The Memorial Wall

Palm Springs - Mary Lee Queen, age 71, passed away in her Palm Springs, CA home November 16, 2020, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.

For most of Mary's life, she served her community as an esthetician and massage therapist dedicated to helping others feel good. Mary loved to love on others. Not only would she give the shirt off her back she would give her shoes and socks too if she knew it would give help and comfort to another.

Mary enjoyed golfing and her share of entertaining, parties, dancing and a good martini. She often told us that these are the parts of life she missed the most while entering into the final stages of her illness.

Mary leaves behind her beloved daughter Kimberly Allen (Thomas Allen), son Matthew Queen (Micaela Ellison), grandchildren Brittany Trapasso, Michael Trapasso, Ryan Trapasso, great-granddaughter Lisa Trapasso and fiancé Paul O'Connor.

From Kimberly ~ "My mom lit up the room with her smile and goal to have fun. A few things that I have learned and will always strive for is mom instilling in me to enjoy life to the fullest. She wanted her children to remember two things and that is to love with all our hearts and to forgive those we feel hurt by. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been loved by Mary Queen"

From Matthew ~ My mom had a passion for helping others, that drew people to her. She'll forever be eating ice cream, gesturing with a martini, and surrounded by friends."

From Brittany ~ "I could always count on grandma to be playful and silly. She was spontaneous and desired adventure. Despite having Parkinson's, she never showed her age and was forever young at heart. She was a performer and naturally the center of attention with her jokes and stories from her past. She will always be my inspiration to live a fulfilling life, make fun a priority and do what makes me happy."

From Michael ~ "If there is one thing to say about grandma it would be how much of a free spirit she was. One memory I will never forget is when she would take me to Great America for my birthday every year when I was younger. I was so scared to go on my first roller coaster ride and she basically forced me to go despite me not wanting to and also not being tall enough. I now love roller coasters and will always cherish those memories. She will be missed greatly."

From Ryan ~ "Grandma, you will forever be missed. I will always remember the times we had with you at your house when there was "no sleeping allowed". We stayed up making cookies and then crashed every time. You were the most incredible fighter of life, a hard worker and you have had to fight hard long enough. It's time for you to rest in peace and no longer be in pain. I know you will be looking down on all of us. Until we meet again, I love you Grandma."

From Paul ~ "The happiest places for Mary and I were on the golf course and walking the beach. Watching the sunset over the ocean bringing an end to another perfect day with the most perfect person in my life. I will always cherish every moment I had with her".

~ Due to the pandemic restrictions, a memorial service and Celebration of Life will follow when it is safe to gather. Please raise your glass to "Queen Mary" this holiday season and remember what a beautiful woman she was and how much love, light and smiles she brought to our world. In Loving Memory

Williamston - Lee Roy Redus, 89, husband of the late Edna Ruth Burgess Redus, passed away Sunday, November 15, 2020.

Born in Chandler, OK, he was a son of the late Writy Washington and Della Lee Byus Redus. He was a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, a civil service electrician, and a member of Big Creek Baptist Church.

Survivors include his daughters, Dianne Cabaniss (Eddie) of Williamston, Donna Redus-Neal (John) of Starr, and Tauna Johnson (Randy) of Williamston; sister, Sandi Redus of Austin, TX; brothers, Ronnie Redus (Debbie) of Yukon, OK and Dale Redus of Newalla, OK; grandchildren, Kristin Grant (Eric), Sean Cabaniss (Candace) and Evan Cabaniss, Hannah and Seth Johnson; twelve great-grandchildren, Olivia, Ethan, Mason, and Dawson Cabaniss, Gaige Alexander, Brice, Brantly, and Ridge Grant, Faith, Rylee, and Ian Cabaniss; and sisters-in-law, Bertha Redus of Oklahoma City, OK and Mary Redus of McCloud, OK.

He was predeceased by brothers, Bob and Jerry Redus.

Mr. Redus will lie-in-state from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Tuesday, November 17 at Gray Mortuary.

A cryptside service will be held at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, November 18 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Due to Covid-19, the family requests that masks be worn, and social distancing observed at all services.

Born in Bellingham, David Spencer Quall, 84, died peacefully after a five-year battle with Parkinson's disease. He was at home in Mount Vernon as his daughters were reading Psalm 23.

Dave graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1961, which led to 38 years of teaching and counseling. At Mount Vernon High School, he was head coach of Boys' Basketball for 12 years and later led Skagit Valley College Men's Basketball to two championships in the 1980s. He was a State Representative for the 40th district from 1993-2011.

Dave and Allene (Stave) were married on August 29, 1958. Dave, known as "Papa" to his children and grandchildren, is survived by his wife, Allene, of Mount Vernon; two daughters, Kim (Dan) Brown of Sedro Woolley and Kay Quall of Mount Vernon; six grandchildren, Rodger (Hannah) Brown, Marshall (Carey) Brown, Ethan (Carrie) Brown, Miriam Witt, Mary Witt, and Miles Witt; seven great-grandchildren, all with the last name of Brown: Zella, Noah, Calvin, Larry, Alice, Juniper, and Benji; sister Rachel Prigg of Snohomish and brother Dean (Liz) Quall of Seattle; brother-in-law Dave (Alberta) Stave of Gig Harbor, sister-in-law Joyce Stave of Spanaway, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Reverend Arnt and Clara Quall; nine siblings, Velnora McAfee, Alvin Quall, Elda Bettencourt, Florence Tunks, John Quall, Philip Quall, Miriam Baker, Clara Eardley, Joe Quall; and brother-in-law, Doug Stave.

There will be a celebration of life at Mount Vernon Cemetery next Memorial Day weekend. 

Samuel Urcis showed his science acumen at age ten, when he diagnosed his father’s friend’s flesh wound by viewing skin cells under a microscope.  In Cuba, where his Jewish father and mother had fled from the just turned Communist Soviet Union, Sam skipped several grades while his parents waited three decades to get a visa to the U.S.  

In 1951, a winning lottery ticket allowed the family to finally immigrate to California.  Then sixteen, Sam’s dreams of being a neurosurgeon were dashed, being unable to afford eight more years of school. But with a lifelong resilience, Sam quickly switched his focus to mechanical engineering, with its emphasis on math, accommodating his then limited English.  Washing test tubes at night at Children’s Hospital and doing a stint as a movie extra on weekends, Sam put himself through college, graduating from UCLA as editor of the Engineering School newspaper.  

The space program had just begun and Sam jumped right in, becoming a project manager just two weeks after beginning employment at Ryan Aerolab.  He oversaw an unmanned missile project built for NASA, the first launched from the Pacific Coast and containing the first living organisms ever sent so far into space by the United States.  Its success led to many other management posts, including at Hughes Aircraft and Rockwell International.  During these years Sam developed a taste for fine wine and good food, becoming quite knowledgeable about buying wine futures.  He always generously shared his bottles with friends

 In 1972, Sam conceived the idea of transferring some of the new space technology he was involved in to oil exploration. He co-founded Geosource, an oil services and equipment company, which became a Fortune 500 company eight years later.  Sam’s management style, to lead by example, was subtle but effective – when he wanted the other executives under him to curtail their high travel costs, he merely booked himself into a coach seat on a flight where they were flying first class.  He was seen by them and the result was exactly what he’d hoped for.  

Years of non-stop international travel negotiating deals and overseeing operations made Sam yearn for a quieter time and place.  When the CEO of  Geosource, Patrick Loughnane, died and Sam was asked to step into his shoes, he opted instead to leave the industry and retire to Carmel, California, where he’d honeymooned with his first wife.  There, Sam became friends with Wally Davis, one of the founders of Silicon Valley.  Together, they formed a new venture capital firm.

Alpha Partners began in 1982 with two other executives joining them shortly thereafter.  The focus of the firm was seed financing for start-up companies.  Alpha Partners eventually provided seed and later-stage financing for more than 45 technology companies.  During several years in venture capital, Sam also served as a trustee of the Monterey Institute of International Studies.  

After all the general partners retired from Alpha, Sam partnered with Castle Harlan, Inc., an original investor in Geosource, to consult in the energy sector.  Despite all these accomplishments, Sam is remembered mostly for his sweet nature and humble disposition.  His thoughtfulness and generosity touched everyone in his life.  “He never said a bad word about anyone” his good friend Ben remembers.  Eventually, Sam retired, enjoying a life of travel, the arts and philanthropy with his second wife, Marion Zola, a writer. They split their time between Carmel and Beverly Hills, where Sam died from Parkinson’s’ at home November 11th with his wife and dog by his side.  He is survived by his brother, Ruben, his two sisters, Julie and Berta, and numerous nephews and nieces.  

Salvatore “Sal” Ronci, a musician and educator beloved to family, friends, students, and audiences in the Miami and Daytona Beach areas died November 9, 2020, of complications from COVID-19 and Parkinson’s Disease. He was 83. Born Salvatore Ronciglione in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1937, to Italian immigrant Giuseppe Ronciglione (Joseph Ronci) and first-generation Italian-American Rose Aveni. Infant Sal moved with his family to New Haven, Connecticut, after his family home burned in a fire. He attended Ezekiel Cheever Grammar School and Wilbur Cross High School, where he discovered a gift and love for music, later studying trumpet with Boston Symphony Orchestra great, Armando Ghitalla while attending the prestigious Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. His family moved to Florida in 1956, Sal transferring to the University of Miami in Coral Gables where he performed, arranged, recorded, and toured with The Coralairs, a five-man vocal group primarily of fellow UM students. The group enjoyed a local top-10 hit with “A Lover is A Fool,” introduced the now-classic Christmas song “Buona Natale” to a national audience, and headlined Havana’s Sans Souci nightclub on the eve of the Cuban revolution before disbanding in 1959. Sal later returned to UM to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education.

While at UM, Sal met Judith “Judy” Cantor. The two married in 1958, settled in Miami, reared three children and launched successful careers as public-school teachers, Sal continuing to book gigs as a trumpet and electric-bass player, singer, and bandleader. As a licensed realtor he worked hard to help secure a comfortable retirement for himself and Judy. After 30 years as one of the Miami-Dade school district’s top music teachers (with notable stints at Kinloch Park Jr. High, Palmetto Sr. High, and Glades Middle, among other schools), Sal retired with Judy to Ormond Beach, Florida, where his parents and sisters lived and where he launched a successful second act as leader of the Sal Ronci Big Band, known for its popular series of performances at the Daytona Beach Bandshell. Sal was especially proud to share his love of jazz through “The Story of Jazz,” a live in-school education program he created and presented for students of Volusia County Public Schools.

In addition to Judy, his wife of 62 years, Sal’s survivors include daughter Julie Sipes (Ken) and son Michael Ronci of Ormond Beach and son Jeff Ronci (Juan Bosco Talavera) of Miami; sisters Loretta Tuttle Santiago (Efrain) of Edgewater, Florida, and Marie Richardson (Ross) of Daytona Beach; Uncle Carlyle Aveni of New Haven, Connecticut; Aunt Anna Ronciglione Durkin of Philadelphia; nearly two dozen nieces and nephews; loving cousins; friends and fellow musicians; and countless students and audiences he inspired and entertained through the years. Services are postponed until the novel coronavirus pandemic is under control. 

Ramstad, James M. 'Jim' 74, of Wayzata, died peacefully on November 5, 2020, of Parkinson's Disease with Lewy Body. He spent his final days at home, surrounded by his loving family. Preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Della Mae; grandparents, Oscar and Amelia Fode, and Joseph and Sarah Ramstad; and mother-in-law Muffy Christen. Survived by his loving wife Kathryn; daughter Christen (Billy) DeLaney; sister Sheryl Ramstad (Lee Larson); sister- and brother-in-law Rebecca and Robert Pohlad; father-in-law Paul Christen; nieces Sarah Kmetz (Brian) and Kristina Hvass (Jordan Taylor); and nephews Charles Hvass (Brittany Martutartus) and Karl Larson; and many cousins. He leaves behind his devoted dog, Wink. Jim was a dedicated public servant who impacted tens of thousands of lives through his policy accomplishments and personal service. He leaves a legacy of love, service, dignity, and respect, especially for the most vulnerable in our society.

Jim's political philosophy was guided by a fundamental belief in the importance of working in a bipartisan, pragmatic, common-sense way to solve problems. A nine-term Member of Congress, he was a member of the Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittees on Health, Trade, and Oversight. He also served 10 years in the Minnesota State Senate, rising to Assistant Minority Leader. Congressman Ramstad authored a number of important pieces of legislation that were passed into law. He was proudest of the bipartisan Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Parity Act, which became law in 2008. He was named "Legislator of the Year" by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addictions Council in 1998, by the National Mental Health Association in 1999, and by the National Association of Police Organizations in 1997 and 2000.

Jim graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Minnesota, earned his law degree with honors at George Washington University, and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the University of St. Thomas. He was a Resident Fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School and served as an adjunct professor at American University and Montgomery College. He loved his country and served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves. Committed to helping the underserved throughout his life, Jim served on 20 non-profit boards, co-founded the Lake Country Food Bank, and volunteered at Sharing and Caring Hands. He was a member of American Legion Post 118, Plymouth Lions Club, and the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce. Jim and his wife Kathryn have been active members of Wayzata Community Church.

After retiring from Congress, Jim served as an advisor to the Hazelden Foundation, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and the alliantgroup. He was also on the board of the Partnership to End Addiction. Shortly before his death, Jim celebrated his 39th year of sobriety. Throughout the years, he supported countless friends, colleagues, and total strangers on their roads to recovery and was active in Alcoholics Anonymous. He lived by and frequently referred to the Serenity Prayer. To support veterans' efforts to become sober, Jim established the Ramstad Recovery Fund, which provides access to treatment for America's heroes who have been left behind and unable to gain access to life-saving treatment.

A private burial service will take place immediately at Lakewood Cemetery. The celebration of Jim's life will be held for family only at Wayzata Community Church and live-streamed to the public on Sunday afternoon, November 29th. Jim will be remembered for many accomplishments, but most of all his dedication to his faith, family, and friends.

A life well lived.

Dr. Richard (Dick) B. Stein. Dick is remembered by friends, family, and colleagues as a decent man who treated everyone with respect, fairness, and kindness. He attended MIT and Oxford University both on full scholarship. In 1968 he moved to Edmonton with his wife Sue and young children Ellie and Eric. Once there, Dick helped build the department of physiology at the University of Alberta. He was a professor at U of A for 50 years before retiring in June 2018. Papers from his final projects on Parkinson's Disease are still winding their way to publication.

Dick was proud of his mentorship of generations of neuroscientists. Dick had the vision that multidisciplinary research was needed to answer difficult questions. He co-founded the Neuroscience group now the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute at the University of Alberta which supports over 150 researchers. His research and inventions have helped thousands with neurologic and mobility challenges.

Dick was also proud of his family. Losing his own parents at age 16, he threw himself into parenting and his family doing fun activities every weekend. As well, he enjoyed ballroom dancing with Sue and wildflower photography. He jogged, rode, or walked to work almost every day of his career. He enjoyed cross country skiing and introduced it to many of the foreign students working with him. Dick and Sue traveled to almost 100 countries and Dick said recently that he had had a good and interesting life.

During the past 2 years, Dick has been limited by Parkinson's Disease and associated conditions. As a resident of the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre, he has received love and care from the staff on 5AB. They have become our extended family and we thank them for their kindness and devotion. During COVID they have gone over and above risking their own safety to keep our family connected.

An amazing group of former students worked as a team to support Dick and the family over the past 2 ½ years. They enabled Dick to keep walking including outside walks and brought him homemade gluten-free cookies. They helped Sue and Dick create a ballroom dance routine which was presented at the Edmonton General in March 2019. You can watch this inspiring performance at www.thevitalbeat.ca/news/couples-dance-performance-captures-lifetime-love/

The "Dream Team" as we call them have supported our family until Dick's last day and beyond. Thank you to Dirk Everaert, Su Ling Chong, Jaynie Yang, Jacques Bobet, and Kelvin Jones.

When COVID entered the Edmonton General, Dick was isolated from friends and family for 3 months. We wondered if he would survive. But he did survive, never complaining. He relished his phone as a connection to the outside world. The lockdown lifted on July 23 and we had three months together again taking Dick outside for visits. When COVID again hit the EGCCC, Dick became ill within days and tested positive for COVID. He fought for several days longer than expected but succumbed on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

We look forward to having a ceremony to celebrate his life sometime in the future and will announce closer to the time.

Thinking of others until the end, Dick's wish in recent years was to create a bursary to support future neuroscientists. Donations may be made to the "University of Alberta" noting your donation is made in memory of Dr. Richard Stein to support the Richard B Stein Neuroscience Graduate Student Fund.

Emery Elmer Jones, Jr. Born October 6, 1936, at home in Victor, CO. Emery unexpectedly passed peacefully on November 1, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. after a lengthy battle with Atypical Parkinson's complications. Emery worked on ranches and later became a land surveyor in Colorado through 1959. In 1960 Emery and his first wife, Ruth (passed in 1999), moved to California and eventually to Novato, CA. Emery was employed as a hydro surveyor for the Army Corps of Engineers for 23 years. In 1982, he and Ruth opened the Oliva Loma 40 Horse Boarding Stable, which closed in 1996. Emery is survived by his wife, Nancy; and Nancy's daughter, Wendy Albrecht; brothers: Howard (passed in 2016), James (Nancy), and Robert (JoAnne); sisters: Betty Waits, Patricia Radman, and Janie Anderson; also, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Emery will be greatly missed by family and friends. At Emery's request, there will be no service and no memorial.

Richard "Dick" James Heckmann, the former CEO of United States Filter, passed away from complications of multiple system atrophy, a Parkinsonism, at the age of 76 on October 31, 2020, in his home in Rancho Mirage, California.  

Dick is survived by his wife, Wendy Heckmann, and their daughters Mia and Madison. He also leaves behind his ex-wife Mary and their children Tom, Scott, Brock, Todd and Jessica and his nine grandchildren. He is also survived by his son Greg from a prior marriage.

Dick was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 8, 1943 to Phil and Ruth Heckmann. Dick was a serial entrepreneur even as a child, working to plow snow off driveways in the winter and as a golf caddy in the summer. He planned to be a priest until a jet flew over his head and he felt he was destined to be a pilot instead. He joined the United States Air Force and fought bravely in the Vietnam War in 1965 and then attended the University of Hawaii and completed the Small Business Management Program at Harvard Business School.

He moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked as Associate Administrator for Finance and Investment of the Small Business Administration (SBA), where he was responsible for

small business lending and venture capital investments made by the United States government. He also served as the White House liaison for the SBA under the Carter Administration and was a former director of the Advisory Board of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Dick was the Founder of Tower Scientific Corporation, a prosthetics company, which he sold in 1977. He retired to Sun Valley, Idaho, to ski, and was elected the Mayor of Sun Valley in 1979.

Dick and his family moved to the Palm Springs area and he became a stockbroker. He set the record for highest trade volume in a single day in 1987. He was also Chairman of the Listed Company Advisory Committee of the New York StockExchange and a member of the Exchange's Special Governance Committee.

He founded US Filter Corporation, a water filtration company,in 1990 and embarked on a series of 260 acquisitions aimed at building the world's largest water treatment company. Nine years later, US Filter was acquired by Vivendi SA, an international water products group, for $6.2 billion.

He served as Executive Chairman of K2, Inc., a sporting good company, which he sold for $1.2 billion in 2007. He was Director and owner of Smith Goggles and a founding shareholder of Callaway Golf, Inc. He was the Chairman of Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Inc. He also founded the Heckmann International Center for Entrepreneurial Management, at UC Riverside's Palm Desert Campus.

Dick was also an owner of the NBA Phoenix Suns basketball team. During his first year as a partner, the Suns acquired Steve Nash, and the team shot to the top of the Western Conference standings. Attending the games court side was a great joy to Dick and his family (but sometimes not the referees).

Dick would say his greatest achievement was the close-knit family that he leaves behind. A perfect Saturday afternoon for him would be hanging out with his children, with the grandchildren bopping around, watching a Notre Dame football game. He never missed a t-ball game, soccer game, wrestling match or football game for any of his children and was a great coach himself.

While being a great father, husband, and businessman, Dick also found time to mentor many high school children and young adults. He was very giving with his time and always ready for an in-depth conversation about how to succeed in life. His simple wisdom for teenagers embarking on a college career was to learn how to write effectively, communicate with anyone, read extensively and be comfortable speaking to a large group. His advice for starting a family was just as simple; it will be the best thing you ever did and appreciate every second of it.

Dick will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery next year.

Cheri Renfroe Yousem passed away peacefully at home on October 31st, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease.

From her roots growing up in Lawndale, California to Beverly Hills, Cheri lived a life full of family, philanthropy, and adventure. Aside from spending time with her children and grandchildren, Cheri dedicated her time to various charitable causes that were close to her heart.

Volunteering her services was Cheri's passion, including years spent championing causes through United Hostesses Charities, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, LACMA, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Cheri's other passion was world travel and mountaineering; she spent time exploring some of the farthest reaches of the world and climbing its highest peaks.

Cheri is survived by her sons Jordan (Jessica) and Joshua (Maja), and her three beloved grandchildren, Leo, Connor, and Sadie.