Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Sam Spina
Services will be private for Sam Spina, the former manager of the Santa Cruz County Fair, who died in his Los Banos home Tuesday. He was 86.
Mr. Spina was born in Los Banos but lived for many decades in Santa Cruz County. He ran the Santa Cruz County Fair in Watsonville from 1969 to 1978.
After that he was in the running for a job as Scotts Valley’s city administrator, but pulled out after an uncomfortable meeting with the City Council. During his decade with the fair, attendance nearly doubled.
He was the first full-time manager of the Los Banos May Day Festival in Los Banos and served as the May Day parade grand marshal in 1986. Mr. Spina was a member of the Native Sons, Sons of Italy and Los Banos Golden Agers Club.
He is survived by wife Gloria Spina of Los Banos and daughter Celsa Spina Roy of San Diego.
Services are being arranged by Whitehurst Funeral Chapel.
November 24, 2001
Richard Skotland
Services were private for Richard Skotland, who died Nov. 16. He was 78.
Mr. Skotland was born in Stockton and lived in Santa Cruz County for 72 years.
He graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1941 before joining the Marine Corps.
Mr. Skotland served in the South Pacific aboard the USS Enterprise and the Essex. He was also stationed in Guam with the 5th Marine Amphibious Corp and was discharged in 1945.
Mr. Skotland attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and worked for the Santa Cruz Public Works Department for 32 years. He retired as a senior civil engineer in 1983.
He enjoyed traveling, bowling leagues, bingo, panning for gold, water skiing and whitewater rafting. He liked his afternoon coffee break with friends.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Laurel Lake Skotland of Santa Cruz; daughter Kathie Dignan of Bakersfield; sons Jim Skotland of Hawaii and Keith Skotland of Santa Cruz; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
His brother, Jack Skotland, died before him.
Arrangements are by Norman’s Family Chapel.
November 24, 2001
Anne L. Jordan
Services will be private for Anne L. Jordan, who died Saturday in Santa Cruz. She was 90.
Mrs. Jordan was born in Sweden and raised in Minnesota, where she graduated with honors from Minniehaha Academy and was active in the debate and glee clubs. She lived in Santa Cruz for 55 years.
Mrs. Jordan worked in retail sales for more than 25 years in shops downtown and on the wharf. She enjoyed reading and spending time with her family.
She is survived by daughters Bernice Herman of Santa Cruz, Beverly Peterson of Oregon and Dorothy Mobley of Nevada; son Donald Jordan of Santa Cruz; seven grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Charles Jordan, died in 1952.
Contributions are preferred to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
November 24, 2001
Evelyn G. Rutherford
Memorial services will be Thursday for Evelyn G. Rutherford, who died of natural causes at a local hospital Saturday. She was 86.
Born in Normandy, Tenn., Mrs. Rutherford resided in Watsonville for 67 years. She was a retired bookkeeper with Hunting-Bye Refrigeration and was a member of the Rebecca Lodge, a women’s organization.
Mrs. Rutherford is survived by sons Wayne E. Switzer of Georgetown, Texas, and Dan J. Switzer Jr. of Del Mar; daughter Marilyn L. Schultz of McCormick, S.C.; stepson Jim McMurry of Covina; sister Lou Rose of Penelope, Texas; and eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husbands Dan J. Switzer Sr., Clifford McMurry and John Rutherford.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville. Memorial services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. graveside at the Pajaro Valley Memorial Park, Hecker Pass Road, Watsonville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
October 2, 2001
Ruth F. Stapleton
Memorial services will be Saturday for Ruth F. Stapleton, who died at a nursing home in Santa Cruz on Thursday. She was 83.
Ms. Stapleton, a native of Illinois, moved to California in 1942. She had lived in Santa Cruz for about five years. She worked for Crocker Bank for 25 years. Her hobbies included reading, playing bridge, singing with the choraleers and serving as president of the Willow Glen chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons in 1993.
Ms. Stapleton is survived by her daughter, Carol Sheets of Scotts Valley; sisters Lillian Newbore of St. Louis, Mo., and Rosemarie Alter of Eugene, Ore.; granddaughters Casi Fulkerson and Tina Zamora; and one great-grandson, Jesse Fulkerson.
Memorial services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at San Agustin Catholic Church, 257 Glenwood Drive, Scotts Valley. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association of Santa Cruz, 1777A Capitola Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95062.
October 2, 2001
Marie Bejarana
Services are Wednesday for Marie Bejarana, who died Saturday in her Watsonville home.She was 90.
A Hemsdale, Mont., native, Mrs. Bejarana had lived in Watsonville for 20 years. Mrs. Bejarana worked as a nurse’s aide.
She is survived by sons Edward Bejarana of Ben Lomond and John Bejarana of Watsonville; sister, Grace Parker of Butte, Mont.; one grandchild; and one niece. She is preceded in death by husband Rodolfo Bejarana.
Visitation is today at 10 a.m. at the Oak Hill Funeral Home, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. Services are 10 a.m. Wednesday at Oak Hill Funeral Home’s Chapel of Roses. Arrangements are by Oak Hill Funeral Home.
October 2, 2001
Frank P. Sandoval
Services will be Friday for Frank P. Sandoval, who died Tuesday at Dominican Hospital. He was 46.
Mr. Sandoval was born in Santa Cruz, and lived in Watsonville. He attended Watsonville High School.
His family said he often used his sense of humor to cheer up those around him. He enjoyed driving up the coast to Pescadero, stopping at beaches along the way. He liked to start the day reading the Bible and drinking his morning coffee.
He is survived by wife Jeannie Sandoval of Santa Cruz; daughter Misty Sandoval of Santa Cruz; son Frank Sandoval Jr. of Santa Cruz; brothers Dennis Butler and Carl, Stan Eric and David Baum, all of Watsonville, Eric Baum of Livermore, and Richard Baum of Aptos; sister Arlene Savage of Watsonville; and nine nephews and nieces.
Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Benito and Azzaro’s Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the chapel.
Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Santa Cruz.
October 4, 2001
Brenton Thomas Rice
Services are Monday for Brenton Thomas Rice, who died Friday in his Boulder Creek home. He was 72.
Mr. Rice worked as pharmacist in the San Lorenzo Valley for 40 years.
He was chairman of Ben Lomond’s first Scottish Festival. Mr. Rice was a dedicated lap swimmer for many years, and a devoted scholar whose interests ranged from history to ancient languages, such as Linear B, to the construction of pottery and the chemistry of glazes.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Rice; daughter Lorna Aites of Seattle; son Noel Rice of Scotts Valley; brothers John Rice of Modesto and Hugh Rice of Napa; a grandson; and many nieces and nephews.
Services are 3:30 p.m. Monday at Boulder Creek United Methodist Church. The Rev. Sandra Hammett will lead the service and a reception will follow.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
October 4, 2001
Josephine H. G. Ware
Services are Friday for Josephine H. G. Ware, who died last Thursday from cancer. She was 83.
Mrs. Ware was a third generation Santa Cruzan and a 1935 Santa Cruz High School graduate.
She attended Cabrillo College for a number of years and was looking forward to obtaining her associate’s degree in real estate next year. She attended a speech communications class this spring with her granddaughter.
Mrs. Ware received her real estate license in 1969 and worked 32 years as a broker, founding Golden State Realty in 1980.
Mrs. Ware was a life member of the Santa Cruz Board of Realtors and an honorary member of the California Association of Realtors. In 1981, she led the Santa Cruz Board of Realtors Special Events Committee and also served on the board’s community relations, local government, bylaw and equal opportunity committees. She was past president of the Womens Council of Realtors in Santa Cruz.
In her younger years, Mrs. Ware enjoyed golf, swimming, tennis and skiing. She was a member of the Santa Cruz tennis and sail clubs and horsemen’s association.
Additionally, she was president of the Emblem Club, the Santa Cruz Women’s Club and the Santa Cruz Republican Women’s Club. She was trustee of the Native Daughters of the American West.
She served on the Community Hospital Auxiliary and sang in her church choir.
A lyric soprano with the Santa Cruz Light Opera, she performed the lead in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."
Mrs. Ware was also an active board member of the Miss California Pageant for 25 years, serving as chaperone, hostess and chair of the gold and silver patrons. She was a board member for the Kay Dillon-Miss California Scholarship Foundation and was their secretary for many years.
In 1974, she was hostess and chaperone to Miss California Luciann Buchanan, and enjoyed accompanying her to 49ers and A’s games. Mrs. Ware was a close friend of Charles Finley, former owner of the Oakland A’s, and spent many wonderful times with the team.
She is survived by daughter Honora Robertson of Santa Cruz; brother Fred Grellmann; granddaughter Darci Robertson (Miss Santa Cruz County 2000 and Miss California Rodeo 2001); one niece, one nephew and many grandnieces and nephews.
Services are at 2 p.m. Friday at Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick St., Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred in her name to the Santa Cruz County Scholarship Association, P.O. Box 2867, Santa Cruz, CA 95063.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
October 4, 2001
