From Santa Cruz, California:
October 30, 2002
Elsie Duffany
Services are today for Elsie Duffany, who died Sunday in Santa Cruz. She was 71.
Mrs. Duffany was born in Wichita, Kan., and lived in Santa Cruz County for three years.
She was a member of Twin Lakes Church and Santa Cruz Bible Church.
She is survived by sons William and Steven Duffany, both of Capitola, and Victor and Paul Duffany of San Jose; and four grandchildren.
Friends may call from 8:30-10:30 a.m. today at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz.
Services are at 10:30 a.m. today at the chapel.
Mrs. Duffany will be buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Santa Cruz.
William D. Donovan
Services will be Friday for William Dennis Donovan, who died Monday at his Bonny Doon home. He was 85.
Mr. Donovan was born in San Francisco to parents who had recently emigrated from West Cork, Ireland.
His mother died when he was 3, and he was sent to Sacred Heart Convent in Ukiah. He returned to San Francisco for most of his adult life and retired to Bonny Doon in 1975, to land that had been in the family of his wife, Dorothy, since 1892.
Mr. Donovan graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco and operated a radio shop on Haight Street with his brother, Thomas. He was a pioneer of radio and television technology and designed the first language labs for the San Francisco city school system.
He retired from the city and county of San Francisco in 1975, and he and his wife built their retirement home in Bonny Doon. He loved "the mountain" and spent many years developing the property.
Mr. Donovan served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Sands, a high-speed attack transport that carried underwater demolition teams in the Pacific Theater.
He participated in the capture of the Southern Palaus and the landings on Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Leyte. Mr. Donovan was awarded the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars, and attained the rank of petty officer first class.
He is survived by daughters Elaine Conley and Dorothy Donovan, both of Santa Cruz; a son, William Donovan of Petaluma; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian burial will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Saint Vincent de Paul Church in Davenport.
Mr. Donovan will be buried at Santa Cruz Memorial Park.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
Elisa C. Valencia
Services have been held for Elisa C. Valencia, who died Friday at her Watsonville home. She was 68.
Mrs. Valencia was born in Nayarit, Mexico, and came to the area in 1956.
She worked for Green Giant Co. for 15 years before retiring in 1991.
She is survived by her husband, Jesus Valencia of Watsonville; her mother, Maria Cortes of Watsonville; sons Oscar Valencia of Watsonville and Hector Valencia of Cameron Park; one grandson; and numerous nieces and nephews in Mexico.
Services were Tuesday.
Mrs. Valencia was buried at Valley Public Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Davis Memorial Chapel.
Dorothy Holley
Services will be Nov. 9 for Dorothy Holley, who died Tuesday at Dominican Hospital. She was 74.
Mrs. Holley was born and raised in Chicago. She lived in Sylmar, Parker, Ariz., and Brookings, Ore., before moving to Scotts Valley three months ago to be closer to her daughter and family.
Mrs. Holley began a successful administrative and bookkeeping career in Chicago, where she met her husband, Albert Holley, while playing piano at the USO.
She worked as a bookkeeper for Spears Pipe Co. after the couple moved to Sylmar, but family members say work never replaced her first position as mother, Girl Scout leader and volunteer.
The couple moved to Brookings, Ore., after their daughter married, and there she served as president of the Newcomers Club, the local RV club and was a life member of the Brookings Elks Lodge.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Mark Vande Pol of Scotts Valley; and two grandchildren.
Her husband, Albert Holley, died in 2000.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Oak Tree Villa Heritage Room, 100 Lockewood Lane, Scotts Valley.
Arrangements are by Santa Cruz Memorial Park.
February 1, 2003
Dianne Sarah Schaffer
Services will be Wednesday for Dianne Sarah Schaffer, who died Jan. 22. She was 73.
Born in Atlantic City, N.J., she was a prize-winning jitterbugger in her college years. She lived in Santa Cruz and will be remembered for her love of her cat, Mikey, and for doing the New York Times crossword puzzle every day until her health prevented it.
She is survived by her sister, Linda Case of Atlantic City; brother, Larry Schaffer of Long Beach; daughter, Barbara Baker of Santa Cruz; several grandchildren.
Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos.
If anyone wishes to make memorial donations in her name, the family said the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or low-cost veterinary programs would be her wish.
Robin Basich
Private services were held for Robin Basich, who died Tuesday in Watsonville. He was 43.
Born in Watsonville, he graduated from Watsonville High School and served in the U.S. Air Force. Following his military service, he began working as a diesel mechanic and was formerly employed by Henry Cruz Trucking Co.
He enjoyed fishing in his spare time.
Basich is survived by his sisters, Allie Ostrander of Salinas, Nena Knight of Corvalis, Mont., Sabrena Jones of Bakersfield, Hila Berdin and Dorothy Strong.
A private cremation is under the direction of Santa Cruz Watsonville Cremation Service.
