Obituaries

MYRTLE C. WILLIAMS  Oct. 13, 1918–June 3, 2013

Myrtle C. Williams, 94, died June 3, 2013 in Ft. Collins, Colo. 

She was born Oct. 13, 1918 in Cedaredge, Colo., to Henry and Rebecca Stolte. 

She was preceded in death by her husband David Lloyd Williams, her parents Henry and Rebecca Stolte, five sisters; Frances Macki, Stella Woody, Irene Lowe, Maybelle Ewing, and Minnie Chalfant and two brothers; Stanley and Wesley Stolte. 

She is survived by her three children Clinton Williams of Los Angeles, Calif., Cynthia and husband Larry Stevens of Ft. Collins, Colo., and Beverly Read More

EDWARD FREDRIC HAMMEL Jan. 6, 1918–June 8, 2013

Edward Fredric Hammel, 95, a Los Alamos resident for 69 years, died Saturday, June 8, 2013 at home in Los Alamos.

He was born in New York City, New York on Jan. 6, 1918. He grew up in Mt. Vernon, NY. His father, Edward F. Hammel, Sr. was a civil engineer. His mother, Louise Schultz Hammel, was a church secretary, loving housewife and mother.  

Edward Hammel graduated from Dartmouth College in 1939 with a major in chemistry. It was at Dartmouth where he also worked as a waiter in Mrs. Rood’s Eating Club, the only one that served women living in Hanover. Read More

LORNA HAMILTON COOPER March 3, 1936–June 9, 2013

Lorna Hamilton Cooper, a resident of Los Alamos for nearly 40 years, passed away Sunday June 9, 2013.

She was born March 3, 1936. She was the beloved child of Philip and Georgia Goss, and mother of Preston Cooper, Erika Cooper Gorman, and Linsday Cooper. She loved her grandchildren Ethan and Kelsey Prueitt, Dane Van Buren, Layn Biddle, Rigel and Andromeda Cooper, and Kyle and Grace Sackman. She raised Layn for several years and missed him every day after he moved to Alaska.

Lorna was a talented painter and photographer until her disease robbed her Read More

DONALD (ADONIAS) ORTEGA May 27, 2013

On Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2013, as a result of a recent illness, our beloved father, Donald (Adonias) Ortega, 87, passed from this world into the open arms of the Lord.

Donald Ortega was a former resident of Los Alamos and resided in Idaho Falls with his daughter, Suzanna and son-in-law, Andrew Phillips since July 2011. Donald was born on March 13, 1926 in Las Vegas, NM to Maggie Ortega Trosper. As a young teenager, his first job was working for the railroad in Southern New Mexico. When he was sixteen, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in the World Read More

RICHARD PAUL MULLEN May 26, 2013

Richard Paul Mullen, 42, resident of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2013.

Richard is preceded in death by his father, Jack Mullen; grandmother, Mabel Mullen; grandfather, Paul Mullen and step grandfather, Pete Reasner.

He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Lori Mullen; his mother, Karen Lee Mullen; daughter, Melonie (Sam) Craig; grandson, Nathan Craig; brother Lee (Jan) Mullen; special nephew, Christopher Mullen, who loved his “Uncle Buddy”; in-laws: Donna and Dennis Schneider, and Lisa (Brett) Cummins; his beloved pets: Jazzie Read More

STEPHEN “STEVE” DAVIDSON STODDARD May 24, 2013

Stephen “Steve” Davidson Stoddard, 88, died May 24, 2013. World War II veteran, “Battle of the Bulge” soldier, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge recipient, devoted husband and father, Ceramic Engineer Extraordinaire, Justice of the Peace, Los Alamos County Commissioner, three term New Mexico State Senator, Patriot, Statesman, Los Alamos Living Treasure, a friend to all, a connoisseur of fine scotch and a good cigar. Another member of the “Greatest Generation” has left our midst.

Born in Everett, Washington Read More

Retired State Sen. Steve Stoddard and his wife Barbara attended the United Way kick-off event at Los Alamos National Bank in September 2012. Photo by Carol A.Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

Retired Sen. Steve Stoddard of Los Alamos died at approximately 10 a.m. today. 

He was on hospice in the past week or more. His family had traveled to Los Alamos to be with him at the end.

Stoddard was a Los Alamos Living Treasure and known for his love of displaying the American flag at his home. In 1952, he became vice president of New Mexico’s Young Republicans and went on to serve three successive Read More

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MARYLEE B. LEHMAN 1922–May 12, 2013

Marylee B. Lehman, 91, a resident of Los Alamos since 1947, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, May 12, 2013.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles A. Lehman Sr.; son, Charles A. Lehman Jr.; and brother, Seth Baldwin.

Marylee was such a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed sewing, and was a very good seamstress. Marylee would make some of her children’s and grandchildren’s clothing. She enjoyed baking and one of her favorite things was baking cream puffs. No matter what holiday we were celebrating, she went all out decorating. Read More

WILLIAM “ROB” OAKES November 27, 1942– May 11, 2013

William “Rob” Oakes, 70, a resident of Placitas, died unexpectedly as the result of injuries sustained in a bicycle accident Saturday, May 11, 2013.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Maureen K. Oakes; two sons, Greg Oakes and wife Lisa Munger of Des Moines, Iowa and Scott Oakes and wife Andrea Banke of Wichita, Kan.; sisters Lee Bussolini and husband Pete, Pat Melvin and husband Bill, Jo Grace Buck and husband Roy and Wendy Kalberg and husband Scott Hand; mother-in-law Eleanor Barker of Albuquerque; and Read More