Obituaries
William `Wally’ Singer Spokane
Burial service for William W. “Wally” Singer, 99, will be at 10 a.m. today in the chapel at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr.
Singer died Tuesday.
He graduated from North Central High School.
He was a civil engineer for the Washington State Highway Department. He worked on Cascade passes and on the layout of Washington state highways.
In 1937 he joined Roy L. Bair Construction and became a partner. After Mr. Bair’s death, Mr. Singer operated the company with Lester Johnson until retiring in 1957.
Mr. Singer was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Spokane Club and Athletic Round Table.
His wife, Frances, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a stepson, Louis Conyard, and 12 grandchildren.
Nancy Koopsen Hayden Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for Nancy R. Koopsen, 78, will be noon Sunday at The Church of Truth in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Koopsen, who was born in Chicago, died Jan. 28.
She lived in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, before moving to Kalamazoo, Mich., for several years. She settled in Hayden Lake 28 years ago.
Mrs. Koopsen worked locally as a private practice medical assistant.
She was a member of The Church of Truth.
She was preceded in death by her former husband, Gary Koopsen.
Survivors include two sons, Jay Koopsen of Spokane and Mark Koopsen of Hamilton, Wash.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Albert Nickolauson Otis Orchards
Service for Albert Nickolauson, 81, was Thursday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Burial followed at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Nickolauson, 81, died Tuesday. He was born in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Mr. Nickolauson served in the Army during World War II. He lived in Bonners Ferry until 1961.
He lived in Las Vegas for 19 years and then in The Dalles, Ore., for six years.
Mr. Nickolauson worked as a millwright for the lumber industry.
He moved to Otis Orchards two years ago.
Survivors include his wife, Agnes; two sons, Lance Nickolauson of Spokane and Ray Nickolauson of Tualatin, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Vernon Anderson Spokane
Visitation for Vernon C. Anderson, 80, will be from noon to 8 p.m. Monday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Service is planned for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Minnesota.
A 30-year Spokane resident, Mr. Anderson died Tuesday. He was born in Becker County, Minn.
He served in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Anderson worked as a drywall contractor in Spokane.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife, Maxine; three brothers, Glenn Anderson and Marvin Anderson, both of Wolf Lake, Minn., and Orlin Anderson of Foley, Minn.; and two sisters, Ardis Fuchs of Sauk Centre, Minn., and Lillian Erickson of Champlin, Minn.
James Messerly Colville, Wash.
Memorial service for James L. Messerly, 78, will be held at a later date. Frey Funeral Home in Wickenburg, Ariz., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Messerly, who was born in Malta, Mont., died Jan. 15 near his winter home in Wickenburg.
He served in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Messerly moved to Colville in 1962.
He worked in ranch real estate sales. He was also a professional calf roper and had owned and operated various stockyards.
Mr. Messerly spent the winter months in Arizona.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lorrene; a son, Leon Messerly of Talladega, Ala.; two grandsons and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children.
Hatsue Emoto Spokane
Visitation for Hatsue Emoto, 77, is planned from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Service will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Highland Park United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Emoto, who was born in Denver, died Wednesday.
She was a Spokane resident for more than 50 years and owned and operated the Broadway Cleaners with her husband, Harry.
She was a member of Highland Park United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband; four sons, Tom and Jerry Emoto, both of Spokane, John Emoto of Greenacres and James Emoto of Edmonds, Wash.; a daughter, Connie Birr of Oregon City, Ore.; a brother, John Kataoka of Spokane; a sister, Midori Moriyasu of Osaka, Japan; six grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Charles Hixon Spokane
Memorial service for Charles W. Hixon, 65, will be at 1 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North.
Mr. Hixon, who was born in Huntsville, Wash., died Wednesday.
His family came to Spokane in 1939. They lived in the Spokane and Cheney areas. Mr. Hixon graduated in 1952 from Cheney High School.
He was a mechanic from 1952 to 1982 at Buchanan Chevrolet and Freeway Chevrolet. From 1982 to 1985 he worked for Tom Price Chrysler-Plymouth. He retired in 1985 due to an injury.
Survivors include his wife, Charlene; a son, Larry Hixon of Spokane; two daughters, Tina Olson of Oldtown, Idaho, and Julie Hixon of Grants Pass, Ore.; two stepdaughters; a sister, Ladonna Warner of Roundup, Mont.; seven grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mitchell Sundseth Cusick, Wash.
No service will be held for Mitchell Gordon “Mitch” Sundseth, 59. Burial will be at the Newport (Wash.) Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sundseth, who was born in Halstad, Minn., died Jan 28 .
He graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco.
In 1967 he married Winnifred Eller.
Mr. Sunseth served in the Air Force from 1962 to 1984 and worked in the dental lab.
He moved to Cusick in 1984 and was a mail carrier for the Postal Service in Pend Oreille County.
Mr. Sundseth was a member of the Diamond Lake (Wash.) Grange and was vice president of the Pend Oreille County Historical Society.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Eric and Ryan Sundseth, both of Spokane, and Shawn Sundseth of Colorado Springs; his mother, Alpha Haussler of Bellingham; a brother, Marlo Sundseth of Bellingham; two sisters, Sylvia Thomson of Bellingham and Rosemay Vigre of Anacortes, Wash.; and a granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pend Oreille County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1409, Newport, WA 99156.
Charlotte Naccarato Spokane
Private service for Charlotte Ann Naccarato, 85, will be held. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Spokane, Mrs. Naccarato died Tuesday.
She was a homemaker and farmed with her husband, Tony, near Priest River, Idaho. They returned to Spokane in 1954.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Kendall Naccarato of Spokane and Ben Naccarato of Rathdrum, Idaho; a brother, Donald Klotz of Coeur d’Alene; two grandchildren and three great-granddaughters.
Terry Anderson Spokane
Memorial service for Terry Joel Anderson, 46, will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Ridgeview Christian Center. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Anderson, who was born in Greenwood, S.C., died Wednesday.
He was a 31-year Spokane resident and had graduated from Rogers High School.
Mr. Anderson served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
He worked at Kaiser Aluminum for 10 years.
Survivors include his wife of 14 years, Traci; three sons, Andrew, Alex and Robert; his father, Gary Anderson; three brothers, Arnold, Robbie and Mark Anderson; and two sisters, Judy Burns and Donna Lands.
Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Patient Care.
Phillip `Goose’ Pascal Fruitland, Wash.
Rosary for Phillip L. “Goose” Pascal, 64, will be at 7 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. A wake is planned for Sunday at the West End Community Center on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the community center. Burial will be at the Jerome Pascal Cemetery near Fruitland.
A lifetime Fruitland resident, Mr. Pascal died Wednesday.
He was a sawyer and edgerman for Lincoln Lumber, Hunters Lumber Co. and Long Lake Lumber.
Mr. Pascal was a member of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and was recently honored as one of the few remaining Spokane Indian language speakers.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn; his mother, Christine Russell of Spokane; three brothers, Dan Russell of Spokane and Porky and Conrad Pascal, both of Fruitland; and five sisters, Lucy Flett and Stella Ellefson, both of Spokane, Theresa Hecht of Rockford and Pauline Flett and Pat Austin, both of Fruitland.
Walt McNeil Hayden Lake, Idaho
Service for Walt J. McNeil, 87, will at 11 a.m. today at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel.
Mr. McNeil, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Wednesday.
He grew up and attended school in Coeur d’Alene. He worked locally for the Blackwell Lumber Co. for nine years and in 1933 married Esther Davis.
He later worked for Northwest Timber Co. as a rachet setter before joining the Army in 1945. He returned to Coeur d’Alene in 1946 after his military service and worked as a carpenter. He also was a school bus driver for the Coeur d’Alene School District.
His first wife, Esther, died in 1982.
He retired in 1984 and married Bea Morris. They settled in Hayden Lake.
Mr. McNeil was a member of the Coeur d’Alene American Legion Post and was past president of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Gordon McNeil of Hayden; a daughter, Pat Hendry of Coeur d’Alene; three stepsons, Walt Morris of Wardner, Idaho, Dale Morris of Las Vegas and Stan Morris of Spokane; two stepdaughters, Cathy Nickle of Arizona and Connie Frantz of Colorado; a brother, John McNeil of Mesa, Ariz.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
George Freeman Twin Falls, Idaho
Memorial service for George C. Freeman, 91, will be held in July in Concordia, Kan. White Mortuary in Twin Falls was in charge of cremation. Mr. Freeman, a former Spokane and Moscow, Idaho, resident, died Jan. 24. He was born in Kirwin, Kan., He graduated from high school in Kansas in 1926 and attended Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., before graduating in 1938 from Fort Hays State College in Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in education.
Mr. Freeman taught school for one year and then married Ila Martin in 1940. They lived in various areas of Kansas before settling in Wichita, where Mr. Freeman worked in the experimental division of Beech Aircraft until 1945.
He began his teaching career in 1946 as an industrial arts/woodworking instructor at Concordia Junior-Senior High School. He retired 1973.
He earned a master’s degree in education in 1966 from Emporia State University in Kansas.
Mr. Freeman was involved in numerous school activities and taught evening adult furniture refinishing and upholstering classes. He had also worked in the cabinetry and furniture industry and owned Freeman’s Sew and Knit Center until 1960.
After retiring Mr. Freeman worked in sewing-machine servicing and repair, doll-making and wood projects.
He and his wife moved to Moscow, Idaho, in 1987 to be near family and then moved to Spokane in 1995. He recently moved to Twin Falls. Mr. Freeman was a third-degree Mason and a member of the Order of Eastern Star and the United Methodist churches in Concordia, Moscow and Spokane. He had been involved with youth fellowship programs and church boards and had served as an usher and Sunday school teacher.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ila.
Survivors include a daughter, Meuriel Nystrom of Twin Falls; a son, John Freeman of Spokane; his sister, Ruth Doak of Concordia; three grandsons and two greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the First United Methodist churches of Concordia or Moscow or to Manito United Methodist Church in Spokane.
Cecil Birge Harrington, Wash.
Service for Cecil L. Birge, 74, will be at 11 a.m. today at Harrington Community Church. Burial will follow at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Harrington. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Birge, who died Wednesday, was born in Seattle.
He was raised in Harrington and graduated in 1943 from Harrington High School.
Mr. Birge served in the Navy during World War II.
He married Irene Schoenberg in 1948.
After his father’s death, Mr. Birge helped run the International implement dealership in Harrington until the early 1960s. He later was an insurance agent for 30 years.
Mr. Birge was a member of the Harrington Lions Club, Harrington Chamber of Commerce, Harrington Golf Club and the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Dennis Birge of Lacey, Wash., Mark Birge of Lake Oswego, Ore., and Tim Birge of Harrington; a daughter, Sharon Heimbigner of Ritzville, Wash.; a sister, Dora Swenson of Portland; 12 grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, or the Harrington Cemetery Endowment Fund, Harrington, WA 99134.
Roy Bucknell Spokane
Memorial Mass for Roy T. Bucknell will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paschal’s Roman Catholic Church. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Bucknell died Jan. 16 in Tucson, Ariz. He was 70.
He served in the Marine Corps from 1946 to 1949.
Mr. Bucknell married Josie Say in 1946; they divorced in 1994.
He worked for Montomery Ward and Sears before working for Arden Farms Dairy.
Mr. Bucknell and his wife owned and operated Porta-Pool Co. from 1962 to 1994.
He was active in the Boys Scouts of America as a cubmaster and pack committeeman in 1961 and from 1962 to 1964 held the positions of Cub, Webelo and Scout leader. He was scoutmaster of Troops 430 and 472. He received the St. George Medal, a Catholic Scouting Award, in 1965 and the Scouters Key in 1967 and 1971.
Mr. Freeman was a member of Scouting’s Order of the Arrow. He also was the past chairman of the Catholic Committee on Scouting, assistant Valley district commissioner and in 1981 was committee chairman.
Mr. Bucknell spent winters in Arizona.
Survivors include four sons, Mark, Robert, Donald and Bruce Bucknell; a daughter, Joan Nickle; a half-sister, Rosetta Battin; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Clayton Snider Keizer, Ore.
Memorial Mass for Clayton J. Snider, 85, was Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Salem, Ore. Private burial was at City View Cemetery in Salem.
A former 60-year Spokane resident, Mr. Snider died Monday. He was born in Medimont, Idaho.
He married Sophia Krekales in 1936.
Mr. Snider worked in maintenance at Spokane Community College for more than 12 years and retired in 1975.
He moved to Keizer eight years ago.
Mr. Snider was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salem.
Survivors include his wife; six sons, Allen Snider of Spokane, James and John Snider, both of Kirkland, Wash., Roy William of Woodinville, Wash., Richard Snider of Sonoma, Calif., and Steven Snider of Keizer; two daughters, Nancy Mills of Spokane and Mary Kelso of Kirkland; two brothers, Richard and Joe Snider, both of Spokane; a sister, Mary Yuric of Montana; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Maurice Bailey Post Falls
Burial service for Maurice J. Bailey, 89, was held. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bailey, who was born in Montana, died Jan. 21.
He was a previous longtime Spokane resident and worked at area lumber mills and also in the construction industry.
Mr. Bailey moved to Post Falls in the early 1990s.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rose.
Survivors include six sisters, Nellie Averill and Clella Daniels, both of Spokane, Ruth Bailey and Alma Lock, both of Los Angeles, Lennie Boe of Helena and Dorothy Edgeington of Seattle; and two grandchildren.