March 5, 2006

Norris G. Lutes

Norris Gene Lutes passed away March 1, 2006, at his home in Camp Verde. Norris was born Aug. 24, 1934, in Brighton, Mo., to Joseph and Genevieve Lutes.

Norris loved to garden and especially enjoyed all types of colorful flowers. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed many fishing expeditions in Alaska where he lived prior to moving to Arizona. Norris also liked movies; he enjoyed all genres of cinema but could most often be entertained by a good John Wayne film.

Norris is survived by his wife Lena; four daughters, three sons, one brother, and two sisters. Private services will be held at a later date. Bueler­Hepler Funeral Home assisted the family.

Donald R. Baker

Donald Raymond Baker, 68, died peacefully at his home in Cottonwood surrounded by the family he loved so dearly on Friday, Feb. 24, 2006. Don's incredible love of life and will to survive simply could not overpower his body's need to go.

Born in Douglas, Wyo., July 14, 1937, Don moved with his family to Arizona in 1960 where he and his wife, Mary, raised their five children. Don worked for Philco Ford for several years before the family moved to Chino Valley in 1979. After moving to Chino Valley, Don built beautiful cabinetry before joining the maintenance staff at Chino Valley Public Schools, from which he retired in 2000.

After retiring, Don, Mary and Mike lived in Meadview, until 2003, when they made their home in Cottonwood. The last several years of his life Don, Mary and Mike traveled around the country in their motor home exploring the country, visiting family and having fun.

Preceded in death by his parents, George and Hazel Baker, and sister, Bonnie Baker, Don is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary, their five children, Donna Baker, Mike Baker, Doug Baker, Michelle Perry, and Pam Ramos. Don was a loving grandfather to his eight grandchildren and a great-grandson.

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

Dorothy E. Colley

Dorothy Elise Colley, 84, of Lake Montezuma, died Feb. 28, 2006, at the Loyalton Senior Care Unit in Flagstaff. She was born on Oct. 25, 1921, to Cecil Farnan and Mabel Wallace Farnan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

After graduating high school, she worked for Victory Aircraft during World War II. In 1952, she married Norman Colley, a Royal Canadian Air Force buddy of her brother, Don Farnan.

After emigrating to the United States with her husband and two young daughters, Mrs. Colley was one of the founders of the Maryvale Hospital Auxiliary and then worked many years for the Arizona Bank in Phoenix until her retirement in 1978. In 1983, she and her husband moved to Lake Montezuma for the weather, small-town atmosphere and the golf. In addition to her passion for golf, which she gave up for health reasons at the age of 80, she was an avid bridge player and loved to read and work crossword puzzles.

She is survived by her daughter Susan and son-in-law Kent Pierce of Mormon Lake; brother Don Farnan of Wiarton, Ontario, Canada; sister-in-law Mavis Sinclair of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; three grandchildren, Shilo, Heather and Joliena Pierce; four great-grandchildren; three nephews and one niece.

Her husband, Norman Colley and her daughter, Janice Colley, preceded her in death.

Private services were held at Mormon Lake on March 1. The family requests any memorial contributions be made to Northland Hospice, P.O. Box 997, Flagstaff AZ 86002.

Arrangements are under the direction of Norvel Owens Mortuary.

Betty Jo Wilcox

Betty Jo (Nash) Wilcox, 83, resident of Cornville, died Thursday, March 2, 2006.

She was born Feb. 12, 1923, in Manhattan, N.Y. She was born Elma Agusta Segaitz to Edward A. and Myrle Zug Segaitz. At the age of 2, Arizona became her life-long home.

In 1928, she became Betty Jo Nash when she was adopted by Kenneth E. Nash and Vonie Kathleen (Burke) Nash-Durant.

As a child, Betty attended eight years at Emerson Grade School in Phoenix, two years at Phoenix Union High School and her last two years of high school at Hudson High, graduating in 1941. Following High School, Betty was able to attend three semesters at the Glendale Community.

It was also in 1941, on Christmas Eve to be exact, that she married the love of her life, Donald E. Wilcox.

Professionally, Betty worked for St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix, Arizona for six years, and then she dedicated another 17 years to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, also located in Phoenix, Arizona. It was in 1982 that she took her retirement from St. Joseph's Hospital.

She was also very active in organizations such as; the Arizona Women's Golf Association, where she was the director of publicity as a board member for three years, and she was involved with the Central Arizona Golf District for a total of six years, serving two-year terms each as vice-president, president and past-president. As well, Betty was also a charter member of the Chuparosa WGA, formally known as the Rancho del Ray Women's Golf Association, located in Queen Creek. And if that wasn't enough, she was also a member of the Johnson Ranch WGA.

Betty goes to reunite with her son, Raymond R. Wilcox, who passed away at the tender age of 4 months; her life-time, loving adoptive parents, as well as her birth parents; her adopted brother, Richard Burke-Nash; and her birth sister, Phyllis Elizabeth Segaitz Runyon Klagge.

Betty leaves behind her devoted and loving husband for over 64 years, Donald E. Wilcox of Cornville; her two sons, Earl A. Wilcox with his wife, Madelon, of Mesa, Arizona and Ronald E. Wilcox with his wife, Kim, of West Jordan, Utah; her two daughters, Vonie Jo Wilcox Watson Gunnison with her husband, Bob, of New River, and Lois Kay Wilcox Clem Petersen with her husband, Gene, of Mesa. She was the adored grandmother to 10 grandchildren and great-grandmother to 33 great-grandchildren. Betty also leaves behind her brother Jules Klagge; Niece, Bethanne Klagge Counts with her husband, Larry, of Sun City; and her Nephew, Jay Klagge with his wife, Carol, of Scottsdale.

Betty will be laid to rest at the St. Frances Cemetery in Phoenix.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com


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