Obituaries
Marcella Hanson Twin Lakes, Idaho
Service for Marcella L. Hanson, 54, will be today at 11 a.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Hanson, who was born in Port Angeles, Wash., died Sunday.
She lived in Kansas before moving to Coeur d’Alene in 1967 and worked as a bank teller at First Federal Savings and Loan in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Hanson moved to Hayden in 1970, to Post Falls in 1973 and to Twin Lakes Village in 1978.
She was a homemaker and office manager for Hanson Appraisals.
Survivors include her husband, Tom; two daughters, Debra Hanson of Rathdrum and Tracy Hanson of Florida; a stepdaughter, Sheli Hanson of California; her father, Earl Carroll of Hayden; and a brother, Eddie Carroll of Bremerton.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Kootenai Humane Society, P.O. Box 1005, Hayden, ID 83835.
Murel Johnson Spokane
Visitation for Murel W. Johnson, 91, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home South. Funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Johnson, who died Saturday, was born in Coulee City, Wash.
In 1945 he married Rita Manti.
He worked as a logger in St. Maries and as an auto mechanic for Washington Water Power for many years.
Mr. Johnson was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 34 in Coeur d’Alene and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
His wife died in 1997.
Survivors include a half-sister, Edith Shelton of Moses Lake; and a stepsister, Dorothy Till of Fairview, Wash.
Leta Sleeth Las Vegas
No service will be held for Leta B. “Jeri” Sleeth.
Mrs. Sleeth, who was born in Potlatch, Idaho, died May 25. She was 84.
She moved to Spokane 52 years ago and worked for Anthony Baker and Burns before becoming a homemaker.
Mrs. Sleeth was a lifetime member of the Washington State PTA Association.
She moved to Las Vegas two years ago.
Her husband, Joel, died in 1975.
Survivors include a daughter, Velda Williams of Las Vegas, two sons, Bob Sleeth of Spokane and Mike Sleeth of Belton, Texas; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Gale Dickinson Sagle, Idaho
Visitation for Gale Dar Dickinson, 52, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today and Friday from 9-11 a.m. at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Service will be Friday at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Sandpoint. Mrs. Dickinson, who was born in Billings, Mont., died Sunday.
She moved to Southern California where she graduated from high school and then attended Long Beach State University. She received a bachelor’s degree in art from Cal State Northridge.
Mrs. Dickinson worked for Hughes Aircraft Co. in the government contracts department and then for Wang Co., as a technical illustrator.
She moved to Sandpoint in 1974 and worked as production manager at Pend Oreille Printers for the past 19 years.
Survivors include her husband of 22 years, Ken; two daughters, Monica Scott of Spokane and Kelly Dickinson of Sagle; her mother and stepfather, Dar and Ted Heil of California; and a sister, Robin Schiller of California.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bonner County 4-H Association.
Ruth Denney Spokane
Memorial service for Ruth P. Denney, 72, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2218. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Denney, who was born in Santa Barbara, Calif., died Saturday.
She was a homemaker and a member of VFW Post No. 2218.
Mrs. Denney was a resident of Spokane for 37 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Nancy Jensen of Rupert, Idaho; two sons, Larry Oakley of Spokane and Bill Wagner of Umatilla, Ore.; a brother, Lewis Dillon of Alaska; a sister, Irene Zamn of Utah; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jane Gackler Spokane
Memorial service for Jane Gackler, 49, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Unitarian Church. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gackler, who was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., died Tuesday.
She grew up in Caledonia, Mich., and graduated from Central Michigan University.
Mrs. Gackler worked for the Forest Service in Arizona and in the Okanogan area for 10 years before moving to Spokane about 15 years ago, where she worked as librarian for the Spokane Public Library.
Survivors include her partner, Rosmond Langberg of Spokane; a sister, Suann Hewlett and two brothers, John and Ken Gackler, all of Michigan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Women’s Drop-in Center in Spokane.
Harm ‘Hy’ Burma Spokane
Funeral for Harm B. “Hy” Burma, 74, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial service with military honors by the Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 45 will follow at 3 p.m. at Riverside Memorial Park.
Born in Ludlow, S.D., Mr. Burma died Monday.
He moved to Spokane in 1940 and served in the Navy during World War II. He served in the Pacific as a gunner’s mate on the USS Independence.
In 1948 he married Eva Johnson in Spokane.
Mr. Burma retired from the Postal Service in 1985.
He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and Spokane Valley United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Susan Walker, and a son, Scott Burma, both of Spokane; a brother, George Burma of Sacramento, Calif.; two sisters, Grace Barnes and Marian Gumm, both of Spokane; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or to Spokane Valley United Methodist Church.
Barbara Spalding Ione, Wash.
Graveside inurnment for Barbara Jeanne Spalding, 62, will be at 11 a.m. today at Riverside Cemetery in Ione. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Spalding, who was born in Yakima, died Sunday.
She grew up in Ellensburg and moved to Ione in 1961.
In 1963 she married Jerry Spalding in Spokane and was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Penny Smith of Ione, Jeanne Ottensther of Delta Junction, Alaska, and Winona Bakrich of Tucson, Ariz.; three sons, Jerry Spalding of Ione, Thomas Phipps of Brentwood, Calif., and Teddy Phipps of Sacramento, Calif.; a sister, Patricia Malone of Spokane; a brother, James Brown of Butte, Mont.; 25 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Kenneth Person Spokane
Graveside service for Kenneth D. Person, 63, was Wednesday at Oakesdale (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mr. Person, who was born in Miles City, Mont., died Saturday.
He married Helga Schachinger in Hockenheim, Germany in 1954 and served in the Army from 1953 to 1956.
Mr. Person worked for the Spokane Diesel Co. for 35 years. He retired in 1997.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Norma Person of Veradale; two brothers, Keith Person of Las Vegas and Travis Pickesimer of Yakima; and two sisters, Betty Seaver of Seattle and Grace Doneen of Tekoa, Wash.