From Yavapai County, Arizona:
Barbara Hunt
Barbara J. Hunt, 47, died Sunday, May 3, 1998, at her home in Prescott.
She was born Dec. 22, 1950, in Rosiclare, Ill., to Ernest and Miladeen (Hardin) Price. She moved to Prescott in 1954.
Mrs. Hunt graduated from Prescott High School. She had worked as a classroom and playground aide for Prescott Unified School District for the last 10 years; first at Dexter, and then at Abia Judd.
She was a member of Prescott Heights Baptist Church. She enjoyed her job with the children at the school. She was fond of reading, but her greatest joy was being outdoors, hunting or boating with family and friends at outings on Lake Powell. She was proudest of being a grandmother.
Survivors include her husband, John, whom she married on Sept. 21, 1969; daughters, Jennifer Vaglio of Chino Valley and Charin North of Chandler; son, Michael of Chino Valley; her parents, Ernest and Miladeen Price of Prescott; grandmother, Alma Blaine of Questa, N.M.; brother, Terry Price of Chino Valley; sister, Jeanie Weekley of Prescott; eight grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her son, John, in 1992.
A gathering of friends will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, 303 S. Cortez St.
Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at Prescott Heights Baptist Church, 700 Rosser St., with the Revs. Lee Wiggins and Lester Gantry officiating.
Flowers will be appreciated, or memorials may be made in Mrs. Hunt's name to the American Cancer Society, 915 E. Gurley St., or YRMC Hospice Restricted Fund, P.O. Box 26565, Prescott Valley, AZ 86312.
The Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Chester Novak
Chester S. Novak, 75, of Dewey, died Friday, May 1, 1998, in Prescott.
He was born Oct. 1, 1922, in Posen, Ill., to Peter and Catherine Novak.
Mr. Novak was a computer operator for Honeywell for many years, retiring in 1982. He married Opal Vanderboegh on April 23, 1949, in Bangor, Mich. They moved to Arizona from Michigan 33 years ago.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mayer, and a member of the American Legion. He was an Arizona Hunter educational instructor.
Survivors include his wife, Opal of Dewey; daughters, Terri Jimenez and Sherrie Holbrook, both of Phoenix, and Mary Anne Wolfson of Camarillo, Calif.; sons, Steve of Armonk, N.Y., John of Star Valley and Paul of Phoenix; sisters, Lauretta Karons of Portland, Ore. and Judy Zioncheck of Bangor, Mich.; and 11 grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix. Interment will follow.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Diabetes Research, The Diabetes Association, 9034 N. 23rd Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021.
Sunrise Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
James Filkins
James W. Filkins, 70, of Humboldt, died Monday, April 27, 1998, in Humboldt.
He was born Nov. 28, 1927, in Panama, to Warren Orville and Elizabeth S. (England) Filkins. He married Callie Goade in 1982
Mr. Filkins served in the U.S. Army after World War II. He worked for 34 years and retired from General Motors as an assembler. He was an avid collector and builder of model trains, model airplanes and other collectibles.
He loved to garden and raise tulips and irises. He was an excellent woodworker, and made toys, bassinets, and clocks for his family and friends. He was very proud of his collections, and especially of his large family.
Survivors include his wife, Callie of Prescott Valley; stepdaughters, Neva Langston of Washington, Nancy Moore of Cayuga, Ind., and Helen Smelser of Mesa; stepsons, Marshall Goade of Paulden and Ralph Azbill of Denver, Colo.; 27 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, 303 S. Cortez St.
Burial will be in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
The Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Kent Kendall
Kent W. Kendall, 73, died Friday, April 24, 1998, in Chino Valley.
He was born March 9, 1925, in Wichita, Kan., to James L. and Bessie (Lehmer) Kendall.
Survivors include his daughter, Connie Keach of Chino Valley; sister, JoAnn Pate of California; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, Olive.
Private interment will be at the Chino Valley Cemetery.
Memory Chapel Mortuary helped the family with arrangements.
Gordon Mercer
Gordon E. Mercer, 91, a resident of Prescott Valley, died Wednesday, April 29, 1998, in Prescott.
He was born Nov. 20, 1906, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Harry and Helen (Hall) Mercer.
Mr. Mercer graduated from Cornell University in New York as an audio engineer, and was one of the early recording engineers for Musicraft and General Record Companies in New York. He owned and operated Audio Vision Co. in Santa Barbara, Calif., for many years, retiring in 1978.
He married Luzelle Willis on Nov. 19, 1938, in Maryland. They moved to Prescott from Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1978, and to Prescott Valley in 1993.
Survivors include his wife, Luzelle, of Prescott Valley; son, Richard of Chatsworth, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
There will be no services.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Yavapai Humane Society, 1625 Sundog Ranch Road, Prescott, AZ 86301.
Sunrise Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
V. Claire Herbert
V. Claire Herbert, 87, died Thursday, April 30, 1998, at the Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
She was born June 27, 1910, in Ohio, to David and Ella (Musser) Gilmore.
Mrs. Herbert was a member of the Westchester Women's Club in Westchester, Calif. She enjoyed reading, writing letters to friends and family, knitting and traveling to the East to visit family and friends.
Mrs. Herbert loved violets and though she never grew them, they were always her favorite. She was proud of her family and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur, and by her sister, Lucille, only this past week.
Survivors include her daughter, Elaine Wager of Prescott; sisters, Florine Ingling of Jensen Beach, Fla., and Maxine Swan of Del Ray Beach, Fla.; brother, Gerald Gilmore of Exeter, Calif.; two grandchildren and one great-grandchildren.
A private cremation will be held at Mountain View Crematory in Prescott.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
John McCarthy
John W. McCarthy, 78, died Wednesday, April 29, 1998, at Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
He was born March 27, 1920, in Minnesota, to William and Edith (Steele) McCarthy. He moved to the Prescott area from Madison Lake, Minn., in September 1972.
Mr. McCarthy enjoyed fishing in the many lakes around his home when he was growing up in Minnesota. He worked in highway construction in that state.
He was a member of the Free Methodist Church and the Loyal Order of the Moose. He owned his own security company in Prescott.
Survivors include his wife, Delores, whom he married on May 24, 1969; daughters, JoAnn Lipsey and Julie Erickson, both of Minnesota, Linda Wingert of New York, and Kathy Nelson and Lori Watson, both of Arizona; sons, Terry of California, Bob of Montana, John Jr. and Mark, both of Minnesota, and Michael and Larry, both of Arizona; stepchildren, John Lawrence of Minnesota, JoAnn Lesnar of North Carolina and Kathlyn Robb of Wyoming; brother, Arnold of Phoenix; 35 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary; and brothers, Jerry and Frank.
Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Free Methodist Church, 2797 Willow Creek Road, with the Rev. Robert Vaughn officiating. Private cremation will be at Mt. View Cemetery.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the American Heart Association, 2702 N. 3rd St., Suite #4015, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
The Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Dr. James McElhaney
James L. McElhaney, M.D., died Monday, April 27, 1998, at Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 30, 1925, in Danville, Ill., to Max M. and Ruby (Reynolds) McElhaney. He moved to Prescott from Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 25, 1992.
Dr. McElhaney graduated from the University of Illinois School of Medicine. He was a caring and compassionate doctor, and his enjoyment was in his abilities to practice medicine and to see patients improve and go on to active lives.
Dr. McElhaney was a family practice physician for 35 years, retiring in 1992. He was affiliated with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center for two years.
He was a past president of the El Segundo Rotary Club, past national president of U.S./Mexico Sister Cities, past president of El Segundo Guaymas Mexico Sister City, and was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Bodies and Shrine Temple, all in Los Angeles.
He was a U.S. Navy and Marine Corps veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Candi; daughters, Patricia and Nancy McElhaney, both of Jacksonville, Fla., and Jennifer Agliozzo of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; sons, Steven of Jacksonville, Fla., Patrick of Sikeston, Mo., James Jr. of Maryland Heights, Mo., and James of California; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A gathering of friends will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Regents, University of California, in honor of Dr. McElhaney, in care of M. Roth, M.D., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1690.
The Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Mary Miller
Mary M. Miller, 69, of Wilhoit, died Wednesday, April 29, 1998, in Prescott.
She was born May 20, 1928, in Flagstaff, to Jefferson C. and Sally Mona (Lane) Johnson. She was a life-long resident of Arizona.
Mrs. Miller started the Friends of the Library in Wilhoit, and was involved with the Cathy Prentice Memorial Library, Wilhoit Volunteer Fire Department, Kirkland Women's Club, Wilhoit Chamber of Commerce, and the Wilhoit Southern Baptist Church. She was an active member of the Yavapai County Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals, was involved in Sharlot Hall Museum, and developed the Rural Telephone Directory of Southern Yavapai County.
Survivors include her husband, William, of Wilhoit; daughters, Ilene Roby of Prescott Valley and Temple, Texas, and Brenda LaGourgue of Scottsdale; sons, Ed Lawhead of Prescott, Mike Lawhead of Cherry Valley, Calif., and George Lawhead and Frank Lawhead, both of Prescott; mother, Mona Warfield of Wilhoit; brother, Jay Johnson of Kelley's Island, Ohio; sisters, Lola Roberts, Roni Harper and Josephine DeHesse, all of Wilhoit; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother, Ralph Johnson, and sister, Bobbi Hassard.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Wilhoit Southern Baptist Church, with the Rev. Wayne Hawley officiating.
Memory Chapel Mortuary helped the family with arrangements.
