Obituaries
Esther ‘Lucky’ Hohe Mead
Family service for Esther “Lucky” Hohe, 79, will be held at a later date. Hazen And Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation.
Mrs. Hohe, who was born in St. Maries, died Saturday.
She was a longtime Spokane resident and was a homemaker.
Her husband of 35 years, Joseph Hohe, died in 1981.
Survivors include a son, Robert Hohe of Watkinsville, Ga.; two daughters, Fran Brandvold of Mead and Patty Lausche of Spokane; two brothers, Victor Straub and George Keil, both of St. Maries; three sisters, Marie Sams of Spokane, Freda Young of Sandpoint and Elsye Klenk of Sacramento, Calif.; and four grandsons.
Donna Martz Spokane
Funeral Mass for Donna Jane Martz, 63, is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Flint, Mich., Mrs. Martz died Sunday.
She had lived in Spokane for 29 years and had worked in the central services departments of area hospitals.
She was a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2.
Mrs. Martz is survived by a daughter, Denise Martz of Spokane; a son, Dennis Martz of California; four brothers, two sisters and two grandchildren.
Viva King Spokane
Burial service for Viva N. King, 73, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sunset Mausoleum Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Salem Lutheran Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. King, who died Sunday, was born in Flaxville, Mont.
She graduated from high school in Montana and also from Kinman Business School in Spokane.
She and her husband, Richard King, traveled throughout the world for her husband’s work with the federal government.
Mrs. King also worked for the federal government and retired from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Spokane.
She had lived in Spokane since 1974 and was a member of Salem Lutheran Church.
Her husband died in 1993.
She is survived by a son, Neal King of Lake Oswego, Ore.; a daughter, Noreen Qualls of Atlanta; and two granddaughters
Ruth Olson Spokane
A memorial gathering for Ruth F. Olson, 75, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the home of Mark Olson. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Olson, who died Sunday, was born in Evansville, Minn., and had lived in Spokane since 1949.
She was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Olson.
Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Jensen of Cusick, Wash., and Susan Drake of Spokane; two sons, Donald LaPoint of Spokane and Mark Olson of Liberty Lake; three sisters, Doris Speicher of Spokane, Shirley Harris and LoLo Southerling, both of Minnesota; two brothers, Swen and John Pearson, both of Minnesota; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Josephine Watt Spokane
Memorial service for Josephine Watt, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.
Mrs. Watt, who died Sunday, was born in Kansas City, Mo., and had lived in Spokane for 14 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Everett “Mick” Watt.
Mrs. Watt is survived by a son, Rick Watt of LaClede, Idaho; two daughters, Cyndy Ulrich and Sherry Griffith, both of Oregon; a sister, Nadine Carlisle; and three grandchildren.
David Kerr Spokane
Service for David A. Kerr, 42, is set for 4 p.m. Thursday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. There will be private inurnment.
Mr. Kerr, who died Friday, was born in Spokane and was a lifetime Spokane resident. He worked as a chef at various restaurants in Spokane, most recently Frank’s Diner.
He is survived by a daughter, Jennifer; his parents, Myron and Sylvia Kerr of Spokane; three brothers, Stanley Kerr of Cheney, Randy Kerr of Colbert and Gary Kerr of Monroe, Wash.; and three sisters, Diane Wear of Newport, Wash., Susan Garfield of Kennewick and Janice Hovell of Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
Martha Aldridge Spokane
Private service for Martha E. Aldridge, 75, was held at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Aldridge, who died Tuesday, was born in Odessa, Wash., and had lived in Spokane for 56 years.
She had worked in retail merchandising.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Aldridge.
Mrs. Aldridge’s survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Ethel Hubbard Spokane
Memorial service for Ethel M. Hubbard, 87, is set for 2 p.m. Thursday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.
Mrs. Hubbard, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Saturday.
She graduated from North Central High School and worked as a retail clothing clerk.
She is survived by a son, Richard Hubbard of Spokane; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Gladys Groves Spokane
Visitation for Gladys Groves, 98, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Graveside service will follow at 1 p.m. at Moran Prairie Cemetery.
Miss Groves, a 95-year Spokane resident, died Monday.
She was born in Huxley, Iowa, and came to Spokane in 1901 with her family.
She attended Lewis and Clark High School, and in the 1930s and 1940s she served as a foster parent for about 15 years.
Miss Groves donated the 20 acres that radio station KMBI currently sits on.
Survivors include four nephews, Loren Groves, Merlyn Calvert and Clifford Groves, all of Spokane, and Wesley Groves of Anchorage, Alaska; and four nieces, Dolly Davenport of Colville, Wash., Ilene Jeans and Elaine Hemphill, both of Olympia, and Carrie Brown of Spokane.
Archie Harmer Spokane
Service for Archie J. Harmer, 81, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Harmer, who was born in Colfax, Wash., died Sunday.
He worked as a truck driver and had lived in Spokane for 35 years.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge.
His wife, Elizabeth Harmer, died in 1985.
Mr. Harmer is survived by three sons, Roland Harmer of Flint, Mich., Darold Harmer of Auburn, Wash., and Robert Harmer of Spokane; two daughters, Joyce Harris of Snoqualmie, Wash., and Marjorie Harmer of Moses Lake; two sisters, 16 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Barbara Jones Spokane
Service for Barbara Carol Jones, 75, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Jones, who died Saturday, was born in St. Augustine, Ill.
She moved to Spokane in 1954 and worked as a medical technician for 20 years.
Her husband, Francis Jones, died in 1979.
She is survived by three daughters, Carol Buatala of Aurora, Minn., Nancy Payne of Spokane and Frances Kessler of Connersville, Ind.; three sons, Bob Jones of Spokane, Gary Jones of Morrison, Colo., and Bill Jones of Tacoma; 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Walter Schully Spokane
Vigil service for Walter R. Schully, 80, will be at 7 p.m. today at Cardinal Bea House, 1107 N. Astor. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. There will be private inurnment. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Schully, who died Sunday, was born in Hokah, Minn.
He had lived in Spokane since 1930 and was a member of the Teamsters Union.
He had worked for several Spokane companies, including Produce Supply Co.
His wife, Marguerite, died in 1988.
Mr. Schully is survived by two daughters, Barbara Turner of Anchorage, Alaska, and Patricia Meyer of Spokane; two sisters, Gladys Britton and Agnes Brown, both of Spokane; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Aloysius Charities in care of Sister Antonia.
Vernon Buck Spirit Lake, Idaho
At his request, no service will be held for Vernon D. Buck, 76. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Buck, who was born in Davenport, Wash., died Thursday.
He grew up in Davenport and moved in the 1950s to Spokane, where he owned and operated Vern’s Wheel Alignment Shop for many years.
Mr. Buck moved to Spirit Lake in the 1960s and owned the Millcreek Inn Restaurant and Lounge in Rathdrum, Idaho, from 1975 until 1979, when he retired to travel.
He was a past member of the Spirit Lake Lions Club and the Moose Lodge.
Mr. Buck was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, in 1995.
Survivors include two daughters, Karen Evans of Spirit Lake and Beverly Nagel of Rathdrum; one son, Gerald Buck of Veradale; his mother, Sadie Rummer of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Edward Buck of Spokane; four grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
Harold Sontag Nine Mile Falls
Memorial service for Harold O. Sontag, 84, is set for 11 a.m. today at Nine Mile Community Club in Nine Mile Falls. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sontag, who died Sunday, was a lifetime Spokane resident.
He graduated from Hillyard High School and had worked as an electrician for Pacific Electric, Stack Electric and A&L Electric. He was a retired member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 73.
He served as clerk of the Nine Mile Township for 20 years and as a volunteer firefighter for District 9 for 25 years. He was a member of Camp Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur d’Alene and was involved with its planning.
Sontag County Park was named in honor of him and his wife.
Mr. Sontag is survived by his wife of 63 years, Margaret Sontag; and a brother, Del Sontag of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church or Nine Mile Community Church.
Marilyn Sturgeon Spokane
Service for Marilyn Ann Sturgeon, 57, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Sturgeon, who died Sunday, was born in Glendive, Mont.
In 1967 she moved to the Spokane Valley from Glendive. She was a homemaker and was a member of the Inland Empire Steam and Gas Buffs, and Opportunity Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Sturgeon is survived by her husband of 39 years, Arthur “Al” Sturgeon; a son, Larry Sturgeon of Arlington, Wash.; a daughter, Debra Kessler of Davenport, Wash.; her mother, Hazel Ingraham of Glendive; and a brother, Thomas Ingraham of Glendive.
Hugh Welch Spokane
Graveside service for Hugh R. Welch, 83, will be at 1 p.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Welch, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Sunday.
He was a retired Teamster and had worked for Olympia Mountain Distributors.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Virginia; a son, Richard Welch, and a daughter, Janet Salee, both of Spokane; a brother, William Welch of Kennewick; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Clifford Hughes Colfax, Wash.
Graveside service for Clifford Lee Hughes, 85, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Colfax Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hughes, who died Monday, was born in Oklahoma.
He came to the Colfax area as an infant with his family and graduated from Colfax High School.
He served in the Navy for four years and then joined the merchant marines, where he served as a navigator. He was discharged in 1940 and returned to Colfax, where he farmed.
He married Marjorie Frazier in Spokane in 1935, and they farmed near Colfax until 1968, when they sold their farm and moved into Colfax.
Mr. Hughes was a member of the Moose, Elks and Eagles lodges, the American Legion and the Parvin Grange.
His wife died in 1982.
Survivors include two daughters, Sandra Schluneger of Pateros, Wash., and Patricia Birr of Sunnyside, Wash.; his stepmother, Lola Hughes of Colfax; a brother, Bruce Hughes of Uniontown, Wash.; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
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