United States High School Yearbooks by County
Nikki French
Services will be held Monday for Nikki French, who died at Pacific Coast Manor. She was 55.
Mrs. French was born in Great Lakes, Ill. She had lived in the Capitola area for 25 years.
Mrs. French was a self-employed cosmetologist for 35 years and a Santa Cruz City Transit bus driver for five years. She enjoyed the ocean, dolphins, traveling, reading, singing karaoke with her daughter and spending time with her grandchildren.
She is survived by daughter Sherry Simoni of Soquel; mother Donna Biddleman of Capitola; brothers Harry John Biddleman of Scotts Valley, and Dennis French of San Diego; sister Debra Parcel of Scotts Valley; and two grandchildren.
Services are at 10 a.m. Monday at Villa Maria Del Mar, 2-1918 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. A reception will follow at the home of Sherry Simoni; call 464-1118 for information.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project of Santa Cruz County, 6851 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.
September 7, 2002
Bob R. Harris Sr.
Services will be held Monday for Bob R. Harris Sr., who died Thursday in Watsonville. He was 66.
Mr. Harris was born in Washington, D.C. While in the U.S. Army he spent time in Europe before being transferred to Fort Ord. He lived in Watsonville for 40 years.
Mr. Harris retired from Phillips Driscollpipe several years ago. He was a member of the Green Valley Jehovah’s Witness Congregation. He was an avid camper and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
Mr. Harris is survived by his wife, Mae Harris of Watsonville; son Robert R. Harris Jr. of Watsonville; daughter Ethel Diego of Watsonville; brother Frederick Harris, and sister Deleta Johnson, both of Washington, D.C.; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service is 6 p.m. Monday at Green Valley Kingdom Hall, Watsonville. Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel.
September 7, 2002
Patty Sue Russell DeForge
Services will be Tuesday for Patty Sue Russell DeForge, who died unexpectedly Wednesday in her Boulder Creek home. She was 42.
Ms. Russell DeForge was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and lived in Scotts Valley for more than 30 years. She attended Vine Hill Elementary School, Soquel High School and Hartnell College in Salinas.
Ms. Russell DeForge worked at Village Pharmacy in Scotts Valley, Planned Parenthood and the Women’s Crisis Center in Salinas, The Skills Center in Santa Cruz and Oak Tree Villa in Scotts Valley.
She is survived by her daughter, Patricia "Trish" Russell; mother, Charlene DeForge of Scotts Valley; father, LaVern Warthan Jr., and stepmother Verna of Oelwein, Iowa; partner, Larry Ruben of Boulder Creek; sisters Linda Slusher of Galt, Dana DeForge of Scotts Valley, Robin Favela of Nashville, Kelly Schuelke, Kim Arndt and Kris Gamm all of Oelwein, Iowa; and brothers Robert Edward DeForge III and Tim Warthan of Oelwein, Iowa.
Her Father, Robert DeForge Jr., and sister Sharon Strickland, preceded her in death.
Services are 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oakwood Memorial Chapel, 3301 Paul Sweet Road.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are preferred to the Reyna Ortega Educational Trust Fund, c/o Bay Federal Credit Union, 225 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066.
September 9, 2002
Catherine Fergus
No services are planned for Catherine Fergus, who died Saturday at her home in Watsonville. She was 77.
A native of Oakland, she enjoyed traveling in she and her husband William’s RV throughout California, stopping to play at various golf courses.
Family and friends said she loved to help others and frequently volunteered, such as helping out at the polling stations on election days.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, William Fergus of Watsonville; son William Fergus Jr. of Aptos; and sister Rose Marie Minor of Concord.
Arrangements are by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel. Contributions are preferred to the Shriners Hospital For Children, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817.
September 10, 2002
Donald ‘Wiki’ Sorci
Services will be Thursday for Donald "Wiki" Sorci, who died of heart failure at his home in Capitola on Saturday. He was 62.
Mr. Sorci moved to the Capitola/Santa Cruz area three years ago. Prior to that, he was a longtime San Jose resident, working for San Jose Unified School District and recently retiring with Evergreen School District.
He had a career of more than 40 years as a transportation coordinator for the school districts. His family said he had a passion and talent for fishing.
He is survived by wife Vicki Sorci of Hollister; son Robert T. Sorci of Hollister; daughter Brenda Sorci of San Jose; mother Jenny Howard of San Jose; sister Nancy Sorci of San Jose; and three grandchildren.
Services will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Valley Vineyard Church, 224 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley.
Arrangements are by Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel in Santa Cruz.
Contributions are preferred to the Santa Cruz Port District, harbor office, 135 5th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062.
September 10, 2002
Marilyn McGrath
Services will be private for Marilyn McGrath, who died Friday at the Valley Convalescent Hospital after a long illness. She was 78.
A Salinas resident, she moved to Watsonville as a child. She retired from Shaw Frozen Foods in Watsonville as a lab supervisor.
Mrs. McGrath loved to cook for family and friends.
She is survived by sons Gene McGrath and Mike McGrath of Watsonville; daughters Merri Lou George of Watsonville and Roberta McGrath of Santa Cruz; brother John Snyder of Los Angeles and half-brother Chuck Hagerty of Watsonville; seven grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.
Her son Patrick died in 1986.
Mehl’s Colonial Chapel is handling arrangements.
September 10, 2002
Barbara Jean Powell
Services are today in Santa Cruz and Sunday in Kansas for Barbara Jean Powell, who died Tuesday after a long illness at her Santa Cruz home. She was 53.
Mrs. Powell was born in Houston, Texas, and later lived in Kansas City, Omaha, Treynor, Iowa, Arlington, Texas and Bethlehem, Penn., before moving to Santa Cruz County six years ago.
She attended Lutheran Community Church of Watsonville and enjoyed painting and sewing, and especially liked creating outfits for her daughters.
Mrs. Powell also enjoyed traveling and visited all 50 states with her husband, Tom, attending baseball games at all the major league ballparks three times.
She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Tom Powell of Santa Cruz; daughters Sheila Powell of Mountain View and Jennifer Cleary of Houston; brothers John C. and William H. Boyce, both of Houston; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services are from 4-7 p.m. today at Oakwood Memorial Park Crystal Chapel, 3301 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz, with prayer and music at 6:30 p.m.
Services also will be Sunday at Amos Family Funeral Home in Lenexa, Kan.
Contributions are preferred to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 140 W. 22nd St., Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10011.
September 13, 2002
Betty Jane Brunk
Services have been held for Betty Jane Brunk, who died from lung cancer Aug. 15 at her Sequim, Wash., home. She was 80.
Mrs. Brunk was born in Kelso, Wash., to Thomas John and Maude Mae Day Garner. She lived in Santa Cruz for several years before moving to Sequim 12 years ago.
Mrs. Brunk graduated from high school and attended Lower Columbia Junior College. She worked in real estate in Santa Cruz.
Mrs. Brunk was known for her sense of humor, friends say, and was a student of the Bible and was interested in birds, animal life, woodworking and golf.
Mrs. Brunk was a member of Lady Elks and Dungeness Community Church of Sequim.
She is survived by her longtime friend, Mary Patricia "Pat" Bates of Sequim.
Her husband, Carroll Eugene Brunk, died in 1958.
Services were Aug. 21 at Dungeness Community Church.
Mrs. Brunk was buried in Sequim View Cemetery.
Contributions are preferred to Dungeness Community Church, 45 Eberle Lane, Sequim, WA 98382.
September 13, 2002
