Obituaries
Willis Homer Spokane
Funeral service for Willis R. Homer, 81, will be at 11 a.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mr. Homer, who was born in Guin, Ala., died Monday.
He moved with his family to Norman, Okla., in 1917.
In 1939 he married Louise Smith in Lexington, Okla. They later moved to Klamath Falls, Ore.
Mr. Homer retired from the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1977 and later moved to Spokane.
He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, the Masonic Lodge, Covenant Christian Church and the South Hill Senior Center.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Denny Homer of Okanogan, Wash.; three daughters, Oweta Floyd and Sheri Olsen, both of Spokane, and Jean Homer of Bridgeport, Wash.; a brother, Edgar Homer of Medford, Ore.; three sisters, Essie Northcutt of Lexington, Okla., Lillian Thorp of Oklahoma City and Etoyle Tullius of Norman, Okla.; and six grandchildren.
Louis Endsley Spokane
Memorial service for Louis O. Endsley, 67, will be at 10 a.m. today at Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Endsley, who was born in Spokane, died Saturday.
He graduated from North Central High School and served in the Army during the Korean War.
Mr. Endsley later worked as an accountant for Washington Water Power and as an office manager for a butcher supply company. He also owned and operated a restaurant, the Gazebo, for many years.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Marilyn; a daughter, Linda Bott of Spokane; a son, Jeff Endsley of Cheney; two stepsons, Bill Briggs of Lake Oswego, Ore., and Bob Briggs of Las Vegas; two stepdaughters, Debi Briggs-Crispin and Wendi Hickey, both of Lake Oswego; a sister, Elizabeth Davidson of West River, Md.; and 16 grandchildren.
Phil McNearney Ponderay, Idaho
Service for Phil Thompson McNearney, 77, will be at 1 p.m. today at Coffelt’s Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Burial will follow at Pack River Cemetery near Sandpoint.
Mr. McNearney, who was born in Colville, Wash., died Friday.
He attended school in Colville and then served with the Army during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Mr. McNearney moved to Sandpoint in 1945 and worked as a logger, for the Sandpoint Independent Highway District and for the city of Sandpoint Water and Sewer Department from 1967 until retiring in 1983.
He worked as an independent logger after his retirement and began his family business, Northern Log Homes in 1973.
Mr. McNearney was honored as the “Bull of the Woods” by the Northwest Timberfest Committee in 1996 and served on the planning and zoning board for the city of Ponderay.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Evelyn; a son, Phillip McNearney of Sandpoint; three daughters, Susan Smith of Post Falls, Joyce Broadsword of Sagle, Idaho, and Lynda Ehrsam of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Steve McNearney of Priest River, Idaho; two sisters, Kelsey Hatcher and Geraldine Reed, both of Spokane; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Russell Braendlein Sr. Spokane
Funeral for Russell G. Braendlein Sr., 83, will be at 11 a.m. today at Central United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Bremerton, Mr. Russell died Sunday.
He graduated from Kiona-Benton City (Wash.) High School and worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyards during World War II.
Mr. Braendlein worked as an iron worker in construction and later at Hanford Nuclear Reservation for 20 years. He retired in 1980.
He was a Spokane resident since 1982.
He was a member of the Central United Methodist Church, Iron Workers Local No. 14, the Masonic Lodge and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Benton City.
His wife of 48 years, Winifred, died in 1987.
Survivors include a daughter, Jana Kifer of Spokane; a son, Russell Braendlein Jr., of Korea; and seven grandchildren.
Eleanor Peterson Spokane
Funeral for Eleanor Peterson, 75, will be at 1 p.m. today at Hennssey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Peterson, who was born in Dupuyer, Mont., died Saturday.
She was a cook at the Buckhorn Inn for several years and a member of the Eagles Lodge.
Mrs. Peterson was a 30-year Spokane resident.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Birnie of Spokane and Elizabeth Wombold of Great Falls, Mont.; her mother, Nellie Dollarhide of Great Falls; two brothers, Roger and Melvin Salois, both of Great Falls; and three sisters, Shirley Clark and Ethel McKnight, both of Great Falls and Jean Walker of Hobson, Mont.; 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
William Childers Spokane
Memorial service for William E. “Bill” Childers, 83, will be at 4 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Childers died Sunday.
He was a truck driver and a member of Teamsters Union Local 690. Mr. Childers also was a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2.
Survivors include his wife of nine years, Esther; a daughter, Patricia Childers of Spokane; two sons, William Childers of Palm Beach Shores, Fla., and Gerald Childers of Willow Springs, N.C.; stepson, Raymond Hedrick; three stepdaughters, Marie Robinson, Judy Michael and Bobbie Kroiss; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Marion O’Connell Spokane
Visitation for Marion L. O’Connell, 76, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Private burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. O’Connell, who was born in Cherokee, Iowa, died Monday.
She moved to Spokane in 1957 and worked as a nurse’s aide at Sacred Heart Medical Center for 35 years.
Mrs. O’Connell was a member of the Northeast Senior Center and Westgate Christian Church.
Her husband, Robert, died in 1992.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Hanson and Star Achenbach, both of Spokane; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
James Rogers Deer Park
Memorial service for James Edward Rogers, 80, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Deer Park Tri-County Christian Center Assemblies of God Church. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Rogers, who was born in Mondovi, Wash., died Friday.
He worked as an auto mechanic, carpenter and ripsaw tailer at area sawmills. He retired in 1976.
Mr. Rogers was a member of the Assemblies of God Church and the Lumber and Saw Mill Workers Union No. 3023.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Helen; five sons, Randy and Scott Rogers, both of Spokane, and Dan, Fred and Clint Rogers, all of Deer Park; a daughter, Iris Brown of Deer Park; a brother, Harold Rogers of Spokane; 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Melvin Zinnecker Broken Arrow, Okla.
Funeral for Melvin B. Zinnecker, a former Spokane resident, was Tuesday at Floral Haven Funeral Home in Broken Arrow.
Mr. Zinnecker, 53, died Sunday. He was born in Spokane.
He served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1971 and worked in the telecommunications field in Spokane before moving to Oklahoma.
Survivors include his wife, Linda; two daughters, Christina and Melinda Zinnecker, at home; and two sisters, Eva Brackett and Berna Tuter.
Margaret Primmer Rockford
Memorial service for Margaret Ann Primmer, 91, will be at 1 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Rockford. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Fairfield is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Primmer, who was born in Mount Hope, died Thursday.
She worked as a cook for threshing crews.
In 1925 she married John Primmer. She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Primmer was a past matron of the Francis Willard Chapter 62 of the Order of the Eastern Star and later of the Magnolia Chapter 194 in Spokane. She was also a 63-year member of the Macintosh Grange.
Her husband died in 1963.
She is survived by three sons, Jack Primmer of Spokane, Stanley Primmer of Rockford and Delbert Primmer of Hayden, Idaho; a brother, Tom Dahiel of Mount Hope; 12 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Wilma Ferrell Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Wilma Ellen (Weyer) Ferrell, 71, will be at 1 p.m. today at English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls. Private inurnment will be in Trentwood, Wash.
Mrs. Ferrell, who was born in Saskatchewan, died Saturday.
She moved to the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene area in 1936 and worked as a licensed hair dresser in Spokane for several years and then in the accounting department of Deaconess Hospital before retiring.
Mrs. Ferrell was a mother and a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, Donald Swank in 1953, and Jack Ferrell in 1995.
Survivors include two sons, Don Swank of Hauser Lake, Idaho, and Bill Swank of Spokane; three daughters, Janie Burke of Lewiston, Wilma Anne Gressel of California and Maryann Deering of Spokane; a sister, Margaret Batholomew of Spokane; four brothers, Tom Weyer of Green Bluff, William Weyer of Camano Island, Wash., Joseph Weyer of Spokane and Pat Weyer of Oregon; 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Kenneth Main Palouse, Wash.
Visitation for Kenneth S. Main, 66, will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Thursday at Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Mr. Main, who was born near Palouse, Wash., died Sunday.
In 1965 he married Joyce Boyd.
He worked on the family farm south of Palouse and also worked for several years as a welder for R.A. Hanson Co. during the winter months. He retired from farming in 1983.
He was a member of the Moose Lodge in Moscow, Idaho, and was a member of the board of directors for the Latah County Grain Growers.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Mark Main of Palouse and Darryl Main of Stanwood, Wash.; a daughter, Debbie Hill of Palouse; a stepson, Dale Cook, and a stepdaughter, Diane Main, both of Palouse; two brothers, Leonard Main of Palouse and LaWayne Main of Juliaetta, Idaho; and seven grandchildren.
Dorothy Smith Newport, Wash.
Graveside inurnment for Dorothy Grace Smith, 91, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Newport Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Smith, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., died Sept. 30.
She graduated from Havermill (Mass.) High School in 1925.
She married George Smith in 1929. They lived in the Pamona, Calif., area and in 1972 they moved to Oldtown, Idaho. She had lived in Newport since 1986.
She worked in Newport as a legal secretary.
Her husband died in 1984.
Survivors include two sons, George Smith of Newport and Richard Smith of Priest River, Idaho; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Omar Granger Oakdale, Calif.
Graveside service for Omar Ruth Granger, 91, is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Riverview Heights Cemetery in Kennewick. Oakdale Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Granger, who was born in Carthage, Mo., died Sept. 13.
She and her husband, Frank Granger, were co-owners of Playfair Race Track and Inland Distributors, a beer and wine distributing firm.
After 56 years in Spokane, she moved to Kennewick where she lived for 20 years before moving to Oakdale.
Mrs. Granger was a member of the Spokane Club and the Manito Golf and Country Club. She was also an active volunteer for the City of Hope and volunteered as a gray lady.
Her husband died in 1986.
Survivors include a daughter, Judy Granger Crump of Stockton, Calif.; a son, Frank Granger of Gresham, Ore.; and two grandchildren.
Ada Larson Spokane
Memorial service for Ada G. Larson, 78, is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.
Mrs. Larson, who died Sunday, was born in Arnegard, N.D.
She graduated from Arnegard High School and after World War II moved to Spokane.
Mrs. Larson was a homemaker and served with the Civil Defense Program in the 1950s and 1960s.
She was member and past president of the Columbia Basin Chinchilla Breeders.
Survivors include her husband of 49 years, Ervin; a son, Lawrence Larson of Austin, Texas; a daughter, Alice Larson of Panama City, Fla.; a brother, Donald Hinman of Sidney, Mont.; a sister, Mary Doxstater of Livingston, Mont.; and two grandchildren.
Jeanette (Rule) Tregellas Spokane
Private family service for Jeanette Ann (Rule) Tregellas, 84, will be held in Butte, Mont., at a later date. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Tregellas, who was born in Butte, died Sept. 29.
She graduated from Butte High School and later from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Spokane.
She moved to Spokane 62 years ago and worked as a registered nurse at Lakeland Village for 18 years. She retired in 1975.
She was a member of the St. Luke’s Alumni Association and the the Alycian Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Survivors include a daughter, Grace Garrison of Spokane; two sons, Ralph and Stephen Tregellas, both of Spokane; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Orpha Freeman Colfax, Wash.
Funeral for Orpha Mabel Freeman, 87, is planned for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Colfax Community Bible Church. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Trail, Mo., Mrs. Freeman died Monday.
She married Eli Freeman in 1928 and they moved to Colfax.
Mrs. Freeman was the head cook at a University of Idaho fraternity house from 1928 to 1945 and again in the 1980s.
In 1945 she moved to Harrison, Idaho, where she worked as the head cook at Harrison Elementary School for several years.
Her husband died in 1962.
She lived in Bellevue, Wash., Vancouver, Wash., and Spokane before returning to Colfax in 1980. She worked in Colfax as a housekeeper in private homes.
Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Hall of Colfax; two sons, Dale Freeman of Coeur d’Alene and Bob Freeman of Kaiser, Ore.; two brothers, Elmer Pendergrass of Colfax and Gene Pendergrass of Marion, Ind.; a sister, Dorothy Abbott of Colfax; numerous half-brothers and half-sisters; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Eldon King Chattaroy
Funeral for Eldon King, 85, is planned for 3 p.m. Friday at Simpson United Methodist Church in Pullman. Burial will follow at the Pullman City Cemetery. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. King, who died Sunday, was born in Harding County, S.D.
He made a professional career of fitting and showing Hereford cattle for many cattle ranches in Montana and Nebraska, including Bayers Hereford Ranch in Twin Bridges, Mont., the Grassland Hereford Ranch in Drummond, Mont., Higgins Bros. in Ringling, Mont., Adams Bros. and Co. in Kilgore, Neb., and the Fairway Herefords in Valentine, Neb.
He married Marjorie Davidson in 1954.
In 1971 he was awarded the Herdsman of the Year award by the American Hereford Association.
Mr. King later started a mobile cattle hoof trimming business, serving dairy farmers throughout Western Montana and Eastern Washington.
His wife died in 1991.
Survivors include two daughters, Donna Goodwin and Kristy Whittkopf, both of Spokane; a brother, Kelly King of Pendleton, Ore.; and four grandchildren.