Departures - 2002
We publish departures based on the year listed in the obituary. If no year is listed then we publish them when they are received.
The Dec 2002 Retired Officer magazine In Memoriam column reports the passing of Col John T. Slusher of El Paso, Texas.
Col (Ret.) Parnag (Barney) G. Adamian passed away Nov. 26, 2002. He was 86 years old. His memorial service was held Dec 1, 2002. He was very active in TROA and the Masons.
Loren Warner Hall, 73, of Summerville, died Saturday, November 23, 2002, at his home. He was born on January 8, 1929, in Wichita, Kans., the son of the late Evelyn M. Bradley and the late Raymond F. Hall. He was a retired meteorologist from the National Weather Service and a veteran of two branches of the Armed Services. He served in the weather branch of the U.S. Navy during the aftermath of World War II and was stationed in China before the Communist Revolution. It was in the Navy, 52 years ago, that he met and married Harriett, a fellow Navy weather student. He later transferred to the U.S. Air Force where he continued his weather career in various assignments before retiring as a Chief Master Sergeant after 30 years. During his military career, Loren flew hurricane reconnaissance missions with the 56th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (the "Hurricane Hunters,") served with the North American Defense Command, and received the Apollo Mission Support Medal from NASA for his role as a solar forecaster in the Apollo Space Program. He went to school in the evenings earning a B.A. Degree from the University of Maryland in 1969. Among his military awards, he received the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal. When he retired from the military, he joined the National Weather Service where he served as a meteorologist for 16 years and received the Silver Medal for Meritorious Federal Service. It was this assignment that brought him to Summerville, his home for the past 25 years. He was a volunteer worker with the Red Cross Senior Program. He is survived by his wife, Harriett, of Summerville; a daughter, Janis Bennett, of Irmo, S.C.; a son, Bradley Hall, of Wyomissing, Pa. He has five grandchildren, Matthew Hall, Brian Hall, Elizabeth Hall, Cynthia Bennett, and Sylvia Bennett. His family will receive friends at JAMES A. DYAL FUNERAL HOME, SUMMERVILLE, on Tuesday, November 26, 2002, from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Dyal Funeral Home at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27, 2002, followed by Entombment at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. Arrangements by JAMES A. DYAL FUNERAL HOME, 303 S. MAIN STREET, SUMMERVILLE.
Patricia E. "Patti" Stonemark, nee Butler, 62, of Belleville, IL, born August 10, 1940, in Ironwood, Michigan, died Thursday, November 21, 2002 at her residence. Mrs. Stonemark was a secretary for several social service agencies before her illness. She spent many years as an active American Red Cross volunteer and was awarded the Clara Barton medal, the highest award given for Red Cross volunteer service. She was a former member of the Rob Morris Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, as well as Air Force Officers Wives Clubs worldwide. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard D. Stonemark, and her parents, Ralph and Frances, nee Lyness, Butler. Surviving are her two sons, David R. (Kathleen) Stonemark of Panama City Beach, FL, & Robert H. (Carolyn) Stonemark of Henderson, Nevada. 2 grandchildren: Kelly Ann Stonemark of Panama City Beach, FL & Emma Megan Stonemark of Henderson, NV, her brother, James F. (Ann) Butler of Port Angeles, Washington, her sister, Joan Geuder of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, a special niece, Linda, and other nieces and nephews. Patti faced her disease as she did everything in her life, with grace and good humor always. Funeral services were held at 10:00 AM Monday, November 25, 2002, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL, with Pastor Drew Kramer officiating. Burial will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery where Richard is buried.
William A. Jenner, 87 of O'Fallon, passed away at 9:30 A.M. on Monday, November 18, 2002 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born on November 10, 1915 in Indianola, Iowa, the son of Edwin A. and Elizabeth Brown Jenner. Mr. Jenner grew up in Fayette, Mo., where his father was a professor at Central Methodist College. Mr. Jenner was a Meteorologist a Psychologist and an Educator. He received his B.S. degree in biology from Central Methodist College, Master's degree in Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., Certificate of Meteorology from the University of Chicago. Mr. Jenner taught math and biology at Blackburn, Mo. High School and Bowling Green Mo. High School. He is a WWII veteran, serving in the Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1946. As a meteorologist he worked on the Thunderstorm Research Project, Chicago, IL., from 1947 until 1949. He then joined Civil Service at Scott Air Force Base in 1949 and retired as Director of Training, Air! Weather Service, April 1984. He was a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and member of Phi Delta Kappa International and the American Psychological Society. He married Jean N. Norden on September 1, 1946 in Blackburn, Mo. She survives, also surviving is a son; Dr. Paul William and wife; Dr. Eva Jenner of Scottsdale, AZ. 2 Daughters; Dr. Carol Beth and husband Tim Gregg of Olympia, WA. And Dr. Susan and husband Alan Corzine of Brownstown, IL. A sister; Julia Savina of Northfield, MN. A grandson; David Jenner. 6 grandaughters; Jean Gregg, Kristen Gregg, Melinda Jenner, Laura Jenner, Elizabeth Jenner and Rebecca Corzine. He was preceded in death by a brother; Dr. Charles Jenner. Mr. Jenner served the city of O'Fallon, IL in many ways. He was a member of the OTHS School Board from 1962 until 1999, he devoted his time to the O'Fallon Planning Commission from 1973 until 1984, and was a city Alderman from 1984 until 1993. Mr. Jenner is a life member of the O'Fallon Historical Society, the O'Fallon Masonic Lodge 576 AF & AM, the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Southern Illinois, the VFW, the Air Force Association where he was a charter member, and the O'Fallon Sportsman Club. He was a member of the Dania Shrine Club, O'Fallon, IL., the American Legion Post 478, Blackburn, Mo., member in perpetuity, Charles A. Lindbergh Chapter 247 of National Sojourners Home and the First United Methodist Church, O'Fallon, IL. Mr. Jenner was also an avid stamp collector. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, November 25th at the First United Methodist Church in O'Fallon with Rev. Paul Sellers officiating. Burial will be in the O'Fallon City cemetery with military honors. Friends may call from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Sunday at the Wolfersberger Funeral Home in O'Fallon. Online expressions of sympathy may be e mailed to the family at Wolfersberger@intertek.net. In lieu of flowers; memorials may be made to the William A. Jenner Memorial Scholarship at O'Fallon Township High School or to the First United Methodist Church.
Wilma Mitchell, wife of Col Dan Mitchell, passed away at home on Nov. 16, 2002. She was Dan's supportive wife and helpmate for 55 years in the Air Weather Service and, later, at the National Climatic Center in Asheville, NC. The funeral service will be at the Morris Funeral Home on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 11:00. Burial will follow at the WNC Veteran's Cemetery in Black Mt., NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, 120 Executive Park, Asheville, NC 28801.
Dr. Robert V. Lashbrook, 84, of Ojai, CA, died Friday, Sept. 27 at Ojai Valley Community Hospital after a long bout with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was born July 9th, 1918 in Los Angeles, CA, and lived in Ojai for 30 years. Dr. Lashbrook had been a chemistry professor at Ventura College. He graduated from Stanford University in 1951 with a doctorate in biochemistry. He was a member of the Ojai United Methodist Church and the Retired Professional and Business Men's Club. He served in the South Pacific during World War II with the 15th and the 17th Weather Squadrons and retired from the Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Betty Lashbrook, of Ojai; sons Arthur Lashbrook of Vista, CA, and Kenneth Lashbrook of Ione, CA; daughter Nancy Lashbrook of Seattle, WA; brother James Lashbrook of Murphys, CA; and four grandchildren. No services are planned. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ojai United Methodist Church.
Ashley, Charles Spence -- Arrangements for Charles Spence Ashley, 78, of Tollhouse are under the direction of the Neptune Society. Mr. Ashley, a retired counselor for Fresno Unified School District, died Monday, August 19th. Remembrances may be sent to Veterans of Foreign Wars, P.O. Box 8951, Topeka, KS 66608, or The Nature Conservancy, P.O. Box 17080, Baltimore, MD 21298. Chuck was a member of the 17th Weather Squadron and served in the South Pacific at Efate, Sterling Island, New Caledonia and New Zeland. He was an enthusiastic member of the 17th Weather Squadron Alumni and attended several reunions. He is survived by his wife, Betty, two sons and a daughter.
Long time Weather Channel hurricane specialist John Hope passed away today (June 13) due to complications during heart surgery. He was 83. http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/johnhope.html. He was also a member of the Air Weather Association, 17th Weather Squadron Alumni Association and National Weather Association. Just got another message that said: In lieu of flowers , please send donations to:
St. Vincent de Paul Society
c/o St. Judes Catholic Church
7171 Glenridge Dr. NE
Atlanta, GA 30338
John Hope, hurricane expert at The Weather Channel, was one of the best-known and well-respected meteorologists in the business. This is from Bill Burke....CEO of the weather channel. "It is with profound sadness that I convey the news that TWC hurricane expert John Hope passed away this morning as a result of complications following recent surgeries. John's contributions to The Weather Channel and its success are incalculable, and he has been a treasured mentor and friend to many of us over the years. He has touched many others outside our organization as well, both personally with his friendship, and professionally throughout his career via his role in increasing the public's understanding of, and preparedness for, hazardous tropical weather. He will be very deeply missed. John was 83, and has been with The Weather Channel since its start in 1982. During this time, our hearts go out to John's family: his wife Bernice; his sons, Joseph, James, and Thomas; his daughter Camille; his brother Leonard; and the rest of his extended family who are grieving his loss. As we receive more information on memorial services and donations, we will ! ! ! share it with you."
This is from an obituary in the Albuquerque, NM JOURNAL of November 15, 2002: June Hall Gage, 87, a resident of Carefree, AZ, died November 4, 2002 in Albuquerque of cancer. She was preceded in death by her husband, Avery M. Gage, who died December 24, 1996. Avery was a student in one of the very early programs at MIT.
Charles S. Wetterer, Lt Col USAF (Ret.) of Hopkinton, NH. Age 86, died July 5, 2002 at his home. He was born in Hingham, MA, the son of Charles F. W. Wetterer and Elizabeth (Paten) Wetterer. He was a graduate of M.I.T. Class of 1939. He proudly served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for six years during WW II rising from Private to Lieutenant Colonel and continued to serve in the active reserves until 1962. During the 1950's he was a pioneer in commercial weather modification with operations worldwide. For many years he and his wife, Nancy, were engaged in residential real estate and building ventures in MA and NH. He enjoyed flying and held a private pilot's license for over 50 years. In addition he and his beloved wife, Nancy, spent many winters in Naples, FL. Survivors include his wife of 50 years; a son, Charles C. Wetterer; a daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and William Steff; and three wonderful granddaughters, Libby & Katie Wetterer & Hannah Steff, all of Hopkinton, NH. Services & internment will be private at the convenience of the family. His widow Nancy Wetterer died 8 May 2012 at the age of 107.
Col Walt Hogan Sr. The following excerpts are from the Hampton-Newport News Daily Press and would be of interest to some of the weather community: "...Col Hogan crafted a life not only as a military and commercial pilot, but also as a meteorologist, sportsman, educator and independent businessman. .....He accumulated a Purple Heart and a Legion of Merit. For his work with the boy scouts, he was awarded a coveted Silver Beaver. ....He served 33 years in the military, retiring from the Air Force in 1972. .... Internment will be at 3 p.m. March 27 in Arlington National Cemetery." Col. Hogan's last assignment was Commander, 3WS at Shaw AFB, SC. Previous assignments were in Army weather support and he was well known for his efforts to implement Army support weather procedures.
Lt. Col. (ret.) Gilbert Nilsson Woods, 85, of Pomfret Center, died Saturday, (March 9, 2002) at his home. Col. Woods, his wife and son moved to Pomfret Center in 1975; he and Gil, Jr. became enthusiastic supporters of Pomfret School and Putnam High School athletic programs. Col. Woods was born March 8, 1917 in Hartford, son of the late Josiah Bridges and Hilda (Ulrickson) Woods. He graduated from Wilbraham Academy in 1936. He was a 1940 graduate of Amherst College with a degree in mathematics. While at the college he participated in sports, earning five varsity letters in soccer, basketball and baseball, he sang in the Glee Club, and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. After college, he worked at Connecticut General before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in April 1941. He received his assignment the evening of December 7, 1941 and in March 1942 he reported to M.I.T. to study meteorology completing the program in November. On July 10, 1942, he married Elizabeth Pope Hubbell of West Hartford; she died in 1990. During World War II, he served in England working for the 8th Air Force as chief forecaster in East Anglia, where he contributed to the weather forecast for D-Day and for subsequent B24 bombing missions over Germany. In 1945, he volunteered for duty behind enemy lines in "Operation Lusty" collecting scientific data and interrogating German scientists. He was released from the service in 1946. Col. Woods was employed for the next three years by Pan American Airways at Shannon Airport in Ireland. He was recalled to active military duty in 1950 for the Korean Conflict and was assigned to Rhine-Main Air Force Base in Germany where he was deputy weather commander for all of Europe. His subsequent assignments were, for the most part, in the Washington D.C. area. While working for the Air Force Technical Applications Center as weather commander, he was involved with analyzing data from USSR atmospheric atomic events. Another one of the center's projects was testing the transmission of data between computers over telephone lines that later evolved into the Internet. Col. Woods retired from the Air Force in 1974.
Clarence B. Elam Jr., 72 of O'Fallon, IL, born Jun 10, 1929, in Mocksville,NC, died Tuesday, Jan 22, 2002, at St Elizabeth's Hospital, Belleville, IL. Mr. Elam was employed as a climatologist at Scott AFB, IL. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, O'Fallon, IL, and the Quail Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited. An accomplished wood carver and a US Air Force veteran. Surviving are his wife Grace, nee Carter, Elam, three children, Barbara Marsh of Asheville, NC, Larry (Janice) Elam of Florence, KY, and Cynthia (Scott) Early of Webster Groves, MO. Eight grandchildren. Visitation Fri., 25 Jan 02 at Schildknecht Funeral Home 6 to 8 p.m. and Funeral at 1 p.m. on 26 Jan 02 at the First Methodist Church, O'Fallon. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the church. Burial in O'Fallon City Cemetery.
Doreen Roache notified us that Ed Roache died, Jan 23rd, after a lengthy illness. For those who did not know Ed, he was the AWS/DO before retiring as a Colonel. He then continued in meteorology as a supergrade civilian (GS-17 I believe) with NOAA in D.C. He entered the Army Air Corps as a weather observer before WW II and was stationed at Langley Field where Captain (later Brig Gen) Norman L. Peterson was the weather detachment commander. He and Doreen moved to Belleville IL some years ago. Their address in a retirement community is in the AWA roster. The telephone number there is (618) 394-6328. Doreen is doing ok and Ed's passing was not unexpected. He will be buried at the Jefferson Barracks national cemetery near St. Louis.
Charles O. "Chuck" Woodley, 83, a resident of Albuquerque since 1968, died Saturday, January 5, 2002. He is survived by daughters, Linda R. Boblkin and husband, Melvin of Lake Elsinore, CA and Leslie Ann Johnson of Riverside, CA: stepsons, Dirk Squibb and wife, Kileen of Las Cruces and Dean Squibb of Albuquerque stepdaughters Dawn BelL and husband. Mike of Dallas. TX and Kathy Lebby and husband Mike of Andrews TX; and seven grandchildren. Mr. Woodley is also survived by April Woodley of Midland, TX. He proceeded in death by his brothers and sisters. Mr. Woodley retired from the U.S. Air Force after 27 of service where he worked in weather tracking, traveling extensively during this time of service. He later was involved in real estate and development around Chama NM. Mr. Woodley was a member of the Montgomery Blvd. Church of Christ and also belonged to the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 32. Service will be held Friday, January 11 2002 at 11:00 at Freeich Mortuary Wyoming Blvd Chapel, 7121 Wyoming Blvd., NE.