Obituaries
John Geraghty Sr. Spokane
Vigil for John V. Geraghty Sr., a retired Spokane advertising executive, will be at 8:30 p.m. today at Hennessey Smith Funeral Home. Funeral will be at 9 a.m. Friday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Geraghty, 90, died Monday of complications from heart disease.
He was born in Spokane and graduated from North Central High School.
Mr. Geraghty’s advertising career spanned more than 45 years, mostly in Spokane. He began in the early 1930s as art director with the Virgil A. Warren Advertising Agency and, in the 1970s, was an account executive with Showacre, Coons, Shotwell and Adams Agency.
He designed and drew the original Esmeralda character which was the symbol of the Athletic Roundtable club in its heyday.
Besides his work as a commercial artist, he was a renowned water color artist and was active in the Spokane Water Color Society. He was a longtime member of the Spokane Advertising and Sales Association, Knights of Columbus, Tuesday Speakers Club and the Diocesan Council of Holy Names Men.
Mr. Geraghty was also a candidate for the Spokane City Council in 1960.
He was continually called upon to serve as a judge for various community art contests and events. He also was a judge for art exhibits at the Spokane Interstate Fair.
His wife, Gladys, died in 1990.
Survivors include three sons, former Spokane Mayor John V. “Jack” Geraghty Jr., Michael and Thomas Geraghty; two daughters, Kathleen Whitbeck and Mary Sturm; 19 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities of Spokane.
John King Spokane
Private service for John R. King, 63, will be held at a later date. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. King, who was born in New York City, died Saturday.
He graduated from high school in New York and held welding jobs before joining the Air Force.
His Air Force career in communications took him from Berlin to Bangkok. He earned the Bronze Star in Vietnam and retired after 20 years. He was a 24-year resident of Spokane.
Mr. King then graduated from Whitworth College with a degree in journalism and political science. For the next decade he wrote The Back Page for the Falls weekly newspaper.
He reviewed all entertainment from symphony to drama to movies. In 1978 he won first, second and third place for his three entries by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Mr. King then wrote a play, “Never Quit While Losing,” which was produced in Spokane for dinner theater. Upon the demise of The Falls paper, he started a spy novel about Vietnam.
He is survived by his wife, Joanne; and a brother, Herbert King Jr. of New Jersey.
Sperial Weaver Spokane
Memorial service for Sperial L. Weaver, 21, will be at 3 p.m. today at the Victory Outreach Church at 3011 E. Wellesley. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Weaver, who was born in McMinnville, Ore., died Sunday.
She was a 10-year resident of Spokane and worked as a hotel housekeeper.
Survivors include a daughter, Lynnae Jones of Spokane; her mother, Cynthia Beck of Spokane; her stepfather, John Prince of Spokane; two brothers, Jeffery Hicks of Ontario, Ore., and Michael Phillips of Pendleton, Ore.; three sisters, Jennifer and Chantel Cobb, and Lynda Murphy, all of Spokane; and her grandparents, Shirlie and David Hicks of Eugene, Ore.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Victory Outreach Church.
Frances Gateley Davenport, Wash.
Graveside service for Frances W. Gateley, 73, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Harrington, Wash. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Gateley, who was born in Sprague, Wash., died Monday.
She worked as a secretary for General Electric and also for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers in Ritzville, Wash.
Ms. Gateley, formerly of Harrington, was an 11-year resident of Davenport.
She was a member of the Eastern Star in Davenport.
Ms. Gateley is survived by a sister, Georgia Dover of Eagle Point, Ore.
Loretta (Callahan) McGourin Spokane
Vigil for Loretta Black (Callahan) McGourin, 84, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at noon Friday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mrs. McGourin, who was born in Boston, died Monday.
She graduated from St. James High School and received her registered nurses degree from Faulkner School of Nursing in Boston.
Mrs. McGourin did her graduate work in geriatrics at the Bellevue Hospital in New York.
She was a 55-year resident of Spokane and a member of the Gonzaga Greater Women’s League, Spokane Medical Auxiliary, Spokane Club, Spokane Country Club, St. Ann’s Guild, and St. Augustine and Sacred Heart Catholic churches.
Mrs. McGourin worked closely with the Fort Wright College and numerous other civic and charitable activities.
Her first husband, John Black, died in 1985, and her second husband, Lee McGourin, died in 1990.
Survivors include two daughters, Marcia Black-Gallucci and Molly Black, both of Spokane; six sons, John and Kevin Black, both of Vancouver, Wash., James Black of Dallas, Jerry and Thomas Black, both of Spokane, and Richard Black of Seattle; two sisters, Eleanor Vigo of Napa, Calif., and Bunny Cole of Spokane; 23 grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Donald Brown Spokane
Memorial service for Donald R. Brown, 61, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Moran United Methodist Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime resident of Spokane, Mr. Brown died Sunday.
In 1954 he graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and then served in the Navy Air Corps for six years.
He worked for IBM from 1959 to 1979 as a customer service engineer and then operated his own business, D.J. Landscaping, from 1977 to 1990.
Mr. Brown was a 40-year member of the Moran United Methodist Church, served 12 years as a commissioner on the Moran Cemetery District, and was a volunteer and served as assistant fire chief for the Spokane Fire District No. 8.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Joanne; three daughters, Laurie Gruel of Richland, Kerry Harris of Kennewick and Tammy York of Everett; a brother, Robert Brown of Spokane; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Moran United Methodist Church.
Alvina Kuhn Spokane
Visitation for Alvina F. Kuhn, 92, will be from 1 to 5 p.m. today at Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Spokane. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery.
Mrs. Kuhn, who was born in Edmonton, Alberta, died Monday.
Formerly of Edwall, Wash., she was an 11-year resident of Spokane.
Mrs. Kuhn was a homemaker and was a member of the Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Edwall Women’s Community Club and the Lincoln County Cattlemen’s Auxiliary.
Her husband, John Kuhn, died in 1987.
Survivors include two daughters, Virginia Lagers of Portland and Betty Kintschi of Edwall; a son, Edward Kuhn of Cheney; three sisters, Elsa Lind and Lucille Forster, both of Spokane, and Emily Hurren of Bothell, Wash.; a brother, Harold Schultze of Seattle; ten grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pilgrim Lutheran Church or the Christian Heritage School in Edwall.
Zella Rolfe Spokane
Memorial service for Zella L. Rolfe, 94, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Knox Presbyterian Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rolfe, who was a 78-year resident of Spokane, died Monday.
She was born in Davenport, Wash., and worked for J.C. Penny in Spokane for many years in both the boys’ and women’s clothing departments.
Mrs. Rolfe was a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization and the Daughters of the Nile.
Her husband, Hollis Rolfe, died in 1949.
Survivors include a son, “N” “A” Rolfe of Spokane; two grandsons and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Knox Presbyterian Church.
Catherine ‘Kay’ (Hottell) Bishop Spokane
Memorial Mass for Catherine “Kay” Sharon (Hottell) Bishop, 59, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. A private inurnment will be held. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bishop, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Monday.
She graduated from Marycliff High School, and was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish and alumni of Gonzaga University.
Mrs. Bishop was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Henry; four daughters, Tracy, Christy and Lesley Bishop, all of Seattle, and Kimberly Bishop of Spokane; a son, Timothy Bishop of Spokane; her mother, Catherine Hottell of Spokane; three brothers, Gary Hottell of Spokane, Dennis Hottell of Fairfax Station, Va., and Richard Hottell of Springfield, Va.; two sisters, Patty Hottell Redmond of Spokane and Timmi Hottell Devault of Bothell, Wash.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arthur Martensen Spokane
Graveside service for Arthur Martensen, 81, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Martensen, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Monday.
He served in the Army during World War II in Cairo, Egypt, as a military policeman.
Mr. Martensen worked for the City of Spokane as a dog catcher and garbage collector. He then was with Railroad Express before going to work as a short-haul truck driver for the Garrett Co. He later worked different jobs with various lumber companies and then was in the maintenance department at Deaconess Medical Center.
He then went to the U.S. Postal Service where he retired as a maintenance man after 10 years.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Dorothy; and a son, David Martensen of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
A. Loyd Evans Spokane
Funeral for A. Loyd Evans, 85, will be at 11 a.m. today at Sunset Mausoleum Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Burial will follow. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Evans, who was a 50-year resident of Spokane, died Sunday.
He was born in Clarkston, Wash., and worked in construction with various companies. He also worked for School District 81 in Spokane for 10 years.
Mr. Evans was a member of the Sinto Senior Center, Farwell Center Senior Group and the Trentwood Senior Center.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Marie.
Dorothy Ditton Spokane
No service will be held for Dorothy Ditton, 86, at the family’s request. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ditton, who was born in Pierce, N.D., died Monday.
She was a 20-year resident of Spokane and was a homemaker.
Her husband, Roy, preceded her in death.
Survivors include two daughters, Norma Clark of Veradale and Veda Scott of Newport, Wash.; two sisters, Edythe Rolly and Ruth Anglin, both of Spokane; 12 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Washington Library for the Blind and Handicapped, 821 Lenora, Seattle, WA 98129.
Norma Dill Spokane
Memorial service for Norma N. Dill, 71, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 212 S. David. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Dill, who was born and raised in Potlatch, Idaho, died Tuesday.
She graduated from Potlatch High School and spent most of her adult life in the Spokane area.
Survivors include her husband of 30 years, Leo; her children, Ray and Jerry Walton, Walter Durnell and Linda Mather, all of Spokane, and Pam McCrimmon of Clarkston, Wash.; 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arthur Seely Spokane
Funeral for Arthur M. Seely, 82, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home. A private burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Seely, who was a 46-year resident of Spokane, died Monday.
He was born in Huntley, Mont., and graduated from high school in Montana.
Mr. Seely worked for 30 years for Kaiser Aluminum Trentwood as a steelworker.
His wife, Betty Seely, died in 1983.
Survivors include two sons, Richard and Raymond Seely, both of Spokane; a daughter, Maryjayne Coble of Sacramento, Calif.; two sisters, Edith Cooney of Spokane and Maxine Mingersol of Oregon; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Gordon Trexler Hartline, Wash.
Memorial service for Gordon E. Trexler, 62, will be at 3 p.m. today at the Hartline Methodist Church.
Mr. Trexler, who was born in Nespelem, Wash., died Monday.
He graduated in 1954 from Hartline High School.
In 1970, he married Billie Edwards.
Mr. Trexler worked for the Grant County Road District for 20 years and was a member of the Hartline Fire Department and the Coulee-Hartline Lions Club.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Cheryl Cook; a son, Randy Trexler; five stepchildren, Terry Rackow, Denise Keegan, William and Bruce Bloomer, and Lori Bolin; his father, Gary Trexler of Hartline; two brothers, Melvin Trexler of Barstow, Calif., and Elden Trexler of Moses Lake; a sister, Donna Thomas of Hartline; 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hartline Fire Department or the Spokane Shriners Hospital.
Tiffany Goebel Coeur d’Alene
Service for Tiffany Diane Goebel, 15 months, will be held today at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel. Burial will follow at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.
Tiffany, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Monday from respiratory syncytial virus.
Her family were members of Silver Lake Baptist Church.
Survivors include her parents, Dale and Diane Goebel of Coeur d’Alene; her grandparents, Henry and Judy Browning, and Wilbert and Eleanore Goebel, all of Coeur d’Alene, and Mel Hildebrand of Republic, Wash.; her great-grandparents, Ralph and Leatha Prey of Coeur d’Alene; and three half-brothers, Dale, Jessy and Danny Goebel, all of Kingston, Wash.
Sadie (Rickard) Foster Spokane
Funeral for Sadie Mary (Rickard) Foster, 85, was Wednesday at Holy Cross Cemetery. Burial followed. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Foster, who was born in Inchelium, Wash., died Friday.
She was a 25-year resident of Spokane and was a homemaker.
Survivors include a son, Dwaine Foster of Sumner, Wash.; two daughters, Lois Clark of Pateros, Wash., and Charlotte Gibson of Sumner; two brothers, Ralph Rickard of Colville, Wash., and Donald Rickard of Inchelium; a sister, Catherine Boyd of Inchelium; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Sylvia Beavers Spokane
Memorial service for Sylvia K. Beavers, 60, will be held at a later date. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Miss Beavers, who was born in Polson, Mont., died Sunday.
She was an active participant at Center Point, a United Way agency that services adults with disabilities.
Miss Beavers was a 20-year resident of Spokane.
Survivors include three brothers, Daniel and Ernest Beavers, both of Great Falls, Mont., and Temple Beavers of West Linn, Ore.; and a sister, Lucretia Simpson of Spokane.
Donald McAvoy Spokane
A private cremation will be held for Donald F. McAvoy. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McAvoy, 86, died Sunday.
He was born in Spokane and graduated from high school in Worley, Idaho.
Mr. McAvoy worked for the Forest Service in Idaho. He worked for Kaiser Aluminum in Mead after 25 years as an industrial supervisor.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Della; a daughter, Donna Blanton; two brothers, Robert and John McAvoy; and two grandsons.