United States High School Yearbooks by County
Mary Bregante Botti
Services will be Friday for Mary Bregante Botti, who died Tuesday at a local convalescent hospital. She was 89.
Ms. Botti was a lifetime county resident.
She carved wooden fruit at Wilson’s in Soquel Village and retired as a cook from the Casa Del Rey Hotel in Santa Cruz.
Mrs. Botti was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, the Catholic Daughters, the Italian Catholic Federation and the Native Daughters of the Golden West.
She enjoyed cooking and working in her award-winning flower garden. Mrs. Botti’s work with plants led to experiments with sugar-beet plots for the Spreckels Sugar Co. for five years, and during World War II she grew experimental guayule rubber plants.
She is survived by sisters Jennie Seagraves of Santa Cruz and Martina Tei of Stockton.
Her husband, Tony Botti, and brothers Battista Bregante Jr. and Frank Bregante died before her.
Friends may call 3-8 p.m. Thursday at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 515 Frederick St., Santa Cruz. Burial will be at the Holy Cross Cemetery, 7th Avenue, Santa Cruz.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
July 9, 2003
Lee Allen Wingerd
Services were held for Lee Allen Wingerd, who died of a heart attack May 30 in Grass Valley. He was 63.
Mr. Wingerd was a native of Oakland.
After graduating from Oakland High School in 1958, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business at Cal State Hayward.
He and his wife, Carol, raised three children in Santa Cruz. He was a controller for Granite Construction for many years.
He retired at age 48 and after a few years in Incline Village, Nev., moved to the Grass Valley-Nevada City area in 1995.
Mr. Wingerd was an avid sports fan with lifetime loyalty to his hometown sports teams, the Oakland Athletics, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.
One of his hobbies was to keep track of sports statistics. He also loved camping, his family said.
After 38 years of marriage, Mr. Wingerd would still surprise Carol with flowers "just because," she said.
He is survived by wife Carol Ann Wingerd of Grass Valley; daughter Kristi Wingerd of Alta Serra; sons Mark and Todd Wingerd of Grass Valley; brothers Don Wingerd and Bill Wingerd; three grandchildren; two nieces; and two nephews.
Services were in Nevada City.
Contributions are preferred to a charity in Mr. Wingerd’s name.
July 9, 2003
Ronald Reese Piper Jr.
Services will be Saturday for Ronald Reese Piper Jr., who died June 26 in San Jose. He was 32.
Mr. Piper was born in Watsonville and had lived in the San Jose area for the past 16 years.
He is survived by mother Martha Piper of San Jose, father Ron Piper, and stepmother Sue Piper of Watsonville.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Missionary Baptist Church, 425 McCreery Ave., San Jose.
July 11, 2003
Candido Medina Tovar
Service will be Saturday for Candido Medina Tovar, who died July 5 at Watsonville Community Hospital. He was 76.
Mr. Tovar was born in San Pedro Tesistan, Jalisco, Mexico. He lived in Watsonville for the past 30 years.
He worked in the agriculture industry and for a local floral nursery.
He is survived by wife Guadalupe Tovar of Watsonville; sons Mario Tovar of Mexico and Martin Tovar of Watsonville; daughters Elisa, Angela and Rosario Tovar of Watsonville, and Elena Tovar of Mexico; brother Manuel Tovar of Mexico; 29 grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren.
Friends may call 4-8 p.m. Saturday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville. A memorial service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at The Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, 130 Sill Road, Las Lomas.
A private Burial will follow. Mr. Tovar’s ashes will be buried in San Pedro Tesistan.
July 11, 2003
Wilma Grace Schuld
Private services will be held for Wilma Grace Schuld, who died July 4 in Santa Cruz. She was 90.
Born in Portland, Ore., Mrs. Schuld was a longtime resident of Modesto. She and her late husband traveled throughout the United States for 17 years upon their retirement. She moved to Santa Cruz in 1990 to be near her daughter.
Her daughter recalled her talents at weaving and operating a loom. She is survived by daughter Elizabeth Thomas of Soquel; sister Wineford Darby of Portland; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A private cremation was conducted under the direction of Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
July 11, 2003
Harold Givens
Services will be announced at a later date for Harold Givens, who died Sunday. He was 96.
Mr. Givens was born in Merced and lived in Santa Cruz for the last 35 years.
He worked as a mechanic for the Standard Oil Co. in San Jose.
He was a member of the Masons and Shriners, Soquel Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Santa Cruz Elks Lodge and the Santa Cruz S.I.R.S.
He enjoyed cars and travel.
He is survived by daughter Patti Lindquist of Ahwahnee; and son Charles Givens of Lopez Island, Wash..
His wife, Carol Givens, died before him.
Contributions are preferred to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
July 11, 2003
Aletha M. Worley
Private services will be held for Aletha M. Worley, who died Sunday at her Felton home. She was 93.
Ms. Worley was born in Avilla, Mo. She moved to Santa Cruz County in 1945. She was a partner in the family-owned business, Worley’s Garage in Felton, and was one of the first Realtors in San Lorenzo Valley. She also worked for the Heavenly Cafe in Felton for 30 years and is remembered for the pies and muffins she baked at the restaurant.
She is survived by her son, Larry Worley, and daughter-in-law Pat Worley of Ben Lomond; and brother W.F. Ziler of Carthage, Mo.
Arrangements are by the Santa Cruz Memorial Park and Funeral Home.
July 11, 2003
Marguerite ‘Peggy’ C. Trent
Services will be later for Marguerite "Peggy" C. Trent, who died June 30 at the Valley Convalescent Hospital in Watsonville. She was 98.
Ms. Trent was born in Morristown, N.J.
She enjoyed gardening and dancing.
She is survived by daughter Gayle Brock of Capitola; brother Anthony Ragucci of Signal Mount, Tenn.; grandsons Steven Mostek of Boulder Creek and Scott Mostek of Fairfield; granddaughter Sharon Silva of Felton; and great-grandchildren Suzanne and Joey Silva of Felton.
Her husband, Wallace Trent, died before her.
Contributions are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2065 W. El Camino Real, Suite C, Mountain View, CA 94040-2217.
Burial will take place at a later date in Morristown, N.J.
Arrangements are by Santa Cruz County Memorial Park.
July 11, 2003
