Obituaries

ARTHUR SUMNER NICHOLS April 14, 2014

Arthur Sumner Nichols Jr., 85, died April 14, 2014 of natural causes following a long illness.

Art, a longtime resident of Los Alamos was preceded in death by his wife of over 60 years, Mary and his sister Patricia Nagel. He is survived by his children: Mary K. Nolte; Arthur S. Nichols; Patricia Ricci; Joe Nichols; and Jane Nichols. Grandchildren: Meaghan Nolte, Alexandra Nichols, Spencer Nichols, Kirk Rohrig, David Ricci, Sarah Nichols and Matthew Nichols and his sister Claire Howard of Mashpee, Mass.

Art was a teacher at Los Alamos High School in the 1950’s Read More

DAVID W. STEINHAUS July 29, 1919 – July 9, 2014

David W. Steinhaus, 94, a resident of Albuquerque, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2014. David was born in Neillsville, Wis., July 29, 1919.

His service in the army began in 1945. David’s military decorations included a Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Army Commendation Ribbon, and World War II Victory Ribbon. He was married to his loving wife, Jean, on January 1, 1949, in Hancock, Md. David earned a PhD in Physics at Johns Hopkins University in 1952.

Dave’s career included working at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a Read More

MELANIE FRETWELL June 25, 2014

Melanie Fretwell, 71 of Holmes Beach, Fla., passed away on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 from cancer.

She was born in West Germany and was the only member of her family to emigrate to the United States. While living in Manhattan Beach, Calif., she met James H. “Stretch” Fretwell. After she moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico and married Stretch, they raised two sons Bruce and Kirk (now 45 and 44 years old, respectively).

An energetic and social person, Melanie found a great challange in starting a travel agency in Los Alamos. Thanks to her vision, Pajarito Travel Read More

WENDELL GOFFE ARMOUR April 22, 1922  – June 26, 2014

Wendell Goffe Armour, a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army who served in World War II and the Korean War, died June 26, 2014 in Los Alamos, N.M. He was 92.

Armour died of old age, family members say. He was born April 22, 1922 in Paris. After his parents divorced, Armour moved to the United States and was raised by relatives of his American father. He attended South Hills High School in Pittsburgh, lettering in track. 

After graduating, Armour entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in the South Pacific and Hawaii during World War II.

He Read More

JOHN R. DUMMER Oct. 30, 1959 – June 21, 2014

John R. Dummer made the longest day of the year his last day, but he was all about living life with gusto. Making people laugh was a gift and his passion.

John loved Los Alamos and was happy in the mountains and his small town. He embraced adventures and each was enjoyed with the enthusiasm of a little boy … rappelling off Peggy Sue Bridge, rafting rivers, motorcycling with friends, scary acrobatic skiing, taking pictures of flowers, and coaching the infamous Dummer Racing shovel racers.

He shared and recognized everyone on facebook, sent wonderful Read More

ROBERT D. KROHN Dec. 26 1919 – May 16, 2014

Robert Krohn of Los Lunas and Los Alamos passed away in May at the age of 94. Bob was born on December 26, 1919 in Milwaukee, Wis., to Hugh and Pauline Krohn. He attended the University of Wisconsin for both undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics.

Bob was offered a job at Los Alamos in 1943 to work on the Manhattan Project. He married Barbara Ann Rockwell, his college sweetheart, in 1943. He was one of the few scientists to witness the testing of the atomic bomb at Trinity Site on July 16, 1945. A decade later, Bob was the Task Commander for the explosion of Read More

BECKIE (BRADFORD) DIVEN Jan. 6, 1918 – June 17, 2014

Beckie (Bradford) Diven was born in Globe, Arizona, in 1918 and died in Albuquerque, New Mexico June 17, 2014. She was raised in Pasadena, California, and worked her way through college as a camp counselor in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and loved the outdoor life. 

After graduation, she worked at Caltech. While there, she helped develop a quartz fiber system for oxygen meters used in submarines. In 1943 she was asked to go to Berkeley and then to Los Alamos to help develop a quartz micro fiber balance for measuring plutonium. She fell in love Read More

DONALD ROSE April 6, 2014

Donald Rose, a longtime resident of Los Alamos, passed away on April 6, 2014, at the age of 91.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Elizabeth Rose. He is survived by his sister-in-law Rose McIlveen, his nephew Eric Woertz, his nieces Vicki Sue Fulkerson and Georgann Brooks and his grand-niece Elle Woertz Posten.

Don earned his Master’s degree in physical chemistry from Northwestern University and a doctorate in physical chemistry from Indiana University.

He spent two years as a supervisor of the chemistry laboratory at John’s Hopkins Read More

VICKI JO BIGGS June 11, 2014

Vicki Jo Biggs, 63, a resident of Los Alamos, passed away of natural causes Wednesday, June 11, 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents, Everett and May Belle Harman. 

Vicki was a resident of Los Alamos for 26 years. She was a dedicated special education teacher for 32 years and was a member of the White Rock United Methodist Church, where she played in the English Hand Bell Choir and was a member of the Church quilting group. 

Vicki also was a member of the Chapter AK, PEO Sisterhood. She enjoyed hiking, boating and she traveled extensively with her husband Read More