United States High School Yearbooks by County
Billie B. Brunson Sr.
Services will be May 10 for Billie B. Brunson Sr., who died Tuesday at his Royal Oaks home. He was 77.
Mr. Brunson was born in Los Angeles, and moved to Santa Cruz County in 1959. He worked as an audio-visual technician for Cabrillo College and county schools for 22 years before retiring in 1981.
He served in the Army during World War II, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was a member of the Soquel/Pajaro Masonic Lodge.
He is survived by wife Dorothy Brunson of Royal Oaks; son Billy Brunson of Royal Oaks; brothers Bruce Brunson of Washington and George, Robert and Ron Brunson, all of Oregon; sisters Annie Louise Stryker, Joyce Isenhart and Janice Gupton of Oregon; a granddaughter; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. May 10 at Green Valley Christian Center, 376 S. Green Valley Road, Watsonville. Davis Memorial Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Contributions are preferred to donor’s favorite charity.
May 3, 2003
Raymond Gill
Raymond Gill died April 20 in Redwood City. He was 91.
Mr. Gill lived in Santa Cruz for many years, and was a maintenance engineer at Santa Cruz County Hospital when he retired. Previously, he had worked 27 years for Farmers Co-op Exchange.
He and wife Dorothy were married in 1935 at Congregational Church in Santa Cruz.
He enjoyed hunting and woodworking.
He is survived by son Gerald Raymond Gill of San Jose; and nephew Ron Ball of Woodside.
Burial will be at Santa Cruz Memorial Park. Redwood Chapel in Redwood City is in charge of the arrangements.
May 3, 2003
Richard Alan Baird
Services will be in late June for Richard Alan Baird, who died of cancer April 17 at his Baraboo, Wis., home. He was 42.
Mr. Baird was born in Santa Cruz, and lived here most of his life. He graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1979, from Cabrillo College in 1982 and from Cal Poly State University in 1984.
He enjoyed boating, woodworking and cooking, and was a youth leader. He attended Emanuel United Methodist Church in Baraboo.
He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Paige Baird; daughters Kristen, Katie and Julia Baird of Baraboo; son Ian Baird of Baraboo; sister Diane Sanny of Aptos; brothers Bruce Baird of Fremont and Dale Baird of Almaden; parents Richard and Gloria Baird of Santa Maria; five nieces and two nephews.
Sister Beverly Baird died in 1985.
Memorial services were held in Wisconsin. A second memorial service will be held in Santa Maria in late June. For information, send e-mail to dsanny@hotmail.com.
Contributions are preferred to any children’s camp.
May 3, 2003
Geneva Margaret Dill Johnson
Services will be Tuesday for Geneva Margaret Dill Johnson, who died Thursday in Monterey. She was 86.
Mrs. Johnson was born in Arkansas to Thomas and Margaret Dill, who owned a dairy farm.
Mrs. Johnson married Murl Gordon Johnson in 1932. They lived and ran a business in Eureka for a number of years. In 1976, they moved to Watsonville.
Mrs. Johnson was active in the Myrtle Avenue Baptist Church in Eureka and the Arthur Road Baptist Church in Watsonville. She enjoyed gardening and quilting, but her family and home were always her main focus.
She is survived by son Jimmie Gordon Johnson of Boise, Idaho,; daughters Genevieve Wilkins of Magalia; Erma Marlena Garcelon of Alamo, and Sherry Melanie Byerly of Pebble Beach; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Her husband died before her.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Arthur Road Baptist Church. Commital will follow at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
Contributions are preferred to Arthur Road Baptist Church of the charity of your choice.
May 5, 2003
Harry L. Burger
Services will be today for Harry L. Burger, who died Saturday at Watsonville Community Hospital. He was 93.
Mr. Burger was an Iowa City, Iowa, native who lived in Watsonville for the last 19 years.
Mr. Burger was member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He also was a World War II veteran.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mildred, of Watsonville; sons Harry of Santa Barbara, Tom of Sumner, Wash., and Rick of Santa Cruz; daughters Shirley Schmidt of Woodenville, Wash., and Pat Mahoney of Valencia; brothers Leo and Larry of Iowa; sister Mary Melton of Missouri; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A vigil service will be at 7 tonight at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park. Visitation will be 4-9 p.m. today at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. There will be no visitation on Tuesday.
Contributions are preferred to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 721 Main St., Watsonville, CA, 95076.
May 5, 2003
George H. Carsella
Services will be Thursday for George H. Carsella, who died Friday in San Jose of natural causes. He was 62.
Mr. Carsella was born in Walsenburg, Colo., and lived in San Jose. He worked for Burke Industries.
He enjoyed golfing, fishing, gardening, traveling to Hawaii and making people laugh.
He is survived by wife Lupe J. Carsella of San Jose; son George Carsella Jr. of San Jose; daughters Lorraine Carsella, Debbie Carsella and Brenda Frank, all of San Jose; sisters Jean Watkins and Trudy Riley, both of Watsonville, and Kathy Smith of Roseville; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be 1-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady Help of Christians, 2401 East Lake Ave., Watsonville.
Burial will follow at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park.
Davis Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.
May 6, 2003
Ruth Charlotte Eolkin
Services were held for Ruth Charlotte Eolkin, who died April 22 of emphysema in Santa Cruz. She was 84.
Born in Mankato, Minn., she had lived in San Leandro for 20 years.
She was a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and was retired from the San Francisco and Oakland offices of Dean Witter-Morgan Stanley. She gave to numerous charities, loved theater, was kind, clever with words and a well-organized, loving wife and mother.
Mrs. Eolkin is survived by daughter Elaine Moore of Santa Cruz and niece Harriet Dollin of Washington.
Her husband, David Eolkin, son Larry Eolkin, and sister Florence Dollin died before her.
Arrangements were by Chapel of the Chimes, Hayward.
May 6, 2003
Irene Lallatin
Services will be later for Irene Lallatin, who died Saturday at her home in Santa Cruz. She was 90.
Born in Soda Springs, Idaho, she came to Santa Cruz in April 1963. She helped set up the Santa Cruz Medical Clinic on Mission Street. She will be remembered by her colleagues for her work as an X-ray technician.
Ms. Lallatin was very close with her friend and care-giver, Ruth Tower.
She is survived by sisters Janet McConkie of Auburn, Vivian Buckley of Pullman, Wash., and Gwen Kunz of Salt Lake City; and numerous nieces and nephews.
No local services will be held.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
May 6, 2003
Connie Munoz
Services will be Wednesday for Connie Munoz, who died Friday at an area convalescent home. She was 79.
Born in Arizona, Mrs. Munoz had lived in Santa Cruz County for the past 30 years. She worked for various hotels in the area as a housekeeper. She was a member of Our Lady of the Sea Catholic Church. Munoz will be remembered as a friendly person who enjoyed flowers, plants and taking daily walks.
She is survived by sons Tommy Munoz of Watsonville, Gary Munoz of Arizona, Danny Carrillo of Los Angeles and David Marquez of San Francisco; daughters Yvonne Munoz of Irvine, Nancy Munoz of Santa Cruz, and Debbie Munoz of Lancaster; brothers Jessie Alvarez and Daniel Alvarez, both of Willits; sister Irene Alvarez of Watsonville; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Her son, Charlie Munoz, died before her.
Rosary will be recited from 7:30-9 tonight at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady Help of Christians. Burial will follow at Valley Cemetery.
Visitation will be 5-9 p.m. today and 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, 222 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville.
Arrangements by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
May 6, 2003
