Obituaries

Sister Marcia Reilley, SNJM Spokane

Vigil service for Sister Marcia Ann (Blanche) Reilly, 91, will be at 7 p.m. today at the Convent of the Holy Names Chapel. Burial Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Friday at the chapel. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Sister Reilley, who was born in Lawler, Idaho, died Tuesday.

She graduated from Holy Names Academy and joined the Convent of the Holy Names in 1934. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Holy Names College in 1940.

Before entering the convent Sister Reilly taught in a one-room schoolhouse and after entering the convent and receiving her degree, taught elementary grades at Holy Names schools in both Washington and Oregon. Her later years in ministry were spent in pastoral work and with Hispanic communities.

Sister Reilley retired to the Prayer Apostolate at the Convent of the Holy Names in 1992.

She is survived by a sister, Sister Terrence Maureen Reilley, SNJM.

Christopher Baggett Elk

Funeral for Christopher Glenn Baggett, 19, will be at 1 p.m. today at Peaceful Valley Church in Elk. Burial will be at the Milan Cemetery in Chattaroy. A reception will follow at the Elk Park. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Baggett, who was born in San Diego, died Friday from injuries suffered in an automobile accident on Highway 2 near Oregon Road on Sept. 21.

He attended Riverside High School and was a three-year apprentice carpenter for Day Spring Construction.

Baggett had been a resident of Elk for the past six years.

Survivors include his companion, Angela Swim; his parents, Glenn and Debbie Baggett of Elk; a sister, Cassandra Baggett; his grandmother and stepgrandfather, Bonnie and Jordan Petrov of Oceanside, Calif.; and his grandfather and stepgrandmother, Robert and Cresel Zipse of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Stella Hensley Spokane

Graveside service for Stella C. Hensley, 88, will be at 3 p.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Hensley, who was born in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, died Tuesday.

She moved to Malta, Mont., and worked on the family farm.

During World War II she worked as a welder at the Bremerton Naval Ship Yard. She later worked as a housekeeper in private homes in Spokane. She was a resident of Spokane for 43 years.

Survivors include a son, Greg Plummer of Spokane; a sister, Myrtle Holte of Malta; and two grandchildren.

Bernice Bolser Fairfield

Memorial service for Bernice Bolser, 78, was Tuesday at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield.

Mrs. Bolser, a lifetime resident of Fairfield, died Thursday.

She worked at the Fairfield Good Samaritan Center for many years and was a member of the Rockford Women’s Club, the McIntosh Grange and Zion Lutheran Church.

Survivors include her husband, Leo; six children; 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Harold Coffin Spokane

Memorial celebration for Harold W. Coffin, 90, will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Coffin, a longtime Spokane attorney, died Sept. 19.

He was born in Benson, Minn.

In 1928 he graduated from Kenyon (Minn.) College where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, and then from law school at the University of Idaho in 1933, where he was a member of Phi Alpha Kelta honorary society.

Mr. Coffin began his law career in Spokane in 1933, first working for Davis Heil & Davis. Several years later, he became a partner with Paine Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller.

He was elected president of the Spokane County Bar Association in 1955 and president of the Washington State Bar Association in 1956.

Mr. Coffin was also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a member of the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association from 1947 to 1949, and the House of Delegates for the American Bar Association from 1949 to 1951.

He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Composite Fund from 1952 to 1982 and a member of the Legal Study Club. He was made an honorary member of the Washington State Bar Association in 1995.

Mr. Coffin participated in many community organizations, serving as a trustee for the Comstock Foundation from 1975 to 1998 and as president of the Eastern Washington Historical Society. He was a founder of the Eastern Washington Museum Foundation, was a chapterman at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and was the chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane from 1977 to 1994.

Mr. Coffin was also a member on the board of trustees at Rockwood Manor from 1968 to the mid-1980s and St. George’s School from 1980 to 1984, where he established the Fred Gilbert Excellence in Teaching Award.

His wife of 57 years, Virginia, died in 1995.

Survivors include two daughters, Melissa Willis of Spokane and Sara Coffin Fernandez of Bellevue, Wash.; a brother, Reginald Coffin of Elko, Nevada; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist or the Cheney Cowles Museum.

Janice Smith Oak Harbor, Wash.

No service will be held for Janice L. “Jan” Smith, 58, at her request. Bleitz Funeral Home in Seattle is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Smith, a former longtime Spokane resident, died last Thursday. She was born in Spokane.

A homemaker, Mrs. Smith moved Oak Harbor about 10 years ago.

Survivors include her companion, Don White; two daughters, Debbie Vaughn of Spokane and Dixie Peterson of Otis Orchards; a son, William Coombs of Spokane; her mother and stepfather, Aleen and Percy Ott of Spokane; a brother, Larry Westendorf of Everett; a sister, Lorene Kraft of Spokane; and nine grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Whidbey Animal Improvement Foundation, P.O. Box 1108, Coupeville, WA, 98239.

Brody Martens Spokane

Graveside service for Brody S. Martens, 43, will be at 1 p.m. today at Peone Prairie Cemetery in Mead. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Martens, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Sunday.

He graduated from Mead High School and from Spokane Falls and Spokane community colleges with a orthotic and prosthetics degree.

He had worked for Schindler’s Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, Inc., since 1989.

Survivors include his wife, Leslie; a son, Joshua Martens at home; his father, R.A. Martens, and a sister, Christina Gordon, both of Spokane; and a brother, Steve Martens of Moscow, Idaho.

Nora Cain Spokane

Funeral Mass for Nora Mae Cain, 79, will be at 10 a.m. today at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Cain, who was born in Tekoa, Wash., died Monday.

She was a homemaker and worked for Spokane Valley State Bank for many years.

Her husband, Robert, preceded her in death.

Survivors include a daughter, Carol Briggins of Tacoma; four sons, Michael, Joe, Steve and Jerry Cain, all of Spokane; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mary Weber Veradale

Visitation for Mary K. Weber, 42, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery.

Mrs. Weber, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Monday.

She was a homemaker.

Survivors include her husband, Blaine; a daughter, Rachel Weber, and a son, Jesse Weber, at home; a stepson, John Weber of Colville; her parents, Reno and Kelsey Hatcher of Spokane; six brothers, Michael, Charles, Tim, Barry, Sean, and Shane Hatcher, and two sisters, Shannon Conley and Darcie Haigwood, all of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.

Clifford Robinson Pinehurst, Idaho

Memorial service for Clifford Kenneth Robinson, 83, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel. Inurnment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Kellogg.

Mr. Robinson, who was born in Kansas, died Monday.

He served with the Army during World War II and moved to the Silver Valley in 1947 from Kansas.

Mr. Robinson owned a TV and radio repair shop prior to owning the Knit and Purl Yarn Shop in Pinehurst, until 1988.

He had also worked at Bunker Hill Mining Co., for several years and was a member of the Pinehurst Senior Citizens.

His wife, Irene, died in 1955.

Survivors include five sons, Ronald Robinson of Rose Lake, Idaho, Bob Robinson of Seattle, Frank Robinson of Pinehurst, Jerry Robinson of Coeur d’Alene and James McCormick of Spokane; two daughters, Sharon Huber and Shirley Brandt, both of Pinehurst; a sister, Violet Russell of Kansas; 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Idaho Peace Officers’ Memorial Fund POST, c/o Debbie Kindelberger, Box 700, Meridian, ID 83680-700.

Sue Campbell Spokane

Funeral for Sue E. Campbell, 77, is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mrs. Campbell, who died Sunday, was born in Winterset, Iowa.

In 1940 she came to the Spokane area and received a teaching certificate from Eastern Washington University. In 1970 she received a master’s degree in education from Washington State University.

Mrs. Campbell taught kindergarten and first grade and was a librarian with Spokane School District 81 for 31 years, working at Roosevelt, Bryant and Cooper elementary schools.

She was a member of the Spokane and Washington State Retired Teachers associations and the Spokane County Extension.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Bruce; two daughters, Marilee Campbell and Janine Ballou, both of Spokane; a son, Jack Watkins of Portland; two stepsons, Gary Campbell of Jacksonville, Fla., and Jerry Campbell of Toronto, Ontario; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Phyllis Thompson Spokane

Memorial service for Phyllis L. (Allard) Thompson, 65, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mission Community Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Thompson, who was born in St. Ignatius, Mont., died Sunday.

She married Bill Thompson in St. Ignatius in 1953.

She worked as a secretary for Spokane Community College.

Mrs. Thompson was a 44-year Spokane resident and was a member of the Mission Community Church and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Bill; a son, Mark Thompson of St. Ignatius; a daughter, Wendy Thompson of Spokane; a brother, Doug Allard, and a sister, Martena Savage, both of St. Ignatius; and two grandchildren.

Betty Buxton Spokane

Private service for Betty Jean Buxton, will be held at a later date. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Miss Buxton, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Monday. She was 69.

She was a retired licensed nurse practitioner.

She is survived by a brother, Kent Buxton.

Robert Van Buskirk Spokane

Graveside service for Robert Pat ‘Opah’ Van Buskirk, 92, was Wednesday at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mr. Van Buskirk, who was born in Bozeman, Mont., died Monday.

He was raised in Hay Springs, Neb., and later moved to Prescott, Ariz., where he met and married his wife Opal. They were married 62 years.

During World War II he moved to Whittier, Calif., and worked as a machinist, building ships. He had also worked as a rancher, road builder and truck driver.

Mr. Van Buskirk retired from working as a lathe operator in the construction industry for 20 years.

He was a sponsor of the the Spokane Girls Fast Pitch Softball Association and the American Softball Association.

He moved to Spokane in 1991.

His wife died in 1992.

Survivors include two sons, Ken Van Buskirk of Spokane and Jim Van Buskirk of Hamilton, Mont.; two daughters, Glenda Carney of Kerrville, Texas and Elaine Roper of Anaheim, Calif.; 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.