December 18, 2005

Harold L. Thomas

Harold Linley Thomas, 91, of Camp Verde, died Dec. 6, 2005, in Prescott at the Veterans Administration Regional Medical Center.

He was born in Middletown, Mo., on May 8, 1914. Mr. Thomas was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Army Air Corps, from 1942 until 1946.

Mr. Thomas was a retired rancher, and he enjoyed traveling, hunting and fishing. He was an avid reader and he liked to work in his gardens. He enjoyed raising fruit, vegetables and flowers.

Mr. Thomas was preceded in death by his first wife, Bernice, in 1968 and his second wife, Violet, in 2004. He is survived by his wife of 33 years Violet; and two sisters; Doris Hunter of California and Margie Bishop of Alabama. He was preceded in death by his first wife Bernice, to whom he was married for 30 years.

Graveside services were Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix.

Lloyd E. Bennett

Lloyd Edward Bennett, 88, of Mesa, died Dec. 14, 2005, in Camp Verde. Lloyd was born June 15, 1917, in Toledo, Ohio, to the late Edward and Bertha St. John-Bennett.

Lloyd served our country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1957 he moved to Arizona from Illinois with his wife Mary Frances. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for the construction of the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant.

Lloyd is preceded in death by his wife Mary Frances. He is survived by his son, Jerry Bennett of Camp Verde; his daughter, Marilyn Livesay of Ridgeway, Mo.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A graveside service is planned for Dec. 20 at Green Acres Cemetery, 401 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hepler Funeral Home of Camp Verde.

Tony Maldonado

Tony Maldonado, 89, was born Sept. 8, 1916, in a tent that was set up beside the Phoenix train station. He was a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps.

Tony served in the Yukon Territory of Alaska as a 1st sergeant. After his return from the Army, Tony started an apprenticeship with the Carpenters Union. As an apprentice carpenter, Tony was introduced to his wife, LaRue, by a fellow apprentice, who later became his brother-in-law. He worked in the construction industry his entire life, as a carpenter and as a contractor.

After his retirement, Tony sold his home of 50-plus years in South Phoenix and moved to Camp Verde. Tony and LaRue loved living in Camp Verde and all of the wonderful people there. After the passing of LaRue in 1999, Tony was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which eventually took his life.

He will be forever in the hearts of his family.

He is survived by his sister Alice Culling, brother Adolph, sons Larry (Cindy) Maldonado, Tony (Judy) Maldonado, Jim (Corinne) Maldonado and daughter Carol (Glen) Langford. He had 22 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Monday, Dec. 19, 6-8 p.m. at Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 20 at the Superstition Springs Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1249 S. 48th St., Mesa. The services will be preceded by a family viewing at 9 a.m. Tony will be buried beside his wife LaRue in Camp Verde, on Friday, Dec. 23 at 1 p.m.

Ernest Gerald Sears

Ernest Gerald Sears, 89, formerly of Cottonwood died Dec. 2 in Flagstaff.

Mr. Sears was born in Salina, Kansas on June 8, 1916 to Ernest and Mable (Roscoe) Sears.

Mr. Sears was a bowler, he enjoyed being around people and animals. He especially liked to play cards and to play Santa Claus for the people who attend lunch at the Senior Center.

He was preceded in death by brothers Jim Sears and Delbert Sears; and a sister, Gladys Mayden.

He is survived by a niece, Dianne Boswell of Oregon; a nephew, Robert Sears of Flagstaff; and his caregiver, Donna.

A graveside service will be held Wednesday, Dec. 21, at the Valley View Cemetery at 11 a.m.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com