Obituaries
Leonard Heick
Moscow, Idaho
Viewing for Leonard I. Heick, 83, will be Sunday from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. at Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow. Service will be Monday at 11 a.m. at the Moscow First Presbyterian Church, with a luncheon at the church. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. at Moscow Cemetery.
Mr. Heick, a lifelong Moscow resident, died Tuesday.
He suffered partial hearing loss after having scarlet fever as a child and grew up on the family farm north of Moscow.
Mr. Heick attended Hunt School before attending seventh and eighth grades at Whitworth School and was a member of the last graduating class in 1912.
He spent two years attending Washington State College in Pullman and then began teaching industrial arts at Moscow High School in 1943.
He married Grace Anderson during spring break in 1943, and they celebrated 61 years of marriage in April.
Mr. Heick began farming with his father while finishing his degree in education at the University of Idaho. He later farmed in partnership with his son, Steve. Established in 1876, the Heick homestead has been farmed continuously by a family member for the past 128 years.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Latah County Grain Growers, Latah County Historical Society, Idaho Road Runners and the Friendly Neighbors.
He enjoyed operating machinery and eating breakfast with fellow club members.
Survivors include his wife, Grace; two children, Steve Heick of Moscow and Meredith Landers of Spokane; a brother, Cecil of Seattle; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Special Children’s Education Fund at First Presbyterian Church or any group providing assistance to U.S. military troops overseas.
Lary Thomas Jr.
Sagle, Idaho
Visitation for Lary Richard Thomas Jr., 47, will be Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Service will be Monday at 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sandpoint Stake Center on West Kootenai Cut-off Road. Military honors will follow at Pack River Cemetery near Sandpoint.
Mr. Thomas, who was born in Sandpoint, died Tuesday.
He graduated from high school there in 1974 and entered the Navy and worked in the electronics division until returning to Sandpoint.
Mr. Thomas owned his own trucking company, Thomas Sand and Gravel.
He was a delivery truck driver for Spokane Transfer and was an asphalt plant operator for Interstate Concrete and Asphalt for 10 years, retiring this year due to health reasons.
Mr. Thomas married Lavonne “Billie” Allen in 1987, and the couple lived in Sagle.
He enjoyed riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles, fishing and hunting.
Survivors include his wife, Lavonne; five children, Melissa, Aunnalise, Jerry, Khristopher and Roger; his father, Lary Thomas Sr.; a brother, Kevin Thomas; two sisters, Bonnie Plaster and Teddi Crabb; and three grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Herta Skidmore
Medical Lake
Graveside service for Herta Skidmore, 78, will be Sunday at 11 a.m. at Arlington West in Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Skidmore, who was born in Wittlensweiler, Germany, died May 19.
She grew up and attended school in Stuttgart, Germany.
She married William Skidmore in 1949 and lived in many places during her married life. They lived in Medical Lake for 40 years after her husband’s retirement from the Army.
Mrs. Skidmore worked for several years at Lakeland Village and was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church.
She enjoyed cooking, reading, and traveling.
Her husband died in 1998.
Survivors include a daughter, Susan John of Medical Lake; three brothers, two sisters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Gary Kraft
Spokane
Funeral for Gary L. Kraft, 66, will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Westminster Congregational Church of Christ. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kraft, who was born and raised in Helena, died May 30.
He served in the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1960.
He moved to Billings in 1975 and to Spokane in 1987.
Mr. Kraft owned Baskin-Robbins stores in Billings and Spokane from 1985 to 1996 and worked as a pipe fitter for about 40 years.
He was a member of Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ and Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 44.
He enjoyed fishing, golf, gardening and woodworking.
Survivors include his wife of 19 years, Linda; four daughters, Anita Kraft, at the home, Kathy Minch of Billings, Lynda Bistline of Palmdale, Calif., and Laura McRae; a son, Tom Kraft of Billings; his parents, Tony and Blanche Kraft of Westminster, Calif.; two brothers, Tony Kraft of Richland and Gregg Kraft of Keizer, Ore.; a sister, Karen Cohen of Yorba View, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or to Cancer Care Northwest.
Gordon Potter
Spokane
Memorial service for Gordon W. Potter, 73, will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Fourth Memorial Church, with graveside service at Greenwood Cemetery.
Mr. Potter, a 36-year resident of Spokane, died May 30. He was born in Springfield, Mass.
He spent the first 20 years of his adult life serving in the Air Force. After retiring from the military in 1969, he went to work for Johnson Matthey Electronics as a rolling mill operator and supervisor. He retired from Johnson Matthey in 1995.
He enjoyed woodworking and working in his rose gardens.
Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Gerri Potter; five children, Pamela Feaster, Ginger Terry, Scott Potter, Jennifer Lange and David Potter; three brothers, Douglas, Albern and Donald Potter; two sisters, Lynn Boron and Faith Miles; four grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Robert Jewell
Spokane
Private service will be held for Robert C. Jewell, 53. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Jewell, a lifelong resident of Spokane, died May 29.
He attended Rogers High School and was a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
He was a graphic artist in the Spokane area for 24 years.
He was an avid “home improvement specialist.” His favorite motto was “ No professionals.”
Survivors include his wife, Barbara; two daughters, Hayley Ann and Whitney McKee; his parents, Tom and Ruth Jewell; two sisters, Karen Ryan and Ruby Carney; and a brother John Jewell, all of Spokane.
Kevin Schwindt
Spokane Valley
Memorial Mass for Kevin Joseph Schwindt, 48, will be June 19 at 11 a.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Spokane Valley. Hennessey Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Schwindt, a lifelong resident of Spokane, died May 26. He was born in Dickinson, N.D.
He graduated from Rogers High School and served in the Army for two years in Germany.
He worked as a mechanic and enjoyed fishing.
Survivors include his mother, Mary; a brother, Larry Schwindt; and a sister, Colleen Dennis.
Bertha Gates
Spokane
Private service will be held for Bertha Mae Gates, 84, at her request. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gates, who was born in Johnson County, Pa., died May 29.
She received a registered nursing degree in 1941 and served four years with the Army in Europe.
She married Charles Gates in 1945, and the couple later made their home in Spokane.
Mrs. Gates enjoyed painting watercolors, golfing, dancing, playing the harmonica, bridge and mahjong.
She was preceded in death by her husband.
Survivors include two sons, Charles Gates Jr. of Coeur d’Alene and Kenneth Gates of Spokane; four grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Sylvia Vandervert
Spokane
Visitation for Sylvia M. Vandervert, 93, will be Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., with vigil service at 7 p.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be Monday at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Mrs. Vandervert, who was born in Nebraska City, Neb., died May 30.
She moved to Spokane in 1933 and worked for many years for the John W. Graham Co.
Upon retiring she was an active volunteer for the Women’s Auxillary at Morning Star Boys Ranch.
Her husband, Thayer Vandervert, died in 1985.
Survivors include two children, Jerry Vandervert and Sylvia Rae Craig; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morning Star Boys Ranch.
Edward Feist
Spokane
Vigil for Edward Damian Feist, 80, will be Sunday 5 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be Monday at 10 a.m. at the church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Feist, who was born in Strasburg, N.D., died Tuesday. He was a resident of Spokane for 46 years.
He joined the Knights of Columbus in 1948 and was an active 3rd- and 4th-degree knight. He had been a member of St. Xaviers Parish since 1958.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Elenora; five children, Don Feist of Berkeley, Calif., and Dianne Huggar, Shirley Thielman, Patricia Siria and Joseph Feist, all of Spokane; 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Xavier Church.