In Passing – June 2014

Ramona G. Demalleville

Ramona, my dear wife, 84 years young, passed away on April 21, 2014. Ramona was born in Virginia on August 30, 1929 and is survived by her husband, Mike; two daughters, Bonny and Nan; son, Dan; four grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Ramona spent her career in management with Marriott Hotels, Washington, D.C. She was an avid bridge player and until a few years ago played tennis. Between her career and her husband, they did a lot of traveling and always had an exciting life with friends and family.

Ramona’s husband will join her one day and will always love her and miss her until they are once more joined together.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in North Carolina.

Jerry Hall

A life well-lived, and a man well-loved is now at peace. On April 29 Jerry Hall of Sun Lakes, Arizona and formerly of Colorado passed away. Born in Green County, Missouri on November 5, 1932, Jerry’s entire life revolved around loving and providing for his family. Jerry served our country in the US Army during the Korean War and had a very successful career at Mountain Bell for 32 years. Jerry lived life to the fullest as evidenced by his sky diving experience at 75. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Ann Hall; his five children, Dan (Laurie), Vicki (Ben), Steve, Carol (Scott) and Tom (Shannon); 11 grandchildren; and two great (grape) grandchildren and many loving family and friends.

Funeral services were held on Friday, May 3 at St. Stevens Church and his remains will be buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado on June 6.

Lucian Pezzotti

Lucian Pezzotti (97) born October 1, 1917 in Manhattan, New York passed away peacefully at Lund Hospice, Gilbert, Arizona on Sunday, April 20, 2014. He is survived by two daughters, a son-in-law, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A resident of Sun lakes for 26 years with his wife Pat, he lived the last eighteen months as a resident of The Village of Ocotillo, Chandler. An extremely active Sun Lakes, Cottonwood resident, he was known for his amazing ability to belong to a bowling league at the age of 94. Lou was an outgoing upbeat person but best known at the ballroom dances for fantastic Fox Trot dancing with his wife Pat of 72 years.

Lou will be remembered by his friends and family as a devoted dad and a man of integrity. To befriend him was to know a man who was honest, kind, respectful, loyal and loved to laugh. He was always proud of the part he played during his service to his country in the Navy during WWII and his business life at the New York Stock Exchange. If he was still with us today he would tell you that he loved his retirement years in Sun Lakes with his wife Pat. He would do it all over again, if he could, from the first day he relocated here from Long Island, New York in 1987. He was a cherished husband, dad, great grandfather and friend whose presence will be missed.

Dave Smith

Dave was born July 20, 1936 in Butte, Montana and died April 19, 2014 in Hospice of the Valley’s Dobson House in Chandler. He grew up in Emmett, Idaho and spent his last year of high school in Sedro Woolley, Washington. He received a degree in Economics from Western Washington College in Bellingham, Washington. His 38-year career with J.C. Penney Co. took the family from Mount Vernon, Washington to Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas and finally Phoenix. While in Las Vegas, he served as a District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America for seven years. He and Nancy moved to Sun Lakes in 1986. He retired from the Penney Company in 1996 and became a full-time golf addict as well as a doting grandfather and great-grandfather. He often said “this was the best move we ever made” and he was so right!

Services and inurnment were held April 30 at Valley of the Sun Mortuary.

Ed Troche

Ed Troche, age 98, passed away on May 7, 2014 in Chandler, Arizona. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Following military service in World War II in the 511th Airborne Division, Ed worked as a Yardmaster for Con Rail for 35 years. Upon retirement, he moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona. He was an avid golfer and was President of the Cottonwood Men’s Golf Association from 1987 to 1988.

Ed is survived by his wife Maggie, a son James (Judy), a daughter Karen Daugherty, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were held on May 22, 2014 at the Valley of the Sun in Chandler, Arizona.

Ilgvars (Al) Widrikis

Al was born in Latvia as the only child of Elza and Hermann Widrikis. He and his parents fled to Germany to escape the Soviet Communist rule. In Germany, they eventually were put into separate concentration camps because his father refused to allow him in the Nazi Youth Movement.

When WWII ended, he and his parents came to the U.S. as displaced persons. They were sponsored by a farmer in Kentucky with a contract that the family would work for him for one year. After the year, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where his father found work in a factory.

Al was inducted into the Army and served in Korea. He obtained his citizenship through his service in the military and upon his discharge went to Valparaiso University in Indiana. He worked for McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft (Boeing now) for 34 years in many states and worked on various engineering and avionics projects on Gemini, F4, F12, F18 and AVB Harrier. Upon retirement in 1992, he moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona where he played many rounds of golf (getting a hole-in-one on the Ironwood course) and kept up with current events and politics.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Adrienne, his son, Glen, daughter-in-law Malinda and grandson Braxston. He was greatly loved by many people and will be dearly missed.

There will be a Celebration of Life at a later time.