Mario P. Zamora
A funeral Mass for Mario P. Zamora, of Yuma, is scheduled for 9 a.m. today at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Born Aug. 21, 1936, in Mexico, he was an agricultural laborer. He died Sept. 20, 2003, in Merced, Calif.
Burial will take place at Desert Lawn. Johnson Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Armand Garcia Martinez
A wake for Armand Garcia Martinez, of Yuma, will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with rosary at 7 p.m., at Johnson Mortuary chapel.
Mass will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Born Jan. 15, 1930, in Yuma, he was the owner and operator of an auto repair shop. He died Sept. 24, 2003, in Yuma.
Lucia Diaz Arango
Lucia Diaz Arango, of Yuma, died Sept. 25, 2003, in Yuma at age 56.
Born June 26, 1947, in Mexico, she was retired from the restaurant business.
A wake is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, with rosary at 7 p.m., at Johnson Mortuary. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Burial will take place at Desert Lawn.
Amada Perez Gill
Amada Perez Gill, of Yuma, died Sept. 25, 2003, at Palm View Rehabilitation and Care Center at age 99.
Born March 29, 1904, in Yuma, she was a motel house- keeper.
A wake is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, with rosary at 7 p.m., at Yuma Mortuary chapel. Mass will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial will take place at Desert Lawn.
Ernestine Mabery Franklin
Ernestine Mabery Franklin, 84, died September 22, 2003, at her El Cajon, Calif., residence.
Born March 26, 1919, in Wetumka, Okla., she was a former secretary for a Superior Court judge in Yuma and also worked for Yuma County for 25 years.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Johnson Mortuary. Burial will follow at Desert Lawn.
John Thomas Bassett
John Thomas Bassett, 69, of Yuma, died Sept. 24, 2003, at Yuma Regional Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 9, 1933, in Talladega County, Ala., and was a builder. He had also served in the Air Force.
No services are planned. Yuma Mortuary & Crematory is handling arrangements.
Armand Garcia Martinez
Armand Garcia Martinez, 73, of Yuma, died Sept. 24, 2003, in Yuma.
He was born Jan. 15, 1930, in Yuma and was the owner of an auto repair shop.
Ann M. Newton, 75, of Yuma, died Sept. 24, 2003, at Yuma Nursing Center.
She was born Jan. 7, 1928, in Liverpool, N.Y., and had been a longtime manager for Circle K in Yuma.
No services are planned. Kammann Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Joseph D. Curran
Former Yuman Joseph Daniel Curran, 71, died Sept. 21, 2003, in Murrieta, Calif.
He was born April 6, 1932, in Boise, Idaho, and had been employed by a business machine company. He served in the Idaho Air National Guard.
A funeral service was scheduled today at 9 a.m. at St. Martha's Catholic Church in Murrieta, followed by intermenty at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, San Diego.
Ethel Manyan O'Brien
Ethel Manyan O'Brien, 69, passed away September 23, 2003 at YRMC. Ethel was born in Laveen, Arizona on November 20, 1933.
Ethel married Albert O'Brien Jr. on May 1, 1954. Ethel was a homemaker. She and her husband made the Ft. Yuma Indian Reservation their home since their marriage.
She is survived by her son, James (Cecilia) O'Brien, of Solana Beach, California; daughter, Cherie Flores (Deke Carlyle) , of Ft. Yuma; grandchildren, Alyssa Breanne, and Michael James, O'Brien, of Solana Beach, CA;Matillias Howard, of Winterhaven, CA; brother, Freddy Reams, of Sacaton, Arizona; sisters, Carlotta Sestiaga, Connie Amador, and MaryO'Brien, of Ft. Yuma. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, and cousins.
Ethel was preceded in death by her husband, Albert O'Brien Jr; daughter, Elizabeth, and parents, Robert and Salome Harrison.
Church services will be held on Friday, September 26, 2003 at the Ft. Yuma Methodist Mission at 4:00pm with Tribal Rites to follow at the Quechan Big House. Cremation will be at 5:00am, Saturday, September 25, 2003.
Pallbearers will be her nephews, the Laurenzana, Sestiaga, Hammond, Escalanti, Ward, and O'Brien boys.
Honorary bearers will be: Freddy Reams, James and Michael James O'Brien, Matillias and Raymond Howard, Boyd Hill, Carlos, Juan Jr., and Juan Castanuela III, Kyrate Lomavitu, Julio Sestiaga Jr., George Amador, Lonnie Black, Damon Andreas, Alton and Anthony Montague, Joe and Milson Jose, Elgin Sunn, Steve, Rodney, and Ira Howard. Wallace Dugan Jr., Alrick Hammond, and Deke Carlyle.
Thomas George Mezei
Thomas George Mezei, 48, passed away September 22, 2003 at his residence. He was born in Ogden, Utah on February 22, 1955. Tom was the owner of G&T Locksmith Safe & Alarm Company and also Telephone Central. He was a member of BPOE (Elks), Harley Owners Group (HOGs), Rolls Royce Owners Club, and the Yuma Chamber of Commerce. Tom was also a drummer for Dogs in Heat.
He is survived by his wife, Shelly Mezei; daughter, Brianna Mezei; son, Aaron Mezei; and parents, George and Flo Mezei.
Tom was preceded in death by his sister, Christine.
A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday, September 26, 2003. For location, call (928) 343-1212.
Flowers can be delivered to Kammann Mortuary before 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 26, 2003, and memorial donations can be made to Hospice of Yuma.
Jimmie Wilson
Our loving brother, Jimmie Wilson, 69, passed away at YRMC on September 18, 2003. Jimmie was born September 27, 1933.
He is survived by his sisters, Vercie, Lottie, Irene, and Mary; brothers, Tony, Willie, Isiah, Rudy, and Eugene. He is also survived by a host of relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 26, 2003 at Johnson Mortuary. Burial will follow at Desert Lawn.
William (Bill) F. Smith
William (Bill) F. Smith, “Our Pappy”,71, joined his beloved wife in heaven on September 22, 2003, where he passed away peacefully in his home.He was born in Greybull, Wyoming on December 21, 1931.
Bill attended andgraduated from Laurel High School in Laurel Wyoming. He was a Korean War veteran and was also a Law Enforcement Officer in Montana.
Bill is survived by his brother, Robert (Ann) W. Smith, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; daughters, Carol (Louis) Didier, of Yuma, and Marilyn Wilkerson, of West Covina, California, Cheryl Pool (Smith), of Spokane, Washington, and Roxanna Smith, of Idaho; son, Michael Smith, of Oregon; granddaughters, Keri D. Cowsert, of Yuma, Michelle Suer, of San Diego, California, Jennifer Torres, of Murrieta, California; grandsons, Michael Didier, of Yuma, Jeffrey Winder, of New York, Brian Ooley, of West Covina, California; and Riley Torres, great-grandson and best buddy.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth C. Smith, and his parents, Genevieve and Frank W. Smith.
A memorial service will be held at Catalina Square at 2:00pm, Saturday, September 27, 2003. Father Paul Gambling will officiate the service. Bill’s final resting place will be next to our mother and Bill’s beloved wife at Desert Lawn Memorial Park.
Memorial donations can be made to the Hospice of Yuma, 1824 S. 8th Avenue.
A special thanks to Dr. Dorothy Wong, and Dr. Panel for taking such good care of our dad.
