Obituaries
Eugene Clark Pullman
Private graveside service for Eugene Clark, 83, will be today at Pullman Cemetery. Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Clark, former dean of the College of Economics and Business at Washington State University, died Saturday.
He was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., and grew up in Illinois.
He graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1939 with a degree in economics.
Mr. Clark worked for the War Production Board and the U.S. Commerce Department during World War II. He then became a professor of economics at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. He continued his studies and completed his doctorate at Harvard University in 1950.
Mr. Clark went on a sabbatical with the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., until 1957, when he became the dean of the College of Economics and Business at Washington State College in Pullman. He retired from that position in 1980.
He was involved with the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business and was a member of the Rotary Club, United Way and the WSU Wranglers.
Mr. Clark enjoyed camping, fly-fishing and traveling and supported WSU athletic programs.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Natalie; five children, Douglas, Lawrence, Andrew, Steven and Nancy; and two grandchildren, Dillon and Jesse.
Memorials may be made to the College of Business and Economics in care of WSU Foundation, Pullman, WA 99164-1042, or the Alzheimer’s Association, National Office, 919 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
Grace Carlson Spokane
Visitation for Grace Carlson, 79, will be from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Graveside service is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Pines Cemetery. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
A longtime Spokane resident, Mrs. Carlson died Thursday.
She was born in Tekoa, Wash., and graduated from Tekoa High School in 1939.
Mrs. Carlson worked at Inland Empire Paper Co. for 47 years. She retired in 1989 as an office manager.
Her husband, Robert, preceded her in death.
Survivors include four sisters, Vera Carlson of Spokane, Pearl Rochet of Rosalia, Wash., and Minnie Thomas and Dorothy Hansen, both of Tekoa; and a brother, Charles McHargue of Tekoa.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Good Shepherd Women’s Ministry or the American Cancer Society.
Donald Monette Spokane
Service for Donald Rudolph Monette, 87, was held Wednesday at Spokane Valley Wesleyan Church. Burial followed at Pines Cemetery. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Monette, who was born in Hunters, Wash., died Oct. 20.
He grew up on the family farm in Hunters and became a partner in the family business of raising Hereford cattle.
He married Winnie Guenther, and they built and operated a creamery in Hunters with his brother, Philip. They sold the business in 1958 and moved to Colville, Wash., where they continued farming.
His wife died in 1964.
Mr. Monette married Alice Neumann in 1965. They moved to the Spokane Valley in 1968.
Mr. Monette worked as a sales representative for Mathews Co. He retired in 1981.
He was a member of Spokane Valley Wesleyan Church.
His wife died in September.
Survivors include two stepsons, Fredrick Neumann of Yakima and John Neumann of North Plains, Ore.; a brother, Philip Monette; a sister, Elsie Hansen; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
June Elston Spokane
Memorial service for June M. Elston, 92, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Heritage Funeral Home.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mrs. Elston died Thursday.
She graduated from North Central High School in 1926.
In 1929 she married Thomas Elston.
Mrs. Elston worked as a social services counselor at Franklin Hall at Lakeland Village in Medical Lake.
Her husband died in 1988.
Survivors include two daughters, Gloria Bly Tofte of Spokane and June Edwards of Pensacola, Fla.; two sisters, Opal Dutt and Crystal Harworth, both of Spokane; five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Alice McWilliams Spokane
No service will be held for Alice J. McWilliams, 72, at her request. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Miss McWilliams, who was born in Fairbury, Neb., died Thursday.
After she graduated from high school in Fairbury, she moved with her family to Burbank, Calif.
She worked for J.J. Newberry in Burbank until moving to Spokane in the early 1960s to help open Newberry’s at Shadle Center. She worked for Newberry’s for 25 years.
Miss McWilliams later worked as a bookkeeper for U.S. Bank.
She is survived by a brother, Ralph McWilliams of Bullhead City, Ariz.
Leroy Montgomery Spokane
Graveside service for Leroy C. Montgomery, 74, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Montgomery, who was born in Motley, Minn., died Friday.
He served in the Army during World War II in Germany and France. He received a Purple Heart.
Mr. Montgomery moved to Spokane in 1952 from Minnesota.
He worked as a carman for Western Fruit Co. for 20 years. He retired in 1976.
Mr. Montgomery was a member of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 45, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Brotherhood of Railroad Carman.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Bernadine; a son, Leroy Montgomery Jr. of Spokane; a daughter, Kathaleen Hammonds of Spokane; two sisters, Ethel Erdahl of Spokane and Harriet Johnson of Verndale, Minn.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Unit at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Valentina Melville Spokane
Memorial service for Valentina Sergevna Uchakin Melville, 87, was Monday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.
Born in Harbin, Manchuria, Mrs. Melville died Thursday.
She grew up in Shanghai, China, after her parents passed away.
In 1937 she married James Melville in Chefoo, China, and moved to Spokane. They later divorced.
Mrs. Melville became a United States citizen in 1942.
During World War II she worked as a riveter at Boeing in Tacoma.
She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Melville is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Symphony Association or the Spokane Humane Society.
Joseph Geffre Spokane
Rosary for Joseph John Geffre, 91, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mr. Geffre, who was born in Leola, S.D., died Friday.
He married Francis Durheim in 1936. They moved to Spokane in the early 1940s and lived in Orchard Prairie.
Mr. Geffre worked as a furnace operator at Kaiser Aluminum Mead for 25 years. He retired in 1972.
His wife died in 1989.
Survivors include three sons, Leroy, Jerry and Gary Geffre; a daughter, Carol Stidham; a sister, Lidweena Murray; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Christine (Barnes) Ballance Rice, Wash.
Private inurnment for Christine (Barnes) Ballance, 77, will be held at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ballance, who was born in Wilson, N.C., died Friday.
She graduated from Wilson High School in 1940.
In 1941 she married Ray Ballance, and in 1956 they moved to Medical Lake.
Mrs. Ballance worked as a cook for the Medical Lake School District. She retired in 1983.
After her husband died in 1984, she moved to Spokane.
She was member of the Deaconess Sewing Auxiliary Guild.
In 1996 she moved to Rice.
Survivors include three daughters, Patricia Michaels of Spokane, Alice Ballance of Colville and Judy Heninger of Rice; a son, James Ballance of Colville; two sisters, Elizabeth Yelverton of Fremont, N.C., and Helen Batten of Rocky Mount, N.C.; two brothers, J.T. Barnes of Colorado Springs and Norwood Barnes of Hendersonville, N.C.; six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Special Olympics.
Dorothy Olmstead Spokane
Visitation for Dorothy L. Olmstead, 80, will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Service is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
A 32-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Olmstead died Friday. She was born in Colbert.
She was a homemaker and a member of Westgate Christian Church.
Her husband of 26 years, Frank, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Robert Chester; three daughters, Linda Cole, Debbie Westerman and Kathy Thain; two brothers, Howard and Robert Bennison; a sister, Ellen Barr; nine grandchildren and four great-grandsons.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or Westgate Christian Church.
Hazel Rose Spokane
No service will be held for Hazel K. Rose, 80, at her request. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mrs. Rose died Friday.
She worked as a photographic refinisher for Dorian Studios for 20 years.
Her husband, Harry, died in 1981.
She is survived by a brother, Eugene LaBelle of Spokane.