Robert D. Deerkop, 88, a resident of Harvard, passed away Monday morning, July 7, 2008, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow from a stroke.
Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of life will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Freeze Church in Potlatch. Potlatch Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10300 will conduct military honors.
He was born Dec. 16, 1919, in Latah County, to August and Opal (Jones) Deerkop. He attended his schooling at Palouse and graduated from Palouse High School in 1937. He attended the University of Idaho at Moscow for a couple of years.
Mr. Deerkop entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 16, 1940, and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was discharged on Sept. 13, 1945, as a master sergeant.
He married Alvena Murphy on March 17, 1962, at Potlatch. The couple made their home between Palouse and Potlatch, where they farmed, for 21 years. In 1983 the couple moved to Harvard, where they continued to farm and Mr. Deerkop raised Aberdeen Angus cattle. He was still actively raising cattle at the time of his death.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Alvena Deerkop of Harvard; two brothers, Bud Deerkop of Potlatch, and Joseph Deerkop of Palouse; two sisters, Eileen Dial of Farmington, Wash., and Barbara Deerkop of Lewiston.
Memorials may be given to the charity of the donor's choice.
Kramer Funeral Home, Palouse, is handling arrangements.