Christine Swan

May 27, 1960 - February 20, 2024

It is with profound sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Christine Louise Swan, a beloved teacher, friend, and family member, on February 20, 2024. Chrissy, born on May 27, 1960, in Billings, Montana, was a shining light in the lives of all who knew her.

Chrissy graduated with a master’s degree in education from Gonzaga University, demonstrating early on her passion for teaching and nurturing young minds. For over two decades, she dedicated her life to educating students at Glover Junior High School. Her commitment to her students went beyond the classroom; she was a mentor, a role model, and a source of unwavering support. Chrissy’s colleagues at Glover Junior High School were not just co-workers but an extended family, with whom she shared many cherished moments. Her love for animals was evident in her adoration for her dogs, Sydney and Sasha, who were a source of immense joy and companionship. Chrissy’s kindness extended to all living creatures, and her compassion knew no bounds.

Those who knew Chrissy will remember her as the epitome of kindness and thoughtfulness. Her ability to love unconditionally and her zest for life were contagious. She found solace in music, often seen enjoying her favorite tunes with a nice dark beer in hand, a simple pleasure that reflected her appreciation for the finer moments in life. Chrissy’s sudden departure leaves a void in the hearts of many.

In addition to her enduring memory, Christine leaves behind a legacy of love and cherished relationships. She is survived by her beloved children, Jason (Stefanie) Swan and Kara (Brian) Howard. Christine’s adoration extended to her grandchildren, Ashley Swan, Corben Swan, and Zachary Howard, whom she loved deeply. She is also survived by her devoted mother and best friend, Patricia Croff. Christine’s siblings, Deborah Simpson, Tari Trasatti, John Croff, Darrell Croff, and Cheri Croff, each shared their special bond and friendship. Christine’s love knew no bounds, extending to her nieces, nephews, godchildren, numerous friends, grateful students, and cherished colleagues. Her kindness and compassion touched the lives of many, leaving a lasting imprint on all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Although Christine has departed this world, she is reunited with her beloved husband of 42 years, Larry Swan; and her father, Del Croff, who preceded her in death. Her legacy will live on in the countless lives she touched with her generosity, her laughter, and her boundless love.

A celebration of Chrissy’s life will be held on March 9, 2024, at Watts 1903, address: 1318 W. First Ave., Spokane, WA, where friends and family are invited to share memories and honor her remarkable journey. Please RSVP by calling or texting Darrell Croff at 509.994.7057 or Katie Huff at 509.413.7705 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a local animal shelter or education charity, causes close to Christine’s heart. Christine Swan will be deeply missed, but her spirit will continue to inspire and guide us. Rest in peace, dear Christine. You were truly one of a kind.

Ted Golightly Weeks

April 19, 1965 - October 4, 2023

Ted Golightly Weeks, 58, was born on April 19, 1965, to Bobbie and LuAnn (Golightly) Weeks in Preston, Idaho. Loving husband, father, brother, son and friend, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, surrounded by his loving wife, son, daughter, family and friends, following a sudden and debilitating stroke.

Ted was raised in Weston, Idaho, where hunting, fishing, working on the farm, riding dirt bikes and playing sports were the best parts of life. Following his graduation from Westside High School in 1983, Ted worked at Bourns Network and Weathershield Windows all while attending Utah State University for a short time, before marrying the love of his life, Tiffany (Gilbert) in the Logan Utah Temple. He later graduated from Idaho State University where he studied Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement. This love of law enforcement brought him and his young family to Kamiah in 1991, where Ted and Tiffany made their home, with Ted working as a police officer for Kamiah Marshal’s Office until 2003.

After his career in law enforcement, Ted started his own janitorial business with his wife, TnT Works, LLC in 2003. In 2008, Ted began his career as an auctioneer actively running Ted’s Valley Auction. He also proudly served as a captain of the local volunteer fire department, and was generally a jack of all trades. Ted was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he held many callings (scout master, young men’s leader, counselor in bishopric, elder’s quorum president, ward mission leader / missionary, facilities representative and many others). Also, he worked in the local schools as a D.A.R.E officer, PTO president and football/ softball coach. Ted was a friend to all he met. His pastime was spent developing a love for Dutch oven cooking, playing card games, and most of all spending time with family and friends in the great outdoors. If you were looking for Ted, and he was not working, he could be found hunting, camping, fishing, floating the river, or just sitting around a campfire at home or with the Camp Creek Bunch. Ted loved to work and play equally as hard. Ted was someone you could always rely and depend on. He loved to help other people. He loved to tell jokes and make everyone smile.

Ted is survived by his wife Tiffany, children Teresa Weeks and Tyson (Nicole) Weeks, beloved grand dogs Nestle and Axle, his adopted children Mitch (Samantha) Holman, Heather (Aric) Anderson and adopted grandchildren Paisley and Averi. Ted had many other adopted children over the years that were so special to him. Furthermore, he is survived by his mother Luann Weeks, adopted mom Sherlee Hawkins, and siblings Gary (Adele) Weeks, Eddie (Wendy) Weeks, Darla (Chris) Coburn, Sharon (Jason) Mercier, Robert (Shalyce) Weeks, Marie (Patrick) Klomp. He also leaves behind a loving legacy of nieces and nephews. Ted was preceded in death by his father, grandparents, mother and father in-law, family dog (Sugar) and friends.

Blackmer Funeral Home of Grangeville, was in charge of arrangements & funeral Services were already held on Saturday, October 14.

We sincerely appreciate all the love and support shown to our family during this difficult time. We hope that you will continue Ted’s legacy of serving others and showing Christlike love.

David Keith

December 14, 1968 - April 5, 2023 

David went home to our Lord on April 5, 2023 in Tucson, Arizona after a brief illness. David’s upbringing was primarily on the San Juan Islands and he loved to tell stories of his adventures in Anacortes and Roach Harbor where he worked as a Resort Chef to put himself through college.  

David started his IT career with New West in Bellingham, then he was asked to move to Spokane when the internet was just in it’s infancy, and became instrumental in the success of Huppin’s and their online company OneCall as their Information Technologies Officer. After his tenure with OneCall, David moved to Tucson, Arizona and joined Growers House and helped them become very successful. David continued his tech savvy ways and helped many other businesses and organizations grow and succeed over the years.

David loved motorcycles and BMW cars, he had a passion for driving fast! He enjoyed Formula One racing and other sports including NCAA Basketball, he attended March Madness in Las Vegas for many years. David was a kind and gentle soul that would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.
David was predeceased by his mother, Mary Keith and his father, Doren Keith.  He leaves behind many, many friends, and he is deeply missed by us all. There will be a Celebration of Life later this year, a date, location and more details to follow.

Marlene Kay (Bourcy) Yaeger

June 19, 1947- Dec. 27, 2022

Marlene was a caring and thoughtful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She left this world suddenly on Dec. 27, 2022 at age 75.

She was born in Spokane, Washington to parents Arthur and Erline Helen (Mullenix) Bourcy. After graduating from Mead High School, Marlene married the love of her life in 1966, Alvin (Tye) James Yaeger who she met at Maude, a one room schoolhouse in the third grade.  They had one daughter, Lisa Yaeger (Poplawski Lewis).

Besides brief stays in Pullman, WA, Germany (while Tye was stationed in the Army) and Anchorage, Alaska. Marlene was a life-long resident of Spokane.

Marlene loved spending time in the kitchen and crafting/sewing, creating incredible treasures for family, friends, and neighbors.

She had an incredible gift for baking, decorating her home, caring for flowers, and didn’t miss a movie that would make her laugh out loud.  Christmas and any occasion where she spent time with family and friends were her most cherished moments. She never missed a birthday, anniversary, or any celebratory occasion.

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Lisa Poplawski Lewis and grandchildren, Joliana and Colton Poplawski – the pride and joy of her life. They were blessed to have such a fun and close relationship.
Marlene is also survived by her brothers and sisters: Shirley and Bob Brown, Dianne Pritt, Tommy and Marcy Bourcy, David and Kathleen Bourcy, Marcia and George Bell, Michael and Tammy Bourcy, Sharon Yaeger, Wayne Yaeger, Millie Parcel and many nieces and nephews who likewise miss her deeply.

A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m., March 11 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3606 Schafer Rd, Spokane Valley. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Library Foundation of Spokane County, Ways To Give – Library Foundation of Spokane County. 

Joe McKinnon

2022 closes with the death of Joe McKinnon, a long-time political activist and one of the godfathers of Spokane Valley incorporation.

McKinnon was the director of the former Museum of Native American Culture before serving as the Spokane chairman for Dixy Lee Ray’s successful gubernatorial campaign in 1976. After she won, he served as Ray’s Eastern Washington representative, a position that hadn’t existed previously. McKinnon, who later worked as a Realtor, was a lifelong Democrat active in party leadership, although that didn’t keep him from working with staunch Republicans in the 1980s and 1990s on various proposals to incorporate the growing suburban area east of the city of Spokane into its own municipality.

“He always had his finger on the pulse of Spokane,” said Kay McGlockin, a longtime friend and political ally said last week.

“If he was your friend, he was your friend for life,” she said. When she was in the hospital recovering from cancer, he visited her every day and later would make daily phone calls in which he would impart two or three tidbits of information.

Political reporters, too, relied on McKinnon for those tidbits, and for conversations punctuated by jokes and his high-pitched laugh. “Christmas Joe” was a member of the Spokane Association of Realtors for over 30 years and helped organize the Independent Brokers Christmas Party for years. The Joe McKinnon Christmas Spirit Award was established in his honor in 2019 due to his amazing Christmas spirit. He is greatly missed.

McKinnon, 81, beat non-Hodgkins lymphoma but struggled with asthma and other respiratory ailments, she said. He died December 17; a Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 11am at the Holy Cross Cemetery; 7200 N. Wall Street, Spokane. A Reception will be held on Saturday, February 25 from 2pm-4pm at the Hemmingson Center at Gonzaga; 702 W. Desmet Ave, 2nd floor NW corner, Spokane.

Frank Clovis

June 29, 1953 - November 10, 2022

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the unexpected passing of Frank Clovis, 69, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. To all who knew him well, Frank brought a brightness of spirit fueled by seeing those around him thrive. He was our PopCola, our Guido Vespucci, our Grand Poobah, the Godfather of all CPAs, and he is missed.

Frank was born June 29, 1953, in Longview, Washington, to parents Julie and Franklin; he was the second of four children. Frank was preceded in death by his parents and sister Terre. He is survived by his wife, Linda; son, Frank Jr. (Sandy) Clovis; and daughter, Tracy Sanders of Coeur d’Alene. Denny (Stephanie) Clovis, Dallas, and Brian (Christina) Gross, Tucson His nine grandchildren are: Brittany (Jay) Gonzalez, Landra, Quinn, and Kaylee Clovis; Mattison (Dyllan) Barnes; Riley (Hope) Sanders; Kallin Sanders; Camryn and Evan Gross. two great-grandchildren: Onyx and Wrenlee Barnes. Sister-in-law: Donna Caskey; brothers: Tom and Greg. Frank loved his family and friends beyond measure, and we will miss his megawatt smile and larger-than life persona, lighting up every room he entered.
After graduating from Boise State University with his accounting degree, Frank moved to Coeur d’Alene, ID where he started his successful 48-year career as a CPA. Frank loved and excelled at his profession, primarily because of the deep relationships he built with his business associates and clientele. Few people like tax season, but he looked forward to this time of year when he could discover how his clients’ families had grown and had prevailed that year.

Frank was loved and respected in our community. This is because he took actions based on what would benefit us all, not just himself. In his 50s, one of the things he enjoyed most was coaching junior tackle football and seeing our youth find their strengths as part of a team.

Frank and his wife Linda had many adventures in their time together. They loved to travel and created a tradition of spending time with their grandchildren, taking them on mystery trips the year each of them turned 12 years old. They have also visited Ireland, Scotland, (golfing at St. Andrews), France, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, and almost every state in the US. Before his passing, Frank was busy planning a trip to Greece, Croatia, and Italy this coming summer. His craving for warm weather led to many of their travels, and they spent as much time as possible at their Tucson home.

Frank never missed the opportunity to sing the praises of his alma mater with his family, friends, or clients, and poke fun at EVERYONE else who made the wrong decision to go anywhere but BSU. It was a rare occasion to find Frank not talking about, surrounded by, or wearing Boise Broncos gear.
A celebration of his life is planned for Saturday, June 17th (Father’s Day weekend) 2023. The celebration will be located at 1250 W. Ironwood Dr. Cda, Idaho at 2 p.m.

In honor of Frank, wear shorts (Frank’s favorite attire); bright colors: Boise State Bronco or Hawaiian shirts preferred. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

Please visit Frank’s full memorial and sign the online guest book at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.

James Wilhite

February 15, 1952 - October 2, 2022

Caldwell, Idaho - James “Jim” Wilhite, 70, of Caldwell went home to be with the Lord on October 2, 2022 after a lengthy battle with lung disease. Jim was born to Merl and Vera Wilhite on February 15, 1952. He was raised with his older sister and brother on the family ranch and developed a strong work ethic even as a youngster. He attended school in Star, Fruitland, and eventually graduated high school at Greenleaf Friends Academy where he met his future wife. Jim went on to attend college at Boise Junior College and finished an Ag degree at the University of Idaho. During and after college James worked with his father custom stacking hay. Eventually he ended up working for First Security Bank as an Agricultural Representative for 30 years while selling hay stacking equipment on the side as a “hobby”.
Jim married Treva Sullivan in 1975 and went on to raise two sons. He enjoyed traveling with Treva and the two were able to see most of the U.S., Hawaii, and parts of Europe.

Church was an important part of Jim’s life. He was saved at Quaker Hill church camp as a young boy, and he and Treva attended Karcher Nazarene in Nampa for more than 30 years, helping the church achieve many of the dreams and plans they envisioned.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Treva, and his brother Bud. He is survived by his sister Nancy (Dave) Kueneman, sister-in-law Kerry Wilhite, son Luke (Chandra) Wilhite, and their daughters Hadlee and Paige, and son Brady (Jenna) Wilhite and their children Oliver, Jackson, Lydia, and Samuel.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Flahiff’s in Caldwell, and a service was already held at Karcher Church of the Nazarene in Nampa. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Child Evangelism Fellowship of Treasure Valley. Condolences can be given at www.flahifffuneralchapel.com

Roger V. Liberty

September 18, 1936 - August 14, 2022

On August 14, 2022 Roger V. Liberty went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus of Nazareth. Roger was born on September 18, 1936, the son of Ralph & Alta Liberty. Roger was the middle child with an older brother & sister, Ralph Jr. & Darlene, & a younger sister & brother Sharon and Randy, his younger brother Randy is the only surviving sibling.

Roger was born in Conde, South Dakota & moved West with his parents; he also lived in Renton, WA, Ritzville, WA & Post Falls, ID, where he met the love of his life Patricia Tibbets. They married on October 9, 1954 & enjoyed over 68 years of marriage. Roger is survived by his wife Patricia, sons Curtis, Wade & Mark; Grandchildren Caden, Merlee, Brian, Jacob, Eva, Marie, Matthew & Nolan. 

Roger worked for Washington Water Power/ Avista for 40 years where he traveled working in power houses & substations, he worked in every dam that WWP owned at the time. Later he transferred downtown to underground & high voltage for 9 years, then became a dispatcher for the last 9 years. Roger taught First Aid and high voltage terminating & splicing at Spokane Community College for many years. 

Roger accepted the Lord and Savior in July 1974 and traveled the globe on missionary work on three different occasions, spreading the word of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. He was an Associate Pastor at New Beginnings Church for 8 years.

Roger was very athletic and competitive, he raced stock cars, played hockey, softball, shot trap & skeet & ran both Gun Clubs in Spokane.

He also enjoyed Boy Scouts, Tennis & Table Tennis, flat track motorcycle racing, hunting, fishing, river rafting & even boxing in High School.

Roger will be sorely missed by his friends & family alike as he influenced so many people to be the best they could possibly be.

A memorial is planned for Sunday, September 18 at 3pm at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council building, 6116 N. Market, Spokane

Ella Pearl Eirls

April 24, 1930 - July 3, 2022

Ella Pearl Eirls, age 92, passed away in her home in Spokane, Washington on Saturday July 30, 2022. Ella was born to Vincent & Mary Meagher on April 24, 1930 in Mayetta, Kansas. Ella spent her lifetime giving to others. She worked hard, and had a heart for everyone she met. Ella was described by family as a sweet, kind, caring, beautiful, loving, loyal, helpful, and compassionate person. Ella was the oldest of six and a loving Mother to nine children: Mike, Alan, Dan, Larry, Terry, Linda, Jeff, Debbie, and Elizabeth. Ella was a loving grandmother and great-grandmother and will be greatly missed by family and friends. A celebration of Ella’s life will be held at Audubon Park, Northwest Boulevard in Spokane on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 with a potluck and service of remembrance from 2pm-4pm.

Baxter Ashby Black

1945-2022

On June 10^th, 2022 Baxter Ashby Black, large animal veterinarian, cowboy poet and philosopher, husband, father and papa rode his old horse on home. Just before sunrise on that day, Jesus signed on one more ol’ cowboy to ride the Golden Fields across the Jordan.
 

The iconic cowboy poet and storyteller had humble beginnings. He was born to Robert and Teddie Black at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital just before the end of World War II. He was the first of what would eventually be four brothers: Baxter, Bob, John and Stephen. The family traveled through West Virginia, Texas and ended up in Las Cruces, New Mexico where Baxter would call home. When Baxter was 15 years old his life changed dramatically as his father, Robert, who was the youngest Dean of Agriculture at New Mexico State University, passed away unexpectedly and he became the man of the house. All while doing his part for the family, he continued to play the guitar among many other things but he always went to church on Sunday.
 

He made his first attempt at writing in high school where , as he would recall, “I wrote something religious I think…” His teacher’s encouragement, after marking an F the size of Texas in red on the paper, was, “Baxter, write about what you know.”
 

As Baxter began college he started wondering about what he would major in. His first love was agriculture, there was also, a war going on again and he didn’t want to get drafted. He did go in on more than one occasion and take his physical for the Navy. He ‘wanted to fly one of those big planes’ is what he would tell those recruiters.
 

His decision to apply for Veterinary School came when he realized that no matter what came about he could always ‘fix your cow’. He applied to Colorado State University. He was accepted providing that he finished a few math classes. At the end of his third year the only thing standing between he and vet school was a 58% in “triggernometry” (60% was passing). He went ‘begging’ his teacher to give him that D. The graduate teacher finally conceded as long as he vowed to “never take Calculus or Trigonometry again”. He kept that promise the rest of his life!

Veterinary school saw his jovial and entrepreneurial spirit and vigor take flight again. Baxter made and sold leather belts, brewed coffee in the mornings, cut hair, and did laundry, all for those willing to pay a few cents. He even counted ants one summer for a grad student’s research project. He also earned a few dollars playing in a band with a couple of his classmates on the weekends.
 

Baxter graduated from veterinary school in 1969 and eventually ended up in Idaho working as the company vet for the J. R. Simplot company. It was while out there driving around and talking to the old cowboys where his storytelling started to take root. There were no TVs and very few radios in those days so he would take his guitar and tell stories. He found that he could take the cowboys’ stories, write a poem about it, tell it back to them and they loved it. In 1980 he ended up in Denver, CO working as the troubleshooting vet for a pharmaceutical company. Baxter’s reputation as an entertainer spread. Soon the constant requests for his brand of poignant, insightful and hilarious programs allowed him to transition from part time cowboy poet to full time cowboy entertainer.

Shortly after forming the Coyote Cowboy Company, he married his wife of 39 years, Cindy Lou and became the father of Jennifer. A decade later his son Guy was born and after Jennifer graduated high school they moved down to Benson, Arizona.
 

Over his forty year career, Baxter wrote about what he knew, cowboys, cowgirls, rodeo, cattle, horses and ranch life. He wrote with a flair that still captures the imaginations of everyone who reads his stories today. He spoke throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. His column was printed in over 130 newspapers and his radio program was on 150 stations through the years. He sold over 2 million copies of his books, cds and dvds. He was on the Johnny Carson show on several occasions and was a regular commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition for 20 years.
 

He lived his life guided by a simple faith in Jesus and his admonishment to, “Love God, practice forgiveness and mercy to all who offend, and to care for the least of these.” No one was a stranger to Baxter, whether you sat next to him on the airplane for thirty minutes or knew him for decades. Every person he met was a friend.
 

Something that Baxter would always say after getting home from one of his frequent trips seems profoundly fitting for his journey through this life. Should Jesus look at him and say, “How’d it go?” it is easy to imagine Baxter, with a beaming smile shining out from under his mustache saying, “Lord, I made ‘em laugh, and that’s all that matters.”

Baxter is survived by his wife, Cindy Lou Black; his daughter Jennifer Cubbage, husband Will, and their children William and Savannah; his son Guy Black, wife Jessica, and their children Gwendolyn and Magnolia; his two brothers, Bob and Steve and his two dogs, Solomon and Rudy.
 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the J. F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, 26284 Oso Road, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675; Canine Companions, 2965 Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 or to a favorite charity of your choice.

Ettavay M. Franks

December 8, 1945 - April 27, 2022 (Age 76)

Ettavay Franks of Deer Park, Washington passed away on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. She was born in Durant, Oklahoma on December 8, 1945. She moved to the area from Oklahoma in 1985 and made it her forever home. She was preceded in death by her son Thomas Kelsey Jr. She is survived by her daughters & sons: Rhonda Armstrong & husband Charles; Charlotte Cousland & husband John; Kenneth Kelsey; Larry Kelsey & wife Krista; Jacob Kelsey & wife Samantha; 13 grandkids & 18 great grandkids. A Celebration of Life will beheld on Sunday, May 22 at Mix Park, 301 W. 4th Street, Deer Park at 1pm.

Jody (DELUCA) Hissong

February 11, 1943 - April 6, 2022

Jody (DeLuca) Hissong was born on February 11, 1943 in Hailey, Idaho to Doug and Mary Allred. Jody passed away at age 79 on April 6 at her home in Lake Havasu, AZ with her husband Skip and three of her children by her side. She attended Hailey schools and moved to Pocatello, Idaho when she was 14. She completed High School in Pocatello and then went on to Nursing School. The nuns of Saint Anthony Catholic Hospital saw great potential in her as she was working in the hospital and they pooled their money and sent her to nursing school. Jody lived in Pocatello until 1968 and then moved to Coeur d’Alene ID to raise her four children while continuing her work as a nurse.

Jody worked as a nurse for Dr. William T. Wood from 1972 until 1987 when Dr. Wood retired. She then worked for Dr. William Tarnasky until 1989. The job she took the most pride in was being the Chief Deputy Coroner from 1984 to 2010. She also enjoyed the years she gave pilots their flight physicals.

A born Democrat, Jody worked on many political campaigns through the years. Jody was on the Sign Board of Appeals and also worked on the Wine, Stein and Dine fundraiser event which benefits the Post Falls Education Foundation. No one could put together a silent auction better than Jody.

She married Skip Hissong in 1992 and was blessed with two more sons, Bert and Josh. Jody and Skip resided in Post Falls and were very active in the community. They had many adventures and travels and so much fun together through all their years of marriage. Starting in 1999 they would vacation in Virginia City, Montana and after many 4th of July visits through the years, decided they would like to live there. In fact, in 2008 Jody sold her dream car and purchased a lot in Virginia City and told Skip “build me a house”. For many years they spent as much time as possible in Virginia City and Madison County, where mom was involved with the art show, chamber banquet, car shows and anything else the town needed her for. Jody was “Everyone’s Mom” in Virginia City. The Hissong house was well known for “ringing the bell” at 5 pm letting everyone know it was “martini time”. In 2018 after wintering in their RV for a couple years Jody and Skip settled in and bought a house in Lake Havasu, Arizona for the winter months, and they enjoyed boating the channel in their pontoon boat and being members of the Elks and the Eagles. Of course they quickly made lifelong friends there as well.

Jody was a giver, not a taker. Her desire to help others extended beyond her family, and her absence will be felt for many years to come. She was well known for her greeting cards. She sent out over 300 cards each year! (And, on her 79th birthday we made sure she got over 300 birthday cards–you should have seen her face). She and Skip also helped raise a few grandkids through the years. When something needed to be done, Jody always stepped up. Mama Jody was well known for her cooking. Her cookies, potato salad, meatloaf, and her famous pretzels were known far and wide.

Jody leaves behind her loving husband, Skip Hissong. She is also survived by her children Jan (Ray) Martin, Tony DeLuca, John (Tobi) DeLuca, Wendy DeLuca, Bert (Kendra) Hissong and Josh (Shiva) Hissong. She also leaves behind sisters Susy Crump, Debbie Moreno, and Jonna Hongo, and brothers, Cory (Melanie) Allred, Lee (Linda) Pierson, and Miles Pierson, Her grandchildren, whom she loved so very much are Blake Eastman, Kyle DeLuca, Shelby DeLuca, Adam DeLuca, Zachary DeLuca, Jack DeLuca, Tana Ryan, Maxey Ryan-Brooks (Jeff), Jody JoJo Ryan, Caden Ryan, Samantha Steele (Jeff), Tanner Martin, Ian Hissong, Luca Hissong. She also leaves Great Grandsons Joseph DeLuca and Lucas Brooks (coming in June) and Great Granddaughters Ariya Steele and Aerrabella Martin, plus numerous nieces and nephews. Mom always boasted that she had 26 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren because “you can never have too many grandmas” she would like to say, and she filled those shoes perfectly. Too many to list, but you all live in her heart.

A celebration of Jody’s life will be held Thursday, April 21, 2 pm at English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls.

Ada Jill Hargrove

November 7, 1952 - February 13, 2022

Ada Jill Hargrove was born November 7, 1952 to Harold and Betsy Weber of Carlton, Washington, and entered into rest on February 13, 2022 following a determined struggle with cancer.

She joined her brother John (Sharyl), her sister, Amy Jo (Bill), and her brother Jay at Libby Creek Ranch, and then moved with her family to Grand Coulee, WA on her first birthday in 1953 where she attended school. She graduated Grand Coulee High School with the Class of 1970 and was crowned Miss Grand Coulee for that year.
In March 13 of 1971, she married Robert R. Hargrove at Coulee Dam, Washington and as he completed his studies at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, she embarked on a career in telecommunications with AT&T in Vancouver, Washington which led eventually to her own advertising business in Spokane, Washington. She combined her career with being a full-time minister’s wife, serving congregations in Washougal, Tacoma, Electric City, Spokane and Otis Orchards, all in Washington state.

Her interests were varied and her organizational skills were legend, but none distracted from her centered concern for family and friends.  Her children were never out of her thoughts and efforts, nor were they far from her conversation. She was an accomplished horsewoman; an enthusiastic golfer; an unparalleled cat and dog whisperer and shared these times and talents with her children and grand children. She was also ready to share pictures of these times with anyone who would care to glance toward one of her letters or emails.

She would have us all remember that to go from the arms of a loving family to the arms of a loving God is not a bad thing.

Ada is survived by her husband, Bob, at the home;  a son, Reed and a daughter Jessica (Lance) Peterson); two grand daughters, Jocelyn and Jillian; one grandson, Shane, residing in Otis Orchards and Greenacres,WA; and by her two brothers John, of Independence, Oregon, and Jay of Mansfield, Washington.  She was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister Amy Jo Tattersall.

A private service will be held Friday, March 4, with a memorial reception following at CenterPlace in the Spokane Valley from 2p-5p. Please join us there to celebrate and remember Ada. To share memories of Ada and leave condolences for the family, please visit Ada’s Tribute Wall at https://www.hennesseyvalley.com/tributes/Ada-Hargrove

cynthia "Cindy" J. Meyer

February 17, 1954 - February 8, 2022

Christian believer, mother and grandmother, Cynthia “Cindy” Jean Meyer’s love of life didn’t come to an end with her death. Cynthia passed on February 8, 2022 at the age of 67, after a courageous battle with a long-term neurological disease.  She was surrounded by those she loved, who continue to honor her legacy by living as passionate Christians.

Cynthia earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Washington University, where she met her ex-husband, Richard Millard. Together they were blessed with four children: Richard, Garth, Garrett and Elisa. After raising her children, she returned to serve as a School Psychologist for public school students in the Spokane area. Cindy’s pride was in those she counseled, and in teaching her children to love God, instilling in them strong values.  Those who knew her shared a true beauty, one backed by an indomitable spirit, one that even illness could not defeat.

Simple pleasures in life brought great joy to Cindy. While raising her children, she provided unyielding support for any activity or venture that her kids might dream up, and waited with comfort and bandaids if it went wrong.  After her children left home to pursue life abroad, she loved a quiet evening with a romantic comedy and her dog, Amy. She always placed family at the center of her plans, and was quick to plan a party, bake a superhero cake, and invite everyone available.  Cindy is survived by her sons Richard, Garth (Florence), and Garrett (Amber); daughter Elisa (Jacob); mother Jane; brothers John, Dan, Tom, and Jay; sisters Karen and Jody; granddaughters Waverly and Betty; former husband Michael; along with many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her father John; and nephew Joshua.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, February 19, 2022, at 11:00 am at Northview Bible Church (13251 N. Mill Road in Spokane). This service will also be live-cast online, for those unable to attend in person.  In lieu of flowers, please donate to her favorite charity, the Union Gospel Mission.

RaeAnne Marie Pendell

February 1, 1989 - March 7, 2004

In Loving Memory....

Heath T. Harmon

April 7, 1979 - December 19, 2021

Heath T. Harmon, 43, of Spokane, Washington, died December 19, 2021, at Sacred Heart Medical Center due to complications with Covid pneumonia.

He was born April 7, 1978, in Walla Walla, Washington, the son of Tom and Sally Harmon. He had one older sister, Heather.

Heath graduated from Spokane Falls Community College in 1998 with a degree in Graphic Design. He married Michelle K. Chareunsy on June 25, 2004, in Spokane. On June 19, 2007, they had their first child, Anya, and on May 7, 2011 their second child, Shawn.

Heath worked for several businesses during his 20+ years as a graphic designer, most recently at The Exchange where he was a distribution manager along with his graphic design duties.

Along with spending time with his family, Heath had many hobbies and interests. One, being an avid outdoorsman who spent much of his time hunting, fishing, camping, and exploring new territories. He was a member of Evergreen Archery and had many other hobbies including drawing, guns, knife making and tinkering in Frank’s garage on various projects. His wide circle of friends included those with similar interests.

He is survived by his parents Tom and Sally Harmon of Walla Walla; aunt Jan Fletcher; aunt Susie (Kenny) Butherus, uncle Steve (Terry) Dixon, wife, Michelle Harmon of Spokane; daughter and son, Anya and Shawn of Spokane; sister Heather (David) Dalan, brother-in-laws Don Chareunsy and Charlie Chareunsy of Spokane and Las Vegas; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and other relatives along with many close friends including his best friend Frank Winsper. 

Heath was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Claud and Stella Harmon and maternal grandparents, Dale and Esther Dixon.

A celebration of life for Heath will be held in early April near what would have been his 44th birthday. Cremation has taken place and his ashes will be scattered in the mountains he loved. If desired, contributions can be made to his children’s savings accounts at Spokane Teachers Credit Union or please consider a donation to Evergreen Archery.

James E. Holschen Sr (Jim)

November 23, 1936 - November 23, 2021

Jim Holschen Sr, of Broomfield CO, went home to Heaven on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, in Aurora CO of COVID complicated by Parkinson’s. He was born on November 23, 1936, in Spokane WA to Henry & Martha Holschen.
Jim grew up in Spokane & Mead WA. He graduated from Mead High School in 1956. Jim served 2 years in the US Army, most of it in Germany. He came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior at 9 years old at church camp. His faith sustained him throughout his life. He worked for many years in facilities maintenance for multiple companies. His later years were filled with reading the Bible, watching Jeopardy, and doting on his grandchildren.

Jim is survived by his wife of 54 years, Darlene Holschen; daughter Dorothea Sorensen & her husband John; son James Marsh-Holschen & his wife Alexis; all of Broomfield; 5 grandchildren: James Holschen III, Denver CO, Luna Holschen, Boston MA, Ethan Holschen, Virginia Marsh-Holschen, Crosby Marsh-Holschen, Broomfield; brother John Holschen, Snohomish WA; brother Richard Holschen, Spokane Valley WA; sister-in-law, Diana Holschen, Burien WA; numerous nieces & nephews, grandnieces & grandnephews & one great-granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry & Martha Holschen, his brother Don Holschen, sister-in-law Patty Holschen and nephew Shane Holschen.

Jim will be interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver CO on December 14th. A memorial service will be held on December 28th at First Baptist Church of Westminster CO, time TBA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Baptist Academy, Spokane WA; First Baptist Church of Westminster, Westminster CO; or The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, www.MichaelJFox.org

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/thornton-co/james-holschen-10466636

David Dean Lakin

June 11, 1971 - October 20, 2021 - Age 50

David Dean Lakin, “Dave”, was born June 11, 1971 in Bellflower, California. At the age of 4, his parents moved to Idaho, where he spent his younger years. He attended Lakes Jr. High School in Rathdrum, Idaho & Mount St. Michael’s Catholic school in Spokane, Washington. His favorite times as a youth were spent in Orange County, California with his grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins. As a teenager, Dave enjoyed the outdoors, basketball and playing Nintendo with his friends. As an adult he loved shooting guns with his cousins, especially Andy House. Dave ventured to Alaska in his early 20’s where he worked on crab & fishing boats. He then spent the next few decades driving tow, delivery & long-haul trucks, & also driving medical transport vehicles. One of the best highlights of his life was becoming a Grandpa. His son Logan plans on keeping Dave’s memory alive by going on the same kinds of adventures his Dad took him on.

For those who really knew Dave, he was loyal & protective, charismatic, strong, generous & kind-hearted. He was a hero! David was honored by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office in October of 2017 for being an outstanding member of our community, as his actions helped save someone’s life. Dave had a heart of gold & loved his family dearly. He is survived by his parents, Ruthie & John Lakin, son Logan, daughter-in-law Nicole, grandchildren Able & Lily, sisters Anna (Dan), Margaret & Mary, brothers Paul (Jeanne), Jay (Amy), Matthew, Brian, Michael (Cheyanna) & Tim; nephew Kaleb; nieces Ahbrianna, Alleana, Madison, Ruby & Sophia.

Viewing, Rosary & Mass will be held Thursday, October 28, 11:30am at Mount St. Michael’s, 8500 N. St. Michael’s Road, Spokane 99217. David will be laid to rest at Holy Rosary Cemetery.

The Lakin Family would like to thank all their family & friends who offered support during this difficult time, particularly the House & Sarquilla families, and also a big thank you to everyone who donated to Dave’s Go Fund Me page.

Rebecca "Becky" (Langager) Teller

June 19, 1965 – September 8, 2021

Rebecca Nadine (Langager) Teller, age 56 passed away September 8th, 2021 after a long battle with Covid in Spokane, WA. Born in Wisconsin in 1965 and adopted by Bernard and Lila Lanager, she moved to Spokane in the 1970’s where she met her husband and started her family. She was always up for adventure and brought joy with her wherever she went.

Rebecca is preceded by her parents and daughter. She is survived by her husband Todd Teller, her three sons T.J., Darrik, and Travis.

Richard Thomas Butterfield Sr.

January 21, 1951­ – September 6, 2021

Richard “Rich” Thomas Butterfield Sr. of Spokane WA whistled, danced and sang his way into our Lord’s loving arms on September 6, 2021 where we can only imagine he was greeted with the biggest smile and most welcoming hug ever. Richard was born in Chippewa Falls, WI to parents Thomas and Xeliah Butterfield on January 21, 1951. Richard was the second born of 12 children. At a very young age he and his older sister Ruth took on the responsibility of raising their younger siblings. For many years they took their buckets to the local farms and picked whatever was in season to earn enough money to keep them all together. When it came to true love Richard married the love of his life Johna Giltner on September 8, 1970. Together they raised four amazing and beautiful children to be even more beautiful and amazing adults. Richard cherished his family and their bond as a family was and still is fierce. To his children he was and will always be “Pops.” Their house was always full of love, laughter, and learning. As their children grew, Pops knew exactly how to recognize, nurture, and encourage each of them and their many interests and talents. Even when it meant watching his baby daughter grow up and share his sense of adventure to live in faraway places such as Australia and New York. Richard was an extremely hard worker; he was young at heart and always took time out to play. It didn’t matter how busy he was… if the grandkids stopped by you can bet Pops dropped it all for a moment to play, laugh and build memories with each of them. One of Richard’s many talents was his mechanical ability and his ability to turn a wrench and fix anything. This skillset came in handy when paired with his love for building and driving fast race cars. Richard drove race car number 51. He was an exceptional driver, and throughout the years, he earned many first-place trophies on both the Oval and Figure 8 tracks at Stateline Speedway. Richard never wanted to miss a race even if it meant that he would “borrow” the engine from his wife’s car to run at night and quickly return it so she could go to work the next day. Richard passed that passion and skill set down to his children. There was never a prouder father then when he would watch his sons race on the same track. When Rich would race against his son(s), he never let them win on purpose; they had to earn it! He was a proud father who would always celebrate their victories alongside them! Richard’s fearlessness and drive did not stop on the track. His honesty, integrity and love of people made it easy for Richard and Johna to build and run successful businesses throughout the years where their valued and appreciated customers became their beloved and treasured friends. These businesses included: Auto Tops Plus, Triple R Auction, and JJ’s Estate and Auction Sales. Richard had a generous heart and if there was someone in need or a family member who needed a job, he would always do his best to put them to work or train them in the skill so they could go out and make their own successes. Either way Richard made sure you were never hungry or stranded on the side of the road. Richard loved giving back to the community and was often the one volunteering his auctioning talents to help raise money for many of the outstanding nonprofit organizations like the “Building Dreams Auction Fundraiser” which helps raise funds and awareness for Spokane’s at-risk youth programs. Richard also built bonds and memories with the extended family as well. Richard loved family gatherings especially if it meant we were playing cards, which was always met with tons of stories, love, and laughter! Richard’s laughter was infectious; if he started laughing then in no time, we were all laughing and even when we forgot what we were laughing about to begin with, we knew that it was joyous and filled with love. Richard’s love was unconditional, loyal, encouraging, and appreciative. He found value in anything and everything and most importantly, even if a person couldn’t find value in themself, he would always help them see it. Pops, we will miss you terribly! Thank you for the legacy you built for us. We will cherish and hold it in our hearts forever.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Tom and Hexie, siblings Walter, Cheryl, Stanley, Kevin, and Ruth. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Johna, their sons, Rich (Amy) Butterfield Jr, Guy (Michelle) Butterfield, Bryan (Kerrie) Butterfield and daughter Tanya Jo Butterfield. Grandchildren: Richard “Trey” Butterfield III, Allison, Ashtyn, Guy (Brenna), Harlie, Daniel, Kaylee, Kristina, Kaitlin and Khloe and 4 great grandchildren with another on the way. Siblings: Brothers Tom (Kellie) Butterfield, Rusty Butterfield, Debbie Wheeler, Diana Thompson, Suzie Davis, Shirley (Paul) Schmidt, as well as several nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles and forever in-laws Earl Glaspie Sr, Kimm Butterfield and by his favorite niece aka his 5th child Angie Glaspie (Mike) Hohman.
A Celebration of a Life Filled with Love was already held in Spokane Valley.

To honor Richard, in lieu of flowers, the family ask that you Stand for the Flag, Support Our Troops, Dance a Little More, Stress a Lot Less, Be Kind To Each Other, Help Out Your Neighbors and Recognize that even though we have differences, no matter what they are, we can still get along.

Lance D. Martin

May 23, 1953 – August 16, 2021

On Monday, August 16, 2021 Lance D. Martin passed away in Spokane, WA at the age of 68.
Born May 23, 1953 in Spokane, Lance played football, baseball, basketball and track at Ferris High School, graduating in 1971.

Starting his professional career as a master plumber in Texas, he owned PBS Homes where he built and remodeled homes throughout the Greater Spokane area for the last 20+ years, taking great pride in the quality and workmanship of his beautiful custom homes.

Lance was the piano player with the Steve Garrett Band, playing gigs around the Pacific Northwest. An avid fisherman and boater, he loved spending summers with family and friends at Priest Lake, ID.
Lance is survived by his loving wife, Carol (Chattaroy, WA), sister Debbie Martin, son Austin Martin, stepchildren Greg Woodman (Erin) and Heather Zimmerman (Bryan), plus four grandchildren Scarlett, Sloan, Savannah, and Nash.

A Celebration of Life service for Lance is planned on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home, 5100 W. Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205.

Special thanks to the staff at Hospice of Spokane North for their care and support. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Second Harvest Food Bank or Hospice of Spokane.

Robert Adrian “Bob” Gilles

May 30, 1948 - June 24, 2021

Robert “Bob” Adrian Gilles was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota May 30, 1948. He died of a heart attack after a hike while in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 24, 2021.

He is survived by his daughter, Stella Kent; sons Forrest (Jessica), Frank and Jack Gilles and granddaughter Auriana Kent; as well as his first wife Mary Helen Base, second wife Deb Harper, and companion Barbara Brecek. He also leaves his siblings, Monte (Mary) Gilles, Doug Gilles, Ramona “Peach” Zarelli (Tom Salisbury), Brian Kevin (Kathleen) Gilles, Rebecca (John) Aldrich and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bob had a tough early life after his parents moved to Washington State marked by hunger and violence in his home. As the oldest child he tried hard to take care of his brothers and sisters. He left home at age 14, got a job, lived in a friend’s basement and went to Bellarmine Prep where he made lifelong friends.

He had a rocky start at Bellarmine because he didn’t have glasses, but once he got them, he excelled and graduated in the top of his class despite hitchhiking to and from school and work each day, having one pair of pants per year and one pair of glasses for all of his high school journey.

He attended Gonzaga University on a wrestling scholarship. Bob worked two and sometimes three jobs at a time, to support himself all through high school and college and supplement his well-earned scholarships. His favorite was working as the House Parent in a Dominican orphanage near GU. Going to each school conference for each child was a big job and one he enjoyed.
He was drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War. However, Robert was a staunch pacifist, and refused to fight in the war. For this he faced the possibility of imprisonment but was eventually accepted as a Conscientious Objector and was able to perform alternative service by working at Goodwill in Spokane.

He married after college and had daughter Stella.

He started taking Karate lessons while a teen and always told people he was “a beginner”, teaching kids at the Salvation Army and then negotiating with the Spokane Club to teach their kids and bring his Salvation Army students with him.

After college he began teaching high school math and history, first in Morton, Washington and then at Gonzaga Prep. He coached wrestling in both schools.

While teaching he began renovating rental homes and left teaching to manage real estate and become a realtor. He loved that job because he loved an excuse to stay in touch with people. He always joked he was a five Roladex guy (people under 40, ask your parents).

He remarried in 1986 and raised his three sons Forrest, Frank and Jack.

He had an exceedingly rare cancerous tumor in his chest, diagnosed in 2008. He said he wasn’t fighting cancer; he was dancing with it. He survived against long odds with especial thanks to Drs. Steve Nisco, Bruce Cutter and Jan Mueller.

People might think Bob’s early traumas would have left him bitter. Instead, he became a consummate optimist and a fighter for all underdogs, working with the homeless community, communities of color, and people in need of a helping hand or mentoring. His efforts and energy in the fight to improve the lives of others earned him the sobriquet “the despicable Mr. Gilles” in a Spokesman-Review letter to the editor – a title he wore with pride until his death.

Our family would like to thank his landlady Dra. Soledad Soleno and caregiver Miriam Noguera for their help during his last days. They are two special people and made Bob’s last days good ones.

Bob’s memorial service will be Saturday, July 24 at the Women’s Club, 1428 W 9th Ave., Spokane, 99204, 6pm-8pm. After the service will be food, dancing and conversation.

Claude A. Hicks

April 24, 1934- June 1, 2021

Claude A. Hicks, 87, passed away at Deaconess Hospital June 1, 2021. Claude was born to James and Nonnie (Simmons) Hicks in Mount Airy, NC on April 24, 1934. He met Rossie L. Wood and married her in York County, South Carolina on January 2, 1954. Claude and Rossie have been in the Airway Heights area for the last 50 years. After his 21 years in the military, he spent the following 44 years operating and owning Hicks Hardware.

Claude was a loving husband and father; he was loved deeply by all his grandchildren and many in the community he lived in. Claude will truly be missed and remembered by all.

Claude is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rossie Hicks, four daughters; Carolyn, Libbie, Robin, Claudette, two sons; Allen, Richard, 15 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

A Graveside service was already held on Wednesday, June 16 at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, 21702 W Espanola Road, Medical Lake followed by a Memorial Service at Airway Heights Baptist Church.

Thomas goodwin

1945-2021

Thomas K. Goodwin was called home to heaven on Saturday, February 6, 2021. The youngest of four children, Tom was born in Missoula, Montana on April 4, 1945, to John and Mary Goodwin. He graduated from high school in Moscow, Idaho in 1963. In September of 1965, he married his first wife, Elaine Grieser and they had three wonderful children: Karen, Sherri, and Brian. Tom was an entrepreneur from a young age and demonstrated it by owning and operating his first Chevron service station in St. John, Washington. He also successfully worked as an independent contractor, handyman and was the consummate salesman. Many have said that Tom was one of the hardest working men they have ever known. He simply did whatever it took to provide for his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, two sisters, and Elaine. Tom met Kathy McCreary in December of 1978 and they were married on August 25, 1979. They started their lives together in Rosalia, Washington where Tom owned and operated two service stations and together, they raised Karen, Sherri, and Brian. They later made their home in Spokane, Washington. Tom was known for being hard-working, an honest and trustworthy friend, a dedicated father, and a loving husband. His family was his world and he demonstrated, by example, the values he instilled in his children. He had a passion for camping, fishing, cars, boating, and loved telling stories. Everyone who knew him would say he loved telling jokes. In short, he loved to make people smile and was the life of the party. Tom is survived by his wife Kathy Goodwin; children Karen Vaughn (Mike) of Wilsonville, Oregon, Sherri Charneski (Lance) of Spokane, Washington, Brian Goodwin (Stacia) of Spokane, Washington; seven grandchildren, Ryyan Kernkamp (Lauren), Austin Vaughn, Courtney Oosting (Zack), Nathan Vaughn, Nicholas Vaughn, Delaney Goodwin, Dylan Goodwin; and three great-grandchildren, Parker Kernkamp, Chloe Oosting, and Mackenzie Kernkamp. Tom will forever be in our hearts. He often said, “You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone”. What an understatement! We do miss you and we will forever! To the world he was a husband and a father, to us he was our world. May you rest in peace.

Matthew Dean Tollett

July 14, 1971 - January 26, 2021

Matt Tollett, died January 26, 2021, at his home in Spokane, Washington.

Matt was born July 14, 1971 in Spokane, Washington to Marcus and Janice Tollett of Thornton, Washington. They were a farming family near the close-knit communities of St. John and Rosalia, Washington. Matt grew up on the family farm with his two brothers, Mike and Cliff, enjoying his time playing sports, working the farm, and being with his family. After graduation, he attended SCC for a time, then returned to the farm. In 1997, he married Amy McComas and they soon had two daughters, Maddison and Mackenzie. Matt switched careers, following his love of the business world and became a financial advisor in Spokane in 1999. His latest venture was starting his own company, Inland Empire Financial in 2019.

Matt loved his time as a basketball coach, often coaching his daughters and others at Ferris High School. He also enjoyed spending time golfing, being with friends and family, and watching sporting events.

Matt is survived by his wife, Amy (McComas) Tollett, two daughters, Maddison and Mackenzie Tollett, his mother, Janice (Canady) Tollett, his brother Mike and wife Lisa Tollett, his brother Cliff and wife Corrie Tollett, his Aunt Margie & Uncle John Jaeger, and other aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Mark Tollett.

A service will be postponed at this time until family arrangements can be made.

John Melideo

December 17, 1951 –  January 2, 2021

John Paul Melideo, age 69, passed away at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington on Saturday, January 2, 2021.

John was born to John and Mary Melideo on December 17, 1951 in Rochester, NY.

John joined the United States Marine Corps December 31, 1968, married his wife, Elizabeth, September 11, 1982, and after serving almost 18 years he was honorably discharged September 30, 1986.

John was a loving husband of Elizabeth Melideo for 38 years. Loving Father of 9 daughters; Michelle, Kristy, Shannon, Mary, Deborah, Dawn, Amanda, Kimberly and Elizabeth Melideo. John was a loving grandfather and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed by family and friends.

A celebration of John’s life will be held at Washington Veterans Memorial on Friday, January 22, 2021 with a service of remembrance at New Horizon Community Church at 12pm following the military burial.

Michael Hamblen

On Sunday January 3rd 2021, Michael Owen Hamblen, devoted father of 5 children, passed away at 74 years young. Michael was raised in the Spokane and Pend Oreille area, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was an exceedingly respected member of the community
and an honest man with the highest of values in his personal life as well as business. Michael now joins his cherished wife Darlene, who preceded him in death.

Alan Beckley

December 21, 1947 –  December 6, 2020

Lyman Alan Beckley, 72, of Spokane Valley, WA passed away suddenly on December 6, 2020 in his home. Born on Dec. 21, 1947 in Greencastle, Indiana, Alan was the son of Lyman Anson Beckley and Virginia Belle Adamson.

Though most recently residing in the Spokane Valley, Alan spent the majority of his life in Indiana, most prominently Brazil, Terre Haute, and Indianapolis. Alan graduated first from Indiana State University in 1974 and 1975 with both B.A. and M.A. in English, and completed his J.D. at Indiana University School of Law (Indianapolis) in 1993.

From 1968-1972, Alan served in the US Navy as a Mandarin Linguist in the Pacific during the Vietnam War, during which time he received a presidential citation for his achievements. After his service and prior to the completion of his J.D., Alan spent his working life in publishing, including being the owner and publisher of the Macksville Gazette in 1982-85. Afterward he worked at Fiserv in corporate law, though his passion was for family law, and he generously provided legal assistance to friends and acquaintances. He also spent a number of years working as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian ad Litem. After he retired, he and Anne provided downsizing and estate sale assistance to seniors transitioning from their long-time homes to other retirement living through Caring Transitions Inland Northwest which serves Spokane and Kootenai counties and the surrounding areas.

Alan married Anne (Sutton) on April 27, 1985. He is survived by his wife Anne and his three children, Phil, Colin (Nikki), and Ben; grandsons Jackson and Bennett Beckley; sisters Carol Sue Jack (Howard) Stitt and Lucinda Beckley; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Preceding him in death were his infant children Nicholas, Christopher, Gregory, and Madelaine, his parents, sister Barbara Ann, and brother Phil.

As an avid fan, it was common to see Alan glued to the screen of any IU basketball game. He was also a hobbyist of many stripes, including trains, sailboats, classic barns, and NASCAR. Above all else, though, Alan was ever the book enthusiast, reading at any chance he got. He will surely be missed, not only for his wit, his humor, and the quiet, subtle ways he showed his love, but for the times spent buried in a book.

While a private family service was held, a public service will happen when it is safe to convene. Memorial Contribution can be made in Alan’s name to Newby-Ginnings Veteran Services in Post Falls, ID.

Steve Polumsky

October 4, 1957 –  August 23, 2020

Steve Polumsky, 62, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, in an accident on the Selway River near O’Hara Bar.

Steven John Polumsky was born Oct. 4, 1957, in Enterprise, Ore., to Don and Maxine Berlinghoff Polumsky. He grew up on the family farm in the Clarkston Heights and graduated from Clarkston’s Charles Francis Adams High School with the Class of 1976.

Steve and Paula Oxford were married Feb. 18, 1984, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. They made their home in the Clarkston Heights and raised three children, Samantha, Aaron and Angela.

Steve farmed with his dad and worked in road construction for Poe Asphalt and Paving for several years in both Lewiston and Grangeville. He also worked for a time with Western Farm Service and McGregor’s. In 2007, he began work with the Asotin County Road Department, where he was the foreman at the time of his death. He loved his job and the jokes that he would pull on his co-workers. Additionally, Steve was a volunteer firefighter with the Asotin County Fire District for 27 years and became the fire commissioner in January 2020. The fire department was like an extended family to him. He cherished the friendships and brotherhood that was formed during those 27 years.

Steve was a jack-of-all-trades and enjoyed many hobbies and sharing his knowledge with his children and grandchildren. He was a 4-H leader for many years and was active with his children in both 4-H and FFA, including serving as the swine and beef barn superintendent at the Asotin County Fair. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, going camping and playing with his kids and grandchildren. He thoroughly enjoyed attending Cougar football games with his brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Susie Polumsky.

One of the highlights of Steve’s life was going on Tiger Cruises aboard the USS Nimitz and the USS John C. Stennis with his son-in-law, Eric Timme, and friends Will Cook and Kelly Kinzer.

A selfless volunteer, Steve was very proud of his blood and platelets donations over the years at the Inland Northwest Blood Bank. He volunteered for all sorts of activities as a member of the Holy Family Knights of Columbus and the Lewiston Elks Lodge. He served as the Elks Youth Basketball Hoop Shoot coordinator and chairman of the Christmas basket program. He was well known for lending a helping hand not only to family, but to anyone and everyone.

In addition to his wife, Paula, at their home in Clarkston, Steve is survived by his children, Samantha and Eric Timme, of California, Md.; Aaron and Sarah Polumsky, of Missoula, Mont.; and Angela and Jonathon Strickland, of Lewiston; his father, Don Polumsky, of Clarkston; brothers Gary and Lynn Polumsky, of Spokane, and Tim and Susie Polumsky, of Enterprise, Ore.; and grandchildren Brayden, Aubri and Cameron Timme, Maria and Anna Polumsky, and Noah and Brinley Strickland.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Maxine, in 2013.

A funeral service has already been held in his honor. In place of a monetary donation to the family, please consider making a donation in Steve’s name to the Holy Family Catholic School in Clarkston or by donating blood to the Inland Northwest Blood Bank in Lewiston.

Barbara Gaver

May 30, 1943 –  June 1, 2020

Barbara Diane Gaver passed away on June 1st, 2020 at the age of 77.  A burial will be held for the family, where she will join her husband Thomas Gaver Jr., at the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date, at Valley Bible Church in the Spokane Valley, for all those who wish to celebrate Barbara’s life.

Carra Humphreys

December 13, 1960 - May 16, 2020

Carra Cochrane Humphreys passed away on May 16, 2020 after a long battle with dementia. She was a tremendous example of strength, loyalty, friendship, and love to all who knew her. She is deeply missed by many.

Carra’s celebration of life will be held Sunday, August 15 at 2:30pm in the Marie Antoinette Ballroom at the Historic Davenport Hotel, 10 S. Post, Downtown Spokane.  

Carra was laid to rest at the Rose Lake Cemetery next to her husband Carl. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Carra’s name to the Spokane Shriners Hospital.

Carra Humphreys

December 13, 1960 - May 16, 2020

Carra Dolores Humphreys passed away on May 16, 2020 after a long battle with dementia. She was a tremendous example of strength, loyalty, friendship, and love to all who knew her.

Carra was born December 13, 1960 in Coeur d’ Alene, ID to Carl and Donna Cochrane. Carra grew up in the Silver Valley where she learned the importance of family and the value of hard work. Carra graduated from Kootenai High School in 1979.

In 1976 she married Tom Hayman, and they had one child, Darrick. Their marriage came to a close a few years later, and Carra worked extremely hard to make ends meet to be the best provider for Darrick possible. Working sometimes two and three jobs, Carra was proud of the work that she did so that her son could have a good life.

Carra found her career in the health care industry. She worked for many years at Valley Hospital in the Obstetrics and Pediatrics unit where she met many great people who would become lifelong friends. Carra also worked at the Spokane Shriners Hospital and was very proud of her work with the children who were helped there.

In 1994, Carra married Carl Humphreys, and in 1999 they settled at Liberty Lake, WA. Carl was an enthusiastic adventure seeker and spent many days skiing, mountain biking, or surfing. Carra often skied or boated with Carl, and it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see Carra waiting at the bottom of a mountain bike trail to drive Carl back up to the top for another run. While they lived independent lives, they were both there for each other throughout their entire marriage. When Carra was diagnosed with dementia, Carl was her primary caregiver, and he did a tremendous job until his death in January 2020.

When not working, Carra was an avid quilter and created tremendous works of art. If you were the recipient of one of her quilts it was treasured labor of love. She was known for making lap quilts for friends suffering from illness through the years. In 2009, Carra completed her first triathlon and never looked back. She was inspired by other strong women and she, in turn, inspired others by her perseverance and dedication to a goal that was all her own. She also held volunteerism close to her heart working with the Children’s Miracle Network and the Spokane AIDS Network.

Next to her family, her true love was horses. Carra owned and rode horses growing up and shared that special bond with her grandfather, Reese. As a single mother, she didn’t have the extra income to support a horse, but as Darrick left home, she worked extra shifts so that she could again own a horse. Riding gave her a sense of friendship, freedom, and independence that nothing else could. She loved it! She was lucky enough to have a dedicated friend who took her to ride Jackie just months before her passing. Because of her love of horses, she also had a love of rodeos. One of her favorite memories was going to the NFR Finals in Vegas with girlfriends as well as Pendleton Rodeo and all local rodeos from Newport to Cheney to Spokane. If there was a rodeo, Carra was likely there in a pair of her cute cowboy boots (she had many).

Carra was a very loyal friend. She had many friends from various walks of life and her absence will be deeply felt.  Because she was such a good friend, she had numerous visitors each week at the care facility she resided in the past year, especially Lisa, who was very attentive to her sister’s needs. The staff often remarked that she was a very lucky lady to have so many people come see her. Among her favorite memories is the weekend trip she and her closest girlfriends took to Seattle for many years.

Carra is gone much too early. She is survived by her son, Darrick Hayman (Anne), grandsons, Thomas and Brady, parents Carl and Donna Cochrane, brother Todd Cochrane (Kristi), sister Lisa Sawyer (Brad), mother-in-law Janis Smith, brother-in-law Paul Humphreys (Lissa), numerous nephews, a niece, cousins, and dear friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Carl, grandparents, Reese and Pauline Hubbard, Stanley and Mary Cochrane, and father-in-law Robert T. Smith.

Carra will be interred at the Rose Lake Cemetery next to her husband Carl. A small private funeral will be held at this time due to the requirement for social distancing. The family will have a much larger public celebration of life later in the year when restrictions are relaxed.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Carra’s name to the Spokane Shriners Hospital.

Robert Howard

April 4, 1960 - April 16, 2020

Robert Howard was born in Torrance, CA. Robert was a force of life and is remembered for the warmth and light he brought to his family and friends.

Preceded in death by his beloved father and mother, “BJ” and Rose Merry Howard, those who survive include his adoring wife Francie and her four children, Isadora, Chloe, Ellie, and Oliver, as well as cousins Ted Howard, Dennis Howard, Susan Cook, Linda Cook, Janet Johnson, Barbara, Pat, and Lane Covington, and Lori DiCicio.

Quietly spiritual, Robert started each day with reflection and meditation. He believed that what you put into life, you received back and his exuberance reflected a passion for being fully present, living each moment with energy and joy.

Committed to his career as a mortgage broker, Robert loved helping others achieve their dreams and clients had a way of finding him. His infectious drive to do right by others kept him busy.

As a loyal sports fan (go Zags!), he relished the start of basketball season. Not satisfied with attending home games, Robert leaped at the opportunity to support the Gonzaga Bulldogs on the road during play off season with his fellow Bulldog fans.

A man with a passion for living, Robert embraced cooking amazing meals, hiking with his dog and Francie, and offering thrilling boat rides to the kids on weekends at the lake cabin.

Known to his close friends and family as a “dance maniac”, Robert loved to show off his smooth moves on the dance floor. In fact, it was his freestyle dance moves and free spirit attitude that captured Francie’s heart in their early stages of courtship.

Although Robert had many activities he embraced with keen interest, he embraced the role of father and family man with full abandon. Making great family dinners, creating chore charts, and ensuring the car was safe and reliable, were tasks he relished. Supporting Francie through good times and hard times in raising children was a responsibility he took seriously and he was with her every step of the way. He loved deeply and was loved in return.

Due to the unfortunate circumstances around Covid19 and group gathering restrictions, a funeral and celebration of Robert’s purposeful life will be announced at a later date. As an animal lover and in place of flowers, tributes may be given to the Spokane Humane Society in Robert’s name: https://spokanehumanesociety.org/donate/

Thomas Thacker

May 9, 1950 - March 16, 2020

Thomas Raymond Thacker passed away surrounded by his family. Tom had an aggressive form of esophageal cancer that took him in a matter of days.

Born to Ray and Irene Thacker on May 9, 1950 in Spokane Valley. Tom lived his whole life in the Valley. He attended Central Valley schools. He was proud to be a member of his dad’s 1968 championship basketball team. Tom also graduated from EWU with a degree in philosophy.

Dad always teased him about communing with the apples. Tom was the last remaining apple orchardist in the Valley. He loved his apple and raspberry customers and the camaraderie.

Tom loved his family, holiday get togethers, attending basketball games, bike riding during the summer, Scrabble with his sisters, and making chocolate chip cookies for the grand and
great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Irene Thacker. He is survived by his siblings Linda (Jim) Strom, Honey Conlon, Jim (Jan) Thacker, JoAnne (Doug) Poulson, Mike Thacker, and nieces and nephews who loved him very much.

Tom was buried on April 3, 2020 in a graveside service at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. The family is planning a Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Spokane Valley on May 9th. If that doesn’t happen, we will go later in the summer.

Roger Monahan

August 11, 1938 –  February 5, 2020

Home is where the story starts and, for Roger Kermit Monahan, that was in Racine, Minnesota where he was born on August 11, 1938. He was raised in St. Maries, Idaho, eventually settling in Spokane, Washington where he raised his family. Life events took Roger up to Alaska where he met his wife, Betty. He followed her all over the world but they found their way back home to Spokane in 1998 where he lived until his unexpected death on February 5th, 2020.

And so, the story begins Roger never forgot the roads he traveled and the people he met and loved along the way. His childhood in Minnesota and Idaho gave him boundless memories that fostered great family bonds that would last a lifetime. His family extended to Wisconsin.
Roger lived the majority of his life in the Pacific Northwest where his love for the outdoors was passed on to his children. Life on the farm in Spokane meant hard work but also fun and loving family stories around the dinner table and experiences to last a lifetime.

Roger was a plumber by trade, a livelihood that brought him lifelong friends. He was one of the founders of Kohler-Tower-United (KTU) and eventually owned and operated R&N Plumbing.

In his "spare" time, he could be found encouraging his children on the Basketball or Volleyball court and, of course, the nearby ski slopes. His love of sports, cultivated during childhood, remained a passion for a lifetime.

In Alaska, he met his second wife, Betty, affectionately referred to, by him, as "the redhead," a career military officer for the United States Air Force. Roger traveled all over the world with Betty, Korea, Japan, China, and Europe not only in support of her career, but to forge his own path, receiving the highest commendations for his tireless devotion to supporting the troops through his USO volunteer work. In Alaska, Mississippi, Texas, and back here in Spokane, he would be recognized for countless hours he volunteered in support of individuals and families in need.

In Spokane in the late 90's, the adventure continued with a growing generation of "Monahans," his grand- and great-grandchildren. That included enjoying a day of fishing or the simplicity of building a fire to cook the day's catch. If he wasn't with family, he could be found on the golf course, riding his Harley, regularly attending events such as the symphony (attire included flip-flops, really Roger?) or the Gonzaga Women's basketball games. Truth be told, the worst day of fishing was better than the best day of anything else. Proof? He went on a fishing trip the day after his wedding to Betty.

Over the last 20 years in Spokane, Roger settled back to enjoy the cycle of life in more ways than one, watching his grandchildren grow, sowing and harvesting a garden, fishing and canning his catch (with his devoted cohort, sister Diane) to distribute throughout the family; from his table to theirs. Right down to the last days of his life, while chopping wood or clearing snow, he still stopped occasionally to look up and appreciate the day. The heavens must have been looking too. Roger is survived by his wife of 30 years, Betty Monahan; his 6 children, Shelly Monahan Cain (Steve), Denise Choi (Chris), Colleen Davis (Ed), John Monahan (Vivi), and Mary Jensen (Ron); his 24 grandchildren, Marshall, Mitchell, Makenzie, Taylor, Kelina, Malia, Ketura (Andrew), Julius, Jared, Aslin, Kyle, Michael John, David, Caleb, Riley, Paxton (Trevor), Laiken, Trevor John, Miley, Daniella, Ryan, Trey, Bo, and Uriah; and his 5 great-grandchildren, A.J., Shawn, Abbigail, Aubbrey, and Ashton. Also, his surviving siblings sisters, Janice Rogge (Ray), Carolyn Johnson, Diane Brogan, Maryann Bailey, Karen Robinson (Jimmy), and brother, Howard Thorhaug (Nancy) mourn his loss.

If you crossed paths with Roger and life took you down a different road, Roger never forgot you. Such was the case for his former sons-in-law, Jeff Hall, Michael Oddino, Abe Sua, Dan Christenson, and Mike Gilbert. Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Kermit Monahan and Adeline Monahan Thorhaug; his first wife, Nancy Danneker; his siblings, Joanne Butler and Wayne Thorhaug; and Roger's son, Michael Monahan. Celebration of Life will be Thursday, March 12, 1pm, at The Eagles, 6410 N. Lidgerwood St, Spokane. Reception to follow at the site.

Carl Humphreys

October 24, 1961 –  January 7, 2020

Carl Humphreys passed away in an avalanche while skiing in Kellogg, Idaho on January 7, 2020. He was born in Seattle, Washington, October 24, 1961, to Janis Maylor Smith and John W. D. Humphreys. Robert T. Smith was a caring and supportive step-father for 45 years.

Carl graduated from Central Valley High School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University.

He was married to the love of his life, Carra Cochrane, for twenty-five years. They were constantly laughing and supported each other in their individual pursuits. Carl was Carra’s rock during her struggle with dementia. He took every measure to ensure her comfort and safety.

Carl was a supportive, caring step-father to Carra’s son, Darrick Hayman, and Carl often commented about what a solid citizen Darrick is. Grandpa Carl was a superhero to his adored grandsons, Tommy and Brady, and he taught them how to enjoy the outdoors in many ways, including mountain biking, fishing, snow skiing, and all manner of water sports.

Carl and his brother Paul had a special bond and pursued many activities together: water and snow skiing, river rafting, watching football and playing poker with friends, ice skating and wake surfing. They were fixtures at the annual 4th of July party at Dreamwood Bay.

Carl was well-known in the local real estate and lending community as a mortgage loan consultant for over 20 years.

To say Carl was adventurous is an understatement. He loved every physical challenge and met each one with gusto. His enthusiasm and laughter were contagious. No one could be around Carl and not want to participate in whatever he was doing. He will be dearly missed in the snow skiing and mountain biking communities, on the Spokane and Lochsa Rivers, and at Liberty Lake. Carl touched many lives in a positive way. He was a lover of life and the love of our lives.

Carl is survived by his wife Carra, stepson Darrick Hayman (Anne), grandsons Tommy and Brady, mother Janis Smith, father John W. D. Humphreys (Julie), brother Paul Humphreys (Lissa), stepbrother and sisters, Alan Smith (Janie Smith Briggs, nephews Chad and Troy Smith), Marilyn Smith, Linda Fladwood (Clyde), in-laws Carl and Donna Cochrane, and many other beloved family members and friends.

A memorial will be held at Centerplace on January 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m., 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to The Alzheimer’s Association: 19031 33rd Ave. W, Suite 301, Lynnwood, WA 98036, http://act.alz.org/goto/Carl_Humphreys

John Henry Harns

September 23, 1930 – December 17, 2019

John Henry Harns was born September 23, 1930 in Evansville, Indiana. He died December 17, 2019 in Post Falls, Idaho.

As a civil engineer, John’s father worked with the U. S. Corps of Engineers. John’s family lived in several areas in the Midwest and Northeast, winding up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. There he met his future wife and life long partner, Patricia Donnelly, while attending Loretto Catholic High School. They “illegally” married in July of 1952 against Navy policy while John was still a cadet in Flight Training.

Prior to joining the Navy John spent time as a smokejumper out of Cave Junction, Ore. and as a deckhand on the ore boats plying the Great Lakes. Later in his career as a Naval Aviator, John straddled the transition from WWII piston engined fighters to the advent of the new jet fighters and bombers. He flew off of twelve different carriers with over 700 carrier landings night and day. He fought in the Korean war, Three Day war and in Vietnam, logging eighty nine combat missions. Through his Navy career he was promoted because of his hard work and natural ability to fly. John was in seven different squadrons and was an Executive Officer and the Commanding Officer of the last one. He ended his Naval flying career in the venerable McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Just before retiring he built and flew a Baby Great Lakes Bi-Plane in Hawaii.

Upon retiring he built a home on 44 acres in northern Idaho then took to building his pride and joy an F8.L Falco, a high performance low wing plane which gave the thrill of flying fast again and ultimate freedom. He and his wife Pat flew all over the country on many occasions in that plane, often Back to Sault Ste Marie and across the U.S. to Florida. During his post military flying days, he maintained a Certified Flight Instructor license. He flew charters and instructed for many years only stopping flying in his late 80’s when the flight surgeons wouldn’t allow it. He received the Wilber and Orville Wright award for over fifty years of continuous flying!

John was also active in the Elks of St. Maries and for a while was the Emergency Management Director. He was an active supporter of the Young Eagles, giving many young boys and girls their first taste of flying in his Falco. John was an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, helping many members with building projects, test flights of new homebuilt aircraft, and aircraft familiarization training.

In 1993 John and Pat moved to Post Falls, Idaho where they have remained enjoying the closeness of their kids, grandkids and great grandkids. He is survived by his wife Patricia and children: Thomas Peter Harns, Barbara H. Powers, Stephen Mark Harns & Suanne Harns, Mary Jo Tompkins & Don Tompkins. Grandchildren: Forrest Harns; Vanessa Harns Kitchen & Zack Kitchen; Zach Harns; Rosa Powers & Andrew Zeller; Patrick Powers; Heather & Jake McIntire; Great Grandchildren: Lily & Sawyer Harns; Lola and Louie Kitchen; Leila and Wolfgang Zeller; Tawny and Corbin McIntire; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11am, Saturday, December 28 at St. Pius X Parish, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Beverly Orene Forkner

(Age 85)

Beverly Forkner a long-time and beloved member of the Greenbluff community died December 6, 2019, surrounded by family and friends.

Beverly was born in 1934 in Peck, Idaho; she traveled frequently throughout her childhood as her father was a bridge builder. Before moving to Greenbluff her primary residence was Cashmere, Washington.

Beverly met the love of her life, Tom Forkner, in 1951 and they were married in 1952. They spent 69 wonderful years laughing, loving and caring for each other. Tom and Bev were partners in everything they did, they were a matched pair rarely seen apart. Tom and Bev had four biological children, but through the years their home was a warm and safe haven for many more.

Beverly’s passions were her family, her community and her horses. Beverly never met a stranger and most people remember her for an infectious smile and warm giggle (often followed by a cute little snort). If you were in a hurry you didn’t want to venture out with Bev, she stopped and talked to everyone, spreading light and cheer wherever she went. Beverly is also well known for her unprecedented work ethic. Tom warmly remembers a day when he left before sunrise and Bev was busy milking cows and doing other farm chores. When he got home at dusk she was still hard at it, never having stopped for a meal.

Beverly took great care of the farm and kids while Tom spent years working away from the home. Beverly is survived by her husband Tom, her sister Patty Parsons, four children, Pam Enzler, Wendy Kapelke, Jeff Forkner, Craig Zachow, numerous foster kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, great great grandkids and nieces and nephews.

Beverly was a wonderful woman and her loss will be felt by so many. Here is a treasured quote from her mother-in-law Erma Forkner. “We mourn for those we love, when they must walk ahead beyond our sight. Yet, we would not hold them back, when to stay with us means only pain.”

A celebration of life will be held in the spring at the Greenbluff Grange.

Joseph Holland

July 10, 1941 – December 7, 2019

HOLLAND, Joseph William (Age 78) On December 7, 2019, Joe passed away peacefully at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, WA, after a battle with pneumonia. A loving father, grandfather and friend, he was a valuable part of the community fabric of Lind, WA, his home for 53 years.

Joseph was born to William Claude Holland and Lucinda Anne (Pearson) Holland in Chewelah, WA on July 10, 1941. He was the ninth of ten children. As one of the youngest members of his large family, he learned to be scrappy and self-sufficient. He was an adventurous child with not a whole lot of supervision – and that was before his dad died when he was 16. The mountains around Chewelah were his playground, and he and his younger brother were known to leave the house at sun-up and not come home until sundown... out hunting, fishing and exploring with friends. He had an early passion for cars (he wrecked a few and walked away) and they became an integral part of his life and his greatest memories. He graduated from Jenkins High School in Chewelah in 1960 and moved to Warden to join his brother Paul in 1961.

In 1964, he moved to Pasco to attend Columbia Basin Community College to study auto body repair. He worked at McCurley (Osborne) Chevrolet in Pasco doing body work and in 1966, he got a job at Charlie Brown’s Chevrolet in Lind as their only body man. When Brown’s closed, he decided he loved Lind, so he stayed and opened Joe’s Body Shop in 1968.

He started dating Violet Butler on Rodeo Weekend in 1969. They married in 1970. His son, Jeff, was born in 1971 and his daughter, Julie, was born in 1973. He and Violet enjoyed many camping trips at Williams and Amber lakes with their young family.

Throughout Joe’s years in Lind, he was a friend to many and an active part of the community. He was a charter member of the Lind Lion’s Club in 1968 and served as president for two terms. He also served on the Lind Volunteer Fire Department for many years. He was involved in the annual community Easter egg hunts for the kids, helped roast pit-barbecued beef for the annual community BBQ on Rodeo Weekend and build an updated arena for the ever-growing Lind Combine Derby. He took Jeff on Boy Scout trips, mentored several young men who were interested in learning the auto body trade and sponsored and played on a bowling team for many years in Ritzville and Connell.

Joe married Linda DeLeeuw in 1992. She passed away in 2009.

He loved a cold beer, Gunsmoke, a competitive game of cribbage and a good fish story. At 5 o’clock, his shop became another local bar (without a liquor permit). He had a large fridge and he and his friends stocked it well with a variety of their favorite beers.

Joe had a great sense of humor and hundreds of friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him, including his best canine friend, Toby, who brought him so much joy.

He is survived by his son, Jeff Holland (Raschelle) of Spokane and his daughter, Julie Holland of Spokane; stepson Bill DeLeeuw of Portland and stepdaughter Laura Pham (Moi) of Cypress, TX; grandchildren Tanner Marecz, Jarod Marecz (Haley), Grace Kaplicky, Jake Kaplicky, Rennon Dickerson, Caleb DeLeeuw, Rachel McNie (Hunter), Matthew Pham (Korey), Michael Pham and Jacob Pham.
He was preceded in death by his wife Linda, father William, mother Lucy, and nine siblings, Dora, Lee, Neal, Fay, Helen, Mary, Dave, Ruth and Paul.

Special thanks to everyone who helped care for Joe in his last few years.

A celebration of Joe’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2019 at the American Legion in Ritzville (106 W. Broadway). Inurnment will follow in the spring at the Pioneer Cemetery in Chewelah, WA.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Lind Senior Center. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.

Rob Lewis

July 4, 1957 – November 29, 2019

Robert C. Lewis of Spokane passed away on November 29, 2019 at the age of 62. He was born in Meridian Mississippi to Inez and James Lewis on July 4, 1957. He moved to Coeur d‘ Alene, ID in the 1970’s and graduated from Lakeside High School. He started a construction company, Spokane Structures in 1984 and built hundreds of pole buildings throughout Spokane County and beyond. Throughout his career he has owned Home Plate Bar and Grill, Home Plate Sports Complex, Pleasant View Marine, and most recently Specialty Structures. He was an avid fisherman who spent many years sharing his love for the sport with his friends and family. He loved to spend the winters in the snow snowmobiling with his son and friends and spend the summers enjoying the lake with his Conklin crew. Rob was a good friend to many. He mentored countless people through the years and introduced many to the pole building business. Rob is deeply missed by his wife Kristina Hanks, his children Shane Lewis, Rechelle Janecke, Katy Fiala, Bethany Fiala and his grandchildren Teyha Garel, Hunter Maultsby and Mia Fiala. A private celebration of life was held at an earlier date.

Gary "Ted" Williams

Feb. 8, 1938 – Nov, 23, 2018 • Aged 80

The city of Spokane was Gary’s hometown for most of his childhood years. During his school years he formed lifelong friends who he was still in touch with until his very last days. Gary was a World Champion at Yo-Yo, and you often heard him say, “for the first 3 years I took part in the contests, I flunked out of even the local city finals. But, the last two years that I was eligible at the age of 14 and 15, I won the National Championship. I think there is an obvious message in that story!”

A graduate of Lewis & Clark High School, Gary broke into show business on the television show, “Saddle up with Slim”. In 1954 he hitchhiked from Spokane to Meridian, Mississippi to be part of the Jimmy Rogers Country Music Celebration. It wasn’t long before he traveled to Hollywood where he landed a contract with the “Town Hall Party” in Los Angeles. Gary made some films and recorded his first songs for MGM Records and played with the group that backed Ricky Nelson on his first album, “Teen Time”.

Gary recorded an unprecedented 2000 Country and Western, Pop and Gospel songs for over a dozen American & European labels, including Capitol Records. Though known primarily as a singer and songwriter, Gary was also a prolific writer of published articles covering a wide variety of subjects including Americana, True Crime and Medieval History. Gary was also a skilled photographer and while performing in concert engagements on numerous tours abroad, he photographed historic subjects including 300 castles.

In his heart Gary was always an avid lover of animals and the great outdoors, and enjoyed taking photographs of anything from squirrels to grizzly bears. Gary commented that “serendipity” seemed to smile on him much of the time, and that put him in the right spot at exactly the right time to capture that magic moment on film.

Gary accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior in 1965 and for next 35 years toured America & Europe in a full-time ministry, sharing his Gospel songs and testimony in more than 3000 churches and auditoriums. Gary loved Jesus very much and was a faithful believer until the very last moment of his life.

Many of you will remember Gary, also known as “Ted”, from the Spokane area. He was often seen taking bus trips from his home on the South Hill to the Northside and also to the Spokane Valley. Ted was seen walking along 29th Avenue, and made many friends who offered him rides home from the grocery store & the bank, etc. Ted was involved in a fatal auto-pedestrian accident on 29th Avenue on November 23rd, just after Thanksgiving. This memorial serves as a loving memory of a great man. Many thanks to all that gave Ted rides home, and offered him help in his times of need, there is a long list of you! Special thanks to all the employees at US Bank and Rite-Aid, and the other businesses on 29th Avenue in Spokane and around the Spokane area. “Ted”, we miss you, but we know you are with your wife Vivian & your Mom and the rest of your family in Heaven.

John Powers

Aged 79

Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, John William Powers, 79, passed away September 25, 2018 at the Schneidmiller Hospice House in Coeur d’Alene. He was born April 20, 1939 in Kellogg, Idaho, the son of Patrick F. and Georgia M. (Hunt) Powers. John attended schools in Kingston and Kellogg, graduating from Kellogg High School in 1957. He also briefly attended North Idaho College.

John married Mary Gail Schutt and together they had three children. They later divorced. He married Rebecca “Becky” (Serrette) Babich on January 10, 1981 in Coeur d’Alene. John lived in the Silver Valley until 1984, when he moved to Alaska, moving back to Kingston in 1999. The family has resided in Coeur d’Alene the past five years.

Before starting his own company John worked for several local logging companies and for a time was manager of Northwest Honda in Osburn. He owned and operated Powers Saw and Cycle and Powers Development in Pinehurst, Idaho. In Alaska, John worked as a mechanic and equipment operator in various villages around Anchorage and the North Slope, eventually becoming the site manager for SKW Eskimos Inc. in Barrow, Alaska.

John was a past member of the Pinehurst Lions Club, the Prichard Volunteer Fire Department, and the Mountaineers Motorcycle Club. He also served on several boards including the Shoshone County Planning and Zoning, the Shoshone County Weed Control Board and the Staff House Mining and Smelting Museum Board.

John did many things in his life, creating stories and tall tales as he went. In 1997 John was honored as Citizen of the Year by Alaska’s North Slope Borough Police Department. He worked with his brothers Mike and Pat designing and building the gold panning exhibit for the 1974 World’s Expo Fair in Spokane, Washington; he founded (along with some friends) the World Championship Maggot Races in Prichard, Idaho; he performed the Flaming Board Wall of Fire motorcycle stunt (once); to name a few. John loved and enjoyed hunting, fishing, prospecting, logging competitions, racing motorcycles and snowmobiles, playing his guitar, fly tying and photography. In later years, he most enjoyed gardening and playing with his great-grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife Becky of Coeur d’Alene and four children John (Mari) Powers of Cataldo, Idaho, Babette Babich of Lake Stevens, Washington, Lynn Covey (Dan) of Coeur d’Alene, and Samantha (Dan) Babich-Hyde of Seattle, Washington, as well as his son-in-law Randy (Ann) Seaton of Cataldo; ten grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews as well as extended family members Nic and Johnathon Fritch. John was preceded in death by his parents, daughters Brenda Claire Seaton and Janine Gail Powers; and five brothers Mike, Patrick, Robert, James and Larry.

A Celebration of John’s Life will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, October 13, at the Kellogg Funeral Chapel in Kellogg. A reception following the service will be held at the Wallace Elks; everyone is welcome. The family suggests that memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815, the J.W. Powers Memorial Scholarship c/o North Idaho College, or to the Staff House Mining and Smelting Museum, P.O. Box 783, Kellogg, Idaho 83837. One may sign John’s online guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com

Patrick McManus

August 25, 1933 – April 11, 2018

Patrick Francis McManus, beloved husband, father and New York Times bestselling author, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Spokane. Pat is survived by Darlene (Bun), his best friend and wife of 64 years, daughters Kelly, Shannon, Peggy and Erin, 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his family and his many friends including Rancid Crabtree, Retch, Crazy Eddy, the Troll, Bo Tully, and Daisy.

Pat was born in Sandpoint, Idaho. Often truant from his mother’s one room schoolhouse in Squaw Valley, he began a lifelong journey to find the biggest and best huckleberries. Pat loved telling stories, freshly caught fish cooked on the banks of a stream, mushroom picking and foraging for other wild foods, most of them edible. He had an enduring passion for photography and art, particularly watercolors. Book signings took Pat across the United States where he always enjoyed meeting his many fans. However, he was happiest exploring the outdoors of Washington, Idaho and Montana.

Pat was fortunate to have a varied career from newspaper reporter, feature news writer for local television, English and journalism professor at EWU, columnist for Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines, author of 5 plays and 24 books. Private funeral service at the family’s request. In lieu of gift fish, donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

James Lee Stroud Jr.

April 10, 1951 - June 14, 2017

James passed away June 14, 2017 at the age of 66 years. He was born in San Francisco, California on April 10, 1951 to James Lee Stroud Sr. and Blanche Marie Stroud. They moved to Spokane when Jim was young. Most of Jim’s working career he spent selling cars. Jim leaves behind four daughters, four brothers, thirteen sisters and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 1st at 11:00am at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3606 S. Schafer Rd, Spokane Valley, Washington. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Mid City Concerns, Union Gospel Mission, or Blessings Under the Bridge.