Austin Smith Class of 1948

Dr. Austin Smith–Class of 1948

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Austin Smith was born on SEP 19, 1929, in Minersville, Beaver, Utah and he passed away on AUG 8, 2022, in Fremont, Alameda, California. His parents were Othello and Addie Smith. Othello Sr. worked in Village Maintenance as a painter until AP&CC sold all the houses and laid off all the Village Maintenance workers. After that Othello became an insurance agent.

Austin Smith was the second of four Smith brothers who attended Trona High School. Austin was in the class of 1948. After high school Austin attended UCLA and then medical school to become a surgeon.

Austin’s oldest brother was Othello Smith (1927-2000) who was in the class of 1946. Othello joined the Marine Corp, so he did not graduate with his class.

Othello Smith Jr.
Othello H Smith Jr.

After being in the Marines Othello returned to Trona Othello married Viola Heseman (1927-2001) who was a member of the class of 1945. Viola taught elementary school in Trona for a few years in the 1950’s. Othello and Viola remained in Trona until their deaths. Their children also went to Trona High School.

Pauldin Smith and Norma Hall Smith
Pauldin and Norma Smith

Pauldin Leroy Smith (1931-1996) was in the class of 1949. Pauldin married Norma Hall (1931-1987) Norma was also in the class of 1949.

Pauldin Smith
Pauldin Smith
Norma Hall
Norma (Hall) Smith
Chadwick Smith 1951 Telescope
Chad Smith

Austin’s youngest brother was Chadwick E. Smith 1934-2018). Chad was in the class of 1951. You can read Chad’s obituary at: 

https://www.premierfuneral.com/obituaries/Chadwick-Smith/#!/Obituary

Pat Hurlocker

Patrick Wendell Hurlocker — Class of 1949

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 Pat Hurlocker, class of 1949, passed away on Mar. 28, 2023. He had just turned 92 on St, Patrick’s Day. Pat had been married 72 years to Val (Pipkin) Hurlocker, class of 1950. He had seven children, fifteen grandchildren and nine Great grandchildren.

Pat was born in Beltrami County, Minnesota to Harold and Isabell Hurlocker on March 17, 1931. He had one brother and five sisters, most of them attended Trona High School. Holly (Hurlocker) Farrah was in the class of 1951, Kathleen (Hurlocker) Roche (1935-2014) was in the class of 1953, Paul Hurlocker (1938-2001) was in the class of 1957, Sally Hurlocker (1940-1998) was in the class of 1958, and Alicia (Hurlocker) Philpot was in the class of 1959.

Paul played football, basketball, and track in high school. He was a class representative, the varsity club treasurer, and a member of the physics club.

He will be missed by his wife, his family, and his friends.

Jess Ygnacio Dominguez — Class of 1959

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Linda Cunningham Monroe asked me to pass this along:

I am sad to report the passing of our friend, classmate and very talented artist, Jess Dominguez, class of 59. Jess was the “best of the best!” He was smart, compassionate, thoughtful, kind, funny and talented.

He taught at San Diego State University and retired from there in 2002.

In our 50-year reunion book he said that the lesson he had learned from life was to follow your heart, do things for the right reasons and judge yourself before you judge others”. That would be Jess, listening, observing, always learning, and forever accepting.

If you visit San Diego, you will likely see one of his many sculptures. I will send photos of just a few.

Rest in Peace, Jess.

Linda

If you’d like to contact his wife, Mary Lynn you can email her leave a message here and I will forward it to her or contact me and I will send you her contact information.

More Photos

Jess Dominguez

This life-sized bronze sculpture depicts Fred Lebow (1932–1994), who is best remembered as the founder of the world-renowned New York City Marathon and longtime president of the New York Road Runners Club. The sculpture was created by Jesus Ygnacio Dominguez and shows Lebow in his trademark running suit and hat, checking his watch as runners cross the finish line.

The statue, named Forever at the Finish Line, currently stands at 90th street and the East Drive at Central Park. On the first Sunday of November, however, park workers lift the 600-pound sculpture from its sturdy base into a truck, carefully driving it to a location near the Marathon’s finish line.

Judy Atwood — Class of 1960

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Judy Atwood was diagnosed with stage four cancer on the 8th of February after being hospitalized on the 1st of February. She passed away February 22nd. A Celebration of Life service will be on April 15th at the First United Methodist Church in Arroyo Grande, California. The time is not set yet but will probably be at 11:00 a.m. She is survived by: Cristy (Atwood) Van Hook (class of 1966) and her husband, Lamar; her nephew, Cody Castleman and her cousins. Special friends she worked with in Kansas also survive her and she will be missed by the congregation of the church in Arroyo Grande.

YouTube Video About Trona

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An interesting video about Trona

This video contains some great drone videography and provided me with at least a virtual visit to Trona which will have to do for now.

He starts out at the old Perkins gas station but somehow never makes it to Pioneer Point.

John Deyoung 1962

John DeYoung (1944-2023) – Class of 1962

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John, class of 1962, died February 6, 2023, at home.  He had Leukemia.  He lived in Brentwood California with his wife Jean DeYoung.  He was 78 years old.  

If more information becomes available, I will post it.

John had four sisters, Dorothy DeYoung) Farrah (1932-1992), class of 1950; Carolyn (DeYoung) Morse (1940-2021) class of 1959; Paula (DeYoung) Wong, class of 1964, and Roberta (DeYoung) Adams, class of 1967. John also had a cousin, Linda (DeYoung) Bishop, class of 1959 who is also a THS alumnus.

John DeYoung
Betty Jo Wellbaum

Betty Jo (Wellbaum) Cross (1936-2022) – Class of 1954

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There is a notice at https://obituaries.tridentsociety.com/obituaries/rancho-mirage-ca/betty-cross-10953218 that Betty Joe passed away in the last 365 days. There isn’t any additional information about her passing, but I received an email from one of her classmates telling me she passed away on October 3, 2022.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tridentsociety.com/location/palm-desert-ca for the Cross family.

Betty Jo’s twin sister, Ada Rae (Wellbaum) Bancroft passed away in 2017.

Rhonda Larson

Rhonda Lee (Larson, Gurule’ (gur-LAY)) Straayer

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Rhonda is the half sister to David Larson, class of 1962 and Marla (Larson) Dickson, class of 1966. If Rhonda had graduated in Trona she would have been in the class of 1971. Her obtuary follows:

Aged 69, born to parents Lawrence and Alice (Rice) Larson on July 12, 1953 in Trona, California and deceased (she will never die, in our hearts) on January 10, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. “Willow” is survived by her loving husband of 19 years, Steven “Doc” Straayer; brother, Leo (Helen) Larson, of LaJolla California; children, Matthew (Michelle) Gurule’, Austin (Kellie) Gurule’, Gayle (Tim) Gallagher and Ryan (Sedef) Gurule’; grandchildren, William and Henry (Matt) Gurule’, Rio and Rook (Austin) Gurle’, Gwendolyn and Emilia (Gayle) Gallagher and Atesh (Ryan) Gurule’ all of Northern California, and her BFF Kathy Gavin. She was preceded in death by her parents Lawrence Larson and Alice Hughes.

Rhonda’s love for people led her to obtain a Baccalaureate degree in Social Work from Long Beach State University in California. After completing her degree Rhonda married her first husband and raised four wonderful children while working as a Teacher’s Aide in Northern California. In the next chapter of her life, she moved to Jackson, Michigan and married the Love of her life. She continued working first as a Teacher’s Aide for a few years and then as an Aide on the countryside retirement campus until she retired.

An avid baseball fan, she continued to root for ‘her’ Giants while adopting the Tigers as her favorite American League Team (the 2012 Fall Classic was a conflicted time in our household). She also learned to enjoy wine tasting while traveling to Sonoma County to visit her precious Grandchildren, the true joy of her life. Rhonda was happiest when she was caring for others. Her kind and giving spirit will live on in the hearts of all who love her. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place and we will sprinkle the Ashes of our beloved Wife, Mother and Grandmother in a Sunny Meadow in Sonoma County California. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cascades Humane Society (she loved the little critters, too!).

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/jackson-mi/rhonda-straayer-11101902