Obituaries for April 21, 2000

Friday, April 21, 2000 | 10:47 a.m.

Norbert Bialek

Norbert Bialek, 77, of Las Vegas died March 12 in Las Vegas. A resident for many years, he was born Aug. 20, 1922.

Graveside services will be 9 a.m. Monday in Woodlawn Cemetery. Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, is handling arrangements.

George H. Colwell

George H. Colwell, 42, of Henderson died Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo. He was born Sept. 28, 1957, in Canada. A resident for many years, he was a student.

He is survived by his father, David Colwell Sr. of Henderson; and two brothers, David Colwell Jr. of Denver and Dale Colwell of Henderson.

Visitation is scheduled 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday in Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson. Graveside services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City.

Esther David

Esther David, 93, of North Las Vegas died April 7 in a local care center. She was born Oct. 13, 1906, in Decatur, Neb. A resident for 2 1/2 years, she was a retired railroad employee schedular.

She is survived by two sons, Henry P. Nelson of Redding, Calif., and Rick Nelson of Las Vegas; and two grandchildren.

Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St., is handling arrangements.

Clay V. Denson

Clay V. Denson, 65, of Henderson died Tuesday in Henderson. He was born May 21, 1934, in Little Rock, Ark. A resident for six years, he was a retired general contractor and broker.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Elizabeth; two daughters, Barbara Risenhoover of Henderson and Sandy Scheidt of North Las Vegas; one son, Charles Denson, and one sister, Nadine Stokes, all of Henderson.

Visitation is scheduled 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Graveside services will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

Janet Ellsworth

Janet Ellsworth, 69, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. She was born Jan. 13, 1931, in Washington state. A resident for many years, she worked for social services in Orange County, Calif.

She is survived by one cousin, Ronald Ramey of Mehama, Ore.

No local services are scheduled. Burial will be in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City.

Ronald Fortaleza

Ronald Fortaleza, 53, of Las Vegas died Thursday in a local hospital. He was born Sept. 21, 1946, in Los Angeles. A resident for eight years, he was a fire sprinkler fitter, founder of the Santa Fe High School sports club, a Boy Scout leader, team manager for Little League and a member for 30 years of Sprinklers Fitters Local 709 and 669.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy; one daughter, Gina Atherton of Texas; five sons, Adam Baldwin of Texas and Ronald K. Fortaleza Jr., Aaron Fortaleza, Andrew Fortaleza and Alexander Fortaleza, all of Las Vegas; his mother, Laurel Fortaleza, and one sister, Beverly Fortaleza, both of Las Vegas; and five grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 2-7 p.m. Monday in Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd. Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday in Palm Chapel, Jones.

The family suggests donations to the American Diabetes Association, 2785 E. Desert Inn Road, Suite 140, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Miuki Fujii

Miuki Fujii, 74, of Las Vegas and Chicago died Monday. He was born Dec. 22, 1925, in California. Living six months each year in Las Vegas for the past six years, he was a retired general manager for an auto parts dealer and a World War II Army veteran.

He is survived by two sisters, Terry Morikawa of Buena Park, Calif., and Masae Fujii of Chicago; and three brothers, Ben Fujii of Chicago, Tad Fujii of Anaheim, Calif., and Tosh Fujii of Las Vegas.

A memorial service will be 2 p.m. Monday in Palm Mortuary, 7400 W. Cheyenne Ave.

George Robert Harkess III

George Robert Harkess III, 59, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. He was born July 18, 1940, in West Frankfurt, Ill. A resident for 51 years, he was a retired floorman and a Navy veteran.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; one daughter, Deanna Reagan, one son, Craig Harkess, and his mother, Margaret Harkess, all of Las Vegas; one brother, Brian Harkess of Lynnwood, Wash.; and four grandchildren.

Services will be 10 a.m. Monday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Burial will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

The family suggests donations to the American Cancer Society, 1325 E. Harmon Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89119.

Donald E. Hilton

Donald E. Hilton, 69, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. He was born Dec. 1, 1930, in Oklahoma City. A resident for 61 years, he was a retired truck driver, a Korean War Navy veteran, a member of American Legion Post 8, International Order of the Foresters, Teamsters Local 631 and the National Rifle Association.

He is survived by one daughter, Lorinda; two sons, Michael Hilton and Steven Hilton, both of Las Vegas; four sisters, Ruth Christensen of Las Vegas, Dorothy Murphy of Vian, Okla., and Mattie Clegg and Betty Fleming, both of Oroville, Calif.; one brother, Albert Hilton of Pahrump; and nine grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 2-7 p.m. Friday in Palm Mortuary, 7400 W. Cheyenne Ave. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday in Palm Chapel, Cheyenne. Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Saturday in Memory Gardens. Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd., is handling arrangements.

Maxine Kruger

Maxine Kruger, 63, of Searchlight died Wednesday in Las Vegas. She was born May 11, 1936, in Massachusetts. A resident for many years, she was a dealer.

She is survived by one nephew, Steven G. Kruger of Golden, Colo.

No local services are scheduled. Burial will be private. Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, is handling arrangements.

Wanda Paul

Wanda Paul, 79, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. She was born July 2, 1920, in Weirton, W.Va. A resident for 30 years, she was a retired supervisor for the state of Nevada.

She is survived by five daughters, Debbie Paul of Carson City, Shelly Paul, Pam Houdersheldt and Danni Tullis, all of Las Vegas, and Candy Richmond of New Martinsville, W.Va.; four sons, Nick Paul II of Carson City, Glen Houdersheldt and Grant Tullis, both of Las Vegas, and Chet Richmond of New Martinsville; 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Affordable Cremation and Burial Service, 2457 N. Decatur Blvd., is handling arrangements.

Daniel J. Pikes

Daniel J. Pikes, 59, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. He was born Oct. 6, 1940, in Chicago. A resident for four years, he was a pool supply company salesman.

He is survived by his wife, Dianne M.; three daughters, Janice Pikes of Las Vegas, Kris Swanson of Minneapolis and Sandra Dinkel of Downers Grove, Ill.; one sister, Jessie Banker of Bolingbrook, Ill.; one brother, Robert Pikes of Florida; and three grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Graveside services will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

The family suggests donations to the National Kidney Foundation of Nevada, 4100 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Rose Marie Schaal

Rose Marie Schaal, 76, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. She was born Jan. 20, 1924, in Girard, Pa. A resident for 10 years, she was a retired computer tape librarian for a tax service.

She is survived by one daughter, Diane Schaal of Henderson; one son, Charles Schaal of Las Vegas; three sisters, Rebecca Dawson of Las Vegas, Ann Andrews of Girard, Pa., and Ag Stephan of Erie, Pa.; one brother, Vincent Vanicek of Girard; and two grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 2:30-7 p.m. Friday and 1:30-2 p.m. Saturday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Graveside services will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

The family suggests donations to the American Cancer Society, 1325 E. Harmon Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89119.

Jane L. Tollefson

Jane L. Tollefson, 62, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. She was born Feb. 4, 1938, in Chippewa Falls, Wis. A resident for 25 years, she was a retired hotel saleswoman.

She is survived by her husband, Robert E.; one sister, Judy Draper of LaCrosse, Wis.; and one brother, Alan Grindler of Los Angeles.

Palm Mortuary, 7400 W. Cheyenne Ave., is handling arrangements.

August C. 'Augie' Worry

August C. "Augie" Worry, 79, of Las Vegas died Friday. He was born June 30, 1920, in Scottdale, Pa. A resident for 27 years, he was retired from gaming and was a World War II Army veteran.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; one brother, James B. Worry of Orange, N.J.; and one sister, Edith Rimlinger of Port Richie, Fla.

Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., is handling arrangements.

Mardell Rita Wright

Mardell Rita Wright, 61, of Las Vegas died Monday in Las Vegas. She was born Oct. 4, 1938, in Gregory, S.D. A resident for several years, she was a housekeeper.

She is survived by her companion, James Spencer, and five sons, Roy L. Smith, Reggie Smith, Roland Brown, Ralph Brown and Daniel Eric Spencer, all of Las Vegas; two daughters, Regina Faye Smith of Long Beach, Calif., and Michelle R. Bell of Las Vegas; and her parents, Theodore and Lorede Wright of North Dakota; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Graveside services will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park. Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St., is handling arrangements.