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Robert J. Raffensperger
Robert J. (Bob) Raffensperger, passed away Thursday, April 7, peacefully in his home at age 77. Bob was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois.
Bob entered the U.S. Army in 1944 at the height of WWII. During his service to his country he received a number of medals, Including the Purple Heart. At his discharge from the Army he moved out west in 1947 to work for the Bell System where he met and married his wife Patricia.
Bob and his family moved to Ashland in 1978. He founded and ran Robert's Communications that later became Ashland Telephone and Electronics. He semi-retired in 1995 and turned the business over to son, Dick.
Bob was an active member of the B. P. O. Elks in both the Roseburg and Ashland Lodges. A Life Member in the Ashland Lodge, he was also a Life Member of the VFW.
He is survived by his wife Patricia, of over 55 years and his ten children, John, Jim, Penny, Carol, Don, Janet, Dick, Barb, Lori and Mike. Fifteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Service to be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Ashland Elks Lodge 255 E. Main, in Ashland.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Ashland Hospice 1970 Ashland St., Suite 1, Ashland, OR 97520.
Arrangements: Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.
Beverly Kenefick
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Beverly Kenefick will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Ashland at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2005. Beverly died Thursday, April 14, 2005, of brain cancer.
Beverly was an example of strength, character, integrity and outspokenness. She was cherished by her family and friends because they could always count on her. She was "our Rock."
Her parents were James and Josephine Froley. She had one brother, Ralph, whom she adored. She married her best friend, Jerry, in March, 1961. She still laughed at his puns after hearing them for over 50 years.
Their daughter Kellee was born in Dover, Delaware, and their son, Sean, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, one of her favorite places in the world. Beverly loved visiting Kauai with Jerry, Kellee, Sean, and granddaughter, Riley. Chi-Chis, blue sky, the ocean spray, and a good book were heaven to Beverly.
She was a political animal. She served as a member of the California Democratic State Committee and as a Planning Commissioner for the city of Huntington Beach, California. After moving to Ashland 13 years ago, she served on the Ashland Affordable Housing Commission, the Ashland Budget Committee, and the Daily Tidings citizen input committee.
Beverly received a bachelor's degree in Urban Planning from California State University at Long Beach (although she was always a USC Trojan at heart). She was Community Relations Coordinator for the Parents Cooperative School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She was in charge of the 1980 Census for Orange County, California, and was Community Relations Director for the Orange County Transportation District.
She and Jerry worked together in their own business to provide for the health care needs of multinational corporations in Sudan, Africa and Saudi Arabia. Separately, Beverly also ran the operations of their Supercuts business in Chicago and their Gloria Marshal Figure Salon in Provo, Utah. She was a vice-president of Westworld Healthcare Corporation in Orange County.
Beverly was active in PEO Chapter FO, AAUW, the League of Women Voters, and Soroptomists. She was chair of the Administrative Council at the Methodist Church in Ashland.
In her spare time she loved to sew designer clothing, travel and play bridge. As with everything she did she played bridge with a competitive attitude.
Beverly was a fabulous wife, mother and grandmother. Jerry, Kellee and Sean knew that they could confide in her and that she would give them comfort and advice without any malarkey. One of her great regrets after the tumor was found was that she would not be able to see her granddaughter Riley grow up.
Jerry, Kellee, and Sean would like to thank the staff of the Ashland Community Hospital Hospice staff, especially Denise and Linda, for the care they provided and the dignity with which they treated Beverly.
Kellee and Sean dearly thank their father for the amazing care he showed for their mother during this trying time. He took no time for himself and thought only of Beverly's comfort and happiness.
Donations may be made in Beverly's name to the First United Methodist Church.
Vaughn Brown Ferguson
Vaughn Brown Ferguson died peacefully at home on April 14 at the age of 94.
Mr. Ferguson received his B.S. Degree in Business Administration in 1934 and an M.A. Degree in Public Administration in 1936 from the University of California at Berkeley. In mid-career he attended the Advanced Management Program given by the Harvard Business School. He worked for the Agriculture, Treasury and Navy Departments, as well as the U. S. Civil Service Commission and the Office for Emergency Management for the Federal Government. His last three positions were the Director of Industrial Relations of the Puget Sound, Mare Island and Hunters Point Naval Shipyards. The Secretary of the Navy awarded Mr. Ferguson the Navy Department's Distinguished Civilian Service Award in 1974. He retired in 1976 after 42 years of Federal Service. During World War II, he served as an Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.
When the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard closed in 1974, Mr. Ferguson was able to find jobs for the 5600 displaced employees. In 1975 he assumed responsibility for the placement of Department of Defense employees evacuated from South Vietnam.
He is survived by his wife, Mary of Ashland, Oregon; son James; daughters, Ann and Margaret; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank his hospice caregivers John, Heika, Lynn, and Colleen, his nurses Bea and Linda, as well as Lillibet Gillespie of Mountain Meadows for all their help, care, and sensitivity.
Remembrances should be sent to Hospice & Palliative Care Services at Ashland Community Hospital.
Arrangements: Litwiller-Simonsen Funeral Home, Ashland.
Lisa Signorini
The world was brought a special gift when Cynthia gave birth to Lisa Signorini in 1960. Lisa was born in Boston, Massachusetts and admired her loving father, Phillip. Her best friend growing up was her talented artistic brother, Peter. They spent much of their time on the beautiful beaches in Cape Cod. Her father had a boat they would take out on the ocean and they often found themselves caught out in treacherous storms, barely making it back to land safely.
She moved out to Ashland when she was nineteen years old and attended Southern Oregon College. She took a wide array of classes, but focused on creative writing. Her incredible ability to put words together on paper set her apart from the rest. Additionally, her writing was accompanied by stunning paintings, which would encompass colors and places that most people only dream about.
In 1980, she had Nathan Phillip Gustafson, which was her only son. She poured out every bit of herself and instilled that into Nathan. Shortly thereafter she moved up into the Greensprings in a small cabin. Her best adult years were spent in the mountains with her son, discovering beautiful places and collecting various rocks. In fact, she lived without running water and electricity for the majority of this time period. Being out in the wilderness was where she belonged, and taking consideration of every living creature (including insects) defined what was most important to her.
By the age of thirty-four she was forced to move back down to Ashland. In the last eleven years of her life she helped many people realize that our society focuses on material things, and often neglects the beauty of nature. She showed people how to stop and smell the flowers, and there was always a sense that she saw the bigger picture.
Lisa might have appeared fragile and weak from the outside, but in actuality she contained and indefinable amount of strength and will power. Lisa will be remembered as courageous, adventurous, compassionate, loving, and full of integrity. She saw the bright side in everything, which is something many of us can learn from. As she is not physically with us anymore, she will rest in our hearts and continue to thrive passion for the more important things in life.
Finally a quote that continued to be significant throughout her life, "Whatsoever things are lovely...think on these things." Phil 4.8
Shelly Forest
Shelly Forest, a longtime resident of Ashland, died Saturday, April 16, 2005 after a year's experience with brain cancer. She was 57 years old.
Shelly spent her early years in West Patterson New Jersey. She attended both Bridgeport College in Connecticut and received her teaching credentials from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. After training in hair design in New York City, Shelly came to Ashland in the early 70's. She bought property on Ashland Mine Road and built herself an exquisite house.
Her artistic touch was everywhere; a hair designer for 30 years, she provided her clients with an unusual studio in one of the most beautiful gardens in Ashland that she filled with rare flowers, shrubs, and trees.
It was said that Shelly marched to a different drummer; she was her own person; a single woman so at home in the outdoors who had so many interests. She had character and outspokenness and cut a swatch through the myriad of organizations to which she belonged. Shelly led many hikes and walks with the Women's Activity Club. For several years she raised prize winning doves. A musician as well, Shelly participated in the noted Women with Wings singing group and as a member of several drumming circles in the valley. She was an active member of several women's art groups, always opening her home to meetings. Shelly could always be seen dancing in colorful costumes with "Samba like it Hot" the band that traditionally closed the Ashland 4th of July parade.
Shelly was determined to live her last year in the 10,000 points of light and it is a tribute to Shelly's charisma and truth telling and wonderful sense of humor that more than 60 friends joined together to provide for her during this year, enabling Shelly to stay at home.
From north of Ashland to Roseburg to Northern California, the women's community (and a few men as well) signed up for overnight shifts, covered the days, brought special meals and provided trips to doctors and support groups. She spent weeks at the beach and travelled to Alaska as well. A generous friend enabled her to travel to John of God in Abadiania, Brazil earlier this year.
Her ability to be truthful and humorous at the same time, to immerse herself in the light, and to stay in the present was a gift that she gave to all of her friends who were with her this year.
Shelly is survived by her mother, Tanyia Arkin of N. Miami Beach and three brothers, Marty Goldberg of Rockford, Illinois, Alan Goldberg of Coco Beach, Florida and Barry Antonoff of Coconut Creek, Florida.
