Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Rosa O. Avila
Services are Thursday for Rosa O. Avila, who died Sunday in a Watsonville convalescent center after a long illness. She was 89.
Mrs. Avila was born in San Jorge, Azores Islands, Portugal, and lived in San Jose from 1961 until last year.
She was a member of Five Wounds Portuguese National Church in San Jose, IDES Council No. 142 and Posso, a senior citizens group in San Jose.
She is survived by sons, Antonio Avila of Portugal, Joao, Manuel and Paul Avila, all of San Jose, Duarte Avila of Santa Nella and George Avila of Bellingham, Wash.; daughters, Angelica Avelar of Watsonville, Margaret Mendes of Riverdale and Maria Bausano of Santa Fe; a sister, Laura Cunha of France; 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at Valley Catholic Church.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Five Wounds Church in San Jose, with Burial at Calvary Cemetery.
Friends may call from 3-5 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
September 5, 2001
Sumiko Wakamura
Services are today for Sumiko Wakamura, who died Sunday at home in Watsonville. She was 80.
Mrs. Wakamura was born in Watsonville and graduated from Watsonville High School. She moved to Chicago in 1945 and returned in 1988.
She is survived by her husband, Akira Wakamura; a daughter, Kiyo Shimizu of Watsonville; three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Services are 2 p.m. today at Westview Presbyterian Church. Her ashes will be taken to Pajaro Valley Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
September 5, 2001
Roberta Harrison
Services are today Roberta Harrison, who died last Wednesday at Sunbridge Care Center in Watsonville. She was 68.
Mrs. Harrison was born in Ulmer, S.C., and lived in Ashbury Park, N.J., for 48 years and in Marina for 10 years before moving to Watsonville.
She is survived by sons Nathaniel Harrison of Marina and Carl and Paul Harrison, both of Ashbury Park; daughters, Valerie Calder of Marina, Gloria Harrison of Dover, Del., Peggy Harrison of Denver, Augusta Harrison of Valdosta, Ga., and Towana Caldwell of Seaside; and one cousin, 22 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Her husband, Nathaniel Harrison, and a son, Major Harrison, died before her.
Services are 11 a.m. today at Carpenter’s House in Seaside. She will be buried at Monmouth Memorial Park in Neptune, N.J.
Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
September 5, 2001
Maurilia ‘Honey’ Martinez
Services are private for Maurilia "Honey" Martinez, who died Friday at a local hospital. She was 71.
Mrs. Martinez was born in Topeka, Kan., and lived in Watsonville for 39 years.
She worked in canneries before her 1978 retirement and for the past 10 years created arts and crafts, which she sold out of her home and at shops in San Juan Bautista.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Frank Martinez of Watsonville; sons, Frank Martinez Jr. of Aptos; Jimmie and Daniel Martinez, both of Watsonville; daughters, Gloria Martinez of El Paso and Margie Martinez of San Juan Bautista; brothers, Juan Chavez of Arizona; Jesus Chavez of Indio; Fernando Chavez of San Jose, Guadalupe Chavez of Stockton, Juanito and Angel Luis Chavez, both of Mexicali, and Baldomero Chavez of Stockton; sisters, Luz Ramirez of Texas and Conchita Lopez of Arizona; 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Private services are Friday. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville.
September 6, 2001
Doris Zavala
Services will be Saturday for Doris Zavala, who died Wednesday at Dominican Hospital while giving birth to her first child. She was 23.
A native of El Salvador, she moved to Santa Cruz four years ago and had been working for three years at Money’s Food U.S. Inc., an international company with a Central Coast office.
She is survived by her newborn son, Kevin Zavala; her father, Jose Zavala of Santa Cruz; her sisters, Guadalupe and Rosibel Zavala, both of Santa Cruz; and five brothers and two sisters who live in El Salvador.
Mass will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church at 515 Frederick St., Santa Cruz. Friends may visit from noon to 7 p.m. Friday at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel at 1050 Cayuga St.
She will be buried in El Salvador. An emergency fund to help her son and to pay her Burial expenses has been organized. To donate, call 476-1585 or 479-3496.
September 6, 2001
Norene A. Lee
Services will be Saturday for Norene A. Lee, who died Sept. 1 in an automobile accident on Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. She was 47.
Mrs. Lee was born in Tomahawk, Wis., and had lived in Santa Cruz County since 1974.
She was the former owner of Norene’s Touch of Green in Felton and Reel Research and Development of Ben Lomond. She also worked for Thrifty Drug Stores.
Mrs. Lee was a member of Valley Youth Association and various valley school organizations. Her interests centered on her family, whose members say she was a generous person who helped those in need.
She is survived by her husband, Roger Lee of Ben Lomond; a son, Damien Lee of Lake Tahoe; daughters, Danielle Lee of Lake Tahoe and Sue Lotz of Boulder Creek; a brother, Todd Hazelquist of Santa Cruz; two grandchildren and many extended family members.
A celebration of her life will be 3-6 p.m. Saturday at the family home.
Contributions are preferred to the Homeless Community Resource Center, 112 Coral St., Santa Cruz, or Make-A-Wish Foundation, 120 Montgomery St., Suite 1080, San Francisco, CA 94104.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro’s Pacific Gardens Chapel.
September 7, 2001
Scott Louis Stevenson
Services will be Monday for Scott Louis Stevenson, who died recently in Santa Cruz. He was 38.
Mr. Stevenson was born in Fresno and attended Watsonville schools. He worked as a handyman.
He is survived by a brother, Steve Stevenson of Fresno; three nieces and nephews and four great nieces and nephews.
Graveside services are 10 a.m. Monday at Fresno Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
September 7, 2001
William ‘Bill’ Probert
Services will be Monday for William "Bill" Probert, who died Tuesday at a local convalescent home after a short illness. He was 76.
Mr. Probert was born in St. Louis and lived in Watsonville for 47 years.
His first love was his family. He was active with the Monterey Diocese Crusillo program, spending every weekend for the last six years working with them. He was involved at Holy Eucharist Church, where he was a Eucharist minister.
Mr. Probert was a World War II and Korean War veteran. He was a member of American Legion and past post commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
For the past 15 years he raised funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He was also a volunteer firefighter in Watsonville for many years.
Mr. Probert worked as an insurance salesman locally for more than 40 years and was a past member of Christian Commerce.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia Probert of Watsonville; sons, Bill Probert of Carlsbad and Gary Probert of Palmdale; a daughter, Michelle Morris of La Selva Beach, and six grandchildren.
A rosary and vigil service will be 7 p.m. Sunday at Holy Eucharist Church in Corralitos. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial will follow at Valley Cemetery.
Friends may call from 12-5 p.m. Sunday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville, and after 6 p.m. at the church.
Contributions are preferred to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, 120 Montgomery St., Suite 1080, San Francisco, CA 94104, or Holy Eucharist Church, 527 Corralitos Road, Corralitos, CA 95076 or The Salesian Sisters’ School, 605 Enos Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076.
September 7, 2001
