Los Angeles County, California Obituary and Death Notice Collection
(Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in the Downey and surrounding towns.)
Many of these obituaries do not have the year of death included. Use the Social Security Death Index to determine this information.
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Downey, Los Angeles County, California Obituary Collection
GenealogyBuff.com - Downey, Los Angeles Co., California Obituary Collection - 16
Posted By: GenealogyBuff.com Date: Wednesday, 31 July 2024, at 4:46 p.m.
C. Richard Bustamante
MONTEREY PARK - A Funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday, Oct. 8, at St. Bruno's Catholic Church in Whittier for C. Richard Bustamante, a longtime resident of Monterey Park and a former grocery clerk for Ted Pappas Convenience Store.
Born in Los Angeles, he was 66 and died Oct. 3 in Long Beach Veterans Hospital.
He served the U.S. Army Signal Corps in the Korean War, and was a member of the American Legion Post 397 of Monterey Park.
Survivors include his brother, Hugo Bustamante of Monterey Park; a sister, Martha (Bob) Trousil of Downey, and many nieces and nephews.
Rev. Father Jim Bradley officiated.
Burial followed at the family plot in Calvary Cemetery.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
Richard H. Lawrence
DOWNEY - Services will be today (Friday, Oct. 9) at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 10544 Downey Ave., for Richard Herbert Lawrence, a Downey resident since 1951, who died Oct. 4 at USC-Norris Cancer Center, due to complications from colon cancer.
He was 75, born Oct. 23, 1922 in Aromas, California, to Kenneth McCray Lawrence and Mabel Ethelyn Wilson.
He grew up in southeast Los Angeles, and attended Loma Vista Elementary, Bell High School (Class of 1940), and USC (MB '48, MA '49).
"Load" spent three years on the USC Trojan offensive line (1940-42), before joining the U.S. Army, serving as a captain in World War II (1942-45) and again in Korea (1950-51).
His professional career started in 1949 as an elementary school teacher, and physical education and youth services consultant.
He continued through the ranks as elementary vice-principal, and in 1958, was promoted from principal to the Budget Division in the Office of the Superintendent.
He represented Los Angeles Unified School District in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento for 12 years.
He was then promoted to assistant superintendent-staff relations in 1969, associate superintendent-personnel division in 1970-71, area superintendent-Area J (San Fernando Valley, 1971-75), assistant superintendent-Division of Education Support Services (1975-78), Area 3 superintendent (South Central Los Angeles, 1978-80), Area 9 superintendent (San Fernando Valley, 1981-83), and assistant superintendent, Special Projects Office of the Superintendent (1981-83).
On his retirement in 1983, he continued to serve his profession and community as director of capital development for Junior Achievement of Southern California, coordinating a $6.3 million construction project (1983-94).
In 1993, he began assisting the Foundation for the Junior Blind in a $10 million project.
Dick also led the Association of California School Administrators (1990-94) as state retirement consultant and received the Robert E. Kelly award for distinguished service.
A faithful USC Trojan, he served on the boards of the USC Trustees, USC Alumni Association, Spirit of Troy Marching Band, USC Football Alumni Club, President's Circle Support Group, was president of EDUCARE (1968-69), Cardinal and Gold, the Education Alumni Association, Women of Troy, and Skull & Dagger.
He was the honored recipient of distinguished university awards, including the USC Alumni Service Award in 1974, the Fred B. Olds Support Group Man of the Year in 1978, and was honored in May with the distinguished R.O.S.E. Award.
He was also recently chosen as chairman of the California Retired Teachers Association.
Survivors include his wife, Edith of Downey; a sister, Patricia Park of Ventura; sons Gibson of Westminster, Colorado, Jeffrey of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Nelson of Vancouver, Washington; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and countless relatives and friends.
Graveside services will follow at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
Arrangements are by Rose Hills.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his name to Junior Achievement of Southern California, Inc., 6250 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90068; the Kurka Foundation Fund, 22122 Londelius St., West Hills, CA 91304; the Foundation for the Junior Blind, 5300 Angelus Vista Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90043; or the USC School of Education, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007.
Helen Maxine Harpster
MADERA - Funeral services under the direction of the Sierra Funeral Chapel were held for Helen Maxine Harpster, a former resident of Downey for 48 years, who died in Madera Oct. 7.
She was 88, and had lived in Madera five years after moving from Downey.
She was an active member of St. Raymond's Catholic Church in Downey, and was a cafeteria manager for 20 years for the Downey Unified School District.
She married her husband, Albert, in 1928.
He preceded her in death.
She is remembered as a loving mother and grandmother, a great homemaker who excelled at sewing, knitting and cooking.
Survivors include her daughter, Jacquelyn Johnson; granddaughters, Kelli Spurgeon and Shaun Spurgeon; and a great-granddaughter, Presley Rainey.
Remembrances may be sent to St. Raymond's Catholic Church, 12348 Paramount Blvd., Downey CA 90242.
Robert J. Henderson
DOWNEY - Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Christ Lutheran Church, 7707 Florence Ave., for Robert J. Henderson, who died while playing golf Oct. 7 in Whittier.
He was 76, born in San Francisco April 27, 1922, and lived in Downey for 40 years.
He was a 1944 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as lieutenant, seeing action in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
He was past president and over-30-year-member of the Downey Kiwanis Club, and was a longtime member of Candlewood Country Club.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge F & AM 273, the Al Malakah Shrine Club, the Terrible 20 Golf Club, and Christ Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife, Anita of Downey; his son, Richard and daughter-in-law, Esper of Clovis; his daughter, Diane and son-in-law, Chris of Naples, Italy; his grandchildren, Maria Henderson, Allissa Henderson, Emily Bott, and Haley Bott; sisters, Florence Jensen of Saratoga, Connie Paulsen of Henderson, Nevada; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital or Christ Lutheran Church.
Marie Z. Waddington
PICO RIVERA - Friends may visit tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 10) from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Downey Zrelak Mortuary Chapel in Downey, for Marie Z. Waddington, a resident of Pico Rivera, and a bookkeeper for 20 years for the B & D Trucking Co., who died Jan. 3 at Kaiser Hospital.
She was 80, and was born in Canada.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil, who died in September, 1997.
Survivors include her sons, James of Cerritos, Rex of Apple Valley; a daughter, Karen Tucker of Chattaroy, Washington; a sister, Dotty Newhall of Lompoc; brothers, Ivan Edwards of Washington and Rod Edwards of Big Bear City; 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary Chapel, the Rev. Barbara White of the Downey Church of Religious Science officiating.
Jeannette Rose Paumier
DOWNEY - A Memorial Mass was heard Thursday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church for Jeannette Rose Durr Paumier, a resident of Downey for 49 years, who died Dec. 31 at Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital in Norwalk.
She had been ill for several months with heart and respiratory problems complicated by diverticulitis.
She was 83, born on St. Valentine's Day in Rome, New York, and was a member of the Court Holy Family No. 1399 C.D. of A., the Widowed Persons Group, Advocates for Multicultural Harmony, and the League of Women Voters.
She married Charles Joseph Paumier on May 18, 1940 in St. Mary's Church in Rome, New York.
They had four children, moving first to Elmhurst, Ill., and later Stamford, Connecticut, before coming to Downey in 1948.
She served as a registrar of voters and election board inspector for 25 years here.
She received awards from North American Rockwell (the Community Service Certificate), The United Way Community Leadership Award, St. Anne's National Catholic Award, the Downey Rotary Award for Community Service, and the League of Women Voters Outstanding Community Service Award (for which she was recognized by the State Legislature).
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, in 1990.
Survivors include daughters, Kay Paumier of Fremont, Colette DiHarce of Long Beach and Mary Paumier Jones of Boulder, Colorado; and two grandchildren.
The Rev. Father John Moloney, was celebrant.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Women in Recovery, Inc., 911 Couer d'Alene Ave., Venice, CA 90291.
Hermann Abegglen, 86
DOWNEY - Private services were held for Hermann Abegglen, a resident of Downey for 63 years, who was self-employed for 25 of them.
He was born in Switzerland Dec. 2, 1911 and died Dec. 31, 1997 in Bell Gardens.
Survivors include his wife, Gerd Abegglen; his daughter, Anabelle A. Apodaca; two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.
Burial was also private.
Ricardo LaCato Russell
DOWNEY - Funeral services were held at Trinity Baptist Church Wednesday for Ricardo LaCato Russell, a graduate of Downey High School and the University of New Mexico, and a sales representative for seven years for Southern California Wine & Spirits Co., who died at his Lakewood home Dec. 29.
He was 31, born April 8, 1966 in Spokane, Washington.
Survivors include his parents, Harvey L. and Mary Alice Russell of Downey; and a brother, Anthony Jerome Russell of Aliso Viejo.
Pastor Scott Burns officiated.
Burial followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
