Huge Marriages Search Engine!
Geraldine Dunne
Geraldine "Geri" A. Dunne, 65, of Fountain Hills died Oct. 8, 2002.
Born July 3, 1937 in Chicago, Mrs. Dunne was a homemaker. She was a member of Church of the Ascension.
Survivors include her spouse, Daniel J. Dunne; daughters, Karen Dunne Willowbrook of Illinois and Joanne Dunne of Fountain Hills; sons, Daniel (Colleen) Dunne of Oak Lawn, Ill. and David (Gina) Dunne of Frankfort, Ill.; and six grandchildren.
Services were held Oct. 14 at Church of the Ascension. The family suggests memorial contributions be given to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Olive Schwartz
Olive N. Schwartz, 90, of Fountain Hills died Oct. 9, 2002.
Born Nov. 17, 1911 in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Mrs. Schwartz was a homemaker. She was a member of The Fountains, a United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Constance (Mel) Ainsworth of Fountain Hills, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services were held Oct. 13 at Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary, and interment will be at Rose Hill cemetery in Akron, Ohio.
The family suggests memorial contributions be given to The Fountains’ church building fund, 16652 E. Glenbrook Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.
Wallace Veurink
Wallace Veurink, 76, of Fountain Hills died Oct. 8, 2002.
Born Aug. 12, 1926 in Holland, Mich., Mr. Veurink was retired and at one time was president of Superior Oil Co.
An Air Force veteran from World War II, Mr. Veurink was a member of Noon Kiwanis Club and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.
Survivors include Steven Veurink of Muskegon, Mich., Thomas Veurink of San Diego, Laura Veurink-McCarthy (William) of Beulah, Mich., Sandra Thomas (Douglas) of Bowling Green, Ky.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services were held Oct. 12 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, with interment at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church in Cave Creek. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Arrangements were entrusted to Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary.
Martin J. Berlin
Martin J. Berlin (Marty), 90, of Fountain Hills, Arizona, passed away peacefully at his home on Oct. 27, 2004. He was born in Hessmer, Louisiana in 1914, son of Lena and Lee Berlin.
Marty had a varied career, starting at age eight when he drove a tractor. He worked for the government during WWII, managed several cotton gins, farmed, sold real estate, and owned his own business.
He called the San Francisco Bay Area home for a substantial portion of his adult life. The pride of his career was his company, City Overhead Garage Doors, Inc. which he owned for 36 years.
Marty retired in 1982 and moved to Arizona in 1985. He owned a mini-pecan farm in Queen Creek until moving to Fountain Hills in 1996.
Marty was known for his woodworking and made several beautiful pieces of furniture for his home. He especially loved making rocking horses for his great-grandchildren.
Marty had a sly sense of humor and was considered to be quite a lovable character by one and all. He is deeply missed by his entire family.
Marty is survived by his wife of 29 years, Joanna, his son and daughter-in-law, Jack and Maureen Berlin, his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Ron Kopicko, and two stepdaughters and spouses, Linda and Jeff Jenkins and Jeri and Jeff McVay. He is survived by his siblings, Florence Juneau, Lousie Saucier, Liffy Jones and Floyd Berlin, all of Louisiana. Marty leaves behind 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
The family is truly grateful for the loving care given to Marty these past several months from Hospice of the Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations would be welcomed in his name to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at Messinger Mortuary of Fountain Hills on Nov. 20, 2004 at 2 p.m.
Marilyn Joyce Hammel
Marilyn Joyce Hammel, a wife, a mother, a friend, a homemaker, a care giver, a spirit that filled life with grace and dignity died on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004 at age 81, from complications due to lung cancer.
She was born in St. Paul, Minn. in 1922 to Clarence and Mildred Mann, the second of five girls. The "Mann Girls" as they were known remained close their entire lives. She built her life on the foundation of family and her friends. A gracious and tireless hostess, she delighted in preparing events for the enjoyment of her friends and loved ones.
She attended the University of Minnesota where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She left college during World War II to join the Marine Corps. She often said she wanted to, "go where the men were." She was proud of her service and sang her children Marine Corps songs as if they were lullabies.
After the war she met and married David W. Hammel of Owatonna, Minn. Their marriage began in 1948 and they settled in Wichita, Kan. where she assisted her husband in the growth and prosperity of the family printing business. Her life was devoted to her husband and five children, David W. Hammel Jr., Thomas M. Hammel, Barbara A. Ensminger, Janice L. Woodman and Nancy H. Kuehler, plus numerous others that came through the door. During her life she was blessed with 10 grandchildren. She is loved and deeply missed.
Services are to be held Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Rio Verde Community Church, 25603 Danny Lane in Rio Verde.
In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations to the Sunshine Acres Children’s Home, 3405 N. Hickory Road, Mesa, AZ 85205.
Dorothy Henderson
Dorothy Louise Henderson was born in Winthrop City, Minn. on Sept. 1, 1921. She died on Nov. 9, 2004 after a prolonged battle with cancer. She is survived by her brother, Gilbert Jaus.
Dottie was a distinguished Navy nurse who served during WWII at a hospital in San Francisco, Calif. She cared for servicemen who were wounded in various theatres of war.
It was during this period of her life that she was introduced into the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery that was born during the war.
She worked beside the physicians, who in peacetime, became the preeminent surgeons in this field.
Dottie cofounded the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical Nurses, an educational organization which exists today with a membership of over 1800. She served as the President of this society in 1976.
Her no-nonsense approach, good humor and charm endeared her to all who met her. She had a great love of travel and adventure, but nothing was more important to her than her family, friends and her faith.
Those of us whom she left behind mourn her death, but celebrate her life and the influence she had on each of us.
A memorial service was held Nov. 13 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fountain Hills.
The family asks for memorial contributions to Hospice of the Valley, Eckstein Center, refurbishing fund, 9494 E. Becker Lane, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Elizabeth Kozaco
Elizabeth Kozaco, 91, died Nov. 9, 2004 at Fountain View Village.
Born Nov. 15, 1912 in Istanbul, Turkey, she was a home furnishings seamstress for many years.
Survivors include her daughter, Mary T. Pilarinos (William) of Fountain Hills; and a brother, Costantinos Hondros (Eleni) of Volos, Greece.
A family gathering was held Friday, Nov. 12, at Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary.
Wendell Sheerman
Wendell Blades Sheerman passed away on Nov. 11, 2004 in Scottsdale.
Wendell was born July 16, 1920 in Moberly, Mo. He attended Holliday High School and Northwestern State College in Maryville, Mo.
He retired from the Santa Fe Railroad in 1979, where he worked as a supervisor agent.
Wendell married Rosemary Williams on Feb. 17, 1946 in Summit, Ill. He enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942 and was a staff sergeant at the time of his discharge in 1944.
Wendell is a past president of the Fountain Hills Arts Council. He was a chaplain for American Legion Post No. 58. He also was a member of the Rotary Club in Streater, Ill.
Wendell was a member of the National Wood Carvers Association. He received many awards and ribbons for his duck carvings. He was perhaps best known for his "Little ‘ol Decoy Maker" carving, for which he won several awards.
Wendell was a long-time active member at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills. He was one of the two original elders on the church board and was the first Care Group leader for the church.
Wendell is survived by his wife, Rosemary Sheerman of Fountain Hills; two daughters, Sheryl Mullins of Hildreth, Neb. and Genia Sheerman of Fort Worth, Texas; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a brother, Gerald Sheerman of Sapulpa, Okla.
A memorial service will be held Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m. at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills, 15555 E. Bainbridge Avenue.
The family suggests memorial contributions be given to Christ’s Church.
James Green
James Russell Green was born in Zion, Ill., Sept. 8, 1916 to Stella Russell Green and Homer Green, and went home to be with the Lord on Feb. 18, 2004.
He graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1950 with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering. After serving for four years in the U.S. Army as a radio man tech sergeant during World War II, he married Dorothy Minors of Zion, Ill. and had three children. His wife Dorothy preceded him in death.
James was a very affectionate man and sincerely appreciated people. He was a people person always trying to make people feel good about themselves.
He was a deacon in the Sterling Virginia Baptist Church and took over many of the other duties of the church as well.
He was on the school board and fire department board in Sterling, Va. James received a lifelong acceptance into the Hall of Fame as a linguistic speaker for the military packaging engineers for the U.S. Government for 27 years, being editor of the department’s newspaper kept him busy and up on things in general. His main position was to fly to all states and give seminars on how to ship everything to the rest of the world from that state.
In 1964 he was selected as the federal employee of the year, and was responsible for providing policy guidelines and technical support in packaging for more than 60 field packaging specialists in 11 regions nationwide.
In 1994, he married Lorraine V. Giullari, whom he knew from her early childhood, whose families were lifetime friends, visiting back and forth through the years. After many years the Lord brought them together again, as they were teenage sweethearts.
Survivors include his wife Lorraine, Fountain Hills; daughters Nancy Farmer of Pennsylvania, Janet Lamb of Virginia and Susan Stafford of Massachusettes; sister Dorothy Lambert, Zion, Ill.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. We shall all miss his cheerful personality and wonderful smile.
A funeral service was held on Monday, Feb. 23, at the First Baptist Church of Fountain Hills. Interment was at the National Memorial cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a favorite charity or church of your choice.
Frances Knudson
Frances L. Knudson, 87, left this life on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 in San Marcos, Calif. after a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Born to Walter and Myrtle Brooks on May 15, 1916, she was one of three children.
Frances was born and raised in Farragut, Iowa and was married in 1935 to Samuel Ellsworth Hatcher. They lived and worked in various towns in Iowa and Nebraska and in 1976 retired to Fountain Hills. She was a 50-year member of the Order of Eastern Star.
Following Sam’s death in 1978 she married Mike Knudson in 1979, who passed away in 1989. In 1998 she moved to Laguna Hills and in 2001 to San Marcos, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Dorothy Coy, and her brother Dale Brooks. Survivors include her two sons, William Hatcher and Robert Hatcher of Escondido, Calif., grandchildren Michael Hatcher and Susan Corley, and great-grandchildren Joshua and Jason Hatcher.
Graveside services will be held at Greenwood Memorial Park, 2300 W. Van Buren Street in Phoenix at 2 p.m. Monday, March 8.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 4950 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 250, San Diego, CA 92123.
Eugene Leseman
Eugene William Leseman, Jr., 78, of Fountain Hills, died at his home on Feb. 20, 2004.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; daughter, Diane (Tom) Mish; step-daughter, Patti Goettel; stepson, Tom (Myrla) Boesch; granddaughter, Allison McFarlane; step grandson, Michael Goettel; and step granddaughter, Taryn Boesch.
Gene was born on March 28, 1925, in Greensburg, Pa., to Eugene and Mabel Leseman. He graduated from Greensburg High School and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the USS Sierra. After his marriage to the late Donna Henry he attended and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy.
He owned and operated Sheffield Pharmacy in Sheffield, Pa. for 20 years before he retired and moved to Arizona. While living in Sun City, he started and operated a medical supply business in Youngtown for 10 years.
Gene was an active member in the communities in which he resided. He belonged to Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Supervisors, American Legion Post 981, North Star lodge 241, a Shriner and Thirty-Second Degree Mason.
Among his many interests and hobbies, his love for collecting guns was first on his list. He will be remembered for his outstanding leadership and great storytelling. Gene was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend who will be greatly missed.
Interment will take place in June at Westmoreland cemetery in Greensburg, Pa.
John P. Parke Sr.
John Preston Parke Sr. died at his Fountain Hills residence Feb. 15, 2004. He was 88.
Mr. Parke was born May 11, 1915 in Detroit, Mich. He was educated at Lawrence Tech in Southfield, Mich. He was the owner of Precision Stamping Company in Howell, Mich.
Mr. Parke was a resident of Howell, Mich. and made his winter home in Fountain Hills for 22 years.
Mr. Parke was known for his philanthropic endeavors. He was a member of St. Johns Episcopal Church, Howell, Mich., the Howell Elks 2, Chemung Hills Country Club in Howell, Mesa Country Club in Mesa, and he was a member of the Michigan, Great Lakes, Southern and Arizona Senior Golf Associations.
Mr. Parke is survived by two sons, John Parke Jr. and James Parke, both of Howell, Mich.; four daughters, Jacquelyne Botticelli of Pittsburgh, Pa., Nancy Jill Pennell of Howell, Mich., Julie Maude Parke of Modesta, Calif., and Janet Sue Itsell of Fountain Hills; 16 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services for Mr. Parke are being held in Michigan.
The family is requesting memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.
Helen Taylor
Helen F. Taylor, 85, passed away Feb. 21, 2004. She was a resident of Rio Verde for the past 12 years.
Mrs. Taylor was born in Hibbing, Minn. Dec. 15, 1918 and was a 1942 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She previously resided in Edina, Minn., where she was active in many functions, serving as a Girl Scout troop leader, deacon of the Colonial Church of Edina, co-founder and charter member of the Edina League of Women Voters and math tutor for WISE (Women in Service to Education).
She was preceded in death by Roger, her husband of 54 years, and her sister, Margaret Pike.
Survivors include her daughters, Nancy (Dave) Borghesi of Wilmette, Ill. and Trish (Ray) Ugorowski of Okemos, Mich.; grandchildren, Kevin, Brian and Jeff of Okemos; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held Friday, March 12, in Rio Verde.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests remembrances to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, P.O. Box 8860, Madison, WI 53708 or Sunshine Acres Children’s Home, 3405 N. Higley Rd., Mesa, AZ 85215.
