Obituaries

Chris Larson, 57, of Idyllwild, died from a malignant brain tumor at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs on Tuesday, April 17, 2007. Chris was born Nov. 4, 1949, and attended Indian Hills High School in Oakland, N.J. Bitten early in life by the music bug, after high school Chris moved to Florida and…

With sadness, Judy Schonebaum of Idyllwild announces the passing of her mother, Ruth Schonebaum, on Monday, May 21, 2007, in Rockville, Md., at the age of 92, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Ruth was born in Holoby, Poland, in 1915, and lived a happy, small-town life with her parents, 10 siblings and many…

Phillip Edward Goerl, 80, of Anaheim and Idyllwild, died peacefully Tuesday, March 20, 2007 in Anaheim. He joins his beloved wife, Dorothy, who passed away in 1996. Mr. Goerl was born April 19, 1926, and grew up in San Francisco. He served in the U.S. Air Force; attended college in Santa Rosa and at the…

Lester Merrill Wintz, 79, father, husband, cherished partner and Renaissance man, passed away on Thursday, March 1, 2007 in Rancho Mirage. He was a former Idyllwild resident. He lived life to the fullest, left nothing undone and made the lives of those he touched far better for the experience. Lester’s accomplishments in life were many….

Margaret “Maggie” A. Miller, 84, of Idyllwild, died at home Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007. She was born July 28, 1922. Mrs. Miller was a long-time Idyllwild resident. No services are planned. Mrs. Miller is survived by her husband, Richard Miller of Idyllwild; a daughter, Shirley Westhusin of Bella Vista, Ark.; three sons, Richard Hammack of…

Carl Edward Eck, 61, of Hemet, died of lung cancer Friday, Feb. 23, 2007 at Hemet Valley Medical Center. He was born May 5, 1945 in St. Louis, Mo. He lived in Michigan until five years ago when he moved to the Hemet-Idyllwild area. Mr. Eck was an information technology technician, working for many individuals…

Larry Smith, 55, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at his Idyllwild home. Born in Dallas, Texas, he was raised in Riverside. Mr. Smith moved to Idyllwild in 1969. He joined the U.S. Forest Service in July of that year and spent his career in the San Jacinto Ranger District before retiring as an engine foreman…

Former Idyllwild resident Traci (T.C.) Doyle, 38, of Irvine, died Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007 at the Irvine University Medical Center of a massive infection. She was born Oct. 3, 1968 in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the San Domenico Catholic High School in San Anselmo and attended the University of San Diego. Miss Doyle was…

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…