Obituaries
Ralph Schafer Liberty Lake
Visitation for Ralph G. Schafer, 73, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville, Wash. Service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Zion Congregational Church. Private burial will precede at Ritzville Memorial Cemetery.
Mr. Schafer, a former Ritzville resident, died Monday at Valley Hospital and Medical Center in Spokane.
He was born in Spokane and was raised on the family farm nine miles southwest of Ritzville.
He graduated from Ritzville High School and attended Washington State College for two years before he returned to Ritzville to take over the family farm. His son, Larry, took over operation of the farm in 1976. He and his wife moved to Liberty Lake, but Mr. Schafer was still active in the operation of the farm.
Mr. Schafer was a member of Zion Congregational Church in Ritzville, was a former board member of the Marcellus Grange Supply and had served on the Grange Wholesale Board. He was past president of the Adams County Wheat Growers and was named Adams County Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1970.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Helen Willson Schafer; a son, Larry Schafer of Ritzville; a daughter, Marcia Schafer of Kirkland, Wash.; a sister, Ora Wynia of Bakersfield, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions be made to Zion Congregational Church Memorial Fund.
Carol McDonald Colfax, Wash.
Rosary service for Carol L. McDonald, 68, will be at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colfax. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Burial will be at Colfax Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McDonald, who died Sunday at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center, was born in Wenatchee.
She grew up in Wenatchee and Bremerton.
In 1948, she married Roy McDonald, and they moved to Colfax a year later.
Mrs. McDonald was a homemaker and was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colfax, the church Altar Society and the Catholic Daughters of America.
She is survived by her husband; three sons, Denny and Paul McDonald, both of Colfax, and Patrick McDonald of Olympia; three daughters, Lorraine Fulfs and Christina Wells, both of Colfax, and Mary Mann of Helena; a sister, Nina Auby of Charlotte, N.C.; a brother, Frank Berquist of Seattle; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Altar Society or Morning Star Boys Ranch.
James Hansen Spokane
Service for James R. Hansen, 83, will be at 1 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Hansen, an 80-year Spokane resident, died Sunday.
Born in Chicago, he graduated from North Central High School and worked as a painter.
He was a member of First Assembly of God Church and the Painters Union, and was on the board of directors of the Fruitland Bible Camp.
His wife, Dorothy, died in 1991.
He is survived by a son, James Hansen of Richland; a daughter, Carolyn Nutter-Kuhn of Spokane; a sister, Ruth Pollack of Spokane; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Edwin Kelly Spokane
Two services will be held for Edwin M. Kelly, 86. A open-casket service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Sunset Mausoleum at Fairmount Memorial Park. An closed-casket service will follow at 2 p.m.. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kelly, who died Sunday, was a lifetime Spokane resident.
He retired from Railway Express after 32 years and was a former jockey and rodeo rider.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, Elks Lodge No. 228 and Eagles Lodge No. 2 and was a charter member of the Brotherhood of Friends.
His first wife, Georgia Kelly, died in 1979.
He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Amanda Kelly; a son, John Kelly of Spokane; three grandsons and five great-grandchildren.
Richard ‘Pat’ Atwood Fruitland, Wash.
Vigil service for Richard Patrick “Pat” Atwood, 39, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Atwood died Monday when in a dump truck accident near Fruitland.
He was born in Spokane and lived here until 1990, when he moved to Fruitland.
He was a construction worker and a member of the Stevens County Planning Board.
Mr. Atwood is survived by a son, Dustin Atwood of Dalkena, Wash.; two daughters, Crystal Atwood of Fruitland and Erica Atwood of Dalkena; his mother, Barbara Atwood of Bouse, Ariz; his father and stepmother, Richard and Ruthe Atwood of Fruitland; three brothers, Michael and John Atwood, both of Spokane, and Mark Atwood of Mead; four stepbrothers, David Witcher of Pendleton, Ore., Jeff and Dean Witcher, both of Spokane, and Mark Witcher of Airway Heights; and two sisters, Belinda Valley and Mary Hanlin, both of Deer Park.
Byron ‘By’ Wandler Spokane
Funeral Mass for Byron A. “By” Wandler will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wandler, 81, died Monday.
He was born in Badlands, N.D.
In 1941, he married Evelyn Juliano, in Spokane.
He worked as a mechanic for the city of Spokane for 29 years before retiring in 1976.
He was a pioneer of motor sports in the Pacific Northwest and was inducted into the Inland Empire Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Mr. Wandler was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Eagles Lodge No. 2.
He served in the Army in the 10th Armored Division during World War II and was a member of Veterans of Foreign W. Post 1435.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Jerry Wandler of Spokane and Jim Wandler of Seattle; a daughter, Julie Covell of Stockton, Calif.; a brother, Joseph Wandler of Spokane; two sisters, Josephine Batty and Shirley Grumbly, both of Spokane; seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Poor Clare Nuns.
Albert ‘Burl’ Crabb Spokane
Service for Albert Burl Crabb, 84, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at First Assembly of God Church. Burial will be at Pines Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Crabb, a minister in the Assembly of God Church, died Monday.
He was born in Othello, Wash., and had lived in Spokane for 45 years.
He served as pastor in Dayton, Wash., Hamilton, Mont., Puyallup, Wash., and Cincinnati.
He started the Assembly of God Churches in Newport, Wash., and Coeur d’Alene and was a minister at First Assembly of God Church in Spokane.
After having throat surgery in 1952, he became an owner and operator of commercial properties.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Erma (Williams) Crabb; two daughters, Bonnie Baird of Spokane and Janet Lara of Colbert; two sisters, Ina Crabb of Fairfield and Amy Babcock of Spokane; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Almira ‘Pat’ Cowan Spokane
Memorial service for Almira H. “Pat” Cowan, 76, a 25-year Spokane resident, will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Assembly of God Church. Burial was at Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook, Mont. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cowan, who died Saturday, was born in Harlem, Mont.
She was a self-employed beautician and had served in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II.
Mrs. Cowan was a member of the First Assembly of God Church and the Lilac Blind Foundation.
She is survived by a daughter, Mary Ingle of Tallahassee, Fla.; two sisters, Kathryn Coyner of Spokane and Juliet Sapp of Havre, Mont.; and a brother, Myron Patterson of Las Vegas, Nev.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lilac Blind Foundation.
Reta McIsaac Hayden Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for Reta L. McIsaac, 63, was Tuesday at St. Charles Catholic Church in Spokane.
Born in Butte, Mont., Mrs. McIsaac died Saturday.
She and her husband, James, operated the Copper Bowl bowling alley in Colville, Wash., for 14 years. They moved to Hayden Lake nine years ago.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years; three sons, James McIsaac of Spokane, Jay McIsaac of Deer Park and Ralph McIsaac of Shelton, Wash.; a daughter, Deborah Roberts of LaCrosse, Wash.; and 10 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be made to the North Idaho Hospice.
E. Lucille Rembowski Laclede, Idaho
Service for E. Lucille Rembowski, 95, will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Coffelt’s Moon Chapel in Sandpoint. Visitation will be Friday afternoon until 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint.
Mrs. Rembowski, who was born in Marshfield, Wis., died Monday.
She moved to Laclede in 1914 and later operated a confectionary, barber shop and pool hall in Dover, Idaho.
Mrs. Rembowski later returned to the Laclede area and operated a ranch.
She was a member of the Edgemere Grange and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and was a former 4-H Club leader.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo. Survivors include two sons, Leon and Gordon Rembowski, both of Laclede; four daughters, Harriet Sheffler of Newport, Wash., Florence Palmer of California, Leona Smith of Oregon and Dolores McFadden of Laclede; two sisters, Joyce Simpson of California and Arbutus Hulquist of Jewel Lake, Idaho; 21 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Mollie Denzin Post Falls
Memorial service for Mollie May Denzin, 67, will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Foothills Community Church in Spokane. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Denzin, who was born in Spokane, died Friday.
She moved to Mullan, Idaho, in 1934 and attended school there. She also lived in Wallace and the Black Lake and Swan Lake areas before moving to the Spokane Valley and later to Post Falls.
Survivors include five sons, Donald and Kevin Skillingstad, and Ted Stern, all of Spokane, Edward Stern of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Michael Stern of Post Falls; three daughters, Neva and Melinda Skillingstad, both of Spokane, and Velva Neff of Coeur d’Alene; one stepson, Gerald Stern, and one stepdaughter, Cindy Berendt, both of Spokane; her mother, Neva Rasmussen of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; three brothers, Michael and Terry McGovern and George Bronson, all of Spokane; and three sisters, Jackie Sue Brown, Darlene McMullan and Louanna Belle McGovern, all of Bonners Ferry.
Irene Ripley Spokane
Memorial service for Irene E. Ripley, 78, will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 9622 N. Stevens. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of cremation.
Mrs. Ripley, a 57-year Spokane resident, died Sunday.
She was born in Hardin, Mont., and grew up and attended schools in Nebraska.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Mead Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Ralph Ripley; four sons, Ralph Ripley Jr., of Mill Creek, Wash., Robert and Dan Ripley, both of Danbury, Conn., and Larry Ripley of Thornton, Wash.; a daughter, Shirley Lehmbecker of Deer Park; a sister, Patricia Jordan of Goodland, Kan.; two brothers, Donald Crow of Portsmouth, R.I., and Harold Crow of Fort Bragg, Calif.; 25 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Iola St. Germain Chewelah, Wash.
Memorial service for Iola St. Germain, 88, is planned for 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chewelah. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah is in charge of cremation and arrangements.
Mrs. St. Germain, who died Saturday, was born in Rimini, Mont.
She worked in the laundry business and lived in the Chewelah area for 20 years and was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church.
She is survived by a daughter, Grace Lane of Chewelah; a sister, Alice Moseness of Helena; eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Mark Jaffray Sr. Spokane
Memorial service for Mark J. Jaffray Sr., 68, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Old St. Joseph’s Chapel at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Otis Orchards. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jaffray, a 47-year Spokane resident, died Saturday.
He was born in New York state.
He was a planner for Spokane County and retired in August after 20 years.
He served in the Army from 1958 to 1959 and was active in the reserves until 1964.
He is survived by two sons, Timothy and Mark Jaffray Jr., both of Seattle.
Fredrick Hart Spokane
Private service for Frederick Luther Hart, 57, will be held at a later date. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Latah, Mr. Hart died Saturday.
He served in the Navy and was a longtime Spokane resident. He worked as a carpet installer.
He is survived by a son, Fred Hart Jr. of Nine Mile Falls; his mother and stepfather, Katherine and George Hall of Mead; a brother, Burgess Hart of Spokane; and two sisters, Gayla Harris and Donna Ellis, both of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Jerry Numata Spokane
Private memorial service for Jerry J. Numata, 77, was at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North.
Mr. Numata drowned in March near Seven Mile.
He was born in Spokane and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and the University of Washington.
He served in the Army from 1941 to 1946.
He was employed in finance and accounting as a civilian at Fairchild Air Force Base and retired in 1979.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Janice Numata; two sons, Steven and Larry Numata, both of Seattle; a sister, Miya Koyama of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Gospel Mission.
Hazel Novotney Wilbur, Wash.
Service for Hazel F. Novotney, 81, was Monday at Wilbur Lutheran Church, with burial at Wilbur Cemetery.
Born in Krupp, Wash., Mrs. Novotney died Friday.
She was a member of the Wilbur Lutheran Church and Wilbur Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Melvin Novotney Sr.; three sons, Melvin Novotney of Wilbur, Edward Novotney of Keller, Wash., and Gaylord Novotney of Arlington, Wash.; a brother, Berdell Hose of Beaverton, Ore.; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wilbur Lutheran Church or the Wilbur Fire Department.
June Wilke Davenport, Wash.
Memorial service for June H. Wilke, 91, was Tuesday at Davenport United Methodist Church. Inurnment was at Mountain View Cemetery in Davenport.
Born in Davenport, Mrs. Wilke died Friday.
She was a homemaker and was a member of Davenport United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Her husband, Ernest Wilke, preceded her in death.
She is survived by four sons, James and Jerry Wilke, both of Davenport, Charles Wilke of Spokane and Wendell Wilke of Lacey, Wash.; two daughters, Dorothy Schauerman of Odessa, Wash., and Lynn Hein of Davenport; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
James Poe Hartline, Wash.
Service for James H. “Jim” Poe, 81, was Tuesday at Almira (Wash.) Community Church. Burial was at Hartline Cemetery.
Mr. Poe, a lifetime Hartline resident, died Friday.
In 1951, he married Anna Thomas in Coeur d’Alene and they lived on the farm in Hartline.
He was involved with rodeo and was active with the Northwest Team Penning Association for several years. He was on the Inland Empire Quarter Horse Association 1986 Pro Champion Team and was a member of the Blind Springs Grange.
Mr. Poe is survived by his wife; two sons, Terry Poe of Hartline and John Poe of Colville, Wash.; a sister, Catherine Duffy of Spokane; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hartline Cemetery District, in care of Sharon Thomas, Hartline, WA 99135.
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