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Melvin Bateman
Richard Ernest Brown
David O’Brien
Mary Jane Thomas
Mary Louise Watkins

Obituaries for March 12, 2009 edition

(Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009, 6:06 PM)

Melvin Bateman

Melvin W. Bateman died Feb. 27, 2009 at San Francisco Veteran’s Hospital. He was born June 27, 1935 in Pennsylvania and had spent most of his life in Ahwahnee. He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha.

He is survived by his son, Matt Bateman; four grandchildren; a sister, Florence, of West Springfield, Penn. and a brother, Archie, of Albion, Penn.

Services will be Sunday, March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Oakhurst Community Center Pavilion.

Richard Ernest Brown

Richard Ernest Brown was born in Glendale on Sept. 3, 1930 and died in Fresno March 1, 2009 at the age of 78. He had lived in Oakhurst for 23 years and was a retired carpenter.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth, of Oakhurst; daughters Karen Neville of Oakhurst and Cathy Brown of Fresno; a son, Gary Brown of Oakhurst, three grandsons and one great-granddaughter.

David O’Brien

David M. O’Brien died March 8, 2009. He was born in Killbuck, N.Y. on Oct. 16, 1936. He had lived in Oakhurst for 10 years, and before that in El Portal. He was a retired Yosemite tour bus driver, a job he held for 30 years. He was also the owner of Oakhurst Chainsaw and Equipment Rental in the 1960s. Before that, he attended the University of Richmond, in Virginia, was a milkman in San Diego and ran a pizza business.

He was a member of Kiwanis and of the Yosemite Employees Association and served in the Strategic Air Command during the Korean conflict.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Guy and Hazel MacDonald of Great Valley, N.Y. and a brother, Robert MacDonald of Richmond, Va.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine of Oakhurst; son and daughter-in-law Gordon and Jennifer O’Brien, of Pioneer, son Alan O’Brien of Oakhurst; a granddaughter, Pearl O’Brien; a sister, Joyle Spear of Rogue River, Ore; and brother Bill O’Brien of Allegheny, N.Y.

There will be no services. Remembrances may be made to the Alzheimer Foundation or Parkinsons Foundation.

Mary Jane Thomas

Mary Jane Thomas died Feb. 15, 2009. She was born in Wyoming on July 30, 1920. She had lived in Coarsegold for 41 years. Services were held at Coarsegold community Bible church March 1.

Mary Louise Watkins

Mary Louise Watkins died Feb. 23, 2009 in Modesto. She was born Aug. 1, 1914 in Amarillo, Texas and had lived in the Mountain Area — Mariposa and Oakhurst — for 23 years. She was a retired waitress who loved cooking. She was a member of the Meadowlarks, Lady Elks in Oakhurst and Eastern Star.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law James Watkins and Penny Hume of Coarsegold and grandchildren Danielle Korban of Long Beach, James H. Watkins III of Las Vegas, Regina Ferron of Whittier, Blakely Hume of Reno, Hilary Rak of Coarsegold, and Christopher Hume of Las Vegas. Her great-grandchildren are Michael Rak of Coarsegold, Briana Ferron of Whittier, Zoe Korban of Long Beach, Christine Ferron of Whittier and Everett and Devon Hume of Las Vegas.

Services will be Saturday, March 14 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bruno’s church in Whittier with interment at Rose Hills in Whittier.