Obituaries
Gene Hayes Coeur d’Alene
Reception of body and rosary for Gene D. Hayes, 53, will be at 9:15 a.m. today at Immaculate Conception Church in Post Falls. Funeral Mass will follow at 10 a.m. at the church with burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hayes, who was born in Albany, Calif., died Sunday.
He grew up in California and graduated from high school in 1964 in Santa Rosa. He then served in the Army during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Hayes returned to California after his military service and married Patricia Schurkamp in 1971. He worked as a plumber until retiring 16 years ago due to illness.
In 1991 he moved to Coeur d’Alene, where he was a member of Immaculate Conception Church.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Andrew Hayes (Brother Joseph, O.S.B.) of Silver City, N.M.; three brothers, John Ruoho, Ray Oerding, and Carl Hayes, all of California; two sisters, Betty Merosinekoff and Marlene Escola, both of California.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, 142 Joseph Blane Road, Silver City, NM 88061.
Lillian Hoeft Colville, Wash.
Service for Lillian M. Hoeft, 90, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Colville United Methodist Church. Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Colville resident, Mrs. Hoeft died Friday.
She graduated from Colville High School in 1929.
Mrs. Hoeft began working in a Colville bakery at the age of 9. After high school she worked for Minzel Ford Motor Co. in Colville for 31 years. She then worked as a bookkeeper for the Buena Vista Nursing Home for several years and was the bookkeeper for a doctor’s office for 12 years.
In 1939 she married Art Hoeft.
She was a member of the Rebekahs.
Her husband died in 1992.
She is survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Shriners Hospital for Children, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Gary Moran Spokane
Memorial service for Gary Michael Moran, 39, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Deer Park. Spokane Cremation and Burial is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Moran died Nov. 3 from pneumonia.
He graduated from Mead High School in 1978.
Mr. Moran was a farmer and also worked as a drywall contractor.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Barbara and James Morphis of Priest Lake, Idaho; a brother, Terry Moran of San Mateo, Calif.; a stepsister, Jennifer Morphis of Spokane; three stepbrothers, Robert Morphis of Spokane, James Morphis of Indianapolis and Thomas Morphis of Angin, Calif.; and his grandparents, Ruth Moran of Ione, Wash., and Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Jenicke of Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
Roy Koch Ritzville, Wash.
Service for Roy Koch, 89, will be at 11 a.m. today at Philadelphia Congregational Church in Ritzville. Concluding service and vault interment will follow at Ritzville Memorial Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Ritzville resident, Mr. Koch died Saturday.
He was a farmer and was a member of the Marcellus Grange, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, and the Agricultural, Stabilization and Conservation Services committee. He also served as a director and board member of the Ritzville Trading Co., a director and officer of the Ritzville Warehouse Co. He was a member of Philadelphia Congregational Church, which he served on the church board, as Sunday School superintendent and as a deacon.
His wife of 50 years, Lydia, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Allan Koch of Ritzville; a daughter, Elva Allen of Wilbur, Wash.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Bertha Dean Coeur d’Alene
Visitation for Bertha M. Dean, 89, will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Service will follow at 3 p.m. with burial to take place at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Dean, who was born in Tahlequah, Okla., died Saturday.
In 1929 she married James Dean. They lived in Ontario, Calif., and she was a homemaker.
Mrs. Dean moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1977 and was a member of Coeur d’Alene First Presbyterian Church and the Birthday Club.
Her husband died in 1989.
Survivors include two daughters, Darlene Lowe of California and Sue Stillinger of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; two sisters and two brothers; five grandchildren, David, Alan, Matthew, Katie and Becky; and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 521 Lakeside Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Wallace Moritz Spokane
Service for Wallace A. “Wally” Moritz, 77, will be Tuesday at Sunset Mausoleum Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Private entombment will follow. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement.
Born in Lewistown, Mont., Mr. Moritz died Saturday.
He served in the Army and lived in Spokane for more than 56 years.
Mr. Oritz worked as a deliveryman for Darigold. He was a member of the Moose Lodge.
Survivors include his wife, Marjorie; a daughter, Diane Farrell of Spokane; three sons, Jeffrey Moritz of Spokane, Craig Moritz of Seattle and Richard Moritz of Tucson, Ariz.; eight grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Eugene Wolfe Spokane
Memorial service for Eugene W. “Gene” Wolfe, 79, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North.
Mr. Wolfe, who was born in Hartline, Wash., died Saturday.
He came to Spokane as a child and graduated from Mead High School in 1937.
Mr. Wolfe went to work for the Washington State Agricultural Department in 1941.
He also owned and operated a service station for 30 years.
Mr. Wolfe was a 50-year member of Manito Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Retired Chevron Dealers Association.
His wife of 56 years, Trudy, preceded him in death.
Survivors include two daughters, Marcia Plewman of Spokane and Betty Bendix of Eugene, Ore.; a sister, Wyla Headley of Spokane and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Robert Bley Spokane
Vigil service for Robert A. Bley, 75, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mary Queen Roman Catholic Church. Private family inurnment will follow.
Born in Great Falls, Mont., Mr. Bley died Friday. He moved to Spokane as a child.
He worked for Kreuger Sheetmetal and was also president and business agent of Sheetmetal Union Local 212.
Mr. Bley is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marie; three sons, Frederick and Arthur Bley, both of Spokane and William Bley of Washington, D.C.; a daughter, Maryellen Schultz of Seattle; a brother, John Bley of Spokane; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Wallace Sharpe Spokane
No service will be held for Wallace Albert Sharpe, 82, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Valley is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sharpe, who was born in Easton, Wash., died Saturday.
He was a World War II veteran and a 33-year resident of Spokane.
Mr. Sharpe was a member of Carpenters Union Local No. 95.
Survivors include by his wife of 61 years, Rettie; a son, Wally Sharpe; a daughter, Bille Etter, 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Anton `Tony’ Havlicek Sandpoint
Vigil service for Anton “Tony” Havlicek, 74, will be at 7 p.m. today at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Sandpoint. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint.
Mr. Havlicek, who was born in Eibenthal, Romania, died Thursday.
He grew up and attended school in Romania and worked on the family farm. In 1951 he married Barbara Zellenkowitsch.
The couple immigrated to the United States from Linz, Austria, in 1955 and he began working for the Northern Pacific Railroad in Sandpoint in 1956. Mr. Havlicek then worked for the Spokane International Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad, retiring in 1990 after 34 years.
He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife; two children, Anni and John Havlicek, both of Sandpoint; three sisters, Helene Karban, Mariana Stehlik and Wilhelmina Sramek; and three brothers, Hermann, Mathia, and Albert Havlicek, all of Romania.
Lewis Youngdahl Princeton, Idaho
Memorial service for Lewis “Lewie” Youngdahl, 74, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Church of the Nazarene in Princeton. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Youngdahl, who was born in Little Falls, Minn., died Saturday. He was a resident of Princeton for 14 years.
He served as a motor machinist in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Upon his discharge in 1946, he returned to Cushing, Minn., where he operated a dairy farm for nine years. He later worked in a generator plant in Minneapolis and then worked for the government in Civil Service and as a lineman at Fort Richardson and other areas near Anchorage, Alaska.
Mr. Youngdahl retired in 1985 and moved to Princeton.
In 1994 he married Sue Tennyson.
Mr. Youngdahl was a member or the Snowmobile Club in Anchorage.
He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Bonnie Dean of Princeton; two stepdaughters, Leigh Ann Voss of Princeton and Starla Fox of Dillingham, Alaska; a brother, David Youngdahl of Brainerd, Minn.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund or to Hospice of the Palouse, c/o Gritman Home Health Services.
Helen Echelbarger Spokane
Private graveside service for Helen Lucile Price Echelbarger, 89, will be at 11 a.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. at Millwood Presbyterian Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Echelbarger, who was born in Beaver City, Neb., died Wednesday. She was a resident of Spokane for 57 years.
She was a teacher in Beaver City for eight years and in Lewiston for four years. She came to Spokane and taught at Whittier, McKinley, Sheridan, Alcott, and Franklin schools. In 1946 she started the Spokane County Audio-Visual Program.
She was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Orchard Avenue Womens Club and was a former member of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa.
Her husband of 38 years, Wayne, died in 1986.
Survivors include numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Horizon Hospice.