Obituaries
James Cornell
Spokane
Memorial service for James S. Cornell, 75, will be Oct. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 51, 300 W. Mission Ave. Neptune Society is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Cornell, who died Sept. 3, was born in Osawatomie, Kan.
He moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a child, and graduated from Roosevelt High School there in 1947.
He served in the Marines from 1946 to 1948 and joined the Air Force Reserves in 1951. In 1958 he moved to Spokane, where he was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base.
He served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and retired from the Air Force in 1969 as a master sergeant. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1969.
Mr. Cornell was an interviewer for the Washington State Employment Service for 16 years, retiring in 1991.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Pend Oreille Valley Lions Club, Eagles Lodge and several citizens band radio clubs.
He enjoyed fishing and won the Kiwanis Award as an “Apple Polisher.”
Survivors include his wife of 21 years, Marilyn; a son, Blane Cornell of Vinton, Iowa; two stepdaughters, Ann Town and Susan Harvey, both of Spokane; two stepsons, Connie Meyers of Garrison, Iowa, and Robert Mauk of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or veterans organizations.
Robert Guthrie
Spokane
Viewing and visitation for Robert W. “Bob” Guthrie, 50, will be Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside service will be Friday at noon at Riverside Memorial Park, with memorial service at 1:30 p.m. at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Guthrie died Friday.
A lifelong resident of Spokane, he graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1972 and the University of Washington in 1976 with a degree in business.
He returned to Spokane and worked in a family company until starting his own business. For the past 13 years, Mr. Guthrie was a real estate developer and builder in the Spokane area.
He enjoyed skiing, scuba diving, traveling and summer lake activities. He was an Eagle Scout and remained active in Scouting, serving as cubmaster of Pack 305 and scoutmaster of Troop 393.
Survivors include his wife of 19 years, Terrie; two children, Jason and Jill, both at home; a brother, John Guthrie of Olympia; two sisters, Linda Welden of Seattle and Julie Guthrie; and two brothers, Kevin Guthrie and David, both of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Boy Scouts of America, Inland Northwest Council, 411 W. Boy Scout Way, Spokane, WA 99201.
Velma McKibbin
Spokane
No service will be held for Velma McKibbin, 88, at her request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McKibbin died Sept. 12.
Born in Dusty, Wash., she graduated from Colfax High School in 1933. She moved to Spokane from Colfax and in 1937 married Ralph McKibbin.
Mrs. McKibbin worked for 25 years for the Spokane County Courthouse as deputy auditor.
She was a Girl Scout leader and was involved with Troop 395.
Her husband died in 1986.
Survivors include a son, Lyle McKibbin of Florence, Ore.; a daughter, Karen Grimmer of Spokane; eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Heart Association.
Lois (Devine) Hurst
LaGrande, Ore.
Service for Lois Olive (Devine) Hurst, 86, will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home, with burial at Grandview Cemetery in Bonners Ferry.
Mrs. Hurst, who was born in Lexington, Ore., died Friday.
She lived in Ione, Ore., before moving to King Hill, Idaho, in 1925.
She married Carrel Hurst in 1934, and they moved to Bonners Ferry in 1940.
The couple farmed in the Cow Creek and Dobson Creek areas near Bonners Ferry and in 1965 sold the farm and moved into Bonners Ferry.
She returned to school and received her GED in 1974.
Mrs. Hurst worked for the Boundary Community Hospital Health Department and the extension office.
She was instrumental in launching the Senior Citizens in Boundary County and worked as senior services administrator until retiring in 1983.
Mrs. Hurst later moved to La Grande, Ore., due to health reasons.
The couple had taken care of several children who were not their own, including a niece and nephew and foster child. An elderly friend also had lived with them.
Survivors include two children, Carrel Hurst of La Grande and Valdi Shierling of St. Augustine, Fla.; a sister, Irene Carnahan of King Hill; 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Helen (Nelson) White
Coeur d’Alene
Viewing for Helen M. (Nelson) White, 81, will be today from noon to 5 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene with service Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral chapel.
Mrs. White, who was born on a homestead ranch near Kidd Island Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene, died Saturday.
She grew up in Coeur d’Alene and met her future husband, Howard Brandvold, while attending Coeur d’Alene High School. They were married in 1942. The marriage later ended.
She married Fred White in 1947, and the couple moved to Hayden Lake.
She was involved in the Parent-Teacher Association and various other school activities.
Mrs. White enjoyed crocheting, painting and playing Scrabble and cards.
She was known as Little Grandma White, who made the best cookies around.
Her husband died in 1988. Having suffered from several strokes, Mrs. White moved to Life Care Center.
Survivors include two sons, Ken Brandvold of Sioux City, Iowa, and Fred White of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; a brother, Robert of Lewiston; a sister, Peggy Durr of Coeur d’Alene; 20 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Rafael ‘Ralph’ Caballero
Deer Park
Memorial service for Rafael “Ralph” Caballero, 60, will be Sunday at 2 p.m. at Calvary Chapel of Spokane. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Caballero, who died Sept. 21, was born in Spokane. He was a lifelong resident of the area.
He attended North Central High School where he played football and was on the wrestling team.
Mr. Caballero worked as a meat cutter.
He was a member of Calvary Chapel of Spokane and was active in church activities, including in the men’s Set Free Bible study group.
Mr. Caballero, who enjoyed the outdoors, was a fisherman and hunter.
Survivors include three daughters, Kristina Caballero Montgomery and Angela and Deanna Caballero; a sister, Jacinta Connall of Spokane; three brothers, Greg Caballero of Spokane, Victor Caballero of Show Low, Ariz., and Miguel Caballero of Mesa, Ariz.; and two grandchildren.
James Emmer
Hope, Idaho
Memorial Mass for James Joseph Emmer, 75, was Monday at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Clark Fork, Idaho. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Emmer, who was born in Minneapolis, died Thursday.
He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and worked for many years as a woodsman in the family lumber business, Emmer Brothers.
He enjoyed gardening and poetry.
Mr. Emmer was an entrepreneur and enjoyed teaching. He was active in his church and the community.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Mary; 10 children, Marcy Graham of Star Prairie, Wis., James Emmer Jr. and Molly Simko, both of Hope, Christopher Emmer of Mount Shasta, Calif., Michael Emmer of Jackson, Wyo., Katy Emmer of Tucson, Ariz., Kevin Emmer of Bozeman, Jeff Emmer of Clark Fork, Melissa Mangum of Boulder, Colo., and Clayton Emmer of Los Angeles; and 13 grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Building Fund, c/o St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 621 Oak St., Sandpoint, ID 83864.
Kenneth Kurrelmeyer Jr.
Pinehurst, Idaho
Memorial service for Kenneth K. “Kenny”” Kurrelmeyer Jr., 45, will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses in Pinehurst. Shoshone Funeral Service in Kellogg is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kurrelmeyer, who was born in Wallace, died Thursday.
He graduated from Kellogg High School in 1977 and was a lifelong Silver Valley resident.
Mr. Kurrelmeyer worked at the Bunker Hill Mining Co. zinc plant and later worked in the logging industry.
He married Shannon Myles in 1982.
He was an elder of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses.
Mr. Kurrelmeyer enjoyed hunting with his son, Marcus.
He was a member of the North American Hunter Retriever Association and enjoyed participating in field exercises with his black Labrador, Onyx.
Survivors include his wife, Shannon, and son; Marcus; his parents, Kenneth and Alice Kurrelmeyer of Pine Creek, Idaho; and five sisters, Judy Sparks of Sandpoint, Joyce Hummel of Hager City, Wis., Patsy West of Smelterville, Idaho, Debbie Mellon of Big Creek, Idaho, and Janet Carpenter of Coeur d’Alene.
Margaret Sattler
Spokane
Rosary for Margaret Mary McGoldrick Sattler, 67, will be today at 7 p.m. at St. Charles Roman Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Sattler, a lifelong resident of Spokane, died Thursday.
She was a member of St. Charles Parish for 45 years and was a homemaker.
She enjoyed gardening, pinochle and church activities.
Her husband Robert Sattler died in 2001.
Survivors include three children, Abbi Spilker, and Brian and Carrie Sattler; a sister, Helen Christopherson of Lewiston; a brother, James McGoldrick Jr.; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Spokane or The Poor Clare Nuns.
Margaret Bain
Spokane Valley
No service will be held for Margaret Bain, 103, at her request. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Bain, who died Sept. 21, was born in Seattle.
She had been a resident of Spokane since 1942 and was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Guy Bain.
Survivors include a son, Bill Bain; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Dorothy (Colwell) Cooper
Spokane
Service for Dorothy Ellen (Colwell) Cooper, 84, will be today at 1 p.m. at Sunset Mausoleum at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cooper, who was born in Julietta, Idaho, died Wednesday. She was a resident of Spokane for more than 50 years.
After her mother’s death in 1926, Mrs. Cooper and her brother, Chester moved to Spokane to live with her maternal grandmother, Ellen Burk.
She attended St. Ann’s Grade School and graduated from Marycliff High Schoolin 1938.
In 1940 she married Alexander Cooper in Coeur d’Alene.
Mrs. Cooper was a member of the St. Charles Altar Society and Sacred Heart Service League. She enjoyed doing handcrafts and worked for many years at McCoy’s Hobby at Shadle Center.
Her husband died in 1995.
Survivors include a son, Kacey Cooper of Pullman; and two granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morning Star Boys Ranch.
Merlin Herrmann
Spokane Valley
Memorial gathering for Merlin E. Herrmann, 75, will be today from 2 to 7 p.m. at 321 N. Progress. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Herrmann died Friday.
A lifelong resident of Spokane, Mr. Herrmann retired from Kaiser Trentwood.
He enjoyed bowling and was a member of a citizens band radio club.
Survivors include his wife, Ethel; two sons, Max and Lynn Herrmann; a daughter; Renee Burghard; and a sister, Frieda Lemon; eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Edith (Skarin) Gellhaus
Spokane
No service will be held for Edith W. (Skarin) Gellhaus, 84. Neptune Society handled the arrangements.
Mrs. Gellhaus, who died Sept. 21, was a longtime resident of Spokane.
She was born in Hitchcock, S.D., where in 1937 she graduated from Hitchcock High School.
Mrs. Gellhaus was a homemaker.
Her husband, Delmar, died in 1994.
Survivors include two sons, Bob Gellhaus of Spokane and Larry Gellhaus of Post Falls; a sister, Francis Farris of Santa Rosa, Calif.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Samantha (Isaac) Cornett
Spokane
Memorial service for Samantha (Isaac) Cornett, 76, will be in Michigan at a later date. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cornett, a 13-year resident of Spokane County, died Sept. 19. She was born in Wheelwright, Ky.
She worked as a machine operator in a steel factory and enjoyed sewing.
Survivors include a son, Curtis Cornett of Spokane; two daughters, Kathy Marquard of Tucson, Ariz., and Eva Engen of Spokane; three brothers, eight sisters, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Lois (Hodges) Jantti
Kingston, Idaho
Service for Lois Edna (Hodges) Jantti, 80, will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel, with burial at Hunt Cemetery in Kingston.
Mrs. Jantti, who was born in Hockerville, Okla., died Saturday.
She attended school in Hockerville and Quapaw, Okla., and was a member of the Baptist Church in Hockerville.
Mrs. Jantti moved to the Silver Valley from Oklahoma in 1951 and married Waino Jantti in 1961.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband; two children, Kay Pellens of Kingston and Joe Lancaster of Wallace; a sister, Dorothy Madden of Baxter Springs, Kan.; nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.