Garry Wayne Briggs died July 13, 2003. He was born in Ajo on May 4, 1944, to W.L. “Bill” & Shelly (Bray) Briggs. He was raised here and worked for Phelps Dodge as a machinist. He married Ora Latham on September 26, 1964. On December 28, 1995, he married Joyce (Hamilton) Blythe of Douglas, Wyoming, and the two made their home in Glenrock, Wyoming. His wife, his mother, his son & daughter, and other family members survive him.
Luz C. Lopez, 90, died July 21, 2003, in Tucson. She was born October 21, 1912, in Sonoyta, Mexico, to Tomasa (Duran) and Reyes Carrasco. She married Francisco Lopez in Sonoyta in 1949 and moved to Ajo the same year. She was preceded in death by her husband. Her sons and daughter, stepsons and stepdaughter, and other family members survive her. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on July 24; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery next to her husband.
Alfred Lee Schneck, 75, died July 11, 2003, in Mesa. He was born November 23, 1927, in Savanna, Illinois, and later moved to Ajo with his family. He was a founding partner of the Ajo Camber Company, owned a television repair service, and worked as a copper minter. He moved to Mesa after retiring and worked at the Mesa Temple. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Schroder Enders; he is survived by his wife Dee Schneck, by his son and daughters, his stepchildren, and other family members. Graveside services were held July 26 in the Ajo Cemetery.
William Distler, 85, died July 4, 2003. He was born in Denver, Colorado. He was a mining engineer who retired as president of AMAX’s molybdenum division. He was married to Della Cole, a former Ajo resident, for over fifty years until her death in 1995. He was a resident of Scottsdale. He is survived by his second wife, Marie Distler, by his son and daughters, his stepdaughter, and other family members. Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Raymond L. Carson, 70, died July 5, 2003, at his home in Eager. He was born April 7, 1933, in Bernie, Missouri. He worked for the Phoenix Police Dept. for four years and then became an Arizona Highway Patrol officer in 1965. He was stationed in Gila Bend and Ajo and made many friends in both communities. He later serviced a short stint at the State Liquor Board. In his later years, he was a minister. He is survived by his wife, Vickie Carson, his children, and other family members. Services were held July 11 at Faith Community Church in Tucson with a memorial service in Eager on July 19.
LaLoni L. Taylor died August 7, 2003, in Mesa. She was born in Ajo on December 3, 1946, to Claude & Virginia Flanary. She married Scott Taylor in 1963 and the family moved to Phoenix in 1968. She worked in the semi-conductor industry for over 30 years. She is survived by her mother, husband, daughter, sons, and other family members. At her request, no formal services are being held.
Helen T. Rendon, 86, died August 22, 2003, in Phoenix. She was born January 14, 1917, in Phoenix to Carmen (Grijalva) and Fermin Trejillo. She married Manuel Rendon in Visalia, California, in 1932. She is remembered by many as proprietor of Rendon’s Café. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by her sons, daughters, and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on August 28; burial was in Ajo Cemetery next to her husband.
Ted Szymczak, 51, died August 31, 2003, at his home in Why. He was born in Hamtramck, Michigan, on January 28, 1952, to Antonia (Lagiewczyk) and Marion Szymczak. Though his given name was Thaddeus, everyone knew him as Ted. His first career was as a gunsmith, a skill he carried over into his second career as a US Border Patrol agent. In 1971 he visited his family's hometown in Poland where he met Teresa Michalak, whom he married. He is survived by his wife, his sister and brothers, and other family members. Mass was celebrated in on September 5, burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Ernest Raymond Hawes II, 46, died September 2, 2003, in Casa Grande. He was born in Ajo on June 28, 1857, to Shirley (Mason) and Ernest R. Hawes I. Known as Ray to his friends, he grew up here and was a graduate of Ajo High School. He was employed in the funeral industry. He is survived by his daughter and other family members. Mass was recited in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on September 12; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Maria Eliza Valenzuela, 52, died September 5, 2003, in Phoenix. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico, on February 8, 1951, to Josefina (Ortega) and Refugio Aguila. She married Jose F. Valenzuela on March 15, 1969, in Ajo. She moved to Ajo from California in 1993. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her sons and daughters and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on September 11; burial was next to her husband in Ajo Cemetery.
Harriet Mendez, 66, of Camp Verde, died September 3, 2003. She was born January 11, 1937, in Clarkdale to Rachel (Brown) and Harry Hood Sr. She was a former Ajo resident who worked as a nurse's aide at New Cornelia Hospital. She is survived by her husband, Juan O. Mendez, by her daughters and son, and by other family members. Mass was celebrated in St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Camp Verde; burial was in Valley View Cemetery.
Shirley Lorene Stewart, 71, died September 17, 2003, in Arkansas. She was born September 27, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Thelen and Arline (Domke) Wagner. She was a nurse and worked at New Cornelia Hospital for several years; she later worked abroad, retiring from nursing in 1985 in Saudi Arabia. She made Ajo her retirement home. She was preceded in death by her husband, W.D. Stewart. She is survived by her daughters and other family members. Services were held in St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Joseph Alonzo Garcia, 78, died September 21, 2003, at a hospice in Casa Grande. He was born in Ajo on October 19, 1924, to Carmen and Victoriano Garcia. He grew up here and lived in Ajo most of his life. He married Alvenita Celaya on December 1, 1956, in St. Catherine's Church in Ajo. He worked as a miner for Phelps Dodge, retiring in 1980. At the time of his death he was living in Chui Chu. He is survived by his wife, his sons and daughters, and other family members. Services were held at Darby Wells on September 26; burial was in Darby Wells Cemetery.
Victor Parsons, 74, died Sunday, September 7, 2003. He was born in Enid, Oklahoma, on June 17, 1929, the son of WJ. And Jesse Irene Parsons. A onetime Ajo resident, he worked for Phelps Dodge as a boilermaker and welder. He is survived by his wife, Margaret Parsons, and by his daughter and other family members. No services are being held at his request.
Henry Heiss, 79, known to his friends as Hank, died August 27, 2003, in Portland, Oregon. He was born In Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on November 5, 1924, to Frank and Frances Heiss. He married his wife, Sally Christie, on June 25, 1946. He was a watchmaker and jeweler. They came to Ajo about seven years ago, moving to Lake Havasu when he became seriously ill. He is survived by his wife and children and other family members.
Hattie Louise Guthrie, 85, known to most of her friends as Red, died September 29, 2003, in Chandler. She was born January 1, 1918, in Douglas to Mary Sue (Kelley) and Hyson James Johnson. She married James D. “Dokie” Guthrie on June 23, 1934. A longtime Ajo resident, she spent the last five years in Chandler due to health problems. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by he daughters and other family members. Services were held in Douglass Funeral Home; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery next to her husband.
Robert B. Hastert, 57, died October 6, 2003, at a Tucson hospital. He was born January 13, 1946, in Everette, Washington, to Martha (Meyers) & Roger Hastert. He was a photographer. He came to Ajo from Washington in 1995 and married Pamela De La Zerda on December 22, 1995. He is survived by his wife, his mother, his son, daughter, stepsons, and other family members. Memorial services were held at the Ajo Country Club driving range.
Walter August Zitlau, 91, died October 7, 2003, at his home in El Cajon, California. He was born June 7, 1912, to Peter and Gertrude (Fogelin) Laugerfeldt eight days after his father died in an accident on the family homestead near Douglas. He was brought to Ajo by his mother as a toddler and took the name of his stepfather, Emil Zitlau. He worked after college in the Ajo power plant and later went to work for San Diego Gas and Electric, becoming the company's president and CEO before retiring in 1975. He never forgot his Ajo roots and sponsored an annual scholarship for an AHS graduate. He is survived by his second wife, Jackie, by his son and daughter, and many other family members. The family is honoring his request that there be no services; his ashes will be scattered in the Ajo area.
Ysidora Dorame, 82, died in Tucson on October 26, 2003. She was born in Tombstone on April 4, 1921, to Jesus and Guadalupe (Gomez) Lopez. She came to Ajo from Patagonia in 1947 and, in 1953, married Arturo Dorame. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by her son and daughters and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Ray Nelson, 80, died March 18, 2003, in Paso Robles, California. He was born in ducke, Oklahoma. During the 1940s, he lived in Ajo and worked for Phelps Dodge. Interment was private.
Norman Chester Leatherwood, 88, died December 1, 2003, in Tucson. He was born in Ladonia, Texas, on November 22, 1915, to Sara Josephine & Fate Leatherwood. He came to Ajo in 1940 and worked for Phelps Dodge, retiring in 1973. He married Reba Inez Petty on November 19, 1943. He is survived by his wife, his son and daughters, and other family members. Services were held in the Ajo Federated Church on December 6; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
Jesus M. Miranda, 77, died in Phoenix on November 24, 2003. He was born April 14, 1926, in Atil, Sonora, Mexico, to Antonio and Manuela (Monge) Miranda. He married Graciela Robles in Los Angeles, California. He was a paint miller who retired in California in 1988. He had lived in Ajo the last twelve years. He is survived by his wife, his son and daughters, and other family members. Private memorial services are being planned.
Trudy Le Wallis, 41, died December 14, 2003, in a Phoenix hospice. She was born March 25, 1962, in Fort Worth, Texas. She married James Wallis on March 17, 1994, and the two moved to Ajo where they were the proprietors of the La Siesta Motel. She is survived by her husband, her son and daughters, her infant grandson, her parents, and other family members. Memorial services were held at Calvary Baptist Church on December 20.
Martha Sullivan Korn, 48, died December 5, 2003, in Miami. She was born in Ajo November 16, 1955, to Bill and Catherine Sullivan. She married John Korn on December 11, 1982. She was a teacher and was business manager of her husband's trucking company. She is survived by her husband, her mother, her son, and other family members. There will be no services.
Scott W. Lindner, 47, died December 8, 2003, in a Phoenix hospital. He was born December 1, 1956, in Douglas to Marilyn and Kenneth W. Lindner. He was an Army veteran. He was a craftsman and owned Southwest Sandstone. He is survived by his parents, his brother and sisters, and other family members. Graveside memorial services were held at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on December 15.
Jane Susong, 98, died in Reno, Nevada, on December 26, 2003. She was born September 12, 1905, in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, to Charles W. and Helen DeMar Helm. She married Dunbar Susong in July 1927. She and her husband lived in Ajo for eight years. Her husband preceded her in death after 71 years of marriage; she is survived by her sons, a sister, and other family members. Services have been held in Nevada.
Robert Edward Simpson, 33, known to his friends as Bo, died near Williams on November 21, 2003. He was born in Ajo on December 31, 1969, to buck & Shirley Simpson. He was a cowboy and farrier who was working as a bus mechanic for the school district in Kingman at the time of his death. He is survived by his brother and sister and other family members. Graveside services were held January 24 in the Ajo Cemetery.
