Obituaries
William McKay
Hooper, Wash.
Gathering for William “Bill” McKay, 71, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hooper Park in Hooper, Wash. Spokane Cremation and Burial Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. McKay died Sunday.
He was born in Wilbur, Wash., and grew up on the family farm. He graduated from Wilbur High School in 1951.
He attended Washington State College. He interrupted his college years when he enlisted in the military and served in Korea as a sergeant in the 38th Infantry.
He married Janice Eccles in 1957 and graduated from WSC in 1958 with a degree in education.
For the next five years, he was a teacher and coach in Creston, Palouse and Moses Lake.
From 1963 to 1974, he was a cattle rancher in the Ellensburg area. He was named Kittitas County Cattleman of the Year in 1973. In 1974 he moved to the family wheat and cattle ranch near Hooper.
Mr. McKay was a member of the LaCrosse (Wash.) Grain Growers and LaCrosse School District board. He was a member of the Washington and Whitman County wheat growers, and held offices in Washington state and Kittitas County cattlemen associations.
He was a member of the Professional Rodeo Association. He was a 25-year volunteer at the Ellensburg Rodeo, primarily as the rough stock chute boss.
He also enjoyed hunting, pack trips and golf and was an avid reader.
Survivors include his wife; three children, Mark of LaCrosse, Mike of Wenatchee and Julie Gerondale of Anacortes, Wash.; two sisters, Margaret Clogston and Marilyn Deutsch; three brothers, Pat, Alan and Gordon; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the LaCrosse or Colfax Emergency Medical Services or LaCrosse Chapter of Dollars for Scholars.
George Monette
Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for George F. Monette, 64, will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene with a reception to follow at the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge, 209 Sherman Ave.
Mr. Monette, who was born in Montreal, died Saturday.
He lived in Montreal until moving to Southern California at age 9.
After graduating from high school he joined the Air Force and served as a firefighter during the Vietnam War.
After his military service Mr. Monette returned to Southern California and married Virginia Kearney in 1963.
He worked as a machinist for Pacific Values in Long Beach and became the company’s union machinist leader and manager.
He moved to North Idaho in 1985 and worked for Louisiana Pacific.
Mr. Monette was a member of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge and was recently installed as the Idaho state president.
He was a member of the Catholic church.
Mr. Monette enjoyed fishing, hunting and jewelry making.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Linda Appleton of Post Falls; a brother, John Monette; three sisters, Jackie Klunder, Claire Nelson and Huguette Yglesias; and five grandchildren.
Hans Rasmussen
Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Hans Ramsussen, 88, will be held at a later date in Wisdom, Mont. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of local arrangements.
Mr. Rasmussen, who was born in Jackson, Mont., died Sunday.
He grew up in Big Hole Valley in Wisdom and lived in Montana for most of his life.
He served with the Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He married Betty Nye in 1946.
Mr. Rasmussen was a rodeo man and rode bareback horses, saddle broncos and bulls until 1951.
He returned to Wisdom from Kalispell and worked as a road maintenance foreman for the Beaverhead County Road Department. He and his wife also owned the Antler Bar in Wisdom. They moved to Butte, in 1964 and owned The Club Bar, and he worked as a heavy-equipment operator for ACM and the state of Montana.
He retired in 1981. They settled in Coeur d’Alene two years ago.
Mr. Rasmussen enjoyed gardening, hunting and fishing.
Survivors include his wife; two children, Reek Kasun of Post Falls and Chris Rasmussen of Kalispell, Mont.; a sister, Edith Johnson of Dillon, Mont.; and three grandchildren .
Robert Graham
Spokane Valley
Memorial service for Robert L. Graham, 74, will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.
Mr. Graham, who was born in Buffalo, N.Y., died Monday.
He attended school in Buffalo and graduated from the University of Buffalo with an electrical engineering degree. Soon after graduation, he took a position with Bonneville Power at Hungry Horse Dam.
Mr. Graham was involved in designing electrical systems for the nuclear submarine base in Bangor, Wash., and was chief electrical engineer for Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, Calif.
He spent the next 16 years as manager of physical plant services at Eastern Washington University. He then went to work for Kootenai Electric as engineering manager, after having served on the Kootenai Electric Board of Directors, until his retirement.
He enjoyed relaxing at his Lake Coeur d’Alene cabin and doing crossword puzzles.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Grace; two daughters, Wende Riordan and Nancy Evers; and four grandsons.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Laura Keating
Spokane
Visitation for Laura Nell Keating, 91, will be today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riplinger Funeral Home. Graveside service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Greenwood Memorial Terrace Cemetery. Memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. at Rockwood Manor Chapel, 2903 E. 25th Ave.
Mrs. Keating, who died Tuesday, was a lifelong resident of Spokane, and grew up on Moran Prairie.
She worked as the head of housekeeping for Rockwood Manor, retiring in 1978. She became a resident at the Manor in 1984.
She enjoyed playing the piano and organ, which she did for many years at Lincoln Heights Baptist Church.
After moving into Rockwood Manor, Mrs. Keating attended Moran Prairie Methodist Church, and later, church services at the Manor.
Her husband, Waldemar Keating, died in 1971.
Survivors include a daughter, Betty Colvin of Spokane; a son, Royce Keating of Whidbey Island, Wash.; a foster brother, Merle Haffner of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Florence (Fredekind) Fine
Lewiston
Graveside service for Florence O. (Fredekind) Fine, 96, will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Fine, who was born in Mount Hope, Wash. , died Aug. 18.
She married Loney Fine in 1926, and they farmed in Fairfield, until moving to Montana in 1934. The couple moved to North Idaho in 1943 to the Pleasant View area near Post Falls and moved into Post Falls in 1977.
Her husband died in 1985.
She moved to Lewiston in 2002 to be near family.
Mrs. Fine enjoyed eating out for breakfast, going for mystery rides in the car and watching the Seattle Mariners.
Survivors include a daughter, Donna Carman of Lewiston; six grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Arlis (Triplett) Pietz
Nine Mile Falls
Memorial service for Arlis L. (Triplett) Pietz, 60, will be today at 11 a.m. at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mrs. Pietz, a lifelong resident of the Spokane area, died Wednesday.
Born in Spokane, she was a resident of Nine Mile Falls for 31 years.
She graduated in 1962 from Shadle Park High School, and in 1970 married Gary Pietz.
Mrs. Pietz was a nurse’s aide at Windriver House for five years, retiring in 2001. She had previously been a banquet waitress at Cavanaugh’s River Inn for 11 years.
She was a member of the Four Mound Homemakers Club, and enjoyed crafting.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Jeff Pietz of Seattle, Josh Pietz of Pullman and Jake Pietz of Spokane; and two sisters, Irene Whicker of Spokane and Kay Robbins of Kirkland, Wash.
Memorial contributions may be made to National Kidney Foundation.
Edith Englund
Spokane
Visitation for Edith M. Englund, 86, will be today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Riplinger Funeral Home. Memorial service will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Riplinger Funeral Home. Memorial service will be Saturday at noon at the funeral home.
Mrs. Englund, who died Sunday, was a 37-year resident of Spokane.
She was born in Bonn, Germany, where she graduated from high school. She earned an associate degree in accounting from Kinman Business School.
Mrs. Englund was the treasurer of the German-American Society, a member of Eagles Lodge and was a bookkeeper for the Salvation Army for many years.
Her husband, Clyde Englund, died in 1997.
Survivors include three sons, Karl Schumacher of Spokane, Lou Stone of Kettle Falls, Wash., and Fred Stone of Liberty Lake; two daughters, Rosemary Kreitz of Spokane and Mary Ellen Sander of Colbert; 11 grandchildren, 13 great- grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Robert Sullivan
Spokane
Memorial service for Robert Lewis “Bob” Sullivan, 75, will be Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Woodhaven Apartments Common Room.
Mr. Sullivan, who died Aug. 12, was born in Gerard, Ohio. He was a 20-year resident of Spokane.
In 1951 he married Lois Urban. They soon moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where he served four years in the Air Force.
The couple then briefly lived in Salem, Ore., before settling in Bothell, Wash.
Mr. Sullivan co-founded Fleeheart and Sullivan, an electronics distribution company, and was its operator for 30 years.
He was featured in Who’s Who in the West. His hobbies included boxing, handball and poker.
He was preceded in death by his wife.
Survivors include a son, Robert Sullivan Jr.; a daughter, Susan Sullivan; a sister, Kathy OLeary; two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.
Edith (Noren) Rasmussen
Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for Edith Lillian Noren Rasmussen, 93, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Dry Creek Cemetery on the Troy/Deary Highway near Troy, Idaho. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rasmussen, who was born in Nora, Idaho, died Aug. 16.
She grew up in Troy and married Reginald Rasmussen in 1929. The couple lived on the family farm in the Troy area until moving to Coeur d’Alene in 1997.
She was a member of the Lutheran Church and the Moscow Circle Club.
Mrs. Rasmussen enjoyed crocheting, embroidery and sewing.
Survivors include a son, John “Jack” Rasmussen of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Ruth Smith of Pinehurst, Idaho; seven grandchildren, Leanne, Rick, Penny, John, Annette, Candace and Melissa; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Assunta Ferraro
Spokane
Visitation for Assunta Faustino Ferraro, 83, will be today from noon to 5 p.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home, with a vigil to follow at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church.
Mrs. Ferraro, who died Tuesday, was born in Casole Bruzio, Italy. She was a resident of Spokane for 42 years and worked at Newberry’s for 15 years.
Survivors include three sons, Pat, Orlando and Tony Ferraro, all of Spokane; a daughter, Raffaella Ferraro-Travis of Athol, Idaho; 19 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Mary Jennings
Chewelah, Wash.
Vigil for Mary E. Jennings, 95, will be Monday at 7 p.m. at Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah. Funeral is planned for Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Mary of the Rosary Catholic Church in Chewelah.
Mrs. Jennings, who was born in Chewelah, died Tuesday.
She married Dele Jennings in 1928, and the couple lived on a ranch in the Bissel area until 1967.
They sold the ranch and moved to Chewelah and then to Colville. In 1992 they returned to Chewelah.
Mrs. Jennings enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing and quilting. She also enjoyed hunting, fishing and berry picking.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
Survivors include a son, Richard Jennings of Kettle Falls; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Ida Kaul
Spokane
Viewing for Ida Kaul, 94, will be Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Kaul, who was born in Germany, died Wednesday She was a resident of Spokane for 70 years and was a homemaker.
She was a member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and the German American Society for 30 years.
Survivors include a son, Robert Kaul of Spokane; two daughters, Ellie Weeks of Spokane and Linda Marchioro of Coeur d’Alene; two sisters in Germany; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Spokane Valley Good Samaritan Village, 17121 E. Eighth Ave., Greenacres, WA 99016.
Martha Finney
Sandpoint
Private service for Martha Evelyn Finney, 91, will be held at a later date. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Finney, who was born in Marion, Ky., died Aug. 19.
She grew up in Kentucky and graduated from high school there.
She later moved to Montana. She lived in Billings for many years and worked as a retail sales clerk in a clothing store.
In 1999 she moved to Clark Fork, and in 2001 she moved to Sandpoint.
She was a member of the Baptist church and enjoyed golf and playing bridge.
Survivors include a sister, Elizabeth Daugherty of Indiana; a granddaughter, two great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Ronald Bucknell
Spokane
Service for Ronald W. Bucknell, 71, will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.
Mr. Bucknell, who died Sunday, was born in Spokane.
He was an Army Veteran of Korea and Vietnam and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Mr. Bucknell was a longtime employee of the city of Spokane Street Department.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ellen.
Survivors include five children, Eleanor, Dennis, and Michelle, all of Spokane, Wayne of Seattle, and Carol of Chicago; his longtime companion, Karol Staudenmeyer; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Betty (Chapman) Roloff
Spokane
Private service was held for Betty L. (Chapman) Roloff, 59.
Mrs. Roloff, a 37-year resident of Spokane, died Sunday. She was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up in Missouri.
She worked in health care, home construction and manufacturing. She had also worked for Columbia Lighting for nine years.
She enjoyed traveling and cinema.
Survivors include her husband, Dale; four sons, James Avis of Davenport, Iowa, Terry Avis of Yakima, and Scott and Merle Dawson, both of Spokane; a stepdaughter, Debbie Dawson of Davenport, Iowa; her mother, Ida Chapman, two sisters, Nancy Wagner and Mary Eckhardt, and a brother, Thomas Chapman, all of Spokane; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made an animal shelter.