Obituaries - Oct. 8, 2009

Harold Powell

The funeral service for Harold Powell, 90, life-long Colfax resident, will be today, Thursday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at the Colfax Cemetery.

Mr. Powell died Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax.

Born Feb. 16, 1919, in Colfax to Dave and Margaret Eisinger Powell, he was raised in Colfax and graduated from Colfax High School with the class of 1937. He played football in high school and in 1988 played the Codger Bowl, a 50-year renewal of the Colfax-St. John game. He is one of the Colfax players depicted on the Codger Pole.

Mr. Powell took over the family business at a young age after the death of his father. Powell Plumbing was his chief enjoyment and hobby until he retired in 2000.

He married Katherine (Katie) Selonka in Spokane March 10, 1946, and they made their home in Colfax.

Mr. Powell served for more than 40 years on the Colfax Fire Department. He was their mascot as a young boy and served as chief for three years, from 1963 through 1965. He was an avid WSU Cougar basketball and football fan and took part in the original stadium building drive. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Colfax Elks and the Chamber of Commerce and bowled in Colfax league for many years. He was also a 63-year member of the Washington Athletic Club in Seattle. Known for his singing voice, he sang in the Methodist Church and at the Catholic Church Christmas services. He also enjoyed traveling with Katie to Europe, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.

Surviving in addition to his wife of 63 years, Katie, were two children, David (Kathy) Powell, Burlington; and Peggy (Jon) Kehne, Colfax; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Roger Allen, in 1952.

The family suggests memorials go to Whitman Hospital Foundation or Colfax Fire Department and Ambulance.

Online guestbook: http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

August John Luft

A graveside service for August (Augie) John Luft, 92, retired Endicott area farmer, will be Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. in the Colfax Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church. Viewing will be Wednesday and Thursday from 10-4 at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax.

Mr. Luft died Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, at Whitman Hospital in Colfax.

Born Sept. 3, 1917, at Dusty, to John and Katie Bafus Luft, he lived his early life in Dusty and later moved with his family to Lancaster and then to St. John.

In high school, Augie played baseball, football, basketball and tennis.

He graduated with the class of 1935.

He moved with his family to Union Flat between Endicott and Dusty in 1940.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and became an aerial engineer and gunner.

His crew flew 30 bombing missions over Germany and the first daylight mission over Berlin.

After completing the required 30 missions, he became a Master Sergeant and set up flight schools.

He received an honorable discharge and came back to the family farm.

He organized a town baseball team.

At one of the games he met his future wife Willene Lee.

They were married June 1, 1957.

They moved to the family homestead on Union Flat where they continued to farm and raised two children, Karen and Gary.

Mr. Luft played in the famous Codger Bowl in Colfax, and he is among the players portrayed on the Codger pole.

They moved to Colfax in the fall of 1985. He greatly enjoyed following his grandkids’ sports games. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Endicott Gun Club, Colfax Golf Course and the Dusty Co-op. He also served for several years as a member of the Endicott School Board and served as its chairman. He was a long time member of the Colfax Elks and Whitman County Conservation District where he served as a supervisor and associate.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Willene, in 2007.

Surviving are his children, Karen (Dan) Stall of Moses Lake and Gary (Janet) Luft of Endicott; a sister, Mildred Jones of St. John, and six grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials go to the Whitman Hospital Foundation or the Inland NW Chapter MS Society in Spokane.

On-line guest book: http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Clara Viola Stacy

A graveside services for Clara Viola Stacy, 85, Dusty native who lived most of her adult life in Yakima, was Monday at West Hills Memorial Park with a reception following at Shaw & Sons Funeral Directors.

She died on Sept. 29, 2009 at her home in Yakima.

Born Sept. 6, 1924, in Dusty, to Jacob and Louisa Maier Stueckle, she graduated in 1946 from St. Mary Hospital School of Nursing. During World War II she served in the Women’s Corps as a nurse and then later worked as a nurse for the State of Washington.

She lived in Yakima for the last five years after moving there from Kennewick. She had previously lived in Yakima for 47 years. She also resided at Waitsburg and College Place.

She married Dean J. Stacy in Reno, Jan. 22, 1976 Together they enjoyed traveling, cruises, casino trips, yard sales, church and gardening. She was a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Yakima.

Clara is survived by her husband, Dean Stacy; three sons, Phillip Manuel, Loren Manuel, and Jan Manuel; two daughters, Clarvine Manuel-Van Epps and Carlotta Manuel; step-daughter, Kathy Schwer; twin brother, Victor Stueckle; two sisters, Laurette McCaw and Birdie Holling; 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to Yakima Regional Hospice in care of Shaw & Sons Funeral Directors, 201 North 2nd Street, Yakima, 98901.

Online guestbook: http://www.shawandsons.net

Alvina E. Howe

Alvina E. Hansen Howe, 84, a long time resident of the Tekoa area, died Monday, Oct. 5, at her home in Spokane. A memorial service will be Monday, Oct. 12, at 2 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield. Kramer Funeral Home of Tekoa is handling the arrangements. A full obituary will be in next week’s Gazette.

CB Harston

The funeral service for Clarence Briggs Harston, 97, retired WSU soils scientist and former long-time mayor of Albion, was Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pullman. Burial with military honors followed at the Albion cemetery.

Mr. Harston, known at CB, died Sept. 30, 2009, at his home in Albion.

Born Oct. 2, 1911, in Cowley, Wyo., to James William and Clara Briggs Harston, he graduated from Cowley High School and received an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and masters and doctorate degrees from the University of Missouri.

He married Ruth Talmadge in 1943. During World War II he joined the US Naval Reserve and served as a Captain for landing craft. He participated in the Okinawa Island landing in the Pacific.

After the war, he worked at the Batelle Memorial Institute before returning to WSC as a soils specialist in the cooperative extension service. In 1964 he spent two years as a visiting professor at the University of West Pakistan. When he returned to Pullman he worked as WSU’s first Soils and Water Conservation Specialist until his retirement in 1977. Following his retirement he spent 18 months doing research for the Benson Institute of Food and Agriculture in Utah.

A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he and Ruth served a one year mission in Maryland and West Virginia following his second retirement. Soon after that mission, Ruth died of cancer.

Mr. Harston married Lavon Dorval in 1984. Together they served full time missions in England, NW Missouri, Mississippi and Georgia. As a young man CB served for two years as a missionary in the Canada Mission.

He served as the Mayor of Albion and did volunteer work for many service organizations. He was an avid reader, a prolific writer and poet. He enjoyed working with horses, woodworking, photography, genealogy, geology, farming and travel.

Surviving are his wife, Lavon; five daughters: Patricia Lowe of Farmington, Utah; Janet L. McCoy of Graham; Fay H. Hayes of Puyallup; Donna R. Hawks of Snohomish, and Valerie Church of Glenns Ferry, Idaho; two sons, James T. Harston, Thornton and Art Dorval, Spokane; 32 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the perpetual education fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Online condolences: http://www.kimballfh.com

Dwight L Parrish

A memorial service for Dwight L. (Swede) Parrish, 89, life-long resident of Palouse, will be Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. at Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, with the Rev. Walter Miller officiating. Cremation will precede the service and a private family inurnment will be at the Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse.

Mr. Parrish died late Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, at his home in Palouse.

Born Nov. 28, 1919, near Thornton, to Elwood S. and Mary Catherine Mills Parrish, he was raised at Palouse and graduated from Palouse High School with the class of 1939. He worked in Alaska for a couple of years before returning to Palouse. He married Phyllis Nagle Feb. 4, 1944, at Potlatch, Idaho. He entered the US Marine Corps and served in the Pacific Theater as an amphibian tractor operator during World War II. He received his discharged Dec. 20, 1945, as a Corporal and returned home to work in construction. In 1956 he joined Al Cole in C&S Builders General Contractors in Pullman. He retired in 1982.

A former member of the Palouse Lions Club, he served on the Palouse Fire Dept. and was involved with the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs in Palouse. He served on the Palouse City Council and was most proud of getting the Palouse pool built. He also enjoyed fishing and loved his horses.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years Phyllis Parrish at the Palouse home; three sons, Chad (Pamela) Parrish, Missoula, Mont .; Dan Parrish, Palouse; Tom (Rebecca) Parrish, Pullman; two daughters, Ronda Messinger, Boise; Nancy (Casey) Giddings, Republic; one sister, Joy Williamson, Hayden, Idaho; eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Whitman Home Health and Hospice, 1200 West Fairview, Colfax, or to the Palouse Community Center building Fund, Box 23, Palouse.