Obituaries

John David Rockhill III, a truly independent and rugged American, passed away on April 18, 2021 and will be deeply missed by many family members and friends. Born in Safford, Arizona on May 27, 1952 to John D. Rockhill II and Marie Lucille Roper Rockhill, John was one of eight littermates. They are Shirley Donahue, Roxanne Rockhill, Charles Rockhill, Riley...

Walter Henry Brendecke, Jr.died on April 3, 2021 in Phoenix, AZ.  He was 91.  Walter was born in Chicago, IL on July 1, 1929 to Walter, Sr. and Margaret Brendecke.  Walter graduated from Thomas Kelly High School in 1947, and in August of 1948 enlisted in the Air Force, then a branch of the U.S. Army.  Soon afterward, Walter transferred...

Donny Nel Seamsterwas born on November 9th. 1956 in Phoenix, Arizona. He spent his childhood life in Gilbert, Arizona. He attended Gilbert High School and graduated in 1975. He received a scholarship for football to go to Arizona Western College. One of his first jobs was working for the City of Mesa in the Sanitation Department and working in the...

Rebecca ‘Beckye’ Jarrett, 77Some people live their lives as legends, for they set lofty standards. Tall stories will be told of them. Setting the mark high for us to admire was Rebecca “Beckye” Jarrett as a pioneering woman in the military avionics industry from 1966 to 1998, as a loving wife and savvy business partner to her husband Jerry Jarrett...

Lisa Niewiadomski, 47, passed away on April 11, 2021, in Sun Lakes, Arizona.  She was born in Warren, Michigan, and raised in Hazel Park, Michigan.  She moved to Arizona in 1994 with her best friend Eve and remained in Arizona throughout her adult life.Lisa enjoyed music, camping, movies, cooking, reading, and playing cards.  She had a wonderfully weird sense of...

ELIZABETH JANE (TURPIN) BRUMGARDJune 25, 1926 – March 13, 2021Elizabeth Jane Brumgard (ne Turpin) was born on June 25, 1926, in West Chester, PA, and passed away peacefully on March 13, 2021, in Phoenix, AZ.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Harry Deshields Turpin and Leora Jane Turpin (ne Hubbard).Known to her family and friends as “Betty”, she grew up on...

Willard Lee Keith, 97, of Chandler, AZ (formerly of Sierra Vista, AZ) passed away peacefully on March 22, 2021, at the Chandler Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Chandler, AZ.He is survived by his sister, Juanita Snoda Mills (Raymond) of New Albany, IN, his sons Willard (Butch) Lee Jr (Jenise) of Ogden, UT and Jefferey of Sierra Vista, AZ, his...

Sharon Lynn Ryan, age 67, passed away peacefully on March 15, 2021, after a two-year battle with breast cancer.  Sharon was born April 28, 1953, in Roswell, NM to Alma Lynn & T.Z. McCullough. Their family of eight moved to Chandler, AZ when Sharon was two and she called Chandler her home for 65 years.  She was the middle of...

Linda Marlene (Marxman) Tafoyapassed away suddenly on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. She will be cremated and services will be held at a later date.Linda was born to Marlene and Richard Marxman on June 7, 1952, in Winslow, Arizona. The family subsequently moved to Chandler where she grew up. Linda is survived by her son, Brett Tafoya (Leticia), grandsons, Brett Jr.,...

Dr. Elaine B. Stoner, 81, of Chandler, AZ passed away Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at Dobson Home – Hospice of the Valley.  Services will be announced at a future date.Elaine was born Dec 31, 1939 in Brooklyn, NY to Joseph and Ann (Wertenthiel) Blatt.  She graduated from Far Rockaway High School in 1957.  She attended Brooklyn College and then Cal...

Irene Nielsenage 87 of Clinton, Iowa, passed away on Monday, March 8, 2021, in Phoenix, AZ. Services will be held in Iowa at a future date.Irene Orpha Nielsen was born on June 1, 1933, in Andover, IA.  She graduated from Miles High School in 1951 and attended Wartburg College.  Irene married Norman Nielsen on June 17, 1956, in Andover.  Norman...

Edward Lyle Acton, age 91, of Sun Lakes, AZ (formerly from Rochester Hills, MI, and Manistee, MI) passed away on Saturday, March 6, 2021, at Dobson Home – Hospice of the Valley, Chandler, Arizona, with his family by his side. Edward was born on April 9, 1929, in Hamtramck, MI to Pearl (Osborne) and William Perry Acton. Edward graduated from...

Meredith Hanseen Jones, 94, passed away on Saturday, February 27, 2021, in Gilbert, Arizona due to dementia.She was born to Vincent Hanseen and Lillian Thompson Hanseen on September 30, 1926, in Scipio, Millard County, Utah.  She was the 4thof 7 children. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Millard High School where she was a baton twirler....

Marilyn Regina Douglas88, Loving wife, mother, and grandmother, of Mesa, Arizona passed away on Sunday, February 28, 2021, at her home with her family by her side.Marilyn was born in May Texas in 1932, To John B Plummer and Jessie M Stephens. Marilyn was married to her husband Henry (Cliff) Douglas for over 70 years.Marilyn was a homemaker, an avid...

Roland “Chino” Vasquez LeyvasJuly 6, 1966- February 19, 2021Roland “Chino” Vasquez Leyvas, born July 6, 1966, in Chandler, Az, entered into eternal rest on Feb. 19, 2021, in Chandler.Chino is survived by his mother, Andrea Leyvas of Chandler, brother, Roddy Leyvas, sister Lita Leyvas, many nieces and nephews as well as great-nieces and nephews. Chino was preceded in death by...

Obituary for Roger H. GoodwillOn Monday, February 15, 2021, Roger Harold Goodwill, loving father and husband, passed away at the ageof 77.Roger was born December 19, 1943, in Kansas City, KS to Harold and Della (Kline) Goodwill. Because his father was in the military, Roger lived in a number of different places while growing up, including Okinawa, Japan, and Trieste,...

Millie Dean Conrad, 93, of Gilbert Arizona passed away on Sunday, February 22, 2021, after a short bout with pneumonia. Her family was by her side.She was born to William and Rebecca Farar on January 5, 1928, in Hichita, McIntosh County, Oklahoma. She is the 3rd of four children.  Millie spent most of her growing up years in southern Arizona...

Norman Edwin Fite, 74, of Chandler, AZ passed away on February 22, 2021. He grew up in Berkley, MI, with his parents, Jane and Don, and his brother, Owen Russell Fite. Norman is survived by his son, Owen Gunehame Fite of Boulder, CO, and his nephew and grandnephew, Barak, and River of Higgins Lake, MI.Norman attended Berkley High School and...

Todd Eric Shepherd, age 56 of Gilbert, AZ left this world on Sunday, February 21, 2021, after a 17 month battle with pancreatic cancer. Todd was born in Elgin, Illinois, and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 11.  He graduated from Saguaro High School in 1982 and moved to Chicago, IL to live with his beloved grandparents, the...

Brian StevensBorn in Eastbourne, England on July 5, 1928, to a large family with four brothers and four sisters. His father (Fred Albert Stevens) a bricklayer mason and his mother (Lillian Grace Bourner) a homemaker.As a young man, he joined the British military as a paratrooper and served in the middle east.In the mid-1950s he brought his family (wife Mary...