Eva Merino
Eva Merino, 72, of Safford passed away Nov. 29 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tucson.
She was born Dec. 31, 1931, in Metcalf to Jose Casteneda and Sophia Loya.
Eva lived in Clifton growing up. That is where she met Antonio Reyna Merino of Morenci.
They met in June 1954 and dated for two years before getting married in January 1956. They were married for 49 years.
With that marriage came six children, Robert, Steve, Adaman, Fellip, Carol and one stepson, Antonio Jr.
Eva is survived by four sisters, Josephine Ruiz, Natalia Magallanes, Sophia Zuzueta, and Millie Starr; four brothers, Arturo Castaneda, Joe Castaneda, Raymond Castaneda and Aramando Castaneda; four sons, Robert Merino, Steve Merino, Adaman Merino and Fellip Merino; one daughter, Carol Castaneda; one stepson, Antonio Merino Jr.; 12 grandchildren, Jody Merino, Brian Merino, Jesse Merino, James Merino, Marlow Merino, Mary Merino, Jeremy Merino, Jessica Merino, Melissa Merino, Michah Merino, Raymond Merino and Eva Merino; one great-grandson, Zachary Merino; and her loving husband of 49 years, Antonio Merino.
Eva's greatest joy in life was spending time with her family and her grandchildren.
Arrangements were en-trusted to Morris Safford Funeral Home.
Fay Ellen Henager
Fay Ellen Henager passed away Dec. 18, 2004.
She was born in Safford on March 8, 1943, to John Henry Scoggins and Vinnie Faye McClain.
She met and married Willie Lee "Bud" Henager on Oct. 16, 1961. She and Bud had five children, Karl Lee, Christopher Lynn, Michael Wade, Bryan Dwight and Shanna Jayann.
She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She loved cooking, helping friends and neighbors and taking care of her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one son, Christopher, and four brothers.
Surviving are her husband of 42 years, Bud Henager; son, Karl, and his wife, Bonnie, and their five children; son, Mike, and his wife, Nina, and their two children; son, Bryan, and his wife, Carlene, and their three children; daughter, Shanna, and her husband, Travis, and their four children; and eight brothers and sisters.
Visitation was Tuesday, Dec. 21, in the Morris Safford Funeral Home chapel, and the service was Wednesday, Dec. 22, at the First Southern Baptist Church in Thatcher. Interment was at the Pima Cemetery.
James Starr
James Starr of Clifton passed away Dec. 21 in Tucson at the age of 73. He was born July 28, 1931, in Portales, N.M. Graveside services will be held Thursday, Dec. 30, at 11 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Morenci -- Morris Safford Funeral Home.
Gareld William John
Gareld William John, surrounded at home by his loving family and friends, peacefully returned to his heavenly father on Nov. 19, 2004.
Gareld was born Oct. 14, 1913, to Charles Porter John and Emma Irene Cluff in the family home in Safford. He married Helen Clawson, his childhood sweetheart, in the Mesa LDS Temple on Oct. 19, 1934. They were blessed with four wonderful children, Charlene (Jim) Steele, Dennis (Judy) John, Linda (Steve) Ebbert and Debra (Lee) Ranill. Gareld is survived by his wife, Helen; younger brother, Delmar (Jean) John; four children; 15 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.
Gareld grew up in Safford, working with his father and brothers on the family farm. He attended Safford High School and Gila College, where he graduated with an associate's degree in business. Although times were hard because of the Great Depression, Gareld found work at S.H. Kress & Company.
At this time, he and Helen were married and lived in Phoenix. Gareld started Western Chemical & Mfg. Co. in Phoenix with his cousin, Bill Cluff. Through hard work, perseverance and sacrifice, the new company grew and prospered. It was later moved to Los Angeles, Calif. Gareld believed that to make a difference, you had to stand up for your beliefs and values, provide an excellent product and have integrity in your business dealings. The extraordinary growth and success of the company is testimony of his ethics and hard work.
Gareld loved to hunt and fish with his family and friends. The beautiful deserts and mountains of Arizona were "home" to him, and one of his greatest joys was to set out in his "Explorer," breathe in the fresh desert air and enjoy God's creations. He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He supported nine grandsons and numerous young men on their two-year LDS missions.
He dearly loved his sweet wife, children and grandchildren. Gareld was an exceptional person, a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. He was a good man and will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
His family and friends are grateful for the love and concern that has been shown to Gareld and the family during these difficult times. They also appreciate the loving caregivers and nurses from Hospice who tended Gareld.
Services were held Saturday, Nov. 27, at 11 a.m. at the Sierra Verde LDS Chapel in Glendale. Interment was Monday, Nov. 29, in the Safford Cemetery.
Local arrangements were entrusted to Bunker's Caldwell Chapel.
Belva Hill
Funeral services for Belva Hill, 93, of Safford were conducted Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004 at Bunker's Caldwell Chapel. Concluding services followed in the Pima Cemetery.
Pearl C. Niebuhr
Pearl C. Niebuhr nee Simonds, born Feb. 16, 1908, was the last child of E.R. and Clara Simonds of Baraboo, Wis.
She married the late Arthur Niebuhr in 1927. During their life together, they enjoyed living in the United States from the Midwest to the East Coast, the West Coast, Hawaii and, finally, Safford.
Together, their personal accomplishments were many. We, the visible ones -- daughter, Pat Catalano-Park of Safford; granddaughter, Pamela Dean Cannon; great-grandsons, Zachary and Ryan King; and great-granddaughter Pamela Brent King of California -- are very proud of Pearl's ability to achieve success in her own right.
As a sister, wife, mother, grandparent and employee, she loved, forgave, nurtured and worked as an individual, part of the immediate family or an integral part of the human family.
With the able assistance of Hospice and her caregivers, Pearl joined our Lord Jesus Christ and family from her home on Nov. 15, 2004. She was buried with her husband, Art, at Holy Hope Cemetery on Nov. 18.
Alton E. Hare
Alton E. Hare, 68, of Sun Lakes passed away Nov. 24, 2004.
He was born to Dwight and Lucille Jones Hare in Tait's Gap, Ala., on May, 22, 1936, the youngest of three children.
Alton's family moved to Ajo in 1941, and there he lived and attended school until 1952. His family then moved to Bisbee, where he attended his last two years of high school.
Alton married Beverly Smith Hare on Sept. 7, 1957. They had two children. The family moved to Safford in 1975.
Throughout his life, Alton worked many jobs, including as a telegraph operator for Southern Pacific Railroad and as a shovel operator and truck driver for Phelps Dodge in Bisbee and Morenci. He was also a successful real estate broker and developer. Alton retired from Phelps Dodge in 1994.
He married Nancy Craddock in July of 1987.
Alton greatly enjoyed rodeos, horse races and, in his younger years, hunting and fishing. Later in life, he and Nan moved from Safford to Sun Lakes. They enjoyed traveling extensively in their fifth wheel. Spending time with his grandchildren, traveling and horse trading were Alton's life. He was well-known for the latter and rarely, if ever, lost money on a deal.
Alton was preceded in death by his parents, Dwight and Lucille Hare; brother, Edward Hare; and sister, Leona Hare Dumas.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Hare; son, Alton David Hare; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Rene Craddock; daughter and son-in-law, Jacquelyn and Tony Evans; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Dave Bayster; and 16 grandchildren.
He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Patrick E. Kelly
Graveside committal services for Patrick E. Kelly, 94, of Virden, N.M., were conducted Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004, at the Alma Cemetery in Alma, N.M.
Patrick passed away Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004, in Safford. Mr. Kelly was born in Mogollon, N.M.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Violet (Emma) Kelly, and grandson, Pat Kelly.
He is survived by his son, Robert E. Kelly, and wife, Rhea, and his grandchildren, Phillip Bob and Sandi Kelly.
Mr. Kelly had 10 great-grandchildren, Ryan, Darin, Shane, Bobbi Jean, Nikkole, Keenan, Steve, Brian, Cole and Bobby Dylan.
A brother, Raymond, and wife, Jeanette, and sisters, Esther Armijo, Rose Bernal, Clorinda Estrada and Felesita and Fred Spanabel, and many nieces and nephews also survive him.
Arrangements were entrusted to Bunker's Caldwell Chapel.
Sandra Jo Stinson Carragher
Funeral Services for Sandra Jo Stinson Carragher were conducted Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at the Pima LDS Chapel with intermenty on Friday, Nov. 19, at the Mike Ramsey Memorial Cemetery in Snowflake.
Sandra was born Oct. 23, 1940, in Safford to Joseph Verl Stinson and Ruby Isabelle Waters Stinson.
She graduated from Safford High School, the Eastern Arizona Junior College and Arizona State University, receiving her bachelor's degree in home economics.
She received her first teaching assignment in Snowflake, where she met her husband, Timothy Aloysius Carragher Jr.
They were sealed for time and all eternity on Oct. 10, 1963, in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Tim passed away in 1981.
Sandra returned to the Gila Valley in July 1982. She began teaching for the Pima Unified School District as a 2nd-grade teacher.
She later retired from the school system but continued to be a teacher to many people.
Sandra enjoyed spending time with her family, cooking and serving other people. She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is survived by her daughters, Timilie Ann Carragher of Pima, Marie Elizabeth Caldwell (Keith) of Snowflake, Patti Jo Woodard (Treb) of Lordsburg, N.M., Danneel Carragher of Mesa; and five grandchildren, Carra May, Hanna Marie, Sandra Vashtia, Timothy Allen and Marynda Jean. Arrangements were entrusted to Bunker's Caldwell Chapel.
Beatriz V. Chavez
Beatriz V. Chavez, 100, of Safford passed away Sept. 24, 2003. Beatriz was born Sept. 10, 1903, in Clifton to Francisco and Teresa Billagran. She married Frank Chavez in 1923 in Clifton. Beatriz had great wisdom and compassion. Her first priority was God, then her family. Beatriz's favorite hobbies were reading, sewing, gardening and movies. She lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression of 1929 and the Cold War from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution through the age of modern technology.
She is survived by her son, Julio Coronado of San Diego, Calif.; and her daughter, Frances C. White of Safford; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren. Beatriz was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Chavez, and son, Manuel Gonzalez.
Visitation for Beatriz was Sept. 27 at the Morris Safford Funeral Home Chapel. Service was Sept. 28, also at the Morris Safford Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed at the Safford Union Cemetery.
Arrangements for services were under the direction of Morris Safford Funeral Home.
