Obituaries
Grace `Muff’ Howe Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Service for Grace M. “Muff” Howe, 88, will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Bonners Ferry United Methodist Church. Bonners Ferry Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Howe died Sunday.
She grew up in Caldwell, Idaho, and then attended the College of Idaho before settling in Boundary County to begin a teaching career.
Mrs. Howe taught in the Boundary County School District 101 and in 1939 married Don Howe.
She later worked as a secretary for Pace-Kerby Agency and the Bank of Idaho.
Mrs. Howe studied painting classes after her retirement and became an accomplished artist. She traveled extensively.
She participated daily in a game of golf until failing health in the past year forced her to become a spectator and ride along in a golf cart.
Mrs. Howe was active with the P.E.O., American Legion Auxiliary, Boundary Community Hospital Auxiliary, Mirror Lake Women’s Golf Association, a book club and several area bridge clubs.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Don.
Survivors include a son, Terry Howe of Bonners Ferry; a daughter, Tracy Iverson of Bonners Ferry; a sister, Jody Hanson of Roseville, Calif.; a brother, Jim Vermaas of Caldwell; and four grandchildren.
Loretta Stevens Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Loretta L. “Lori” Stevens, 46, will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel. A potluck reception will follow at the Yates Hayden Gathering Center.
Ms. Stevens, who was born in Richmond, Calif., died Saturday from complications related to schleromyxedema.
She grew up in El Sobrante, Calif., as the fifth child of 16 children.
She moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1977 and had worked as a teacher’s aide for the Coeur d’Alene School District at Borah, Bryan and Dalton elementary schools.
She also was a volunteer at area nursing homes and did elderly assistance home visits.
Survivors include two sons, Jason and Michael Stevens, both of Coeur d’Alene; her parents, Angelo and Marion Accurso of Napa, Calif.; and 13 brothers and sisters.
Memorials may be made to a school or charity of choice.
Rita Gengler Spokane
Vigil for Rita Ann Gengler, 68, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Memorial Mass is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church.
Miss Gengler, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Wednesday.
She was a librarian for the Spokane Public Library.
Miss Gengler was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church.
She is survived by her sister, Sister Maureen Gengler of La Crosse, Wis.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.
Ula Flagan Spokane
Service for Ula R. Flagan, 70, was held Tuesday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mrs. Flagan, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died May 17.
She served in the Women’s Army Corps and later was a bookkeeper for a business supply company.
She was a member of Grace Baptist Church.
Her husband, Ralph, died in 1992.
Survivors include a son, Edward Flagan; a daughter, Penney Close; a brother, Larry Duckett; three sisters, Olive Jumo, Dorothy Grubbs and Margaret Doll; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Mark Schmitt II Spokane
Service for Mark Schmitt, 17, was held Tuesday at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will be at the Grovertown (Ind.) Cemetery.
Mr. Schmitt, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Wednesday from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.
He attended Cheney Alternative School.
Survivors include his parents, Mark Schmitt and Launavie Utke; and two sisters, Amanda and Molle Schmitt at home.
Richard Rexford Bonners Ferry, Idaho
A celebration of life gathering for Richard Alan Rexford, 55, will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.
Mr. Rexford, who was born in Maui, Hawaii, died May 27.
He graduated from Bellevue High School in Washington in 1963 and then studied at Central Washington Unversity.
Mr. Rexford did post-graduate studies at the University of Washington and later worked for the Washington, Idaho and Montana Railroad and Burlington Northern Railroad.
He moved to Bonners Ferry in 1988 and became the city clerk and treasurer, a position he held for the past 12 years.
Mr. Rexford married Barbara Denecke in 1993.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Kyle Shelly of Moyie Springs, Idaho; two daughters, Nicole Shelly of Coeur d’Alene and Skye Shelly of Moscow, Idaho; his mother, Helene Rexford of Redmond, Wash.; a sister, Jean Deming of Cardwell, Mont.; and three grandchildren.
Thelma Campbell Spokane
Memorial service for Thelma I. Campbell, 82, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Campbell, who was born in Tonganoxie, Kan., died Friday. She was a 55-year Spokane resident.
She graduated from Tonganoxie High School in 1935.
Mrs. Campbell was a homemaker and a 20-year member of First Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her husband of 62 years, Lyle; two daughters, Irene Bayne of Prosser, Wash., and Colleen Kelly of Baltimore; a son, Gary Campbell of Spokane; a sister, Helen Redman of Grand Junction, Colo.; two brothers, Harold Jones of Tonganoxie and Glenn Jones of Lawrence, Kan.; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.
Paul Redmond Newport, Wash.
Graveside service for Paul Homer Redmond, 86, was held Tuesday at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River, Idaho. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Redmond, who was born in Priest River, died Wednesday.
He graduated from Priest River High School. He graduated from University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in education.
In 1938 he married Carol Samm.
During World War II Mr. Redmond served with the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater and held the rank of captain.
Mr. Redmond taught school in St. Maries for a few years and later became a contractor for commercial and residential buildings.
His wife died in 1995.
He is survived by two sisters, Florence Johnson of Newport and Frances Fredstrom of Sandpoint.
Arthur Leath Spokane
Memorial Mass for Arthur R. Leath was held Tuesday at St. Charles Roman Catholic Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Leath, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Thursday. He was 70.
He was a policeman for the Spokane Police Department and a deacon for St. Charles Roman Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife, Dolores; two sons, Paul Leath of Spokane and David Leath of Davenport, Wash.; two daughters, Christine Leath of Portland and Mary Leath of Melbourne, Fla.; a sister, Laura Entenman of Norristown, Pa.; and one grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Charles Catholic Church or Hospice of Spokane.
Olive Ellis Spokane
No service will be held for Olive M. Ellis, 63, at her request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ellis, who was born in Topeka, Kan., died Saturday. She was a 40-year Spokane resident.
She was a restaurant chef in Spokane.
Mrs. Ellis was a member of Spokane Valley Eagles Aerie No. 3433 Auxiliary.
Survivors include two daughters, Susan Olsen and Shelly Oliver, both of Spokane; and three sons, Don May of Spokane, Ron May of Renton, Wash., and Brad Hauser of Lewiston; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Big Brothers and Sisters of Spokane.
Ruby Montandon Coeur d’Alene
Funeral Mass for Ruby A. Montandon, 74, will be today at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at St. Thomas Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Montandon, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Friday.
A lifelong Coeur d’Alene resident, she grew up on the K-Bar Ranch family homestead in Fernan.
Mrs. Montandon continued living on the homestead and was a homemaker. She also had worked on an assembly line in the electronics division at ClarePendar in Post Falls for 10 years.
She was a member of the Satellite Equestrian Team of Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai Saddle Club and St. Thomas Church.
Her husband, Robert, died in 1991.
Survivors include a son, Patrick Montandon of Bayview, Idaho; a daughter, Maxine Thompson of Rathdrum, Idaho; a sister, June Lunceford of Coeur d’Alene; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
Stanley Barrett Spokane
Visitation for Stanley Barrett, 70, will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church. Vigil will follow the visitation. Funeral Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Barrett, who was born in New York City, died Saturday.
He moved to Spokane in 1950 while he was in the Air Force. He retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service as a master sargeant.
Mr. Barrett was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.
Survivors include four sons, James, Timothy, Kenneth and Matthew Barrett; a daughter, Kathleen French; the children’s mother, Marilyn; two brothers, Gerald Barrett and Kevin Barrett; four sisters, Stella Picarella, Maureen Greene, Rita Jobst and Dorothy Villa; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson.
JoAnne Bottles Spokane
Visitation for JoAnne Bottles, 70, will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Graveside service is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday at the Waitsburg (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mrs. Bottles, who was born in Waitsburg, Wash., died Friday. She was a 26-year Spokane resident.
She graduated from high school in Waitsburg.
Mr. Bottles moved in 1949 to Fairbanks, Alaska, where she owned and operated Joan’s House of Style for 10 years. In 1974 she moved to Spokane.
Her husband, Dallas, died in 1998.
Survivors include two sons, Rocky Bottles of Spokane and Hollis Bottles of Fairbanks; a daughter, Roxie Bottles of Spokane; a sister, Bettie Auer of Chewelah, Wash.; and one granddaughter.
Anthony Proctor Spokane
Memorial service for Anthony Ranson Proctor, 39, was held Saturday at the Monastery of St. Clare. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash., was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Proctor, who was born in Doniphan, Mo., died Monday. He was a 20-year Spokane resident.
He graduated from Newport (Wash.) High School in 1981.
Mr. Proctor worked as a custodian at Fairchild Air Force Base.
Survivors include his mother, Margery Proctor of Newport; three sisters, Patricia Proctor of Spokane, Barbara George of Saratoga, N.Y., and Euli Rath of Minnesota; two brothers, John Proctor of Newport and Peter Proctor of Cleveland; two halfbrothers, Roy Proctor of Entiat, Wash., and Tim Hanson of Kirkland, Wash.; and a half-sister, Susan Michael of Illinois.
Mike Bascetta Spokane
Rosary service for Mike Bascetta, 80, will be at 7 p.m Thursday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Friday at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Bascetta, a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Friday.
He worked in real estate.
Survivors include two sons, Mike Jr. and Gary Bascetta, a brother, Joe Bascetta, and two sisters, Elberta Walker and Jospehine Maier, all of Spokane.
Lillian Porret St. Maries
Service for Lillian Marie Porret, 98, will be today at 11 a.m. at Yates-Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries.
Miss Porret, who was born in St. Maries, died Thursday.
She grew up on the family homestead at Porret Lake on the St. Joe River near St. Maries and attended grade school in District 5, located on the family farm.
She then attended a sewing school in Spokane and later returned to Porret Lake to help her parents run the farm.
After the death of her parents in 1956, Ms. Porret visited relatives in Switzerland before returning to the homestead, where she was a housekeeper and cook for her brothers.
She was a member of Omega Gospel Church in St. Maries, where she played the pump organ for Sunday school and other programs.
Survivors include two brothers, Edmund Porret of St. Maries and Richard Porret of Portland; and numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.
Ruth Knighten Spokane
Service for Ruth M. Knighten, 80, will be at 11 a.m. today at Grand Coulee United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Spring Cannon Cemetery in Grand Coulee. Strate Funeral Home in Grand Coulee is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Knighten, who was born in Portland, died Friday.
She was an 11-year Spokane resident and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Knighten was a member of United Methodist Church in Grand Coulee.
Her husband of 49 years, Ray, died in 1993.
Survivors include three sons, Wesley and Steven Knighten, both of Grand Coulee, and Ronald Knighten of Yakima; a daughter, Kathleen Renner of Spokane; a sister, Astrid Newman of Portland; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Leslie (Beck) Folino Boise
Memorial service for Leslie A. (Beck) Folino, 44, will be at noon June 7 at Holy Cross Cemetery. Riverside Cremation and Burial Service in Boise is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Folino, who was born in Spokane, died May 24.
She was a waitress for restaurants in Spokane and moved to Boise two years ago.
Survivors include a daughter, Traci Cottrell, a son, Kerry Cottrell, and her parents, Leslie and Barbara Beck, all of the Tri-Cities; four sisters, Kathy Olfs and Jackie Beck, both of Spokane, Patty Beck of the Tri-Cities and Sandra Beck of Florida; and two brothers, Michael and Mirl Beck, both of the Tri-Cities.
Tormod Tronsen Anderson, S.C.
Graveside service for Tormod J. Tronsen, 94, will be at noon Monday at Greenwood Memorial Cemetery in Spokane. McDougald Funeral Home in Anderson is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Molde, Norway, Mr. Tronsen died Feb. 16.
He came to Spokane with his family in 1910 and lived in Spokane until 1994. He then moved to Miami and later settled in Anderson.
From 1935 to 1965, Mr. Tronsen was a photoengraver for Spokane American Engraving, which merged operations with Cowles Publishing Co. in 1961.
Mr. Tronsen is survived by a daughter, Janet Duncan of Anderson; two sisters, Agnes Siverson of Post Falls and Merna Tronsen of South Carolina; three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Kenneth Brundige Nine Mile Falls
Private service for Kenneth Brundige, 69, will be held. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Brundige, who was born in San Francisco, died Thursday. He was a 69-year Spokane resident.
He served in the Navy during the Korean War.
Mr. Brundige was a manager for Jensen Distributions for 38 years, retiring in 1994.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Pearl; three sons, Jerry Brundige of Nine Mile Falls, Ken Brundige Jr. of Seattle, and Kim Brundige of Salina, Kan.; two daughters, Karolyn Moat of Nine Mile Falls and Debra Moos of Vancouver, Wash.; and nine grandchildren.