Obituaries
Loren Friend Veradale
Memorial service for Loren G. Friend, 64, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home.
Mr. Friend, who was born in Anaconda, Mont., died Friday.
He served in the Navy during the Korean War.
In 1960 he received a degree in electrical engineering from Montana State University.
Mr. Friend worked for U.S. Gypsum in Empire, Nev., Duval Potash in Carlsbad, N.M., and for Structural Metals in Sequin, Texas. He also owned and operated Chapparral Electric in Georgetown, Texas.
He worked for Kaiser Aluminum as a senior project engineer for 17 years.
Mr. Friend was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7815 and Eagles Lodge No. 3433.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara; a son, Bruce Friend of Austin, Texas; a daughter, Lorna Smith of San Antonio; two stepsons, Lonn Cook of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Drue Cook of Erie, Pa.; a stepdaughter, Jill McMahon of Grand Haven, Mich.; his father and stepmother, George and Essie Friend of Vacaville, Calif.; his stepgrandmother, Jeanette Pope of Deer Lodge, Mont.; two brothers, Larry Friend of The Dalles, Ore., and Bruce Friend of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; and nine grandchildren.
William Wadsworth Spokane
Memorial service for William L. “Bill” Wadsworth, 80, will be at 3 p.m. today at the Spokane Valley Elks Lodge 2328. Inurnment will be at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wadsworth, who was born in Grants Pass, Ore., died Monday.
He graduated from high school in Roseburg, Ore., and served in the Navy before and during World War II with the Asiatic Fleet as a musician in the Navy Band and as a gunner.
Mr. Wadsworth then served with the Oregon Highway Patrol. He came to Spokane in the 1950s and worked for Kaiser Trentwood until his retirement in 1981.
He was a member of the Spokane Valley Elks and Eagles lodges and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435.
Survivors include his wife of 24 years, De Loris; a daughter, Karen Laabs of Spokane; a stepson, Garold Shipley of Spokane; two stepdaughters, Lynelle Riley and Melanie Goeller, both of Spokane; one grandchild, one great-grandchild; five stepgrandchildren and numerous stepgreat- and stepgreat-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Lois Shustoff Spokane
Memorial service for Lois Ellen Shustoff, 69, will be at 4 p.m. today at Manito Presbyterian Church. Private burial will be held at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Shustoff, who died Tuesday, was born in Fullerton, Calif.
She received a nursing degree from Franklin Hospital School of Nursing in San Francisco in 1950 and worked as a nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center for 30 years before retiring in 1996.
Mrs. Shustoff was a member of Manito Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Alex; a son, Alan Shustoff; two daughters, Claudia Hills and Alison Bell; a sister, Joy Wise of Orland, Calif.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Manito Presbyterian Church.
Clara Shaw Spokane
Graveside service for Clara Bernice Shaw, 67, will be at 11 a.m. today at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Shaw, who was born in Spokane, died Aug. 28.
She graduated from Central Valley High School in 1948.
She was a resident of Westlake Hospital.
Survivors include two brothers, Dale and Harvey Shaw; and a sister, Maxine Thiry, all of Spokane.
Alvera Markham Spokane
Funeral for Alvera M. Markham, 78, will be at 11 a.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mrs. Markham, who was born in Malta, Mont., died Monday.
In 1941, she married Clifton Markham in Coeur d’Alene.
She was the head cook for Holy Names Academy for many years.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Paul Markham of Spokane and Max Markham of Marysville, Wash.; a sister, Dorothy Brewer of Sacramento, Calif.; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mary Schmidt Spokane
Graveside service for Mary Katherine Schmidt, 90, will be at 1 p.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Schmidt, who was born in Great Falls, Mont., died Saturday.
She worked as a sales clerk in various department stores in Spokane for many years.
Her husband, Frank, died in 1950.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lou Hegedus and Lorraine Linnenkamp; a son, Frank Schmidt Jr.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Ruth Shearer Spokane
Funeral for Ruth A. Shearer, 81, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mrs. Shearer, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
She graduated from Kinman Business College and was a homemaker.
Her husband, Clinton, died in 1996.
Survivors include a son, Neil Shearer of Mead; two brothers, Alvin Ernst of Los Banos, Calif., and Walt Ernst of Troutdale, Ore.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Mary Grubb Spokane
Private memorial service for Mary Ann Grubb was held.
Mrs. Grubb, who was born in Prague, Neb., died Sept. 1 at the age of 77.
She worked at Hanford and Los Alamos nuclear plants during World War II.
In addition to traditional classroom teaching, Mrs. Grubb taught in many one-room schoolhouses throughout New Mexico, Colorado and California.
Upon her retirement from teaching in 1981, she moved to Spokane and worked as caregiver for the elderly.
Survivors include a son, Fred Grubb of Spokane; two sisters, Mildred of Modesto, Calif., Sister M. Bernadine of Omaha, Neb.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Humane Society of Spokane.
Sheila Bonds St. Maries
Service for Sheila Renee Bonds, 36, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries. Ms. Bonds, who was born in Oklahoma, died Friday from injuries suffered in an automobile accident near Freeman, Wash.
She grew up in St. Maries and attended schools there. She was a homemaker.
Ms. Bonds moved to Spokane in 1992 and recently worked in janitorial services for Dye Hawley Mobile Homes.
She was a member of the St. Maries and Washington State Bowling associations and the St. Maries Dart League.
Survivors include a daughter, Brandy Bartlett of St. Maries; a son, Bret Bartlett of Spokane; her parents, Harold and Margie Bonds of St. Maries; a brother, Harold Bonds Jr., of St. Maries; three sisters, Juanita Jack and Barbara Bierman, both of St. Maries, and Donna Downing of Spokane; her grandparents, Howard and Nora Kendall of St. Maries; and her companion, John Sanders of Spokane.
Dorothy Kelly Spokane
Funeral Mass for Dorothy J. Kelly, 69, will be at 7 p.m. today at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church. Private family burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Spokane, Mrs. Kelly died Sunday.
She graduated from Holy Names Academy in 1947 and worked at Mauro’s Food Store, which was owned by her father, and managed Mauro’s Soda Fountain.
She married Gerald Kelly in 1952.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, and the Sacred Heart and St. Jude leagues.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Gary and Terry Kelly, both of Spokane; a daughter, Patricia Leland of Spokane; two brothers, Ralph and Silvio Mauro, both of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mater Dei Institute of Spokane or Hospice of Spokane.
Mary (Kinniburgh) Shephard Hayden Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for Mary (Kinniburgh) Shephard, 89, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Forest Place Retirement Community in Coeur d’Alene. Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Shephard, who was born in Chicago, died Wednesday.
She graduated from the University of Montana and taught school in Great Falls, Mont. She later became the secretary to the chief engineer of the Butler Co. which designed and built Farragut Naval Training Center.
Mrs. Shephard went on to work with the American Red Cross serving in numerous locations until her marriage to John Nevers Shephard in 1952 in Phoenix.
They lived in Pebble Beach, Calif., until their retirement in 1983, when they moved to Hayden Lake, Idaho.
She is survived by her husband.
Helene Gates Airway Heights
Funeral for Helene L. Gates, 77, is set for 3 p.m. Friday at Mountain View Funeral Home Garden Chapel in Tacoma.
Mrs. Gates, who died Wednesday, was born in Decker, Mont.
She was a retired cook and moved to Airway Heights in 1987.
Her husband, Roy, died in 1985.
Mrs. Gates is survived by two daughters, Dorothy Davis and Rosella Patchen; a son, William Saunders; a stepson, Walter Gates; a sister, Violet Willis; 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Benjamin Brucker Sr. Spokane
Memorial Mass for Benjamin W. Brucker Sr., 81, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Assumption Catholic Church. Inurnment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Brucker who died Sept. 3, was born in Mandan, N.D.
He served in the military during World War II and was decorated with the Bronze Star.
Mr. Brucker worked for the Department of Agriculture as a junior administrator and was involved with the set-up of the food stamp and school lunch programs.
After moving to Spokane, he establish restaurants named the Freezer, the Northtowner and Ricky’s.
Later, he worked for the Department of Social and Health Services as the director of food services for Lakeland Village.
He was a member of St. Charles and Assumption parishes.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Cecilia; four daughters, Shirl Lewis, Sally Brucker and Jackie Ortiz, all of Spokane, and Kathy Brady of Salem, Ore.; three sons, John, Jose and Benjamin Brucker Jr., all of Spokane; 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to Healing the Children Inland Northwest.