Obituaries
Ben Harney
Spokane
Vigil for Ben Harney, 90, will be today at 7 p.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Charles Roman Catholic Church.
Mr. Harney, who was born in Brinsmade, N.D., died Saturday.
After high school in Devils Lake, N.D., he was employed at a drugstore. Seeing little future as a soda jerk, he arranged free passage on a westbound freight train. In western Montana he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and went to work in the woods, eventually training recruits.
He moved to Spokane and graduated from Kinman Business University with an accounting degree. He moved to Metaline Falls, Wash., and worked as the purchasing agent and payroll clerk for a mine. When World War II began, he declined a deferral, enlisted in the Army, and was selected for officer candidate school.
Mr. Harney spent the war as an artillery officer, spending time in Texas, Panama, New Guinea, and eventually Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. He was in Tokyo Harbor at the signing of the surrender. Returning to the United States, he continued his Army career in the reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
He resumed his accounting career and became a certified public accountant in 1951. He was a partner in numerous CPA firms in Spokane before retiring at age 83.
Mr. Harney was a 40-year member of the Washington Society of CPAs. He served as president of the Spokane Chapter of the Washington Society of CPAs, and the Spokane Estate Planning Council and also, for two terms, the Archeological Institute of America.
He was an avid supporter of women’s fastpitch softball, and he and his wife were inducted into the Inland Empire Softball Hall of Fame as a sponsor in 1999.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Dorothy.
He married Willa Beckman in 2000, and she and Mr. Harney spent the past four years traveling.
Survivors include his wife; six children, Phyllis McMillan, Dwayne Harney, Marilyn Schroeder, Karen Albano and Janet McBride, all of Spokane, and Glenn Harney of San Diego; two sisters Marcella Nimmow of Devils Lake, N.D., and Eileen Carter of San Rafael, Calif.; 16 grandchildren and 14 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Place.
Helene (Bennett) Duncan
Spokane
Memorial service for Helene M. (Bennett) Duncan, 75, will be Wednesday at noon at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home.
Mrs. Duncan, who died Tuesday, was born in Seattle.
She graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1947.
She married Arthur Duncan in 1958, and they settled to Spokane in 1960.
She was employed for a laundry company, then worked for her husband’s printing repair business, Sons of Norway and Big Brothers Bingo.
Mrs. Duncan loved golf, fishing and bowling and in later years liked gambling and working puzzles.
Her husband died earlier.
Survivors include two sons, Jeffery and Gregory Duncan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Selmer Stave
Spokane
Graveside service for Selmer Joseph Stave, 80, will be in Stanley, N.D., at a later date. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stave, who was born in Stanley, died Friday.
He grew up on the family farm and attended schools in North Dakota, where he eventually owned his own ranch.
Mr. Stave moved to Spokane about 35 years ago and worked for Sears as a furniture delivery person. He began working as a custodian for the Women’s Society Club in Spokane in 1990 and retired in 1995.
Survivors include his companion of 21 years, Lorraine Sandaine; and a sister, Thelma Olson of Berthold, N.D.
Carter Dullanty
Spokane
Funeral Mass for Carter William Dullanty, 85, will be today at 11 a.m. at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dullanty, who was born in Spokane, died Saturday.
He attended St. Augustine Grade School, Gonzaga Preparatory School and Gonzaga University. He lost his father at an early age and was supportive of his mother and younger brothers and sisters.
He enlisted in the Marines in World War II and was involved in the battle on Iwo Jima, where he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry. He also was part of the occupation force in Nagasaki, Japan.
After the war, Mr. Dullanty met his wife, Alene, at St. Augustine’s Church and literally fell out of the pew looking to see if she was wearing a ring. Four months later they were married.
Mr. Dullanty worked for Central Pre-Mix and was a partner in Northwest Development. He served on the Gonzaga Preparatory Board and was active in the St. Augustine community.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Patrick Dullanty of Spokane and Steve Dullanty of Reno, Nev.; a daughter Nancy Caputo of Spokane; two brothers Frederick Dullanty Jr. and Richard Dullanty; four sisters Helen Davies, Maureen McHugh, Elenor OMeara and Catharine Babcock; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Venessa Behan Crisis Nursery.
Frank Ceserani
Spokane
Memorial Mass for Frank L. Ceserani, 97, was Monday at Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church.
Mr. Ceserani, who died Thursday, was born in Butte.
He attended Butte schools and graduated in 1928 from Montana State University with a degree in engineering. He married Leona Marvin in 1938.
He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and was honorably discharged as captain in 1946. Before accepting the position of chief gas engineer with the Washington Water Power Co., Mr. Ceserani worked for the Montana Power Co. in both Butte and Helena.
He moved to Spokane in 1958.
Mr. Ceserani was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church was a past president of Kiwanis in Helena, a life member of Pacific Coast Gas Association, and active in Associated Engineers of Spokane and Trailblazers of Washington Water Power.
In addition, he was a member of the Elks Lodge and the American Legion and continued to support his fraternity, Kappa Sigma, as well as many local and national charitable organizations.
He loved gardening, woodworking and reading about science and world events.
His wife died in 1977.
Survivors include his sisters-in-law, Virginia and Maxine Jackson, both of Butte; and nieces and nephews of Phoenix, Ariz
Roy Griffith
Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for Roy E. Griffith, 76, will be today at 1 p.m. at Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Griffith, who was born in Rushville, Mo., died Thursday.
He moved to California as a teenager and met his future wife, Betty Hardesty. They married in 1947 and lived in Los Angeles for 26 years.
He was a pioneer in the plastic pipe manufacturing industry in the United States and lived in numerous areas while setting up plastic factories across the country.
He moved to Idaho in 1970 and was plant manager at Interstate Plastics in Post Falls. The couple also co-managed several apartment complexes, including most recently the Legends Apartments in Coeur d’Alene.
His wife died in 2002.
Survivors include four children, Dan Griffith of Coeur d’Alene, Robin Britton of Post Falls, Renee Walters of Calder, Idaho, and Crystal Martin of Aptos, Calif.; a brother, Ray of Nampa, Idaho; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Special Olympics of Idaho, 8426 Fairview Ave., Boise, ID 83704.
Elida Newman
Newport, Wash.
No service will be held for Elida Flotus Newman, 89. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Newman, who was born in Vernon, Texas, died Tuesday.
She grew up on a farm and was the oldest of 10 children. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in teaching. She had been in the Newport, Wash., area for three years, coming from Auburn. She had previously lived in Chewelah for more than 20 years.
Mrs. Newman was a teacher in Spokane and retired in the late 1970s after 40 years of teaching.
She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Chewelah and the Washington Education Association.
She enjoyed gardening, reading, writing, going to garage sales, and family gatherings. She was especially proud that she was able to teach herself Spanish.
Survivors include a son, Jeffery Newman of Ocean Shores, Wash.; a sister, Wilda Chantry of Lost Creek, Wash.; three grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Northwest Cancer Center.
Clyde Hudson Sr.
Loon Lake, Wash.
Private service was held for Clyde Williams Hudson, 83, at the Zion Hill/Trysil Cemetery in Clayton. Lauer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hudson, who as a resident of Loon Lake since 1973, died Dec. 6.
Born in Jerome, Idaho, he graduated from Ontario (Ore.) High School in the late 1930s.
He and his wife, Opal, were ranchers in the Ontario area for many years and moved to their ranch in Clayton, Wash., in 1957.
While living in Loon Lake, they owned the All Seasons Sporting Goods and Hardware Store in Loon Lake for many years.
His wife died in April 2003.
Survivors include four children, Jewell Duncan and Paul Hudson, both of Clayton, Clyde Hudson Jr. of River Falls, Wis., and Tish Stephens of Spokane; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Howard Olson
Spokane
Service for Howard Dean Olson, 89, will be at a later date. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Olson, who died Dec. 7, was born in Spokane. He was a resident of Spokane County for 69 years.
He graduated from Rockford High School and attended Washington State College. He served in the Army in World War II.
Mr. Olson was a vice president with Seattle-First National Bank, where he worked for 42 years.
He enjoyed travelling, gardening and sports of all kinds.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Esther; three nephews, Leroy and Lonnie Olson and Eric Hallet; and one niece, Tracy Oppedahl.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Union Gospel Mission, American Heart Association or Diabetes Foundation.
Robert Mills
Spokane
No service will be held for Robert Kenneth Mills, 91, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Mills, who was born in northeastern Oklahoma, died Friday.
He moved to Washington state at age 18 to work in his aunt’s florist shop, Dahlialand on Boyer Avenue in Seattle.
He married Connie Jacobson in 1936.
At the start of World War II, he began working at Boeing as a truck driver and was promoted to plant facilities administrator. Upon his retirement from Boeing in 1978, Mr. Mills moved to a farm in Quilcene, Wash., where he raised cattle and grew Christmas trees.
In 1990 he moved to Spokane to be close to his children.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and enjoyed many outdoor pursuits, including fishing and hunting. He once caught a 73-pound king salmon in British Columbia.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Marilyn; four siblings, Hattie, Lorraine, Dorothy and Sherman; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Theresa (Tobiska) Lorenz
Mullan, Idaho
No service will be held for Theresa Luciele (Tobiska) Lorenz, 88, at her request. Inurnment will be held at Mountain View Cemetery in Mullan. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Lorenz, who was born in Sturgis, S.D., died Friday.
She graduated from Newell High School in South Dakota in 1934 and lived on and off in the Silver Valley since 1939.
During World War Ii, she was a certified welder at the Kaiser shipyards in Portland.
In 1962 she settled in the Silver Valley area from Cortez, Colo.
Mrs. Lorenz worked as a licensed practical nurse at the Shoshone County Nursing Home in Silverton for 15 years before retiring.
Her husband of 29 years, Glenn Kirk, died in 1964.
She married Selva Lorenz in 1969. He died in 1989.
She was a seamstress and enjoyed reading.
Survivors include two sons, Dean Kirk of Cortez and Jim Kirk of Mullan; four stepchildren, Ron Lorenz of California, Jerry Lorenz of Washington, Linda Lorenz of Hawaii and Steven Lorenz of St. Maries; two brothers, Archie Tobiska of Moscow, Idaho, and Joseph Tobiska of Coos Bay, Ore.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Iven Rickel
Bayview, Idaho
Memorial service for Iven Y. Rickel Jr., 80, will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Hall in Athol, Idaho. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Rickel, who was born in Athol, died Friday.
He attended grade school at the Corbin School and graduated from Rathdrum High School in 1942. He then attended the University of Idaho for six months prior to serving with the Army during World War II . Mr. Rickel attended training at Camp Roberts, Calif., then Fort Benning, Ga., before shipping out to France.
He returned to the family farm in North Idaho in 1946 and married LaVerne Murray in 1948.
They lived on the farm until moving to Bayview in 1978.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Coeur d’Alene, the Athol American Legion and the National Rifle Association. He also was a 30-year member of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, LaVerne; two children, Val of Athol and Janet of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Robert of Bayview; and one granddaughter.
Memorials may be made to American Legion Post 149, Athol, Idaho.
Susan Maloney
Vancouver, Wash.
Funeral Mass for Susan (Walters) Maloney, 85, will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Vancouver, Wash. Hamilton-Mylan Funeral Home in Vancouver is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Maloney, a former 57-year resident of Spokane, died Thursday. She was born in Limerick, Ireland.
Her first husband, John Chaffee, died in 1949. The day after his death she became a U.S. citizen, and alone in a new country she raised two sons.
She worked as a meat wrapper for Safeway in Spokane for 35 years and was active at St. Anthony’s Roman Church in Spokane.
Her second husband, Al Maloney, died in 1993.
She moved to Vancouver, Wash., 18 months ago.
Survivors include two sons, Harry Chaffee of Vancouver and James Chaffee of Federal Way, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Jane Spradlin of Bremerton; two sisters, Mary Hartigan of Dublin, Ireland, and Margaret Duffy of Coventry, England; two brothers, Jim Walters and Gerald Walters, both of Limerick; and five grandchildren.
Elsa Johnson
Spokane
Viewing for H. Elsa (Stark) Larson Johnson, 93, will be today from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home. Graveside service will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Greenwood Cemetery, with memorial service at 11:30 a.m. at First Covenant Church.
Mrs. Johnson, who was born in Mansfield, Wash., died Saturday.
She graduated from the School of Nursing at Deaconess Hospital in 1932. She fell in love with a patient, Stanley Larson, and they eloped in 1933.
Mrs. Johnson was a registered nurse and charge nurse at Deaconess Hospital for 25 years.
Her husband died in 1980.
She met George Johnson at First Covenant Church, where she was an active member for more than 71 years, and the couple married in 1985.
Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Louise and Ann; a sister, Trude Hansen; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Covenant Church.
George Miller
Spokane
Visitation for George R. Miller, 82, will be today from noon to 7 p.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Memorial service will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church.
Mr. Miller, who died Saturday, was a lifelong resident of Spokane.
He graduated from North Central High School and led the NC marching band as drum major in the first Lilac Parade.
Mr. MIller was the longtime business manager of Bee-Line Transport and Crane Service.
He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed camping with his family.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Marilyn; two sons, Jeffrey Miller of Spokane and Gregory Miller of Manassas, Va.; a daughter, Julie Miller of Spokane; a brother, Howard Miller of Vancouver, Wash.; a sister, Lenora of Idaho Falls; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund or to the Spokane Alzheimer’s Association.
Georgina (Miles) Hickey
Kellogg
Memorial service for Georgina Alice (Miles) Hickey, 78, will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the United Church of Kellogg, with inurnment at Greenwood Cemetery in Kellogg. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hickey, who was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, died Saturday.
She graduated from Kellogg High School in 1943 and attended business college in Vancouver, British Columbia.
She married Bruce Hickey in 1950.
She worked as an office manager for Central Shoshone County Water District for 14 years before her retirement.
She was a member of N.A.B.A., and the United Church of Kellogg.
Mrs. Hickey enjoyed cooking, swimming, reading and time at her lake home in Rose Lake.
Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Bruce; four children, Bruce and Bobby Hickey, both of Kellogg, Joyce Lesterberg of Post Falls and Gretchen Dire of Vancouver, Wash.; a brother, Richard Miles of Klamath Falls, Ore.; a sister, Patricia Hoelzle of Harleysville, Pa.; and four grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Kellogg Project Uplift, P.O. Box 305, Kellogg, ID 83837.
Philip Monitz
Coeur d’Alene
Graveside service for Philip J. Monitz, 62, will be today at 2 p.m. at Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene, with memorial at 3 p.m. at Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Hayden, Idaho. Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Monitz, who was born in Ecorse, Mich., died Thursday.
He grew up in Ecorse near Detroit and graduated as a cabinetmaker from a trade school in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Mr. Monitz moved to California and married Carolyn Crabbe in 1972.
He worked for Safeway for many years in California and later in the Northwest until his retirement in 2001.
He moved to the Coeur d’Alene area 14 years ago and worked in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane.
He enjoyed woodworking, cooking, art, photography and creative writing. He also enjoyed archery, camping, fishing, and Bible study and coached youth sports for many years.
Survivors include his wife; two children, Jeremy Monitz of Tulare, Calif., and Rebekkah Monitz of Coeur d’Alene; three sisters, Rose Moore of Kentucky, Annette Adams of Missouri and Mary Woods of Michigan; a brother, John Monitz of Michigan; and two grandchildren.