William Bennett Mathis

William Bennett Mathis passed away Oct.12, 2007, of complications from Alzheimer's. He was bom Jan. 10, 1919, in Quincy to Christian and Maroa Mathis. At 2 years of age he moved with his parents to Rice, Wash., where he grew up on a ranch. He attended school at Pleasant Valley for eight years and graduated from Kettle Falls High School in 1937.

In 1939 he manied Ailene Higgins in Colville.They had one daughter, Sharon. On June 25, 1989, they celebrated 50 years of marriage with their daughter and granddaughters present.

They farmed at Rice until 1953 when they moved to and developed a farm unit near Ephrata. They retired in March of 1989 and moved into Ephrata. William joined the Quillisascut Grange in Pleasant Valley in 1941 and was recognized by the National Grange of Patrons of Husbandry in 1991 at White Trail Grange, Grant County, for 50 continuous years of Grange membership. He was a 7th Degree Member and held many positions in the Grange including Quillisascut Grange Master in 1947 to 1948, member of Two Springs Grange in Ephrata, charter member of White Trail Grange, Grant County Pomona Overseer in 1974 and Pomona Master in 1978. He also served as Grant County Grange Deputy in the 1990s.

William was preceded in death by his wife, Allene in 1990 and his sister Harriett Murdoch in 2005. He is survived by his daughter Sharon and son-in-law John Roberds of Anchorage, Alaska, two granddaughters, Sherri Dee Amodemo and her husband Frank; Deborah Dee Bennett and her husband Rick, both of Anchorage, Alaska, seven great-grandchildren, Amanda Dee Amodemo, Joseph Dell Amodemo, Bryce William Amodemo, Marisa Dee Bennett, Paris Dee Bennett, Brooklin Dee Bennett, and Shade Owen Bennett; and two nieces, Maroa Hodgson, of Colville and Ramona Kyle of Thompson Falls, Mont.

Services will be conducted at St. Johns the Baptist Episcopal Church in Ephrata at 2 p.m. Oct. 16, 2007. Interment will be held on Oct. 18, 2007, at 2 p.m. at Colville Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu flowers donations may be sent to the Alzheimer's Foundation. Arrangements under the directions of Nicoles Funeral Home in Ephrata.