Obituaries
Leslie Weaver Colville, Wash.
Memorial service for Leslie Lawrence “Les” Weaver, 77, will be at 3 p.m. today at Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville.
Mr. Weaver, who was born in Ione, Wash., died Tuesday.
He served in the Army during World War II, and in 1943 married Hilda Wendling in Joplin, Mo.
After the war, they moved to Colville where he worked for Draper Lumber Mill and Cole Motors.
In 1959 he began working out of his home in Seattle as an auto mechanic.
He and his wife returned to Colville in 1968 and operated Weaver’s Garage and Towing until he retired in 1995.
Mr. Weaver also raced stock cars, starting in 1974, and won two championships; Republic Racing Association at age 67 and Northport International Racing Association at age 69.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Dave and Mark Weaver, and a daughter, Leslie Hills, all of Colville; two sisters, Ruth Carlson of Spokane and Gerry Rumerfield of Ione; seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Stevens County Sheriff’s Department Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 186, Colville, WA 99114.
Alice (Long) John Clarkston, Wash.
Graveside service for Alice (Long) John, 99, will be at 1 p.m. today at Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse, Wash. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. John, who was born near Bartley, Neb., died Monday.
In 1924 she married Cyril John in Waverly and in 1932 they moved to Palouse, where they farmed for 22 years. They also owned and operated a small dairy near Palouse for several years.
Mrs. John worked as a baker at the Compton Union Building at Washington State University until she retired in 1962.
In 1963 she moved to Pomeroy, Wash., and then to Clarkston in 1974.
Her husband died in 1956.
Mrs. John was a member of Clarkston United Methodist Church, Pomeroy (Wash.) Rebekah Lodge and Parvin Grange in Colfax, Wash.
Survivors include a son, Howard John of Arlington, Wash.; a sister, Elsie Casey of Spokane; three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Clarkston United Methodist Church, 1242 Highland Ave., Clarkston, WA 99403.
Chester Reilly Post Falls
Service for Chester L. Reilly, 83, will be today at 10 a.m. at His Place Evangelical Free Church in Post Falls. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Reilly, who was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, died Tuesday.
He moved to Post Falls in 1927 and graduated from high school there.
Mr. Reilly worked as a saw filer for Ohio Match Co., and then at Idaho Forest Industries, retiring in 1980.
He was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Post Falls, the Post Falls Odd Fellows, and the Post Falls city council, fire department and school board. Mr. Reilly was also a member of the Rathdrum (Idaho) Masonic Lodge, the Kootenai Medical Center board and served on a precinct committee for the Democratic party.
His wife, Mary, died in 1990.
Survivors include two sons, Chester Reilly of Spokane and Stephen Reilly of Post Falls; a sister, Janet Wilhelm of Oregon; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Calvary Lutheran Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 415, Post Falls, ID 83877.
Richard Brown Spokane
Funeral for Richard E. Brown, 45, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
A 42-year Spokane resident, Mr. Brown died Saturday. He was born in Sacramento, Calif.
He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and was an active member of the National Guard at the time of his death.
His wife, Judy, preceded him in death.
Survivors include two sons, Richie and Paul Brown, both of Spokane; two daughters, Sheri Hughes of Spokane and Christina Brown of Riverside, Wash.; his mother, Vivian Brown of Spokane; four brothers, Charles, Bud, Edward and Gary Brown, all of Spokane; a sister, Christina Brown of Spokane; and two grandchildren.
Rev. Victor Breznikar Walla Walla
Funeral Mass for the Rev. Victor Breznikar, 83, was Tuesday at Assumption Catholic Church in Spokane. Burial was at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla.
The Rev. Breznikar, who was born in Braslovca, Yugoslavia, died last Friday.
In 1940 he was ordained as a priest. A year later he was drafted into the Yugoslavian Army.
He later served as a priest in Austria, and in 1949 came to Spokane, where he served at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. He later worked for parishes in the Washington cities of Republic , Dayton and Colfax, and at St. Francis Catholic Church in Walla Walla.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Michael Flohr Council 766.
Survivors include two sisters, Angela Berkope and Malchi Erdelji, both of Slovenia; and two brothers, Martine and Ludvig Breznikar, both of Slovenia.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Catholic Church or Assumption Catholic Church in care of Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA 99362.
LeRoy Coffman Spokane
No service will be held for LeRoy Roberts Coffman at his request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Coffman, who was born in Troy, Mont, died Oct. 29. He was 80.
He graduated from Troy High School in 1935 and married Sylvia Carr in 1938.
He moved to Spokane and worked as a buyer for Jensen Byrd from 1950 until his retirement in 1982.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge.
His wife died in 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Roberta Coffman of Spokane.
John ‘Fuzzy’ Chatman Spokane
Funeral for John Henry “Fuzzy” Chatman, 90, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Chatman, who died Tuesday was born in Little Rock, Ark.
He was a 32-year Spokane resident and had been a cement worker and served as a deacon at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church.
He was a member of the Eastside Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include two sons, James and William Chatman both of Los Angeles; a stepdaughter, Vince Henry of San Bernardino, Calif.; two sisters, Pearl Jordan-McCoy and Sally McNorton of Los Angeles; a brother Charley Chatman of Los Angeles; six grandchildren, six stepgrandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Gary Clouse West Linn, Ore.
Funeral for Gary Michael “Gar” Clouse, 44, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Mount Scott Funeral Home in Portland. Cremation will follow the service.
Mr. Clouse, who was born in Spokane, died Monday.
He graduated from Rogers High School in 1971 and married Cathie DuPont in 1981.
Mr. Clouse worked as a carpenter and moved to Portland in 1991, where he worked on high rise buildings in the downtown area and also helped build the lightrail system.
Mr. Clouse was a member of Carpenter’s Local 1715.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Delayne Heinetz of Portland; his mother and stepfather, Lucille and Walter Brown of Spokane; his father and his wife, Robert and Mary Clouse of Sagle, Idaho; his grandmother, Eloise Gibson of Spokane; three brothers, Ron, Richard and David Clouse, all of Spokane; and one grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to D.A.R.E.
Edwin Decker Spokane
Visitation for Edwin Ray Decker, 26, will be held from noon to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home-North. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Mead United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at the Peone Prairie Cemetery.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Decker died Monday.
He graduated from Mead High School in 1990.
Mr. Decker was a member of the Mead United Methodist Church, where he also taught Sunday school to high school students.
Survivors include his wife, Crystal; two daughters, Michelle and Christina Johnson, both at home; his parents, Ray and Roberta Decker of Mead; three sisters, Katherine Emerson and Carin Iseminger, both of Spokane, and LeRae Gray of Wasilla, Alaska.
Elmer Breckenridge Jr. Spokane
Funeral for Elmer “Breck” Breckenridge Jr., 42, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home.
Mr. Breckenridge, who died Saturday, was born in Lubbock, Texas.
He was an 18-year resident of Spokane.
He served as a survival instructor in the Air Force and retired as a technical sergeant.
Survivors include his wife, Dora; a son, E.J. Breckenridge III, of Spokane; two daughters, Breckalene Breckenridge of Spokane and Cresentia Breckenridge of Fort Detrick, Md.; his parents, Elmer and Alene Breckenridge of San Angelo, Texas; and a brother, Royce Breckenridge of Tulsa, Okla.
Jon Pepin Spokane
Memorial service for Jon Pepin, 49, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Charles Catholic Church. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Pepin, who was born in Longview, Wash., died Thursday.
He graduated from Shadle Park High School in 1967 and was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church.
Survivors include his parents, Raymond and Robertta Pepin of Spokane; a brother, Marc Pepin of Spokane; and a sister, Roberta Lyon of Juneau, Alaska.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Humane Society.
Edward Meschke Coeur d’Alene
Private burial for Edward William Meschke, 75, will be today at Greenwood Cemetery in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Meschke, who was born in North Dakota, died Wednesday.
He grew up in Spirit Lake and graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1942. He played basketball on the team that won the Idaho state championship that year.
Mr. Meschke joined the Army, serving during World War II as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division. He participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, earning a Bronze Star.
He returned to Spirit Lake after his military service and settled in Coeur d’Alene. He worked as a welder for Gardner Welding for 22 years.
Mr. Meschke was past commander of the Spirit Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife, Marjorie; two stepsons, Denny Jacobson of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Darold Jacobson; two stepdaughters, Billie Perry of Spirit Lake and Susane Vanden Brink of Nebraska; a brother, Roland Meschke of Yakima; a sister, Charlotte Yingst of Deer Park; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.