Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 4, 1962 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, October 4, 1962 Dirstine Rites Set At Lind This Afternoon Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 2 p.m. in the Zion Congregational church in Lind for Carl Isac Dirstine, 50, who died Sunday at Potholes dam, apparently from a heart attack. The Rev. Rudolph Kirschenmann will officiate. Dirstine was born Dec. 25, 1911, at Lind, the son of Isac and Jennie Dirstine. He was married April 29, 1952, at the Pasco Lutheran church to Anna Phil. He is survived by his wife, one son, Darrel, of Lind; one step-son, Gordon Phil, of Seattle; three step-daughters, Mrs. Richard Nelson of Van Nuys, Calif., Mrs. Pete Oestreich of Ritzville, and Mrs. Jim Bellah of Fort Worth, Tex. Also surviving are his mother, Mrs. Jennie Dirstine of Spokane; two brothers, Clair and Woodrow Dirstine of Spokane; three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Scott of Seattle, Mrs. Bill Plumb of Washtucna and Mrs. Hollis Warener of Seattle; and 11 grandchildren. He had lived in the Lind community his entire life and was a warehouseman for the Union Elevator company. Pallbearers will be Ed Bick, Ed Fritchle, George Haugen, Doug Urquhart, Bill Jungbloom and Ernest Teague. Honoraries will be Sam Pflum, Carl Rasmussen, Sherman Smart, Ed Jeske, Keith Weston, Percy Christensen and Ed Bobel. Danekas Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Shuler's Funeral Held Here Monday Funeral services were held Monday at 2:30 p.m. for Thelma May Wisley Shuler, 60, in the chapel of the Danekas Funeral Home. Mrs. Shuler died Sept. 27 at St. Luke's hospital in Spokane following a sudden illness. She was born Sept. 15, 1902, at Issaquah, the daughter of John and Martha Wisley. She attended high school at Pendleton, Ore., and the Central Washington school of nursing at Wenatchee. She was married Aug. 4, 1929, to Allen A. Shuler at Chelan and to this union were born one son, Allen Royce Shuler. She was also the mother of five step-children. The family moved to Ritzville in 1932, where Mrs. Shuler was a member of the Methodist church and the Eagles lodge. She is survived by her husband Allen A. Shuler, Ritzville; her son, Allen Royce Shuler, Warden; five step-children, Mrs. Helen P. Silvey, Saratoga, Calif., Mrs. Hazel L. Cannon, Mabton, Howard Shuler, Almira, Mrs. Lauretta M. Henry, San Jose, Calif., and Dr. Harold Shuler, Los Gatos, Calif. Also surviving are one brother, John Wisley, Pilot Rock, Ore., and three sisters, Mrs. Irene Blansett, Everett, Mrs. Helen Bedford, Marysville, and Mrs. Lola Walther, Juneau, Alaska; three half-brothers, Bert Dickson, Hiawatha, Utah, Edwin Dickson, Montclair, Calif., and Alan Dickson, Portland, Ore. There are three grandchildren, 15 step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren. The Rev. Alfred Waln, Trinity Methodist church, officated at the funeral services. Pallbearers were W. H. Moore, Emil Schell, Rex Phillips, Melvin Hurst, Bruce Wilsey and Jim Webb. Honorary pallbearers were W. H. Rosenoff, Herman Schwisow, David Hoefel, Henry Ahlers, Al Rummer, Jack Damon and A. H. Varnes. Interment was at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 11, 1962 Pass Smash Kills Geissler on Sunday William A. Geissler, Odessa, was killed in a three car accident Sunday, during a snow storm near Easton in the Snoqualmie Pass. He was traveling to the coast for a vacation when the accident occurred. Geissler was well known in Ritzville, and farmed about 18 miles out, near the Schnoover station. Funeral services were held Wednesday in Odessa. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fred Geissler, Adams county pioneers. He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Frank Horak, Odessa. He was a double cousin of Mrs. G. P. Weber and a cousin of Mrs. William Miller. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 18, 1962 Paul Davis, 67, Is Dead Here; Burial is Scheduled in Montana Although he had been ill for two years, death came Monday with shocking suddenness to Albert Paul Davis, one of Ritzville's most widely known citizens. As owner and operator of the Hotel Davis for the past 18 years, Mr. Davis had acted as host to thousands of visitors to Ritzville. A staunch Democrat he was one of the leaders of the party in this area, and retained his avid interest in things political until the last. Mr. Davis held the chairmanship of the Democratic's party's Adams county central committee for many years. In 1951 he attended the national Democratic convention in Chicago as a delegate from the state of Washington. During the past eight years Mr. Davis had been the Democratic state committeeman from Adams county and on many occasions had hosted Democratic dignitaries in Ritzville. He was taken to the Ritzville hospital Oct. 14, where he passed away on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. He was a native of Leon, Iowa, and was born the son of W. H. and Lucinda M. Davis on July 19, 1895. He attended elementary school at Weldon, Iowa, where he spent his childhood. When he was fifteen, the family moved to the Gallatin valley near Bozeman, Mont., and there he attended high school. On July 20, 1915, he was married to Ethel Agnes Todd at Helena, Mont. He ranched in Montana until 1942 when he went into the hotel business. This activity took him to Manhattan, Absarokee and Billings, Mont., and finally to Ritzville, where he and Mrs. Davis purchased the Desert Hotel, which was renamed Hotel Davis. Mr. Davis was a member of the Christian church, the BPOE of Moses Lake, the Ritzville Gun club and the Athletic Round Table of Spokane. He is survived by his wife, Ethel, Ritzville; two daughters, Mrs. Harley Dirks, Othello, and Mrs. John Swanson, Pacifica, Calif.; two sons, Robert B. Davis, Big Timber, Mont., and William B. Davis, San Anselmo, Calif. Also surviving are a brother, Arthur J. Davis, Orlando, Fla., and a sister, Mrs. Joe Spurzema, Seattle. There are 18 grandchildren. Funeral services were held in Ritzville Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Danekas Funeral Home with Rev. H. Haemmelmann presiding. Pallbearers were Robert Stanfield, Robert Ott, Fred Slipper, Joel Blankenship, Joe Gregory and John Davison. Honorary pallbearers were Carl Heinemann, W. Walters Miller, Rudolph Plager and Roy P. Scott for the Ritzville service. Interment will be at Sunset Hills City cemetery, Bozeman, Mont., following services at the Dokken-Nelson Sunset Chapel there Friday. Funeral Is Held for Mrs. Rosler Here on Monday Funeral services for Dora Rosler, 84, Ritzville, were held Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. at Danekas Funeral Home with the Rev. Albert Wagner of Emanuel Lutheran church officiating. Mrs. Rosler was the daughter of Louise Langbehn Siemsen and Henry Siemsen. She was born Feb. 7, 1878, in Germany. She was married Jan. 6, 1906, in Hamburg, Germany, to William C. Rosler, who was killed in World War I. Mrs. Rosler resided in Germany until 1923 when she came to Spokane. In 1937 she moved to Ritzville. She was a member of the Lutheran church. She had one son who died in infancy. She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. John J. Harder, Ritzville. Pallbearers were D. J. Curtin, John Hennings, Ted Wellsandt, E. E. Shelman, Walter Schoessler and Ben Snyder. Mrs. Menehan Is Buried Here on Monday Death came Oct. 12 to Ethel J. Menehan at her home at 705 W. Main, Ritzville. Mrs. Menehan had been in ill health for about six months. She served for six years as a receptionist for Dr. Wendell Sweet, but had been unable to work since April. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Walker and was born May 24, 1907, at Arlington. On June 14, 1930, she was married at Our Lady of Lourdes, Spokane, to James V. Menehan. She was a member of St. Agnes Catholic church, Ritzville. Mrs. Menehan is survived by her husband, James V. Menehan, a daughter, Mrs. Carol Hoefner, Missoula, Mont., and two sons, James V. Menehan, jr., Seattle, and Roland J. Menehan, Okinawa. Also surviving are three sisters, Mrs. Lily Hawley, Spokane, Mrs. Mable Nelson, Cody, Wyo, and Mrs. Eva Pace, Spokane; two brothers, Frank Walker, Ketchikan, Alaska, and Chet Walker, Spokane. Funeral services were held Monday at St. Agnes Catholic church, with Father Walter F. Abel presiding. Pallbearers were John Flinn, Richland, Dan Murphy, Spokane, John Hogen, Spokane, Jim Kaiser, Edwall, Dan Shroll and Howard Grewell, Ritzville. Interment was at Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home was in charge. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, October 25, 1962 Mrs. Marie Ott Kembel Buried Following Oct. 13 Services. Death ended on Oct. 10 the active life of Marie Ott Kembel, who was born at Eppestein, Germany, on April 11, 1891, the daughter of Christina Hege and Sebastian Ott. She came to America in 1896, when she was only five years of age, with her mother, her brother, John, and her sisters. The father and an older brother, Jacob, had come to this country earlier to settle and he chose Ritzville as the place to make the family home. Together with his brother, Andrew Ott, her father established the Ritzville Flouring Mill that featured "Krone" flour. He later was owner of the Ritzville Hotel. In 1912, in Spokane, Marie Ott married John Kembel. The couple operated the Ritzville Drug company where Mrs. Kembel worked. Her husband died in September of 1945. She served as chairman of the heart fund and memorial fund and was a member of the Women's Republican club, the Zenith chapter of the Order of Eastern Star and Chapter AR of PEO. She was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal church of Ritzville. Mrs. Kembel is survived by her four children, Richard Kembel of Ritzville, Mrs. Dorothea Eckhardt of Ritzville, Mrs. Carol Coppers of Yakima and Mrs. Jacqueline Summers of Spokane. She also is survived by three brothers, Jacob Ott, Irby, John Ott, Ritzville, and Judge Richard B. Ott, Olympia; and two sisters, Mrs. Elsie Wollenberg, Ritzville, and Mrs. Amanda Bier, Ritzville, and eight grandchildren. She was active until July 30 of this year when she suffered a stroke. After that she was housebound until her death at Hillcrest Manor. Funeral services were held Oct. 13 at the Danekas Funeral Home with the Rev. Bruce MacHenry of St. Mark's Episcopal church in charge of the services. Pallbearers were W. H. Rosenoff, Charles Schwerin, Carl Eckhardt, Willard Hennings, Carl Hoefel and Robert Danekas. Interment was at Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Military Rites Held Monday for Oestreich Military funeral services were held Oct. 22, for Melvin Oestreich, 801 Aspen street, Coulee Dam. Mr. Oestreich, a long-time resident of Ritzville, died at Coulee Dam on Oct. 16. He was the son of Jacob and Nellie Oestreich, and was born Oct. 22, 1895, in Bickleton, Wash. Mr. Oestreich attended school in Ritzville and on April 18, 1920, was married here to Martha Thiel, who preceded him in death on June 7 of this year. Except for time in military service Mr. Oestreich lived in Ritzville most of his life. From 1930 until 1938 he was the sheriff of Adams county. Then he served as lieutenant of the federal guard at Coulee Dam. This was interrupted by five years service in World War II, from 1941 to 1946, when he held the rank of army captain as a provost marshal. From 1947 until June of this year, when he retired, he was again in the federal guard serving at Coulee Dam. During World War I, Oestreich served from 1917 to 1919 in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the F&AM Lodge No. 101, and a 41-year member of the C. J. Newland American Legion Post No. 51. He was also a past noble grand of the IOOF. Mr. Oestreich is survived by his mother, Mrs. Nellie Belanger, Seattle, and by two sons, Major Troy Oestreich, U. S. Air Force, Chateauroux, France, and Jerry Oestreich, Moses Lake. Also surviving is a brother, Delbert Oestreich, of Ritzville. There are five grandchildren. Funeral services were in charge of Chaplain Richard Seiber, Larson Air Force Base. Members of the C. J. Newland American Legion Post participated in the graveside services. Interment was at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery on Mr. Oestreich's 67th birthday. Glenn Funeral Held Saturday from Chapel Death came Oct. 17 to Charles Henry Glenn, 75, at his home at 506 E. Peach, Ritzville, when he was stricken by a heart attack. Mr. Glenn was the son of Samuel and Alice Glenn. He was born at Killville, Kans., Feb. 11, 1887. He attended the Fletcher school, near Rattlesnake Flat, and on May 20, 1912, was married at Walla Walla to Ella E. Bailey. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary this year. The Glenns lived in the Washtucna community from 1912 until 1934, and in Ritzville since 1934. Mr. Glenn was a member of the Christian church. He is survived by his wife, Ella Glenn, Ritzville; a daughter, Mrs. Dora Merrill, Malott; and a son, LaVon Glenn, Portland, Ore. Also surviving are one brother, Theo Glenn, Kernville, Ore., and three sisters, Mrs. Iva Legore, Mrs. Hattie Crofford, Washtucna, and Mrs. Laura Reichensberber, Wapato. There are three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Mr. Glenn were held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Danekas Funeral Home with the Rev. Bruce MacHenry of St. Mark's Episcopal church officiating. Pallbearers were Clifford Schuler, Everett Streeter, Clinton Rowe, Ralph Streeter, Emanuel Haag and Levein Schroeder. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 1, 1962 Mrs. Ferderer Services Held Here Monday Death came Oct. 25 to Margaretha Ferderer, 85, of the Hillcrest Manor where she made her home. She had been in ill health since 1956 when she suffered a major stroke. She was born in South Russia, July 14, 1879, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Klootz. She was married in June of 1901 to Franz Ferderer at Zeeland, N.D. The Ferderers farmed at Zeeland until 1920, when they moved to a farm 14 miles west of Ritzville, where they lived until they retired in 1941 and moved to 804 South Division street, Ritzville, where Mrs. Ferderer lived until 1961 when she took up residence at Hillcrest Manor. She was a member of the Philadelphia Congregational church. Mrs. Ferderer is survived by five sons, Leonard, Henry, Maudise and Ted, all of Ritzville, and William of Odessa. Surviving are five daughters, Mrs. Rosie Scheller, Ritzville, Mrs. Bertha Rieker, Moses Lake, Mrs. Emma Livingston, Tacoma, Mrs. Freda Brown, Portland, Ore., and Mrs. Leah Swift, Yakima. Also surviving are two step-daughters, Mrs. Lizzie Trautman, Warden, and Mrs. Maggie Waehlhaff, Wishek, N.D.; and one step-son, Jake Ferderer, Linton, N.D. Three sisters survive, Mrs. Kristine Hochhalter, Wishek, N.D.; Mrs. Katherine Holzworth and Mrs. Emma Holzworth, both of Jamestown, N.D., and a brother, Fred Klootz, Jamestown, N.D. There are 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Oct. 29 at the Philadelphia Congregational church with the Rev. H. C. Haemmelmann officiating. Pallbearers were David Sauer, Gus Klettke, Henry Borgens, John Greenwalt, jr., Gottlieb Kiesz and Fred H. Benzel. Interment was at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 8, 1962 Dr. Wendell H. Sweet Services Set for 2 p.m. Today at Chapel After 34 years of medical practice in Ritzville, death came Nov. 5 to Dr. Wendell Holmes Sweet, 66, at St. Luke's hospital in Spokane. He suffered a heart affilication. Although Dr. Sweet had been in failing health for the past two years, his death followed just 16 days of hospitalization. The doctor whose years of service had endeared him to so many people in Ritzville, was born at Ashtabula, Ohio, Oct. 17, 1896, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Sweet. He was graduated from the Ashtabula high school and from the University of Michigan medical school. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1927, he spent one year in Centralia, and then on Nov. 1, 1928, moved to Ritzville to take over the practice of Dr. J. Johnson. A member of the Espicopal church, Dr. Sweet also belonged to the C. J. Newland American Legion Post, F&AM No.l 101, El Katif Shrine of Spokane, Spokane Consistary and the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. He was a member of the American Medical association, Spokane county Medical Society, American Academy of General Practice, the Washington State Heart Association and the Aerospace Medical association. He was an examiner for the Civil Aviation association. He was married on June 9, 1938, to Lilly Sittner, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Barbara Jean Olson, Taylor, Mich., and Mrs. Georgianna Skiffington, Seattle. Dr. Sweet's mother in Ashtabula, Ohio, survives him, as well as a sister, Mrs. Hazel Johnson, Secane, Penn., and two brothers, Roland Sweet, Ashtabula and Douglas Sweet, Petersburg, Va. There are eight grandchildren. Funeral services are set for Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Danekas Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Bruce MacHenry of St. Mark's Episcopal church officiating. Pallbearers were Eugene Selcho, Victor Rogel, Eugene Weber, Emil Gust, Gilbert White and James Menehan. Interment will be at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 15, 1962 Burial Held in Washtucna for Mortensen WASHTUCNA - Burial for William C. Mortensen was Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m. in the Washtucna cemetery. Graveside services were conducted by the Rev. J. William Woodworth. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. at Clark's Bothell Funeral Home Saturday, Nov. 3. Mr. Mortensen was born in Seattle Dec. 24, 1885, and lived in Bothell 75 years. He was married in 1910 to Christine Johnson. To them were born three children, namely, Mrs. P.F. Bray, Gig Harbor, William C., El Cajon, Calif., and Dr. Robert B. Mortensen, Las Vegas, Nevada. The mother passed away in 1924. In 1944 he was married to Jennifer Freeman who was formerly from Washtucna. Besides his wife and children, he is survived by his sister, Lenora Johnson of Seattle; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Very early in life he was engaged in building activities which he pursued most of his life, mainly as a contractor and building inspector. Mr. Mortensen suffered a stroke five years ago and other illness overtook him the last few months. He passed away Oct. 31, 1962. Relatives of the family for the services here were his wife, Jennie; sons, William C. and wife Arlene, son Bob Mortensen and sister Lenora Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Holmes from Spokane, their son, Rodney, and daughter, Sharon, son-in-law, Rex Dainty and daughter, Lori. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 22, 1962 Services Held for Emil Olson on Wednesday Funeral services were held for Emil Olson, 68, long time resident in the Ralston area at the Emanuel Lutheran church in Ritzville. Olson passed away at the Adams County Memorial hospital on Nov. 19 after a lingering illness. He was a member of Emanuel Lutheran church and an active member of the Ralston Grange. He farmed in the Ralston area for the past 37 years. He is survived by his wife, Marie, at the home and four daughters, Mrs. Thelma Graham of Richland, Mrs. Anita Wilson of West Covina, Calif., Mrs. Marguerite Sheppard of Fairbanks, Alas., and Mrs. Agnes Verner of Milwaukie, Ore.; and one son, Oscar, of Ritzville. He is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Fred Floura of Phines, Minn., and one brother, Olaf, of Westpoint, Calif., and nine grandchildren. One great-grandchild also survives. The Rev. Albert Wagner officiated at the services and interment was at the Emanuel Lutheran cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. William Wells Buried Monday William Arthur Wells, sr., 68, a resident of Sprague Lake Resort at Sprague passes away Nov. 15 at his home. Funeral services were held Monday at the Catholic church in Richland with Father Sweeney officiating and Danekas Funeral Home in charge. Interment was at Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Wells is survived by his wife, Daisie, at the home, two daughters, Mrs. Betty Rodgers of Spokane, and Mrs. Dorthy Aardal of Richland; and one son, William Wells, jr., and eight grandchildren. Funeral Services Held in Palouse for Mrs. Herring Funeral services were held in Palouse Wednesday, Nov. 14, for Mrs. Ralph (Clarissa Irene) Herring who passed away Saturday, Nov. 10, at her home in Palouse. Mr. and Mrs. Herring moved to Palouse in 1943 after farming in the Ritzville area. She was born in Adams county May 23, 1896, and was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal church, where funeral services were held with the Rev. William W. Elrod officiating. Surviving are the husband at the home; five sons, Donald of Seattle, Everett of Ritzville, Robert of Liberty Lake, Gene of Roseville, Calif., Darrell of Tekoa; a daughter, Mrs. Lucille Stager of Aberdeen; nine grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Pearl Proctor of Ritzville. Interment was in Greenwood cemetery, Palouse. Funeral Held for Mrs. Evanson BENGE - Funeral services were held Monday, Nov. 12, in Sequim for Mrs. Bessie Evanson, former resident of Benge. Mrs. Evanson and her husband, Evan, were residents of Benge prior to 1923 when they moved to Sequim. Her husband and one daughter, Mrs. Stanley (Elsie) Neace preceded her in death. Surviving are Mrs. A. A. (Lilly) Erickson and Roy Evanson of Benge, Mrs. O. E. (Mabel) Felton of Newport Beach, Calif., and Delbert Evanson of Sequim, 10 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, November 29, 1962 Mrs. Seivers Buried Here on Saturday Funeral services for Mrs. Elizabeth M. Seivers, a pioneer of the area, were held Saturday from St. Augustine's Catholic church in Spokane with Msgr. Stephen P. Buckley officiating at the requim mass and burial was made in Ritzville Memorial cemetery later the same day with the Rev. Walter Abel of St. Agnes Catholic church in charge. Mrs. Seivers passed away at her home in Spokane Nov. 21. She was born Elizabeth Margaret Werner Oct. 9, 1884, at Wassau, Wisc., and came to the Lind area in 1906. She was married to Nicholas Seivers Jan. 8, 1906, and he preceded her in death in 1925. In 1929 Mrs. Seivers moved to Spokane where she resided during the past 33 years. Surviving are three children, Nicholas Paul Seivers of Lind, Mrs. Dan Coughlin and John Seivers of Spokane. Four sisters and a brother, Mrs. Anna Miller of Bend, Ore.; Mrs. Louis Salzmann of Junction City, Wisc.; Mrs. Hubert Henrich of Medford, Wisc.; Mrs. Emma Seivers of Spokane and Paul Werner of Spokane, also survive. There are five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren surviving. A rosary service was held from the Smith Funeral Home in Spokane Friday evening. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 6, 1962 Mrs. Rosenoff Services Held Dec. 1 Mrs. Gladys Mercedes Rosenoff, former Ritzville resident, passed away in the Kent City nursing home on Nov. 27 after a long illness. She was born in Newton, Ill., on Aug. 6, 1888, where her father taught in the public schools. The family came west shortly after the turn of the century and settled on the coast. They later came to Ritzville where she and her father taught in area schools. In 1908 she was married to Henry Rosenoff, owner and manager of the Rosenoff Drug Store which later became the Ritzville Drug store. She was a member of the Spokane Esther Reed chapter of the D.A.R.; the Seattle chapter of the Daughters of 1812; and the Business and Professional Women's club of Spokane. She had been with the Spokane county office of the Washington Department of Public Assistance. A few years prior to her retirement she was invited to Olympia where she was awarded a pin for 25 years of meritorious service. Her ancestors in the Revolutionary war on her mother's side included a major, his son and young grandson who was the drummer boy. And the Liberty Bell was hidden in their barn near Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War, to keep it from the British. On her father's side there were several who fought in the Revolutionary War including General Francis Marion, the leader of Marion's Raiders, for whom her father, John Marion Kirkham, was named. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Chester (Hazel) Van Alstine, a granddaughter, Mrs. Michael Eugene Cournea, jr., and two great-grandsons, all of Kent. Funeral services were held in Kent on Saturday, Dec. 1. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 13, 1962 N. W. Duncan Services Held in Spokane Newton W. Duncan, 83, former Ritzville business man, passed away in Sprague on Saturday, Dec. 8. Duncan came to the Inland Empire from Canada with his parents who homesteaded in the Egypt area. In 1923 he started the Spokane Auto Freight, a trucking line which originally operated between Spokane and Sprague. He later extended it to include Ritzville and changed the name to the Washington Auto Freight. Following his retirement from the trucking business, he built and operated a cement plant in Ritzville and later built and operated the first cold storage plant here. Funeral services were held at Riplinger's Funeral Home in Spokane with the Rev. David E. Knight of St. David's Episcopal church officiating. Burial was at Riverside. He is survived by his wife, Norma, at the home in Sprague; five daughters, Mrs. Betty Merritt and Mrs. Grace Cook, both of Spokane; Mrs. Margaret Dietz of Seattle; Mrs. Donna Clark of Auburn and Mrs. Marjorie Combe of Georgia; a son, Grant Duncan, of Newman Lake; 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Also surviving are four sisters, including Mrs. Margaret Lennon of Farmington and Mrs. Ethel Ryan of Cheney; two brothers and several nieces and nephews. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 20, 1962 Mrs. Stafford Funeral Held on Wednesday Mrs. Guy Stafford, long time resident of the Ralston area, died in a hospital in Astoria, Ore., Sunday, Dec. 16. She had been living with her son, Marion, and his wife since June. Funeral services were held in the Little Church chapel in Beaverton, Ore. Interment was in the family plot at Hubbard. Mrs. Stafford is surviving by two sons, Marion E., Astoria, Ore., and William G., Aloha, Ore., five grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Mrs. Stafford was born in Hubbard, Ore., Feb. 10, 1880, and was married to Guy C. Stafford in Fairfield, Oct. 21, 1900. The Staffords farmed near Ralston from 1917 until 1929. In 1926 Mr. Stafford was employed as grain buyer and warehouse manager in Ralston by the Seattle Grain company, which was later bought by Centennial Mills, Inc. In 1945 Mr. Stafford was transferred to Coulee City as manager of the Centennial Elevators where they lived until his retirement in 1949 when the couple moved to Aloha, where Stafford died on Sept. 19, 1959. Mrs. Stafford was active in the community life while a resident in Adams county. She was a charter member of the Ralston Grange and auxiliary and a member of the Pomona Grange. She and her husband were members of the Ralston Community church. Mrs. Harold W. Bauer, Ritzville, is a niece of Mrs. Stafford. Ritzville Journal-Times, Thursday, December 27, 1962 Stephenson Rites Held Here Monday Joe Alan Stephenson, 37, died suddenly Friday evening while at home alone at his farm near Benge. He had suffered a slight heart attack a week earlier, and the wholly unexpected recurrence took his life. The Stephenson family had left a short time before for a school program and discovered the death of their father and husband upon their return home later in the evening. Funeral services were held at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon at St. Mark's Episcopal church. The Rev. W. B. MacHenry read the burial service. Pallbearers were Earl Meise, Carl Beckley, Alfred Kent, Andrew Lund, Ralph Lund and W. H. Moore. Honorary pallbearers were James Clinesmith, Harold Meise, Frank Connell and Rich Stowe. Burial was at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery. Stephenson was born Dec. 24, 1924, at Prosser, the son of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Stephenson. As a boy he moved to the Benge community 23 years ago with his family. He graduated from Benge grade school and from Washtucna high school. His life was spent in farming, and in a period of service with U.S. armed forces from December, 1945, to May, 1947. He married Ethel M. Clung, and to them were born three sons, all of whom survive: James Alan, Thomas William and Richard Carl. Surviving besides his wife and sons are his mother, Mrs. B. F. Stephenson of Benge; a brother, John Stephenson, of Benge; two sisters, Mrs. R. J. Humphrey of Marysville and Mrs. K. W. Aumann of Corvallis, Ore.; and his grandmother, Mrs. Ella Stephenson of Benge. He was a member of the Benge IOOF lodge, the Benge Grange and was active in the Adams County Crop Improvement association. He was a past member of the Benge fire department.