Obituaries

Clinton Wagner Spokane

Memorial service for Clinton James Wagner, 80, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Community Congregational Church of Christ in Pullman. Spokane Cremation and Burial Service is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Wagner, who was born in Chewelah, Wash., died Monday.

He graduated from Jenkins High School in Chewelah in 1936. He served in the Army during World War II.

Mr. Wagner graduated from Washington State University in 1946. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

He moved to Seattle after graduation and worked as a shop teacher for several years before returning to Pullman in 1955. He also was a guidance counselor, vice principal and principal at Pullman High School before retiring in 1980.

Mr. Wagner was a member of the National Education Association, Masonic and Elks lodges, Pullman Retired Teachers Association and the Washington State University Foundation. He also was chairman of the Pullman Child Welfare Society.

His wife, Marjorie, died in 1995.

Survivors include two sons, Thom Wagner of Spokane and James Wagner of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Selkirk-Priest Basin Association, P.O. Box 1809, Priest River, ID 83856, the American Cancer Association or the American Heart Association.

Dolores Nelson Newport, Wash.

Memorial service for Dolores Alfa Nelson, 68, will be today at 1:30 p.m. at American Lutheran Church in Newport. Spokane Cremation and Burial Service is in charge of arrangements.

Miss Nelson, who was born in Omak, died Monday.

She grew up in the Everett area and in 1952 married Joe Romaneschi. They later moved to Cedar Bluffs, N.D.

Miss Nelson moved to Spokane in 1964. She and her husband later divorced.

Miss Nelson was a mail carrier in Spokane for many years before moving to Newport four years ago.

She is survived by four sons, J.D. and Daniel Romaneschi, both of Spokane, Tom Nelson of Newport and Cal Romaneschi of Tacoma; a daughter, Andrea Salmonsen of Tacoma; her mother, Elsa Chalmers of Fort Myers, Fla.; and six grandchildren.

Florence (Hunter) Kaufman Colville, Wash.

Service for Florence L. (Hunter) Kaufman, 83, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Steele Chapel at Longview (Wash.) Memorial Park. Danekas Funeral Home in Colville is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Kaufman, who was born in Golden Valley, N.D., died Saturday.

She graduated from high school in North Dakota.

Mrs. Kaufman moved to Longview in 1942. She lived in Tacoma for a short time before marrying her husband, Del, in 1972 and moving to Longview, Wash.

A resident of Colville for 24 years, Mrs. Kaufman worked as a sales clerk for Sprouse-Reitz in Colville.

Survivors include her husband; a brother, Darrell Hunter of Longview; and a sister, Lucille Bowerman of Tappan, N.D.

Memorial contributions may be made to Stevens County Fire District 9.

Elmer Thies Spokane

Memorial open house for Elmer Alfred Thies, 89, will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at the Spokane Valley Eagles Lodge No. 3443. The Neptune Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Thies, who was born and raised in Coteau, N.D., died Monday.

He was a shift foreman at Kaiser Aluminum for many years before retiring in 1970.

Mr. Thies had served on the board of directors for the West Valley School District, the Irvin Water District and Pines Cemetery.

He was a 50-year Golden Eagle.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Leone; a son, Roger Thies of of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Carroll `CJ’ Joelyn Porter Spokane

Service for Carroll “CJ” Joelyn Porter, 73, is planned for today at 3 p.m. at Sunset Chapel, Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home are in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Porter, who was born in San Antonio, died Saturday.

She received a diploma in nursing from Breckinridge Hospital in 1949.

From 1949 until 1954 she worked as a registered nurse at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Huntington, Calif., Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles, and the Veterans Affair Medical Center in Brentwood, Calif.

She then received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University-Los Angeles in 1963. In 1965 she received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of California Los Angeles.

Mrs. Porter then worked for Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and at various Veterans Affairs hospitals in Los Angeles; Wichita, Kan.; Johnson City, Tenn.; Loma Linda, Calif.; and Walla Walla.

She moved to Spokane in 1989 and worked at Veterans Affairs Medical Center until her retirement in 1994.

She was a member of American Organization of Nurse Executives, National League for Nursing, Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, Genealogical Society of Southern California, Washington State Organization of Nurse Executives, the Northeast Council Directors of Nurses and Delta Chi-At-Large of Sigma Theta Tau. She also was a board member of the Washington State League for Nursing.

She is survived by several cousins.

David Goodwin Cheney

Service for David A. Goodwin, 50, will be held at 11 a.m. today at Cheney Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Goodwin, who was born in Spokane and raised in Cheney, died Sunday.

He graduated from Cheney High School in 1967. While a student he was a manager for the Cheney Blackhawks basketball team and traveled with the team to the state tournament.

After he graduated, he worked as a mail sorter with the Postal Service as a delivery person in the warehouse at Eastern Washington University.

He later worked for Goodwill Industries in Spokane, where he was named Employee of the Year in 1985.

Mr. Goodwin took early retirement from the Goodwill due to a kidney transplant. After his surgery he volunteered at the Kidney Center at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Survivors include his mother, Devota Goodwin, and a sister, Anna Ames, both of Cheney.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Donald Williams Rathdrum, Idaho

Memorial gathering for Donald Keith Williams, 42, was held Wednesday in Rathdrum. Private family service will be held at a later date in Montana. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Williams, who was born in Livingston, Mont., died Sunday.

He grew up in Livingston and later moved to Billings, Mont., in 1966 and lived there until moving to Spokane in 1990.

Mr. Williams recently moved to Rathdrum.

He was enjoyed outdoor recreation sports and fishing.

Survivors include his father and stepmother, Donald and Betty Williams of Livingston; his mother, Margie Stafford of Billings; five brothers, Vince and Danny Williams, and Barry McDonald, all of Montana, Guy Williams of Oregon, and Bill McDonald of California; and a sister, Pam Frederick of Liberty Lake.

Michael Delaney Spokane

Private memorial service for Michael D. Delaney, 41, will be held at a later date. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Delaney, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Sunday.

He graduated from Shadle Park High School in 1976. He later received a bachelor’s degree in human geography from Eastern Washington University.

Mr. Delaney was a meat packer for Bonanza Meats for five years. Later he became the manager for both Wild Waters and the Mount Spokane Ski Resort.

He was involved in Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Delaney was an active participant in Alcoholics Anonymous for 20 years. He founded two area groups, the North Side Miracles and Back in the Mainstream.

He was a member of the Inland Empire Bloodhounds Search and Rescue team and the Eagles Lodge.

Mr. Delaney was a foster parent for Children International.

He is survived by two sisters, Pamela McVay of Nine Mile Falls and Susan Jones of Medical Lake.

Memorial contributions may be made to Alcoholics Anonymous, Children International, Inland Empire Search and Rescue, Boy Scouts of America or the American Cancer Society.

Laura (Cooper) Holland Kettle Falls, Wash.

Service for Laura M. (Cooper) Holland, 70, will be today at 11 a.m. at Danekas Funeral Home in Colville, Wash. Burial will take place at Meyers Falls Cemetery in Kettle Falls.

Mrs. Holland, who was born in Cedonia, Wash., died Sunday.

She attended the Huckleberry School near Cedonia, Wash. During this time she worked in the orchards and as a cook.

Mrs. Holland married her husband, Allan, in 1945, and they later moved to Colville.

She began working in the janitorial department of Boise Cascade in 1967. She also worked as a janitor for the Kettle Falls (Wash.) Post Office for seven years before her retirement.

Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Marie Young, Donna Holland and Georgia Blankenship, all of Kettle Falls, Wash.; three sons, Marvin and Ron Holland, both of Kettle Falls, and Floyd Holland of Anchor Point, Alaska; a sister, May Picard of Nespelem, Wash.; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cedonia Community Church and Cemetery.

Jeanne Buringa Spokane

No service for Jeanne E. Buringa, 61, will be held at her request. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Buringa, who was born in Scotland, died Friday.

She was a 32-year resident of Spokane and worked as a key-punch operator for many companies in Spokane.

Survivors include her partner, Ernie Marginson; a daughter, Lynda Eberly of Spokane; a son, Tom Kirkckof of Toms River, N.J.; and four grandchildren.

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

James Nelson Pullman

Memorial service for James C. Nelson, 91, will be Friday at 3 p.m. at the Community Congregational Church in Pullman. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Nelson, who was born on a farm in Bickleton, Wash., died Sunday.

He graduated as valedictorian from Bickleton High School in 1926. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1930 with a bachelor’s degree. He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa scholastic honorary. He received his master’s degree in economics from Ohio State University in 1931 and received a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 1934.

Mr. Nelson married his wife, Helen, in 1935.

He served as chief of the Common Carrier Bureau of the Department of Commerce for 10 years. In 1947 he became a professor of economics at Washington State University. He retired in 1974.

After retirement he continued to teach at several universities including the University of British Columbia, the University of Wisconsin, and Monash Universities in Melbourne, Australia.

Mr. Nelson was the author of two books and of numerous articles published in professional journals.

He was a member of the American Economics Association, a founding member of the Transport and Public Utilities Group, and a charter member of the Transportation Research Forum.

Mr. Nelson’s wife died in January.

Survivors include two sons, James Nelson Jr. of Bedford, Texas, and Richard Nelson of Orinda, Calif.; two brothers, Elmer Nelson of Bickleton, Wash., and Thomas Nelson of Yakima; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Department of Economics at Washington State University.

Juanita Stinson Spokane

Graveside service for Juanita Stinson, 85, will be at 11 a.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Stinson, a longtime Spokane resident who was born in Girard, Kan., died Thursday.

She worked as a clerk for 20 years at Andy’s Food Store at the bottom of the North Monroe Street hill.

Mrs. Stinson was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and the Rose Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Delbert.

Survivors include a son-in-law, Donald Frazier of Vancouver, Wash.; one granddaughter and four great-grandchildren.

Eleanor Wilkey Spokane

Private service will be held for Eleanor Marie Wilkey, 73. The Neptune Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Wilkey, who was born in Santa Monica, Calif., died Saturday. A 20-year resident of Spokane. she was a nurses’ assistant in the home health-care industry in Spokane.

Survivors include her husband of 28 years, Rodger; three daughters, Susan Troy, Linda Blakley and Rena Graves; and five sons, Clyde, Frank, Joel and Mark Grizzle, and David Wilkey; 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Food Bank.