OBITUARIES
Jose Belem Leal
Nov 1, 2026
Jose Belem Leal of Ridgecrest, CA, was born in Mexico on January 27th 1961, to Maria Mata and Arturo Leal. He went home to be with the Lord on November 1st 2026, at the age of 65. He was preceded in death by his mother, Maria; his mother-in-law, Antonia; and his grandson, Tayden. Jose was a hard-working man, always full...
Benny Ray Eldridge
Oct 30, 2026
Benny Ray Eldridge
March 13, 1943 – October 30, 2026
Benny Ray Eldridge, 83, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away on October 30, 2026, in Ridgecrest. He was born on March 13, 1943, in Dustin, Oklahoma, to Raymond and Lillian Eldridge.
Benny was a longtime resident of Trona, California, where he lived from 1955 until 2020, when he relocated to Ridgecrest. He graduated from...
Marilyn Jean Jones
Oct 21, 2026
Marilyn Jean Jones passed away peacefully October 21st, 2026 at her home in Ridgecrest with her husband at her side. She was 81 years old.
Marilyn was born January 14th, 1945 in Du Quoin, Illinois to parents Anthony and Margerate Barkus of Dowell. Her father was a Coal Miner for 35 years. Marilyn and her younger sister Judy attended grade school...
Scott Edward Giroux
Oct 5, 2026
Scott Edward Giroux passed away on October 05, 2026. Scott was born in Torrance, CA to parents, Sandra and Clyde Giroux Jr. He moved to Ridgecrest, CA as a young child in 1984. He graduated from Burroughs High School in 1998. While in high school, Scott played the saxophone in the marching band and was on both the soccer and...
Alfred "Fred" Earl Kirkpatrick
Oct 5, 2026
Alfred (Fred) Earl Kirkpatrick passed away peacefully at his home in Ridgecrest surrounded by family on October 5, 2026 of natural causes. He was 75. He was the life of the party, and never met someone he couldn’t talk to, or joke with.
Fred was born on November 27, 1950 as the oldest child of George and Beverly Kirkpatrick in Midland...
Gerald Dean Adams
Oct 2, 2026
Gerald Dean Adams, 76, of Inyokern, California, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2026. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched.
Gerald was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He had a special gift for making people happy and was always looking for ways to make life a little...
Oliver Phillip Groves
Sep 30, 2026
In Loving Memory of Oliver Phillip Groves
August 5, 2026 – September 30, 2026
Oliver Phillip Groves was born on August 5, 2026, and in his short time here on earth, he brought immeasurable love, happiness, and joy into the lives of everyone who knew him.
Oliver was the happiest, sweetest baby boy. His smiles, deep blue eyes, tiny babbles, nonstop wiggles, and...
Barbara Kay Byerly
2026
Barbara Byerly passed away in September of 2026. Barbara was a native Californian, who grew up in the small farming community of Ferndale, California and graduated from Fortuna High School. She held a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Valdosta State University and taught at the Ridgecrest Charter School prior to her retirement.
Barbara is preceded in death by her...
Patrick James Hannon
Sep 27, 2026
Patrick James Hannon, a man whose life was as vibrant and dynamic as the natural landscapes he cherished, passed away on September 27th, 2026. Born on December 20th, 1964, in Redwood City, California, Patrick lived a life defined by courage, resilience, dedication, and an enduring love for the people and places that mattered most to him.
Patrick was preceded in death...
Kelli Elizabeth Sarrett
Sep 25, 2026
Kelli Elizabeth Sarrett
October 16, 1974 – September 25, 2026
Kelli Elizabeth Sarrett, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, educator, coach, and friend, passed away peacefully at her home on September 25, 2026, surrounded by her family.
Kelli was born on October 16, 1974, in Lindsay, California, to Jerry and Adele Crow. In 1976, her family moved to Ridgecrest, California, where she would...
Nadine "Deenie" K Herling
Sep 24, 2026
Nadine K. Herling “Deenie,” 91, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away peacefully on the morning of September 24, 2026, at her residence in La Quinta, California.
Nadine was born in San Gabriel, California, on September 2, 1935. Soon after her birth, her parents, Jack King and Jesse Broxholm, moved Nadine and her two siblings, June and Jerri, to Ridgecrest. Both of her...
Darlene Dorothea Lyell
Sep 22, 2026
Darlene Dorothea Lyell passed away peacefully at home in the loving care of her family on September 22, 2026 at the age of 86. Darlene was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Aurelia and Stanford Benedict.
Darlene grew up in El Monte, California with her parents, two sisters Barbara and Mary and brother Jimmy. On April 25, 1960 she married Carl Lyell...
Diane Tamez Williams
Sep 20, 2026
Diane Tamez Williams was born on June 18th, 1958, to Richard Tamez and Angie Basco in Arizona. She passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on September 20th, 2026. Funeral services will take place at Bakersfield National Cemetery on October 8th at 10:45am, 30338 East Bear Mountain Blvd. Arvin, California. Funeral procession will depart from Holland and Lyons...
Alma Alicia Gamboa
Sep 19, 2026
Alma Alicia Gamboa, 67, passed away in her home on September 19, 2026, leaving behind a family who loved her deeply and a lifetime of memories that will never be forgotten.
Alma was born in July of 1959 in San Diego to Miguel and Alicia Gamboa. She grew up in Santee and graduated from Santana High School in 1977. As an...
Frederick Eugene Villicana
Sep 13, 2026
Frederick Eugene “Freddy” “Rick” Villicana Frederick Eugene Villicana, affectionately known as Freddy and Rick, passed away peacefully at his home at the age of 88 on September 13, 2026. He was born at the Lawton Indian Hospital in Lawton, Oklahoma and was the only one of his 8 siblings to be born in a hospital. He is survived by one...
Mary Celesta Brooks
Sep 10, 2026
Mary Celesta Brooks, known to all who loved her as Celesta Brooks, passed away on September 10, 2026, in Ridgecrest, California. She was born on November 9, 1934, in Roswell, New Mexico, and lived a life marked by faith, music, and quiet devotion.
Celesta was a longtime member of the Church of the Nazarene in Ridgecrest, where her love for the...
Mark Gerald Storch
Sep 10, 2026
CAPT Mark Storch, USN (ret.), 69, passed away in Los Angeles on September 10, 2026 surrounded by his family. Mark was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and served 31 years in the United States Navy. His career as a Naval Aviator took him and his wife all around the globe. They were elated to have NAWS China Lake as his next...
Gerald Francis McDonald
Sep 9, 2026
Gerald Francis McDonald, 81, of Ridgecrest, California, passed away on September 9, 2026, at Palmdale Regional Medical Center.
Gerald was born on April 5,1945 to Kenneth and Angelina (Dittrich) McDonald in Woodstock, Illinois. As a young child, Gerald and his family moved to a dairy farm in Taylor, Wisconsin, where he grew up as the oldest of nine children and with...
Gregory Alan Miller
Sep 7, 2026
Gregory Alan Miller, 49, of Ridgecrest California, passed away September 7, 2026. He was born December 17, 1976 in Portsmouth Virginia to Debi Pomrenke and Glen Miller.
Greg Jr lived in Iowa until he was 5 years old. It was then that his dad, Greg Sr, joined the Navy and the family moved to San Diego California. He lived there until...
