall, 77, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Hope Lutheran Church in Greenacres.
Mrs. Hall, who was born in Tonasket, Wash., died Tuesday.
She moved to Spokane from Oroville, Wash., in 1950. She was a homemaker and graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1975. She volunteered with the Crisis Hotline.
Survivors include six sons, Delbert Hall of Greenacres, Gregory Hall of Bozeman, Mont., John and Stephen Hall, both of Spokane, Douglas Hall of Portland and Williams Hall of Matlock, Wash.; two daughters, Norma Akright of Denver and Elizabeth Hall of Oakland, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
Margaret Morrison Spokane
Funeral Mass for Margaret E. (Stafford) Morrison, 86, is planned for 11 a.m. today at the Convent of the Holy Names. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Spokane. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Morrison, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.
She graduated from Otis Orchards High School and Sacred Heart School of Nursing.
She worked in Colfax, Wash., and Portland and at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.
Her husband, Durward Morrison, died in 1977. She is survived by one daughter, Patricia DeVries of Spokane; two sisters, Frances Burchard of Spokane and Kathleen McDonald of Windsor, Conn.; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund or to the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund.
Edward Fritchle Lind, Wash.
Graveside service for Edward J. Fritchle, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Lind Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Lind, Mr. Fritchle died Wednesday. He worked for the railroad and he served in the Army during World War II. He and his wife, Estelle, lived in Lind, where he worked for the Union Elevator Co. He retired in 1980 after 42 years. He was a member of the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years; two sons, Dwight Fritchle of Ritzville and Tim Fritchle of Lind; two sisters, Esther Davenport of Fremont, Calif., and Goldie Engelhart of Spokane; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lind Emergency Medical Technicians.
William Crumbaker Normandy Park, Wash.
Memorial service for William H. “Bill” Crumbaker, 59, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Burien, Wash.
Born in Garfield, Wash., Mr. Crumbaker died March 17.
He graduated from Rogers High School and served in the Army. He worked for the Spokane Police Department from 1957-67, then worked for the federal government and the state of Washington.
He graduated from Evergreen State College and earned a master’s degree from Northwestern University. He moved to Normandy Park 12 years ago.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Marie Crumbaker; one son, Michael Crumbaker of Troutdale, Ore.; three daughters, Shari Crumbaker Miller of Tacoma, Tara Thomas of Seattle and Meghan Thomas of Normandy Park; one sister, Janice Medrano of Eugene, Ore.; and four grandchildren.
Meryl Davis Spokane
Service for Meryl M. Davis, 85, will be at 10 a.m. today at Pines Mausoleum. Burial will follow. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Davis, who was born in Waukee, Wash., died Tuesday.
He was raised in Elberton, Wash., and served in the Army Corps of Engineers. He worked for Inland Empire Paper Co. for 25 years before retiring in 1974. He was a member of the Woodmen of the World.
His wife, Wilma Davis, died in 1968. He is survived by a sister, Edna Newland of Lacey, Wash.
Vincent Smith Spokane
Graveside service for Vincent C. Smith, 81, was held Friday at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Smith, who was born in Spokane, died Wednesday.
He graduated from North Central High School and worked for Inland Motor Freight and Garrett Freight Lines. He was a member of the Teamsters Union.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Helen; one brother, Walter Smith Jr. of Spokane; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Doris Gill Elk
Service for Doris L. Gill, 77, is set for 3 p.m. today at Riverside Mausoleum Chapel. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gill, who died Tuesday, was born in Prosser, Wash.
A homemaker, she was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Deer Park, the Ladies Auxiliary of Railroad and Trainmen, and the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.
Her husband, Samuel Gill, died in 1984. She is survived by three sons, Samuel Gill Jr. of Keller, Texas, and Charles and Steven Gill, both of Elk; one daughter, Deanna Gill of Curlew, Wash.; two brothers, Tom Hill of Adams, Ore., and Paul Hill of Grandview, Wash.; one sister, Eva Ellen Bleuer of Corcoran, Calif.; and nine grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Frederick Bramhall Spokane
Service for Frederick LeRoy Bramhall, 54, will be at 10 a.m. Sunday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Forest Home Cemetery, Northport, Wash.
Mr. Bramhall, who was born in Kellogg, died Wednesday.
He had lived in Northport and Colville, Wash., before moving to Spokane in 1969. He worked for Long Lake Lumber Co. for 20 years.
He is survived by three brothers, Jerry Bramhall of Kettle Falls, Wash., and Randall and Clarence Cox, both of Spokane; and two sisters, Shirley Bramhall of Spokane and Margaret Witt of Calgary, Alberta.
Clara Robb Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for Clara A. Robb, 95, will begin at 1 p.m. Monday at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. Yates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Robb died Wednesday at Coeur d’Alene Convalescent Center.
She was born in Aurora, Ill., and attended schools in Montana.
She married Merrill Robb in 1919 in Bozeman, Mont., and they moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1922.
She was a member of Clover, the Order of the Eastern Star in Rathdrum, Idaho, and the Ground Observers Corps. She was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary in Coeur d’Alene and was active in the American Cancer Crusade for over 30 years.
Her husband of 60 years, Merrill, died in 1979. Survivors include one daughter, Corena King of Coeur d’Alene; one brother, Henry Helser of Seattle; one granddaughter, Dawn McBride of Loveland, Colo.; one greatgranddaughter and two great-great grandchildren.
William McCrorey Spokane
Memorial service for William C. McCrorey, 75, will be at 1 p.m. today at Manito Presbyterian Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of cremation.
Mr. McCrorey, who died Wednesday, was born in Camp Crook, S.D.
He served in the Army Air Corps from 1940-45 and then was active in the Air National Guard.
He lived in Spokane from 1945-48 and again for the past 26 years. He also had lived in Lewiston. He worked for the Department of Labor and Industries from 1969 until he retired in 1982.
He was a member of the Oriental Masonic Lodge, the El Katif Shrine and the Spokane Fly Fishing Club.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marguerite McCrorey; one son, Bill McCrorey Jr. of Spokane; one daughter, April McBride of Orlando, Fla.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children.
Ernest Frucci Spokane
Service for Ernest C. “Ernie” Frucci, 81, is set for 1 p.m. today at HennesseySmith Funeral Home with burial at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Born in Livingston, Mich., Mr. Frucci died Wednesday.
He was a longtime Spokane resident, and was a member of the Teamsters Union. He worked at Peirone Produce Co. and the Farmers Market.
He served in the Army during World War II.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Betty Frucci; one son, Dominic Frucci, two daughters, Patricia Danis and Carol Frucci, and one brother, Angelo Frucci, all of Spokane; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morning Star Boys Ranch or Hospice of Spokane.