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Deaths
Brandon Austin Nopah, 37, passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2007 at YRMC from a long illness. He was born in Yuma on June 26, 1969. He was self-employed as a groundskeeper, Quechan Bingo and caretaker. He was member of the Quechan Tribe and Quechan Church of the Nazarene. Brandon was also a graduate of San Pasqual High School. Brandon loved his family and friends, most of all his nieces and nephews. He was always willing to help and we will truly miss his humor, smile and cooking. Heavens doors opened, you walked through, now your are home, we will dearly miss you. He is survived by his mother, Shirley Kelly, of Winterhaven; sister, Gail (Marvin) Johns, of Stotonic, Arizona; brothers, W. Buck (Karen) Brown, of Fountain Hills, Arizona and Jarrell B. (Mary Lu) Brown Sr., of Winterhaven; sisters, Armida Brown and Carmella Nopah, both of Winterhaven; nine nieces; five nephews; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Melvin A. Nopah; grandmother, Lavina Nopah; niece, Mariah Ann Marmolejo; grandfather, John Kelly Sr.; and grandmother, Theresa Kelly. A funeral service will be at Kammann Mortuary on Friday, January 26, 2007 at 3 p.m. Final resting place will be Fort Yuma Quechan Reservation Cemetery. Reverend Ray Tarlton will officiate. Pallbearers will be Sam Hill, Brian Warner, Craig Menta Jr., Edmund Thundercloud Jr., Claude Thundercloud, Freddie Taylor, Richard Illingsworth and Jamieson Emerson. Honorary pallbearers are Gilbert Kelly, Roderick Kelly, Merrill Kelly, Mark Kelly, Matthew Kelly, W. Buck Brown, Jarrell Brown Sr., J. Bean Brown Jr., Edwin Brown, Arrow Brown, Marvin Johns, Jerome Johns Sr., Jeremiah Johns, Martin Marmolejo, Dwayne Menta, Anthony Machado,Terrance Jose, and Edward Hill Sr. Baby Ocegueda Baby Ocegueda went to be with the Lord on Monday, January 22, 2007. Surviving relatives are mother and father, Marian & Julio Sr. Ocegueda; brothers, Julio Jr. and Lucion Ocegueda; sister, Anjanette Ocegueda; grandmothers, Patricia Quahlupe and Kim LaZore, all residing on the Quechan Reservation; grandmother, Maxine Limon, of South Dakota; great-grandmothers, Bernice LaZore and Priscilla Webb, of the Quechan Reservation; great-grandfather, Donald LaZore of the Quechan Reservation. Baby was preceded in death by, grandfather, Eugene Townsend; aunt, Anjanette Townsend; and great-great aunt, Ester Bender. Services will start at 4 p.m. on Monday, January 29, 2007 at the Quechan Big House. Cremation will be at 12 a.m., on, Tuesday, January 30, 2007,Quechan Cremation Grounds. Pallbearers will be father, Julio Ocegudea, Sr. Honorary pallbearers are Gillman Amador, Donald LaZore, Donald LaZore II and Conan Nierenhausen. Lew M. Wah Born in Toi Shan district of Canton, China, Lew came to the United States in 1932 with her husband, Frank Wah. They settled in Frank’s hometown of Port Townsend, Washington, where they had four children. In 1938, Lew and Frank moved their family to Yuma, then to Winterhaven, California in 1942 and then back to Yuma in 1953. Lew was an industrious woman, as well as a loving mother and homemaker. Lew and Frank were the proprietors of People’s Food Market in Winterhaven until they retired in 1972. Lew also designed and oversaw the construction of the Yuma house to which the family moved in 1953. In 1960, Lew received her U.S. citizenship, for which she had studied very hard and had always considered a great accomplishment. In 1974, Lew and Frank moved to Northridge, California. She returned to Yuma in 2003, four years after Frank’s death. Lew Wah was a dedicated wife, wonderful mother, loving grandmother and great-grandmother. Lew and Frank were married for 66 years. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Francis (Henry) Fong, of Chatsworth, California and survived by three sons, Harold (Debbie) Wah, of Yuma, Allen (Marcia) Wah, of Thousand Oak, California, and Gary (Bernice) Wah, of Northridge, California. She was an inspirational grandmother to nine grandchildren: Dennis, Denise, Derek, Jolie, Gregory, Sheri, Douglas, Leslie and Kenneth. Lew was also fortunate enough to enjoy her four great-grandchildren:Jonathan, James, Ava and Kayden. Lew lived a full and diverse life and will be dearly missed. A wake will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 26, 2007, at Johnson Mortuary Chapel at 1415 South First Ave. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at Desert Lawn Memorial Park.  |
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