Obituaries
Sister Francis Altman, S.P Spokane
Funeral Mass for Sister Francis Anthony Altman, S.P., 93, will be at 1:30 p.m. today at Mount St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Spokane, Sister Altman died Monday.
She graduated from Holy Names Academy in 1928 and entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of Providence in Seattle in 1932. She professed her first vows in 1933 and her final vows in 1936.
Sister Altman received a nursing degree from Columbus Hospital School of Nursing in Great Falls, Mont., in 1937.
Sister Altman worked as a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Columbus Hospital in Great Falls, Holy Family Hospital in St. Ignatius, Mont., the St. Ignatius Hospital (now Whitman Community Hospital) in Colfax, Wash., Mount St. Joseph in Spokane, St. Clare Hospital in Fort Benton, Mont., Joseph Home for the Aged in Spokane.
After 68 years as a Sister of Providence, she retired in 1992 to Mount St. Joseph.
Sister Altman is survived by several nieces and nephews.
Vera McElfish Spokane
Memorial service for Vera McElfish, 92, was Monday at Rock of Ages Christian Fellowship. Private graveside service will be at Riverside Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Thornton, Wash., Mrs. McElfish died Thursday.
In 1928 she married Joe Kincaid. He was killed in a car accident.
In 1934 she married Wayne Lawson, and during World War II they operated Western Parcel Delivery Service in Spokane. Her husband died in 1946, and she moved to Marysville, Wash., and worked for the Mission Bible Institute.
In 1947 she moved her family back to Spokane and later helped start Eldaha Christian High School.
In 1949 she married Maril McElfish.
She later worked as a nurses aide in the health care industry.
Mrs. McElfish was a member of the Spokane American Family Association.
Her husband died in 1990.
Survivors include three sons, Wayne and David Lawson, both of Spokane, and Dean Kincaid of LaGrange, Ill.; three daughters, Marilu Malott of Spokane, Waynetta Brown of Marysville and Eilene Zachry of Arlington, Wash.; eight stepchildren, Charles, John, Jim, Raymond and Maril McElfish Jr., Rosemary Shipman, Barbara Bunch and Dorothy Templeton; a sister, Alma Duncan of Camarillo, Calif.; 66 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rock of Ages Christian Fellowship.
Robert Janson Sr. Walla Walla
Graveside service for Robert W. Janson Sr., 51, was held Tuesday at Evergreen Cemetery in Plummer, Idaho.
Mr. Janson, who was born in Tekoa, Wash., died July 14.
He grew up in the Plummer area and served with the Army during the Vietnam War.
He married Deanetta Antelope in 1972.
He lived in Plummer and worked as a sawmill operator for Pacific Crown Mill. He moved to Walla Walla 10 years ago.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Robert Janson Jr. of Worley, Idaho; a daughter, Juanita Janson of Walla Walla; three brothers, Dave, Steve and Donald Janson, and two sisters, Doreen McCully and Maxine Leitz, all of Plummer; two stepbrothers, William Davison of California and Leonard Davison of Arizona; a stepsister, Robert Davison of Walla Walla; and 11 grandchildren.
Dorothy Finnerty Spokane
Rosary for Dorothy Marie Finnerty, 84, will be 7 p.m. today at Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church. Funeral Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Finnerty died Sunday.
She was a 52-year Spokane resident.
During World War II she worked for the American Red Cross in the China, India and Burma Theaters under the United States Organizations.
Mrs. Finnerty taught fourth grade at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Grade School from 1965 to 1975.
She was a charter member of the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and Altar Society. She was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the service league at Sacred Heart Medical Center and the American Red Cross.
Her husband of 48 years, Thomas, died in 1994.
Survivors include four sons, Terry, Tom and Brian Finnerty, all of Spokane, and Tim Finnerty of San Diego; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Spokane.
Henry Rautio Spokane
Memorial service for Henry Walter Rautio, 78, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at North Hill Christian Church. Inurnment will be held at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Maple Valley, Wash. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Belt, Mont., Mr. Rautio died Sunday.
He graduated from Geyser (Mont.) High School in 1940.
He married Shonnie Luoma in 1942 and that same year he joined the Army Air Corps, where he served as an airplane mechanic.
After leaving the service his family moved to Spokane.
He worked as a parts manager for Modern Machinery for 30 years.
He was a member of the North Hill Christian Church, the Scottish Rite Bodies, the El Katif Legion of Honor and Shrine, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Trinity Court 57 Order of Amaranth. He also was a member and past master of the North Hill Masonic Lodge 210, and was a past master and secretary of the Eastern Washington Lodge of Research 310.
He was the president of the board of trustees for the Downtown Masonic Temple Board, and also had served as the Shrine Circus Chairman since 1988.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Denise Brown and Patricia Cumming; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hill Christian Church, Shriners Hospital for Children or North Hill Masonic Lodge.
Jimmy Hoag Spokane
Memorial service for Jimmy A. Hoag, 68, will be at 11 a.m. today in the Perennial Garden at Manito Park. Inurnment will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 20-year Spokane resident, Mr. Hoag died Sunday. He was born in Oklahoma City.
He served in the Air Force during the Korean War, and received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Oklahoma.
He worked as an executive in operations management and management information systems.
Survivors include his companion, Lois Sieckmann of Spokane; a daughter, Debra Goode of Houston; a son, Norman Hoag of Kentwood, Mich.; his stepmother, Vivian Davis of Wakefield, Neb.; a brother, Jerome Hoag of Santee, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or to the Friends of Manito.
Theodore Johnson, M.D. Spokane
Memorial service for Theodore Johnson, M.D., 75, will be at 2 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar. Spokane Cremation and Burial Service is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Johnson, who was born in Ames, Iowa, died Sunday.
He grew up in Bozeman, Mont., and graduated from high school there.
Dr. Johnson served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II.
After the war he received his undergraduate degree from Montana State University and received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
He moved to Spokane in 1977 and worked as the medical director of an alcohol treatment center.
In 1986 he was named the clinical director of the legal offenders unit at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake. He retired in 1994.
Dr. Johnson was a member of the Spokane Club, First Presbyterian Church and the American, Washington State and Spokane County Medical Associations. He also was a past president of the Spokane County Medical Association.
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Hope; three sons, Terry Johnson of Spokane, Jeffery Johnson of Rupert, Idaho, and Christian Johnson of West Linn, Ore.; a brother, Richard Johnson of Apple Valley, Minn.; three grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren.
Samuel Anest Spokane
Memorial service for Samuel Anest, 78, and his brother, Peter Anest Sr., will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435 in Spokane. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Anest died July 8 in an airplane accident near Gold Bar, Wash., that also killed his brother and James Bleasner.
He served in the Navy during World War II in the South Pacific.
Mr. Anest worked as an automobile mechanic.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435.
Survivors include three sons, Ronald and Marvin Anest, both of Spokane, and Duane Anest of Greenacres; a daughter, Janet Eck of Newman Lake; two sisters, Katherine Thorson of Spokane and Gina Anest of Bellevue, Wash.; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Rex Hartley Plaza, Wash.
Service for Rex L. Hartley, 45, was Monday at Rosalia (Wash.) Baptist Church. Burial followed at Rosalia Cemetery.
A 15-year Plaza resident, Mr. Hartley died July 11. He was born in Elk.
He worked as a truck driver for Reddaway Trucking and was a member of the Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include a son; his mother, Irene Harrison of Plaza; and two sisters, Linda Shawgo of Steptoe, Wash., and Julie Jemenez of St. John, Wash.
Harriet Tewinkel Gainesville, Fla.
Graveside service for Harriet Lorena Tewinkel, a former Spokane resident, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fairview Cemetery in Rockford. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Tewinkel, 87, died July 11. She was born in Ford, Idaho.
She was a former 33-year Spokane resident and a homemaker.
Mrs. Tewinkel and her husband, Maurice, moved to Gainesville 10 years ago.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Peg Davidson of Gainesville; two brothers, Merle Kruse of Spokane and Howard Kruse of Helena; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Christian Family Services, 2720 S.W. Second Ave., Gainesville, FL 32607.
Carlene (Eneroth) Toney Spokane
Service for G. Carlene (Eneroth) Toney will be at 2:30 p.m. today at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 4004 N. Belt. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Toney, 89, died last Thursday.
She was born in Thornton, Wash., and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1930.
In 1938 she married Arthur Toney.
Mrs. Toney received a bachelor’s degree in education from Holy Names College in 1954.
She was a special education teacher at Ness Elementary from 1954 until she retired in 1975.
Mrs. Toney was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the President’s Club. She also was a volunteer grandparent in the late 1970s.
Her husband died in 1958.
Survivors include four sons, Stephen, Loren and Franklin Toney, all of Spokane, and Forrest Toney of Independence, Mo.; two brothers, Dale Eneroth of Spokane and Jack Eneroth of Thornton, Wash.; a sister, Florence McDonald of Lees Summit, Mo.; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Outreach International, P.O. Box 210, Independence, MO 64051-0210.
Gordon Shern Spokane
Memorial service for Gordon R. Shern, 87, will be Friday at 11 a.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Mr. Shern, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Monday.
He grew up in Coeur d’Alene, and in 1938 married Arleen Christopher. She died in 1950.
Mr. Shern worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps at Farragut during World War II.
A carpenter, he built and managed the Twin Echo Resort at Twin Lakes, Idaho, until the 1960s.
He married Dorothy Larabee in 1952. She died in 1990.
Mr. Shern was a longtime resident of North Idaho, and in 1991 he moved to Spokane.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge in Coeur d’Alene, Crystal Chandeliers in Spokane, and enjoyed golf and travel.
Survivors include two daughters, Nona Barclay of Coeur d’Alene and Nancy Lindstrom of Salmon, Idaho; two stepsons, Gary Larabee of Redmond, Wash., and Thomas Larabee of Seattle; a brother, Glenn Shern of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Eileen O’Leary of Shelton, Wash.; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Spokane, 1325 W. First, Suite 200, Spokane, WA 99201.
John Hiett Spokane
Service for John F. Hiett, 83, will be at 2 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
A 55-year Spokane resident, Mr. Hiett died Monday. He was born in Hudson, Kan.
He served in the Army from 1941 to 1945 during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He received the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
Mr. Hiett came to Baxter Hospital in Spokane in 1945 because of a war injury.
He worked at the Pacific Northwest Foundry from 1950 until 1960 when he began working at the Kaiser Aluminum Mead Plant on the pot lines and in the rotting room. He retired in 1979.
Mr. Hiett was a member of the Eagles Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474 and the Sons of Norway.
His wife of 35 years, Gladys, died in 1980. His wife of 11 years, Flora, died in 1996.
Survivors include a son, Richard Hiett of Spokane; a daughter, Donna Parrish of Sequin, Texas; three sisters, Opal Church of Deer Park, Maxine Roberts of Fort Worth, Texas, and June Rose of Del City, Okla.; 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.