Obituaries
Richard McPherson Palouse, Wash.
Memorial service for Richard Gordon McPherson, 72, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McPherson, who was born in Bangor, Maine, died Monday at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane from cancer.
He joined the Army in 1942 and served in the European Theater during World War II.
He married Louise Hall in 1942 in Auburn, Maine. They moved to Pullman in 1951, and Mr. McPherson worked for Neill Furniture Store until 1960.
In 1960 they moved to Palouse and he went to work for Washington State University at Holland Library as a maintenance worker until 1968. He then worked for the Postal Service as a letter carrier until he retired in 1978.
His wife died in 1993. Following her death, Mr. McPherson moved back to Pullman, then recently moved to Spokane.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Palouse.
He is survived by two sons, Ronald MacPherson of Emida, Idaho, and Wallace MacPherson of St. Maries; one daughter, Sharon Miller of Veradale; four brothers, Wallace McPherson of Clarkston, Wash., John Baldwin of Independence, Mo., Dana Baldwin of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Larry Baldwin of Mauldin, S.C.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Cornelius Groenen Spokane
Service for Eastern Washington University professor Cornelius J. Groenen, Ph.D., 65, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Groenen, who was born in The Netherlands, died Monday.
He moved to Spokane in 1967 with his wife, Wibke. He joined the faculty of the French Department at EWU and served as a professor there until 1993, when he was appointed professor emeritus.
He received the Washington Education Association’s Higher Education Distinguished Honor Award and created the Montreal, Quebec, and Nice, France, programs for students of French language to study abroad.
He was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish and the parish council and served as a member of the school board of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane. He received the Bishop’s Medal for 15 years of service and dedication. He was also a member of the Rotary in Cheney.
His wife of 23 years died in 1987.
He is survived by one son, Harald of Cheney; and one daughter, Corinna Groenen-Strayer of Columbus, Ohio.
Memorial contributions may be made to All Saints School Endowment in care of Catholic Foundation, P.O. Box 1453, Spokane, WA 99210-1453.
Arthur Arnevick Spokane
Graveside service for Arthur H. “Art” Arnevick, 49, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Arnevick, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Sunday. He was a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local No. 44 and worked in commercial construction.
He was also a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2 and had served in the Army.
His wife, Linda Arnevick, preceded him in death.
Survivors include one daughter, Linda Patterson of Spokane; one sister, Patricia Scollard of Spokane; and one grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Edward Deking Ritzville, Wash.
Visitation for Edward A. Deking, 84, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville. Service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Ritzville with burial at the Lutheran Cemetery in Ritzville.
Mr. Deking died Tuesday at the Spokane home of his daughter, Janis Wood, where he had been staying. He was a lifetime Ritzville resident.
He was a retired wheat farmer and was a member of Emanuel Lutheran Church.
His wife, Irene Deking, died in 1990.
He is survived by his daughter and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Charles McIlroy, Ph.D. Medical Lake
Service for Charles R. McIlroy, 44, is planned for 2 p.m. today at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. McIlroy died Saturday as a result of a fall while hiking near Airway Heights. He was born in Pittsburgh.
He graduated from the University of Colorado, the University of Maryland and the George Fox Graduate School of Psychology in Newburg, Ore.
He worked at Eastern State Hospital as a clinical psychologist on the forensic unit and was director of the Mentally Ill Offender Program.
He was a member of Pilgrim Lutheran Church.
Dr. McIlroy is survived by his wife of 12 years Kirsti; two sons, Shepherd and Peter McIlroy, and one daughter, Rachel McIlroy, all at home; his mother, Jean McIlroy of Sedona, Ariz.; two brothers, William McIlroy of Pittsburgh and Robert McIlroy of Tokyo; and two sisters, Laurie Moskowitz of Sedona and Wendy Neubig of Ashland, Ohio.
Nellie Wright Spokane
Memorial service for Nellie E. Wright, 76, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home.
Born in Hewins, Kan., Mrs. Wright died Sunday.
She had worked as a restaurant cook.
She married Joe Wright in Worley, Idaho, in 1939. He died in 1976.
Survivors include two sons, Elmer and Joe Wright, both of Coeur d’Alene; three daughters, Beta Brewer of Coeur d’Alene, and Mary LaPoint and Sue Ellis, both of Spokane; three brothers, Elmer and Joe Morlan, both of Spokane and Bud Sheldon of Coeur d’Alene; 12 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Griffin Adult Care, in care of Michelle Griffin, 1722 S. Blake, Spokane, WA 99216.
Marian Elze Newman Lake
Visitation for Marian L. Elze, 78, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Service will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Elze, who was born in Westcliffe, Colo., died Monday.
She was a homemaker and had lived in Fresno, Calif., for 15 years before moving to Spokane 20 years ago.
She was a member of Hope Lutheran Church and the Ladies Aid.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Martin Elze; two sons, Lloyd Elze of Spokane and Ralph Elze of Modesto, Calif.; three daughters, Lucille Tenorio of Taos, N.M., Betty Grubs of Rogers, Ark., and Barbara DeBenedetto of Fresno, Calif.; one sister, Myrtle Allen of Pueblo, Colo.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Veda Bruce Spokane
Service for Veda May Bruce, 76, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Bruce, who was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, died Monday.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and was manager of the Cheese Bar in Spokane from 1955 to 1960.
She was a 79-year Spokane resident.
Her husband, Robert Bruce, died in 1980.
She is survived by one daughter, Carol Smith of Spokane; one brother, Al Evans of Spokane; four grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.
Martin Keller Fairfield
Service for Lutheran Pastor Martin C.H. Keller, 96, is set for 11 a.m. Friday at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield. Burial will be at Rosewood Cemetery in Fairfield. Schanzenbach Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Keller,who died Saturday, was born in Lamberton, Minn.
He married Anna Schoenwald in 1926.
His father, all of his brothers, and his son, were or are Lutheran pastors.
Mr. Keller served in congregations in North Dakota, Oregon and in Washington, including Colfax, Farmington and Fairfield.
He and his wife moved to the Good Samaritan Center in Fairfield in 1981. His wife died in 1990.
He is survived by four daughters, Dolores Hein, Lorraine Berndt, Naomi Kraiger and Karen Edwards; one son, Bob Keller; one brother, Alvin; two sisters, Lydia and Grace; 20 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church or the Good Samaritan Center.
, DataTimes