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Bertha Vedder
Bertha Viola Vedder, a 17-year winter resident of Fountain Hills, passed away in Franklin, Mich. on May 5, 2004.
Bertha was the loving wife of William H. Sr. for 68 years.
She is survived by her husband, Bill, mother of Gail (Robert) Shippy, William Henry (Bonnie) Vedder Jr. and Ronald S. Vedder; sister, Dorothy Watt; and brother, Sigfried Johnson.
Also surviving are nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Saturday, May 15, in Michigan at the Hope Lutheran Church. Arrangements were in the care of the Modetz Funeral Home and Crematory.
Bertha was a loving, grand lady last enjoying her home here in February. She will always remain in the hearts of many loved ones.
Donald Zellmer
Donald W. Zellmer, 86, of Fountain Hills died June 5, 2004 at Fountain View Village.
Born Aug. 20, 1917 in Racine, Wis., Mr. Zellmer worked as a plumber during his career.
Survivors include his wife, Caulette Zellmer of Fountain Hills; sons, Paul Zellmer (Darlene) of Litchfield, Kevin Zellmer (Bonnie) of Show Low and Glenn Zellmer (Peggy) of Scottsdale; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gertrude.
A memorial service will be held Friday, June 11, at 7 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, 12450 E. Mountain View, Scottsdale.
The family requests no flowers.
Esther V. Witte
Esther V. Witte, daughter of Russell and Elizabeth Jordan, was born on Sept. 4, 1909 in Bancroft, Nebraska.
She was baptized in the Presbyterian Church and confirmed in the Lutheran Church.
She graduated in 1927 from Bancroft Public High School where she was active in sports, basketball and field hockey. These activities continued through her college years.
She attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where she pursued a general studies program from 1929 to 1933. She was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.
On June 30, 1933 she married Willlard H. Witte. A son, Russell George, was born in 1934 and passed on in 1939. On Oct. 10, 1944, she was blessed with a second son, Gary Lee, who has resided with her until her death on June 6, 2004.
Willard and Esther have lived in Beemer, Nebraska; Maryville, California; Norfolk, Nebraska; Omaha, Nebraska; and Glenview, Illinois. In 1978 Esther and Willard moved to Fountain Hills, Arizona.
She was a member of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and has become a lifetime member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.
She leaves behind Dale Sarrett, Kathleen Wilson, Brian, Greg, Tom, Dale Sarrett, Jim, Tom and Mary Catherine O’Connor and their many children, nephews, nieces and all.
These and all of her friends will mourn her sudden and untimely passing, for her greatest gift was her joy in enriching the lives of others.
This gift she takes with her.
Charles M. Lauth, Sr.
Charles Matthew Lauth, Sr. a resident of Port Chester, N.Y. and a former resident of Fountain Hills and Queens Village, N.Y. died June 6, 2004.
He was 77 and born Jan. 20, 1927 in the Bronx, N.Y. to the late Charles and Matilda Knockenhauer Lauth. He was raised and educated in New York City.
Mr. Lauth served in the United States Army during World War II and served in the Pacific Theater. He was married Jan. 31, 1953 to Beatrice Vaughn at Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church in the Bronx. He was the building supervisor at the Trinity Church in New York City until his retirement.
Mr. Lauth was a parishioner of the Our Lady of Mercy Church in Port Chester and a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus in Fountain Hills.
He is survived by his wife, Beatrice Lauth of Port Chester; three sons, Kevin Lauth and his wife, Pam of Port Chester, Edward Lauth and his wife, Sandra of Bellerose, N.Y. and Charles Lauth and his wife, Teena of Binghamton, N.Y.; daughters Lorraine Rock and her husband, Neal of Staten Island, N.Y. and Janet Leahy and her husband, Patrick of Enumclaw, Wash.; sisters Roberta Vanni of New Jersey and Rita Keenan of Masqpequa, N.Y. and nine grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held Thursday, June 10 at our Lady of Mercy church, Westchester Ave., Port Chester, N.Y. Interment will be at Saint Mary’s cemetery, Rye Brook, N.Y.
Eleonore "Lenore" James
Eleonore "Lenore" James, 80, of Fountain Hills, died June 5, 2004 in Phoenix.
She was born Oct. 22, 1923 in Chicago, Ill. She was a home maker and parishioner of the Church of the Ascension in Fountain Hills, and a member of the Daughters of Isabella.
Mrs. James is survived by her husband, Stanley James of Fountain Hills; four sons, Jeffery James (Ruthann), Christopher James (Vikki), and John James (Denise), all of Fountain Hills, and Alfred James (Susan) of Tampa, Fla.; three daughters, Roxanne Tomasek (Tom) of Port Charlotte, Fla., Georgia Ullo (Phillip) of Orlando, Fla. And Jacquline Maxfield (David) of Boca Raton, Fla.; a sister Delphine Majeski (Edward) of Chicago, Ill.; and 12 grandchildren.
Visitation of Mrs. James was held Monday, June 7, and a funeral mass was held Tuesday, June 8, 2004 at Church of the Ascension. Interment is at Paradise Memorial Gardens in Scottsdale.
The family is requesting memorial contributions to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Patricia E. Cramer
Patricia E. Cramer, 86, born Dec. 3, 1917 to Beatrice Shannon-Bennett and William Mays Bennett in Portland, Ore., died June 2, 2004 in Scottsdale of congestive heart failure.
Mrs. Cramer moved to the San Francisco Bay area in 1939 and worked in the restaurant industry. In 1954 she married Leo A. Cramer of Oakland, Calif. They moved to Marin County, Calif. where they owned and operated several dinner restaurants.
In 1968 Mrs. Cramer entered the real estate industry. She worked for Title Realty, Grubb & Ellis and was a broker of record for Town & Village Associates in Montclair, Calif. when she retired in 1982.
Upon retirement, Mrs. Cramer moved to Incline Village, N.Y. and subsequently to Fountain Hills.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a brother and a sister. Survivors include a son, Michael Hagan; a daughter, Tammy Davidson; four grandsons, Patrick and Christopher Hagan and Shon and Brian Delia; two great-grandsons, nieces and long-term companion Lee Pike.
A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, June 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her home in Fountain Hills. All friends and relatives are invited to attend.
The family requests no flowers and memorial contributions to Hospice of the Valley, Eckstein Center, 9494 E. Becker Lane, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Barbara Underwood-Gibas
Barbara Jean Underwood-Gibas, 74, of Fountain Hills died Sept. 20, 2004 in Fountain Hills.
She was born June 28, 1930 in Detroit, Mich. and was a homemaker.
She is survived by her companion Albert Gibas of Fountain Hills; four daughters, Deborah L Hartwick of Onsted, Mich., Rebecca S. Underwood of Ann Arbor, Mich., Claudia J. Zichichi, of Flat Rock, Mich. and Sarah Flynn of Belleville, Mich.; two brothers, John C. MacIvor of Rockwall, Texas, and David S. MacIvor of Klamath Falls, Ore.; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, Belleville, Mich. Memorial contributions may be sent to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
David A. Majersky
David Anthony Majersky died Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005 in Why, Ariz. He was 57.
Mr. Majersky was born Feb. 6, 1948 in Erie, Penna. He was a real estate investor living in Phoenix. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Mr. Majersky is survived by his parents, Julie and Nick Majersky of Fountain Hills; and two brothers, John M. Majersky of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Nick Majersky, Jr. of Glendale, Ariz.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Sept. 9, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. at the National Memorial cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial contributions in David’s name to the Salvation Army designated for Katrina Hurricane Relief.
Shirley G. Nielsen
Shirley Gene Nielsen, 85, born July 18, 1920 in Butte, Mont., passed away Monday, Sept. 5, 2005.
Gene served in the military during World War II in the Aleutian Islands. After completing his military service he was employed as an aircraft engine mechanic for the Flying Tigers in Hawaii and San Francisco.
Gene started his own company, Aircraft Engine Sales, Inc., in Redwood City, Calif. and remained self employed for 30 years.
Because of his extensive travel around the world to purchase aircraft engine parts, he became one of the very few to fly over one million miles on commercial airlines during the 1950s.
Gene is survived by his wife of 21 years, Madeline Nielsen; his stepson Bob Clemons; Alice Nielsen, his first wife of 28 years; his son, Russell Nielsen; his daughter, LaRae West; his son, Rick Nielsen; and his daughter Julie Gluck; his grandchildren, Michael Nielsen, Sandra Woodbridge, Ron Hammerness, Travis West, Kim Nielsen, Jamie West, Cameron Gluck, Casey Gluck, Georgeina Bryan; great-grandchildren, Jeremy Hammerness, Samantha Hammerness, Tyler Hammerness and Lauren Bryan.
Gene played golf since the age of 13 and was a scratch player during the 1950s. His other passions in life were hunting and fishing.
He was an active lifetime member of the American Legion Post 58 in Fountain Hills and a lifetime member of the Elks. Gene was also a member of the Fountain Hills Shriners Square Club.
Gene could remember every detail of all his trips for the last 60 years. All of the trips were filmed with an early movie camera. Gene will be missed by all.
Services will be held Thursday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m. at Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary and Chapel, 12065 Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National World War II Memorial, 2300 Clarendon Blvd. #501, Arlington, VA 22201.
Robert L. Von Roch
Robert Lawrence Von Roch, 63, of Fountain Hills died Sept. 3, 2005.
Mr. Von Roch was born May 10, 1942 in New York, N.Y. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and worked as a government security officer.
He is survived by two brothers, Richard Von Rock and James Von Roch, both of Kelso, Wash.; and two sisters, Joyce Grimes of Eagle, Ind. and Barbara Bonati of Ormond Beach, Fla.
Services for Robert Von Roch will be held Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary, 12065 Saguaro Blvd.
Blanche M. Hansen
Blanche Marie Hansen, mother of Fountain Hills resident, Fred (Barbara) Hansen passed away on March 11, 2006. Mrs. Hansen was 93 years old. She was predeceased by her husband, Fred W. and grandson, Scott F. Hansen.
Blanche and Fred were married for 73 years and lived a happy and full life. She leaves three children, James (Dolores) of N. H.; Doris (Dan) Polis of Las Vegas, Nev., and Fred (Barbara) of Fountain Hills; 10 grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren.
Services will be in Tallahassee, FL on Thursday, March 23, 2006. The family requests any honorariums be made in her name to Odyssey Hospice Care, 4011 McCleod Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121.
John H. Lundeen
John H. Lundeen, 77, died Sunday, March 19, at his residence at Fountain View Village in Fountain Hills.
He was born Dec. 26, 1928 in Des Moines, Iowa. A retired Lutheran pastor, Mr. Lundeen served churches in Sun Valley, Calif., Elgin, Ill., Woodridge, Ill. and Woodland Hills, Calif., between 1961 and 1993. He was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Fountain Hills.
Mr. Lundeen is survived by his wife, Shirley Lundeen of Fountain Hills; two sons, Steven (Vanessa) of Seattle, Wash., and Jeffrey (Ann) of Arroyo Grande, Calif.; a daughter, Kristin Lundeen of Santa Barbara, Calif.; three brothers, Richard (Marilyn) of Honor, Minn., David (Mary) of Downers Grove, Ill., and James (Ruth) of Surprise, Ariz.; and two grandchildren, Olivia and Corey Lundeen.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 2 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 16150 El Lago Blvd., Fountain Hills.
In lieu of flowers the family is asking for memorial contributions to a church of the donor’s choice.
John Allyn
John Allyn of Fountain Hills passed away Monday, April 24. Services are pending as of press time. Information is available by contacting the Fountains United Methodist Church at 837-7627.
Walt Berger
Walt Berger, 79, born in Feuerbach (Stuttgart), Germany on Nov. 6, 1926, to Paul and Bertha Berger, died April 22, 2006 at his home in Fountain Hills of cancer.
He leaves his wife of 57 years, Mary (Mali); his son, Bill Berger and daughter-in-law Marju of Prescott; his daughter, Susan Berger of New York City; and three beloved grandchildren, Silvi Berger, Rick Berger and Christina Argueta.
Raised in Detroit, Mich., Walt graduated from Cass Tech High School, joined the Army Air Force during WW II, and graduated from General Motors Institute (Kettering University) in Flint, Mich., 1950.
His 37-year career with the Chevrolet Motor Division, GM Corporation, from 1945 to 1982, began in high school and continued until retirement. He had a life-long romance with the automobile and was a staff engineer responsible for truck body programs.
During his 24 retirement years, Walt’s fabulous experiences included being a farmer in Albion, Mich., a college teacher in Guiyang, Guizhou, China, a mountain climber in Taos, N.M., a world traveler and the chief gardener in his Fountain Hills home.
He was also pleased to assist the Arizona Authors Association as a treasurer for a few months before his death.
A memorial gathering in his name was held for family and friends at the family home, 15215 Golden Eagle Blvd., in Fountain Hills on Tuesday, April 25, 2006.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions, in Walt Berger’s memory, to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014-5656 or visit the Web site, www.hospiceofthevalley.org.
Roger Cross
Roger Cross was born April 19, 1941 in Garland, Nebraska and died on April 23, 2006 at his home in Fountain Hills. He was 65 years old.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Roberta, his daughter, Dr. Kelly Cross Pyritz of Fountain Hills, his son Dr. Doug Cross of Colorado Springs, and three grandchildren: Keegan and Alaina Cross of Colorado Springs and Bailey Pyritz of Fountain Hills. He is also survived by a brother, Dr. Rex Cross of Key West, Fla., a sister, Terry Burge of Columbus, Neb. and many dear lifelong friends.
Roger grew up in Trenton, Nebraska, graduated from Trenton High School, McCook Junior College and Idaho State University where he also played football. He received his Masters Degree in Education from Adams State College in 1969. He coached football and taught math in Idaho and Indiana and played semi-professional football for the Indianapolis Capitols in 1969.
He moved to Columbus, Nebraska in 1970 where he raised his family and owned Countryside Homes. He was involved with numerous community organizations including the YMCA to which he was a generous donor. He served three terms as president of the Nebraska Manufactured Housing Association and twice received their distinguished service award.
He was also actively involved with the Elks organization for many years.
He moved to Fountain Hills in 1996 and enjoyed a "semi retired but still working" lifestyle filled with golf and the restorations of his 1949 Ford and 1951 Chevy.
He loved traveling throughout the United States in his motor home and enjoyed singing country music and recording CD's of his music for family and friends.
Memorial service Friday, April 28, at 10 a.m. at Messinger Fountain Hills Mortuary, 12065 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills.
