Obituaries
Olga Avallone Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Olga Emilia Avallone, 93, will be today at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Avallone, who was born in Salerno, Italy, died Monday.
In 1941 she married Alfonso Avallone in Italy. She worked for the American Red Cross during World War II.
Mrs. Avallone moved to the United States in 1956 and worked as a nurse in Long Beach, Calif., before moving to the Coeur d’Alene area in 1981.
She was a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church and the Lake City Senior Center.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Ennio “Ernie” Avalon of Coeur d’Alene; and one grandson.
James Christensen Spokane
Private memorial service for James Wendell “Jim” Christensen, 75, was Saturday.
Born in Pocatello, Idaho, Mr. Christensen died Sept. 8.
He served in the Navy in the Pacific on a destroyer escort from 1943-1945.
He married his first wife, Kitty, in the 1940s. They later divorced.
He later enlisted in the Navy Reserves and served in the Korean War as an anti-submarine warfare instructor from 1950 until 1952.
In 1955 he married Shirley Yenor. They divorced after 32 years.
Mr. Christensen graduated magna cum laude from Seattle University’s School of Commerce and Finance in 1958.
In 1960 he moved to St. Maries and worked at Yenor Insurance Agency. He retired in 1988 and moved to Spokane.
He was a member of The Spokane Club, Hangman Valley Golf Club and the Washington State Golf Association.
Survivors include his companion, Beth Killian; two sons, Jim Christensen of Tenino, Wash., and Donald Dodson of Pagosa Springs, Colo.; five daughters, Mary Christensen of Spokane, Teresa Carter of Rockford, Karen Christensen of Coeur d’Alene, Karen Lee of Redding, Calif., and Linda Christensen of Seattle; 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Floyd Fields Tucson, Ariz.
No service will be held for Floyd Fields, 51, at his request. Wolfrey Peach Chapel in Tucson is in charge of arrangements.
A former 18-year Spokane resident, Mr. Fields died Sept. 15. He was born in Colfax, Wash.
He graduated from Washington State University and served in the Navy as a communications officer in Adak, Alaska.
He worked as a farmer for many years before recently moving to Tucson.
He was a member of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Cresenda and Henry Savage, and a sister, Claudia Cleveland, all of Tucson.
Bruce Frazier Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Memorial service for Bruce Whitfield Frazier, 76, will be at 11 a.m. today at the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home. Private burial will be at a later date.
Mr. Frazier, who was born in Blaine, Wash., died Monday.
He graduated from high school in Pasco, and then served in the Army during World War II.
Mr. Frazier moved to Bonners Ferry 38 years ago. He worked as a building contractor and also was a maintenance worker at the Fish and Wildlife Service Kootenai Refuge for 15 years.
He was a member of the Bonners Ferry American Legion Post and the Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include his wife of 10 years, Lois; three daughters, Vickie Sennott of Maple Valley, Wash., Gayle Vinion of Bonners Ferry and Julie Davidson of Spokane; three stepchildren, Lanore Riebli of California, Daren Studer of Bonners Ferry and Duane Studer of Post Falls; a sister, Gerry Wehmeyer of Whidbey Island, Wash.; eight grandchildren, six step-grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 3018, Hayden Lake, ID 83835.
Blanche Lannigan Meeker Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Vigil service for Blanche Sarah Lannigan Meeker, 83, will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Bonners Ferry Funeral Home. Service is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Bonners Ferry. Private burial will be at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry.
Mrs. Meeker, who was born in Smith Center, Kan., died Sunday.
She attended school in Smith Center until moving to a farm in Bonners Ferry in 1934. She graduated from high school in Bonners Ferry in 1935.
Mrs. Meeker worked as a librarian and then as a store clerk at J.C. Penney. She married Robert “Bob” Meeker in 1939. She then worked as a telephone operator and was an Avon representative for 10 years.
She was a 25-year volunteer with the American Cancer Society and a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Mrs. Meeker had been a 4-H leader and had traveled to Europe.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include three daughters, Joan Booth of Spokane, and Judy Shearer and Pat Stewart, both of Bonners Ferry; two sons, Dan Meeker of Bonners Ferry and Jim Meeker of North Carolina; 23 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Mary Rencehausen Spokane
Graveside service for Mary T. Rencehausen, 89, will be at 11 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 70-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Rencehausen died Monday. She was born in Canada.
She worked as a licensed practical nurse for several years.
Her husband, Ray Rencehausen, died in 1968.
Survivors include two sisters, Vera Berglund of Spokane and Myrtal O’Brien of Mesa, Ariz.
Dewey Normington Potlatch, Idaho
Graveside service for Dewey Normington, 68, will be at 11 a.m. today at Freeze Cemetery north of Potlatch. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Moscow, Idaho, Mr. Normington died Sunday.
In 1952 he married Shirley Tinnel. He served in the Army during the Korean War and was discharged from the reserves in 1961.
In 1959 they moved to Potlatch, Idaho.
Mr. Normington worked as a heavy equipment operator for several years at Motley and Motley Construction Co. He later did road construction for United Paving.
He was also a self-employed logger, operating Mountain Dew Logging Co. in the Potlatch area for 20 years. He retired in 1992.
Mr. Normington was a member of the American Legion Post 81 and the Methodist church.
He is survived by his wife; three sons, Bob Normington of Potlatch, Steve Normington of Troy, Idaho, and Rick Normington of Marysville, Wash; three daughters, Vicki Ruddick of Pullman, Kathy Kammeyer of Moscow and Laurie Weinmann of Deary, Idaho; a brother, Dewayne Normington of Hay, Wash.; two sisters, Laurence Nearing of Clarkston, Wash., and Bernadine Kossman of Sandpoint; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, Potlatch, ID 83855.
Amy Voltz Greenacres
Memorial service for Amy Dorothy Voltz, 93, will be at 1 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
A 41-year Spokane-area resident, Mrs. Voltz died Sunday. She was born in Troy, Idaho. She was a homemaker.
Her husband of 47 years, Al Voltz, died in 1978.
Survivors include a son, Al Voltz of Chewelah, Wash; a daughter, Beverly Wheeler of Spokane; a sister, Mabel Peterson of Rice Lake, Wis.; and five grandchildren.
Boyd Gibson Moscow, Idaho
Service for Boyd Beach Gibson, 76, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. A memorial service will be held at a later date in the Mountain View Mormon Church in Moscow. Burial will be at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gibson, who was born in Fillmore, Utah, died Monday.
He attended school in Washougal, Wash., before serving in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Gibson worked as an insurance salesman with Northwestern Mutual Life and Beneficial Life, serving the Moscow, Idaho, and Walla Walla and Tri-Cities, Wash. areas.
He retired in 1984 and lived in Bonners Ferry before moving to Moscow in 1996.
Mr. Gibson was a former member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was a high priest in the Mormon Church and served as branch president and bishop in Pasco. He served missions in Fiji and Kiribati.
He was active with the Boy Scouts of America and also was an accomplished vocalist.
Survivors include his wife, Edith; three daughters, Kaye Lewis of Butte, Mont., Gloria Smith of Salt Lake City and Laura Hainsworth of Spokane; four sons, Rick and Mark Gibson, both of Spokane, Todd Gibson of Othello, Wash., and Chad Gibson of Seattle; 23 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the missionary fund of the Mormon Church.
James Embler Spokane
Graveside service for James Albert Embler was Tuesday at Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park.
Born in Seattle, Mr. Embler died last Thursday. He was 49.
Mr. Embler worked as a selfemployed contractor. He was a 15-year Spokane resident.
Survivors include his wife, Julia; three children, Heath Embler of Cheney, and Echo Lundeberg and Heather Embler, both of Lewiston; four brothers, Keith, Fred and Lee Embler, all of Deer Park, and LeRoy Heath of Colville, Wash.; a sister, Ruth Chester of Miamisburg, Ohio; and numerous grandchildren.
Marvin `Monk’ Shelman Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Service for Marvin “Monk” Shelman, 86, will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Bonners Ferry. Burial will follow at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Shelman, who was born in Hopkins, Mo., died Saturday.
He graduated from Bonners Ferry High School and later founded Shelman Realty.
Mr. Shelman was a member of the United Methodist Church, Knights of Pythias, the Masonic Lodge, Gideons, Kiwanis and the Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Boundary County School Board, the Idaho Wildlife Federation and the Boundary Community Hospital Board.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Virginia; three daughters, Lynne Lull of Texas, Nancy Wicks of Oregon and Sandra Aadland of Fort Belvoir, Va.; one son, Ron Shelman of Langley, Wash.; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the United Methodist Church, 206 Lincoln, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 or The Fry Foundation, P.O. Box 955, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.
Charles Hanshaw Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Service for Charles Baker “Chuck” Hanshaw, 85, will be today at 2 p.m. at Bonners Ferry Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry.
Mr. Hanshaw, who was born in Hummelstown, Pa., died Sept. 13.
He grew up in Pennsylvania and worked on a farm. He moved to Delaware and worked for DuPont for a short time. Mr. Hanshaw then worked as a heavy equipment mechanic in the construction industry before joining the Army in 1941. He served in Iceland and Normandy, France, laying communication cables for Allied troops.
He returned to Pennsylvania after his military service and worked as a heavy equipment operator in road construction before retiring and moving to Bonners Ferry in 1980.
Mr. Hanshaw was preceded in death by his wife and two sons.
Mabel Watson Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Mabel Marie Watson, 91, will be Saturday at Osburn (Idaho) Community Baptist Church. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Watson, who was born in Joplin, Mo., died Sunday.
She spent a year in an orphanage as a child, after the death of her father. She moved to Wallace in 1918.
In 1925 she married Willard Watson. She worked as a cook, feeding local miners, and later rolled bandages for the Red Cross during World War II and enrolled in a home nursing class.
She graduated from hotel/motel management school and worked as an assistant janitor with her husband at Wallace Elementary School.
Mrs. Watson was a member of Osburn Community Baptist Church, where she was active with service work. She moved to Post Falls in 1995.
Her husband died in 1987.
She is survived by three sons, Homer Watson of Montana, Charles Watson of Colorado and Ralph Watson of Post Falls; five daughters, Josephine Moss and Margaret Dove, both of Montana, Alma Gardinier of Minnesota, Carol Jones of Spokane and Marjorie Reeves of Post Falls; two sisters, Betty Schmeltz of New Mexico and Christina; 40 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.