Obituaries
Dorothy Katzenberger
Moscow, Idaho
Rosary for Dorothy Margaret Dwart (Duarte) Katzenberger, 91, will be today at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Potlatch, Idaho. Funeral Mass will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at the church, with interment to follow at Freeze Cemetery. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Katzenberger, who died Oct. 21, was born in Madera, Calif.
Her mother died when she was 5, and she was raised in a Catholic orphanage.
She graduated from Commerce High School in San Francisco in 1932. During a tour of the Oakland, Calif., shipyards in June of that year, she met Vincent Katzenberger. The couple married the following November and
eventually settled in Potlatch.
Mrs. Katzenberger was active in support and fund-raising for the Elmore School, Ladies’ Aid and the Deep Creek community.
In Potlatch she participated in the parent band under Mr. Behm, playing the trombone. She also played the ukulele, piano and organ.
She sang in the Elmore Church choir and later in the choir at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Mrs. Katzenberger was a regular contributor to community news columns and the Idaho Catholic Register. She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed suits for her boys and entered several area sewing contests.
She also made toy rabbits and horses, and custom diapers.
She assisted several Potlatch Junior Miss contestants with their talent and presentation rehearsals.
Her husband died in 2001.
Survivors include three sons, Don Katzenberger of Clarkston, Monte Katzenberger of Caldwell, Idaho, and Keith Katzenberger of Lewiston; a daughter, Marie Green of Rochester, Wash.; 22 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Maybelle Blank
Rosalia, Wash.
Visitation for Maybelle (Haff) Blank, 100, will be today from noon to 9 p.m. at Schanzenbach Funeral Home, Rosalia. Graveside service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Odd Fellows Evergreen Cemetery, with memorial service to follow at the Rosalia Baptist Church at noon.
Mrs. Blank died Tuesday.
She was born in Eight Mile Ranch, Colo., and the following year the family moved to Osborn, Idaho, where she attended a two-room school. The family later moved to Wallace, where she graduated from high school.
She attended Lewiston Normal School for a year, studying rural education, and followed with a year at Myrtle, Idaho.
Her first teaching position was at the Interstate Callahan Mine School. She then taught third and fourth grade at the Mace (Idaho) School and returned to Lewiston for another year of training.
In 1928 she went back to school at Cheney Normal, and that year she started teaching at the Oakesdale (Wash.) School, teaching junior high. She taught there five years.
During her last year at Oakesdale she met John Blank at a dinner party. In 1935 they married in Spokane. After a wedding trip to California they settled into farm life near Rosalia.
Mrs. Blank was a member of Order of the Eastern Star and the Rosalia Baptist Church.
Her husband preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Bob Blank of Rosalia; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Deloris Thies Family Home in Fairfield or the Rosalia Baptist Church.
Michael Davidner
Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Michael John Davidner, 55, will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, with a reception to follow at the Yates Hayden Chapel Gathering Center.
Mr. Davidner, who was born in Vancouver, B.C., died Monday after a brief battle with brain cancer.
He moved to California in 1954 and graduated from Woodside High School in 1967.
He graduated from San Jose State University in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology.
Mr. Davidner sold real estate in the San Francisco Bay area for 17 years and met his future wife, Suzy and her son, Justin.
They moved to Nevada City, Calif., in 1989, and the couple married in 1991.
They settled in Coeur d’Alene in1992, and he made a living as an entrepreneur.
Mr. Davidner enjoyed fishing, cooking and traveling by train and had a passion for classic Italian and British cars, especially Ferrari.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Justin; his father, Harry Davidner; a sister, Robin Scardina; and two granddaughters, Kayla and Kolby.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835.
Rev. Katherine Cooper
Spokane
Memorial service for the Rev. Katherine “Kathy” M. Cooper, 64, will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church. Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
The Rev. Cooper, who was born in San Francisco, died Saturday.
In 1972 she received her Master of Education degree in Cincinnati while serving as a nun for the Sisters of the Transfiguration. She also did mission work and taught school on an Indian reservation in British Columbia.
In 1983 she entered the School for Deacons in Berkeley, Calif., and later attended the California Divinity School of the Pacific.
The Rev. Cooper was ordained as an Episcopal priest in Columbia Falls, Mont., in 1986. She served churches in Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Eureka, Mont.
In 1992 she became chaplain for Hospice of Spokane, where she served until her death. She also served as a supply priest throughout the Diocese of Spokane.
She was known for ministry in the areas of pastoral care, spiritual direction and preaching.
Survivors include a daughter, Beverly Blair; a brother, Donald Cooper; and four grandchildren.
Marie Burya
Valley, Wash.
Vigil for Marie Cecilia Burya, 85, will be today at 7 p.m. at Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah, Wash. Service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church in Valley. Burial will be at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Jump Off Joe, Wash.
Mrs. Burya, who was born in Chewelah, died Tuesday.
She married Joseph Burya in 1939, and they moved to Valley.
Mrs. Burya worked for the Valley Post Office for a time and for the Valley Grade School as a cook, librarian and secretary. She was active in Valley schools as a room mother and in the Parent-Teacher Association, and helped start a Girl Scout troop.
She was also active in Holy Ghost Catholic Church and Valley community events.
Her husband died in 1995.
Survivors include two sons, Denny Burya of Chewelah and David Burya of Salt Lake City; two daughters, Kathy Nett of Spokane and Joni Stallings of Colbert; a brother, Bill Nilles of Chewelah; 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Ghost Catholic Church.
Bernard Albro
Richland
Memorial service for Bernard “Bernie” Thomas Albro, 82, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Richland Lutheran Church. Einan’s Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Albro, a former longtime resident of Spokane, died last Friday.
He was born and raised in Willow Creek, Mont., where he graduated from high school in 1940.
He joined the Army in 1943 and was stationed in Grafton Underwood in England. He served in the 8th Air Force, 384th Bomber Group, as a tail gunner and flew 35 missions over Germany in a B-17.
He worked for 33 years as a bus driver for Greyhound before retiring in 1979. He moved to Richland in 1996.
Mr. Albro was a member of the Elks Lodge for many years and enjoyed playing golf, tennis and pool and riding his bike. He also enjoyed boating and water and snow skiing.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Pat; three stepchildren, Sharon and Kathi Boness and Ron Russel; two brothers, Lawrence and Jim Albro; four sisters, Rena Korizek, Maxine Pogreba, Fran Fitzhugh and Arlene Barlow; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Robert Ainsworth
Coeur d’Alene
Visitation for Robert E. Ainsworth, 78, will be Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene. Graveside service will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Mr. Ainsworth, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
He lived in Spokane and moved to Moscow, Idaho, with his family and graduated from high school there.
Mrs. Ainsworth then served with the Navy for two years, and married Doris Packard in 1947.
The couple lived in Moscow, and he worked at Safeway until 1954.
He later lived in various areas of Washington and Idaho while working in the retail industry and owned a Sears store in Gooding, Idaho.
He moved to Coeur d’Alene and retired at age 62.
Mr. Ainsworth enjoyed fishing, woodworking, crafts, clocks and model trains.
His wife died in 1999.
Survivors include two children, Roger Ainsworth of Clark Fork, Idaho, and Sherie Knadler of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Rose Barbour of Mead; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Floyd Dorendorf
St. Maries
Memorial service for Floyd Richard Dorendorf, 81, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Valley Vista Care Center in St. Maries. Hodge Funeral Home in St. Maries is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dorendorf died Tuesday.
He was born in Fairfield, and was raised by his grandparents after his parents were killed in an automobile accident .
Mr. Dorendorf served with the military during World War II and was in Germany from 1943 to 1945.
He married Frances Laplant in 1949 and worked in the woods for various loggers his entire adult life.
Mr. Dorendorf retired from Potlatch Corp. in 1984 after operating heavy equipment and building roads for the last 10 years of his career.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing and the outdoors.
Survivors include his wife; four sons, Steve Dorendorf of St. Maries, Richard Dorendorf and Robert Dorendorf, both of Moscow, Idaho, and Ronald Dorendorf of Clarkia, Idaho; a brother, Ted Dorendorf of Deary, Idaho; two sisters, Viola Roberts of Kellogg and Lillian Brown of Spokane; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Virginia Penny
Waitts Lake, Wash.
Memorial service for Virginia Jo Penny, 61, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Four Corners Community Church.
Mrs. Penny, who was born in Portland, died Oct. 8. She resided in her home at Waitts Lake for 11 years.
She was raised in North Bend, Ore., and graduated from Marshfield High School.
She enjoyed traveling and was a voracious reader. She enjoyed helping children learn to read, and created small phonics booklets to aid in the learning process.
She also enjoyed crocheting and made clothes for her grandchildren’s dolls.
Survivors include her husband, Dan; a daughter, Kathryn Matsumoto of Spokane; a son, Dan Penny II of Midland, Texas; three stepdaughters, Debra Henry of Twin Falls, Idaho, Karen Penny of Springfield, Ore., and Laurie Penny of Eugene, Ore.; a sister, Margaret Robinson of Oregon; a brother, John Schrick, now stationed in Germany with a U.S. Army medical unit;; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Ethel Matheny
Spokane
Viewing for Ethel Christine Hanson Matheny, 93, will be today from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at Heritage Funeral Home, with service at noon at the funeral home.
Mrs. Matheny, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School, and afer her children were raised, she became a licensed practical nurse.
She married Fred Matheny in 1931.
Mrs. Matheny enjoyed traveling and was active in the Danish Sisterhood and Grace Lutheran Church Women, where she made more than 400 quilts.
She was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church and an 86-year member of Grace Lutheran Church.
Her husband died in 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Donna Deeble of Spokane; a son, Richard Matheny of Port Ludlow, Wash.; a sister, Esther Roberts of Seattle; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Helen Barber
Spokane
Funeral for Helen Lucille Barber, 94, will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Entombment will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Barber, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
She lived in the Spokane area all of her life and in the same house since 1947.
Mrs. Barber was a retired school cafeteria manager for Spokane Public Schools. She enjoyed staying home, doing yard work and caring for her garden and flowers.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Russell Barber.
Survivors include a son, Ray Barber; and five grandchildren.
Harold Nyberg
Spokane
Graveside service for Harold Nyberg, 98, was Friday at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mr. Nyberg, a 92-year resident of Spokane, died Oct. 20. He was born in Cripple Creek, Colo.
He retired from Mobil Oil in 1971.
Survivors include two sons, Don Nyberg of Florida and Duane Nyberg of Spokane; four sisters, Elizabeth Dammel of Mohler, Wash., Annabel Eisele and Janet Snyder, both of Spokane, and Retha Deyoe of Mississippi; four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Nancy Erickson
Spokane
Memorial service for Nancy L. Erickson, 71, will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mrs. Erickson, who died Friday, was a resident of Spokane for 65 years. She was born in Coeur d’Alene.
She married Robert Erickson in 1952 and was a homemaker.
She was a member of the Lilac City Gold Wings Association.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Kathy Clark of Spokane; and seven grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1403 W. Third Ave., Spokane, WA 99204-1623.
Vivian Bischoff
Spokane
Memorial service for Vivian I. (Martin) Bischoff, 75, will be Monday at 5 p.m. at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bischoff, who was born in Hoquiam, Wash., died Oct. 16. She was a resident of Spokane for nearly 70 years.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School.
Mrs. Bischoff worked as a grocery store checker at several Spokane area stores, including Low Cost, ValuMart, Leslie’s and Fred Meyer.
She was a longtime volunteer at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.
Survivors include two sons, Max and Mickey Bischoff; a daughter, Terri Ann Sawyer; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Pediatrics Institute.
Bessie Bond
Spokane
Memorial service for Bessie (Pirch) Geise Bond, 88, will be next Friday at 1 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church. Neptune Society is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bond, who was born in Lost Nation, Iowa, died Oct 17.
She married John Geise in 1936. He died in 1972.
She retired from Sears and Roebuck Co. in Reno, Nev., in 1978 and moved to Spokane to be near family. She worked at J.C. Penney in University City until she was 69.
In 1984 she married Alva Bond and moved to Lakewood, Calif. He died in 1989, and she returned to Spokane.
Mrs. Bond was a member of Christ Lutheran Church and the Valley Food Bank.
Survivors include a daughter, Kathleen Ehlert of Spokane; a son, Paul Geise of Federal Way, Wash.; a brother, Lester Pirch of Mesa, Ariz.; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Lutheran Church or the Valley Food Bank.
Shirl Wilson
Spokane
No service will be held for Shirl Garff Wilson, 88. Neptune Society handled the arrangements.
Mr. Wilson, who was born in Provo, Utah, died Oct. 20.
He went to high school in Provo and attended the University of Washington.
Mr. Wilson served in the Army Air Force in World War II as a first lieutenant B-26 pilot. He received the EAME Ribbon, the Distinguished Unit Badge, the 6th Army GLC and AMCO.
He married Lorraine Darling in 1965.
He lived in Alberta from 1946 to 1963, when he moved to Spokane.
Mr. Wilson worked in sales at Montgomery Ward for six years, retiring in 1988. He had also sold restaurant equipment and installed roofing and siding for area businesses.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Masonic Lodge.
Survivors include his wife; four sons, S. Allen Wilson of Federal Way, Wash., Chester Wilson of North Bend, Wash., W. Bernard Wilson of Bothell, Wash., and Fredrick Wilson of Sultan, Wash.; a daughter, Carrey Reynolds of Seattle; two stepchildren, Merle Wyer of Spokane and Richard Wyer of Big Bear, Calif.; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.