Claremont Obituaries
Jean Watkins Beckner, longtime Claremont resident, beloved librarian of rare books and amateur naturalist, passed away peacefully on October 4, 2025, surrounded by family. She was 98. Born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Jean was an accomplished sailor, often taking out her small sloop by herself. Her father, Richard Howells Watkins, was a journalist for […]
Courtney Stafford Coleman died peacefully in the early hours of December 2 at Woods Health Services, La Verne. He had celebrated his 93rd birthday in July with family. After living in Claremont for 42 years, he and his late wife, Julia, had moved to Hillcrest Retirement Community in the summer of 2001.
Caren Whiteside died October 4 following a sudden heart attack. She was 77 years old. Born in Pomona on July 7, 1946, she was raised in Pomona and Claremont where she graduated from Claremont High School in 1964.
Paul Simonian was born on February 7, 1931 in West New York, New Jersey. He died after a short illness on December 11, 2023 in Claremont.
Dr. John C. Brown, 97, a longtime resident of both Cedar City, Utah, and Claremont, died peacefully surrounded by his family on December 17, 2023, at the home of his son in St. George, Utah.
James Donald Graham, a Claremont resident for 57 years, died peacefully at his daughter’s home on December 23, 2023.
Sally Brewer Wishart, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and longtime Claremont resident, died peacefully on December 19 after a period of declining health.
Claire Kingman McDonald, a resident of Claremont since the late 1940s, died of natural causes on December 20, 2023. She was 96 years old, a few days shy of her 97th birthday.
Judith Lee Wright Favor, a resident of Pilgrim Place in Claremont, died December 8, 2023 at the age of 83 after being treated briefly for congestive heart failure. She was surrounded by her loving family.
Monica Romaine Gurak, 82, died December 31, 2023 after succumbing to the deleterious effects of cancer.
Barbara Fass died peacefully on December 8 in La Verne. She had recently celebrated her 80th birthday with friends and family at Hillcrest, her retirement community and home for the past decade.
Longtime Claremont resident and the first sociologist hired by Pitzer College, Albert “Al” Schwartz died peacefully on December 9. He was 90 years old.
Michael E. Shea died November 11 in Bend, Oregon after a yearlong battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Vicki; children, Joseph and his wife Alyssa Shea, their children, Penelope and Alexander; and Sarah and her husband Austin Simmons.
Jamie Dalia was born Feb. 24, 1946, the daughter of Robert and Dora Ortiz, in Monterey Park, California, has died. She is survived by her husband, Tony; sons Phil and David Tarin, and daughter, Roberta Patterson. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Louis Frankel died tragically in a car accident on September 29, 2023, in Santa Teresa Puntarenas, Costa Rica. He was 46 years old.
Gary F. LaRue died peacefully at his home in Alta Loma, California on November 28 at the age of 81.
Giant in the establishment of internet standards and technology, HMC grad, Edwin Earl “Ned” Freed has died. He is survived by his wife, Tamara McDonald-Freed; son, Thomas Freed; godchildren Rebecca Armstrong, Ty Rothman, and Laurel Newman; and extended family members Kristin Hubner and Dan Newman.