Obituaries

Royal ‘Gene’ Oliver Spokane

Service for Royal Eugene “Gene” Oliver, 68, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. There will be private burial.

Mr. Oliver, who died Wednesday, was born in Eldorado, Ill., and graduated from high school there.

He served in the Navy on the USS New Jersey during World War II and came to Spokane after the war.

He married Delores Thompson in 1949 in Coeur d’Alene.

Mr. Oliver worked as a truck driver for Pacific Fruit and Produce Co. and Early Dawn Dairy and retired from the 7-Up Bottling Co. in 1983 after 18 years.

He was active with the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local No. 582 and Christ Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Roger Oliver of Vancouver, Wash., Ricky Oliver of Spokane and Mark Oliver of Pritchard, Idaho; a daughter, Denise Bafus of Newman Lake; his father, Burnis Oliver of Eldorado; a brother, James Oliver of New Carlisle, Ind.; three sisters, Wilma Merideth of Galeton, Colo., Wanda Shatzsall of Athens, Texas, and Martha Christie of Norris City, Ill.; and eight grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Lung Association.

Janice Van Zandt Newman Lake

Service for Janice M. Van Zandt, 30, will be held today at 11 a.m. at His Place Evangelical Free Church in Post Falls. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Van Zandt, who was born in St. Louis, died Thursday.

She was raised in Southern California and was a homemaker who moved to the area several years ago.

She homeschooled her children and was a member of His Place Free Evangelical Church.

Survivors include her husband, Rick; son and daughter, Caylen and Corinne Van Zandt, both at home; mother and stepfather, Sharon and Barry Nash; sister, Jodie Francoeur of California; and grandparents, Sophie Serra, and John and Alberta Amberger.

Memorials may be made to His Place Free Evangelical Church, 3025 E. 16th Ave., Post Falls, ID 83854.

Marsinah (Marshall) Canwell Spokane

Funeral Mass for Marsinah (Marshall) Canwell, 82, is planned for 10 today at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Canwell, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.

She was descended from Spokane pioneers, her parents, H.P. Marshall and Edna Campbell Marshall, and her grandparents, Archibald Campbell and Henrietta O’Connor.

She graduated from Holy Names Academy and was active in Republican politics when she was young.

In 1941, she married Albert Canwell in Spokane.

She is survived by her husband; four daughters, Lynne Schulz of Washington, D.C., Christina Weaver of San Diego, Stephanie Benagiano of Switzerland and Geneve Meyer of Carlsbad, Calif.; two sons, Jon and Marshall Canwell, both of Spokane; a sister, Jane Canwell of Spokane; and 14 grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Symphony.

Merlin Derner Spokane

Service for Merlin John Derner, 79, is planned for 11 a.m. today at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Derner, a Spokane resident since 1947, died Wednesday.

He was born in Botna County, Iowa.

He joined the Air Force and served in the South Pacific during World War II.

In Spokane, he worked as a refrigeration and air conditioning repairman for General Electric and retired in 1981.

He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Doris Derner; a brother, Roland Derner of Manilla, Iowa; three sisters, Iona Carter of Clinton, Iowa, Colleen Eich of Rogers, Ark., and Arletta Christiansen of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

John Babb Cheney

Memorial service for John Mason Babb, 77, is planned for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Cheney Funeral Chapel.

Mr. Babb, a lifetime Spokane County resident, died Thursday.

He was born on the family farm southeast of Cheney. His birthplace had been homesteaded in 1878 by his grandfather, Albert Barton Babb.

Mr. Babb graduated from Cheney High School and then farmed and raised livestock on the Babb ranch near Chapman Lake until he retired in 1973.

His son, David, is now the fourth generation of Babbs to continuously farm the Babb homestead.

Mr. Babb received soil and water conservation awards at the local, regional, and state level over the years and in 1989 the Babb farm was honored as one of Washington State’s Centennial Farms.

Mr. Babb was a member of the East Cheney Grange No. 885 and was involved with the formation of fire protection for the Chapman Lake area.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth; a son, David Babb of Cheney; a daughter, Robin Bruce of Post Falls; a sister, Helen Boots of Cheney; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Gospel Mission or Cheney Care Center.

Louis Rochat Rosalia, Wash.

Memorial service for Louis Rochat, 89, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Rosalia Assembly of God Church. Private burial will precede at Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa, Wash. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Rosalia is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Rochat, who was born in the St. Joe Valley in a French-speaking Swiss settlement near St. Maries, died Tuesday. He was a watchmaker and had worked in mining, lumber, railroad and health care and retired in 1969 after more than 12 years of working in city maintenance and as an assistant police officer in Rosalia.

He was a World War II veteran. He attended the Rosalia Assembly of Church Church. Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Pearl Rochat; a daughter, Judy Littleton of Rosalia; a sister, Mabel Birdwell, and a brother, Philip Rochat, both of St. Maries; two grandchildren, a foster grandson, two great-grandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church or the Rosalia Ambulance Fund.

Fred Gecan Spokane

Funeral Mass for Fred G. Gecan, 75, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Gecan, who died Wednesday, was born in Red Lodge, Mont.

He graduated from high school in Rock Springs, Wyo., and began a 38-year career with United Airlines as a station supervisor in Rock Springs. He transferred to Spokane in 1951 and retired in 1982.

He was a World War II Navy veteran and a member of the United Airlines Retirees.

His wife of 48 years, Frances Gecan, died in 1992. He is survived by two sons, Frederic Gecan Jr. of Laguna Hills, Calif., and Roderick Gecan of Spokane; one brother, Frank Gecan of Rock Springs; two sisters, Anna Acker of Rock Springs and Mary Christiansen of Eden, Utah; and three grandchildren.

Paul Millikin Sr. Spokane

Service for Paul H. Millikin Sr., 77, will be at 2 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at Riverside Mausoleum.

Mr. Millikin, who died Tuesday, was born in Spokane and graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School.

In 1942, he married Nita Anderson in Coeur d’Alene.

He entered the Air Force in 1942 and retired in 1964 as a major. He flew 50 missions as a B-24 bomber pilot in the European Theater and served in Korea, flying 106 missions in a spotter plane.

After his military retirement he worked for the state Department of Social and Health Services and the state Department of Labor and Industries in Spokane for 15 years.

He was a member of the Brotherhood of Friends Lodge and the Retired Officers Association.

He is survived by his wife; and a son, Paul Millikin Jr. of Spokane.

Marshall Allen Coeur d’Alene

Memorial Mass for Marshall M. Allen, 84, will be held today at 10 a.m. at St. Pius Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Private interment will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Mr. Allen, who was born in Michigan, died Friday.

He grew up, attended school and worked in Michigan before moving to Spokane in 1957.

He worked for Grinnel of Pacific, and moved to Coeur d’Alene after retiring in 1978.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Anna; three sons, Gary Allen of Everett, and Edward and Robert Allen, both of Spokane; a daughter, Marsha Costin of Coeur d’Alene; five brothers, Gordon, Donald, Sydney, Paul and Stuart Allen; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Elma Venneri Spokane

Funeral Mass for Elma J. Venneri will be at 10 a.m. today at St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Venneri, 89, died Wednesday.

She was a lifetime Spokane resident and was a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

Her husband, Ross Venneri, died in 1970.

She is survived by a brother, Louie Presta, and a sister, Ida FioRito, both of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to Poor Clare Nuns.

Eula Underwood Greenacres

Service for Eula B. Underwood, 93, will be at 2 p.m. today at Pines Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Underwood, who was born in Colbert, Ga., died Monday.

She was a homemaker and came to Spokane 18 years ago.

She was a member of Pines Baptist Church.

Her husband, Charles Underwood, preceded her in death.

Mrs. Underwood is survived by three grandchildren, Charles Hollen, Susan Larson and Judie Burbank, all of Spokane, and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Kaley Sonner Spokane

Memorial Mass for Kaley A. Sonner, 80, will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Inurnment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Sonner, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Thursday.

He operated Kaley’s Tavern in Spokane and was a boxing coach on the local, state and national levels.

He is survived by a son, Bill Sonner of North Carolina; two daughters, Sandra Eddy of Redmond, Wash., and Kathy Halsey of Nine Mile Falls; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Alberta Moore Spokane

A memorial gathering for Alberta M. Moore, 85, is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Moore residence. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Moore, who was born in Spokane, died Monday.

She graduated from Cheney Normal College with a degree in education and taught in all three Spokane Valley school districts for many years.

Her husband, Jack Moore, preceded her in death.

Mrs. Moore is survived by two sons, Keith Huetson and Tom Moore; a daughter, Sally Cannon; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Virginia Roberts Deer Park

Graveside service for Virginia B. Roberts, 89, was Saturday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Born in Pulaski, N.Y., Mrs. Roberts died last Monday.

She was a former longtime Stevens County resident and had lived in Deer Park for a year. She was a homemaker.

Her husband, Dick Roberts, preceded her in death.

She is survived by a son, Donald Harris of Milwaukie, Ore.; a stepson, Kent Roberts of Colbert; a daughter, Virginia Foster of Lafayette, Calif.; nine grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and seven stepgreat-grandchildren.

, DataTimes