United States High School Yearbooks by County
Ray Prado Leon
Services will be Thursday for Ray Prado Leon, who died Saturday at a Watsonville convalescent hospital. He was 86.
Mr. Leon, a native of San Bernardino, had lived in Pajaro since 1958.
He ran an orchard in Gilroy with his brother Joe, and the two later co-owned a bar on Main Street. He ran a grocery store near Pinto Lake and grew flowers as a self-employed nurseryman.
Mr. Leon was a World War II Army veteran, serving in the South Pacific.
He attended the Curch of the Assumption in Pajaro.
He is survived by his wife, Carmen; daughter Marie Seymour of San Jose; sons Raymond of Hawaii, Dennis of San Jose and Jim of La Selva Beach; sister Lucy of Fowler; 10 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.
A rosary will be recited 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 9 a.m. Thursday at the Church of the Assumption. Burial will follow at Valley Public Cemetery. Friends may call at Mehl’s 5 -9 p.m. Wednesday.
October 28, 2003
Margaret R. McClendon
Services will be Sunday for Margaret R. McClendon who died Monday in Santa Cruz. She was 90.
Ms. McClendon was a native of Redfield, S.D., and had lived in Santa Cruz for 30 years. She was an active volunteer with the Grey Bears Food bank and RSVP, both of Santa Cruz. She was a devoted member of the Baha’i Faith.
She is survived by her brother Robert Richert of San Francisco and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials services are 3 p.m. Sunday at the Bosch Baha’i Center, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz. Burial is 1 p.m. today at the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Boulder Creek.
Contributions are preferred to the Margaret McClendon Scholarship Fund, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
October 31, 2003
Louise Pretzer Jones
Services will be Saturday for Louise Pretzer Jones who died Oct. 21 at her Santa Cruz home. She was 104.
Louise was born in Russia. After immigrating to the United States through Ellis Island, she and her family settled in Fresno. As a young woman she married Henry Pretzer, a Fresno nurseryman. She resided in Fresno for many years where she raised her two daughters, retiring to Santa Cruz in 1961.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Santa Cruz where she was the hospitality chairwoman of the Women’s Fellowship. She was active in volunteerism and other social activities including the Red Cross, Project Scout, the Grey Bears and the Senior Center, where she was one of the original members of the seniors dance group. She loved dancing and continued to dance until she was 97. She was known in her neighborhood as the "Cookie Lady" for baking holiday cookies, which she gave to her neighbors. She also enjoyed gardening, sewing, cooking and taking walks along the beach.
She is survived by daughters Eleanor E. Groendyke of Fresno and Henri Etta Van Valkenburgh of Santa Cruz; granddaughter Dr. Toni Knott and her husband, Gordon, of Fresno; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at First Congregational Church of Santa Cruz, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. Arrangements are by Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St, Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred to the Salvation Army, 721 Laurel St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060; First Congregational Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 or the Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
October 31, 2003
Edward F. Sette
At his request, no services will be held for Edward F. Sette, who died Monday at a nursing home in Watsonville. He was 91.
Mr. Sette was a World War II veteran, attaining the rank of major in the Army. He sold his manufacturing business in Sparks, Nev., in 1985 and moved to Santa Cruz. Mr. Sette never married.
He is survived by nieces and nephews.
The Neptune Society handled all arrangements.
October 31, 2003
Gary Lee Sinkinson
Services will be Nov. 8 for Gary Lee Sinkinson who died Oct. 22 in Boulder Creek due to heart complications. He was 53.
Mr. Sinkinson was a native of Pico and had lived in Santa Cruz for 50 years.
His family said he loved to spend time with them. He enjoyed building, fixing things around the house, fixing cars, reading and cooking. His family remembers him as being a good man who loved life.
He is survived by his wife, Sandra Sinkinson of Santa Cruz, son James Sinkinson of Los Altos, stepson Donnie Running of Washington, stepdaughters Jenny, Roxanne and Stephanie Howard, all of Santa Cruz; and seven grandchildren.
His father, Donald, died in 1978. His mother, Edna, died in 1994.
A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Opal Cliffs Mobile Home Park Recreation Hall, 890 38th Ave., Santa Cruz. Due to limited parking, attendees are asked to park outside of the mobile home park.
A private Burial will be held later at Oakwood Memorial Park.
October 31, 2003
John T. Chapin
At his request, no services will be held for John T. Chapin, who died Aug. 24 in Capitola. He was 84.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Chapin had previously lived in Philadelphia and New York. He lived in Santa Cruz County on and off for 10 years.
During World War II, Mr. Chapin served in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician on the USS Washington. After his service, he worked as a field engineer for the Seeburg Corporation in Chicago from 1946-57. He then attended Temple University in Philadelphia, graduating in 1961 with degres in physics and mathematics. He remained at the university another year to teach in the mathematics department. Mr. Chapin returned to the Seeburg Corperation in 1962, retiring as president in 1979. He returned as a consultant.
A lifelong learner, Mr. Chapin has endowed UC Santa Cruz scholarships and the library. He had been an active leader of the Great Books Discussion Program since the mid-1950s.
He is survived by his adopted daughter, Meg Powell of Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred to the Chapin Scholarships Fund at UC Santa Cruz.
September 1, 2003
Nadine Larson
No services are planned for Nadine Larson, who died Tuesday at an area convalescent hospital. She was 78.
She was born in Middleburg, Okla., and grew up picking cotton on a farm. As a young adult, she worked at Douglas Aircraft, building C-47s during World War II. She moved to California in 1945.
Mrs. Larson is survived by her sister, Jean Ray; children John Roger Larson of Monroe, Wash., Joan Kay Garrett of Langhorne, Penn., and Cathleen Gabriele of Aptos; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Her husband, John Larson, died in 1999.
A private interment will be at King City Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Oakwood Memorial Chapel.
September 1, 2003
Debisu Renn
A celebration of life will be held Saturday for Debisu Renn, who died Aug. 7 in Fort Collins, Colo. She was 42.
She was born in Oklahoma, but called Santa Cruz home from the early 1980s to the 1990s. She later moved with her family to Fort Collins.
Friends in the Boulder Creek, Capitola and Santa Cruz area remember her for her unique Southern style, beautiful smile and big heart. Her feisty spirit lives on through many memories from all who knew and loved her.
Mrs. Renn is survived by sons Josh and Gregg Renn of Colorado.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at New Brighton Beach.
September 1, 2003
Donald D. Braga
Services will be Wednesday for Donald D. Braga, who died Friday at a San Diego hospital. He was 71.
Mr. Braga was born in Watsonville and grew up in Santa Cruz County, attending Santa Cruz and Watsonville high schools. He served in the Air Force, stationed overseas and later Castle Air Force Base. He then worked many years as a Greyhound bus driver, and enjoyed charters the most, including trips to the Canadian Rockies. He enjoyed cooking, gardening camping and traveling.
Mr. Braga is survived by two sons, Douglas Braga of Aromas and Don Braga of Bellevue, Wash.; daughter Deana Desist of Atascadero; sister Lucile Dimeo of Santa Cruz; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be noon Wednesday at Holy Cross Cemetery, 2271 7th Ave., Santa Cruz. Friends can call 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at Benito & Azarro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St., Santa Cruz.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 1514 Moffett St., Salinas, CA 93901.
September 2, 2003
JEANNE WELLER KOLB
Passed on to the Lord on August 31, 2003. A loving and dedicated Mother and Grandmother, Jeanne was born in Hollister, California, and was the Great-Great-Granddaughter of early California settler, Don Antonio Sunol, one of the first settlers of San Jose. Jeanne’s career spanned many years, and she retired as Manager of the San Jose facility of the Santa Clara County Municipal and Traffic Court. She was a member of Kappa Rho Sigma Sorority, the Santa Clara County Watercolor Society, the Los Gatos Art Association, the Cambrian Art League, the Sierra Club Singleaires, the Eastfield Ming Quong Guild, was a volunteer at the Happy Dragon Thrift Store, and an active parishioner of Holy Spirit Church in San Jose.
Jeanne is survived by her three sons, Karl G. Kolb, Eau Claire, WI, Gregory J. Kolb, San Francisco, CA, and Garrett M. Kolb, Los Gatos, CA. Loving mother-in-law to Kathy Kolb and Beth Kolb. Loving sister to E. John Weller, and sister-in-law to Jo Weller. Loving grandmother to Erika, Jarrod, Christina, Courtney, Veronica, Allison, Whitney, Carmel, Christopher, Carly and Anna. Loving Great-grandmother to Matthew, Elisa and Kiely.
Mom’s legacy to her family and friends is her love for each of you in her own special way.
Friends are invited to attend the vigil service Thursday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m., Darling & Fischer Chapel of the Hills, 615 N. Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos 408-354-7740. Funeral services Friday, September 5, 2003 at 4:00 p.m., Holy Spirit Church, 1200 Redmond Avenue, San Jose. Those who may wish may send donations to Pathways Hospice Foundation, 201 San Antonio Circle #104, Mt. View, CA 94040.
September 3, 2003
