Claremont Obituaries
Lawyer, educator, long-time Democratic organizer, fundraiser, volunteer Zephyr Tate Mann died August 23, while undergoing treatment for cancer. Zephyr was born in Overton, Texas to Zachariah and Annie Belle Wilson (later Watson). “Zachariah and Annie Belle must have known right away that Zephyr would be a changemaker: the couple gave their only daughter a name […]
Great-grandmother, missionary, librarian Elsie Freudenberger, a resident of Pilgrim Place, died suddenly but peacefully on April 27 at the age of 91. Elise was born June 14, 1932, in Santa Ana, California to Arthur and Elsie Kittelsen. She attended public schools in Santa Ana and graduated from University of Redlands in 1954 with a major […]
Grandfather, family man, Packers fan Steven Lester Hurt, a longtime resident of Claremont, died peacefully at his home on April 27 at the age of 71, with his wife by his side. Born to Lester C Hurt and Kathleen (Stanley) Hurt and brother to Mark Hurt in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on December 17, 1954, Steven […]
Great-grandfather, pastor, volunteer John O. Najarian, Jr., 35-year Claremont resident and former pastor of Claremont Presbyterian Church, died April 11. John, 90, was a resident at Pilgrim Place. He was born July 8, 1932 in Fresno, California, the oldest of four children born to an Armenian immigrant father and New England yankee mother. From childhood through […]
“MaryPalooza, Mary’s celebration of a life very will lived,” services for Mary Jo Esquibel, who died March 30, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 26 at 641 Ridgefield Dr., Claremont, CA 91711. “If you have something you would like to share (a story, memory, thought, feeling, etc …), please let us know by […]
Mother, longtime El Roble PE teacher, athlete, equestrian Marjery McBurney Jollymour was born in Pomona on March 17, 1938. She and her older sister Barbara lived with their parents Benjamin Alport McBurney and Jean Pitzer McBurney on Base Line Road in Claremont, amongst the family’s citrus groves. Her grandparents were Lee and Blanche Pitzer. She […]
Husband, father, veteran, engineer, volunteer, traveler John Marion Suchocki of Mount San Antonio Gardens in Pomona, California passed away due to heart failure on April 21, 2024 at 94 years of age. Public burial ceremonies at Oak Park Cemetery in Claremont, will be held on Saturday May 4 at 11 a.m. John was born January […]
Grandmother, longtime choir director, sports fan “The colorful life of Donna Rae Danielson closed its earthly chapter on March 18, 2024,” her family shared. A proud Wisconsinite, Donna was born in Park Falls, Wisconsin on September 12, 1937, to Gordon Dahlie and Madge (Smith) Dahlie. She was raised in the nearby small town of Phillips, […]
Grandfather, pastor, peacemaker, volunteer The Rev. Robert Bruce Wallace died April 8 at the age of 90. He was born in Phoenix, and lived for the early part of his life in Mesa, Arizona, where his grandfather had homesteaded in the 1890s. The Wallaces prided themselves in their Scottish heritage. Bob was born in 1933, […]
Beloved great-grandfather, entrepreneur, volunteer, philanthropist “Woody Norman Douglas left an unforgettable legacy of love, service, and generosity,” his family shared. “Born on January 9, 1937, in Los Angeles to Ira Earnest Douglas and Lillian M.E. Munson, Woody’s life was a testament to the power of family, community, and resilience. “From his early days at Benjamin […]
Grandmother, private investigator, aikido enthusiast, chef The Mary Jo Esquibel matter … “In the dimly lit corners of Southern California’s Inland Empire, where shadows danced with secrets and whispers lingered like cigarette smoke, Mary Jo Esquibel, known in the underbelly of the city as Mary Schildmeyer, made her mark. Born on a stormy night in […]
Proud son and father, Claremont High School grad Michael Joseph Torrez, 47, of Boise, Idaho, died February 24. He was born in Pomona on June 19, 1976 to the late Michael G. Torrez and Karen Carlon. Michael was known for his unwavering love for his children and the Claremont community in which he grew up. […]
Mother, educator, theater lover, athlete “After a life devoted to connecting people, helping others, and simply brightening her corner of the world, Elizabeth (Sullivan) Walkenbach passed away unexpectedly on March 11th, 2024,” her family shared. Elizabeth, fondly known as Beth, was born in Providence, Rhode Island. She was the eldest daughter of James and Judith […]
After a life filled with a love of family, friends, adventure, and dedication to work, Michael Christopher Dorsey died unexpectedly on January 26.
Purnima Suresh Chaurushiya, M.D., died at her home in Claremont on March 21, the first day of spring, after a year of battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Loretta Warmbrunn, a longtime Claremont resident, Pitzer College alumna, and beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died March 30. She was 90 years old.
Robert (Bob) Weingartner, a longtime resident of Claremont, died peacefully at his home on March 28, surrounded by his children and caregivers.