Elizabeth Opal Litster Anderson
CLEVELAND – Our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, and friend, Elizabeth Opal Litster Anderson, age 90, passed away from cancer on May 25, 2002. Her great faith and her positive outlook helped her make so many wonderful friends wherever she lived.
Opal was born in Cleveland, the first daughter of William T. and Ida Litster, graduated from high school in Huntington. She served a mission from 1931-1933 for the LDS Church in the Northern States Mission.
She married Norman Andersen in the Salt Lake Temple on June 8, 1934. They raised their family of four daughters and two sons in Huntington. She enjoyed sewing, visiting with her many friends and attending social events. She and Norman were active in the community and in the church. Opal was the ward Young Women’s President, Ward and Stake Relief Society president as well as many other assignments. Norman and Opal in later years served a mission together in the Arizona, Holbrook mission, and had a two year assignment at the Manti Temple. After Norman’s passing, Opal served a mission in the Family History Center in Salt Lake City from 1991-1996. She continued to live in Salt Lake City until the summer of 2000 when she moved to live with her daughter and son-in-law.
She is survived by her six children: Merna (Bob) Conover, Tujunga, Calif.; Avalon Waterfield, Woods Cross; Nevin (Sharon) Andersen, Walnut Creek, Calif.; Ronalene (Ferris) Oman, Washington; Kathy (Don) Overton, Lancaster, Calif: Kelly (Jamie) Andersen, Medford, Ore.; and three foster children: Alden (Bernie) Keyope, Evelyn King, and Juanita (Larry) Rodgers: and six sisters and two brothers: Viola Hardy, Elk Grove, Calif.; Arnell (Harold) Clark, Carson City, Nev.; Gloria McPhie, Boise, Idaho; Uneva (Dilts) Workman, Mesa Ariz..; Geraldine (Ralph) Walters, Provo: Yvonne (Lloyd) Jones, Tooele; Robert DeRell (Birdell) Litster, Boise, Idaho; LuDean (Florence) Listster, Springville; and her sister-in-law, Lyle Litster, Provo. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Norman, her son-in-law, Sam Waterfield, her brother, Errol, and her sisters, Christal (Clair) Mathis; and Geneal (Vaughn) Jensen, brother-in-law, Joe Hardy, and grandson Darren Andersen.
She has 30 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 12 noon. on June 1 at the Huntington 4th Ward Chapel.. There was a viewing and visitation with the family at 11 a.m. the day of the funeral. Burial will be in the Huntington City cemetery, under the direction of Fausett Mortuary.
Linda Durfee
PRICE-Our loving wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, sister and compassionate care-giver, Linda Rose Sacco Hayes Durfee, age 48, passed away May 27, 2002 in Price.
She was born Feb. 23, 1954 in Price to Rudolph “Rudy” Sacco Sr. and Bessie Mathena. Married Shelby Durfee Oct. 31, 1988 in Spring Glen.
Lifelong resident of Carbon County. Linda graduated from Carbon High School and Weber State with her bachelor’s degree in nursing.
She was a wonderful mother, devoted grandmother, good listener, and she was very outgoing and friendly. She was an avid antique collector and will be dearly missed by all.
Survived by her husband, Shelby “Durf” Durfee, Price; daughter, Laska (Fred) Newman, Carbonville; Levi Hayes and Lynnsi Swasey, Spring Glen; mother, Bessie Sacco, Spring Glen; daughter, Laurie (Bryan) Burrows, Richfield; daughter, ShaLee Smith, Monroe; son, Shelby L. (Lea) Durfee, Nampa, Idaho; mother-in-law, Lyla Barney, Aurora; six brothers and two sisters, Rex (Debbie) Sacco, Carbonville; Vic (Frankie) Sacco, Price; Rudy (Gina) Sacco, Spring Glen; Joe (Billie) Sacco, Spring Glen; Janet Sacco and Jeff Stoddard, Elmo; Ross (Jayme) Sacco, Price; Jeana (Cal) Jensen, Cleveland; Albert Sacco, Spring Glen; 11 loving grandchildren. Preceded in death by father, Rudy Sacco
Funeral service, Fri., May 31, Mitchell Funeral Home. Interment, Mountain View Cemetery, Helper.
Steve Zaccaria
HELPER – Steve Anthony Zaccaria, age 88, passed away May 30, 2002 at Castleview Hospital in Price.
He was born March 28, 1914 in Sunnyside to Frank and Antonia Pucci Zaccaria. Married Katherine Tallerico Nov. 11, 1941 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Helper.
Member of the Catholic Church. Honorary life member of Price Elks Lodge 1550. Retired member of UMWA Castle Gate Local 1681, where he also served as recording secretary for 35 years. Worked as a black lung outreach worker for the Southeastern Utah Health District and served as vice president for the Concerned Retired Miners Group for many years. Served as a Democratic chairman and delegate for many years in Carbon County.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing and dancing. He dearly loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his family was his greatest joy in life.
Survived by his loving and caring wife of 60 years, Katherine Zaccaria, Helper; daughter, Carole (Karl) Street, Midvale; son, Gary Steve Zaccaria, Salt Lake City; grandchildren, Bret, Brad, Bart, Alisha, Eric; great-grandchildren, Nichole, Courtney, Skyler, Steve; brothers, Frank (Mary) Zaccaria, Copperton; Rudy (Loa Mae) Zaccaria, Helper. Preceded in death by parents; sister, Margaret Felice; brothers, Rudolph and Johnny.
Funeral Mass Tuesday, June 4, 10 a.m., at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Vigil service Monday evening at the church in Helper. Family will be at St. Anthony’s Tuesday one hour prior to services. Committal service, Mountain View Cemetery, Helper, under the direction of Mitchell Funeral Home.
Eugene ‘Gene’ Martinez
SUNNYSIDE – Eugene G. Martinez, age 67, passed away May 30, 2002 in Price.
He was born Jan. 27, 1935 in Trinidad, Colo., to Bernabe and Antonia Lujan Martinez. Married Cecelia L. Martinez Aug. 6, 1955 at Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church in Price.
Member of the Catholic Church and a 3rd degree Knight of Columbus. “Gene” served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict. He was a longtime resident of Carbon County, where he was a supervisor and later retired as shop foreman from Kaiser Steel with many years of dedicated service.
Gene enjoyed hunting, camping, working in his yard and golfing with his buddies.
Survived by wife, Cecelia Martinez, Sunnyside; children, Larry and Leighann Martinez, Sunnyside; Veronica and David Meyer, Midvale; Ralph Martinez and Brent Pace, Salt Lake City; Patty and Scott Aldridge, Rock Springs, Wyo.; eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Nick and Mary Martinez, East Carbon; Joseph and Juanita Martinez, Boulder City, Nev. Preceded in death by parents; brother, Robert Martinez; sister, Betty Medina.
Funeral Mass was Monday, June 3, Good Shepherd Catholic Church in East Carbon. Committal service, Cliffview Cemetery.
Mike Trujillo
PRICE -Mike Ramos Trujillo, age 89, passed away June 1, 2002 at his daughter’s home in Clearfield.
He was born Oct. 24, 1912 in Los Martinez, N.M., to Jose Maria Trujillo and Rafelita Pacheco. Married Aurora “Dora” Archunde July 23, 1935 in Blanco, N.M. She died May 13, 1989. Married Gertrude “Trudy” Aspiasu Jan. 31, 2000 in Farmington.
Mike was a longtime member of Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church. In 1945, he moved to Dragerton and began working at Columbia Coal Local 8622, where he retired after 35 years of dedicated service.
Mike loved meeting people, telling stories and he especially enjoyed his many wonderful friends and the activities at the senior citizen center. He enjoyed dancing and being with his family. Mike will always be remembered by everyone for his unique way of driving his brown Cadillac with the longhorns on the front.
Survived by wife, Gertrude Trujillo, Helper; six daughters, one son, Priscilla (Louis) Sales, Provo; Glory (Bill) Ames, Riverton; Leonard (Rose) Trujillo, Blanco, N. Mex.; Shirley (Ron) Fausett, American Fork; Leova Barnett, Clearfield; Irene Kokal, Price; Linda (Abe) Aragon, Price; son-in-law, Clarence Christensen, Price; three sisters, Bessie (Archie) Herrera, Atlanta, Ga.; Rebecca Valdez, San Leandro, Calif.; Nancy Sandoval, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.; three stepdaughters, two stepsons; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, whom he loved dearly. Preceded in death by parents; daughter, Jane Christensen; brothers, Sam and Cleto Trujillo; and sister, Margaret Gomez.
Funeral Mass Thursday, June 6, 10 a.m., Mitchell Funeral Home. Vigil service Wednesday evening, 7 p.m. Mitchell Funeral Home. Family will be at Mitchell’s Wednesday and Thursday one hour prior to service. Friends are welcome daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Committal service, Price City Cemetery.
Friends wishing to join the family are welcome at Abe and Linda Aragon’s home, 825 N. Pinewood Circle, Price. Phone, 637-0527.
George Martell
HELPER – Lifelong Helper resident, George Arthur Martell, age 75, passed away Saturday, June 1, 2002, in Price.
Born Sept. 29, 1926 to John and Phyllis Christison Martell in Helper. He was the youngest of three boys. George married Maurine Greener in Helper May 31, 1953. They had one daughter, SueAnn. Maurine passed away April 29, 1986.
George was an active member of the St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, volunteering for numerous positions. George worked as a carman on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad for 47 years. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen. George was also a member of the Helper Volunteer Fire Department from 1955 to 1986, where he served as assistant chief. After he retired, George spent his time volunteering at the Western Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper. He loved giving tours, talking to visitors and repairing the model train.
George enjoyed model railroading, baseball games especially the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees and watching old westerns. He also loved his cats and the neighbor’s dogs.
George is survived by daughter, SueAnn Martell and Darrin Teply of Helper; brothers, William P. (Jessie) Martell, Orem; Robert (Julia) Martell, Tooele; brothers-in-law, James A. (Zell) Greener Jr., Salt Lake City; Darrell E. (Wilma) Greener, Salt Lake City; and sisters-in-law, Virginia Cochrane, Price; and Verlie Greener, Aurora, Colo. Preceded in death by parents and wife.
Interment will be at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Mark in Salt Lake City under the direction of Mitchell Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Western Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper or the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colo.
Sherald Blackburn
ORANGEVILLE – Sherald Dee Blackburn, age 63, passed away at his home June 1, 2002.
He was born May 22, 1939 in Clawson to Rulon and Ila Cox Blackburn. He married Adela Jean Benjamin March 31, 1979 in Price.
He worked as an equipment operator in construction and had many hobbies, including fishing, hunting, animals of all kinds, the outdoors, one on one visits with friends and his dogs.
He is survived by wife; and children, Sheryl “Sherry” (Ryke) Olsen and Ricky (Stacy) Blackburn, both of Santa Clara; Doug (Patty) Blackburn, Castle Dale; Kevin (Laura) Blackburn, Spring Glen. Also survived by 11 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; sister, Louise (Darrel) Price, Clawson; brother, Mike (Doris) Jensen, Clawson; and sister, Debbie (Frank) Schmidt, California.; stepfather, Frank Jensen, Clawson. Preceded in death by parents; and sister, Donna Jean Smith.
A celebration of his life will be Friday, June 7, at 11 a.m. at the Clawson park. At his request, burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name at Wells Fargo Bank in Castle Dale.
Ruth Blanc
PRICE – Ruth Marchello Blanc, age 71, passed away May 30, 2002 in Provo.
She was born Dec. 24, 1930 in Martin to Martin and Reha Johnson Marchello Sr. Married Frank Burdis. He died Jan. 22, 1951. Married Marcel Blanc June 25, 1955 in Bountiful.
Lifelong resident of Carbon County, where she attended local schools. An avid bowler, she bowled for the Mitchell Mummies for many years. She was a supervisor for Notre Dame School lunch and a cook at the Elks home for many years.
She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.
Survived by husband, Marcel Blanc, Price; daughter, Janeen (David) Lyche, Fairfield, Pa.; granddaughters, Amber and Kristina Lyche; special nieces, Jeri Lynn (Howard) VanWagoner, Elmo; and Joy (Mike) Gipson, Spring Glen. Preceded in death by parents; son, Mark Burdis; three brothers and one sister.
Funeral service Tuesday, June 4, 1 p.m., Mitchell Funeral Home, Price. Family will be at Mitchell’s one hour prior to services. Interment, Price City Cemetery.