Obituaries: Mar. 8, 2018

A memorial service for John R. Ackerman, 71, will be Saturday, March 10, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the Princeton, Idaho, Church of the Nazarene. Pastor Larry Veith will officiate. Mr. Ackerman died Monday March 5, at his Princeton home.

Born at Ritzville April 18, 1946, to Robert and Edna Chouinard Ackerman, he was raised in Viola, Idaho, and attended schools in Moscow, Idaho. He worked for Chateau Outfitters as a packer for big game hunters for five years, then for Bendle Meat Packing for the next few years and also as a groundskeeper at WSU for one year.

John and Darlene Boller were married June 17, 1972, at Moscow. The couple made their home in Potlatch where he was employed by Bennett Lumber Co. They moved to Princeton in 1986. He retired from the mill in 2008 after 37 years.

A former member of the Cayuse Kids Saddle Club and the Silver Spurs Ramunda, he enjoyed riding horses, snowmobiling, hunting, boating and fishing. He enjoyed cheering for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and spending his summers traveling with his family to watch his son and granddaughters compete at O-mok-see’s.

Survivors include his wife, Darlene, at the Princeton home; son, Sheldon (Shirley) Ackerman of Princeton; daughter, Suzy Ackerman of Potlatch; two granddaughters, and one brother, Billy Van Ackerman of Oroville, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Purnell, Vern and Lonnie Ackerman; father-in-law, John Allen Boller, and foster-father, Ray Tarbox.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Potlatch Ambulance Fund, PO Box 63, Potlatch, ID, 83855.

Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse, Wash., is handling the arrangements. You are invited to leave online condolences and order flowers for the family at http://www.kramercares.com

Ray Collier passed away peacefully into the welcoming arms of Jesus his Savior on March 2, 2018.

Ray was born in Colfax, Wash., and graduated from Steptoe HS (Class of '50). He founded Fireplace Furnace Company in 1973 and worked there into his 80's.

He enjoyed 52 years of marriage to Marcheta Collier while residing in Renton, Wash. He is also survived by his brother, David (Carol); sons, Mark (Ann) and, Scott; grandkids, Adam (Rachel), Jordan (Laura), Melissa (Alex), Megan, Katie, Nolan & Nathan; great-grandsons, Ethan, Grant, Armoni, Parker, Crosby & Hudson.

He will be remembered for his friendly nature, warm smile, great work ethic, his love to stir up a debate and his endless desire for laughter and humor!

Memorial service will be Sunday, March 11th at 2 pm, Galilee Baptist Church, 11517 SE 208th St, Kent, WA 98031. Contributions to Galilee Baptist Church.

Robert William Kirk passed away on February 22, 2018 at the Hospice House in Spokane. Bob was born September 6, 1931 on the family farm in a sod house, outside Wallace, Nebraska.

His parents were forced to relocate due to the devastating Dust Bowl when he was a young boy, so finding work on the Harwood farm near St. John, Wash., gave Bob’s family an opportunity to put down roots. The Kirk family then moved to Mead, Wash., where Bob graduated high school in 1949. He married Teddy Schuster in 1950 and they began to build a home and family.

In the mid 1960’s, Bob and Teddy built another home on Cedar Road, south of Spokane. Bob spent a 50-year career building bridges, first with Hagman Construction, then N.A. Degerstrom Construction Company. Bob retired to his land near Coulee City, Wash., with his wife Teddy. He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing and taking road trips near his home. Bob enjoyed his woodworking hobby, creating toys and other unique items under the “Walking Eagle” name.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Teddy in 2013. Bob is survived by his brother, Gordon; sister, Janet; three children, Carol (Randy) Ishihara, Max (Evelyn), and Steven (Colleen); eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at the Reardan United Methodist Church. Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Online guestbook at cheneyfuneral.com.

Charles Murphy, a member of the 1962 class of Oakesdale High School who made his home in the Bellevue area, died Feb. 27, 2018, after an extended illness. Mr. Murphy over the years enjoyed returning to Oakesdale for Old Mill Days celebrations and class reunions. His parents for years operated a service station in Oakesdale. Among survivors are two sisters, a son and a daughter.

William A. Norton, 63, died Friday, March 2, 2018, at his home in Oakesdale. At his request, a service will not be conducted.

Born Oct. 7, 1954, at Spokane, to John Henry and Barbara Woods Norton, he was raised in Oakesdale where he graduated from high school in 1973. Following high school, he worked for area farmers and for the J. E. Love Company in Garfield. He later moved to Reno, Nev., where he worked three years as a welder for a wrecking yard. He then moved to Phoenix, Ariz., and worked for the next 20 years in a wrecking yard there.

In 2016, he returned to his family home in Oakesdale where he lived with his brother, Ken. He has been in failing health for the past few years.

Surviving are his brother, Ken Norton, of Oakesdale; sisters, Melissa Hanley of Palouse and Theresa Pfaff of Garfield; sons, Mark Norton of Oakesdale and Jerry Norton of Everett; several grandchildren, and three step-children. http://www.kramercares.com

Debbie Rickman passed away on March 4, 2018 in Spokane, Washington, after a two-year long battle against multiple myeloma. She maintained her strength, grace, dignity and sense of humor throughout the long fight, and was the epitome of courage and bravery until the end.

She was born in Craigmont, Idaho, on September 28, 1953. She spent the majority of her life in the great Northwest. Her family moved from Idaho to Kettle Falls, Moses Lake and St John, Washington, before coming to Spokane in 1995.

Debbie made a difference in the lives of everyone she touched, and added a spark to every room she entered. Her interests and hobbies were many, including golf, road trips, wine tasting, walking,

gardening and the care and feeding of the many hummingbirds that she attracted every year. She loved the Oregon Coast and could spend many hours walking the beautiful beaches and delighting in the sights and sounds. Golfing in British Columbia was a dream come true for Debbie and she went as often as she could. The wines of Walla Walla were long a favorite of Debbie’s and she had many close friends there.

Although she was never able to have children of her own, Debbie had a special place in her heart for the youngsters, and was happiest playing with them on the floor, watching the older ones play sports or just teaching them how much she cared about them. She will be greatly missed by many little ones who called her “Miss Debbie” or “Grandma Debbie.” She was important to so many young lives.

She was an avid golfer and loved her golfing trips with her husband, Dave. They were lucky enough to attend three U.S. Open Golf Tournaments together and spent much time golfing across British Columbia, in particular. Watching her “Zags” was a favorite pastime, and you could tell how the game was going by listening mostly to her cheers and clapping. She was also a great favorite fan at many of the Walla Walla Wineries.

Debbie leaves behind her husband of 16 years, Dave; her brothers, Wayne (Knar), Steve (Deanna), and Rod (Denise); her “other” parents, Larry and Jetty; and her cousin, Sue; and many beloved family members and friends. She was affectionate, fun and full of laughter. She warmed our souls.

She is now with our Lord and has been joyfully reunited with her parents, Kay and Lucille Carrick; and her beloved dog, Katy. We know they are all laughing as they watch Katy race through the clouds.

A very special thanks to Rockwood North Oncology, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the staff and nurses at Hospice House South, who helped care for her in her final days.

Debbie’s Memorial Service will be at Heritage Funeral Chapel on March 17, 2018, at 1 p.m. The family suggests that donations be made in her name to Hospice of Spokane.

Michael Carter Rodeen died February 26, 2018, in Yakima, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 73.

Mike was born October 11, 1944, in Bellingham to Raymond and Betty (Carter) Rodeen. He graduated from Pullman High School in 1962 and from WSU in 1969. Mike married Connie Harlow in Pullman in 1965.

Mike worked for Deere and Company from 1969 to 1977. In 1977, Mike and Connie moved back to Pullman and Mike joined Everett Will Tractor Co. in Moscow. In 1980, Mike became a partner in Pullman Tractor. In 1987, he left John Deere to start the recycling program at WSU. Mike retired from WSU in 2009.

Mike was active in Pullman Lions Club for many years. He and Connie travelled many times to Hawaii and to Friday Harbor, Wash., where Mike’s mother was born and raised. Mike enjoyed farming, WSU football, cowboy movies and taking care of his and Connie’s home west of Pullman.

Mike is survived by Connie, his wife of 52 years; his daughters, Stephanie (TJ) Erickson, Tina Rodeen, and Valerie Rodeen; and son, Ryan Rodeen; granddaughters, Tracie and Larkyn Erickson, Cheyanne and Shannon Stokes, and Bethany Halseth; grandsons, Tony Erickson, Hunter Halseth, and Carter and Bryce Rodeen; and brother, Paul Rodeen (Judy) of Spokane.

The family would like to thank Dr. Benjamin Atkins of Pullman Family Medicine for his many years of dedicated medical care throughout Mike’s illness. Mike’s memorial service is Friday, March 23rd at 2:00 p.m., at Pullman Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Mike’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter, http://www.alzwa.org.