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Carole Geneeha-Burchfeld
Carole Rae Geneeha-Burchfeld, 55, of Cornville died Dec. 13. She was born Nov. 14, 1948, in Cottonwood.
She had worked as both a butcher and a baker. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Sedona. She loved music, hiking and animals, and she was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend to all.
Mrs. Geneeha-Burchfeld is survived by her husband, Paul Burchfeld; daughters Rene Geneeha of Phoenix and Corina Bernal of Dallas; her father James 'Bud' Purtymun of Cottonwood; her mother, Billie Miley of Sedona; a sister, Yvonne Purtymun of Phoenix; and five grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, Dec. 20, in the Sedona First Assembly of God Church at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the Sedona Community Cemetery.
Estelle Geske
Estelle Geske, 94, of Sedona, died Dec. 7.
Mrs. Geske was a sister of the Order of the Eastern Star, Oak Lawn Masonic Temple, Illinois, Chapter 1.
Mrs. Geske was a homemaker all of her life, sharing much love with all those she knew. Mrs. Geske was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Herman Geske of Sedona.
There will be a celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Geskes' lives Dec. 19 at 11 a.m. at the Greer's Mortuary of Sedona.
The family suggests that memorial donations be made to Verde Valley Hospice Center, P.O. Box 20226, Sedona, AZ 86351.
Arrangements were handled by Greer's Mortuary of Sedona.
Owen Lee Cranmer
Owen Lee Cranmer, 84, a long-time Verde Valley physician, died Dec. 10.
Mr. Cranmer came to the Verde Valley in 1952 from Fairbanks, Alaska, with his wife Florine (Becky) of 60 years. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Washington and his medical degree from the University of Oregon, with residency studies in obstetrics, gynecology, anesthesiology and pathology.
After serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corp during WW II and reaching the rank of Captain, Dr. Cranmer completed his pathology residency at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. From there he moved to Alaska to begin his OB/GYN practice, where he often had to fly into the rugged bush country to deliver a baby.
In 1952, at the urging of his long-time childhood friend and neighbor, Dr. Kenneth Brilhart, he moved to Clarkdale and began his practice of medicine at Marcus J. Lawrence Memorial Hospital (now VVMC).
During his 29-year career in the Verde Valley, Dr. Cranmer served as medical chief of staff, as well as a member of the board of directors for the hospital, while at the same time delivering more than 5,000 babies. His patients would come from all reaches of Northern Arizona, and he even had families follow him down from Alaska.
In 1981, when he found himself delivering third generation Verde Valley families, he decided it was time to retire. One of his greatest pleasures in retirement was the sharing of his love and passion of collecting stamps, a hobby that he started as a youth. He was a regular in many local classrooms, where he could be found presenting stories about the history of our country, the Wild West, the history of aviation or any other subject that he thought would be of interest to students - all illustrated with pictures of stamps he had collected over the years.
When not on the road traveling the North American continent in his Airstream trailer with his wife, he could be found attending local writing workshops at Yavapai College, where he enjoyed developing his creative writing skills. He published many articles in various stamp and trailering magazines. Even in the darkness of his fight against Alzheimer's disease, his gentle care-giving nature and compassion for his family and fellow man always shone through. He will be dearly missed.
Dr. Cranmer is survived by his wife, Becky; daughters Vicki Dewbre of Dallas, Susan Ferebee of Nipomo, Calif., Liz Wolfe of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; sons Richard Cranmer of Cottonwood and George Cranmer of San Marcos, Calif.; and 13 grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Wescott Funeral Home in Cottonwood. A reception and celebration of Mr. Cranmer's life was held immediately after the service at his home in Clarkdale. Dr. Cranmer's ashes were interned in the Columbarium at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Clarkdale.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in his loving memory to either Northern Arizona Hospice, Cottonwood, 639-6676; or to the Northern Arizona Alzheimer's Association, toll free (800) 773-7840.
Eileen Dougherty
Eileen B. Dougherty, 65, a resident of Rimrock, died Dec. 9.
Mrs. Dougherty was born in Wheatridge, Colo.
Mrs. Doughtery is survived by her husband, Wayne Dougherty; a daughter, Annette Ryan of Monrovia, Calif.; two sons Trent Harris of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Kirk Harris of Rimrock; her mother, Winnie Phelps of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; two sisters, Loretta Manns of Chandler and Arleen Feld of Yucaipa, Calif.; a brother, Donald Phelps of Highlands Ranch, Calif.; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services and burial will be held through the Oakdale Mortuary and burial in Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, Calif. Westcott Funeral Home handled the local arrangements.
Janet L. Peterson
Janet Lynn Peterson, 55, of Cottonwood, died Dec. 12. She was born in Phoenix.
Mrs. Peterson loved nature. She enjoyed her garden and dogs. She had a special touch with creating beautiful things and putting them into art.
She will be missed greatly by her friends and family.
She is survived by her husband, Robert J. Peterson of Clarkdale; her mother and father, John and Phyllis Shellenbarger of Sedona; her daughter and her husband Christy and Erik Anspach of Cave Creek;
her aunt Marge Gallucci of Sedona; her sister and her husband Judy and Bob LaCivita of Flagstaff; her brother and his wife Jim and Kathy Harsha of Phoenix; grandchildren, Jordan, Noah and Jonah and also her nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were Tuesday, Dec. 16, at the Westcott Funeral Home.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Arizona Kidney Foundation, 4203 East Indian School Road, Suite 140, Phoenix, AZ 85018.
Earl G. Haase
Earl Glenn Haase, 74, a resident of Rimrock, died Jan. 19.
Born in Pomona, Calif., Mr. Haase served in the United States Navy. He was a member of the Beaver Creek Baptist Church, V.F.W., the Arizona Bluegrass Association, the Cottonwood Old Time Fiddlers, American Legion Post No. 93, the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association and the National Association for Amateur Radio.
Mr. Haase was preceded in death by a brother Roy Haase; and is survived by his wife, Evelyn; daughters Tracy Lynn, Leslie Ren' and Beverly Dawn; a brother, James Haase; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m. at Beaver Creek Baptist Church in Rimrock.
Hepler Funeral Home assisted family with arrangements.
Donna L. LeBeau
Donna L. LeBeau, 66, a resident of Rimrock, died Jan. 15.
Born in Cheyenne, Wyo., she had worked as an auto parts stocker.
Ms. LeBeau is survived by daughters Cindy V. Hale of Rimrock, Dorinda Christian of Lander, Wyo., and Linda Jewert of Casper, Wyo.; a brother, Dale Kunze of Lander, Wyo.; and seven grandchildren.
There are no public services planned.
Donations in her memory may be made to Northern Arizona Hospice, 269 S. Candy Lane, Cottonwood, AZ 86326.
The Westcott Funeral Home assisted family with arrangements.
Ilene F. Miller
Ilene F. Miller, 79, formerly of Sedona and a resident of Wooster, Ohio, died at Mt. Vernon Hospital in Virginia.
Born in May, Idaho, Mrs. Miller lived with her family in McLean, Va., for 25 years before retiring to Sedona for 15 years. She subsequently moved to Ohio.
Mrs. Miller was preceded in death by her husband, Charles O. Miller, and a brother, Dell Lorenzo Falls; and is survived by her daughters, Sandra Lee Miller Koeller of West Bend, Wis., Cheryl Ann Miller Davis of Wooster, Ohio, Deborah Susan Miller Rylant of Santa Maria, Calif., and Janice Ilene Miller Grimes of Herndon, Va.; a son, Kenneth Barlett Miller of Oak Hill, Va.; a brother, Bill Falls of Salem, Ore.; and 13 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A memorial service will be Saturday, Jan. 24, at Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Va.
The family suggests that memorial contributions may be to the American Heart Association, Northern VA Metro Area, 7203 Poplar St., Annandale, VA 22003.
Arrangements are being directed by Adams-Green Funeral Home, Herndon, Va.
Joy Rubin
Joy Rubin, 70, a resident of Sedona, died Dec. 16, 2003.
Mrs. Rubin was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and after spending 20 years as a housewife and mother, Mrs. Rubin ended her marriage and worked as an assistant and advisor to the owner of Hartogs' import-export company in New York City. She moved to Sedona in 1987, where she build a beautiful home on Upper Red Rock Loop Road.
Mrs. Rubin loved books and was a diligent volunteer at the Sedona Public Library for many years. She also sold medical insurance and always took the time to sit with potential clients, not only to advise, but also to discuss the meaning of love and life.
Mrs. Rubin was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease five years ago, and despite her rapid deterioration never lost hope for a recovery.
Our dear, brave and invincible mother has donated her body for study and research to the University of Tuscon. She has left behind her grateful and loving daughter and son, two granddaughters and a brother. We wish her well from the bottom of our hearts.
Miles S. Bilek
Dec. 31, 1914 — Aug. 21, 2008
Miles S. Bilek, 93, a 22-year resident of Sedona, died Aug. 21, 2008.
Always a song in his heart, a smile on his face and a book in his lap, Bilek was a loving husband and devoted father, an avid reader and tennis player, playing well into his 80s.
Bilek is survived by his wife of 67 years, Edna; daughters Marlene Taheny and Gwen Griffin; and three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
No public service is planned.
Memorial donations may be made in his name to Sedona Public Library.
Elizabeth Hays
Elizabeth “Betty” Hays, 78, of Flagstaff, died on July 26, 2008, after suffering a stroke in May. She had lived and worked in the Sedona area since 1969. She and her late husband operated Chris’s American Service Station at the corner of Highway 89A and Willow Way. She had last worked in Tlaquepaque at the Storyteller Bookstore, which she loved.
Hays was preceded in death by her husband, Columbus “Chris”; and is survived by her daughter, Amanda; and three grandchildren.
Capt. Hamilton White
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Capt. Hamilton “Reese” White, 80, of Sedona, died June 30, 2008.
After 33 years, White retired from TWA airlines in 1986, and the Whites moved to Sedona. A veteran, White’s accomplishments in Korea included 100 missions on the P-51, winning him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
White is survived by his loving wife, Rosemarie; children, Michael White, Kathy [Craig] Biller, Thomas [Roberta] Darak, Karen White and Julie Darak; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and best friend and spiritual advisor, Angie Mikitka.
Ursula Plocher
Ursula Plocher, 68, of Sedona and former resident of Columbus, Ohio, died at home on July 11, 2008 after a short but courageous battle with cancer.
Plocher is survived by her husband of 49 years, Herb Plocher; daughters Sabine Kuhn and Claudia Hajdu; sons-in-law Dana and Tom; and three grandchildren.
The family will not hold a memorial service but scatter her ashes at one of her favorite Pacific sunset overlooks.
Donations: to RTA Hospice and Palliative Care, 70 Bell Rock Plaza, Suite A, Sedona 86351.
