Week of May 23, 2002
Miguel Angel Aguirre
Miguel Angel (Michael) Aguirre of Denver Colorado, died in Williamsburg, Colo., on May 11, 2002. He was 30.
Mr. Aguirre was born on June 21, 1971, in King City and raised in Soledad. He attended schools in Soledad, Gonzales and Hollister before moving to Arizona and Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Aguirre was a gifted artist, loving brother, son, father and friend.
Survivors include his son, Anthony Michael, of Tucson, father Eliseo Aguirre, mother Maria Aguirre of Denver, siblings Salvador, Daniel and Candy, Edward, Eliseo Jr., Enrique and Gerardo Aguirre; as well as a grandfather and various uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces and sister in-laws in California, Colorado and Mexico.
The funeral is today at Fairmount Mortuary and Cemetery in Denver, Colo., by Elder Michael Jones. An account to defray and assist with funeral and burial expenses of Mr. Aguirre, who was murdered, has been established at Wells Fargo Bank, account no#1013681562.
For further information, please contact Enrique Aguirre at (720) 339-1242 in Denver, Colo. or Daniel Aguirre at (831) 757-3397 in Salinas. Email comments to: daniel.aguirre@danworld.com
Mary Dolores Gonzales
Mary Dolores Gonzales, a Hollister resident, died May 17, 2002. She was 79.
Mrs. Gonzales was born in Mountain View, raised in Sunnyvale and moved to San Benito County in 1946. Mrs. Gonzales was a member of the local Golden Years Club and Spanish Lodge in Sunnyvale. She was a proud of living the life of a wife of an apricot farmer. She was married to Frank T. Gonzales, a local apricot farmer for 56 years. She was a devoted housewife and at tentative grandmother.
Mrs. Gonzales is survived by her husband, Frank Gonzales of Hollister, children Geraldine Doman of Hollister, Gary Gonzales of Hollister, Frank Gonzales of Concord, three grandchildren, sister Carmen Dudlak of Illinois, brothers Joseph Perez of Santa Clara and brother Frank Perez of Arizona, also several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday morning at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. The funeral Tuesday was followed by entombment and graveside services at the mausoleum in Calvary Cemetery.
Contributions preferred to the Alzheimer's Association, American Cancer Society or the Jovenes De Antonio at the Hollister Community Center.
Thomas J. Harn
Thomas J. Harn, former administrator at Hazel Hawkins Hospital, died May 15 in Fresno. He was 71.
Mr. Harn, patriarch over a large Irish-Catholic family, dedicated his life to hard work and devotion to God and his family. He was a great man who quietly modeled a life of dignified servitude, which he passed on to those who knew him well.
After 20 years as an Air Force major, Mr. Harn helped many people through his three years as associate administrator at St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno, 18 years as administrator at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister, and 10 years as an owner of a mailbox and shipping business in Fresno.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary, seven children, 14 grandchildren, and four sisters. The funeral was Monday.
Barbara Ann Layman
Barbara Ann Layman, a Hollister resident who recently moved to San Jose, died Monday after suffering a three-year illness. She was 49.
Mrs. Layman was born in Winnsboro, La., and went to school in Dallas, Tex., and at Laney College in Stockton. She was an ordained minister with Harvester Christian Fellowship of Tennessee. While living in San Benito County, Mrs. Layman was a member of Abundant Life Four Square Church of Hollister. She ministered to girls and women at the San Benito County Jail and also held services at Thousand Trails in Hollister.
'Her hobby was her family,' said her relatives. She loved cooking for and taking care of her husband and her children. She also loved to teach children and women through her church.
Mrs. Layman is survived by her husband, H. Michael Layman of San Jose, parents Reef Gordon and Ruth Witherspoon, her four children Coke Edmon of San Jose, Dallas Gordon of Dallas, Tex., Michael Layman and John Layman of San Jose, six brothers and sisters: Bobby Gordon, Faye Gordon, Kathy Vowels, Michael, Edward, and Chris Witherspoon all of Dallas, three grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. She was preceded in death by her brother, Charles Ray Gordon.
There will be no formal visitation at the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Chapel. Visitation will take place Saturday at 10:30 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. at the Abundant Life Four Square Church, 790 Bolsa Road(Hwy 25), Hollister, to which friends are invited. A reception will follow. Graveside services will be held at Warwick River & Mennonite Cemetery, Newport News, Va., the following week. Donations are preferred to the Abundant Life Four Square Church, c/o Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home.
Juana Mendoza
Juana Mendoza, a Hollister resident, died May 15, 2002. She was 76.
Mrs. Mendoza was born in Tizapan ElAlto, Jalisco, Mexico and came to San Benito County from Mexico in 1966. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Teamsters Cannery Workers Union. Mrs. Mendoza was a homemaker and housewife and worked for Del Monte Foods in San Jose and Gilroy Foods in Gilroy.
Mrs. Mendoza is survived by her husband Benito Mendoza of Hollister and Mexico, children Luz Hernandez of Hollister, Carmen Guerrero of Tulare, Maria Ceja of Hollister, Victor Mendoza of Hollister, Maria Garcia of Hollister, Ramon Mendoza of Oakland, Jose Mendoza of Corcoran, Teresa Mendoza of Corcoran, Ruben Mendoza of Hollister, Benito Mendoza of Oakland, Martin Mendoza of Atlanta, Georgia, brother Antonio Negrete of Mexico, sister Cuca Pareja of Morgan Hill, 46 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home Monday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral was Tuesday morning at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with burial and graveside services at Calvary Cemetery.
Willis Karl Stone
Willis Karl Stone died May 16 at his Hollister residence. He was 51.
Mr. Stone had lived in Hollister 14 years, since moving from Morgan Hill.
Mr. Stone was a journeyman glazer for Hollis Glass Co. and had served in the U.S. Air Force from 1970 to 1976 as an MP and with Strategic Air Command.
He is survived by his mother, Caroline Stone of Santa Nella, his brother
Warren Stone of Patterson, his niece and nephew, Kaitlin E. Stone of Auburn and Warren S. Stone of Hollister. He was preceded in death by his father, Willis G. Stone, in 1972.
The funeral is today at 11 a.m. at Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home. Rev. Bob Rufener of Abundant Life Foursquare Church will officiate. Cremation will follow the services with private family inurnment. Friends can pay their respects prior to service time on Thursday.
Cristine L. Tehada
Cristine L. "Cris" Tehada died of cancer on Saturday in Gilroy. She was 51.
A native of Hollister, she attended local schools and moved to San Jose for about 23 years.
She is survived by her husband of 23 years Jose 'Soupy Tehada, mother Donna Reinosa of Hollister, her sister and brother-in-law JoAnn and John Contreras of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., children Francine Vasquez of Modesto, Phillip Tehada, Zachary Tehada and Tanya Tehada all of Hollister and five grandchildren, Juanita Burleson of Oregon, sister-in-law Alberta "Birdie" Guverra of Hollister and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard "Rick" Reinosa Jr. in 1995 and her father, Richard R. Reinosa Sr in 2001.
Interment services will be on Friday at 11 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the family care of Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home.
Gloria M. Torres
Gloria Torres, a Hollister resident, died May 16, 2002. She was 62.
Mrs. Torres was born and reared in Hollister, where she attended the local schools and graduated from San Benito High School. She was a member of Old Mission San Juan Bautista and was employed at Teledyne McCormick Selph ordnance for 25 years.
Mrs. Torres is survived by her sons John Paul Torres of Modesto, James Torres of Hollister, Gerry Joseph Torres of Visalia, four grandchildren, brothers Bob and Ben Agbayani of San Jose and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The funeral was Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. at Old Mission San Juan Bautista. Cremation followed at the Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Crematory and inurnment at the San Juan District Cemetery in San Juan Bautista will be at a later date.
Richard Eugene Yockey
Richard Eugene Yockey died on Monday at Hospice House in Monterey. He was 49.
Mr. Yockey was born in Harrison, Ark., and came to Hollister at the age of 6 months.
Mr. Yockey graduated from San Benito High School and Gavilan College and received his bachelor's degree from CSU Monterey Bay. He served in the U.S.
Army from 1973 to 1976. In high school he was on the swim team and active in Sacred Heart Church. He enjoyed singing in the choir, swimming, school and his friends.
He is survived by his mother, Jewell Yockey of Hollister, sister Debbie
Campos of Chico, niece Mendy Galon of Tracy and nephew Joshua Merrill of Hollister and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
A Rosary will be today at 7 p.m. at Black Cooper Sander Funeral Home. The funeral is Friday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Larry LeBrun will officiate.
Visitation is today from 3-8 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Donations are preferred to St. Benedict's Church Building Fund.
Virginia M. Aselin
Virginia M. Aselin died at St. Louise Medical Center in Gilroy on May 18, 2002. She was 83.
Mrs. Aselin was born in Arbela, Missouri and came to San Benito County from Garden Grove in 1991. She attended Libertyville High School in Iowa and graduated as Valedictorian of her class. She went to the senior citizens center each day for lunch to visit with her friends and play bingo. She enjoyed reading, helping her daughter and son-in-law with the preparation of the fruit they harvested from the trees on their property, as well as cooking special dinners.
She is survived by her daughter Sharon V. Mattheus and her husband Leroy Mattheus of Hollister and five grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Lou Miller of Anaheim and several nieces and nephews.
Private arrangements for cremation will be conducted through the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home and Crematory, with private inurnment to follow.
Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association c/o mortuary chapel.
Marjorie Lomanto
Marjorie Lomanto of Hollister died at the Hazel Hawkins Southside Convalescent Hospital on May 9, 2002. She was 82.
Mrs. Lomanto was born in Hollister and has lived in San Benito County all her life. She attended Sacred Heart School and was a member of The Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where she sang in the choir. She was also a former Pink Lady at Hazel Hawkins Hospital.
She is survived by her husband, Sam P. Lomanto of Hollister and by her children and their spouses: Sam E. and Janet Lomanto and Cookie and Sal Felice of Hollister. She is also survived by her siblings Vincent Castello of Hollister, Isabel Guerra of Hollister, Julia Azevedo of Gustine, Ray Castello of San Jose, Carl Pasos of Walnut Creek, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
The funeral was Monday at the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home. Entombment and graveside services were held at Calvary Cemetery. Contributions are preferred to Sacred Heart School.
