United States High School Yearbooks by County
Burton Porter Dartt
Services will be private for Burton Porter Dartt, who died Saturday at Brommer Manor in Santa Cruz. He was 79.
Mr. Dartt was born in Berkeley and lived in Santa Cruz County for 45 years.
He enjoyed working with his hands, making jewelry and other art. Mr. Dartt was a Mason.
He is survived by an adopted family.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project, P.O. Box 670, Aptos, CA 95003.
Arrangements are by Santa Cruz Memorial Park.
November 26, 2002
Aldo Bussi
At his request, no services are planned for Aldo Bussi, who died at his Scotts Valley home on Saturday. He was 88.
Mr. Bussi was born and raised in Los Angeles. He moved to Santa Cruz County after he retired, in 1978, and lived in Scotts Valley’s Montevalle Mobile Home Park for 18 years.
Mr. Bussi graduated from Los Angeles High School and attended Frank Wiggens Trade School, studying electronics.
He was in the civil service during World War II and helped establish radar stations along the Southern California coast.
Mr. Bussi worked as an electronics engineer and partner of V.T. Rupp Co. for many years in Los Angeles.
He enjoyed reading and was an avid Hamm radio operator. Mr. Bussi was a member of SIRS and the Hamm Radio Club.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Maxine Bussi of Scotts Valley; brother Frank D. Bussi of Solvang; and cousin Tony Marini of Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project, P.O. Box 670, Aptos, CA 95003.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel.
November 26, 2002
Geraldine Weidner
At her request, no services will be held for Geraldine Weidner, who died recently.
Mrs. Weidner was born in Holcomb, Mo., and lived in Davison, Mich., and Mesa, Ariz., before moving to Santa Cruz last year.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, John D. Weidner of Santa Cruz; daughter Linda Donaldson of Davison, Mich.; and son John D. Weidner Jr. of San Jose.
Arrangements are by Oakwood Memorial Chapel.
November 26, 2002
Dorothy Louise Rysdam
Services will be Friday for Dorothy Louise Rysdam, who died Friday at her Santa Cruz home. She was 79.
Mrs. Rysdam was raised in Kansas and had lived in Santa Cruz since 1940.
She enjoyed gardening, cooking, bridge, shopping, reading and caring for her Siamese cat, Coco. She liked taking walks with friends, and more recently, sitting on Capitola Beach with the other "Beach Girls."
Mrs. Rysdam was a member of the Tri-League and an active member of First Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School. She was also a Girl Scout leader.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Harold "Hal" Rysdam; daughter Susan Heartsner of Aptos; and granddaughter Mary Heartsner of Aptos.
Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Santa Cruz Memorial Park Chapel, 1927 Ocean St. Ext. The Rev. Kent Weber will officiate.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project, P.O. Box 670, Aptos, CA 95003.
November 26, 2002
Dorothy M. Brown
Services are private for Dorothy M. Brown, who died Wednesday in Lodi. She was 90.
Mrs. Brown was born in The Dalles, Oregon, and moved to the Santa Cruz area 30 years ago.
Mrs. Brown was a member of Twin Lakes Baptist Church and was active in Alcoholics Anonymous.
She is survived by daughters Barbara J. Rios of Santa Cruz, Patricia Ann Lazzereschi of Lodi, and Virginia Lee Fox of Reno, Nev.; sons William P. Brown of Modesto, and Gene Brown Jr. of Reno; eight grandchildren; and 11 great- grandchildren.
Her husband, Eugene Brown, died in 1988.
Arrangements are by Oakwood Memorial Park.
November 30, 2002
Jean M. Skeen
Services will be Wednesday for Jean M. Skeen, who died Thursday in Gilroy. She was 86.
Mrs. Skeen was born in Stella, Mo., and lived in Watsonville for 61 years.
She owned Palm Hill Grocery in Watsonville and was active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning the group’s highest honor, the Silver Beaver. She also enjoyed crafts.
She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Daniel and Debbie Skeen of Morgan Hill; and four grandchildren.
Her husband, Olin Earnest Skeen, died in 1964.
Friends may call from 2-5 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Davis Memorial Chapel, 609 Main St., Watsonville.
Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the chapel, followed by Burial at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park.
Contributions are preferred in memory of Imogene Skeen to the American Heart Association, 1 Almaden Blvd., No. 500, San Jose, CA 95113.
November 30, 2002
Hermelinda Lara
Services are pending for Hermelinda Lara, who died Sunday in Watsonville. She was 68.
Mrs. Lara was born in Pittsburg and had lived in the Watsonville area all of her life. She was as nurse for 14 years and worked for various organizations including Quality Home Care of Santa Cruz.
Mrs. Lara was a member of the Visiting Nurses Association.
She is survived by daughters Maria Morraz of Watsonville and Claudia Mendoza of Monterey; brothers John Lara of Nevada and Raymond Lara of Louisiana; sisters Josephine Lesama of Watsonville, Dichosa Quezada of Pico Rivera, and Aurora Salinas of Freedom; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her son, Amedee Michael Mendoza, and brother, Frank Lara, died before her.
Contributions are preferred to Quality Home Care, P.O. Box 2621, Aptos, CA 95003.
November 30, 2002
Paul J. Dubreta
Services will be Monday for Paul J. Dubreta, who died Nov. 22 in El Centro. He was 100.
Mr. Dubreta was born in Angels Camp and lived in Watsonville as a child. He had lived in El Centro since the 1920s.
Mr. Dubreta served in the Merchant Marine as a young man and survived the sinking of his ship in the Puget Sound.
He worked as a shed foreman for various melon and lettuce farms in the Imperial Valley and Salinas areas.
Mr. Dubreta was a rock hound and expert at polishing stones, family members say. He also loved fishing, mostly for trout, and enjoyed the desert.
He is survived by daughter Faye Hall of Moss Landing; brother Mitch Dubreta of Watsonville; three grandchildren; and two nephews.
His wife, Georgia Dubreta, died in 1994.
Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Watsonville Catholic Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
November 30, 2002
