Obituaries, Jan. 31, 2007

John D. Knowles

John Damian Knowles died Jan. 26, 2007, in Lamar, Colo. He was born Oct. 13, 1962.

John was a 1981 graduate of Mingus Union High School. He was raised in the Verde Valley from 1969 until his high school graduation. John played football, basketball, and baseball growing up with his brothers and all of his wonderful childhood friends.

After high school, he attended New Mexico Military Institute and earned a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He then attended Arizona State University, where he received his BS in Business Administration. He served eight years as an officer in the Air Defense Artillery branch, including service in Iraq, and was honorably discharged as a captain from his last assignment in Germany.

He returned to the Verde Valley and became a Realtor, working for Selna & Associates. He recently moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., to be closer to his youngest daughter Meagan.

John is survived by his two daughters; Dominique Knowles of Cottonwood, Meagan Knowles, Colorado Springs, Colo., two grandchildren; his mother, Barbara Knowles, of Dewey, two sisters Cathy Kenson, Christine Seall, and three brothers, Steve Knowles, Mike Knowles, and Kevin Knowles.

The funeral service will be at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cottonwood, on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers please make donations to The American Cancer Society.

Earland 'Chub' Richardson

Earland "Chub" Richardson, 65, of Camp Verde, died Jan. 27, 2007. Chub was born on July 10, 1941, in Ely, Nev. He grew up in Garrison, Utah, and was a graduate of Delta High School in Utah.

Chub was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Chub proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as an aircraft engineer mechanic. He then went on to work for the National Park Service for 31 years. In 1983, he moved to Camp Verde to work at Montezuma Castle National Monument.

Shortly after moving to Camp Verde, he met and married his beloved wife and best friend, Linda. Chub was a member of the American Legion Post 93 and a lifetime member of the VFW Post 6739 in Camp Verde. Chub was an avid golfer and hunter.

He leaves behind his wife of 22 years, Linda Richardson of Camp Verde; his mother, Gen Richardson of Utah; his son, Buddy Richardson (Derdre) of Idaho; his daughters, Heather Behmer (Jared) of Lake Montezuma, Amber Richardson of Dallas, Texas, and Karen Terry (Greg) of Camp Verde; three sisters, Nae Richardson of Salt Lake City, Utah, Donna Corey of Idaho and Mamp Sefcik (Doug) of Canada; and nine grandchildren.

A memorial service honoring Chub's life will be at the VFW Post 6793 in Camp Verde at 2 p.m. today, Jan. 31. Any donations can be made in Chub's name to a local charity of your choice. Bueler Funeral Home assisted the family.

Ethel I.Woodruff

Ethel I. Woodruff, 89, of Sedona, died Jan. 26, 2007. Born and raised in Chicago, she graduated with honors from Nicholas Senn High School in 1935.

She and her husband, Duane (Woody) Woodruff Jr., moved to Sedona in 1989. They were life-long partners for 59 years.

Ethel worked for an insurance company and a department store in Illinois; however, her true profession was homemaker. She was extremely proud of her Swedish heritage and enjoyed a visit to relatives in Sweden as a young girl with her parents, Oscar and Esther Peterson, who immigrated to the United States in 1909.

She was an member of the Sedona Gem and Mineral Club for more than 10 years. One of her dreams had always been to go on a rock-hounding field trip and in 2005, at the age of 87 with a cane and portable oxygen, she joined with members of several Arizona and California clubs at an outing to the Paulsell Ranch, a 60,000-acre ranch next to the Petrified Forest in Holbrook.

Ethel is survived by her brother, Raymond Peterson of Chicago; her son Philip (Sheila) Woodruff of Pennsylvania; daughter Nancy Bihler of Sedona; and two grandchildren.

Private family services will be held at a later date.

Leland R. Pearcy

Leland R. Pearcy, 63, of Cottonwood, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007. He was born to Francis Robert and Nellie Edith (Burris) Pearcy, on Dec. 18, 1943, in Clemenceau. He grew up in Cottonwood and Jerome, attending the local schools and graduating from Mingus High School in 1961.

His parents owned and operated the Richfield Station in Cottonwood for many years at the corner of Mingus and Main.

Leland worked in the finance business, managed several Circle K stores in Arizona and New Mexico, and most recently was employed at the Dead Horse State Park. Leland also became a Bible teacher, which became one of his greatest enjoyments. He was a member of the Emmanuel Fellowship Church in Cottonwood.

Leland leaves behind his brother, Larry Pearcy, of Prescott.

A funeral service will be at Westcott Funeral Home on Monday, Feb. 5, at 11 a.m. Following, Leland will be buried at the Cottonwood Cemetery.

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

Dr. Leland E. Paddock

Leland E. Paddock, 92, of Cottonwood, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007. He was born Sept. 18, 1914, in Sutherlin, Calif., to Ralph E. and Mabel C. (Duncan) Paddock.

Leland attended Walla Walla College 1934-38, receiving his BS/BA degrees, and then continued his education at the Loma Linda University, graduating in 1946 with his master's degree in medicine. Dr. Paddock then opened his own family practice.

He was married to the late Dorothy E. Walker for 62 years.

Dr. Paddock was proud to be a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served his country during World War II as a captain. Leland was a lifetime member of the Rotary Club and the NRA.

He leaves behind his new bride of three years, Rose Paddock, of Cottonwood; his son, Bruce A. Paddock of Sequim, Wash.; his daughter, Christine Mitchell (Don) of Cottonwood; his step-sons, Lloyd A. Duncan (Janet) of Portland, Ore., and Loren E. Duncan (Rosalina) of Virginia Beach, Va.; his brothers, Lenard D. Paddock of Bellingham, Wash., and Dean A. Paddock (Diane) of Orfino, Idaho; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Cottonwood, where he was a member and the Religious Liberty Secretary for many years.

Contributions are to be made to: Helping Hands-Pine Shadows, 2050 W. Hwy 89A, Cottonwood, Arizona 86326.

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


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