Obituaries

In loving memory of Curt George Gaxiola.  Curt was born on July 10, 1951 and passed away on July 13, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

In loving memory of Gilbert McCroey.  Gilbert was born on May 3, 1957 and passed away on June 16, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

In loving memory of Carol Ann Madle.  Carol was born on September 1, 1936 and passed away on July 18, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

In loving memory of Patricia Carol Engle Mays.  Patricia was born on January 8, 1974 and passed away on June 29, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

Lois Blanche Cook, 97 passed away Monday March 22, 2021 at her home in Garden Grove. She was born to Jeanette and John Haringsma on March 23, 1924, in Holland, Michigan. Lois was one of 5 sisters, Anne Lamb, Doris Lorraine Hoffman, Isla Jean Prelesnik and Ruth Elaine Hieftje. She had 3 brothers John Raymond, Henry George and Richard Vernon. She was brought up in the Dutch Reformed Church of Holland and the Christian faith and her love of Jesus Christ was the corner stone of her life. She grew up in Decatur Michigan on a rented farm during the Depression in 1930 and in Montello Park Michigan in 1940, but mostly she lived in Holland Michigan. Lois graduated from Holland High School. She had an amazing voice and loved to sing and was second soprano in her high school choir. After graduation she worked in Holland at a bookstore but during WWII she worked at Fafney Bearings factory making ball bearings for our airplanes. In 1944 right after Christmas, her brother Richard introduced her to the love of her life, Ervin G. Cook, whom he had met at the Vets club. Erv had enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1941 and had been overseas in the Pacific for 30 months straight during which the Marines lost his paperwork and forgot to give him leave. So Erv had 120 days of leave all at once in Holland where his family lived on a farm there, and when he met Lois, they dated as much as possible getting to know each other until he had to return to the Marine base in California.  In her own words, Lois told me:  “I followed him to California. I bought an old car (I don’t remember what kind) and was going to travel from Holland Michigan to Long Beach California. Being unmarried I traveled with Erv’s mom, Mary Helen Pontius Cook, until the car broke down in Benton Harbor, Michigan. From there we took a bus to Erv’s brother Clyde and his wife Fanny’s, and then I took the train to California alone. I lived with Erv’s sister Vivian in Long Beach and later with Pat and Jonny in Garden Grove.   Until we married, I traveled to Santa Ana on the Pacific Electric train to visit Erv every other week from April to August, while he reported to work as a marine to the base. We married on August 3, 1945 in Sana Ana and Auntie Pat and Mrs. Morgan, a USO lady, were the only guests… No fancy dress for me… we only had a few pictures… but it was perfect!” How courageous she was!  An amazing woman, during that tumultuous time!    Erv and she  lived in Santa Ana, on base at El Toro, but mostly in Anaheim after Erv retired from the marine Corps in 1953, where they raised 3 children, Julie Anne, Douglas Irving and Kristina Marie.  They were very supportive and active in PTA, Band Boosters and Drill team and went to every football game and parade to help out and encourage us kids. We were blessed with wonderful loving parents… encouraging each of us in our endeavors and talents. Eventually, in 1986 they moved to Garden Grove.   Lois was very generous in giving of her time and support… for her children’s activities, school events and church ministries. With her love of singing and her talented voice, she sang in the First Presbyterian Church of Anaheim’s church choir and was active in the women’s ministry and she organized, set up and baked 6 crock pots of her delicious baked beans for every buffet… and there were many! As well she made centerpieces and did the setup and serving… I know as I helped. She learned to sew at school in 3rd grade in Decatur Michigan and loved to sew! Lois became an excellent seamstress. She started a very successful sewing business she ran out of her home and sewed hundreds of custom designed drill team uniforms for all the local high schools. Lois was all about family… and she was very close to hers.  Erv would save up all his weeks of vacation and every 2 years they would carefully plan a tent and car trip to Holland Michigan, driving a different route each time visiting many national parks on route to Michigan to give us children the chance to see and explore the magnificent places in this great land she and Erv loved. (later we traveled by RV)  So many wonderful memories…. and it was not easy, stopping to set up a tent with 3 young kids and sometimes two more when Doug and Julie brought friends.   When I asked her about her happiest moments (and saddest) for her 90th birthday scrapbook she said:  “August 1970 we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary… lots of friends and family. In August 1995 we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at Julie’s home on Orange Ave.So many happy occasions! Birthdays, graduations, Christmases, summer get-togethers… Celebrating with family is so special to me!Of course there were Julie’s weddings, your wedding Kris, the birth of 4 grandkids… Melissa, Carrie, Stacey and Eric! And now 5 great grandchildren… Ryan, Holly, Noah, Matthew and William! God is so good!” “Mostly wonderful years… but into every life… sad times too. In 1980 my father (John Haringsma) died in August at the age of 91. My mother Jeanette died on Sept 27th, 1986 at the age of 93. They were both wonderful parents!  And of course the sadness of losing Julie, so young to cancer at 52. It was so hard on us, especially your dad. He said it wasn’t right for a parent to bury their first born child. Last of all, the loss of my Erv. (He died in 1999 of congestive heart failure) There aren’t words to express that loss. Life continues to change my life.  And yet now I have 5 great grandchildren to bring joy to my life. God continues to bless our family!”  Lois lived her […]

In loving memory of Roberto Gaia. Roberto was born on July 3, 1929 and passed away on February 14, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

In loving memory of Lindsay Duncan Browning. Lindsay was born on April 9, 1930 and passed away on February 2, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.

    Janet Ellen Felix Hopkins, 81, died of a heart attack February 10, 2021, in Newport Beach, California. She was born August 11, 1939, in Sheridan, Wyoming, to Joe D. and Josephine Felix. Jan was raised in Sheridan, Story, Gillette, and Buffalo, Wyoming, graduating from Johnson County High School in Buffalo in 1956. She attended the University of Wyoming and later completed her bachelor’s degree at Cal State Fullerton. She earned master’s degrees from Cal State Long Beach and from Chapman University. In 1956 Jan married David L. Hopkins of Story, Wyoming. They lived in Texas, Connecticut, Colorado, and Wyoming before moving to southern California in 1964. They were later divorced. Jan taught special education students in the Garden Grove Unified School District, Garden Grove, California, for many years. She was an active member of the Garden Grove Education Association, the California Teachers Association, and the National Education Association, working especially in the areas of LGBTQ and civil rights. An avid reader, crossword puzzle solver, and knitter, Jan was also a lover of dogs and cats. She rarely missed Jeopardy and also enjoyed bowling. While living in Thailand for a year, she learned the Thai language and taught English to Thai students. Jan is survived by four children: Sheri Hopkins Oberbeck of Huntington Beach, California, Joe Hopkins (Valerie) of Novato, California, Carol Hopkins Abdallah of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Leon Hopkins (Zulma) of Canoga Park, California. She also leaves five grandchildren: Adam Oberbeck, Asante and Rashad Abdallah, David Hopkins, and Niki Champie, one great- grandchild Tyler Champie, and one sister Sara Felix Neyer (Tom) of Gillette, Wyoming. She was preceded in death by her parents. Donations in her memory may be directed to the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the U.S. No services will be held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In loving memory of Ruth Ellen Jones. Ruth was born on March 7, 1930 and passed away on January 27, 2021. Entrusted to the care of Cremation Society of Orange Coast, (800) 678-0669.