Arizona School Yearbooks by County
Beulah Jane Simpson, 76, of east Mesa, died Jan. 25, 2003 in Mesa.
Mrs. Simpson, a retired retail salesperson, was born in Vienna, S.D.
She is survived by her husband Don; daughters Becky Johnson, Niki Moore and Twyla Knudson; sons Kim and Larry; daughter-in-law Jeanne; sons-in-law Pat Moore and Jim Knudson; sister Lila Orlando; brother Almond Lunde; sister-in-law Grace Lunde; brother-in-law George Orlando; 16 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Savior's Lutheran Church Youth Program, 612 S. Ellsworth Road, Mesa AZ 85208.
Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Care handled arrangements.
Tamra Lynn Burdick-Lujan, 44, of east Mesa, died Jan. 26, 2003 in Mesa.
Mrs. Lujan, a homemaker, was born in Monticello, Utah.
She is survived by her husband Gilbert "Joe"; daughter Tiara; stepfather Frank Philbrick; sister Tori Burdick; brothers Wayne and Jay Burdick and Ben Philbrick.
Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park and Funeral Care handled arrangements.
Theodore (Ted) Valentovich, 66, of Surprise, died Jan. 14, 2003. Born in California, he is survived by his wife, Marlene. Arrangements were made by Sunland Mortuary.
William (Bill) V. Axon, 82, of Sun City West, died Jan. 20, 2003. Born in Oregon, he served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Mr. Axon is survived by his wife, Ella Mae; son, Ronald; one sister, one brother, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Sunland Mortuary.
William Werner Baumbach, 83, of Sun City, an electrician, died Jan. 22, 2003. Born in Chigaco, Ill., he served in the Army. Mr. Baumbach is survived by his wife, Marion and son, Dane. Best Funeral Services and Chapel.
Robert W. Christiansen, 67, of Sun City West, died Jan. 19, 2003. Born in Illinois, he served in the Navy. Mr. Christiansen is survived by his son, Bruce. Sunland Mortuary.
Ben Gregory, 85, of Sun City West, owner of Pest Control and Holly Nursery, died Jan. 20, 2003. Born in Newark, N.J., he moved to Arizona in 1986. Mr. Gregory is survived by his wife, Anne; daughters, Dusty Bawenkamp, of Sun City West, Dianna Smith and Anne Marie Roberts; son, Richard; two sisters, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Camino Del Sol Funeral Chapel.
Kenneth Ralph Kingsbury, 85, of Sun City West, a physician, died Jan. 20, 2003. Born in Iowa, he served as a battalion surgeon during World War II, receiving the Combat Medical Badge. Dr. Kingsbury is survived by his daughters, Marsha Modrell of Flagstaff, and Kris Ellis; sons, Rob and Bill; 11 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Porter Loring Chapel.
Caroline Melichar, 91, of Sun City, died Jan. 19, 2003. She moved to Arizona from Illinois. Sunland Mortuary.
Robert Murphy, 67, of Sun City West, a printer, died Jan. 15, 2003. Born in Berkeley, Calif., he is survived by his wife, Susan. Best Funeral Services and Chapel.
Lettie Mae Nickla, 89, of Sun City, died Jan. 19, 2003. She moved to Arizona from Illinois and is survived by her daughter, Sandra Morrical, and son, Robert. Sunland Mortuary.
World War II Naval veteran and Sun City resident Timothy J. Murphy died Jan. 4, 2003. He witnessed and participated in many major battles, including Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, during the Normandy Invasion. Awards included the Asiatic Pacific Star and the World War II Victory Medal. In 1997, he and 96 other allied vetarans received the Jubile de la Liberty medal from the French government. Mr. Murphy was one of 133 seamen assigned to Landing Ship Tank 495. LSTs hauled troops, small troop carriers and supplies. During the invasions, Mr. Murphy helped load 22mm shells into an anti-aircraft gun on the 395-foot-long ship. He also was on the ship as it made 17 trips back and forth between Normandy and the English coast. On one assignment, the ship transported more than 900 German prisoners of war. Another time, it carried hundreds of injured American soldiers. LST 495 was docked in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered, and Mr. Murphy was among the first American servicemen allowed ashore in Yokahama and Tokyo.
A former railroad control tower operator, Mr. Murphy is survived by his wife, Catherine; daughters, Mary Murphy-Smith, Kathleen Kelly and Margaret Regan; sons, Timothy, Robert and Patrick; one sister and 15 grandchildren.
Donald Nollet Jr., 79, of Sun City West, a physician and pathologist, died Jan. 21, 2003. Born in St. Paul, Minn., he served in the Navy as a doctor. Dr. Nollet is survived by his wife, Marne; daughters, Barb Eckes, Dorothy Sankey, Judy Nollet and Mary Nollet-Newell; sons, Don Jr., Tom, and Ken; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Camino Del Sol Funeral Chapel.
Charles I. Peck, 93, of Sun City, a sales manager for Montgomery Ward, died Jan. 17, 2003. Born in New York, he is survived by his wife, Catherine. Menke Funeral Home.
