Linda Monroe Cunningham sent word that Melvin Quinton died in Ridgecrest on July 9, 2014. I will provide more information if it becomes available.
Melvin’s obituary is in the Ridgecrest Independent.
William Howard Vassar of Polson, Montana who was a member of the Trona High School Class of 1955 died at 2:00 pm on June 6, 2014. The funeral will be at 11:00 AM, Friday June 13, 2014 and will be held at the Grogan Funeral Home 101 Sixth Ave. East. Polson, Montana 59860 406-883-2808.
Freddie Carrasco, Class of ’58 passed away May 20, 2014. No details.
George Sherman adds:
Freddie was a great guy. His sister, Josephine (Carrasco) Sepulveda, was in my class (1956) and passed away a few years ago. He married Monica Wheeler of the Trona High School class of 1957. I believe they were living in Ridgecrest.
Bill Schuette adds:
I am so sorry to hear about Freddie.
He was in my Trona Class from the second grade on. He was the best speaker in Miss Delores M. Sandeen second grade class. I worked with Freddie at Van Dyke Motors during the last couple of years at Trona High School. He was a man of many desires and passions, and was always friendly and considerate of others.
This is a great loss for the class of ’58.
I have just learned from David’s sister, Bonnie, that my longtime neighbor and childhood friend, David Mock, passed away on October 4, 2013. Bonnie, his sister, said that the muscular dystrophy (MD) pain was getting to him and he was in a great deal of pain that not even the medication could relieve.
This is corrects an earlier error about his death date and sadly, an admission that I don’t take the time to read things very well.
California-Obits.com lists the following residents of Trona as having died in 2013:
Don C. Chute, 40 – Dec 17, 2013
Patricia E. Partlow, 75 – Dec 10, 2013
Serena S. Hall, 74 – Sep 24, 2013
Frances E. Fuller, 60 – Jul 15, 2013
David J. Groat, 62 – May 13, 2013
Keith E. Sayre, 56 – Apr 28, 2013
Mary E. Vassar, 85 – Apr 21, 2013
Selma L. Fortner, 89 – Apr 11, 2013
Donald W. Mcnatt, 80 – Mar 1, 2013
Brigitte Henderson, 64 – Feb 5, 2013
This is based on information in the Social Security database as their address at the time of death. If anyone would like to add any additional information about anyone that is listed please contact me.
Grace Rodriguez, 71 – Jan 11, 2014 is listed as having died in 2014.
Barbara (Jessup) Hansen, died January 21, 2014. She was in the class of 1960. This news came my way in an email from Curtis Hansen. No services are planed. I will post further details if I become aware of them.
Richard Wilkinson passed away in November of 2013 at the age of 88. Mr. Wilkinson was a beloved teacher and coach at Trona High School from the 51-52 school year until the 54-55 school year. Although he left before I started high school I can tell by how well he was remembered that he left an impression on his students duding the four years he was in Trona.
She’s gone. Lynn Walters, my best friend of over 60 years passed away about an hour ago. She taught me how to Live, she taught me to be Love, she taught me how to die, and this world has a great big hole in it right now.
Posted on Facebook this morning (Jan 14, 2014) by Andrea L. Leonardi
Gerald Birdwell (class of ’60) died Jan 13, 2014 after an illness of several months. No details are available at this point as to services. Bob Birdwell (THS ’64) called to notify friends.
[edited 16 Jan 2024]
Jerry was born on 10 Feb 1942 in Long Beach, CA to Dayton and Dorothy Birdwell.
Jerry spent some years in the full-time ministry and attended a special school for Jehovah’s Witnesses for those in full-time service. He was a Jehovah’s Witness for 51 years.
His hobbies were country music and computers. He loved to travel. I his later years, he took up barbecuing.
He was preceded in death by his parents Dayton and Dorothy Birdwell.
Jerry is survived by his wife Penny Birdwell of Ridgecrest, CA, stepson Jeff Teal of Grand Rapids, MI, sister Aleta Brown of Trona, CA, brothers Robert Birdwell of Ridgecrest and Michael Birdwell of Trona, brother-in-law Harold Brown of Trona, sister-in-law Melody Birdwelll of Ridgecrest and a host of nieces and nephews to the third generation.
Published The News Review, Ridgecrest, CA 22 Jan 2014
Shirley (Thurston) Griffin class of 1959 passed away on Jan 5, 2014. Shirley was called to Heaven after a long battle with lymphoma. She was born in Trona on Oct 23 1940 and attended school until she was in high school when her parents, Vernon (Ming or Salty) and Mickey sent her to a Christian boarding school. After she was married her family resided in Trona or Ridgecrest on and off through the years.
Shirley Irene Thurston was born on October 23, 1940 in Trona, California to Vernon Samuel and Mickey (Mescal) Eunice Thurston.
Shirley showed her leadership and faith in God at an early age. She was the first Christian in her family and began attending the Foursquare Church in Trona, by herself at age 12. Through her example, her parents and sister came to know Christ.
She attended elementary school in Trona, the Seventh Day Adventist Jr. High in Ridgecrest, then Trona High School through her sophomore high school year. Shirley then attended a Christian boarding school in Clovis, California; West Coast Bible School, where she graduated High School in 1958.
Shirley was active in the community and in her school. She enjoyed Swimming, Basketball, Choir, Track/field and was an accomplished pianist.
She met Jerry Leroy Griffin at their church and then married this man who was to be the love of her life on January 1, 1962 at age 20 in the Church of God in Ridgecrest.
Shirley and Jerry pastored several small Church of God congregations in Victorville, California; Oroville, California; Yreka, California, Metlakatla, Alaska; Mount Pleasant, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; Westwood, California; Yuma, Arizona; ending their pastorate positions at Woodburn, Oregon. In Westwood, she was only a few hours from receiving her solo pilot’s license to fly an airplane. What a shame she wasn’t able to finish that great adventure. During a visit to Alaska in 2010, one of the members of the small Metlakatla, Alaska church remembered her. They spent over an hour reminiscing over old times and the fact that Jerry and Shirley facilitated the purchase of the land where the current church still worships.
Shirley had an independent spirit all throughout her life. Starting as a child, she hiked all over the desert surrounding Trona. She made many trips with friends, family and on her own. She hiked the Sierra Mountains for two weeks by herself and traveled to China alone with a tour group and managed to ditch them along the way to see the sites she was interested in. She took thousands of pictures from all over the world, documenting her life of amazing adventures.
At the time of her death she was attending Capital Christian Center in Sacramento, CA. Shirley had an amazing capacity to love that was evident to all who met her. She immediately accepted and loved every inherited grandchild when her sons remarried. She was always careful to keep family close with her children’s respective spouses. Shirley’s pure demonstration of love touched the hearts of all who knew her. She finished the race of life with confidence and love for Jesus Christ, thankful for the saving grace of her Lord.
She is survived by her sister, Carol Dian (Dee) Burdine, daughter Janice, sons Vernon and Jerry, 11 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, 5 nieces, 1 nephew, 17 great nieces and nephews and 2 great great nephews along with infinite extended family and friends.