Obituaries
Andrew Fossum Coeur d’Alene
Service for Andrew O. “Andy” Fossum, 86, will be today at 11 a.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Fossum, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Tuesday.
He grew up on the family homestead at Turner Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene and was active in track, football and C Club at Coeur d’Alene High School. He graduated in 1933.
Mr. Fossum began a career with the Forest Service in 1928 and had worked as a lookout and firefighter before becoming crew foreman in 1939.
He worked primarily in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and was appointed to the former Bureau of Entomology and Plan Quarantine in Spokane in 1947. He briefly served in this position before returning to the Coeur d’Alene area as a unit supervisor.
In 1948 he married Margaret Fowler and continued his career with the Forest Service in the blister rust control program and insect and disease control. He retired as a timber sale administrator in 1973.
He also maintained the forest photo library, taught Red Cross first aid courses to Forest Service personnel and prepared a manual of instruction for small timber sales.
Mr. Fossum was a member of the Urban Forestry Committee, Coeur d’Alene Elks Lodge, the Coeur d’Alene Men’s Golf Club, and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He also was active with the Tubbs Hill Conservation Group and volunteered during the completion of the Museum of North Idaho.
His wife died in 1996.
Survivors include a son, Jeff Fossum of Keller, Texas; a brother, Lee Fossum of Coeur d’Alene; and one grandson, A.J.
Memorial contributions may be made to the North Idaho Cancer Center, 700 Ironwood Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Kathryn Alexander Mullan, Idaho
Memorial service for Kathryn Ruth Alexander, 85, will be at 6 p.m. Sunday during regular Mass at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Mullan. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Alexander, who was born in Chesaw, Wash., died Tuesday.
She grew up in Mullan and in 1934 married Vincent Alexander. They lived in Mullan for 61 years. She was a homemaker.
They moved to the Spokane Valley in 1978. She returned to the Silver Valley after her husband’s death in 1998.
Mrs. Alexander was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Mullan.
She is survived by two sons, Earl Alexander of Mullan and Monty Alexander of Spokane; two daughters, Janice Hegbloom of Coeur d’Alene and Mary Gosline of Spokane; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mullan Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department, c/o Mullan City Clerk, 112 Earle St., Mullan, ID 83846.
Pansy (Hensley) Mariman Spokane
Memorial service for Pansy (Hensley) Mariman, 93, was Thursday at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River, Idaho. Inurnment followed at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River.
Born in Flagpond, Tenn., Mrs. Mariman died Saturday.
Her family moved to Priest River in 1913 and she graduated in 1926 from Priest River High School.
She married Charles Mariman in 1927 and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Mariman moved to the Royal Park Care Center in Spokane two years ago.
Her husband died in 1993.
Survivors include a brother, Lonnia Hensley of Priest River; and a sister, Dorothy McMullin of Spokane.
Walter Latham Spokane
Visitation for Walter O. Latham, 96, will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Latham, who was born in Illinois, died Monday.
Mr. Latham served in the Army from 1922 to 1949. He was a 50-year Spokane resident, His first wife of 30 years, Cora, died in 1994.
Survivors include his wife, Stella; and a brother, George Latham of Chicago.
Ruth Youngman Coeur d’Alene
Service for Ruth A. Youngman, 90, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Youngman, who was born in Belfield, N.D., died Wednesday.
She lived in Harrison, Idaho, and then moved to Coeur d’Alene. She graduated from high school in 1928 and married Harry Youngman in 1932.
Mrs. Youngman was a homemaker and worked at Montgomery Wards before owning the Round Top Cafe on Sherman Avenue.
She was a member of First Baptist Church and was a former member of Coeur d’Alene Rebekah Lodge 13. She was a craft artist and seamstress and also was active in quilting.
Her husband, Harry died in 1983.
Survivors include a son, Glen Youngman of Longmont, Colo.; a daughter, Betty Straw of Post Falls; five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 424 Wallace Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Lt. Col. Donald Strain Post Falls
Memorial service for Donald Holt Strain, 70, will be today at 10 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Strain, who was born in Washington, D.C., died Monday.
He graduated from the University of Virginia, which he attended on a baseball scholarship, and then entered the Marine Corps in 1951.
Mr. Strain’s military career included service in North Carolina and Oklahoma and as a commanding officer of the Marine detachment on the USS Shangri-la.
He then served as a Marine officer instructor at the University of Texas before serving in 1969 as a commanding officer in Okinawa and then as commander of the 1st Battalion, 13th Marines, in Vietnam. He was the executive officer of the 11th Marines in Vietnam and Yokosuka, Japan.
Mr. Strain retired from the Marine Corps in 1973. He worked as corporate personnel director of Gordon Jewelry Co. in Houston and co-owned Advantage Personnel Agency.
In 1989 he settled in Coeur d’Alene with his wife, Louise.
He was a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club, was chairman of the membership committee for the Post Falls Library and participated in the library fireworks fund-raiser. He also volunteered at the Post Falls Food Bank and with the local Coats for Kids program.
He was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
Survivors include his wife; six children, Chandler Ward of Houston, Greg Ward of Charlotte, N.C., Michelle Mastros of Post Falls, John Ward of Nanticoke, Pa., David Ward of Louisville, Ky., and Matthew Ward of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Violet Peterson Dover, Idaho
Private memorial service for Violet Pearl Peterson, 75, will be held. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Peterson, who died Saturday, was born in Sunnyside, Idaho.
She grew up in Bonner County and in 1939 married Ralph Peterson. They settled in Dover and she was a cook in various logging camps throughout the Northwest.
Mrs. Peterson also taught Sunday school at Dover Community Church and served as financial secretary at the Sandpoint United Methodist Church for seven years.
She was named for a bouquet of violets her brother presented to her mother after her birth.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Carla Denison; a sister, Lorna Popejoy; three brothers, Merle, Rolland and Jack Ames; five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Leon `Red’ Ketner Post Falls
Graveside service for Leon “Red” Ketner, 70, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ketner, who was born in Boise City, Okla., died Tuesday.
He married Patricia Kennedy in 1963 and lived in Seattle, where he was a bus driver for Metro Transit until moving to Post Falls in 1986.
Mr. Ketner was a member of the Post Falls American Legion.
Survivors include his wife; four sons, Larry Ketner of Puyallup, Wash., Jerry Ketner of Sumner, Wash., Mark Ketner of Tacoma and Jim Ketner of Ellensburg; a daughter, Judy Ketner of Federal Way, Wash.; a brother, Leonard Ketner of Smelterville, Idaho; a sister, Imagene Cutler of Rathdrum, Idaho; 18 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
William Payne Spokane
Memorial service for William M. Payne, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Riplinger Funeral Chapel. Inurnment will be at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene was in charge of cremation.
Born in Coeur d’Alene, Mr. Payne died Saturday.
He served with the Army’s 148th Field Artillery in Australia and the Philippines during World War II and then returned to the Spokane area.
Mr. Payne worked for Excell Foods in Spokane for 19 years and also served with the Army Reserve from 1963 to 1981.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Spokane Philatelic Society.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia “Gini”; and several children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Stanley Wilkening Spokane
Memorial service for Stanley Kenneth Wilkening, 77, will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.
A 55-year Spokane resident, Mr. Wilkening died Sunday. He was born in Camden, N.J.
He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and attended flight training school at Gulfport Field, Miss. He studied engineering at Gonzaga University where he was the photographer for The Bulletin and the yearbook, “Spires ‘48.”
Mr. Wilkening was an auto and industrial salesman.
He helped found St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church and Balfour Park.
His was preceded in death by his first wife, Coralyn.
Survivors include his wife, Sherry; three sons, Paul Wilkening of Spokane, Peter Wilkening of Coeur d’Alene and Patrick Wilkening of Wenatchee; six daughters, Loretta Wilkening of Spokane, Christina Schmalz, Angela Walden and Cathy Frites, all of Seattle, Ann Marie Alberg of Bellevue, Wash., and Donna Prigge of Billings, Mont.; a stepson, Rick Jeromchek of Spokane; a stepdaughter, Lori Reinsel of Helena; and 23 grandchildren.
Michael Bierce Tensed, Idaho
No service will be held for Michael B. “Mike” Bierce, 63, at his request. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
A longtime Tensed resident, Mr. Bierce died Monday. He was born in Spokane.
He graduated from Plummer (Idaho) High School in 1955. He entered the Army in 1956 and served for four years.
After his military service he moved to Sanders, Idaho, where he started a logging company.
In 1960 he married Arlene Coleman.
Mr. Bierce worked as a sawyer for Potlatch (Idaho) Logging, Elf Johnson and Sons Logging in Orofino, Idaho, the Bennett Lumber Co. in Princeton, Idaho, Bob Short Logging in Emida, Idaho, and Henry Sent Logging in St. Maries. He retired in 1994.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Brian and David Bierce, both of Sanders, and Jeffrey Bierce of Emida; a brother, Patrick Bierce of Chattaroy; a half-brother, John McCoy of Sanders; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.