By The Home News (contact)

Thu, Jan 8, 2009 (midnight)

Denise Balk

Longtime Henderson resident Denise May Balk, 85, passed away on Dec. 10 while visiting her daughter in Yuma, Ariz.

She was born on June 23, 1923, to Percy and Martha (Murman) DeMars in Eau Claire, Wis.

She worked with her sister Lil Slocum for the Henderson Home News selling advertising and then returning to the office to paste up the ads. Later she also worked for the Review-Journal in the advertising department.

She loved traveling, camping and spending time with her family. After moving to Henderson in 1951, many summer vacations were spent on a trip back to Wisconsin to stay in touch with family there.

For many years, she and her sister hit most of the bingo games in town and in Las Vegas. They always knew which casino paid the best and where the blackout pot was the biggest. They gave up bingo, they said, when too many people were playing and their odds went down.

Later Denise joined the Henderson senior exercise program called The Spring Chickens, where she enjoyed the company of many of the members.

Denise is survived by her son Jim Balk and his wife, Mary Anne, of Henderson; daughter Patty Greene and her husband, Jerry, of Yuma; brother David Smith and his wife, Sallie, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.; four grandchildren, five great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ervin, brother Joe DeMars, sisters Lillian Slocum and Germaine Puent and cousin Betty McLeod.

Cremation has taken place.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Denise Balk Memorial, YRMC Foundation, Yuma Regional Medical Center, 2400 S. Avenue A, Yuma, AZ 85364.

A memorial celebrating her life will be held 3 p.m. Jan. 10 at the residence of Jim Balk, 341 E. Rancho Drive, Henderson.

Christina Daneault

Christina Daneault, 27, of Henderson, passed away Jan. 1 in Boulder City.

She was born on June 20, 1981, in Las Vegas to Philip and Angela Zamora.

Christina was a housewife. She had lived in Henderson for three months and had previously resided in Boulder City for one year. She attended the Assembly of God Church in Boulder City.

Christina is survived by her husband of three years, Michael J. Daneault of Henderson; children Dominick, Jason and Destiny, all of Henderson; mother, Angela Cuellar of Boulder City; grandmother, Virginia Brooks of Boulder City; brothers, David Bodon of Henderson, and Eric Meadows and Cameron Cuellar, both of Boulder City.

Funeral services were held Jan. 6 at the Boulder City Assembly of God Church, with interment Jan. 7 at the Boulder City Cemetery.

Boulder City Family Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Donald Doremus

Donald Gene Doremus, 53, died Jan. 3 in Henderson.

The lifelong Henderson resident was born Feb. 5, 1955. He was a city maintenance coordinator.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, of Henderson; daughters Adina, Alicia and April Doremus, all of Henderson; mother Doris Thomas of Boulder City; sisters Donna Doremus of Henderson and Diane Jeffalone of Homer, N.Y.

A memorial service will be held 3:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at Palm Mortuary-Henderson, 800 S. Boulder Highway.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Del Doty

Del Mario Doty, 56, died Dec. 27 at a local hospital.

The Henderson resident was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at which he taught the gospel and sang tenor.

He is survived by his wife, Bobbie of Henderson; daughters Jennifer Moody and Carly Doty of Henderson; sons Christopher Gatewood, Brandon Gatewood and Del Rico Doty of Henderson; grandchildren Jacob, Briggham, Emily and Layla Moody and Chloe, Riley and Bindy Gatewood, all of Henderson; and sisters Mary Dittman of Washington and Regina Dittman of Henderson.

Services were held Jan. 3.

La Paloma Funeral Services handled the arrangements.

Audrey Letro

Audrey Jean Letro, 78, of Boulder City died Dec. 31.

Born in Elred, Pa., she was active with her family. She attended Calvary Chapel in Boulder City.

She is survived by her daughter Carol Hanson and husband, Rick, of Boulder City, sons David Letro and his wife, Vicki of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, Ed Letro and his wife, Irene, of Davis, Calif., Fred Letro of Hawaii and Greg Letro and his wife, Donna, of Roseville, Calif.

She is also survived by her grandchildren Ben Hanson and his wife, Laura, and Jacob Hanson of Boulder City; Daniel Hanson and his wife, Jessica, Rachel Grothman and her husband, Daniel, and Ava Grothman of Henderson; Tim Hanson and his wife, Lindsey, of Tacoma, Wash.; Justin Letro and his wife, Trina, David Letro, Mary Letro and Tom Letro of Jacksonville, Fla.; Jamie Alexander of Frenchlick, Idaho; Rebekah Letro of Coeur D'Alene; Joel Letro, Adele Letro, Jesse Letro, Christina Letro and Danielle Letro of Davis; Nathan Letro and his wife, Stephanie, Lilly Letro and Isiah Letro of Hawaii; Emily Letro of Mobile, Ala.; Aleisha Letro of Roseville, Calif.; and Simon Letro and Andrew Letro of Australia; great-grandchildren Samantha, Hannah, Payton and Taylor Hanson of Boulder City; Noah, Hayden and Mason Hanson of Henderson; Brielle Alexander of Frenchlick; Keenan, Daylon and Rylin Flick of Indiana; and Taylor Letro of Couer D'Alene.

A memorial service was held Jan. 7 at the Boulder City Cemetery.

Boulder City Family Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Carlos Morgan Sr.

Carlos Eugene Morgan Sr., 79, died Dec. 26 at a local health care facility.

A Henderson resident of five years, he was born Aug. 3, 1929, in Pittsburgh. He was a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, serving during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

He is survived by his wife, Mieko, of Henderson; daughters Denise Morgan of Cupertino, Calif., and Lorraine Morgan of Osaka, Japan; son Carlos Eugene Morgan Jr. of Las Vegas; and one grandchild.

No services were held. Palm Mortuary-Henderson handled the arrangements.

Wendell Muckenfuss

Wendell I. Muckenfuss, 64, died Jan. 1 in his home.

The longtime Henderson resident was born May 23, 1944, in Charleston, S.C. He was a retired general contractor.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Thomas D. Muckenfuss Jr. of Charleston, S.C.; and brothers Thomas David Muckenfuss III of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Paul Michael Muckenfuss of August, Ga.

No services were held.

Palm Mortuary-Henderson handled the arrangements.

Lydia Parcel

Lydia Jayne Brill Parcel, 86, of Henderson died Dec. 18 at her home following a struggle with Parkinson's disease.

She was born May 25, 1922, in Menominee, Mich., to Steven Henry Brill and Clara Jane Treadwell Brill. She married Ralph Clarke Parcel on Dec. 26, 1941. They had six children.

After her husband served during World War II, the couple moved to Green Bay, Wis., where they were active in the Presbyterian Church and scouting programs. They moved to DePere, Wis., where they ran the Chatterbox supper club, then to Racine, Wis.

After her husband died in 1966, Jayne moved to Henderson, where she worked in food preparation at the local hospital and in real estate sales. After her retirement, she helped her daughter Bonnie in a floral shop and could often be found helping out during busy periods.

Jayne was a member of the Henderson Presbyterian Church, where she served as a deacon and church elder. She was a Sunday school teacher and active in Day-timers.

She is survived by her children Guy Parcel and his wife, Sharon, Jeff Parcel and his wife, Michelle, Susan Lowry, Scott Parcel, Nita Hodgson and her husband, Jon, Bonnie Roberts and her husband, Michael; grandchildren Guy Parcel, Jennifer Parcel, William Parcel, Cynthia Parcel, Alyssa Lowry, Michael Lowry, Carlos Parcel, Mackenzie Hodgson, Jason Williams, and Jessica Williams; and her great-grandchildren Hannah Parcel, Kate Parcel, Jayden Parcel and Justice Parcel.

Additionally, she is survived by her brothers and sisters George Brill, Henry Brill, Merye Brill Dinse, Florence Brill Pawlowicz and Clarice Brill Pawlowicz; and Ralph's sisters Ila Parcels Lemery and Lila Parcels Bersch.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Clarke Parcel; brothers Alvy Brill and Steven Brill; and her grandson Jeffery Jay Parcel.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Henderson Presbyterian Church, 601 N. Major Ave., with a reception following.

Palm Mortuary-Henderson handled the arrangements.

Ann Sims

Ann Louise Sims, 51, passed away in her Henderson home on Dec. 23.

She was born on March 2, 1957, in Chicago and graduated in 1975 from Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, Ill. She attended Mundelein College in Chicago before deciding to pursue a career in dental hygiene.

She received an associate degree in dental hygiene in 1979 from Southern Illinois University's School of Technical Careers. On June 4, 1983, she married dentist Dr. Daniel W. Sims of Park Ridge, Ill. The couple moved to Shawneetown, Ill., where they practiced together for five years. In 1988 they moved to Harrisburg, Ill., where they expanded their practice.

In 1991, the couple moved to Flint, Mich., while Daniel completed post-graduate training in pediatric dentistry at the Loyola University/Mott-Hurley Medical Center program. During this period, Ann gave birth to twins William and Walter.

In 1996 they moved briefly to Reno and then relocated to Henderson in 1997. Their third son, Grant, was born that year, and Ann devoted her time to her family as a homemaker.

Ann had keen interests in nutrition, medicine and fitness. She was an avid reader. She adored all animals and had a great fondness for cats. Ann enjoyed boating and joined her husband in many of his outdoor enthusiasms — snorkeling, canoeing, skiing and deep sea fishing.

She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Daniel, and her sons William, Walter and Grant, all of Henderson; and her father John F. Glynn of Chicago, as well as many in-laws and friends.

Ann was cremated in a private service at Palm Mortuary on Dec. 30.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.