Mary Lou Scharnhorst, 100, passed away Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston from complications of a brain bleed. Her love and kindness will be missed forever by all who knew her.
Mary Lou was born Mary Lou Whitmore on Feb. 24, 1925, in Moscow. She was the second child of Louise Marie (Kane) and Cecil Ralph Whitmore. Charles was Mary Lou’s older brother and only sibling. Mary Lou was born at her parent’s home in Moscow. All went well as Mary Lou lived a full happy life until she was 100¾ years old.
Mary Lou graduated from Clarkston High School in 1943 and earned a Gregg Shorthand Speed Certificate for 80 words a minute. Mary Lou graduated from Kinman Business School in 1945 along with her friend/future sister-in-law llene (Surry) Scharnhorst. The school required one to be able to type 60 words per minute on manual machines.
In 1946, Mary Lou married the love of her life, Cletus “Clete” Scharnhorst at Holy Family Catholic Church in Clarkston. Father/Monsignor Hugo Pautler officiated the ceremony. He also married her friend Ilene Surry (wife of Clete’s brother Clarence), Ilene’s daughter Janet to Kenny Ray and Mary Lou’s daughter Carol to Len Montague. Mary Lou remained a lifelong member of Holy Family Catholic Church. Mary Lou and Clete went on a honeymoon to San Francisco in a 1941 Chevrolet Sedan. They were married for more than 67 years and they had three sons and two daughters.
In her younger years Mary Lou had many happy memories of her time in Moscow with her aunts. One aunt, Lena Whitmore, was a schoolteacher in Moscow for 40 years and has a grade school named after her in Moscow. Aunt Lena would let Mary Lou play “dress-up” with her clothes and shoes.
When Mary Lou was 9 or 10 (about 1935) her dad (who worked for the Washington Water Power Co.) was transferred to Colville, Wash. The family enjoyed the time there and her dad and brother Charles loved to go fishing. The family moved back to Moscow when Mary Lou was in the sixth or seventh grade. In 1939 her dad was transferred to Colfax where Mary Lou started the eighth grade at St. John’s Academy Catholic School. There were two school rooms, four grades in each room and two people in the eighth grade. After graduating from the eighth grade, her dad was transferred again with WWP Co., to the Clarkston area. Her parents bought a house on 12th Street for about $2,500.
The first job out of high school for Mary Lou was at Zimmerly Airport doing odd jobs. Mainly she washed and cleaned Piper Cub planes. The airport was located close to the current day Costco in Clarkston. While working at Zimmerly’s Mary Lou met a future sister-in-law, Leona Druffel. Leona invited Mary Lou to her farm home in Colton and that is where Mary Lou met her future husband Clete Scharnhorst who worked on the farm. Mary Lou’s was able to attend the wedding of granddaughter Kadey Jo to a Ben Druffel (no relation) in September.
After graduating from Kinman Business School, Mary Lou worked at McMonigle Chevrolet with a starting at a salary of $100/month. Once her first child was born Mary Lou stayed at home and was very busy as a wife and mother. Her life included cooking, cleaning, washing, growing a garden every year, school and church activities. Mary Lou had Clete take the family on Sunday drives and picnics. Mary Lou and Clete always tried to have a vacation with the family each year. It may be camping in their red striped trailer, going to Wallowa Lake, the ocean or Yellowstone Park in a rented trailer and once even driving the family to Disneyland. Mary Lou enjoyed lunch with her “birthday girls,” visiting with her neighbors, shopping till midnight if the stores were open and was quite the card shark at pinochle.
Once the kids were older Mary Lou went back to work. Before she retired at age 62, she worked for 12 years for the Asotin County Court House as a deputy clerk in the Superior Court. She was always amazed how paperwork could change or impact lives.
In retirement Mary Lou joined what was called the “Pink Ladies” later changed to “Blue Angels” and now Tri-State Health Auxiliary, also known as the “Auxiliary Angels” at TriState Health in Clarkston. She volunteered more than 2000 hours with the auxiliary. Mary Lou received a 50-year pin from the Catholic Daughters of America and belonged until her death. Mary Lou and Clete belonged to the Jawbone chapter of the Good Sams Club (recreational vehicle owners) and had many fun camping trips. Every year on the Fourth of July, Mary Lou and Clete enjoyed hosting a Fourth of July breakfast under their carport for all the neighbors and good friends.
When asked, Mary Lou said she most enjoyed being a “mom/grandmother” to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was called “Best Mom Ever” by all her children as she was dedicated to her family and had a kind and giving heart. She demonstrated a strong Catholic faith and a quiet strength throughout her life.
Mary Lou is survived by her children: Carol Montague (husband Len), Ken, Marilyn Appleford (husband Jeff) and Glenn; grandchildren: Steven, Kylie Van Geelkerken (husband Jason), Kari Hamilton (husband Vince), Kadey Jo Druffel (husband Ben) and Danielle Appleford; and great-grandchildren: Sammuel and Matthew Van Geelkerken. On the Whitmore side Mary Lou is survived by her niece Charlene Conley, great-niece Shauna Conley and great-nephew Rick Whitmore. On the Scharnhorst side Mary Lou is survived by an extensive family of nieces and nephews in addition to her many longtime friends and neighbors.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her husband Cletus Scharnhorst, son Dan Scharnhorst, brother Charles Whitmore and nephew Gary Whitmore (Charles Whitmore’s son).
A rosary will be recited at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1109 Chestnut St., Clarkston.
A viewing will be held from 8-9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home, 920 21st Ave., Lewiston. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., also at Holy Family Church, with lunch provided after the service. Burial will be at Vineland Cemetery in Clarkston.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers please make donations to Holy Family Catholic Church or School in Clarkston.
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Tuesday, December 2, 11:00 AM
- Location
-
Holy Family Catholic Church
1109 Chestnut Street
Clarkston, Washington 99403
Get Directions - Additional Details
- Rosary will be held Monday, December 1, 2025 at 5 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church. Burial will follow the Funeral Mass at Vineland Cemetery in Clarkston.
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