Obituaries
William Best Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for William “Bill” Best, 94, will be today at 11 a.m. at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Best, who was born in Illinois, died Saturday.
He served with the Army during World War II.
Mr. Best worked for Diamond International as a steam-pipe fitter. He retired in 1974 and spent his retirement gardening at the Jewett House in Coeur d’Alene.
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Coeur d’Alene Eagles and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Mr. Best was a student at the North Idaho College the year it first opened.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, June; two sons, Terry Best of Spanaway, Wash., and Steven Best of Shelley, Idaho; and seven grandchildren.
Bonnie Thomas Sandpoint
Service for Bonnie Thomas, 62, will be today at 11 a.m. at the Sandpoint Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Coffelt Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thomas, who was born in Spirit Lake, Idaho, died Thursday.
She grew up in the Sandpoint area and lived in the Gold Creek area. She had worked for Sandpoint Manor, Harold’s I.G.A. and operated the Sandpoint Cinema. She most recently worked for Wood’s Crushing and Hauling.
She was active with the American Heart Association, where she taught CPR. Mrs. Thomas was a member of the Mormon Church.
Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Lary Thomas; four children, Lary Thomas Jr., Bonnie Plaster and Teddi Crabb, all of Sandpoint, and Kevin Thomas of Indiana; three brothers, Jim Strandy Jr. and William Strandy, both of Spokane, and Robert Strandy of Clarkston, Wash.; two sisters, Elma Yokum of Ilwaco, Wash., and Edna Eggleston of Mead, Wash.; and nine grandchildren.
Geoffrey Rice Spokane
Funeral for Geoffrey V. Rice, 91, will be at 10 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at 1 p.m. at the St. John (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mr. Rice, who was born in Fair Oaks, Calif., died Friday.
He served in the U.S. Army in the European Theater during World War II and married Jeffra Pierson in 1949.
Mr. Rice worked as a hatchery manager for the State of California for 35 years before retiring in 1962.
He moved to Spokane in 1971. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a 75-year member of the Independent Order of Foresters.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Jeffra; two sons, Milton Rice of Oklahoma and Geoffrey Rice of Elk; a daughter, Carol Rice of Millwood; two sisters, Ethel Wilson of Fair Oaks and Lois Dixson of North Fork, Va.; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Barbara Clarke Spokane
Memorial service for Barbara E. Clarke, 75, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Clarke died Wednesday. She was born in Plymouth, England.
She worked as a supervisor at Bell Telephone Co. for 20 years and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
Mrs. Clarke also was a member of the Glenrose Women’s Club, Sacred Heart Auxiliary and was a longtime member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
Her husband, Leonard, died in 1985.
Survivors include two grandchildren, Darlene Scarpelli and David Clarke, both of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, 5125 N. Market, Spokane, WA 99207.
Marjorie Dehart Spokane
Funeral for Marjorie A. Dehart, 86, will be at 11 a.m. today at the Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum. Burial will follow at the cemetery. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Dehart died Friday. She was born in Spokane.
Mrs. Dehart worked as a hunting guide for several years.
Survivors include a daughter, Maude; a brother, Lester Young of Spokane; and three grandchildren.
Irvine Schmeltzer Spokane
Service for Irvine (Lininger) Schmeltzer, a longtime Spokane resident, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Schmeltzer died Thursday. She was 78.
She was born on her family’s homestead farm near Bowman, N.D., and grew up and attended school in Bowman. She moved to Idaho in 1938 and graduated from Kellogg High School the following year.
After high school, she was employed as a maid and then worked as a dental assistant in Wallace.
Mrs. Schmeltzer moved to Spokane during World War II and worked at a factory sewing sleeping bags for the military.
She married Charles Schmeltzer in 1944 in Kellogg. They lived in Rapid City, S.D., where Mrs. Schmeltzer worked in the kitchen of a hospital, and Coffeyville, Kansas, before Mr. Schmeltzer’s discharge from the U.S. Army Air Corps.
In 1945, they moved to Kalispell, Mont. They relocated to Noxon, Mont., and Oldtown, Idaho, before returning to the Kalispell area in 1953. They moved to Missoula in 1960 and lived there until moving to Spokane in 1972.
Mrs. Schmeltzer was a homemaker. She also was a school volunteer in Missoula and Spokane. She enjoyed writing and oil painting.
She is survived by her husband, Charles; two daughters, Janine Holzman of Sitka, Alaska, and Edith Kitzan of Prince George, British Columbia; a son, Mike Schmeltzer of Spokane; a brother, Fred Lininger of Silverton, Idaho; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Justus `Jay’ Nordhagen Spokane
Visitation for Justus W. “Jay” Nordhagen, 79, will be from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Nordhagen, who was born in Stirum, N.D., died Friday.
He was raised in North Dakota and Eastern Montana, moving to Spokane in 1936.
Mr. Nordhagen served in the U.S. Army in the European Theater during World War II, participating in the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and the occupation of France.
He later owned and operated Nordhagen Trucks and Equipment Sales in Spokane for 40 years.
Mr. Nordhagen was a member of the Shilo Miracle Center of Spokane.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Adeline; four sons, Terry, Garry, Lonnie and Robert Nordhagen, all of Spokane; a stepson, Larry Puckett, and a stepdaughter, Sharon Easley, both of Spokane; two brothers, Clifford Nordhagen of Mead and Floyd Nordhagen of Chattaroy; a sister, Crystal Nordhagen of Spokane; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Martin Arquero Jr. Cheney
Visitation for Martin C. Arquero Jr., a longtime Cheney resident, will be from 1 to 3 p.m. today at the Cheney Funeral Chapel. Memorial service is planned for 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Cheney Church of the Nazarene.
Mr. Arquero, who was born in Hawaii, died Thursday from injuries suffered in an automobile accident. He was 61.
He served with the Army for 24 years, traveling all over the world.
Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Cheery; a son, Nahakuelua Arquero, and two daughters, Daniella and Iwalani Arquero, all at home; his stepmother, Milagros Arquero, and a brother, Benjamin Arquero, both of Honolulu.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cheney Nazarene Church Youth Missions, 333 Betz Road, Cheney, WA 99004.
Zelma Tipton Spokane
Visitation for Zelma Lee Tipton, 87, will be from 9 to 11 a.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Tipton, who was born in Leedey, Okla., died Thursday. In 1934 she married Alvonzo Tipton and was a homemaker.
A 50-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Tipton was a supporter of the Lewis and Clark High School orchestra and was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Alvonzo Tipton Jr. of Los Angeles, Philip Tipton of Easley, S.C., and Bruce Tipton of Marysville, Wash.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Bill Duff Coeur d’Alene
A celebration of life for Bill Duff, 70, was held Monday at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Duff, who was born in Texas, died Friday.
He grew up in Oklahoma and in 1949 moved to Coeur d’Alene, where he attended North Idaho College.
In 1951 Mr. Duff married Dena Lehfeldt in Coeur d’Alene and later served with the Army for two years. He attended mortuary school in Texas, returning to Coeur d’Alene in 1954. He worked for English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene until retiring in 1991.
He was a member of Coeur d’Alene First Christian Church, Kootenai Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Eagles Aerie, Kiwanis and the Coeur d’Alene Wildlife Federation.
His wife of 47 years died in 1998.
Survivors include three daughters, Sandra Duff of Coeur d’Alene, Shelda Duff of Alaska and Cindy Haugen of Hayden, Idaho; two brothers, Moody and Lealon Duff, both of Oklahoma; and three grandchildren, Travis, Tyler and Lacie.
Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church, 610 Foster Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, or Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
Rose Ayers Spokane
Funeral for Rose J. Ayers, a longtime Spokane area resident, will be at 1 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery in Rockford.
Mrs. Ayers, who was born in Rockford, died Friday. She was 88.
She owned and operated several taverns and restaurants in Spokane from the 1940s to the 1970s. Mrs. Ayers also managed various apartment complexes for several years.
Her husband, Loren, preceded her in death.
Survivors include three sisters, Jean Eyre and Frances Hehman, both of Spokane and Della Leach of Albuquerque, N.M.; and a brother, Elmer Cofer of Las Vegas.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Alderwood Manor, 3600 E. Hartson, Spokane, WA 99202.
Blenda Neraas Spokane
Memorial service for Blenda O. Neraas, 96, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Central Lutheran Church, with Bishop Robert Keller officiating. Private burial will be at Riverside Memorial Park.
An 83-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Neraas died Saturday.
Born in Sweden, she came to Spokane at the age of 13 and attended Jefferson Grade School. In 1921, she married Peter Neraas.
Mrs. Neraas was a charter member of Central Lutheran Church, a 60-year member of the Order of Eastern Star and a 50-year member of the Daughters of the Nile.
Her husband died in 1971.
Survivors include two sons, John and Donald, both of Spokane; nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Central Lutheran Church.
Norma Danekas Ritzville, Wash.
Visitation for Norma O. Danekas, 85, will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville. Funeral is planned for 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Vault burial will follow at the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery.
A 40-year Ritzville resident, Mrs. Danekas died Saturday.
Born in Walla Walla, she graduated from high school in 1931 and later attended Whitman College, where she was vice president of the student body and a member of the tennis team. She graduated from college in 1938.
She taught high school in Davenport, Wash., for three years before marrying Raymond Danekas in 1941. They lived in Davenport for 22 years before moving to Ritzville in 1958.
Mrs. Danekas served as superintendent of the Adams County Public School District from 1962 to 1965 and served on the Education Service District Board No. 104 from 1965 to 1977.
She was a 49-year member and a past president of the Ritzville PEO Chapter AR, a 63-year member of the Delta Gamma Sorority, a member of the Daughters of the Nile, El Karnak Temple in Spokane.
Mrs. Danekas is survived by her husband; a son, Bill Danekas of Colville; two sisters, Thelma Parker and Donna Brown, both of Walla Walla; two brothers, Donald Oliver of Yakima and Bob Oliver of Kennewick; and four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Rean Sitch Sandpoint
Service for Rean Elsie Sitch, 87, was Monday at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Interment was at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint.
Mrs. Sitch, who was born in North Dakota, died Thursday. She moved to Sandpoint in 1952 and operated the Hiway Motel until 1961.
Mrs. Sitch was a homemaker and a member of the Rebekah Lodge She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter. Her survivors include four children, Alvira Lewis of Otis Orchards, Arlene Gilbert of Thompson Falls, Mont., Dennis Sitch of Lincoln, Mont., and Greg Sitch of Sandpoint; a brother, Ira White of Minnesota; a sister, Della Fering of Arizona; 15 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Bonner Humane Society.
Goldie Mertens Spokane
Visitation for Goldie Mertens, 79, will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Graveside service and burial will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Blue Mountain Memorial Gardens in Walla Walla.
Mrs. Mertens, who was born in Aberdeen, Wash., died Sunday.
She was raised in the Olympic Peninsula and later moved to Walla Walla, where she resided for 30 years before moving to Spokane in 1975.
Mrs. Mertens was a homemaker and a waitress in various restaurants for several years.
Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Jerry; a daughter, Virginia Bagley of Hyde Park, Utah; a son, Jerry Mertens of Vancouver, Wash.; a brother, Albert McManus of Walla Walla; five sisters, Elva Franklin and Kaye Sams, both of Spokane, Agnes Shearer and Stella Kerr, both of Seattle, and Leona Presnell of Kingman, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Virgie Vail Spokane
Memorial service for Virgie Vail, 93, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Valley Fourth Memorial Church. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Vail, who was born in Bowie, Texas, died Thursday.
She was raised in Tucson, Ariz., and graduated with a degree in home economics from the University of Arizona.
Mrs. Vail worked as a dietician for many years. In 1972 she moved to Spokane from Eugene, Ore.
Her husband, Kenneth, preceded her in death.
Survivors include three daughters, Doris Brown of Spokane, Helen Baker of Bend, Ore., and Nancy King of Sun Lakes, Ariz.; eight grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Cathrine `Kitten’ Wright Spokane
Memorial service for Cathrine Mary “Kitten” Wright, 39, was held Monday at Community Bible Chapel.
Miss Wright, who was born in Spokane, died Thursday.
She graduated from Oak Creek (Wis.) High School in 1978 and completed two years of study in early childhood education at the Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Miss Wright worked as a manager at Allright Parking in Milwaukee from 1980 until 1989, when she moved to Spokane.
She worked as a child-care provider at the YMCA in 1989. Miss Wright was a member of the Community Bible Chapel.
Survivors include her father, Ernie Wright Sr.; her stepmother, Anne; three sisters, Jerry, Carla and Kim; a brother, Ernie Wright Jr.; a stepsister, Margie; and two stepbrothers, Rod and Mark.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Kitten Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of YMCA, 507 N. Howard, Spokane, WA 99201.
Maurice Swan Spokane
Memorial service for Maurice T. Swan, 81, will be held at a later date. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Swan, who was born in Wellington, Kan., died Thursday.
He worked as a brakeman for the Burlington Northern Railroad for many years, moving to Spokane 16 years ago.
Mr. Swan had most recently been a resident at the Regency at Northpoint Care Center.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Leila.