Category

April 28, 1929 – July 26, 2018 Marjorie Joan (Birck) Sawyer, 89, longtime resident of Laguna Beach, passed away July 26, 2018 in Vancouver, Washington. She was born April 28, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Long Island, receiving a bachelor’s degree in education from...

  Chyrle Vermilya passed away peacefully June 13, 2018, after a short battle with late-stage melanoma (skin cancer) with her husband Jim and sons David and Tim by her side. Chyrle lived everyday by the motto on her favorite colorful t-shirts, “Life is Good.” With a beaming...

Robert Tyler passed away suddenly on Saturday, June 23, 2018, in Laguna Beach at the age of 92. Bob served in the Navy during World War II.  He was married to Eleanore Catherine “Kay” Hines from 1952 until her death 1997. Bob and Kay raised their three children in the home he...

Skip Conover, who never missed a performance during 17 years narrating the summer-long Pageant of the Masters production, died Friday, June 15. Seated in his soundproof booth at the back of the Irvine Bowl every night, he reveled in entertaining his audiences with stories of...

Kim Harley passed away peacefully on June 2, 2018,  in his Laguna Beach home. A 42-year long resident of Laguna Beach, Kim was known for his love of the outdoors, but even more so for his love of fishing. Being out on the water was his favorite place to be, however, it did not...

A paddle out in honor of Richard C. Carlson, a Laguna Beach resident who died this past week, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, June 23. An 11 a.m. service is planned the same day at Little Church by the Sea, 468 Legion St., in Laguna Beach.  

Greg Slevcove took his last breath and joined his father and grandparents late in the evening on June 9. Although Greg did not live a long life, he lived a full life in the short time he was here. Greg moved to Laguna in 1990 and was quite involved in community issues. He spent...

A paddle out in honor of Richard C. Carlson, a Laguna Beach resident who died this past week, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, June 23. An 11 a.m. service is planned the same day at Little Church by the Sea, 468 Legion St., in Laguna Beach. Look for a full obituary in the...

Virginia Anne Wood passed away Saturday, May 26, with loved ones by her side.  Anne, a Laguna Beach resident since 1965, was recently in the care of the amazing staff at Arbor View 2 in Mission Viejo due to Alzheimer’s. Anne was born to Burris and Margaret Wood June 8, 1932, in...

Dec. 11, 1924-May 11, 2018 The Reverend Buckner Coe of Lake Forest and Laguna Beach passed away peacefully May 11, 2018, surrounded by his beloved wife, Judy, and members of his family. He was 93. Buckner (Buck) Coe was a sixth generation minister. A graduate of Yale University...

July 22, 1927 – May 16, 2018 A resident of Laguna Beach for 47 years, David H. Koontz was born in Ottumwa, Iowa. Koontz served in the U.S. Navy in the Philippines at the end of World War II. He graduated from Carlton College in Northfield, Minn., and did subsequent graduate...

Aug. 5, 1921 – May 17, 2018 By Christy Cones, Special to the Independent Bruce Hopping (a.k.a. “Brucey”, “Mr. B”, et al.) passed away peacefully just after midnight on Thursday, May 17. He is survived by his nephew and niece, Rick and Melissa Hopping, of New Jersey. Hopping was a...

Dr. Donald Joseph Bédard died Wednesday, May 9, 2018, at his home in Seal Beach, Calif. He was 91 years old. Don was born on July 24, 1926, in Argyle, Minn., the first born of five children to Joseph and Grace Riopelle Bédard. The family moved to Red Lake Falls, Minn., in 1936...

Penny Susan Steris, known to many as “Coach Penny,” passed away on May 5, 2018, at the age of 67 years. A California native, she lived in South Laguna for 50 years and had a positive impact on the community. As an avid seamstress during the ‘70s and ‘80s, she made...

Marthann Newton, 86, of Laguna Beach, passed away March 4, 2018, in Springdale, Ark. She was born Nov. 15, 1931, in Auburn, Ala., to Julian Isaac Newton, Sr. and Martha Elizabeth O’Neal Newton. She worked in the U.S.O. in both France and Germany. She received her master’s in...