B. June Babcock died December 28, 2003, in Phoenix. She was born June 7, 1922, to Frank and Maude Gelvin in Littleton, Colorado. She married Charles Babcock in 1944. She was an artist and active in community affairs. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by her son, daughter, and other family members. A celebration of her life was held at the Masonic Hall in Ajo on January 10. Her ashes were scattered in Colorado mountains.
Hattie Lenorah Wombacher, 92, died December 29, 2003, at her home in Ajo. She was born October 23, 10911, in Kingman to Mary Viola (Hill) and Holy Anderson Miller. She married Robert Oliver Wombacher in Prescott on December 29, 1929. She was nurse and worked at several hospitals in Arizona, including the one in Ajo. She was preceded in death by her husband and a daughter. She is survived by a daughter and other family members. Services were held in Douglass Funeral Home; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Elaine Lucille McSherry, 82, died December 30, 2003, in a motor vehicle accident south of Why. She was born in Barberton, Ohio, on September 12, 1921, to Adrian and Hazel (Mock) Myers. She was a teacher and worked for Child Evangelism Fellowship. She married David McSherry on October 20, 1984, in Fort Collins, Colorado. She is survived by her husband, by her sons, stepsons, and stepdaughter, and other family members. Services were held in Ajo Calvary Baptist Church; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Carol Rogers died at her home in Suquamish, Washington, on December 27, 2003. She was born in Burlington, Washington. She was a winter resident of Ajo and an artist. She is survived by her husband, Jim Rogers, her son and daughter, and other family members. Services have been held in Washington.
Russell Jameson, 74, known as Rusty, died at his home in San Diego, California, on January 30, 2004. He was born February 18, 1930, in Coleman, Texas, to Marlin and Lottie Jameson. He came to Ajo in 1941 and lived here until 1961. He married Pat Lyons in San Diego, California, in 1950. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, and other family members.
Ethel Virginia Hunter, 81, died March 11, 2004, in Sun City. She was born in Taft California, on March 17, 1922, to Louis Barton & Ethel Louisa (Wollman) Hess. She came to Ajo in 1930 and lived her the rest of her life. She was a payroll clerk for Phelps Dodge before retiring. She is survived by her brothers and other family members. Services were held in Ajo Calvary Baptist Church; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Phillip Mathew Ward, 38, died March 10, 2004, in Phoenix. He was born in Ajo on June 25, 1965, to William & Jessie (Maya) Ward. He grew up here. He was a Navy veteran and worked as a telemarketer. He is survived by his parents, his son, and other family members. Services were held in Ajo First Assembly of God; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Mae Ford Carter Easley, 84, died November 8, 2003, in Cookville, Texas. She was born May 14, 1919, in Texas to Charlie & RV Ford. She married Walker Louis Carter and they came to Ajo where she ran a boarding house and worked at the company store. After her husband's death, she later married James Durwood "Woody" Easley and they moved to Montana before retiring to Omaha, Texas. She was preceded in death by both of her husbands. She is survived by her son and other family members. Graveside services were held in Concord Cemetery outside Cookville, Texas.
Pauline Romero Rippard, 80, died at home in Ajo on March 8, 2004. she was born in Ajo on September 22, 1923, to Mary (DelValle) and Joseph Peters. She grew up here. She married Ysidro Romero here in 1942. After his death, she married James Rippard in 1974. She was a homemaker. She is survived by her son and daughters, and by other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Margaret Elene Helms, 63, died April 5, 2004, in Glendale. She was born July 20, 1940, in Morenci to Andrew M. and Margaret Elene Watkins. She came to Ajo in 1958 and met William Helms. They were married July 10, 1958. She lived here for 27 years and worked for the Motor Vehicle Department. She moved to Pinetop-Lakeside in 1985 and later to Show Low, where she retired. She is survived by her husband, her daughters, and other family members. Services have been held in Show Low.
Wanema Mead Webster, 79, died March 13, 2004, in Phoenix. She was born april 25, 1924, in Lenna, Oklahoma, to Minnie (Rutherford) and William Owen. She came to Ajo in 1949. A homemaker, she also worked for a while as a school custodian. She was preceded in death by three husbands, Howard Mead, Dean Ritter, and Hugh Webster, by three sons, and two grandsons. She is survived by a daughter, a son, and other family members. Services have been held in the Ajo First Assembly of God Church; burial was in the Ajo Cemetery.
June Marcus, 88, died March 17, 2004, at her home in Ajo. She was born June 9, 1915, in Chicago, Illinois, to Rose (Wishnic) and Samuel Siegel. She married Lawrence Marcus on December 31, 1947. She was an award winning writer. She came to Ajo in 1993. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by her son and other family members. Memorial services were held in Douglass Funeral Home; burial will be in Shalom Memorial Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Juanita "Sissy" Gibson, 82, died February 27, 2004, in Keota, Oklahoma. She was born October 5, 1921, in McCurtain, Oklahoma, to Emma (Derryberry) and John Nixon. She and her husband, Bill Gibson, came to Ajo in 1952. She worked at the movie theatre and drive-in. She left Ajo in 1966, moving to Gila Bend and then to Oklahoma in 1969. She was preceded in death by her husband; she is survived by her daughter, sons, and other family members. Services were held in Oklahoma.
Sergeant First Class Richard J. Neely, 43, died March 10, 2004, in Ft Bragg, North Carolina. He was born March 27, 1960, in Bayshore, Long Island, New York, to Rudolph and Audrey Neely. He had a 23-year career in the military. He is survived by his daughter, mother, and other family members, including several who live in Ajo. Services were held in Arlington, Virginia, with burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
Raul D. Romero, 60, died April 20, 2004, in Sun City. He was born in Ajo on May 20, 1943, to Filipa (Duran) and Alejandro Romero. He worked for many years at Phelps Dodge Mercantile and later worked at Ajo Bowling Lanes. He is survived by his brothers and sisters and other family members. Mass was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on April 23; burial was in Ajo Cemetery.
Robert G. Murdock, 88, died at a Phoenix hospice on April 13, 2004. He was born in Cordell, Oklahoma, on October 15, 1915. He first came to Ajo in 1935 and returned in 1950. In 1937, he married Mary Louise Dingman. A machinist, he worked for Phelps Dodge before he retired. He was preceded in death by his wife; he is survived by his son and daughters and other family members. At his request, no services were held.
Fred Earl Woods, 81, died April 20, 2004, at the Arizona Pioneer Home in Prescott. He was born April 14, 1923, in Kansas to Arthur Earl and Emma Opal (Duncan) Woods. He married Mallie S. Holland on May 4, 1945. He came to Ajo in 1953 and worked for Phelps Dodge, retiring in 1982. He left Ajo in 1987 after living here for 34 years. He is survived by his sons and other family members. Memorial services were held in Peoria on May 1.
Fredrick Oscar Campfield, 67, died April 18, 2004, at his home in Brownstown, Indiana. He was born November 26, 1936, in Jennings County, Indiana, to Forrest and Ollie Hartwell Campfield. He married Belva Rella Anthony in Indiana on August 12, 1962. He and his family lived in Ajo from 1975 through 1983 while he worked for Phelps Dodge. He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his daughters, sons, and other family members. Masonic services were held in Indiana.
John W. Smith, 70, died April 21, 2004, in Phoenix. He was born June 2, 1933, in Storm Lake, Iowa. He married Ramona Schramm in Iowa in on May 1, 1953. He made a career in the Air Force and later as a civil servant. He and his wife, Ramona, moved to Ajo in 1989. He is survived by his wife, sons, daughters, and other family members. Private services were planned.
George Jackson Gray, 80, died April 14, 2004. He retired from Haskell Linen in 1982. He is survived by his wife, Joan Gray, his daughter and son, and other family members. Graveside services were held April 24 at East Lawn Cemetery in Tucson.
Francis D. "Frank" Mitzel, 70, died April 21, 2004, in Phoenix. He was born June 23, 1933, in Zeeland, North Dakota. A Vietnam veteran, he retired from the US Air Force as a master sergeant, 21-year military career. He and his wife Audrey came from Ajo from Florida in 1997. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and other family members. Memorial services were held at the VFW in Ajo on April 29.
Leland Dale Shaffner, 70, died April 19, 2004, in New Mexico. He was born May 17, 1933, in Deepwater, Missouri. Me married Judy Stubbs on august 4, 1963. He taught math in Ajo High School for one year. He had an extensive career in Christian broadcasting. He is survived by his wife and son and other family members. Services were held in Calvary Baptist church in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on April 22; burial was in the Mason Cemetery there.
