Obituaries
Gladys Ballard St. Maries
Graveside service for Gladys R. Ballard, 80, will be today at 2 p.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ballard, who was born in Bronte, Texas, died Saturday.
She grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and in 1939 married Jesse Ballard there.
Mrs. Ballard moved to San Diego in 1941, where she lived until moving to Oregon in 1959. She moved to St. Maries in 1995.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include three daughters, Juanita Petrie of Emida, Idaho, Edwina Trench of Texas and Sandra Ballard of California; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Marie McClary Silverton, Idaho
Memorial service for Marie Ada McClary, 94, will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Silver Wood Good Samaritan Chapel in Silverton. Shoshone Funeral Service in Wallace is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McClary, who was born in Minnesota, died Friday.
She lived in Mullan, Idaho, and in 1937 married Donald McClary.
In 1942 she moved to Portland to work in the shipyards.
She returned to Mullan in 1946 and worked as a waitress for several years and then became the owner of the Percolator Cafe in Wallace.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sisters-in-law, Vina Bellamy of Silverton and Lucille “Dolly” Bellamy of Whidbey Island, Wash.
Merle Pierce Spokane
Visitation for Merle Pierce, 82, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Pierce died Friday. She was born in Spokane.
She graduated from North Central High School in 1922 and received a bachelor’s degree in education and chemistry from Eastern Washington University in 1937. In 1972 she earned a master’s degree in vocational education from Washington State University.
She taught school in the Washington towns of LaCrosse and St. John, and in Yakima for 24 years, before retiring in 1981.
Mrs. Pierce was a lifetime member of the Order of Eastern Star and a member of various professional educational organizations.
Her husband of 30 years, Herb Pierce, died last December.
Survivors include two daughters, Kristin Felber Largent of Spokane and Linda Felber of Seattle; a son, Richard Felber Jr. of Olympia; a sister, Kathleen Hibbs of Yakima; a brother, William Cuffley of Kenai, Alaska; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Juanita Bara Newport, Wash.
No service will be held for Juanita M. Bara, 96, at her request. Private inurnment will be at the Newport Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bara, who was born in Shellrock, Minn., died Sunday.
She moved to Waterloo, Iowa, with her family before settling in Spokane. She graduated from Hillyard High School.
Mrs. Bara worked at the True-Blue Cookie factory on Division and Sprague, before marrying Glenn Breeden.
She later worked in the office of Pacific Fruit and Produce for many years. Her first husband preceded her in death, and she later married Jakob Bara.
After her second husband died in 1989, Mrs. Bara moved from Idaho Hill, Idaho, where she had been living for several years, to Newport.
Mrs. Bara moved to the Pend Oreille Pines Nursing Home in Newport five years ago. She was a member of the Newport Senior Citizen Center.
Survivors include a son, Carl; nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
David Laabs Rathdrum, Idaho
Memorial service for David Lincoln Laabs, 65, will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at the family home in Rathdrum. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Laabs, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, died Sunday.
He grew up and graduated from high school in Cleveland and then graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in electronics.
Mr. Laabs worked on the guidance system for the first moon probe at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, Calif., and then worked for Litton Systems.
He moved to Rathdrum in 1989.
Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Bernice; a son, Jim; seven daughters, Lorna, Mary, Melissa Joy, Mary Beth, Heidi, Stephanie and Deborah; a brother, Ernest Laabs, and a sister, June Ficke, both of California; and 14 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 592, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816.
George Kremposki Santa, Idaho
Memorial service for George F. Kremposki, 68, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Fernwood Community Bible Church. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kremposki, who was born in Wakefield, Mich., died Saturday.
He grew up in Michigan and married Alfreda Ahola in 1966.
Mr. Kremposki moved to Santa in 1967 and worked for the Tyson Creek Lumber Co. as a de-barker and later worked as a gypo logger and then for Idaho Garnet Mill.
He went to work at Regulus Stud Mill in 1986 until injury forced his retirement in 1988.
Mr. Kremposki was a member of the Fernwood Community Bible Church and the National Rifle Association.
Survivors include his wife of 32 years; three sons, George Kremposki III of Kennewick, William Whybark of Oregon and John Ahonen of Santa; four daughters, Jane Johnston and Jean Ranta, both of Spokane, Judy Melloon of Kennewick and Amy Ahonen of St. Maries; two brothers, Gerald and Ronald Kremposki, both of Michigan; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Glenn Stanke Hayden, Idaho
No service will be held for Glenn K. Stanke, 84, at his request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stanke, who was born in Adrian, Wash., died Saturday.
He had lived in Yakima and worked as a troubleshooter for Case Equipment and Co. before retiring in 1976.
Mr. Stanke moved to Rockford Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene in 1979, and then moved to Hayden in 1993.
He was a member of Covenant Christian Church in Spokane.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Evelyn; a brother, Willard Stanke of Oregon; and two sisters, Lois Storey of Seattle and Helen Aries of Spokane.
Craig Stolle Spokane Memorial service for Craig V. Stolle, 70, is planned for 3 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mr. Stolle died Saturday.
He graduated from Gonzaga Prep, Stanford University and the Pacific Coast Banking School.
Mr. Stolle served in the Naval Reserve for several years in Korea and retired as a lieutenant commander.
He later became the manager of several branches of Old National Bank, including branches in Seattle and Walla Walla, before retiring as vice president of the bank in Spokane.
Mr. Stolle also served as president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Forest Grove, Ore., and as the assistant vice president in Spokane.
He was active with the Civic Theater, serving on its board of directors. He also was an active Rotarian for 40 years, and was recently honored with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award.
Mr. Stolle had been a Lilac Festival Association director since 1981, serving as president of the association in 1992. He also was active in the Spokane Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Program.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley; three daughters, Pam Galloway, Cassie Stolle and Christie Mitchell; three sons, John and Jeff Bakken and Vic Stolle; seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or the Spokane Lilac Festival Association.
Vance Everson Spokane
Visitation for Vance N. Everson, 68, will be from 4-8 p.m. today at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Graveside service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Forest Cemetery, Riverview Section in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Everson, who was born in Whitetail, Mont., died Saturday.
He graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School where he played football and track.
Mr. Everson served with the Air Force during the Korean War and lived in Seattle for several years after his military discharge, before moving to Spokane.
He worked as a hand engraver in the jewelry industry for 30 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Sally Everson of California; a brother, Clair Everson of Coeur d’Alene; and three grandchildren.
Joseph Mattus Seattle
Graveside service for Joseph G. Mattus, 89, will be at 1 p.m. today at the LaCrosse (Wash.) Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Mattus, who was born in Liverpool, England, died Saturday.
He immigrated to the United States from Liverpool in 1911 before moving to LaCrosse that same year. He graduated from LaCrosse High School in 1928.
Mr. Mattus attended the University of Washington for three years before serving in the Burma-India Theater as a radioman in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying supplies into China to Gen. Claire Chennault’s Flying Tigers.
After the war he moved to Seattle, returning to LaCrosse every harvest season to operate the scale house for the LaCrosse Grain Growers.
He moved to Colfax, Wash., from Seattle in December.
His wife, Martha, died in 1991.
Survivors include a brother, Albert Mattus of Spokane; and three sisters, Lucy Ping and Ann Peterson, both of LaCrosse, and Maggie Stone of Portland.
Maureen Bennett Spokane
Memorial service for Maureen Bennett, 60, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.
A 23-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Bennett died Sunday. She was born in Boston.
Mrs. Bennett worked as a clerk in a bookstore for several years.
Survivors include her husband, Henry; a son, Paul Paden of Concord, Calif.; two daughters, Cheryl Davis and Suzy Paden, both of Spokane; and five brothers, five sisters and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of Spokane.
Paul Americk Newport, Wash.
No service will be held for Paul A. Americk. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Americk, who was born in Beloit, Wis., died last Tuesday. He was 82.
He served with the Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II and moved to Spokane in 1952.
Mr. Americk worked at the Diamond International Lumber Mill and on the road crew for the Washington State Highway Department for many years.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2909.
Survivors include his wife, Daisie; two sons, Roger Americk of Colville, Wash., and Dana Americk of Newport; a daughter, Sandra May of Spokane; a sister, Mary of Ontonagon, Mich.; two brothers, Mike and Emil, both of Milwaukee; and six grandchildren.
Nils Sather Spokane
Private service for Nils Oluf Sather, 53, was held.
Mr. Sather, who was born in Norway, died Friday.
He graduated from Rogers High School and attended Eastern Washington University for several years before serving in the Naval Reserve.
Mr. Sather worked in the drafting and engineering department at Boeing in Seattle for 30 years.
He returned to Spokane several years ago and was a member of the Lutheran Church.
Survivors include a sister, Astrid Peltier of Spokane; two brothers, Arnold Sather of Spokane and Eric Sather of Sacramento, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society Inland Northwest Chapter, 818 E. Sharp Ave., Spokane, WA 99202.
Larry Herrick Spokane
Memorial service for Larry L. Herrick, a longtime Spokane resident, is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mr. Herrick, who was born in Daisy, Wash., died Wednesday. He was 62.
He attended Kettle Falls High School before serving with the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1962.
Mr. Herrick was employed as a core maker in the metal foundry industry.
Survivors include two sons, Roy Herrick of Spokane and Larry Herrick of Alaska; a daughter, Deann Purser of Spokane; his mother, Verla Spooner of Spokane; two brothers, Howard of Deer Park and Don of Spokane; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.