Obituaries

BLAIR SWARTZ Jan. 10, 2019

Blair Swartz passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 10, 2019.

He is survived by Laura, his wife of 64 years, and his daughter Stacey.

Blair was born in Detroit, Michigan. He received a B.S. in Physics from Antioch College and an M.S. in Mathematics from MIT before coming to Los Alamos in 1958 as a Research Associate in the T-1 Computing Group. Early in his career at LANL he was recognized as an outstanding mathematician and accepted the Lab’s offer to continue his education. He attended NYU, where he received his PhD. in Applied Mathematics.

His professional Read More

BRIAN J. KENNEDY Oct. 7, 2018

On October 7, 2018, Brian J. Kennedy passed away peacefully at his home after a 3-year long battle with cancer.

Brian was born and raised in Los Alamos, NM where he graduated from Los Alamos High School. He majored in Math, Physics and Computer Science in college and he was a proud veteran who served his country in the Navy.

For much of his work history, Brian worked in computer software development, web security services and systems management. His interests included hiking, sailing, woodworking, and playing guitar.

He will be missed by his loving wife Lorraine of 44 Read More

FRANZ AUGUST BIEHL July 19, 1934 – Jan. 17, 2019

Franz August Biehl was born in Davenport, Iowa, to August and Pauline Biehl, joining his sister Lila.

His father was from Alveslohe, Germany, and his mother was from the Amana Colonies, Iowa so Franz spoke German exclusively until starting school. His father and his friends would sing songs in German and the Plattdeutsch dialect at the local Turner Hall and social gatherings. His mother and her sisters also sang and played the zither. They listened to a wide variety of music on the radio at home and his mother often sang songs from the forties to him. Read More

DIANE DAVIS Dec. 4, 1979 – Jan. 9, 2019

Diane Davis (Princess Di) passed away on January 9, 2019 surrounded by family and friends after a brief battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Diane was born in Zuni, New Mexico on December 4, 1979 and reborn on Oct 13, 1995 when she came to live with John, Doris, Susie and Jessica Roberts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Diane attended and graduated from the New Mexico School for the Deaf in 2002. Diane was joined at the hip to her sister, Sharon Jim, who came into her life 3 years after joining the Roberts family.

Diane was gifted with the ability to make people smile and laugh. Being Read More

VIRGINIA LOUISE RUNDBERG Jan. 20, 1956 – Jan. 13, 2019

After a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer, Ginger Rundberg (Virginia Louise, formerly Newby), resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico, passed peacefully in her home late in the afternoon on Sunday, January 13, 2019 at the age of 62.  

She was born on January 20, 1956, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and was the youngest of five children born to Marvon Newby Sr. and Clara (Knutson) Newby. 

She grew up in Ririe, Idaho on a farm along the Snake River, and attended college at Idaho State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry Read More

MARY ANN ROSENTHAL Sept. 15, 1935 – Jan. 12, 2019

Mary Ann Rosenthal, age 83, passed into Heaven on Saturday, January 12, 2019, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Mary Ann was born in Highland, Illinois on September 15, 1935, to Victor H. and Muriel Daiber. She grew up on a farm near Marine, Illinois, and married Jerome Jesse Rosenthal on June 23, 1956 after he graduated from the University of Illinois. They moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1956 after Jesse accepted a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory. They left Los Alamos briefly to pursue other job opportunities but returned in 1964.

Together Read More

BARBARA FITZGERALD 1935–2019 

Born Barbara Kyrcz in Waterbury, Connecticut, she resided the majority of her life in Los Alamos, New Mexico after relocating from the East Coast with her young family in the late 1970’s.

She enjoyed the folk crafts of New Mexico, hiking in Bandelier, swimming at the local pools, traveling to Santa Fe for art and music and cross-country skiing in the Jemez Mountains. She was an avid traveler and spent extended durations living and studying in Ireland and Mexico.

She appreciated the friendship of many individuals she interacted with throughout Los Read More

MICHAEL GROWCOTT HENDERSON Jan. 19, 1937 – Nov. 14, 2018

Michael Growcott Henderson of Los Alamos, NM, passed away Nov. 14, 2018, just shy of his 82nd birthday.

He was born Jan. 19, 1937, in Blackpool, UK. He is survived by his cousin and other family members in Blackpool.

Mike was a retired Group Leader and Division Leader at the Los Alamos National laboratory.

An informal gathering of friends will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at the VFW, 1793 Deacon St. in Los Alamos, NM.

Potluck dishes welcome. Read More

ALEAH STAHL MEASON July 19, 1981 – Jan. 1, 2019

Aleah Stahl Meason, 37, died on January 1, 2019. Aleah was born on July 19, 1981 in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where she grew up and attended Calvary Chapel Elementary School, Los Alamos Middle School and graduated from Los Alamos High School. She was an employee of Los Alamos county for several years, serving in multiple capacities.

There was much more to Aleah, than the last few years of her life. She was a faithful Christian, finding relief from her pain in The Word of God and in His sweet presence. A fiercely protective little sister to her big brother, Teddy, Read More

RICHARD ANDREW PROVAN Oct. 30, 2018

Richard Andrew Provan (Randy), passed away in his sleep early Tuesday morning, October 30th 2018. He will be eternally missed.

Randy had many passions including reading, hiking, back packing, camping, skiing, and traveling. He took an interest in all of nature, particularly the geology of the southwest. He was a natural teacher and loved introducing his daughters to maps and orienteering as children.

Of Randy’s passions, his family was the most important. Especially, his two wonderful and adoring daughters, Lindsay and Sydney, and his wife and best friend Read More

DAVID WILLIAMS Sept. 21, 1936 – Dec. 16, 2018

On Sunday, December 16, 2018, David (Dave) Williams peacefully passed away at home at the age of 82.

Dave was born on September 21, 1936 in Okmulgee, OK and was raised in Hobbs, NM. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico in 1958 and his M.D. from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 1962. Following internship at UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, he served 2 years in the US Public Health Service on the Navajo nation in Gallup, NM and on the Rocky Boy Indian reservation in northern Montana.

After 4 years of diagnostic Read More

HELEN ANN BARNES LINDBERG March 3, 1941 – Dec. 8, 2018

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend Helen Ann Barnes Lindberg passed away December 8th, 2018. 

Helen was born on March 3, 1941 in Hereford Texas where her father was a Baptist Minister. Her family settled in Houston where Helen graduated from Lamar High School. She spent her college years at Hardin Simmons University where in 1962 she earned a BA and met and married Bill Baughman. 

Helen and Bill moved to Los Alamos in 1964 after the birth of their daughter Amy. Her son Craig was born three years later. She Read More

LOUIS EUGENE FERNANDEZ Nov. 30, 2018

Louis Eugene Fernandez, 39, a resident of Española, passed away from an illness on Friday, November 30, 2018.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Clarence and Priscilla Fernandez; maternal grandparents, Joe Benito and Mary Sanchez; his infant son, Abraham Fernandez; grandparent in-laws, Jose Merced and Petrita Quintana and uncle, Benito Sanchez Jr.

Louis worked for the Los Alamos National Laboratory for 23 years and had multiple degrees in computers and engineering. He is an extreme sports enthusiast. He is a loving husband, father, Read More

DOROTHY MAE CRAWFORD July 28, 1935 – Nov. 27, 2018

Dorothy Mae Crawford, longtime Los Alamos resident, passed suddenly on Tuesday, November 27.

Dorothy was born in the small farming community of Casey, Illinois and received her R.N. in Nursing from Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana. She moved to Colorado and attained a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Colorado in 1959.

While at CU-Boulder, Dorothy worked at a boarding house where she met Ted, her late husband of 51 years. Ted frequently described how he would have meals at the boarding house and enjoy flirting with all the girls during Read More

JAMES D. LOUCK Nov. 21, 2018

Jim Louck of Los Alamos and Santa Fe died on November 21, 2018, just shy of his 90th birthday.

He was proceded in death by sons, Sam and Joe and is survived by wife, Marge and son, Tom.

Jim loved his family, science and mathmatics and the friendship of all people. At his request there will be no services. Read More

WILLIAM LEE MASSENGALE Nov. 10, 1950 – Nov. 24, 2018

William Lee Massengale (Bill), passed away on Saturday, November 24, 2018 with family by his side after living for 9 years with early-onset Alzheimer’s, complicated at the end by cancer.

He was born on November 10, 1950 in Velasco, Texas, attended Brazosport High School, became an Eagle Scout, and graduated from Texas A & M in Electrical Engineering in 1973. He worked for DuPont, Exxon, Rollins, and in 1992 came to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory, leaving in 2010 for health reasons.

He loved construction and project management. He Read More

PETER J. ADAMS Nov. 9, 2018

Peter J. Adams died November 9, 2018 while out for a walk in Bend, Oregon. He was born in Hawkhurst, Kent, England.

Peter graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in mathematics and physics in 1963. During his undergraduate years, he spent summers at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory working on Project Sherwood, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, and two years at the National Nuclear Rocket Development Center, working on Project Rover.

He served in the United States Army from 1965 to 1967. After graduating with a Ph. D in physics from the University of Oregon in Read More

JERRY F. DAVIS Nov. 22, 2018

Jerry F. Davis, 88, affectionately known by her family as GG, a resident of La Mesilla, passed on Thursday, November 22, 2018. She passed peacefully surrounded by more than 40 family members and friends.

Jerry was preceded in death by her daughter, Kathy, son, Max and special grandson Ray Martinez; mother Ann Neunlist; sisters, Ann Duncan and Dixie Sandlin.

Surviving her is her daughter Vici and husband Danny Castaneda; grandsons Wayne and his children, Krystal (Skye) Audree, Nevaeh, Sierra, Melvin, Angel (Dom); David and wife Vanessa and their children, Kianna Read More

ROBERT REED (BOB) BUTLER, Sr. Dec. 2, 1950 – Nov. 19, 2018

Robert Reed (Bob) Butler, Sr., 67, a sheetrock contractor, died Monday, November 19, 2018, at his daughter’s residence in Paris.

Bob was born on December 2, 1950, in Oak Ridge, TN to Arnold Lee and Lodean Shankle Butler. He moved from Oak Ridge to Los Alamos, NM in 1965. He was an All State football player and a member of the Los Alamos 1966 State Football Championship team.

He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1968. Bob attended Eastern New Mexico University before moving to Dallas to begin his sheetrock contracting business. Read More

Dr. EERO ARNOLD HAKKILA Aug. 4, 1931 – Nov. 10, 2018

It is with great sadness that the family of Dr. Eero Arnold Hakkila, known affectionately as “Arnie” to his friends and family, announce his passing on November 10, 2018 at age 87 after a battle with cancer. He died lovingly surrounded by his family.

Arnie was born on his family’s farm in Canterbury, Connecticut, on August 4, 1931. He grew up taking care of chickens and sorting and packing eggs on the farm, fishing, and following Yankees baseball.  He was educated in one-room school houses and graduated from Griswold High School in Jewett City. Read More

RALPH EBENER CHAPMAN Oct. 31, 2018

Ralph Ebener Chapman, 65, a resident of White Rock, New Mexico, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday October 31, 2018.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents Austin Gilbert Chapman Jr. and Mary Blanche Ebener Chapman, father- and mother-in-law Henry and Anna Deck, brothers-in-law George Deck and Michael Johnson, and sister-in-law Sharon Deck Andrews. Ralph is survived by his wife of 35 years Linda Deck, brother Austin G. Chapman III and wife Kathy, sister-in-law Virginia Johnson, and brother- and sister-in-law Larry and Donna Deck. Ralph is also survived Read More

JOHN PAUL BALAGNA Aug. 19, 1920 – Nov. 14, 2018

John Paul Balagna passed away peacefully on November 14, 2018 in his home. He was proud of his 98 years.

He enjoyed his two distinct profession; Analytical Chemist, Los Alamos National Labs, “The Manhattan Project”, 1944-1986, and in retirement started his Balagna Winery and became a skilled vintner, 1986-2008.

John graduated from Holy Cross College in Canon City, CO with a B.S. in Chemistry 1940 and continued graduate studies at University of Colorado and University of New Mexico with a major in Chemistry. He has a passion for learning.

Born August Read More

HELEN BYERS March 20, 1931 – Nov. 8, 2018

Helen Byers, 87, formerly of Los Alamos, passed away November 8, 2018 in Arvada, Colorado surrounded by her family.

She was born in Salida Colorado March 20, 1931 to Ben Maestas and Naomi Alire-Maestas. She moved to Los Alamos with her family in 1947. Helen attended high school in Los Alamos graduating in 1949. Helen started her career at Los Alamos National Laboratory shortly after graduation. She stopped working at the LANL for a time to raise her family.  During this period, she worked for Los Alamos Public Schools as a bus driver. She ultimately Read More

SANDRA CRAIG BROWNELL April 9, 1943 – Oct. 26, 2018

Sandra (Sandy) Craig Brownell, 75, of Los Alamos passed away peacefully after an extended illness on October 26, 2018 at St. Vincent’s Hospice in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her funeral service will be held in Los Alamos, New Mexico at The United Church on Canyon Road: public visitation with family on November 16 at 6:30 pm, funeral service on November 17^th at 10:30 am with an internment at the church’s Columbarium.

Sandy was born on April 9, 1943 in Oneonta, New York to William and Ruth Craig. She received a Bachelor’s Read More