Obituaries
W. James Burns Spokane
Memorial service for W. James Burns III, 38, will be today at 1 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9704 N. Division, in Spokane. English Funeral Chapel of Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Burns, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Sunday.
He lived most of his life in Coeur d’Alene and worked in the hospitality industry. He recently worked for Bob Templin and Western Frontiers as a manager. He had also worked as a hotel manager for the Weyerhaeuser Hotel Division in Seattle, the University Inn in Moscow, Idaho, and several Cavanaugh’s properties in Washington.
He was married to Allison Fretz.
Mr. Burns had received the Citizen of the Year Award in Kennewick and was a past member of the Kennewick Rotary and past president of the Kennewick Chamber of Commerce. He was a board member of Spokane Wampum and Momentum.
He enjoyed volunteer work and had served as a fund-raiser for the Wishing Star Foundation.
Survivors include his wife, at home; one son, Walter Burns of Spokane; his parents, James and LaRue Burns of Hayden Lake, Idaho; his grandmother, Robbie Tennyson of Georgia; one brother, David Burns of Coeur d’Alene; one sister, Robbie Robinson of Coeur d’Alene; his ex-wife, Karen Winebarger Burns of Spokane; one niece and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Memorials may be made to the Wishing Star Foundation, 118 N. Seventh St., Suite A3, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Mary Moran Spokane
Memorial service for Mary J. Moran, 66, will be at 2 p.m. today at Spokane Friends Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Moran, who died Sunday, was born in Spokane.
She had worked as a cook and in the warehouse at Meredith and Gossling for 15 years.
She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Frank Moran; four sons, Mike Moran of Hemet, Calif., Frank Moran of Deer Park, Steve Moran of Spokane and Glenn Moran of Mead; one sister, Marjorie Engel of Sumner, Wash.; one brother, Robert Tate of Coeur d’Alene; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Harold Ledbetter LaCrosse, Wash.
Memorial service for Harold Robert Ledbetter, 72, was Monday at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash.
Mr. Ledbetter died Friday.
He was born in Rosalia, where he graduated from high school. He served in the Air Force and, after his discharge, worked as a lineman for Inland Power and Light in LaCrosse.
He married Dorothy Smith in 1948 in Dusty, Wash.
He was a member of Local 77 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union and the LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Department.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Robert Ledbetter of Bozeman, Mont., and Doug Ledbetter of LaCrosse; two daughters, Deborah Watkins of Kennewick and Lynn Jeanette Ledbetter of Missoula; one sister, Geraldine Wood of Spokane; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the LaCrosse Emergency Medical Technicians.
Lillian Esquivel Spokane
Memorial service for Lillian G. Esquivel, 75, will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Eagles Lodge 2. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation and arrangements.
Mrs. Esquivel, who died Nov. 8, was born in North Dakota.
She was a homemaker and had lived in Spokane for 23 years.
She is survived by one daughter, Mary Wussow, and one son, Ed Sager, both of Spokane; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Ellis Johnson Spokane
Visitation for Ellis Johnson, 95, will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Service will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Johnson immigrated to the United States from Sweden in 1923.
He lived in Spokane for 60 years.
He worked as a lumber grader.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Ella Johnson; and one sister, Sonja Oquist of Sweden.
George Currie Spokane
Memorial service for George Currie, 68, will be at 2 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North.
Born in Taunton, Mass., Mr. Currie died Thursday.
He served in the military for 32 years, spending time in all four branches. He entered the Navy when he was 15 and last served in the Air Force, retiring in 1973 as a master sergeant.
He received an associate of arts degree from Spokane Falls Community College following his military career and was the manager of Fairchild Mobile Home Park.
He had receive three Purple Heart Awards and was a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 51, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 6, National Order of Trench Rats No. 139, The Retired Enlisted Association, and St. Andrew’s Society.
He is survived by his companion, Alice White; and two sisters, Irene Norberg of Taunton, Mass., and Jean Thorpe of Lakeland, Fla.
Robert Newman Spokane
Service for Robert L. Newman, 57, will be at 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Newman, who died Monday, was born Canova, S.D.
He had lived in Spokane for more than 30 years and worked for Hite Crane and Rigging for the past seven years.
He was a member of Iron Workers Local No. 14 for 35 years.
He served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Newman is survived by his wife of 33 years, Barbara Newman; two daughters, Kandi Thorson of Mead and Barbara Province of Camellia, Calif.; two sons, David and Mark Newman, both of Riverside, Calif.; one brother, Randall Newman of Spokane; and 13 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morning Star Boys Ranch.
Olice Wilbanks Spokane
Visitation for Olice M. Wilbanks, 80, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park.
Born in Wilcox County, Ga., Mrs. Wilbanks died Monday.
She moved to Richland in 1948 and to Spokane in 1961.
Her husband of 43 years, Howard Wilbanks, died in 1981.
Mrs. Wilbanks is survived by six sons, Robert Dean of Kennewick, William Wilbanks of Puyallup, Wash., Neil Wilbanks of Alma, Ga., Jim Wilbanks of SeaTac, Wash., Daniel Wilbanks of Sumner, Wash., and David Wilbanks at home; five daughters, Carolyn Pachosa and Judy Haydock, both of Grand Coulee, Mary Hogan of Newman Lake, and Sharon Sumner and Kathy McLaughlin, both of Spokane; one brother, Mack Coley of Lumber City, Ga.; one sister, Mildred Waters of Alma; 49 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Faye VanSickle Kettle Falls, Wash.
Service for Faye Mable VanSickle, 80, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville, Wash. Graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Wilbur (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mrs. VanSickle, a 47-year Kettle Falls resident, died Tuesday at home.
She was born in Peach, Wash.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane.
She married Vallie VanSickle in 1945 and they lived in Nespelem, Wash., for a short time. They moved to Leadpoint, north of Colville, in 1947 and to Kettle Falls in 1973. They farmed and were cattle ranchers.
Her husband, Vallie, died in 1983.
Mrs. VanSickle is survived by one son, Bill VanSickle of Colville; and one brother, Robert Hill of Kettle Falls.
John Yurik Walla Walla
Funeral Mass for John P.D. Yurik, 46, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Walla Walla. Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 9 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home in Spokane. Burial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Holy Cross Cemetery Chapel in Spokane.
Mr. Yurik, a former Spokane resident, died Monday.
He was born in Penticton, British Columbia.
He graduated from Shadle Park High School and received a bachelor’s degree in business from Washington State University. He also earned a master’s degree in school administration from Whitworth College.
He had worked in Spokane for Educational Service District 101 in Spokane, the state auditor’s office and Old National Bank. He moved to Walla Walla 5 years ago and served as finance director for Educational Service District 123 in Walla Walla.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge and Lions Club.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Margaret “Peggy” Yurik; one daughter, Tami Yurik at home; two sons, David and Paul Yurik, both at home; his parents, Jack and Wynn Yurik, both of Spokane; and one sister, Sharon Moore of Kingston, Wash.
Fannie Ross Farmington, Wash.
Service for Fannie A. Ross, 92, will be at 11 a.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Farmington. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Farmington. Kramer Funeral Home of Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Miss Ross died Monday at Tekoa Care Center where she had lived for the last two years.
Born in Lake Preston, S.D., she moved to Garfield, Wash., with her family in 1904 and graduated from high school in Farmington.
She received a teaching certificate from Cheney Normal School and taught in LaCrosse, Wash., starting in the early 1920s. After two years she began teaching in Farmington and then taught in Oakesdale, Wash., until she retired in 1972.
She was a member of Farmington United Methodist Church, the Wheatland Chapter of the Eastern Star, the State and National Retired Teachers Associations and Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma educational fraternity.
She is survived by one nephew, David Ross of Idaho Falls; and two nieces, Eleanor Friar of Palo Alto, Calif., and Anita Torpey of Seattle.
Memorial contributions may be made to Farmington United Methodist Church or Garfield-Farmington Emergency Medical Technicians in Farmington.
Aloha Rogers Chewelah, Wash.
Service for Aloha Y. Rogers, 67, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah. Cremation will follow.
Mrs. Rogers, who was born in Creston, Wash., died Sunday
She and her husband, Fred, were married in 1946. They had lived in Chewelah for 46 years.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Fred Rogers; one son, Randy Rogers of Kirkland, Wash.; one daughter, Bambi Bishop of Chewelah; two brothers, Roger and Michael Harper, both of Olympia; four sisters, Maysle Goodlake and Roberta Bonnalie, both of Wilbur, Wash., Nadine Garcia of Spokane and Lojean Love of Louisiana; and four grandchildren.
Lucille Spence Spokane
No service will be held for Lucille M. Spence, at her request. Burial will be at Wildrose Prairie Cemetery.
Mrs. Spence, 87, died Saturday.
She was born in LaCrosse, Wash.
She was a longtime Spokane resident and was a homemaker.
Her husband, Raymond Spence, died in 1975.
She is survived by two sons, Donald Spence of Spokane and James Spence of Missoula; one stepson, Kenneth Spence of McCleary, Wash.; one stepdaughter, Marge Aarde of Olympia; nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Louise Pearson Spokane
Service for Louise M. Pearson, 91, is set for 1 p.m. Friday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Pearson, who died Monday, was born in New Brighton, Minn.
She moved to Colbert when she was 7 years old and graduated from Valley Prairie School.
She was a homemaker and a member of First Covenant Church.
She married Arthur Pearson in 1926. He died in 1976.
Mrs. Pearson is survived by one son, Harold Pearson of Spokane; two grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Covenant Church Memorial Fund.
Mary Miller Sandpoint
Service for Mary Miller, 89, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Noxon United Methodist Church in Noxon, Mont. Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Miller, who was born in Noxon, died Saturday.
She grew up in Noxon and graduated from high school there.
She married Kenneth Miller in Sandpoint in 1928.
They later owned and operated a motel, service station and garage in Noxon for many years. They moved to Thompson Falls, Mont., in the 1950s and owned and operated the Big Pine Court. In the 1960s she retired and moved to Noxon.
Mrs. Miller enjoyed reading, gardening, crocheting and spending time with her family and friends. She was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Thompson Falls.
Her husband died in 1972.
Survivors include a daughter, Sandra Johnson of Spokane; three grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter.
Memorials may be made to the Senior Citizens Center in Noxon.
Murphy Francisco Coeur d’Alene
Service for Murphy E. “Pat” Francisco, 81, will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Francisco, who was born in Findlay, Ill., died Tuesday.
He moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1925 and married Goldie Hansen in 1938. He had worked as a mechanic for the city of Coeur d’Alene Street Department for 40 years before retiring.
Mr. Francisco was preceded in death by his wife in 1989.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and rock collecting. He was a member of the Eagles Lodge and the Knights of Pythias.
Survivors include three sons, Harold Francisco of Colorado, Lester Francisco of Boise and Craig Francisco of Coeur d’Alene; five daughters, Carmen Miller of Walla Walla, Beth Meredith of Post Falls, and Janice Rosco, Lois Featherstone and Carol Nelson, all of Coeur d’Alene; one brother, Willard Francisco of Elko, Nev.; one sister, Bluebell Craig of Spokane; 24 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association of North Idaho, P.O. Box 1294, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Geraldine Riddle Spokane
Memorial service for Geraldine Riddle, 87, was Monday at St. Luke Lutheran Church with burial at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mrs. Riddle, who died Thursday, was born in Pomeroy, Iowa.
She graduated from General Beadle College in Iowa and was a schoolteacher. She had lived in Spokane for 38 years.
She was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, the Peone Grange, and the Peone Homemakers and was past president of Spokane County Council.
Her husband, William “Dixie” Riddle, died in 1985.
Mrs. Riddle is survived by two stepdaughters, Marian Bushnell of St. John, Wash., and Lois Banta of Millwood; two stepsons, Dixie Riddle of Mead and Lowell Riddle of Newman Lake; one sister, Matilda Thompson of South Dakota; 18 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Church.
, DataTimes