Obituaries-Verl Gunter

Verl Gunter

Verl Gunter, 90, former long-time Colfax resident, died Jan. 29, 2013, at the IOOF Care Home in Walla Walla. Mr. Gunter resided at College Place for the last seven years and resided at the care center since June.

In accordance with his request, a funeral service was not conducted.

He and his wife, Marcella, operated Colfax IGA and later Colfax Grocery in Colfax until 1970 when they moved to Spokane. They made their home in Spokane until they moved to College Place to be near family members. Mrs. Gunter still make her home in College Place.

Born Aug. 28, 1922, in Weston, Idaho, to Andrew C. and Mary Gunter, he was raised in southern Idaho until he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He and Marcella Lavigne, who was a student at North Idaho College, met at a dance while he was undergoing training at Farragut. He served in the Pacific as a Navy cook on the New Caledonia until 1944 when he returned to the states and married Marcella. They resided in Norman, Okla., where he completed his Navy service. They then resided in Spokane and Kellogg before moving to Colfax in 1957. They also operated laundromats in Colfax, Kellogg, Moscow and St. Maries.

Also surviving are two daughters, Cheryl (Roger) Cockerine, Walla Walla, and Rosemary (Roger) Knapp, Camas; two grandsons, and one great-grandson.