Leland M. Swanson, 82, of Hemet, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003, in Hemet. He was born the fourth of seven children to Rueben and Bernice Swanson on April 12, 1921, in Walla Walla, Wash. He graduated from WaHi in 1939. Mr. Swanson worked for the Walla Walla Union Bulletin as a paper carrier in his…

Francine Ann Billman, 61, of Idyllwild, died of breast cancer Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003 at home. She was born Feb. 9, 1942, in Bell, Calif. She graduated from Glendale High School and California Western College. She previously lived in El Cajon and Glendale. Mrs. Billman was director of residential services at Morning Sky School from…

Gerald LaMotte Burke, 85, of Idyllwild, died of a heart attack Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003 at Desert Regional Medical Center. He was born Feb. 5, 1918, in Trenton, Mo. Mr. Burke was a retired machinist with 17 years employment at Consolidated Products Inc. of Idyllwild. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II…

Darleen Ann Taylor, 47, of Pahrump, Nev., died from pneumonia at her home on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003. She was born Aug., 20, 1956, in Mojave, Calif. Ms. Taylor had lived in Idyllwild for 18 years and had been a member of the Idyllwild Lioness Club. She had worked in the garden center at Wal-Mart…

Albert Merle Schoelkoph, 76, of Grants Pass, Ore., died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003, of Alzheimer’s at an adult care home in that city. He was born June 13, 1927, in Ogema, Minn. Bert and his wife Trudy came to Idyllwild in 1972 when he started his contracting business. Mr. Schoelkoph was a member of the…

Herbert S. Holdridge, 94, of Idyllwild, died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003, in Idyllwild. He was born Nov. 21, 1908 in Sand Lake, N.Y. He was a farmer and had lived in Idyllwild for 40 years. Mr. Holdridge was a member of the Rotary Club. Services are private. He is survived by a son, Bob Holdridge…

Randi Fisher, 55, of Pine Cove, died Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003. She was born Aug. 15, 1948, in Aurora, Ill. Mrs. Fisher was a retired division secretary for GTE and a member of the American Legion Post 800. A wake is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003, at the American Legion Post 800….

Dorothea Farrar Gorzny, 78, of Idyllwild, died Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at Hemet Valley Medical Center after complications from diabetes. She was born Oct. 19, 1924, in Greenville, Calif. She graduated with honors from Mt. San Jacinto Community College in 1972 with an associate’s degree and a certificate in library science. In 1974, she graduated…

Otis “Friday” Diven died Saturday, Aug. 23, 2003, in North Bend, Ore. He was 83. He had been a resident of North Bend for five years. Mr. Diven was born in Wilson, Kan., on June 24, 1920, the son of Otis O. and Melissa E. King Diven. He served in the U.S. Army during World…

Charles Miller Dix, 66, of Idyllwild, died Monday, Aug. 25, 2003, at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Loma Linda from cancer. He was born Jan. 29, 1937, in Chicago. Mr. Dix was a 19-year resident of Idyllwild. He was an electrician and a past manager of the Idyllwild Trailer Park. A celebration of his life…