Obituaries
Albert Johns Spokane
Service for Albert A. Johns, 84, will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Hennessey- Smith Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Born on Orondo, Wash., Mr. Johns died Monday.
During World War II he served in the Navy as a minesweeper in the Pacific.
A 54-year Spokane resident, he operated A. Johns Realty.
His wife of 41 years, Elizabeth, preceded him in death.
Survivors include two sons, Williams Johns of Cheney and Robert Johns of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Gospel Mission.
Lulu (Clark) Avila Spokane
Graveside service for Lulu (Clark) Avila, 95, will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Fairmount Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 70-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Avila died Wednesday. She was born in Fossil, Ore.
She married Joseph Avila in 1942.
Mrs. Avila worked as a seamstress for The Crescent department store for 20 years.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Norman Johnson of Spokane; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Elizabeth Bozak-Grinnell Spokane
Private memorial service for Elizabeth Bozak-Grinnell, 46, was Tuesday at a Seventh-day Adventist Church.
A 14-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Bozak-Grinnell died Sunday. She was born in Bakersfield, Calif.
She had worked in technical services for Seafirst Bank and Bank of America since 1973.
Mrs. Bozak-Grinnell was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Laura Grinnell of Spokane; and a sister, Barbara Mathews of Yuba City, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Upper Columbia Academy Mission Fund, Spangle, WA 99028.
Lester Buscher Spokane
No service will be held for Lester William Buscher, 92. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Buscher, who was born in Ritzville, Wash., died Nov. 18.
His family moved to Spokane when he was 2 years old.
He entered the Army in 1943 and served with the H&S Co. 821st Engineer Battalion in the South Pacific. He was awarded with the Asiatic/ Pacific Service Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal with a Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Medal. He was discharged in 1945.
Mr. Buscher worked as a truck driver for United Buckingham Freight Lines. He was a member of the Teamsters Union.
His wife preceded him in death.
He is survived by several nieces and nephews.
James Maxfield Jr. Spokane
Memorial service for James B. Maxfield Jr., 81, will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Maxfield died Wednesday.
He served in the Army during World War II. He served in Italy where he earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.
Mr. Maxfield worked as a salesman for roofing and siding contracting materials.
He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
His first wife, Daisie, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Christine; three daughters, Sharon Merkel, Evelyn Olson and Nacy Maxfield, all of Spokane; two stepdaughters, Sharon Martin and Shelly Schroeder; two stepsons, Jerry and James O’Toole; a brother, Donald Maxfield of Sparks, Nev.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the World War II Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 96074, Washington, D.C. 20090-6074.
Don Baird Rosalia, Wash.
Graveside service for Don Baird, 66, was Tuesday at the Colfax (Wash.) Cemetery. Memorial service followed at Rosalia Baptist Church.
Mr. Baird, who was born in Colfax died Nov. 16.
His family moved to Rosalia when he was a child. He graduated from Rosalia High School.
Mr. Baird operated an oil distributorship and later worked for El Jay Oil out of Spokane.
He served on the Rosalia City Council until he became mayor in 1995. He served as mayor until 1997.
Mr. Baird was a member of the Rosalia Fire Department and was a founding member of the Rosalia Ambulance Emergency Medical Technicians.
He was a member of the Rosalia Lions Club, Masonic Lodge and the Rosalia Gun Club.
Survivors include three sons, Dave Baird of Spokane, and Todd and Drew Baird, both of Portland; a brother, Bob Baird of Kennewick; and two granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rosalia Fire Department, Rosalia, WA 99170.
Vernon `Kip’ Dean Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Vernon G. “Kip” Dean, 74, will be held later. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dean, who was born in Sioux City, Iowa, died Nov. 10.
He lived in Bellevue, Wash., before settling in Benicia, Calif.
He worked for Pacific Northwest Bell. Mr. Dean retired in 1988 and moved to Coeur d’Alene.
He attended Lutheran Church of the Master in Coeur d’Alene. He was a wood craftsman and sold carvings at an area farmers’ market.
He also was involved in various civic organizations in Washington.
Survivors include his wife, Ella; three daughters, Barbara Bowers of Erie, Colo., Keri Stack of Seattle and Elizabeth McCready of Redmond, Wash.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Northern Field Office, P.O. Box 592, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816; or Lutheran Church of the Master, 4800 Ramsey Road, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Ruth (Aumann) Esch Madras, Ore.
Graveside service for Ruth (Aumann) Esch, a former Spokane resident, will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Riverside Memorial Park in Spokane. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Born in Eureka, S.D., Mrs. Esch died Nov. 14. She was 87.
She graduated from Colfax (Wash.) High School. She received a bachelor’s degree from Washington State College and a nursing degree from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Spokane.
Mrs. Esch served in the Army Nursing Corps for three years during World War II. She was stationed at the 22nd General Hospital in England.
She lived in Spokane and worked as a private duty nurse. She also was a homemaker.
Mrs. Esch moved to Madras in 1998.
She was a member of Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ in Spokane.
Her husband, Marion, died in 1994.
She is survived by a sister, Esther Vogler of Colfax.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
Garry Bleeker Spokane
Visitation for Garry P. Bleeker, 89, will be from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Heritage Funeral Home. Service is planned for 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Born in Judith Gap, Mont., Mr. Bleeker died Monday.
He married Gladys Ewell in 1937.
Mr. Bleeker worked as a cattle and sheep rancher in Montana until moving to Spokane in 1950.
He worked as a meat grader for Armour and Co. and retired when the company closed in the 1970s.
Mr. Bleeker was a member, board member and Sunday school bus driver for the Marshall Community Church.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Gordon Bleeker of Spokane, Kenneth Bleeker of Cheney and Raymond Bleeker of Medical Lake; a daughter, Lois Bleeker of Spokane; two brothers, Floyd Bleeker of Post Falls and Roy Bleeker of Lewistown, Mont.; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contribution may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children.
Ruth Thompson Spokane
Memorial service for Ruth E. Thompson, 94, was Friday at Centenary United Methodist Church.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mrs. Thompson died Nov. 13.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School.
Mrs. Thompson worked as a sales clerk in the women’s apparel department at The Crescent department store.
She was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church.
Her husband, Lawrence, died in 1957.
Survivors include a stepson, Lawrence Thompson Jr. of Spokane; a sister, Merle Mast of Kennewick; two stepgrandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church.