Obituaries
Rev. Keel Dresback Spokane
Visitation for Rev. Keel Dresback, 66, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fourth Memorial Church. A private interment will be held.
Rev. Dresback, who was born in Homboldt, Iowa, died Monday.
He was raised in Belgrade and Livingston, Mont., and graduated from the Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta.
He married Roberta Pepper in 1951 and moved to Spokane in 1970.
Mr. Dresback was one of the founders of the Inland Empire School of the Bible, which is now Moody Northwest.
He pastored churches in Big Timber, Paradise Valley and Billings, Mont., Sandpoint, Spokane and Sprague, Wash.
Rev. Dresback served on the board of Northwest Christian Schools and Christian Heritage School.
He was a member of the Spokane Club, the Greater Spokane Association of Evangelicals, the Ministerial Fellowship and the Evangelical Free Church Ministerial Association.
Survivors include his wife of 47 years; three sons, David, James and Mark Dresback, all of Spokane; a daughter, Diana Gaston of Spokane; a brother, Dean Dresback of Gulf Port, Miss.; his stepmother, Ann Dresback of Pomeroy, Iowa; and 16 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Keel and Roberta Dresback Foundation, 818 W. Riverside, Suite 400, Spokane, WA 99201.
Selena (Stoll) Pope Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Service for Selena Deno (Stoll) Pope, 93, will be at 11 a.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Bonners Ferry. Private burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Spokane. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Pope, who was born in Spokane, died Monday.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane and received a teaching certificate from Cheney Normal College.
Mrs. Pope taught school in Nespelem, Wash., for several years and then co-owned Stoll’s Garage in Spokane.
She moved to Seattle in the 1930s and was a homemaker before moving to Bonners Ferry in 1947.
Mrs. Pope co-owned Stoll and Sons, a Case Tractor dealership and later purchased the City Center Motel, operating it until retiring.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women’s Society, and had been active as a den mother, a Lady Lion, a member of the Rebekkah Lodge and the Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, Harold Stoll in 1976 and Frank Pope in 1997.
Survivors include two daughters, Muriel Baker of Oregon and Lois Cook of Everett; six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.
Jerome Johnston Spokane
Private graveside service for Jerome A. “Jerry” Johnston, 84, will be held at a later date. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Johnston, who died Saturday, was born in Belton, Mont.
He moved to Spokane in 1924 from Eureka, Mont., and graduated in 1932 from Rogers High School.
Mr. Johnston worked for several years for Great Northern Railroad, Baird Nordorf Lumber Company, W.P. Fuller Company and for School District 81.
His wife, Willametta Johnston, died in 1980.
Survivors include a daughter, Andrea Crow of Spokane; a son, Monte Johnston of Chattaroy; two brothers, Carl Johnston of Thompson Falls, Mont., and Forrest Johnston of Tacoma; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Judith Butler Spokane
Memorial service for Judith G. Butler, 51, will be at 1 p.m. today at Christ Lutheran Church. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangement.
Mrs. Butler, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Sunday.
She graduated in 1964 from Central Valley High School.
Mrs. Butler was a homemaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Lisa Anastasi of Seattle; a son, Paul Anastasi of Spokane; and her father, Gail Butler of Veradale.
Daniel ‘Dan’ Rocco Spokane
Funeral service for Daniel D. “Dan” Rocco, 33, will be at 11 a.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Interment will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Rocco, who was born in Fort Worth, Texas, died Feb. 13.
He moved to Spokane from North Carolina in 1974 and graduated from Jantz High School in 1984.
Mr. Rocco worked for two years with Janitorial Services and the last eight years with the Department of Social and Health Services.
Survivors include his fiancee, Sandra Anderson of Spokane; his father, Ralph Rocco Jr. of Spokane; his mother, Hazel Rocco of Spokane; a brother, Michael Rocco of Spokane; and two sisters, Danette Holland of Cheney and Gina Rocco of Spokane.
James Warrington Moses Lake
Visitation for James Henry Warrington, 46, will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Strate Funeral Home in Wilbur, Wash. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Wilbur Community Presbyterian Church. Burial will follow at the Wilbur Cemetery in Wilbur.
Mr. Warrington, who was born in Spokane, died Monday.
He worked for Goodwill in retail sales in Moses Lake.
Survivors include his mother, Dolores Copenhaver of Wilbur; two brothers, Scott Warrington of Wilbur and Richard Warrington of Cheney; and two sisters, Linda Mearns of Spokane and Jill Warrington of Veradale.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Guild School.
Frank Bongiorno Sr. Spokane
Funeral Mass for Frank J. Bongiorno Sr., 86, will be at 1 p.m. today at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bongiorno, who was born in Hoboken, N.J., died Tuesday.
In the 1930s, he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps and was stationed in Farragut, Idaho.
In 1939 he married Valeria Pagnotta in Spokane.
During World War II, Mr. Bongiorno served as a civilian worker at Bremerton Naval Yard. After the war, he lived in Priest River, Idaho, before moving to Spokane in 1956.
He worked for Warren, Little and Lund for 10 years until his retirement. Mr. Bongiorno also worked for two years on the Alaska Pipeline in Prudoe Bay, Alaska, and had served as a maintenance person at St. Aloysius Grade School.
He was a member of St. Anthony Parish, where he served as an usher, and was a member of the Plumbers and Fitters Union Local 44.
Mr. Bongiorno is survived by his wife, Valeria; a son, Frank Bongiorno Jr. of Gleneden Beach, Ore.; three daughters, Sharon of Walla Walla, Betty of Spokane and Hollie Sasak of Tacoma; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anthony Parish or to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
Syble Vandergriff Spokane
Graveside service for Syble L. Vandergriff, 85, will be at 1 p.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Vandergriff, who was born in Oklahoma, died Tuesday.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include five daughters, Mima Treadwell of Spokane, Darleen Pickett of Beatty, Nev., Helen Smith of El Cajon, Calif., Glenda Hammond of Yuma, Ariz., and Mildred Hill of Michigan; two sisters, Rosealee Maples and Ollie Vinson, both of Arizona; numerous grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
James Mitchell Spokane
Visitation for James Lloyd Mitchell, 45, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today and from 11 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mr. Mitchell, who was a 35-year resident of Spokane, died Monday.
He was born in West Point, Miss., and graduated in 1970 from Ferris High School.
In 1975 he married Rita Fry in Las Vegas.
Mr. Mitchell worked as a roofing foreman for the past 25 years and was a member of the Roofer’s Local Union 189.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Shawn Mitchell of Spokane; two daughters, Shannon and Jami Mitchell, both at home; his mother, Louisiana Mitchell of Spokane; three brothers, William Heard of Chicago, and Albert and Dennis Mitchell, both of Spokane; three sisters, Alice Doss and Betsy Wilkerson, both of Spokane, and Paula Edmonds of San Mateo, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Zion Holiness Church.
Helen Stanek Spokane
Vigil service for Helen G. Stanek, 84, will be at 7 p.m. today at St. Peter Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church. A private committal will be held. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Stanek, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Tuesday.
She and her husband owned and operated Stanek’s Nursery and Flower Shop.
Mrs. Stanek was a member of St. Peter Parish, Kappa Zeta and Golden Singles.
Her husband died in 1983.
Survivors include four sons, Frank Stanek of Cheney, and Steve, Joe and Timothy Stanek, all of Spokane; two brothers, Edward and Robert Beck, both of Spokane; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morning Star Boys Ranch or to Hospice of Spokane.
Burt Henry Spokane
Funeral services for Burt J. Henry, 87, will be at 2 p.m. today at Manito Presbyterian Church. Burial will be held at the Greenwood Memorial Cemetery. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Henry, who was born in Spokane, died Wednesday.
He taught for the Wenatchee School District and operated a Union Oil service station in Spokane.
Mr. Henry was Chevrolet salesman for the Harms-Rofinot and Camp Chevrolet dealerships. He also sold real estate for Earl Eddy Co. and Sherwood and Roberts, and then operated his own South Side real estate office for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Marion; a daughter, Ezma Hanscha; three sons, Doug, Rich and Don Henry; a brother, Austin Henry; and three grandchildren.
Bernard Flood Spokane
Visitation for Bernard L. Flood, 92, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Interment will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mr. Flood, who was born in Reardan, Wash., died Sunday.
He graduated from Reardan High School and later from Kinman Business University.
Mr. Flood worked for Standard Oil Co. and later operated the family farm in the Mondovi, Wash., area for many years until his retirement.
He was a 33-year resident of Spokane.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Jane Bradford; and three sons, Jared, Andrew and Michael Flood.
Memorial contributions may be made to Whitworth College.
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