Obituaries - 3/3/2007

By: North County Times and The Californian - | Friday, March 2, 2007 7:21 PM PST ∞

Bertram, Nancy
Cook, George
Flores, Marcelino
Hiatt, Clifford
Morse, Delbert
Myer, Dixie
Swarts, David
Wunsch, Erwin


Erwin Wunsch, 75

YUMA, Ariz. ó Erwin William Wunsch, 75, died of cancer Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007.

Born April 4, 1931, in Albany, N.Y., he lived in Yuma for three years. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. He enjoyed woodworking.

Mr. Wunsch was preceded in death by his father, Conrad Wunsch; and brother Walter Wunsch.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Nancy Wunsch of Yuma; mother Lena Wunsch of Albany; son Glenn Wunsch of Escondido; stepsons Warren Peetz and Michael Peetz, both of Escondido; daughters Melanie Hobbs of Escondido, and Deanna Blake and Heidi Wunsch, both of Troy, N.Y.; stepdaughter Elizabeth Knurek of Vista; brother Conrad Wunsch of Albany; and 16 grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Escondido.

Nancy Bertram, 69

PAYSON, Ariz. -- Nancy Bertram, 69, died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, in Phoenix.

Born Oct. 12, 1937, in Torrance, she lived in Payson for 12 years. She lived in Escondido previously. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ponderosa Ward, in Payson.

She was a member of the Rim Country Classic Auto Club of Payson and the Mudhens pottery group.

Mrs. Bertram was preceded in death by her mother, Elsie Hoff Denney, in 2003; and father Elmer Denney in 2006.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Larry Bertram of Payson; sons and daughters-in-law Steven and Karen Bertram of San Marcos and Wesley and Kim Bertram of Valley Center; sisters and brothers-in-law Barbara and Dave Salzman of St. Helens, Ore., Shirley and Joe Vullo of Hillsboro, Ore., and Judy and Bob Sathre of Nampa, Idaho; and two grandchildren.

Services have been held.

Messinger Funeral Home in Payson handled arrangements.

Clifford Hiatt, 79

SAN MARCOS -- Clifford Henry Hiatt, 79, died of cancer Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007, at his home.

Born Nov. 11, 1927, in Lincoln, Neb., he lived in San Marcos for four years. He retired in 1975 as an aerospace engineer for Boeing. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1951. He was a member of the Masonic Order, where he was a 32nd Degree Mason.

Mr. Hiatt was preceded in death by his brother, Donald Hiatt, in 2003. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Barbara Hiatt of San Marcos; son Jim Hiatt of Castro Valley; daughters and sons-in-law

Debi and John Maguire of Ontario and Denice and John Heitkamp of Prescott, Ariz.; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, March 8, at Rancho Vallecitos Mobile Estates with the Rev. Susan Scott officiating.

Trident Society is handling arrangements.

Dixie Myer, 73

POWAY -- Dixie Lee Miell Stark Myer, 73, died of pneumonia Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007, at Pomerado Hospital.

Born Feb. 12, 1934, in Iowa City, Iowa, she lived in Poway for two years. She worked for the Department of Agriculture, helping to setup the food stamp program.

She served in the U.S. Marine Corps for two years. She was a member of the Escondido Baptist Church. She sang in choirs at the churches she attended.

She received a bachelorís degree in speech communications at San Diego State University. She was a former member of the Toast Mistresses.

Mrs. Myer was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Miell; mother Wilma Miell; first husband Gilbert Stark; brother Gary Miell; and sister Marge Spratt.

She is survived by her son, Michael Stark of Santa Cruz; daughters Leslie Evans of Poway, Carolyn Stark of Santa Cruz, Ginger Watts of San Jose, and Bonnie McViker of Oregon; brothers Rick Miell and Jack Miell, both of Iowa; sister Patricia Miell of Iowa; and nine grandchildren.

A private cremation is planned.

George Cook Jr., 93

OCEANSIDE -- George Putnam Cook Jr., 93, died of natural causes Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007, at Evergreen Chalet.

Born Dec. 18, 1913, in Holtville, he lived in Oceanside for 48 years. He was the manager of gas stations in Oceanside for more than 35 years. He raised seasonal flowers in Beaumont.

Mr. Cook is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ina Ballance Cook of Oceanside; daughter and son-in-law Chari and Don Goodard of Oceanside; sons and daughters-in-law George III and Beth Cook of Fallbrook and David Kendall Cook and Denise Day of Oceanside; and six grandchildren.

A private memorial is planned.

The family suggests donations to North Coast Hospice, 5441 Avenida Encinas, Suite A, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

Marcelino Flores, 79

OCEANSIDE -- Marcelino N. Flores, 79, died of heart failure Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007.

Born Oct. 7, 1927, in Mexicali, Baja California, he lived in Oceanside for 56 years. He retired as a carpenter for Bechtel. He was a member of Local Union 547 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Mr. Flores was preceded in death by his brother, Reynaldo Flores Nieto, in 2006.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Maria Elena

Flores; sons Marcelino Flores Jr. of Oceanside and Manuel Fernando Flores of Valley Center; daughters and sons-in-law Rosemary and Samuel Ramirez, Linda and Marcos Lopez, and Sophia and Pedro Valdovinos, all of Oceanside, Elisabeth Flores and Benjamin Herrera of Carmel Valley, and Olga and Ricardo Marquez of Escondido; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. and rosary recited at 7 p.m. Monday, March 5, at Eternal Hills Mortuary Chapel, 1999 El Camino Real in Oceanside. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 6, at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Parish, 609 Pier View Way in Oceanside. Burial will follow at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside.

David Swarts Jr., 88

RANCHO BERNARDO -- David Daniel Swarts Jr., 88, died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007.

Born April 2, 1918, in New Jersey, he lived in Rancho Bernardo for 23 years.

He was a seaman and enjoyed astronomy, woodworking and walking.

Mr. Swarts is survived by his wife of 68 years, Evelyn J. Swarts of Rancho Bernardo; sons Arthur Swarts of Mountainside, N.J., and David Swarts of Los Angeles; daughter Linda Swann of Redlands; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Private services are planned.

The family suggests donations to the Leukemia Research Foundation, 2700 Patriot Blvd., Suite 100, Glenview, IL 60026.

Poway-Bernardo Mortuary in Poway is handling arrangements.

Delbert Morse, 88

OCEANSIDE -- Delbert Morse, 88, died of Brady arrhythmia Monday, Jan. 29, 2007, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Born June 4, 1918, in Dell Rapids, S.D., he lived in Oceanside for 14 years.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for two years. He received a masterís degree from Pasadena College. He was a Nazarene minister. He pastored at churches of Nazarene in Portola, Fallon, Nev., Needles and the Los Angeles First Chinese in Sun Valley.

He was a volunteer with the Salvation Army and Bakersfield Rescue Mission for 10 years.

The Rev. Morse is survived by his wife of 58 years, Pauline Wiese Morse of Oceanside; sons and daughters-in-law Alvin and Pamela Morse of Arleta, Daniel and Kathy Morse of San Diego and John Morse of Taiwan; daughters and sons-in-law Cheryl and Kenneth Zuetel of Glendora, Sharon and Robert Depew of Portland, Ore., and Elaine and Daniel Depew of Fort Worth; brother and sister-in-law Alton and Margie Morse of Garden Grove; sister Lucile Wright of Buena Park; 15 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services have been held with interment at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside.

The family suggests donations to the American Bible Society, Bibles for China, P.O. Box 98010, Washington, DC 20077-7026.

Eternal Hills Mortuary handled arrangements.

Bobby Simpson, 59

LAKE ELSINORE -- Bobby Dale Simpson, 59, died of diabetes Thursday, March 1, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Born June 9, 1947, in Sonora, he lived in Lake Elsinore for eight years. He retired in 1984 as a truck driver. He was one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Mr. Simpson is survived by his wife of four years, Kathleen Simpson of Lake Elsinore; parents Eunice and Wayne Simpson of Perris; stepson and stepdaughter-in-law, Corey and April Fuller of Winchester; brothers and sister-in-law Jerry and Deborah Simpson of Perris and David Simpson of Riverside; sisters and brothers-in-law Wanda and Gary Foreman of Wildomar, Shirley Stoops of Perris, and Linda and Bob Porter of Georgetown, S.C.; and two grandchildren.

A memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 16421 Joy St. in Lake Elsinore, with Ed James officiating. A private cremation is planned.

Evans-Brown Mortuary is handling arrangements.

Ben Madison, 83

TEMECULA -- Ben Madison, 83, died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007.

Born March 11, 1923, in Richmond, Va., he lived in Temecula for 18 years. He was a logistics engineer for 22 years at Rockwell International. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a veteran of World War II and Korea, retiring as a staff sergeant. He was a former member of the Masonic Lodge of Long Beach.

Mr. Madison was preceded in death by his wife, Trudy Madison, in 2006. He is survived by his daughters Jacqueline V. Anderle of Temecula and Denise Kent of Newport Beach; sons Merle M. Baker of Quail Valley and Robert Lynn Bouse of Temecula; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A graveside service is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, March 7, at Riverside National Cemetery, staging area No. 2, 22495 Van Buren Blvd. in Riverside.

Weaver Mortuary in Beaumont is handling arrangements.

Correction:

Mary Rangel, 84

MURRIETA -- Mary Rangel, 84, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007, at Chancellor Place in Murrieta.

Born Nov. 26, 1922, in Mesa, Ariz., she lived in Murrieta for 17 years.

Mrs. Rangel was preceded in death by her husband, Salvador Rangel, in 2002. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Lynne Rangel of Wildomar and Si and Christine Rangel of Murrieta; daughter, Helen Lisa Gardea of Murrieta; sisters Tille Franco, Alice Caracoza and Delores Sandoval; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

A funeral service is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 5, at Calvary Baptist Church in Temecula, with the Rev. William Rench officiating. Private interment at Riverside National Cemetery is planned.

Miller-Jones Mortuary & Crematory in Sun City is handling arrangements.

Memorial

Kim Michele Burton

Loving wife, loving mother, loving grandmother.

I have been in the newspaper business for nearly 20 years and the industry has been very good to me, helping my wife and I raise two girls, seeing my oldest blossom and give me two wonderful granddaughters.

The business is more than that, itís an extended family with ink as its binder. All of us know we can trust and rely on each other no matter what the weather, breakdown or the personal loss. I have been privileged to be the member of two such families, 18 years in California and only six months here, (Decatur, Ala.) but it seems the family here means so much more.

I came here to start a new life and to bring my wife to a more simpler, relaxed and meaningful existence.

She has had many tribulations over the past 15 years, constant pain and many surgeries to her spine, along with infections that prolonged her stays in the hospital.

For the past eight weeks, she has endured a lot and all she wanted to do was be with me and my granddaughter on her birthday. Last Wednesday, we celebrated her 10th birthday and it made my heart glad to see her so happy and to laugh again. She passed away last night in her sleep, doing the one thing she had looked forward to for such a long time.

Since the newspaper has been such a big part of our lives, and this paper would have given us our dreams, I know she would have wanted me to write the obit as I would have from her.

She gave her life to the ones she truly loved and God has blessed me.

I will put her with the rest of my loved ones in California, and return to complete our dream.

To my wife of 34 years,

if I didnít say it often enough,

I LOVE YOU and will for eternity.