From Yavapai County, Arizona:
Virginia Powell
Virginia M. Powell, 81, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
She was born June 14, 1916, in Poland, Ohio, to Monroe and Freda (Smith) Paulin.
Mrs. Powell and her husband, Albert, were married on Dec. 23, 1933, in West Virginia. They moved to Phoenix in 1952, then to the Walker (Prescott) area in 1968, and to Prescott Valley in 1989, from Ohio.
She was a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office, and handled the Campwood and Walker area. She retired in 1979.
Survivors include her son, Wayne of Phoenix; daughter, Janet Weedon of Prescott; sister, Vivian Oerhle of Ohio; brother, Bill Paulin of California; five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1991.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Mt. View Cemetery in Prescott.
Memorial contributions may be made to C.A.S.A., 8201 E. Loos, Prescott Valley, Ariz. 86314.
Sunrise Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Errold Hitchens
Errold Hitchens, 66, of Dewey, died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 1997, in Blanding, Utah.
He was born June 7, 1931, at the family's Overlook Ranch in Milner, Colo., to Albert and Winnie Hitchens.
Mr. Hitchens worked in mines and finally decided to work on the family ranch and grew grain crops. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1949 to 1954. He took a great interest in the area and served on the National Ski Patrol in the 1960s and 1970s. He was good skier, and he and his brother, Melvin, promoted night-time ski jumping for the youth in the area.
When Mr. Hitchens moved to Dewey from Milner in 1988, he began raising miniature horses. He was very active in the Prescott Toastmasters club, as well as in the American Square Dancing Association. He also belonged to the VFW and was involved with Steamboat Springs Winter Sport Club and Odd Fellows.
Mr. Hitchens is survived by his wife, Caroleen of Dewey; daughter, Diane Holly of Milner; brother, Melvin of Steamboat Springs, Colo.; sister, Wilma Watkins of Lacey Spring, Va.; and numerous neices and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Dean, and his first wife, Geraldine.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, Cortez and Carleton streets, with the Rev. Berry Norwood officiating.
The family requests donations in Mr. Hitchens' name to United Way of Yavapai County, 122 N. Cortez St., Prescott, Ariz., 86301.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Melbourne Ijams
Melbourne A. Ijams, 83, died Saturday, Jan. 3, 1998, in Prescott.
He was born Jan. 14, 1914, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. while his parents, Sheldon L. and Jessie M. (Hill) Ijams, residents of Tombstone, were on a business trip to that state.
His parents were both born in Arizona in the 1880s.
Mr. Ijams attended schools in Tombstone, Safford and Peoria, where he was active in football.
As a young man, Mr. Ijams worked for mining operations in Nevada, and in Yarnell, Phoenix, and at Phelps Dodge in Morenci.
In 1943, while in Morenci, he met Era D. Hickey, clad in overalls and her hair in a bandanna, greasing the mining equipment in the floatation department. They married later that year, but had to borrow a few gas ration coupons (World War II rations) to make the drive to Safford for their wedding.
Later, they opened dry cleaning and laundry businesses in Globe and Tucson, retiring to Prescott Valley in 1980.
Mr. Ijams was highly interested in all mechanical things and was an inventor of sorts. He also enjoyed prospecting, oil painting and woodworking, making several pieces of furniture.
He had been a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Safford, and was a Boy Scout leader.
Mr. Ijams was preceded in death by his son Jan A. Ijams this past September.
Survivors include his wife, Era Ijams of Prescott Valley; daughters, Era Linda Harris of Heber and Salina Sialega of Prescott Valley; son, Rex Ijams of Prescott Valley; brothers, Harold Ijams of Tucson, Jim Ijams of Tucson, C. Philip Ijams of Tucson, and Leslie Ijams of Phoenix; one grandson and four granddaughters.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, with visitation beginning at noon.
Private burial services will be held later in Safford.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with services.
Juan Sanchez
Juan O. Sanchez, 66, a Prescott resident, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, in Phoenix.
He was born March 31, 1931, in Congress, to Manuel and Virginia (Ochoa) Sanchez.
He had lived in Arizona all his life, and worked as an underground miner at Cyprus Bagdad Mining Co., Iron King Mining Co. in Humboldt, and the Magma Copper Co. in Superior.
Mr. Sanchez was a member of the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Prescott, where he accompanied the service with his guitar. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Irene; daughters, Pricilla Unsworth of Chandler, Ernestina Rodriguez of New Mexico, and Anita Martinez of Prescott Valley; sons, Alfred Martinez, and Juan and Richard Sanchez, all of Prescott; stepdaughter, Nancy Horquin of Mesa; stepson, John Diaz of Superior; brothers, Manuel and Augustine, both of Prescott; sisters, Mary Morgan of Glendale and Petra Rooks of Phoenix; 22 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Friends may call on the family from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Memory Chapel Mortuary, 131 Grove Ave.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the First Assembly of God Church, 1455 Willow Creek Road, with the Rev. Craig Lowrey officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery.
Memory Chapel helped the family with arrangements.
Eleanor Frechette
Eleanor A. Frechette, 70, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, at Las Fuentes Care Center.
She was born May 15, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., to Samuel and Rose (Toth) Alaga.
She moved to Prescott from Paramount, Calif., in 1989. She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Frechette was a member of the Clarettes at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Will; sons, David of Highland, Calif., and Jonathon of Phoenix; daughter, Loretta Frechette of Prescott; and one grandchild.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, 303 S. Cortez St.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Fleury Ave., with the Rev. Dick Farrell, C.M.F., officiating. Interment will be in Redwood Memorial Park in Dewey.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home helped the family with arrangements.
Marcia Rowlette
Marcia Lynn Rowlette, 38, died Sunday, Dec. 14, 1997.
She was born Aug. 3, 1959, in Richmond, Calif. She was afflicted with spinal meningitis at age 13 months. She moved with her family to Prescott in 1971, where she loved to care for a cat, dog, and rabbit.
She was active in six years of choir and extensive speech at Prescott Junior High and High School, graduating in 1979. She played guitar and piano. She continued studies at Yavapai College. For some years, she had done beautiful fabric pictures with a latch hook.
Mrs. Rowlette was a very dedicated Christian, participating extensively at the Potter's House and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
She married Edwin W. Rowlette on Feb. 27, 1993, in Prescott.
Survivors include her husband, Edwin of Prescott; father, Clare Willey of Prescott; mother, Louise Omar of Phoenix; brothers, Allan Willey of Phoenix, and Jeremy Willey of Prescott; and sisters, Karen Saad of Phoenix, and Penny Lee, Melanie Burke and Stephanie Willey, all of Prescott.
Rodney Mathis officiated at a memorial service, which has already been held.
Memory Chapel Mortuary helped the family with arrangements.
Odie Diggs
Odie P. Diggs, 75, died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997, at her home. in Prescott
She was born Aug. 14, 1922, in Apache Creek, N.M., to William and Clara (Kemp) Gann. She married Robert L. Diggs in Albuquerque, N.M., on July 1, 1940. She was a homemaker and mother.
Survivors include her son, Bob of Prescott; and sister, Esther Parker of Tucson. Her husband preceded her in death on Jan. 5, 1976.
Friends may call on the family from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at Memory Chapel Mortuary, 131 Grove Ave.
Services will begin at 10:30 a.m., following the visitation, with the Rev. Gary Ward officiating. Interment will follow at Williams City Cemetery in Williams.
Memory Chapel helped the family with arrangements.
Fred Frost
Fred W. Frost, 82, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1997, at his home in Prescott.
He was born Oct. 23, 1915, in St. Louis, Mo., to Frederick and Mary L. Frost.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater. Upon his retirement from the field of secondary education, he and his wife, Marie, moved from St. Louis, Mo., to Prescott in 1978.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Marie; daughters, Phyllis Groce of Prescott, and Letitia Brandt of Waterloo, Ill.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Memory Chapel, 131 Grove Ave., with Pastor Andrew Byars officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Frost's name to Y.R.M.C. Hospice, Restricted Fund, 1003 Willow Creek Road, Prescott, Ariz., or Meals-On-Wheels at Golden Age Nutrition, 335 E. Aubrey, Prescott, Ariz. 86303.
Memory Chapel helped the family with arrangements.
