Obituaries

Stan MacDonald Spokane

Funeral Mass for Stan MacDonald, 67, will be at 11 a.m. today at Assumption Roman Catholic Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. MacDonald, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.

He was an instructor at Spokane Community College.

Mr. MacDonald was a member of Assumption Catholic Church and was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. For the past eight months he had volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul, which plans to name its chapel after him.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Sheila; three sons, Ken MacDonald of Denver, Tom MacDonald of Portland and Mike MacDonald of Cincinnati; two daughters, Karen MacDonald of Spokane and Patty Caldwell of Olympia; a sister, Geri Vance of Seattle; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mariah Mathia Oldtown, Idaho

Service for Mariah Noelle Mathia will be at 11 a.m. today at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Priest River, Idaho. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mariah, who was born in Klamath Falls, Ore., died Sunday near Oldtown in a tubing accident. She was 11.

She was in the fifth grade of homeschool studies and had moved to the area with her family nine months ago from Camano Island, Wash.

Survivors include her parents, Virgil and Tracy Mathia; three brothers, Chris, A.J. and Jance, and a sister, Shaena, all at home; her grandparents, Carolyn Jayne of Roseburg, Ore., James Furness of Orvolle, Calif., and Herb and Dee Jones of Chiloquin, Ore.; and her great-grandparents, Hermoine Cambas of Pasco and Gene Parkinson of Auburn, Calif.

Joyce Saari Coeur d’Alene

Memorial service for Joyce Saari, 75, will be at 2 p.m. today at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Private burial will be at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Saari, who was born in Kellogg, died Tuesday.

She graduated in 1942 from Kellogg High School and married Ken Saari that year. They lived in Kellogg.

Mrs. Saari moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1991 after the death of her husband.

She was a former member of the American Lutheran Church in Kellogg.

Survivors include three daughters, Cheryl Papesh of Spokane, Joanie Hedge of Coeur d’Alene and Valerie Young of Hayden, Idaho; her mother, Inez Ehlers of Spokane; a sister, Donna Pardini of Priest Lake, Idaho; and nine grandchildren.

Milton `Mickey’ Ofsthun Makoti, N.D.

Service for Milton J. “Mickey” Ofsthun, 66, was Monday at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minot, N.D. Burial was at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Minot.

Mr. Ofsthun, a former Davenport, Wash., resident, died Dec. 12. He was born on the family farm near Surrey, N.D.

He worked for Hart Motors in Minot and as an ambulance driver for Schram’s Ambulance Service until 1952.

Mr. Ofsthun served in the National Guard and was called to active duty with the Navy in 1953. After he was discharged, he returned to Minot.

He married Caroline Koffler in 1956, and they moved to Washington state in 1967. They later moved to Eugene, Ore., where he was a heavy-equipment operator for Wildish Sand and Gravel.

They moved to Davenport in 1981 and owned and operated the Green Parrot Cafe in Edwall, Wash. In 1994 Mr. Ofsthun and his wife moved to Makoti, where they owned and operated the Community Cafe until retiring in 1996.

He was a member of the Teamsters Union and the Minot Eagles Lodge.

His wife died in 1998.

Survivors include three daughters, Julia O’Reilly of Spokane, Kim Warwick of Reardan and Nancy Babcock of Creswell, Ore.; four sons, Michael Ofsthun of Davenport, David Ofsthun of Fall Creek, Ore., Mark Ofsthun of Wichita, Kan., and Darren Ofsthun of Imperial Beach, Calif.; two sisters, Marjorie Bunce of Bismarck, N.D., and Irene Bertsch of Minot; and two brothers, Clarence Ofsthun of Golden Valley, Minn., and Harold Ofsthun of Minot.

Jesse `Pat’ Collins Spokane

Service for retired Navy Cmdr. Jessee “Pat” Collins, 75, will be at 11 a.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Cmdr. Collins, who was born in Phon, Mont., died Monday while visiting his granddaughter in Houston. He was a 27-year Spokane area resident.

He graduated from Minot (N.D.) State College in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry.

Cmdr. Collins served 30 years in the Navy and was a commanding officer at the Spokane Navy Reserve Center from 1974 to 1976.

He had been a member of the Airway Heights City Council and a longtime member of the Spokane West Rotary Club.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Clara; two daughters, Nancy Baker and Janet Gross; two sons, Douglas and Marc Collins; seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Arthur Haggard Jr. Rathdrum, Idaho

Memorial service for Arthur Lee Haggard Jr., 67, was Wednesday at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene.

Mr. Haggard, who was born in Tacoma, died Thursday.

He moved to Southern California as a child and later attended North Hollywood High School.

Mr. Haggard moved to the Spokane area in 1975.

He held several occupations including ambulance attendant, truck driver, security officer and mechanic.

Mr. Haggard enjoyed carpentry and construction and helped to build several houses and churches, includingthe Assembly of God Church in Deer Park.

He most recently had lived in Spirit Lake and Rathdrum, Idaho, where he was an apartment manager with his wife of 10 years, Carol.

Mr. Haggard was a member of the American Legion Post in Post Falls.

Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Ginny Bumgardner, Paulette West, Sherry Haggard and Jessica McCubbin; six sons, Rick and David Jacks, and Larry, Shawn, Darth and Arthur Lee Haggard III; a sister, Joann Overson; a brother, Steven Chatlos Arnold; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Rena Wen Pullman

Visitation for Rena Hsing-fang Wen, 80, will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday at Kramer Funeral Home in Pullman. Service is planned for 1 p.m. Sunday at Simpson United Methodist Church in Pullman. Burial will follow at the Pullman City Cemetery.

Mrs. Wen, who was born in Beijing, China, died Sunday.

She grew up in Suzhou and Shanghai, China, during the SinoJapanese War. She attended McTyeire School for Girls. She graduated from Soochow University and worked in the ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs in the wartime capital of Chongqing, China.

Mrs. Wen married Herbert Wen in 1947 and moved to Seattle that year. She was assigned to the Nationalist Chinese Consulate.

She moved to Pullman in 1966 and worked as a researcher for the Department of Education at Washington State University for five years. She was later a homemaker.

She is survived by her husband, and a son, George Wen of New York City.

William Thoday Moses Lake

Visitation for William Frederick Thoday, a former Idaho and Spokane resident, will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Price Helton Funeral Home in Auburn, Wash. Memorial service is planned for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Mr. Thoday, who was born in Kent, Wash., died Wednesday. He was 85.

He was a truck driver and worked for Pozzi Bros. in Kent and later at Seattle Transfer.

In 1954 Mr. Thoday moved to Idaho, where he worked for a dairy. In 1963 he moved to Spokane and worked at Riverside Transfer until retiring.

He moved to Moses Lake in 1994.

Mr. Thoday was a volunteer firefighter in Kent.

Survivors include his wife, Cleo; three sons, William Thoday Jr. of Lewiston, David Thoday of Auburn and Wayne Thoday of Seattle; three stepsons, Dick Collins of Puyallup, Wash., Bob Collins of Virginia and Steve Collins of Sumner, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Chris Denean of Federal Way, Wash.; 15 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Donald Hively Spokane

Service for Donald D. Hively, 86, is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mr. Hively, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.

He was a machinist for Union Pacific Railroad. He later was a truck driver for Mayflower and also had driven truck for The Crescent department store for 25 years.

Mr. Hively was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the American Association of Retired Persons. He was also a 12-year trustee with Teamsters Union Local No. 690 and served as president for the Union Pacific Credit Union for four years.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Mollie; a son, Michael Hively of Deer Park; a daughter, Donna Kroetch of Spokane; a sister, Mary Darling of Seattle; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mary Drewes Spokane

Graveside service for lifetime Spokane resident, Mary L. Drewes, 74, will be at 1 p.m. today at Moran Prairie Cemetery. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Drewes died Sunday.

She was a sales clerk for Kress department store for 30 years and for Newberry’s for 15 years. She retired in 1988.

Survivors include a sister, Leona Anderson and a brother, Paul Drewes, both of Spokane.

Dorothy Riekena Bonners Ferry

Memorial service for Dorothy Marie Riekena, 72, will be at 11 a.m. today at Bonners Ferry Trinity Lutheran Church. Inurnment will follow at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Riekena, who died Monday, was born in Lewiston.

She graduated in 1946 from Bonners Ferry High School.

She worked at the Corner Drug Store and General Telephone Co. and transferred to GTE in Mullan, Idaho, in 1949.

She married Dick Riekena in 1949. They lived in Mullan until settling in Bonners Ferry in 1953. They later leased The Sportsman Club.

Mrs. Riekena was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the American Legion and Eagles Lodge auxiliaries. She enjoyed golf, bowling, cross-country skiing and water activities.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Survivors include a daughter, Shannon Snyder of Bonners Ferry; two sons, Rick and Kim Riekena, both of Bonners Ferry; a sister, Janet Krogseth of Spokane; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Emily Futter Coeur d’Alene

Visitation for Emily M. Futter, 93, will be today from 2 to 5 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Garfield (Wash.) Cemetery.

Born in Garfield, Mrs. Futter died Tuesday. She graduated from high school in Garfield and then married Glen Futter in 1930. They lived in Genesee, Idaho, and moved to Farmington, Wash., before settling in Coeur d’Alene in 1944.

She enjoyed gardening, traveling and raising house plants.

Her husband died in 1996.

Survivors include two daughters, Mary Mooney of Coeur d’Alene and May Jackson of Bloomington, Ill.; a sister, Fern Copner of Garfield; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Cornelius Mohr Spokane

Funeral Mass for Cornelius J. Mohr, 85, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Mohr, who died Monday, was born in Glidden, Wis.

He was a 62-year Spokane resident. and was a welder in aircraft construction.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Edith; three sons, Kenneth, Michael and Wayne Mohr; three daughters, Barbara Haedt, Judy Blewett and Kay Muelrath; four sisters, one brother, 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

JoAnn Brower Spokane

No service will be held for JoAnn Brower, 56, at her request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Brower, who was born in Portland, died Tuesday. She was a 20-year Spokane resident and was a homemaker.

Survivors include a daughter, Sena Blickenstaff of Kellogg; two sons, Mitch Brower of Kellogg and John Brower of California; and five grandchildren.

Arlene Bingaman Deer Park

Service for Arlene Lea Bingaman, 67, was Wednesday at Open Door Congregational Church in Deer Park. Burial was at Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park.

Mrs. Bingaman, who was born in Helena, died Sunday.

She graduated from Deer Park High School in 1950.

Mrs. Bingaman was a homemaker and made afghans and cross-stitch collectible items. Her afghan was judged the Best of the Fair at the 1977 Spokane Interstate Fair.

Survivors include five daughters, Abi Carpenter of Spokane, Jean Mitzimberg of Post Falls, Tina Rassier of Cheney, Linda Valdez of Rio Rancho, N.M., and Leanne Bingaman of Kuwait; two sons, Paul Bingaman of Spokane and Michael Dingman of Greenacres; and 11 grandchildren.

Mark Mildren Anchorage, Alaska

Memorial service for Mark Alan Mildren, 33, is planned for 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Living Faith Fellowship in Pullman. Witzleben Funeral Home in Anchorage is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Mildren died Nov. 30 from injuries suffered in an accident at the TransNorthern Aviation hangar on Lake Hood in Anchorage.

He was born in Seattle and moved with his family to Spokane when he was 8 months old. He lived in Spokane until he was 16, when they moved to Pullman.

Mr. Mildren graduated in 1987 from Pullman Christian School and attended Washington State University from 1987 to 1990. He moved to Alaska in the summer of 1990 to work on a fishing boat.

He graduated from the University of Alaska in 1993 with an associate of applied science degree in aviation maintenance technology.

Mr. Mildren worked as an airplane mechanic in Spokane, Denver, Garfield, Wash., Lewiston and Emmonak, Alaska.

He married Tristene Kilroe in 1999 and moved back to Anchorage in June.

He was a member of Anchorage Christian Center, Missionary Aviation Foundation and the National Rifle Association.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Jason, at home; his parents, Stanley and JoAnn of Pullman; three sisters, Joelle Mildren of Spokane, Jane Lawford of Moscow, Idaho, and Lynn Miles of Everett; four brothers, Tom Mildren of Spokane, Tim and Dan Mildren, both of Pullman and Nate Mildren of Moscow; and his grandmothers, Selia Mildren of Bigfork, Mont., and Florine Benson of Seattle.

Robert Brown Spokane

Private family service was held for Robert L. Brown, 74.

Mr. Brown, who died Tuesday, was born in Paragould, Ark.

He served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He later served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as a master sergeant.

Mr. Brown had worked for the Washington Department Social and Health Services.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Liselotte; two sons, Thomas and Gregory Brown; a daughter, Helen Swan; three brothers, Glenn, Gary and Jerry Brown, all of Arkansas; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Charles `Chuckie’ Sheridan Spokane

Memorial service for Charles Eli “Chuckie” Sheridan, 42, will be held at a later date. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Sheridan, who was born in Newport, died Monday.

He was a welder and had worked in Alaska, Texas and Washington.

Survivors include two sons, Carson Sheridan of Spokane and Chance Sheridan of Florida; his mother, Charlotte Sheridan of Spokane; and two brothers, James Sheridan of Mead and Danny Sheridan of Usk, Wash.

Winifred Simpson Spokane

No service will be held for Winifred E. “Winnie” Simpson at her request. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Simpson, 76, died Monday. She was born in Bonners Ferry and was a 48-year Spokane resident.

She worked in housekeeping at Edgecliff Hospital and as a school cook for Pratt Elementary School. She later worked in housekeeping at Valley Hospital and Medical Center.

Survivors include two sons, Dan Simpson of Spokane and Ken Comer of Bonners Ferry; a daughter, Sandy Baker of Spokane; three brothers, Jack, Gale and Leland Plato; and five grandchildren.

Reubin Kissler Spokane

Memorial service for Reubin H. Kissler, 87, will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Westminster Congregational Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Kissler, who was born in Odessa, Wash., died Dec. 15.

He was a 68-year Spokane resident and was a store manager for Safeway and later managed the human resources and public relations department for the Spokane division of Safeway grocery stores. He retired after 47 years.

Mr. Kissler was a 45-year member of the Westminster Congregational Church, which he served as a member of the diaconate. He was a member of the Pacific Northwest Human Resources and Personnel Management Association, the Chamber of Commerce/Ag Bureau, the United Way board, the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and was a charter member of Hangman Valley Men’s Golf Club. He also served as a director of the Lilac Festival Association for 44 years and was a volunteer for the Tree of Sharing and Meals on Wheels.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Dorothy; a son, Larry Kissler, and a daughter, Trisha Kissler, both of Spokane; a brother, Laurence Kissler; and two grandchildren.

Harold `Papa’ Clements Spokane

Graveside service for Harold G. “Papa” Clements, 86, was Monday at Pines Cemetery.

Mr. Clements, who died Dec. 14 , was born in Bassett, Neb.

He was a longtime Walla Walla resident and was a small business owner there. He retired in 1984 and moved to Spokane.

Mr. Clements was a lifetime member of Grace United Methodist Church in Walla Walla and was a member of the Kiwanis Club in Walla Walla, which he had served as president.

His wife of 63 years, Marie, died in 1998.

Survivors include a daughter, Lois Roemer, and two sons, Ken and Robert Clements, all of Spokane; a brother, Ira Clements of Fort Collins, Colo.; six grandchildren, 12 greatgrandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

Laddie Harris Pullman

No service will be held for Laddie Harris, 77, at his request. Kramer Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Harris, who was born in Quitman, Ga., died Tuesday.

He attended Barney schools in Georgia and served in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He was discharged in 1946 as a corporal.

Mr. Harris moved to Palouse, Wash., in 1953 and worked at the Potlatch Mill in Idaho. He worked in the box factory as a machine-setter operator and was later in the planer department as a feeder and setter. He retired in 1983 after 30 years.

He moved to Pullman in 1982.

He is survived by a brother, R.J. Harris of Jacksonville, Fla.

Doris `Dot’ Crowley Hayden, Idaho

No service will be held for Doris C. “Dot” Crowley, 84, at her request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Nampa, Idaho, Mrs. Crowley died Dec. 17.

She lived in Milton-Freewater, Ore., before settling in the Hayden area in 1949. Mrs. Crowley worked as a professional antique porcelain restorer.

Her husband, George, died in 1987.

Survivors include three daughters, Sharon Smith of Hayden, Timmie Coon of Mead and Kit Hoffer of Post Falls; three sisters, Helen Morris of Boise, Millie Johnson of Fort Collins, Colo., and Shirley Olsen of Newberg, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Opal Turcotte Coeur d’Alene

No service will be held for Opal J. Turcotte, 91, at her request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Turcotte, who was born in Loveland, Colo., died Sunday.

She lived in Spokane for several years before moving to Coeur d’Alene. She was a homemaker and operated the Salvation Thrift Store. Mrs. Turcotte also worked at Sunset Terrace nursing home for several years.

Her husband, Raymond, preceded her in death.

Survivors include three daughters, Jean Homer of Bothell, Wash., Shirley Harper of Post Falls, and Bonita Potratz of Pierce, Idaho; 11 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren.