Obituaries

Bradley Witty Spokane

Service for Bradley R. Witty, 37, will be at 1 p.m. today at Spokane Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. A potluck will follow at the church. Burial service will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Witty, who was born in Seattle, died Jan. 17.

He served in the Marine Corps, and worked as a logger and a fish processor.

In 1987 he married Linda White in Spokane.

Survivors include his wife; his mother, Dianne Witty of Elma, Wash.; three sisters, Linda Moore of Tenino, Wash., Shelly Reed of Gig Harbor, Wash., and Tana Witty of Bremerton; and three brothers, Steve Witty of McKinney, Texas, Brian Witty of Puyallup, Wash., and Larry Witty of Malaysia.

Ina (Koski) Reeder McKern Rice, Wash.

Memorial service for Ina Irene (Koski) Reeder McKern, 89, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Mrs. McKern, who was born in Rossland, British Columbia, died Jan. 4.

She and her family moved to the Northport, Wash., area when she was 10 years old.

Mrs. McKern graduated in 1926 from Northport High School and in 1927 from Northwestern Business College in Spokane.

Her first husband, Dan Reeder, preceded her in death.

In 1939 she married Dee McKern in Rice and they resided there since.

She was a member of the Quillisascut Grange, the Pomona Grange, the Democratic Party and the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association.

Her second husband died in February 1997.

Survivors include a daughter, Diane Showalter of Cheney; three sons, Dennis McKern of Boyds, Wash., Tom McKern of Rice, and Daniel Reeder of Clarksville, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

E.E. ‘Es’ Shelman Ritzville, Wash.

Visitation for E.E. “Es” Shelman, 85, will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville. Service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Zion Congregational Church in Ritzville. Vault burial will follow at the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery in Ritzville.

Mr. Shelman, who was born in Pickering, Mo., died Thursday.

His family moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, when he was a child and he graduated in 1931 from Bonners Ferry High School.

In 1936 he married Mary Hille on her parents’ farm near Ralston, Wash., and they lived in Spokane.

He worked as a barber and as a civilian aircraft maintenance worker during World War II.

In 1948, Mr. Shelman moved his family to the Ralston area and began farming. He retired in 1975 and moved to Ritzville in 1985.

He was a member of the Ralston Grange, served on the board of directors of the Ritzville Warehouse Company, was appointed to the Board of Equalization for Adams County, and was an enumerator for the USDA-Agricultural Stabilization Commodity Service for 22 years. He was a member of the Ralston Community Church, the Philadelphia Congregational Church and Zion Congregational United Church of Christ, where he served as an usher.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Sharon Beckley of Moses Lake; three sons, Glenn and Gregory Shelman, both of Spokane and Donald Shelman of Berkeley, Calif.; two sisters, Vi Robertson of Mollette, S.D., and Doris Barthalamy of Decatur, Ill.; two brothers, Marvin Shelman and Bill Florea both of Bonners Ferry; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Jean Sides Spokane

Memorial service for Jean A. Sides, 49, will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.

Mrs. Sides, who was born in Ridley Park, Pa., died Thursday.

She graduated in 1966 from Interboro High School in Ridley Park.

Mrs. Sides was a homemaker and was a 20-year Spokane resident.

Survivors include her husband of 25 years, William; two sons, William Sides Jr. of Seattle and Brian Sides of Germany; a daughter, Dana Sides of Veradale; a brother, James Mason of Illinois; a sister, Chrissy Hart of Pennsylvania; and two grandchildren.

Marilyn Smith Metaline Falls, Wash.

Graveside service for Marilyn Juanita Smith, 51, will be at 2 p.m. today at Riverside Cemetery in Ione, Wash. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Smith, who was born in Gooding, Idaho, died Friday.

She grew up in Bliss, Idaho, and later moved to Glenns Ferry, Idaho. She graduated in 1964 from Glenns Ferry High School.

Mrs. Smith worked at Whiten Oil and the Airport Grocery in Ione for several years.

She moved to Metaline Falls in 1995.

Survivors include special friend, Roberto Mirabol; a son, Bill Huls of Seattle; a daughter, Annette Alfred of LeMore, Calif.; her mother, Juanita Sherman of Glenns Ferry; a brother, Jack Sherman of Winnemucca, Nev.; two sisters, Dorothy Sherman of Boise and Joanne Martinez of Glenns Ferry; and one grandson.

Almeta (Fox) Knight Spokane

Funeral Mass for M. Almeta (Fox) Knight, 82, will be at 3 p.m. today at St. Charles Catholic Church. Private inurnment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Knight, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Friday.

She graduated from Marycliff High School and worked as a homemaker.

Mrs. Knight was a member of the Democratic party and the Jane Jefferson Democratic Club.

Her husband, John Knight, died in 1987.

Survivors include a son, Ned Fox, and a daughter, Julie Mayer, both of Spokane; six grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Frances Kroetch Spokane

Private family service will be held for Frances Ann Kroetch, 83. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Kroetch, who was born in Hamilton, Mont., died Jan. 16.

She worked in radio in the 1930s, and married Joseph Kroetch in Missoula in 1939.

They moved to Cody, Wyo., in 1945 and in 1984, she moved to Spokane.

Mrs. Kroetch was a homemaker.

She was a member of Altar Society and Golf Association in Cody.

Her husband died in 1982.

Survivors include a daughter, Carol Kershner of Spokane; and two grandchildren.

John Breeden Spokane

Service for John J. Breeden, 56, was Friday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Mr. Breeden, who was born in Helena, died Tuesday.

He grew up and graduated from high school in Bozeman, Mont. Mr. Breeden also graduated from Montana State University and received a master’s degree in business from Oklahoma State University. He moved to Spokane in 1978 and was the co-owner and operator of Empire Floral and Nursery.

Mr. Breeden was a past president of Master Florists of Spokane, a past chairman of Spokane FTD, and was a floral exhibit judge for the Spokane Interstate Fair.

He was involved with Goodwill Industries and his business was named Business of the Year.

Survivors include a brother, Robert Breeden of Helena.

Eleanore Emmons Spokane

No service will be held for Eleanore Emmons, 89, at her request. Inurnment will take place at the family plot in Plymouth, Ohio. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Emmons, a 44-year Spokane resident, died Jan. 17.

She was born in West Liberty, Ohio.

Mrs. Emmons was a certified consumer credit counselor. She was past president of the Credit Women’s International and in 1984 was the recipient of the McCleod Award, which is bestowed for extraordinary service to the credit community. She was also a recipient of the United Way Senior Volunteer of the Year award.

Mrs. Emmons was a member of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Survivors include a son, Jerry Emmons of Norwalk, Ohio; a daughter, Colleen Crough of Sacramento, Calif.; a sister, Martha Horlak of Cleveland Heights, Ohio; and three grandchildren.

Nelson Worden Spokane

No service for Nelson G. Worden, 84, will be held at his request. Private burial was at Riverside Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Worden, who was born in Vermillion, Alberta, died Jan. 18.

He was a World War II Army veteran.

Mr. Worden worked as a truck driver for Teamsters Union Local 690.

He had been a resident of Spokane for 69 years.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Alice; a son, Donald Worden, and a daughter, Linda Dury, both of Spokane; a brother, Jack Worden of Drayton Valley, Alberta; a sister Irene Kenny of Edmonton, Alberta; and three grandchildren.

Loneta ‘Sally’ Kugler Nampa, Idaho

Service for Loneta F. “Sally” Kugler, 84, was Saturday at First Church of the Nazarene. Burial was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mrs. Kugler, who was born in Albion, Neb., died Jan. 15.

In 1931 she married Eugene Kugler in Nebraska and they moved to Northern Idaho and eventually settled in Spokane.

She worked with her husband on the farm during the 1930s and then became a homemaker.

Mrs. Kugler moved to Nampa in 1989 and was a member of First Church of the Nazarene.

Her husband died in 1989.

Survivors include a son, Douglas Kugler of Nampa; a brother, Cecil Woodworth of Spokane; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

James Kenney Spokane

Memorial service for James M. Kenney, 78, will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Livingston, Mont., Mr. Kenney, died Jan. 22.

He worked as an excavator in the construction industry and was a 57-year Spokane resident.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Carol; three sons, Terry Kenney of Deer Lake, and Robin and Roger Kenney, both of Spokane; six daughters, Marsha Petersen, Cheryl Johnson, Holly Schoenberger and Mari Strenge, all of Spokane, Valerie McBridge of Sequim, Wash., and Nancy Christensen of Portland; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Kathleen Rutzer Medical Lake

Memorial service for Kathleen L. Rutzer, 53, will be held at a later date in Ilwaco, Wash. Ball and Dodd Medical Lake Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mrs. Rutzer, who was born in Astoria, Ore., died Jan. 15.

She was raised in Ilwaco, and in 1965 married Roy Rutzer.

She moved to Medical Lake in 1977.

Mrs. Rutzer had worked for Telephone Utilities Incorporated since 1965.

She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 48 in Ilwaco and was a volunteer for the float association in Medical Lake.

Survivors include her husband; two sons, Daryl Rutzer of Spokane and Leland Rutzer of Medical Lake; her parents, Jack and Pauline Reed of Seaview, Ore., and a sister, Jackie Vingerud of St. Helens, Ore.

Wilfred ‘Bill’ Harder Spokane

No service will be held for Wilfred R. “Bill” Harder, 81, at his request. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Harder, who was born in Detroit, died Friday.

He moved with his family to the Los Angeles area and lived there until joining the Army Air Corps in 1941. He served as a navigator in the Pacific area.

Mr. Harder remained in the Air Force for 23 years and retired as a Major.

He then worked for Bonneville Power until his retirement in 1974. He has resided in Spokane for 30 years.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Norma; a son, Harley Harder of Spokane; a daughter, Leonie Page of Vancouver, British Columbia; and a granddaughter.

Mary Blaine Spokane

No service will be held for Mary K. Blaine, 50, at her request. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Ms. Blaine, who was born in Aberdeen, Wash., died Wednesday.

She worked as an radiation therapist.

Survivors include a sister, Sharon Olson of Spokane.

Mary Smith Spokane

Memorial service for Mary E. Smith, 89, will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Hearthstone Apartment Community Room in Medical Lake. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Smith, who was born in Tampa, Fla., died Jan. 19.

She was raised in Fort Meyers, Fla., and worked as a retail clerk at her father’s ready-to-wear store.

After her marriage to Henry Smith, they moved to Brooksville, Fla., and she returned to working in retail sales in Dade City, Fla.

Mrs. Smith moved to Spokane in 1987 and then to Medical Lake a few years ago.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Survivors include a daughter, Mary Nicholes of Airway Heights; and two grandchildren.

Peter Sitch Sandpoint

Service for Peter G. Sitch, 93, will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Coffelt’s Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Burial will be at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint.

Mr. Sitch, who was born in North Dakota, died Wednesday.

He grew up in North Dakota and operated a country store called Pete’s Place.

He moved to Sandpoint in 1952 and owned the HiWay Motel for seven years. He also worked at the Union 76 Gas Station and the McFarland Pole Yards.

Mr. Sitch was a member of the Sandpoint Eagles Lodge.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Rean; four children, Alvira Lewis of Otis Orchards, Arlene Gilbert and Dennis Sitch, both of Montana, and Greg Sitch of Coeur d’Alene; 15 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.

Ethel Draszt Spokane

Private family service for Ethel H. Draszt, 85, will be today. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Draszt, a 50-year Spokane resident, died Wednesday.

She was born in Charles City, Iowa.

Mrs. Draszt worked as a meat cutter.

Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Eugene; a son, Lee Draszt of Spokane; and three grandchildren.

, DataTimes