June Perkins 1925-2018

June was born on June 27, 1925, and raised by her loving parents, Jess and Huldina Moyer, in Emmett, Idaho. She was the second of six children and worked hard helping her mother raise her siblings during the Depression. As soon as she graduated from high school, she headed to Seattle as World War II was upon the United States. Her initial service was as a Rosie the Riveter working for Boeing building fighter planes. She eventually became a secretary, a profession she found more to her liking.

After the war ended, June remained in Seattle where she met her future husband, Robert Perkins, who was home from the war. Their first meeting was on a blind date. They fell in love, married, and returned to Chewelah where Robert had been raised. Their first child, Michael, arrived, and a year later their daughter, Judith, was born. The family moved back to Seattle for a short while but soon returned to Chewelah where a third child, Patricia, was born. More

Merle Lee Tadlock
1943-2018

Merle Lee Tadlock was born on April 14, 1943 and passed on November 20, 2018 in Oshkosh, NE. He worked for the Crown Zellerbach Timber Company in Washington State and the Kerr McGee coal mine in Wyoming.

Merle enjoyed helping others, riding motorcycles, hunting and fishing, among other activities.

Merle was preceded in death by his father Wendell Tadlock, mother Veda Drummond Tadlock and brother Danny Tadlock. He is survived by sons Cory Tadlock, Randy Tadlock, Justin Jelle, brother Larry Tadlock, sister Linda Way and close friend Roxy Jelle.

Merle also proudly served in the United States Army where he received the Bronze Star medal in the Vietnam War.

Rest in peace.

Pam Crnich 1956-2018

Pam left us on November 16 after a 3-year battle with liver disease. She was born July 25, 1956, to John and Grace Seabrandt in Chewelah, WA.

She is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) Crnich, children Cody Tarble, Sony (Jermaine) Tuggle, John (LeeAnn) Tarble, grandchildren Kolai, Tyce, Rozlyn, Christian and Anna. Pam is also survived by her sister Carolyn (Tom) Wissink, aunts, stepsisters, stepbrother, nieces, nephews, cousins and long time friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Randi Nilsson.

There will be no service at Pam’s request, but a celebration of life will be held in the spring with the date and time to be determined.

Dennis Dean Uren 1939-2018

Dennis Dean Uren, age 79, of Chewelah, WA passed away November 19 of complications in surgery at Holy Family Hospital. He was born in Iron River, Michigan, but spent the majority of his life in Spokane and Stevens Counties.

He worked for the Spokane Greyhound Lines bus company until retirement in 1986. Then he worked for the Chewelah Post Office rural delivery and Chewelah Schools until retirement number two.

He had a passion for music and played trombone for orchestras at Gonzaga, Whitworth, Spokane Falls Community College and for many years at The Woodlands Theater in Kettle Falls.
Another passion was his German shepherd dogs. He raised and trained them until three years ago.

Dennis and Geraldine purchased land outside of Chewelah and built their retirement home over a number of years as they were doing the majority of work themselves. He landscaped the adjoining area and also built a log cabin for friends and family recreation.

Dennis is survived by his wife Geraldine, five children, three step-children, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A family service/memorial will be held next summer.

Dennis Strickland 1955-2018

Dennis Strickland, longtime Chewelah, Washington resident, passed away at the age of 63 on Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington after an extended illness.

Dennis was born on September 8th, 1955 to James and Joyce (McCurry) Strickland. He was the third of four children, and is predeceased by his father and younger brother Steven. He spent most of his childhood and early adult life in Merced, California.

Dennis was a larger than life personality. He was smart, charismatic, hilarious, loving, giving, and at times a royal pain. He was the person everyone went to if we needed to know how to create or fix anything from cars to bookshelves to houses. He loved to build things, some of his most prized creations being shovel birds and his old tractor mailbox. He was a lifelong fisherman, and spent as much time as he could in the river, on a boat, or on the dock.

Dennis lived for his family. He is survived by his mother, Joyce Strickland; his 2 older siblings, Robert Strickland and Linda Strickland; and by his 3 children and their families: Shannon (Strickland) Tipa, her husband Kevin, and their 3 children Noah, Simon and River; Trisha (Strickland) Steere, her husband James, and their 2 children Zach and Zoey; and Dustin Strickland and Becky Gregerson and their 3 children, Kyleigh, Dax and Ellie. He is also survived by countless friends that he also considered family, along with all his other “kids” who are friends of his family that he collected over the years and accepted as his own.

He is deeply missed.

Billy Boyd Booth 1936-2018

Billy Boyd Booth, born April 28, 1936 in Great Falls, MT to Boyd and Marie Booth, passed away October 21, 2018 at the age of 82.
Billy was raised in St. Maries, ID where he graduated. After high school he attended the University of Idaho and then enlisted in the Army where he became a 1st Lt.
He married Glenda Wilson June 15, 1958 and they lived in Georgia while he was in the Army. In 1960, Billy began working with the US Forest Service in St. Maries. Then they moved to Libby, Butte, Missoula, MT, Jackson, WY and Marietta, GA where he retired from a dedicated life of serving.
He and Glenda moved to Chewelah in 1994 where he continued his life of serving the community in the Arts Guild and Lions Club while traveling all over the United States and the backroads around this area. His favorite saying was “I wonder where this road goes. Let’s check it out.” And we did!
He will be missed by many.
Billy is survived by Glenda Booth (Wilson), Leslie Biancardi (Booth) & James Biancardi, Elizabeth (Liz) Fornek (Booth) & Greg Fornek, Corky (Albert) Booth & Frankie (Francine) Booth, four grandchilden: Owen & Nate (Nathan) Biancardi, and Leslie & Denton Fornek.
He is preceded in death by his Mother Marie Booth, father J. Boyd Booth and son Christopher Booth.
The family is planning a service for a later time. Memorial contributions can be made to the Chewelah Valley Lions Club or the Chewelah Arts Guild.

Virginia S. Mason 1928-2018

Virginia S. Mason (Tootie), age 90 passed away peacefully October 6, 2018 at her home in Inchelium, Washington. Born on February 27, 1928, she was the youngest of 14 children in Covada, Washington to Eneas and Annie (Lemere) Seymour.

She was a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. She was a lifelong member of St. Michael’s Mission Catholic Church and was always available to the community on serving the Lord and His people.

No matter what day or time she would go to those who were sick or dying to help their passage in going home to be with our Blessed Jesus in all types of weather. If her People expressed a need she was there as a Servant of the Lord.

Virginia (Tootie) served the communities on or off our Colville Indian Reservation and the Spokane Indian Reservation in all types of weather.

She taught her children the value of hard work and never ceased to keep a pace of being busy with a garden, canning and driving the grain truck to deliver the grain harvested. She loved sewing and crocheting; that was her fun time creating and using her God-given talents to make things for pleasure of it.

She was the mother to eight (8) children, Vera Fitzpatrick (James), Steven Mason, Rebecca Luce (Jerry), Jennifer Ferguson, Viola Shiflett (Lucky), Mark Mason, Elizabeth “Susie” Allen (Larry) and Teresa Abrahamson.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband Harold (Bud) Mason, granddaughter Kimberly Fitzpatrick, great granddaughter Jezelle Marconi and grandson William Hunter Mason.
She was loved and profoundly respected by her children, Grandchildren (34) and Great Grandchildren (51).

She had numerous nieces and nephews.

Virginia (Tootie) was blessed with many friends both near and far and will be missed beyond measure. Her passion for the people of God was deep and she never stopped giving of herself “for the sake of Jesus and His People”.

Virginia’s celebration of life was held at St. Michael’s Mission Catholic Church October 10, 2018 Wednesday evening for Rosary. Her celebration was held on Thursday at 10 a.m. on October 11, 2018 at the Inchelium Community Center, Inchelium, WA. Burial followed at Hall Creek Cemetery, Inchelium, Washington.

James William Carter

James William Carter, better known as Billy in his early years and Jim in his later years, was born on April 18, 1931, on a tobacco farm in Bunn, North Carolina, to Ruth and Willy Carter.
He attended Bunn School District for 12 years and earned his high school diploma. Two years after graduating, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force serving in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant before completing his service at Deep Creek Air Force Station near Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA. It was here that he met and married Betty Jean McNutt in 1955. They had two children, Bryan and Laural. He started his advance degree programs at Eastern Washington University in education, receiving both his Bachelor and Master’s degrees.

By the time he moved his family from Spokane to a small dairy farm outside of Chewelah, he had his third child, Paul. There in Chewelah, he continued to pursue both of his passions in life which were teaching and educating others in woodworking crafts and drafting, along with working various projects on the farm. Jim loved to share his experience and knowledge with anyone he knew or met, and one would always be better for it; a trait he was known for all his life.

Jim was a hard worker and a dedicated Christian family man who was focused on always providing for his family. Before leaving Chewelah to move to Carnation, he had his fourth child, Darrin. In Carnation, he continued to teach and then later became the Vice Principal of Tolt High School. He also continued to grow his family by adopting two girls from Korea, Virginia (Jina) and Valene.

By 1978, Jim moved his family to Republic, WA to become the school principal and later took on the superintendent position. After 26 years in education, at the age of 56, Jim retired from school administration to return back to his beloved farm in Chewelah.

There in Chewelah, he continued to follow his passion of working on the farm, spending most of his time working the saw mill, working on projects in his shop and helping out his neighbors. He enjoyed having family and friends gather at the farm for cider making, horse riding, fishing, riding 4-wheelers and side-by-sides, and just playing along the creek, fields, and forests.

In August of 2009, he and Betty moved to Mead, WA in order to be closer to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in the Spokane area. Jim loved working various projects, maintaining his property in Chewelah and most of all he loved his family. He was a well-respected man of integrity, character, and strength. He could never sit idle and was a hard-working man who loved to teach and educate by sharing what he knew and learned in life to anyone. He was always willing to help out his family and friends.
Jim passed on to be with his Lord and Saviour after a short illness on Oct. 13, 2018 in the early hours. He was preceded in death by his siblings Earl, Mildred, Myrtle, Willie Mae, Tommy and Glenn, as well as his grandson Nathan.

He left behind his beloved wife of 63 years, Betty Jean, and a beautiful family legacy that really captured his love of family; Bryan and his wife Marisol, Laural and her husband Scott, Paul and his wife Cindy Sue, Darrin and his wife Jenny, Virginia (Jina/Gina) and her husband Steve, and Valene. This also included Jim’s 17 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. Everyone will miss his wisdom, guidance and love.

Jim’s memorial service will be held at Faith Baptist Academy 2804 E Euclid Ave, Spokane, WA at 11 a.m. on Novmeber 10, 2018 with a potluck to follow.

If you would like to make a donation in Jim’s honor, he would like it to go to Chewelah Baptist Church in Chewelah, WA.

Don Vern Smith 1929-2018

Don Vern Smith was born on April 6, 1929 in Helena, Montana and passed away on October 21, 2018 in Roseburg, Oregon.

Don joined the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. Don married Sylvia O’Bryant of Valley, Wash. in 1955. They lived in Spokane, where they raised their two children, Donette and Duane. Don worked hard to provide for his family, and always put family first. Don and Sylvia enjoyed 54 years of loving marriage with open hearts and an open home. He loved having his home filled with family and friends, and many relatives and friends lived with them over the years.

Don was a talented artist of numerous oil paintings. In midlife, Don came to know the Lord and was a devout follower the rest of his days.

After Sylvia’s death, Don moved to Roseburg, OR. in 2014 to be near his sisters, Joyce and Judy.

He is survived by his daughter, Donette Parry (Myron); son, Duane Smith; granddaughters Racha’ Smith and Allyson McBride; grandson, Sylas Smith; sisters Joyce Peterson and Judy Ashton; brothers Michael Smith and David Smith and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family. Don was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia; his parents Michael and Lydia; sister Lydia (Sue) Douthit and five Smith brothers: Art, Mel, Ralph, Richard and Ross.

A brief graveside service and flag ceremony for family and friends will take place on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m. at Valley Cemetery, Valley, WA. Family and friends are invited to gather at the nearby Valley Grange at 2 p.m. for a celebration of Don’s life and to share memories of Don. A light lunch will be served.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Fisher House Foundation, which provides free lodging to military and veterans’ families while a family member is receiving medical care. https://www.fisherhouse.org

Charles “Chuck” R. Washington 1952-2018

Charles “Chuck” R. Washington, 66, passed away at his home on October 17, 2018 surrounded by his wife, family and friends. Chuck was an outdoorsman, a logger, a truck driver and equipment operator. He loved camping with his friends, snowmobiling, hunting, traveling to exotic places with his wife Cindy and friends. Chuck loved a good game of poker. Chuck will be remembered for his quick sense of humor, his generous heart and being a loyal friend. He loved teasing his nephews, nieces and any little kids. He is survived by his wife, Cindy; sisters, Paula (Bill) Hansen, Carla (Dan) Engle, Laura (Terry) LaCroix; brother Ron (Becky) Washington, and many nieces and nephews and friends. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Hospice of Spokane or Becky’s Best Buddies, 2323 A, Burnt Valley Rd., Chewelah, WA 99109. A celebration of life party will be held in April 2019, time and place are pending.