Obituaries, October 19, 2004

Lavenia G. Barney Spencer, 92

Lavenia G. Barney Spencer, age 92 of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho died Saturday, October 16, 2004 of congestive heart failure. She was born May 13, 1912 in McAdam, New Brunswick, Canada to Gordon and Bertha (Mott) Lister. Lavenia immigrated to the U.S. in 1930 and later became a U.S. citizen.

She married Clifford R. Barney on June 25, 1932 in Lewistown, Montana. They raised a family of five children, living and working at various places and jobs in Montana before settling at their home on the Swan River in Bigfork, Montana. There they operated a Grade A dairy of registered Jerseys, raised sheep, manned Forest Service look-outs and cooked for logging camps and the Forest Service. Clifford died in 1972. Lavenia moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and married Merle Willcox in 1973. They later divorced. She married Raymond "Bill" Spencer in 1996 and they lived in Kellogg. They were members of the Baptist Church in Kellogg.

Besides being an excellent cook and homemaker, Lavenia enjoyed crocheting, knitting, sewing, dancing and painting. Her family meant everything to her.

She is survived by her husband, Bill in Coeur d'Alene; sons and daughters-in-law Eugene and Sally Barney of Victor, MT, Donald and Shirley Barney of Bigfork, MT, Douglas B. and Donetta Barney of Kalispell, MT; daughters and sons-in-law, Arlene and Leroy White of Townsend, MT and Barbara and Jerry Corbin of Coeur d'Alene; sisters, Ruth Eales and Joy Kneabone of McAdam, New Brunswick; 16 grandchildren; and numerous great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at a later date.