From Yavapai County, Arizona:
Bonnie Williams
Bonnie Williams, 77, of Prescott, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2000, in Prescott Valley.
She was born Jan. 31, 1922, in Virden, Ill., to William Bryan and Veva (Freeman) Bolton.
Mrs. Williams married her husband, Donald, on Nov. 22, 1945. She worked as a secretary for Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles for many years. After her retirement, she worked in her father's furniture business.
She enjoyed dancing, square dancing and cooking. She loved her family dogs, and was devoted to her children and grandchildren. She attended Calvary Chapel in Prescott.
Mrs. Williams is survived by her husband, Donald G.; daughter, Joy Gilbert of Moreno Valley, Calif.; son, Donald M., of Chino Valley; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Private cremation is at Bradshaw Crematory in Prescott Valley. Memorial services will be at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Family Care, 100 E. Sheldon St., Prescott, AZ 86301, or to the Humane Society, 1625 Sundog Ranch Road, Prescott, AZ 86301.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
L.C. Valentine
L.C. Valentine, 79, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000, at his home in Prescott.
He was born Aug. 21, 1920, in Rudy, Ark., to Fred I. and Millie L. (Daley) Valentine.
Mr. Valentine served in the U.S. Army during World War II, in Battery D, 124th Anti-Aircraft Brigade. He served in the Ardennes, Rhineland and central Europe. After serving two years he was discharged in November of 1945 as a sergeant.
After leaving the military, he worked as a car salesman at the local Ford dealership. He then worked as a police officer for the Prescott Police Department, and later with the Yavapai County Sheriff's office until 1960. In 1966 he worked as the manager of the Hassayampa Country Club for a year.
He also worked for the Fred Harvey Co. at the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert as administrator in the fire and safety office, before his retirement in 1983.
Mr. Valentine enjoyed playing softball and was a member of the 20-30 Club. He was also a dancer and dance instructor for the Smoki People for more than 10 years. He was an avid golfer who achieved several holes-in-one. He was president of the Antelope Men's Golf Club in 1970.
He was a member of the "River Rats," and in June of 1962 took his last boat trip on the Colorado River before the building of Glen Canyon Dam. He was an avid fisherman, fishing the lakes of Arizona as well as deep sea fishing in Baja, Mexico.
Mr. Valentine is survived by his wife, Jean. He was preceded in death by his three brothers and three sisters.
Private cremation was at Bradshaw Crematory in Prescott Valley
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Karlyne Morrison
Karlyne L. Morrison, 65, of Prescott, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2000, at Flagstaff Memorial Hospital in Flagstaff.
She was born April 5, 1934, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Carl and Anna (Nelson) Nelson.
Mrs. Morrison moved to Prescott with her husband, Arthur, in 1970. Soon after moving to Prescott, she joined the U.S. Forest Service, where she was employed at the time of her death.
She was a member of American Lutheran Church, where she was active in many church activities, including Bell Ringers and Circle.
Mrs. Morrison is survived by her daughter, Deb-orah, of Hampton, Conn.; brother, Jim Nelson of San Clemente, Calif.; sister, Marge Nelson of Des Moines, Iowa; and one grandchild.
Funeral services will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the American Lutheran Church, 1085 Scott Drive, Prescott, with the Rev. Daniel Storvick officiating. Visitation will be at the church at 5 p.m.
Interment will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Mountain View Cemetery, Prescott.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Art Morrison Scholarship Fund, Yavapai College, 1100 E. Sheldon St., Prescott, AZ 86301, or the Organ Fund at American Lutheran Church, 1085 Scott Dr., Prescott, AZ 86301.
Memory Chapel helped the family with arrangements.
Norman Langseth
Norman Langseth, 79, of Dewey, died Monday, Dec. 27, 1999, at Phoenix Baptist Hospital in Phoenix.
He was born Aug. 28, 1920, in Fargo, N.D., to Norman and Hilda (Krogness) Langseth.
Mr. Langseth worked as a stained glass instructor. He enjoyed mining, and was a member of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and a true friend to all.
He is survived by his wife, Welma; daughter, Patricia Leidgi of Brier, Wash.; son, Harold of Everett, Wash.; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his son, Norman.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church on Green Lane in Prescott.
Memory Chapel Mortuary helped the family with arrangements.
John Lawler
John William Lawler, 91, a member of one of Prescott's prominent pioneer families, died Monday, Dec. 20, 1999, at his home in Phoenix.
He was born March 3, 1908, in Prescott, to William and Mary (Smith) Lawler. His mother was an original Harvey House girl, and met his father while she was employed as the first housekeeper at the Burke Hotel (now St. Michael's). His father was responsible for building most of the roads in Yavapai County. He was also known as the father of the Eureka Mining District, owning more than 100 claims, including Hillside Gold Mine and the Copper Mine in Bagdad, now owned by Cyprus Mining Co.
Mr. Lawler spent his childhood years at the Hillside Mine, with his dogs and the Chinese cook as playmates. As a child, he witnessed the first car creeping into the deep canyon of the Hillside Mine, and he skipped down Prescott's first boardwalks.
He was director of Yavapai Savings, the first savings bank in Prescott, founded by his uncle Jack Lawler. He managed the family enterprises after his father's death in 1929.
He enjoyed fixing things, wood working, sculpture and photography. He was a member of the Elks Lodge 330 for 70 years, and was named its oldest member in 1998.
Mr. Lawler is survived by his wife of 42 years, Helen; a step-granddaughter and two step-great grandchildren.
Graveside services were Dec. 23 at St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Alzheimer's Foundation, 1028 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006.
Hansen Mortuaries in Phoenix helped the family with arrangements.
Clarification
The obituary for John William Lawler, which ran Jan. 2, should have stated that his uncle, Jack Lawler, was responsible for building most of the roads in Yavapai County, and was known as the father of the Eureka Mining District, rather than his father, William.
Ruth Ransom
Ruth Ann Ransom, 60, of Prescott Valley, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 1999, at the Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff.
She was born Nov. 1, 1939, in Muskegon, Mich., to Maurice and Margaret (Shaw) Plank.
Mrs. Ransom spent 28 years in Arizona, the past 12 in the Prescott area. She was a homemaker, and served 40 years with her husband in the ministry. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Benson, and the "Sower" organization. She enjoyed crafts and music.
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Dr. Al Ransom of Prescott Valley; daughters, Kathleen Obrecht of Thailand and Karen Lascelles of Prescott Valley; son, Duane Ransom of Prescott Valley; sisters, Marilyn Bennetts and Margaret Miller, both of Midland, Mich.; brother, Maurice Plank of Muskegon, Mich.; and 10 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Victorian Chapel in the Hampton Funeral Home, 240 S. Cortez. St., Prescott.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church on Cortez Street in Prescott. Burial will follow at the Mountain View Cemetery, Prescott.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ruth Ann Ransom Memorial Fund at the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 226, Prescott, AZ 86302.
Hampton Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Robert McKay
Robert "Bob" McKay, 73, of Paulden, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, after a brief illness.
He was born Oct. 19, 1926, in Georgetown, Conn., to James and Evelyn (Hathaway) McKay.
After graduating from Bethel High School in Bethel, Conn., Mr. McKay served in World War II from 1944 to 1946 as a U.S. Navy Seabee.
Mr. McKay served the Bethel Volunteer Fire Department for more than 30 years. He worked all his life as a carpenter. He was an avid bow hunter, and with his wife, formed an archery group for children with the Bethel Department of Recreation. He loved flying, and had his pilot's license and his own plane for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley (Clark) McKay; daughter, Kathleen Van Der Jagt of Granby, Conn.; stepchildren, Teresa Servin of Covina, Calif., Gary Collier of Oroville, Calif., and Shirley Banes of Phoenix; sisters, Jean Burritt of Redding, Conn., and Helen Rowan of Carlsbad, N.M.; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be private.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Bob McKay Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Windsor Federal, P.O. Box 57, Granby, CT 06035.
Sunrise Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
