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 - 21
Posted By: GenealogyBuff.com Date: Thursday, 1 August 2024, at 8:06 a.m.
Bice Buccimazza
DOWNEY - A Funeral Mass was heard at the Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel Wednesday, Jan. 27, for Bice Buccimazza, a Downey resident for 38 years and a seamstress for the Edward Hyman Company for 30 years.
She was 86, born in Los Angeles, and died in Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach Jan. 21.
She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and was preceded in death by her husband, Albert in 1984.
Survivors include brothers Chester (Bertha) Dorazio of Downey and Ugo (Virginia) Dorazio of Arcadia; a sister, Melba (Jack) Distarce of Monrovia; four nieces and nephews, 12 great-nieces and great-nephews, and one great-great-nephew.
The Rev. Father Steve Davoren officiated.
Burial followed in Calvary Cemetery.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
Orth "Buck" Rarick
DOWNEY - Funeral services were held Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Downey for Orth "Buck" Rarick, a resident of Downey, for 63 years and a former engineer for the Los Angeles County Fire Department for 30 years.
He was 83, born in Guymon, Oklahoma March 26, 1914.
He was raised a Methodist, was a member of the CCC Forestry Department, was a Deacon at the First Baptist Church of Downey, and served on various boards for the church, as well as counseling for childrens' groups.
After retirement from the fire department he worked at various part-time jobs including Leach Grain & Milling Co., in Downey, security for Armor Transport Co., and bus driver for the Downey Transit System.
Survivors include his wife, Georgia Lee Rarick; his sons, Ray E. Rarick, Lee C. Rarick; his sister, Mary Stewart; grandchildren Gregg, Todd, Scott, Rochelle Rumley, Tim, Rod, April, Jennifer and Daniel; two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Burial followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
Arrangements were by the Miller-Mies Mortuary of Downey.
Olyne Prescott
DOWNEY - Memorial services were held Jan. 19 at the Miller-Mies Mortuary Chapel for Olyne Prescott, a resident of Downey for 15 years and the owner of a dry cleaners for many years, who died Jan. 14 at her home.
She was 91, born in Celina, Tennessee, and was a member of the Church of Christ and a former member of the Soroptimists of South Gate.
Survivors included her daughter, Mary Lou Schmidt (Don) of Downey; her grandson, Tim Schmidt (Chrissy) of Downey; a sister, Pauline Hornback of Upland; a brother, Tom Grace; and many nieces, grandnieces, nephews and grandnephews.
Pastor John Rose officiated.
Burial was at Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Arrangements were by the Miller-Mies Mortuary Chapel.
Fred R. Bowermaster
BELLFLOWER - A Funeral Mass was heard Jan. 19, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, for Fred Robert Bowermaster, a resident of Bellflower, for 41 years and a self-employed general contractor in the building industry for 50 years, who also worked in the aerospace industry.
He was 79, born Aug. 23, 1918 in Independence, Kansas, and died Jan. 14 at Coast Plaza Doctor's Hospital.
He served in the U.S. Air Corps as a flight mechanic during World War II, and was attached to a bomber squadron flying missions in the China/Burma/India theater of operations.
Survivors include his wife, Fern; his brother and friend, Bill Bowermaster of Cota de Caza and Downey; and his sister, Catherine Diem of Valley Center.
Cremation followed with interment in All Souls Cemetery.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
Jean Marie Maguin
DOWNEY - A Funeral Mass was heard Jan. 22 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church for Jean Marie Maguin, a 30 year resident of Downey, who was co-owner (with her husband) of Kwik Employment Agency for 25 years.
She was 56, born in Youngstown, Ohio, and died Jan. 18 in Downey Community Hospital.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, in 1989.
Survivors include her sister, Mary K. Sclifo of Laguna Hills; brothers, Frank Cappuzzello and Dominic DeGuisa of Bell; two nieces, two nephews; three grand-nieces and four grand-nephews.
Burial was at Park Lawn Memorial Park. The Rev. John Moloney, Pastor, officiated.
Arrangements were by the Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary.
Clinton Hubbard
DOWNEY - Clinton G. Hubbard, 86, dentist and president/CEO of Meeks Bay Resort at Lake Tahoe, died Jan. 15, due to complications associated with emphysema and pneumonia.
He was 86, born April 25, 1911 in Huntington Park, the seventh child of Clinton D. and Edith Graves Hubbard.
His father was one of the first medical doctors of the area.
His early work experience included time as a merchant mariner.
He traveled the world before graduation from Huntington Park High School in the late 1920s.
After attending UC-Berkely and St. Mary's, he received his doctor of dental surgery degree from USC.
He served as a Captain in the U.S. Medical Corps and was stationed in Palm Springs during World War II, treating Italian prisoners of war.
His fluent Spanish helped him to communicate to them.
He practiced dentistry in Huntington Park, and Long Beach, for more than 60 years, and was known for an outgoing personality and warm smile, keen wit and straightforward approach to life.
He was a member of the El Molica Shrine and served as president of the Huntington Park and East Long Beach Kiwanis clubs.
In 1978, he undertook a new endeavor as president and chief CEO of Meeks Bay Resort and Marina at Lake Tahoe, a U.S. Forest Service facility.
Under his leadership, the resort became known, worldwide, as one of the most beautiful vacation areas.
He married Edythe Victoria Kaneen in 1935. They had recently celebrated their 62nd Anniversary.
Survivors include his wife; a brother, Verne; his sons, Duke B. Hubbard, former associate dean at Pepperdine University and currently vice president of Meeks Bay Resort, and Eric R. Hubbard, former president of the California and American Podiatric Medical Association who maintains a private practice in Long Beach; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Duke graduated from Downey High in 1956, and Eric from Warren in 1961.
The family lived on Second Street in Downey, since 1950.
At the request of Dr. Hubbard, cremation will be followed by the scattering of ashes at sea.
Elmer James Menard, 79
ARROYO GRANDE - A Mass of Christian Burial was heard Saturday, Jan. 17, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Arroyo Grande, for Elmer James Menard, a former longtime resident of Downey, who died Jan. 13 at his Arroyo Grande home.
He was 79, born Jan. 1, 1919 in San Fernando, and was a combat veteran of World War II and the U.S. Navy. He liked the wilderness and adventure, loved to fish and was very supportive of his family in both times of need and achievement.
He was a past member of the Elk's Lynwood Chapter, and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
He moved to Arroyo Grande, from Downey, in 1976.
Survivors include his wife, Katherine M. Menard; two children, Jim Menard and wife, Theresa, of San Bruno, and Donna Radoumis of Walnut; two step-sons, Kurt Carlsen of South Lake Tahoe and Mark Carlson of Grover Beach; five sisters, Tillie Smith of Bakersfield, Valerie Thormahlen of Arizona, Grace Kukuczka of Big Bear Lake, Dorothy Beaulieu of Sylmar, and Anita Fusano of San Fernando; three brothers, Julius Menard of Bellflower, Harold Menard of Diamond Springs, and Ralph Menard of Granada Hills; nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna Marie Gordon Menard in 1986, and two brothers, Clarence and Raymond Maynard.
Arrangements were by the Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach.
Donald M. Peyton
DOWNEY - Services were held Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS - Downey Ward II for Donald M. Peyton, a Downey resident for 58 years and a former employee of the Doty Brothers.
He was 74, born in Iowa, and died Jan. 17.
Survivors include his daughters, Dorothy Judd (Thomas R. Jr.) of Ontario, Laura Martin (Keith) of Montclair, Catherine Lewis (David) of Garden Grove; a sister, Pamela Taliaferro (Roger) of Escondido; and seven grandchildren.
Arrangements were by the Miller-Mies Mortuary of Downey.
