Blackmer Funeral Home

Barbara F. St. Pierre Cecil, 80 of Grangeville passed away on Sunday, August 8, 2010 at Syringa General Hospital in Grangeville.

Barbara was born on Nov 7th, 1926 in Dearborn Michigan.  She married George H. Cecil and accompanied him overseas during his military career, later moving to California and Oklahoma.  His death in 1991 prompted her move to Grangeville, Idaho, where she maintained residence until her death.

 Her greatest joys in life were taking care of the family, baking, and volunteer work at various hospital thrift shops, the latest of which was the Syringa Thrift Shop in Grangeville.   It was here that she was awarded the Presidents Volunteer Award for her many hours of service.  A newly found, recent interest in her life was UFC and MMA cage fighting that she shared with Debbie, Charlie and Kyle.

 She was preceded in death by her husband, George H. Cecil Sr. and son George H. Cecil, Jr.  She is survived by her family: Debbie (Charlie) Fournier, Paula (Terry) Anderson, Karen (Mike) Musgrove, Larry (Carole) Cecil, Dennis Cecil, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A rosary will be recited on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville.  A funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, August 16, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville.  Services are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville.

Barbara requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Sts. Peter and Paul Phase One Construction Project.

Send condolences to the family to: Blackmerfuneralhome.com

Della Irene Donnally Kemp, 92 of Grangeville passed gently away at home with her family at her side on July 22, 2010.  Della, the youngest of seven children, was born in Thurman, Iowa on April 28, 1918 to William Moses and Rebecca Ann (Moyer) Donnally.  About 3 months after she was born her mother died of influenza and the family traveled by train to Mt. Idaho where she resided for 87 years.  She has lived in Clarkston with her daughter and son -in-law, Becky and Mike Moriarty, for the past several years.  

Della was raised in Mt. Idaho by her aunt and uncle, Maude and Andy Donnally, while her brothers, Frank, Harvey, Charlie and Lloyd and her sisters, Hazel and Esther were raised at the Children’s Home in Lewiston.

She went to elementary school at the Country School in Mt. Idaho that was on the hill above her home.  She graduated from Grangeville High School in 1936 where she enjoyed school activities including basketball, sewing, algebra, track and field. Since there were no buses, Della walked the 3 miles from Mt. Idaho to Grangeville to attend school.   She enjoyed fishing and old time dances in Mt. Idaho. She would attend social activities in a horse drawn sled during the snowy winters.  In 1937, Della graduated from My Ladies Beauty School in Boise, Idaho.

While she was a senior in high school and working at the Idaho Hotel she met and fell in love with Bill Kemp even though he came in with his muddy boots to clean up in the restroom – which she then had to clean as part of her job.  They were married by the Justice of the Peace in Lewiston, Idaho on November 30, 1940.  They began their married life at the family’s Salmon River Big Bar sheep ranch, a 27 mile horse trip from Forest, Idaho near Winchester.  The family herded sheep regularly from the Salmon River to the Buffalo Hump area on foot and horseback.

Della helped run the sheep camp and in August 1941 came out on horseback to Forest, traveling on to Grangeville for the birth of their first son, Billy.  Two weeks later, she went back on horseback to the sheep camp. 

 In 1944, Della once again rode horseback from the Salmon River to Forest, traveling on to Cottonwood where second son Ricky was born. The family later moved to their home in Mt. Idaho.  During this time, Bill and Della ran the Pine Grove Dance hall in Mt. Idaho.  Their third child and first daughter Becky was born about the time the dance hall closed in 1947.  In 1950 their fourth child, Connie Ruth was born and nine years later daughter Kaylynn came along!

Della was a full-time homemaker, dedicated to making sure her husband and children were raised with love and care.  Always taking an active part, Della was a Cub Scout Den Mother, Campfire Girls leader, where she was honored for 30 years of service, a Chapter Mom for Demolay and a Job’s Daughter advisor.  She and Bill were always proud of the fact that their family had two Past Master Counselors of Demolay and two past Honored Queens of Job’s Daughters. She also volunteered with 4-H, Triple Bar Drill Team and was a school volunteer.

Della was a 50 year member and Past Noble Grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodge and a 50 year member of Mountain Queen Chapter #11 Order of Eastern Star, serving in various positions and making lifelong friends. She most enjoyed the kitchen and banquet committees that she chaired.  She was a charter member of the Grangeville Eagles Auxillary#539 and was the Idaho State President in 1988. She and Bill both enjoyed working the many Eagle Breakfasts for which the Eagles are widely known.  She spent many years up at Fish Creek either with the Camp Fire Girls, the Eagles Campouts or teaching her grandchildren how to fish. 

Some of Della’s fondest memories came from her time spent bowling with her OK Rubber Welder teammates, Maxine, Opal and Shirley.  Oh, the stories she would tell of her team travels to many different bowling tournaments!  Bill had just as much fun watching them bowl as the girls did rolling their balls down the alley.

Della enjoyed picking huckleberries.  She did not like to give out her secret spots, but if you went with her you would come home with lots of berries.  She also enjoyed going “mushrooming” with Bill.  They would bring back gallons of mushrooms and spend hours cleaning and canning them for friends and family.  She spent many summer hours fishing at Mallard Creek with Jack and Mary Egle.  She always looked forward to their summer visits and bringing home lots of trout to freeze for the winter.

Besides bowling, she loved to crochet and sew.  The last 7 years she spent building quilts for all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was always working on some sort of project for one of her children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren.  The quilts and afghans are loved by her family just as much as she loved creating them.  When she wasn’t crafting or sewing, Della was reading – she was a voracious reader and loved stories of all kinds.

Della was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years William, her son Billy, her daughter Connie Ruth, and all of her brothers and sisters.  She is survived by her son Rick Kemp (Connie) of Woodburn, OR, her daughter Becky Moriarty (Mike) of Clarkston, WA, and her daughter Kaylynn Irusta (Bob) of Boise, Idaho.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law Lois Donnally, brother-in-law Walter Kemp ( Frances), her grandchildren Chris Hardy (Linda), Tony Hardy(Rebecca), Blaine Moriarty (Dusty), Alan Brown, Michele Fredrickson (Zach), Reiko Kemp (Fred), and Kaitlyn Irusta, her great grandchildren,  Ashley, Sarah Jane, Tate, Trae, Parker, Kalea, Katie and Ava, with another on the way. 

She will be missed dearly by her little dog Penny, all of her family who loved her deeply, and many, many lifelong friends in Grangeville and Mt. Idaho who are left with many wonderful memories.

The family would like to thank her long time doctor, Dr. McIntosh, and Tri-State Hospice for their caring and help in the last days of her life. 

In lieu of flowers please consider donations to Grangeville Eagles Auxiliary #539, Grangeville Rebekah Lodge, American Diabetes Association or Tri-State Hospital Foundation.

Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville is in charge of graveside services at the Mt. Idaho Cemetery on Monday, July 26, 2010 at 11:00 am and the Eagles Auxiliary will conduct a ritual ceremony followed by a reception at the Eagles Lodge in Grangeville.  Friends may call Sunday, July 25, 2010 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville.  Send condolences to the family to: Blackmerfuneralhome.com

On Wednesday, July 15, 2010 Gary D. Likkel fulfilled one of his final desires: to remain true to his independent nature and live out his life in his home in rural Grangeville. He was surrounded by the quietness of the fir trees, the stillness of the wind, and the love and respect of many friends and family.

Gary was born on Feb 28th, 1943 in Cottonwood, Idaho to Harold D. and Margaret Likkel.   He was the first grandson of Henry J. and Jennie Likkel so he held a special role in the Likkel tribe,

Gary attended the Grangeville schools and graduated with honors in 1961. He and his good friend Jerry Scholten went on to study at Boise Junior College in Boise.

He was drafted in the army on October 12, 1965 and served his country during the Vietnam War.

Gary loved the country and worked for several farmers and ranchers in the Grangeville area. After a short time in Saint Maries, he returned to study insurance and eventually took over Likkel insurance Agency, Inc., which his father founded in 1958.

Gary had such a deep passion for Western Art and Native American artifacts, that he opened Arrow L Art Gallery in the late 1970’s, at Grangeville. His keen interest continued throughout the years and he made his last buying trip in June accompanied by Marilyn and Bruce Schoo to the Yakima, WA area. He enjoyed the Russell Art Show in Great Falls, Montana and his many trips to Cody, and Cheyenne, WY. He had a wealth of information about Native American culture and history.

It was not unusual to see Gary accompanied by his Lab dog throughout the fall or winter morning and afternoon scouring the local ponds hunting ducks and geese together. His Black Lab, Gal, and Yellow Labs Misty I and Misty H preceded him in death.

Gary loved music and played the piano and coronet in the band. He taught himself to play the guitar and always enjoyed a good foot stomping country tune.

Gary loved growing beautiful hanging baskets of petunias and fuchsias and you would always find his home beautifully decorated with the many baskets. He even built a small greenhouse so he could winter them over and enjoy them the next year. If you got up early, Gary would be sitting on his deck with a hot cup of coffee or puttering around watering his flowers. Later in the day, he would be working on his tan.

He is survived by his only son, Cody Likkel of Hayden and his wife Jody, along with 3 step grandchildren. In addition, Gary leaves his sister, Bonnie Bentz, and her husband, Darell of Lewiston., his sister, Jeanie Tolcacher and her husband Ray of Prosser, and a brother, Tom Likkel of Hermiston. He also has 10 nieces and nephews who miss his stories. Dick Ettinger, of Cataldo, ID and Rob Wyles of Tieton, WA both were his “Art Traveling Buddies”, who will miss his travels, stories, and knowledge.

Also surviving his is his best and dearest friend, Marilyn Schoo who was like a daughter to him.  She loved him, accompanied him to all his doctor appointments and looked into his eyes to gauge his general well being.  Her daughter, Sydney Schoo stole his heart and he loved her as if she were his own.  He sang songs with her, took her to ride the horse at Cash & Carry, attended her dance recitals and listened to her chatter about the world.  She was the delight of his life.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Ted Likkel.

A graveside service will be held Friday, July 23, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Fairview Cemetery with Pastor Harold Gott officiating.  Services are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville.  A map to the cemetery will be available at Likkel Insurance Agency, Inc., at 221 E. Main St., Grangeville.  Send

The family would like to thank Dr. Hollopeter for his excellent care and telling Gary straight-up the situation whatever it might have been.  Gary was hospitalized so much that he used to say they always had his room reserved for him at Syringa Hotel.  We would like to thank the nurses too.  No words of thanks to Marilyn Schoo can ever express the real depth of our feelings for the care and love she gave to our brother and her friend.  We count it a privilege to witness her following the Lord’s commandment to do unto others.

We are missing you, dear brother.

Send condolences to the family to: Blackmerfuneralhome.com

GRANGEVILLE: Herman Kingma, 86 of Grangeville passed away Tuesday July 6th 2010 due to complications of pneumonia at St Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood, ID surrounded by his family members. 

May 21, 1924 and grew up with his sisters; Grace (the late Jake) Gortsema

and Winnie (Clarence) Danhof and his brother George (Teddy) Kingma.

On the coldest and snowiest day of the year, November 8, 1950 he married the

love of his life, Alice Bos in Manhattan, Montana.  In contrast they

celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on the hottest day of the year in

2000.

He is survived by his wife Alice, and their children; Darrell (Donna) Kingma

 James (Kristien) Kingma and Nancy (Bernie) Kaschmitter of Grangeville.

Donna Kingma of Richland, WA., Joanne (Ken) Haan Lancing, IL., Patricia

(Shannon) Wright of Roy, UT and Lois Kingma of New Plymouth, ID.  Herman

adored his 14 grandchildren six of whom are happily married and have added

four great grandchildren to the family.

Herman had many fulfilling activities and achievements.  He was a charter

member of the District II Civil Air Patrol, the search and rescue auxiliary

of the USAF and was an active member for twenty years. He and Alice spent 7

½ years at the Idaho County Airport as the local hosts and good will

ambassadors to those flying into the area.   His love of the mountains and

outdoors prompted a partnership with his sons forming Kingma Inc. Where they

performed logging site prep and brush piling.   He farmed and ranched on the

same property as his father, raising Black Angus and milking a dairy herd.

The foundation of his life was built around the Christian Reformed Church

and its teachings.

Herman loved to tell his family the story of taking Chiropractic treatments

from Jim Kilgore’s father near WhiteBird, ID. When Herman was a young child

Jim Kilgore rowed him across the mighty Salmon River where Deer Creek joins

the river.  In 1932 at the tender age of eight Herman left his family and

traveled to the Children’s Hospital in Seattle where he spent over a year

battling the dreaded disease.  In his later years Post Polio struck and

Herman fought relentlessly to make certain that the disease did not destroy

his life. 

We will always remember his love of family, church, country and the land and

animals he cared so deeply for.  Memorial services will be held at The

Christian Reformed Church in Grangeville, Tuesday 11am July 13, 2010, under

the direction of Blackmer Funeral Home. Send condolences to Blackmerfuneralhome.com