Obituaries

Rowena Burton Coeur d’Alene

Memorial service for Rowena V. Burton, 84, will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home. Mrs. Burton, who was born in Streator, Ill., died Monday.

She graduated from high school in Streator. In 1938 she married Edward Burton. They owned the Koffee Kup Restaurant in Long Point, Ill., and she also worked as a cook at the Fireside Restaurant in Streator.

Mrs. Burton retired in 1974, and she and her husband moved to Mesa, Ariz. In 1980 they settled in Coeur d’Alene.

She was a member of the Long Point Lions, Long Point Christian Church and the American Legion Auxiliary. Mrs. Burton also was active with various senior citizens crafts projects in Arizona.

Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Barbara Nimke of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Clyde Martin of Alaska; a sister, Evelyn Redfern of Streator; and two grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 592, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816.

Walter Graham Spokane

Service for Walter A. Graham will be at 4 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.

Mr. Graham, 70, died Monday.

Born in Friday Harbor, Wash., he lived in Spokane since he was an infant.

Mr. Graham worked as a bartender and was a member of Eagles Lodge No. 2.

Survivors include his wife, Pearl; a son, Curtis Graham of Seattle; three stepsons, Terry Baker of Spokane, and Michael and Dan Baker, both of Seattle; two stepdaughters, Jacque Baker of San Francisco and Pamela Panton of Frankfurt, Germany; a brother, Theodore Graham of Nampa, Idaho; a half-brother, Charles Kubu of Spokane; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Lois Spooner Spokane

Memorial service for Lois E. Spooner, 88, is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.

A 35-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Spooner died Monday. She was born in Thief River Falls, Minn.

In 1928 she graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School.

She married Leonard Spooner in 1947.

Mrs. Spooner worked as a sales clerk for The Crescent department store. She retired in 1969.

Her husband preceded her in death.

She is survived by two sisters, Jessie Wilcox and Charlotte Bishop, both of Coeur d’Alene.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital For Children.

Paul Crosby Athol, Idaho

Visitation for Paul Hugh Crosby, 49, will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Graveside service will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Pinegrove Cemetery in Rathdrum, Idaho.

Mr. Crosby, who was born in Cheyenne, Wyo., died Monday.

He moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1964 and attended North Idaho College. He later worked as a machinist and moved to Spirit Lake.

Mr. Crosby lived in Spirit Lake for several years and in 1990 settled in Athol. He had worked for Advanced Input Devices in Coeur d’Alene.

Survivors include a son, Shaun Crosby of Coeur d’Alene; his mother, Jessie Crosby of Coeur d’Alene; and a sister, Maureen Chandler of Yakima.

Arthur Knauft Spokane

Service for Arthur H. Knauft, 85, will be at 11 a.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.

A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Knauft died Sunday.

He served in the Army during World War II.

Mr. Knauft worked as a medical clerk for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He also worked as a ticket taker at the Coliseum.

He also was a softball umpire for the Spokane Softball League and was named Best Umpire of the Year in 1957. He was a member of Central Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Disabled American Veterans.

Mr. Knauft is survived by his wife of 52 years, Margaret; a son, Larry Knauft of Spokane; a daughter, Sandra Wallace of Eureka, Utah; three brothers, Henry Knauft of Spokane, Emil Knauft of Nampa, Idaho, and Rudolph Knauft of Newbury Park, Calif.; three sisters, Elizabeth Smith of Spokane, Martha Carman of Davenport, Wash., and Doretta Moreno of Temple City, Calif.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Elaine Burmester Spokane

Memorial service for Elaine G. Burmester, 82, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A 49-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Burmester died Monday. She was born in Guthrie Center, Iowa. She worked in the bakery at Albertsons for 17 years. She retired in 1979.

Her husband, Theodore Burmester, died in 1978.

Survivors include two daughters, Theo Vanhoff of Veradale and Mary Ann Vogt of Rosalia, Wash.; a sister, Mohrine of Denver; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Gethsemane Lutheran Church.

Michael Thatcher St. Maries

Memorial service for Michael S. Thatcher, 94, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Valley Vista Care Center Fireside Room in St. Maries. Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Nebraska, Mr. Thatcher died Monday.

He grew up in Nebraska and in 1934 married Freda Crawford. They lived in Douglas, Wyo.

Mr. Thatcher moved to St. Maries in 1947 and was a rancher and farmer.

His wife died in March.

Survivors include 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 Beckie Borgmann of Spokane; a brother, Harold Thatcher of Las Vegas, N.M.; 29 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Norman Aked Spokane

Memorial service for Norman MacKinlay Aked, 80, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Mr. Aked died Monday.

He graduated from Garbetts Business College in 1940 and worked for Cominco Canada in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Mr. Aked served in the Canadian Army during World War II.

In 1949 he was transferred to serve as secretary and treasurer at Cominco America. He retired after 43 years of service. He was a 35-year Spokane resident.

He was a member of the El Katif Shrine in Spokane.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Irene; two sons, Ted Aked of Spokane and Jim Aked of Otis Orchards; a daughter, Mary Dougherty of Redmond, Wash.; two sisters, Madgy Nontell of Kamloops, British Columbia, and Aileen Britton of Aldergrove, British Columbia; and six grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

Harry Hanks Spokane

Memorial service for Harry Norman Hanks, 66, is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at a later date.

Mr. Hanks, who was born in Tucson, Ariz., died Oct. 2.

He moved to Spokane in 1942. He served in the Navy during the Korean War.

He owned and operated C&H Improvement, installing exterior siding. He retired in 1998.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Charlene; two sons, Mike and Randy Hanks, and two daughters, Kati Hanks and Sue Englehardt, all of Spokane; four brothers, Richard and Robert Hanks, both of Spokane, Gordie Hanks of Maui, Hawaii, and Russell Hanks of Houston; and six grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

Jack Olson Coeur d’Alene

Private graveside service for Jack L. Olson, 79, will be held. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Olson, who was born in Freeman, Wash., died Saturday.

In 1941 he married Lola Mills. They lived in Rockford before he joined the Army during World War II.

Mr. Olson returned to the Rockford area and moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1975. He served as Postmaster until his retirement.

He was a member of Community United Methodist Church, the Kootenai Masonic Lodge No. 24 and the Coeur d’Alene Lions Club. He also was past district governor of Lions International.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Leroy Olson of Rathdrum, Idaho; a brother, Howard Olson of Spokane; one grandson, Lonnie; three stepgrandchildren, Joel, Jody and Sarah, and 10 stepgreat-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Community United Methodist Church, 1470 W. Hanley Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815, or the American Lung Association, P.O. Box 15810, Boise, ID 83715.

Dan Inman Colville, Wash

Service for Dan Joe Inman, 62, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Colville United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Mountain View Park Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville is in charge of arrangements.

A lifetime Colville resident, Mr. Inman died Friday.

He graduated from high school in 1955.

Mr. Inman served in the Coast Guard and later transferred to the Army National Guard.

In 1964 he married Betsy Campbell.

Mr. Inman worked at Barmans Department Store in Colville for 30 years.

In 1967 he became a member of the Colville Volunteer Fire Department. He served as fire chief from 1977 until 1983.

He and his wife operated Inman’s Custom Interiors in Colville from 1984 until 1998. He was a member of the Colville Chamber of Commerce and the Jaycees.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Eric Inman, and a daughter, Kris Inman, both of Spokane; and a brother, Bob Inman of Colville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Colville Family Support Center, Colville, WA 99114.