Obituaries
Gladys (Morgan) Sutherland
Washtucna, Wash.
Visitation for Gladys E. (Morgan) Sutherland, 94, will be Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville, Wash. Funeral is planned for Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Washtucna Community Church, with vault burial at Pioneer Memorial Cemetery.
Mrs. Sutherland, a lifelong resident of the Benge-Washtucna area, died Wednesday.
Born in Benge, Wash., she attended Morgan country school and was active in 4-H before graduating from Benge High School in 1928. She later attended business college.
She married William Sutherland in 1928 in Ritzville, and they lived in Benge. During the Depression they picked apples in Entiat, Wash., and later moved to Falls City, Ore., to find work. All of the family picked berries to make ends meet. They returned to Benge in 1932, and rented a wheat farm from Mr. Ede, the Winona banker. In 1938 they purchased a wheat farm northwest of Washtucna, where they farmed and raised their family until retirement in 1972.
The farm was sold in 1973 to their son, Dean, and the couple moved into Washtucna.
Mrs. Sutherland was active in the Washtucna Community Church and Mary’s Circle, the Rimrock Grange, the Adams County Historical Society, Mother’s Club, and as a 4-H leader.
Her husband died in 1979.
Survivors include a daughter, Joan Kenning of Kennewick; a son, Dean Sutherland of Washtucna; 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Aaron Steinke
Veradale
Memorial service for Aaron Michael Steinke, 27, will be today at 1 p.m. at Pines Mausoleum. Neptune Society handled the arrangements.
Mr. Steinke, who was born in Spokane, died Dec. 25.
A lifelong resident of Veradale, he attended Ness Elementary School and in 1999 graduated from Central Valley High School.
He enjoyed concerts, fishing, rides along the Centennial Trail, shopping and going for rides and crafts at the Elks Lodge.
Survivors include his parents, Shirlee and Gary Steinke of Spokane Valley; and his grandparents, Juanita Keck of Spokane Valley and Kathy Steinke of Sequim, Wash.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Guilds’ School.
Orville Medlen
Spokane
Visitation for Orville A. Medlen, 96, will be today from 9 to 11 a.m. at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 11 a.m.
Mr. Medlen, who died last Monday, was born in Windsor, Mo. He was a longtime resident of Spokane.
He worked as a printer for 70 years in Colorado, Spokane and Seattle, and was a member of the printers union.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mamie.
Survivors include two children, Ron and Fred Medlen, both of Spokane; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Norman Estep
Spokane
Viewing and visitation for Norman Ray Estep, 86, will be today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral will follow 1 p.m. at the funeral home, with burial to follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Estep, a 44-year resident of Spokane, died Dec. 23. He was born in Magoffin County, Ky.
He graduated from high school in 1936 in Chillicothe, Ohio, and served in the Marine Corps from 1939 to 1959, serving in both World War II and the Korean War. He was a Marine guard on the embassy staff in Peiping, China, and was a prisoner of war from December 1941 to October 1945.
Mr. Estep was a master sergeant and administrative chief for the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment and five Marine Air Reserve Squadrons in Waukegan, Ill. He received a Purple Heart, China War Memorial Medal from the Republic of China, and numerous other medals.
Following his career of military service, Mr. Estep worked as a mail carrier for the Postal Service.
In 1953 he married Marjorie Stewart.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, gardening, reading, archery and travel.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Russ Estep of Colbert; two daughters, Cindy Estep of Spokane and Marilyn Estep of Chillicothe; a brother, Steve Hurles of Peekskill, N.Y.; a sister, Gusta Montgomery of Chillicothe; and five granddaughters.