Obituaries
Dr. Joseph Fox Spokane
Visitation for Joseph I. Fox, M.D., 76, will be from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Vigil service will follow at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass is planned for 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Born in Spokane, Dr. Fox died Tuesday. He graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School and attended Gonzaga University.
During World War II he did instrument repair at the Galena Air Depot as a civilian.
Dr. Fox worked for a few years repairing watches at Time Jewelry. He then returned to Gonzaga University and graduated. He received his medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha.
He opened a private practice in Spokane in 1967, after completing residencies in plastic and reconstructive surgery and surgery of the hands in Detroit. He retired in 1989.
After retiring he performed surgery for the Shriners Hospital for Children and conducted disability exams for Washington state Department of Labor and Industries.
Dr. Fox was a member of the Barons Model Club, the Knights of Columbus and the Elks and Eagles lodges.
Survivors include three sons, Mike Fox of Dallas, Tim Fox of Coronado, Calif., and Jim Fox of Dearborn, Mich.; and seven grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children or the Spokane Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Joe Devita Spokane
Memorial service for Joe K. Devita, 84 was Saturday at Heritage Funeral Home.
A 70-year Spokane resident, Mr. Devita died Thursday. He was born in Kamiah, Idaho.
He worked as a railroad engineer for Great Northern Railroad for 24 years and retired in 1964.
Mr. Devita also was a farmer at Orchard Bluff from 1930 to 1996.
He was a member and past master of the Hillyard Masonic Lodge 133. He was a past patron of the Order of Eastern Star and the Order of the Amaranth. He also was a past associate guardian of Jobs Daughters.
Survivors include his wife, Emma; a son, Larry Devita, and a daughter, Donnalee Sullivan, both of Spokane; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Robert McKeen Spokane
Visitation for Robert I. McKeen, 88, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Graveside service is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at the Whitefish (Mont.) City Cemetery.
Mr. McKeen, who was born in Whitefish, died Wednesday.
He graduated from Whitefish High School.
Mr. McKeen worked for Great Northern and Burlington Northern railroads in Whitefish for 39 years. He retired as a brakeman in 1974.
Mr. McKeen was a volunteer for the Whitefish Fire Department.
He moved to Spokane 25 years ago.
Survivors include his wife Dorothy; two sons, Michael McKeen of Spokane and Dennis McKeen of Walnut Creek, Calif.; two sisters, Mary Ellen Beck of Arlee, Mont., and Ella Montpetit of Kalispell, Mont.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Joseph Machala Spokane
Service for Joseph S. Machala, 39, will be at 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Machala died Tuesday.
He received a degree in welding from Spokane Community College in 1981.
Mr. Machala worked for Pacific Western Industries from 1982 to 1987. Since 1987 he had worked as a machine operator in the cold-mill department at Kaiser Aluminum at Trentwood.
He was a 13-year member of Teamsters Union Local 338.
Survivors include his wife, Theresa; two children, Brandon and Charity, both at home; his father and stepmother, Joseph and June Machala; his stepfather, Stan Kuchler, all of Spokane; a brother, Brian Machala; a sister, Julie Machala; three stepbrothers, Ron, Dan and Paul Kichler; five stepsisters, Mary Carson, Tina Fisher, Rita Brown and Michelle and Cindy Kuchler; and a foster brother, Chris Provensial, all of Spokane; and his grandmother, Julie Machala of Kettle Falls, Wash.
Frieda (Bockhouse) McDonald Colville, Wash.
Service for Frieda M. (Bockhouse) McDonald, 94, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville. Burial will follow at Meyers Falls Cemetery in Kettle Falls, Wash.
Mrs. McDonald, who was born in St. Louis died Wednesday.
Her family moved to the Pacific Northwest when she was a child.
In 1927 she married William McDonald. They lived in Stevens and Ferry counties and moved to Pingston Creek, Wash., in 1939 and to Kettle Falls in 1962.
Her husband died in 1984. Mrs. McDonald moved to Colville in 1985.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Kettle Falls Senior Center.
Survivors include two daughters, Ella Merrill of Spokane and Lois Johnson of Eugene, Ore.; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, three stepgreat-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Marlin Nail Deming, N.M.
No service will be held for Marlin G. Nail, 63, at his request. Baca’s Funeral Chapel in Deming is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nail, who was born in Chewelah, Wash., died Nov. 7.
He graduated from high school in Chewelah.
During the Korean War he served in the Air Force.
Mr. Nail moved to Spokane in 1971. He received a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University and a master’s degree from Gonzaga University.
Mr. Nail worked as a probation and parole officer for the state of Washington.
He and his wife, Carol, retired to Deming three years ago. Mr. Nail was a member of the Luna County Sheriff’s Reserves.
Survivors include his wife of 34 years; two stepsons, David Fischer of Spokane and Richard Fischer; a stepdaughter, Peggy March of Spokane; a brother, Gordon Nail of Moses Lake; and two sisters, Kathy Ormiston of Wenatchee and Thelma Staehlei of Everett, Wash.
John Westensee Spokane
Private memorial service for John Philip Westensee, 88, will be held at a later date. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A 65-year Spokane resident, Mr. Westensee died Tuesday.
He was born in Genesee, Idaho, and grew up in Colville, Wash.
Mr. Westensee retired from the Spokane Fire Department in 1968 as a fireman. He also had worked for Pacific Hide and Fur for 45 years.
His wife, Florence, died in 1971.
Survivors include a son, Dennis Westensee, and a daughter, Donamae Johnson, both of Spokane; 11 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Ruby (York) Messer Spokane
Visitation for Ruby Mae (York) Messer, 74, will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Service is planned for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mrs. Messer, who was born in Elk died Wednesday.
Her family moved to Spokane when she was a child.
During World War II she worked at Felts Field and Galena Air Depot.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Hillyard Senior Center.
Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Guy; two sons, Gary and Greg Messer, and a daughter, Ralena Crozer, all of Spokane; a brother, Raymond York of Chattaroy; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Heart Institute of Spokane or the American Diabetes Association.
Vernon Schwager Hoquiam, Wash.
Memorial service for Vernon Jay Schwager, 49, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah, Wash.
Mr. Schwager, who was born in Chewelah, died Tuesday.
He graduated in 1969 from Jenkins High School in Chewelah.
From 1970 to 1976 he served in the Navy. Mr. Schwager moved to Hoquiam in 1989 from Chewlah.
He worked as a carpenter in Chewelah and Hoquiam. Recently he was working as a laborer at the Cottonwood Ranch at Copalis Crossing.
Survivors include a son, Zachery Schwager of Colville, Wash.; his parents, Jack and Genevieve Schwager of Chewelah; a brother, Les Schwager of Addy, Wash.; and a sister, Vesta Hampton of Spokane.