Obituaries

Earl Brecto Spokane

Memorial service for Earl C. Brecto, 72, will be today at 10 a.m. at the Valley Assembly of God Church. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Brecto, who died Wednesday, was born in Cathay, N.D.

He served in the military and in 1946 moved to Spokane.

In 1949 he married Betty Frederick and began his contracting business, Traditional Homes Inc.

Mr. Brecto was involved in the original development of the Ponderosa and Greenridge Estates subdivisions.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Dwayne Brecto of Desert Aire, Wash., and Douglas Brecto of Post Falls; a daughter, Colleen Brecto of Spokane; two brothers, Alden Brecto of Spokane and Floyd Brecto of Longview, Wash.; six sisters, Irene Anderson of Otis Orchards, Ella Mae Brecto of Fairbanks, Alaska, Olive Zeissler of Vista, Calif., Myrtle Zeissler of Aptos, Calif., Helen Tyler of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Margie Foster of Clearlake, Calif.; and eight grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund of the Valley Assembly of God Church.

James ‘Jim’ Van Gundy Spokane

Graveside service for James Warren “Jim” Van Gundy, 25, will be today at 6 p.m. at Greenwood Cemetery in Spirit Lake, Idaho. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Van Gundy, who was born in Spokane, died Wednesday from injuries suffered in a single-car accident.

He grew up in Spirit Lake and worked in the construction business.

Survivors include four children, Robert Van Gundy, Zachary Van Gundy, Steven Van Gundy and Kiri Moore, all of Spokane; his parents, John Van Gundy of Spokane and Diana Robbins of Wyoming; and two sisters, Michelle Van Gundy and Diane Devine-Wolbert, both of Wyoming.

Dora Denison Spokane

Graveside inurnment for Dora M. Denison, 85, will be today at 3 p.m. at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Denison, who was born in Iron Mountain, Mich., died Wednesday.

She worked at Woolworth at the lunch counter, and later owned the Rockford Cafe and the Lane Park Cafe. She also worked at Holy Family Hospital, before retiring in 1974.

Survivors include three sons, Kenneth McDonald and Scott Denison, both of Spokane, and James Payant of Munford, Tenn.; three daughters, Kathleen Kirby of Spokane, and Cecelia Reid and Patricia Beck, both of Tucson, Ariz.; 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Michael Anton Spokane

Graveside funeral service for Michael Anton, 43, was Friday at the Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Anton, who was born in Holtorf, Germany, died Wednesday.

He emigrated to the United States with his family in 1957 and settled in Spokane in 1959.

Mr. Anton was a bush pilot in Alaska and a Mercedes-Benz automobile mechanic at Sutherland Motors in Spokane.

Survivors include a son, Grandon Anton; a daughter, Elizabeth Anton; a brother, Ray Anton of Greenacres; and a sister, Efenia Zerbin of Spokane.

Catherine Addington St. John, Wash.

Visitation for Catherine A. Addington, 91, will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.

Mrs. Addington, who was born in Stockett, Mont., died Wednesday.

In 1949 she married Leo Addington in Edwall, Wash., and she worked as a wheat farmer in St. John.

She was a member of the Community Congregational Church in Malden, Wash., a past worthy matron of the Malden Eastern Star, a member of the Daughters of the Nile in Spokane, Kenova Grange in Pine City, Wash., and Washington Wheat Growers Association.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Survivors include a brother, Herbert Williams of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Hospice, c/o Whitman Hospital and Medical Center, 1200 W. Fairview, Colfax, WA 99111, or to Community Congregational Church in Malden.

Dwight Brookshire Spokane

Funeral for Dwight L. Brookshire, 61, will be today at 1 p.m. at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Post Falls.

Mr. Brookshire, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Wednesday.

He served in the Army and later worked for West Coast Grocery before retiring in 1996.

Mr. Brookshire was a member of the Eagles, and coached Little League baseball and boxing.

Mr. Brookshire is survived by his fiance, Shirley Dauenhauer of Spokane; two sons, Scott Brookshire of Everett and Shane Brookshire of Eatonville, Wash.; three daughters, Dora Martinez of Toppenish, Wash., Lea Brookshire of Monroe, Wash., and Candi Henderson of Butte, Mont.; a brother, Russell Brookshire of Lake Roosevelt, Wash.; two sisters, Shirley Niland and Linda Bradley, both of Spokane; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions be made to Lilac Boxing Club.

Becky (Guenther) Meyer Spokane

Funeral for Becky S. (Guenther) Meyer, 44, is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sept. 12 at Terrace Park in Yakima. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Meyer, who was born in Yakima, died Monday.

She moved to Spokane in 1968 and graduated from East Valley High School.

Mrs. Meyer was a member of the Inland Northwest Fibromyalgia Association.

Survivors include her husband, Ron; two daughters, Katie Varga and Kasie Winebarger; and two grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Inland Northwest Fibromyalgia Association.

Kerry Johnson Veradale

Memorial service for Kerry H. Johnson, 71, will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.

Mr. Johnson, a 50-year resident of Veradale, died Sunday.

He was born in Almira, Wash., and served with the Army during World War II.

Mr. Johnson worked as a truck driver delivering pharmaceutical products.

His wife, Iris Johnson, died in 1994.

Survivors include two daughters, Ellen Johnson of Bellevue, Wash., and Anne Elmquist of Pollock, Idaho; a sister, Barbara Hoover of Spokane; and a grandson.

Jean Coomes Spokane

Vigil for Jean C. Coomes, 68, will be Monday at 8 p.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Coomes, who was born in Detroit, died Wednesday.

She moved to Spokane 49 years ago and worked as a registered nurse for the Plasma Center.

Mrs. Coomes was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish and was a volunteer nurse at House of Charity.

Survivors include her husband, Robert; six sons, David Coomes of Spokane, Michael, Kevin and Timothy Coomes, all of Seattle, Mark Coomes of Cheney and Thomas Coomes of Tacoma; three daughters, Patty Paulus and Robbie Hilland, both of Spokane, and Carol Titus of Seattle; her mother, Esther Rodriquenz of Spokane; and 16 grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Guatemala Sister Parish c/o Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church.

Mary Lou Ficalora Spokane

Funeral Mass for Mary Lou Ficalora, 69, will be today at 9 a.m. at St. Paschal Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Ficalora, who was a 17-year resident of Spokane, died Wednesday.

She was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and received a master’s degree in communication.

In 1954 she married Pete Ficalora in West Los Angeles and was a homemaker.

Mrs. Ficalora was a supporter of the Spokane Symphony, Healing the Children, Valley Center and St. Paschal Catholic Church.

Survivors include her husband; three sons, Joseph and John Ficalora, both of Spokane, and Robert Ficalora of Olympia; two daughters, Mary Lanctot of California and Judy Dixon of Seattle; a brother, Richard Cassidy of Fountain Valley, Calif.; 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paschal Catholic Church.

Jack Schaffer Hayden, Idaho

Memorial service for Jack H. Schaffer, 58, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Hayden Lake Eagles Lodge. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Schaffer, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Tuesday.

He was a North Idaho native and worked as a logger.

Mr. Schaffer was a member of the Hayden Lake Eagles Lodge.

His first wife, Margie, died in 1976.

Survivors include his wife, Lydia; three sons, Wally Schaffer of Post Falls, Ben Schaffer of Hayden Lake and Lewis Schaffer of California; four daughters, Patty Brunabend of New York, Kathy Staab and Alayne Sutton, both of Post Falls, and Cindy Schaffer of Hayden Lake; his mother, Blanche Walker of Spokane; three brothers, Larry Schaffer of Hayden Lake, Tom Schaffer of Spokane and Don Schaffer of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Dixie Ryen of Coeur d’Alene; and 17 grandchildren.

Gladine Gilcrest Spokane

No service will be held for Gladine R. Gilcrest at her request. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Gilcrest, who was 89, died Tuesday.

She was a lifetime resident of Spokane and worked as a florist for many years.

Her husband, Frank Gilcrest, preceded her in death.

Survivors include a son, Bruce Gilcrest of Spokane; a brother, Arnold Brother of Billings, Mont.; and two granddaughters.