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JONES, Daniel P.
The first Mormon marriage in the Salt River Valley was at Lehi, that of Daniel P. JONES and Mary E. MERRILL, August 26, 1877. The first birth was of their son.
JONES, Daniel W.
Mormon pioneer in southcentral Arizona. He had been in the Mexican War in 1847 and remained in Mexico until 1850. He dedicated his life to work among the Indians.
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KWIATKOWSKI, Ladimir 1928-1994
Ladimir Kwiatkowski was born July 13, 1928, son of Walter (a Cleveland juvenile police detective) and Florence KWIATKOWSKI. "Laddie Boy", as he was often called, was the kind of kid who was good to have as a playmate. His friends nicknamed him "Slats" because he was so thin. He was always active, whether he was playing sports or dancing to his grandmother's Polish music records. Lad was the kind of kid who wanted to take up the drums. "But my folks wouldn't let me," he recalled. "They said 'play the saxophone or the piano'. I should have gone with the piano." He was the kind of kid who played a minor part in a grade school play then decided drama was not for him. "I did one show -- A Christmas Carol -- in grade school and I did not want to be on stage again," he remembered, noting that he had knocked a screen over during the play. "I was so embarrassed, I didn't want to do anything after that." Lad Gets A Baseball Itch Instead of pursuing a career on stage, Lad concentrated on sports -- particularly baseball. He informed his parents that he wanted to become a major league baseball player. Lad went to church each Sunday -- he and his family were devout Catholics -- but he would be dressed in his baseball uniform ready to dash out to the diamond after Mass. "I would have played football, but I was too small," he noted. "But baseball -- it was fast and I loved the game." Lad never had formal coaching in his favorite sport until he got to John Adams High School, where he honed his baseball skills. After graduation, he left Ohio to attend Arizona State College in Tempe, along with a few high school buddies -- knowing that Arizona's climate would actually allow him to play baseball year round! Lad was a good player. He was on the varsity team four years, from '50-53. He led Arizona State in hitting in 1951 with a .358 average, including two doubles, a triple and a single against rival University of Arizona. He was made captain of the team the next year. Lad brought respect to a baseball program where players wore hand-me-down uniforms and official statistics were not yet kept. He was pretending to play slide trombone to "Ragmop", a popular tune playing on a nearby jukebox, when Patsy Lou KILLOUGH first saw him. Patsy and Lad started dating soon afterwards, and they were married on Mar 31, 1951.
He graduated from the university with a journalism degree in 1953 and was offered a chance to play for a Cleveland Indians farm team. But Lad was not sure he wanted to invest the time slugging it out in the minors, especially with a wife and child at home. Plus, he liked Phoenix and he was intrigued by television. "I saw the future in television," he observed.
The day after he graduated, Lad applied for a job at KPHO-TV When it was the only television station in town. "I went in at nine o'clock and at eleven o'clock, they called me and asked when I could start. At one o'clock the day after I graduated, I started at KPHO." It was a great education. Lad was assigned to help produce KPHO's slate of live shows. He also cleaned and swept the floors, folded chairs, raised sets and eventually ran the cameras. And although he could see the future in television, Lad had no way of knowing what would happen next.
The Character "Ladmo" was born when Bill THOMPSON asked Lad to join him in January, 1956, as his sidekick on "It's Wallace?" They found a top hat in KPHO's prop room and put a sweater over a smock from Safeway. Through the decades, their routines together grew out of their close relationship. The Ladmo Show premiered in the summer of 1963. It was an instant success. The Ladmo Bag, with a toy and an assortment of sponsor's products, was born in 1965. "To have your product in a Ladmo Bag was an association with Wallace and Ladmo," Lad recalled. On June 15, 1970, the show officially became "The Wallace and Ladmo Show." In early 1972, Ladmo got his own cartoon show, Ladmo's Clubhouse, in addition to his regular stint. On Friday, Dec. 29, 1989, "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" went off the air. When Ladmo died on March 2, 1994 of lung cancer, the entire state of Arizona mourned.
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LESHER, Margaret
Abstract:
Former Lesher Communications Chairwoman Margaret Lesher was found drowned in Bartlett Lake, AZ, while on a camping trip with her husband of six months. Lesher had earlier been married to the late Dean LESHER, who had built up a chain of newspapers that included the flagship Contra Cost Times and was sold to Knight-Ridder in 1995 for about $360 million. The 62-year-old Lesher was naked and legally drunk at the time of her death. The death is reportedly not considered a homicide at this time.
MARGARET LESHER, FORMER chairwoman of Lesher Communications Inc. in the San Francisco Bay area, was found drowned in an Arizona lake where she and her husband were camping.
According to authorities, Lesher, the widow of Dean Lesher, founder of the Lesher group, was legally drunk when she died. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio as ruling out foul play "at this time"
County medical examiner Phillip Keen said tests showed that the alcoholic content of Lesher's blood was 0.10--the legal definition of drunken driving in Arizona--when her body was found May 14.
Lesher, 65, had been camping with her husband of six months, Collin "T.C." THORSTENSEN, 38, a rodeo rider and buffalo trainer. He reported that he awoke at 3:30 a.m. and found her and their boat missing. Several hours later, a television crew in a helicopter spotted her body in the crystal clear water of Bartlett Lake, a wilderness area 30 miles from Scottsdale.
She was wearing only underwear. Her other clothes were in the boat, which was found about two miles from the campsite.
Thorstensen told police he and his wife had been drinking alcohol before retiring for the night. The sheriffs office said Thorstensen, the son of South Dakota ranchers, allowed them to search the couple's Scottsdale home without a warrant.
The Lesher chain, which included the flagship newspaper the Contra Costa Times, and four other East Bay dailies, was sold to Knight-Ridder in 1995 for a reported $360 million.
Dean Lesher, a Harvard-trained lawyer, built his chain with a shrewd business sense and a true vision that Contra Costa County would become a major commuting area for San Francisco and Oakland. At one time, he owned several other dailies and weeklies in Northern California.
Lesher was among the most civic-minded publishers in the country, giving away thousands to charity and community projects. Currently, the Times said, the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation has $37 million in assets.
After Lesher's death, Margaret Lesher continued his philanthropy, giving to such causes as the Battered Women's Alternatives, Richmond Rescue Mission and the Contra Costa Food Bank. Much of her charity was anonymous, including her hosting of Christmas parties for underprivileged children.
"Our organization is stunned at the news," said George RIGGS, CEO of Contra Costa Newspapers and a longtime friend of the Leshers. "Margaret was someone we all knew and worked closely with over the years. She was an integral part of our extended newspaper family, and even after the sale of Lesher Communications ... we've followed her changes in lifestyle. She seemed to have finally found happiness and we were happy for her."
Knight-Ridder CEO Tony Ridder told the Times that it was difficult for Margaret to sell the Lesher group.
"It was a sad day for her when she turned over the newspapers to us. She loved the newspapers and the community; he said.
At the time of the sale, Margaret Lesher said that of all the potential buyers for the chain, she trusted Knight-Ridder to carry on her husband's commitment to high-quality community coverage and involvement.
Margaret Lesher was born to a poor family in Texas. She became a local beauty queen, dance instructor and flight attendant. She had ended her first marriage when she met Dean Lesher, 30 years her senior, while working as an arranger of meetings for a hotel chain.
A story in the Times said she was reluctant at first to marry him, not because of their age difference, but because of his prominence.
The story said she preferred to use the last name of Lesher when in Contra Costa County to keep her roots in the community.
Lesher also is survived by four daughters from her first marriage.
LONG, John F.
Developer.
John F. Long is renowned for his generosity and commitment to giving back to the community. He started building homes in the Valley in the 1940s for returning veterans. In 1954, he started Maryvale, a master-planned community in west Phoenix named after his wife, Mary. Long has donated land for schools and financial aid to help build medical centers or other public facilities.
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McFARLAND, Ernest 1894-1984
U.S. Senator, Arizona governor
Ernest McFarland was a U.S. Senator from Arizona, a governor for two terms and an Arizona Supreme Court justice. McFarland also served as Pinal County attorney and a Pinal County Superior Court judge. Concerned about veterans returning from World War II with few prospects for work, McFarland introduced the G.I. Bill of Rights. In the 1950s, McFarland formed the Arizona Television Co. and obtained a license for Channel 3 Television.
MIKAN, George
GEORGE MIKAN, 80, pro basketball's first powerful big man, who led the Minneapolis Lakers to five titles in the team's first six years, died June 2005 of kidney failure in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 6-ft.-10-in. DePaul graduate so dominated the newly formed National Basketball Association that he forced the league to change its rules and once prompted Madison Square Garden officials to promote a 1949 game as "Geo. Mikan vs. Knicks."
MIRANDA, Ernesto Arturo
The Story of America's Right to Remain Silent, the Miranda Law.
Miranda v. Arizona was a landmark 5-4 decision of the United States Supreme Court which was decided June 13, 1966. The Court held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police.
Ernesto Arturo MIRANDA was born in Mesa, Arizona on March 9, 1941.
In 1963, he was arrested for rape by Phoenix police officers CARROLL COOLEY and WILFRED YOUNG. He later confessed to robbery and attempted rape under interrogation by police. The trial took place in mid-June 1963 before Maricopa County Superior Court Judge YALE McFATE. At trial, prosecutors offered only his confession as evidence. Miranda was convicted of rape and kidnapping and sentenced to 20 to 30 years imprisonment on each charge. Miranda's court-appointed lawyer, Alvin MOORE, appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court which affirmed the trial court's decision.
However, when it was appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice Earl WARREN delivered the opinion that due to the coercive nature of custodial interrogation by police, no confession could be admissible under the Fifth Amendment self-incrimination clause and Sixth Amendment right to an attorney unless a suspect had been made aware of his rights and the suspect had then waived them. Thus, Miranda's conviction was overturned.
Following the Miranda decision, the nation's police departments were required to inform arrested persons of their rights under the ruling, termed a Miranda warning.
On January 31, 1976, Miranda participated in a card game at the La Amapola Bar. A violent fight broke out and Miranda received a mortal knife wound; he was pronounced dead on arrival at Good Samaritan Hospital. He was 34 years old.
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NARRAMORE, Donald Laurence
Donald Laurence NARRAMORE passed away Tuesday, October 10, 2006. He was born October 11, 1938 to Edward Laurence and Jennie Belle (WATERHOUSE) NARRAMORE in Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. He was raised on the family farm in Palo Verde, Arizona. Don was a member of a pioneering family who originally settled and farmed in the Territory of Arizona near Gila Bend in the 1890's. He attended Palo Verde Elementary School, graduated from Buckeye Union High School in 1956 and received his Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture from Arizona State University in 1962. After graduating, Don worked briefly for Arizona Public Service and then for State Farm Insurance as a claims adjuster in Los Angeles, California, Hot Springs, Arkansas and Phoenix, Arizona. He returned to the family farm and ranch in 1970. Don raised alfalfa, grain and cotton on the farm and especially enjoyed working with his herd of Simmental cattle. Don was active in the community. He served as a member and was a past president of the Buckeye Irrigation Company Board. He was a member and trustee of the Palo Verde Baptist Church. He was also a member of the Buckeye Elks. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Frances; his daughter, Sheri, and her husband Dan GLADDEN of Palo Verde, his two sons, Charles of Yuma and Kenneth and his wife Michelle of Goodyear. He is also survived by four grandsons, Joshua, Todd, and Clint GLADDEN and Tyler NARRAMORE, a brother Dr. Bruce NARRAMORE of Hacienda Heights, California and a sister Connie HECKATHORNE of El Centro, California.
in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Palo Verde Baptist Church, 29600 Old Hwy 80 Palo Verde, P.O. Box 41 Palo Verde, AZ 85343.
NOBLE, Marguerite Parker (Buchanan)
Marguerite Parker (Buchanan) Noble, born January 29, 1910, Roosevelt, Az, died at Payson, January 1, 2007, renown for her Arizona novel Filaree based on her Texas pioneer parents Daniel Webster PARKER and Arminda Jane SOLOMON (PARKER) SKINNER. Nicknamed "Dickie," she was educated at Punkin Center, Florence, Tempe Normal and ASU. Her career as a social studies teacher was at Phoenix's Creighton School. She was preceded in death by husband Charles NOBLE and siblings Mabel Hudlow TWAY, Carriebel MARSH, Dannie Dee HOLLOWAY, Walker ("Jack") PARKER, Frank PARKER and Porter PARKER. By first husband Henry Rogers BUCHANAN, she leaves a son, Payson photographer Roger BUCHANAN, daughter Cynthia BUCHANAN COWLEY, a Texas writer, and granddaughter Laine BUCHANAN. Graveside service, 11AM, Payson Pioneer Cem. & memorial gathering. Published in The Arizona Republic on 1/5/2007.
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OWENS, Buck 1929-2006
Alvis Edgar 'Buck' Owens, Jr., was born August 12, 1929 in Sherman, Texas, the eldest son of A. E. and Maicie Azel ELLINGTON Owens, and passed away at his ranch just north of Bakersfield, California, on March 25, 2006, at the age of 76 of heart failure. A true child of the Dust Bowl, Buck's family worked as Texas sharecroppers with just the bare necessities and few frills except for music. "As long as I can remember," he once recalled, "we always had a piano around the house. And Mama would sit and play all the old hymns and we'd sing with her."
In 1937, his family left a life of sharecropping
with California on their minds, but only got as far as Mesa, Arizona, before their car broke down, so they settled there instead. He dropped out of school at 13 to haul produce and harvest crops, and by 16 he was playing music in taverns.
Although his first instrument was a mandolin, Owens acquired a guitar in 1942, and began soaking up musical knowledge from family members, border radio, and local dances that featured Bob WILLS and his Texas Playboys.
By the time Owens was in his mid-teens, he was playing the honky-tonks in the greater Mesa and Phoenix area.
Married in 1948 to Bonnie CAMPBELL, the two became parents with the arrival of sons Alan Edgar (Buddy) and Michael Lynn. Buck moved his young family to Bakersfield in 1951, close enough to Los Angeles for him to find work as a studio musician by day and still play the legendary Bakersfield honky-tonks at night. In 1956 Buck married Phyllis BUFORD with whom he had a son, Johnny DALE. In 1957, just two weeks after Buck's 28th birthday, he was signed to Capitol Records by producer Ken NELSON and began a quick rise to stardom via a torrent of releases on the label. Starting in 1963, Buck had a string of 26 consecutive number one records. Buck was named Capitol Records Artist of the Decade concurrent with the placement of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1963, Buck started his first of many media ventures, which included radio, television and print publications. He hosted his own nationwide television show "Buck Owens' Ranch" from 1966 to 1973, and later co-hosted the enormous ever-popular television series, "Hee Haw", from 1969 to 1986.
Following the death of his friend and lead guitarist Don RICH (Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident in July 1974), Buck concentrated his efforts on his radio stations in Bakersfield and Phoenix, and married the former Jennifer SMITH in 1979. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received The Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award. About that time, he fulfilled a long-time dream with the opening of the Crystal Palace museum and restaurant in Bakersfield. Buck's influence on country music can be heard in today's young crop of stars. Dwight YOAKAM, Brad PAISLEY, Marty STUART and countless others carried his torch and introduced his music to new generations. Buck OWENS was preceded in death by his father A.E. 'Dad" OWENS; mother Maicie; brother Melvin OWENS; and sisters Mary McKINNEY and Dorothy OWENS. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his son Buddy and wife Katy; son Michael and wife Kristin; and son John. Seven grandchildren: Paul, Doug, Amy, Jennifer, Brent, Demi, and Corbet. Three great grandchildren: Macy, Jake and Hailee. Nephew Mel OWENS, Jr. and wife Diana; nephew Larry OWENS and wife Jan, niece Sandra PETTY and husband Nathan, niece Nita AGEE and husband Ray, niece Raejean McKINNEY, nephew Keith McKINNEY and wife Gaile, and niece Kim OWENS. Also grieving are numerous great nephews and nieces, countless friends and millions of admirers and fans worldwide. A public visitation at the Crystal Palace was held Saturday, April 1 and a public funeral service on Sunday, April 2, at Valley Baptist Church, 4800 Fruitvale Avenue. By Buck's wishes, and in lieu of flowers, the family asked that you consider a donation in Buck's name to the S.P.C.A., 3000 Gibson, Bakersfield, California 93308 Often at the end of an interview, Buck was asked how he'd like to be remembered. He said, "I'd like to be remembered as a guy that came along, did his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready to do the job, wrote a few songs and had a hell of a time".
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PELLETIER, Dr. Harold W.
Dr. Harold W. Pelletier was born May 30, 1914 in Winner, South Dakota to Elmer George and Abigail PELLETIER and passed away in Dallas, Texas on January 3, 2007. Dr. Pelletier was a veteran serving in the U.S. Air Force, 1942-1949; he was also a member of the American Legion, Music Teachers National Association, Phi Delta Kappa, Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, 1950-1955, Phoenix College Symphony, Tempe Symphony, Madden-Ford Ensemble, and the Ernie Palmquist Big Band. He received his Ph.D in music from Arizona State University in 1962. Dr. Pelletier also taught public schools in Phoenix, at Loma Linda and Machan Elementary Schools. Preceded in death by his wife Mary PELLETIER. He is survived by his daughter Sho-mei PELLETIER and husband Dwight Shambley; two grandchildren Aaron Joshua Pelletier-Shambley (17), and Alexis Jessica Pelletier-Shambley (10); brother George "Bill" PELLETIER and wife Marie PELLETIER; and his sister Jo Ellen PELLETIER SCHALK.
Sparkman/Hillcrest Northwest Hwy. Chapel, 7405 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, Texas 75225. Rev. Charlotte COYLE and Rev. Jan SULLIVAN.
Any memorials maybe made in Wally's name to the American Heart American Stroke Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, Texas 75231. To leave a personal tribute to the family, please visit www.mem.com.
POSTON, Charles Debrille, the "Father of Arizona"
Born in Hardin County, Kentucky, on April 20, 1825, and orphaned when he was just 12 years old, Charles Poston studied the law, married, fathered a child and settled down to the life of a practicing attorney. When he heard of gold discoveries in the west, he left his wife and daughter with relatives and set off for California. He took a job as chief clerk in the San Francisco custom house and soon found himself in the employ of an agent for the family of General Augustino de Iturbide, who had inherited a large grant of land in what they believed was the new territory, and they wanted it explored for its resources. Poston organized an expedition of 30 men, among whom was Christian Herman EHRENBERG. The party set sail for Sonora, Mexico, but their ship was blown off course and caught in unexpected heavy seas and dashed against the rocks. The men were barely able to reach land safely before the ship sank. Once in Mexico, they were greeted with hostility by the Mexicans, but eventually they were given free access to travel to the new territory. Although everyone searched diligently for the boundaries to the Iturbide land grant, they were never found and subsequently could not be established. Poston and Ehrenberg were convinced that this new land had enormous potential. When the group reached the Colorado River on the return trip to California, the only way to cross the river was by a ferryboat owned by Louis J. F. JAEGER. Because of hostile Indians in the area, there were risks involved in maintaining a ferry service, and JAEGER charged exceedingly high prices for passage. Poston refused to pay the price and instead talked his men into mapping out a city and selling city lots to pay their way across the river. Poston recorded the townsite and called it Colorado City.
PRICE, Frederick Newton
Fred was the grand-nephew of William ROWE, eldest brother of Cynthia ROWE PRICE, who brought his wife and eight small children by wagon train to what would become Maryville on the Salt River below Fort McDowell. Here he built Rowe's Station or Rowe's Crossing and developed a small farm. During the 1870's the Apache Indians succeeded in routing out the small band of settlers and the ROWE family moved closer to Fort McDowell and developed another farm. Before this move, Clarence ROWE was born and is considered the first white boy to be born in the valley. William ROWE's name appears on a document approving the townsite of Phoenix. Fred was also the grandson of William Newton PRICE who came to Prescott in 1864 and became a military courier at Fort Whipple. William met Cynthia ROWE at Fort McDowell and followed her to Santa Ana, California, where they married in 1870. On returning to Arizona with four children, they spent some time in Tombstone where Mr. Price drove a stage. They then went to Fort McDowell in time for Cynthia to deliver Sterling E. PRICE under a mesquite tree on July 3, 1886. They finally settled in Phoenix where Stanley and Robert were born. Fred PRICE was born April 9, 1914 in Phoenix to Sterling PRICE and Edith GRAY. They lived on Van BUren across from Monroe School. His father worked for the City Water Dept. He attended Kenilworth Elementary School, Phoenix Union High School and Phoenix Junior College. He was sports manager for the teams of PUHS and JC. He continued this love for sports all his life. Upon graduation, he was hired as a salesman for Peterson Brook Steiner and Wist and lived in Prescott. About this time, he met Vivian EDGAR on a blind date and asked for her hand in marriage. Fred's grandfather, being a railroad man for Southern Pacific, talked him into joining the railroad, which he did, and retired after 42 years of service. Fred and Vivian celebrated 55 years of marriage September 14, 1996. Their son, Cary, is employed by the U. S. Forest Service. He is married to the former Linda HIGLEY. They have two children, Susan and James and live in Williams, Arizona. John, the second son, resides in Phoenix and is a custom home builder. Fred PRICE was a loving father and husband. He is survived by his wife, Vivian; two sons, Cary and John; two grandchildren, Susan and James; two daughters-in-law, Linda and Darlene and a nephew, Charles Skip THOMAS. Memorial services at Whitney & Murphy Arcadia Funeral Home. The Reverend Dr. William BOICE, Father Patrick REUSE, S. J. and members of Elks Lodge No. 335 will officiate. Published in the Arizona Republic 30 January 1997, p. CL18.
PULLIAM, Eugene C. 1889-1975
Publisher, Phoenix Newspapers Inc.
At the time of his death, Eugene Pulliam was publisher of The Arizona Republic, The Phoenix Gazette, and the Arizona Business Gazette. His journalism career started in 1909 when he and nine other students at DePauw University in Indiana founded Sigma Delta Chi, the national journalism organization. After graduation, Pulliam joined the Kansas City Star. At 23, he become the youngest publisher in the United States. In 1946, after owning and operating newspapers across the nation, Pulliam bought the three Arizona newspapers.
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REHNQUIST, William Hubbs
America's chief justice died on September 3rd, 2005, aged 80. He was the 16th chief justice of the United States.
The chief justice, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, died at his suburban Virginia home. Rehnquist was buried at Arlington National Cemetery next to his wife, Nan, who died in 1991.
His three children were with him when he died
Rehnquist's son, James, a partner in Goodwin Procter in Boston,
daughter Nancy REHNQUIST SPEARS, a university teacher,
daughter Janet REHNQUIST, a partner in the law firm Venable in Washington,
granddaughter Natalie Ann REHNQUIST LYNCH
Rehnquist was born in Milwaukee and spent his youth in the suburban Milwaukee community of Shorewood, where he attended school and graduated from Shorewood Senior High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1943 at age 18, serving as a weather observer in North Africa.
Rehnquist returned to college on the G.I. Bill, attending Stanford University and then graduating first in his class from Stanford Law School. His classmate Sandra Day O'CONNOR graduated third in the class, and they dated briefly (but not seriously).
practiced law in Phoenix, Arizona from 1953 to 1969.
He then served as a law clerk to legendary U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert JACKSON, who had before served as solicitor general, attorney general and as the chief prosecutor of Nazi leaders before the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg.
After Rehnquist had worked nearly 20 years in private practice in Arizona and in government service, President Richard NIXON in 1971 nominated him to the Supreme Court, where he served for 34 years, the last 19 of which he served as chief.
Rehnquist wrote the majority opinion upholding the classic pro-defendant ruling Miranda v. Arizona - a 1966 precedent Rehnquist had often criticized previously.
His three children were with him when he died
Rehnquist's son, James, a partner in Goodwin Procter in Boston,
daughter Nancy REHNQUIST SPEARS, a university teacher,
daughter Janet REHNQUIST, a partner in the law firm Venable in Washington,
granddaughter Natalie Ann REHNQUIST LYNCH
RICHARDSON, Norma Sexton
Norma Sexton Richardson, Ed.D passed away on December 8, 2006. She was born on August 12, 1924 in Granger, Washington, and moved to Scottsdale in 1926. She attended Scottsdale Public Schools and graduated from Scottsdale High School in 1942 and Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe in 1946. Dr. Richardson taught in the Wilson Elementary, Chandler High School and Tempe Elementary School Districts. Following her classroom experience she worked as curriculum director at the Arizona Dept. of Education and for six years was the on reservation Director of Head Start for 37 different Indian Tribes throughout the southwestern United States. In 1951 she earned her Masters of Arts in Education from Arizona State College in Tempe and her Doctorate in Education from Arizona State University (ASU) in 1966. ASU named her 1 of 100 Distinguished Contributors to Education in Arizona over last 100 years and also awarded her the Medallion of Excellence at the university's centennial celebration. Dr. Richardson retired as the Superintendent of the Red Mesa School District on the Navajo Nation and continued to teach at the University of Phoenix and Pima Community College in Phoenix and Tucson until shortly before her death. She was married to Amos E. RICHARDSON a World War II Army Air Corps pilot who passed away in 1969 and is survived by son Bill, wife Mindy and five grandchildren; and daughter Sherry PARENT, husband Paul and five grandchildren.
RYLE, Edward
PHOENIX -- Msgr. Edward Ryle, the longtime head of the Arizona Catholic Conference known for his devotion to social justice and ecumenism, died Dec. 28 at age 75 after a series of health complications. Ryle, referred to by some as "God's lobbyist," served for 19 years as director of the office that monitors public policy for the bishops of the state's three dioceses.
Catholic Charities USA honored him in September with its Vision Award. Ryle was a "tireless champion for the less fortunate" and a "great statesman," said Fr. Larry SNYDER, president of Catholic Charities USA. "Whatever the issue, he had a view--strongly held, rooted in Catholic social teaching, forcefully offered and vigorously defended," Snyder said.
Ryle was a native of Chicago who was ordained in 1956 for the Tucson diocese.
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SPIELBERG,Stephen
SWILLING, John "Jack"
John "Jack" SWILLING (April 1, 1830 � August 12, 1878) was one of the original founders of the city of Phoenix, Arizona. He had a dual reputation for kindness and a rough, tough side. Biographers have indicated he may have killed a dozen or more men, once shooting and killing a man in Wickenburg, Arizona in self-defense, then scalping him. He was also said to be addicted to morphine and alcohol.
Born in North Carolina, he moved to the New Mexico and Arizona Territories around the 1850s, pursuing prospecting and mining for newly discovered gold. By 1860, with the onset of the Civil War, he joined the Arizona Guards - then a part of the newly formed Confederacy - with the primary intent of helping the Guard protect settlers from Apache raiders. By 1862, however, he left the confederacy for the Union Army. According to research by Swilling historian Al Bates (thenaturalamerican.com), "His service with the Confederacy ended when he refused to forage livestock from friends and neighbors in the Pinos Altos vicinity. Rather than report for disciplinary action, he and several others deserted from the CSA. By then the Confederate Army in the West was on the run from the California Column lead by General CARLETON. Carleton soon hired Jack as a civilian dispatch rider, most likely on the recommendation of a Union officer who recently had been Jack's prisoner."
He arrived in Phoenix from Prescott, Arizona, with friend and colleague Darrell DUPPA in 1867. In his travels as a rider and scout for the Union, he had been fascinated with the ancient Hohokam ruins and artifacts, especially the extensive network of canals the ancient Indians had dug to irrigate their fields. His concept was that the old canals could be re-built for modern farmers, and that the soil of the valley could support highly productive farms. Within a very short time, the Swilling and Duppa team had water flowing in a canal.
By January 1, 1868, Swilling's home area, where up to fifty more pioneer homes had been built by this time, was known as Pumpkinville - so named for the impressive growth of pumpkins Jack had earlier planted along the canals.
Swilling died in jail of natural causes while awaiting trial for a stagecoach robbery he did not commit.
Data from: The Sharlot Hall Museum of Arizona; The Salt River Project History Museum of Arizona; http://www.thenaturalamerican.com/jack_swilling.htm
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THOMPSON, Bill 1931-
"Wallace" on KPHO-TV
He was born in New York City on Dec 18, 1931, the son of William and Marie THOMPSON and the eldest of three brothers. His father worked as an investment manager on the second floor of the Empire State Building. "I was embarrassed to tell my friends about this," Thompson remembered. "I mean, if you're going to have an office in the Empire State Building, you should at least have an office on the 70th or 80th floor!"
In 1934, the Thompsons moved to Bronxville, 20 miles north of New York City in Westchester County, where the three brothers -- Bill, Boyce and Tony -- attended school. In first grade, Bill was a gingerbread man in the school's production of "Hansel and Gretel." His mother told him he was the best gingerbread man in the show. He believed her. As a result, many elementary, high school and college plays followed over the years. "I never knew my lines and never hit my spot on stage, but I always managed to get a laugh and easily won the title of class clown from sixth grade on. Being the class clown meant going to the principal's office a lot." In seventh grade, Bill wrote a six-page vocational report in a green folder. The first sentence was, "I want to make people laugh." The report went on to explain that he wasn't sure if he would be a cartoonist, comedy writer or funny guy on the radio, little knowing he'd end up doing all three. He got a C-minus on the report and his teacher, Miss WETZEL, told him, "It's time to get serious with your life." "If I had taken Miss Wetzel's advice," Thompson said, "I'd probably be selling vacuum cleaners at Sears." Through high school and later at DePauw University, he took all the courses he could on art, writing and performing -- "any class I thought would help me later in a comedy career." During the late '40s, Thompson started writing kids' stories featuring a character named Wallace Snead. Bill graduated from Bronxville High in 1950. The yearbook stated, "the class clown will be missed by his classmates, but not his teachers." The next year at DePauw, he had a part in a Noel Coward play. "I was still missing my marks and forgetting my lines. By then I had perfected the art of wandering around stage and ad-libbing. Later on Lad, Pat and I were to elevate this style of performing to a science." In 1952, THOMPSON married Donna COPE, headed west to Arizona and had three kids: Carrie, Annie and Tony. His first job in Phoenix was in the circulation department of The Phoenix Gazette, but every couple of months he would stop by KPHO-TV in the hopes of landing a job. In January, 1954, KPHO hired him for two jobs. He began creating a character called Wallace Snead and appeared on "The Goldust Charlie Show." In January, 1955, a kid's cartoon show, "It's Wallace?" premiered. After a few months of going solo, Bill decided he needed a partner. In January, 1956, Lad joined him. On June 15, 1970, the program officially became "The Wallace and Ladmo Show." On April 3, 1974, the show celebrated it's 20th anniversary. Through the 1970's, Bill and the cast won Emmy's for their productions. On Dec. 29, 1989, the show went off the air. Bill now spends his time going to the movies and entertaining his grandchildren.
TILLMAN, Pat
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INITIATED. Into the death of PAT TILLMAN, Arizona Cardinals defensive back who quit football to join the Army after 9/11 and was killed in Afghanistan in April 2004, after fellow Rangers mistook him for a Taliban fighter; by the Defense Department's inspector general; in Washington. The Army originally blamed enemy fire for Tillman's death. Tillman's family has criticized three previous Army investigations as incomplete.
The Army acknowledged it is launching a criminal investigation into the death of Pat Tillman, 27, the former Arizona Cardinals defensive back who was killed in April 2004 after leaving the NFL to fight in Afghanistan. Military reports initially said he was killed by enemy fire, but weeks later the Army revealed he was felled by "friendly fire." Later investigations determined that "botched communications" contributed to his death; seven U.S. Rangers were disciplined as a result. The latest inquiry--the first criminal probe--was opened on the recommendation of the Defense Department's Office of the Inspector General after a review of the case and will determine whether formal charges are warranted.
THOMAS, GERRY
Gerry Thomas, 83, inventor of the TV dinner, died July 2005, in Phoenix, Arizona. He came up with the idea as a marketer for poultry company C.A. Swanson & Sons, after seeing that Pan American Airways was developing a flat aluminum tray for hot in-flight meals. Since Swanson had a post-holiday turkey surplus, he devised a multicompartment tray for the bird and accompanying side dishes. Introduced in 1954 with a package resembling a TV set, the dinners took off, selling 10 million that year and earning Thomas a raise, a spot on Hollywood's Walk of Fame and hate letters from husbands who wrote, he said, that "I was ruining their lives."
THURSTON, Frank
Killed by Apaches six miles west of Pima May 23, 1886, while starting a lime kiln. He was surprised by eight Apaches and killed.
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WARREN, Earl
WEBB, Del E. 1899-1974
Developer, Sun City
Del Webb is credited with starting a new chapter in housing -- the retirement community. He started working with lumber as a hobby in California, moving to Phoenix in 1927, where he started the Del Webb Co. His construction contracts included an addition to the Arizona State Capitol, the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, expanding Howard Hughes' aircraft facilities in California and constructing Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1962. In 1945, with partner Al Topping, Webb bought the New York Yankees. In 1960, Webb started Sun City, northwest of Phoenix, the first of many to follow across the country.
WINDES, R. A.
Was the first ordained Baptist preacher in Arizona.
WRIGHT, Lorenzo and Seth
Ambushed by Apaches December 1, 1885 in Gila Valley while looking for horses. Seth WRIGHT was shot from his horse. His brother immediately dismounted and opened fire upon the Indians. Lorenzo's arm was broken by a bullet, and then, while he was running, he was shot in the back.
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