Obituaries: May 24, 2018

George Miller

Oct. 14, 1954-May 17, 2018

George Neil Miller of St. John, Wash., died May 17, 2018, at the age of 63 years from the recurrence of a brain tumor. George was born October 14, 1954, in Colfax, Wash., to James Kenneth and Opal Irene Miller. George graduated from St. John High School in 1973 and from Spokane Community College in 1975, with a degree in diesel mechanics. He worked as a mechanic for St. John Hardware for 10 years before returning to the family farm.

George married Andrea Painter in 1986.

Together they had three children.

He was a lifelong member of the American Trap Association and a member of the St. John Gun Club.

He was an excellent trap shooter, and won numerous awards throughout his life.

George was an active member of Wheatland Grange, serving as master multiple times.

In high school, George competed on St. John Eagles athletic teams in track, basketball and football, competing at the state level in basketball and track.

He enjoyed following his own children in all of their sports, 4H, FFA and school activities.

He was an active member in the St. John community and served up terrific pancakes at the Cowboy Breakfast at the St. John Community Fair.

George is survived by his wife of 31 years; Andrea Miller; their three children and spouses, Ellen Anderson and her husband Lars, Neil Miller and his wife Tyarn, and Warren Miller and his wife Sarah Alvick; his mother, Opal Miller; his sisters, Susan Sackmann and her husband Steve, and Barbara Miller, and numerous nieces and nephews.

George’s family wishes to express appreciation to all his friends and relatives in the St. John Community who joined forces to complete his farming activities when he fell ill earlier this month. With their help, the entire farm was seeded and tilled within a few days.

Services will be held Thursday, May 24th, at 11am at the Wheatland Grange Hall on Highway 23. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. John-Endicott School Foundation.

Dee Camp

Feb. 15, 1939-May 16, 2018

Dee Camp, lifelong LaCrosse area farmer, passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax. He was 79.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 30th, at 11:00am at the LaCrosse Methodist Church with a reception to follow. A private family graveside service will be held prior in the LaCrosse Cemetery. Viewing will be at Bruning Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 29th, from 9am to 5pm.

Dee was the youngest of three children to grow up on the Camp family farm.

He was born February 15, 1939 in Colfax to Herbert and Louise Fields Camp.

He attended school in LaCrosse and was an excellent basketball player for the high school team.

Dee graduated in 1957 and attended Washington State University in Pullman for a short time.

He married Annette Summers on August 27, 1960.

They made their home on the ranch near LaCrosse where they raised wheat, cattle and horses.

Dee and Annette had two daughters, Jody and Jamie.

Dee dedicated his life to taking care of his family while managing and working on the farm he loved.

He always had time for family and friends and would always lend a helping hand to anyone who needed anything.

Dee and Annette divorced August 29, 1969.

He then married Lois Moore Fleming on June 20, 1972.

She had three boys and when the family blended together, the farmhouse suddenly was never a quiet place again.

Dee would spend many afternoons watching the kids play sports, driving the boat while 5 kids learned to water-ski at Riparia or playing flag football in the front yard.

In later years, he found great pleasure in watching the grandkids and all that they did.

Lois passed away August 21, 2006.

Dee was still living on the farm at the time of his death.

He will be missed by many in the community, but especially by his two daughters; Jody Colletto of Bremerton, Wash., Jamie Camp (TJ) of Moses Lake; his three step-sons; Gary (Donna) Fleming of LaCrosse, Darrin (RaeAnn) Fleming, Ritzville, and Loren (Melissa) Fleming also of LaCrosse; his grandchildren, of whom he was so proud, Jacob Hash, Jake Fleming, Cayla Smith, Della, Anne, Nick, Avery and Brody Fleming; and a very special great-granddaughter, Violet Hash. In addition to his wife, Lois, Dee was preceded in death by his brother; Larry Camp, his sister; Sherry Lange and his parents.

The family suggests memorial gifts in his memory go to the LaCrosse EMT’s or the Whitman Hospital Foundation. Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax is in charge of the arrangements. Online guest book is at bruningfuneralhome.com

Noreen Hooper

A graveside memorial service for Noreen Hilda (Lee) Hooper, 94, will be June 1, at 12:30 p.m. in Sunset Hills Memorial Park, 1215 145th Place SE, Bellevue. She died early Sunday, May 20, 2018, at Bishop Place Independent Living in Pullman.

Born Sept. 24, 1923, at London, England, and she and her sister were raised in a Catholic convent in Bristol, England. In 1944 Noreen met Robert James Hooper, and the couple were married in Bristol, England, Nov. 3, 1945.

They moved to Portland, Ore., in 1946, where they raised their three children. In 1966, the family moved to Bellevue, where Mr. Hooper was the general manager for Smith-Corona Co. Mr. Hooper died in 1996.

Noreen moved to Oakesdale to be near her family. She moved to Bishop Place Independent Living in May of 2015 where she had made her home since.

She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, camping, fishing and traveling. She also was an avid bowler and golfer.

Survivors include, one daughter, Linda Cotterill, Oakesdale; two sons, Raymond Hooper, Carnation, Wash., and Robert Hooper also of Oakesdale; also eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Online condolences: http://www.kramercares.com

Russell obituary error

The obituary for Susan Jane Russell, published in the May 17, 2018, edition, incorrectly listed her death date. She died on May 14, 2018. The information was printed as submitted to the Gazette.