Shirley Gene Barto 1934-2024 Shirley Gene Barto was beautiful inside and out. She touched many lives. Every individual who encountered her was uplifted. Shirley was born in Silver City, New Mexico, on March 3, 1934. Her parents were Marion “Mimi” Haven and Herbert Lee. “Herb” had an ancestor named Sally Yellowjacket, so Shirley was part Cherokee. She was the drum major for Silver City High School’s marching band. She met and married Jay Fletcher, the football team captain. They moved to California and had two children, Jackie and Trudy. They divorced, and Shirley struggled as a single mother. Shirley’s new life began one night when she went to the Big Top, a restaurant and bar in downtown Long Beach, California. Hendrik “Hank” Barto, an immigrant from the Netherlands, was playing the piano. Another girl was sitting next to him on the piano bench, flirting. Shirley saw him from afar while he was playing “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” a song by Billy Vaughn. She went over to the piano bench and wedged between the two, knocking the girl off the bench. Shortly after, Shirley and Hank married and lived happily ever after for 65 years. Hank adopted the little girls and raised them as if they were his own. A year after the wedding, they had a baby boy, Terry, and 18 months later, Todd was born. They resided in Huntington Beach, California. Hank played at various piano bars in Orange County, including Jolly Rogers and the Disneyland Hotel. Shirley was a natural at modeling, performing in live events, and doing print work in magazines and newspapers. She was offered an opportunity in New York but declined to stay home with her family. She became passionate about sewing and made clothes for herself and the kids. Shirley began a long career at Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach. She opened the club with the first manager, Wayne Ferrell, and held various positions, mainly as membership manager. Shirley’s kind, heartfelt nature was infectious, and the members looked forward to seeing her. She dressed impeccably and never wore an outfit, jewelry, or shoes twice. The former fashion model was a shopaholic, and there wasn’t a sale she could pass up. Shirley also had diverse interests. She helped Todd with architectural and landscaping work, took Terry to the theater and concerts, cheered him on during his performances, and supported her daughters as they raised their children. Sadly, Todd died in 1989 from complications related to cancer. A life event that a mother can never get over. Shirley and Hank moved to Leisure World in 1995. Terry tried to make up for the loss of her youngest son over the years, and they shared a bond unmatched by any mother-son relationship. Mama’s boy was with her as she took her last breath at home on July 31, 2024, going from her son on earth to her other son in the spirit world. No comparison exists to that of her true love, Hank. Shirley found her soul mate. Nothing and no one could ever tear them apart. Even though she isn’t physically here, their love is so strong that it continues to live on forever. For now, goodbye, Shirley Gene Barto, you were everything good.

Gary K Hagar 1942-2024 Gary K. Hagar, 81, Seal Beach, passed away on July 1, 2024. Gary was born Nov. 4, 1942, in Janesville, Wisconsin. He graduated from San Diego State University and entered the Air Force on Sept. 30, 1966. Gary’s Air Force career began in air defense command working in radar. His assignments were to NAS Brunswick, Maine; Sparrevohn AFS, Alaska; and NAS Fallon, Nevada. In 1972, Gary was accepted into OSI and graduated from Class 72-F the Basic Investigations Course. His OSI assignments included Travis AFB, CA, (1972-1976); Fort Ord, CA, to attend the Defense Language Institute for Turkish (1976); TUSLOG Detachment 96, Karamursel AS, TU (1976-1978); The U.S. Consulate Istanbul, Turkey (1978-1979); Torrejon AB, Spain (1979-1982); District 30, Howard AFB, Panama (19821983); Quarry Heights Military Reservation, Panama (19831985); and District 18, Norton AFB, CA (1985-1988). In 1988, he retired at the rank of major. As a Turkish linguist, Gary worked directly with the Turkish military and police. He planned and executed several successful undercover operations involving drugs and theft of government property. While assigned to Panama as a Spanish linguist, Gary was directly involved in counterintelligence operations throughout Central and South America. After retirement, Gary briefly worked in real estate and was a Spanish teacher for many years at Riverside Community College in Riverside until 2012. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Connie; sons Carlos and Robert; and a granddaughter, Mackenzie.

In memoriam Hiller “Jo” Rousey It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Hiller “Jo” Rousey on Oct. 5, 2024, at the age of 93. She was the loving wife of William “Bill” Rousey, until his passing in October 1999. Jo is survived by her two children, Kerry Nichols Howell, and Gregg Nichols, along with her stepchildren, Robbin Foss, Fran Carroll and Mike Rousey, 11 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. After retiring from 31 years at Shell Chemical and before moving to Leisure World, she volunteered with the Long Beach Fire Department and the Long Beach Water Department. Jo’s last few years were spent in Leisure World, where she made new friends and became a member of Leisure World Community Church. Jo lived a long and full life and enjoyed the LW concerts, the American Legion Auxiliary and Bocce Ball. Services were held at Forest Lawn in Long Beach, on Oct. 21. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Make a Wish Foundation at Wish.org/ SanDiego, 4995 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 402, San Diego, CA 92108 in memory of Jo Rousey.

Mary Elizabeth McRaney 1940-2024 Mary Elizabeth McRaney was a devoted mother, grand mother, and greatgrandmother. She loved to go on adventures and travel. She served in the Navy and then worked as a manager for Cocos restaurant for 25 years. MaryworkedforLeisure World for about nine years as a Security Guard. Mary is survived by her three sons, Wyatt McRaney, Timothy McRaney and Thomas McRaney, 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. A celebration of life for Mary will be held at Compass Bible Church, 15272 Revival Circle, Huntington Beach, CA, 92649 on Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow; all are welcome.

Ruth E. Beaman 1921-2024 Ruth Elaine Beaman, age 103.5, passed away peacefully at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center on Aug. 13. She was a beloved resident of 1341 Danbury Lane, Mutual 6, for 41 years. Born on Feb. 6, 1921, in Kuna, Idaho, to William Troy and Alice Elvira Scrivner, Ruth was the fifth of seven children. The family later moved to Long Beach, where Ruth spent her early years and cherished memories with her siblings as faithful members of the First Christian Church of Long Beach. Ruth graduated from Cal Poly High School and married Kenneth Beaman on March 10, 1933. Together, they welcomed their children Sandra Lee and Robert C. Lee into the world. After Kenneth’s military service, they settled in Long Beach until their move to Leisure World in 1983. Ruth worked for a local insurance agent and proudly served as the president of the local chapter of Insurance Women of America and the Leisure World Gardening Club. In her later years, Ruth enjoyed spending time in front of her home, engaging with neighbors and their dogs. She will be dearly missed by her many friends and caregivers. Ruth is survived by her son Robert, his wife, Linda; grandchildren Shauna, Jessica, Wendy, Allison and Lindsey, as well as 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held at the First Christian Church in Leisure World Clubhouse on Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in her memory. Ruth will be remembered for her kind heart, passion for gardening, and dedication to her community and family. May she rest in peace. ••• The obituaries deadline is Friday at 4 p.m., prior to the desired Thursday publication date. Obituaries that are received later than Friday will go in the following week’s issue. Email obituary notices to laurieb@lwsb.com with photos attached as jpg files. The first 250 words, plus one picture, are free to publish in the newspaper; each additional word is 25 cents. For more information, call 562-430-0534, ext. 2801, or email laurieb@lwsb.com.

Joann Arlene (Deeter) Matos 1929–2024 Joann (Joanna) Arlene (Deeter) Matos, a devoted Christian, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend passed away on Friday, Sept. 13 2024, and is now with the Lord. Joanna was born in Gary, Indiana, on Dec. 1, 1929 to Warden Deeter and Helen Metz. She was the oldest of four siblings including Shirley Forney, Sally Springer and William (Hank) Deeter. She is survived by her middle sister Shirley Forney (93), her daughter Janet Carlow, and two sons Gary and Christopher Matos. Joanna was blessed with nine grandchildren; Zachary and Kelsey Carlow; Nathan, Thea and Phillip Matos; Russell and Erin Matos; Dylan Smith and Matthew Pontratig. She also celebrated her eight great- grandchildren; Benjamin and Aubrey (Carlow) Tate; Hue Carlow; Joanna, Clark and Daphne (Matos) Moshofsky and Arabella and Cullen Smith. Joanna’s husband, Walter Gilmore Matos, and daughter Joyce Smith preceded her in death in 2001. Joanna’s adventures started at an early age of 22. After visiting California with her sister and two friends in 1950, she returned to Indiana, loaded up her car and headed west. In San Diego, she was promptly hired by Conair and met her future husband, Walter Matos, at a naval dance party. The Korean War took them to Guam for two years before returning to California and settling in Orange County. Although she was always active with the local PTA, Joanna will be remembered as an outgoing Girl Scout leader who loved the outdoors and scaled many trails and Sierra Mountain peaks with her high school girls. After her four children were well on their way, Joanna re-invented herself at the age of 45 as a photojournalist. She obtained an associate’s degree at Fullerton Junior College and then worked for the La Habra Star and Santa Ana Register newspaper companies. In 1976, she joined the staff at Knott’s Berry Farm as their public relations photographer, where she worked for nearly a decade. Joanna quickly became recognized for her candid and award winning action photographs. She broke the mold becoming the first woman to photograph USC and Los Angeles Ram football along with the Anaheim Angels baseball games. In 1979, Joanna set another first after being elected president of the Press Photographers of Greater Los Angeles. In 2022, she received a lifetime achievement award from the same organization for her many landmarks and years of service. Through her humble and professional demeanor, Joanna paved the way for all future female photographers. In 1985, Joanna shifted her professional career and joined Stevenson-Asher Travel where she specialized in cruise ship excursions for 20 years. Of all the places she traveled, Joanna especially liked Poland and Russia but also had very memorable experiences in Norway, Africa, Cuba and the Arctic. Her home was a fascinating and visual museum of her travels. Many Leisure World residents participated in cruises that she organized as a contract travel agent following her retirement. Joanna moved into Leisure World, Mutual 2, in November 2000. As was typical with her embodiment, she wasted no time in becoming involved with the Traveling Tigers, Photography, Astronomy, Lapidary, Garden and Rollin Thunder Golf Cart Clubs. She served as the building captain for her Mutual for over 20 years, participated in the Emergency Buddy System and was an active member of CERT. She also wrote numerous articles for the LW Weekly, chronicling community events or her storied world travels. Outside of LW, Joanna was a member of the Southern California Prowler’s Car Club where she hosted many fund raising events for veterans of war. She had a lifelong passion for classic cars and Route 66. Most recently, she could be seen zipping around Leisure World in her Club Car, attending a concert at the Amphitheater or enjoying a simple meal on Taco Tuesday. Joanna liked wearing festive colors and clothing and was always a shining light to everyone she met. Rarely did a person pass her home without being greeted with a friendly hello or an encouraging word. There will be a Celebration of Life for Joanna at the Community Church of Leisure World on Nov. 16 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

In Memoriam Ken Notorleva The Leisure World community will honor Ken Notorleva on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Ken’s Celebration of Life from 1-3 p.m. in Clubhouse 4 with pictures and videos. All are welcome to share memories of him. Many Leisure World residents have heard the wonderful sounds of the musical group “The Greenbelt Singers” Ken created, organized, and led. Regrettably, Ken died June 1, leaving delightful memories of his visits to the different Mutuals entertaining all, especially those with mobility issues. This celebration will be an event to honor Ken’s legacy. Ken’s wife, Nadine, said that Ken made friends everywhere he went by touching hearts. Even though there is no cost for this wonderful event, RSVP to Nadine.exquisite@gmail.com no later than Oct. 2 to let her know you will be attending.

Lewis Ward 1925-2024 Lewis Ward passed away on Sept. 8. His wife, Felicia, was with him. Lewis was 99 and wanted to go to heaven to be with Jesus and his family. He is now at peace Lewis was born on June 30, 1925 in Beaumont, California. His Father owned a dairy farm and Lewis enjoyed milking cows, raising chickens to sell to there restaurants, and riding horses. He attended school in Beaumont and after graduating he went into the Army. After the Army, he went to Whittier College and then on to Chapman University, where he earned his bachelors degree. He was also a member of the Cardinal Quartet. They performed many places and Lewis loved to sing. Lewis thought about becoming a minster, as he enjoyed church work, but he also wanted to teach. He attended Long Beach Cal-State University to get his masters degree. He began teaching in the Long Beach Unifi ed School District. He taught at Burcham Elementary, Marshall Junior High, and Millikan High School, where he taught “The Bible as Literature.” He taught the Old Testament first semester and the New Testament second semester. He enjoyed his 42year career. A favorite activity was playing tennis and enjoyed the tournaments he entered. When he retired in 1990, he got involved in the weekly sing-a-long at the Long Beach Senior Center, eventually becoming the song leader. After Lewis and Felicia moved to Leisure World, they attended the Community Sing and eventually became directors. Lewis and four others were the song leaders. Singing the old songs and hymns was a favorite past time for Lewis. Lewis and Felicia also enjoyed traveling with their RV and going on cruses with V.K. and Carleen Vose, and Allen and Mary Greene. Lewis was predeceased by his brothers Howard and Edgar, and his sister, Rubye. He also had two children who predeceased him, his oldest son, Lewis Junior and his daughter Annette. Lewis is survived by his wife, Felicia, his youngest son, Allen Ward, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, as well as two nephews and one niece. Lewis loved his Church, Palo Verde Avenue Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. He was an elder and song leader. He always looked forward to Sundays. Lewis lived a full life. He had a saying: “I may have many faults, but being wrong isn’t one of them.” A memorial service will be held at his church.

Lucille Catherine (Koch) Martin 1927-2024 Lucille Catherine ( Koch) Martin, a devoted Catholic, left this world on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, to be with the Lord. Lucille was born in Los Angeles, California, on Nov. 8, 1927, to Grace Merle (Ervin) Koch and August Frederick Koch and was the oldest of four children, Richard Charles Koch (deceased), Bernard Lee Koch (deceased), and August Michael Koch (91 years young). She is survived by her youngest brother, August Koch, her six children and their spouses, Maureen Catherine Koenig, daughter, and William Koenig, son-in law; Mark Kevin Martin, son, and Laura (Newell) Martin, daughter in-law; Sharon Marie Raggio, daughter, and Timothy Landis, son-in-law; Shane Patrick Martin, son, and Miguel Chavez, son-in-law; Kathleen Patricia Franceschini, daughter, and Joseph Franceschini, son-in law; Kenneth James Martin, son, and Linda (Good) Martin, daughter–in-law; 11 grandchildren, and eight greatgrandchildren. Lucille’s husband, Robert Curtis Martin, preceded her in death in 1979. During her 21 years working at University of Southern California Norris Medical Library as an administrative assistant, she earned employee of the year twice and mastered various computer programs. She received Peace Maker Awards from both Orange County and Los Angeles County for her service and dedication to social justice as evidenced by petitioning Leisure World to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday. Also, she was instrumental for the additional STEP machines that were added to the workout room. Lucille moved into Leisure World in 2006 and was an active member of the Democratic Club and Senior Patriots for Peace. She was an advocate for environmental issues, education, and world peace. She loved to travel, dance, keep politically informed, and write Letters to the Editor. She will be missed by her family and her many friends in Leisure World and was most grateful for their support and friendship. There will be a memorial service at Holy Family Catholic Church, in Seal Beach Leisure World, on Friday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. officiated by Father Joseph Son Nguyen. Burial will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Montebello following the mass with Father Chris Ponnet presiding.