Obituaries
Dr. Richard Ott Olympia
Funeral Mass for Richard Lee “Dick” Ott, 74, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Olympia. A second funeral Mass is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pullman. Graveside service will follow at Pullman City Cemetery. Mills and Mills Funeral Directors in Olympia is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Ott, a retired professor of veterinary clinical medicine and surgery at Washington State University, died Friday.
He was born in Santa Barbara, Calif.
He graduated in 1939 from Santa Barbara High School.
Dr. Ott received his Bachelor of Science degree and graduated magna cum laude from WSU in Pullman in 1944.
He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from WSU in 1945.
In 1948 he married Gloria Ceasar in Santa Barbara.
Dr. Ott served as captain in the Army in the Philippines from 1946 to 1948 and received the World War II victory medal and American campaign medal.
He was a professor of veterinary clinical medicine and surgery at WSU from 1949 to 1983. He served as chairman from 1955 to 1973.
Dr. Ott received the American Animal Hospital Association Veterinarian of the Year award in 1961 and the Gaines Medal for outstanding accomplishments in the field of small animal medicine and surgery in 1964.
He also received the Teacher of the Year award from WSU in 1965 and the State Veterinarian of the Year award in 1975.
Dr. Ott retired in 1983 and in 1984 received the Alumni Achievement Award from WSU.
He moved to Olympia seven years ago.
His wife preceded him in death.
Survivors include two sons, Stephen Ott of Providence, R.I., and Carl Ott of Olympia; a brother, General Ott Sr. of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Henry Silha Moscow, Idaho
Service for Henry W. Silha, 82, will be at 2 p.m. today at the First United Methodist Church in Moscow. Burial will follow at Moscow Cemetery. Short’s Funeral Chapel in Moscow is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Silha, who was born in Big Sandy, Mont., died Sunday from complications of pneumonia.
He grew up and attended school in Big Sandy and went on to attend Northern Montana College for two years and graduated from Montana State College in 1940 with a degree in mechanical engineering.
He accepted a teaching job at the University of Idaho in 1941 and completed a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, which he taught for 39 years.
Mr. Silha was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society of Metallurgy and the American Society of Engineering Education.
He was a member of First Methodist Church, the Northwest Travel Group and the Old-Time Fiddlers.
Survivors include his wife, Daphne; three children, Carlan Silhan of Kent, Wash., Marlene Martin of Kentucky, and Elaine Garrett of Dillon, Mont.; a sister, Lillian Gort of Great Falls, Mont.; two grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Clark Likkel Blanchard, Idaho
Memorial service for Clark Edward Likkel, 41, was Saturday at the Peaceful Valley Church in Elk.
Mr. Likkel, who died Tuesday, was born in San Pedro, Calif.
He served in the Navy as a medical corpsman.
In 1980 he married Zonia Martinez in Spokane.
Mr. Likkel worked in general maintenance for Stoneridge.
He was co-founder of the Hoo Doo Chapter of American Bikers Aiming Towards Education (ABATE) and was active in the Idaho Big Brothers Program.
Mr. Likkel formerly volunteered with the fire department and was active as an emergency medical technician and first responder.
He moved to Elk in the early 1980s and then to Blanchard in 1985.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Elizabeth Woodard of Spokane, and Erin and Erika Likkel, both at home; his mother and stepfather, Anna Marie and Donald Ward of Linden, Wash.; a brother, Mark Likkel of Anchorage, Alaska; a sister, Mary Ann Likkel of Bellingham; and a grandson.
Michael Williams Spokane
Service for Michael J. Williams, 19, will be at 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Williams, who was born in Nuremberg, Germany, died Sunday in a automobile accident west of Spokane.
He graduated in 1996 from Rogers High School and was a student at Olympic Junior College in Bremerton.
Mr. Williams was a member of Liberty Baptist Church.
Survivors include his parents, Michael and Catherine Williams of Spokane; two brothers, Patrick and Timothy Williams, both at home; a sister, Holly Williams at home; a stepsister, Amiee Lundsford of Rockford, Ill., his maternal grandfather, Robert Smith of Butte, Mont.; his maternal grandmother, Mary Trout of Spokane, and his paternal grandmother, Audrey Williams of Hazel Park, Mich.
John Nelson Spokane
Memorial Mass for John Selmer Nelson, 67, will be at 9:30 a.m. today at the Jesuit House. Burial will follow at Holly Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nelson, who was born in Scobey, Mont., died Sunday.
He graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School and Gonzaga University.
Mr. Nelson taught at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma for 13 years and taught in various Jesuit schools in the Northwest, including Gonzaga University as an adjutant instructor.
Most recently he taught at Sylvan Learning Center.
He was a member of St. Aloysius Parish and returned to in Spokane 12 years ago.
Mr. Nelson is survived by a daughter, Janalynn Nelson of Spokane; four sisters, Sister Claudia Nelson, P.B.V.M., of Fargo, N.D., Sister Yvonne Nelson, P.B.V.M., of Jellico, Tenn., and Lois Davin and Ann Marie Nelson, both of Spokane.
Helen Toner Spokane
Funeral Mass for Helen G. Toner, 90, will be 11:30 a.m. today at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Toner, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Saturday.
She worked as a stenographer and was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church and Altar Society.
Her husband, Donald Toner, preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sisters, Margaret Carrol and Catherine McGourin, both of Spokane.
Bertha Riffel Newport, Wash.
Memorial service for Bertha Riffel, 92, was Sunday at the Spring Valley (Wash.) Mennonite Church.
Mrs. Riffel, who was born in Buhler, Kan., died Dec. 31.
In 1927 she married Jake Riffel in Gossell, Kan.
She was a homemaker and moved to the Spring Valley area from Kansas in 1954.
She was a member of the Spring Valley Mennonite Church.
Her husband died in 1997.
Mrs. Riffel is survived by three sons, Jack Riffel of Spokane, Charles Riffel of Oldtown, Idaho and Guy Riffel of Newport a brother, Alvin Dyck of Colorado; three sisters, Katie Schmidt and Edna Koehn, both of Kansas, and Ruth Dirks of California; 10 grandchildren, numerous stepgrandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and several stepgreat-grandchildren.
Angelo Kiourkas Spokane
Memorial service for Angelo Kiourkas, 73, will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home.
Mr. Kiourkas, a 28-year Spokane resident, died Sunday.
He was born in Whitefish, Mont., and in 1958 married Shirley Bach in Sandpoint.
Mr. Kiourkas worked as a laborer for the railroad.
He was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Survivors include his wife; six sons, Danny Kiourkas of Tacoma, David Kiourkas of Graham, Wash., and Anthony, Allen, Adam and Angelo Kiourkas Jr., all of Spokane; four daughters, Athena Fiedler, Annie Allen and Alicia Dodd, all of Spokane, and Alana Kiourkas of East Wenatchee; three brothers, James Kiourkas of Las Cruses, N.M., George Kiourkas of Spokane and Danny Kiourkas of Newport, Wash.; two sisters, Elaine Flambours and Anna Mittlestadt, both of Spokane; 25 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Theodore Benhardt Anchor Point, Alaska
Graveside service for Theodore Benhardt, 86, was Monday at Reardan Cemetery in Reardan, Wash.
Mr. Benhardt, who was born in Spokane, died Sunday.
He served in the Army during World War II.
Mr. Benhardt worked as a carpenter in the Reardan area and moved to Alaska in the mid 1980s.
He was a member of the Reardan American Legion and the Carpenters’ Union and was a former volunteer with the Reardan Volunteer Fire Department.
His wife, Anna, died in 1982.
Survivors include three sons, Ted Benhardt of Anchor Point, Ernest Benhardt of Atwood, Colo., and Edward Benhardt of Reardan; two daughters, Joan Kuykendall of Reardan and Barbara Moore of Chugiak, Alaska; a sister, Mildred Petersen of Daly City, Calif.; 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
June Kienitz Veradale
No service will be held for June Ann Kienitz. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Kienitz, 71, died Dec. 31.
She was born in Northgate, N.D., and moved to Veradale in 1940.
Mrs. Kienitz worked as a nurses aide for the Good Samaritan Center for 15 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Juanita Kindsvogel of Veradale; four sons, Michael Fish of Oracle, Ariz., Patrick Fish of Spokane, Robert Fish of Bayview, Idaho, and Duane Fish of Veradale; a brother, Duane Morin of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Faye McConnell Tekoa, Wash.
Service for Faye McConnell, 57, was Monday at Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash. Cremation followed.
Mrs. McConnell, who was born in Burley, Idaho, died Thursday.
She worked as a bartender for many years at Elks, Eagles and Moose lodges. She had also worked as a hone operator for the Boeing Co. in Shelton, Wash., for several years.
From 1985 to 1995 Mrs. McConnell lived in Moscow, Idaho, where she worked as a custodian for the Moscow School District.
She moved to Troy, Idaho, in 1995 and moved to Tekoa a month ago.
Mrs. McConnell married Claude Hutchins in 1992.
She was a member of the Elks and Moose lodges in Moscow.
Survivors include her husband of Troy, Idaho; four daughters, Terri Hall of Pullman, Tracy Haffner of Marana, Ariz., Shannon Reid of Ames, Iowa, and Lisa Pierce of Tekoa; two sons, Don Fenner of Viola, Idaho and David Reed of Montana; her mother, Lydia Peck of Clarkston, Wash.; four brothers, Art and Daniel Brower, and David Hannas, all of Oregon, and Johnny Brower of California; four sisters, Patricia Clark of California, Rosemary Brower of Oregon, Alice Taylor of Utah and Rebecca Wilkinson of Spokane; and 18 grandchildren.
Clyde Gardner Spokane
Memorial service for Clyde E. Gardner, 89, was Friday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.
Born in Sibley, Iowa, Mr. Gardner died Saturday.
He moved to Spokane in the late 1970s and owned a gas station.
He is survived by his wife of nine years, Mary; two sons, Gordon Gardner of Portland and John Gardner of Gresham, Ore.; three daughters, Sandra Lutjemeier of Massachusetts, Ellen Bean of North Highland, Calif., and Dorothy Bucholz of Ashby, Minn.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth Leuth Newport, Wash.
Service for Elizabeth J. Leuth, 77, was Monday at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park in Hayward, Calif.
Mrs. Leuth, who was born in Taft, Calif., died Wednesday.
She moved to Idaho in 1976 and to Newport in the late 1970s.
Mrs. Leuth was a homemaker and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Zilliah Chapter No. 111, and the Baptist Church.
Her husband, James Leuth, died in 1976.
Survivors include two daughters, Rene Casteel of Newport, and Jessie Scott of Modesto, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
Helen Waind Spokane
Graveside service for Helen M. Waind, 82, was Monday at Spokane Memorial Gardens. A reception followed at the Moran United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Waind, who was born in Pleasant Gap, Pa., died Dec. 29.
She moved to Spokane in 1950 and graduated from Whitworth College.
Mrs. Waind worked as a medical technologist for the Spokane Inland Empire Blood Bank for more than 22 years.
She was active in Project Joy orchestra and was a member of the Moran United Methodist Church.
There are no surviving family members.
Ted Heitman Davenport, Wash.
Memorial service for Ted Heitman, 92, was Monday at the Davenport-Edwall United Methodist Church in Davenport. Inurnment followed at Mountain View Cemetery.
Mr. Heitman, who was born in Addy, N.D., died Thursday.
He moved to Davenport in 1937 and worked for the Ford garage as a mechanic. Mr. Heitman later worked for a cement company as a truck maintenance mechanic.
He had been a member of the Davenport Volunteer Fire Department and the Davenport School Board.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; a daughter, Shirley Powers of Sumner, Wash.; two sisters, Hazel Morthland of Deadwood, S.D., and Adelaide Snyder of Rapid City, S.D.; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Vrle Minto Spokane
Memorial service for Vrle T. Minto, 69, will be held at a later date in Eagleville, Calif. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Minto, who was born in Anderson, Calif., died Dec. 30.
He was one of the first international exchange students while in college at Logan University. He toured Europe and Africa.
Mr. Minto served in the Army during the Korean War as a meat inspector.
After his discharge, he worked with the Corps of Engineers on the Trinity Dam.
In 1958 he was selected to be mayor of the Calveras Jumping Frog Jubilee. Mr. Minto had appeared on the Johnny Carson Show.
He moved to Spokane 13 years ago.
Mr. Minto taught motivation for 25 years throughout the United States.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Barbara; two sons, Vince Minto of Willow, Calif., and Craig Minto of Stoney Ford, Calif.; three daughters, Karla Bildet of Yuma, Ariz., Tami Atkinson of Nevada and Karlicia Berry of Post Falls; four brothers, Robert Minto of Durham, Calif., Merril and Keith Minto, both of Chico, Calif., and Wally Minto of Eagleville; a sister, Marlene Eicher of Chico; and nine grandchildren.
Margaret Shimek Cheney
No service will be held for Margaret O. Shimek. The Cremation Society of Washington is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Shimek, 72, died Monday.
She was born in Pueblo, Colo., and moved to the Spokane area in 1957.
Mrs. Shimek moved to Cheney in 1978 and was a member of the 600 Traveling Club Bowling League.
She was an office worker.
Her husband, Frank Shimek Sr., died in 1994.
Survivors include two sons, Frank Shimek Jr. of Marshall and John Shimek of Seattle; a daughter, Barbara Shimek of Cheney; and five grandchildren.
L.J. Wolfe Spokane
No service will be held for L.J. Wolfe, 81, at his request. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and cremation.
Mr. Wolfe, a 48-year Spokane resident, died Monday.
He was born in Sherman, Texas.
Mr. Wolfe retired from Great Northern and Burlington Northern railroads after 35 years as a yardmaster.
Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Viola; a sister, Edna Mathis of Baton Rouge, La.; and two brothers, Cleo Wolfe of Texas, and Jerry Wolfe of Baton Rouge.
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