Marjorie Ruth Settle Huartson, 91

Long-time Riggins resident, Marjorie Huartson, passed away on March 26, 2008 at the Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center. She had been a resident there in Grangeville for several years. She was 91.

Marjorie Ruth Settle was born to Clyde and Joanna (Lee) Settle on November 23, 1916, in Afton, Wyoming. After living a short time in Salt Lake City, Utah, the family moved to Sacramento, California, in 1926. She had a younger sister, Virginia. In their early childhood, Marjorie and Virginia had trouble saying each other’s name, so they were known to each other as Din (Virginia) and Bardi (Marjorie); nicknames they lovingly used from then on. Marjorie took piano lessons as a young girl and so loved to play that her father had to pay her to STOP practicing at times. She graduated from high school in Sacramento in 1934.

Marjorie married Harold (Hal) Huartson on June 18, 1938, in Carson City, Nevada. They lived in Sacramento and had three children: Doranna Joyce, Richard Develo, and Claudia Louise. Marjorie worked secretarial jobs, working at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento for many years. She also taught piano lessons. She and Doranna enjoyed playing piano duets. In 1960, they moved to Foresthill, California, where Marjorie was able to be a full-time housewife, and enjoyed the pleasures of her needlework (knitting, crocheting, tatting, and quilting) and baking bread, and loving every minute of it.

Unfortunately, this was not to last. In August 1960 they were burned out by a forest fire and lost everything, including her beloved piano. Marjorie went to work for the U.S. Forest Service until a move to Reno, Nevada, in 1970. In Reno, she worked for HUD until her retirement in 1976, at which time Marjorie and Hal moved to Riggins to spend their retirement years.

In Riggins, she joined the Salmon River Art Guild and began a hobby of painting in many medias. She was very creative, later adding quilling and pine needle basket-making to her artistic and needlework skills. She enjoyed all her needlework and artistic endeavors and always had several projects going.

Knowing she had Alzheimer’s, she hoped to stave off the disease by keeping her mind active. One way to do this was to memorize things. She vowed and succeeded in memorizing one of her favorite poets, Robert W. Service, and his poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee”.

In 1996, she fell and broke her hip. After her recovery, she lived with daughter Claudia and husband Rocke Wilson for over 4 years until she entered the Idaho County Nursing home.

She is survived by her three children: Doranna Glettig of Markleeville, California, Richard Huartson of Pine Grove, California, and Claudia Wilson of Riggins; 7 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her husband; sister, Virginia; a grandchild, Caren Tognotti, and a great-grandchild, Peyton Pulsipher.

A memorial service will be on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. MST, at the Salmon River Community Church in Riggins.

The family requests that any donations may be made in Marjorie’s name to the Alzheimer’s Organization via the internet at www.alz.org. The family thanks you for your generosity.

Cremation arrangements were under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Barbara Spears, 97

Barbara Spears, 97, of Grangeville, passed away Friday, March 14, 2008, at the Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

She was born May 8, 1910, above Fish Creek near Grangeville, to Carrol and Dea Culley.

Barbara lived around Grangeville until the age of 18, when she married Elmer Parks. After Elmer passed away, Barbara married George Crosier, and after his passing, she married Bob Spears, who has also passed on.

Most of her life was spent here in the Grangeville area besides short stints in Missoula, Montana and Lewiston, Idaho.

Barbara enjoyed fiddling with the Old Time Fiddlers as well as her time in the Grangeville Garden Club. She also loved everything to do with the outdoors. Some of her favorite activities included camping, fishing, and 4-wheeling.

She is survived by her daughter, Averil Franklin and companion Vance Curtis of Citrus Heights, California; 3 grandchildren, Fred Franklin of Grangeville, Shellie Brougher of El Dorado Hills, California, and Glenda Azevedo of Folsom, California, as well as 6 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three husbands; and a grandson, Vance Zink.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Burial will follow at Mount Idaho Cemetery.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Michael J. Godawa, 36

Michael James Godawa, age 36, born and raised in Grangeville to James and Kathy Godawa, went home to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 11, 2008, at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane as a result of a logging accident.

Mike was a loving husband to Michelle; a devoted father to Hayden, Ray, Kate, Joe and Ben; a wonderful son to Kathy, and an integral part to the whole Godawa family.

Mike loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and working in it. He began logging at the age of 17 and although he loved the profession, his true passion was leading others into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Mike fulfilled the calling that the Lord put on his life while pastoring at Trinity Lutheran Church from 2002-2005 and continued working in that calling by loving and ministering to all those he came into contact with. Mike had a huge heart and was always giving to those serving the Lord. Hid generosity was lavished upon those in the mission field as well as those here at home.

Mike owned and operated Faith Hauling and Excavation from 2005-2008.

We were all blessed to have known Mike, and although our hearts ache, we know, without a doubt, that he is rejoicing in the presence of the Lord.

Mike is survived by his best friend and wife, Michelle; children Hayden, Ray, Kate, Joe and Ben; his mother, Kathy Godawa; a brother, Jeff Godawa; grandmother Marge Burkenbine, and loving family members and friends to numerous to list.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 11:30 a.m., at the Grangeville Christian Church. Burial will follow at Mount Idaho Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, a trust fund for the family has been established at Centennial Evangelical Free Church in Grangeville.

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

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.