United States High School Yearbooks by County
Thomas Malcolm Tower
Services will be announced at a later date for Thomas Malcolm Tower, who died Sunday at Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, Mass., after a sudden illness. He was 49.
Tower was a resident of Santa Cruz for most of the past 10 years.
He was born in Natick.
Tower is survived by six sisters, Connie Sutherland and Irene Tower of Santa Cruz, Keith Galner and Jean Tower of Framingham, Mass., Kathy Tower of Winthrop, Mass., and Audrey De Maio of Natick.
March 27, 2002
Peter E. Koeman III
Services will be Friday for Peter E. Koeman III, who died Thursday in Santa Cruz. He was 50.
Mr. Koeman was born in California, and had lived in Santa Cruz for more than 32 years.
He built many custom homes in Seascape and the surrounding area, and restored Victorian homes throughout Santa Cruz County.
He enjoyed stock car racing at Watsonville Speedway, fishing, water skiing and barbecuing with friends.
He is survived by son Peter E. Koeman IV; and daughter Skylar J. Koeman.
His ashes will be scattered at sea in a private service Friday. For information on attending, call Theresa Ronald at 335-1082. Santa Cruz Memorial Park and Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
March 27, 2002
Miguel Rodriguez Jr.
Services have been held for Miguel Rodriguez Jr., who died of cancer Sunday at his Watsonville home. He was 26.
Mr. Rodriguez lived in Watsonville all his life. For four months, he worked for State Electric Generator in Santa Cruz. Prior to that, he spent three years as an assistant manager at an Ace Hardware.
Mr. Rodriguez enjoyed golfing, playing sports and hanging out with friends. He graduated from Watsonville High School in 1994.
He is survived by fiancee Laura Ramos of Watsonville; sisters Ana and Laura Rodriguez of Watsonville; parents Miguel Rodriguez, Sr., and Hortencia Ortiz of Watsonville; and grandparents Saturnino Ortiz and Beatriz Gonzalez, and Clemantina Gamez, all of Mexico.
Burial was at Valley Cemetery.
March 27, 2002
Lavena V. Passarino
Services will be today for Lavena V. Passarino, who died Saturday at her Watsonville home. She was 78.
Mrs. Passarino lived in Oklahoma until 1942, when she moved to Watsonville.
Mrs. Passarino was a member of Arthur Road Baptist Church in Watsonville, former co-owner of the Bake-Rite bakery in Watsonville with her late-husband Frank, and a former baker for the Pajaro Valley School District.
Mrs. Passarino enjoyed gardening, reading and bird watching.
She is survived by daughters Kathryn Collins of San Rafael and Shirley Rouge of Sacramento; sisters Opal Powell of Lebannon, Ore., and Imogene Saunders and Evelyn Williams, both of Duncan, Okla.; and three grandchildren.
Her husband Frank Passarino died before her. Her brother R.B. "Buck" McManus died Sunday in Oklahoma.
Visitation will be 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel with services at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Pajaro Valley Memorial Park.
Contributions are preferred to Arthur Road Baptist Church, 360 Arthur Road, Watsonville, CA 95076.
Arrangements are by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
March 27, 2002
Manfred D. Rother
Services were private for Manfred D. Rother, who died Friday in Santa Cruz after a brief illness. He was 66.
Mr. Rother was born in Germany and had lived in Santa Cruz County for 12 years.
He was a pastry chef and owned and operated Suzanne’s Pastry Shop for 23 years.
He is survived by wife Gabrielle Rother of Santa Cruz; daughter Corey Rother of Dallas; stepdaughter Patricia Langrehr of Scotts Valley; sister Roswietha Loher of Germany; brother Dieter Rother of Switzerland; and a grandson.
Norman’s Family Chapel arranged the private family services.
March 27, 2002
Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Marie Dillard
Services will be Friday for Elizabeth "Betty" Marie Dillard, who died March 22 at her home in Soquel after a long illness. She was 80.
Mrs. Dillard, a native of Sioux City, Neb., moved to Watsonville in 1960.
She started as a bookkeeper for Nestle, and was promoted to executive secretary. Due to illness, she left Nestle in 1972.
Mrs. Dillard was a volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store in Aptos for many years. She enjoyed needlepoint, pastels and crafts.
She is survived by sons David Allen Harrell of Woodhaven, Mich., and Robert Jay Harrell of Hayward; daughters Linda Lee Knox Gomes of Soquel, Wanda May Harrell Peters of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Nad Laurena Mabel Harrell of Soquel; brother Bob Harriman of South Dakota; sisters Peg Booth and Ginny Beard, both of Watsonville; five grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren.
Three husbands died before her: Samuel Robert "Buddy" Knox, who was killed in action during World War II; Roger Jackson Harrell; and Charlie Dillard. Robert and Laurena Harriman, and a brother, Don, also died before her.
Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park, 127 Hecker Pass Road, Watsonville.
Contributions are preferred to Hospice Caring Project, P.O. Box 670, Aptos, CA 95003-0670.
Arrangements are by Mehl’s Colonial Chapel.
March 27, 2002
Daniel B. Wolfe
Services will be Friday for Daniel B. Wolfe, who died Monday. He was 37.
Mr. Wolfe was a native and life long resident of Santa Cruz.
Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Norman’s Family Chapel in Soquel.
March 27, 2002
Ruth N. Johnson-Reeves
Services will be Friday for Ruth N. Johnson-Reeves, who died Friday in her Santa Cruz home. She was 78.
Mrs. Johnson-Reeves was born in Texas and moved to Santa Cruz eight years ago. She worked as a beautician and a homemaker most of her life. But during World War II she was a Rosie the Riveter of sorts, working for Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach.
She was also a charter member of the Senior’s Coalition, the National World War II Memorial Commission of Washington, DC, and the Senior Citizen League.
She is survived by son Ray Johnson of San Jose; daughters Jessica Johnson-Calio of Santa Cruz and Gloria Cline of Greencastle, PA; brother Roy Bale of Linden, Texas; sisters Lila Martin, Ophelia Theobald and Sylvia Callaway, all of Imlay, Nev., and Polly Buffington of Fallon, Nev.; and 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddchild.
Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at the Park View Funeral Home, 3661 E. French Camp Road, Manteca. Burial will be at Park View Mausoleum in Manteca. Arrangements are by Park View Funeral Home.
March 27, 2002
Jorge A. Lara
Services will be Saturday for Jorge A. Lara, who died March 17 in Watsonville. He was 75.
Mr. Lara was born in Guatemala and moved to Southern California in 1953. He lived most of his life in the Oceanside and Los Angeles areas.
He received a degree in education and a master’s in engineering while in Guatemala.
He was retired from Bell and Howell Aerospace.
He is survived by his mother, Maria Lara of Guatemala; a daughter, Auramarina Lara of Guatemala; six sons, Marco Lara of Scottsdale, Ariz., Victor Lara of Los Angeles, Jorgito Lara of Montreal, Canada, Ronaldo Lara of Berkeley, and David and Carlos Lara, both of Watsonville; two brothers, Rafael Lara of Oceanside and Marco Lara of Guatemala City, Guatemala; two sisters, Julie Whitaker of Los Angeles and Cloto Cinda of Los Banos; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial services are 6 p.m. Saturdayat Monterey Bay Academy, 783 San Andreas Road in Watsonville. Mr. Lara chose cremation.
Arrangements are by Davis Memorial Chapel in Watsonville.
March 27, 2002
