Category Archives: Death Notice

James Gale Harinek Jr – Class of 1966

James passed away February 26, 2019.  He is missed by his family, friends and classmates. James was born on March 6, 1947 and passed away on Tuesday, February 26, 2019. James was a resident of Ridgecrest, California at the time of passing.  He was buried at Desert Memorial Park 801 S San Bernardino Rd Ridgecrest, CA 93555.

Martin Joseph Hicks

The children of Martin Joseph Hicks sadly announce the passing of their father. He was born 10-2-1931 and passed away on 2-16-2019. He was a Trona High School teacher, football coach, basketball coach, track coach, and elementary school teacher from 1981 to 1999.

Services will be held on Saturday March 9th at 2:30 at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper Street,Murrieta, Ca 92562

David Wayne “Buck” Rogers – Class of 1976

David Wayne “Buck” Rogers (Class of 1976) passed away suddenly in his home yesterday morning (February 20, 12019) in Kihei, HI. Services are pending. David’s mother, Thelma Rogers worked for the Trona Joint Unified School District for 25 years. His father, Wilburn David (Bud) Rogers worked for A.P.&C.C.

Update: David’s sister, Neala died while attending David’s funeral. Services for David were held in Oklahoma.

Dena Raye (Boring) Ross – Class of 1976

Dena Raye (Boring) Ross, a resident of Yukon, Oklahoma, died at her home after losing her bitter battle with cancer on January 6, 2019, at the age of 60. Dena was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 1958, to Dean and Doris Boring. She graduated from Trona High School in Trona, California in 1976, and shortly thereafter she married her former husband Douglas Ross. They had three children together; sons Zachary and Tyler, and daughter Audra.

Dena loved her family and pets and dreamed of retiring to enjoy traveling to some of the places that she arranged travel for her Hertz customers. Dena constantly pursued learning history and in the last few years had started gardening. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.

Dena is preceded in death by her father. She is survived by her mother; her children; her grandchildren Kelsey, Luciana, Capone, and Theodore (Teddy); and her siblings Donna (Boring) Heaslip, Jeffrey Boring, Vicki (Boring) Hobby, and Brian Boring. 

A service is scheduled for 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 12 at Smith and Turner Mortuary, Yukon, OK and interment to follow at Yukon Cemetery. Flowers, donations and condolences may be offered at Smith and Turner Mortuary.

http://www.smith-turnermortuary.com/book-of-memories/3692133/Ross-Dena/service-details.php?fbclid=IwAR1qWj-l-AC4QceMz3VAQ-3hnwKRCyGonOCbTrk18f_txwn3yPu1rNKkmg0

Coach Paul Monroe Branum

February 16, 1936 – January 5, 2019

Obituary of Coach Paul Monroe Branum

Paul Monroe Branum of Fort Smith, Arkansas passed away peacefully January 4, 2019 at age 82. Born February 16, 1936 in Vinita, Oklahoma, Paul was the sixth of seven children of James Madison Branum and Gladys Mae Toler Branum.

He excelled in sports at Holdenville High School (OK) and he chose to take his talents to Murray State College (OK) and Austin College (TX). Paul graduated from Austin College and earned his Masters from East Texas State. In 1959, he married the love of his life, and wife of 59 years, Nicolette Brown of London, England.

Paul’s passion was coaching football. He coached the first integrated high school football team in east Texas, and spent over 20 years (1971-1991) coaching on the only sand football field in America at Trona, CA. His coaching career spanned 6 decades and influenced many lives. From his dust bowl roots, he was able to instill strength and resilience into generations of young athletes. He retired to Emory, Texas, in 2003, and eventually moved to Fort Smith to be closer to grand-kids.

He is survived by his wife Nicolette Cecile Branum; son Paul Branum and wife Joanna of Greely, Colorado and their children Aliyah, Caedmon and Jackson; son Russell Branum and wife Marilin of Greenwood, and their children Elissa Lucero and husband Michael, Matthew Branum and wife Haley, and Emily, Olivia and Ivalynn Branum; son David Branum and wife Jennette of Overton, Texas, and their children, Devin Branum and wife Devon, Karmen Lantz and husband Dillon and their children Emily and Lucas, and Katrina Hughes and husband Jonathan; daughter Suzanne Crable and husband Tom of Cincinnati, Ohio and their children Matthew and Jonathan; his sister Beverly Vannoy and husband Donald of Oklahoma, as well as his brother James Branum of Texas.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday 3 pm at Methodist Village in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Flowers will be shared profusely amongst patients and staff. Arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral home. Memorial donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association. Alz.org To leave an online memory, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.

BEVERLY (COMPTON) WALLACK – CLASS OF 1954

Beverly Jean Milbrath Wallack, 81, went to be with her savior on February 17, 2018, after a short bout with cancer.

Beverly was born on March 7, 1936 in Santa Paula, California, to Rita and Jasper Compton. With siblings Clova and Jim not far behind, they lived most of their school years in Trona, California. She was a cheerleader for Trona High, and well-liked by all her classmates. Up until 2017, she continued to attend the Trona High School reunions and kept in touch with classmates. After high school she married Adrian Milbrath and in 1957 had twin boys, and a year later, a girl. The family moved to Ridgecrest and lived in Wherry Housing, where she made more life long friends, and early on took in ironing to help with finances. They soon opened Balsam Coin Cleaners, a dry cleaning business on Balsam Street, a street which was the hub of the town in the day. Beverly had many talents, one being a seamstress, and she made many matching outfits for the kids (whom everyone then thought were triplets). During the time in Wherry, they bought property on Downs street, and spent many weekends planting and watering trees, and eventually building their dream home, which they were able to move into in 1971. Adrian had his pilot’s license, and together they would fly various friends to Mexico for vacations. They attended many evening functions, and she would always make something new to wear. Usually, it included some kind of feathered accessory. She was indeed the fashionista. She worked at Mesquite High School as the secretary for Pat Davis, who was the principal. She loved her job, the people she worked with, as well as the students, and made more lifelong friends. She then attended Lancaster Beauty School and came back to Ridgecrest to open The Face Place. It was a career that she had a passion for, she loved her clients and her clients loved her. After she and Adrian divorced, she gave up The Face Place, married Mike Wallack, and moved to San Bernardino. Mike and Beverly made many a trip flying to various air shows in his plane. After Mike retired from the San Bernardino Sherriff’s department, they moved to Silver Lakes and made it their forever home. They had a house built on one of the fingers, and a party barge. On 4th of July you could find them on the water watching the fireworks with friends and family. Every morning she would walk 3 miles around the lake, and in the summer you could find her at the pool doing laps, and water aerobics. She joined the Arts & Crafts Guild and was the expert for all the sewing, knitting, and crocheting needs. At the annual luncheon, everyone would anxiously wait to find out what Beverly had made to wear this year. After Mike passed, she bought a motor home and was a member of the Elk’s and Silver Lakes RV clubs. She traveled all over the country with her sister, friends, and the clubs enjoying life at its fullest. All anyone had to say was “Beverly we are…..” and her answer was “count me in”.

Everywhere Beverly went, she was involved in many activities, making new friends, and never letting the grass grow under her busy feet. She played racquetball and swam on her lunch hours while working at Mesquite, she learned to line dance, and would take every opportunity to participate wherever she was. She was a member of the Arts & Craft Guild in Silver Lakes, the American Sewing Guild, the Red Hat Scarlets, Knitting and Crocheting Club, The Republican Women’s Association, and she was a Shepherd’s Helper at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Beverly was a vivacious woman who loved Jesus, her family and friends, and life. She was a great mom and grandmother, a good and giving friend to many, and in turn, loved by many and will be dearly missed.

Beverly is survived by her children, Robert Milbrath (Jeana) of Havasu City, AZ, Richard Milbrath, and April Castleberry (Tim), both of Ridgecrest, CA; Sister, Clova Dyer of San Bernardino; Stepchildren Linda Ferguson and David Wallack, both of San Bernardino, CA; grandchildren Bryan, Cody, Vanessa, Gregory, Lucas, Michael and Travis; and great-grandchildren Kaylee, Jacob, Madison, Jaxson, Cheyanne, Joseph, Jude, Gianna, and Daniel. Her parents, her brother Jim, and husband Mike preceded her in death.

A funeral mass will be held at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 17900 Jonathan St. in Adelanto on March 8th at 11:00, with a reception to follow. A charitable contribution may be made to the American Cancer Society.http://www.taftmidwaydriller.com/news/20180303/beverly-jean-milbrath-wallack