Obituaries - Jan. 21, 2010

Ruby Sara Fox

A memorial service for Ruby Sara Fox, 92, will be in Spokane, Courtland Place, 1309 N. Evergreen Road, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m. An urn burial service will be at Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa at a later date. She died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, in Nampa, Idaho. She moved there nine months ago to live with a niece, Mary Orr.

Born on the family farm at Deep Creek, near Spokane, Dec. 17, 1917, to William and Mary Elizabeth Potter Rhoads, she moved with her family to Gens, Mont., near Drummond, when she was very young. She attended school at Drummond until they moved to Missoula. She married Ray R. Moss there Feb. 27, 1935.

The Moss family moved to Coulee Dam in 1945, and Ruby was employed by Ross’s Clothing Store. In 1950, they moved to Latah, and opened a restaurant, Ray and Ruby’s Sandwich Shop.

In the late 1950s, she and Ray moved to Clarkston, and worked for the S & H Green Stamp Company there and later in Boise. In the early 1960s, they moved to Tekoa and operated the Sweet Shop restaurant. Ruby then began her final career with Seattle First National Bank in Tekoa.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Ruby later married Ray G. Fox on April 22, 1974 at Tekoa. The couple made their home at Tekoa and wintered in Yuma, Ariz. Mr. Fox died in April of 1997. She moved to Spokane after his death, made her home at Courtland Place, and worked as a volunteer at Valley General Hospital in Spokane Valley for many years. Ruby’s hobby of crocheting produced many blankets for family and newborn infants at the hospital.

Survivors include her son, Bill (Joyce) Moss of Everett; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Richard R. Roberts

The funeral for Richard R. (Butch) Roberts, 63, a resident of Potlatch, was Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Church of the Nazarene in Princeton, Idaho. Burial followed at the Rock Creek Cemetery at Potlatch, with military honors by the United States Navy and Potlatch VFW post.

Mr. Roberts died early Tuesday morning, Jan. 12, 2010, at his home at Potlatch.

Born June 17, 1946, at St. Anthony, Idaho, to John and Vergie Thomas Roberts, .he attended Potlatch schools and graduated from Potlatch High School in 1965. He joined the United States Navy and served during the Vietnam War. Discharged in 1970, he returned to Potlatch and was employed at Potlatch Forests, Inc. until the mill closed in 1981. He was transferred to the Potlatch mill in Lewiston where he worked for one year.

He married Nancy Gnaedinger in December of 1976 and the couple later divorced.

He later worked as a truck driver for a few years for Wilbur-Ellis at Potlatch, at Edwards sawmill near Princeton, and a demolition company in the Palouse area. He then worked at the Palouse Welding and Machine Shop in Palouse for about two months when he became disabled. He enjoyed fishing.

Survivors include two sons, Jeff Roberts, Las Vegas, Nev .; Joe Roberts, Post Falls; two brothers, Jerry Roberts, Harvard; Mark Roberts, Vancouver; four sisters, Joyce Anderson (Marty), Potlatch; Fayetta Carper (Vernon) Lewiston; Ruth Slack, Moscow and Donna Rae Young, Ogden, Utah.

The family suggests memorials to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, c/o the Latah Federal Credit Union, Box 264, Potlatch, 83855 or to AWANA c/o Church of the Nazarene, Box 43, Princeton, 83857

Emma Miller

The funeral for Emma E. Miller, 93, long-time Farmington resident who has made her home in Moscow for the last six years, will be Friday, Jan. 22, at 11 a.m., at the Farmington SDA Church. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Farmington. Mrs. Miller died Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010 at the Good Samaritan Center in Moscow.

Born Oct.10, 1916, in McClusky, N.D., to Karl and Maria Schwartz, she moved with her family to the Coeur d’Alene area in 1920 and lived there for nine years before moving to Farmington in 1929. She married Ernest Miller in Farmington Nov. 20, 1939. Her husband worked in various places as a dairyman raising cattle and as a farmer. They lived in Glendale, Calif., and later in Paradise where they both worked in a hospital for 16 years. Following his retirement in 1981 they moved back to Farmington. Her husband died in 1988, and Emma lived there until moving to Moscow in 2003.

Emma enjoyed gardening and especially loved her roses. She was an active member of the Farmington Seventh-day Adventist Church and was a teacher in Sabbath school.

She is survived by several nieces and nephews including Couleen Duty of Farmington; great-nieces and nephews including Yvonne Nelson of Troy, and Tanya Thygeson of Farmington.

The family suggests memorials be made to the church school at Farmington.

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

Virgil Leigh Shillam

Virgil Leigh Shillam, 68, Cle Elum, died at his home, Dec. 3, 2009, after a long battle with cancer. A memorial gathering for family and friends will be in the spring.

Born at home in Cashup, Feb. 13, 1941, to Harry and Marian Deaver Shillam, he attended schools at Thornton and Oakesdale and graduated from high school at Metaline Falls. He served in the United States Coast Guard and was a member of Eagles Club in West Seattle.

Mr. Shillam enjoyed a career as a self-employed broker of laminated beams. Over the years, many benefited from his generosity as a philanthropist and “Santa’s” helper.

Surviving are his wife, Jeri Angel Shillam, Yuma; his brothers, Paul (Carolyn) E. Shillam, Seattle; Harry Lloyd (Joyce) Shillam, Colville; his sister, Doris Larson, Issaquah; and a step-grandson.

Memorial donations may be made to the Nurses of Hospice, 401 E. Mountain View, Ellensburg, 98926.