Obituaries

 
 

Friends, family honor Leona Aldridge at 89

DOWNEY-Services were held at the First Baptist Church of Downey for Leona Aldridge, a resident of Downey since 1953 and a former member of the City's Park Commission.

She was 89, born in Iowa in 1910, and died Dec. 5 after a long illness with Alzheimer's.

She helped organize the League of Women Voters here, and was it's first president. She also was president of the Sister Cities with Guadalajara, Mexico. She served as a City Parks Commissioner for five years. She loved Downey and wanted to make it a better place to live.

She received the Sears Citizen of the Year Award in 1972 for community service. She was active in the PTA and Little League.

Survivors include her husband, Bill; two sons, Robert and Dennis; a sister, Valora Perry; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Burial followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park.


Friends, family remember Mary E. Wheeler at 75

DOWNEY-Services were held Friday, Dec. 17, at the Rose Hills Funeral Home in Whittier for Mary E. Wheeler, a 48 year Downey resident.

She was 75, born July 22, 1924, in Devils Lake, North Dakota, and died Dec. 14 in Downey Regional Medical Center. She had recently moved from Downey to Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Raised on a farm in Devils Lake, she excelled at school and following graduation moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she worked at Arthur Daniels as a secretary. She then moved to Southern California and worked at Lockheed in Burbank. During World War II she joined the Navy, serving in Stumpneck, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Following her tenure in the Navy she returned to Southern California and enrolled in Fullerton Junior College, where she met husband, Hugh. They were married and moved to Berkeley where he completed an engineering degree. After his graduation they returned to Southern California. They were involved with St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Lynwood for 26 years, Hugh as a deacon and usher, and Mary in women's ministry.

Survivors include her husband, Hugh O. Wheeler of Downey; three daughters, Marilyn Davison Vega of Westminster, Patricia Wheeler of San Diego, Beverly Wheeler of West Covina; a sister, Isabel Jordan of Phoenix, Arizona; and brothers James Jordan of Simi Valley and Oliver Jordan of Phoenix.

Burial followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park.


June Evelyn Marsden Conrad services held

DOWNEY-Services were held for June Evelyn Marsden Conrad, a 45-year resident of Downey and a homemaker, who died Dec. 21 at her home.

She was 86, born in Salt Lake City, Utah.

She was a volunteer at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital and Meals on Wheels.

Survivors include her daughters, Lynda Bailey (Bill), and Barbara Nelson (Eric); granddaughters Kimberlyn Romney (Steven), Kelly Bailey, Leslie Nelson and Kristen Nelson.

Cremation followed. Arrangements were by the Miller-Mies Mortuary of Downey.


Robert J. Smith is mourned by many at 80

DOWNEY-Sevices were held Dec. 18 at the Miller-Mies Mortuary Chapel for Robert J. Smith, a Downey resident for 54 years and a retired employee of Schlitz Brewing Co.

He was 80, born in New Jersey, and died Dec. 14 in the Southland Lutheran Home in Norwalk.

He was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church; the Downey Elks Lodge No. 2020; and was a veteran of the 552nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery and served in the Second World War from 4/16/41 to 9/29/45 and Korea from 1948 to 1952. His total service time was 9 years, 3 months and 13 days.

Survivors include his wife, Charlotte; three daughters, Pamela Anne Corey (Ray), Karen Elaine Cox (James), Michelle Grace Latorre (Tim); seven grandchildren, Zachary, Monica, Kristen, Laura, Erin-Christine, Elisha-Meghan, and Tiffany; two great-grandchildren, Holley and Cody; and a sister, Dorothy Minnig (Howard).

Father Steve Davoren of St. Raymond's Church and the Downey Elks Lodge officiated. Burial followed at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach.

Arrangements were by the Miller-Mies Mortuary of Downey.
 
 




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