Obituaries for May 5, 1998

George Valentino Franco, 68, of Las Vegas died Friday in a local hospital. He was born Feb. 14, 1930, in California. A resident for three years, he was a truck driver.

He is survived by his wife, Dora; two sons, Dennis and Mark; three daughters, Carol Franco, Nancy DeLeon and Donna Funaro; six sisters, Ruth Smith, Dora Higuera, Condi, Delia Loera, Mary Lou and Linda; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

GLADYS HIVNER

Gladys Hivner, 68, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Las Vegas. She was born Sept. 30, 1929, in Pennsylvania. A resident for many years, she was a homemaker.

She is survived by one son, Robert Hivner of Las Vegas; and one daughter, Thelma Reed of Pennsylvania.

Burial will be in Pennsylvania. Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, is handling arrangements.

WILLIAM K. LAUB

William K. Laub, 60, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local convalescent center. He was born July 23, 1937, in Las Vegas. A resident for 50 years, he was an operating engineer, a Navy veteran and a member of Operating Engineers Union Local 12.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; four daughters, Annette Wharton, Tina Hall and Sandra Vosberg, all of Las Vegas, and Debbie Hemstreet of Henderson; one son, Casey Laub of Las Vegas; seven sisters, LaVerna Bringhurst-Johnson of St. George, Utah, Cleo Jackson of Needles, Calif., Kathryn Reilly of Kansas, Deanna Crowthers of Las Vegas, Emma Dorris of California, Rosemarie Ferge of Hawaii and Tammy Dawson of Tennessee; four sons, Elvin Laub of Pahrump, Jeff Laub and Kenneth Laub, both of Las Vegas, and Eric Laub of Bunkerville; and six grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 5-9 p.m. today in Bunkers Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Additional visitation is scheduled one half hour prior to 10 a.m. services Wednesday in the Hollywood and Kell LDS Chapel. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens.

GEORGE R. LENTZ JR.

George R. Lentz Jr., 76, of Henderson died Friday in Henderson. He was born May 8, 1921, in Concord, N.C. A resident for nine years, he was a retired seafood salesman for 16 years and a World War II Coast Guard veteran.

He is survived by his wife, Allie R.; and one daughter, Constance Thomas of Las Vegas.

A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Friday in St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 43 W. Pacific Ave., Henderson. Graveside services will be 2:15 p.m. Friday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Nevada Funeral Service-Nevada Cremation or Burial Society, 2121 Western Ave., Suite A-3, is handling arrangements.

The family suggests donations to St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 90361, Henderson, NV 89009.

MICHAEL SCOTT MELKO

Michael Scott Melko, 38, of Las Vegas died April 28 in a local hospital. He was born Aug. 2, 1959, in Florida. A resident for seven years, he was a carpenter, a Navy veteran and a member of the Carpenters Union.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; two sons, Michael Scott Melko Jr. and Jason Nee; one daughter, Dana Nee; his parents, Donald and Martha; and four sisters, Michelle Purdue, Jonnae Bailint, Elaina and Jan.

Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, handled arrangements.

FRED PATTERSON

Fred Patterson, 87, of Boulder City died Friday in Henderson. He was born Feb. 12, 1911, in Howell, Mich. A resident for 10 years, he was a retired retail liquor store owner-operator.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons, Fred Patterson Jr. and Jon Patterson, both of Tennessee; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Palm Mortuary, 800 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, is handling private arrangements.

ROSE RAY

Rose Ray, 95, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. She was born Aug. 1, 1902, in Russia. A resident for many years, she was a homemaker.

She is survived by one niece, Paula Newman of Las Vegas.

Services will be in California. Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, is handling arrangements.

ROSEMARY RENO

Rosemary Reno, 51, of Las Vegas died Thursday in a local hospital. She was born Dec. 26, 1946, in Indiana. A resident for seven years, she was a pharmacy packer.

She is survived by her husband, Charles; two daughters, Rebecca Reno and Penelope "Penny" Reno; her mother, Virginia Evers; one brother, Frank Evers; and one sister, Doris Fritz.

A memorial service will be 5:30 p.m. today in Oasis Baptist Church. Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

MARION I. SAWYER

Marion I. Sawyer, 88, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local care center. She was born Nov. 26, 1909, in Boone, Iowa. A resident for 27 years, she was a homemaker.

She is survived by one son, Richard Sawyer; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Nevada Funeral Service-Nevada Cremation or Burial Society, 2121 Western Ave., Suite A-3, is handling arrangements.

ZOLAN E. TANNER

Zolan E. Tanner, 72, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. He was born March 16, 1926, in St. George, Utah. A lifelong resident, he was a fishing guide, a retired Navy veteran of 20 years, a member of the Trappers Association, Striper Club and PB4Y-2 Privateer Club (Navy).

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; five daughters, Paula Goucher of Amargosa Valley, Michelle Sieglaff of Milwaukee, Alisa Shea of Butte, Mont., and Kathie Hilliard and Sheri Howard, both of Las Vegas; two sons, Bart Tanner of Hiko and Brett Tanner of Batesville, Ark.; one brother, Bill Barnum of Las Vegas; one sister, Aldine Moser of Grants Pass, Ore.; 20 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 4-8 p.m. Wednesday in Bunkers Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday in Bunkers Chapel. Burial will follow in Mesquite Cemetery.

ANNE TOTH

Anne Toth, 80, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Las Vegas. She was born July 19, 1917, in New Jersey. A resident for six months, she was a homemaker.

She is survived by one son, William Toth of Henderson; and one daughter, Candace Toth of New Jersey.

Hites Funeral Services, 438 W. Sunset Road, Henderson, is handling private arrangements.

ANNETTE VENERUSO

Annette Veneruso, 72, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local hospital. She was born Jan. 29, 1926, in New York City. A resident for nine years, she was a homemaker.

She is survived by her husband, Rudolph; two sons, Frank Veneruso and Robert Veneruso, both of Las Vegas; one sister, Rose Scavo of Staten Island, N.Y.; one brother, Vito Castiglione of Brooklyn, N.Y.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will continue until 7 p.m. today and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd. Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Friday in St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Catholic Church. Graveside services will be 11:30 a.m. Friday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City.

GERALD R. WEILAND

Gerald R. Weiland, 65, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a medical center. He was born June 25, 1932, in Saginaw, Mich. A resident for 30 years, he was a retired video store owner-operator, a Korean War and Vietnam War Air Force veteran, a member of the F86 Sabre Pilot's Association, Classic Thunderbird Club of Las Vegas and the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association.

He is survived by his wife, Diane; two sons, Mark Weiland of Flagstaff, Ariz., and Scott Weiland of Las Vegas; three sisters, Carol Meier and Connie Flynn, both of Saginaw, Mich., and Cathy Loiacano of Holiday, Fla.; and two grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. services today in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Additional services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday in Nellis Air Force Base Chapel. Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Thursday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City.

The family suggests donations to the American Lung Association, 3375 Glen Ave., No. 7, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

ALLEN E. WILKINS

Allen E. Wilkins, 68, of Grants Pass, Ore., died Saturday in Grants Pass. He was born Jan. 31, 1930, in Sedgwick, Colo. A former Las Vegas resident for 28 years until 1983, he was a design engineer for the Fremont, Hilton and Four Queens hotel-casinos, a Korean War Navy veteran, a member of the Las Vegas Sheriff's Jeep Posse, a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, enjoyed big game hunting in the United States and Africa, was an avid fisherman and loved to ride the dunes at Coos Bay, Ore.

He is survived by one daughter, Sharon J. Wilkins of Las Vegas; one brother, Jim B. Wilkins of Downey, Calif.; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Southern Oregon Cremation Society is handling arrangements.

The family suggests donations to the National Rifle Association, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030.

archive