(veteran)

Russell L. Hawley, 76, of Blair, died March 11, 2007, at the home of his son, David, in Medical Lake, Wash., with his family at his side. Mr. Hawley had been battling cancer since last July.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane, Wash.

Russell Lowell Hawley was born Jan. 20, 1931, at Lead, S. D., to Harold and Agnes (Hoffman) Hawley. His childhood was spent near the Mission Mountain range in Montana, and he attended school in Ronan, followed by three years in the U. S. Army, with 13 months spent in Korea.

He married Elizabeth Hanson.

He retired after 35 years as an ironworker, working throughout the Pacific Northwest. He spent a year in Saudi Arabia doing construction.

He was a member of the Ironworkers Local No. 14 of Spokane, Spokane Eagles No. 2 Apache Junction Elks No. 2349, Spokane VFW No. 1435, and Blair American Legion Post No. 154.

After retirement, he traveled to Apache Junction, Ariz., in the winter, and spent summers with family and friends in the north.

On Oct. 20, 1995, he married Erna McIntosh. They lived in Blair during the summer and in Apache Junction in the winter.

He is survived by his wife, Erna; sons, Russell Jon of Deer Park, Wash., and David of Medical Lake; daughters, Roberta “Bobbie” and Merianne of Spokane, Wash.; brothers, Allen of Billings, Mont., and Gerald of Seattle, Wash.; sisters, Donna Hill of Viola, Idaho, and Karean Derby of Spokane; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, two sisters and a daughter, Rosland.

Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Spokane, PO Box 2215, Spokane, WA, 99210, or the Blair First United Methodist Church.

~~obituary courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~