Blackmer Funeral Home

Marjorie L. Wren, 87, of Lewiston and formerly of Grangeville, passed away Thursday, February 25, 2010, at the Orchards Rehab and Care Center in Lewiston.

She was born August 4, 1922 on her grandparent’s ranch 10 miles north of Grangeville to Lynza and Nellie Earp. She attended grade school and high school in Grangeville and graduated in 1940.

In 1941, she married Howard Cash and they were later divorced.

Marjorie worked as a telephone operator and an office clerk in the treasurer’s office for Earl Rice.

On November 7, 1955, she married Cliff Wren in Winnemucca, Nevada. In 1956, they purchased and operated Cones Meat Market while also running the Wren Family Ranch at the same time. In 1964, they sold the business and continued to run the ranch until retiring in 1978. In 1982, they moved from the ranch into Grangeville. On July 12, 1998, Cliff passed away and Marjorie continued to live in Grangeville until 2000, in which time she moved to Lewiston where she resided until her death.

She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville. Some of her hobbies that she enjoyed included playing card and bingo, camping, crocheting, and watching her grandchildren play sports.

Survivors included one daughter, Shirley Stark and husband Clint of Grangeville; a son, Jerry Cash and wife Sharon of  Lebanon, Oregon; three stepsons, Jerry Wren of Cottonwood, Mike Wren of Grangeville, and Steve Wren of Mead, Washington; two stepdaughters, Judy Kuiper of Mead, and Jeannie Zerr of Portland, Oregon; as well as numerous grand and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Cliff; two brothers, Lester (Bus) Earp and Archie Earp; one sister, Ruby Milsap; and a daughter, Sharon Uhling.

Recitation of the Rosary will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville, with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:30. Burial will follow the services at Denver Cemetery, followed by a dinner at the Sts. Peter and Paul School Gymnasium. Viewing will be held on Monday, March 1, from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

The family suggests that memorials be made to the Sts. Peter and Paul Church Building Fund, c/o of Blackmer Funeral Home, 305 N. Mill Street, Grangeville, Idaho 83530.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Ruby Esther Miller, 101, of Grangeville and formerly from the Winona area, died Friday, February 26, 2010, at Syringa General Hospital in Grangeville.

Ruby was born to Cleve and Clara Hill in Westlake, Idaho on April, 4^th 1908.  She was the oldest of five children and grew up on the Joseph Plains. 

She married Harry Twogood in 1931 and had one daughter. The marriage ended in divorce. Ruby married William Miller in 1955.

 Their ranch was in the Winona area just above the Mount Zion Cemetery which they were the caretakers of for many years.  They sold the ranch in 1979 and moved near the Flying B Ranch outside of Grangeville.

 Ruby celebrated her 100^th birthday in her home on April 4, 2008. She lived in her home until February of 2009, when she moved to her daughter’s home in Grangeville.

 Ruby is survived by her daughter, Joyce Mattox of Grangeville, and step-daughter, Gloria Briscoe of Tacoma Washington; nephews, Bob Hill of Rosalia Wa., Jim Hill, David Hill of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Jon Hill of  Moscow, Idaho; nieces, Diana Guess of Twin Falls, Idaho and Tauna Hooper of Seattle, Washington; seven grandchildren: Joel Mattox, Kathy Hartford, Connie Briscoe, Robin Briscoe, Daniel Briscoe, Roberta Smith, and Nancy Collell, and eleven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy; sister, Edna Miller; brothers, Raymond, Lloyd, and Leonard Hill; step-son Bob Miller, and grandson Robert Miller.

Ruby requested to be cremated and that no service will be held.  A family memorial will be held at the Mount Zion Cemetery sometime in the future.

Arrangements were handled by Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Danny L. Turner, 71, of Grangeville, passed away Friday, February 19, 2010, at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

Danny was born October 18, 1938 at Grangeville, a son of Roy and Vera Lamb Turner.  He attended the Fairview School near Grangeville before graduating from Grangeville High School in 1957. He then attended Idaho State College in Pocatello and graduated in 1958 from the auto body program. He then returned to Grangeville and entered into the National Guard. 

He married Barbara Harris in June 25, 1960 at Grangeville. They were stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington from 1961-62, and then returned to Grangeville. He farmed from 1962 until 1982 when he started in the Cable TV business. He owned and operated the cable TV systems in Cottonwood and Elk City. He built the cable TV systems for New Meadows, Cambridge, Halfway, Oregon, and Lowman. In 1988 he pursued his life long passion of building and restoring hot rod and classic cars which he continued up until his death. 

Danny like to spend time “tinkering” with electronics. He liked to see how they worked and to make them work better. He was one of the founding members of the Camas Prairie Cruisers and was baptized at the Grangeville Christian Church.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, at the family home; a daughter, Dina Reynolds of Reno, and a son, Jeff, of Boise. He is also survived by a brother, Daryl, of Grangeville, and a sister, Marie Lotze of Colville, Washington; several cousins, nieces and nephews.  

He was preceded in death by his parents.

At his request no services will be held. The family will have an open house to greet friends and family on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, from 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m., at their home. 

Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the LAM Foundation, c/o Blackmer Funeral Home, 305 N. Mill Street, Grangeville, ID  83530. 

Elsie Irene Williams, 87, died peacefully Friday afternoon, February 12, 2010, at the Meadowlark Homes in Grangeville.

She was born northeast of Grangeville on her parents’ farm at Fairview on August 18, 1922, and spent nearly her entire life in Grangeville. She was the only child of Swedish immigrants Nels Albert and Karolina Amanda Sangren. When she was four months old, she was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Lewiston. She rode her horse to attend elementary school at Fairview and graduated from Grangeville High School in 1940.

In 1942, she attended business school for eight months at the Inter-Mountain Institute in Weiser. That same year she moved to Seattle and worked as a secretary at the Seattle Port of Embarkation and later for the Army Exchange Service. Both were supply headquarters for the armed forces stationed in Alaska during World War II.

In the fall of 1945, after World War II ended, she came back to Grangeville and worked in the office of the U.S. Forest Service which at that time was located on the second floor of the post office building. She also worked for one year in the office of Western Auto Supply Company.

Following a long-distance courtship during the war, she married Frank (Tommy) Williams on May 4, 1946, at the Federated Church in Grangeville. In 1996 their children and grandchildren helped them celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at the Elk’s Lodge.

She enjoyed bowling and was a member of a women’s bowling league for two years.

During the late 1970’s she worked as a volunteer for the Red Cross Mobile Unit. At the age of 58 she took piano lessons for the first time, fulfilling a lifelong wish to play the piano. She also enjoyed flower gardening, writing and reading.

Throughout the years, she maintained a close relationship with several friends from her childhood and also with relatives in Sweden. She leaves behind bundles of correspondence written in her beautiful hand, as well as a wonderful autobiography written for her children.

Her husband, Tommy, died in August 1998. 

She is survived by three children: daughter, Dianne and husband, Don Neglay of Albany, Oregon, twin daughter Kathryn and husband, Paul Kelly of Norwell, Massachusetts, and son Kenneth and wife Charmon Williams of Portland, Oregon; eight grandchildren, Matt Neglay, Mark Neglay, Brian Kelly, Katelin Kelly, Katie Williams, Annie Williams Miller, Brent Williams, Kenneth Williams, Jr., and great-granddaughter, Avery Miller.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at 11:00 a.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Burial will follow at Prairie View Cemetery.