Obituaries

Sarah Burman Spokane

Memorial service for Sarah Marie Burman, 84, will be at 2 p.m. today at Messiah Lutheran Church. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Burman, an 80-year Spokane resident, died Thursday.

She was born in Wallace and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1931.

Mrs. Burman worked for The Spokesman-Review from 1931 to 1944, and was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church, Ladies of the Elks, Deaconess Hospital Auxiliary and Salvation Army Auxiliary.

Her husband, Frank Burman, died in 1985.

Survivors include two sisters, Ethel Gustafson of Spokane and Dorothy Burns of Portland.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army Auxiliary.

Vaughn Sanders Spokane

Funeral service for Vaughn A. Sanders, 91, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at Pines Cemetery Mausoleum.

Mr. Sanders, a 63-year Spokane resident, died Thursday.

He was born in Colville, Wash. In the early 1950s, with his brother, Leo, he invented pigeon-hole parking, which was an elevator parking lot. He developed 86 pigeon-hole parking lot units in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Sanders developed many homes on Rockford Bay at Lake Coeur d’Alene and was a Mason and a Shriner.

He worked as a logger until 1980.

His wife, Geraldine Sanders, died in 1997.

Survivors include a daughter, Lois Thackery of Oregon; a sister, Irene of Coeur d’Alene; seven grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Lela Seay Spokane

Private graveside service for Lela M. Seay, 88, is scheduled for today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Seay, who was born in Davenport, Wash., died Saturday.

She moved to Spokane as an infant and graduated in 1927 from North Central High School. She received a licensed practical nurse’s degree from Spokane Community College.

Mrs. Seay worked as a licensed practical nurse for Deaconess Hospital from 1958 until her retirement in 1975, but continued working part time until 1983.

She was a member of Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church and Mission Community Presbyterian Church.

Her husband, Ivon Seay, died in 1954.

Survivors include a daughter, June Firestone of Spokane; three sons, Loren Seay of Spokane, Vernon Seay of Priest River, Idaho, and John Seay of Fernley, Nev.; two sisters, Ruth McDonell of St. Maries and Lois Jaaskela of Connell, Wash.; 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Rita Pelfrey Spokane

Vigil service for Rita M. Pelfrey, 74, is planned for 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Pelfrey, who was born in Long Beach, Calif., died Saturday.

She worked as a nurse and was a 35-year resident of Spokane.

Mrs. Pelfrey was a member of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes parish and volunteered with the Altar Society, where she was past president, and the Deaconess Auxiliary.

Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Travis; two sons, Frances Pelfrey of Moscow, Idaho, and Roger Abercrombie of Blevins, Ark.; two daughters, Kate Boyle of Seattle and Marie Donson of Pilot Mountain, N.C.; 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities.

John Warren Spokane

Graveside funeral service for John Lincoln Warren, a published author and illustrator will be at 10 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Warren, 89, died Friday.

He was a lifetime resident of Spokane and had worked as a gardener in the landscaping industry.

Survivors include three sisters, Gertrude Crandell, Ellamae Mellen and Norma Nieschulz, all of Spokane.

Melvin Purchase Valley, Wash.

Memorial service for Melvin L. Purchase, 93, will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Retz Funeral Home Chapel in Helena.

Mr. Purchase, who was born in Jamestown, N.D., died Saturday.

He retired in 1970 as a superintendent for the Northern Pacific Railroad.

His wife, Marguerite, died in 1982.

Mr. Purchase was a longtime resident of Valley and recently had moved to Helena.

Survivors include a son, Thomas Purchase of Antelope, Calif.; a daughter, Nancy Phillips of Helena; two sisters, Grace Morrison of Las Vegas and Audrey Gramachy of Sparks, Nev.; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Michael Bowler Spokane

Funeral for Michael W. “Mike” Bowler, 56, is planned for 10 a.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mr. Bowler, a 16-year resident of Spokane, died Friday.

He was born in Spokane and retired from the Air Force in 1982.

Mr. Bowler then worked for the Postal Service and was a member of the Spokane Chiefs Hockey Club.

Survivors include his wife, Linda; two daughters, Malia Bowler and Michelle Coburn, both of Spokane; a son, Andy Waddilove of Miami Beach, Fla.; a brother, Anthony Bowler of Spokane; and three grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Antonette Nuxoll Spokane

Rosary for Antonette Lydia “Nettie” Nuxoll, 87, will be at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Greencreek, Idaho. Burial Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will follow at Greencreek Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of Spokane arrangements and Ulhorn Funeral Home of Cottonwood, Idaho, is in charge of Idaho arrangements.

Mrs. Nuxoll, who was born in Greencreek, died Saturday.

In 1928 she married Hugo Nuxoll and they farmed near Ferdinand, Idaho.

They moved to Cottonwood, Idaho, in 1946 and to Spokane in 1951.

Mrs. Nuxoll was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.

Her husband died in 1974.

She is survived by four daughters, Ramona Von Tersch, Christine Candler, Carolyn Humphries and Myrna Davis, all of Spokane; a son, Delbert Nuxoll of Keuterville, Idaho; 26 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren.

James Hacking Spokane

Funeral for James B. Hacking, 92, is set for 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mr. Hacking, who was born in Grand Forks, British Columbia, died Saturday.

He moved to Spokane in 1953 and was a self-employed subcontractor in the Spokane area for many years.

Mr. Hacking was a member of the Fraternal Order of Odd Fellows Lodge and the Samaritan Lodge No. 52.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Pauline; a son, Jack Hacking of Summerland, British Columbia; two daughters, Leila Charnes of Spokane and Dorothy Ann McKenzie of Coeur d’Alene; seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Elaine Reeves Spokane

Memorial service for A. Elaine Reeves, 92, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. David’s Episcopal Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.

A lifetime resident of Spokane, Mrs. Reeves died Thursday.

She graduated in 1924 from Lewis and Clark High School and worked as a secretary, receptionist and bookkeeper for her husband, a mechanical engineering consultant, in Spokane from 1966 to 1985.

She was a member of St. David’s Episcopal Church, Women of Rotary Club No. 21, PEO Chapter CL, and Altar Guild at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. She was also a past president of the Dantis Club.

Her husband of 58 years, Jack Reeves, died in 1994.

Survivors include a son, Jack Reeves of Spokane; and four granddaughters.

Memorial contributions may be made to the PEO Foundation, c/o CL Chapter, 16922 N. Triple Butte Circle, Colbert, WA 99005.

Leslie Heldt Spokane

Graveside service for Leslie A. Heldt, 82, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Heldt, who died Friday, was a 30-year Spokane resident.

He was born in Alcester, S.D., and graduated from high school there.

Mr. Heldt worked as an electronics technician and retired after many years with Hughes Aviation and Aircraft Co.

His first wife, Leona, died in 1963.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred; three daughters, Constance Waters of Orangevale, Calif., Carol Smith of Fort Collins, Colo., and Patricia Lantzy of Pomona, Calif.; a son, Bob Lantzy of Fountain Valley, Calif.; eight grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Eugene Hays Spokane

Funeral for Eugene V. “Gene” Hays, 90, will be at 1 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.

Mr. Hays, an 80-year resident of Spokane, died Saturday.

He was born in Joplin, Mo., and worked as a pilot for aerial patrol of power lines for Washington Water Power.

Mr. Hays was a member of Audubon Park Masonic Lodge No. 272, Scottish Rite Bodies, El Katif Shrine and El Katif Arab Patrol.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth; two sons, Gayle Hays of Spokane and Gene Hays of Kennewick; 14 grandchildren and 14 greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children.

Deborah Smith Chewelah, Wash.

Memorial service for Deborah K. Smith, 36, is planned for 3 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home.

Born in Bellingham, Mrs. Smith died June 1.

She was a homemaker and a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Chewelah.

Survivors include her husband, Chris; her parents, Larry and Beverly Smith of Cheney; a brother, Brad Smith of Seattle; a sister, Laurel Bahr of Mead; and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ziet, and Helen Smith.

Memorial contributions may be made to Allegiance Supported Living, P.O. Box 379, Chewelah, WA 99109.

Johnny Michael Emida, Idaho

Service for Johnny Keith Michael, 87, will be at 2 p.m. today at St. Maries Eagles Lodge. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Michael, who was born in Edwall, Wash., died Thursday.

He grew up and played basketball in Davenport, Wash., and then was a farmer and rancher.

Mr. Michael also worked as a logger and horse trainer and moved to Emida in 1946.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Cathern, in 1988.

Mr. Michael was a member of the Emida Senior Citizens and a charter member of the Upriver Saddle Club.

Survivors include his wife, Mary; six sons, Duffer Michael of St. Maries, Alan Michael of Fernwood, Idaho, “Punk,” Frank and Doug Michael, all of Emida, and Larry Lagrant of New Mexico; four daughters, Peggy Guenther and Linda Derry, both of Spokane, and Janice Kingsley and Judy Turner, both of St. Maries; two sisters, Edith Hubbell and Jessie Morgan, both of Spokane; 27 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.

Allen Taylor Spokane

Funeral service for Allen Ross Taylor, 52, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, East Stake Center. Graveside service will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Taylor, who was born in Cardston, Alberta, died Thursday.

He graduated in 1963 from West Valley High School and served in the Army Reserve.

In 1969 he married Jodi Shimizu in Spokane.

Mr. Taylor held a license to fly rotorcraft and fixed wing aircraft. He was the owner and flight instructor for Rocky Mountain Gyrocopters for many years.

He also worked for Speciality Insulation of Spokane as vice president for 20 years and co-owned Energy King of Portland and Insulation Tech of Spokane.

Mr. Taylor founded the Gents Auto Club of Spokane in the early 1960s and was a member of the Spokane 15th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Kris Taylor of Kauai, Hawaii, and Jade Taylor, at home; his mother and stepfather, Sarah and Merlin Orme of Spokane; and a sister, Nadene DaBell of Spokane.

Florence Olson Spokane

No service will be held for Florence R. Olson, 94, at her request. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Olson, who died Friday, was born in Warrensburg, Mo.

She was raised on a ranch near Drummond, Mont., and in 1934 married Davis Olson in Missoula.

They moved to Lincoln, Neb., California, Spokane and Moscow, Idaho. She worked for the Forest Service experiment stations in Spokane and Moscow.

Mrs. Olson was active in the singing group Project Joy for many years and was a 12-year resident of Spokane.

Her husband died in 1965.

Survivors include two stepsons, Robert Olson of Spokane and Donald Olson of San Diego; a stepdaughter, Marion Honstedt of San Diego; four stepgrandchildren and many stepgreat-grandchildren.

Bessie Beattie Post Falls

Service for Bessie Irene Beattie, 96, will be at 2 p.m. today at English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls.

Mrs. Beattie, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Friday.

She lived in Coeur d’Alene and then moved to Vermont and New Hampshire before returning to the Coeur d’Alene area in 1936.

Mrs. Beattie was a homemaker.

Her husband, Hugh, died in 1979.

Survivors include a son, Richard Beattie of Greenacres; two daughters, Lillian Moore and Isabel Wigen, both of Post Falls; 17 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and numerous great-great-grandchildren.

Diane Norell Rathdrum

Funeral Mass for Diane Mary Norell, 38, will be at 8 a.m. today at Mary Immaculate Queen Church in Mary, Idaho, near Rathdrum. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Norell, who was born in Los Angeles, died Friday.

She lived in Sylmar, Calif., before moving to Idaho 26 years ago.

Survivors include her parents, Verlyn and Barbara Norell, both of Rathdrum; and two sisters, Victoria Vaillancourt of Post Falls and Pamela Johnson of Spokane.

Kathryn Imes Mead

Funeral for Kathryn Marie Imes, 37, is set for 1 p.m. Thursday at the Mukogawa Fort Wright Chapel. Burial service will follow at Riverside Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Imes, who was born in Bellingham, died Wednesday of cancer.

She graduated in 1978 from Liberty Bell High School in Winthrop, Wash., and moved to Spokane in 1981.

In 1984 she married Randy Imes.

Mrs. Imes was a homemaker.

Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Ashley and Whitney Imes, and a son, Adam Imes, all at home; her mother and stepfather, Karen and Charles Flagg of Twisp, Wash.; her father, John Tanguy of Mill Creek, Wash.; three brothers, Scot and Craig Tanguy, both of Spokane, and Steve Tanguy of Palm Springs, Calif.; and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Tanguy of Bellingham.

William Smith Ione, Wash.

Memorial service for William “Bill” Alexander Smith, 68, is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at Selkirk High School in Ione. Committal inurnment service will follow at 4:30 p.m. at Riverside Cemetery in Ione. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Smith, who was born in Missoula, died Wednesday in Phoenix while vacationing.

He moved to Pend Oreille County in 1944, and in 1951 he served in the Korean War. He received four Bronze Service Stars, the Korean Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the Purple Heart.

In 1958 he married Marvel Oberg in Tonasket, Wash., and he worked as the chief hydroelectric operator for Seattle City Light at Boundry Dam. He worked there for nearly 30 years and had previously worked in the Pend Oreille Mines and drove trucks for a freight line.

Mr. Smith was a member of the American Legion and served on the Selkirk School Board. He was involved with the local Boy Scouts and for many years volunteered as the assistant junior high basketball coach.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Cindy Walton of Kodiak, Alaska; a son, Robert Smith of Spokane; and a sister, Barbara Fly of Naselle, Wash.

Memorial contributions may be made to Selkirk High School.

Henry Jansen Spokane

Funeral for Henry August Jansen is set for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Riverview Care Center chapel. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Jansen, 82, died Sunday.

He was born in Ritzville, Wash., and graduated in 1933 from Lind (Wash.) High School.

In 1943 he married Berneice Telecky in Ritzville, and he worked in road construction and masonry in Adams County.

For 21 years he farmed land previously owned by his father.

Mr. Jansen was a member of United Methodist Church in Lind, Unity Church of Truth and Lind and Springhill Grange.

He moved to Spokane from Lind in 1982.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Joe Jansen of Walla Walla; three daughters, Bonnie Busse of Spokane, Debbie Sackmann of Moses Lake and Beth Greenwalt of Athena, Ore.; a brother, Len Jansen; two sisters, Freida Burrough and Gladys Watkins; and 10 grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wishing Star Foundation.

Henry Murphy Seattle

Funeral Mass for Henry Cleary “Hank” Murphy, 78, was June 2 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Seattle. Burial followed at the Holyrood Cemetery in Shoreline, Wash. Mr. Murphy, who was born in Spokane, died May 29.

He graduated from Gonzaga Prep and Gonzaga University.

Mr. Murphy served in the Navy in the Southwest Pacific from 1942 to 1946.

He then earned his optometric degree from Pacific University and worked for 25 years in the profession in Seattle for Columbian Optical. He retired in 1985.

He was a Seattle resident and a member of St. Alphonsus Church for 30 years.

Mr. Murphy is survived by a brother, Con Murphy of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Alphonsus Building Fund, 5816 15th Avenue N.W., Seattle, WA, 98107.

Raymond Bois Livermore, Calif.

Memorial service for Raymond F. Bois, 90, is scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Spokane. Inurnment will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Livermore Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Bois, a former Spokane resident, died May 21.

He was born in Belgium and immigrated to the United States as a young child and was raised in the Chicago and Rockford, Ill., areas.

Mr. Bois joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was qualified to be a commissioned officer.

He served with the Army Air Corps and then with the Air Force, for a combined 32 years, where he worked in a variety of positions including, executive officer at Hickam Field, Hawaii, for three years just after the Pearl Harbor attack, as a liaison officer with foreign nationals, and in several comptroller positions.

After his retirement as a colonel in 1957, he worked another 15 years with the Washington State Employment Division.

He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and lived in Spokane from 1957 to 1994, when he moved to Livermore.

His wife of 57 years, Harriette, died in 1989.

Survivors include a daughter, Suzanne Anderson of Livermore; two sons, John Bois of Colorado Springs and James Bois of Emmett, Idaho; a half-sister, Marie Crump of Santa Ana, Calif.; a half-brother, Paul Bois of Madison, Wis.; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the American Indian College Fund, 1111 Osage Street Suite 205 W, Denver, CO 80204, or the American Cancer Society, California Division Inc., Income Development, P.O. Box 2061, Oakland, CA 94604.