Obituaries
Clarence Caldwell Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Clarence LeRoy Caldwell, 80, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Caldwell, who was born in Troy, Idaho, died Monday.
He grew up and attended schools in the Troy area and then briefly lived in the Silver Valley and Montana, where he farmed.
Mr. Caldwell married Florence Colazzo in 1954 and they lived in Seward, Alaska. He worked as a longshoreman and owned a mechanic shop.
He settled in Port Angeles, Wash., in the mid-1960s and worked for Green Brothers Service Station for eight years before moving to Post Falls in 1974.
Mr. Caldwell moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1989 and had been a member of the Seward Elks Club.
Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Judith Craver of Port Angeles, Joyce Sonnabend of Spokane, Donna Caldwell of Coeur d’Alene and Florine Caldwell of Bayview, Idaho; a brother, William Caldwell of California; two sisters, Dorothy Donahue of Pinehurst, Idaho, and Maudie Guthrie of Spokane; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815, or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 3018, Hayden Lake, ID 83835.
Maxine Davidson Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Service for Maxine E. Davidson, 73, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bonners Ferry. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Davidson, who was born in Chelan, Wash., died Monday.
She grew up in Chelan and graduated from Tonasket (Wash.) High School. She earned a liberal arts degree from the University of Washington.
In 1938 she moved to Bonners Ferry where she owned a variety store for many years. She married Wally Davidson in 1942.
She farmed and continued her education, receiving a teaching certificate from Whitworth College.
She began teaching in 1957 and taught fifth grade at Valley View Elementary School in Bonners Ferry and ninth grade English before retiring in 1970.
Mrs. Davidson was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the P.E.O., and was involved in many community activities. She was a former Ag Farm Wife of the Year.
Survivors include her husband; four sons, Tim Davidson of Ohio, George Davidson of Sandpoint, and Kevin and Larry Davidson, both of Spokane; and one grandchild, Derek.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Boundary County Library.
Freda Thatcher St. Maries
Gathering for family and friends of Freda Thatcher, 87, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the St. Maries Eagles Lodge. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Thatcher, who was born in Osceola, Iowa, died Sunday.
She moved to Douglas, Wyo., in 1917 and graduated from high school there in 1929.
In 1934 she married Michael Thatcher and lived in Douglas before moving to St. Maries in 1947.
She was a homemaker, and operated a cattle and sheep ranch.
Survivors include her husband; four sons, Frank Thatcher of Wyoming, Michael and George Thatcher, both of St. Maries, and Bob Thatcher of Enumclaw, Wash.; three daughters, Susan Roop of Cocolalla, Idaho, Bonnie Thatcher of Sagle, Idaho, and Becky Borgmann of Spokane; a brother, Merlyn Crawford of Wyoming; 29 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
John Harp Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for John Harp, 91, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa, Wash. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Harp, who was born in Oakesdale, Wash., died Wednesday.
He married Goldie Jordan in 1933 and they moved to Tekoa, Wash., where he worked as a manager and grain buyer for the Gordon T. Shaw Grain Co.
Mr. Harp purchased a tavern in St. Maries in 1966 and operated it until his retirement in 1976.
His first wife died in 1970. He married Doris Satterwire and they moved to Coeur d’Alene after his retirement.
He was a member and past master of the Masonic Lodge in Tekoa and a member of the El Katif Shrine in Spokane.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Ron Harp of Spokane, Robert Harp of Yakima and Richard Harp of Denver; two brothers, Harry and Ray Harp, both of Tekoa; four sisters, Ada Pickelsimer of Spokane, Anne Peterson and Addie Baughman, both of Tekoa, and Ruth Thompson of Oakesdale.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 911 W. Fifth, Spokane, WA 99204.
Arthur Johnson St. Maries
Service for Arthur B. Johnson, 87, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at YatesHodge Funeral Home in St. Maries. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries.
Mr. Johnson, who was born in Abo, Finland, died Tuesday.
He grew up in Emida, Idaho, and worked in the timber industry.
Mr. Johnson served with the Army in the European-African theater during World War II and moved to St. Maries after his military service.
He worked as a saw filer for Diamond International and as a sawyer for Savy Procipo.
Mr. Johnson retired in 1976.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Esther; two sons, Gene and Maurice Johnson, both of St. Maries; a daughter, Elaine Warrington of Cheney; a half-brother, Robert Johnson of Coeur d’Alene; and nine grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Benewah County, PO Box 531, St. Maries, ID 83861.
Jay Pansing Coeur d’Alene
No service will be held for Jay L. Pansing, 55, at his request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Pansing, who was born in Illinois, died Sunday.
He worked as a lineman for a phone company in California and moved to Sandpoint in 1986.
Mr. Pansing settled in Coeur d’Alene in 1989 and worked locally as a lineman.
Survivors include five sons, Jay Pansing Jr. and Willie Pansing, both of Oregon, and Daniel, Phillip and David Pansing, all of Wisconsin; a stepson, Terry Tuttle of Oregon; a stepdaughter, Cindy Allen of Oregon; his father, Lloyd Pansing of Florida; a brother, Ron Pansing; a sister, Candy; and his former wife, Hart Westfall of Coeur d’Alene.
Lillian Sorrenti Coeur d’Alene
No service will be held for Lillian M. Sorrenti, 78. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Sorrenti, who was born in California, died Monday.
She grew up and lived most of her life in the Los Angeles area and worked as a secretary. She also was a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, and Food Employers Joint Trust Funds.
Mrs. Sorrenti moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1997.
Survivors include her husband, Victor; a daughter, Vickie Wainescott, and a son, Chris Otto, both of California; five sisters; and five grandchildren.
Adeline Gaine Coeur d’Alene
Visitation for Adeline Ann Gaine, 92, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Vigil will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral chapel. Funeral Mass is planned for Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will take place at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Gaine, who was born in Iowa, died Wednesday.
She had lived in Montana prior to marrying Cleve Gaine and moving to Coeur d’Alene in 1925.
Mrs. Gaine lived in Spokane, Rathdrum and Seattle before returning to Coeur d’Alene in 1943.
She was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church and Auxiliary, the Catholic Daughters of America, the Lady Lions, the Kootenai Medical Center Auxiliary and the Rathdrum Reading Circle.
Mrs. Gaine was active in the American Cancer Society cancer drives, Easter Seals, the American Heart Association, Campfire Girls, the Kootenai County Election Board and was a community United Services Organization volunteer.
She was a former Beta Sigma Phi Woman of the Year.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Bonnie McDowell of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Frank Cimrhakl of Montana; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the North Idaho College Scholarship Fund, 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Gerald `Jerry’ Scott Blanchard, Idaho
Memorial service for Gerald F. “Jerry” Scott, 64, will today at 11 a.m. at Blanchard Community Church. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Scott, who was born in Williston, N.D., died Sunday.
He grew up and attended school in Williston, and joined the Navy in 1952.
Mr. Scott worked for Westland Oil Refinery in Williston, and in 1960 married Andrea Gurke.
He moved to North Idaho in the early 1990s and lived in Coeur d’Alene and Blanchard while serving as the postmaster in Rathdrum.
Mr. Scott took an early retirement from the Postal Service in 1996 after 31 years and worked for Systems Transport Inc. as a longhaul truck driver.
Mr. Scott retired in 1997 due to medical reasons.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Amber and Erin Scott, both of Blanchard, and Ember Baxter of Post Falls; his mother, Tommi Scott of Portland; a sister, Eunice Crowder of Portland; and a brother, Bob Scott of Williston.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
Osmond Wardrop Spokane
Visitation for Osmond Wardrop, 96, will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.
An 88-year Spokane resident, Mr. Wardrop, died Wednesday. He was born in Central Lake, Mich.
He worked for the Sash Lumber Mill for more than 40 years.
Mr. Wardrop played softball for the Whitepine Baseball Club and was a lifetime member of the Eagles Lodge.
He was preceded in death by two wives, Marian Wardrop and Elsie Wardrop.
Survivors include two sons, Ronald Wardrop of Priest River, Idaho, and Dennis Wardrop of Spokane; nine grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Mary Perry Dover, Idaho
Service for Mary M. Perry, 82, will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Burial will be at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint.
Mrs. Perry, who was born in Montana, died Monday.
She grew up in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and married Darrell Perry in 1931. They moved to Dover in 1936.
Mrs. Perry taught knitting and crocheting to the Dover-area youth and was a volunteer with the Dover Community Sunday School. She worked on the Bonner County Election Board for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
Survivors include four daughters, Wauneta Zantow of Dover, Arlene Kalb of Sandpoint, Dolores Herman of Montana and Nancy Crabb of Bonners Ferry; a son, Paul Perry of Sandpoint; three sisters, Dee Hamrick of Loon Lake, Wash., Vesta Jo Reynolds of Riverside and Emma Jean Quist of Utah; 19 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Richard Pedersen Hope, Idaho
Graveside memorial service for Richard A. “Dick” Pedersen, 67, will be today at 2 p.m. at Hope Cemetery. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Pedersen, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
He grew up and attended schools in Sandpoint and married Carol Kom in 1950.
Mr. Pedersen worked as a bulk gas distributor for Shell and Husky companies, and later owned Pedersen Heating in Sandpoint.
He moved to Hope and operated Pedersens-U-Pick Strawberries.
Survivors include his wife; four children, Dale Alexander of Spokane, Diane Brockus and Dick Pedersen Jr., both of Hope, and Deana Pedersen of Missoula; two grandsons, Brian and Aaron; and two great-grandchildren.
John Higdon Spirit Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for John Charles Higdon, 62, will be held at a later date. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Higdon, who was born in Nashville, Mich., died Feb. 20.
He served with the Air Force for two years during the Korean War. He later moved to North Idaho, where he worked in various jobs, including owning and operating a lumber company, and working as a sawyer and heavy equipment operator.
Mr. Higdon married Ann Jenkins in 1975.
Survivors include his wife; several children, including Sally Higdon of Spirit Lake; his mother, Dorothy McFail of North Carolina; three brothers, Jerry Higdon of North Carolina, and Arlie and Danny Higdon, both of Michigan; and a sister, Carolyn Esch of North Carolina.
Margaret Truitt Priest Lake, Idaho
Graveside service for Margaret E. Truitt, 72, is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at Riverside Memorial Park. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Truitt, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
She graduated from North Central High School and worked in the medical records department at Sacred Heart Medical Center for 30 years. She retired in 1981.
Mrs. Truitt lived in Spokane for 52 years before moving to the Priest Lake area 20 years ago.
Her husband, Bert, died in 1992.
Survivors include a son, Bill Mansfield of Spokane; a daughter, Mary Malencore of Seattle; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane County Humane Society.