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Gertrude M. Schmidt
Gertrude Marie “Trudy” Schmidt (93) of Galt died at home on March 22, 2007 of natural causes. She was born March 15, 1914 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Mrs. Schmidt had lived in Galt since 1951, moving here from the Bay Area. She was a homemaker and operated a dairy farm with her late husband, John.
She had been a member of St. Christopher’s parish since 1951 and a member of the 1st Friday Club. She enjoyed crocheting and was a fantastic baker. Her beautifully manicured garden was a wonderful sight to behold.
One of her favorite pastimes was spending Saturday night at her home with her children and playing a Swiss card game call “Yass.” All who knew her remember her gentle kindness.
Surviving Trudy are six children, Clariece Simoni of Elk Grove, Franz Schmidt of San Jose, Marguerite Kearney of Lodi, Bernardette Glover of Bend, Ore., Stephanie Holden of Galt and Gretchen Gomes of Lodi; sister, Bette Beardsley of Lodi; 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, whom she dearly loved.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 50 years, John Schmidt; daughter, Monika; brothers, Walt and Bill; and sisters, pat and Martha.
Rosary was recited March 25 and Mass was held on March 26 at St. Christopher’s Church with Father Copsey officiating. Committal followed at Galt Cemetery.
Ben Salas Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to St. Christopher’s Building Fund, or Hospice of San Joaquin, 3888 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95204-1953.
Orlin Shires
Orlin Hudson Shires, president of Porterville College for 23 years, died June 9, 2007.
Mr. Shires was born Dec. 20, 1917 in Fremont, Neb. and grew up on a farm outside Mason City, Neb. He graduated from Hastings College where he lettered in football and track and set records in the high hurdles and long jump.
He received his master’s and doctoral degrees in education from UCLA, and served in the Navy during World War II as a gunnery and executive officer and chaplain in the Pacific.
Following the war he and his wife moved to Porterville to raise their family. Although his career was in education, he also ran a small orange and pomegranate grove.
“He lived by the Apostle Paul’s instruction to ‘consider others before yourself,’” said his daughter Priscilla Cox.
Mr. Shires was director of the local Red Cross, worked with Special Olympics, served as president of the Lions Club and member of the Big Brother Committee, was active in his church, Scouts, Indian Guides, National Civil Defense, American Legion and Porterville College Foundation Board of Directors.
The city of Porterville named him as Man of the Year; he served as Grand Marshal in the Veterans Day parade in 2003 and was elected into the Athletic Hall of Fame for Porterville College.
Mr. Shires is survived by his wife of 64 years, Louise Shires of Porterville; children Pamela Sneddon and husband Thomas of Santa Barbara, Priscilla Cox and husband Ryan of Elk Grove, Patrick Shires and wife Anne of San Andreas, Paul Shires and wife Julie of Arroyo Grande and Preston Shires and wife Sylvie of Peru, Neb.; 20 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services were held in Porterville with interment in Nebraska.
Lt. Col. Dornford Walker
Retired Army Lt. Col. Dornford Walker, a 19-year resident of Elk Grove, died March 24, 2002, at the age of 74.
Mr. Walker served with the U.S. Army for 23 years, 13 of which he spent as commander of the Army’s elite Special Forces, the Green Berets. He was one of the three most highly decorated black officers in the Army during his service.
He began his military career at the age of 17 and was immediately sent to Japan following World War II. He continues his service during the Korean War. With the Green Berets, he was involved in military theaters from Africa to Europe, Southeast Asia, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Bay of Pigs, among others. He was fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese.
Mr. Walker received many military awards, including the National Defense Medal, Purple Heart, Parachute Badge, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Bronze Star, OLC Senior Parachutist Medal and Master Parachutist Badge.
After retiring from the military in 1969, he went into the insurance industry. In 1983 he joined the staff of The Dentists Insurance Company in Sacramento and moved to Elk Grove. He stayed there as assistant director of claims until retirement in 1995.
Mr. Walker was born March 5, 1928, in Ferris, Texas, near Dallas.
He enjoyed gardening and was an avid, die-hard Sacramento Kings fan, holding season tickets for many years.
Mr. Walker is survived by his wife of 34 years, Irene, and his son, Dornford II.
Services will take place at Arlington National Cemetery
in Washington, D.C. Remembrances may be made to Methodist Hospice Care, 7500 Hospital Drive, Sacramento, CA. Arrangements were by Elk Grove Funeral Chapel.
Sean Sullivan
Funeral services will take place Thursday for Sean Michael Sullivan of Elk Grove who died in an accident April 4, 2002.
Mr. Sullivan was born Jan. 6, 1973. He grew up in Elk Grove, attending schools here, and graduating from Elk Grove High School in 1991 where he was on the varsity football team.
He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and had just graduated with a degree in computers from Heald College, Sacramento.
Mr. Sullivan was preceded in death by his stepmother, Sharian Sullivan.
He is survived by his father, Rick Sullivan of Elk Grove; his mother, Joy Sullivan of Seattle; his son, Dylan Sullivan of Los Angeles; his fiancèe, Liz Garniewicz of Roseville; and his stepmother, Nancy Sullivan of Livermore.
Mr. Sullivan was the brother of Nick Sullivan of Livermore, Fred Sosa and wife Wendy of San Martin, Bobby and Joey Cooper of Sacramento, Stacy Cvitanov and husband Jason of Elk Grove and Tracy Gamaza and husband Bryan of Livermore.
Viewing is today from 5 to 8 p.m. at Reichert’s Funeral Services, 7320 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights. Services will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Church, Hillsdale and Madison avenues, Sacramento.
Teodora Ramirez
A funeral liturgy will take place today for Teodora Ramirez of Elk Grove, who died June 23, 2002, at the age of 92.
Mrs. Ramirez was born in Mexico and lived in this area for the past 44 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Daniel Ramirez.
Mrs. Ramirez is survived by her children, Matilde Gutierrez of Castroville, Irene Sanchez of Laredo, Texas, Dora Hernandez and Joe Ramirez of Sacramento, Sheila Villegas of West Sacramento, and Maria Elena Davis and Maria de la Luz Summers of Elk Grove; 26 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
The liturgy begins at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 9961 Elk Grove-Florin Road, Elk Grove. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 10445 Old Placerville Rd., Sacramento, CA 95827.
Arrangements are by Elk Grove Funeral Chapel.
J.A. McFall
J.A. (Jack) McFall, a resident of Elk Grove for several years, died May 7, 2003 from a stroke. He was of 88.
Mr. McFall was born June 4, 1914 in McAllister, Okla. and moved to California from New Mexico in the 1930s. He and his wife harvested crops from the Imperial Valley to Marysville.
Later he went to work for a number of different companies including Linde Air Products, Bethlehem Steel, Food Machinery Corp. and Swift & Co. He retired from Burke Rubber Co. in San Jose in 1979.
Mr. McFall was a member of the Grand Lodge of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for 40 years. He was also a member of Elk Grove Grange No. 86.
In 1985 Mrs. McFall was diagnosed with cancer and the couple moved in with their daughter and son-in-law, Jonnie and Howard Sihner of Elk Grove. Mrs. McFall died in 1986 and Mr. McFall continued to live with the Sihners until his death. He suffered his first stroke in 1988 and managed to regain use of his left arm and leg and some of his speech.
He enjoyed tending to his flower garden and using his metal detector on many treasure hunts.
Mr. McFall was preceded in death by his wife, Panny and his son, Jack.
He is survived by his daughter, Jonnie Sihner and husband Howard of Elk Grove; his grandchildren, Richard Sihner of Oroville, Lori Pluto of Herald, Jeff McFall of Belmont, Mike McFall of San Carlos and Joann Ganjei of Redwood City; and his great-grandchildren, Jazzmine Pluto of Herald, Joshua McFall of Belmont, Travis and Cody Sihner of Sacramento, Josephine Sihner of Oroville and Jack Ganjei of Redwood City.
Mr. McFall was the brother of Harold McFall of Oakdale and Minna Lee Churchill of Rialto; and the brother-in-law of Georgene McFall of Salinas.
A private family service is pending. Arrangements are by Elk Grove Funeral Chapel.
Dorothy Propp
Memorial services will be held Saturday, June 28 for Dorothy S. Propp, retired teacher with the Elk Grove Unified School District. Mrs. Propp died June 20, 2003.
She was born Aug. 22, 1925 in Oklahoma, one of seven children, and grew up in that state, where she earned her teaching credential. She and her late husband, Harry, moved to Berkeley, where most of the family was, and ran a boarding house next to the university campus for three years.
Their next address was in Galt, where he landed a teaching job in the late '50s. Mrs. Propp updated her teaching credential to fit California standards and moved to Elk Grove, where she taught business in the Elk Grove district, mainly at Joseph Kerr Middle School, for 25 years. She was also very active in the Elk Grove Education Association prior to her retirement in 1990.
Mrs. Propp was an avid gardener, and spent many hours beautifying her yard in her last home in south Sacramento. She was also a bridge player and enjoyed bingo, cribbage and Scrabble as well.
Mrs. Propp is survived by her children, Susan Buzynski and husband Darrel of Elk Grove, and Steven Propp and wife Nancy of Sacramento; and her grandchildren, Jennifer and Jason Buzynski.
She was the sister of Patty Lynn of Sacramento and Gloria Bennett of Oklahoma.
Saturday's services begin at 2 p.m. in the chapel of South East Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, 9189 East Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove.
