Obituaries

Rev. John Wyatt

Portola Valley, Calif.

Memorial service for the Right Rev. John “Jack” Wyatt,” retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, will be today at 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church in Menlo Park, Calif.

Rev. Wyatt, who was born in Lansford, Penn., died May 23. He was 90.

He graduated from Lehigh University in 1935 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and from General Theological Seminary in 1938.

Rev. Wyatt was ordained to the diaconate on June 12, 1938, and to the priesthood on March 1, 1939.

He married Nellie Mae Tomkins in 1939.

He served as curate of St. Johns Church in Larchmont, N.Y., from 1938 to 1941. He served three parishes as rector: Church of the Ascension, Wakefield, R.I., from 1941 to 1948; Trinity Parish, Seattle, from 1950 to 1957; and Trinity Parish, Menlo Park, Calif., from 1957 to 1967.

On May 2, 1967, the Rev. Wyatt was consecrated the first Episcopal bishop of Spokane, the diocese having been served by missionary bishops prior to his election.

The Rev. Wyatt was one of the first bishops to advocate and support a uniform search process for clergy seeking parishes, and he helped develop a retirement-planning process for clergy and spouses.

His wife died in 1973, and in 1974 he married Margaret Moltzen.

He retired in 1978 and moved California.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Elizabeth Wyatt Jones and Dottie Krigbaum; two sons, James Wyatt and John Wyatt Jr.; four stepsons, Allan Moltzen, Robert Moltzen, Richard Moltzen and David Moltzen; two brothers, Robert Wyatt and Russell Wyatt; a sister, Ruth Lotz; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Joyce (Larsen) Barkus

Coeur d’Alene

Memorial service for Joyce Elaine (Larsen) Barkus, 83, will be today at 11 a.m. Mountain Time at the First Presbyterian Church in Havre, Mont., with fellowship to follow at the Havre Vets Club.

Mrs. Barkus, who was born in Tagus, N.D., died Thursday.

She grew up in North Dakota and graduated from St. John High School there and from Minot Business College.

Mrs. Barkus worked for the Great Northern Railway, and she married Duane Barkus in 1944.

The couple lived in New Rockford, N.D., and operated a hardware store They moved to Havre in 1948 and opened the Coast to Coast store there, which is now Barkus Home Center.

She worked at the store with her husband, and later with her son, Murray, until 2001, when she became ill and moved to Coeur d’Alene.

Mrs. Barkus enjoyed crossword puzzles, cooking, traveling, reading, bowling, sewing and collecting bird items and plates.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Order of the Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile.

Her husband died in 1976.

Survivors include five children, Greg Barkus of Kalispell, Mont., Laurie Schwenke of Coeur d’Alene, and Murray Barkus, Janie Hedstrom, and Liz McIntosh, all of Havre; two sisters, Pat Miller of St. Paul, Minn., and Mardy Overland, of Moorhead, Minn.; a brother, Keith Larsen of Rochester, Minn.; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital in Spokane.

Ralph Veltri

Priest River, Idaho

Funeral Mass for Ralph Michael Veltri, 82, will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church. Private inurnment will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Veltri, a 75-year resident of Bonner County, died Wednesday.

He was born in Laclede, Idaho, and his family moved to Priest River when he was 3.

In 1942 he married Eyola Mullaley.

During World War II he was sent from Bayview to the Portland shipyards, where he worked six years for the government. While in Portland he also worked as a bus driver.

Upon returning to Priest River, he and his wife owned and operated Ralph’s Club and Restaurant until 1961.

Mr. Veltri was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

He enjoyed gardening.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Cheryl Sonntag of Priest River and Diana Veltri of Spokane; three brothers, Anthony Veltri of Missouri, Roy Veltri of Arizona and Joe Veltri of Priest River; two sisters, Louise Miller and Lora Osman, both of Spokane; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.