Laura Frances Childers

Laura passed away at Alderwood Manor in the early morning of Feb. 15, 2010 at the age of 102. 

She was born Jan. 22, 1908, the second of seven children to Leland and Julia Hilbert Saylor, in Jonesborough, Tenn. When she was six weeks old the family moved to Sunset, Wash. Laura attended and graduated from Sunset High School. She attended Cheney Normal School (EWU) for one year and then Kinman Business College and graduated with a Secretarial Science degree. Following college, she worked in a doctor's office and then a lawyer's office before marrying Harry D. Childers in 1931. They had one son. 

They farmed in the Cheney area until their retirement, when they moved to Cheney. To supplement their farm income she cooked for harvest crews several summers and also cooked turkey for crews during Thanksgiving season for several years. She also spent one summer picking cherries in Wenatchee, Wash.  Her husband passed away in 1993. They were married for 61 years.  Following the death of her husband she moved to Spokane in independent living. 

She was a member of the Tyler Grange for over 75 years and served as secretary for more than 25 years, as well as holding various other offices in the Grange. She enjoyed gardening and had a real green thumb with house plants. She did some crochet work, liked to play cards and did a lot of reading.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers: Claude, Elwood and Wilbur Saylor, and one sister, Carrie Milne.  She is survived by her son, Elvin Childers (Janeth) of Spokane, Wash.; grandson, Pastor Justin Childers (Sonia) of Jasper, Ind.; great grandchildren, Justin, Jr. and Bridget Childers of Jasper, Ind.; brother, Andrew Saylor (Norma) of Walla Walla, Wash.; sister, Lillian Brody (Jack) of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and several nieces and nephews. 

Laura got sick in November 2008. Special thanks go to nurse Linda Ann Johnson, caretakers at Moran Vista Assisted Living where she spent four months in 2009 and the nursing staff at the Alderwood Manor Nursing Home.

Services were held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home, with visitation preceding the service from 9 to 11 a.m.  Pastors Justin Childers and Jeff Kinne officiated. Interment will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.