Louis Laws

Louis L. Laws, of Malden, Washington, died June 19, 2020, in a car accident not far from his home. He was 90.

Family and friends are invited to help celebrate his life at the following memorials: Saturday, June 27th, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Mike's Eagle Pub, 104 1st St., in Cheney; again on Sunday, June 28th, for the Malden Community and his Shriner friends, a potluck beginning at Noon at his home in Malden, 17 Main St .; and Thursday, July 2nd, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at Bolos Bar and Grill, 116 S. Best Rd., Spokane Valley (food to be ordered off the menu). Cremation will take place and Louis will be placed in an area that he loved.

He was born in Benedict, Nebraska, on February 27, 1930, to Harold and Mary Reynolds Laws. When he was three, the family moved to Missoula, Montana, where his dad worked in the lumber mills. They moved to Wenatchee, Washington, in 1943 and later to Tacoma. Louis graduated from the Clover Park High School in Tacoma.

He joined the United States Air Force in 1947, at the age of 17 and served in the 127th Motor Vehicle Squadron in England. Upon his honorable discharge in 1952 he travelled across the United States visiting brothers in California and his parents in Fort Jones, Wash., before returning home to Wenatchee. He married Barbara C. Reece in Wenatchee on June 12, 1959. They made their home in Moses Lake, Wash., with the six children from Barbara's marriage to Robert Eugene Apley; they included: Richard Apley of Kent, Wash., Robert Apley if Federal Way, Debi Kuvelas of Tacoma, Brad Apley of Vancouver, Wash., Charles Apley of San Diego, Calif., and Pam Wailor, Tacoma. Louis worked for Northwest Airlines for over 45 years as a machinist. He was a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

From Moses Lake, they moved to Seattle in 1961 and to Des Moines, Wash., in 1978. Louis also kept busy helping Barbara to raise the kids. When they both retired in 1994, they were looking for country living and that brought them to Malden, Washington. Louis served for several years as the Fire Chief of the Malden Fire Department and later as the Mayor. He was a longtime member of the El Katif Shrine and the Masons. He was awarded the Hiram Award for Outstanding Service in February 2009. Louis was a delightful character in the Malden community and will be missed by many.

He is survived by Barbara's children; his siblings, Wilma, Rodger, JoAnn, and Evelyn. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara in 2009 and by siblings, Phyllis, Lloyd, Richard and Larry. On-line guest book is at http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com

Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax entrusted with arrangements.