Obituaries
LaVina `Punky’ Hensley Spokane
Visitation for LaVina Ruth “Punky” Hensley, 64, will be Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Service will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will be at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene with a reception to follow at the church fellowship hall.
Mrs. Hensley, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Wednesday.
She graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1954 and then graduated from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Spokane in 1957.
Mrs. Hensley married Joe Hensley in 1957, and they lived in Spokane, where she worked at Deaconess Medical Center’s emergency department for nearly 20 years. She also taught at the Deaconess School of Nursing.
She served as the school’s wellness coordinator and was recently the health promotion coordinator for Inland Northwest Health Services and Community Health Education and Resources in Spokane.
Mrs. Hensley also had served as chairperson and of numerous professional health promotion conferences.
Survivors include her husband, Joe; a son, Mark Hensley, and a daughter, Lori Lorentz, both of Spokane; two brothers, Melvin Schmidt of Hayden Lake, Idaho, and Loren Schmidt of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Maxine Hulick of Coeur d’Alene; and one grandson, Nick.
Ellen McDonough Omaha, Neb.
Memorial service for Ellen F. McDonough, 83, will be at 2 p.m. today at St. James Episcopal Church in Pullman. Bellevue Memorial Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Miss McDonough, who was born in Sumpter, Ore., died Nov. 18.
Her family moved to Pullman and then to Spokane.
She graduated from North Central High School in 1935. In 1949 she received a degree in home economics from Washington State University.
Miss McDonough returned to Pullman and worked at WSU for 33 years. She retired in 1982 as the assistant director of food service.
She recently moved to Omaha.
Miss McDonough was a volunteer with Early Learning Services, Families Together, Hospice, Pullman Convalescent Center and St. James Episcopal Church in Pullman.
Survivors include a daughter, Kristi Smith of Omaha; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Allen Harvey Spokane
Memorial service for Allen Alfred Harvey, 86, and his wife, Fannie, will be at 3 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mr. Harvey, who was born on a farm in Mondovi, Wis., died Wednesday.
He served in the Army with the 8th Field Artillery at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii from 1937 to 1939 and in the 1684th Combat Engineer Battalion in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska from 1941 to 1945.
He married Fannie Kent in 1945, and they moved to Spokane in 1955.
Mr. Harvey worked as a laborer for the Northern Pacific Railroad from 1955 to 1974.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
His wife died in 1999.
Survivors include three sons, Lewis Harvey of Spokane and Bruce and John Harvey, both of Riverside, Calif.; a daughter, Rose Goodwin of Spokane; two sisters, Marian Clow of Grayslake, Ill., and Shirley Pederson of Eleva, Wis.; eight grandchildren and four great-granddaughters.
Samuel Francis Spokane
Memorial service for Samuel L. Francis, 80, will be at 2 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.
Born in Waynesville, N.C., Mr. Francis died Tuesday.
From 1953 to 1976 he lived in Deer Park and worked for the Clayton (Wash.) Brick Miller. He also worked on a dairy farm in Deer Park and for Johnny Appleseed Apple Orchard in Malott, Wash.
He moved back to Spokane in 1999 from North Carolina and worked as a volunteer for the House of Charity.
Mr. Francis was a member of the Wesleyan Church.
Survivors include three sons, Marshall and Mark Francis, both of Spokane, and Matthew Francis of Germany; a daughter, Mary Fields of Concord, N.H.; three sisters, Eunice Hyatt, Lula Young and Hanna Wood, all of North Carolina; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
William Nelson Sandpoint
Viewing for William R. `Bill’ Nelson, 75, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Service is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry.
Born in Curlew, Wash., Mr. Nelson died Wednesday.
He lived in Washington state and then Montana before moving to Porthill, Idaho, with his family in 1937.
In 1942 he moved to Bonners Ferry. He married Marcella Madson in 1951 and worked as an edgeman and blocksetter in the timber industry for local companies, including Cameron Lumber Co., Kelson Lumber Co., and Ellersick Lumber Co.
Mr. Nelson moved to Sandpoint in 1963 and worked for Pack River Lumber Co. until retiring in 1982 due to his health.
He was an expert marksman with a shotgun and rifle and participated in an annual elk hunt in the Lolo, Mont., area. He shot a six-point elk on one expedition.
Mr. Nelson also enjoyed fishing, outdoor recreation and duck, goose and deer hunting.
Survivors include his wife; two brothers, Jack Nelson of Wichita, Kan., and Barry “Buck” Nelson of Post Falls; and a sister, Yvonne Hamilton of Colfax, Wash.
Vivien Sanger Ritzville, Wash.
Memorial service for Vivien M. Sanger, 81, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church in Ritzville. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Sanger died Wednesday. She was born in Molson, Wash., where she graduated from high school in 1934.
In 1937 she married Fred Sanger. They lived in Molson until 1946 when they moved to Oroville, Wash. They operated a feed and seed store.
Mrs. Sanger and her husband moved to a small farm at Eloika Lake in 1955. They moved to Ritzville in 1959.
In 1961 they leased the Tasty Freeze Drive Inn. They purchased the business in 1962 and renamed it the Kernal Drive Inn. The business was sold to their son, Arthur, in 1972.
Mrs. Sanger was a member of the Ritzville Eagles Auxiliary and the Ritzville Grandmothers Club. She was a volunteer at the Ritzville Life Care Center and the Molson Museum. Mrs. Sanger was recognized at the Honorary Home Care Banquet in 1984 for services she provided to the Ritzville community.
Her husband died in 1999.
Survivors include two sons, Arthur Sanger of Ritzville and Donald Sanger of Lind, Wash.; two daughters, Marge Schoessler and Mildred Kison, both of Ritzville; two brothers, Derrel Ciderblom of Hayden, Idaho, and Don Ciderblom of Harrison, Idaho; two sisters, Dorothy Scacco of Colville, Wash., and Audrey Kelly of Oroville; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Laurence Jahn Davenport, Wash.
Service for Laurence O. Jahn, a lifetime Davenport resident, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Strate Funeral Home in Davenport. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Davenport.
Mr. Jahn, 79, died Monday.
He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served during World War II. He received a Purple Heart and was discharged in 1945.
Mr. Jahn was a wheat farmer in the Davenport area. He was a member of the Davenport Senior Center.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia; four sons, Rick and Ron Jahn, both of Spokane, Laurence Jahn of Morton, Wash., and Robert Jahn of Vancouver, Wash., two daughters, Lauretta Hatten of Davenport and Lorraine Long of Wenatchee; three sisters, Marietta Innes of Deer Park, Gwen Rieth of Harrington, Wash., and Virginia Erickson of Roseburg, Ore.; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Iva Ellis Spokane
Visitation for Iva A. Ellis, 79 will be from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Service is planned for 10 a.m. Monday at Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park A 58-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Ellis died Wednesday. She was born in Bickleton, Wash.
In 1938 she married Stanley Ellis.
They lived in Prosser, Wash., until moving to Spokane in 1942.
Mrs. Ellis worked in the gift-wrap department for The Crescent department store from 1955 to 1965. She also was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Joe Ellis of Spokane and Darrel Ellis of Deer Park; a daughter, Virginia Fleming of Spokane; two sisters, Rosie Gump of Walla Walla and Helen Daugs of Bellingham; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Mardene McCarrey Spokane
Visitation for Mardene M. McCarrey, 67, will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday at Heritage Funeral Home. Service is planned for 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Ms. McCarrey died Monday.
She graduated from North Central High School in 1951.
Ms. McCarrey worked as a telephone operator for Pacific Northwest Bell and as a 911 operator. She also owned and operated the Lilac City Pilot Car and Escort Service.
Survivors include three sons, Michael, Jeff and Randy McCarrey, all of Spokane; her mother, Marie McCarrey of Spokane; a brother, Larry McCarrey of Longview, Wash.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Robert Steidl Sr. Spokane
Memorial service for Robert K. Steidl Sr., 76, will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Mary Queen Roman Catholic Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Steidl, who was born in Hibbing, Minn., died Wednesday.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, he moved to Spokane.
He worked as a firefighter for the Spokane Fire Department for 25 years and was a member of Mary Queen Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, AnnaBelle; two sons, Robert Steidl Jr. of Vancouver, Wash., and Frank Steidl of Escondido, Calif.; a daughter, Debbie McKinney of Spokane; two sisters, Dorothy Strick and Phyllis Sterling, both of San Diego; two brothers, Lester Steidl of Cookeville, Tenn., and Edwin Steidl of San Diego; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Dora (Cassel) Dobbels Spokane
Graveside service for Dora D. (Cassel) Dobbels, 83, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Dobbels, 83, died Monday.
She was born in Oakwood, Ill., and grew up in Lafayette, Ind.
In 1940 she married Edward Dobbels.
In 1989 Mrs. Dobbels moved to Spokane from Fort Wayne, Ind.
She had worked as a seamstress for drapery companies in Spokane and Fort Wayne.
Mrs. Dobbels was a member of Trinity Baptist Church.
Her husband died in 1982.
Survivors include four sons, Edward Dobbels of Spokane, Thomas Myers of Orange, Calif., Donald Myers of Marinoa Valley, Calif., and Joseph Dobbels of Phoenix; a brother, Joseph Cassel of Madras, Ore.; three sisters, Doris Vibbert of Gateway, Ore., Betty Beaman of Fort Wayne and Martha Gray of Indianapolis; nine grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Ray Walters Spokane
Graveside service for Ray A. Walters, 66, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 65-year Spokane resident, Mr. Walters died Sunday. He was born in Flathead, Mont.
He graduated from North Central High School.
From 1960 to 1964 he served in the Army.
Mr. Walters was a truck driver and a member of Teamsters Union Local 690.
His wife, Joyce, died in 1995.
Survivors include a daughter, Cynthia McCauley, and two sons, Brian and Johnny Walters, all of Spokane; a sister, Jeanne Harmond, of Spokane; and nine grandchildren.
Gerald Jacobs Spokane
No service will be held for Gerald Davis Jacobs, 79, at his request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jacobs, who was born in Cottage Grove, Ore., died Nov. 18.
He graduated from Minema High School in Birkenfield, Ore., in 1939 and from Birmingham (Ala.) South College in 1944.
He served in the Navy as an apprentice seaman from 1940 to 1941 and in the Army as a military police officer from 1942 to 1946.
Mr. Jacobs moved to Spokane in 1945.
He worked as a fire equipment operator for the Spokane Fire Department from 1947 to 1976. In 1966 he married Lillian Branson.
Mr. Jacobs later worked for Sears and retired in 1983.
He was a member of the Firemen’s Union Local 29.
His wife died in 1990.
Survivors include three stepdaughters, Cheryl McDonald, Sandra Branson-Furlett and Debora Ostlund, all of Spokane; and nine grandchildren.