Obituaries
Claude Heller Spokane
Memorial service for Claude A. Heller, 51, will be at 1 p.m. today at First Assembly of God Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Heller, who died Friday, was born in Great Falls, Mont.
He graduated from high school in Laurel, Mont., and later returned and taught choir there for four years.
He played keyboards professionally for a number of years and in 1977 began teaching choir at Medical Lake Middle School and Medical Lake High School.
The choirs participated in many community events, including Christmas caroling at Interlake School and Lakeland Village.
He was a member of the music department and Praise Band at First Assembly of God Church in Spokane and the Northwest Pattern Racing Association.
Mr. Heller is survived by his wife of 20 years, Delnita Heller; two daughters, Sara Heller, at home, and Lynne Buechler of Spokane; his mother, Jeane Heller of Eugene, Ore.; a brother, Wayne Heller of Aurora, Colo.; and a sister, Fern McArthur of Eugene.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Claude Heller High School Music Scholarship Fund, c/o Key Bank in Medical Lake.
Jerry Ogle Spokane
Service for Jerry L. Ogle, 65, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hillyard Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ogle, who died Friday, was born in Cheney and graduated from Rogers High School.
In high school he was an All-City player in football, baseball and track. He attended the University of Idaho for three years and held the pass receiving record for UI football for 35 years. He was also a catcher on the UI baseball team.
In 1953 he signed with the Spokane Indians as a catcher.
He served in the Army for two years during the Korean War.
Following the war, he worked for Joey and Nick August Distributors until he retired in 1992.
He was a courtesy member of the Hillyard Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include a son, Mark Ogle of Spokane; his mother, Marie Ogle of Spokane; three sisters, Shirley Swanson of Spokane, Donna Dishman of Kent, Wash., and Patricia Fletcher of Issaquah, Wash.; and two grandchildren.
Beulah Bodeau Wilbur, Wash.
Rosary service for Beulah E. Bodeau, 93, will be at 7:30 p.m. today at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wilbur. Funeral Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at the church with burial at Wilbur Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Wilbur is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bodeau, who was born in Wilbur, died Saturday.
She had worked as a telephone operator.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Wilbur Grange and the Washington Association of Wheat Growers.
Her husband of 50 years, Alfred Bodeau, died in 1986.
She is survived by two sons, Dean and Don Bodeau, both of Wilbur; a sister, Loma White of Davenport, Wash.; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Arnold LaBrie Spokane
Memorial service for Arnold “Arnie” LaBrie, 71, is set for 1 p.m. Thursday at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. LaBrie, who was born near Doland, S.D., died Saturday at home.
He graduated from high school in Doland and farmed with his father and brothers.
He married Ardyce Shult in Clark, S.D., in 1946. They moved to Spokane in 1955.
Mr. LaBrie worked for Sperry’s General Mills and later drove a petroleum truck for Western Farmers for 25 years.
He is survived by his wife; a son, Monte LaBrie of Wasilla, Alaska; three daughters, Sue Martin of Spokane, Cherri Carver of Philipsburg, Mont., and Lynne Tollison of Greenacres; two brothers, Aaron and Dale LaBrie, both of Doland, S.D.; eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Place, 1018 N. Elm, Spokane, 99201, or to the Westminster Food Bank.
Ramona Durrant Spokane
Service for Ramona L. Durrant, 59, was Monday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Burial was at the Mount Hope Cemetery.
Mrs. Durrant, who died last Wednesday at home, was born in Valley, Wash., and graduated from high school there.
She married Robert Durrant in Spokane, in 1956.
She drove a school bus for the Freeman School District. She also had worked as a floral designer for Rich Avenue Gardens and as a floral and craft designer for Miller Art Products.
She is survived by her husband; one daughter, Kristine Pettibone of Freeman; one son, Brien Durrant of Valleyford; one brother, Lee Davis of Richland; and two grandchildren.
Anna Panther Spokane
Visitation for Anna M. Panther, 85, is scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral HomeSouth. Graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Panther, who died Saturday, was a lifetime Spokane resident.
She worked in meat-packing plants, including Carsten’s Meats and Armour Meats. She retired in 1975.
She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474 Auxiliary.
Mrs. Panther is survived by a son, Donavon Northcraft of Spokane; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Cecilia MacDonald Chewelah, Wash.
Service for Cecilia Mary MacDonald, 75, will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chewelah. Burial will follow at Chewelah Memorial Park. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. MacDonald, who died Saturday, was born in Grand Forks, British Columbia.
She had lived in the Chewelah area since 1940 and was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Joseph’s Guild and St. Mary’s Altar Society.
Survivors include her husband, Fred MacDonald; two sons, Edward MacDonald of Los Angeles and Bob MacDonald of Colorado; two daughters, Marjorie Haughey of Veradale and Jeanne MacDonald of Yakima; a brother, Peter Palek of Chewelah; eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Vernon ‘Curly’ Hettinger Spokane
Graveside service for Vernon E. “Curly” Hettinger, 92, is planned for 10 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hettinger, who died Sunday, was born in Beaver Creek, Minn.
He was a crane operator for Kaiser Aluminum and had lived in Spokane for more than 53 years.
He served in the Army during World War II.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474, Eagles Lodge No. 2 and United Steel Workers of America Local No. 338.
His wife, Esther, died in 1980.
He is survived by several nephews and nieces, including Herb and Deidre Hettinger of the Spokane Valley and Jack and Beverly Hettinger of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Veteran Volunteer Service, 4815 N. Assembly, Spokane, WA 99205.
Clarence ‘Jack’ Mueller Spokane
No service will be held for Clarence “Jack” Mueller, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Mueller died Thursday.
He joined the Navy in 1935 and served during World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the Navy as a chief petty officer in 1955. He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Association.
He married Charlotte Williams in 1955 and they moved to Spokane.
Mr. Mueller worked for the city water department as a pump operator for 17 years and retired in 1973.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Jack Mueller and Dennis Williams, both of Spokane; four daughters, Jeannie Erskine and Mary Haryu, both of Anacortes, Wash., Sally Dedmon of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Margaret Rice of San Fernando, Calif.; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Carmel Guadanol Priest River, Idaho
No service will be held for Carmel J. Guadanol, 82, at his request. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Guadanol, a longtime Priest River resident, died July 2 at Sandpoint Care Center.
He was born in Colorado and his family moved to Spokane when he was a child.
He worked at Kaiser Aluminum and moved to Priest River after he retired.
He is survived by a sister, Vera Naccarato.
Doris Timonen Coeur d’Alene
At her request, no service will be held for Doris M. Timonen, 75. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Timonen, who was born in Idaho, died Saturday.
She was educated in Rexburg, Idaho, and moved to North Idaho in 1948.
She had worked as a practical nurse at Coeur d’Alene Homes and Lake City General Hospital. Mrs. Timonen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Eagles Auxiliary and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.
Survivors include her husband, Heimo; three sons, Tom Timonen of Spokane, Larry Timonen of Las Vegas, Nev., and Wayne Timonen of Coeur d’Alene; one sister, Belva Hathaway of Idaho Falls; and one brother, John Bingham of Oregon.
Vera Parker Sagle, Idaho
Service for Vera B. Parker, 95, will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at Coffelt’s Moon Chapel in Sandpoint. Visitation will take place before the service. Interment will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint. Coffelt Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Parker, who was born in Michigan, died Sunday.
She moved to the Sandpoint area in 1909 and attended Bonner County schools. She had lived in Dover, Idaho, and worked at Farragut Naval Base. She also volunteered with the American Red Cross during World War II.
Ms. Parker had worked for the Idaho First National Bank and Taft’s Variety Store in Sandpoint before retiring in 1983. She moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, in 1992 and returned to the Sandpoint area earlier this year.
Survivors include a sister, Gladys DeMers of Bonners Ferry; and five nieces and nephews, Marcia Miller of Bonners Ferry, Joan Wilson of Naples, Idaho, Terry DeMers of Sandpoint, Jackie Adams of Spokane and DeVerne Taylor of Bayview, Idaho.
Pearl Mustard Spokane
Graveside service for Pearl E. Mustard, 94, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Pines Cemetery in Opportunity. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Fairfield is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Mustard, who died Friday, was a lifetime Fairfield resident. She was a homemaker.
She was a member of Fairfield Presbyterian Church.
Her husband, Harvey, preceded her in death.
She is survived by a sister, Frances Salla of Spokane; and a brother, Lee Blakely of Bothell, Wash.
Francis Blessing Spokane
Vigil service for Francis J. Blessing, 75, is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the church. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Blessing, who died Saturday, was born in Spokane.
He was an auto body painter starting with Kaufman Buick in 1948 and retiring from Becker Buick in 1986.
He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church.
His wife of 45 years, Lavurne “Jackie” Blessing, died June 28.
He is survived by two daughters Julie Foster of Federal Way, Wash., and Mary Grimes of Greenacres; a brother, Robert Blessing of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Phillip Koberstine Spokane
Memorial service for Phillip Ray Koberstine, 59, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Linwood Seventh-day Adventist Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Private burial will be at West Greenwood Cemetery on Coulee-Hite Road west of Seven Mile.
Mr. Koberstine, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Sunday.
He worked as a laborer in a sawmill and as a janitor and a barber.
He was a member of the Spokane Barber Association.
He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Karen Koberstine; a sister, Barbara Clouse of Spokane; a brother, Duke Koberstine of Spokane; and his mother, Hazel Koberstine of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurse Association.
Frances Hand Spokane
Service for Frances Allison Hand, 85, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home in Milton-Freewater, Ore. Burial will follow at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.
Mrs. Hand, a 17-year Spokane resident, died Friday.
She was born in Mutual, Okla.
In 1930 she married Howard Hand in Taloga, Okla. They moved to California in 1935 and to Umapine, Ore., in 1943.
Mrs. Hand worked as a cook at the Umapine School for several years.
She moved to Spokane following the death of her husband.
Survivors include a son, Lyle Hand; a daughter, Mary Hand Newkirk; a sister, Evelyn Allison of Wichita, Kan.; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5125 N. Market, Spokane, WA 99207.
Elaine Myers Spokane
Memorial Mass for Elaine M. Myers, 59, was Monday at Assumption Catholic Church.
Born in Webster, S.D., Mrs. Myers died July 2.
She had lived in Spokane for 25 years and worked for a delicatessen.
Mrs. Myers was a member of the Eagles Women’s Auxiliary.
She is survived by three daughters, Kim Day, Mary Austin and Phyllis West, all of Spokane; three sisters, three brothers,seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
, DataTimes