Obituaries
James `Delbert’ Donnelly Spokane
Funeral Mass for James A. “Delbert” Donnelly, 75, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Donnelly, who was born in Newell, S.D., died Sunday.
He worked for Inland Casket Co. for 25 years and served as union representative for the Upholsters Union.
Mr. Donnelly also worked for 10 years as a custodian for St. Francis Xavier Church, where he was a member since 1955.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Shirley; six sons, Rodney Donnelly of Spokane, Bruce Donnelly of Missoula, Gregory Donnelly of Salem, Ore., Kevin Donnelly of Everett, Denis Donnelly of Hillsboro, Ore., and Scott Donnelly of Portland; seven daughters, Shirley Moore, Molley McGee, Susan Smith, Rebecca Pritchard and Brenda Bowman, all of Spokane, Jeannine Westrom of Salem and Pamela Waltner of Woodinville, Wash.; five brothers, Bernard and David Donnelly, both of Waitsburg, Wash., Frank Donnelly of Port Angeles, Wash., Patrick Donnelly of Walla Walla and Kenneth Donnelly of Richmond, Calif.; five sisters, Catherine Basta of Spokane, Mary Hopkins of Pasco, Elma Brown of Walla Walla, Eleanor Supon of Colorado Springs and Lilian Pereira of Seattle; 37 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Harry Wolsborn Odessa, Wash.
Funeral for Harry Wolsborn, 88, will be at 11 a.m. today at Christ Lutheran Church of Odessa. Vault burial will be at Odessa Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wolsborn, who died Monday, was born in Odessa.
He served in the Army with the 116th medical battalion 41st Division in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war, Mr. Wolsborn returned to the Odessa area, where he farmed. He retired in the early 1970s.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Christ Lutheran Church of Odessa, Odessa Tiger Booster Club, Odessa Gun Club and the Odessa Grange.
His wife, Bernice, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Tom Wolsborn of Odessa; a daughter, Karen McCluer of Vancouver, Wash.; a sister, Irene Melcher of Grenada Hills, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Lutheran Church of Odessa or the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Leonard Swedo Spokane
Funeral for Leonard N. Swedo, 77, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Burial will follow. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Swedo, who was born in Chicago, died Sunday.
He served in the Army Air Corps in the European Theater during World War II and moved to Spokane in 1949.
Mr. Swedo retired in 1982 after 30 years at Sears, Roebuck and Co.
His wife, Alice, died in 1995.
Survivors include a son, Robert Swedo of Spokane; a brother, Eugene Swedo of Mount Prospect, Ill.; two grandchildren and one stepgrandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to Anna Ogden Hall for Women and Children, 2825 W. Dean, Spokane, WA 99201 or to Spokane Scholars Foundation, P.O. Box 1278, Spokane, WA 99210.
William `Hugh’ Blundell Carroll, Iowa
Funeral for William “Hugh” Blundell, 68, was Feb. 13 at Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll.
Mr. Blundell, who was born in Spokane, died Feb. 11.
He graduated from North Central High School and attended Weber State College in Ogden, Utah.
In 1951 he married Lila Bitter and enlisted in the Air Force. He received an honorable discharge in 1953.
Mr. Blundell lived in Utah and Tennessee before returning to Washington, where he worked as an airplane mechanic and at a saw mill.
His wife died in 1974.
He moved to Iowa in 1996.
Survivors include three sons, Bill Blundell of Worthington, Minn., Curtis Blundell of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Gil Blundell of Sloan, Iowa; a daughter, Kathi Peters of Carroll; a sister, Phyllis Allan of Waynesville, Mo.; and nine grandchildren.
Esther (Wurtzel) Nelson Spokane
Funeral for Esther L. (Wurtzel) Nelson, 87, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside service will follow at Mount Nebo Cemetery.
A 52-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Nelson died Wednesday. She was born in Long Beach, N.J.
Mrs. Nelson was a registered nurse, moving west from New Jersey to Hanford, Wash., during World War II to help fill the need for speciality nurses that rode along in ambulances.
In the late 1940s she moved to Spokane, where she was a well-known piano teacher and active supporter of the Spokane Symphony.
Mrs. Nelson also was a published author and an editor of the Music Teachers’ Association magazine.
She was a member of the Temple Beth Shalom.
Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Hy; a daughter, Flora Lovejoy of Bellevue, Wash.; and a sister, Mildred Mottahedeh of Manhattan, N.Y.
Mildred Davis Colfax, Wash.
Memorial service for Mildred Davis, 88, will be at 1 p.m. March 5 at Trinity Lutheran Church of Endicott (Wash.). Private burial will be at the Dusty (Wash.) Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Davis, who died Sunday, was born in Endicott.
She was raised in the Endicott area before moving to a ranch near Dusty, where she attended schools.
Mrs. Davis graduated from Colfax High School in 1929 and attended Kinman Business University.
In 1933 she married David Repp, and they lived in Seattle for a short time before returning to Endicott.
In 1940 Mrs. Davis bought a farm near Penawawa, Wash. Her first husband preceded her in death. She later married Jack Davis. He died in 1987.
They spent their winters in Arizona and after her husband’s death, she returned to Colfax.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Endicott, the Palouse Piece Makers-Quilters, Thrifty Grandmothers and the Dusty BB Club. She also was the first Palouse Empire Fair Queen.
Survivors include two daughters, Judy Battin of Federal Way, Wash., and Connie Horton of LaCrosse, Wash.; a son, Joseph Repp of Indianapolis; a sister, Dorothy Hollweg of Kansas City, Mo.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church or the Dusty Cemetery.
Cal Montgomery Spokane
Private service for Cal Montgomery, 98, will be held at a later date. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A former Pullman resident for 57 years, Mrs. Montgomery died Friday. She was born in Calico Rock, Ark.
Mrs. Montgomery was a homemaker and moved to Spokane one year ago.
Her husband, Carl, died in 1976.
Survivors include a daughter, Evalee Cooper of Veradale; a son, Dave Montgomery of Palouse, Wash.; a sister, Valda Mason of Brewster, Wash.; nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and numerous great-great-grandchildren.
Lester Ross Spokane
No service will be held for Lester Earl Ross, 81, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane area resident, Mr. Ross died Sunday. He was born in Rockford.
Mr. Ross owned and operated a trucking and manufacturing business for several years.
Survivors include his wife, Jean; three daughters, Mary Young, Kathy Ross and Susan Walker; two brothers, Dale and Jerry Ross; seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Edna Duncan Dayton, Wash.
Graveside service for Edna Belle Duncan, 85, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Newport (Wash.) Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Duncan, who was born in College Place, Wash., died Sunday.
She worked as a bookkeeper for Burgan’s Furniture in Spokane for many years.
Mrs. Duncan lived in the Newport and Cusick, Wash., areas from 1945 until she moved to Dayton in 1985.
Survivors include two daughters, Jean Lane of West Richland, Wash., and Janice Moore of St. John, Wash.; and two granddaughters.
Alice Ellis Spokane
Visitation for Alice Evelyn Ellis, 93, will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Audubon Park United Methodist Church. Private graveside service will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
A 70-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Ellis died Sunday. She was born in Bickleton, Wash.
Mrs. Ellis taught at various schools, including Jefferson and Ridegview elementary schools in Spokane.
She was a charter member of the Tawanka at Eastern Washington University, a member of Audubon Park United Methodist Church, Order of Eastern Star White Rose Chapter 230, Daughters of the Nile and Phi Sigma Alpha.
Her husband, Earl, died in 1991.
Survivors include a son, Robert Ellis of Spokane; two daughters, Marilyn Nelson of Albuquerque, N.M., and Carol Wilson of Centreville, Va.; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children or to Audubon Park United Methodist Church.
Floyd Simpson Cheney
Visitation for Floyd E. Simpson, 81, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Cheney Funeral Chapel. Funeral is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral chapel. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Born in Spokane, Mr. Simpson died Sunday.
He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1935 and attended Washington State University. He married Helen Grain in 1938.
Mr. Simpson served in the armed forces during World War II and later moved to Cheney where he began farming. He retired in 1979.
He was a member of the Cheney United Church of Christ, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Four Lakes Grange and Masonic Lodge No. 42 in Cheney.
His wife died in 1997.
Mr. Simpson is survived by a son, David Simpson of Cheney; two daughters, Mary Furer of Mercer Island, Wash., and Linda Simpson of Arlington, Va.; a brother, Joe Pat Simpson of Moses Lake; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cheney United Church of Christ.
Robert Kimball Spokane
Visitation for Robert C. Kimball, 51, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home - North. Funeral is planned for 1:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial park.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mr. Kimball died Saturday. He was born in Pocatello, Idaho.
He grew up in McKay, Idaho, and attended Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls.
Mr. Kimball attended business school in Idaho Falls before enrolling in heavy equipment school in Weiser, Idaho.
He worked as a long-haul truck driver for 23 years, until 1992 when he started school at the American School of Broadcasting.
Mr. Kimball worked as a radio announcer for KSVY Radio from 1993 until 1996.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; two daughters, Caroline Richards of Deer Park and Donalene Ellingford of Irondale, Wash.; a stepson, Isaac Gonzales of Eagle, Idaho; a brother, Jay Kimball of Moses Lake; a sister, Sue Kimball of Spokane; and nine grandchildren.
Allen Countryman Careywood, Idaho
Memorial service for Allen Louis Countryman, 53, will be at 3 p.m. Friday at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint, with service under the direction of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mr. Countryman, who was born in Chewelah, Wash., died Sunday.
He grew up and graduated from high school in Troy, Mont., and served four years in the Navy, operating a tug boat in the San Diego Harbor, and was a radar operator on mine sweepers out of Charleston, S.C.
In 1968 he married Marilyn Hansen. He lived in Spokane and worked as a heavy equipment operator in the construction industry and as a logger in Montana.
He moved to Bonner County in 1977 and was a logger.
Mr. Countryman was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Sagle, Idaho, and the Panhandle Rodeo Association.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Shawn Countryman of Georgia and Charles Countryman of Colburn, Idaho; two brothers, George Countryman of Helena and Richard Countryman of Brush Prairie, Wash.; six sisters, Erna Carr of Arizona, Joan Basham and Mattie Dickenson, both of Oregon, Carol Mullan of Troy, Mont., Dora Eckhoff of Kettle Falls, Wash., and Velma Potts of Brush Prairie; and five grandchildren.
Wayne Davis Colfax, Wash.
Memorial service for Wayne Davis, 85, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at Colfax First Baptist Church. Private inurnment will follow at the Pullman City Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Davis, who was born in Pullman, died Tuesday.
He was raised in the Union Flat area between Colfax and Pullman, and graduated from Pullman High School in 1930.
Mr. Davis worked for the City of Colfax and later for Washington State University, where he excavated for construction using a team of horses.
He later began farming in Moscow, Idaho, and moved to a farm near Kendrick, Idaho. He also farmed on his family’s land near Pullman for many years.
In 1969 he moved back to Whitman County, farming until his retirement in 1978. He moved to Colfax in 1993.
Mr. Davis was a member of the Colfax First Baptist Church, a 66-year member of the Grange, serving as master of both the Kendrick and Ewartsville granges. He also served as director of the Lewiston Grain Growers and was a lifetime member of the Moscow Elks Lodge.
He married Phebe Focklar in 1936. She died in 1988. In 1990 he married Vera St. John Pfaff.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Bruce Davis of Pullman; a daughter, Joy Davis of Petersburg, Alaska; a stepdaughter, Linda Hinojosa of Florissant, Mo.; three stepsons, Larry and Jerry Pfaff, both of Colfax, and Terry Pfaff of Latah, Wash.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Idaho Youth Ranch, P.O. Box 8538, Boise, ID 83707; Colfax First Baptist Church or Whitman Home Health and Hospice, 1200 S. Fairview, Colfax, WA 99111.
Gilbert Littell Chattaroy
Graveside service for Gilbert Cecil Littell, 73, is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at the Mondovi Cemetery in Davenport, Wash. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane area resident, Mr. Littell died Sunday.
He served in the Air Force during World War II and the Korean War, and later worked as an engineer in plant maintenance for 25 years.
Mr. Littell was a member of the Concordia Masonic Lodge 249, a lifetime member of the Afifi Temple in Tacoma and the El Katif Shrine in Spokane.
Survivors include a son, Billy Littell of Chattaroy; a sister, Susan Smith of Utah; a brother, Eugene Littell of Spokane; two grandsons and one great-grandson.
Naomi Thompson Spokane
Visitation for Naomi Ruth Thompson, 71, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home - South. Funeral is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
A 50-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Thompson died Saturday. She was born in Hay, Wash.
She worked as a telephone operator for answering services before working for Pacific Northwest Bell and USWest. She retired in 1990.
Mrs. Thompson was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
Her husband, Bille, died in 1970.
Survivors include three sons, Bill and Nick Thompson, both of Spokane, and Tommy Thompson of Anchorage, Alaska; three daughters, Cheryl Kilmer and Janine Thompson, both of Spokane, and Teresa Wilponen of Chattaroy; two brothers, Nathan Summers of Bellevue, Wash., and Phillip Summers of Greenacres; three sisters, Berdie Summers and Thelma Reidt, both of Hay, and Carol Hendersen of Utah; 13 grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or Fourth Memorial Church.
Welton Pearson Salem, Ore.
Visitation for Welton E. Pearson, a former Spokane resident, will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home in Spokane. Funeral will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Pearson, who was born in Fargo, N.D., died Feb. 20. He was 91.
In 1944 he moved to Centralia, Wash., where he co-owned a hardware store until 1957, when he moved to Spokane.
Mr. Pearson began working as a pressman at The Spokesman-Review in 1958. He retired in 1972.
He was a member of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, a 40-year member of the Masonic Lodge and a member and past worthy matron of the Order of Eastern Star Centralia Chapter.
Survivors include a daughter, Carole Pflug of Aumsville, Ore.; a son, James Pearson of Sunnyvale, Calif.; four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cascade High School Scholarship Fund, 10226 Marion Road, Turner, OR 97392.