Obituaries
Gerald Gilbert Spokane
Visitation for Gerald R. Gilbert, 91, will be from noon to 5 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday at Valley United Methodist Church. Private graveside service will be at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Gilbert, who was born in Evanston, Wyo., died Thursday.
He moved to Spokane as a small child and served in the Army during World War II.
He worked for the Postal Service as an assistant postmaster in 1942. He retired in 1968 as a postal service supervisor.
Mr. Gilbert was a charter member of the Valley Elks Lodge, and was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Valley United Methodist Church and Spokane Valley Rotary Club.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Beth; and two sons, Bruce and John Gilbert, both of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to Valley United Methodist Church.
Don Wilson Post Falls
Graveside service for Don Wilson, 74, will be at 1 p.m. today in Waitsburg, Wash. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wilson, who was born in Wisconsin, died Friday.
He grew up in Wisconsin and served with the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Wilson settled in Dayton, Wash., after his military service and moved to Kellogg in 1947. He worked as a supervisor at Bunker Hill Mining for more than 30 years.
He had lived in Post Falls since 1955.
Survivors include his wife, Betty; a son, Boyd Wilson of Post Falls; a daughter, Monta Oliver of Spirit Lake, Idaho; a sister, Bernadine Hughes of Spokane; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
Norman Fretheim Spokane
Graveside service for Norman D. “Norm” Fretheim, 72, will be at 9 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Fretheim, who was born in Frazee, Minn., died Wednesday.
He came to the Spokane area in 1942 and served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
In 1953 he married Lois Engleson in Coeur d’Alene and worked for in civil service at Fairchild Air Force Base as a supply inspector for 42 years. He retired in 1985.
He played guitar professionally in Spokane for more than 42 years and was a member of Spokane Musician Union. He was also a member of Pilgrim Lutheran Church.
He is survived by his wife; a son, Jeffrey Fretheim, and a daughter, Krista Fretheim, both of Spokane; a sister, Joyce Carlson, of Spokane; and two grandchildren.
Vincent Buck Ukiah, Calif.
No service will be held for Vincent C. Buck. Burial was at Ukiah Cemetery.
Mr. Buck, who was born in Michigan City, N.D., died June 5. He was 92.
He moved to Seattle as a youth and then to a homestead in eastern Montana. He returned to Seattle in 1921.
In 1934 he married Ruth Marsh in Seattle. They moved to Spokane in 1942.
Mr. Buck worked in real estate in Spokane, becoming the vice president of Western Builders Co. He retired in 1972 and moved to Ukiah in 1992.
Mr. Buck was a member of Valley Kiwanis Club, Tuesday Speaker Club, Spokane Home Builders Association, Spokane Elks Lodge, Fowler United Methodist Church, Spokane Rifle Club and Spokane Masonic Temple. He was also a volunteer member of the Expo ‘74 Public Relations Team.
His wife died in 1996.
Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Barnett of Ukiah; a son, Roger Buck of Columbia, Md.; a sister, Virginia DeWolf of Edmonds, Wash.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Theodore ‘Pat’ Davis Spokane
Visitation for Theodore P. “Pat” Davis, 80, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today and Sunday at Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside service is planned for 11 a.m. Monday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Davis, who was born in Salt Lake City, died Wednesday.
He served in the Navy during World War II and then worked as a surveyor for the Washington Department of Transportation. He retired in 1983.
Mr. Davis was a member of Spokane Elks Lodge No. 228 and Wandermere Men’s Club.
He was a resident of Spokane for 52 years.
Survivors include two stepdaughters, Eldora Tronson of Lewiston and Lorraine Morgan of Riverside, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans.
Linda Ryan Spokane
Visitation for Linda C. Ryan, 49, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday. Memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Monday at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home.
Mrs. Ryan, who was born in Springfield, Ill., died Wednesday.
She worked as an office manager for Appleway Equipment Leasing and most recently as an office manager for Metropolitan Mortgage Co. for the past five years.
She was a resident of Spokane for ten years.
Survivors include her husband of nine years, Dennis; two stepsons, David and Jeff Ryan, both of Spokane; her mother, Alice Owens Dodge of Spokane; and two brothers, Gary Owens of Sandpoint and Philip Owens of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Harvey Jensen Spokane
Memorial service for Harvey B. Jensen, 95, will be today at 3 p.m. at Good Samaritan Village Chapel in Greenacres. Burial will be in Albert Lea, Minn. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jensen, who was born in Albert Lea, died Tuesday.
He worked in the oil industry for nearly 60 years in various management positions in Iowa and Illinois. His most recent position was as a wholesale petroleum broker.
Mr. Jensen was a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Elks Lodge and had been a resident of Spokane for the past 24 years.
His first wife, Sarah, died in 1969.
Survivors include his wife, Alice; a son, Richard Jensen of Sun City West, Ariz.; a sister, Elizabeth Simonson of Albert Lea; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Neal Rasmussen Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Neal Andrew Rasmussen, 77, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Rasmussen, who died Thursday, was born in Coeur d’Alene.
He grew up and graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1938 and served in the Army in Germany during World War II.
Mr. Rasmussen graduated from Montana State University with a degree in business administration and became a schoolteacher in Montana. He later began a career with South Western Publishing Co.
Mr. Rasmussen lived in Cincinnati, for 17 years and became vice president of South Western and was editor of the Collegiate News and Views.
He received a master of business administration degree from Xavier University.
Mr. Rasmussen was a member of the Masonic Lodge.
He moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1972 and became a professor at Gonzaga University School of Business.
He later became a certified life insurance underwriter and taught at North Idaho College.
Mr. Rasmussen was preceded in death by his first wife, Grace in 1983.
Survivors include his companion, Mary; four sons, Roger Rasmussen of California, Peter Rasmussen of Ohio, Bruce Rasmussen of Spokane and David Rasmussen of Oregon; a brother, Witso Rasmussen of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Gretchen Ragsdale of Seattle; five stepchildren and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Education Plus, 6205 Tall Pines Road, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Emelyn Stai Spokane
Visitation for Emelyn E. Stai, 82, will be from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside service will be Monday at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Stai, who was born in Eureka, Mont., died Wednesday.
She graduated from North Central High School and in 1937 married Kenneth Stai in Spokane.
Mrs. Stai was a homemaker.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Robert Stai of Keizer, Ore.; three daughters, Sharon Theifault of Spokane, Shirley Anderson-Keas of Torrance, Calif., and Judith Sailor of Fort Worth, Texas; a brother, Craig Ettenborough of Spokane; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
John Smith Moscow, Idaho
Viewing for John G. Smith, 73, will be today and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow. Service will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the funeral chapel. Burial will follow at Moscow Cemetery.
Mr. Smith, a longtime University of Idaho baseball coach, died Wednesday from complications caused by pneumonia.
He was born in Oklahoma and grew up and attended schools there before serving with the Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Mr. Smith returned to Oklahoma after his military service and attended Central State College, graduating in 1948, and then began coaching at a high school in Oklahoma.
He then taught basketball and baseball at Central State College before moving to Caldwell, Idaho, in 1962.
He coached at Caldwell High School for one year and then became the defensive line football coach at the University of Idaho in 1963.
Mr. Smith later became the head baseball coach while serving as assistant coach in basketball and took the Vandal baseball team to the College World Series.
He retired in 1987.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Rosalie; three sons, Gregg Smith of Redmond, Wash., Hank Smith of Los Angeles, and Whitney Smith of New York; a half-brother, Donald Metheny of Oklahoma; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Idaho Athletic Department.
Agnes Schneberger Hayden Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for Agnes Schneberger, 83, will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel. A reception will follow at Yates Hayden Chapel Gathering Center.
Mrs. Schneberger died Wednesday.
She was a lifelong Coeur d’Alene/Hayden Lake area resident.
Mrs. Schneberger was a member of the Mica Flats Grange.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon.
Survivors include a son, Richard Schneberger of Blackfoot, Idaho; a daughter, Patty Dahlman of Coeur d’Alene; three brothers, Eugene Mullen of McCleary, Wash., Victor Mullen of Alaska and James Mullen of Hayden, Idaho; five sisters, Peggy Gilbert, Goldie Morgan and Shirley Hesdahl, all of Spokane, Virginia Utetcht of Veradale and Molly Phillips of Coeur d’Alene; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Cecelia (Fleckenstein) Brown Pullman
Private service for Cecelia L. (Fleckenstein) Brown, 88, will be held at a later date. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Brown, who was born in Quincy, Wash., died Thursday.
In 1920 she moved to Colton, Wash., and in 1935 she married George Mayer.
They moved to Pullman in 1950, and she began working as a cook at the Wilmer-Davis residence hall on the Washington State University campus. She later owned her own sewing business, worked as a housekeeper and cared for the elderly.
Mr. Mayer died in late 1950.
In 1952 she married Arthur Brown. Mr. Brown died in 1964.
Mrs. Brown was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Johnson Grange.
Survivors include two daughters, Laurel Jorgensen of Pullman and Diane Wiscarson of Elk River, Idaho; a sister, Addie Milhorn of Tekoa, Wash.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Lv Williams Seattle
Funeral for Lv Williams, 86, will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Mount Olive Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home South is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Williams, who was born in Grandview, Texas, died June 5.
She came to Spokane in the 1940s and lived here until 1985, when she moved to Seattle.
Mrs. Williams was a homemaker and a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Her husband, John, died in 1984.
Survivors include a brother, Luther Bracey of Spokane; and two sisters, Hester Curvin of Spokane and Aline Ard of Markham, Ill.
Marjorie Konizeski Spokane
No service will be held for Marjorie G. Konizeski. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home South is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Konizeski, who was born in Kansas City, Kan., died June 9.
She graduated from high school in Sheridan, Wyo., and in 1928 married Robert Konizeski in Seattle.
In 1948 they moved to Spokane. Mrs. Konizeski was a homemaker and worked as a clerk for The Crescent department store.
Her husband died in 1993.
Survivors include one daughter, Billee McCracken of Tucson, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.