Obituaries - July 1, 2010

Virginia Louise Caldwell

A private family service for Virginia Stilson Caldwell, 89, native of Diamond and Colfax High School graduate who lived most of her adult life in Pomeroy, will be July 10 at 9 a.m.

It will be followed by a memorial service at the Pomeroy Christian Church at 10 a.m. with Pastor Frank Musgrave officiating.

Family and friends are invited to share a luncheon after the services.

She died Tuesday, June 22, 2010.

She had resided at the Garfield County Memorial Hospital and Memory Manor in Pomeroy since July 29, 2009.

Born April 9, 1921, to Philo and Ada Stuart Stilson, at the family home in Diamond, she attended grade school in Diamond, completing her high school education in Colfax.

Virginia and Jack Caldwell were married on Sept. 14, 1940. She was a telephone operator in Colfax until they moved to Pomeroy in 1949. She devoted her life to being a homemaker and a partner in their business as an independent jobber for Shell Oil Company for 28 years.

After selling their business they enjoyed spending the winter months in Mesa, Ariz., for 17 years. They also enjoyed playing cards with friends and square dancing.

Mr. Caldwell died Aug. 17, 2007.

She was a member of the Pomeroy Christian Church. She was an active member for many years of the Garfield County Health Watch.

She enjoyed her large vegetable and rose garden and kept a beautiful yard and spent many hours bird watching. She especially looked forward to visits from her two grandsons and her great-granddaughters.

She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Jacque.

Surviving are her daughters, Nikki Caldwell and Gayle (Jack) Turner of Pomeroy; two grandsons and two great-granddaughters.

Memorials can be made to Spokane Shriners Hospital for Children, Box 2472, Spokane, 99210-2472 or the Pomeroy Christian Church, PO Box 699, Pomeroy, 99347.

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

Robert James Clausen

Robert James Clausen, 73, retired Spring Valley area farmer who died in a tractor accident last Thursday, June 24, 2010, was cremated and no service will be conducted in accordance with his wishes.

Born March 22, 1937, at Spokane to William C. and Marian E. Kromm Clausen, he was raised in the Spring Valley area east of Rosalia and attended local schools. In high school, he enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball. After high school, he farmed with his parents in the Spring Valley area.

He and Sandra L. (Sandee) Morrill were married Nov. 3, 1981, at Las Vegas, Nev. They made their home at Waverly for 14 years prior to returning to his family’s farm home following the death of his parents. He retired from the family farm in 2001 for health reasons, but continued to work part-time for area farmers.

He enjoyed camping and watching sports on television. He was an avid fan of Washington State University teams and Gonzaga basketbal. He enjoyed trips to Branson, Mo., and Laughlin, Nev., where they attended many shows. Jim was also a strong supporter of local area schools.

Survivors include his wife Sandee at the family home; daughter Sandy (Bruce) Anderson of Elk; son Joe Robichaud of Rosalia; sister Janet McBride of Spokane and eight grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be given to the American Cancer Society.

Norma West

The funeral for Norma Jeanne Tietz West, 81, Harvard, Idaho, was Tuesday, June 29, at the Church of the Nazarene in, Princeton, Idaho, with the Rev. Kathy Kramer officiating. Burial followed at the Freeze Cemetery, north of Potlatch. Mrs. West died early Wednesday morning, June 23, 2010, at the Gritman Medical Center in Moscow.

Born Sept. 16, 1928, at Stratton, Colo., to Louis and Addie Whitmore Becker, she came to the Hatter Creek area near Princeton with her family at the age of six. She attended the Hatter Creek country school, Princeton school and finished her education at Potlatch.

She started working at Pelton’s Bakery and worked other various jobs in the area, including the Town and Country Store, J.C. Penney’s, David’s Department Store, the University of Idaho and Washington State University where she worked in the housing maintenance office until she retire in 1993.

She married Delmer West on Sept. 11, 1992, and they made their home at Harvard. Mr. West died in 2006. She continued to live at the Harvard home until she moved to the Clark House in Moscow in 2008. Prior marriages to William Tietz Oct. 12, 1946, and to Darrell Erickson, June 20, 1979, ended in divorce.

She enjoyed sewing, cooking, gardening, children and all her animals.

Survivors include two daughters, Linda Reddekopp, Spokane; Judy Tietz, Harvard; two brothers, Ron Becker, Princeton; Robert (Bob) Becker, Lewiston; three grandsons; six great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, Box 63, Potlatch, or to the Princeton Church of the Nazarene.