Obituaries - April 1, 2010

Charles Rockness

A burial service for Charles (Chuck) Alan Rockness, 72, long time resident of Rosalia, was Tuesday afternoon, March 30, at the Rosalia IOOF Cemetery. A wake followed at The Harvester in Spangle. Mr. Rockness died at his home Saturday, March 27, 2010, after fighting a courageous battle with cancer.

Born June 4, 1937, to Omar and Bertha Rockness, he grew up in Seattle and moved to Rosalia while married to Karen Rockness. Chuck was a professional fisherman for 10 years. He then became a Certified Public Accountant for individual clients, managing insurance pools for the fishing industry. He served his fisherman and tax clients for more than 40 years and considered many his close friends. Mr. Rockness was a member of the Rosalia Masonic Lodge and the Shriners. He enjoyed fishing at Chapman Lake and was a fan of the Mariners. He enjoyed telling stories and spending time with his family.

Survivers are his wife, Karen, his son, Ron Rockness, three daughters Cindy (Jim) Delaney, Rhonda (Jeff) Bishop, Kirsten McCurtain, brother, Howard (Joanne) Rockness, sisters Charlene (Robert) Knapp, and Joyce (Gary) Sutherland, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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

Stanley Bothman

A Masonic graveside service for Stanley F. Bothman, 89, retired Rosalia farmer, was Monday, March 29, at the IOOF Cemetery in Rosalia. A memorial service followed at the Rosalia United Methodist Church.

Mr. Bothman died at the Spokane Veterans Home last Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

Born to Frank and Esther Bothman, July 27, 1920, in Hazel, Minn., he grew up on the family farm with five brothers and two sisters. He came to the Spring Valley area as a young man and worked for area farmers. He enlisted in the Army in October of 1942 and served with the 5th Army in Italy and later in Europe.

He was veteran of the Battle of Anzio, and all members of his company received the President’s Citation for being the first unit to the ridge in the battle along the German Gothic Line.

He was awarded the Silver Star for rescuing fellow wounded soldiers from a building which had been shelled. He was also awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was discharged in 1945.

He and Dorothy Crockett were married in 1952.

Mr. Bothman was known for his hard work. He developed a spraying service and did custom harvesting in the Rosalia area and worked in home construction and remodeling during the winter months. He later began a farming operation in the mid-1960s.

Mr. Bothman was a dedicated member of the Waverly Masonic Lodge #231, El Katif Shrine, and Whitman County Shrine Club. He enjoyed raising animals, fishing and spending time with his family.

Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Dorothy, three sons, Dean (Mary Beth), Rosalia; Greg, Valleyford, and Mike (Marita), Rosalia; a brother, Earl (Marion), Fairfield; two sisters, Evelyn Mundinger, McMinnville, Ore., and Alice (Don) Kisslinger, Sun City, Ariz .; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials be sent to Rosalia Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, PO Box 251, Rosalia 99170; Waverly Masons, or the El Katif Transportation Fund, 1108 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane 99201.

Dorothy J. Canady

Dorothy J. Canady, 85, died Wednesday evening, March 24, 2010, at her home at the Tekoa Retirement Apartments. A memorial service and urn burial will be at the Pine City Cemetery at a later date.

Born Dorothy Jean Roller Dec. 11, 1924, at Chitwood, Mo., to James and Frances Posey Roller, she moved with her family to Picher, Okla., and attended schools there.

Dorothy married Cleo (Slim) Canady at Columbus, Kan., Feb. 17, 1945, and the couple made their home at Picher. Cleo was a concrete worker who helped build dams in Missouri and the Pacific Northwest, and the family moved west following construction work. They settled in Bridgeport in 1968, and they moved to Tekoa in 1983. He died in 1988.

In 1989, she moved to Thornton where she lived for 10 years before returning to the Tekoa Retirement Apartments 10 years ago.

She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagle’s Lodge in Bridgeport. She enjoyed playing bingo and spending time at area casinos.

Survivors include her three daughters, Evelyn Pilkovsky of Spokane; Margie (John) Jaeger of Tekoa, and Janice (Mark) Tollett of Thornton; her brother Preston Roller of Hawaii; nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great- grandchildren.

Edward V. Vowels

The funeral for Edward V. Vowels, 84, retired Potlatch area farmer and logger, was Monday morning, March 29, at the Church of the Nazarene in Princeton, Idaho.

Pastor Lloyd Knerr officiated. Burial followed at the Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse.

Mr. Vowels died early Wednesday morning, March 24, 2010, at his home at Princeton, Idaho.

Born Aug. 23, 1925, in Palouse, to Henry and Maude Kendall Vowels, he attended his first seven grades at the Chambers Flat Country School, the eighth grade at Princeton, and finished his education at Potlatch High School.

He married Lorretta Poston July 3, 1948, at Moscow, and the couple made their home at Palouse. In 1949, they moved to Potlatch and later to Princeton where they made their home.

Eddie farmed from 1950 until the early 1990s in the Princeton area. He also raised cattle. Mr. Vowels was a logging contractor for Potlatch Corp. from the 1940s until 1976. He logged on his own until 1988. From 1990 to 2003, Mr. Vowels operated Vowels Logging and contracted to haul logs with his trucks for area mills.

He enjoyed raising draft horses and was a member of the Washington State Horse Pullers Association. He was also a member of Latah County Grain Growers, the Cattlemen’s Association, Princeton Grange, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Cayuse Kids Saddle Club, and a Potlatch High School Loggers Booster.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 62 years, Lorretta Vowels, Princeton; two sons, Henry E. (Linda) Vowels, Spokane; Rodney (Mickey) Vowels, Princeton; two daughters, Diane (Glen) Bremer, Beaverton, Ore .; Sallie (Kelly) Rowe, Spokane; two sisters, Janice Johnson, Moscow, and Shirley Issacson, West Lake Village, Calif .; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A son, Henry V. Vowels, preceded him in death.

The family suggests memorials to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, c/o the Latah Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 264, Potlatch 83855.

Evelyn Wagner

The funeral service for Evelyn Emma Erdman Wagner, 84, resident of St. John for 23 years, was Friday, March 26, at the St. John United Methodist Church with the Revs. Les Taylor and Denny Hinds officiating. Burial followed at the St. John Cemetery.

Mrs. Wagner died last Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

Born Feb. 13, 1926, at Lind, to Fred W. and Elsie Sauer Erdman, she moved with her family to Chewelah and Valley where she attended school.

She later moved to Spokane where she met Richard E. Wagner while working painting railroad boxcars.

They were married in Coeur d’Alene, Nov. 9, 1945, and had three children.

They moved to Colville and in 1962 to Lewiston where they remained until Richard’s retirement from Safeway.

In 1987 Richard and Evelyn moved to St. John, where she resided until her death.

She babysat for several neighborhood families, worked several summers at the Iris Gardens and enjoyed gardening, canning, sewing and crocheting.

Family time was spent on picnics, fishing on the river and area lakes and picking blackberries and huckleberries.

She enjoyed playing the piano and organ and scrapbooking.

She was a member of St. John Christian Life Assembly of God Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard.

Surviving are three children, Wayne (Carolyn) of Arlington Heights, Ill .; daughters Carol (Larry) Harrison of St. John, and Joy (Dennis) Munger of Lewiston; brothers Mervin Erdman, Deer Park; James Erdman, Colville; Lester Erdman, Hunters, and Gerald, Lewiston; sisters, Judy Ely of Springdale, and Betty Christensen of Valley, and four grandchildren.

Memorial gifts are suggested to the Whitman Hospital Foundation.

On-line guest book:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Edward T. Foster

Funeral services for Edward T. Foster, 93, a resident of Palouse, will be Friday, April 2, at 11 a.m. at the Palouse Federated Church with the Rev. Corey Laughary officiating. Burial will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery at Palouse. Mr. Foster died early Monday morning, March 29, 2010, at the Whitman Health and Rehab in Colfax.

Born Sept. 23, 1916, at Valentine, Neb., to Edward and Alma Tillson Foster, he attended schools there.

Mr. Foster came to Palouse in 1938. He married Geneva Armstrong April 20, 1940, at Moscow, and the couple made their home at Palouse. Mr. Foster helped build the Boone Lumber Mill at Princeton, and was employed there until it was sold to Bennett Lumber Co. He was employed with Bennett Lumber as a millwright until he retired in 1978.

Mrs. Foster died in 1987.

Mr. Foster enjoyed playing cards, rock collecting and carpentry. He built his own home and several other houses in Palouse. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include two sons, Larry (Zelma) Foster, and Jerry (Sue) Foster, both of Palouse; one brother Neil Foster, Los Angeles; one sister, Marian Kimbler, Breckenridge, Texas; two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Palouse Community Center building fund, Box 23, Palouse, 99161, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.