Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 6, 1955 Adams County, Ritzville, WA ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************ ==================================================================== This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sue Gardner sueboo18@hotmail.com ==================================================================== Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 6, 1955 Keiper Death Ruled 'Accidental' by Coroner; Funeral Monday Funeral services will be held Monday for 25-year-old Jack Keiper, whose death last Thursday morning in the Adams County jail has been declared "accidental" by Adams County prosecuting attorney, Edward G. Cross, acting as coroner. Keiper had been taken to the jail shortly after midnight last Wednesday after creating a disturbance in Hand's Steak house, according to Sheriff Clint Rowe. Thursday morning Keiper was found dead in his cell. His mattress had been almost entirely destroyed by fire. But the victim had suffered no burns, and Cross said he apparently died of asphyxiation. Dr. C. Co. Granquist, county healf officer, also investigated the case. Sheriff Rowe said he received a telephone call at 12:25 a.m. last Thursday, Dec. 30, from a waitress at Hand's Steak house who said Keiper had broken a coffee maker in the restaurant and kicked out a window. Rowe brought Keiper to the sheriff's office, bandaged his hands, which were bleeding, and placed him in a cell for the night. The sheriff said Keiper was not intoxicated and was able to carry on a conversation. Several persons entered the sheriff's office about 8 a.m. the following morning but it was not until Rowe opened the door heading to the upstairs cells about 8:40 a.m. that the odor indicating a fire was smelled. The sheriff went upstairs to find Keiper slumped in a corner of his cell. Examination showed he was dead. Time of death was not established. Keiper had lived most of his life in Lind but moved to Ritzville about a year ago. He lived here with his mother, Mrs. Margaret Keiper, employed at Hand's as a waitress. She was not on duty during the events at the restaurant which led to her son's removal to jail. Keiper also was survived by a brother, Marvin, of Ritzville, and two sisters, Mrs. Walter Haase of Ritzville and Mrs. Louise Green of Vancouver. The Rev. F. J. Ahrendt conducted the funeral services in the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel. Burial was at the Lind cemetery. Melcher Rites This Saturday Funeral services for George Melcher, 72-year-old retired farmer who died at Adams County Memorial hospital, will be held at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 8, at Emanuel Lutheran church with the Rev. F. J. Ahrendt officiating. Burial will be in the Odessa cemetery. Melcher had lived in this area 45 years. Survivors include the widow, Mary Katherine, at the home; four daughters, Mrs. Ruben Heimbigner of Odessa, Mrs. Harry Baltzoker of Pasco, Mrs. William Fearuf of Portland, Ore., and Mrs. Lydia Larson of Peshastin; a son, Arthur Melcher of Odessa; and 15 grandchildren. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 13, 1955 Schneider Rites Are Held Here Funeral services for Henry Peter Schneider, 88, who died at his home in Ritzville last Friday, were held Tuesday in the Philadelphia Congregational church with the Rev. R. Kirschenmann officiating. Burial was in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Schneider had lived here 43 years. Survivors include three sons, Henry, jr., of Ritzville, Jake of Puyallup, and Dave of Spokane; two daughters, Mrs. Katie Mengin of Russia and Mrs. Mary Fri of San Francisco; 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Brother Killed as Pole Falls Last Thursday PASCO - Funeral services were held here recently for Harry E. Elledge, 35-year-old Franklin county public utilities district lineman who was killed instantly last Thursday when he rode a falling wooden power pole to the ground in Pasco. Elledge was a brother of Mrs. Doris Kagele of Ritzville. PUD officials said Elledge climbed the old pole preparatory to replacing it with a new pole. They said the pole Elledge climbed apparently was rotted below the ground and snapped off under his weight. The power pole Elledge was on was supported by two guy wires and both snapped as the pole went over. Power lines previously had been disconnected. Stunned fellow crewmen rushed to Elledge and attempted to revive him. He was rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Elledge also was survived by two other sisters, four brothers, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Elledge of Kahlotus. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 20, 1955 Chris Hilles' Return From Olympia Rites WASHTUCNA - Mr. and Mrs. Chris Hille returned Monday from Olympia where they were called by the illness and death of Mrs. Hille's father, Daniel S. Roloff. Roloff, 86, formerly farmed in the Lind area. He moved to Gull Harbor in the Olympia district in 1926. His survivors include the widow, three sons, and four daughters. He was buried in the Masonic cemetery in Olympia. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, January 27, 1955 None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 3, 1955 Local Residents Attend Funeral SPOKANE - A number of Ritzville residents attended funeral rites for Harry Biggs, Newport farmer, last Thursday at the Fort George Wright chapel. Biggs had been a sergeant in World War I. Biggs was survived by his widow, Anna; a daughter, Lois McCall of Tacoma; three brothers, Otis Biggs of Los Angeles, Lloyd of Arizona, and Robert of Bliss, Idaho; and two sisters, Hazel Peterson of Gig Harbor and Lucille MacDonald of Montaur, Idaho. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 10, 1955 Funeral Held for Hodson, 62 OTHELLO - Funeral services for Eugene K. Hodson, 62, who had lived in the Othello area since he was four years old, were scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Presbyterian church with the Rev. Fred Kashman officiating. The American Legion was scheduled to conduct graveside services at the new Othello cemetery. Hodson, who died Monday, was born in Salem, Ore. He was employed by the Milwaukee railroad. Surviving were the widow, Effie; a son, Frank R. Hodson of Klammath Falls, Ore.; two step-sons, Paul Charbono of Seattle and Merle Charbono of Huron, S. Dak.; and five grandchildren. Hodson was a WWI veteran. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Funeral Rites for Schwisow To Be Friday Funeral services for Fredrick John Schwisow, 60, operator of Schwisow's Texaco service station in Ritzville will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Emanuel Lutheran church with the Rev. F. J. Ahrendt officiaing. Burial will be in the Lutheran cemetery. Schwisow died at his home Monday after having lived in the Ritzville area for the past 30 years. Born near Fairbury, Neb., he came west to farm and later worked on construction projects and as a carpenter for many years. Several years ago he took over the Texcaco station at the west end of town on U. S. Highway 10. He has been operating the station with one of his sons, Vern. Also surviving are the widow, Agnes; a daughter, Mrs. Lorraine Smith of Sprague; and two other sons, Marvin and Danny. Four sisters survive - Mrs. Charles Merce of Ohio, and Mrs. Freda Neiderklien, Mrs. Anna Neiderklien and Mrs. Emma Gutzmer, all of Daykin, Neb. Four brothers, Herman and Frank of Ritzville, and William and Louis of Nebraska also survive as do six grandchildren. Schwisow was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran church, the men's brotherhood at the church and Marcellus Grange. Danekas and Duncan funeral home is in charge of arrangements. Funeral Rites Held for John Fox, 76, Early-Day Hatton Homesteader LIND - Graveside services for John Logan Fox, 76, prominent Adams county farmer who could remember living in a wind-swept homesteader's shack near Hatton in the early 1900s, were conducted following funeral rites earlier that day in Spokane. Fox, who lived at W. 227 24th avenue in Spokane, died last Thursday. During his life he had experienced all of the hardships which became commonplace to early-day homesteaders breaking virgin soil in western Adams county. Fox was born at Palestine, Ill., on Oct. 25, 1878, the second son of F. A. and Martha Frances McGill Fox. He attended school and church in the Wesley chapel community and later the Illinois State Normal school at Bloomington, Ill. During his youth Fox appeared younger than he actually was and even though armed with a teacher's certificate he found it difficult to secure a position because schoolmen considered him "too young." So in 1898 he went to Minnesota to work in a logging camp. His job was as a cook's helper, but be became a favorite among husky loggers twice his weight by reading to them at night, for he was one of the few literate men in the camp. During his stay in the logging camp Fox heard of homesteading opportunities out west. In 1899 he traveled to Washington. He worked that summer on a Palouse farm, and in November he went to pasco to make application for a homestead. Again, his youthful appearance was against him. Fox was 21 at the time but couldn't convince the authorities he was older than 18. His application was held up until the following March while the land office checked into his age. Finally in early 1900 he and his brother, Medford R. Fox, took up a homestead eight miles west of Hatton where Medford still farms. In an article written for the Journal-Times' Pioneer Edition in 1949, Medford recalled that the two brothers lived in a small shack with a stove pipe sticking out of the roof, for there was no chimney. "John did the cooking and hauled water for our thirsty cayuses," Medford wrote. "Water was scare. Sometimes he hauled from the Birdwell well, drilled in 1902, sometimes from the late W. A. Millelstaedt well, and as a last resort he hauled from Scootenai Springs, with a 6-horse team. When he arrived home from the springs, his thirty horses would drink up nearly half of the water he brought. "Then, too, his 'Sears and Roebuck' lead bars sometimes would break during the trip and off would go the team, scattering in every direction." The two brothers "batched" in their tiny homestead shack. Medford recalled harvesting operations in those early days... "Most everyone used headers. Then a Lepley thresher would take over. The whistle would blow at 3:30 a.m. and the crew would be on the job at 4. At 6 a.m. breakfast was served to the hungry men. "Then they worked until supper at 6 p.m. and threshed again after supper until 8 p.m. Then we'd roll in until 4 the next morning. The highest wages were $5 a day for the 'forkers.' Most jobs paid $2 to $3. "It took 15 to 20 men to run this outfit. The engine burned straw. Sack sewers were in demand as it took a good man to sew and 'buck away' 500 sacks or more." John and Medford Fox often joined other harvest crews to help ends meet. They bought their first ground power combine in 1902. It was pulled by 27 horses and mules. In 1905 they purchased 25 coming 3-year-old mules at Mansfield, and spent most of the summer trying to break them. The Fox ranch farmed with mules for more than 40 years, or until 1945 when a D-7 came into the picture. John Fox was married in March of 1903 to a childhood schoolmate from Illinois, Maude Lackey. Three years later he sold his homestead to Medford and moved to Cunningham. His wife died in 1910. Fox lived at Cunningham until 1914 when he moved to a farm near Roxboro. Between 1920 and 1936 Fox drilled wells and performed other work throughout the Big Bend area. In 1936 he and his son, Don, started farming west of Cunningham and in 1939 he moved to a place northwest of Lind where he continued to farm until 1945. That year he leased his land and moved to Spokane. John Fox married again in June of 1944. His wife, who survives him, is the former Mrs. Eva Miller of Sprague. At the time of his death Fox had farming interests in several Big Bend counties. Besides his brother and widow, Fox was survived by a son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hagen of Lind and their two children, Leith and Yvonne; and two sisters, Mrs. Lula Dixon of San Diego, Calif.; and Mrs. Laura Beyer of Baldwin Park, Calif. Also surviving were a step-daughter, Mrs. Edith McMullen of Portland; three step-sons, D. E. Miller of San Mateo, Calif., and Allen W. and Ervin L. Miller, both of Spokane; and eight step-grandchildren. Fox was a member of the Spokane Lodge No. 34 of the F. & A. M., Spokane consistory, El Katif shrine and Samaritan lodge No. 52 of the IOOF. Dr. G. Christie Swain officiated at the funeral and assisted by the Rox Croix at the graveside services. Coon Funeral Set for This Saturday SPOKANE - Edward E. Coon, longtime resident of the Ritzville area, died here Tuesday evening. His funeral was tentatively scheduled for Saturday in Spokane. Coon farmed for Warren A. Smith in the Ritzville area for many years. His wife, Ruby, who survives him, is a daughter of Smith. In 1944 the Coons moved to Colbert where they have been living on a small farm. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 17, 1955 Katie Milam Funeral Held At Washtucna WASHTUCNA - Funeral services for Katie Milam, 76, longtime resident of the Hooper area, who died Saturday at her home in Everett, were held Wednesday afternoon at the Washtucna Community church with the Rev. Russell Booher officiating. Burial was in the Washtucna cemetery. Mrs. Milam lived for many years on a Hooper farm now operated by one of her sons, Henry. Born in Russia on June 8, 1878, she came to the United States 67 years ago. Surviving were six sons, Henry of Hooper, Melvin of Tacoma, Jack of Spokane, Lester of Opportunity, Sidney of Miami, Fla., and Cecil of Mapleton; and three daughters, Mrs. Ethel Schields of Everett, Mrs. Charles Triol of Portland and Mrs. Evelyn Thosath of Spokane. Other survivors included a sister, Mrs. Anna Arnst of Portland; two brothers, Conrad Miller of Toppenish and Adam Miller of Spokane; 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, February 24, 1955 Lievsay Rites Held Monday At Lind Church LIND - Funeral services for Charles Boyd Lievsay, 76, who died last Thursday in the Northern Pacific hospital in Tacoma, were held Monday at the Lind Methodist church with the Rev. W. H. Ritchey officiating. Burial was in the Lind cemetery with the Lind Masonic lodge conducting graveside rites. Lievsay had been a railroader for 48 years and had worked for the Northern Pacific for 29 years. He was retired at the time of his death and had lived at Lind for the past 38 years. Lievsay was born Oct. 3, 1878, in Sewal, Iowa. He was a member of the Lind Masonic lodge, the Spokane Consistory, El Katif Shrine, Order of Railroad Telegraphers, the Eastern Star and Lind Methodist church. Survivors include the widow, Lucy; three daughters, Mrs. Bonney Weston of Davenport, Mrs. Lenora Lamb of San Francisco, and Mrs. Barbara Barron of Newport; two sons, Ray C. of Malta, Mont., and James W. of Walla Walla; a brother, Max of Des Moines, Iowa; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 3, 1955 Baumann Dies in California Monday Night John H. Baumann, a widely-known resident of Adams county and a longtime Washtucna civic leader, died of a heart attack Monday evening at Palm Springs, Calif., where he was vacationing. As this week's Journal-Times went to press the time and place of Baumann's funeral had not been announced. Baumann farmed in the Washtucna area for many years before retiring to Seattle about six years ago. He was particularly well-known for his leadership in the successful movement to create a state park at Palouse Falls. Baumann devoted considerable time to self-financed trips aimed at securing property surrounding the falls and at conferring with park officials in Olympia. Baumann also played a leading role in the development of both the Washtucna Grain Growers and Washtucna Grange cooperative. He was active in the Washtucna Community church, after moving to Seattle he and his wife, Lois, presented the church with an organ. He was a Mason and a member of Rimrock grange. Besides his wife, Baumann is survived by two sons, Richard E., who farms his father's place northwest of Washtucna, and Jack, who operates a Ford garage at Rio Vista, Calif. Also surviving are a sister, Mrs. Carolyn Twyman of Portland, and three brothers, Charles and Alfred, both of Ritzville, and Adolph of Spokane. Dick Baumann, one of the sons, also was traveling in California at the time of his father's death, and he and his brother, Jack, were able to join each other swiftly at Palm Springs. William Pence Funeral Held This Thursday Funeral services for William Clarence Pence, 88-year-old retired railroader, were scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. Alfred Carter officiating. Burial was to be in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Pence came to Ritzville in 1910 to work for the Northern Pacific railway and was empllyed by the NP for 31 years until he retired in 1941. He also worked for the Ritzville Trading company. Born Aug. 22, 1876, in Ohio, Pence had moved as a young boy to Missouri. He was married on Oct. 12, 1909, to the former Nancy Mae Watson in Missouri. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1952. Mrs. Pence survive as well as four children, Mrs. Walter Wellsandt, Mrs. Clarence Bauer and Paul Pence, all of Ritzville, and Gerald Pence of Spokane. Also surviving were 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pence was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Funeral Held for 'Bert' Stine, Well-Known Wheat Rancher HATTON - Funeral services were held Wednesday for Joseph Herbert Stine at the Connell Methodist church at 2 p.m. "Bert" Stine, as he was known, was born Jan. 11, 1885, at Almota, Wash., the son of Joseph P. and Chrisanna Stine. He went to school in Almota and to high school in Colfax. He was married Jan. 12, 1908, to Georgia Myrtle Reese at her home close to Pendleton, Ore. They farmed the first few years on the Stine ranch out of Almota, and there four children were born to them, one boy and three daughters, They later moved to Prescott, Ore., and in 1935 came to this part of the country, buying a farm on the Hatton road which they have lived ever since that time. Mr. and Mrs. Stine moved to Connell a few years ago, after their children were married and his health would not permit him to take an active part in the operation of the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Stine left Connell the later part of January this year, going to Amarillo, Texas, to the National Wheat League convention and were planning other trips and to some visiting, but Bert became very ill and was hospitalized at El Paso. Pneumonia and heart attacks kept him in the hospital there for some time. Last week he was able to be brought home by train. He spent one night at home in Connell, and was taken to the hospital in Ritzville on Thursday. He passed away at the Ritzville hospital Sunday afternoon although he had seemed to be making progress. He was a member of the Methodist church, the Odd Fellows lodge of Connell, Connell Grange and the Washington State Wheat Association of which he was a director. He belonged to the Toastmasters and belonged to various other organizations. He is survived by his wife, Myrtle, and four children, Mrs. Gene West of Condon, Ore., Helen Campbell, Warren Stine and Mrs. Arlyne Kelsey, all of Connell; eight grandchildren and one great-grandson; and three sisters, Mrs. Florence Wexler of San Diego, Calif., and Mrs. Grace Bailey and Mrs. Frances Henry, both of Pullman. The Rev. Howard Buck officiated at the funeral service. Interment was at the Michigan Prairie cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 10, 1955 Funeral Held for Baumann on Saturday SEATTLE - Funeral services for John H. Baumann, former Washtucna resident, were held Saturday afternoon in the Mittelstadt Lake City mortuary with the Rev. Cecil Restow of the University of Methodist temple officiating. Baumann was born March 24, 1891, in Portland, Ore., and came to Ritzville at the age of nine with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Baumann, in 1901. Later the older Baumanns moved to Walla Walla and two of their sons, Charles and John, farmed their place south of Ritzville. John Baumann farmed in the Washtucna area for 28 years. On July 3, 1918, Baumann was married to the former Miss Flossie York. They moved to Seattle in 1946 when their sons, John H., jr., (Jack) and Richard took over their ranch. Later Jack moved to Rio Vista, Calif., where he operates a Ford agency. John Baumann, who died while vacationing in California, was a member of the Masonic lodge No. 202 at Washtucna, and had formely served as master of Rimrock grange, president of the Washtucna Grain Growers and chairman of the directors of Washtucna Grange Supply. In Seattle he was a member of the University Methodist temple church, and at the time of his death he was working with the state park commission on plans for a vista house at Palouse Falls State park. Besides his wife and two sons, Baumann was survived by four grandsons; a sister, Mrs. Carolyn Twyman of Portland; and three brothers, Charles and Alfred of Ritzville and Adolph of Spokane. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 17, 1955 Gering Rites Are Conducted Last Week Funeral services for Adolph P. Gering of Soap Lake, who traveled by covered wagon to homestead in the Lind area years ago, were conducted March 8. Gering died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Graber in Soap Lake March 5. Rites were conducted in Ephrata by the Rev. Leonard Weinert and also at the Menno Mennonite church with the Rev. Willard Wiebe officiating. Burial was at the Mennonite cemetery. A charter member of the Menno Mennonite church, Gering was born Nov. 15, 1878, at Freeman, S. Dak., and came to Eugene, Ore., with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gering. He was married June 1, 1899, to the former Elizabeth Schrag and following the wedding traveled with his bride by covered wagon to Lind where he homesteaded northwest of town. He had lived in Soap Lake since 1934. After farming for many years the Gerings moved to Soap Lake in 1934. Mrs. Gering died in 1952. Gering retained his membership in the Menno Mennonite church but also attended the Community church in Soap Lake. Funeral Held for Eva Lloyd Funeral services for Eva Vernier Lloyd, 81, who died Sunday in a Spokane hospital, were held Wednesday in the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. R. W. Rieger officiating. Burial was in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Mrs. Lloyd, who had lived in Ritzville the past 47 years, was survived by her husband, Robert, at the home; a daughter, Mrs. Alice Irene Diers of Seattle; and two sons, Nelson of Burlington and Cecil of Spokane. Also surviving were a sister, Alice Vernier of British Columbia; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Mrs. Lloyd was a member of the Presbyterian church. Christel Rites Are Conducted Funeral services for Katherine Christel, 83, who died Friday in a Spokane nursing home, were held Monday in the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. R. W. Rieger officiating. Burial was in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Mrs. Christel was born in 1871 in Kolb, Russia, and had lived in Ritzville 45 years. Surviving were a daughter, Mrs. Fred Koch, jr., of Spokane; a son, Henry, of Ritzville; two brothers, Jacob Miller of Odessa and Conrad Miller of Tacoma; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 24, 1955 Funeral Held for Mrs. Woitt YAKIMA - Funeral services were held here recently for Mrs. Ruth Woitt, 41, who died March 10. Mrs. Woitt was born in the Packard area and three of her five surviving brothers - Elmer, Orvil and Jonah Heimbigner - live in the Ritzville area. She also was survived by her husband, Alfred, and a son, Kerry, both living at Yakima; two other brothers, Joel Heimbigner of Touchet and Alvin Heimbigner of Dryden; and three sisters, Mrs. Emil Miller of Dryden, Mrs. Earl Benzel of Harrington, and Mrs. Don Gillan of Twisp. The Rev. Robert Klein of Wapato officiated at the services. Burial was in Tahoma cemetery in Yakima. Mrs. Haight Funeral Held Funeral services for Mrs. Ethel May Haight, 65, who died at her home Friday, were held Monday at the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. Alfred Carter officiating. Burial was in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Born in North Carolina, Mrs. Haight had lived in this area for 45 years. Surviving were her husband, Lyman E. Haight; four daughters, Mrs. Zoe Schultz of Honolulu, Mrs. Iris De Rango of Seattle, Mrs. June Schaefer of Ritzville and Mrs. Faith Micielle of Detroit; a son, Edward, of Ritzville; a sister, Mrs. Ula Jones of Seattle; and 17 grandchildren. Mrs. Haight was a member of the Baptist church. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, March 31, 1955 Henry Thaut Funeral Services Are Conducted In Spokane SPOKANE - Funeral services for Henry Thaut, 54, a former Ritzville resident fatally injured in a traffic accident Sunday, were conducted here Wednesday with burial in the Pines cemetery of Opportunity. Thaut, a resident of Opportunity, was fatally injured in an accident one mile east of the Idaho-Washington line on U. S. Highway 10 Sunday afternoon. State patrolmen said Thaut, returning from some dog trials, had stopped his pickup on a side road leading into Highway 10 when it was struck by an automobile driven by William A. Utecht, 35, of St. Maries, Idaho. The officers said Utecht had been driving toward Spokane and lost control of his car when passing another vehicle in the third lane of traffic. The car swerved into the pickup, officers said. Thaut died shortly after he was taken to the Lake City General hospital by ambulance. Joe Kent of Spokane, a passenger in the pickup, suffered minor facial injuries and Harold Bettys of Spokane, another passenger, was unhurt. Thaut attended school in Ritzville and later worked for the county engineer's office. Gradually he became involved in the road contracting business with Pete Rafferty, Phillip Koch, "Gooseneck" Sullivan and other Ritzville old-timers, and with the Triangle Construction company. Thaut finally became a contractor on his own and in the late 1930s moved to Spokane where he continued in the contracting business. More recently he and his associate, Roy L. Stone, another field dog fancier, were concentrating on rock-crushing. Thaut was survived by his widow, Helen, at the home; four brothers, Harold of Alberton, Mont., and Lavine, Solomon and Rudolph, all of Ritzille; and three sisters, Mrs. Lydia Wagner of Ritzville, Mrs. Alex Stann of Milwaukee, Wisc., and Mrs. Amelia Donner of Spokane. Schmidt Rites Are Conducted Funeral services for Henry Schmidt, 58, who died Monday, were held Wednesday in the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. F. J. Ahrendt officiating. Burial was in the Lutheran cemetery. Schmidt was born in Ritzville and had lived here all his life. Survivors were five sisters, Mrs. Pauline Kiehn of Ritzville, Mrs. Clara Under and Mrs. Freda MacCollough, both of Spokane, Mrs. Rosa Miessner of Chehalis, and Mrs. Violet Cox of Tacoma. Three brothers, Albert, Harold and William, all of Ritzville, also survive him.