Obituaries
LeRoy Comstock
Spokane
Memorial service for LeRoy Rudio Comstock, 87, will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home.
Mr. Comstock, who died Wednesday, was
born in Walla Wall. In 1922 his family moved to Spokane, where he attended Garfield Elementary School, graduated from North Central High School and earned an associate degree from Spokane Junior College, where he was the class president and editor of the college paper.
He married Nila Griesdale in 1940; she died in 1978.
A physical condition prevented Mr. Comstock from serving in the military, so he worked in the Seattle shipyards during the war years. He then bought and operated The Hydeout Coffee Shop in downtown Spokane.
He moved his family to San Diego, and in 1954 was approached to help open the first Sizzler Restaurants in San Diego County, and traveled throughout the country training other prospective franchise owners.
At age 50 he developed a passion for riding and was an avid horseman, competing both in endurance riding and hunter-jumping.
He sold his restaurants in 1979, retired and moved back to the Northwest. He purchased a ranch in Hayden, Idaho, where he bought, sold and enjoyed Arabian horses and Limousin cattle. He also enjoyed hunting.
In 1986 he married Pamela Grimm, and the couple moved to Spokane.
After his retirement he pursued leatherwork. He made saddles and other works that were given to family and friends.
He was a member of the local chapter of the Safari Club International and the Knife and Fork Club. He won international recognition for his editorship of the Safari Newsletter.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Michael Comstock of Spokane; a daughter, Rebecca Dally of Arizona; two stepchildren, Michael Grimm of New Mexico and Kristina Rood of Spokane; one grandson and one stepgranddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Inland Northwest Chapter.
John Wemhoff
St. Maries
Rosary and vigil service for John S. Wemhoff, 61, will be today at 8 p.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in St. Maries Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the church with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries. Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wemhoff, who was born in Cottonwood, Idaho, died Friday.
He grew up in Cottonwood and attended St. Gertrude’s Academy there and worked on the family farm with his father.
Mr. Wemhoff served with the Idaho National Guard in the early 1960s.
He married Gayle Eich in 1965, and they lived in St. Maries.
He worked for Potlatch Corp. and then partnered with family members to form Wemhoff Brothers Construction in 1974. He was employed at the business at the time of his death.
Mr. Wemhoff enjoyed boating, craftwork and hunting. He was a member of the St. Joe River Boat Club, St. Maries Elks Lodge, St. Maries Chamber of Commerce and St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Steve Wemhoff of St. Maries and Greg Wemhoff of Rapid City, S.D.; two brothers, Bill and Jerry Wemhoff, both of St. Maries; a sister, Marylee Wade of Kennewick; and six grandchildren.
Margaret (Miller) Hemenway
Hayden, Idaho
No service will be held for Margaret Irene (Miller) Hemenway, 87, at her request. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Hemenway, who was born in Centerton, Ark., died Dec. 10.
She grew up in Del Norte County in northern California and married Frank Hemenway Jr. in 1936. He died in 1951.
Her favorite job was working as motel manager at the Beachcomber in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., in the 1960s and 1970s. She moved to Hayden with family in 1978 and operated Hayden Daylight Donuts for her daughter and son-in-law.
Mrs. Hemenway was active in jewelry-making, upholstery, sewing, crocheting, tole painting, cooking and baking.
Survivors include a daughter, Marla Lewis of Hayden; a son, Donald Hemenway of Fremont, Calif.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Charlotte Moon Darling
Ponderay, Idaho
Private service for Charlotte Moon Darling, 82, has been held.
Mrs. Darling, who was born in Ponderay, died Sunday.
She graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1940 and entered medical school at the University of Washington.
When World War II began, she worked as an X-ray technician at Harborview Medical and later worked at Portland Hospital.
She married Robert Darling in 1946, and the couple lived in Ogden, Utah, where they helped operate the family business, Kirkendahl-Darling Funeral Home.
In 1961 she received a teaching certificate in home economics from the University of Idaho.
Mrs. Darling returned to Sandpoint and worked as a home economist for the UI Extension Office and also taught home economics at Sandpoint High School.
She operated Humpty Dumpty Day Nursery on Pine Street until retiring in 1982.
Mrs. Darling headed the Republican Central Committee in the early 1960s. She was a practicing Christian Scientist and enjoyed gardening, sewing, reading, cooking and needlework.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include four sons, Larry, Douglas and David Darling, all of Sandpoint, and John Darling of Kennewick; a brother, Bud Moon of Hope, Idaho; a sister, K.T. Littlefield of Sandpoint; eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to University of Idaho Alumni Association, P.O. Box 443147, Moscow, ID 83844.
Russell Carlson Jr.
Smelterville, Idaho
Memorial service for Russell William Carlson Jr., 53, will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Kellogg Funeral Chapel.
Mr. Carlson, who was born in Kellogg, died Saturday.
He was a lifelong area resident and worked as a miner for the Bunker Hill Mining Co., Sunshine Mining Co., Ponderay Mine, Nancy Lee Mine and Van Stone Mine in Colville.
He was a member of the Lake Coeur d’Alene Anglers Association, AARP and the North American Hunting Club. He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting and fishing.
He married Tina Graff in 1995. She survives him.
Other survivors include three children, Tina Rodriquez of Wyoming, and Terri Haggerman and Russell Carlson III, both of North Dakota; three stepchildren, Michael Larison of Kellogg, Jamie Gillum of Post Falls and Billy Jo Gillum of Washington state; two brothers, Mike Carlson of Osburn, Idaho, and Mark Carlson of Winnemucca, Nev.; three sisters, Sally Carroll of Coeur d’Alene, Susan Ruffier of Rathdrum, Idaho, and Kelly Carlson of Elko, Nev.; and 16 grandchildren.
Glenda Boyd
Spokane
Memorial service for Glenda F. Boyd, 62, will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Boyd, who was born in Medford, Ore., died Thursday.
She graduated from The Dalles (Ore.) High School and attended beauty school. In 1963 she married Gerald Boyd. They moved from Spokane to Longview, Wash., in 1997 and recently returned to Spokane. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Scott Boyd of Spokane; a daughter, Shellie Clark of Spokane Valley; two sisters, Sharon Wright of Portland and Barbara Nichols of Woodland, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to any children’s charity.
Fern Bjerke
Spokane
Visitation for Fern E. Bjerke, 89, will be today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Riplinger Funeral Home. Funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home, with burial at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Bjerke died Friday.
She was born in Copeland, Idaho, and grew up in the Bonners Ferry, Idaho. She graduated from North Central High School; and lived most of her life in Spokane. She was a homemaker.
She had a special love for animals and for a time was a rockhound.
Survivors include a daughter, Cheryl Wilcox, and three sons, Darrell, Dave and Richard Bjerke, all of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to any organization that helps animals.
Delbert Countryman
Cheney
Visitation for Delbert M. Countryman, 91, will be today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cheney Funeral Chapel. A reception will be Wednesday at noon at Cheney United Methodist Church followed by a funeral at 1 p.m. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Mr. Countryman died Friday.
He was born in Hooper, Wash., and lived and farmed with his parents on various farms at Lamont and St. John, Wash.
In 1931 he graduated from Lamont High School, and in 1935 married his high school sweetheart, Helen Moreland.
The couple farmed in St. John, Pine City and Ewan, Wash.
In 1957 Mr. Countryman purchased a dairy in Elk. When he retired in 1978 he sold the dairy to his son, Douglas, and purchased a home in Cheney.
He was active in many organizations. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed woodworking, raising roses and raspberries.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Nancy Smart of Auburn, Wash.; two sons, Douglas of Elk and Norman of Portland; seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
John Ball
Sandpoint
Memorial service for John R. Ball, 60, will be held at a later date in Seattle. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ball, who was born in Prosser, Wash., died Dec. 13.
He attended Perry Technical Institute in Yakima. He later became an instructor at Perry and developed the telecommunications program and taught for 20 years there.
Mr. Ball married Diana Chapman in 1966.
He retired from King County Wastewater Treatment Plant in September and moved to the Sandpoint area to be near family.
He enjoyed fishing and wood-working.
Mr. Ball was a member of the Des Moines (Washington) United Methodist Church and was on the advisory committee for Perry Technical Institute.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Diana; three children, Stephanie Christman of Sandpoint, JoAnna Ball of Seattle and David Ball of Prague; two sisters, Susan Hauth of Seattle and Margaret Brown of New York City; and two grandsons.
Rosetta Schaffer Fields
Coeur d’Alene
Viewing for Rosetta “Rose” Schaffer Fields, 100, will be today from noon to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Graveside service will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Fields, who was born in Herreid, S.D., died Sunday.
She lived in South Dakota, North Dakota, Canada and Montana before moving in1914 to Idaho, where her family lived in Spirit Lake, Athol and Post Falls before settling in Coeur d’Alene in 1915.
She married Harry Fields in 1924 and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Fields enjoyed bingo and trips to Reno, Nev.
Her husband died in 1977.
Survivors include four children, Harry Fields, Helen Newton, Tory Worley and Irene McCurry, all of Coeur d’Alene; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Janice Christmann
Smelterville, Idaho
Memorial service for Janice E. Christmann, 56, will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at United Church of Kellogg. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Christmann, who was born in Wallace, died Saturday.
She graduated from Kellogg High School in 1967 and married Glen Christmann in 1968. She graduated from North Idaho College as a medical secretary.
She worked for the Smelterville Post Office for 20 years and was the U.S. Postmaster for 11 years until retiring earlier this year due to medical reasons.
She was a lifelong resident of the Silver Valley. She enjoyed shopping and being at the beach in Westport, Wash.
Survivors include her husband, Glen; three children, Tricia Sciuchetti and Glen Christmann Jr., both of Smelterville, and Debra Lancaster of Pinehurst, Idaho; and her mother, Ralia Berry of Kellogg.
Memorials may be made to North Idaho Cancer Center, 700 Ironwood Drive, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Roger Eddy
Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Roger W. Eddy, 67, will be Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Eddy, who was born in Spokane, died Dec. 15.
He lived in the Tri-Cities area before moving to North Idaho in 1969.
Mr. Eddy worked as a dental technician at Kootenai Dental Lab.
He played in the Spokane Senior Hockey League and coached girls softball through Parks and Recreation in the 1970s.
He was the founder of the Coeur d’Alene Striders Track Club and was an official for AAU track events.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; two daughters, Tammy Ritzheimer of Hayden Lake, Idaho, and Leslie Theander of Post Falls; a brother, Douglas Eddy of Spokane; a sister, Sharon Stockman of Post Falls; and six grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835.
Emmaline (Mitlo) Norman
Valley, Wash.
Funeral for Emmaline Rachel (Mitlo) Norman, 83, will be today at 2 p.m. at Crossroads Community Church. Burial will be at Valley Cemetery. Schanzenbach Funeral Home, Chewelah, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Norman, who was born in Spokane, died Friday.
She grew up in the Waitts Lake, Wash., area where she met her husband of 65 years, Woodrow Norman. They moved around the area doing construction work but always came back to the Valley area.
Mrs. Norman loved her roses and cooking big meals for her family.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include seven children, Dwane and Woodrow Norman, and Sheila Davis, all of Valley, Pat Bodey of Spokane, and Garry and Tom Norman, and Debbie Swearngin, all of Springdale, Wash.; two brothers, George Metlow Jr. and Ewel Metlow; 37 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.
Lonnie Rowe
Medical Lake
Viewing for Lonnie Rowe, 73, will be Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home. Service will be Thursday at the funeral home.
Mr. Rowe, who died Saturday, was born in Garrett, Ky.
He served in the Air Force for 20 years, retiring in 1970. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 19 years, retiring in 1988.
He loved fishing and traveling and was an active member of the Fairchild Air Force Base Church and the retirees of the chapel.
He was an avid walker of the path around Medical Lake.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Lois; four children, Walter Rowe of Houston, Debbie Woods of South Deerfield, Mass., and Gail Lowery and Jeanette Bowman, both of Medical Lake; six grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Iva (McGarvey) Rivers
Pinehurst, Idaho
Memorial service for Iva (McGarvey) Rivers, 86, will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel with burial at a later date at Hunt Cemetery in Kingston, Idaho.
Mrs. Rivers, who was born in Emmett, Idaho, died Sunday.
She married Ellis Rivers in 1935, and they lived in McCall before moving to the Silver Valley in 1960.
She had worked as a certified nurses aide at the old county nursing home in Silverton and later for Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Silverton.
She also was a senior companion for 18 years.
Mrs. Rivers was a member of the Grandmothers Club and the United Church of Kellogg.
Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Forsberg; seven grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchildren.
Dean House
Spokane
Funeral for Dean A. House, 83, will be today at 10 a.m. in the Sunset Chapel, Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. House, who died Friday, was born in Fruitland, Wash.
He graduated from West Valley High School in 1938. He retired from the Hanford area in 1982 and was a member of the Brotherhood of Electrical Engineers.
His wife of 49 years, Vanita, died in 1990.
Survivors include four sons, Ken and Tim House, both of Medical Lake, Larry House of Hayden Lake, Idaho, and Mike House of Seattle; a daughter, Sandra Studders, and a brother, Dale House, both of Spokane; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.