Archived Marriage Records
Sallie Williamson
Sallie Elizabeth Williamson - passed away at home from natural causes on Friday, July 10, 2009.
She was born July 18, 1929 in Alexandria, Va. She recently celebrated her 59th wedding anniversary with her husband Garrett C. Williamson.
They were married
June 17, 1950 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pocatello.
Along with her husband Garrett, she is survived by two daughters, Joan DeLong (Paul DeLong, husband) of Pocatello, Susan Toner, South Hadley, Ma., and granddaughter Polly Toner, Chicago, Il.
Sallie demonstrated tremendous courage as she endured a life-long battle with heart disease.
Her fiesty personality and determination gave her the gift of years that her family will always treasure.
Her last year was spent enthusiastically planning her 80th birthday party so she could share joy and love with her most valued friends.
Sallie was a life resident of Pocatello with the exception of time spent earning a BA Degree from Stephen's College, followed by living in Missouri on her huspand's family farm for seven years.
She was a homemaker and a community volunteer.
She was a Campfire Leader, an active PTA mom, and a volunteer at Bannock Memorial Hospital and the Red Cross.
She loved children, crossword puzzles, holiday decorations and parties, fresh flowers, nursery rhymes, and stories.
Her home has always been a welcome sanctuary for all who chose to visit.
Along with extraordinary devotion to her family, Sallie was devotyed to her friends and she made certain she kept them close.
She was a bridge player and while she enjoyed the game, it was about the ladies in her club, her cherished friends.
The love and support of family, all friends, and caregivers meant everything as she struggled in her final days.
Her life was a lesson in love, generosity and loyalty.
Sallie is preceded in death by her parents, Charles L. and Fannie F. Lewis, brother Charles L. Lewis Jr., grandson Thomas 'Ryan' Toner, and son-in-law Thomas E. Toner.
Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00PM on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 in the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello.
A funeral service, officiated by her granddaughter Polly Toner, will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 248 N. Arthur, Pocatello, at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.
Internment will be in the Mountain View cemetery following the service.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Idaho Food Bank, P O Box 125, Pocatello, Id. 83201-0125 or Creekside Hospice, Pocatello Office, 4425 Burley Drive, Suite C, Chubbuck, Id. 83202.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello.
Evelyn Craven
Evelyn Monson Craven of Friday Harbor, Washington passed away on Saturday, June 20, 2009.
Born in Preston Idaho in 1925, Evelyn was the youngest of seven children born to Christian Alfred and Jenny Swainston Monson.
After spending her early childhood in Preston, Evelyn attended Pocatello high school where she graduated Salutatorian in 1944.
In the two years following high school Evelyn achieved her Associate of Arts degree with high honors from the University of Idaho, Southern Branch, now Idaho State University.
In 1946 Evelyn turned from further formal education to the field of marriage and family.
Evelyn and Jack Craven were married
in September of 1946.
After their marriage Evelyn and Jack moved to Boise Idaho where their daughter Naoni was born.
They then moved on to Eugene Oregon in pursuit of Jack's education, and in 1949 they returned to Pocatello Idaho to live.
Three more daughters, Claudia, Jennifer, and Jacquie, followed within a few years.
In 1953 the Craven family moved to Manhattan Beach California where they lived until Jack's death in 1957.
Following Jack's death, Evelyn brought the girls back to Pocatello where she returned to school to complete her bachelor's degree.
In 1960 Evelyn earned her Bachelor of Elementary Education again with high honors.
During this time she was the first recipient of the Ethel E. Redfield Memorial Scholarship for the College of Education.
From 1960 through 1963 Evelyn taught at Tendoy Elementary School.
She then returned to pursue her Master's of Education degree which she earned in 1964 from Idaho State University.
Evelyn continued her career as a professor of education at Idaho State University from 1964 through 1975.
In 1977 Evelyn obtained her Doctoral degree in Education from Washington State University.
Evelyn returned to Pocatello and to Idaho State University to continue her career, where she shared her love of learning with her students until her retirement in 1986.
During this time she was the first recipient of the Professional Achievement Award for the College of Education in 1985.
This award certainly reflected her love of teaching and her passion for her work.
No one who ever took Dr. Craven's classes would say they had been easy, but many remembered what she had taught.
Suffering from health issues Evelyn moved in with her daughter Jacquie and her family in 2000.
In 2002 Evelyn moved with Jacquie's family to Nampa, Idaho where she lived until 2004, when she went to join her eldest daughter's family in Friday Harbor, Washington.
Education and family were surely the loves of Evelyn's life.
She blended the two so well that all of her daughters and many of her grandchildren, pursued careers linked to knowledge and education.
Evelyn set an example for all her family, especially her daughters and grandchildren, of what could be accomplished with determination and perseverance, and her example will be honored in generations to come.
Evelyn is survived by her daughter Naoni Zervas (Greg) of Friday Harbor, Washington, Claudia Mecham (Barry) of Pocatello Idaho, Jennifer McPeek of Boise Idaho, and Jacquie Cano (Phil) of Boise Idaho, as well as her grandchildren Adrienne Baisch (Greg), Amy Christensen (Ken), Lisa Mecham (Michael), John Mecham, Scott McPeek (Rachel), Beth McPeek, Tabitha Navarro (E), and Nicholas Zervas, as well as seven great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held for Evelyn on Saturday November 7, 2009 in Pocatello at the Cornelison Funeral Chapel, 431 North 15th Ave.
The family will begin receiving friends at 10:00 am and the service will begin at 11 :00.
The service will be directly followed by a cavalcade to the Preston City cemetery where Evelyn's ashes will be interred.
All arrangements are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home.
Condolences will be shared at the memorial service in November.
In lieu of flowers the family asks you to consider a donation to the Ethel E. Redfield Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of Evelyn.
The contact information for the foundation is: 921 South 8th Ave. Stop 8050 Pocatello, ID 83209-8050
Alice Donat
Alice Elizabeth Merrell Donat
Alice Elizabeth Donat, 91, Blackfoot, returned to her Heavenly Father early Tuesday morning, May 12, 2009 at her home.
She was born on February 19, 1918 to Orson Pratt & Fanny Gwenlion Stinger Merrell in Cornish, Utah.
She had one brother and 4 sisters. Her brother & sisters always said she was "Poppa's Favorite".
She married
Oscar L. Luker on November 7, 1933 and they had six children.
Oscar passed away July 28, 1954. Alice attended Grimm's Business College and then worked as a secretary for Garrett Freight Lines to support her family.
Alice married
George Robert (Bob) Donat on May 9, 1955 and this marriage was solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple January 19, 1974.
Alice and Bob celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on Saturday, May 9, 2009.
Bob was a caring and loving father to Alice's 6 children as well as to another son who joined the family in September, 1956.
In the summer of 1956, Bob & Alice built a cabin in the pines in Island Park which has been a work in progress throughout the years.
The children and grandchildren have many wonderful memories of times spent there with Grandma & Grandpa and now enjoy taking their children there to create new memories.
Alice loved wild flowers and could tell you the name of any flower she came upon.
She liked taking rides on the back roads in Island Park looking for different types of flowers.
Alice & Bob loved to travel and visited most of the lower 48 states, Alaska and Canada.
In the summers they would take the children on a great vacation and then take a vacation together just enjoying each other's company.
They also enjoyed traveling with other family members and took their parents on several trips in their later years.
Alice was an accomplished musician and belonged to the Federation of Music.
She taught piano lessons for 20 years and would have her students perform in recitals two or three times a year.
Once a year, at the final recital, she would present each of her students with a ceramic figurine she made just for them.
Alice loved to knit & crochet and was always making an afghan or outfit for new babies that came along often.
She also created a history book for each one of her seven children which contain pictures and family history.
She worked on these up until she became too ill to continue.
Alice was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings, including Ward Organist, Relief Society President, and was a member of the Stake Relief Society Board for several years.
Alice & Bob served a mission for the L.D.S. Church in the Mississippi, Jackson Mission.
They served in West Monroe, Louisiana and loved meeting the people there.
They made many cherished friends and went back to Louisiana a few times to visit them.
After their mission, they sold their home in Pocatello and split their time between Island Park in the summers and going south in the winters.
Alice & Bob spent 2 winters in the Temple Apartments in S10 George, Utah and worked in the S10 George Temple several days a week.
They also served as Stake Missionaries in the Ashton, Idaho Stake for 4 summers and were assigned to work at the Sunday meetings at West Thumb and Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park.
They served as Stake Missionaries in Apache Junction, Arizona for 2 winters.
Alice & Bob were members of the Good Sams Club and loved meeting new friends and going on trips with their group.
Ten years ago, Alice & Bob bought a home in Blackfoot, Idaho and have enjoyed their time there.
Alice & Bob have 7 children, 39 grandchildren, 108 great-grandchildren and 30 great-great grandchildren.
Alice is survived by her husband, Bob; her children - Harold (Bonnie) Luker, Pocatello; Eileen (Jim) Groome, Yelm, Washington; Gordon (Karen) Luker, Twin Falls, Idaho; Dianne (Sheldon) Olson, Pocatello; Terry Donat, Vandalia, Ohio; Jim (Dianna) Donat, Brigham City, Utah; daughter-in-law, Janice Luker, Twin Falls, Idaho; and one sister, Dolores Merrell, Pocatello.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Howard Merrell; 3 sisters, Florence Walker, Edna Infanger and Mabel Merrell; a son, Ronald Luker; and three grandchildren, Arva Lynn Luker, Keith Luker and Niki Jo Koyle.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. in the Blackfoot L.D.S. Stake Center, 1650 Highland Drive with Bishop Randy L. Hickman of the Blackfoot 13th Ward conducting.
The family will receive friends at the Stake Center from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Prior to the services on Saturday.
Funeral services are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 North 15th Ave. Pocatello.
Burial will be in the Mountain View cemetery, Pocatello.
