Obituaries
John Anderson Spokane
Memorial service for John L. Anderson, 71, will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in Chicago, died Thursday.
He served in the Army and the Navy during World War II.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University and later earned his MBA.
Mr. Anderson attended a program for senior executives at MIT and moved to Connecticut in 1963 to work for the American Potash and Chemical Corp.
He moved to Spokane in 1966 as the vice president of Cominco American. He became president in 1982, serving until 1986 when he moved to Calgary, Alberta.
Mr. Anderson served as the president of the fertilizer division for Cominco in Calgary until 1991 when he retired and moved to Bainbridge Island, Wash. He returned to Spokane in 1997.
He served as director of Cominco and Agrium after his retirement, and as president of the Fertilizer Institute in Washington, D.C. Mr. Anderson also served as vice president of the Potash Institute in Atlanta and was a volunteer president with the State Board of Lutheran Family and Child Services.
He was president of the Spokane Symphony Society, the Spokane Racquet Club, and served on the board of the Spokane Club, the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, the United Way Board and the Calgary Alberta Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane.
Survivors include his wife of 13 years, Leslie; a son, Bryan Anderson of Poulsbo, Wash.; a daughter, Kimberly Sconce of Brookeville, M.D.; four stepchildren, Michael Reinland of Walla Walla, Tracy Peterson of Wenatchee, Andrew Reinland of Seattle, and Patrick Reinland of Spokane; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Symphony.
Harper Keebaugh Mullan, Idaho
Memorial service for Harper Blaine Keebaugh, 83, will be at 2 p.m. today at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Osburn, Idaho. A gathering for family and friends will follow at the Osburn Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Keebaugh, who was born in Pennsylvania, died Friday.
He served with the Army Air Corps during World War II. He then moved to Idaho and was a dairy farmer in the Boise valley.
Mr. Keebaugh worked as a farmer in Moses Lake, and had lived in Spokane, Blanchard and Spirit Lake, and worked in the timber industry. He operated heavy equipment for the Idaho Transportation Department for 18 years before retiring in 1983.
Mr. Keebaugh was a member of Grace Evangelical Free Church and served as chairman of the board, trustee and deacon. He also served as chairman of the Wallace Senior Dropin Center.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Adventure Club of Mullan, AWANA. He served as treasurer for the Mullan Seniors and prayer chairman of the Shoshone Chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Idaho.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Lucille; three sons, James and Joseph Keebaugh, both of Colorado, and John Keebaugh of California; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Evangelical Free Church, 203 Walnut, Osburn, ID 83849, or the Wallace or Mullan senior centers.
George Vedder Spokane
Funeral for George Albert Vedder, 89, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
A 60-year Spokane resident, Mr. Vedder died Thursday. He was born in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Vedder was a restaurant owner for many years.
His wife of 55 years, Irene, died in 1987.
Survivors include a daughter, Louise Jordan of Seattle; a son, George Vedder of Medial Lake; a brother, Russell Vedder of Richland; a sister, Lois Lawson of Coeur d’Alene; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.
Leslie Tusch Soap Lake, Wash.
Funeral Mass for Leslie “Bud” Tusch, 83, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Ephrata, Wash. Nicoles Funeral Home in Ephrata is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Tusch, who was born in Duluth, Minn., died Wednesday.
He moved to Seattle in 1944 and settled in Spokane in 1954.
In 1977 he retired from the Postal Service and moved to Soap Lake.
His wife Mary died in 1977.
Survivors include two daughters, Maureen McGuire of Spokane and Kathy Tusch of Moses Lake; a sister, Lynn Gallagher of Minneapolis; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Ephrata.
Lucie Snyder Twin Lakes, Idaho
Memorial service for Lucie J. Snyder, 65, will be at 4 p.m. today at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Snyder, who was born in Beverly Hills, Calif., died Thursday.
She moved to Spokane in the 1960s.
She owned Stoddard Transfer and Fuel Co. in Coeur d’Alene for many years before retiring in 1990.
Mrs. Snyder moved to Twin Lakes 15 years ago and was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, the 3C’s singing group, 3C’s Bridge Club and the Twin Lakes Village 18 Hole Women’s Group.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dan in 1996.
Survivors include two sons, David Snyder of Vancouver, Wash., and Dale Snyder of Colbert; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to the North Idaho Cancer Center, 700 Ironwood Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Mary Hobbs Spokane
Memorial Mass for Mary A. Hobbs, 83, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Otis Orchards. Inurnment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Trentwood. Hennessey-Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in St. Maries, Mrs. Hobbs died Thursday.
In 1937 she married Bryan Hobbs. They lived in St. Maries before moving to the Spokane Valley in 1942.
She worked at Deaconess Hospital and then at Valley Hospital.
Mrs. Hobbs was a member of St. Joseph’s Parish.
Her husband died in 1998.
Survivors include a son, Bryan Hobbs Jr. of Spokane; two daughters, Gwen Skierka and Carolyn Mathews both of Spokane; 15 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Joseph’s Building Fund, 4521 N. Arden Road, Otis Orchards, WA 99027.
William Edstrom Spokane
Funeral for William Lee Edstrom, 73, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Edstrom died Friday.
He served in the Navy in Saipan, and later retired from the construction industry after 53 years.
Mr. Edstrom was a member of the International Wood, Wire, Metal Lathers and International Carpenters unions and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife, Eleanor; two sons, Lee Edstrom of Spokane and Bradley Edstrom of Seattle; two daughters, Janet Pilkington and Bernie Rohner, both of Spokane; two brothers, Lloyd Edstrom of Spokane and Robert Edstrom of Post Falls; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Jeffrey Ovak Spokane
Funeral for Jeffrey C. Ovak, 46, was Monday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Ovak died Thursday.
He worked as a laborer for many years.
Survivors include special friend, Dawn Yarnell of Cheney; a son, Jerremy Ovak of Spokane; two stepsons, Bobby Yarnell of Spokane and Jeremy Yarnell of Cheney; a stepdaughter, Jamie Yarnell of Cheney; his father, Carl Perron of Spokane; his mother and stepfather, Donna and Tom Griffin of Spokane; four brothers, Carl, Kyle and Kent Perron, all of Spokane, and Donald Perron of Los Angeles; and one grandson.
Leona Stork Spokane
Funeral service for Leona A. Stork, 88, will be at 11 a.m. today at Pines Cemetery Mausoleum. Burial will follow at the cemetery. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 76-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Stork died Friday. She was born in Milwaukee, Wis.
Mrs. Stork was a homemaker, a member of various Spokane Valley garden clubs and the Baha’i faith.
Survivors include two daughters, Betty Beasley of Otis Orchards and Laura Gall of Spooner, Wis.; three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Olga House Spokane
Funeral for Olga May House, 75, will be at 11 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Private burial will follow at Pines Cemetery.
A 20-year Spokane resident, Mrs. House died Thursday. She was born in Forks, Wash.
Mrs. House worked as a nurse in hospitals for several years.
Her husband, Carl, died in 1994.
Survivors include a son; two sisters; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Evelyn McKay-Franklin Spokane
Memorial service for Evelyn Vera McKay-Franklin, 62, will be at 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.
A Spokane resident since 1978, Mrs. McKay-Franklin died Wednesday. She was born in Hot Springs, S.D.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband, Dennis McKay, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her companion, Robert Franklin; two daughters, Lynn Hemenway of Veradale and Charlene Tuininga of Grayland, Wash.; and two grandsons.
Lenora Hardt Odessa, Wash.
Funeral for Lenora Hardt, 80, is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Heritage Church in Odessa. Burial will follow at the Odessa Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Odessa is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Lincoln County resident, Mrs. Hardt died Sunday. She was born in Harrington, Wash.
Mrs. Hardt was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband Clarence; three sons, Delbert Hardt of Moses Lake, John Hardt of Odessa and Richard Hardt of Marysville, Wash.; two daughters, Karen Balfe of Sprague, Wash., and Julie Reynolds of Chelan, Wash.; two sisters, Ruth Hardt of Odessa and Donna Senkler of Spokane; a brother, Melvin Schultz of Harrington; 10 grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Cecilia Gehlen Coeur d’Alene
Visitation for Cecilia E. Gehlen, 91, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today with a vigil service to follow at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at St. Thomas Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Gehlen, who was born in Aitkin, Minn., died Saturday.
She married Alphonse Gehlen in 1938 and moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1941.
Mrs. Gehlen moved to Sandpoint in 1943 and was active as choir director and with the Altar Society at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
She returned to Coeur d’Alene in 1960, where she lived for five years before moving to Sparks, Nev. Mrs. Gehlen then lived in Montana before settling in Coeur d’Alene in 1971.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1982.
Survivors include a son, Jerry Gehlen of Post Falls; two daughters, Sharon Rezendes of Boise and Judy Ruddach of Spokane; a sister, Elizabeth Smith of Arizona; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Donald Goodson Edmonds, Wash.
Memorial service for Donald W. Goodson, 75, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Beck’s Funeral Home in Edmonds.
Mr. Goodson, who was born in Seattle, died Thursday.
He graduated from Garfield (Wash.) High School, where he excelled in track and field.
Mr. Goodson attended the University of Washington until 1942, when he joined the Army, serving for three years in the United States and Europe.
He returned to the Seattle area, where he established his own window treatment business, which he operated in Spokane and Seattle for 50 years.
Survivors include his wife, Jean; a son, Dale Goodson; a daughter, Gayle Nelson; a brother, Bill Goodson; and one granddaughter.
James Crow Pullman
Memorial service for James B. Crow, retired director of the Compton Union Building and the Coliseum at Washington State University, will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Simpson United Methodist church in Pullman. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Crow, who was born in Laramie, Wyo., died Friday. He was 63.
He grew up in Laramie, graduating from high school in 1954 and attended the University of Wyoming. He graduated in 1959 and joined the Army Reserves.
Mr. Crow was called to active duty during the Berlin crisis, and remained a reservist until 1966.
He went to work in the student activities department at the University of Washington, and in 1963 came to Washington State University as the assistant director of the Compton Union Building. He was later named the director of activities at the CUB and in 1972 was named director of the Coliseum. He retired in 1988.
Mr. Crow married Norma Rider in 1965 and earned his MBA from WSU in 1967, while he was working there.
He was a member of the Pullman Kiwanis Club.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Patti Crow of Seattle; a son, Mike Crow of Pullman; and one grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Washington State University Alumni Association.
Paul Schweiger Spokane
Funeral Mass for Paul J. Schweiger, 68, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Colfax. Burial will be at the Colfax Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Schweiger, who was born in Colfax, died Friday.
He graduated from LaCrosse (Wash.) High School and Gonzaga School of Law.
Mr. Schweiger served in the Army during the Korean War and was later a Jesuit volunteer in Alaska, teaching at the Copper Valley Mission School and working on the construction of a church in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Mr. Schweiger later moved to Republic, Wash., where he was an engineer for the Ferry County Road Department for 19 years and served as Grange master. He retired and moved to Spokane six years ago, living at the Maplewood Gardens Retirement Home.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include a brother, Peter Schweiger of LaCrosse; four sisters, Sr. Agnes Schweiger and Marjorie Schweiger, both of Spokane, Sabina Turner of Memphis, Tenn., and Cecelia Soran of Gig Harbor, Wash.
Memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, 6910 S. Burr Road, Spokane, WA 99223.
Thomas Mauer Spokane
Memorial service for Thomas R. “Tom” Mauer is planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.
Mr. Mauer, who was born in Opportunity, died Saturday. He was 57.
He graduated from Central Valley High School in 1961 and then served in the Marine Corps.
Mr. Mauer returned to Spokane after his military service and worked for Crow & Co. Seed. He then worked in the construction industry for several contractors. He spent the last 23 years at Shea Construction Inc., first a superintendent and the last eight years as a safety officer.
Mr. Mauer served on various committees with Associated General Contractors, where he was involved with initiating the apprenticeship program and was the recent recipient of the S.I.R. (Skill Integrity Responsibility) award.
He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Sue; three daughters, Julie Nikkola of Spokane; Cheryl Mauer of Seattle and Wendy Legat of Monroe, Wash.; a son, Will Woodward of Spokane; a brother, Jerry Mauer of Liberty Lake; a sister, Sharon Pulver of Wenatchee; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Guild School or to the American Cancer Society.
Margaret Healy Souther Coeur d’Alene
Funeral Mass for Margaret L. Healy Souther, 82, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Souther, who was born in Sturgis, Saskatchewan, died Sunday.
She moved to the Coeur d’Alene area in 1923 and graduated from Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy in Coeur d’Alene in 1935.
Mrs. Souther worked as a dental assistant for Dr. Richard Olesberg in Coeur d’Alene for more than 25 years and was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church.
Her husband, Marc , died in 1986.
Survivors include three daughters, Barbara Boyle of Kalispell, Mont., Mickey Goolie of Post Falls and Sandra Harbert of Spokane; three sisters, Geraldine Koep of Coeur d’Alene, Florence Keller of Greenacres and Theresa Mauser of California; nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Family Catholic School, 406 N. 10th St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.