Obituaries - Dec. 23, 2010

Wayne Hemmelman

A memorial service for Wayne P. Hemmelman, 84, Princeton, Idaho, was Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, at 1 p.m. at the Palouse River Community Center in Princeton. Pastor Kathy Kramer officiated. Potlatch Post # 10300 VFW and the United States Navy Honor Guard participated.

Mr. Hemmelman died Sunday, Dec.12, 2010 at the Gritman Memorial Hospital in Moscow, with his family at his side.

He was born on April 11, 1926, at Potlatch, Idaho, to David and Goldie Clyde Hemmelman. He attended the Lamb grade school and finished his education at the Potlatch School.

He joined the United States Navy and served in the Pacific on Guam during World War II. He was discharged June 1, 1946 as a fireman 1st class.

He returned to Potlatch and worked as an electrician for the Potlatch Mill for 36 years. He then worked for Washington State University as a maintenance man at the CUB for six years then retired in 1991. Mr. Hemmelman processed many pounds of wild and domestic meat in the Princeton area.

He married Iris Sexton in 1946. She died in 1988, and he married Joanne McCleerey Lisher Jan. 12, 1990, at Potlatch. The couple made their home at Princeton.

Mr. Hemmelman served as commissioner for the Potlatch Fire District, served as a director for the North Latah Highway District and the Princeton Sewer District. He was a member and Past Master of the Princeton Grange, Potlatch Post VFW, and Potlatch American Legion.

He enjoyed woodworking, leatherwork, picking huckleberries and embroidery.

Survivors include his wife, Joanne, at the Princeton home; one daughter, Janet Jovanovich, two step-sons, George Lisher, Potlatch; DeWayne (Tamye) Lisher, Princeton; one step-daughter, Peggy (Mark) Gottschalk, Viola; one brother, Johnny (Ida) Wolheter, Potlatch; one sister-in-law, Alvina Wolheter, Old Town, Idaho, and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, Box 63, Potlatch, ID. 83855.

Lula J. Schultz

A private family service for Lula J. Schultz, 91, will be Thursday, Dec. 23, 2010, at 1 p.m. at the Freeze Church north of Potlatch, with the Rev. Kathy Kramer officiating. Burial will follow at the Freeze Cemetery.

Mrs. Schultz died early Sunday morning, Dec. 19, 2010 at Aspen Park Healthcare in Moscow.

Born Jan. 8, 1919, at Potlatch, to Clyde and Nettie Whitney Jeffers, she attended school at Potlatch and later finished at Everett.

She married Elmer Schultz Nov. 24, 1937, at Moscow, and they operated a dairy farm on Crane Creek north of Potlatch.

In 1952, the couple purchased the Schultz family farm and operated it for several years.

In 1955, the couple purchased the old Post Office building and operated an appliance and repair shop for many years. They also rented out three apartments in the upstairs portion of the building. Mr. Schultz died in 2005.

Lula enjoyed sewing, crocheting, canning, cooking, fishing and camping.

Survivors include, three daughters, Donna (Leroy) Marks, Onaway, Idaho; Sharon (Paul Bunney) McGreal, Princeton, Idaho; Linda (Jim) Hicks, Onaway, Idaho; one son, Phillip (Jana Lee) Schultz, Moscow; two sisters, Arva Lee Miller, Pullman and Bula (Frank) Lynd, Troy; 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Potlatch Ambulance fund, Box 63, Potlatch, 83855

Helen Slonaker

The funeral for Helen M. Slonaker, 84, long-time area resident, was Wednesday morning at the Moscow Church of the Nazarene. She will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony at the Colfax Cemetery.

She died Sunday morning, Dec.19, 2010, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow.

Born June 14, 1926, in Lake Jackson, Colo., to CB and Mae Mylander, she grew up in the Denver area and graduated from high school there. Following graduation she attended Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho and received her degree in library sciences. She met Wayne Slonaker from Palouse at NNC. They were married in Denver on Oct. 2, 1947.

They farmed in the Palouse, Kamiak Butte and Colfax areas. Helen kept busy as a homemaker and kept the books for their farming operation. She was very active in the Nazarene Church, and she taught adult Sunday school for over 20 years at the Colfax Church of the Nazarene. They loved to travel and participated on many work and witness trips to various mission fields around the globe. Helen was a teacher of Hardanger and did many needlepoint and handcrafts. After retirement they wintered in Arizona. They moved to Moscow in 2004 and attended the Nazarene Church there since. She was a volunteer worker at the Hope Center in Moscow.

Mr. Slonaker died in 2009.

Surviving are four children; Alan (Tami) Slonaker of Moscow; Marlene (Sam) Frazier of Spokane; Norma (Kevin) Young of Peoria, Ariz., and Jannette (Chuck) Whisman of Durant, Okla .; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be made to the Hope Center in Moscow or to Gideon’s International.

On-line guest book:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Delma E. Willcox

A memorial service for Delma Elizabeth Willcox, 94, former Palouse resident, will be at Orchard Crest, 222 S. Evergreen Road, Spokane Valley, Jan. 3, at 4:30 p.m., for friends and family in the Spokane area. A memorial service will be in Palouse, May 21 at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

She died at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane Dec. 12, 2010.

An only child, she was born Aug. 22, 1916, to Hugh Chandlee and Elta Hemry Macomber DeYarmon in Vancouver.

The family moved to Olympia where Delma spent her childhood and graduated from Olympia High School in 1935. She then attended Washington State College and graduated in 1939. While at WSC, Delma was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, President of Mortar Board Scholastic Honorary, and president of Theta Sigma Phi, a woman’s journalism honorary. Delma served as editor of “The Evergreen.” She met Stanley R. Willcox of Palouse at WSC, and they were married Sept. 4, 1940, in Olympia. After a three-week honeymoon trip down the coast of Oregon and Southern California, they returned to Pullman where Stan worked for the State Office of Agricultural Adjustment.

In 1942, they moved to the Willcox family farm at Palouse where they continued the farm operation raising their family. Delma also was a member of Chapter AE of P.E.O. at Palouse and served as chapter president.

In 1956 Delma returned to work as a dental assistant and business manager for Dr. Walter Bardwell, Pullman dentist.

In 1968, Delma retired, and she and Stan began traveling. They made several visits to Mexico and Arizona. An avid reader, she gladly became a Whitman County Library Board member and served from 1973–1983 and was an enthusiastic advocate of the library system.

Mr. Willcox died suddenly July 29, 1981, and the next spring Delma moved to Spokane. She worked for her son and daughter-in- law, Greg and Suzie, in their business, “Spokane Valley Travel” for the next 12 years.

In 2006, Delma moved to the Orchard Crest Retirement Community in the Spokane Valley.

Surviving are her sons, Douglas Ross (Judy) Willcox, Palouse, and Hugh Gregory (Suzie) Willcox, Spokane Valley; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and a sister in law, Bernice (Willcox) Freeman, Napa.

Donations in memory of Delma may be made to the Whitman County Library Foundation, 102 S. Main, Colfax, 99111.

See paid obituaries for Ella Wittman and Melvin Kimble on page B4 in the weekly paper section.