Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!David C. Valles
Services will be today and Thursday for David C. Valles, who died Sunday at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. He was 43.
Mr. Valles was born in Mexicali, Mexico, and had lived in North Monterey County for the past 12 years.
In his youth, Mr. Valles was an organizer for the United Farm Workers and worked directly with Cesar Chavez. He then worked for Monterey Mushrooms for 20 years and was a supervisor there at the time of his death.
Mr. Valles attended Our Lady of Refuge Church in Castroville.
He is survived by his wife, Catalina Rivera Valles of Watsonville; sons Rodolofo, Alejandro and Eduardo Valles, all of Watsonville; brothers Agustin, Pedro and Daniel Valles, all of Bakersfield; and sisters Isidra Castro of Bakersfield, Marta Quiroz of Taft and Isabel Valles of Los Angeles.
Friends may call from 1-9 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville.
A rosary service will be 7 tonight at Mehl’s.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Refuge Church in Castroville.
August 21, 2002
Lucia Velasco Elliott
Services will be private for Lucia Velasco Elliott, who died Monday at her brother’s Watsonville home. She was 53 and had been diagnosed with cancer in December.
Mrs. Elliott was born in Waipahu, Hawaii, and lived in Santa Cruz County for more than 30 years.
She worked as a business manager for Holiday Inns for 10 years.
Mrs. Elliott is survived by sons Dennis Malenski Jr. of San Diego, Jonathan Elliott of Oakland and Elijah Elliott of Ohio; a daughter, Tyray Elliott of Ohio; brothers Roy, Jesus and Ken Valdez, all of Watsonville; sisters Emeline Akau of Hawaii, Helena Cabanlit, Amy Valdez and Gloria Valdez, all of Watsonville and Venisa Valdez of Hayward; and three grandchildren.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project, PO Box 670, Aptos, CA 95003.
Cremation arrangements are by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
August 21, 2002
Blanche Reba Cox Goodridge
Services are today for Blanche Reba Cox Goodridge, who died Monday at Watsonville Community Hospital. She was 93.
Mrs. Goodridge was born in Nixa, Mo., and had lived in Pajaro Valley since 1943. She worked for Western Frozen Foods for 20 years.
Mrs. Goodridge enjoyed quilting and attended Las Lomas Baptist Church.
She is survived by sons Lendville J. Cox of San Jose, William Lloyd Cox of Las Lomas and Herb L. Cox of Salinas; sisters Mabel Crumply of Modesto and Gertrude Hankins of Oakland; 10 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren and three great, great-grandchildren.
Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville.
Services are 2 p.m. today at Mehl’s.
Burial will follow at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park.
August 21, 2002
Efrain Zavala
Services will be today and Thursday for Efrain Zavala, who died Monday at Watsonville Community Hospital. He was 50.
Mr. Zavala was born in Mexicali, Mexico, and had lived in Watsonville for the past 22 years. He was a self-employed mechanic for many years who participated in the Special Olympics, winning numerous medals.
Mr. Zavala is survived by his mother, who cared for him daily for more than 20 years, Rafaela Hernandez of Watsonville; brothers Pedro Zavala of Mexicali and Edwardo Zavala and Frank Diaz, both of Watsonville; sisters Guadalupe Zavala of San Ysidro, Carmen Armenta of Watsonville and Margarita Diaz Morga of Salinas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
His sister, Emilia Zavala, died in 1983.
Friends may call from 2-5 and 6-9 p.m. today at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
A rosary service will be 7 tonight at Davis Memorial.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick’s Church.
Burial will be at Valley Public Cemetery.
August 21, 2002
Amparo Vitug
Services will be Friday and Saturday for Amparo Vitug, who died Tuesday at her Santa Cruz home. She was 64.
Mrs. Vitug was born in the Philippines and had lived in Santa Cruz since 1968. She was a member of Holy Cross Church.
She is survived by her husband, Roberto Vitug of Santa Cruz; sons Jessie and Joseph Vitug, both of Santa Cruz, and Jonsen and June Vitug, both of San Francisco; daughters Janet Love of San Jose, Jorinda Vitug of Milpitas and Jean Vitug of Santa Cruz; three grandchildren; and numerous brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from 1-10 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Oakwood Memorial Chapel.
A rosary service will be 6:30 p.m. Friday at Oakwood.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 126 High St., Santa Cruz.
Graveside services will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Contributions are preferred in her memory for pancreatic cancer research to the American Cancer Society, Dominican Hospital Education Building, 1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
August 29, 2002
Robert L. DePalmer
Services are pending for Robert L. DePalmer, who died Monday in Santa Cruz. He was 78.
Mr. DePalmer was born in Wilmington, Del., and lived in Santa Cruz for the past 56 years.
He attended high school in Panama, in the former Canal Zone, and joined the Navy soon after graduation, serving in World War II and the Korean Conflict.
Mr. DePalmer worked for Santa Cruz City Schools for many years and retired as a chief engineer with Teleprompter, formerly Santa Cruz Cable, in a telecommunications career spanning more than 15 years.
Family members say he could fix just about anything and was particularly skilled at electronics. He and his wife loved traveling in their RV and were members of the Santa Cruz Aristocrats Motor Home Club.
Mr. DePalmer is survived by his wife of 56 years, Marion DePalmer of Santa Cruz; daughters Lynn Smardan of Santa Cruz and Alice Olson of Hollister; a brother, George Phillip DePalmer of Anchorage; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Services will be announced.
Private Burial arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
Contributions are preferred to a charity of choice.
August 29, 2002
Larry Sweringen
Services will be Friday for Larry Sweringen, who died Monday in San Jose. He was 65.
Mr. Sweringen was raised in Gridley and lived in Santa Cruz from 1972 to 1992.
He practiced law in Gridley and worked as an attorney and real estate broker in Santa Cruz.
Mr. Sweringen enjoyed traveling, reading and long walks on the beach.
He is survived by a brother, Bob Sweringen; a daughter, Joy Sweringen; a son, Mike Sweringen; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel.
August 29, 2002
Florence Wagner
Services will be Tuesday for Forence ‘Shorty’ Wagner, who died Thursday. She was 90.
Ms. Wagner was born in Bruning, Neb., and moved to California in 1934 with her husband and two sons. She worked at Birdseye Frozen Foods and Vapor Cleaners in Santa Cruz. For the past four years, she lived at Pleasant Care Rehabilitation and Nursing Home.
Her husband, Milo "Mike" Wagner, her sons, Fred and Bert Wagner, her sister Myrtle, and her grandson, Billy, died before her.
She is survived by daughter Jolene Freitas-Fitzgibbons; sons Daryl of Shady Cove, Ore., and Ronnie of Foster City; 17 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. at Oakwood Memorial Crystal Chapel, 3301 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz with a reception in the Odd Fellows Lodge Hall.
Oakwood Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
December 1, 2002
