Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituaries

Claudia Peck Spokane

Memorial service for Claudia Ann Peck, 43, was Sunday at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church. Burial in Tennessee will be at a later date.

Mrs. Peck, who was born in Maryville, Tenn., died Thursday.

She graduated from the University of Tennessee, taught elementary school and worked as a technical writer for the Tennessee Valley Authority. She was the founder of a small-press science fiction/fantasy magazine.

She received a master’s degree in English from the University of Colorado. She did editorial work and grant writing for Winds of Change, the magazine of American Indian Science and Engineering Society.

She moved to Moscow, Idaho, in 1989, to teach at Washington State University. She taught composition, technical and professional writing, creative writing, mythology and African-American studies. She also served as an area director with Very Special Arts of Idaho. She did editorial work for the Moscow-Pullman Daily News and for the agricultural extension at the University of Idaho.

She moved to Spokane in 1995 to teach English at Eastern Washington University.

She published a novel, “Spirit Crossings,” in 1991, and had published several short stories and professional articles about the writing process.

She is survived by her husband, James Stripes; a son, Reuben Peck Stripes; two stepsons, Caleb and Samuel Stripes; her mother, Carolyn Peck of Lenoir City, Tenn.; two brothers, Chris and Craig Peck, and a sister, Cynthia.

Robert Allert Spokane

Memorial service for Robert Micheal Allert, 79, will be at 11 a.m. today at the chapel at Camp Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of cremation.

Mr. Allert, born in Schrag, Wash., died Saturday at Sacred Heart Medical Center after suffering a stroke.

He graduated from Ritzville High School and Washington State University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

He farmed near LaCrosse, Wash., until he retired in 1974.

Mr. Allert had lived at Rockford Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene, and in San Jacinto, Calif., since he retired.

He was a member of the LaCrosse Order of the Eastern Star, the El Katif Shrine, LaCrosse Grain Growers and the Whitman County Cougar Club.

Mr. Allert is survived by his wife of 10 years, Charlotte Wood Allert; a son, Mike Allert of Redmond, Wash.; a daughter, Ann Donaldson of Monterey, Calif.; five sisters, “Billie” Skov, Vi Lucas, “Hankie” Fishback, Edie Nichols and Eva Hollingberry; a brother, Dewayne Allert; and six grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children or to Camp Lutherhaven.

Thelma Heard Spokane

Service for Thelma M. Heard, 76, was Monday at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial was at Riverside Memorial Park.

Mrs. Heard, who died Thursday, was born in Seattle.

She had lived in Spokane since 1940 and was a homemaker.

She was a member of Four Lakes Community Church.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Frank Heard; two sons, Greg and Barney Heard, both of Spokane; a daughter, Karen Dodge of Spokane; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Four Lakes Community Church.

Charlotte Turner Spokane

Service for Charlotte Mae Turner, 76, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.

Born in Leadpoint, Wash., Mrs. Turner died Saturday.

She had lived in Spokane for 60 years and was a homemaker.

Her husband, John Turner, died in 1994.

Mrs. Turner is survived by a son, Alvin Akers of Greenacres; two daughters, Diane Hardesty and Penny Metcalf, both of Spokane; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

She was a member of Full Gospel Tabernacle and the South Fork Grange No. 220.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Full Gospel Tabernacle.

Clifford Neutz Colville, Wash.

Service for Clifford R. Neutz, 74, is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Danekas Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Mountain View Park Cemetery.

Mr. Neutz, who was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, died Friday.

He graduated from Lind (Wash.) High School.

He worked at his brother’s Union 76 service station in Portland during World War II. He was then drafted into the Army and served three years.

In 1945, he married Ruth Miller in Ritzville.

He worked on a bread route and as a car salesman in Lind. His family moved in 1952 to Odessa, where he owned a Ford dealership. He also worked in Colville, and Othello, Wash., before moving to Colville in 1959. In Colville, he worked for the General Motors dealership and became the owner in 1965. He owned the dealership until 1976 and retired in 1980.

He was a member of the Colville Elks and the Benchwarmers.

He is survived by his wife; four daughters, Julie Clark and Trudy Hull, both of Colville, Amy Wiggin of Lynnwood, Wash., and Mary Lychak of Spokane; a sister, Marian Bray of Hermiston, Ore.; seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Byron Hitchcock Coeur d’Alene

Graveside service for Byron J. Hitchcock, 72, will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Visition will be today from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Mr. Hitchcock, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Saturday.

He was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene. He served in the Army with the 9th Armored Division and took part in the invasion of Normandy. He was decorated with the American Theater of Operations Service Ribbon, European African Middle Eastern Service Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal AR 600-68 and the Victory Medal.

He returned to Coeur d’Alene after his military discharge and worked as a logger.

Mr. Hitchcock was a member of the Catholic Church.

Survivors include two brothers, Vernon Hitchcock of Coeur d’Alene, and Elmer Hitchcock of Spokane; four nephews; two nieces; three great-nephews; and four great-nieces.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 280 Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

Walt Frankfurth Spokane

Memorial service for Walt Frankfurth, 77, was Monday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Private burial was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mr. Frankfurth, a 36-year Spokane resident, died Saturday.

He was born in Danzig, N.D.

He worked for Camp Chevrolet for several years and later for Wendle Ford as a mechanic.

Mr. Frankfurth served in the Army in Europe during World War II and was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435. He was also a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Anna Frankfurth; a son, Garland Frankfurth of Sequim, Wash.; a daughter, Valera Morrow of Spokane; four brothers, Harry Frankfurth of Milwaukee, Ted Frankfurth of Ashley, N.D., Marvin Frankfurth of Faith, S.D., and Oscar Frankfurth of Iroquois, S.D.; two sisters, Clara Sprenger of Bremerton and Emma Eszlinger of Ashley; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Larry Stoffer Oldtown, Idaho

Memorial service for Larry Dean Stoffer, 53, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport, Wash.

Mr. Stoffer died Saturday at home.

He was born in Dalton Gardens, Idaho.

He married Darlene LaNore-Podratz in 1961 in Coeur d’Alene.

He worked for Safeway for 36 years and was the produce manager at the Newport store.

Mr. Stoffer is survived by his wife; a son, Robert Stoffer of Newport; a daughter, Teresa Ramsey of Ennis, Texas; his mother and stepfather, Lois and Rod Bangham of Spokane; a brother, Bob Stoffer of Arleta, Calif.; and a grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bonner County Hospice Program.

Leonard Stickelmeyer Spokane

Service for Leonard E. Stickelmeyer, 69, is planned or 10 a.m. today at Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of cremation.

Mr. Stickelmeyer, who died Friday at home, was born in St. Paul, Minn.

He moved to Spokane from North Dakota in 1937.

He went to work for Consolidated Freightways when he was 17 and retired after 43 years.

Mr. Stickelmeyer was a member of Teamsters Union Local 690 and Eagles Lodge No. 2.

He served in the Army during the Korean War and in the reserves from 1953 until 1960.

He is survived by two sons, Mark and Lee Stickelmeyer, both of Spokane; his former wife of 37 years, Lois Stickelmeyer; three brothers, Jake Stickelmeyer of Wallace and Melvin and Wallace Stickelmeyer, both of Spokane; four sisters, Darlene Humphrey and Vyonda Cunningham, both of Spokane, Charlotte Olmstead-Corbett of Valley, Wash., and Peggy Jack of Elk; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

June Shreve Spokane

Visitation for June H. Shreve, 52, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. today at Mary Queen Catholic Church. Funeral Mass is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Shreve died Thursday from cancer.

She was born in Spokane and graduated from Marycliff High School and Spokane Community College.

She worked as a certified nurse’s assistant at St. Brendan Nursing Home and Riverview Care Center.

She was a member of Mary Queen Catholic Parish.

Survivors include two sons, Gregg and Matthew Shreve, both of Spokane; a daughter, Brynn Shreve of Spokane; two sisters, Janice Hoffard of Redmond, Wash., and Judi Laird of Spokane; a brother, Will Hoffard of Seattle.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Patient Care.

Mary Harding Spokane

Service for Mary E. Harding, 89, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mrs. Harding, who was born in Newport, Neb., died Saturday.

She and her husband, Emil, moved to the Chewelah, Wash., area in 1940. They moved to Spokane in 1970.

She worked as a restaurant cook.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Mrs. Harding is survived by five daughters, Alberta Crowell of Milton-Freewater, Ore., Shirley Cook of Richland, Jeanne Douglass of Carson City, Nev., Sharon Phillips of Spokane, and Jo Dee Webster of Renton, Wash.; five sons, Larry Harding of Kennewick, Jim and Tyke Harding, both of Republic, Wash., Skip Harding of Spokane, and Danny Harding of Chewelah; four sisters, Marge Gale of Rupert, Idaho, Bessie Orr of Oldtown, Idaho, Dolores Fox of Newport, Neb., and Florence Nelson of Mesa, Ariz.; 27 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren.

Richard LeMaster Cataldo, Idaho

Memorial service for Richard Thomas LeMaster, 72, is pending. Inurnment will be held at Shoshone Memorial Gardens in Pinehurst. Shoshone Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. LeMaster, who was born in LaGrande, Ore., died Saturday.

He moved to the Silver Valley in 1969 from Salmon, Idaho, and worked as a miner for the Sunshine Mining Co, until his medical retirement in 1986.

He was a member of the American Legion Post in Osburn.

Mr. LeMaster was preceded in death by his wife, June.

Survivors include two sons, Tommy LeMaster of Cataldo, and Ronald LeMaster of California; brother, George LeMaster of Boise, sister, Gaye Michaels of Camas, Wash.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Shoshone County Food Bank.

Helen (Hodge) Stueckle Colfax, Wash.

Memorial service for Helen (Hodge) Stueckle, 75, will be at 1 p.m. today at Onecho Bible Church near Colfax. Burial will precede at Colfax Cemetery. Born in Pullman, Mrs. Stueckle died Saturday at home.

She graduated from high school in Colfax.

In 1941, she married Harold Stueckle in Colfax. They moved to Burbank, Calif., and returned to Colfax in 1944.

Mrs. Stueckle was a member of the Besse Mechling Club and Onecho Bible Church. Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Carol Murray, Colleen Illsley, and Kimerli Stueckle; a sister, Norma Hodge Vuletich of Los Angeles, and two granddaughters.

Memorial contributions may be made to Onecho Bible Church Building Fund or Southeast Washington Home Health and Hospice.

Harold ‘Hoe’ McLean Coulee City, Wash.

Service for Harold “Hoe” McLean, 79, will be at 11 a.m. today at First Presbyterian Church of Coulee City. Burial will follow at Mold (Wash.) Cemetery. Jones and Jones Funeral Directors of Wenatchee are in charge of arrangements.

Mr. McLean, a longtime Coulee City resident, died Friday at the Okanogan-Douglas County Hospital in Brewster, Wash.

He was born in Mold.

In 1938, he married Winifred “Winnie” Smart in Davenport, Wash. He was a longtime farmer and rancher in the Coulee City area.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, William and John McLean, both of Coulee City; a daughter, Bonnie Welch of White Salmon, Wash.; a sister, Bessie McLean of Wenatchee; six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Andrew’s Grange Scholarship Fund or the Coulee City Presbyterian Church.

Melvin Watkins Spokane

Service for Melvin W. Watkins, 76, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mr. Watkins, who died Saturday, was born in Lamana, Wash.

He worked as a school custodian and had lived in Spokane for 53 years.

He was a World War II Army veteran and was a member of Hillyard Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474.

Survivors include his wife, Martha Watkins; a son, Rick Watkins of Valleyford; a brother, Harold “Red” Watkins of Spokane; two sisters, Vivian Weston of Albany, Ore., and Vera “Pinky” Schafer of Spokane; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

Lawrence Blair Spokane

Service for Lawrence W. Blair, 89, was Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial was at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mr. Blair died Friday.

He was born in Little Falls, Wash.

He worked for wheat ranchers in the Reardan, Wash., area, then moved to the Four Mound area and became a dairy farmer. He later farmed on Wildrose Prairie before he retired and moved to Spokane.

His wife of 53 years, Ora Blair, died in 1979.

He is survived by two sons, Robert Blair of Loon Lake, and Ken Blair of Spokane; a daughter, Loretta Jones of Clayton, Wash.; a stepbrother, Ronald Frazer of Shelton, Wash.; 16 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.

Wayne Lammers Spokane

Graveside service for Wayne D. Lammers, 79, is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at Riverside Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Lammers died July 31.

He was born in Spokane and graduated from Hillyard High School.

Mr. Lammers worked as an artist.

He is survived by two nephews, Rick Mauget of Raleigh, N.C., and Louis Mauget of Spokane; and a niece, Luanne Mauget Oakland of Billings, Mont.

, DataTimes