Dolores (Abbott) Kennedy of Ridgecrest, California died in the Ridgecrest Hospital on December 5, 2016. Our best wishes are extended to her friends and family during the time of sorrow. She was married to Alfred Kennedy — Class of 1954
It saddens me to tell you that we have lost our friend and classmate, George Garcia. He died at his home in Walnut Creek yesterday. George was a Vietnam vet and a world traveler. He loved to travel and visited many countries, even returning to Vietnam a few years ago. He cherished his Trona friends and memories of growing up in our little town. He was loved and respected by all who were fortunate enough to call him friend.
He will be missed.
Linda Cunningham Monroe
George M. Garcia
Jan. 29, 1941 – Dec. 12, 2016
Resident of Walnut Creek
The nicest place to be is in someone’s thoughts, the safest place to be is in someone’s prayers, and the very best place to be is in the hands of God. George gracefully experienced all of this in his lifetime with a smile. George Garcia passed away peacefully at home after battling multiple myeloma, surrounded by his family. He was born to Modesto and Toribia Garcia in Trona, Ca. He always loved this little desert company town and often said he had the best childhood ever growing up there. He left after graduation for Los Angeles, worked for National Cash Register, married his high school sweetheart, Kathy Leisure, started college, was drafted into the Army, became a medic, and was sent to Vietnam. After being discharged, he made his way up the coast looking for employment and was hired by the City of Walnut Creek. He was then blessed with his three children, Joe, Annette and Mary. He worked for the City until he retired as the Traffic Supervisor, at the age of 60. After an earlier divorce, he met Carole Kelsch, who became his devoted life partner for the next 40 years. Along with working for the City, he received his Associates Degree, his electrical contractor’s license, built two cabins at Serene Lakes near Donner Summit, extensively remodeled the home he lived in, traveled on a mission trip to Africa to help build a birthing center, participated in a mission trip to Honduras, and had many more traveling adventures to Italy, France, Israel, Vietnam and various other countries. He was a board member of Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union for over 40 years, a board member in his mountain community of Serene Lakes for the water board and the property owners association, a member of SIRS Branch #19, served on the Mission Beyond Saint Matthew committee, skied, played golf, bocce, and loved Spring Training in AZ. George had the patience of Job, and with his engineering mind, he could fix anything. He was like the Pied Piper, as everyone from babies to older people loved him. George loved to dance, and even earlier this year he was out on the dance floor and could cut a rug with the best of them. His younger brother, Sam, died nine days before his death and George is now survived by two of eight siblings, Helen Arnold and Terri Mitsuoka. George leaves his best friend and beloved life partner, Carole Kelsch. Also, he leaves three children, Joseph Garcia (Nicole), Annette Robinson, and Mary van Loben Sels (Mark). He was so loved by Kim Szczurek (Norb) and Kristan Kelsch. His grandchildren were the greatest earthly gift given to him and he was Grandpa to Taylor, Jack, Andrew, Lucas, Gavin, Tobey, Thomas and Charlie, and was Papa to Sarah, Zachary and Hope. A memorial service celebrating George’s life will be held Saturday, January 7th, 11:00 am, at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 399 Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek, Ca. Lunch will follow. George was extremely proud to be a Vietnam Veteran and his ashes will be interred at the VA National Cemetery in Dixon. Memorial gifts in George’s honor may be sent to Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Scholarship Fund, 399 Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek, Ca 94598 or Hospice East Bay, 3470 Buskirk Avenue, Pleasant Hill, Ca 94523.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/eastbaytimes/obituary.aspx?pid=183260030
Funeral for Thelma Lois Richardson Rogers, 87, of Roland, Oklahoma will begin at 2 p.m. Monday, December 5th in the Becker Funeral Home of Snyder, Oklahoma with Nephew of Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Eddy Messick officiating.
Mrs. Rogers died after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Thursday evening November 24th, 2016 in a Fort Smith Health and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Smith, AR.
Burial will be in Mountain Park Cemetery under the direction of Becker Funeral Home of Snyder.
She was born March 21, 1929 in Mountain Park, Okla to Minnon Tree (M.T.) and Clara (Susie) Ford Richardson. She attended school in Mountain Park. She married Wilburn David (Bud) Rogers on October 19, 1947 in a double wedding ceremony with life-long friend Margie Holder and Dan Ramsey also of Mountain Park. They lived in Mountain Park for several years before moving to Trona, California where Bud was employed at A.P.&C.C. After many years in Trona, she began working for the Trona Joint Unified School District, first as a janitor and after a couple of years, as a school bus driver. She was well liked by all that knew her and loved tremendously by the many students that rode her 91 passenger bus to school and home every day, as well as multiple cross state trips for athletic events throughout the state of California. She retired in 1985 as bus driver after 25 years with the Trona School system.
Her many hobbies included a good brisk morning walk, and forming, painting and firing ceramic items of all kinds.
Survivors include two children and their spouses: Neala and Steven Montgomery, of Vacaville, Calif; David and Beth Rogers of Kihei, Hawaii; a son-in-law, Mr. Bobby Brannon, of Arkoma, Okla; a sister-in-law, Sharon Rogers of Knoxville, Tenn; three grandchildren and their spouses: Melissa and Jon Bartels of Bella Vista, AR; Bryan Brannon, of Fanshawe, Okla; and Candice and James Williams of Clovis, Calif; 3 great grandchildren – Macy and Kinly Brannon; and Kassidy McKenna Bartels.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother: John Archie Richardson; her husband of 60 years, Bud Rogers; a daughter, Mickey Rogers Brannon; and a grandson, Christopher Neal Montgomery.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America by calling 866-AFA-8484 or by visiting at www.alzfdn.org to see how you can help with this dreaded disease.
Sympathy cards may be sent to the family at www.beckerfuneral.com.
A Fort Smith, Arkansas visitation will be held from 4-6PM at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith, AR.
The family will greet friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral home just prior to the funeral services.
I have recently learned of the passing of Onace Long. He was born in Panama, Oklahoma in 1925. He came to Trona as an athletic coach and teacher in 1957. This was about the same time as his cousin Coach Doyle Long and Coach Carl Bledsoe also came to Trona from Oklahoma. He was my C team football and C team basketball coach as well as my P.E. teacher.
I do not know what other classes he taught but I was a student in his bookkeeping class. He eventually became the elementary school principal. Onace retired in 1988 but even after he retired he continued to teach as a substitute teacher. He has been a prominent resident of Trona for over 50 years and will be remembered fondly by hundreds of former students, parents and residents of Trona.
No date has been set for services.
Joe Henry Ellis passed away on January 24th, 2016 after a long illness. He will be missed by his family, students, friends and classmates.
An email from George Sherman brings the following sad news:
“I’m very sad to have to report that Al has passed away. Thank you to Ann Tankersley for alerting me about it this morning. I just talked on the phone to one of Al‘s sons who verified that Al passed away late last Saturday night (early Sunday morning). His obituary should be posted in the Ridgecrest Daily Independent starting tomorrow (which can be viewed at http://www.ridgecrestca.
David passed away on December 19, 2015 at 5:00 PM. He passed quickly and ever so peacefully in the home that he built in Idaho and loved and cared for surrounded by his family.
Being at home under the care of family and hospice provided a peaceful ending to a long hard battle for a little over a year and a half, with many trips to Minnesota for treatments.
Roy S. Jones from the class of 1989 died on February 19, 2015. He was living in Locust Grove, OK. For more information go to
http://www.locustgrovefuneralhome.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=408919#/obituaryInfo
I will update this if I get any more information.
I received word of James Jorden’s death from Cynthia (Rains) Moreno. James was too young for me to remember, but I do remember his father. You can read his complete obituary at http://www.news-ridgecrest.com/news/story.pl?id=0000003535 or http://www.ridgecrestca.com/obituaries
The sad news that Russell Rector of Trona passed away has come to us this morning from Charlotte (Reeves) Biggs. Russell was a good friend to the Reeves family. More details of Russell’s death should appear in the Ridgecrest Daily Independent in next few days.
The service for Russell is Saturday February 7, 2015 at 9 a.m. Graveside services only with a reception following at the Trona Senior Center.