Claremont Obituaries

Carolyn Mary Christian died on August 30 from long-term complications of COVID-19. Born in Los Angeles on June 6, 1961, to Suzanne and Otto Christian, Carolyn lived in the Claremont area for most of her life, after first visiting as a young child when her grandfather owned the citrus groves that would later become Chaparral Elementary School.

“Lillian (Billie) Louise Parrish Maguire was an extraordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life,” her family shared. Born December 13, 1930, she died at Mount San Antonio Gardens in Pomona on September 23. She was an impassioned advocate who dedicated her life to giving voice to the voiceless, with her dedication to equity and social justice targeted primarily toward children and women. On the issues facing children in particular her work and advocacy were driven by the central question she always posed, “Is it good for the children?” This question led her to engage in equity endeavors in healthcare, schools, and communities throughout Southern California.

Clara Soto Ivey, a cherished church and community leader who inspired thousands of students in her Spanish classes to see the world and who never stopped loving her native Cuba, even after becoming an American citizen, died peacefully in her beloved Claremont on September 6. She was 86.

Longtime Claremonter, championship winning coach, athlete, traveler Raymond “Bim” Jollymour died September 23 following a brief hospital stay. He was 85 years old. “Bim” was born in San Rafael, California on April 22, 1937. His family moved to Claremont in 1949. He began golfing at the age of 12. He and his sister, Ruth Ann, […]

Janice Irene (Coverdale) Campbell, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, died on September 2 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, following a brief illness. She was 77.

Frank J. “Jerry” Peairs died at home on September 23 at the age of 82 after a long illness.

Wavalene Kumler Tong, 84, affectionately known as “Jinx,” died peacefully at home on September 21 surrounded by her family, after falling ill from cancer earlier in the summer.

On Monday morning, September 19, Stuart Oskamp died at Mt. San Antonio Gardens in Pomona. “Stu” earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Stanford University in 1960. He taught for 40 years at Claremont Graduate University, from 1960 to 2000. He loved to write, authored several books, and served as an editor for many publications.

Longtime Claremont resident Rosemary Henderson died September 2 at the Rauch Houses memory care center at Pilgrim Place. She was 82. The family shared that the principal gift from the Rauch Family Foundation to Pilgrim Place for the construction of the Rauch Houses, which opened in March of this year, was inspired by Rosemary’s friendship.

Janet Elaine Hodges was born October 20, 1939 in Pomona to Ronald and Mildred (Markham) Flora. Her parents and their forebears were farmers in Nebraska and before that Indiana. Janet lived in Claremont for 80 of her 82 years. She was a talented musician. Playing and teaching piano became her joy at a very young age as well as serving as the organist for First Baptist Church of Claremont at the tender age of 16. She was still playing the organ there until just a few months ago.

Claremont resident Henry Fuhrmann, a retired Los Angeles Times editor with a national reputation as a wordsmith who advocated for fairness and accurate representation of race and gender in language, died September 14. He was 65. Fuhrmann was born in Japan and raised in Ventura County. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal State L.A. and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.

Beloved son, father, football player, won scholarship to University of Michigan

Two weeks shy of her 95th birthday, Nancy Louise Weingartner died peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family. She lived a rich and full life, contributed much to her Claremont community via many organizations, including the PEO Sisterhood and her affiliation with United Church of Christ. She is remembered as a loyal, creative, hardworking, smart, fun-loving, friendship-nurturing woman who always loved a party and wholeheartedly believed in lifelong learning.

Gayle Papa was born July 12, 1938, in the small town of Norfolk, Virginia. She died peacefully on August 31 surrounded by her loving family. Gayle lived her childhood years in multiple naval base locations throughout the United States. She was the daughter of George and Greta Fritschmann. Her father was a U.S. Navy admiral. She graduated from Washington Lee High School in West Virginia.

Longtime Pomona College registrar, 102, was interned during WWII. Masago Shibuya Armstrong was born in Menlo Park, California and grew up there working on her family’s flower farm. Her father sent all five of his children to college, most to Stanford University.