Boulder City deaths

News Staff

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 | 2:39 p.m.

Margaret Graham

Margaret V. Graham, 77, of Henderson died May 14 after a battle with ovarian cancer at the Odyssey Harbor House Hospice, surrounded by her loved ones.

She was born Dec. 28, 1931, in Yuma, Ariz., to Ralph Valencia and Mary Redondo Lorona. A few years later, she moved to San Diego with her mother and stepfather, Joe Lorona, where she finished her schooling and met and married William "Bill" Graham, the love of her life, June 21, 1952, in a double ceremony with her sister Irene and her husband, Joseph Turskey.

In 1960, the family moved to Henderson, where they remained. Margaret was a stay-at-home mother to their 10 children until the youngest was in school full time. In 1969, she went to work for the Henderson Home News, then owned by Morry Zenoff. She started as a part-time reporter and became office manager.

In 1974, she worked for the Office of Veterans Affairs clinic as a purchasing agent. In 1990, she was hired as a purchasing administrator in the Bureau of Reclamation in Boulder City, one of the first women to hold the position.

After her retirement in 1994, she worked for the Henderson Boys & Girls Club Worm Catcher program, then worked as a preschool teacher at Marsh Jeffries Preschool.

She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church and participated in various community projects. She enjoyed traveling, especially cruising, and being with her family.

She is survived by her children, Valerie Compton, Terry Lee and her husband, Dave, Debby Brownell and her husband, John, Carol Watson and her husband, Terrill, David, Billy and his wife, Caren, Margie, Alicia Wollburg and her husband, Joe, Chris and his wife, Amy, Vicki Archibeque and her husband, Fred; mother, Mary; sisters Irene and her husband, Joseph, and Lenore Stuart and her husband, Jerry; as well as 36 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, who died April 13, 2008, grandson Aaron Graham and great-granddaughter Audrey Clyde.

The family requests memorial gifts go to Odyssey Hospice, 4011 McLeod Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Services were held May 23 at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Henderson.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Maxine Graham

Maxine Graham died May 9 in Boulder City.

Born in Taylor County, Iowa, May 24, 1916, to Clyde and Edith Naven, she lived in Boulder City for 37 years.

She saw herself as an ambassador of Boulder City, where she worked at the drug store and the Desert Sands gift shop. She volunteered for the Boys & Girls Club and Experienced Merchandise, a thrift store on Nevada Way.

She loved to travel and always kept a positive attitude.

She is survived by her brother, Edward Naven, and his wife, Marge, and their family, as well as her friends the Fishnell family of Las Vegas. Her eldest nephew, Ron Naven, saw that she was cared for at the Homestead in Boulder City.

At her request, there were no services. The family requests that memorial gifts be made to The Homestead at Boulder City, 1401 Medical Park Drive, Boulder City, NV

She will buried next to her parents in Prairie Rose Cemetery, Adams County, Iowa.

John L. Oneida

John L. Oneida, 77, a former Boulder City resident, died in Sanger, Calif.

Born May 17, 1931, in Shoshone, Idaho, to A.F. and Violet Oneida, he earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the University of Idaho. He held professional engineer and land surveyor degrees in Idaho and Oregon. He worked in American Falls and Boise, Idaho; Baker, Prineville and Forest Grove, Oregon; Fresno, Calif.; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Boulder City, Peshawar, Pakistan; and Mataram, Indonesia. He worked for the Bureau of Reclamation and Harza Engineering of Chicago.

His engineering career consisted of constructing water projects, well fields and dams for municipal and agriculture water, rehabbing existing waterworks, dams and canals, and demolition and construction of a church.

He is survived by his wife, Marcella, sons, William and his wife, Teresa; Robert and his wife, Kelly; Jeffrey; daughter, Anne and her husband, Doug Gerdts; grandchildren, Kim Vandeweg and husband, Derek; Erin and John Gordon; brother, Frank and his wife, Mary; aunts, uncles and their families.

A memorial service will be held at the June 5 University Presbyterian Church, 1776 E. Roberts, Fresno, Calif.

Donations may be made to the donors' favorite charity.

Boice Funeral Home of Clovis, Calif., handled the arrangements.

Marion Oteri

Marion Louise Oteri, 82, a retired saleswoman, of Boulder City, passed away May 20.

She was born Feb. 23, 1927, in Boston, and was a 20-year resident of Nevada.

Marion was an active member of the St. Andrews Catholic Church Altar Society, the Community Club of Boulder City, the Senior Citizens Center of Boulder City, and the Dennis Bono Young At Heart Club.

Marion is survived by her sister, Mary Veltman of Spokane, Wash.; daughter, Donna Oteri of Henderson; son, John A. Oteri of Boulder City; granddaughter, January Falcone of Henderson; great-grandson, Giovanni Falcone of Henderson; best friend Nadine Johanson of Boulder City; several nieces and nephews, and many loving and caring friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Oteri; and sister, Helen Dodson.

A sharing vigil will be at 7 p.m. May 28 at St. Andrews Catholic Community, 1399 San Felipe Drive, Boulder City. Service will be at 10 a.m. May 29, also at St. Andrews.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to Free To Live Inc. P.O. Box 5884, Edmond, OK 73083.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.

John Paul 'JP' Scharmen

John Paul "JP" Scharmen, 43, of Boulder City, died May 24, in Boulder City.

He was born March 2, 1966 in San Jose, Calif., to Paul and Sharon Scharmen.

JP worked as a tow-truck driver for AAA. He had lived in Boulder City for five years and he had previously resided in Richmond, Calif.

JP is survived by his wife of eight years, Melody Scharmen of Boulder City; parents, Paul and Sharon Scharmen of San Jose, Calif.; brother, Chris Scharmen of San Jose; and sister, Jill Scharmen of San Francisco.

Services in California are pending. Boulder City Family Mortuary handled the arrangements.