Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, July 7, 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, July 7, 1955 Funeral Held for Chandler SPOKANE - Funeral services were held for James H. Chandler, former Ritzville resident who died June 26 of a heart attack. Burial was in the Greenwood cemetery in Spokane. Chandler was born Aug. 22, 1870, in Missouri and came with is parents to Sprague in 1884. He and his family moved to Ritzville in 1898 where he was employed by the Ritzville Flouring mill and later served as custodian at the Central school. He moved to Spokane in 1917 and resided there until his death. He was a member of the Methodist church and Oddfellows and Rebekah lodges. Surviving were the widow, Ida; three children, Elmora Follett of Loon Lake and Eva Calfce and Burr Chandler, both of Seattle; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, one brother and one sister. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, July 14, 1955 Funeral Held for Mrs. Smith SPOKANE - Funeral services were held at the Smith funeral home Saturday for Mrs. William (Zilpha) Smith. Burial was in Kelso. Mrs. Smith died Thursday after a long illness. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. William Krichner of Pasco and Mrs. Neil Sullivan, and one son, Stanley Smith of Valleyford. Mrs. Smith was a former resident of Washtucna and lived in a house now owned by George Sullivan. She was a past Noble Grand of Emerald Rebekah lodge of Washtucna. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, July 21, 1955 Funeral Held for Mrs. Wolfe Here Monday Funeral services for one of the oldest residents of the Ritzille area, Mrs. Alvina Wolfe, 91, 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. Wolfe died last Friday after a stay of nearly seven months in the Adams County Memorial hospital. Born Jan. 25, 1864, in Fredericksburg, Mo., Mrs. Wolfe came to this community in 1904 and was married to John M. Wolfe in Spokane. The couple lived for a short time at Tyler, then purchased the Butler place in this area where they farmed. During recent years Mrs. Wolfe, whose husband died in 1919, had lived at the Robert E. White place. She was the foster mother of the late Mr. White. Survivors were a niece, Mrs. Clara Weile of Coffeyville, Kans.; a nephew, Oscar Kotthoff of Morrison, Mo., and a cousin also living in Missouri. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, July 28, 1955 Mrs. Yeisley Funeral Held On Thursday Funeral services for Mrs. Daisy May Yeisley, longtime resident of the Hatton area about 17 miles south of Lind, were scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. Alfred Carter officiating. Burial was to be in the Michigan Prairie cemetery. Mrs. Yeisley, 74, died Monday at the home where she had lived for the past 29 years. Born Daisy May Deal, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Deal in Missouri Valley, Iowa, she came to Lind at the age of 19. She was married May 23, 1935, at Waterville to William Walter Yeisley who survives her. Mrs. Yeisley was a member of the Primitive Baptist church. Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Naomi Foulkes of Long Beach, Calif.; two sons, Kenny Foulkes at the home and Donald Foulkes of Spokane; a granddaughter, Miss Irene Foulkes of Long Beach; two grandsons, Kenneth and David Foulkes, both of Spokane; and a sister, Mrs. Maude House of Bellingham. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, August 4, 1955 Funeral Is Held for Isaac Dirstine, Pioneer Adams County Druggist LIND - Funeral services were held last Wednesday, July 27, for Isaac C. Dirstine, 78, one of Adams county's most widely known pioneers. The rites were conducted at the Alwin chapel in Spokane with the Rev. E. J. Aschenbrenner officiating. Burial was at Fairmount Park memorial cemetery. Dirstine, who operated two of the earliest drug stores in the Big Bend area and was a farmer and veterinarian for many years, died July 25 in Spokane where he had lived for the past two years in retirement. Born June 15, 1877, Dirstine came with his parents and two brothers, John T., and "P.H.," as he was always called, from Michigan in 1899 to settle on a farm south of Lind. John, eldest of the three, opened a drug store in Lind in 1897 and Isaac, after teaching for five years in Lind and Rocky coulee, attended a pharmacy school in Indiana and returned to go into business with his brother. Isaac recalled recently that he took his Washington state druggist examination "in a Spokane drug store somewhere on Riverside." In 1901 Isaac decided the Lind business wasn't big enough for two owners and traveled by horseback as far as Quincy looking for a location of his own. During his quest a druggist in Connell died and Dirstine opened a drug store in that small Franklin county community. "Things didn't go to well," Dirstine could say in recalling his experiences. "First a flood ruined my stock in the basement. In 1904 a fire burned most of the downtown buildings including my drug store. A year later the store burned again, and several years later I was flooded out again." Deciding "enough was enough," the druggist gave up his pharmacy and farmed for the next 30 years. During that time he carried on an active veterinarian practice in Adams and Franklin counties and portions of Lincoln and Whitman counties. "I can remember when a fellow wanted to sell me lots in what is now downtown Pasco for three dollars each," Dirstine recalled recently. "I sewed wheat sack on the first combine in the Inland Empire near Lind in 1894. It was a 22-foot machine drawn by 32 horses. "I can remember the first telephone in Franklin and Adams counties. That was in 1902 when we hooked up a phone to a barbed wire fence from our drug store at Lind to Dr. L. L. Sutton who lived about 15 miles south of town. "We would call the symptoms to him and he would give us the prescription." Dr. Sutton was an uncle to the Dirstines. Dirstine's parents moved back to Michigan after "several years of hot winds dried up every crop they planted." But Isaac Dirstine had come west for good. He was married Dec. 6, 1906, to the former Jennie Dennis. The couple had six children, all of who survive. They are Marguerite Scott of Seattle, Mrs. Lucille Plumb of Washtucna, Mrs. Ruth Warner of Seattle, Clair S. Dirstine of Spokane, Woodrow J. Dirstine of Spokane and Carl Dirstine of Lind. Also surviving are his widow; one of his brothers, P. H. Dirstine of Spokane, who served as dean of the Washington State college school of pharmacy for 42 years, and nine grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, August 11, 1955 Funeral Held At Washtucna WASHTUCNA - Funeral services were held here Wednesday afternoon for Mrs. Lora Rae Hammond, 32, who died at her home last Sunday. Mrs. Hammond was born in Dayton and lived in Washtucna for 14 years. She is survived by her husband, Sheldon S. Hammond, and one son, Ronnie, at the home. Also surviving were her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Epperson; two sisters, Mrs. Laura Mae Butler of Seattle and Mrs. Marjorie Rutledge of Colfax; and two brothers, Charles Epperson of California, and Cecil Epperson. She was a district deputy president and past Noble Grand of Emerald Rebekah lodge. The Rev. A. K. Walborn officiated at the funeral services and burial was in the Washtucna cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, August 18, 1955 Mrs. Rumpel Dead; Was Odessa Girl ROSEMEAD, Calif. - Mrs. Margaret Rumpel died at her home Sunday. Born at Odessa of the late pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Janke of Odessa, she attended the Odessa and Ritzville schools. Surviving are two daughters, Esther and Leona, and one son, Harvey, at the home. Also surviving were six sisters, Mrs. Bertha Gering of Odessa; Emma Janke of Vista, Calif.; Mrs. Mary Smith of Seattle; Mrs. Matilda Zink of Alpena, S. Dak.; Mrs. Elizabeth Kuhrr of Chowchilla, Calif.; and Mrs. Elma Dirks of Los Angeles; three brothers, Jake Janke of Los Angeles, William Janke of Walla Walla and Paul Janke of Fontana, Calif. Heart Attack Claims Dr. Armann Dr. William F. Armann, early-day Ritzville physician, passed away at his home in Los Angeles Saturday, Aug. 13, at the age of 72. He suffered a fatal heart attack. Dr. and Mrs. Armann were married in Switzerland in 1904 and came to Ritzville shortly thereafter. The doctor and his wife, and his son and wife, Dr. and Mrs. Louis Armann, visited Ritzville a year ago and observed their golden wedding anniversary with friends here and in Spokane. The younger Dr. Armann entertained his parents at a banquet in Spokane to which many Ritzville residents were invited. Coming to Ritzville in 1906, Dr. Armann recalled on his last visit here that he was the "last of the horse and buggy doctors," who practiced in Ritzville. He occupied offices in the Ott building until 1937. "I drove a horse and buggy until about 1910," he said. "Then I purchased an automobile and immediately was sorry I had done so. The car broke down so many times," he recalled. "One time I had to have a group of men load it on a hayrack and haul it back to Ritzville for repairs. "I haven't practiced since I turned the key in the door of my office in 1937," said the physician. "Ritzville has developed nicely," the doctor continued, "with one notable exception - the city park is not nearly as beautiful as it once was. "You have added to it immensely, however, with the construction and development of one of the finest golf courses in this area." Recalling the hardships of early practice, Dr. Armann told of a hemorrhage operation it was necessary to perform on a "kitchen table" because of the lack of hospital facilities. "We had to send our patients to Spokane to be hospitalized," he recalled. "If an emergency came up after the train had departed, it became necessary to do the best we could to save the patient's life. "I remember one morning I received a call to treat a patient who was hemorrhaging badly. The train had gone to Spokane and along with another local physician we had to operate immediately. We saved her life." The Ritzville physician also recalled having to carry lanterns with him on night calls since there was no electrical power at the time. While in Ritzville Dr. Armann served on the city council and was mayor of Ritzville in 1927 and 1928. He also served as chairman of the park board and was largely responsible for the establishment of the park in its present location, and the planting of trees on the boulevard on Broadway Avenue. Dr. Armann is survived by his wife, Alice; one daughter, Mrs. Earl (Edith) Heaters of Scarsdale, N. Y., who was at his bedside, and one son, Dr. Louis Armann of Los Angeles. Funeral arrangements were not known at the Journal-Times office. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, August 25, 1955 None Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, September 1, 1955 Mrs. Wilhelm Funeral Held on Wednesday Funeral services for Mrs. Eliabeth Wilhelm, 57, longtime resident of this area, were held Wednesday afternoon at the Philadelphia Congregational church with the Rev. R. Kirschenmann officiating. Burial was in Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Mrs. Wilhelm, who had been born in Dietel, Russia, lived in Ritzville for the past 32 years. She died Sunday at the Adams County Memorial hospital. She was a member of the Philadelphia Congregational church ladies' aid. Surviving were her husband, Jacob, and two sons, Robert and Richard, at the home; another son, Henry, of Temple City, Calif.; and five daughters, Mrs. Esther Oestreich of Ritzville, Mrs. Lydia Parkins of Richland, Miss Freda Wilhelm of Richland, Mrs. Doris Rauter of Warden, and Mrs. Dena Jones of Spokane. Three brothers and a sister in Russia and 11 grandchildren also survive. Funeral Conducted for Borth of Lind LIND - Funeral services for Theodore Borth, 57, were scheduled for 2 p.m. this Thursday at the Congregational church with the Rev. Reuben Maier officiating. Burial was to be in the Lind cemetery. Borth died Sunday at the Adams County Memorial hospital. He had lived in the Lind area for 50 years and was a member of the Congregational church. Surviving were the widow, Bertha, and a daughter, Mildred Jane, at the home; a sister, Louise Dirks of Lamont; and three brothers, Fred and Rudolph, both of Lind, and Sam of Portland. Strickland Attends Brother's Funeral Les Strickland has returned from Mountain Home, Idaho, where he attended the funeral of his brother, Lawrence P. Strickland, a power worked killed in an accident last Friday. Coroner Arthur Smith of Elmore county, Idaho, said Strickland came in contact with a loose wire and toppled 25 feet from the power pole he was climbing to the ground. Funeral Service This Friday for Mrs. Margaretha Ott, 90 Funeral services for Mrs. Margaretha Ott, 90, one of Ritzville's oldest pioneers, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Zion Congregational church with the Rev. R. W. Rieger officiating. Mrs. Ott will be buried beside her husband, Andrew, who died in 1941 at the age of 83, in the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Though advanced in years, Mrs. Ott continued to maintain an active interest in gardening through last summer. She suffered a severe stroke with accompanying paralysis Jan. 23, however, and had been in the Adams County Memorial hospital ever since. She reached her 90th birthday Aug. 7. Margaretha Reihs was born in Klein Niedesheim, Rheinpsfaiz, Germany, on Aug. 7, 1865, and there grew to young womanhood. She was married to Andrew Ott on Dec. 29, 1885. In February of 1896 the young couple sold their farming interests in Germany and with their four small children came to the United States. They settled in Ritzville, and both lived here for the rest of their lives. The Andrew Otts were among the earliest Ritzville pioneers. Andrew, with his brother, Sebastian, founded the Ritzville Flouring Mills which later became a part of Centennial Flouring Mills. Andrew also had other business and farming interests in Ritzville and the Inland Empire. Mrs. Ott was a member of the Zion Congregational church. She was the mother of two children who died in infancy in Germany, and a daughter who died shortly after the family's arrival in Ritzville in addition to three sons who preceded her in death, William in 1921, Carl in 1931 and Albert in 1953. Mrs. Ott was also the mother of five surviving children, Mrs. Barbara Denecke of Seattle, Mrs. Carrie Hunter of Spokane, Mrs. Louise Webb of Pullman, and Mrs. Anna Manke and Theodore Ott, both of Ritzville. Also surviving were a sister, Mrs. Barbara Boll of Landau, Germany; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 23 nieces and nephews. Six grandsons served as pallbearers at the funeral - Arthur Ott of Addy, Robert Ott of Ritzville, Harold Manke of Harrington, David Hunter of Richland, William Anderson of Spokane, and Lt. Richard Webb of Enid, Okla. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, September 8, 1955 Funeral Services Are Conducted for Mrs. Clara Rickman, Hatton HATTON - Funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Lind Methodist church for Clara Delila Rickman, who passed away Sept. 1 in Spokane. Mrs. Rickman had been ill for several months and was moved from the Ritzville Memorial hospital to a rest home in Spokane. She had lived the better part of half a century at Hatton. Mrs. Rickman was born March 9, 1878, at Corsicana, Mo. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Robbins. She attended school mostly in Aurora, Mo. She was married April 18, 1901, to Frances Elbert Rickman in Mount Vernon, Mo. The young couple made their home at Aurora for a short time, coming to Hatton early in their married life, although they didn't stay long that time. They made several trips between Adams county and Missouri before settling permanently in Hatton in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Rickman had five living children at the time of her death. They are Frances of Spokane, Mrs. Ruth Huse of Lind, Louis of Cunningham, William of Spokane, and Jack in Pasco. Three others, little girls, were born to them, but all passed away in infancy. There are twelve grandchildren. Two brothers survive, Ernest Robbins of Aurora and Miller Robbins of Kahlotus. Mr. and Mrs. Rickman had been married 54 years, celebrating their golden wedding four years ago with reception given by their children. The Rev. William Ritchey officiated at the church services with Mrs. Mildred Campbell at the organ. Mrs. Alfred Smart as soloist, sang two songs. The Rebekah members attended in a body and formed a guard of honor outside the church. Mrs. Rickman was a member of Priscilla Lodge of Lind. Burial was in the Lind cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, September 18, 1955 Mrs. Schragg Funeral Held Funeral services for Mrs. Emil Schragg, 65, who died Monday at the Adams County Memorial hospital, were held Wednesday at the Menno Mennonite church with the Rev. Willard Wiebe and Rev. Unrah of Colfax officiating. Burial was in Menno cemetery. The former Carrie Schragg, was born Nov. 30, 1889, in Oregon and had lived in Ritzville the past 10 years. She was a member of Menno Mennonite church. Surviving were her husband, Emil, at the home; two daughters, Mrs. Pearl Link of Lacrosse, and Mrs. Dorothy Heimbigner of Ritzville; two sons, Arnold and Oscar, both of Ritzville. Also surviving were three brothers, Ewald of Monroe, Henry of Ritzville and Joe of Odessa; two sisters, Mrs. Fannie Kaufman and Mrs. Anna Reis, both residents of South Dakota; and nine grandchildren. Danekas and Duncan funeral home was in charge of arrangements. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, September 22, 1955 Mrs. Koch Rites Held Thursday Funeral services for Ann Margaretha Koch, one of Ritzville's oldest residents at 93, were to be held this Thursday afternoon at the Danekas and Duncan funeral home chapel with the Rev. F. J. Ahrendt officiating. Burial was slated for the Lutheran church. Mrs. Koch, who had been a resident of Ritzville for 52 years, died Monday at the Adams County Memorial hospital. She was survived by a son, Jake of Montana, 13 grandchildren, 19 great- grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Krause Rites Are Scheduled at Chehalis Funeral services for William Krause, 86, who died Thursday morning in the Adams County Memorial hospital, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Fissell Funeral home in Chehalis. Burial will be in the Claquato cemetery at Chehalis. Krause, a retired carpenter, left surviving him a widow, Margaret, five daughters, nine sons, 29 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and one great- great-grandchild. Born Dec. 23, 1868, in Russia, he came to the United States 32 years ago and lived in Chehalis until seven years ago, when he moved to Ritzville. He was a member of the Lutheran church. The surviving daughters are Mrs. Arnold Kossman of Edmunton, Canada, Mrs. Molly Schmidt of Ritzville, Mrs. Bertha Prestlein of Tucson, Ariz., Mrs. Evelyn Dow of Portland, Ore., and Mrs. Catharine Connors of Spokane. The nine surviving sons are Ed Krause of Long Beach, Calif., Arnold of Compton, Calif., Bert of Los Angeles, Ted and Otto of Alberta, Canada, Russell of Anacortes, Raymond of Spokane, and Leonard and Donald of Carson. Krause also was survived by a brother, Julius of Centralia. Funeral Held for Johannes SPOKANE - Funeral services for Clayton Stanford Johannes, 54, were held here Wednesday at the Hazen-Jaeger funeral home with the Danekas and Duncan funeral home of Ritzville in charge. Burial was in Greenwood cemetery. Johannes, a member of the Ironmakers union local No. 14 in Spokane, had lived with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. James Colard in Ritzville for about two months prior to his death Monday in the Adams County Memorial hospital. Colard is employed at the Ritzville Safeway store. Born Sept. 13, 1901, in Canada, Johannes came to the United States 50 years ago. Also surviving were four sisters, Mrs. Eva Barton, Mrs. Rita Clark and Miss Etta Johannes, all of Spokane, and Mrs. Gertie Johnson of Oakland, Calif.; and three grandchildren. Funeral Conducted for Mrs. Schnurbusch PORTLAND - Mrs. Friederike Schnurbusch died Aug. 20 at the age of 84. She was the wife of the late Fred Schnurbusch and formerly lived in Ritzville, Wash. She was survived by five children. Interment was in the Rose City cemetery. Funeral Held for Delano, 76 WASHTUCNA - Funeral services for Winthrop E. Delano, 76-year-old Hooper area farmer, were scheduled for Thursday at the Washtucna Community church with the Rev. Russell Booher officiating. Burial was to be in the Colfax cemetery. born at West Union, Ore., Delano farmed at Hooper for more than 50 years. He belonged to the Presbyterian church and the grange. He died Monday night in Colfax. Delano and his surviving widow, Ethel Lee Delano, observed their golden wedding anniversary on Labor day, Sept. 5. Funeral Is Held for Eula Jones SEATTLE - Eual Jones died at her home Friday, Sept. 16, at the age of 76. She was a former resident of Harrington and Ritzville. Graveside services were held Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Hillcrest cemetery at Harrington with the Rev. Richard England officiating. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Hazel Stamper and Mrs. Ruth Zimmerman of Seattle and Ethel Deal of California; and three sons, Rex of Dayton, Claude of Longview and Paul of Salt Lake City, Utah. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, September 29, 1955 Delano Rites Are Conducted Last Thursday WASHTUCNA - Pallbearers at the funeral of Winthrop E. Delano Thursday at the Washtucna Community church were Dwayne Blankenship, Wilbur Copp, Joe W. Gray, Sherman McGregor, John Klee and Floyd Cameron. Honorary pallbearers were James Woodyard, Virgil Sitton, Levi Sutton, John Gray, Mason Ray, Paul Helme and Elmer Lee. The Rev. D. A. Russell of Richland delivered the prayer during the services conducted by the Rev. Russell O. Booher. Burial was in the Colfax cemetery. Mr. Delano was born Feb. 3, 1879, at West Union, Ore. He was left an orphan at the age of nine, and was raised by his uncle who lived near Portland. Delano and his surviving widow homesteaded near Hooper where they spent the entire 50 years of their married life. Delano was an active member of the United Presbyterian church and a member of Rimrock grange. He is survived by his widow, Ethel, and a number of nieces and nephews in the east.