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Dale Ralph Best
December 6, 1936 - December 2, 2007
He will be greatly missed...
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Dale Ralph Best of Pine Mountain will be held Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at El Camino Pines Lutheran Church, 6700 Lakewood Drive, Lake of the Woods.
On Sunday, Dec. 2, after pulling into the church parking lot just prior to the 11 a.m. worship service, Dale apparently suffered a heart attack.
Dale was instrumental in the building of the worship center of El Camino Pines Lutheran Church in Lake of the Woods where he was a long-time member, along with his wife, Pat. In addition to once serving as Congregational President, Dale also served as Chair of the Building Committee during the initial portion of the building program. Dale could be seen during the last few days of his life tying rebar for the offices and fellowship hall phase of the church project.
Dale was born December 6, 1936, in Oxnard, California, the only child of Ralph and Hazel Best. From Santa Paula, the Best family moved briefly to Tennessee to care for Dale's grandfather, before settling in Gardena, California, where Dale graduated from Gardena High School and then attended El Camino Junior College. After receiving his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University, Dale began a three-year electronics apprenticeship program with Hughes Aircraft, which turned into a long career. He retired from Hughes in 1990 as a Project Engineer.
Dale met his future wife, Pat, at a youth group meeting held at Alondra Park Methodist Church in Gardena. They married a year later on August 29,1959. Dale liked to jokingly tease Pat that he asked her to marry him on Friday the thirteenth.
From 1967 until Dale's retirement in 1990, the Bests lived in Agoura. While waiting for their retirement home in Pine Mountain to be completed (in March 1993), they lived in their trailer, traveling the United States volunteering with Mobile Missionary Assistance Program (MMAP), an organization which builds, renovates and repairs churches and Christian camps throughout the United States.
Dale had a love for woodworking. He used his skills at church, home and within the community to assist others with their home projects. He also assisted church and community members with transportation needs.
He loved to travel with his wife Pat. One of his favorite trips was this past spring when they took a trip to China. Especially fun was the attention he drew from the children they met during their travels, many of whom wanted to have their photo taken with this tall (6'4") and lanky man. According to Pat, Dale loved the children he encountered.
Dale has been described by his friends as generous with his time and skills, selfless, kind, a quiet servant and 'an all around good guy.'
In addition to Pat of Pine Mountain, his wife of 48 years, Dale is survived by daughter Janice Hallanan of San Miguel, CA, grandchildren Joshua and Travis Hallanan, son Greg Best of Exeter, CA and grandchildren Cassandra and Alexander Best, plus many friends.
For additional information about the memorial service, please contact the church office at 661-245-3858. A private internment in Bakersfield is scheduled for December 6. That would have been Dale's 71st birthday.
Dorothy “Dot” Truempler
July 18, 1914 to January 25, 2007
Dorothy “Dot” Truempler passed away in Bakersfield on January 25, 2007. She lived in Grapevine for 63 years and had a sincere love for the Mountain Communities and was proud to have seen much of its history. She attended El Camino Pines Lutheran Church.
Dot was a stay-at-home Mom until 1970 and an El Tejon School volunteer room mother for many years. She became a Tupperware dealer and eventually was Regional Manager for the mountain area.
Dot’s husband Larry Truempler precedes her in death. She is survived by daughter Nadine Brown and grandchildren Larry Chunn, Patty McElroy, Michael Chunn and Mary Rummel.
Services were held January 31, 2007 at Hillcrest Cemetery
in Bakersfield.
The family may be reached c/o Larry Chunn P.O. Box 280 Trona, CA 93562
Donald W. Curtis
July 11, 1929 - March 18, 2007
A memorial service wil be held on March 31 for Donald W. Curtis of Lebec, who passed away on March 18, 2007. He leaves behind his loving wife, Vivian, of 56 years. The couple have lived in Lebec for 11 years, where they retired. Donald was well known for his work with the Community Service Unit of the Kern County Sheriff's Frazier Park substation.
Donald is also survived by four children, ten grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
The memorial service will be held at 5:00 p.m., Saturday, March 31 at El Camino Pines Lutheran Day Camp (off of Cuddy Valley Road between Frazier Park and Pine Mountain).
In lieu of flowers, the surviving family members request that donations be sent to Kern County Sheriff's Employees Benefit Association.
Freddie Roberts
September 14, 1921 - March 23, 2007
Freddie Roberts was born in Massachusetts.
She spent the last 20 years between her homes in Laguna Beach and Pine Mountain. Her favorite places were the beach and the mountains.
Freddie especially liked the spring and winter in Pine Mountain. She enjoyed volunteering at the Lilac Festival.
Her favorite pastimes were gardening, working crossword puzzles, reading and playing pinochle with her longtime friends.
Freddie is survived by her son William "Bill" Roberts, two sisters and one brother.
She was a special lady, well-known for her integrity, kindness and generosity.
Freddie will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Judy Jones
September 22, 1957 - March 24, 2007
Judy was taken from us suddenly and would not have wanted anyone to make a fuss, so there will be no memorial services. We will always remember her—forever—in our hearts.
As she joins her parents and those who have gone before her, she leaves behind her loving husband, Christopher, and her beautiful daughter, Ellie. She is also survived by her brothers Jim and Tom Sexton, and many brothers and sisters-in-law with nieces and nephews.
Gerald John Killgrove
November 30, 1961 - January 30, 2007
Gerald John Killgrove was born Nov. 30, 1961 to Ruth and Tom Killgrove of Frazier Park at the Van Nuys Maternity hospital. He passed away on January 30, 2007 in Olympia, Washington.
Growing up, he was a student at the Frazier Park Elementary school, the El Tejon school, and Bakersfield High. A selftaught artist, he occasionally sold landscapes he painted. He worked for several years at local businesses, then moved to Olympia, Washington to work in the ceramic tile trade. Soon, he ran his own tile business as Killgrove Tile. Constantly busy and sought-after to do tile work, he never needed to advertise. He completed hundreds of commercial tile installations as well as residential jobs, once providing tile for a new military building at nearby Ft. Lewis.
Preferring artistic tile work when possible, one job for a Landrover agent became the company logo.
Basically, Gerry was an outdoorsman. He was an avid hiker with an amazing knack for catching fish. If only one person in a group was able to catch fish, it would be Gerry.
On April 17, 1994 Gerry married Linda Mattox of Olympia, and they began life together in Lacey, Washington. He loved Frazier Park, coming back as often as he could, keeping in touch with family and hiking our mountains.
Sadly, he acquired a liver infection which could not be cured, and he passed away in Olympia.
He was greatly loved, and is terribly missed by his wife, Linda Killgrove, his foster children, his father, Tom Killgrove, his sister Audrey Pitruzzella and family, his sister Nancy Cush and family, numerous nieces and nephews, in-laws and friends.
Funeral services were held February 3, 2007 at Woodlawn Funeral Home. Gerry was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetary in Lacey, Washington.
