Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Gerald ‘Jerry’ Arlyn Burke
Services will be Saturday for Gerald "Jerry" Arlyn Burke, who died Saturday at home in Capitola after a lengthy illness. He was 63.
A Pasadena native, he was raised in Palo Alto where he attended Cubberly High School. He was one of the first students to enroll at Cabrillo College in Aptos.
Mr. Burke, a former Marine corporal, worked for many years as a contract carpenter. He built decks and structures at the Montevalle mobile home park in Scotts Valley. He spent two years in the Oakland foothills rebuilding homes after the fire there. For the past 10 years he worked at the RMC Pacific Materials plant in Davenport.
"They didn’t know what he did there, but he always got it done," his co-workers told his wife.
Friends said he had a great sense of humor, was always upbeat and told great jokes even during his struggle with lung cancer.
He moved to Santa Cruz County in the 1960s. He lived in Scotts Valley several years, then 15 years on East Cliff Drive. He bought a mobile home on Clares Street, in Capitola, three years ago.
He had a passion for classic cars. He loved to restore them, including his wife’s 1963 Corvette and his "baby," a 1969 Camaro convertible. He was delighted to present his grandson with a 1965 Mustang six months ago.
He was a member of the Boilermakers Union D46, and a past member of the Santa Cruz Corvette Club.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Patti Burke; a son, Mike Sena of Santa Cruz; a brother, John Burke of Santa Cruz; two grandchildren, four nieces, two nephews and several uncles and aunts.
Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Santa Cruz Memorial Park, 1927 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred to the Hospice Caring Project, 6851 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.
April 2, 2003
Natalie L. Kilgore
Services will be private for Natalie L. Kilgore, who died Tuesday at a local hospital. She was 76.
A native of Dowagiac, Mich., she lived in Santa Cruz County for the past 26 years.
She enjoyed her work as a receptionist at Casa Del Rey Retirement Community. She was a member of the Grey Bears and enjoyed painting and reading.
Her husband, Eugene Kilgore, died in 1997. She is survived by her son, Michael W. Kilgore of Morgan Hill; brothers Richard Ferris of Sonora and Robert Ferris of Fullerton.
April 2, 2003
Fay Lande
Services were last week for Fay Lande, who died March 20 at Pleasant Care in Santa Cruz. She was 91.
A native of New York City, she was raised in Brooklyn and was a homemaker since marriage.
She lived in Far Rockaway and Cedarhurst, N.Y., before moving to Santa Cruz eight years ago. She lived in Cypress Apartments for seven years and Sunshine Villa seven months before moving to Pleasant Care.
She loved to knit for her grandchildren and did so until arthritis slowed her down. Her great-grandchildren are still wearing sweaters she made.
Fay Lande loved to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her family said.
She was a life member of Hadassah, active in the Far Rockaway chapter for many years. She was especially active in fund raising, and put her talents to work at Sunshine Villa by selling raffles to raise money for Alzheimers’ research.
"No one could get by her without buying a raffle ticket," friends said. "She was tiny in stature but not in her actions."
She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Ike Lande; a daughter, Myrna Lewis of Suffern, N.Y.; a son, Ken Lande of Felton; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Contributions are preferred to the Hadassah Medical Hospital Fund, or to Temple Beth El Michaelson Hearing Impaired Fund on 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, CA 95003.
Services were held in Spring Valley, N.Y. on March 24. She was buried in Farmingdale, N.Y.
Bennito and Azzaro, Santa Cruz, and Hellman Chapel, in Spring Valley, N.Y., handled arrangements.
April 2, 2003
Ricardo M. Guzman
Services will be today for Ricardo Marin Guzman, who died Sunday in Watsonville. He was 30.
Guzman was the victim of a shooting Sunday in Watsonville. No arrest has been made.
A native of Mexico, Guzman had been working in California for the past month. He enjoyed running, working out and mountain biking.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Alvarado-Martinez Guzman of Mexico; his son, Ricardo Guzman Jr. of Mexico; his daughter, Donna Guzman of Mexico; 14 brothers, including Miguel, Francisco, Edwardo, Carlos and Adolfo Guzman of Watsonville; and six sisters.
Friends may all today from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m.
April 3, 2003
Peggy May Bonnema
Services will be today for Peggy May Bonnema, who died Saturday at her home in Watsonville. She was 84.
A native of Kent, Wash., she came to Watsonville from Fresno 55 years ago. She worked as a waitress for many years at the Resetar Hotel, Royal Grill, Miramar Restaurant, Deer Park Tavern, the Elk’s Lodge and the Loma Linda Restaurant.
She enjoyed gardening, dining out, sewing and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her husband, Bill Bonnema of Watsonville; son Ken Bonnema of Watsonville; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Her daughter, Judy Semmens, died in 1977.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
Contributions are preferred to the City of Hope, 1055 Wilshire Blvd., 12th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90014, Attn: Dolores Wilson.
April 3, 2003
Eugene W. Watkins
Services will be private for Eugene "Woody" Woodrow Watkins, who died Wednesday in Santa Cruz. He was 90.
A California native, Watkins lived in Morro Bay for 17 years and had recently moved to Santa Cruz to be closer to his daughter. He enjoyed all sports and reading. He was a member of the Retired Postal Clerks.
He is survived by daughter Janet Bosworth of Santa Cruz; brother Douglas Watkins of Orinda; and four nieces and nephews.
His wife, Maida Watkins, died last year.
Contributions are preferred to the SPCA.
Arrangements are by Santa Cruz Memorial Park and Funeral Home.
April 3, 2003
Lois J. Miller
Services will be Friday for Lois J. Miller, who died Monday at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. She was 77.
A native of Atoka, Okla., she came to this area from Visalia 56 years ago. She worked for many years as a supervisor for John Ingalls Frozen Foods in Watsonville. She worked with her husband for Jewell Home Shopping, now J.T. Direct, in Watsonville.
She belonged to the Pentecostal Holiness Church.
She enjoyed watching religious videos, sewing and traveling.
She is survived by her husband, Leonard H. Miller of Watsonville; sons Brad and Bruce Powell of Watsonville and John Miller of Washington; daughters Darlene Cook of Tuolumne and Verna Hernandez of Watsonville; sister Christine Woodside of Hanford; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call today from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
Services will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Davis Memorial Chapel.
She will be buried at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park in Watsonville.
April 3, 2003
Myrtle Fitzsimmons
Services will be Saturday for Myrtle Phyllis Fitzsimmons, who died Saturday at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. She was 80.
She was a native of Santa Monica. At 17, she marriage John Tenneson, a Santa Cruz native. They operated a photography studio across the street from Shoppers Corner for several years, specializing in portrait photography, nightclub photos and photographing the Miss California pageant.
In her late 30s, she became a real estate agent in Los Gatos and later in Santa Cruz for Mimi Pease Realty. She marriage Jerry Fitzsimmons in 1965, and together they managed Villa Santa Cruz Mobile Home Park.
She is survived by daughter Judy Seagreaves of Santa Cruz; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Her first husband, John Tenneson, died in 1969. Her husband Jerry Fitzsimmons died in 1999.
A private service will be at Oakwood Memorial Chapel on Saturday.
Contributions are preferred to the Worthy Student Fund, c/o VHM Christian School, 427 Capitola Road Ext., Santa Cruz, CA 95062.
April 3, 2003
