Lyle Webber was born March 10, 1935, in Bessemer, Mich., and passed away Thursday, March 5, 2020, in Spokane.

Lyle was the fourth child of Walter and Evelyn (Merrill) Webber. His family moved west before 1941 and Lyle started the first grade in Smelterville, Idaho. They briefly lived in Lewiston before moving to Winchester, where Lyle finished high school in 1953.

Lyle attended Boise Junior College for one year and then transferred to the University of Idaho. In 1957, he married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Schimpf, in Winchester, and they made their first home near Fort Lewis, Wash., where Lyle served in the U.S. Army until 1959. After his Army discharge, they moved to Moscow, where Lyle returned to studies at the UI. In 1962, he graduated from the University of Idaho with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. From 1961-64, Lyle taught and coached at Moscow High School.

In 1964, he and the family moved to Coulee City, Wash., where he taught high school and coached all sports. A few years later, he obtained his school administration certification and served many years as a high school principal. While at Coulee City, he was active in the North Central Washington Activities Association and served several years as their representative to meetings of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). One of Lyle’s great loves was attending the State B basketball tournament, from 1964 when he coached a participating team, to simply attending as a spectator up until 2019.

Toward the end of his school career, Lyle bought a small farm at Coulee City and raised hay, wheat and cattle. In 1986, he and Marilyn moved to Spokane.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Evelyn Webber; brother Walt Webber; and sister June Peterson. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Webber; daughter Laura Howe (David); son Jay Webber (Jeanine); son Jon Webber (Angie); sister Ann Lenz (Dick); brother Ted Webber (Vaunda); sister-in-law Edna Webber; grandsons Patrick Howe, Nathan Webber and Mark Webber; granddaughters Nichole Webber, Jessica Ansett, Jenna Webber, Brooke Morse and Lindsay Webber; two great-granddaughers, Ellory Ansett and Brynn Morse; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Spokane Guild School Foundation (JOYA), 2118 W. Garland Ave., Spokane, WA 99205; or a charity of your choice.

There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sunset Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park, 5200 W. Wellesley Ave., Spokane, WA 99205. A reception will follow at Sunset Chapel.