Author Archives: David Stevens

Peggy (Pearlie) May Mills

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Peggy (Pearlie) May Mills, passed away from CV-19 complications on 17 Dec 2020. Peggy was born 1 Jul 1924 in Englewood, KS to Henry and Ina Ford. She graduated from High School in 1942. She spent 2 years in Colorado Springs, CO during WWII then moved on to Glendale, CA and then Lancaster CA.

While working in a bank, she met J.D. Mills who she was married to for 53 years. They lived in Westend, a small company town (no longer in existence) in Searles Valley where she worked for the Trona Joint Unified School District for 21 years until her retirement in 1983.

They raised two sons in Westend, John who lives in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife Jeanne and Mike, who lives in Bakersfield, CA with his wife Trish. She grew to love the desert. The family explored every dirt road or track for miles around in a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

She and J.D. moved to Ridgecrest, CA, where she was a longtime volunteer at the Maturango Museum. Then to Lancaster, CA where J.D. passed in 2002. Peggy moved to Magnolia Place Assisted Living in Bakersfield to be near family in 2018.

Peggy enjoyed the retired life, traveling to Italy to visit John in the US Air Force, numerous times to Hawaii with her sister-in-law, Mildred and husband Charlie Rader as well as many areas of the United States pursuing her genealogy hobby.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, J.D., sisters Bonnie, Bertha, and Ina, and brother Henry Alonzo, Jr.  She is survived by her two sons, their wives, step-grandchildren Mark Palmer and Carrie McBryant, and step great- grandchildren Josh McBryant and Audrina Arrowood and a step-great-great grandson, Matty Navarro.

Services are pending.

Douglas W Stewart — Class of 1957

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Douglas William Stewart, 75, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2015 with his family beside him.

He was born August 24, 1939 in Los Angeles, CA and grew up in a small Mojave Desert town called Trona. Doug played baseball with his friends despite the 100+ degree heat and ate salt tablets like candy. After graduating from THS in 1957, he went to San Francisco State University to study English.

From 1963-1965 he served in the Army, mostly at Fort Monroe, Virginia, where he was a clerk. He was also a crack shot and was on the target shooting team.

After moving to Nevada he worked at various jobs, including as a Keno writer and a craps dealer at Harrah’s Club, while also attending the University of Nevada, Reno. There he met and, in 1969, married Caroline Bowdish. He received his B.A. in English in 1974, and moved to Pasco with Caroline. Doug earned a teaching credential from Walla Walla College, but only taught part-time. He became a Letter Carrier in 1977 and remained with the Postal Service until his retirement in 2002. Doug and Caroline had two sons, Colin, born in 1978, and Cameron, in 1982. Although they divorced in 1986, both of them remained involved in bringing up their sons.

From an early age Doug loved the out-of-doors, motorcycle riding, and fishing. He was a lifetime member of both the Sierra Club and the NRA. He collected books and read so widely that he seemed to know about everything.

Doug is survived by his sons, Colin Stewart of Kirkland, WA and Cameron Stewart of Pasco, and his former wife, Caroline Bowdish (Stewart) of Pasco.

A celebration of Doug’s life will be held on June 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Richland Community Center. Contributions in his honor can be made to the Sierra Club Foundation (SierraClubFoundation.org) or to the Nature Conservancy (WashingtonNature.org).

Published in Tri-City Herald on May 22, 2015