Obituaries

Rev. James Jennings Spokane

Memorial service for the Rev. James H. Jennings, 76, will be at 2 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Rev. Jennings, who was born in Yorktown, Iowa, died Monday.

He served in the Coast Guard and was later assigned to the Navy during World War II. He had been a Presbyterian minister since 1946, serving in Kansas, Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington before moving to Spokane 12 years ago.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Jewell; four sons, Jonathan Jennings of Spokane, Jed Jennings of Everett, Timothy Jennings of Anchorage, Alaska, and Mark Jennings of Owensville, Mo.; two daughters, Jane Tolman of Lake Stevens, Wash., and Jill Lathen of Halstead, Kan.; a brother, Wayne Jennings of Stanberry, Mo.; three sisters, Evelyn Corley of Stanberry, Virginia Barger of Joplin, Mo., and Helen Groom of Aurora, Mo.; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Genevieve Powdrill Spokane

Vigil for Genevieve M. Powdrill, 82, will be at 5 p.m. today at HennesseySmith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Friday at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Powdrill, who was born in Butte, Mont., died Monday.

She worked as an office manager for New England Mutual Life Insurance for 21 years and was a member of the Sacred Heart Service League and Kappa Delta sorority and was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

Mrs. Powdrill was also a member of the St. Augustine Parish and had been a resident of Spokane for 51 years.

Her husband, Harold, died in 1984.

Survivors include a son, Gary Powdrill of Greenfield, Ind.; two daughters, Judy Kays of Spokane and Lynne Thornton of Seattle; and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Gonzaga Preparatory School or the Sacred Heart Service League.

Lola Johnson Coeur d’Alene

Funeral for Lola E. Johnson, 65, will be at 4 p.m. today at the Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Johnson, who was born in Seattle, died Sunday.

She graduated from North Central High School and married Irv Johnson in 1967.

Mrs. Johnson worked for a short time in the mid 1960s as a telephone operator for Sears and Roebuck before becoming a homemaker.

She and her husband moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1972.

Survivors include her husband; two sons, Norvin Riddle of Oxnard, Calif., and Randy Riddle of Alabama; and two sisters, Edna Abrams and Donna Siemers, and a brother, Lawrence Waterbly, all of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross.

Ilean Nelson Colfax, Wash.

Funeral for Ilean Nelson, 97, will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the fireside room at the Hill-Ray Plaza in Colfax. An additional funeral service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Ervin Madson Farm in Paradise Valley, Idaho, near Bonners Ferry. Burial will follow at 3 p.m. at the Porthill (Idaho) Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Nelson, who was born in Rugby, N.D., died Sunday.

She moved to Portland as a child and attended schools there until she moved to Kennewick and then to Marcus, Wash.

In 1919 she married Merle Nelson in Coville and they made their home in Marcus. They also lived in Curlew, Wash., and the Montana cities of Scobey, Plentywood and Rexford. In 1937 they moved to Porthill and in 1941 to Bonners Ferry. Her husband died in in 1962.

Mrs. Nelson moved to Colfax in 1985 and resided at the Ray-Hill Plaza until 1991, when she moved to the Whitman Health and Rehab Center.

Survivors include three sons, Barry Nelson of Post Falls, William Nelson of Sandpoint and Jack Nelson of Wichita, Kan.; a daughter, Yvonne Hamilton of Colfax; eight grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Memorial contributions may be made to Whitman Home Health and Hospice.

Gloria (Johnson) Shaber Spokane

Memorial service for Gloria Helen (Johnson) Shaber, 76, will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Fairchild Air Force Base Chapel. A reception will follow. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

A longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Shaber died Friday. She was born in Spokane.

She graduated from North Central High School and attended the University of Washington and St. Luke’s School of Nursing. Mrs. Shaber also earned a private pilot’s license at Felts Field.

She married Bert Shaber in 1945 and spent 30 years moving around the world while her husband was in the Air Force. They moved to the Chewelah area in 1974 to manage the 49 Degrees North ski resort. They returned to Spokane in 1989.

Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Susan Polakiewicz and Shelley Ross-Wenk; two sons, Russell and Randall Shaber; three brothers, John, George and Michael Johnson; and nine grandchildren.

Joann Brummett Spokane

Funeral for Joann R. Brummett, 80, will be at 11 a.m. today at Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park. Burial will be at Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park.

Mrs. Brummett, who died Sunday, was born in Norfolk, Ark.

She was a homemaker and lived in Colorado before moving to Deer Park, and then Spokane 30 years ago.

Her husband, Harold, preceded her in death.

Survivors include two daughters, Lynda Stapleton and Myra Cosby, both of Pueblo, Colo.; and four grandchildren.

Mary Pratt Spokane

Vigil for Mary T. Pratt, 90, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.

A lifetime resident of Spokane, Mrs. Pratt died Sunday.

She graduated from Holy Names Academy in 1927. In 1936 she married Donald Pratt. She was a homemaker.

Her husband died in 1976.

Survivors include three sons, Donald Pratt of Nordman, Idaho, Robert Pratt of La Grande, Ore., and Michael Pratt of Athol, Idaho; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contribution may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Parish.

W.D. ‘Don’ Wynia Medical Lake

Visitation for W.D. “Don” Wynia, 90, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens with a reception following at the Medical Lake Community Church.

Mr. Wynia, who was born in Orchard Prairie, Wash., died Sunday.

He graduated from Medical Lake High School and worked for 40 years at Eastern State Hospital. He retried as an administrator in 1971.

Mr. Wynia was a 50-year member and past master of the Medical Lake Masonic Lodge. He was also a member of Medical Lake Community Church.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Katie; a son, Dan Wynia of Spokane; and one granddaughter.

Memorial contributions may be made to Medical Lake Community Church, P.O. Box 610, Medical Lake, WA 99022.

Francine (Briggs) Rule Spokane

Memorial service for Francine (Briggs) Butler Rule, 96, will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Millwood Presbyterian Church. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Colebrook, N.H., Mrs. Rule died Friday.

She came to the Spokane Valley in 1908 and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and Cheney Normal School.

Mrs. Rule taught school in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane before becoming a homemaker.

She was a member of Millwood Presbyterian Church, a writer for the Spokane Valley Herald and a volunteer for the Spokane Valley Welcome Wagon.

Her first husband, Joseph Butler, Jr., died in 1953. Her second husband, Homer Rule, died in 1988.

Survivors include a daughter, Kay Buckley Brown of Balboa, Calif.; two stepdaughters, Margene Rule of Spokane and Dorine Rule Soss of Naples, Idaho; and six grandchildren.

Vivian Kenny Spokane

Visitation for Vivian M. Kenny, 81, will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mrs. Kenny, who was born in Oconto Falls, Wis., died Tuesday.

She was a homemaker and a 15-year resident of Spokane.

Survivors include a son, Wayne Barnes of Spokane; a daughter, Alice Shea of Pendleton, Ore.; three brothers and five grandchildren.

Margaret Lashbrook Sacheen Lake, Wash.

No service will be held for Margaret A. Lashbrook, 70, at her request. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

A former longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Lashbrook died Saturday. She was born in Spokane.

She graduated from Marycliff High School and was a homemaker and a member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

Mrs. Lashbrook moved to Sacheen Lake 14 years ago.

Survivors include her husband of 39 years, Harry; five sons, Mark and Michael Fogal and Harry Lashbrook, all of Spokane, Richard Fogal of Cheney, and Robert Fogal of Warren, Ore.; two daughters, Karen Lashbrook of Newport, Wash., and Mary Fogal of Elk; a sister, Jackie Colwell of Union, Ore.; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Grant Oliver Post Falls

Memorial service for Grant Oliver, 93, will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.

Mr. Oliver, who was born in Elk, died Tuesday.

He graduated from Elk High School in 1924 and attended Cheney Normal School for two years.

Mr. Oliver later taught in a oneroom rural schoolhouse near Elk for one year and then worked in various jobs, including as a logger near Spirit Lake, Idaho, a correctional officer at Green Hill in Chehalis, Wash., a general manager and air traffic controller for Empire Air Lines in Coeur d’Alene, Pocatello and Moscow, Idaho, and at the Pullman Airport.

Mr. Oliver also worked as a bookkeeper for an auto dealership in Oakland, Calif. He retired as laundry supervisor at Eastern State Hospital in Cheney.

He lived in Spokane from 1957 until 1997, when he moved to Post Falls.

Survivors include three nieces, Connie Warnock of Sandy, Ore., Sue Stahl of Portland and Judy Johnston of Selah, Wash.; and two nephews, William Hohlman of Hayden Lake, Idaho and Wayne Hohlman of Post Falls.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

Merle Hill Spokane

Memorial service for Merle H. Hill, 75, is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Community Church of the Bible. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Hill, who was born in Baxter Springs, Kan., died Sunday.

He served in the Navy during World War II and was a member of the U.S. Landing Ship Tank Association.

Mr. Hill later worked in the maintenance and janitorial business for several years and was a resident of Spokane for 50 years.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Mildred; five daughters, Sharon Church of Spokane, Linda Babbitt of Greenacres, Pauletta Magnuson of Rathdrum, Idaho, Delilah Lugo of California and Susan Best of Superior, Mont.; three brothers, Emmett Hill of Florida, Theo Stebbins of Denver and James Hill of Texas; 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Eldon Ferryman Spokane

Memorial service for Eldon Ferryman, 62, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Cedarville, Ohio, Mr. Ferryman died Monday.

In 1968 he married Judith Wooldridge. He owned Systems Transport Co. in Spokane for 34 years.

Mr. Ferryman was a member of the the Eagles, Elks and Moose lodges.

Survivors include a son, Terry Holmgren of Spokane; two daughters, Kami Rollitt of Coeur d’Alene and Karyn Wilson of Versailles, Ind.; a brother, H.E. Ferryman of Vancouver, Wash.; three sisters, Midge Frasier of Amboy, Wash., Chris Winders of Battle Ground, Wash., and Maryann Brown of Yacolt, Wash.; and six grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church.

Sam Aoyama Spokane

Memorial service for Sam Aoyama, 75, will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Highland Park United Methodist Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Aoyama, who died Monday, was born in Bellevue, Wash.

He graduated from Bellevue High School in 1941 and served in the 442nd Brigade during World War II. He received a Purple Heart.

Mr. Aoyama moved to Spokane in 1951 and married Eva Kadoya in 1953. He worked for Acme Television in Spokane for 44 years, retiring in 1990.

He was a member of the Japanese American Citizens League and Highland Park United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Bill Aoyama of Spokane; and one granddaughter.

Francis ‘Gordon’ Cleveland Rathdrum, Idaho

Memorial service for Francis “Gordon” Cleveland, 64, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.

Mr. Cleveland, who was born in Montana, died Tuesday.

He moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1951.

Mr. Cleveland served with the Air Force in Korea and then worked as a carpenter, retiring six years ago from home construction.

He was a member of the Carpenters Union in Spokane.

His wife, Carol, died in 1991.

Survivors include a son, Gordon Cleveland of Spokane; two daughters, Ginger Smith of Ephrata, Wash., and Jeanette Cleveland of Kentucky; a brother, Kenneth Cleveland of Selah, Wash.; three sisters, Martha Ring of New Mexico, Callie Cleveland of Nevada and Inez Edwards of Coeur d’Alene; and three grandchildren.

William Zimmerman Spokane

Private service for William K. Zimmerman, 77, will be held. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Zimmerman, who was born in Spokane, died last Thursday.

In 1939 he graduated from North Central High School and in 1943 from Washington State University, where he was a member of the track team.

Mr. Zimmerman enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 and served during World War II, achieving the rank of captain.

He returned to WSU and in 1946 received his teaching certificate. He began working in the building trades and retired in 1979.

Mr. Zimmerman was a member of the Loon Lake Moose Lodge 855.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia; three sons, William, David and Mark Zimmerman, all of Spokane; and five grandchildren.

Thomas Severn Spokane

Funeral for Thomas N. Severn, 83, will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 14 at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Thomas, who was born in Spokane, died Oct. 20.

He worked as a carpenter in the construction business.

Mr. Thomas was a lifetime member of the International Brotherhood of Carpenters and a 50-year member of the International Brotherhood of Pile Drivers and Iron Workers.

He was also a charter member of Shadle Park Presbyterian Church.

His wife of 58 years, Katheryne, died in 1996.

Mr. Severn is survived by three sons, Richard Severn of Spokane, Dwayne Severn of San Diego and Dwight Severn of Northbrook, Ill.; a daughter, Laura Russnogle of Gresham, Ore.; two sisters, Irene McKay and Ida Miller; 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

Dorothy Homestead Spokane

Memorial service for Dorothy Hayden Homestead, 75, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.

Mrs. Homestead, who was born in Butte, Mont., died Monday.

She graduated from Butte High School in 1940 and went to Washington, D.C., to work for the government during World War II.

Mrs. Homestead later worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for a fire protection service. She was a 49-year Spokane resident.

Survivors include her husband of 53 years, Theodore; two daughters, Nancy Silvesan and Kari Cleghorn, both of Seattle; four grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.

Emma (Schulz) Napier Odessa, Wash.

Memorial service for Emma Jean (Schulz) Napier, 101, will be held at a later date. Private burial will be at the Reardan (Wash.) Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Odessa is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Napier, who was born in Reardan, died Tuesday.

She graduated from Reardan High School and was employed by Spokane Drug, Reardan Implement and Hardware, and Moylan Mercantile in Sprague, Wash., for several years.

In 1922 she married Jack Napier, and they lived on a hay and cattle ranch near Sprague for 10 years before moving to a cattle ranch west of Odessa, where they raised purebred polled shorthorn cattle. They retired to Odessa in 1965.

Mrs. Napier was a charter member of the Odessa Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and a member of the Native Daughters of Washington, the Territorial Pioneers, the Odessa Baptist Women’s Ministries and Reardan United Methodist Church.

Her husband died in 1975.

Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Goodale of Washougal, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Ella Cobb of Spokane; two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and numerous stepgrandchildren, stepgreat-grandchildren and stepgreat-great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Odessa Hospital, Reardan United Methodist Church or Odessa Baptist Women’s Ministries.

Daniel Cheek Cheney

Memorial service for Daniel J. Cheek is pending. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Rawlins, Wyo., Mr. Cheek died Tuesday. He was 74.

He married Beatrice Myers in 1944 and worked as a steamfitter and plumber.

Mr. Cheek was a member of Elks Lodge 228 and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

Mr. Cheek had been a resident of Spokane for 40 years.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Danna Cheek of Spokane and Rebecca Cheek of Vancouver, Wash.; and a sister, Beverly Looper of DeSoto, Texas.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.