Ramona M. Spickelmire, 86 July 1, 1927 - July 17, 2013
Ramona M. Spickelmire, 86, of Rathdrum, passed away July 17, 2013, at home in her daughter’s arms. She was born July 1, 1927, in Oklahoma to Irwin and Ada (Price) Vogt. They divorced when she was an infant. When Ramona was 6 when her mother re-married to Ira Ward Yount and from that union came three of Ramona’s siblings: a sister, Rilla and two brothers, Ira (Minter) and Roger.
Ira Ward was the only father she ever knew and he raised her as his own daughter. As a child, Ramona’s formal education was hindered many times by rheumatic fever. Through the aid of a book holding device built by her father, Ramona developed her lifelong love of reading. It is said that as a youth she read every book in the small-town library where she lived at the time. She loved a good mystery, and even upon her passing she had a stack of books read and ready to be returned to the library. Ramona also loved pinochle and belonged to several pinochle clubs.
The Yount family moved from Wichita, Kan., to Boise in 1945. Ramona attended some classes at what was then Boise State Junior College.
Ramona married Lowell F. Spickelmire, son of William and Leora Spickelmire in 1947. Their union was blessed with three children. Coral June was born in 1947, Gail Marlene was born in 1950 and Charles (Chuck) Spickelmire was born in 1954.
She and Dad moved from Boise to Sandpoint in 1970 where they lived for 40 years and spent the last 25 winters in Yuma, Ariz. May 3 this year she came to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Dick Halligan in Rathdrum. Ten days later she was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic melanoma cancer and passed two months later.
She leaves behind her daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Richard (Dick) Halligan, whom she swore was really her son; brothers, Minter (Barbara) Yount of San Antonio, Texas, and Roger (Nancy) Yount of Emmet; grandchildren, Christopher (Chris) Halligan of North Dakota, Amy (Halligan) Sims and her husband James (A.J.) of Post Falls, Aaron Spickelmire of Spokane, and Nathan and Scott Jones.
She experienced great fun and joy with her two great-granddaughters, Hailey Marlaine and Victoria (Tori) Catheryn Sims; and there are many nieces and nephews she held dear to her heart. Ramona is preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Lowell F. Spickelmire; their daughter, Coral Robienczak; their son, Charles (Chuck) Spickelmire and Ramona’s sister, Rilla Jane Hawkins.
After Lowell’s passing in 1997, Ramona continued wintering in Yuma and in 2001 met Philip von Ahlefeld who was her best friend and companion for 11 years until his passing in 2011. Mom also will be very missed by dear lifelong friends in Sandpoint and in Yuma.
At Ramona’s request, no services will be held. The immediate family will have a private memorial at a later date when Mom and Dad will be joined together again and returned to Mother Nature. You can visit her online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.