Claremont Obituaries
Grandfather, engineer, competitive swimmer, coach Surrounded by family, Stephen Scott Wilder died peacefully the morning of March 12. Steve was born in the neighborhood of Zenith, near Seattle, Washington, to Barbara and Leo Wilder. One of four boys, he grew up in Manhattan Beach and spent his teenage years living in Miami, Florida. […]
Champion camper, happy woman Mary “Happy” Virginia Fredendall Garner Nelson died peacefully on February 17, 2016 in Claremont, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 90. She was born November 9, 1925 in Upland to Martha Idella (Fowlkes) and Thomas Benton Fredendall. She was nicknamed Happy by her father, as she was a happy baby. […]
Professor, writer, multi-talent Ross Figgins, professor emeritus at Cal Poly Pomona, died peacefully March 26, 2016 at his home in Claremont. His wife Jenny was with him. He was born March 10, 1936 in Plainfield, New Jersey, the only child of Fred Figgins and Frances McAlvanah Figgins. The family moved to the San Fernando Valley […]
Entomologist, professor, writer Don C. Force died at Mt. San Antonio Gardens on December 3, 2015. He had been a Claremont resident since 2000, after living in Pomona since 1965. He was born on July 5, 1928 in Clear Lake, South Dakota, a small town near the Minnesota border, the fourth child of Hazel (Clement) […]
Veteran, internationally-renowned coach William “Bill” Benjamin Arce Jr., a longtime resident of Claremont, died on March 7, 2016 at the age of 90. He passed in peace, surrounded and comforted by his loving family. Born in Oakland, California to William Benjamin Arce Sr. and Edith Caroline Friberg Arce, Bill was raised with his older […]
Missionary, traveler, loving wife Doris Caldwell Rhoades died on March 19, 2016 at the age of 97. She was in the presence of loving family and friends at Pilgrim Place in Claremont, where she had been a resident since 1992. She was born in 1918 on the Caldwell Homestead, a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania, […]
PE teacher, global citizen Fay Mary Linder died on March 4, 2016 at Pilgrim Place in Claremont. She had been a resident since 1994 after retiring from many years of teaching in Istanbul, Turkey. Ms. Linder was born in Bronxville, New York in 1927 and grew up in Greensburg, New York and Philadelphia. Being active […]
Loving wife and mother, librarian Jean L. Cobb died on January 13, 2016 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 90. She was born on April 20, 1925 in Newnan, Georgia to Mildred and Clifford Loftin, who worked, respectively, as a teacher and a structural steel salesman and inventor. Young Jean spent her […]
Ceramicist, loving husband, father Harrison McIntosh, celebrated ceramicist and longtime Claremont resident, died on Thursday, January 21, 2016 in Claremont. He was 101. Mr. McIntosh was part of southern California’s “revolution in clay,” which in the 1950s elevated ceramics from mere craft to fine art. Mr. McIntosh made well over 9,000 pieces over the years, […]
Entrepreneur, loving mother and friend Sydney Lynn Blanton, a longtime Claremont resident and owner of the Village clothing boutique Amelie, died at home on January 6, 2016, surrounded by family. She was 55. She was born in San Luis Obispo County on September 8, 1960. Her family moved to Covina when she was 10 years […]
Art historian, author, professor Gerald M. Ackerman, a distinguished art historian, died peacefully at his Claremont home on Friday, January 1, 2016. He was 87. He was born in Alameda, California and grew up in Santa Cruz, the son of Alois and Eva Sadler Ackerman. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1952 […]
Teacher, musician, centenarian Ruth Elaine Dare, a longtime resident of Pomona, died peacefully in her home on December 1, 2015. She was just 18 days shy of her 101st birthday. She was born in Crawford, Nebraska on December 19, 1914 to George and Florence Soester. She grew up on a farm, helping with all of […]
Dancer, storyteller, loving matriarch Patti Mattison Livingston, a resident of Claremont for more than 70 years, died at her home in Upland on December 14, 2015. She was 92. She was born in Medford, Oregon on March 12, 1923, the only child of Helen and Allen Mattison. She grew up in Medford and in several […]
Visionary leader, inspirational teacher Cathey Anne Anderson (nee Harris) died on December 22, 2015, surrounded by family, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 63. She was born on August 3, 1952 in Pomona to Charles Edward Harris and Dorothy Jo Harris and went through Claremont schools, graduating from Claremont High School in 1970. […]
Judge Thomas A. Peterson died on December 10, 2015 in his Claremont home, surrounded by family, after a yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 75. He was known widely for his integrity which, when coupled with his ample wit, endeared him to all those fortunate enough to cross his path. “He left this world […]
Donald LeRoy Angel, a 57-year resident of Claremont, died on September 26, 2015 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 85. He was born February 6, 1930 to Norberta Martinez and Joseph Angel in Placentia, California where he was raised. He was a direct descendant of Ricardo Vejar, who co-owned Rancho San Jose along with […]
Veteran, industrialist, agriculturalist, family man Kenneth Ross Casey died on December 4, 2015 in Claremont. He was 95. He was born in Pomona in 1920 to John Ransom and Bessie Casey. He grew up going to Pomona schools, helping tend his family and friends’ citrus trees, playing football and participating in outdoor adventures with the Boy […]