Obituaries - Jan. 20, 2011

Daniel H. Christman

A graveside service for Daniel H. Christman, 75, was Monday, Jan. 17, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Garfield Cemetery in Garfield. The Rev. Kathy L. Kramer officiated and Potlatch VFW post and a U.S. Army Honor Guard conducted military honors.

Mr. Christman died Jan. 14, 2011.

Born Aug. 1, 1935, at Hutchinson, Kans., to Lloyd and Mable Weaver Christman, he attended schools in Springdale and Deer Park. He enlisted in the Army in September of 1952 and served in Korea during the war. He was discharged in September of 1955 as a private first class.

Daniel married Shirley Flowers Dec. 24, 1954, at Elberton, and the couple made their home at Garfield for the next 15 years. Mr. Christman was employed at R.A. Hanson Co. in Palouse. In 1968, the couple moved to Portland where Daniel worked for FMC, a food machinery co-op from 1968 to 1975. In 1975, they moved to Kirkland where he was employed as an operating engineer for Safeway Stores Inc. He retired from Safeway in 1997 and later moved to Newport where they have made their home since.

He was a member of the American Legion at Cusick. His hobbies included model trains, reading and watching western movies.

Survivors include his wife Shirley, Newport; one son, Daniel (Tish) Christman, Bothell; one brother, Dennis Christman of Spokane; two sisters, Joanne Butcher and Jean Wynn, both of Spokane; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be given to Parkinson’s Research.

Joan Cunningham

Joan Loletta Browder Cunningham, 85, former Oakesdale and St. John resident, died Jan. 15, 2011 at Pullman Regional Hospital. A memorial service is being planned for a later date.

Born July 2, 1925, in Spokane to R. Van and Vera E. Regan Browder, she was raised in Oakesdale and graduated from Oakesdale High School with the class of 1943. She worked in the post office prior to her marriage to Harry D. Cunningham Jan. 19, 1947. They were married 51 years. They lived in Oakesdale until 1964 when they moved to St. John. Mr. Cunningham died in 1998.

Joan continued living in St. John until her health forced her to move into assisted living in Pullman about four years ago.

She enjoyed reading and embroidery needlework. She embroidered many pillowcase sets and tablecloths. One of her biggest adventures was traveling by train in 1943 with her grandfather, J.J. Browder, to Tennessee. She met the Browder relatives and visited her father’s birthplace, Sweetwater, Tenn. They continued on to Miami before returning home.

Surviving are her two children; daughter Kathy (Al) Whiteside of Cheney, and son Dan (Sharron) Cunningham of Colfax.

The family suggests memorials go to Disabled American Veterans

On-line guest book:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Shirley Motley

Shirley Motley, 79, died at her Lewiston home Sunday, following a brief illness. A celebration of life service will be held this spring.

Born and raised in Cass County, Mo., she met and married Al Motley of Pullman while he was stationed there with the U.S. Air Force.

They came to Pullman to raise three children, Chris, Joe and Nancy. During her lifetime, she worked in the banking industry where she was promoted from teller to accounts manager and later to financial advisor. She retired in 1997 from Sterling Savings/ Harbor Financial.

Shirley was active in the Lady Elks and served as president. She belonged to Soroptimist International. She and Al were volunteer instructors for AARP driver’s safety classes. They belonged to Clarkston Country Club where they spent many hours enjoying golf and friends. She also enjoyed raising flowers.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband after 57 years of marriage.

Surviving are her children, Chris (Susan) of McMinnville, Ore .; Nancy (Mike) of Boise, Joe (Rose) of Elko, Nev .; brothers, Bill and Jerry Motley; seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph’s Hospice.

Idabelle L. Packard

Idabelle L. Packard, 79, a resident of Harvard, Idaho, died Friday evening, Jan. 14, 2011, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston. No services will be conducted and she will be cremated.

Born May 21, 1931, at Moscow, to Fourth F. and Ruby Thrasher Thomas, she attended school at Potlatch, and graduated from Potlatch High School in 1949. She married Raymond Packard June 16, 1950, at Potlatch. They made their home at Potlatch, and later at Tillamook, Ore., and Ketchikan, Alaska, where she was employed by the Gateway Borough in the tax collection department from 1967 until 1974.

The couple moved back to the Princeton – Harvard area in 1974, and she was employed by the Potlatch Bank as a teller from 1975 until she retired in 1996. A member of the Princeton Ladies Club, she enjoyed hunting, camping and picking huckleberries.

Survivors include her husband, Raymond, Harvard; one son, Les (Diana) Packard, Walla Walla; two daughters, Renee (Marty) Hansen, Post Falls; Diana (Bob) Lee, Nehalem, Ore .; one sister, Glenda (Gary) Flanik, Astoria, Ore .; 10 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Potlatch ambulance fund, Box 63, Potlatch, 83855, or to the Princeton Community Club, Princeton, 83857.

Stewart W. Pfaff

A memorial service for Stewart W. Pfaff, 86, retired Garfield area farmer, was Saturday morning at the Garfield Christian Fellowship Church with the Rev. King Rockhill officiating. A family graveside rite at the Garfield Cemetery with Forrest Miller officiating preceded the memorial service.

Mr. Pfaff died early last Wednesday morning Jan. 12, 2011, at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax.

Born Dec. 5, 1924, at Ruff, Wash., to Michael and Katherine Ottmar Pfaff, he attended schools at Ruff and Valley before he finished his education at Garfield where he graduated with the class of 1941. He later attended Washington State College in Pullman for one year.

He and Patricia Johnson were married Dec. 11, 1948, at Palouse, and they made their home near Garfield where they farmed. Following his retirement, they moved into Garfield in 2007.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church at Garfield, a member and Past Master of the Oakesdale Masonic Lodge, Whitman County Shrine Club, the Pea and Lentil Association, Washington Wheat Association and the Washington Pesticide Commission. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and riding horses.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia Pfaff, Garfield; one son, Michael J. (Christine) Pfaff, Centralia; one daughter, Shannon L. (Cary) Hall, Garfield; two brothers, Elmer Pfaff, Garfield; Gary Pfaff, Lewiston; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Shriners Hospital for Children, Box 2472, Spokane, 99210-2472.

Marilyn Thompson

A memorial service for Marilyn Joan Thompson, 71, was Jan. 15 at the Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane. She died Jan. 7, 2011.

Born Dec. 5, 1939, to Francis and Verda Kelly, she was raised on the family farm at Lamont and attended Lamont Schools. She earned her nursing degree in Spokane where she fell in love with Robert Webster Thompson. They were married 47 years ago.

They made their home in Poway, Calif. She was employed with Dr. David A. Edwards at North County Ophthalmology for more than 25 years. She enjoyed cooking and spending time with her family and friends.

Surviving in addition to her husband, are three children, a sister, Sherrill (Don) Nelson, and two brothers, Jim (Carol) and Wayne (Linda) Kelly, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society in honor of Marilyn J. Thompson.

Helen L. Walters

A graveside service for Helen L. Walters, 88, a longtime Oakesdale resident, will be today, Thursday, Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. at the Garfield Cemetery.

She died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011, at the Whitman Health & Rehabilitation Center in Colfax where she had made her home for the past several years.

Born Dec. 15, 1922, in Spokane, to Clarence and Rosa Lee Crowder St. John, she was raised in Oakesdale and attended schools at Oakesdale and Belmont until the eighth grade. She attended high school in Garfield. Following her graduation, she attended Kinman Business School in Spokane for a short time. She then worked at Allen B. Smith pea processing, area restaurants including the Nobby Inn in Moscow and then Gritman Medical Center in Moscow.

She married James H. Walters in Rosalia Feb. 6, 1966. They lived on the family farm two miles west of Belmont where they farmed and raised cattle.

She was a lifetime member of the Catholic Church and served as Altar Guild President. She was also a member of the Oakesdale Rebekah Lodge and was a Past Noble Grand. She was also a longtime member of LaDow Grange in Garfield.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996.

Memorial donations are suggested to the Rosalia Ambulance or to the Oakesdale EMTs.

Online condolences:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Doak rite set Jan. 22

A memorial service for Marie Ruth Doak, 87, will be Saturday, Jan. 22, at 1 p.m. in the Colfax Methodist Church. Mrs. Doak, long time Colfax resident, died Nov. 28, at The Courtyard.

Mrs. Doak, who retired after a 30-year career at Whitman Library, moved to Colfax in 1977 when her late husband, the Rev. Jim Doak, was assigned as pastor of the United Methodist Church. They met at Washington State College, married in 1946 and resided in Boston when he attended seminary. They also served churches in Davenport, St. John, Deer Park, Burlington, Mabton, Sandpoint and Stevenson. Marie loved to sing and often served as choir director at the various churches. A member of PEO and Daughters of the Nile, she liked to quilt and make blankets for family and friends. She was an avid reader and enjoyed watching sports on TV.

She is survived by a son, Steve Doak of Steptoe; her sister, Elda Armstrong of Kingston; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 2000 and her daughter, Suzanne Kay Nelson, in 2005.

The family suggests memorials be made to the Whitman County Library or the Colfax United Methodist Church.

On-line condolences:

http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Paul Fischer

Paul J. Fischer, 73, a resident of Farmington for the past 30 years, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, at his home in Farmington from an apparent heart attack. In accordance with his request, services will not be conducted and his body will be cremated. Kramer Funeral Home of Tekoa is in charge of arrangements.

Dr. L.G. Hendrickson

Lee G. Hendrickson died Jan. 15 at his home in Colfax. At his request there will be no services.

He was born in Ashton, Idaho, to Hal and Nodean Summerville Hendrickson. He graduated from Orofino High School and enlisted in the Army where he excelled in marksmanship, achieving a spot in the record books at Fort Ord, Calif.

Music had always been a big part of his life and following his discharge it became his full-time occupation. He toured the country with a popular band, was signed to Capital records and also did studio work with many well known artists. His band performed at the Academy Awards ceremony in 1964.

In 1970 he went back to school for his bachelors degree and advanced on to nursing school at Lewis-Clark State College. He attained a masters degree in social work from EWU, graduating with honors and then achieved certification as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. He got his doctorate in Psychology from California Coast University. He was previously Medical Director of Evergreen Counseling Center in Hoquiam, and was a partner in private practice in Olympia. He was a member of the hospital boards in both cities and president of the South Sound ARNP United. He was currently employed as a nurse practitioner at Palouse River Counseling Center in Pullman.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sharleen; daughter, Veronica (Ruben) Beitia, Tacoma, and sister Frances Crouch, Clovis, Calif.

Memorials may be made in his name to Harvest House in Pullman.