Thelma Leinard, 90, died October 2, 2002, in Tucson. She was born in Flint, Michigan, on August 23, 1912, to Fleata Bella and Charles Hodges. She came to Why in 1984 and married Robert Leinard in 1988. She was active in trying to start an Assembly of God Church in Why. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Harold Greenman, who died in 1978, and by Robert Leinard, who died in 1999. She is survived by her siblings and other family members. Private services are being planned.
Wanda J. Farmer, 79, died October 2, 2002, in Tucson. She was born February 21, 1923, in Lordsburg, New Mexico, to Martha Elizabeth (Bates) and Aris Patterson. She came to Ajo in 1936 and married Loranza B. Farmer in 1938. The two made Ajo their home the rest of their lives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ranze Farmer, who died in March 2002. She is survived by her son and daughter and other family members. Services were held in the Ajo Federated Church; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Hector Rojo, 66, died in Tucson on October 10, 2002. He was born in Ajo on June 4, 1936, to Cruz and Tranquilino Rojo. He was a lifelong resident of Ajo and worked as a self-employed carpenter. He is survived by his son and daughter and many other family members. Services were held in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Eleanor M. Keenan, 82, of Montana, died October 5, 2002. She was born January 22, 1920, in Minnesota. She was preceded in death by three husbands, Joseph Bergfalk, Erwin Bissell, and Herb Keenan. She is survived by her children and other family members. Private services were held.
Rodrigo Celaya, 80, died Sunday, October 13, 2002, in Phoenix. He was born in Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, on May 14, 1922, to Delfina (Sanora) and Jesus Maria Celaya. He came to Ajo from California in 1941. He married Enriquetta Rodriguez in Mexico on March 26, 1942. He worked for Phelps Dodge in Ajo as a heavy equipment operator until her retired. He and his wife moved to Phoenix in 1997. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his sons and daughter and many other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on October 19; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Armando V. Bon, 72, died October 18, 2002, in Tucson. He was born in Ajo on August 4, 1930, to Maria (Vega) and Guadalupe Bon. He married Cruz Martinez here on October 31, 1949. A lifelong resident of Ajo, he was flotation floor foreman for Phelps Dodge. He was preceded in death by two sons and a grandson. He is survived by his wife, his daughter, and many other family members. Services were held in Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church on October 21.
Ygnacio Sanriquez Jr., 50, died October 12, 2002, in Tucson. He was born in ajo on June 12, 1952, to Gladys (Azul) and Ygnacio Sanriquez Sr. He was a slot auditor for Desert Diamond Casino. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister. He is survived by his brothers and sisters and many other family members.
Joe Ervin, 67, died October 19, 2002, in Lubbock Texas. He was born September 29, 1935, in Perrin, Texzs, to Anna Lee and Walter L. "Slim" Ervin. He grew up in Perrin and in Ajo. He married Judy Wren in 1958. The couple lived in Ajo, Casa Grande, and Portales, New Mexico where he owned and operated a trucking firm. He is survived by his companion, his sons and daughter, and many other family members. Services were held in New Mexico on October 22.
Mary Ruth Woods, 75, died October 4, 2002, in Casa Grande. She was born August 33, 1927, in Clinton, Oklahoma. She lived in Ajo for many years and, for a short time, owned and operated the Pen and Thimble. She is survived by her husband, Dale E. Woods of Coolidge, by her daugther and sons, and by many other family members. Services were held in Coolidge on October 8.
Willed E. "Pete" Rid, 60, died October 21, 2002, in a Tucson hospital. He was born in Kentucky on August 8, 1942, to Velma and Alexander Reid who brought him to Ajo in 1945. He was a graduate of Ajo High School. He worked as a welder in the Duvall Mines in the 1960s and later worked as a custodian in the Ajo public schools. He was an Army veteran. He is survived by his brothers and by many nieces and nephews. Services were held in Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church on October 27.
Edward Frederick Ford, 64, died October 8, 2002, at his home in Safford. He was born in New York on December 4, 1937. He came to Ajo when he was ten. He married Bobbie Julia Brown in Silver City, New Mexico. Mr. Ford worked for Phelps Dodge as a crusher operator for 22 years. After he became ill, the couple moved to Safford in 1984. He is survived by his wife and children. Services were held October 12 in Safford.
Andronico DeLaCruz, 76, died October 21, 2002, in Tucson. He was born in Mexico on April 15, 1926, to Maria and Manuel DeLaCruz. He moved to Arizona from Mexico in 1959 and lived in Gila Bend until moving to Tucson four years ago. He is survived by his sons and many other family members, including several who live in Ajo. Mass was celebrated October 24 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ajo; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Warren Fenzi, 87, died October 20, 2002, at his home in Santa Barbara, California. He was a past president of Phelps Dodge Corporation.
Lorene Doughty, 84, died October 20, 2002, in Tucson. She was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, on July 19, 1918, to W.A. and Birdie (Gilbert) Green. She was a longtime resident of Ajo who was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Doughty. She is survived by her daughters and other family members. No service information was available.
James Earl Thomas, 67, of Sahuraita, died October 10, 2002, in Tucson. He was born September 1, 1935, in Texas to Allen and Barbara (Orean) Thomas. He came to Ajo from Temple in 1951 and worked for Phelps Dodge for about 13 years. He later made a career in the civil service. He married Ruth Elaine Barnes in 1965. He is survived by his wife, by his son and daugthers, and by other family members. Services were held in Green Valley.
Guadalupe G. Leon, 73, died October 23, 2002, at her home in Tucson. She was born May 19, 1929, in Litchfield. She came to Ajo from Mexico in 1942 and lived here for the next 60 years. She married Jose Maria "Shorty" Leon. A homemaker, she was known to her friends as Lupita. She is survived by her husband, by her son and daughter, and by other family members. Services were held In St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Tucson; burial was in Holy Hope Cemetery.
Nettie Decker, 91, died October 28, 2002, in Phoenix. She was born March 12, 1911, in Texas to Carrie (Coker) and Joseph Elledge. She married Ruben Decker in Texas. She moved to Ajo in 1944 and lived here the rest of her life. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her son and daughters and other family members. Services were held in the Douglass Funeral Home; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
James E. Brown, 72, died October 27, 2002, at his home in Why. He was born November 9, 1929, in Oregon to Bernice (Cox) and Waldo Brown. He was a machinist and worked for a computer company before his retirement. he moved to Why from Colorado in 1974 and soon was sharpening knives and fixing tools for his friends and neighbors. He is survived by his daughter and other family members. Memorial services were held in the LDS church in Ajo; burial was next to his parents in the Ajo Cemetery.
John Robertson, 82, died November 1, 2002. He was born October 6, 1920, in New Jersey to Nellie(McDonald) and Thomas B. Robertson. He married Margaret "Peggy" Bell in Nevada in 1950. The couple moved to Ajo in 1974. They moved to Thatcher in 1997. Mr. Robertson was a retired Phelps Dodge employee. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his son, his daughter, and other family members. Services were held in Thatcher; burial was in the Thatcher Cemetery with military honors.
Jose Manuel Vega, 84, died November 13, 2002, in a care center in Peoria. He was born in Ajo on august 12, 1918, to Teresa and Antonio Vega. He spent his early childhood in Ajo and then moved to Mexico, returning to Ajo in the 1940s and marrying Frances Lopez. He worked for Phelps Dodge as a waste dump operator. He is survived by his wife, his sons and daughters, and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Alice Cameron Tucker, 81, died November 14, 2002, in a care center in Tucson. She was born in Ajo on April 5, 1921, to Elvira and John W. Cameron. She attended school here and married Robert Jack Tucker. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her son and other family members. Services were held in the Ajo Federated Church; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Richard L. Reisner, 70, died November 12, 2002, in the VA health center in Tucson. He was born January 29, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, to Ernest and Florence Reisner. He made a career as a interior designer and paper hanger. He came to Ajo in 1993. He is survived by his wife, Audrey Crowell Reisner, by his daughters, and by other family members.
Osila N. Sanora, 87, died November 20, 2002, in a care center in Green Valley. She was born December 2, 1914, in Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, to Josefa and Antonio Nogales. She was brought to Ajo as a toddler in 1918, arriving in a horse-drawn wagon, and made Ajo her home the rest of her life. She was preceded in death by her husband, Enrique Sanora. She is survived by her sons and daughters and other family members. Services were held in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Serapia Aguila, 89, died November 21, 2002, in Ajo. She was born September 3, 1913, in Torreron, Mexico, to Nazaria and Isabel Trinidad. She came to Ajo as a child in 1929 and made Ajo her home the rest of her life. She was preceded in death by her husband, Reyes Aguila. She is survived by her sons and daughter and other family members. Services were held in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Richard H. "Dick" Auge, 73, died November 16, 2002, in a Maryvale Hospital. He was born November 11, 1929, in Pennsylvania to Harry and Zita Coar. In 1950 her married Elizabeth Greenway. He worked as a security guard. He was preceded in death by his wife; he is survived by his sons and daughters and other family members. Graveside services were held in the Ajo Cemetery.
Daniel Holst, 75, died at his home in Ajo on November 25, 2002. He was born September 30, 1927, in Sanish, North Dakota, to Margaret and August John Holst. He was a salesman for a wholesale plumbing business before he retired. He moved to Ajo in 1992. He is survived by his wife, Juanita "Nita" Holst, and by his sons, daughters, and other family members. Memorial services will be held at a later date.
William T. "Bill" Hunter, 71, died November 30, 2002, in Phoenix. He was born December 18, 1930, in Wink, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Ann Hunter of Ajo, and by his children and other family members. At Mr. Hunter's request, no services are being held.
Faye Elizabeth Stewart, 89, died December 15, 2002, at her home in Ajo. She was born September 28, 1913, in West Plains, Missouri, to Gertrude (Sackett) and George B. Kent. She came to Ajo from Oklahoma in 1924 and, in 1935, married Clifton Ira Stewart in San Diego. During World War II she worked in a munitions depot. She is survived by her husband, her daughter, and by other family members. Services were held in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Jesus G. "Jesse" Lozano, 74, died December 10, 2002, in New Mexico. He was born in Ajo on December 16, 1927, to Francisco and Pilar Lozano. He served in the US Army during World War II and, after his discharge, went to work for Phelps Dodge. He married Maisie Espiritu on August 1968. He moved to Belen, New Mexico, after retiring, where he made a second career as a popular school crossing guard. He is survived by his wife and children and other family members. Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church in Belen, New Mexico; he was buried in the church's memorial garden with full military honors.
Clifton Ira Stewart, 92, died December 19, 2002, at his home in Ajo. He was born April 24, 1910, in Heartford, Arkansas, to Mary Marie (Zackery) and Frank Stewart. He married Faye Elizabeth Kent in San Diego, California, in 1935. He came to Ajo from Oklahoma in 1935 and worked for Phelps Dodge as an electrician, retiring in 1975. He was preceded in death by his wife, who died December 15, 2002. Services were led by LDS Bishop Jerry Scott in Douglass Funeral Home. He was buried next to his wife in Ajo Cemetery.
Rebecca S. Mota, 88, died December 20, 2002, in Mesa. She was born January 5, 1914, in Willard, New Mexico, to Ramona (Vargas) and Refugio Sanchez. she came to Ajo from New Mexico as a child. On December 23, 1934, she married Julio R. Mota. A homemaker, she was a devout Catholic. She was preceded in death by her husband and a son. She is survived by her son, daughters, and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Burial was with her husband in Ajo Cemetery.
Ray Giger, 74, died December 19, 2002, in Tucson. He was born October 13, 1928, in Switzerland to Alphonse and Aline Giger. He married his wife, Eleanor, in Michigan in 1957. He worked for the Los Angeles Times as a proofreader and was also a professional musician and published poet. He moved to Ajo from Michigan in 1992. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his daughters and other family members. A memorial service will be announced by the family in January.
