Obituaries
Ronald Gill, M.D. Moses Lake
Memorial service for Ronald M. Gill, M.D., 90, will be at 11 a.m. today at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories in Moses Lake. Private family inurnment will be Monday at Pioneer Memorial Gardens.
Born in Marysville, Wash., Dr. Gill died Tuesday.
He graduated from Walla Walla College and Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
In 1939 he married Letitia Rudolph in Miles City, Mont., and they made their home in Coulee Dam.
Dr. Gill practiced family medicine until he was called to active duty by the Army in 1940.
He served in World War II and was present on Iwo Jima when the now famous posting of the American flag occurred.
Dr. Gill returned to Coulee Dam and in 1952 moved to Moses Lake, where he continued to practice family medicine and surgery.
In 1960 he was elected Grant County coroner and served for 13 years. He retired from private practice in the mid 1970s.
He was a member of the El Katif Shrine, the Masonic Lodge, the Elks Lodge, the Moose Lodge, was a charter member of the Moses Lake Yacht Club, a member of the Grant-AdamsLincoln Peace Officers Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Washington State and American Medical associations.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Ronald Gill of Bothell, Wash.; a sister, Irma Fields of College Place, Wash.; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children.
Shigeo Hayashi Spokane
Memorial service for Shigeo Hayashi, 76, will be at 3 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Hayashi, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.
He owned his own laundry business for 30 years.
Mr. Hayashi was also a cook at Mother’s Kitchen for 20 years, and worked in maintenance at Mukogawa Fort Wright for six years.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Yoko; three sons, Spencer Hayashi of Bellevue, Wash., Rene Hayashi of Edmonds, Wash., and Art Hayashi of Spokane; four daughters, Susan Berg of Dayton, Ohio, Elaine Petersen of Olympia, Caroline Eliason of Spokane and Sallie Tanaka of Novato, Calif.; two sisters, Yoriko Hayashi of Sitka, Alaska, and Sato Yoshizawa of Okayama, Japan; and nine grandchildren.
Iva ‘Genna’ Plese Hayden, Idaho
Memorial service for Iva Genevieve “Genna” Plese, 73, will be held today at 1:30 p.m. at the Crossroads Pentecostal Church of God, 1510 McCartney Ave., Rathdrum, Idaho. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Plese, who was born in Missouri, died Nov. 22.
She had worked as a tearoom, runway and magazine model for The Crescent department store in Spokane, and also taught modeling and charm school.
Mrs. Plese worked as a head buyer for a cosmetics company, sang in a band and was a fashion consultant.
She later moved to Hayden Lake .
She had served as president and other officer positions for several golf clubs, and was an event coordinator at golf tournaments.
Mrs. Plese was a member of several golf clubs, including Wandermere, Liberty Lake, Avondale and Sundance, and was active in theater.
Survivors include two daughters, Susan “Sami” Kirk of Harrison, Idaho, and Judith Mather of Arizona; a brother, Bob McNally of Cathlamet, Wash.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contribution s may be made to the Billy Graham Crusade.
Arnold Simonson Kent, Wash.
Memorial service for Arnold R. Simonson, 81, is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Shadle Park Presbyterian Church. Faull-Stokes Mortuary in Renton, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Simonson, who was born in Proctor, Vermont, died Wednesday.
He moved to Spokane in 1920 and in 1938, married Mary Stirn.
He worked for the City of Spokane in the alarm and signal division until he retired in 1978.
He and his wife moved to the Seattle area in 1990.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Roger Simonson, of Chula Vista, Calif.; a daughter, Karin Sammon, of Renton; a brother, Edgar Simonson, of Sandpoint; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Elaine Bean Spokane
Graveside inurnment service for Elaine Bean, 80, will be at 11 a.m. today at the Sherman Cemetery in Wilbur, Wash. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of the arrangements.
Born in Creston, Wash., Mrs. Bean died Wednesday.
She graduated from Creston High School in 1934 and later from Cheney Normal School, where she received her teaching degree.
In 1940, she married Rex Bean in Davenport, Wash.
She taught for a year in Tonasket, Wash., and a year in Creston. She was also a homemaker.
Mrs. Bean was a volunteer nurse’s assistant with the Red Cross during World War II.
She and her husband moved to Spokane from Creston a year and a half ago.
She was a member of the Creston Christian Church, Toastmistress and Washington Association of Wheat Growers.
Mrs. Bean is survived by her husband; two daughters, June Bagley of Spokane and Ann Krause of Creston; a son, Gale Bean of Creston; a sister, Kitty Holland of Arkadelphia, Ark.; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sherman Cemetery Association or Creston High School Alumni Association.
Louis Branz Gem, Idaho
Service for Louis M. Branz, 84, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Wallace. Burial will be at Nine Mile Cemetery near Wallace. Shoshone Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Branz, who was born in Italy, died Thursday.
He immigrated to the United States in 1930.
Mr. Branz moved to Gem in 1932 and worked at the Haywire Mine from 1932 to 1945 and also owned Louie’s Gem Store until 1957.
He worked in construction before retiring in 1972.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Santina; two sons, John Branz of Wallace and Roger Branz of Spokane; a daughter, Angela Branz-Spall of Helena; a sister, Maria Tomio of Italy; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Silver Valley People’s Action Coalition/CRC, P.O. Box 362, Kellogg, ID 83837.
Janice (Lemon) Gleave Spokane
No service will be held for Janice (Lemon) Gleave, 83, at her request. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gleave, who was born in Garfield, Wash., died Tuesday.
She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in nursing. She also graduated from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1936.
Mrs. Gleave served in Panama during World War II in the Army Nurse Corps.
She later worked for School District 81 as a school nurse and retired in 1978.
She was a member of the St. Luke’s Hospital Alumni.
This year she was selected as Woman of the Year for the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane.
Survivors include her husband, Fred; and a nephew, Jerry Prophet of Harrison.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heritage Congregational Church or Hospice of Spokane.
Ralph Curtis Spokane
No service will be held for Ralph W. Curtis, 81, at his request. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Curtis, who died Thursday, was born in Jackson, Miss.
He worked for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. for 32 years before retiring.
Mr. Curtis served in the Army and was a World War II veteran.
His wife, Clara, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Parker of Spokane; and a brother, Lyle Curtis of Napoleon, Miss.
Mary Cunningham Spokane
Memorial service for Mary Alice Cunningham, 72, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Opportunity Presbyterian Church. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cunningham, who was born in Topeka, Kan., died Wednesday.
She graduated from Washburn University in Topeka, where she was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority.
Mrs. Cunningham worked as a stewardess for United Airlines for five years. During that time she taught courses for stewardesses in Cheyenne, Wyo., and served as a stewardess supervisor in Seattle.
In 1956, she married Bill Cunningham in Seattle. They moved to Spokane and she was a homemaker.
Mrs. Cunningham was a member of the Spokane Club and Opportunity Presbyterian Church.
Her survivors include her husband; three daughters, Edie Lewis and Cathy Akers, both of Spokane, and Mary Cunningham of Chicago; a son, William Cunningham of Spokane; a sister, Janis Hutchinson of Lawrence, Kan.; a brother, Richard Brown of Burnsville, Minn.; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Opportunity Presbyterian Church.
Margaret Stan Spokane
Funeral Mass for Margaret R. Stan, 87, will be at 8 a.m. today at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Stan, who was born in Chewelah, Wash., died Wednesday.
She was a Spokane resident for 70 years.
Mrs. Stan worked for The Crescent department store Tea Room for 20 years.
She was a member of St. Aloysius Church, the Altar Society, Women’s Guild, St. Aloysius Quilters, Jesuit Auxiliary and the Philomathea Club, and was chairman of St. Anthony’s Guild.
Her husband, Emery Stan, died in 1986.
Survivors include a son, Michael Stan of Bellevue, Wash.; a daughter, Maureen Scuderi of Spokane; a sister, Hazel Beingessner of Calgary, Alberta; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Aloysius Catholic Church.
Charles Gagnon Athol, Idaho
Memorial service for Charles Gagnon, 75, will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Assembly of God Church in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gagnon, who was born in New Hampshire, died Wednesday.
He grew up in New Hampshire and worked as a furniture and cabinet maker.
He to California in 1958 and North Idaho in 1972, settling in Athol in 1979.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Jeanne in 1981.
Survivors include two sons, Gerald Gagnon of Arizona and Chris Gagnon of Spokane; a daughter, Vanessa Gagnon of Coeur d’Alene; and three grandsons.
Jack McCann Tacoma
Memorial Mass for Jack G. McCann, 78, will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel at Gonzaga Prep.
Mr. McCann, who died Sunday, was born in Travers, Alberta.
After spending his early years in Montana, he moved to Spokane and graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in 1937.
He served in the Seabees in the South Pacific during World War II, then returned to Spokane.
Mr. McCann was in the automobile business and began selling used cars. In 1979 he moved to Tacoma and worked with his brother in Tom McCann’s Cadillac dealership.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Friends, Elks Lodge and the Spokane Police Guild.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Esther; four daughters, Marilyn Kirschbaum, Patricia Shea and Maureen O’Brien, all of Spokane, and Melissa White of Tacoma; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association or Gonzaga Preparatory School.
Dorise (Hawk) Schiffman Spokane
Memorial service for Dorise (Hawk) Schiffman, 71, will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mrs. Schiffman, who was a 10-year resident of Spokane, died Monday.
She was born in Newburg, Ore., and worked for the Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla for 35 years.
Mrs. Schiffman was active with the Campfire Girls and received two national awards, including the Wohelo Award.
She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Walla Walla and volunteered with Sacajawea Middle School, COPS Southeast, Habitat for Humanity and the Family History Center.
Her husband, George, died in 1970.
She is survived by three daughters, Janet Schiffman of Springfield, Ore., Karla Stecker of Northport, Wash., and Tracey Allers of Spokane; her father, Alvin Hawk of Portland; a brother, Robert Hawk of Rockwall, Texas; nine grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Outdoor Education Site, c/o Sacajawea Middle School.
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