Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Backlin
Harvey Leroy Backlin, 85, longtime resident of Potlatch, died at Pullman Regional Hospital May 8, 2017.
The family will host an informal memorial celebration at the Scenic Six Park in Potlatch starting at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 12.
A private family graveside service will be in Missoula, Mont., on Saturday.
Born Aug. 16, 1931, in Scobey, Mont., to John and Esther Johnson Backlin, he was raised on a farm in Montana where his family specialized in sugar beets long before modern farming technology came around.
He completed his early schooling in Montana where he excelled in high school sports, especially football and basketball.
He attended the University of Montana and graduated with a degree in forestry.
He made his career with the United States Forest Service, first as a timber scout before moving to Potlatch where he worked in the Clearwater National Forest.
He had a profound love of the outdoors.
During his time in the woods he discovered some of the largest trees in Idaho.
His wife, Ruby Petroff, died in 2010 after more than 50 years of marriage.
The two spent many hours together working in their garden while also planting flowers all over Potlatch in an effort to enhance the beauty of the town.
Harvey enjoyed working on ponds, building docks and pathways.
After Ruby’s passing, Harvey and his daughter Brenda built a koi pond in Ruby’s memory near a walking path at the Scenic Six Park in Potlatch.
In some of his notes left behind, Harvey left this advice: “Work hard, be honest and be forgiving.” Surviving are his sons Brad (Ronda) Backlin of Cobb, Calif .; Brian (Sherrie) Backlin of Boise, and daughter Brenda Bryngelson of Princeton, Idaho; his brother Irwin Backlin of Hanford, Calif .; seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his dear wife Ruby and three siblings.
Memorial contributions in Harvey’s are suggested to Scenic Six Park in Potlatch, Idaho, or to a charity of choice.
The funeral service for Cary B. Day, 63, a resident of St. Maries who was raised in Rosalia, was Monday, May 8, at the St. Maries Church of the Nazarene.
Mr. Day died April 29 after a long battle with cancer.
Born July 26, 1953, to Charles and Marjorie Day, he was raised in Rosalia and graduated from Rosalia High School.
He attended the University of Idaho and served in the Navy.
He and Valerie Primmer of Tekoa were married in 1975 while he was serving in the Navy.
After serving in the Navy he returned to college at Eastern Washington University and graduated with a degree in special education.
They resided in Garfield where he was a teacher and coach for a year and then moved to Spokane where she worked for House of Travel, an agency they later purchased.
They owned and operated the business for 42 years.
They resided at Nine Mile Falls where they raised their four children and he was active in coaching youth teams, camping and Boy Scouts.
He operated satellite travel agencies and the Park and Jet off-airport parking facility.
They then decided to undertake a new challenge and moved to the St. Joe River where they built the St. Joe Bed and Breakfast.
He enjoyed dancing, cooking barbecue and watching sports.
Surviving are his wife, Donna; three sons, Ryan, Washington, D.C., Reggie, Rathdrum, and Patrick, Greenacres; a daughter, Kirsten, Coeur d'Alene; three brothers Mike, Rick and Kevin; a sister, Vickie, and six grandchildren.
James L. Cloaninger, 88, a lifelong Colfax area farmer and resident, died May 8, 2017, at Whitman Health & Rehab Center in Colfax. Funeral arrangements and an obituary will be announced by Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax at a later date.
Margaret A. (Peggie) Deckard, 103, longtime Garfield area resident, died Monday, May 8, 2017, at Kimani Adult Family Home in Pullman. Services are pending for early next week and will be announced when they become available. Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse is caring for the family. http://www.kramercares.com
For paid obituaries, see weekly pages: May 11
F. Joyce Leinweber: Sept. 22, 1926-May 7, 2017
LaMonte Williams: July 4, 1944-May 3, 2017
Curtis Claussen: November 23, 1933-May 7, 2017
Lean Folsom-Orr: Aug. 2, 1939-April21, 2017
Kenneth Callaway: May 13,1932-Feb. 3, 2017
Wilma Aune: Nov. 17, 1918-May 4, 2017
Reader Comments(0)