Obituaries
Ruby Yarber Plummer, Idaho
Graveside service for Ruby L. Yarber, 88, will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Yarber, who died Sunday, grew up in Chewelah and Blue Creek, Wash., and settled in Blue Creek, where she was a homemaker.
She moved to Plummer in the 1950s and worked as a cook at a local restaurant, retiring in 1965.
Mrs. Yarber was a member of the Plummer Senior Citizens.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, Art Rudebeck in 1942 and Henry Yarber in 1981.
Survivors include one daughter, Fay Krueger of Spokane; her companion, Glenn Newell of Plummer; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Josephine Ripley Colfax, Wash.
Rosary service for Josephine L. “Jo” Ripley, 95, will be at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colfax. Burial Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at the church with burial to follow at Colfax Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ripley, a longtime Colfax resident, died Sunday at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center. She was born in Wilcox, Wash.
In Colfax, she worked at Emerson Knox dry goods store, Burkehart Dress Shop and J.C. Penney.
In 1954, she was selected to fill the position of Colfax city treasurer. She was then elected to the position and remained at City Hall until she retired in 1974.
She married Melvin Ripley in 1920. He died in 1966.
She is survived by a sister, Mary Brodie, and a brother, Larry Lothspeich, both of Colfax.
Robert Murphy Spokane
Vigil service for Robert E. “Bob” Murphy, 74, is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Murphy died Monday.
He was born in Chicago and graduated from high school there.
He worked for a utility company in California for 30 years and moved to Spokane in 1985.
He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hillyard Post No. 1471. He served in the military during World War II.
Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Myrtle Murphy; a daughter, Judie Smith of Deer Park; a stepdaughter, Virda Lawrence of Lake Bay, Wash.; a brother, John Murphy of Yorkville, Ill.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Arnold McGuire Colfax, Wash.
Memorial service for Arnold Clair McGuire, 70, is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Steptoe (Wash.) Community Church. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McGuire, who died July 9, was born in Colfax.
He graduated from Colfax High School and moved to Alaska where he worked for four or five years.
He returned to Colfax and began farming. He went to work for Whitman County in the early 1970s. He retired in 1990.
In 1951 he married Mariam Burnard.
Mr. McGuire was a member of the Parvin Grange.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Leslie McGuire of Seattle and Michael McGuire of Spokane; a daughter, Judy Neudorfer of Spokane; two brothers, Harold McGuire of Mesa, Ariz., and Howard McGuire of Visalia, Calif.; a sister, Evelyn Taylor of The Dalles, Ore.; and five grandchildren.
Charles Cline Spokane
Funeral Mass for Charles H. “Chuck” Cline, 69, is planned for 10 a.m. today at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Inurnment will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Cline, who was born in New Cumberland, W.Va., died Sunday.
Mr. Cline served for 30 years in the Marine Corps during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1976.
He had lived in Spokane for 20 years and was a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish.
He was also a member of Knights of Columbus 4th Degree, Disabled American Veterans No. 45, the Moose Lodge and Veterans of Foreign Wars Hillyard Post No. 1474.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Dee; two sons, Charles Cline of Hamilton, Ohio, and Dallas Cline of Spokane; two daughters, Leatrice Shuey of Italy and Dawn Hughes of Clark Fork, Idaho; four brothers, William, Marc, Page James and Thomas Cline; two sisters, Mary Gavey and Margaret Pagnotti; six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Loren Eden Valleyford
Memorial service for Loren H. Eden, 64, will be at 11 a.m. today at Menno Mennonite Church near Ritzville, Wash. Burial will precede at Menno Mennonite cemetery near Ritzville. An additional memorial service will be at 7 p.m. today at Valley Fourth Memorial Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral HomeSouth is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Eden, who died Sunday, was born in Lind, Wash.
A 60-year resident of Valleyford, he was a farmer and raised cattle.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Viola Eden; and two brothers, Richard Eden of Post Falls and Vernon Eden of Valleyford.
Darla Stearns Connell, Wash.
Memorial service for Darla F. Stearns, 40, will be at 10 a.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.
Mrs. Stearns died Aug. 7 in Connell, where she had been living and teaching for the past three years.
She was born in Billings, Mont., and moved to Spokane in 1970.
She earned a master of arts degree in teaching with honors at Gonzaga University and was teaching at Basin City School in Connell.
She is survived by a son, Nathan Stearns; her mother, Laury King of Spokane; her father and stepmother, Russell and Shirley Stearns of Hayden Lake, Idaho; two sisters, Lorna Freeman of Westport, Conn., and Shonna Stearns of Billings; and a brother, Jim Stearns of Helena.
Vernon Harris Centralia, Wash.
Service for Vernon Eugene Harris, 61, is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday at Sticklin Funeral Chapel in Centralia. Burial will be at Mountain View Cemetery in Centralia.
Mr. Harris, a former Spokane resident who moved to Centralia in 1970, died Aug. 9.
He was born in Albuquerque, N.M.
He worked for Washington Water Power and retired as an electrician after 35 years.
He was an Army veteran and was an original member of the Dukes Car Club of Spokane.
Mr. Harris was previously married to Nicky Martin of Lake Oswego, Ore., and to Joy Harris of Spokane.
He is survived by his fiancee, Ruth Forrest of Centralia; two sons, Byron Harris of Spokane and Michael Harris of Olympia; a stepson, Michael Chevalier; a daughter, Heather Stevens of Zebulon, N.C.; three stepdaughters, Lynn Steinert of Chehalis, Wash., and Cass Sears and Mara Chevalier, both of Centralia; his mother, Berneta Harris of Spokane; a brother, Nortman Harris of Spokane; a sister, Beverly Ho of Las Vegas, Nev.; 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Robert Diegel Spokane
Graveside service for Robert D. “Bob” Diegel, 36, was Tuesday at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Diegel, who died Friday from cancer, was born in Two Rivers, Wis.
He graduated from Rhinelander (Wis.) High School.
He moved to Spokane in 1980 and graduated from Spokane Community College with a nursing degree.
He was a registered nurse and worked for a year and a half for the Washington State Prisons. He then worked for Holy Family Hospital in the intensive care unit.
He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Kim Diegel; three children, Jeramiah, Natasha and Tiffany Diegel, all at home; his mother, Beverly Diegel of Spokane; his father, Lawrence Diegel of Rhinelander, Wis.; three brothers, Mark Diegel of Neenah, Wis., Thomas and Craig Diegel, both of Spokane; and his grandparents, Kenneth and Ruth LeQue of Newport, Wash.
Felix Hamel Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Felix Hamel, 78, will be held today at 2 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Hamel, who was born in Montana, died Saturday.
He had lived in the Pinehurst, Idaho, area for many years and worked as a miner for the Bunker Hill Mining Co. He retired in 1971 and moved to Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Hamel built and owned The Shady Acres Trailer Park and Campground in Coeur d’Alene before moving to the Spokane Valley in 1976. He returned to Coeur d’Alene last year.
Survivors include his wife, Helen; two stepsons, Phillip Shubert of Spokane and Jim Shubert of St. Maries; four stepdaughters, Carol Dugger of Kellogg, Marie Shadduck of Post Falls, Kathleen Burge of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Donna Whisenhunt of Arizona; one sister, June Orr of Coeur d’Alene; one brother, Walter Hamel of St. Ignatius, Mont.; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Virginia (Zeiher) Dreis Spokane
Memorial service for Virginia Zeiher Dreis, 93, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Dreis, who was born in Henderson, Minn., died Monday in Overland Park, where she had lived for the past five years.
She and her husband, Frank Dreis, moved to Spokane in 1939, due to her husband’s job with the railroad.
She had lived in Spokane for 50 years and was a homemaker.
She is survived by a daughter, Patricia Toenies of Spokane; three sons, David and James Dreis, both of Spokane, and Robert Dreis of Casa Grande, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Lawrence Hickey Spokane
Visitation for Lawrence E. Hickey, 81, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Dishman Baptist Church. Burial with military honors will be at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Hickey, a 35-year Spokane resident, died Monday.
He was born in Danville, Kan.
He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
In 1945 he married Ann Hickey in Rossville, Ga. They moved to Spokane in 1960 from Colville, Wash.
He worked for the postal service as a mechanic for 18 years and retired in 1980.
He is survived by his wife; two daughters, Carolyn Miller and Laura Kowitz, both of Spokane; a son, Leonard Hickey of Spokane; a brother, Clifford Hickey of Windsor, Calif.; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was a member of Dishman Baptist Church, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
Verne Siegel Deer Park
Graveside service for Verne H. Siegel, a retired Eastern Washington school administrator, will be at 1 p.m. today at Pine City (Wash.) Cemetery. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Open Door Congregational Church. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Pine City, Mr. Siegel died Saturday. He was 87.
He graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor’s degree and received his master’s degree from Washington State University.
He served as a teacher, school administrator and superintendent throughout Eastern Washington. He was superintendent of the Deer Park School District in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He retired in 1973 after 43 years.
He was a member of Deer Park Masonic Lodge No. 134, Scottish Rite Bodies, El Katif Shrine, Bethlehem Chapter 87 Order of Eastern Star, Open Door Congregational Church, Washington State Retired Teachers Association, Avion and the Lilac City Good Sams.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mildred Siegel; a daughter, Audrey Tyree of Spokane; two sons, Merle Siegel of Atlanta and Gary Siegel of Shelton, Wash.; two sisters, Blanche Kile of St. John, Wash., and Ivah Nell Burton of Missoula; a brother, Gale Siegel of Eugene, Ore.; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Cindy Severson Loon Lake, Wash.
Graveside service for Cindy Sue Severson, 32, is planned for 2 p.m. Thursday at Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Severson died Saturday in an auto accident on Highway 395 south of Loon Lake.
She was born in Spokane and was a longtime Spokane resident. She had recently moved to Loon Lake.
She graduated from Mead High School and was a beautician.
Ms. Severson is survived by a daughter, Michaela Severson, at home; her parents, Norman and Joan Severson of Loon Lake; and two brothers, Gordon Severson of Colfax, Wash., and Brad Severson of Colbert.
Ethel Witter Risdal Colfax, Wash.
Service for Ethel V. Witter Risdal, 86, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Colfax Assembly of God Church. Burial will follow at Thornton (Wash.) Cemetery. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Risdal died Sunday.
She was born in the Fairbanks area near Oakesdale, Wash.
In 1928 she married Robert Witter in Colfax. They lived near Thornton, where they farmed. They retired from farming in 1952 and moved to Rosalia. Her husband died in 1970.
In 1986, Mrs. Risdal moved to Colfax. She married Joe Risdal in 1994; he died in June.
Mrs. Risdal is survived by three stepchildren, Barbara Dretke of Burlington, Wash., Evelyn Wylie of Port Orchard, Wash., and Tom Risdal of Thief River Falls, Minn.; nine stepgrandchildren, six great-grandchildren and three stepgreat-grandchildren.
Thelma Campbell Shelton, Wash.
No service will be held for Thelma F. Campbell, 81. Cremation has taken place.
Mrs. Campbell, who was born in Missoula, died June 24 at Fir Lane Convalescent Center in Shelton.
She graduated from high school in Montana and attended comptometer school in Spokane. She worked for the American Automobile Association in the administration building in Pullman in 1937.
In 1939, she married Robert Campbell.
She later worked at the Corner Drug Store and Lincoln Middle School in Pullman.
In 1977, she moved to Lewiston, from Pullman, and then to Helena in 1981. She moved to Union, Wash., in June.
She is survived by her husband; a daughter, Carolyn Butterton of Union; a son, Steve Campbell of Helena; one grandson, four stepgrandchildren, a great-grandson and 10 stepgreat-grandchildren.
Violet Flowers Spokane
Memorial service for Violet M. “Vi” Flowers, 86, will be at 2 p.m Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home.
Mrs. Flowers, who died last Wednesday , was born in Lind, Wash.
She had lived in Spokane for the past 20 years.
She had previously lived and worked in Everett, Seattle, Los Angeles, Kennewick and Vancouver, Wash.
She was a member of Women of the Moose Chapter 74, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the Culinary Union, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, Spokane Rock Rollers Club and the Oldtimers Mineral Club.
She is survived by her husband, Cleve Flowers; a daughter, Frances Regan of Kirkland, Wash.; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mary Manning Coeur d’Alene
Vigil service for Mary E. Manning, 78, will be today at 8 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Mass will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery.
Mrs. Manning, who was born in Portland, died Sunday.
She had lived in Cordova, Alaska, before moving to Hayden Lake, Idaho, in 1946. She moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1982.
She was a clerk and member of the Cordova School Board before coowning a dairy farm in Hayden Lake.
Mrs. Manning was a member of the Hayden Lake Library, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Audubon Society, St. Pius Catholic Church, choir and Altar Society and served as past president of the Hayden PTA. Survivors include her husband, Dan; two sons, Jim Manning of Pocatello, Idaho, and Bruce Manning of Garfield, Wash.; five daughters, Catherine Tinder of Twin Lakes, Idaho, Jeane Manning of Vancouver, British Columbia, Barbara Grimm of Penticton, British Columbia, Virginia Manning of Bellevue, Wash., and Carol Dever of Spokane; two brothers, George and Donald Jeffery, both of Oregon; one sister, Iris Martin of California; 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Lyle Petersen Post Falls
Memorial service for Lyle B. Petersen, 77, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Shoshone Funeral Service Chapel in Kellogg. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Petersen, who was born in Kellogg, died Saturday.
He was raised in Kellogg and had worked as a manager for Linfor Lumber Co., in Smelterville, Idaho, for more than 50 years, retiring 10 years ago. He moved to Post Falls last year.
Mr. Peterson served in the Army during World War II and was a member of the Kellogg Elks, the Masonic Lodge and the Shriners.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris, in 1995.
Survivors include a son, Randy Petersen of Post Falls; two sisters, Bunny Petersen of Pinehurst and Wanda Sullivan of Kellogg; his aunt, Mabel Wilcott of Garwood, Idaho; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Marie Mantz Spokane
Memorial service for Marie M. Mantz, 83, will be at 11 a.m. today at Central Lutheran Church. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla.
Born in Walla Walla, Mrs. Mantz died Monday at home.
She was a homemaker and had lived in Spokane for 13 years.
She was a member of Central Lutheran Church and had been a Sunday school teacher, choir member and director, and a member of church women’s groups.
Two husbands preceded her in death; Clarence Brueggemeier in 1948 and Walter Mantz in 1981.
She is survived by a son, Paul Brueggemeier of Spokane; a daughter, Marilyn Robb of Vancouver, Wash.; three sisters, Ruth Beck of Walla Walla, Irma Gieseke of Eugene, Ore., and Lois Eagon of Bellingham; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
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