Obituaries
Alice Dexter Spokane
Funeral for Alice Dexter, 83, will be at noon today at Pines Cemetery Mausoleum. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Dexter, who was born in rural North Dakota, died Friday.
She married Leonard Dexter in 1936.
They moved to Lewiston in 1941 and to Spokane in 1951. In Spokane she worked as a waitress and cook for many years, and then as a seamstress making drapes for Garland Harper.
Mrs. Dexter was a member of the Valley Eagles Lodge. She had also worked on election committees.
Her husband died in 1985.
Survivors include seven sons, Ron and Ken Dexter, both of Spokane, Dorain Dexter of Prosser, Wash., Richard Dexter of Seattle, Dennis and Gary Dexter, both of Portland and Jerry Dexter of Longview, Wash.; a daughter, Joan Light of Chattaroy; two brothers, Arnie Oksendal of Japan and Edward Oksendal of Idaho Falls; two sisters, Bertha Lee and Gladys Herzog, both of Spokane; 19 grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren.
Anna Rambo Oakesdale, Wash.
Funeral for Anna R. Rambo, 96, will be at 1 p.m. today at Oakesdale Community Presbyterian Church. Burial will follow at the Oakesdale Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rambo, who was born in Kilkenny, Minn., died Thursday.
In 1922 she married Andrew Rambo in Moscow, Idaho. They moved to Oakesdale, where they were farmers for many years.
Mrs. Rambo was a member of Oakesdale Community Presbyterian Church and the Hope Chapter 29 of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Her husband died in 1989.
Survivors include a son, Edward Rambo of Oakesdale; three sisters, Mamie St. John of Richland, Marjorie Anderson of Potlatch, Idaho, and Gladys Ellis of Oakesdale; two brothers, Lewis and LaVerne Pittmann, both of Oakesdale; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
William Wadkins Sr. Spokane
Visitation for William Webster Wadkins Sr., 90, will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Born in Mead, Mr. Wadkins died Friday.
He retired as the superintendent of the Deer Park Game Farm after 45 years.
Mr. Wadkins was a member of a nondenominational church and the National Rifle Association.
His wife of 60 years, Margaret, died in 1994.
Survivors include two sons, Bill Wadkins of Loon Lake and Bob Wadkins of Idaho Falls; a brother, Larry Wadkins of Wenatchee; a sister, Abigail Haywood of Anchorage, Alaska; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
John Van Gelder Spokane
Vigil service for John R. Van Gelder, 91, will be at 6 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Van Gelder, who was born in Spokane, died Friday.
He was a member of the Bouthelliers pioneer family who settled and farmed in the Palouse in 1881, and were adopted by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.
Mr. Van Gelder graduated from Gonzaga Prep and from Washington State University, where he was a charter member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and a member of the Cougar Board.
He moved to British Columbia near the headwaters of the Kettle River, where he owned a cattle ranch and worked as a guide for hunters for several years.
Mr. Van Gelder returned to Spokane and worked for Standard Stations, Inc., Riegel Brothers Dodge and Tom Price Chrysler dealerships. He retired in 1973.
His wife, Leila, preceded him in death.
Survivors include two sons, William Van Gelder of Pleasanton, Calif., and Richard Van Gelder of Palo Alto, Calif.; a sister, Elizabeth Beardsley of Ventura, Calif.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchidlren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Guatemala Mission Church Mission Fund in care of St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Rev. John Hurley, S.J. Spokane
Vigil Service for the Rev. John Hurley, S.J., 85, will be at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Funeral Mass is planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will follow at Mount St. Michael’s Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rev. Hurley, who was born in Havre, Mont., died Friday.
He graduated from Gonzaga Prep in 1932. He was ordained in the Society of Jesus in 1945.
The Rev. Hurley was assigned to Gonzaga Prep in 1947 where he was a teacher and vice principal. More recently, he was the school’s fund raiser and executive vice president.
During his work at Gonzaga Prep, a new school was built in 1954, and a residence for the Jesuit community was completed in 1963. To fund these endeavors and provide aid to students, he established the Gonzaga Prep Associates in 1956 and the Gonzaga Preparatory School Foundation in 1965.
He is survived by his brother, the Rev. James Hurley, S.J., and a sister, Sr. Mary Hurley, S.N.J.M.
Memorial contributions may made to the Gonzaga Preparatory School Foundation.
Darlene Wynecoop Wellpinit, Wash.
Funeral for Darlene F. Wynecoop, 51, will be at 10 a.m. today at the Wellpinit Longhouse. Burial will follow at the Wellpinit Presbyterian Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wynecoop, who was born in Omak, Wash., died Thursday.
She graduated from Reardan (Wash.) High School and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Wynecoop was a member of the Colville Confederated Tribe.
Her husband, Wade, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Larry Wynecoop of Spokane; a daughter, Molly Wynecoop of Wellpinit; her parents, Larry and Betty Landreth of Reardan, Wash.; a sister, Lynda Titchenal of Edwall, Wash.; two brothers, Dean and Dale Landreth, both of Reardan; and three grandchildren.
Arlene Vrana Milton, Iowa
Funeral for Arlene Libbie Vrana, 80, will be at 10 a.m. today at Pedrick Funeral Home in Douds, Iowa. Burial will be at Sunnyside Cemetery in Milton.
Mrs. Vrana, a former Spokane resident, died Friday.
She was born in Pulaski, Iowa.
In 1948 she married Joseph Vrana in Cedar Rapids, Mich., where she was working for Woolworth’s Department Store.
They moved to Spokane where she worked for the Armour Meat Packing Co. They moved to Milton in 1981.
Mrs. Vrana was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and the Milton Christian Church.
Her husband died in 1986.
She is survived by a sister, Laura Gilchrist of St. Louis.
Eleanor ‘Pat’ Foley Spokane
Visitation for Eleanor “Pat” Foley, 80, will be from noon to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Graveside service is planned for noon Wednesday at Elk (Wash.) Cemetery No. 1.
Mrs. Foley, who was born in Primghar, Iowa, died Saturday.
She worked as a Spokane County election precinct committeewoman for many years and had been a resident of Spokane for 53 years.
Her husband, Eugene, died in 1984.
Survivors include four sons, Kim and Kevin Foley, and Michael Barr, all of Spokane, and Terry Barr of California; three daughters, Kathleen Bendixen and Diane Norris of Spokane, and Colleen Anderson of Renton, Wash.; a brother, Hank Breyfogle of Texas; a sister, Thelma Baysinger of Iowa; 18 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Robert Ward Spokane
Memorial service for Robert Paul Ward, 35, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Crossroads Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mr. Ward died Oct. 14. He was born in Spokane.
He graduated from Central Valley High School and moved to California to attend Bible Baptist College.
Mr. Ward worked for several seasons fishing in Alaska.
He was active in drama and had been involved in several high school productions and had worked with the Spokane Civic Theater.
Survivors include his parents, Ted and Judy Ward of Greenacres; a sister, Rebecca Card of Marysville, Wash.; and a brother, James Ward of Spokane.
Henry Schlee Spokane
Vigil for Henry Edward Schlee, 87, will be at 7 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Schlee, who was born in Wallenfels, Bavaria, died Saturday.
He immigrated to Chicago when he was 17 years old.
He married Ann Imberger in 1936.
Mr. Schlee served in the Navy during World War II as a petty officer in Farragut, Idaho.
In 1955 he moved to Coeur d’Alene, where he worked for Albertsons stores for five years before moving to Spokane, where he was the co-owner of the Lutz Bakery. He retired in 1968.
Survivors include his wife, and a daughter, Barbara Balbi of Athol, Idaho.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Kootenai County.
Ellamae Marlowe Coeur d’Alene
Visitation for Ellamae Bernice Marlowe, 77, will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Service is planned for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Finley Sunset Hills Cemetery in Portland.
Mrs. Marlowe, who was born in California, died Saturday. She grew up in California and then attended legal secretary school before moving to Beaverton, Ore., in 1963.
Mrs. Marlowe had worked as a legal secretary in California and Oregon before moving to Coeur d’Alene in 1997 to be near family.
Her husband, George, died in 1970.
Survivors include a son, Roger Marlowe of New Hampshire; a daughter, Jan Wabs of Hayden; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Cecile Grimm Spokane
Visitation for Cecile L. Grimm, 94, will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Pines Cemetery.
Mrs. Grimm, who was born in Genoa, Neb., died last Wednesday.
She was a homemaker and had been a resident of Spokane for 50 years.
Her husband Clyde preceded her in death.
She is survived by several nieces.
Chester Holbrook Garfield, Wash.
Requiem Mass for Chester “Chet” Holbrook, 94, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Colfax, Wash. Burial will follow at the Onecho Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Holbrook, who died Friday, was born in Almota, Wash.
He married Juanita Magee in 1927.
He farmed in the Colfax area for many years. He also worked as a carpenter, drove a school bus and worked for a Colfax furniture store, laying floor coverings.
Mr. Holbrook was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and was president of the parish council for many years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Eagles Lodge, Ewartsville Grange and Order of Foresters. He was a 44-year member of the Onecho Cemetery Board, and had served as president for 22 years.
Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Kathleen Mitchell of Baker City, Ore., Sheila Holbrook of Medical Lake, Cynthia Hughes of Uniontown, Wash., and Penny Gray of Colfax; two sons, Patrick Holbrook of Spokane and Greg Holbrook of Garfield; 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Onecho Cemetery or to the Whitman Hospital Foundation.
James Jones Spokane
Private service was held for James Y. Jones.
Mr. Jones, who was born in Seattle, died Thursday. He was 85.
He was a housekeeper for Seattle hospital for many years and had been a resident of Spokane for the past 10 years.
There are no surviving family members.
Alma Frink Spokane
No service will be held for Alma S. Frink, 80, at her request. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Frink, who was born in Spokane, died Wednesday.
She worked as a teacher in Creston, Wash., for many years.
Her husband, Herman, preceded her in death.
Survivors include three daughters, Pamela Holling, Colene Petersen and Roberta Frink; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Big Brothers and Sisters of Spokane.