Obituaries Feb. 23, 2007

Edith Evangeline Garver

Edith Evangeline Garver died Feb. 10. She was born June 25, 1927, in Portland, Ore.

Mrs. Garver is survived by her husband, Floyd; and two daughters, Linda Clark and her husband, Bob, and Glenda Weaver and her husband, Ray. She also is survived by five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service for Mrs. Garver will take place Feb. 24, 2 p.m., at the Emmanuel Fellowship Church in Cottonwood.

Ruthie B. Wingate

Ruthie B. Wingate, 90, of Cottonwood, died Feb. 17, 2007. She was born April 17, 1916, in Georgetown, Texas, to Harvey C. and Roera Jane Lester.

Ruthie was a sales clerk in the retail business and retired from J.C. Penny. She enjoyed gardening, reading, her pets and flowers. She was married to the late James DePasquale and the late Carl Wingate.

A Memorial Service will be held in Ruthie's honor at a later date.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.

Helen M. Lewis

Helen M. Lewis, 89, of Cottonwood, died Feb. 19, 2007. She was born in Muskogee, Okla., on Nov. 23, 1917, to James M. and Doris (Bartleson) Haskell.

At 10 she took piano lessons at Tulsa University's Children Department and began her lifelong commitment and love of music. Helen started pipe organ lessons when she was in high school, and at the age of 15 she started directing choirs.

She graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1935, and attended her first two years of college at Tulsa University. Helen transferred to Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., when she was asked to do Christian Education work at the Presbyterian Church in LaGrange.

There she met her future husband, Philip Lewis. He graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary and she graduated from Northwestern in 1939. They married in Tulsa on Oct. 19, 1939.

While raising a family, Helen taught piano, directed choirs, and was active in community and educational projects. After Phil served churches in Erie, Mich., Detroit, Mich.; Astoria, Ore.; St. Paul, Minn.; Dubuque, Iowa; and they went back to Toledo, Ohio, where they lived 19 years until retirement.

In 1960, Helen took on substitute teaching, as well as took classes at the University of Toledo to become certified in Ohio. She taught junior high music for 10 years, and then headed a teaching program for a Baldwin Piano and Organ dealer.

In 1977, she and Phil retired to Estes Park, Colo., where she continued teaching piano, became the musical director for the Fine Arts Guild, directing two Broadway revues, Hello Dolly and The King and I. Helen also directed two community choruses. She also served as organist at Westview Presbyterian Church in Longmont, Colo.

In 1978, she was initiated into P.E.O., Chapter GJ, in Colorado. In 1994, she made her final home in Cottonwood, and she demitted to Chapter I, in Arizona. She served two years as president of this organization, dedicated to educating and helping women around the world.

Since residing in Cottonwood, she directed the choir at the Verde Valley Presbyterian Church, and became the organist at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Clarkdale, from which she retired in 2004. Philip died in 2000.

Helen leaves behind three children, James Howard Lewis (Julie), Bethlyn Lewis Wright (David), and Timothy Robert Lewis (Grace); four granddaughters and three step-grandsons.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for Feb. 24 at 7 p.m., at the Verde Valley Presbyterian Church, 1500 E. Hombre Drive, in Cottonwood.

Memorial donations, made in Helen's name can be sent to: Arizona State Chapter P.E.O.-Projects, C/O Chapter I, P.O. Box 456, Clarkdale AZ 86324 or to the Verde Valley Presbyterian Church 1500 E. Hombre Drive, Cottonwood AZ 86326.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.

Merrill E. Roberts

Merrill Eugene Roberts, 84, of Cottonwood, died Feb. 19, 2007.

He was born Oct. 15, 1922, to Jacob L. and Minnie Mae (Peavy) Roberts in Pinehurst, Ga., where he also grew up and graduated from the local high school. Following high school, Merrill attended North Georgia College.

Merrill entered the U.S. Air Force on May 28, 1943, and dedicated 18 years of his life in service to his country. After having served during both World War II and the Korean War as a fighter pilot, being decorated with the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal of Merit, Merrill retired on June 30, 1961, as a lieutenant colonel.

He also worked as a project estimator within the aerospace industry.

He was married to the late Sandra Roberts for 61 years.

Merrill leaves behind his sons, Stephen Roberts of Oregon, David Roberts (Cathie) of California, Michael Roberts (Valerie) of Florida, and John Roberts of Arizona; his daughter, Mary Ann Gaddi-Pati (Venkat) of Maine; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

There are no local services planned.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.

Dennis L. Pychinka

Dennis Lee Pychinka, 59, of Sedona and Lake Montezuma, formerly of Allentown, Pa., died Feb. 10, 2007, at home. Born in Allentown on Feb. 18, 1947, he was the oldest son of the late Michael and Lucille (Mack) Pychinka.

He was a 1965 graduate of William Allen High School and attended Indiana State University. He was an Army veteran, serving as a linguist, in the Vietnam War.

Dennis was retired from K. Heeps Meats of Allentown. He was a member of the Beaver Creek Kiwanis Club in Lake Montezuma.

He is survived by his wife, Merrily (Schaffer); his daughter, Jill Schlack (John) of Pittman, N.J.; his sons, Lee Pychinka, Aaron Custer, and Bret Custer of Allentown, Pa.; his brothers. Robert Pynchinka (Annette) of Indianapolis, Ind., David Pychinka (Robin) and Joseph Pychinka of Allentown, Pa; his sisters, Linda Krepak (Gerald) of New Tripoli, Pa., Jeane Reese (William) of New Tripoli, Pa., Rose Long (Michael) of Slatington, Pa.; and four grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held for family and friends at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to RTA Hospice & Palliative Care, 70 Bell Rock Plaza, Suite A, Sedona AZ 86351 or to Beaver Creek Kiwanis.

Gary J. Weaver

Gary J. Weaver, 58, of Sedona, died Feb. 21, 2007. He was born Nov.19, 1948, to Lloyd and Dorothy Weaver in Cheyenne, Wyo. He was a graduate of Central High School.

Gary was owner and operator of Sedona Restaurant Equipment Services. His favorite interest was music, and in his youth he had the opportunity to sing in a Boys Choir.

Gary leaves behind his mother Dorothy of Sedona; three brothers, Robert (Becky) Weaver of San Antonio, Texas, Steven Weaver of Sedona, and Richard (Irene) Weaver of Phoenix; and his sister, Kathleen (Brian) Walsh of Casa Grande.

No local services are planned.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either the Humane Society of Sedona, 2115 Shelby Drive, Sedona AZ 86336 or to the Humane Society of Verde Valley, 1502 W. Mingus Ave., Cottonwood AZ 86326.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.


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