Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Lettie Mae Kerr
Services will be Saturday for Lettie Mae Kerr, who died Monday in Santa Cruz. She was 79.
Mrs. Kerr was born in Hoxie, Kan., and lived in Santa Cruz for 64 years.
She graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1941 and was a former member of Garfield Park Church, where she taught Sunday school as a teenager.
Mrs. Kerr worked as an operator for the telephone company in San Francisco for several years.
As a mother and sister, she helped raise some of her younger 12 siblings and her own five children, and also helped raise four of her husband’s younger brothers after their mother died.
Mrs. Kerr also served as a den mother for 11 years, a classroom mother for all of her children and was active in the Parent Teacher Association.
"Aunt Lettie" as the neighborhood kids called her, opened her home to those who were hungry or needed a place to stay, family members say.
She enjoyed raising finches, doves and other birds and sewing baby blankets and also liked to watch baseball and any sport her grandchildren played.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Andrew Kerr of Santa Cruz; sons David and Scott Kerr, both of Santa Cruz, and Robin Kerr of Ben Lomond; daughters Wendy Rossini of Santa Cruz and Jayne Scott of Scotts Valley; brothers Lincoln Briery of White City, Ore., Otto Briery of Modesto and Jerry Briery of Washington; a sister, Nellie Anderson of Hillsdale, Mich.; 11 grandchildren; three great-granddaughters; and many nieces and nephews. Her infant son Terrance Kerr died in 1948.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood Memorial Park Crystal Chapel. The Rev. Mark Schwenne of Santa Cruz Bible Church will officiate.
Contributions are preferred in her memory to the American Cancer Society, Dominican Hospital Education Building, 1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
October 17, 2002
James David Tufft
Services will be Friday for James David Tufft, who died Sunday at Dominican Hospital. He was 87.
Mr. Tufft was born in San Francisco and lived in Felton for 12 years.
He worked as a welder before retirement.
Mr. Tufft served as an elder in several Presbyterian churches and was a member of Felton Presbyterian Church.
He enjoyed collecting stamps and coins, and woodworking.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Tufft of Felton; daughters Margaret Elizabeth Tufft of Toulsbo, Wash., and Mary Robin Tufft of Santa Fe, N.M.; brothers Robert W. Tufft of Pebble Beach, John R. Tufft of Anaheim, Ernest R. Tufft of Vacaville and Arthur H. Tufft of Woodland Park, Colo.; nine nieces; two nephews; and five stepgreat-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Felton Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Tufft will be buried at Felton Cemetery.
Contributions are preferred to Felton Presbyterian Church, 6090 Highway 9, Felton, CA 95018.
October 17, 2002
Michael Harwood
Services will be Saturday for Michael Harwood, who died Saturday. He was 66.
Mr. Harwood was born in Paso Robles and grew up in Santa Cruz. He lived in Milpitas for many years and moved to Scotts Valley in 1999.
Mr. Harwood graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1953 and joined the Navy. He served eight years in the submarine service, most of the time stationed onboard the USS Capitaine in San Diego.
Mr. Harwood worked for the Milpitas Fire Department from 1964 until he retired in 1993 and was fire chief from 1973 to 1993.
He continued to be active in city government after his retirement and was appointed to the Planning Commission. In Scotts Valley, Mr. Harwood was chairman of the fire district board of directors.
He loved serving his city and country and was passionate about cooking, golf, reading, home remodeling and family.
He is survived by his wife, Marion Harwood of Scotts Valley; his mother, Sally Harwood of Santa Cruz; daughters Stacy Harwood of Mahomet, Ill., and Jennifer Haruyama of Scotts Valley; a sister, Denise Holbert of Santa Cruz; a brother, John Harwood of San Jose; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Oakwood Memorial Chapel, 3301 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz.
October 17, 2002
Camille Ann De Meo
Services will be Friday for Camille Ann De Meo, who died Tuesday at Dominican Hospital. She was 86.
Mrs. De Meo was born in Tuckahoe, N.Y., and had lived in Santa Cruz since 1998.
She graduated from Tuckahoe High School and the New York Institute of Dietetics. She worked as a dietitian at schools and hospitals in New York for many years.
She was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church. She enjoyed gardening, dancing, cooking and baking.
She is survived by daughter Lorraine Gattuso of Warenton, Va.; sons Joseph De Meo and Thomas De Meo, both of Santa Cruz; sisters Ann Verdarame, Grace Salvatore, Jean Serini, Edith Provenzano and Sister Eleanor Volpe, all of Tuckahoe; five grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Husband Anthony De Meo and brothers Tony and Charles Volpe died before her.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at Holy Cross Church, 126 High St., Santa Cruz. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz. Burial will be at Santa Cruz Memorial Park, 1927 Ocean St.
Contributions are preferred to the American Cancer Society, 1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
October 17, 2002
Valerie Van Dine
Services will be Sunday for Valerie Van Dine, who died last week in Felton. She was 40.
Mrs. Van Dine was born in San Jose and lived in Santa Cruz County since 1980.
She loved children and animals, and family member say she inspired many in her life and in her work for the county Human Resources Agency.
Mrs. Van Dine enjoyed nature and walking in the forest with her dogs.
She is survived by a son, Michael Van Dine of Santa Cruz; brothers Richard and Rodney Van Dine, both of Santa Cruz, Keith Van Dine of Alabama and David Brooks of Oregon; her mother, Bonnie Walker of Santa Cruz; and her father, Howard Lee Van Dine of Alabama.
Services will be 1 p.m. Sunday at the Henry Cowell State Park picnic grounds in Felton. Please bring a favorite memory of her and a dish to share.
Arrangements are by Santa Cruz Memorial Park and Funeral Home.
October 18, 2002
Jack Y. Mametsuka
Services will be private for Jack Y. Mametsuka, who died Tuesday in Watsonville. He was 82.
Mr. Mametsuka was born in Courtland and lived in Watsonville for 50 years. He retired from Birds Eye Foods.
Mr. Mametsuka served in the Army during World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with an Oak Leaf Cluster for valor.
He is survived by a brother, Charles Mametsuka of Gardena.
Mr. Mametsuka will be buried at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park.
Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
October 18, 2002
Hazel M. Eckenroth
No services are planned for Hazel Marie Eckenroth, who died Tuesday in Santa Cruz. She was 86.
Mrs. Eckenroth was born in Minnesota, the youngest of eight children. She lived in the Santa Cruz area for 39 years.
Mrs. Eckenroth worked at Cabrillo College for 17 years, and retired as supervisor of admissions and records.
She was an avid reader who had an impressive collection of books.
She is survived by a nephew, Dale Linder, and his wife, Lee, of Simi Valley.
Her husband, Calvin Eckenroth, died in 1969.
Arrangements are by the Neptune Society.
October 18, 2002
