Obituaries

Robert D. West

A memorial service for Robert D. (Bob) West, 87, retired third generation Palouse grocer, was Saturday morning, Dec. 17, at the Palouse Federated Church with the Rev. Corey Laughary officiating. Potlatch VFW Post and a U.S. Army Honor Guard conducted military honors. A private family graveside service was Friday at the Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse. Mr. West died last Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Pullman Regional Hospital.

Born March 12, 1924, at Spokane, to J.B. and Olga Batten West, he attended Palouse schools and graduated from the Palouse High School in 1942. He joined the U.S. Army and served in Europe during World War II. He was among troops who landed on Utah Beach after crossing the English channel on D-Day.

After the war he returned to Palouse and married Frances Simon Sept. 21, 1947, at Palouse. They operated West’s Food City grocery store from 1946 until 1989 when Bob retired.

Bob was a member of the Palouse Federated Church, a charter member of the Palouse Lions Club, and a member of the American Legion-Hayton Post 55. Mr. West enjoyed fishing, camping and gardening. Bob also enjoyed studying the History of Palouse and wrote “Hills of Home.” He was a supporter of the Palouse Printing Museum which was housed in a building donated by his father.

Survivors include his wife, Frances West, Palouse; one son Dale (LeLani) West, Coeur d’Alene; two daughters, Sharon (Robert) Ostrow, Bellingham, and Nancy (Steven) Gonzales, Orcutt, Calif .; one sister, Dorris Goodrich, Santa Barbara, Calif .; 15 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Community Center Building Fund, Box 23, Palouse, or to the Palouse Museum in care of Whitman County Historical Society, Box 67, Colfax, 99111.

John P. Nogues

John P. Nogues, 76, a resident of the Tekoa Care Center for the past two years, died Dec. 10, 2011.

Born Dec. 31, 1934, at Santa Maria, Calif., to Ernie and Mary L. Curtis Nogues, he attended schools in California, and later served in the armed services. Married and later divorced, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a maintenance man. He also worked in restaurants.

Survivors include his children Gelbert Nogues Curtis, Charles Nogues Meeks, Rosemary Sherman, Gary Nogues Meeks, William Nogues and Augusta Beattie.

A formal memorial service will not be conducted.

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- Randolph E. Mattausch