Obituaries

Vivian Pitts Pinehurst, Idaho

Memorial service for Vivian Laverne Pitts, 64, will be at 4 p.m. today at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Pinehurst. Shoshone Funeral service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Pitts, who was born in Wallace, died Wednesday.

She left the Silver Valley area as a young girl and lived in various places, including Las Vegas, where she worked at Bally’s Casino.

She returned to the Silver Valley in 1994 and was a homemaker.

She was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church and the Wallace Eagles Auxiliary.

Survivors include three sons, Larry and Ronald Pitts, both of California, and Gary Pitts of Nevada; two daughters, Renee Lake and Valley Pitts, both of Nevada; a sister, Diana Belcher of Spokane; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Martin Caminetti Coeur d’Alene

Service for Martin H. Caminetti, 78, will be Monday at 2 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene with burial to follow at Forest Cemetery, VFW Section, in Coeur d’Alene.

Mr. Caminetti, who was born in Alameda, Calif., died Wednesday.

He served with the Army in the South Pacific in Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal during World War II. He later settled in California and worked as a lumberman.

In 1963 he married Margaret Hall. They moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1971. He worked for the City of Coeur d’Alene, Central Pre-Mix and Idaho Veneer in Post Falls.

He was a member of the Coeur d’Alene Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Coeur d’Alene Church of God.

Survivors include his wife; four sons, Martin Caminetti Jr. of Federal Way, Wash., Michael Hamilton of California, Miles Smith of Coeur d’Alene and Paul Smith of Alaska; three daughters, Kathy Lindsay of Athol, Idaho, and Cindy McDaniel and Mary Matthews, both of Post Falls; 25 grandchildren and 19 greatgrandchildren.

Maurice Long Spokane

Memorial service for Maurice R. “Mo” Long, 71, will be held at a later date. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Long, who was born in Lewiston and raised in Kendrick, Idaho, died Sunday.

He graduated from the University of Idaho in 1953 with a degree in art and architecture. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Mr. Long served in the Army during World War II and the occupation of Japan. He later worked as a real estate agent for several years.

Survivors include his longtime companion, Elnora Wildermuth of Spokane; two daughters, Wendy of Reno, Nev., and Linda of Spokane; a brother, Tom Long, and a sister, Pat Odberg, all of Clarkston, Wash.; and one grandson, Trevor Gray.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Long Family Scholarship Endowment, UI Foundation, Moscow, ID 83844-3143.

Ruby Smith Spokane

Funeral for Ruby E. Smith, 85, was Friday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Burial was at Pines Cemetery.

Mrs. Smith, who was born in Helena, died Tuesday. She was a 16-year Spokane resident.

She worked as a cook.

Survivors include a daughter, Twila Jeffrey of Kentucky; a son, Richard Smith of Spokane; 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

Constance O’Keefe Kellogg

Graveside service for Constance Barbara “Connie” O’Keefe, 65, will be Monday at 1:30 p.m. at Greenwood Cemetery in Kellogg. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. O’Keefe, who was born in Long Beach, Calif., died Tuesday.

She married William “Vince” O’Keefe in 1951 and lived in Las Vegas. She was a homemaker and an Avon representative for 30 years.

In 1977 she moved to Kellogg.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

Survivors include two sons, Michael O’Keefe of Kellogg and Vincent O’Keefe of Las Vegas; her mother, Barbara Merrell of Smelterville, Idaho; and three grandchildren.

Opal Ross Kent, Wash.

Funeral for Opal Lambert Ross, a former 67-year Farmington, Wash., resident, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in Farmington. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Farmington. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Waverly, Mrs. Ross died Tuesday. She was 93.

She attended school in Waverly and Fairfield, graduating from Fairfield High School in 1924.

Mrs. Ross then attended the University of Idaho for two years, where she received a teaching certificate.

She taught in Chehalis, Wash., and in the Evergreen School District in Latah County.

In 1930 she married Tracy Ross, and they made their home in Latah County, southeast of Farmington.

Mrs. Ross farmed with her husband and was a homemaker. She retired in 1964.

After her husband died in 1995, she moved to Farrington Court in Kent to be near her family.

Mrs. Ross was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Rebekkah Lodge, Farmington Garden Club and the Fortnightly Club.

Survivors include a son, David Ross of Idaho Falls; a daughter, Anita Torpey of Seattle; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Farmington United Methodist Church or the Garfield-Farmington Emergency Medical Services.

Katherine Bartleson Spokane

Memorial service for Katherine C. “Kay” Bartleson, 83, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A lifetime Spokane resident, Mrs. Bartleson died Wednesday.

She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1932 and from Stanford University in 1936 with a degree in psychology.

She went on to serve as a WAVE during World War II.

Mrs. Bartleson was a homemaker and a member of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Spokane Garden Club, Delta Gamma Sorority and the Eastern Washington Historical Society.

She also was a volunteer for Deaconess Medical Center, Meals on Wheels and the Spokane Food Bank.

Her husband of 44 years, C.J. Bartleson, died in 1990.

Survivors include a son, Charles Bartleson of Olympia; a brother, Jacques Crommelin of California; two sisters, Connie Richardson of Florida and Julie Tetcomb of Minnesota; and two grandchildren.

William McPherson Sr. St. Maries

Memorial service for William Jack McPherson Sr., 46, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries.

Mr. McPherson, who was born in Moscow, Idaho, died Tuesday.

He grew up at Flannigan Creek near Moscow.

He worked on a bridge building crew for the Milwaukee Railroad before briefly serving with the Army.

Mr. McPherson then moved to the St. Maries area and worked for the Potlatch Corp. St. Maries Complex. He later became disabled.

In 1981 he married Diane Shepard. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Chad and William McPherson Jr., both of St. Maries; a daughter, Chrystal Owen of North Carolina; a stepdaughter, Rachael Butler, and his stepfather, Alvin Albert, both of St. Maries; a brother, Floyd McPherson of St. Maries; three sisters, Phyllis Dodge of St. Maries, Hazel Krull of Springdale, Wash., and Nancy Sullivan of Tillamook, Ore.; and three grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to BetterCare, c/o Benewah Community Hospital, 229 S. Seventh St., St. Maries, ID 83861.

Anna (Lindstrom) Wood Newport, Wash.

Graveside service for Anna (Lindstrom) Wood, a longtime Newport-area resident, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Wood, who was born in Priest River, Idaho, died Thursday. She was 76.

She was a homemaker.

Mrs. Wood is survived by an extended family.

Socorro Mercado Spokane

Memorial service for Socorro (Weber) Mercado, 68, was Monday at Starr Road Baptist Church in Otis Orchards.

Mrs. Mercado, who was born in Mexico City, died Thursday.

She lived in Newport, Wash., for 26 years, where she owned the Store ‘n’ More.

Mrs. Mercado retired a few years ago and moved to Spokane.

Survivors include two sons, Phillip Helton of Spokane and Robert Helton of Newport; two daughters, Cindy Martin and Becky Helton-Marcella, both of Spokane; a sister, Imelda Ochoa, and three brothers, Salvador, Gil and Librio Ochoa, all of Mexico; and several grandchildren.

Eileen Carey Spokane

Funeral for Eileen L. Carey, 53, will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River, Idaho. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River.

Mrs. Carey, who was born in Beach, N.D., died Tuesday.

She moved to Priest River in the early 1950s. In 1954 she married William Carey. She was a homemaker.

After her husband died in 1983 she moved to Greenacres and later to the Spokane area.

Survivors include two daughters, Cheryl Roberts of Richland and Debbie Gilcrist of Newport, Wash.; a son, Wyatt Carey of Greenacres; and five grandchildren.

Vernon Brasch Spokane

Visitation for Vernon J. Brasch, 77, will be from noon to 3 p.m. today and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mr. Brasch, who died Thursday, was born in Spokane.

He graduated from Rogers High School in 1940 and then served in the Army Air Corps during World War II in the European Theater. He was held as a prisoner of war for one year.

Mr. Brasch earned a EAME Theater Medal, an Air Medal, Good Conduct Medal and a Unit Citation.

In 1945 he married Frieda Dell White.

Mr. Brasch worked for the railroad for a short time before he began his career with Kaiser Aluminum. He first worked as a crane operator for 20 years and then as a cell operator for 17. He retired in 1983.

He was a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 45 and the Moose Lodge.

His wife died in 1997.

Survivors include three sons, Vernon, John and Gerald Brasch; and a daughter, Sandra Baker, all of Spokane; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Sherril Celesnik Bullhead City, Ariz.

Local service for Sherril L. Celesnik, 48, was Friday at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Another service will be held at Desert Lawn Funeral Home in Mohave Valley, Ariz., on Wednesday.

Mrs. Celesnik, who was born in New Castle, Pa., died Thursday.

In 1969 she married James Celesnik, and they lived in Arizona. She had worked in sales for Wal-Mart.

Mrs. Celesnik temporarily moved to Coeur d’Alene in May.

Survivors include her husband of 30 years, James; two sons, Rob and Chris Celesnik, both of Arizona; two sisters, Sharon Briggs and Marsha Wooden, both of Arizona; and an aunt, Robin Hanson of Coeur d’Alene.