Obituaries - March 25, 2010

Frances Irene Shindler

Family burial for Frances Irene Shindler, 82, will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 26 at the Rosalia IOOF Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at the Rosalia Assembly of God Church. Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

She died Monday, March 22, 2010, at her home in Rosalia.

Born Aug. 14, 1917, to William and Margaret Hall, .she was raised in Rosalia and attended Rosalia schools.

She graduated from Kinman Business College, and returned to Rosalia to marry Max Shindler, join him in farming and raising a family. She was known for her baking.

Her husband and a son, David, preceded her in death.

Survivors include her daughter, Karen (Charles) Rockness, son, Richard (Bernice) Shindler; sister, Dorothy Bertholf, brother, Wayne Hall, seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Rosalia Volunteer Firefighters Association, Box 291, Rosalia, 99170.

Marilyn Dorsey

Funeral services for Marilyn C. Segle Dorsey, 74, former Tekoa resident, will be Friday, March 26, at 2 p.m. at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home, Spokane Valley.

She died March 20, 2010, in Spokane.

Born Oct. 1, 1935, in Chehalis, to Floyd (Red) and Aune Segle, she was raised in Olympia and attended Olympia High School where she graduated with the class of 1953. She was the head majorette. She went on to attend Washington State University where she was the only woman ever to be accepted on a football scholarship to be the head majorette. She led the band at all of the Cougar football games and was a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority.

She married Tommy Dorsey and moved to Tekoa where she taught baton twirling lessons. She was a member of the Tekoa P.E.O. She and Tommy raised a son and a daughter in Tekoa before they divorced and she moved to Reno, Nev. She worked at Harrah’s Casino for many years before moving to Spokane to be near her children, where she worked for Washington Mutual and Travelers Insurance until January 2010. She was a member of the Red Hat Society.

Surviving are her son T.A. (Erin) Dorsey, Liberty Lake, and her daughter Dana Hale, New Zealand, and three grandchildren.

Memorial donations can go to the Spokane Hospice House:

http://www.hospiceofspokane.org

Richard E. (Miller) Merriken

A graveside service for Richard E. (Miller) Merriken, 85, former Palouse resident, will be Saturday, March 27, at 1 p.m. at the Freeze Cemetery north of Potlatch. Potlatch Post No. 10300 and a U.S. Navy honor guard will conduct military honors. Mr. Merriken died early Friday, March 19, 2010, at the Avalon Care Center in Pullman where he has resided for about a year.

He had lived most of his life as Richard E. Miller, but legally changed his name back to Merriken in 2002.

Born Jan. 14, 1925, at Baltimore, Md., to Morris T. and Viola G. Wheeler Merriken, he moved to San Francisco at the age of 10 years with his mother and step-father Joseph Miller. He attended schools in San Francisco.

He joined the Navy in January of 1942 and served in the South Pacific as a medic for the 3rd Marine Division during World War II. He was discharged as a pharmacist mate 1st Class in October of 1945.

He met his wife Arva Lee Jeffers at the end of his service years. They married on Aug. 5, 1945, and the couple made their home at Palouse. He worked at the Potlatch Mill for a short time, then trained as an auto mechanic with Con Madison at the Ford Garage in Palouse, which he later purchased. He and his wife Arva Lee also owned the Sweet Shoppe in Palouse, which they operated for many years. Richard later worked for J.E. Love Co. in Garfield for several years, then worked for the University of Idaho at the Kibbee Dome until he retired. The couple had made their home at Palouse and Onaway, Idaho, before moving to Pullman several years ago.

He was a Veteran of World War II, and loved to fish and scuba dive as a younger man.

Survivors include three daughters, Marcie (Ernie) Day of Palouse; Vickie (Paul) Cousineau of Pullman; Shellie Crow of Bellevue; son Jeff (Barb) Miller of Lewiston, son Cub (Angie) Miller of Onaway, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Barry Earl and Richard Lee Miller.

Rosa E. Altergott

A funeral service for Rosa E. Altergott, 102, former Palouse area farm woman, was Saturday, March 20, at Merchant Funeral Home in Clarkston. Shane Moore of the Clarkston United Methodist Church officiated. She died March 15, 2010, at Clarkston Care Center.

Born Aug. 19, 1907, in Sparta, N.C., to William C. and Marcella M. Brown Blevins, she moved with her family from North Carolina to a homestead on Myer’s Ridge near Anatone in 1910. Rosa attended Pine Grove School near Anatone through the eighth grade. In 1920 they moved to Jerry on Asotin Creek, and she attended Asotin High School and graduated with the class of 1925.

She earned a teaching certificate from Cheney Normal School, now Eastern Washington University, in 1930 and taught at schools in Douglas, Asotin and at Eden Valley School between Colfax and Palouse. She married Herbert J. Altergott of Colfax on Nov. 11, 1933. They bought a farm in 1940 near Palouse and farmed until 1969 when they retired due to Herbert’s ill health. In 1983 they moved to Clarkston. He died Nov. 8, 1992.

Rosa was a member of North & South Palouse Grange at Colfax, Eastern Rebekah Lodge, the Sunshine and Xenodican Ladies’ Clubs in Palouse, and was an active member of the Palouse Christian Church. In 1995 she joined the United Methodist Church of Clarkston.

Rosa loved nature and took summer extension short courses in 1978 and 1979 on wild plants and flower identification at Washington State University. She enjoyed gardening and all kinds of crafts.

She was also preceded in death by a son, Robert E. Lee.

Survivors include a brother, Lawrence Blevins, Clarkston, and a foster daughter-in-law, Anna Davis, Post Falls.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

online guestbook:

merchantfuneralhome.com

Melvin L. Ingalls

A family service for Melvin L. Ingalls, 75, resident of Palouse since 1977, was Friday, March 19, at the Federated Church, Palouse, with the Rev. Corey Laughary officiating. Potlatch VFW Post and a United States Army honor guard conducted military honors. Mr. Ingalls died Sunday evening, March 14, 2010, at Pullman Regional Hospital.

Born June 19, 1934, at Spokane, to Laroy and Florence Erickson Ingalls, he attended schools at West Valley and graduated from West Valley High School in 1952. He served in the U.S. Army from Jan. 31, 1957, to Jan. 30, 1959.

He married Betty Watkins July 1, 1960, at Spokane, and the couple made their home at Spokane. He owned and operated Valley Cabinets in Spokane until 1976 when he was employed at Washington State University as a maintenance mechanic. The couple moved to Palouse in 1977 and resided there since. He retired in 1996.

He was a member of the Palouse Federated Church, former member of the Palouse Lions Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. He loved all his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Betty, Palouse; two sons, Keith (Jennifer) Ingalls, Genesee, Idaho; Kevin (Teresa) Ingalls, Spokane; one daughter, Kimberly (Tony) Kopf, Colfax; one brother, Richard Ingalls, Otis Orchards, one sister, Shirley Dobson, Spokane and five grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials to the American Cancer Society or to the Palouse Federated Church, Box 535, Palouse, 99161.

Alice M. Besst

Graveside service for Alice M. Besst, 89, retired postmaster at Princeton, Idaho, was Wednesday, March 24, at the Freeze Cemetery, north of Potlatch.

Rev. Larry Veith officiated at the service. Mrs. Besst died early Sunday morning, March 21, 2010, at the Good Samaritan Village in Moscow, Idaho.

Born April 20, 1920, at Lyons, Neb., to Dewey and Alice Davidson Shawver, she attended school at Lyons and graduated in 1937 from the Blackbird High School, a class of four girls. She married Lee Besst May 22, 1937, at Lyons. They farmed near South Sioux City, Neb., and in 1949 moved to Princeton. Mr. Besst worked at Potlatch Forests, Inc.

She started working for the Princeton post office as a clerk in 1958. In 1971 she became the postmaster and served in that position until she retired in 1982. After they retired, the couple enjoyed traveling and wintered in Yuma, Arizona. Mr. Besst died in 2001.

Alice enjoyed quilting, crossword puzzles, and cooking.

Survivors include one son, Ardell Besst, Tacoma; one daughter, Joy Gannaway, Colbert; one sister Lillian Judd, Waitsburg; 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one son, Dale Besst, and one daughter, Jerri Carter.

Memorials may be given to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Patricia Hanks

Patricia LaJean Hanks, 72, Oakesdale, died March 13, 2010, at Whitman Hospital in Colfax. No services are planned.

Born June 15, 1937, in Weippe, Idaho, to Howard and Dorothy Olney English, she was one of 12 children.

She attended schools in Lewiston and St. John. She married Claude (Tom) Hanks in Seattle in June of 1959. They made their home for many years in Western Washington and she worked as a cook and waitress for many years in North Bend. They moved to Oakesdale about three and a half years ago. She enjoyed sewing, bead working, building things and loved animals.

Surviving are her husband, Claude, in Oakesdale; two children, Carla Davick of Port Townsend and Bret Hanks, Oakesdale; her siblings, Mike Whitaker of Arizona; Larry English and Linda Arnold, both of Lewiston; Linda Kay of Clarkston; Loretta Koop, Springfield, Ore .; Arlan Kay of Cottage Grove, Ore., and Claudette Stelling of Nyssa, Ore.

On-line guest book:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Elaine Schauble

A graveside service for Marilyn Elaine Schauble, 76, former St. John resident, was Wednesday morning, March 24, at the St. John Cemetery followed by a reception at the St. John Community Building.

She died Thursday, March 18, 2010, at Holy Family Hospital in Spokane.

Born Feb. 8, 1934 in Colfax to Orval Fay and Phoebe Hull Harris, she grew up in Colfax and graduated from high school with the class of 1952.

She worked as a telephone operator in Colfax and as a nurse’s aide at St. Ignatius Hospital. She met Howard E. Schauble in Colfax and they were married Nov. 13, 1954, in Spokane.

They lived in Colfax for a short time before moving to St. John where they owned and operated the Inland Empire Milling Co. and the Ag-Trade Co. Elaine helped out some in the family business but also enjoyed staying busy as a homemaker.

They moved to Spokane in 1983 and enjoyed taking short trips around the Northwest. She also enjoyed gardening and yard work. She was an avid reader and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

Mr. Schauble died in 2001. Elaine remained active and continued to live at their home until entering the hospital a few days ago.

She is survived by her son, Greg (Kathy) Schauble, St. John; her sister, Virginia Repp of Colfax; two grandsons and a great-grandchild. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Sarah Kathleen.

Memorial gifts are suggested to the Union Gospel Mission or a charity of the donor’s choice.

On-line guest book:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Marilyn Rider

Marilyn Kay Hosking Rider, 70, a resident of Seneca, Ore., died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest March 7, 2010.

Born May 26, 1939, in Potlatch, to Morgan and Helen Disney Hosking, she was raised in Garfield until the family moved to Tekoa in 1951. She graduated from Tekoa High School with the class of 1957.

Marilyn and her husband, Leonard (Sonny) Rider, celebrated 22 years of marriage Feb. 13, 2010. She enjoyed fishing, huckleberry picking, playing the organ, and volunteering at the Lake Creek Youth Camp. She was a member of Grace Chapel in Prairie City, Ore., where her funeral services were conducted.

Surviving in addition to her husband are sons Larry McGrew and Dan Lane; step-children Sonny Ray Rider, Lance Rider, Paul Rider, Perry Oakes, and Francene O’Shaughnessy; eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and brother Ron Hosking.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Chapel in care of Driscoll Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day, Ore ,. 97845.

Jessiha J. Lancaster

Jessiha James Lancaster, 29, died Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at his home in Rosalia. He had resided in Rosalia for six months. There are no memorial services scheduled.

Born June 26, 1980, at Republic to Robert J. and Kathryn M. Reimen Lancaster, he attended kindergarten in Republic and attended grade school and high school at Curlew. He worked for local farmers in the Curlew area.

Jessiha later moved to the Wenatchee area where he lived several years.

He and Jamie M. Oaks were married at Coeur d’Alene Aug. 7, 2009.

He attended the Rosalia Assembly of God Church and enjoyed riding motorcycles and collecting hats.

Survivors include his wife Jamie at the Rosalia home; his children, Daniel Frye of Omak and Trinity Lancaster of Rosalia; three step-children, Winter, Ashlyn and Nicole Oakes, Rosalia; his mother Kathryn Lancaster, his father Bob Lancaster of Chewelah; two brothers, Sacha Reiman Petulli of Crawford, B.C., and Josh Reiman Petulli of Kentucky, a step-sister Tammy Stent of Midway, B.C., and step-brother, Boyd Preston of Quesnel, B. C.

Robert Lee Warner

An afternoon graveside service for Robert L. Warner, 73, a resident of Oakesdale, was Tuesday, March 23, at the Pinecrest Cemetery, Deary, Idaho. The Rev. Tom Dahl officiated. Mr. Warner died at his home in Oakesdale on Wednesday evening, March 17, 2010.

Born Dec. 18, 1936 at Ontario, Ore., to Earl C. and Gladys Lockner Warner, he attended schools at Boise. In 1947, he moved with his family to Deary where he graduated from Deary High School with the class of 1955.

He married Sandra K. Pederson, April 10, 1958, and the couple later divorced.

Mr. Warner was employed as a sawyer for Potlatch Forests, Inc. from 1956 to 1959 at Potlatch. From 1960 to 1980 Mr. Warner was a sawyer and truck driver for Keck Logging. He also worked in a cedar shake mill at Pierce, Idaho, for one year. Mr. Warner also worked as an officer for the Moscow Police Dept. for two months before he returned to logging.

In 1980 he moved to Entiat where he worked in the orchards and helped run a tavern until he retired in 1990. He moved to Tekoa in 1997 and to Oakesdale to be near his family in 2005.

He was a member of the Oakesdale Baptist Church, an avid fan of the WSU Cougars, UI Vandals, Seattle Seahawks, Gonzaga Bulldogs and Seattle Mariners. He collected guns and miniature classic cars. He also enjoyed riding motorcycles.

Survivors include two sons, Rob Warner, Pullman; Rodney Warner, Oakesdale; one daughter, Jamie (Tom) Dahl, Oakesdale; five grandchildren and six great- grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Oakesdale Baptist Church, Box 325, Oakesdale, 99158.

O.D. Williams

O.D. Williams, 86, Colfax, died March 16, 2010, from complications of pneumonia at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax. No service is planned.

Born July 23, 1923, to Orie and Marie Williams, at Enid, Okla., he moved to the northwest with his family and completed school at Stadium High in Tacoma. He began his advanced education at the College of Puget Sound, and he and Arlene Farrier were married on the college grounds April 4, 1943, just prior to his enlistment in the United States Coast Guard. During World War II he served in the Pacific Theater and saw action at Admiralty Island, Dutch New Guinea, Moretai and Leyte in the Philippines. After receiving his discharge from the service he returned to Browns Point, Wash., to raise their family.

He worked for Mt. Rainer Ordinance Depot at Tacoma until it closed. They then moved to Long Island, N. Y, where he began a career with Red Stone Arsenal installing and maintaining Nike Hercules and Ajax Missile Systems. They lived in New York, Germany, North Carolina, South Korea, California and Alabama.

After retirement, they enjoyed sailing their boat, Chosen, from Guntersville, Ala., on the Tennessee River Authority across the Okeechobee to the Florida Keys, through the Bahamas and up the Inland Waterway.

He shipped Chosen home to Puget Sound for sailing trips through South Sound, the San Juan and Gulf Islands with his wife and grandchildren. They made many life long friends during their travels.

Mrs. Williams died in 2002 and he moved to eastern Washington in January of 2006 to reside near his daughter, Mary Estes of Palouse. He made his home at the Courtyard in Colfax.

They enjoyed attending regional theater and musical events across the Palouse. He especially enjoyed convertible drives on sunny days and picnics with his great-grandsons.

He was also preceded in death by a son, Orie Dan Williams.

Surviving are his daughter, Mary (Loren) Estes, Palouse, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Donations in his memory may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.