Obituaries
Raymon Smeltz Moscow, Idaho
Funeral for Raymon Tecumseh Smeltz, 87, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman. Burial will follow at the Pullman City Cemetery.
Mr. Smeltz, who was born in Spokane, died Sunday.
He graduated from Ellenburg High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Washington State University in 1932 and a master’s degree in 1934. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
Mr. Smeltz later went on to do post-graduate work at Columbia University in New York.
He married Ruth Lewis in Seattle in 1934. They moved to Pullman, where he worked as a certified public accountant for LeMasters and Daniels.
Mr. Smeltz served with the Army from 1943 until 1946, when he was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant.
He returned to Pullman and started his own certified public accountant practice and taught accounting at Washington State University. He practiced as an accountant for more than 50 years before retiring in 1989.
Mr. Smeltz was a member of the El Katif Shrine, Rotary Club, American Legion and the Masonic Lodge.
He also served two terms on the Pullman City Council and was a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also was listed in Who’s Who in America.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Eric Smeltz of Spokane; and one granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children.
Wilbur Janson Latah
Funeral for Wilbur C. Janson, 74, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Latah Country Bible Church. Burial will be at the Latah Evergreen Cemetery. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Janson, who was a lifetime Latah resident, died Sunday.
He graduated from Latah High School in 1942 and worked as a wheat farmer all his life.
In 1957 he married Betty Lowe.
Mr. Janson was a member of the Latah Country Bible Church, member and past master of the Waverly Masonic Lodge 231, and was a member of the Eagles Lodge, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington and Idaho Dry Pea and Lentil Association and the Washington Fire Commissioners Association. He was also a board member for the Evergreen Cemetery and a volunteer fireman and past commissioner for Fire District 12.
Survivors include his wife; a son, James Janson of Chehalis, Wash.; two daughters, Linda McClure of Kent, Wash., and Cary Janson of Latah; two sisters, Dorothy Ruhl of Spokane and Ruth Haas of St. Maries; a brother, James Janson of Spokane; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or District 12 Fire Department Equipment Fund c/o Vi Tiegs, Latah, WA 99018
Arron ‘PepsiBoy’ Duncan Spokane
Visitation for Arron M. “PepsiBoy” Duncan, 21, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today, Thursday and Friday at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Duncan, who was born in Bremerton, died Friday.
He graduated in 1996 from West Valley High School, where he was a member of the wrestling team.
Mr. Duncan had been working as a laborer for a manufacturing company.
He was a member of Pines Baptist Church and had been a resident of Spokane for the past 17 years.
Survivors include his parents, Stuart and Lori Duncan, and Pamela and George Hietala, all of Spokane; and two brothers, Darren and Matt Duncan, both of Spokane.
Bernice (Watson) Godbey Electric City, Wash.
Private service will be held for Bernice D. (Watson) Godbey, 64. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Godbey, a 20-year Electric City resident, died Friday.
She was born in Colville, Wash.
She married Harvey Godbey in 1955 and was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Mark Godbey of Coulee Dam, Michael Godbey of Seattle and Mitchell Godbey of Portland; a daughter, Tracie Oxford of Fairfield; her mother, Eulah Watson of Colville; three sisters, two brothers, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Orval Warner Pullman
Visitation for Orval D. Warner, 89, will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today at Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman. Funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Pullman City Cemetery.
Mr. Warner, who was born in Lockwood, Mo., died Friday.
He graduated from Albion (Wash.) High School and began working at Washington State University as a painter.
In 1938 he married Dorothy Lakin, and they moved to Seattle, where he worked on Bainbridge Island, Wash., as a welder for Winslow Shipyards.
They moved to Pullman in 1947, and he worked as a fireman for Washington State University until his retirement in 1971. Mr. Warner also worked at the Texaco Gas Station in Pullman for many years.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Joanne Smith of Moscow, Idaho, and Janet Thompson of Clarkston, Wash.; five sons, Larry and Roger Warner, both of Colton, Wash., Ray Warner of Pullman, Richard Warner of Junction City, Ore., and Brad Warner of Kenai, Alaska; 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and numerous stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren.
David Curtis Coeur d’Alene
Funeral Mass for David Z. Curtis, 21, will be at 10 a.m. today at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in DeSmet, Idaho. Burial will follow at the DeSmet Mission Cemetery. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Curtis, who was born in Spokane, died Saturday.
He graduated from Plummer (Idaho) High School in 1994 and attended North Idaho College for one year.
Mr. Curtis had been working as a representative for Indian Country Enterprises for the past four years.
He was an active race car driver and traveled the National Hot Rod Association circuit. He had most recently been to the Indianapolis Speedway in Indiana where he was training to become a fully certified NHRA nitro funny car racer.
Survivors include his father, Darnell Curtis of McDermitt, Nev.; his mother, Donna Matheson of Plummer; two sisters, Cecelia and Tamara Curtis, and a brother, Darnell Curtis, all at home; and his grandparents, Pauline Camille, and Donald and Lou Matheson, all of Worley, Idaho.
Darrell Keegan Sandpoint
Memorial service for Darrell Archie Keegan, 59, was Monday at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint.
Mr. Keegan, who was born in Sandpoint, died Thursday.
He grew up in Kootenai, Idaho, and graduated from Sandpoint High School.
Mr. Keegan worked for Spring Lumber Co. before joining the Army in 1961 and was stationed in Germany. He had worked in Renton, Wash., Texas, and Coeur d’Alene before returning to Sandpoint in 1993.
Mr. Keegan owned Discount Gas and Go Auto Repair on U.S. Highway 95 in Sandpoint.
Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Diane; three children, Brad Keegan of Sandpoint, and Julie Westmoreland and Amy Dunaway, both of Texas; his father, Aaron Keegan of Sandpoint; three sisters, Estellene Shaver of Spokane, and Loretta Rickman and Sharon White, both of Sandpoint; a brother, Bethel Keegan of Arizona; and two grandchildren.
John Weitz Jr. Endicott, Wash.
Funeral for John E. Weitz Jr., 59, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Endicott Congressional Church. Burial will follow at the Endicott Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Weitz, who was born in Colfax, died Saturday.
He graduated from Endicott High School in 1957 and attended Whitworth College in Spokane for two years before returning to Endicott, where he began his career as a farmer.
Mr. Weitz married Beverly Brown in 1985 and was a member of the Endicott Congregational Church.
Survivors include his wife; a stepson, Robert Shugert of Spokane; a stepdaughter, Carie Shugert of Blanchard, Idaho; two brothers, Myron Weitz of Tacoma and Gerald Weitz of Spokane; and two sisters, Gloria Menzies of Redmond, Wash., and Mary Hughes of Endicott.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Whitman County Hospice, Endicott Emergency Medical Technicians or Endicott Congregational Church.
Ervin Pettit Sr. Newport, Wash.
No service will be held for Ervin Frank Pettit Sr. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Pettit, who was born in Menahga, Minn., died Thursday. He was 66.
In 1975 he married Virginia Ramsey, and they moved to the Spring Valley area of Newport 15 years ago.
He worked as a logger and a truck driver.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia; three sons, Larry Pettit of Priest Lake, Idaho, and Ervin Pettit Jr. and Gary Pettit, both of Trout Creek, Mont.; five daughters, Janene Pettit and Karla Pettit, both of Spokane, Starla Campbell and Darla Clark, both of Superior, Mont., and Vicki Lamb of Oldtown, Idaho.; three stepsons, Rick and Troy Merriman, both of Newport, and Brent Merriman of McMinnville, Ore.; a stepdaughter, Robyn Tochen of Sherwood, Ore.; five brothers, Melvin Pettit of Bremerton, Albert Pettit of Priest River, Idaho, Donald Pettit of Oldtown, Earl Pettit of Hot Springs, Mont., and Roy Pettit of Priest Lake; four sisters, Delores Ringer of Tok, Alaska, Hazel McGee of Superior, Arlene Franck of Trout Creek and Juanita Graham of Newport; 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Vivian Gough Spokane
Visitation for Vivian Ethel Gough, 76, will be from noon to 12:30 p.m. today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2112 W. Francis. Funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at the church. Burial will be at Riverside Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gough, who was born in Missoula, died Monday.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mrs. Gough has been a resident of Spokane for the past 10 years.
Survivors include her husband, Norman; five sons, David, Gregory, Gary, Douglas and Rick Gough; a sister, Valma Ohl; 23 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Kenneth Ewell Spokane
Memorial service for Kenneth H. Ewell, 78, will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Spokane Valley United Methodist Church. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ewell, who was born in Eagle City, Okla., died Friday.
He served with the Army and worked for Northern Pacific Railroad, which later became the Burlington Northern Railroad, for 39 years.
Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Orme of Maple Valley, Wash., and Catherine Hartley of Gresham, Ore.; two sons, Jim and Bob Ewell, both of Spokane; seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.
Dorothy Ward Loon Lake, Wash.
Funeral for Dorothy Fern Ward, 81, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Loon Lake Congregational Church. Burial will be at the Loon Lake Community Cemetery. Lauer Funeral Home of Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.
A resident of Loon Lake since 1948, Mrs. Ward died Saturday. She was born in Wenatchee.
She was a homemaker and was a member of Take Off Pounds Sensibly and the Women of the Moose in Loon Lake.
Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Lelon; three daughters, Nancy Lauderdale of Clayton, Wash., Patricia Weiss of Colville, Wash., and Sharon Ward of Newport, Ore.; five sons, Earl and John Ward of Spokane, Roger Ward of Loon Lake, Larry Ward of Walla Walla and Joe Ward of Kellogg; a brother, Charles Huston of Everett; a sister, Jeanne Towne of Entiat, Wash.; 26 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great grandchildren.
Connie Woolf Moscow, Idaho
Funeral for Connie Lynn Woolf, 38, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash. Burial will follow at the Moscow Cemetery.
Ms. Woolf, who was born in Moscow, died Saturday.
She graduated from Potlatch (Idaho) High School in 1978, and in 1979 she moved to Spokane where she worked as a housekeeper at the Sheraton Hotel.
In 1990 she returned to Moscow, where she worked as a housekeeper at the Mark Four and the University Inn.
Miss Woolf has also worked in Alaska for two summers on a fishing boat.
Survivors include her parents, Owen and Ellen Woolf of Lewiston; a brother, Tim Woolf of Moscow; a sister, Linda Noel of Spokane; and her grandmother, Pearl Kettleson of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Inland Northwest Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Ray Russell Spokane
Memorial service for Ray E. Russell, 72, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Heritage Funeral Home. Private inurnment will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mr. Russell, who was born in Des Moines, Iowa, died Thursday.
He served with the Navy during World War II, and in 1947 he married Lois Cain.
Mr. Russell was a truck driver for the Cheney School District for 20 years. He retired in 1988.
He was a member of Teamsters Union Local 690, PSCC of Cheney and Congregational Church.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Timothy Russell of Spokane, Hugh Russell of Nine Mile Falls and Randy Russell of Cheney; a daughter, Andrea Miller of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Inland Northwest Chapter or Cheney Care Center.
Burdette Faires Colfax, Wash.
Funeral for Burdette Faires, 91, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax. Burial will be at the Colfax Cemetery.
Mr. Faires, who was born in Endicott, Wash., died Nov. 25.
He graduated from Colfax High School in 1924 and attended Washington State University.
Mr. Faires worked on the family farm near Colfax until 1929, when he operated the Stipe Farm until 1934.
He served with the Washington State National Guard during World War II and later became the co-owner and operator of the J.I. Case Implement Co. in St. John, Wash. He started additional dealerships in Colfax, Moscow, Idaho, and Oakesdale, Wash., before selling the business in the late 1950s.
Mr. Faires then formed Faires Equipment and Construction Co., focusing on heavy equipment, excavating and gravel jobs. He retired in 1974.
He married Teresa Lounsbury in 1931. She died in 1975. In 1976 he married Ruby Knight. She died in 1996. Mr. Faires was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, where he once held the position of noble grand. He also was a member and former president of the Colfax Chamber of Commerce, Colfax School Board, Dusty Horse Club and the Hole in One Club.
Survivors include a daughter, Beverly Cochran of Spokane; three sons, Bruce Faires of Edmonds, Wash., Randall Faires of Diamond Lake, Wash., and Robert Faires of Hoquim, Wash.; a stepson, Robert Knight of Grand Blanc, Mich.; six grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Kidney Foundation, 10323 SE 13th Place, Bellevue, WA, 98004-6726, Inland Empire Division of the American Heart Association or Whitman Hospital Foundation of Colfax, WA 99111.
Mildred Imus Spokane
Private burial for Mildred Imus, 71, will be held at Lind (Wash.) Cemetery. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Imus, who was born in Ritzville, Wash., died Nov. 21.
She was a lifetime resident of Eastern Washington.
She was a homemaker and a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sisters and two brothers.