• Obituary: Lela Bentley

    Former Idyllwild resident Lela Louise Bentley, 94, of Portland, Ore., died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 in that city. She was born April 17, 1912 and lived in Idyllwild for 12 years. She moved to Portland in 1989. Mrs. Bentley graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University and was an elementary school teacher and librarian in Kentucky. She…

  • Obituary: Kathryn Gilbert

    Kathryn Anne Gilbert, 55, of Mountain Center, died Friday, Jan. 12, 2007 at Hemet Valley Medical Center. She was born April 14, 1951 in Los Angeles to Kenneth and Mary Carreiro. Mrs. Gilbert worked 10 years as a cook and also worked for 88 Far East Trading Co. She was president of the American Legion…

  • Obituary: Len Gast

    Leonard William Gast, 87, made his transition Friday, Jan. 5, 2007. He enjoyed his boyhood in Detroit where he was born May 17, 1919. Mr. Gast served in the U.S. Navy aboard the carrier Bunker Hill in the Pacific area. He moved to Idyllwild from San Diego in 1983 and was an active partner in…

  • Obituary: Inis Clark

    Inis Catherine Clark, 89, of Silverado Senior Living in Escondido, died there Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, of Alzheimer’s disease. She was born Sept. 24, 1917 in Donovan, Ill., to Augustus and Philomene Dionne Lemna. She was raised in Beaverville, Ill. She married Jack Hilton Clark on Feb. 14, 1942 at Camp Callan (Torrey Pines) in…

  • Obituary: Patricia Smith

    Former Idyllwild resident Mary Patricia Smith, 78, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006 in Biggs, Calif. Born on April 6, 1927 in Oklahoma, Pat moved to Idyllwild in 1967. While in Idyllwild, she raised her five children while working at Gray’s Photo. After her children grew up, she focused her attention on the many animals…

  • Obituary: Helen Jones

    Helen H. Jones, 89, of Jacksonville, Ore., died at home Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006, surrounded by her daughters and her beloved caregiver Norma. She was born Jan. 20, 1917 in Birmingham, Ala. She was raised and educated in Indiana until her family moved to Beverly Hills and then later to Whittier. As a young girl,…

  • Obituary: Barbara Maris Jones

    Barbara Maris Jones, 89, of Los Osos, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, Dec. 8, 2006. She was born Jan. 1, 1917 in Newcastle, Wyo., to Ralph W. and Mary E. McBroom Maris. She spent her childhood in Long Beach and graduated with honors from the University of Redlands in 1938 where she met…

  • Obituary: Dr. David Reid

    David H. Reid, M.D., 90, was not just a friend, but a best friend to many people who shared in his life. Dr. Reid passed away Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006 in Idyllwild. He was born July 14, 1916 in East Chicago, Ind. Loyal to his country, a Navy veteran of World War II, he landed…

  • Obituary: Ruth Peters

    Ruth Margaret Peters, 91, of Long Beach, died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006, in Las Cruces, N.M., of congestive heart failure. She was born Aug. 7, 1915, in Salina, Kan., to Earl and Laura Hudkins. Mrs. Peters earned a master’s degree in education from California State University, Long Beach. She was an elementary school reading specialist…

  • Obituary: Ellene Mertens

    Ellene Mertens, 85, of Hemet, died Thursday, Nov. 23, 2006 at Hemet Valley HealthCare Center from a combination of heart problems and Alzheimer’s disease. She was born Jan. 9, 1921 in Savannah, Ga., and was an executive secretary, working nearly 10 years at Paramount Studios. She had lived in Los Angeles for 29 years. Ms….