Week of March 21, 2002
Tony Corona
Tony Corona, the oldest grandson of the last full-blooded San Juan Bautista Native American, died March 18, 2002 at a Hollister convalescent hospital. He was 99.
Mr. Corona and his wife, Melba, were married in 1936. He was a member of the butcher's union Local 506 and was a retired grocer who had worked in Monterey, San Jose and Scott's Valley. He opened his first store at age 21 and retired in 1969 after 53 years in the business.
Mr. Corona was an elder of the Amah-Mutsun Tribe. He enjoyed gardening and building birdhouses.
Mr. Corona's grandfather, Ascension Solorsano, died Jan. 29, 1930.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Corona is survived by daughter Barbara Corona of Hollister, grandchildren Caryn Paidl, Mark Cirelli, Cheryl Larios of Hollister, Suzanne Corona of L.A., Steven Corona of Los Gatos, six great-grandchildren, siblings Carrie Higuera, Vincent Corona, Antonia Ketchum and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by son Dale Corona, brother Santos Corona and sister Margaret Serna.
A celebration of Mr. Corona's life will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home. Donations preferred to St. Labre Indian School in Montana c/o the funeral home.
Ruben G. Luna
Ruben G. 'Leroy' Luna died at San Jose Medical Center on March 15, 2002. He was 51.
Mr. Luna was born in San Juan Bautista, attended San Juan Grammar School and graduated from San Benito High School in 1968. He was a former member of Mission San Juan Bautista Parish and enjoyed playing pool in his pastime. Mr. Luna was a maintenance person for Doubletree Hotels.
He is survived by his daughter Valerie Ruiz of Morgan Hill; fianc' Paula Adams of San Jose and her sons Joseph J. Adams of San Jose and Anthony M. Adams of the U.S. Army, his stepsons Angel Sanchez of San Jose and Frank Sanchez of Gilroy. He is also survived by his siblings: Vincent Luna of Hollister, Henrietta Patino of San Juan Bautista, Manuel V. Luna Jr. of San Juan Bautista, Raymond Luna of Gilroy, Gloria Luna of Morgan Hill, Rudy Luna of Hollister, Rosemary Casas of San Diego, Lupe Luna of Hollister and Bobby Luna of Los Angeles. Mr. Luna is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Luna was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Jennie Luna and brother Robert Luna.
Visitation will be at Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home today from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Family and friends will leave the funeral home at 12:30 p.m. to go to the Old Mission San Juan Bautista at Second and Mariposa streets for a mass at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at San Juan District Cemetery.
Letha Mary Shaw
Letha Mary Shaw died on March 17, 2002 at her residence in Hollister. She was 89.
Mrs. Shaw was born in Missouri and came to San Benito County 11 years ago from Salinas. She was a former member of the Salinas Mineral Society. She enjoyed arts and crafts and decorated and hand-painted blown eggs. She and her late husband, Edgar E. Shaw, were 'Rock Hounds' said her daughter Joyce Glass Brown. She was a homemaker for 71 years.
She is survived by her daughter and spouse Joyce Glass and Edward D. Brown of Hollister, five grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
Mrs. Shaw was preceded in death by her husband, Edgar E. Shaw.
Graveside services were Wednesday at Garden of Memories Memorial Park, 768 Abbott Street, Salinas. Donations are preferred to the Hospice of San Benito County c/o Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home.
Ruby Holt Ralston
Ruby Holt Ralston died March 16, 2002 in Santa Rosa. She was 81.
She had been a resident of Gilroy from 1968 to 1983 and had lived in Hollister at one time. She has spent the last 19 years in Santa Rosa.
When in Gilroy she worked for Nob Hill Foods for many years. She was also a member of The Assemblies of God congregation and a member of The Retail Clerks Union.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Ralston and is survived by her son, Gabe Diaz of Santa Rosa, her daughter, Elva White of Calistoga and step son, Wayne Holt of Vashon Island, Wash., seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The funeral was Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home. Interment and graveside services followed at the IOOF Cemetery in Hollister.
Donations are preferred to the charity of choice.
Jocelyn Marie Yarbrough
Jocelyn Marie Yarbrough died March 16, 2002 in Stanford. She was 50.
Mrs. Yarbrough was a lifelong resident of Hollister and graduate of San Benito High School. She was a homemaker but had worked as a waitress at the Cutting Horse and other local restaurants, as well as at Teledyne.
She is survived by her husband, Jay Yarbrough of Hollister, her sons
Michael Yarbrough and Anthony Hawkins of Hollister, three grandchildren, brothers and sisters and their spouses, Hershall and Alma Lawrence of Westwood, Sam and Linda Lawrence of Patterson, Larry and Mary Lawrence of Hollister, Lahoma and Les Clark of Patterson, Doris Fraire of Woodland, Judy and Claude Preader of San Jose, Martha Ellis of San Jose and Rosemary and Albert Orosco of Hollister and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Mary Lawrence of Hollister, and her brother, Charles Lawrence of San Jose.
The funeral is today at 11 a.m. at Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home.
Interment and graveside services will follow the services at Calvary Cemetery.
Donations are preferred to The American Kidney Fund.
Week of March 14, 2002
Manuel G. Abundiz
Manuel G. Abundiz's fight against cancer ended Feb. 27, 2002, when he died in his home with his family at his side. He was 57.
Mr. Abundiz was born in Harlingen, Tex., the eldest of 10 children. In 1949, the family moved to San Jose, where he attended Lincoln High school. After graduation, he married Francis Namowicz and together they raised their three children. In 1964, he was hired by Western Forge and Flange Co., where he was employed as a blacksmith/hammer driver until this past September.
In 1980, Mr. Abundiz married Jennifer Koon, and they had three children. They moved to Hollister in 1994, where Manuel resided until his recent death.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer Abundiz of Hollister and his children Lisa Rangel of Modesto, Juanita Abundiz of Santa Clara, Betsy Abundiz of Hollister, Marco Abundiz of San Jose, Manuel J.R. Abundiz of Modesto, Joseph Abundiz of Hollister, and nine grandchildren. Manuel's surviving siblings are Jose Abundiz, Richard Abundiz, Mary Alice Dejarano, Raenaldo Abundiz, Ramiro Abundiz, Guadelupe Namowicz, Elena Lemus, Ester Grillo; several of Manuel's aunts, uncles, and cousins also reside in San Jose.
A memorial service was held March 9 at Los Gatos Community House of Prayer, in Los Gatos
Mr. Abundiz was laid to rest at Calvary Catholic Cemetery with his sister Christina Abundiz, who preceded him in death in 1987.
Richard D. Boyer
Richard D. Boyer of Crockett died on March 10, 2002. He was 93.
Mr. Boyer was born on Aug. 28, 1908 in San Francisco. He had come to Hollister about three weeks ago to be with his daughter. Mr. Boyer lived in Crockett for 67 years. He worked for 30 years at C&H Sugar Refinery. Mr. Boyer was active at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Crockett and was in Boy Scout work for more than 60 years.
Mr. Boyer is survived by his children and their spouses, Richard and Mary Carol Boyer of Davis and Margaret and Ed Markham of Hollister. He is also survived by five grandchildren and their spouses and 14 great grandchildren.
Family services will be held at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Crockett later this week. Cremation and burial will be at Memory Gardens in Concord. Memorials are preferred to St. Marks Episcopal Church, c/o Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home.
Nadine Johnson
Nadine B. Johnson died March 7, 2002 at her Paicines home. She was 85.
Mrs. Johnson moved to San Benito County from Saratoga 12 years ago and had lived in Saratoga from 1956 until 1989. She was a member of Fidelity Rebekah Lodge, Order of Eastern Star, Hollister Women's Club, Friday Matinee in Saratoga and Federated Church of Saratoga. She was a graduate of The University of Fribourg in Switzerland.
She and her husband, J. Aldridge, were married in 1939 in Coral Gables, Fla.
Mrs. Johnson is survived by her husband, J. Aldridge Johnson of Paicines, her children and their spouses, Victoria and Richard Ohren of Austin, Suzan and Jim Russaw of Palo Alto and Steven Johnson of Eureka, and three grandchildren.
Donations are preferred to The Diabetes Association or The American Cancer Society.
Arrangements and cremation are through Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home and Gavilan Hills Crematory.
Interment will be in London, KY.
Joseph 'Joe' E. Lemos
Joseph Lemos, a former Park Ranger at Uvas Canyon in Santa Clara County, died March 11, 2002. He was 91.
Mr. Lemos was born in Boston and was a former resident of Carmel Valley before he married his wife, Ines Sabbatini. They moved to Gilroy and after his retirement from the Park Services as a Park Ranger at Uvas Canyon in Santa Clara County, where he had worked for 20 years. Eventually they moved to Shore Road.
His earlier working life was spent with Purity Stores, and he was a member of the Retail Clerks Union. He became famous for his huge red tomatoes that he raised at his property on Shore Road. 'People would drive miles to buy them,' said his family. He treasured his family, working in his garden, hunting and fishing.
Mr. Lemos is survived by his wife, Ines Lemos, of Hollister, daughter Beverly Dixon of Gilroy, three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers Louie Lemos, Dan Lemos and sister Alice Rossi.
Visitation will be held today from 1-4 p.m. at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. Family and friends are invited to attend the service on Friday morning at 11 a.m. at the Mortuary Chapel. Graveside services for immediate family members will follow at Calvary Cemetery.
Donations are preferred to the Heart Fund or Cancer Society c/o the funeral home chapel.
