Obituaries

Grace Becher Spokane

Memorial service for Grace M. Becher, 93, will be at 3 p.m. today at Rockwood Manor Chapel. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Becher, who was born in Pullman, died Sunday.

She graduated from Washington State University in 1926 and taught Spanish and coached the debate team at Dayton (Wash.) High School after graduation.

Mrs. Becher completed her graduate work at the National University of Mexico and taught at the American School Foundation in Mexico City.

After returning to the states she began teaching Spanish and coached debate at North Central High School.

She was the Spanish instructor for military officers at three bases during world War II. She also worked as a government court interpreter for the United States Immigration Service and the FBI.

After the war she taught Spanish and coached debate at West Valley High School.

Mrs. Becher was a member of Delta Sigma Rho of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, American Association of University Women, Shakesperian Study Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, Spokane Education Association, and state, national and local Retired Teacher’s Associations. She was a charter member and former deaconess of Plymouth Congregational Church.

Her husband, Edmund, died in 1994.

Survivors include a daughter, Beverly Rainone of New York City; and a grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to Plymouth Congregational Church or Spokane Central Lions Club.

Edith (Grant) Reid Oakesdale, Wash.

Memorial service for Edith M. (Grant) Reid, 98, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Community Presbyterian Church in Oakesdale. Burial at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries will follow at 4 p.m. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

A 70-year Whitman County resident, Mrs. Reid died March 23 in Colfax.

She was born in Kansas City, Kan., and graduated from high school in Albion, Wash.

She married Claude Reid in 1917, and they owned and operated a lumber yard in Oakesdale for several years.

A homemaker, Mrs. Reid also worked for the Oakesdale School District as a bookkeeper and a bus driver for many years.

Her husband died in 1969.

In 1997 she moved to Colfax.

Mrs. Reid was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church, the Hope Chapter of the Order of Eastern Stars, Past Worthy Matron of Philanthropic Educational Organization and past president of the Thursday Bridge Club.

Survivors include a son, Raymond Reid of St. Maries.

Jonathan Laitinen Portland

Funeral service for Jonathan Alan Laitinen, 28, will be at 1 p.m. today at St. Mary of the Rosary Catholic Church in Chewelah, Wash. Burial will follow at the Marshall Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home in Colville, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Laitinen died Friday in Montana from injuries he suffered in an automobile accident.

Born in Spokane, he graduated from Jenkins High School in Chewelah in 1988 and from Reed College in Portland in 1992. He received his master’s degree from Whitworth College in 1995 and later moved to Portland.

Mr. Laitinen was a teacher at Park Rose High School.

Survivors include his parents, Roy and Pamela Laitinen of Chewelah; two brothers, Rick Laitinen of Ft. Collins, Colo., and David Laitinen of Livingston, Mont.; four sisters, Kristin, Jaimie and Ashley Laitinen, and Michelle Wasco, all of Chewelah; and his grandparents, Joe Keene of Medical Lake and Edna Laitinen of Camby, Ore.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary of the Rosary Church Building Fund, 504 W. Main, Chewelah, WA 99109.

Raymond Oviatt Spokane

Memorial service for Raymond E. Oviatt, 76, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at East Valley Presbyterian Church. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

A 52-year Spokane resident, Mr. Oviatt, died Friday. He was born in Watertown, N.Y.

He worked maintenance for a senior apartment complex in Spokane for several years.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Violet.

Robert Bauer Spokane

Memorial service for Robert A. Bauer, 91, was held Tuesday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.

Mr. Bauer, who was born in Hauser Lake, Idaho, died Thursday.

He graduated from Post Falls High School in 1926 and attended Northwest Business College in Spokane.

Mr. Bauer worked as an accountant for Washington Water Power and worked at Harper and McGee before becoming a self-employed building contractor in 1950. He retired in 1978.

He was a member of the Elks Lodge 228 and Manito Presbyterian Church, where he held a variety of offices. He also attended Manito United Methodist Church.

Mr. Bauer married Rita Barlow in 1935, she died in 1955. He later married Virginia Wolfe-Farrier.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Nancy Wolf of Palouse, Wash.; three stepdaughters, Joy Rose of Spangle, Wash., Joanne Cohen of Jacksonville, Fla., and Linda Piekut of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; 13 grandchildren and 11 grandchildren.

John Weishaar Davenport, Wash.

Funeral service for John W. Weishaar, 37, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Strate Funeral Home in Davenport. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Harrington, Wash.

Mr. Weishaar, who was born in Baker City, Ore., died Saturday.

In 1974 his family moved to Harrington, Wash., where he graduated from high school in 1980.

He later graduated from Arizona Mechanical School in Phoenix. He worked as an auto mechanic for Spokane Operating Engineers on several highway construction jobs.

In 1991 he returned to the Odessa, Wash., area to operate the family farm.

Survivors include his parents, Warren and Susan Weishaar of Davenport; two brothers, Mike Weishaar of Davenport and Barry Weishaar of Harrington; and two sisters, Terrea Weishaar of Seattle and Melissa Ray of Molena, Ga.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Harrington EMTs, Harrington, WA 99134.

Melvin Seely Spokane

Memorial Mass for Melvin R. Seely, 81, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Private inurnment will follow. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A 53-year Spokane resident, Mr. Seely, died Friday. He was born in Pawhuska, Okla.

He served with the Navy and Army, and later sold recreational vehicles.

He was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Walleye Club and Spokane Camera Club.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Jean; a son, Douglas Seely of Oxnard, Calif.; two dauthers, Melanie Powers of Newport, Wash., and Teresa Kunz of Colbert; a sister, Doris Dittmer of Mesa, Ariz; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Poor Clare Nuns, 4419 N. Hawthrone, Spokane, WA 99205, or the American Cancer Society

Richard Renford Spokane

No service will be held for Richard “Rick” Renford, 51, at his request. Spokane Cremation and Burial Service is in charge of arrangements.

A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Renford, died March 21.

He served with the Army during the Vietnam War, and later worked as a welder in the construction industry for many years.

Mr. Renford is survived by a son, James Renford, and a daughter, Jennifer Renford, both of Spokane; his father and stepmother, Paul and Mary Lou Renford of Spokane; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children.

Alta Heidenreich Spokane

Visitation for Alta Mae Heidenreich, 87, will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Funeral service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

A lifetime Spokane resident, Mrs. Heidenreich died Saturday.

She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and Kinman Business University.

Mrs. Heidenreich was a homemaker and a member of Zion Lutheran Church.

Her husband of 48 years, Jack, died in 1982.

Survivors include two sons, Charles and Joe Heidenreich, both of Spokane; a daughter, Jackie Perron of Spokane; a brother, Leslie Sammons of Morton, Pa.; 12 grandchildren and 14 greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church.

Gerald Hobbs Metaline Falls, Wash.

Funeral services for Gerald L. Hobbs, 65, was held Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Metaline Falls. Sherman Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Hobbs, who was born in Goehner, Neb., died March 23.

A 43-year Metaline Falls resident, Mr. Hobbs worked for Jimmy Golematis and Lehigh Cement. He retired as quarry foreman from Lehigh/Lafarge Cement Co. after 34 years of service.

He served on the Metaline Falls city council, was a Lehigh ambulance driver and a volunteer fireman.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Margaret; a son, Jeff Hobbs of Whitefish, Mont.; three daughters, Connie Beacham and Kate Thomas, both of Metaline, Wash., and Barbara Barker of Whitefish; three brothers, Lyle, Clyde and Floyd Hobbs, and a sister, Joyce Patrick, all of Nebraska; and seven granddaughters.

Mary Ranch Spokane

Memorial Mass for Mary Dell Ranch, 52, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Private inurnment will follow. Hennessy-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A 20-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Ranch, died Sunday. She was born in Seattle.

She received a master’s degree in counseling and nutrition from Whitworth College. Along with her husband, Pat, they owned and operated a naturopathic medicine clinic in Post Falls.

She was a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church.

Her husband died in 1998.

Survivors include a daughter, Laurie Altig of Colbert; her mother, Mary Bleich-Lenton of Spokane; and two grandchildren.

James Doyle Jr. Spokane

Visitation for James H. “Jim” Doyle Jr., 29, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Cremation will follow.

Mr. Doyle, who was born in Siloam Springs, Ark., died Saturday.

His family moved to Spokane in 1983 from Chillicothe, Ohio, and he graduated from North Central High School in 1989.

He worked at the Onion Restaurant for six years and had been working at Top Hat.

Survivors include his mother, Mary Doyle, a brother, Bill Doyle, and his grandmother, Geneva Doyle, all of Spokane.

Memorial contributions may be made to Make A Wish Foundation.

Frederick `Fritz’ Vawter Spokane

Memorial service for Frederick “Fritz” Vawter, 86, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.

Mr. Vawter, who was born in Newport, Wash., died Sunday.

He graduated from Washington State College in 1934 and worked for URM for 42 years.

He was a member of Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ.

Survivors include his wife, Belle; two sons, Ron and Frank Vawter, both of Spokane; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ or Deaconess Medical Center Foundation.

Shirley (Johnson) Piukkula Spokane

Graveside service for Shirley M. (Johnson) Piukkula, 70, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Piukkula, who was born in Tacoma, died Sunday.

She was a homemaker and a resident of Spokane for 47 years.

Survivors include her husband of 51 years, Teino; three sons, Gregory, George and Gerard Piukkula, all of Spokane; four daughters, Sandra Lukenbill of Spokane, Susan Longden of Carlsbad, Calif., Sheryl Branham of Fontana, Calif., and Sharon Nunn of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; three sisters, Sally Taylor of Roy, Wash., Judy Mullinax of Westport, Wash., and Janet Johnson of Tacoma; and seven grandchildren.

Lewis Wallin Spokane

Graveside service for Lewis W. Wallin, 77, will be at 10 a.m. today at Pines Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A 50-year Spokane resident, Mr. Wallin, died Monday. He was born in Cathay, N.D.

He served with the Army and later worked in the construction industry as a dry wall installer.

Survivors include a son, Michael Wallin of Bellevue, Wash.; two daughters, Kristi Wallin of Bellevue and Kathy Sauter of McMinnville, Ore.; a sister, Alice Fredekind of Spokane; and a granddaughter.