Pauline Gaulding

Pauline Gaulding of Gustine passed away Feb. 22 at 87 years of age.

Mrs. Gaulding was a native of Rochester, N.Y., and had lived in Gustine for 40 years.

She worked as a nursing aide for 35 years.

Mrs. Gaulding is survived by her sons, Dave Schouten, Lee Schouten and Paul Schouten, all of Gustine; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a son, Larry Schouten, and one grandson.

Visitation will be today (Thursday) from 5-7 p.m. at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Gustine.

A funeral service will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, March 1, at the chapel. Interment will follow in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Remembrances may be directed to: American Kidney Foundation, 6110 Executive Blvd., Ste. 1010, Rockville, MD. 20852; or: American Cancer Society, 1604 Ford Ave., Ste. 8, Modesto 95350.

Tony Cabral

Tony Cabral, 74, of Newman passed away Feb. 21.

Mr. Cabral was a native of Sao Miguel.

He lived in Newman for 58 years.

Mr. Cabral worked as a carpenter for 27 years. He belonged to the Crows Landing Pentecost Association.

He enjoyed woodworking, hunting, fishing, raising doves and watching soccer.

Mr. Cabral is survived by his wife, Helen Cabral of Newman; three daughters, Carol Castaneda of Newman, Antoinette Sousa of Modesto and Bernadette DeSalles of Turlock; a brother, Roland Cabral of Santa Clara; a sister, Isaura Souza of Stockton; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be held today (Thursday) from 5-7 p.m. at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Newman.

A funeral service will be held Friday, March 1, at 10 a.m. at the chapel, with interment to follow in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Remembrances may be directed to: American Cancer Society, 1604 Ford Ave., Ste. 8, Modesto 95350.

The Rev. Hector Villegas of Newman passed away March 1 at 48 years of age.

Rev. Hector Villegas

He was pastor at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church in Newman, where he had served since July 2007.

The Rev. Villegas was known for serving the parish with compassion and devotion, a spiritual leader whose own life was guided by his deep faith.

He was born and raised in Tijuana, where he was surrounded by many friends and enjoyed childhood adventures with his older sister Patricia.

He had a lifelong passion for exercise, and through adulthood could often be found working out at a gym.

His participation in a youth ministry camp inspired him to become a priest.

After graduating from the Tijuana Diocese Seminary with a degree in philosophy, the Rev. Villegas came to California in 1998 as a seminarian at St. Jude’s parish in Ceres. He attended St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo and St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park before being ordained June 29, 2002, by Bishop Stephen Blaire at the Cathedral of the Annunciation.

The Rev. Villegas served at St. Stanislaus in Modesto from 2002 to 2007, serving as a parochial vicar and later administrator pro tem.

He is survived by his mother, Evangelina Villegas of San Diego; and two sisters, Patricia Hernandez of Chula Vista and Adriana Quiroz Villegas of San Diego.

Visitation was Wednesday at 5 p.m. at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church, with liturgy services at 7:30.

A funeral service will be held today (Thursday) at 11 a.m. at the church.

Burial will be in Tijuana.

Jodi Lynn (Berberia) Rude

West Side native Jodi Lynn (Berberia) Rude of Montana passed away Feb. 21 at 45 years of age.

She was born in Patterson to Manuel and Claudene Berberia, and raised in the Crows Landing area.

She attended Bonita and Yolo schools before moving to Montana.

Ms. Rude worked as a water aerobics instructor at the Dillon (Mont.) YMCA.

She is survived by four daughters, Ember Graig (Brandon) of Coeur d’ Alene, Ida.; and Tara Dawn Rude, Kyla Breann Rude and Erica Lynne Rude, all of Dillon; her parents, Manuel (Levurn) Berberia of Crows Landing and Claudene Berberia of Dillon; a sister, Rachelle Morse (Troy) of Jefferson City, Mont., a granddaughter, niece, nephew, aunts uncles and numerous cousins.

A memorial service was held Feb. 25.

Remembrances may be directed to: YMCA, c/o Todd Rouse, 75 Swanson Way, Dillon, MT 59725.

Carlos Sanchez

Carlos Magana Sanchez of Gustine passed away March 4.

He was 86.

Mr. Sanchez was a native of Mexico, and had lived in Gustine for two years.

He was a parishioner at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church in Newman.

Mr. Sanchez is survived by his wife, Carmen Sanchez of Gustine; four sons, Carlos Sanchez, Socorro Sanchez, Martin Sanchez and Thomas Sanchez; nine daughters, Graciela Sanchez, Isabel Sanchez, Carmen Sanchez, Sara Sanchez, Lourdes Sanchez, Guadalupe Sanchez, Catalina Sanchez, Esmerelda Sanchez and Alma Sanchez; seven siblings, including Jose Sanchez, two brothers and four sisters in Mexico; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Monday, March 11, from 5-7 p.m. at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church, with a rosary to follow.

A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church.

Burial will be in Mexico.

Shane Thomas Moore of Gustine passed away Monday.

He was 18.

Mr. Moore was born in Turlock. He was a lifelong resident of Gustine.

Mr. Moore is survived by his mother, Kimberly Brewer of Gustine; his father, Christopher “Todd” Moore of San Francisco; two brothers, Nicholas and Chad Moore; and a sister, Breanne Moore.

Services will be held Monday, March 11, at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Gustine.

Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m., with a funeral service to follow at 10:30.

Interment will be in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Geraldine ‘Dena’ Hornbaker

Geraldine “Dena” Laverne Hornbaker, 62, of Newman, passed away Feb. 28.

Mrs. Hornbaker was a native of Riverside.

She lived in Newman for two years.

She was a homemaker who enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, and enjoyed fishing and her dogs.

Mrs. Hornbaker is survived by her husband, Donald Hornbaker Jr. of Newman; two sons, Jeffery E. Hartness of Taft and Shawn Donald Hornbaker of Newman; a daughter, Susan Ann Adelman of Nevada; a sister, Diana L. Towe of Waterford; and 11 grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her son, Robby Lee Hartness; her parents, Herman and Rena Fox; and a brother, Vernon S. Jones.

Visitation will be held Sunday, March 10, from 5-7 p.m. at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Newman.

A commital/graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, in San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella.

Gilbert Furtado George, 94, of Newman, passed away Feb. 28.

Mr. George was a long-time employee of the Maffei Seed Co., and was a well-known handyman in the Newman area for many years.

Please see notice below for complete obituary details.

Has anyone else been enjoying the beautiful landscape found on the West Side these days? What a welcome sight it is after a long, drab winter to see the colorful palette of spring begin to come into view. It is so refreshing and uplifting to the spirit.

The calendar says spring begins next week but I know Mother Nature has her own schedule. She runs the show and apparently the time for the curtain to rise has come. The blossoms of the season have begun to emerge and they are spectacular as always.

Spring is not a surprise, it happens every year, yet I am always taken aback when I catch my first glimpse of color popping through, usually on an almond tree.

A few weeks ago I noticed some of the trees along Whitworth Road were showing a few blossoms here and there, which prompted me to take an extra look to the west towards the hills every chance I got from that day forward. The days when the trees are in full bloom are few and I didn’t want to miss the show.

One of my favorite views  of spring is when the almond orchards in the west are in full bloom….it looks like a delicate pink snow has blanketed the foothills. It is a particularly gorgeous sight when the hills behind them  are still in that lush green stage and the sky is crystal clear blue. On days like that I am drawn to drive out in the country and enjoy the moment. How can I not?

What an opportunity we have here to see God’s work first hand and up close. Those days don’t happen all the time, but when they do, I am glad to be able to soak up all the wonder they offer.

One day, I was determined to catch a photo of the amazing landscape but no matter my attempts I couldn’t capture it as I experienced it. It was one of those days when the sun was shining just perfectly to cast shadows in the nooks and crannies of the hills which were still so green from winter they were very dramatic looking, offering more definition and detail than I normally see. Add to that the occasional hint of wildflowers, a sky the bluest of blues above and the fantastic blanket of almond blossoms below and it was a gorgeous sight. I kept driving towards it, trying to capture what I saw with the camera from different angles, different vantage points, but it never quite worked. I guess it was one of those moments when I was meant to simply enjoy the experience for the gift that it was and let it fill my spirit rather than my scrapbook. And that was okay.

Mother Nature has offered several spectacular days like that in the past weeks and I hope people have had the chance to enjoy them. If you missed the almond blossoms in full bloom, there are still plenty of others to enjoy.

The signs of spring are all around us now. Our downtown trees are popping with blossoms and neighborhood street trees are beginning to bloom. Different colors are showing up, the bright pinks are mixing with the white blossoms and flowers of all kinds are beginning to show up in yards and in the parks and in flower pots.

Although there is still a nip in the air, and there was that nasty morning fog on Sunday (where did that come from?) spring is definitely on its way. Enjoy!

Raymond Edward Sherman, a Newman native and former local dairyman, passed away March 9.

He was 91.

Mr. Sherman attended school in Newman, graduating from Orestimba High in 1940. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II in England, where he met and married Helga Beardsley.

He was a member of the Orestimba Presbyterian Church, and was active in the local American Legion post and Moose Lodge.

Mr. Sherman is survived by two sons, Roger Sherman of Newman and Dennis Sherman (Maris) of Vacaville; a daughter, Angelina Loyd (Ralph) of Sacramento; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He will also be dearly missed by close friend Phyllis Cook of Newman.

Mr. Sherman was preceded in death by his beloved wife Helga; a brother, Robert Sherman; and his parents, Milton and Emma (Nelson) Sherman.

Graveside services will be held Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m. in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Hillview Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be directed to: Orestimba Presbyterian Church, 1107 Kern St., Newman 95360; or: Newman Volunteer Fire Department, 1162 N St., Newman 95360.

Richard Lee Calk of Gustine passed away March 7 at 59 years of age.

Mr. Calk lived in Gustine for 12 years.

He was a native of San Jose and worked as a custodian for 30 years.

Mr. Calk loved fishing.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Calk of Gustine; a son, Jeffery Calk of San Jose; a daughter, Kimberly Brocato of Gustine; his mother, Marjorie Calk of New Mexico; a brother, Russell Calk of New Mexico; and seven grandchildren.

Services will be held at a later date.

Hillview Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Patrick Gallo

Patrick M. Gallo, 57, of Newman, passed away Monday, March 25.

Mr. Gallo was a native of Akron, Ohio, and had lived in Newman for six years.

He worked as a technician for the Diebold Company for 25 years.

Mr. Gallo was a U.S. Air Force veteran.

He loved music and playing the drums, and was a fan of the Beatles.

Mr. Gallo loved his wife Josie and playing with his son, Phillip II. He enjoyed the company of family and friends, whom he was always willing to help.

Mr. Gallo is survived by his wife, Jocelyn A. Gallo of Newman; three sons, Jonathon Gallo and Jason Gallo, both of Ohio, and Phillip Carl Gallo II of Newman; his mother, Alice May Gallo of La Jolla; two brothers, Phillip Michael Gallo of Irvine and Christopher James Gallo of Ohio; and eight sisters, Ilene Theresa Gallo of La Jolla, Kathy Joan Tedschi, Cecily Tedschi and Lauri Leanne Koroshazi, all of Ohio, Gabrielle Andrea Crisp and Julie Danielle Barbella, both of San Jose, Bernadette Ann Bohanon of Utah and Alexandra Louise Miller of Poway.

He was preceded in death by his father, Phillip Carl Gallo.

A celebration of life will be held at 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Newman.

Interment will be in San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery at a later date.

Cunegunda Fernandez Buriel

Cunegunda “Cundita” Buriel of Newman passed away March 23.

She was 97.

Mrs. Buriel was a native of Mexico, and had lived in Newman for 48 years.

She was a devoted parishioner of St. Joachim’s Catholic Church. Mrs. Buriel was an original member of both the 1969 Socided Guadalupana at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Patterson, and the Comite Mexicano de Beneficencia of Crows Landing.

She worked for Tri-Valley Growers in Modesto for more than 20 years.

Her pastimes included sewing, cooking and reading her Bible.

Mrs. Buriel is survived by three sons, Jose Salvador Buriel, Gilbert Buriel and Joe R. Buriel, all of Newman; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Toribio A. Buriel; her mother, Guadalupe Miramontes and a brother, Onesimo Fernandez.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 1, at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church, with a rosary to follow.

A second visitation will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, at the church, with a funeral mass at 10.

Interment will follow in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Hillview Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Donald Ventura

Donald Anthony Ventura passed away March 29 in Las Vegas, Nev., following a long illness.

He was 50.

Mr. Ventura was born in Gustine and was a 1980 graduate of Gustine High School.

He was a resident of Las Vegas. Mr. Ventura was a truck driver for 15 years.

Mr. Ventura is survived by two sons, Clint Ventura (Veronica) and Anthony Ventura, both of Modesto; his parents, John and Mary Ann Ventura of Gustine; three brothers David Ventura (Ann) of Hollister, Douglas Ventura of Newman and Darren Ventura (Erica) of Modesto; and a grandchild, Reanna Ventura of Modesto.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 12, at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Gustine.

Remembrances may be directed to a favorite charity or hospice organization.

Judy James

Judy James of Newman passed away March 27.

She was 72.

Mrs. James was a native of Prince George County, Md., and was a resident of Newman for eight years.

She worked as an office manager for 36 years, and loved spending time with her family.

Mrs. James enjoyed shopping, and was a fan of the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco 49ers.

She is survived by her husband, Raymond James of Newman; a son, Shawn James of Newman; two daughters, Joy Tamez of Newman and Lori Williams of Santa Nella; her mother, Naomi Anderson of Newman; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father, Theodore Anderson.

A memorial service was held.

Private interment.

Hillview Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Shirley Santos, 82, passed away April 13.

Mrs. Santos was a long-time employee of Gustine Elementary School before retiring in 1995.

She held several positions at the school, including working in special education and in the computer lab.

Please see notice at side for complete obituary details.

Adrian Abrego

Adrian Pereda Abrego of Gustine passed away April 7 with his loving wife of 30 years, Marcella Abrego, at his side.

He was 52.

Mr. Abrego was a native of Southern California and a former resident of Santa Clara.

He worked in the South Bay in the automotive industry for over 25 years.

Mr. Abrego’s first love was spending time with his family. He was deeply proud of his sons and volunteered at their music and athletic programs through their school years.

Mr. Abrego was loved by many and known for his outgoing and friendly personality.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Abrego is survived by two sons, Adrian (fiance Linda) and Nicholas (Nicole); a brother, Richard Abrego; two sisters, Elizabeth Guerrero and Eva Abrego; four grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in the Chapel of the Roses at Oak Hill Cemetery, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. Viewing begins at 1 p.m.

Atha Griffiths

Former Newman resident Atha Louise Griffiths of Napa passed away April 18.

She was 85.

Mrs. Griffiths was born in Orrestown, Pa. to Charles and Emma Zimmerman.

She was an energetic and strong-willed woman who was a talented artist, wonderful cook and had a gift for sewing. Mrs. Griffiths had a collection of wedding gowns which she had made and would loan out for charitable fashion shows.

She was a talented writer as well, and loved to author books. In the 1960s, she won a contest writing a cookbook for Kraft Foods.

Mrs. Griffiths was also an accomplished musician, primarily playing the piano.

She was involved in many organizations throughout her life, including the Orestimba Presbyterian Church, Newman Woman’s Club, historical societies, the American Cancer Society, Woman’s Auxiliary Club and a quilting club, just to name a few.

She is survived by her son, Chuck Griffiths (Evelyn) of Napa; a daughter, Laura Ann Griffiths of Healdsburg; a sister, June Weber (Calvin) of Pennsylvania; two grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Griffiths, and her parents.

Visitation was held Wednesday, April 24, from 5-7 p.m. at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Newman. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Remembrances may be directed to: American Cancer Society, 1710 Webster St., Oakland 94612-3448.

Mary Gomes

Mary Elizabeth Gomes of Gustine passed away April 20 at 95 years of age.

Mrs. Gomes was born in Stevinson, and was a resident of Gustine for 90 years.

She was a homemaker, and also worked at the Tillie Lewis Cannery and on the family dairy for many years.

Mrs. Gomes was a 60-year member of the Catholic Daughters, and also belonged to YLI, Newman Historical Society, PFSA, the Altar Society and retired Teamsters.

She is survived by a son, Leonard Gomes (Gloria) of Newman; a daughter, Elaine Souza of Newman; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Antone L. Gomes; a son, Anthony Gomes; three brothers, Arthur Souza, Manuel Souza, and Joe Souza; two sisers, Emma Camera and Dorothy Dias.

Visitation will be held today (Thursday) from 6-7 p.m. at Hillview Funeral Chapel, Newman, with a rosary to follow.

A second visitation will be held Friday from 8:30-9:45 a.m. at the chapel, followed by a funeral mass at 10 at St. Joachim’s Catholic Church.

Interment will follow in Hills Ferry Cemetery.

Remembrances may be directed to: St. Joachim’s Catholic Church, 1121 Main St., Newman 95360; or: American Cancer Society, 1710 Webster St., Oakland 94612-3448; or a favorite charity.

Florence “Toots” Woods passed away April 23 at 95 years of age.

Mrs. Woods had many interests in life, including a love of dancing and the parties for which she was renowned.

She was also very creative, and was an accomplished seamstress, artist, cook and baker.

Please see notice at right for complete obituary details.

Joe Vierra

Joseph Lloyd Vierra of Gustine passed away April 28 at 85 years of age.

Mr. Vierra the third of five children of Joe and Rose Vierra, was born at the family ranch on Fahey Road near Santa Nella.

He was a 1945 graduate of Gustine High School.

Mr. Vierra was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Korean War. He was wounded in combat, and was awarded the Purple Heart. He belonged to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts.

He worked as a groundskeeper for the Gustine Unified School District for many years.

Mr. Vierra loved baseball and was an umpire for more than 30 years. In recognition of his long-term service, the city named one of the Schmidt Park diamonds Joe Vierra Field.

Mr. Vierra was a parishioner at the Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles, and belonged to the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by four children, Joe Vierra Jr. of Salinas, Michael Vierra of Goleta, Bernadette Vierra of Modesto and Roseanne Vierra of Delhi; two sisters, Inez Martin and Cecelia Sproviero, both of Gustine; two brothers, Eugene Vierra of Los Banos and Lloyd Vierra of Gustine; a granddaughter, Maggie; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Olivia in 2004.

Interment will be in San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella. Services are pending.

Remembrances in Mr. Vierra’s name may be directed to the city of Gustine for use in support of baseball activities.