Obituaries

Richard Miessner Ritzville, Wash.

Graveside service for Richard J. Miessner, 85, will be at 1 p.m. today at Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Ritzville. Danekas Funeral Home of Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Miessner, who was born on the family farm in Packard, Wash., northwest of Ritzville, died Thursday at home.

He worked for his parents on the family farm. After his father died in the early 1930s, Mr. Miessner took over the farming operation.

He married Esther Drake in 1952. She died in 1964.

Mr. Miessner continued to farm, and his daughter and her husband moved to the farm in 1977 to help.

In 1978 he moved into Ritzville, and he retired from farming in 1981.

He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Ritzville and a former board member of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in Ritzville.

Survivors include a daughter, Pamela Pulliam of Ritzville; two sisters, Bertha Allen of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Martha Vostral of Ritzville; and four grandchildren.

Richard Montgomery Spokane

Graveside service for Richard L. Montgomery, 79, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Montgomery, who was born in Ecalaca, Mont., died Friday.

He served in the Army during World War II. Following his discharge he married Martha Johnson.

He farmed for a few years and then moved to Potlatch, Idaho, and then to Spokane.

He retired from Kaiser Aluminum in 1979.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years; three daughters, Peggy Freund of Spokane, Annetta Collie of Seattle and Carol Gosswiller of Sumner, Wash.; a son, Larry Montgomery of Spokane; two brothers, Leroy Montgomery of Spokane and Kenneth Montgomery of Potlatch; three sisters, Harriet Johnson of Verndale, Minn., Lorraine Nasset of Hinsdale, Mont., and Ethel Erdahl of Spokane; nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Jean (Neumeyer) Bojorquez Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Memorial service for Jean Ann (Neumeyer) Bojorquez, 34, will be today at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Spokane. Interment was held at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Bojorquez, who was born in Iowa City, Iowa, died Wednesday.

She moved to Bonners Ferry in 1968 and graduated from Bonners Ferry High School. She graduated from the University of Idaho. She recently worked at Suntoya Corp.

Mrs. Bojorquez was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and was active in 4-H.

Survivors include her husband, Al, of Elk; a son, Robert of Elk; three stepchildren, Aldrin and Mia, both of Elk, and Albert of Fort Leonardwood, Mo.; her parents, Bob and Hollyce Neumeyer of Iowa; a sister, Nancy Longfield of Moscow, Idaho; two brothers, Gary of Bonners Ferry and Jeffrey of Boise.

Memorials may be made to the family for the Western State Angus Queen Fund, c/o HCR 60, Box 262, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.

Leroy ‘L.L.’ Lorang Spokane

Memorial service for Leroy Lester “L.L.” Lorang is set for 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.

Mr. Lorang, 88, died Friday.

He was born in Forest, Idaho, and had lived in the Spokane area for more than 80 years.

He attended North Central High School and served in the Army 414th Aviation Signal Corps during World War II.

Mr. Lorang was a retired machine business owner in Spokane and was involved in several mining ventures.

He had served on several mining boards and was a member of the Moose Lodge.

His wife, Nora Lorang, died in 1986.

He is survived by two daughters, Candace Dewey of Spokane and Karen Lorang-Schmirler of Camas, Wash.; two sisters, Viletha Lennington of Vancouver, Wash., and Marie Adams of Spokane; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Elmer Heimbigner Spokane

Service for Elmer H. Heimbigner, 87, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Philadelphia Congregational Church in Ritzville, Wash. Burial will follow at Ritzville Memorial Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Heimbigner, a lifetime Ritzville resident, died Sunday at the Life Care Center in Ritzville.

He graduated from Dryden High School and from Whitman College with a degree in economics.

He married Elizabeth Benzel in 1933.

They farmed near Ritzville for 17 years before Mr. Heimbigner went to work for Adams County as a recorder in the auditor’s office.

In 1959 he began working as a master accountant for Big Bend Electric CoOp, retiring in 1969.

Mr. Heimbigner was a member of Philadelphia Congregational Church and the Ritzville Lions Club.

Survivors include a son, Ronald Heimbigner of Dunwoody, Ga.; a brother, Alvin Heimbigner of North Bend, Wash.; two sisters, Anna Benzel of Harrington, Wash., and Margaret Gilliam of Tucson, Ariz.; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Irene Anderson Deary, Idaho

Memorial service for Irene Mae Anderson, 59, will be Friday at 11 a.m. at the Deary Community Church. Private family graveside service will be later. Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow, Idaho, is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Anderson, who was born in Arizona, died Saturday of cancer.

She grew up and graduated from high school in Harrison, Idaho, before moving to Lewiston in 1956. She moved to Deary in 1969 and operated a farm.

She became co-owner of Deary Automotive in 1979 and recently managed the business.

Mrs. Anderson was a member of the Women’s Bowling Association and served as past president.

Survivors include her husband, Bill; two daughters, Deborah Swenson of Deary and Sonja Anderson of Alabama; her mother, Belva Pederson of Lewiston; twin brothers, Edward Nolte of Reno, Nev., and Everett Nolte of Spokane; and one granddaughter.

Memorials may be made to the Deary Ambulance Fund, Latah Home Health and Hospice, or the Idaho Youth Ranch.

Maxine Cole Edwall, Wash.

Memorial service for Maxine Cole, 81, was Monday at Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash.

Born in Topeka, Kan., Mrs. Cole died Thursday.

She married Jack Cole in 1938 in Inglewood, Calif. They had met when she was 11 years old, and living in Hollywood, Calif. Mr. Cole returned to California after he graduated from Washington State College.

They moved to Edwall and farmed.

She was a member of Spokane Daughters of the Nile, Lincoln County Nile Club, El Karnak Temple No. 6, Waukon Grange, Society of the Third Infantry Division U.S. Army Outpost 04, and was a charter member of the Edwall Bridge Club.

Her husband died in 1989.

She is survived by three daughters, Nancy Matlack of Diamond Springs, Calif., Jacklyn Kuester of Seattle and Patty Sherlock of Edwall; one brother, Max Gaylord of Nevada; and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children.

Gary Gregory Priest Lake, Idaho

Service for Gary H. Gregory, 67, was Monday at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River, Idaho. Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River.

Mr. Gregory, who died Thursday, was born in Spokane.

He grew up at Priest Lake. He worked as a truck driver for Mercer Trucking and his own logging business.

Mr. Gregory served in the Navy and was a member of the American Legion post in Priest River. He was also a member of the Free Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Arlouine; two sons, Mike Gregory of Spokane and Steve Gregory of Priest River; two daughters, Jacqueline Gregory of Cusick, Wash., and Julie Wilson of Mattawa, Wash.; a sister, Helen Lasater of Fullerton, Calif.; and nine grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Priest Lake Emergency Medical Technicians.

Juanita Fleck Spokane

Funeral Mass for Juanita W. Fleck, 82, is planned for 10 a.m. today at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Fleck, who died Friday, was born in Sterling, Kan.

She had lived in Spokane for 72 years, and graduated from North Central High School.

She was a member of St. Augustine Parish and the Altar Society.

Mrs. Fleck is survived by her husband of 61 years, William Fleck; three sons, William Fleck Jr., of Tualatin, Ore., Richard Fleck of Diamond Lake, Wash., and Michael Fleck of Spokane; two daughters, Donna Camp of Spokane and Janice Loosemore of Newport, Wash.; a sister, Margaret Hubbard of Soap Lake, Wash.; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Edward Fiskness Spokane

Visitation for Edward G. “Ed” Fiskness, 91, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Glad Tidings Assembly of God with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Fiskness, who died Friday, was a lifetime Spokane resident.

He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and attended Whitworth College.

He operated Ed’s Food Shop at Fourth and Fiske in Spokane for many years and retired in 1970.

Mr. Fiskness was a member of the Glad Tidings Assembly of God.

He is survived by a daughter, Marge Baranowitz of Spokane; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Glad Tidings Assembly of God.

Virgil Brandon Spokane

Private service for Virgil G. Brandon, 86, is planned. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Brandon, who died Sunday, was born in Albion, Wash.

He worked as a funeral director and mortician in Washington and Montana and operated a funeral home in Colville for two years after working in Montana. He later retired after more than 30 years with Smith Funeral Home of Spokane.

He was a World War II Navy and Marine Corps veteran and was decorated with two Purple Hearts and eight stars, signifying he was a member of eight separate invasion teams.

Mr. Brandon is survived by his wife of 61 years, Leone (Wells) Brandon; a son, Terry Brandon of Spokane; a brother, Gatlin Brandon of California; one granddaughter and two great-grandsons.

Lynn Lyman Spokane

Service for Lynn Ross Lyman, 74, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Sunset Mausoleum Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is charge of arrangements.

Mr. Lyman, who died Saturday, was born in La Grande, Ore.

He was a 60-year Spokane resident and worked for Husky Oil Co.

He was a World War II Army veteran and a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2.

His wife, Lois Lyman, preceded him in death.

Mr. Lyman is survived by a son, Larry Lyman of Colbert; two daughters, Linda Drake of Chattaroy and Becky Sobosky of Spokane; a brother, Derald Lyman of Spokane; a sister, Joann Swanson of Colbert; seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Northwest Kidney Foundation or the American Diabetes Association.

Ralph Colier Havre, Mont.

Memorial service for Ralph L. Colier, 74, a former Spokane resident, was Saturday at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Havre.

Mr. Colier, who died Tuesday in a car accident near Zurich, Mont., was born in Havre.

He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He lived in Spokane from 1961 until 1982, and was a member of the Wandermere Men’s Club.

Mr. Colier retired from Burlington Northern Railroad after 30 years.

His first wife, Aileen, died in 1980.

He is survived by his wife, Emi Colier; three daughters, Susan Moris of Issaquah, Wash., and Kathleen Haines and Paula Wills, both of Spokane; and three grandchildren.

John Law Spokane

Memorial service for John G. Law, 77, will be at 10 a.m. today at Rock of Ages Church. There will be private inurnment. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Law died Thursday.

He was born in Calgary, Alberta.

He graduated from Whitworth College and had lived in Spokane for 55 years.

He served in the Army during World War II and worked for Great Northern Railway. He also taught school and worked as an insurance salesman.

Mr. Law is survived by a son, Mark Law of Veradale; a daughter, Marcia Law of Seattle; two sisters, Renee Crowl and Francis Hathway, both of Seattle; and one grandson.

Christine Shook Spokane

Funeral Mass for Christine Shook, 75, will be at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Mary Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hennessey-Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Shook, who died Wednesday, was born in Esmond, N.D.

She had lived in Spokane for 49 years and had previously worked as an administrative assistant for the California Legislature for eight years.

She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church and Elks Lodge No. 2328.

She is survived by her husband, Patrick Shook; a son, Dennis Shook of Spokane; a daughter, Kathleen Gibson of Enumclaw, Wash.; and three grandchildren.

Harold Kempken Spokane

Service for Harold F. Kempken, 82, is set for 2 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.

Mr. Kempken, a 50-year Spokane resident, died Wednesday.

He was born in Edwall, Wash., and had lived in Spokane for 50 years.

He was a barber in the Spokane Valley for more than 20 years and.

Mr. Kempken served in the Navy during World War II and was a member of the American Legion.

His wife, Pearl Kempken, preceded him in death.

He is survived by a brother, Herb Kempken of Lancaster, Calif.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Ella Gutschmidt Warden, Wash.

Service for Ella I. Gutschmidt, a lifetime Warden resident, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Warden Community Church. Burial was at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Warden. Kayser’s Chapel of Memories in Moses Lake was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Gutschmidt, 86, died Thursday.

In 1929 she married Emil Gutschmidt. In the late 1930s they bought her parent’s farm.

Her husband died in 1994.

Mrs. Gutschmidt is survived by a daughter, Rosemary Powers of Kennewick; a brother, Reinhold Burkholz of Redmond, Wash.; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

William Webb Spokane

Service for William T. “Bill” Webb, 69, was Monday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Entombment was at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mr. Webb, who died Thursday, was born in Paris, Tenn.

He graduated from Hartline (Wash.) High School and served with the Merchant Marines and then with the Army in Germany.

He was a longtime member of the Operating Engineers Union Local 370, and worked in construction.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, June Webb; a son, Mark Webb, and a daughter, Lauri Gest, both of Spokane; his mother, Frances Webb; a sister, Donna Doyle; and eight grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross.

Laura Gerkensmeyer Gooselaw Spokane

Service for Laura M. Gerkensmeyer Gooselaw was Monday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial was at Riverside Memorial Park.

Mrs. Gooselaw, 91, died Thursday.

She was born in Bremen, Ill., and had lived in Spokane for 74 years.

She was a homemaker and was a member of the Lutheran faith.

Two husbands, William Gerkensmeyer and John Gooselaw, preceded her in death.

She is survived by a son, Ron Gerkensmeyer of Spokane; a stepdaughter, Audrey Wittkopf of Spokane; a sister, Edna Lanoue of Spokane; five grandchildren and four great-grandsons.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

Flora Mattausch Fairfield

Graveside service for Flora Mattausch, 89, was Monday at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Mattausch, who was born in Fairbanks, Wash., died Wednesday.

She married Edwin Mattausch in 1923 in Portland and they lived in Portland for a few years and then moved to the Fairbanks area to farm. They farmed until the 1960s and moved to Fairfield in 1986.

She was a member of the Plaza Grange No. 888, Pamona Grange and Washington State Grange, Cheney Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Pythian Sisters and Rebekah Lodge of Rosalia.

Her husband preceded her in death.

She is survived by two sons, Allen and Randolph Mattausch, both of Rosalia, Wash.; a sister, Opal Moreland of Spokane; nine grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Rosalia Ambulance Fund.

Richard Rowland Spokane

Private service will be held for Richard Lee Rowland, 72. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Rowland, who died Thursday, was born in Benewah County, Idaho.

He served in the Navy during World War II.

He worked as a gardener for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department.

He is survived by three daughters, Pernie Roskam of Spokane, Sherry Plue of Osburn, Idaho, and Laurie McLaughlin of Post Falls; two sons, William Rowland of Post Falls and Merrill Rowland of Coeur d’Alene; 12 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Mary Brown Ione, Wash.

Private service for Mary Ellen Brown, 74, will be held at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge.

Born in McCook, Neb., Mrs. Brown died Friday in Colville, Wash.

She was a former Spokane resident and had worked as a registered nurse with the Spokane County Health District.

She served in the Navy during World War II as a nurse also.

Mrs. Brown is survived by her husband, Donald Brown Sr.; a son, Donald “Tony” Brown Jr. of Virginia; a daughter, Carol Leighton of Concord, Calif.; a brother, Bob Dunbar of Manchucka, Texas; and three grandchildren.

Marjorie Tarter Spokane

Service for Marjorie K. Tarter, 69, was Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial was at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Born in Wilbur, Wash., Mrs. Tarter died Wednesday.

She was a homemaker and had lived in Spokane for 46 years.

Her husband, Jack Tarter, died in 1991.

She is survived by a daughter, Margie Wiley of Redmond, Wash.; two sons, Marvin Tarter of Rathdrum, Idaho, and John Tarter of Amboy, Wash.; a brother, Harvey Tilson of Davenport, Wash.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Larry Sullivan Spokane

Memorial service for Larry M. Sullivan, 54, was Saturday at Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, Wash.

Mr. Sullivan, who died Thursday, was born in Reardan, Wash.

He was a Reardan High School graduate and also graduated from Yakima Valley Junior College.

He worked as a window salesman and was a decorated Navy Seal.

He is survived by his wife, Regina Sullivan; a daughter, Tori, and a son, Billy, both at home; his father, Wilfred “Bill” Sullivan of Reardan; two brothers, Don Sullivan of Lake Chelan, Wash., and Bill Sullivan of Edwall, Wash.; and his grandmother, Faye Peters of Hemet, Calif.

, DataTimes