Obituaries
Margaret (Mitchell) Douglas
Priest River, Idaho
Graveside service for Margaret P. (Mitchell) Douglas, 86, will be Friday at 11 a.m. at the Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Douglas, who was born in Lamar, Colo., died July 26.
In 1935 her family moved to Nyssa, Ore., and in 1941 she married Norman Douglas. The couple lived and worked on the family farm in Nyssa, until moving in 1951 to Quincy, Wash.
In 1957 they relocated to Priest River. In 1966 they moved to Issaquah, Wash., and in 1970 to Renton.
After her husband’s death in 1993, Mrs. Douglas returned to Priest River to be near her sons.
She worked as a grocery store clerk before moving to Priest River, where she clerked at the Priest River liquor store and helped her husband operate Norman S. Douglas Logging.
Survivors include two sons, Gary and Dean Douglas, both of Priest River; three siblings, Dollie Matteson of Colorado, and James and Isaac Mitchell, both of Nyssa; 12 grandchildren, 22 grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Harland Severance
Spokane Valley
Visitation for Harland Claude Severance, 99, will be Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral is planned for Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mr. Severance, who was born in Gentry, Ark., died July 19. A resident of the Spokane area for 24 years, he had resided in Spokane Valley for the past seven years.
He attended high school in Ashland, Ore., and in 1922 married Vesta May Davison.
Mr. Severance worked in the lumber industry for 15 years and was a self-employed baker.
He enjoyed reading, camping and traveling.
His wife died in 1992.
Survivors include three sons, Norman of Kingman, Ariz., Virgil of Post Falls and James of Portland; three daughters, Verna Endreson of Walla Walla, Sylvia Brand of Gardnerville, Nev., and Carol McAllister of Sherwood, Ore.; 27 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Joyce Hergert
St. John, Wash.
No service will be held for Joyce Rosetta Hergert, 75.
Mrs. Hergert died July 20. She was born in Sumner, Texas and had lived in St. John since 1946.
In 1948 she married Samuel Hergert at the Lutheran Church in Endicott, Wash.
They spent 23 years working on the farm with their children until moving into town in 1971.
Mrs. Hergert also worked at the Wheel Inn in Steptoe and the Rialto Tavern and Cafe in St. John as a cook.
Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Judy of St. John, and Roberta of Edmonds, Wash.; a son, Terry of St. John; two brothers, Jim and Edwin Richey, and two sisters, Leona Hedglin and Betty Malone, all of Longview, Wash.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. John Fire Department or Whitman County Hospice.
Betty (Grever) Berggren
Spokane Valley
No service is planned for Betty (Grever) Berggren, 69, at this time. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Berggren, who died Thursday, was born in Sugar County, Colo.
She was a homemaker and lived in the Spokane area for 10 years.
Survivors include her husband, Robert; five children, Karen Berggren, Kristine Nichols, Pietro Machi, Judi Foggin and Maryann Rios; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Gardens on University, 414 S. University Road, Spokane Valley, WA 99206.
Cornelia ‘Thursday’ Willson
Harrison, Idaho
Visitation for Cornelia “Thursday” Willson, 95, will be from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Thursday at Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries. Memorial service will follow at 2 p.m.
Mrs. Willson, who was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota, died Sunday.
She grew up in Wyoming and received her permit to teach in 1931. In 1935 she married Fred J. Willson, and they spent the next 41 years working together and enjoying hunting, fishing and trapping.
In 1948 the couple moved to Harrison, where Mrs. Willson worked as a janitor for the Harrison School from 1959 until 1970. After her retirement she enjoyed crocheting and sewing leather.
Mrs. Willson was queen of the Harrison Old-Timers picnic in 1996. Her crown is still proudly displayed in her home.
Survivors include one brother, Herbert of Wyoming; a stepdaughter-in-law, Florence Willson of Harrison; two stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren and 11 stepgreat-great-grandchildren.
Donald Dana
Spokane Valley
No service will be held for Donald Edgar Dana, 88, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dana, who died July 21, was born in Ellensburg. He was a resident of Spokane for more than 53 years.
He worked in construction and bridge building until his retirement.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Garnet; a daughter, Donna Benesch of Redmond, Ore.; a son, James Dana of Kingston, Idaho; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Clifford Stafford
Otis Orchards
Service for Clifford Eugene Stafford, 82, was Wednesday at Pines Cemetery Mausoleum.
Mr. Stafford, who was born in Goldfield, Iowa, died Friday.
He grew up and attended school in Eagle Grove, Iowa, and married Doris Warren in 1946.
He was a World War II veteran, having served with the Army’s 88th Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy from December 1942 until February 1946.
He retired in 1984 after 37 years at Inland Empire Paper Co. in Millwood.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Doris; a son, Kenneth Stafford; a daughter, Beverly Walker; a sister, Joan Rickaby; and four grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Paul Weber
Diamond Lake, Wash.
Memorial gathering for Paul Harvey Weber, 62, will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Diamond Shores Lodge. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Weber, who died Thursday, was born in Minneapolis.
He worked in construction of elevators, and in 1988 he retired and moved from Las Vegas to Diamond Lake.
Mr. Weber was a member of the Newport Eagles Lodge and the local union.
He enjoyed woodworking.
Survivors include a sister, Gail Johansen of Rocklin, Calif.
Ronald Rush
Cheney
Memorial service for Ronald Rush, 48, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at the First Church of the Open Bible in Spokane. Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Rush, who died July 20, was born in El Paso, Texas.
He lived on several ranches during his childhood years and moved to Fallbrook, Calif., in 1972.
He moved to Cheney in 1987 after spending six years in the Air Force.
Mr. Rush then worked in the medical field for 14 years.
For the past two years he had been attending the Moody Bible Institute with the intention of becoming a pastor.
He also was involved with the Union Gospel Mission kids camp and enjoyed being involved in his church.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Vicki; a son, Ron Rush of Cheney; a daughter, Deaven Kriegh of Spokane; his parents, Stan and Julie Rush of Vancouver, Wash.; a sister, Joteen Noto of Vancouver, Wash.; a brother, J.T. Baulch of Albuquerque, N.M.; and three granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Gospel Mission kids camp.
Carl Ferrell
Cheney
No service will be held for Carl M. Ferrell, 90. Cheney Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ferrell, who died Friday, was born in Medical Lake.
He graduated from Medical Lake High School in 1932, attended Cheney Normal School and graduated from Kinman Business School.
He tended bar at Bill’s Tavern in Cheney for many years.
He was an avid cribbage player and enjoyed doing puzzles.
Survivors include a sister, Alta Ferrell of Cheney; and a brother, Alfred Ferrell of Spokane.
Tucker Dole
Tensed, Idaho
Funeral for infant Tucker Joe Dole will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Plummer (Idaho) Bible Church with the Revs. Randy Cordle and Brian Primer officiating. Hodge Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Tucker died Sunday at birth.
He is survived by his parents Charles and Tracey of Tensed; four brothers, Will, Levi, Garth and Logan of Tensed; two sisters, Kathleen and Laura of Tensed; and grandparents Joe and Peggy Blackburn of Plummer, and Chuck and Carole Dole of Quincy, Wash.