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Obituary: Floyd Anthony Ventress

Dr. Floyd Anthony Ventress
Dr. Floyd Anthony Ventress

Dr. Floyd Anthony Ventress, 89, of La Cañada Flintridge passed away peacefully on Thursday, Nov. 28, at Santa Teresita Manor, with his family by his side. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Joan Louise Castellani; their five children: Michael (Rebecca) Ventress, Denise (William) Bowles, Dale Ventress, Kerry Ventress and Jonathan (Norma) Ventress; three beloved grandchildren: Kathryn Ventress, Shannon Ventress, and Kellie Ventress; his brother Milton Louis Ventress; and many nieces and nephews.
Floyd was born on Dec. 28, 1929, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Joseph Roy Ventress and Gertrude Noelie Sigur. Continue reading “Obituary: Floyd Anthony Ventress”

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Obituary: Irv Noren

Irv Noren
Irv Noren

Irv Noren, a Pasadena native who won five World Series rings, three with the storied New York Yankee teams of the 1950s, died earlier this month at his home in San Diego. He was 94.
Noren’s family moved to Pasadena during the 1930s. They founded Noren’s Hillcrest Swedish Bakery in Altadena. Noren became an outstanding baseball and basketball player, starring at Pasadena Junior College (now Pasadena City College) before serving in the Army and signing a professional baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Although he starred in the minor leagues, winning most valuable player awards in both the Texas League and the Pacific Coast League, Noren never made the talent-rich Brooklyn lineup. Continue reading “Obituary: Irv Noren”

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Obituary: Eldred Calvin ‘Cal’ Elshoff

Eldred Calvin “Cal” Elshoff
Eldred Calvin “Cal” Elshoff

Eldred Calvin “Cal” Elshoff was born on July 18, 1928, to Floranz and Esther (Huckeriede) Elshoff in New Knoxville, Ohio. Cal graduated from New Knoxville High School in 1946 where he played baseball and basketball. At the University of Cincinnati in 1952 he earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture where he also played basketball for the Bearcats. He met his wife of 66 years, Irene Molnar, at UC, and they married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bel Aire, Ohio, in 1952.
Following his Army service in the Korean War, during which time Cal was awarded a Bronze Star, he and Irene settled in Cincinnati where Cal practiced architecture. Continue reading “Obituary: Eldred Calvin ‘Cal’ Elshoff”

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Obituary: Adelaide Finkbine Hixon

Adelaide Finkbine Hixon
Adelaide Finkbine Hixon

Adelaide Finkbine Hixon of Pasadena died at her home on Nov. 6. She was born on May 31, 1918, and lived for 101 years. She is survived by two sons, Andrew Hixon of Santa Barbara, and Anthony Hixon of Cohasset, Massachusetts, as well as seven grandchildren. There are now 12 great-grandchildren whose ages run from 1 year to 30. Adelaide was predeceased by her husband, Alexander P. Hixon, and her first-born son, Lex Hixon.
Adelaide was a uniquely powerful, complex and loving person who has deeply influenced hundreds of people during her long life. She could light a room with her intuitive and lightning-like intellect, yet she also possessed a vivid sense of humor, which ran the gamut from the bathroom variety up into the subtle realms of high wit. Her funny bone often prompted her to tears of pure joy. Continue reading “Obituary: Adelaide Finkbine Hixon”

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Obituary: Rabbi Marvin Gross

Rabbi Marvin Gross
Rabbi Marvin Gross

Rabbi Marvin Gross passed away at age 72 on Tuesday night, Nov. 5, in Pasadena following a brief illness. Rabbi Gross is survived by his brother Richard (Roberta) Gross; sister Frances Schnall; his beloved children Tara Rangarajan, Daniel (Anu) Gross and Becky (Austin) Gross; and their mother, Lynn Winter Gross. Rabbi Gross is also survived by his three adored grandchildren: Ari and Eli Rangarajan and Anisha Gross, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Rabbi Gross was born in Evanston, Illinois, and was educated at Amherst College, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Continue reading “Obituary: Rabbi Marvin Gross”

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Obituary: Ardella Horsfall

Nov. 3, 1943-Oct. 26, 2019

Ardella Horsfall
Ardella Horsfall

Ardella Horsfall passed away on Saturday, Oct. 26, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on Nov. 3, 1943, in Alpha, Minnesota, to Arnold and Gladys Rakness. She had three siblings: Charles, Myrna and Karen. When she was 5, she and her family moved to Fairmont, Minnesota, where she lived during most of her childhood.
After graduating from high school in 1961, she moved to Glendale, California, to live with her aunt and uncle while she attended Glendale College for two years. Then she continued her education at Cal State Long Beach, where she studied accounting and graduated with honors with a B.A. in accounting. After graduation, she also earned her CPA certificate. During her career as an accountant, she was one of the first women to be hired by one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, Deloitte Touche. Continue reading “Obituary: Ardella Horsfall”

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Obituary: Leslie Bolt Dennis

Jan. 13, 1945-Oct. 30, 2019

Leslie Bolt Dennis
Leslie Bolt Dennis

Leslie Bolt Dennis, who resided in San Marino for nearly 50 years, died peacefully at her home on Oct. 30 due to complications related to her battle with brain cancer.
Leslie was born on Jan 13, 1945, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Robert and Margaret Bolt. After relocating numerous times during her childhood due to her father’s Navy deployments, Leslie’s parents settled in Northern California, where she graduated from Palo Alto High School. Leslie graduated with degrees in English and French from Occidental College in 1966, and began a 30-year teaching career, which saw her teach numerous elementary and junior high school levels in the Los Angeles Unified School District and San Marino Unified School District. She also obtained a master’s degree in education and a school counseling credential from Azusa Pacific University in 1987. Continue reading “Obituary: Leslie Bolt Dennis”

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Obituary: Murlene Horne

Murlene Horne
Murlene Horne

Murlene Horne, a 51-year resident of La Cañada Flintridge, passed away while surrounded by loving family on Monday, Aug. 26, of complications from Alzheimer’s. She was 89.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1930 to Clint and Esta Robbins, Murlene was the delight of a household that included two older brothers, Hollis and Garland, both now deceased. She graduated from Paschal High School, worked at the historic F.W. Woolworth Building in downtown Fort Worth and also served as a dental assistant. By age 19 she fell in love with a fellow Paschal Panther alum, the handsome and athletic Jack Horne, after his return from serving on the high seas with the U.S. Navy and a stint as a sure-handed football receiver at Texas Christian University. Continue reading “Obituary: Murlene Horne”

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Obituary: A. William Urquhart

Feb. 20, 1947 – Oct. 4, 2019

A. William Urquhart
A. William Urquhart

A. William Urquhart, who helped transform Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan from a small Los Angeles firm into a global litigation powerhouse and, with his wife, Mary Urquhart, was also known for his generosity in supporting numerous charities, has died. Urquhart, known as Bill, died Oct. 4 from complications stemming from a bone marrow transplant. He was 72.
Over the years, Urquhart was named “one of California’s most successful business lawyers,” “one of the most influential attorneys in California” and one of the “outstanding trial lawyers of America” by various professional publications and organizations. Urquhart was ranked as a leading California litigator by Chambers USA every year since its first publication, and was called “exceptionally bright” (Chambers Global), a “forceful trial lawyer” who “commands a strong reputation in the litigation arena” (Chambers USA) and a “litigation celebrity” (Vault 100 Guide). Continue reading “Obituary: A. William Urquhart”