Bill Danekas, Longtime Funeral Director and Community Supporter, Dies at 83.

William “Bill” George Danekas Sr., a longtime Colville funeral director and community supporter whose family business has served the area for five decades, died June 1 at his home. He was 83.

Danekas and his wife, Dianne, moved to Colville in 1976, when they purchased Moser Funeral Chapel. The business became Danekas Funeral Chapel, where Danekas spent the next 50 years helping local families through times of loss. He never fully retired and worked alongside his son, Bill Danekas Jr., for 30 years.

Born April 28, 1943, in Spokane, Danekas spent much of his youth in Davenport before moving with his family to a wheat ranch near Ritzville. He graduated from Ritzville High School in 1961, attended the University of Washington and later trained in funeral service through apprenticeships in Walla Walla and Sunnyside.

He and Dianne Smith were married Nov. 9, 1963, in Ritzville. The couple later moved to San Francisco, where Danekas attended the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. After graduating in 1967, the family moved to the Spokane Valley, where he worked for Thornhill Valley Funeral Home for 10 years before coming to Colville.

Beyond his professional work, Danekas was known for supporting local youth, schools, fairs, and civic programs. He was a longtime supporter of the Stevens County Fair fat stock sale, as well as the Hunters, Inchelium, and Ferry County fairs. He also supported school programs, Tree of Sharing, Project Santa, Colville ASB, youth athletics, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other local fundraisers.

His community involvement included Colville Rotary, the Colville Chamber of Commerce, Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Shriners, Mt. Carmel Board of Directors for the Dominican Sisters, Dollars for Scholars, Colville Airport Advisory Board, and the Colville Parking Commission.

Family members described Danekas as hardworking, generous, humble, and compassionate. He enjoyed time on his tractor, woodworking, tying flies, flying his Cessna 172, fishing local lakes, and spending time with family.