Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Frieda Baack
Services will be Aug. 26 for Frieda Baack, who died Tuesday at her home in San Lorenzo. She was 93.
She was born in Hanley, England, and spent summers at a second home in La Selva Beach.
Her family immigrated to the United States in 1913, settling in Hanford. She graduated from Hanford Union High School in 1928, and worked her way through UC Berkeley. She graduated 1932, and became a fifth-grade teacher.
Her pursuit of education influenced other family members, 10 of whom graduated from Berkeley, Brown and Dartmouth.
She enjoyed classical music, and had season tickets to the Oakland Symphony, organ concerts, San Francisco Pops and the Sol Hurok Community Concert Series. She listened to Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, and was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Guild.
Other interests included metaphysics, painting and drawing and gardening. She loved cats.
She is survived by daughter Barbara Baack of San Lorenzo; sons Caleb Baach of Andover, Mass., and Lawrence Baack of Berkeley; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Ernest C. Baack, died before her.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Aug. 26 at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.
Contributions are preferred to the Humane Society in Hanford.
August 21, 2003
Norman Phillips
At his request, no services will be held for Norman Phillips, who died Friday at Watsonville Community Hospital after a long illness. He was 89.
Mr. Phillips graduated from Watsonville High School in 1931 and served in the Navy during World War II. After his military service, he spent 36 years as a serviceman for Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Mr. Phillips was an avid fisherman and tennis player. He was a member of the Rio del Mar Tennis Club, where he continued playing the game into his 70s.
He is survived by wife Lois L. Phillips of Watsonville; son Stephen Phillips of Rio del Mar; daughter Cheryl Soper of Prunedale; and four grandchildren.
His ashes will be scattered at sea. Cremation and the scattering of his remains at sea have been arranged by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. Contributions are preferred to your favorite charity.
August 25, 2003
Lt. Kylan Alexander Jones-Huffman
Services will be Thursday for Lt. Kylan Alexander Jones-Huffman, who died of enemy fire Aug. 21 in Iraq. He was 31.
Mr. Jones-Huffman was born in Santa Cruz and lived in Aptos from 1980 to 2002, when he and his family moved to Colorado.
Mr. Jones-Huffman was a member of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, wrote poetry, studied martial arts, loved Kipling, had an insatiable curiosity, and read everything he could get his hands on.
He attended Popper-Keizer School, a Santa Cruz-based school for gifted children. In 1990, he graduated from York School in Monterey, where he ran track and field, played soccer, served on the student council and was a delegate to the Junior States of America.
Mr. Jones-Huffman attended the U.S. Naval Academy after leaving the area and earned a master’s degree from the University of Maryland the same year.
Mr. Jones-Huffman spoke German and English beginning as a child, learned French while studying for his master’s degree, and taught himself Arabic and Farsi.
In 1995, he marriage his high school sweetheart, Heidi Lynn Jones, and the couple adopted a hyphenated surname.
Mr. Jones-Huffman attended the Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, R.I., before serving on surface vessels, such as frigates and mine hunters. Mr. Jones-Huffman wrote haiku to document his time at sea. Some of it was published.
Mr. Jones-Huffman was released from active duty in August 2001, but stayed in the reserves. He worked for naval criminal investigations in Washington, D.C., and also taught the history of ancient Greece and Nazi Germany at the Naval Academy. His goal was to earn a doctorate and become a teacher.
Mr. Jones-Huffman was a specialist in Mideastern affairs when he was recalled to active duty for the war in Iraq. He was stationed in Bahrain, but was in Iraq briefing incoming civil affairs personnel trying to set up a government in the southern part of the country.
He is survived by wife Heidi Jones of College Park, Md.; parents James A. and Dagmar Huffman of Pagosa Springs, Colo.; brother Niko Huffman of Phoenix; and sister Alexia Huffman of New Hampshire.
His grandparents, Lt. Col. James B. and Barbara Huffman, and William and Ruth Odenkirchen, died before him.
Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at the Naval Academy Chapel, Annapolis, Maryland.
Contributions are preferred to the Kylan Jones-Huffman Memorial Scholarship for Academic Excellence in History fund at York School in Monterey or to the Kylan Jones-Huffman Endowment at George Washington University. Donations to the endowment can be sent to Mrs. Kathleen Sedehi, 224 Leopard Road, Berwyn, PA 19312.
August 25, 2003
Rochelle ‘Chelle’ Berky
Private services are planned for Rochelle "Chelle" Berky, who died of an aneurysm Friday at Flor’s Guest Home in Santa Cruz. She was 89.
Ms. Berky was born in New Orleans and lived in Santa Cruz for many years at La Posada del Rey Retirement Community.
Ms. Berky was a nationally recognized ballroom dancer and for years an instructor and administrator at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in New York, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. She appeared on the Steve Allen show as a dancer and in numerous television commercials in the 1940s.
Ms. Berky enjoyed playing the piano, dancing, reading and going on outings at La Posada, as well as watching musicals on the big screen TV at Flor’s.
She is survived by son Michael Hector Berky of New Orleans and sister Jeanne Stein Smith of Hollywood, Fla.
A brother Henri Enrique Mathe, and a sister, Ethel Mathe Lindsey, died before her.
Burial will be at Lakelawn Cemetery in New Orleans.
Condolences to Michael Berky, 3922 Packard St., New Orleans, LA 70126-4835
August 25, 2003
San Juana Torres Vasquez
Services will be today for San Juana Torres Vasquez, who died Sunday in Watsonville. She was 88.
A native of Monterrey, Mexico, she had lived in Watsonville for 40 years.
Vasquez enjoyed reading the Bible, cooking, especially with tamales and chorizo, gardening and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed going to Jehovah’s Witness conventions.
She is survived by her sons, Jesus Vasquez of Turlock, Jose Vasquez of Watsonville, Noe Vasquez of Arlington, Texas; daughters, Olivia Ojeda of Salinas, Rachel Vasquez of Watsonville, Eva Garcia of Arlington, Texas, Elizabeth Olivas of Watsonville; sister, Hortencia Acero of Fillmore; 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren.
Her husband of 61 years, Pedro Vasquez, and her son, Pete Vasquez, died before her.
Visitation will be 9-11 a.m. and 2-4:30 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. Viewing will be 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday with graveside services to follow at Pioneer Cemetery.
Memorial service will be 7 p.m. today at Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witness in Las Lomas.
August 26, 2003
Eduarda Herrera
Services will be Wednesday for Eduarda Herrera, who died Friday of cancer at Dominican Hospital. She was 70.
Born in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico, she moved to Watsonville less than a month ago.
Herrera was very active in her church in Mexico. Before retiring, she worked at San Juan Cosala Resort as a message therapist. She enjoyed going back and visiting her friends there.
She is survived by her daughter, Maria R. Medina Soto of Watsonville; brothers, Pablo Herrera of Oakland, Carlos Herrera of Northridge, Jose Herrera of Mexico; sister, Sara Torres of Mexico; numerous nieces and nephews.
Her sister, Gregoria Soto, died before her.
A Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
Visitation will be at Mehl’s from 5-9 p.m. Tuesday and on Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. until the family leaves for the church.
August 26, 2003
Lourdes L. Rosario
Services will be Thursday for Lourdes L. Rosario, who died Sunday at Watsonville Community Hospital following a long illness. She was 36.
A native of Malimpee Pangasinan, Philippine Islands, she had lived in Castroville for the past six years.
Rosario had worked at Jabill Electronics as an assembler before her illness. She was a member of the Family Faith Center in Watsonville.
She is survived by her husband, Gerardo, of Castroville; sons Benjohn and Andre of Castroville; brothers, Joseph and Jr. Deluna of Castroville; sisters Maria Deluna of Watsonville, Zeny Quinsayas, Victoria Rosario, Virginia Deluna and Jovita Barcelon, all of Castroville, Myrna Deluna of the Philippines, Marietta Deluna of Sunnyvale; parents, Maxima and Vitaliano Deluna of Castroville; numerous cousins.
A Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave. Visitation will be from 1-9 p.m. Wednesday at Mehl’s.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Mehl’s with Pastors Jennifer and Randy Coffey of the Family Faith Center officiating. Burial will follow at Valley Cemetery.
August 26, 2003
