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Gary H. Zumwalt, 58, of Cudahy, Wisc, died Monday at his home.
Mr. Zumwalt was a native of Oakdale. He had lived in Wisconsin since 1993 and previously lived in Oakdale and Modesto for 52 years. He was a millwright.
He is suvived by his children, Cindi Brown, Randy Zumwalt and Roshelle Zumwalt, all of Oakdale, Larry Zumwalt and Frank Zumwalt, both of Modesto; a brother, Leroy Zumwalt of Oakdale; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral was held at 9 a.m. Friday at Salas Brothers Funeral chapel, Modesto, Burial was followed at Acacia Memorial Park.
Larry L.
Combs
Published: August 24, 2000
Section: Obituaries of
the Modesto Bee
March 26, 1941 -- August. 22, 2000
Larry L. Combs, 59, of Modesto died Tuesday at Doctors
Medical Center. Mr. Combs was a native of Winnemucca, Nev. He lived in Modesto
28 years. He was a 38-year employee of the California Department of
Transportation; he was a lead worker. He worked with ARC of Stanislaus. He was
active in the Modesto Youth Soccer Association and Bel Passi Baseball. He is
survived by his wife, Rita Combs of Modesto; children, John "Buzzy" Combs and
Tabrina Bystrom, both of Modesto; father, Lane M. Combs of Oakdale; sister,
Loretta Reeh of Modesto; and one grandchild.
The rosary was at 7 p.m.
Friday at the McHenry Chapel of Franklin & Downs. The funeral was
held at 11 a.m. Saturday August 26, 2000 at the chapel. Burial was at Turlock
Memorial Park. Visitation was from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, August 25, 2000 at the
chapel. Remembrances may be made to the American Lung Association, 1231 W.
Robinhood Drive, Suite 1-A, Stockton 95207, or the American Diabetes
Association, 1524 McHenry Ave., Suite 210, Modesto 95350.
Anita Reid Allen's Mother, Bessie R.
Reid
Published: August 19,
2000
Section: Obituaries of the Modesto Bee
May 4, 1915 - August 17,
2000
Modesto Bee, The "PAINT LADY" BESSIE REID DIES
Bobby E. Thomas
Nov. 22. 1940 — March 29, 2001
Bobby E. Thomas, 60, of Oakdale died Thursday at Doctors Medical Center, Modesto.
Mr. Thomas was a native of San Jose. He lived in Oakdale 56 years. He was a 30-year employee of George Reed Construction; he was a hot plant operator. He belonged to Operating Engineers Local 3 and the Oakdale Saddle Club. He was a member of the Church of Christ. He is survived by his wife, Grade Thomas of Oakdale; children, Tammy Heuser and Rob Thomas, both of Oakdale; mother, Mary Thomas of Payette, Idaho; brothers, John Thomas of Riverbank, Manuel Thomas of Turlock, Frank Thomas of Modesto and Rick Thomas of Tracy; sisters, Mary Cataline of Stockton, Marlene Crow of Idaho and Joann Cullings of Turlock; and two grandchildren.
The funeral was at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Christ with burial at Oaklawn Memorial Park. No visitation. Oakdale Memorial Chapel in charge of arrangements.
Betty J. Merryman
Sept. 9, 1941 -- March 31, 2002
Betty June Largent Merryman, 60, of Oakdale died Sunday at Memorial Medical Center, Modesto.
Mrs. Merryman was a native of California. She lived in Oakdale 58 years. She was a homemaker for most of her life.
She is survived by her husband, Ronald Merryman of Oakdale; daughter, Kim Nesslage of Denair; brothers, Bill Largent of Oakdale and Charles Wayne Largent of Valley Home; and two grandchildren.
The funeral was held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Lakewood Funeral Home, Hughson. Burial at Lakewood Memorial Park, Hughson. Visitation was from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the chapel.
Lee Ruth Ashingberg (Teacher)
Sept. 12, 1902 -- Aug 4, 2002
99-year-old educator, activist dies
August 6, 2002 Posted: 05:15:08 AM PDT
By MARIJKE ROWLAND
From teaching students the basics of grammar to championing women and the elderly, Lee Ruth Ashenberg filled her 99 years with causes she believed in. The Modesto resident passed away Sunday, a little more than a month shy of her 100th birthday. A longtime Oakdale High School teacher who embarked on a new career after retiring, Miss Ashenberg was remembered by friends as active to the end. She died at Memorial Medical Center in Modesto from natural causes. "She was a spunky lady," friend Liz Trauring said. "She was a voracious reader and writer. Right up until the day she died, she was reading the newspaper. She knew everything that was going on." Born Sept. 12, 1902, in Rochester, N.Y., Miss Ashenberg received her bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester in 1925. She taught English in New York before receiving her master's degree in 1935 from Simmons College in Boston. She then switched careers briefly to work as a department store director in Ohio. During World War II, she was an assistant field director with the Red Cross, Pacific Division. In 1947, Miss Ashenberg moved to Oakdale to return to teaching. She taught English and Latin at Oakdale Union High School from 1947 to 1968. At the school, students and faculty remember her as precise. "She was the typical English teacher -- glasses on the end of her nose," said former student and current Vice Principal Mike Riley. "She taught writing with a vengeance. I remember diagramming sentences until I was blue in the face." Miss Ashenberg started the first chapter of the Future Teachers of America at school. Former Oakdale High counselor Farrell Reeves worked with Miss Ashenberg for 13 years. He remembered her working on several school committees. But other attributes also stood out. "I always told (my wife) I knew when Lee went down the hall, you could smell her perfume," he said. "She was a very pleasant person and a fine teacher." After she retired in 1968, Miss Ashenberg moved to Modesto and combined her love of travel with her concern for the elderly. She worked as a tour coordinator for the local chapters of the American Association of Retired Persons and Retired Teachers Association. At age 75, she formed her own travel group, Lee's California Poppies, catering to senior citizens. Miss Ashenberg was a charter member of the McHenry Museum Society and was on the board of directors of the American Association of University Women. "She was very active in women's issues," Trauring said. "She thought that women deserved credit for what they did and was always out there to see that others got their due." Friends at her synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, were organizing an 100th birthday party for her next month. They plan to bury the various certificates and commendations she was going to receive with her. Miss Ashenberg is survived by four nieces and nephews and four grandnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Frances Blazey, and brother, Jay Ashenberg. A graveside service was at 1 p.m. Thursday at Acacia Memorial Park in Modes
to. Remembrances can be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, 1705 Sherwood Ave.,
Modesto 95350. William W. Maxey (Science Teacher)
William W. Maxey, 82, of Grass Valley died of renal failure and pneumonia
Tuesday at his home. Mr. Maxey was a native of California. He lived in Oakdale more than 40
years before moving to Grass Valley. He taught science at Oakdale High School
for 30 years. He graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles.
He was a World War II Army Vet; he served as a medic in France and Germany.
He enjoyed painting. He survived by his sister, Bea M. Catherine of Grass Valley. Private inurnment was at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery. The Neptune Society of
Northern California was in charge of arrangements. Sonya Olson
remembers, Mr. Maxey was my favorite. I remember holding a snake in his class.
No one would sit by me. Then Mr. Maxey looked at me very seriously and
said, "Now let the snake bite you Sonya." Herb Wilkerson
remembers, Biology was the class I had with him. He was kind
of a strange personality. He was a bachelor and did his own ironing.
He said he only ironed the front cause no one saw the back with his coat on. Sally Rodden Batson
Mary Elizabeth
(Buerer) Post (Joann's Mother)
Joyce Ann Coker
(Letter from her daughter Sharlet Ann (Pollard) Stepp
Ralph Rorabaugh Linda Dunwoody Joann Flake Lucas
BEE STAFF WRITER
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Jan. 12, 1920 -- Aug 13, 2002
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2002
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Dec. 25, 1915 -- Dec. 1, 2001
Place of Death: Heritage Grove, Yakima, Washington
Place of Birth: Dos Palos, California
Mary moved to Yakima April 25, 1997 so she could be near her daughter,
Joann, who was also her care giver.
Fathers Name: George Phillip Buerer
Mothers Name (Maiden) Caroline Elizabeth Niles
Area Raised and Educated:
Mary was raised in the Danville, California area and graduated from San Ramon
High School, Danville, California in 1935. She had three brothers, Milton,
Albert and Ralph, and one sister Lillian. She later moved to Oakdale where
she resided most of her life. She married Mark Albert Post Jr, on
December 3, 1937 in Woodland, California. They had two daughters, Joann
Elizabeth and Martha Jean. Mary was a homemaker and worked along with her
husband, Bert, as an almond grower.
Memberships included:
Native Daughters of the Golden West
Oakdale Grange (life member)
California State Grange (life member)
Oakdale Garden Club
Seed 'em and Weed 'em
Oakdale Community United Methodist Church
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, George and Caroline Buerer,
her husband, Mark Albert (Bert) Post, Jr., her daughter, Martha Jean Post,
her brother Milton Buerer and her sister Lillian Dick.
Survivors include:
Daughter, Joann E Benson and her husband John of Yakima
One Grandson, Michael Albertson and his wife, Amy.
Michael's children, David, Ryan and Karra
Two Step Grandchildren, Joni and Todd
And numerous Step-grandchildren
Her brothers, Albert W. Buerer of Oakdale, California and Ralph P. Buerer and
his wife Virginia (Bowen) Buerer of Eureka, California and numerous nieces and nephews
She is also survived by her special friends Grant and Jackie Anderson and
Pat Moore of Yakima.
Funeral services were held at Oakdale Memorial Chapel, Oakdale, California,
Saturday, December 8, 2001 at 10:00 a.m. Interment followed at Lakewood
Memorial Park, Hughson, California. A memorial service was also be held at
First Presbyterian Church, Yakima, Washington at a later date.
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May 26, 1980
Dear Mel,
I apologize that it has taken me so long to reply.I am not so sure as to what
information will benefit you but I will try to help.By the way, I was so
excited to see your website due to the fact that I have read my Mother's
high school annual from front to back many times. It is one of my most
cherished treasures.
Joyce Ann Coker married Donald Ray Pollard in 1959.They had 3 children
(2 boys and one girl). She became a nurse,doing what she enjoyed the most,
caring for others.
She was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic in May of 1978 with ALS(Lou Gehrigs Disease).
The disease progressed for 2 years until she passed away on May 26,1980.
She was placed to rest in Okmulgee Oklahoma.
I have been in touch with one of her friends from school, Peggy Mathis. Peggy
has been so gracious in sharing with me some fond memories from high school.
It sounds as if Oakdale High was full of excitement with all the sock hops
and pep rallys.I was quite young when my mother passed away so I have been
very fortunate to find someone to help to fill me in on that part of her life.
I hope this has helped.I am so thankful that her memory will continue to be
included with her graduating class.If there is any further information that
will be helpful, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sharlet Ann (Pollard) Stepp
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2004
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2004
April 2003