Obituaries
(From For the Record, January 10, 1999:) Son not listed: An obituary Saturday for Alex J. Schoen, 71, of Spokane failed to list one of his four sons: Peter Schoen of Spokane.
William Heilman Moscow, Idaho
Memorial Mass for William Joseph Heilman, 73, will be today at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow. Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Heilman, who was born in Toppenish, Wash., died Wednesday.
He attended schools in Medical Lake and Troy, Idaho, and graduated from Ursuline Academy in Moscow, before serving with the Army during World War II and in Japan.
Mr. Heilman returned to Moscow after his military service and worked in construction. He later worked as an advertising setter at The Idahonian newspaper, before retiring after more than 37 years.
He was a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He coached youth basketball and baseball for many years, and served as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 346 in Moscow.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Ethel; a son, Gary Heilman of Troy; two daughters, Brenda Iverson of Moscow and Kim Malm of Troy; three brothers, Nick and Joe Heilman, both of Everett, and Ray Heilman of Coeur d’Alene; and seven grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s School or Troy High School basketball program.
Eleanor Ekholm Spokane
No service will be held for Eleanor L. Ekholm, 80, at her request. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ekholm, who was born in Ellensburg, died Thursday.
A 79-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Ekholm worked as an administrative secretary for the Washington state Game Department. She was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 51 Auxiliary.
Her husband, Alvin, died in 1960.
Survivors include a son, Donald Ekholm of Spokane; a daughter, Judy Ekholm; two sisters, Dora Bauer of Tucson, Ariz., and Irene Muller of Kennewick; two brothers, Harold Money of Phoenix and Louis Money of Oregon; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Reba Gasser Spokane
Memorial service for Reba A. Gasser, 104, will be at 2 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church. Private inurnment will be at Riverside Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A Spokane resident since 1920, Mrs. Gasser died Monday.
Born near Cedar Rapids, Iowa., she graduated from Iowa State University in 1913 and taught school in Pocahontas, Iowa, for a few years. She married William Gasser in 1917.
She served as a Red Cross nurse during World War I, teaching in a bandage-making unit in Reinbeck, Iowa.
They moved to Washington in 1920, and she taught at the Orchard Avenue School in the West Valley School District for 14 years, retiring from teaching kindergarten at Audubon Elementary School in Spokane School District 81 in 1952.
Her husband died in 1968.
She was an 80-year member of First Presbyterian Church, where she served as a devotion chairman for the Mary K. Baker Missionary Society.
Mrs. Gasser also was a member of the Keen Agers Club at the church, the Retired Teachers Association, a member and reporter for the Woman’s President Council, and the Listener Book Review Club. She was active at the Sinto Senior Center, and the Corbin and Northeast community centers.
Survivors include two nieces, Margaret Smith of Durand, Ill., and Zerita Mitchell of Marion, Iowa; and two nephews, Hobert Bair of Colorado Springs and Paul McNeil of Seattle.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or First Presbyterian Church.
Howard Benner Jr. Spokane
Visitation for Howard N. Benner, Jr., 92, will be from 9 a.m. to noon today at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
A 77-year Spokane resident, Mr. Benner died Tuesday. He was born in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
He married Beatrice Bailey in 1926; She died in 1949. He married Irene Durham in 1951.
Mr. Benner worked as a warehouse superintendent for the W.P. Fuller Paint and Glass Co. in Spokane for 20 years. He also owned and operated B.C. Glass and Sash until 1963. He was a master craftsman and built custom cabinets independently for many years.
His wife died in May.
Survivors include three sons, Claude Benner of Camden, Maine, Jack Benner of Seattle and Dale Benner of Tacoma; two daughters, Marilyn Lewis of Spokane and Donna Douglas of Richland; a sister, Norma Gilmore of Spokane; 28 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Pearl Livingston Spokane
Visitation for Pearl M. Livingston, 87, will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and noon to 1 p.m. Sunday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Livingston, who was born in Hamilton, Mont., died Tuesday.
She married James Livingston in 1926, and they moved to Spokane from Yakima in 1928.
Mrs. Livingston was a homemaker and a 65-year member of Spokane Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Her husband died in 1995.
Survivors include three sons, Norman and Neil Livingston, both of Spokane, and Ron Livingston of Mead; five daughters, Jean Dury of Liberty Lake, Phyllis Fairchild of Newberg, Ore., Allene Tattrie of Greenacres, Carol Hartman of Davenport, Wash., and Linda Grasson of Parker, Colo.; a sister, Ruth Garnier of Ontario, Calif.; 38 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Roberta (Wilson) McFadden Pullman
Memorial service for Roberta Ray (Wilson) McFadden, 63, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Simpson United Methodist Church in Pullman. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McFadden, who was born in Boise, died Thursday.
She graduated from Boise High School in 1953 and attended Boise Junior College until 1955.
Mrs. McFadden graduated in 1957 with a degree in English from Whitman College, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority.
In 1958 she married Bruce McFadden, and they moved to Monteray, Calif., and then to Pullman that year.
Mrs. McFadden lived in Urbana, Ill., from 1966 to 1967, in Leicester, England, from 1972 to 1973, and briefly in Munich, Germany.
While in Leicester, she studied yoga, and after her return to Pullman in 1973, taught yoga for Pullman Parks and Recreation and later for Spokane Community Colleges.
In 1977 she started a yoga studio at the Gladish School, which evolved into Yoga Basics. She retired in 1989.
Mrs. McFadden was active with the Palouse Breast Cancer Support Group and was a member of the Episcopal Church.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Paul McFadden of Ravensdale, Wash., David McFadden of Yakima and John McFadden of Cashmere, Wash.; a sister, Jan Bush of Lake Oswego, Ore.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 5386, Boise, ID 83705.
Edwin Stueckle Colfax, Wash.
Memorial service for Edwin Stueckle, 84, will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Colfax First Baptist Church. Private burial will be at Dusty (Wash.) Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stueckle, who was born in Dusty, died Thursday.
He farmed for several years in the Dusty area and worked for the McGregor Co. and Dusty Co-Op.
He married Anna Collins in 1941, and they moved to Colfax in 1955. Mr. Stueckle worked as a custodian at Jennings Elementary School and drove a school bus for 10 years.
After his retirement he mowed lawns for several Ackerman apartments in Colfax. He was a member of the Colfax Church of the Nazarene.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Roger Stueckle of Pendleton, Ore., and Terry Stueckle of San Jose, Calif.; a daughter, Gunelia Fowler of Boise; three sisters, Bertha Holling of Spokane, Clara Stacy of Kennewick and Laurette McCaw of Waitsburg, Wash.; a brother, Victor Stueckle of Prescott, Wash.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Colfax Nazarene Church Building Fund.
Edwin Bischoff Spokane
Graveside service for Edwin Bischoff, 83, will be at 1 p.m. today at the Odessa (Wash.) Cemetery Chapel. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bischoff, who was born in Ruff, Wash., died Wednesday.
He was a 77-year resident of Odessa, where he was a wheat farmer for many years. He moved to Spokane five years ago.
Mr. Bischoff was a member of the Odessa Heritage Church.
His wife, Lydia, died in 1997.
Survivors include two sons, Don Bischoff of Spokane and Stan Bischoff of Palouse, Wash.; two sisters, Emma Schaffer of Davenport and June Chartrand of Seattle; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Alex Schoen Spokane
Funeral Mass for Alex J. Schoen, 71, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Schoen, who was born in Germany, died Wednesday.
He graduated with a degree in architecture and engineering in Germany, and moved to the United States in 1953.
In 1956 he married Elaine Wightman.
He was co-owner and engineer at Artistic Iron Works in Spokane for 34 years. He also owned and managed several apartments and houses, and was co-owner of Gasthaus restaurant.
Mr. Schoen was a member of the German American Society and a 40-year member of the Concordia Choir.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Walter Schoen of London, Richard Schoen of Portland and Eric Schoen of New York City; a daughter, Barbara Vaughn of Spokane; and 11 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Concordia Choir, 29 W. Third, Spokane, WA 99204.
Michael McGovern Spokane
Memorial service for Michael J. McGovern, 60, was Friday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.
Mr. McGovern, who was born in Mullan, Idaho, died Wednesday.
A 31-year Spokane resident, he worked as a hairdresser and owned his own business.
Survivors include two sons, Randy and Michael McGovern, both of Spokane; his mother, Neva Rassmussen of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; two brothers, Terry and George McGovern; two sisters, Darlene and Jackie Sue; and two granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane AIDS Network.