Floyd 'Van' Sawyer, 77

Floyd "Van" Sawyer, 77, passed away on Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, in Sandpoint, Idaho.A celebration of Van's life will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2005, at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch.Van was born on April 19, 1928, in Sandpoint, Idaho, to Floyd and Vivian Sawyer. He grew up and attended schools in Sandpoint, and graduated high school in 1946. Van served his country in the United States Army, and was stationed in California.Van married Valeda Kemmis on Feb. 3, 1951, at the Methodist Church in Sandpoint. Van worked at Cady and Pier Ford dealership until the mid-1960s, and then went to work for Skaggs Automotive in Spokane, retiring in 1990.Van is best known for his love of fishing, and received numerous Lake Pend Oreille 25-pound fish patches. He is past president of the Bonner County Sportsman Association, and served as Cub Scout leader and baseball coach while his boys were young. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, traveling the world and working in his garden.He is survived by his wife, Val Sawyer of Sandpoint; three sons, Kent (Susan) Sawyer of Spokane, Wash., Kevin (Darlene) Sawyer of Sandpoint, Brian (Mimi) Sawyer of Sandpoint; a daughter, Susan Sawyer and husband Christopher Robbins of Phoenix, Ariz.; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and a brother-in-law, Kay (Marilla) Kemmis of Sandpoint. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a grandson, Jonathan Sawyer.Memorial donations may be made to Cancer Care Northwest, 601 S. Sherman, Spokane, Wash., 99202Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Van's memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his online guest bookDonald Clark Simmons, 91Donald Clark Simmons, 91, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005, in Sandpoint, Idaho. A celebration of Don's life will be held at his daughter Dona's home in mid-October.Don was born on Dec. 7, 1913, in Alameda, Calif., to John and Isabella Simmons. He grew up and attended schools in California, and graduated from Alameda High School in 1933. Mr. Simmons served his country in the National Guard.Don married Virginia Holt on June 30, 1939, in Richmond, Calif. The couple made their home in Hayward, Calif. In 1999, the couple moved to Sandpoint to be closer to their daughter. Virginia passed away on Dec. 24, 2004, in Sandpoint.Don worked as a mechanical engineer in the manufacturing industry. He was a lifelong amateur inventor. He enjoyed the outdoors and wildlife, building bat houses, bird houses and goose nesting boxes.He is survived by his daughter, Dona (Frank) Cook of Careywood, Idaho; a sister, Ila Strong of Reedsport, Ore.; and two grandchildren, Kimberly (Mark) Mann of Oakdale, Calif., and Todd Krug of Newark, Del.He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Virginia; a sister, Willa Woodard; a brother, Robert Simmons; and daughter, Gina Acker, in 1998.Memorial donations may be made to "Sandpoint Sunday Service," c/o The Gardenia Center, 400 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864. Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Don's memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his online guest book.