Tag Archives: Class of 1954

Patricia (Finnelly) Kummings Rascoe — Class of 1954

Patricia passed away unexpectedly after a fall sometime before her 88th birthday which would have been May1 6.  Patricia was born in Saint Louis County, MN in 1936. Her parents moved to California in 1940. After graduating Patricia moved back to the Midwest and lived most of her life in Wisconsin where she raised four children.

Patricia Larson Kummings obituary, 1936-2024

May 16, 1936 – March 18, 2024

Patricia “Pat” Larson Kummings Rascoe (nee Finnelly), 87, a former Kenosha County resident, passed away surrounded by the beauty of the mountains and the love of her four children and husband on March 18, 2024 in Genoa, NV.

Born in Duluth, MN on May 16, 1936 to Leonard (Pat) and Emeline Finnelly (nee Becker), her family later moved to San Diego, California and then to Trona, California near Death Valley. Both her parents worked at Kerr-McGee.

Pat graduated from Trona High School as Valedictorian and then attended Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in June of 1956. She then moved to Chippewa, WI and stayed with family while attending UW-Eau Claire. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Minor in French in July of 1958.

It was in Eau Claire where she met her future husband Bruce Thomas Larson from York, WI. They married on February 7,1959 in Chippewa Falls, WI. They moved to Kenosha County in 1961 where Bruce worked at American Motors. Pat and Bruce went on to have four children: Laura, Wanda, Eric and Diana. They divorced in 1980.

For over 30 years, Pat taught English at Westosha Central High School. She taught freshmen and seniors, with most of the classes for seniors being Advanced Placement classes. She served as head of the English department for several years and also acted as an advisor for the high school newspaper, yearbook, cheerleading, and many other student activities.

As a lifelong learner, Pat went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Education, Classroom Guidance and Counseling from Carthage College in 1983.

On March 21,1987, Pat married Dr. Donald D. Kummings, an English Professor at UW-Parkside in Kenosha. Throughout their 30 years of marriage, they traveled extensively, including trips to Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, Russia, Asia, South America, Central America and the Middle East. Pat loved to go on these adventures and visited Africa twice, enchanted by the people and the wildlife.

Don lost a very courageous battle with cancer on November 10, 2017. He died at their home in Kenosha with Pat by his side.

Pat spent many retirement years volunteering her time and talents helping young people. She was a mentor, tutor, counselor, and advocate for troubled youth. She was involved with Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc. (KAFASI) for 8 years and was an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Volunteer.

Pat also wrote articles for the Kenosha News. In 2001, she wrote an article that highlighted her love for animals, in particular dogs, titled “Bring Home a Puppy and Prepare to be Humiliated.” The article concluded with the idea that owning and caring for an animal can make you a better person. Throughout her adult life, she always had a dog at her side.

Pat often said some of her happiest times were when she was teaching high school while her children attended. She was a very involved and active mother and teacher. Many of her past students made it a point to visit or write after attending college to thank her for being tough, but fair, so that they were prepared for the challenges they faced after high school. She also enjoyed many lifelong friendships with her fellow teachers.

Pat loved and adored her grandchildren and was always interested in what they were doing at school or what their jobs entailed as they got older. She liked to learn about them as individuals through meaningful conversations and visits. She was also lucky enough to meet her great-grandchildren.

In 2018, while making plans to attend a high school reunion, she reconnected with her high school boyfriend, Bob Rascoe, [class of 1955]. They moved to Colorado Springs, CO and married on November 1, 2020. In the fall of 2023, they moved to Genoa, Nevada with its incredible views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The original Pony Express trail ran through their backyard, as did the local herd of deer that kept her entertained.

Pat is survived by her husband, Bob Rascoe; her sister, Marjorie (Alan) Cohen of Sherman Oaks, California; her children, Laura (Keith) Stummer, Wanda (Todd) Stingley, Eric Larson (Debbie Zaionc) and Diana (Saunders) Kohn; her stepson, Jeremy Kummings (Jill Murray) of Minneapolis; six grandchildren, Erin, Megan, Zhenya, Elyse, Adam, and Blair; three step-grandsons, William, Eamon, Lincoln; two step-great grandsons; Kaiden and Cas, and one great granddaughter, Clara. Also surviving are her sister-in-law and her husband, Dianne and Arvid Faldet, of Eau Claire and their three children, Stephanie, Dan and Allison.

The family recently held a private service in Racine.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kenoshanews/name/patricia-kummings-obituary?id=56512904

 

 

Eric Chandler — Class of 1954

Eric Chandler
Eric Chandler

June 24, 1936 ~ June 16, 2017


Eric was born Eric Robert Joseph Schumacher to Erie Hester Price Schumacher and Robert William Schumacher in Cincinnati, Ohio. Before the age of three, his father died in a work related accident. His mother subsequently married Bernard Leroy Chandler, who adopted him. His name was formally changed to Eric Edward Chandler August 5,1941

Eric graduated from Trona High School in southern California where he was raised, and went onto the University of Cincinnati. He graduated from Ohio State University with a major in education and a minor in mathematics.He married Pearl Josephine Galloway October 20, 1956, who gave him his daughter, Sherry Lynn Chandler. They were divorced January 20, 1967. Two subsequent marriages followed: Susan Trieschman, married Feb. 2, 1969, Clark County, NV, and Peggy Kay Schiffer, married August 25, 1979, Clark County, NV., before he married Tanya Marie Veater Sargent, a widow with three grown children, in Duchesne, Utah on July 16, 2004.

His love of flying was well known. He joined the U.S. Air Force and flew  reconnaissance missions daily for nearly a year in Viet Nam. He also trained pilots at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas for three years. After his discharge, he flew 18 years for Western Airlines and United Airlines until he retired due to medical problems. That did not stop his flying; he got his own plane, and made it on the pages of the Deseret News when he had engine failure, and made a landing on a sand-bar on the Great Salt Lake. Eric was type rated in DC 10, Boeing 727, 737, and for the Air Force: F100 & F86 jet aircraft.Other employment included substitute teaching in the Los Angeles, California area high schools, and algebra to beginning college students. Later, when he made his home in Salt Lake, he taught airplane and powerplant mechanics at the Salt Lake City Community College.

Preceding him in death were his parents, and one infant grandson, Dallas Packer. Eric leaves behind his wife Tanya, daughter Sherry Packer, sister Penny Nielson (Dell Ray), and brother Jerome Chandler (Connie). Also surviving him is grandson, Sean Packer (Amanda), and one great-grandson Brady Packer; granddaughter Jamie Packer, and several nieces and nephews. He also leaves Tanya’s family, whom he has been very close to. Tanya’s daughter Staci Thornton, and her daughter Tiffany (Matt Watson), and her daughters, Brynn and Bailey Crocker: Shana Gardner (Jon); and Sheline Miller (Kurt), and more nieces and nephews from her side of the family.Eric requested cremation, and asked that his ashes be scattered with those of his parents in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oahu. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.


Published by Deseret News on Jun. 25, 2017.


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BEVERLY (COMPTON) WALLACK – CLASS OF 1954

Beverly Jean Milbrath Wallack, 81, went to be with her savior on February 17, 2018, after a short bout with cancer.

Beverly was born on March 7, 1936 in Santa Paula, California, to Rita and Jasper Compton. With siblings Clova and Jim not far behind, they lived most of their school years in Trona, California. She was a cheerleader for Trona High, and well-liked by all her classmates. Up until 2017, she continued to attend the Trona High School reunions and kept in touch with classmates. After high school she married Adrian Milbrath and in 1957 had twin boys, and a year later, a girl. The family moved to Ridgecrest and lived in Wherry Housing, where she made more life long friends, and early on took in ironing to help with finances. They soon opened Balsam Coin Cleaners, a dry cleaning business on Balsam Street, a street which was the hub of the town in the day. Beverly had many talents, one being a seamstress, and she made many matching outfits for the kids (whom everyone then thought were triplets). During the time in Wherry, they bought property on Downs street, and spent many weekends planting and watering trees, and eventually building their dream home, which they were able to move into in 1971. Adrian had his pilot’s license, and together they would fly various friends to Mexico for vacations. They attended many evening functions, and she would always make something new to wear. Usually, it included some kind of feathered accessory. She was indeed the fashionista. She worked at Mesquite High School as the secretary for Pat Davis, who was the principal. She loved her job, the people she worked with, as well as the students, and made more lifelong friends. She then attended Lancaster Beauty School and came back to Ridgecrest to open The Face Place. It was a career that she had a passion for, she loved her clients and her clients loved her. After she and Adrian divorced, she gave up The Face Place, married Mike Wallack, and moved to San Bernardino. Mike and Beverly made many a trip flying to various air shows in his plane. After Mike retired from the San Bernardino Sherriff’s department, they moved to Silver Lakes and made it their forever home. They had a house built on one of the fingers, and a party barge. On 4th of July you could find them on the water watching the fireworks with friends and family. Every morning she would walk 3 miles around the lake, and in the summer you could find her at the pool doing laps, and water aerobics. She joined the Arts & Crafts Guild and was the expert for all the sewing, knitting, and crocheting needs. At the annual luncheon, everyone would anxiously wait to find out what Beverly had made to wear this year. After Mike passed, she bought a motor home and was a member of the Elk’s and Silver Lakes RV clubs. She traveled all over the country with her sister, friends, and the clubs enjoying life at its fullest. All anyone had to say was “Beverly we are…..” and her answer was “count me in”.

Everywhere Beverly went, she was involved in many activities, making new friends, and never letting the grass grow under her busy feet. She played racquetball and swam on her lunch hours while working at Mesquite, she learned to line dance, and would take every opportunity to participate wherever she was. She was a member of the Arts & Craft Guild in Silver Lakes, the American Sewing Guild, the Red Hat Scarlets, Knitting and Crocheting Club, The Republican Women’s Association, and she was a Shepherd’s Helper at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Beverly was a vivacious woman who loved Jesus, her family and friends, and life. She was a great mom and grandmother, a good and giving friend to many, and in turn, loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Beverly is survived by her children, Robert Milbrath (Jeana) of Havasu City, AZ, Richard Milbrath, and April Castleberry (Tim), both of Ridgecrest, CA; Sister, Clova Dyer of San Bernardino; Stepchildren Linda Ferguson and David Wallack, both of San Bernardino, CA; grandchildren Bryan, Cody, Vanessa, Gregory, Lucas, Michael and Travis; and great-grandchildren Kaylee, Jacob, Madison, Jaxson, Cheyanne, Joseph, Jude, Gianna, and Daniel. Her parents, her brother Jim, and husband Mike preceded her in death.

A funeral mass will be held at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 17900 Jonathan St. in Adelanto on March 8th at 11:00, with a reception to follow. A charitable contribution may be made to the American Cancer Society.http://www.taftmidwaydriller.com/news/20180303/beverly-jean-milbrath-wallack 

Alfred Kennedy – Class of 1954

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.com/obituaries), and his funeral will be at the Holland and Lyons Mortuary in Ridgecrest at 10 AM [Saturday Jan 30, 2016].  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend because I will be in Memphis at the time.  When Al was in Trona High, he went under the name Alfred Adams, but his official name is Kennedy.  He was married to  Dolores (Abbott) Kennedy (Trona High School 1955)”

Don Brooks

Donald “Don” Milton Brooks Class of 1954

My brother, Joel wrote and told me that that Don Brooks, class of 1954 had died about a year ago.  His death was October 26, 2011. He was buried in the Searles Valley Cemetery. Don Worked in Trona for 40 years.

Don Brooks’ Obituary

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79673144/donald-milton-brooks