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Frank Bridge
Frank Bridge (also known as Frank D. Berberich) died on Thursday, May 15, 2003, due to complications from a stroke.
He was 88.
He was the father of longtime Cave Creek resident Kenneth (Ken) Bridges and grandfather to television actor Grant Show, of Melrose Place.
Born in Detroit, Frank was a popular dance-band leader there in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the 1980s, his band played in the Valley at such places as the Gold Room at the Arizona Biltmore.
He was the music director at the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, the Otesaga Inn in Cooperstown, N.Y. and several resorts on Florida’s gulf coast. Since, 2000, he played at the Balsams Resort in Dixville Notch, N.H.
Memorial contributions can be made to Sunshine Acres Children’s Home, 3405 N. Higley Road, Mesa, AZ 85215.
Burton Gray
Carefree resident Burton Gray died on Friday, May 16, 2003.
He was 82.
He and his wife, Trudi moved to Carefree in 1989 from Valley Forge, Pa.
They were longtime members of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church.
He was born on a farm in South Dakota on July 24, 1920.
He graduated from Iowa State University after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He became a senior vice president of Wyeth Laboratories of Philadelphia, a world leader in the development and production of pharmaceutical products. He received several awards for his community service and civic leadership.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Trudi; children, Linda Gray of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Tom Gray of Durango, Colo., Carol Gray of St. Louis Park, Minn., Ted Gray of San Francisco; brother Dudley Gray; sister, Helen Holman (both of California); six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2003 at Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, northeast corner of Tom Darlington and Carefree Highway.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, PO box 4777, New York City, NY 10163.
Harry Kenneth Wolff
Cave Creek resident Harry Kenneth Wolff died on Monday, Oct. 13, 2003. He was 68.
He was born on July 30, 1935 in Greensburg, Pa. to Chalmers R. and Laura A. “Buzzard” Wolff.
He served for three years in the U.S. Air Force and three years in the Pennsylvania State Police.
He married his wife, Deanna Ritchey on Aug. 21, 1961.
He worked as a real estate appraiser in Arizona and California before retiring in 1998.
He is survived by his wife, Deanna; daughter, Pam (Tim) Walter of New Lenox, Ill.; son, Jason Wolff of Philadelphia; brothers, Charles, Raymond, Clarence; sisters, Dorothy Stahl, Marie Stewart, Ethel Burke, Evelyn Painter; and three grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Russel and sister Florence Stahl.
Memorial services were held on Oct. 18 at Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Carefree.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in his name to the Hospice of the Valley, 1510 East Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014-5656.
Herbert E. Hobbs
Cave Creek resident Herbert E. Hobbs died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003. He was 79.
He was born in Canada on June 2, 1924.
He lived in Belleville, Mich. before moving to Cave Creek in 2003.
He was a tool and dye maker for the Burroughs Corp. in Plymouth, Mich. For 28 years.
He then worked for General Motors until his retirement.
At the age of 17 he joined the Canadian Army and later served in the British Navy and the U.S. Navy.
He is survived by his daughter Cheryl Vareha of Arizona and her husband Michael; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held in Plymouth, Mich. on Oct. 12, 2003.
Marian M. Friedlander
Former Carefree resident Marian M. Friedlander died on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2003 in Lyndhurst, Ohio.
She was 95.
She and her husband Jerome moved to Carefree in 1970.
She moved back to Cleveland following his death in 1993.
She was an active volunteer to the Friends of the Desert Foothills Library and the Kiwanis Women’s Club locally. She was active in a number of civic affairs in Cleveland.
She is survived by a daughter, Sue Miller of Mansfield, Ohio; sons Jerome, Jr. (Jack) and wife Bobbie of Aurora, Ohio, Tom and his wife Kathy of South Russell, Ohio; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and a great-great grandson.
Memorial services were held on Oct. 29, 2003 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
The family requests that memorial donations be directed to the Montefiore Home for the Aged Foundation, One Myers Parkway, Beachwood, Ohio, 44122 or the charity of their choice.
Jack & Delores Fairclough
A couple who had called Cave Creek home since the late 1980s died within a day of one another late last week.
John Frank “Honky Tonk Jack” Fairclough died early on Thursday, April 22, 2004.
He was 65.
His wife of 15 years, Dolores Francis Fairclough died early on Wednesday, April 21, 2004. She was 63.
“Honky Tonk Jack” is best known for his signature smile, gravelly voice and his lively honky tonk piano music.
For the past 31 years, he played his favorite tunes from the late 1800s and early 1900s at Ed Chilleen’s restaurants, including the Satisfied Frog in Cave Creek.
After serving in the Navy, Jack moved to Phoenix.
He moved to Cave Creek in 1984.
He was active in Cave Creek’s American Legion post 34 and had served as its sergeant of arms for many years.
Dolores, who married Jack on Sept. 25, 1988, often accompanied Jack on the spoons during performances.
She was active in the American Legion’s Women’s Auxillary.
She loved music, dance and most of all Jack.
“Honky Tonk Jack” was born in Morris Ill. to parents Tommy and Anne Fairclough on May 4, 1938.
He is survived by a daughter, Ronda; son, Scott; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two brothers and several cousins.
Dolores was born to parents George and Audrey Merchant in Chicago on Sept. 25, 1940.
She is survived by three daughters, Terri, Donna, Harriet; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and two sisters.
A mass for Dolores and Jack will be held at Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church in Carefree at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2004.
It will be followed by a burial at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery
at Cave Creek and Pinnacle Peak roads.
Then a memorial and dinner will be held at the American Legion post 34 on Saturday.
Donations will be accepted at the Legion to help the families with funeral and medical expenses.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, 2004 a “celebration of life” ceremony will be held at the Satisfied Frog in Cave Creek.
A bank account in Jack Fairclough’s name has been set up at United Arizona Bank in Cave Creek to help the families with expenses.
Opal W. Taylor
Scottsdale resident Opal W. Taylor died on Thursday, June 3, 2004.
She was 90.
She was the mother of Jo Heard.
Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 12, 2004 at SonRise Community Church, 29505 North Scottsdale Road, in Scottsdale.
Interment will follow the service at Green Acres Memorial Gardens, 401 North Hayden, in Scottsdale.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Hospice of the Valley, 1510 East Flower, Street, Phoenix, AZ. 85014.
James Earl Haag
Cave Creek resident James “Jim” Earl Haag died at his home on May 27, 2004.
He was 61.
He was born to parents John and Vilo “Hanson” Haag in Buffalo Center, Iowa on Nov. 2, 1942.
He was the purchasing project manager for the Arizona Central Water Project.
He attended Iowa State University after graduating from high school in 1960.
He served in the U.S. Army.
He enjoyed the desert where he liked to hike, fish, hunt, walk and vacation with his family.
He will be deeply missed by family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, MaryAnn; son, Nathan; brothers, Duane Haag, John Haag, Dyrald Haag; sister, Cynthia Henning and two grandsons.
He was preceded in death by a son, Jason, a brother, Jerome, a sister Debra and his parents.
A memorial service will be held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 3801 East Greenway Road in Phoenix at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2004.
A mass will be held at St. James Catholic Church in Forest City, Iowa at 1 p.m. on Friday June 25, 2004.
Nancy Smith Jones
Longtime Cave Creek resident Nancy Smith Jones died from complications after surgery for lung cancer on July 9 at the Hospice of Arizona.
She was 65.
Nancy was born in Chicago on Dec. 7, 1938.
She was raised in Chicago and attended both the Chicago Latin School and the Art Institute of Chicago.
She lived most of her life in Cave Creek.
Her friends and relatives described her as being a vivacious, charming, interesting and elegant woman who loved animals, especially dogs and horses.
She was a columnist for the Carefree Enterprise magazine for many years.
She was also an office manager for longtime Carefree businessman Paul Halstead, who died last year.
Nancy was attentive to local politics except for the past couple of years.
She regularly made her feelings known at Cave Creek Town Hall.
Nancy was friendly and gregarious. She “never met a stranger” and could often be seen chatting with people she didn’t know, while holding a leash attached to her beloved dog, Cassiopeia.
She is survived by a son, Evan Jones; a brother, Robert L. Smith, and Cassiopeia.
At her request, no services were held.
Edith S. Macdonald
Longtime Carefree resident Edith S. Macdonald died on Nov. 9, 2004. She was 102.
Mrs. Macdonald was born in Sweden.
When she was a teenager she came to America with two of her siblings.
She graduated from college in Minnesota and later became an English teacher.
In November 1926, she married A. John Macdonald, who later served as president of the Hanna Furniture Corporation and was vice president of the National Steel Corporation.
The Macdonalds moved to Buffalo, N.Y. where Edith became a statewide judge for flower arrangements.
After retirement in 1971, the Macdonalds moved to Carefree. Edith lived most of her remaining years on Sidewinder Road. Mr. Macdonald died in 1992.
Mrs. Macdonald is survived by her son, Roderick; daughter-in-laws, Doris and Nancy; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Gerson Institute, 1572 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA., 92101.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004 at Saint Barnabas on the Desert church, 6715 N. Mockingbird Lane in Paradise Valley.
