Marie Romano Neuner
June 30, 2008
Marie Romano Neuner died peaceably in her home on Monday, June 30, 2008 in the
presence of her husband and daughter. Marie was born on October 19, 1956 in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from Gerard High School in l974. Marie attended ASU, obtaining a BSN degree in 1978. Marie then worked for several years as an RN at Good Samaritan Hospital. Always seeking new challenges, she returned to ASU where she was awarded an M.S. degree at ASU in Health Services Administration in l980. For several years she was on the staff of the Arizona Legislature and among her many accomplishments she helped craft the original AHCCCS legislation. After several years, Marie left the Legislature and became a Senior Healthcare consultant at Arthur Anderson. With consulting came out-of-state assignments, something that eventually conflicted with her need to be close to her large family, which all reside in the valley. Looking for a position near her family, in l989 Marie accepted a position at Banner Health System. Seventeen years ago Marie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. MS gradually robbed her of her physical strength and mobility, but never her emotional strength. Even during the toughest times she was an inspiration to all who knew her. While her disease allowed, Marie enjoyed many activities including scuba diving, bicycling and hiking. However, spending time with family and friends was her favorite way to enjoy her free time. Four years ago Marie was hit with another challenge when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Marie battled both of these diseases for the coming years, continuing to come to work each day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. As these diseases continued to progress she eventually became too ill to work. In 2007, she made one of the most difficult decisions in her life, to end her career. Despite almost constant pain and discomfort, Marie was always a joy to be around, even during her most difficult periods. Her constant smile is something that all of us will remember her by. Marie is survived by her husband John Neuner; their daughter Victoria “Tori”; her parents Richard and Vivian Romano; her sister and her husband Jodi and Russ Bruno; her brother and his wife Rick and Joanne Romano; her brother Mike Romano; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 P.M. on Thursday, July 3, 2008 at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home 4800 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona with a Scripture Service at 7:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Banner Health Hospice.
Doris Marie Jordan
June 9, 2008
Doris Jordan, 94, passed away on June 9, 2008, eighteen years after the death of her beloved husband of 53 years, W. Quinn Jordan. Born on May 24, 1914, in Pana, Illinois, she was the last-born and final survivor of three daughters of Gertrude Oller Peters and Lorin Peters. At age 19, Doris was crowned Miss Nacomas IL. Doris and Quinn moved to Arizona in 1943 with their then two young children, Jeffrey Quinn and Judy Ann. A third child, Joyce Marie, was later born in Arizona. Doris is survived by her three children, a son-in-law Harold J. Bliss, Jr., husband of Joyce, three grandchildren Sara, Mathew and David Bustoz and three great-grandchildren. For forty years Doris was a faithful parishioner of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Phoenix and she regularly attended the noon daily Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale. Memorial Mass will be said at 9:00 A.M. Friday, June 13th, St. Theresa Catholic Church, 5045 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ.
Estela Perez Padilla
June 8, 2008
Estela Perez Padilla ascended into Heaven on June 8, 2008. Estela was born in Sonora, Arizona in 1937. She was raised with 1 brother and 4 sisters by only her mother. When the city was closed for copper mining, she and her family moved to Phoenix and she made her life there. She worked for the Phoenix Fire Department in 1957 then went on to work for the City of Phoenix for over 30 years. After retiring from the city, she went on to work for the Cartwright School District for another 11 years. She was preceded in death by her mother Carmen S. Guerrero, sister Beatriz P. Tharp and brother Alfonso Guerrero. She is survived by her husband Hank Padilla and her sons Antonio Padilla and Marcos Padilla, and her sisters Tillie Moore, Sylvia Fierros and Queta Rich. Visitation will be held from 5pm to 8pm with Rosary at 7pm Thursday, June 12th, at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd. Funeral Mass will be said at 10:00am Friday, June 13th, at Immaculate Heart Church, 909 E. Washington St. with interment following at St. Francis Cemetery.
George L. Fleming, Sr.
June 8, 2008
George L. Fleming, Sr., loving husband, dedicated family man and proud grandfather, died peacefully Sunday, June 8, in Phoenix surrounded by his family. He was 88. Born in Ligonier, Pennsylvania in 1920 to John Makuta and Mary Maguscak, Mr. Fleming grew up in Curtisville, PA. A budding career as a semi-pro baseball pitcher was cut short when he was called to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, Mr. Fleming moved to Phoenix with his sister, Mary. Taking a job with Central Arizona Light and Power at the company’s Aguafria Steam Plant in west Phoenix, he began a 33-year career as a system load supervisor with the utility that would later become Arizona Public Service. At a ‘To-Get-Acquainted’ dance at St. Mary’s Catholic Parish in 1947 Mr. Fleming met Margaret Clare Clark of Phoenix; they were married in 1949. Mr. Fleming is survived by his wife of 58 years, Margaret, brothers William Fleming Helen of Albuquerque, NM, and Robert Fleming Carole of Tucson, as well as sons Larry Janelle, Richard and Patrick, and daughters Peggy Bob Wetzel and Elizabeth Fleming, DDS Jim Shepard. Mr. Fleming had nine grandchildren: Jamie, Colleen and Jennifer Fleming; Jesse and Christy Fleming; Julian and Cole Fleming, and Dylan and Jacque Shepard. He was preceded in death by his brothers, John, Joseph and Andrew, and sisters, Helen and Mary. The family wishes to thank Lookout Mountain Assisted Living Home for the loving and dedicated care shown Mr. Fleming during the last years of his life, particularly by caregivers Germie and Zeny for treating ‘Father George’ as their own. Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, rosary at 7 p.m. Funeral services will take place Thursday, June 12, at 10 a.m. at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, 6351 N. 27th Ave. Entombment will follow at St. Francis Cemetery, 2033 N. 48th St. Arrangements by Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home.
Eduvijes Torres
June 8, 2008
Eduvijes Torres Garcia was born on October 17, 1951 in Bachiniva, Chihuahua, Mexico and passed away on June 8, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. She is survived by her husband Jose Luis Talamantes, sisters Magdalena Torres, Amada Torres, and Maria Torres. She was preceded in death by her father and mother Rosenda Garcia and Domingo Torres, brothers Bernardo Torres and Socorro Torres. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00 P.M., with Scripture Service at 7:00 P.M., Tuesday, June 10th, at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd.
Amy Johanna Toschik
June 6, 2008
Amy Johanna Toschik, 90, went happily to be with the Lord on June 6, 2008. She was born on the Isle of St. Thomas in 1917. She came to Arizona as a child and later graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing. She served in the U.S. Army in World War II as an Army Nurse. She continued nursing at St. Joseph’s Hospital and later became an elementary school nurse and the Girl Scout leader at St. Gregory’s School. She taught religion classes at St. Thomas the Apostle School. Amy is survived by her husband Edward A. Toschik, of 53 years, 4 daughters Rita Casillas, Theresa Bovard, Dorothy McFadden, Mary Fraser and 3 sons, Edward L. Toschik, William Toschik and Damien Toschik deceased, 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She will be missed. Services will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 2312 E. Campbell Ave., on Wednesday, June 11, 2008. Visitation will start at 9:30 A.M. with Funeral Mass at 10:30A.M. Interment will follow at St. Francis Cemetery.
Virginia Lee Wise
June 5, 2008
Virginia Lee Wise, 76, of Phoenix, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2008. Virginia was born in Rumels, Wisconsin on September 9, 1931. Virginia was preceded in death by her husband Frank. She is survived by her 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Thursday, June 12th, at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd. Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 14th at 2:00 P.M. at Christ Church Lutheran, 3901 E. Indian School Rd. The family requests that donations be made in her memorial to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Steven Peter Mitrovich
June 3, 2008
Steven Peter Mitrovich passed away June 3, 2008. Steve was born in Woodside, New York on April 2, 1968. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in July, 1968. Steve grew up and was educated in Phoenix. Steve had many talents including woodwork and home building/design. He found his niche as an Independent Contractor. Steve loved working with his hands and enjoyed the creative process in contracting. He had many interests including music, photography and technology. Steve was an avid outdoorsman and was happiest when he was camping, fishing or hunting. He also loved to travel and counted Hawaii and the Marshall Islands as favorites. Steve also had a passion for BBQing and was a master of the grill. Steve had a friendly, outgoing personality and loved making people laugh. Steve is survived by his loving parents, Maria and Lou Mitrovich, his sister Lisa Franco Coluccio, his niece, Gia Coluccio, his nephews, Francesco and Angelo Coluccio; cousins, Marie McCafferty, Irene Robbins, Mike Neamt and extended family across the USA and Europe. Steve is also survived by his loving girlfriend, Suzanne Baudoin, and many loving friends. Steve loved life and lived it fully. His smile, playful sense of humor and kind heart will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 11th 5 – 8 P.M. with Scripture Service at 7:00 P.M. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd. Funeral Mass will be Thursday, June 12th at 9:30 A.M. at St. Mary’s Basilica, 400 E. Monroe, Phoenix. Burial will follow at St. Francis Cemetery 2033 N. 48th Street.
Victor T. Roren
June 3, 2008
Victor T. Roren, 81, of Phoenix, Arizona, peacefully passed away surrounded by his loving family on June 3, 2008. Victor was born on December 21, 1926 in the Smithtown Hospital on the Long Island north shore of New York, son of immigrant father, Emanuel Roren who was born in Bergen, Norway. Victor’s father joined the Norwegian Merchant Marines at age 14 and later married Laura Josephine Anderson, also from Norway. Victor met his beautiful wife, Catherine Veronica Clennen, through mutual friends in Weehawken, New Jersey. They were wed on December 7th yes, Pearl Harbor Day 1954. Catherine Veronica Roren survives Victor along with their three boys, Robert Victor Roren Bob, Raymond Joseph Roren Ray and James Francis Roren, Sr. J.R. and their grandchildren, Justin Victor Roren, James Francis Roren, Jr. and Asia Catherine Roren. Like his father, Victor served his country in the U.S. Merchant Marines and later in the US Navy during the Korean conflict for a total of 10 years. Victor later leveraged his extensive sailing experience and spent his career in the rigging business. In 1974, Victor pioneered a westward move of his wife, three boys, cats and dogs to Phoenix, Arizona. This great husband, father, man will be missed by many. Graveside Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, June 11th, at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd.
Patricia A. Shaffer
June 3, 2008
Patricia “Pat” Shaffer, born January 29, 1920 passed away June 3, 2008. A lovely Southern lady, she lived her life freely with love of family, friends, neighbors and home. Christmas was a highlight to share with friends and loved ones. Her 3 children, Diane Ramsey, Gayle, Hurt and Steve Taff will miss her greatly, as will her 5 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. No services are planned.