Obituaries
Alfred ‘Fritz’ Druffel Colton, Wash.
Burial Mass for Alfred J. “Fritz” Druffel, 85, is planned for 11 a.m. today at St. Gall Catholic Church in Colton. Burial will follow at St. Gall Catholic Cemetery. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Druffel, a lifetime Colton resident, died Wednesday.
He graduated from Colton High School and went to work for his father on the family farm. He retired from his farm in Johnson, Wash., in 1983 and moved into Colton with his wife.
He married Jeanne Becker in 1943 at St. Gall Catholic Church.
Mr. Druffel was a member of the Colton Grange.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Michael Druffel of Colton and Andrew Druffel of Johnson; four daughters, Kathy Wolf of Uniontown, Wash., Christine Lynch and Carrie Druffel, both of Spokane, and Claire Commeree of Kennewick; a brother, John Druffel of Colton; three sisters, Elsie Fulfs of Colfax, Wash., Mary Howell of King City, Ore., and Trudy Weber of Colton; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Gall Endowment Fund or Guardian Angels-St. Boniface School in care of St. Gall Catholic Church, Colton, WA 99113.
James Elgin Sr. Priest River, Idaho
Service for James A. “Jim” Elgin Sr., 71, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Priest River. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Priest River, Mr. Elgin died Wednesday.
He graduated from Priest River High School and in 1943 married Greta Golden in Priest River.
He served in the Navy aboard the USS Sturgiss in the Pacific Theater.
Following his military service, Mr. Elgin worked in the timber industry for the E.C. Olson Lumber Mill and Diamond Match Co.
He was a member of the Priest River Veterans of Foreign Wars.
His wife died in 1994.
Survivors include four sons, Jim Elgin of Everett, Jack Elgin of Priest River, Bob Elgin of Spokane and Tom Elgin of Greenville, Calif.; two daughters, Susan Sader of Auburn, Wash., and Dianne Mickelson of Priest River; a sister, Ethel Hickey of Bonney Lake, Wash.; 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bonner County Hospice.
Craig Rosenkranz Ocean Park, Wash.
Memorial service for H. Craig Rosenkranz, 74, will be at 3:30 p.m. today at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church. Burial will be at St. John (Wash.) Cemetery. Omega Cremation in Portland is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Rosenkranz, a former Spokane resident, died Monday.
He was born in Pullman and graduated from Washington State University. He served in the Army Air Force during World War II.
He was a resident of Portland and Seattle until 1963, when he moved to Spokane.
He retired from Ford Motor Credit Co. in 1978 and then worked as a Realtor until 1987. He moved to Ocean Park in 1995.
Mr. Rosenkranz was a member of the Manito Masonic Lodge and El Katif Shrine.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Patricia; two daughters, Nancy Biasi of Portland and Jane Rettig of Spokane; a sister, Theon Cline of Ocean Park; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Washington State University Scholarship Fund or the Shriners Hospital for Children.
Hester Roffler Spokane
Memorial service for Hester F. Roffler, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home.
Mrs. Roffler, who was born in Asotin, Wash., died Thursday.
She was a homemaker and had lived in Spokane for 60 years.
She was a member of Women of the North Spokane Rotary.
Her husband, Harold Roffler, died in 1988.
Mrs. Roffler is survived by two daughters, Sandy Richards and Dian Cummins, both of Spokane; a brother, Charles Florence of Mill Creek, Ore.; two sisters, Jean Carlson and Anola Kathrens, both of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Clara Roberts Coulee City, Wash.
Service for Clara E. Roberts, 83, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Coulee City First Presbyterian Church. Burial will follow at Valley View Memorial Park in Soap Lake, Wash. Strate Funeral Home in Grand Coulee is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Roberts, who died Thursday, was born in Brampton Township, N.D.
She received a teaching degree from Western Washington Normal School and taught in Withrow, Baird and Silverdale, Wash., and Coulee City. She retired in 1974 and volunteered as a tutor after her retirement.
She married Harold Roberts in Seattle in 1944. He preceded her in death.
Mrs. Roberts is survived by three sons, Paul Roberts of Elma, Wesley Roberts of Coulee City and Merle Roberts of Grand Coulee; a daughter, Janet Johson of Clarkston, Wash.; two sisters, Faith Linhoff of Castle Rock and Beulah Tarlton of Fallon, Nev.; and seven grandchildren.
Howard Young Spokane
Service for Howard Lee Young, 75, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Young, a longtime Spokane resident, died Thursday.
He was born in Valley, Wash.
He served in the Army as a medic during World War II.
When he was young, he played semipro baseball.
Mr. Young worked for Kaiser Aluminum as a general foreman in Spokane, Ravenswood, W.Va., Germany and Wales for a total of 33 years.
He was a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2, the Moose Lodge and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474.
Survivors include his wife, Vida; two daughters, Cheryl Brownlee and Janice Gross, both of Spokane; two sons, Ronald Young of Spokane and Jim Marr of Wenatchee; a sister, Gladys Atkeson of Seattle; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Verne Sass Kellogg
Memorial service for Verne A. Sass, 86, will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel. Shoshone Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sass graduated from high school in Nebraska and moved to Spokane in 1940.
He owned and operated Sass Jewelry in Kellogg from 1941 until retiring in 1979.
He was a member of the Kellogg Elks Lodge and the Kellogg-Pinehurst Golf Country Club and was a pilot for more than 40 years. He also performed as a magician for several years.
Survivors include his wife, Katherine; a daughter, Janet Corlett of Cheney; a brother, Lloyd Sass of Tacoma; three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Grace Duxbury Spokane
Service for Grace E. Duxbury, 72, is planned for 2 p.m. Monday at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Born in North Hampton, Mass., Mrs. Duxbury died Wednesday.
She had lived in Spokane for more than 20 years and had worked as a nurses’ aide at Southcrest Nursing Home until 1990.
She is survived by three sons, Ray, Tom and Bob Duxbury, all of Spokane; two daughters, Deborah and Donna Duxbury, both of Spokane; a sister, Anna Caproni of Massachusetts; 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Dorothy O. Shaw Spokane
A gathering of friends will be at 2 p.m. today at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Memorial service will follow at 5 p.m. at Bethany Presbyterian Church. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Shaw, who died Wednesday, was born in Aberdeen, S.D., and had lived in Spokane for 48 years.
She had worked at Vordahl’s Variety store in Dishman for nearly 20 years. She was a member and elder of Bethany Presbyterian Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Shaw.
Mrs. Shaw is survived by two sons, Roger Shaw of Grants Pass, Ore., and Jerry Shaw of Mount Vernon, Wash.; a daughter, Judie Miller of Weiser, Idaho; four brothers, Glen Faus of Howell, N.J., Russell Faus of Billings, Mont., Warren Faus of Belvedere, Calif., and Jack Faus of Kent, Wash.; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Presbyterian Church.
Major ‘M.L.’ Walker Hattiesburg, Miss.
Service for Major LaFleur “M.L.” Walker, 86, was Friday in Hattiesburg.
Mr. Walker, a former Spokane resident, died Monday.
Born in Hattiesburg, Mr. Walker came to Spokane about 50 years ago.
He worked as a Pullman porter for the railroads and also worked for School District 81. He also owned Walker’s Radio and TV Repair Shop in Spokane.
Mr. Walker returned to Hattiesburg about 16 years ago.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Sudora Walker.
Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Priscilla Ratliff Walker; two daughters, Barbara Walker and Ruby LaFleur, both of Spokane; a son, Major Walker Jr., of Vallejo, Calif.; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fowler United Methodist Church in Spokane.
Jerry Sweet Spokane
Memorial service for Jerry M. Sweet, 58, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Sweet, who was born in Spokane, died Thursday.
He was a graduate of Rogers High School.
He moved to Salt Lake City 23 years ago and returned to Spokane two years ago.
Mr. Sweet worked for E.J. Bartells for 31 years and was later a selfemployed construction estimator for seven years.
He was a member of the Eagles Lodge.
He is survived by his mother, Leona Sweet, and a brother, Ron Sweet, both of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
, DataTimes