Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Ruth Anna Smith
At her request, no services are planned for Ruth A. Smith, who died Monday at Dominican Hospital. She was 87.
Mrs. Smith was born and raised in Chicago. She was trained as a nurse at South Shore Hospital. She worked for a short time in Chicago at University Hospital before moving to California. She settled in San Diego where she worked at the county hospital and also did private-duty nursing.
In 1939, she came to Santa Cruz where she was employed at County Hospital. She took a job with the Veterans Administration Hospital System, which had her working at a number of hospitals throughout the state. She returned to Santa Cruz in 1942 where she resumed her position with Santa Cruz County Hospital. She retired after 23 years as senior nursing supervisor.
Mrs. Smith was a member of the Retired Public Employees Association, a former member of the Seascape Country Club and the Nurses Association. She was an avid bowler, enjoyed fishing and was an outstanding golfer. She had won two Santa Cruz County Womens Golf Tournaments.
She is survived by nephews Robert Lee Smith III of Menifee and Lee Smith; nieces Kathryn Babin, Susan Klassen and Paula Duncan; and numerous great-nieces and -nephews.
She was marriage for a brief time to Alfred Wang, who preceded her in death, as did three brothers.
Cremation is under direction of Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz.
Burial will be in Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Oceanside.
July 23, 2003
Donald G. Russell
No services are planned for Donald George Russell, who died Sunday in Santa Cruz of heart failure. He was 91.
A native of Bridgeport, Ohio, he was a descendent of families who homesteaded in the Ohio River Valley in the 1840s.
He graduated from Bridgeport High School and became an apprentice machinist in his uncle’s business in 1930.
In 1942, he marriage Minna Leibenguth, who lived across the river in Wheeling, W.Va. He then joined the Merchant Marine, serving on troop ships in the North Atlantic during World War II.
After the war the couple settled in New Jersey where their two daughters were born.
They moved to San Diego in 1952, where Mr. Russell worked in the aerospace industry. In 1999, he and his wife, Minna, moved to Santa Cruz to be close to their family. His many hobbies included rollerskate dancing, scuba diving and inventing.
He is survived by daughter Kathy Haber of Santa Cruz and two grandchildren.
His wife, Minna, died in April.
Santa Cruz Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
July 23, 2003
Les Rhodes
Services will be Aug. 2 for Les Rhodes of La Selva Beach, who died Tuesday at the Driftwood Healthcare Center from complications of a stroke. He was 88.
The Oakland native had lived in this county since moving with his family to Aptos when he was 3. He graduated from Watsonville High School and San Mateo Junior College.
Mr. Rhodes was an apple picker, a truck driver, bus driver and head custodian for the Pajaro Valley School District.
He was a tech sergeant who earned a Bronze Star in World War II. He also was a cartoonist who would draw pictures for school children on his lunch breaks. He was a Civil War buff, and an avid golfer who was club champion at Aptos Seascape.
He belonged to La Selva Beach Community Church.
He is survived by daughter Barbara Rhodes of San Jose; sons Ron Rhodes of Sunnyvale and James Rhodes of Santa Cruz; two grandchildren; four nieces; and two nephews.
Services will be 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at La Selva Beach Community Center.
July 23, 2003
Annette Evans
Services have been held for Annette Evans, who died Jan. 12 of congestive heart failure. She was 82.
Mrs. Evans was raised on the Blanchard Family Ranch in Petaluma. She marriage Oliver Evans in 1943, and moved with him to Salinas in 1952, where they lived for 25 years and raised two sons.
Mrs. Evans was a homemaker and a registered nurse. She and her husband retired and moved to Capitola in 1977.
Her husband, Oliver, died in 1983.
She is survived by sons Lee Evans of Salinas and John Evans of Santa Cruz; and granddaughters Meredith and Blair of Salinas and Marie of Santa Cruz.
July 23, 2003
Belen L. Mendoza
Services will be Monday for Belen Lopez Mendoza, who died Tuesday at Watsonville Community Hospital. She was 70.
A native of Cananea, Sonora, Mexico, she worked for eight years at UC Santa Cruz doing custodial work, and also worked as a nurse. She lived in the Watsonville area for 42 years.
She loved traveling and cooking, but mostly enjoyed spending time with her family.
She is survived by her companion of 46 years, Guadalupe Puente of Watsonville; sons Raymond Mendoza of Gardena, Paul Sonico of Imperial Valley, Tony Sonico of Brawley and Carlos Sonico of Aptos; daughters Linda Sonico of Hemet and Ana Lopez of Watsonville; brother Ernesto Mendoza of Mexicali; sister Catalina Aguirre of Heber; 18 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Saturday and from 2-5 p.m. Sunday at Davis Memorial Chapel. A rosary will be recited at 3 p.m. Saturday, also at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Assumption Church, 100 Salinas Road, Pajaro.
She will be buried at Valley Catholic Cemetery, 66 Marin St., in Watsonville.
July 25, 2003
Eachren Dorothy Grote Fuller
Services will be Tuesday for Eachren Dorothy Grote Fuller, who died July 16 at St. Louise Hospital in Gilroy. She was 89.
A Vancouver native, she was a resident of the Monterey Peninsula for the past 29 years.
She was a homemaker for 55 years. She came to the Monterey Peninsula in 1974 from Silver Spring, Md. She was active at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Carmel Masonic Lodge and Sons of Norway in Monterey.
She also enjoyed stamp collecting and oil painting and was a champion Scrabble player.
She is survived by daughter Christine A. Hunt of Santa Cruz; a grandson and two great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Berkley L. Fuller, died in 1973.
Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Monterey. The Paul Mortuary in Pacific Grove is in charge of cremation arrangements.
She will be buried in Union Cemetery in Winfield, Kan.
Contributions are preferred to St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, 52 Soledad Drive, Monterey, CA 93940 or Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 1798, Monterey, CA 93942.
July 25, 2003
John R. Mitchell
Services have been held for John Raymond Mitchell, who died June 25. He was 83.
Mr. Mitchell grew up in Minnesota playing baseball with Ted Williams, the Boston Red Sox great. He always wanted to be a pilot. He came from a family of wealthy bankers who disinherited him because he wouldn’t go to Yale University like the rest of his family. He just wanted to build airplanes. He test-flew the B-17 and B-24 in World War II. Until his retirement, he was the director of maintenance for a major airline.
Mr. Mitchell loved to travel, and would tell his children stories about the different countries in which he had spent time. He had a very extensive collection of jazz and blues records. In addition to aircraft, his hobbies were cars, sports and music.
Mr. Mitchell is survived by his children: Tim, Chris, Karen, John Patrick, John Raymond III, Christine, John Hart and Marsha.
His wife, Jewell, and a child, John Lamb Mitchell II, died before him.
Services were private.
Arrangements were handled by Santa Cruz Memorial Park & Funeral Home.
July 25, 2003
Les Rhodes
Services will be Aug. 2 for Les Rhodes of La Selva Beach, who died Tuesday at the Driftwood Healthcare Center from complications of a stroke. He was 88.
The Oakland native had lived in this county since moving with his family to Aptos when he was 3. He graduated from Watsonville High School and San Mateo Junior College.
Mr. Rhodes was an apple picker, a truck driver, bus driver and head custodian for the Pajaro Valley School District.
He was a tech sergeant who earned a bronze star in World War II. He also was a cartoonist who would draw pictures for school children on his lunch breaks. He was a Civil War buff, and an avid golfer who was club champion at Aptos Seascape.
He belonged to La Selva Beach Community Church.
He is survived by wife of 52 years, Betty Rhodes of La Selva Beach; daughter Barbara Rhodes of San Jose; sons Ron Rhodes of Sunnyvale, and James Rhodes of Santa Cruz; two grandchildren; four nieces and two nephews.
Services will be 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at La Selva Beach Community Church.
July 25, 2003
