Obituaries

Julie Miller Colfax, Wash.

Service for Julie Miller, 50, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the St. John (Wash.) United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at the St. John Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Miller, who was born in Bismarck, N.D., died Wednesday.

She graduated from Mead High School in 1968 and later graduated from Kinman School of Business, where she received a degree in office machines.

She was married to Michael Olsen. They later divorced.

Mrs. Miller married Clark Miller in 1986, and they moved to Colfax.

She was a member of the Colfax Women’s Bowling Association and the Hits and Mrs. Bowling League, where she also served as secretary for eight years. She also was editor of the Colfax Women’s Bowling Association Pinfall Prattle, past president of the Whitman County Chapter Washington Women for Survival of Agriculture, and a 4-H and Cub Scout leader. She helped coach basketball and was a superintendent of the Goat Barn at the Palouse Empire Fair.

Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Denise Olsen of Moses Lake; three sons, Randy and Trevor Miller, both of Colfax, and Michael Olsen of Hermiston, Ore.; her mother, Maybelle Schmidt of Mead; a brother, Robert Schmidt of Mead; and three sisters, Lori Schmidt of Spokane, Michele Forkner of Deer Park and Kelly Trudeau of Kennewick.

Alan Gagnon Kettle Falls, Wash.

Memorial service for Alan J. “Al” Gagnon, 66, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church in Colville, Wash. The Neptune Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Gagnon, who was born in Southbridge, Mass., died Thursday.

He moved to Kettle Falls from San Diego in 1985 and was a police officer for 30 years. He retired as chief of police of Kettle Falls last year.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Doreen; three sons, Wayne, Brian and Tony Gagnon, a daughter, Michelle Reedy, and a brother, Duane Gagnon, all of Kettle Falls; and six grandchildren.

Peyton Whitt Athol, Idaho

No service will be held for Peyton W. Whitt, 73, at his request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Whitt, who was born in Texas, died Wednesday.

He lived in the Athol area for many years and was a retired crop duster pilot.

Survivors include his wife, Jackie; three sons, Pat Whitt of Post Falls, Dan Whitt of Blanchard, Idaho, and Mike Whitt of Athol; two daughters, Teri Roundy of Colbert, Wash., and Pam Bruse of Athol; a sister, Betty Buzzell of Limon, Colo.; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Roc Brierley Spokane

Military graveside service for Capt. Roc Michael Brierley, 60, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Pomeroy (Wash.) City Cemetery. Richardson-Brown Funeral Home in Pomeroy is in charge of arrangements.

Capt. Brierley, who was born in Seattle, died Wednesday.

He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1957 and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington State University in 1961.

He married Sheila Gawne in 1961, and after graduation joined the Navy.

He was in the Navy for 30 years and in 1977 received a master’s degree in defense economics and political-military and foreign affairs from the Navy War College in Newport, R.I.

He held many positions in the Navy, including commander at sea and director of logistics for commander and chief of the Atlantic Fleet.

In 1992 Capt. Brierley received a master’s degree in science in education at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

He moved back to Spokane and taught high-risk youths at New Bridge School for many years.

Capt. Brierley was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi and the Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, and was a member of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. He also was the recipient of the Navy Meritorious Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Kip and Dev Brierley, both of Spokane, and Shannon Whitehurst of Powhatan, Va.; his mother, Berenice Brierley, and a sister, Sara Smith, both of Spokane; and one grandson.

Vicki Jeter Spokane

Private service for Vicki M. Jeter was held.

Mrs. Jeter, who was born in Goldendale, Wash., died last Monday. She was 54.

She graduated in 1964 from Goldendale High School, and moved to Spokane in 1975.

Mrs. Jeter was a homemaker, and a member of the Pentecostal Church at Five Mile.

She is survived by three brothers, John, Craig and Vincent Dressel, all of Spokane.

Barbara Smith La Pine, Ore.

Memorial service for Barbara A. Smith, 78, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Spokane. Deschutes Funeral Home in Bend, Ore., is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Smith, who was born in Spokane, died June 14. She was a former 68-year resident of Spokane.

She was a homemaker and moved to Oregon in 1999.

Survivors include her husband, Dalton; a daughter, Beckie Schmerer of Stockton, Calif.; a son, Dalton Smith Jr. of La Pine; a brother, Gerald Weed of Spokane; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Amber Knutsen Florence, Mont.

Service for Amber Marie Knutsen, 18, was held June 13 at Florence Baptist Church. Burial was at Florence-Carlton Cemetery. Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville, Mont., was in charge of arrangements.

Miss Knutsen, who was born in Spokane, died June 8 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident near Lolo, Mont.

She had moved with her family to Florence five years ago.

Miss Knutsen was involved in the youth group and music program at Florence Baptist Church. She was preparing to attend Bible College in the fall.

Survivors include her parents, Chris and Lori Knutsen of Florence; a sister, Kim, and a brother, C.J., both at home; her grandparents, Wanda Kroneman of Lolo, and Denis and Irene Knutsen of Spokane.

Cecil Stockner Spokane

Service for Cecil Verner Stockner, 91, will be at 3 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Stockner, who was born in Galax, Va., died Wednesday. He was a 35-year Spokane resident and worked as an auto mechanic.

Survivors include four daughters, Kim Wright, Donna Wallis and Teri Stockner, all of Spokane, and Kay Hirons of Escondido, Calif.; a son, David Stockner of Eagle Creek, Ore.; a brother, Morris Stockner of Missoula; 15 grandchildren and several greatgrandchildren.

Maria `Mutti’ Lauks Thannhausen, Germany

Service for Maria “Mutti” Lauks, 92, was June 15 at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane.

Mrs. Lauks, who died June 12, was born in Neuendorf, East Prussia.

She fled East Prussia in 1944 to Dresden, Germany, and eventually to Kempten, Germany, where she lived until 1960.

Mrs. Lauks then immigrated to the United States and settled in Minneapolis, where she worked at the Metropolitan Hospital until retiring.

She moved to Spokane in 1975 and returned to Germany in 1993.

Mrs. Lauks was a former member of the Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral and was involved with the German-American Society.

Survivors include a daughter, Waltraut Schubaur of Germany; a sister, Agnes Beckmann of Amberg, Germany; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Gerald `Jerry’ Morasch Spokane

Memorial service for Gerald H. “Jerry” Morasch, 66, will be at 1 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home.

Born in Endicott, Wash., Mr. Morasch, died Wednesday. He was a 47-year Spokane resident.

He graduated from Colfax (Wash.) High School in 1952 and served in the Air Force from 1953 to 1959.

Mr. Morasch was an electronics technician and served on the board of directors at Kokanee Park on Priest Lake, Idaho, for 10 years.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Lois; a son, David Morasch, and two daughters, Diane Meyer and Denise Stephens, all of Spokane; three brothers, Marvin, James and Allan Morasch; six sisters, Ruth Kyllo, Norma Ross, Loretta Gylling, Gloria Clark, Judy Gillis and Ann Gunnand; and six grandchildren.