The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 12

OBITUARIES IE B11 LOSANGELESTIMES From Associated Press Shoshana Damari, whose voice came to embody the emerging nation of Israel and comforted its people during their most trying times, died Tuesday. She was 83. Damari, who was battling pneumonia, had been taken to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv on Friday and put on life support. Her many friends, as well as leading Israeli singers, congregated around her hospital room in recent days, singing her songs and praying for her recovery. She made her last public appearance a week ago at the Ami Awards, equivalent of the Grammys, where she complimented the young generation of singers.

Known as queen of Hebrew and a recipient of the most prestigious cultural prize, Damari entertained Israeli civilians and soldiers for nearly seven decades with her booming alto voice, continuing to perform until shortly before her death. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Damari of cultural voice and noble image guided us for more than 60 years the establishment of the state, through wars and peace, happiness and Ol- mert said in a statement. Damari was an example for love of humanity, love of the land of Israel and, especially, love for the Hebrew will remember her forever as the national Damari immigrated to Palestine, now Israel, with her family from Damar, Yemen, as an infant in 1924, but her singing featured a distinctive Yemenite pronunciation, adding an ethnic quality to her Hebrew songs. The diminutive per- former was known for her powerful, low-pitched voice that seemed to start from her toes, working its way up her body. She studied singing and acting and began appearing in public in her teens, performing on radio from the age of 14.

She made many recordings and helped soothe the nation during its war of independence in 1948. In 1988, Damari was awarded the top civilian honor, the Israel Prize, for her contribution to Israeli vocal music. As word of her death spread Tuesday, a wave of nostalgia washed over the country. Her songs, such as (Anemones), were played repeatedly on the main radio stations, evoking memories of abygone era of innocence. Israeli television also went to special programming Tuesday night, with tributes to her career and the airing of her last interviews and concert performances.

Damari is survived by a daughter who lives in Canada. Funeral plans were not immediately announced. Shoshana Damari, 83; Israeli Singer, of Hebrew Associated Press SHOSHANA DAMARI The performer was known for her booming alto. Jean Byron, 80; Actress Played Patty Mother on TV Show Jean Byron, 80, an actress best known for portraying Patty mother on the 1960s TV series Patty Duke died Feb. 3 from an infection following hip replacement surgery in Mobile, Ala.

As Natalie Lane, she was on the ABC show that aired from 1963 to 1966. When the cast came together for a 1999 reunion show, Byron and Duke reconnected and began speaking every Sunday, they both said at the time. Byron was born Imogene Burkhart in Paducah, Ky. That was the same name her close friend Max Shulman gave the recurring character he wrote for her on Many Loves of Dobie (CBS, 1959 to 1963). She also appeared in dozens of other television shows before retiring in 1985.

In the 1950s, she appeared in B-movies such as of the and Moon and was briefly married to the actor Michael Ansara. Del Courtney, 95; Former Music Director for the Oakland Raiders Del Courtney, 95, a Bay Area big-band leader in the 1930s, died Saturday at Medical Center in Honolulu after a weeklong bout with pneumonia. His band performed at four presidential inaugural balls for Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Among the songs associated with Courtney, known for a sweeter big-band sound, were Shades of and As music director of the Oakland Raiders, Courtney led the band that performed during halftime shows from 1975 to 1978 and formed the Raiderettes.

When Courtney was struck with the paralysis-inducing Guillain- Barre syndrome in 1971, Raiders owner Al Davis visited him frequently and told him, a Raider. And Raiders Courtney told The Times in 2003. An Oakland native, Courtney took his first piano lesson at 9 and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1933 with a teaching degree and a degree in music. In the Bay Area, he had a live variety show on local television in the 1950s and a radio show in the 1960s. Friedrich Engel, 97; Former Nazi Officer Convicted in Massacre Friedrich Engel, 97, a former Nazi SS officer involved in the massacre of Italian prisoners in World War II, died overnight Feb.

4or 5 in Hamburg, Germany, his wife, Else, said. She did not give a cause of death. In 2002, a German court convicted Engel of 59 counts of murder and handed him a suspended seven-year jail term for the 1944 shootings in a mountain pass near the Italian city of Genoa. An appeals court ruled in 2004 that it believed Engel was responsible for the massacre. But it quashed the conviction, saying the lower court had failed to legally prove murder and ruled out a retrial because of age.

Engel, known in Italy as the of acknowledged helping organize the May 19, 1944, shootings in reprisal for an attack on a movie theater in the city four days earlier in which five German sailors died. However, he denied the murder charge, insisting that the shootings were ordered by Ger- mannaval officers and that his unit was responsible only for selecting the victims from Marassi jail. Claude Gordon Ross, 88; U.S. Diplomat Served in Africa, State Dept. Claude Gordon Ross, 88, who was a deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs from 1972 to 1974 after serving three presidents as an ambassador, died Jan.

18 of pneumonia complicated by acute lymphoma at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., his family said. In 1963, President Kennedy named Ross the ambassador to the Central African Republic. President Johnson appointed him to serve in Haiti, and President Nixon sent him to Tanzania. Born in 1917 in Chicago, Ross moved to Southern California as an infant, graduated from Huntington Park High School and earned a degree in foreign service from USC in 1939. After joining the State Department in 1940, Ross worked in several cities around the world before attending the National War College from 1956 to 1957.

He served as the deputy director of the office of West Africanaffairs in the early 1960s. He spoke five languages, including Greek, which his father required him to learn before allowing Ross to marry Antigone, a second-generation Greek American. They were married for 64 years, until her death in 2004. From Times Staff and Wire Reports PASSINGS DEL COURTNEY His Bay Area big band performed at presidential inaugural balls for Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

Jean Byron Friedrich Engel Looking for an obituary that appeared in The Times last week? You can still find it on the Internet. Go to The website at la- times.com/obits. Finding News Obituaries 4662603 Unexplained Injuries Dehydration Decubitus Ulcers (Bedsores) Broken Bones Weight Loss FREE CONSULTATION If no recovery, you will not be liable for any fees or costs. If you suspect a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, CALL NOW! Attorney Concentrating in Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases Maher, Guiley andMaher, P.A. A Professional Corporation 888-859-2043 (Toll Free) NURSING HOME NEGLECT Steven R.

Maher. Esq. OBITUARIES CA.Shewasthesurvivingsibling ofafamilyoffiveboysandfive ShewasmarriedtoJohnG. Albersfor64years.Precededin sonDonin1999.Sheissurvivedby niecesandnephewsandtheir childrenwhomshedearlyloved. JohnandMarcellacameto Californiain1928toeventually establisharetailjewelrybusiness theyservedtheircommunityfor veryactiveintheirEagleRock the20thCenturyWoman'sClub.

AserviceforMarcellawillbe heldgravesideatForestLawn, MemorialserviceattheEagleRock DonationsinMarcella'sbehalf canbemadetotheAmerican CancerSociety. passedawayinRanchoPalos leavestocherishhismemoryhis otherfamilymembersandfriends thatwillmisshim. FuneralServiceswillbeheld p.m.Burialwillimmediatelyfollow. RooseveltMortuary(310)329-1113 DorothywasbornintheBronx, N.Y.in1923,andshemarried JosephBergerin1943.Whenshe andJoeseparatedsheraisedher workingfulltime.Herreputation legendaryinherjobasAdministra- tiveAnalystintheDivisionof DermatologyatHarborHospital andlateratUCLA.Sheeventually movedtoHuntingtonBeachin1987 wheresheenjoyedalongand fulfillingretirement.Dorothy passedawayonFeb.12,2006, leavingherlovingchildrenPaulS. Berger.Shewasadevotedgrand- JoellePriceandZivaSholinBerger.

Shewasalsoagreatgrandmother Donovan. ServicesatHillsideMemorial GromanMortuary 800-522-4875 Inlieuofflowersthefamily requeststhatdonationsbesentin Dorothy'snametotheJewish HospiceProjectofL.A.,at10573 W.PicoBlvd.,#850,L.A.,90064,or, www.ccfa.org. GaryWilliamBrownwasbornon Nov.8,1943inLynwood,CAand passedawayonFeb.9,206atthe ageof62.FuneralServiceswillbe heldonFeb.16,2006at11:00a.m., atLDSchurch1stwardinDowney, CA.IntermentwillbeatRoseHills DowneyZrelakFamilyMortuary wasentrustedindirectingthese services. athomeinthearmsofherfamily andfriendstothemusicofStevie Wonder.DottywasthechildofLeo andHaskaBortz.Shewasmarried andDarinandsuper-grandmother ofTrueandZoe. DottywasborninLosAngeles PasteurJr.Highandwasgraduated fromHamiltonHigh.

herattentiontothepracticeof ofBikramandAnnaForrest.She thenmovedtoopenherownyoga InternationalSportsMedicine Institute.Shewasverymuchin demandasaprivateinstructorand ledclassesatmoviestudios.Her manydevotedstudentswillre- memberandmissherasadedicated andinspiringyogi.Dottywasan avidLakerandDodgerfanandheld seasonticketsatbothfranchises sincetheirarrivalinLosAngeles. Shewasinstrumentalinsteering professionalathletestoyoga. AmemorialserviceforDottywill February15that1p.m.,(310/641- 0707). Inlieuofflowersyoumaymake adonationinthenameofDotty CandlertoAPlaceCalledHome, (80) OfLagunaBeach, passedawayFebru- kehasbeenaninte- riordesignerforthe last55years.Hehasdesigned beautifulspacesthroughoutsouth- ernCaliforniaincludingthehomes DonnaReed.Heservedinthearmy duringWWIIandintheAirForce duringtheKoreanConflict.Hewas amemberoftheFirstChurchof wasawonderfulhusbandand caringfatherandismuchlovedby everyonewhoknewhim. Inurnmenttookplaceat Pacific ViewMemorialPark.

(800)600-0076 Toplacean ObituaryNotice CallMs.Ryan orMs.Smith 1-800-528-4637 Ext.77241 orExt.77242 ForObituaryNoticescontactMs.Ryanor Ms.Smithemail:paidobits@latimes.com 2006.JohnwasraisedinAlhambra andattendedCathedralHighSchool footballandbaseball.Hebeganhis 43-yearcareerwithSouthern wasinterruptedwhenheentered andaPurpleHeart.In1955,he enteredtheArmyReserveduring theFormosaIncident.Nineyears laterhewasdischargedasa Captain.HemarriedAliceRegina Ellisin1953andlivedinTemple City.HemovedtoHaciendaHeights in1956.Hemovedquicklyupthe ladderatSCEstartingasalineman andretiringin1990asManagerof TransmissionandSubstations.He consultingbusiness.Johnwasa long-timememberoftheEdison ElectricInstitute(EEI)andwas theChairmanoftheEEITransmis- sionCommittee.Hebecamea memberoftheInstituteofElectrical andElectronicsEngineers(IEEE) servingasChairmanofESMO WorldConferencefortenyears.He wasappointedtotheUSNational CommitteeCIGRE(International CommitteeforHighVoltageElec- theBoardofDirectorsofHaverfield CorporationinPennsylvaniaand ElectrocomCorporationinFlorida. Hisprideandjoywerehisfour childrenandtwograndchildren.He enjoyedcoachinghisdaughters' (MarcyandNan)BobbySox Softballteamsandwasaband boosterparentforLosAltosHigh Schoolwherethreeofhischildren wereinthebandandhissonJim wastheDrumMajor.And,hewas veryproudwhenhissonJohn joinedhimatSouthernCalifornia Edison.HewasveryactiveinSt. JohnVianneyParishwhenitwas tirelesslyontheparish'smain Hewasalsoaproudanddevoted andbandperformancesasoftenas possible. Johnissurvivedbyhisloyalwife J.EckmanandNanetteEckman MichelleandJohnPatrickEckman, andsisterLucilleWintroath.He wasprecededindeathbyhisson JamesRalphEckman. at RoseHillsMemorialPark in Whittier.FuneralMasswillfollow a.m.,atSt.JohnVianneyCatholic tionsinhismemorymaybemade toHuntingtonHospital(Pasadena) orCityofHope.

SouthernCaliforniaMountaineering AssociationandSierraClub. Heissurvivedbyhislongtime girlfriendAdrienneBenedict, ewMichael. flowersdonationsmaybemadeto (86) PassedawayFeb.9,2006,Santa extraincludedappearancesin She'ssurvivedbydaughters whocherishedtheirtimewith brother-in-lawFreddieFields, She'satpeacewithhersonPeter. HeissurvivedbyhiswifeMary, daughterDenise. Weloveyouandwillmissyou forever.

daughter. CalvaryMortuary(323)261-3106 (92) KS.PassedawayFebruary11,2006, VisitationServicesheldatRose HillsMortuaryStateroomonFeb- p.m.to8:30p.m.,Gate#1.Services directedbyRoseHillsMortuaryon p.m.,RainbowChapel,Gate#17. Intermentat RoseHillsMemorial Park Whittier. awayafterashortillnesson andgrandmotherknownforloveof littleshyof50yearsofmarriage, shewasthebelovedwifeofJimmie MonsignorGabrielGonzales, grandmotherofSavannahand JamesGonzalesandBlakeSpringer. AVigilServicewillbeheldat St.Mark'sCatholicChurch,940 p.m.MassofChristianBurialwill CulverCity.

contributeinhermemorytothe HolyCrossMortuary (310)836-5500 Toplacean ObituaryNotice CallMs.Ryan orMs.Smith 1-800-528-4637 Ext.77241orExt.77242 wenttobewiththeLordon passedawayathomeinThousand Oakswithherlovingfamilybyher sideafteralongandcourageous battlewithcancer. wasaretiredsupervisorforthe NewYorkTel.Co.after31years ofservice. Edieissurvivedbyherhusband, CarmenGorositoandAliciaRivera; nephewsandcousins. VisitationwillbeonWednesday, atPacificViewMemorialParkin CoronadelMar.Amemorialservice tocelebratethelifeofEdieHastings ThousandOaks. Arrangementsareunderthe directionof PierceBrothersGriffin (805)495-4641.

Jan.13,1925-Feb.13,2006 BelovedGeorge(alsoknownto peacefullyathomewithhisfamily aroundhim. Heissurvivedbyhislovingwife KyleeandTylerandgreatgrand- daughterJenna. Georgehadauniquesenseof humorwhichwillbemissedbyall whoknewhim.Onanygiven Sundayduringfootballseasonyou friendsandfamilywatchingthe game.Duringthesummermonths hisfavoritepastimewasgoingto thebeachwithagoodbook. serviceswillbeheld.Areception celebratingGeorge'slifewilltake anddiedpeacefullyjustafterher allborntothepioneerYoung-Ray Forthreemonthsin1931, MargarettouredEuropewithher LondontoParisinafour-engine, bi-wingHerculesaircraft oneof theearlyscheduledcommercial flights. MargaretgraduatedfromSarah DixHamlinHighSchoolinSan executivewithUnitedAirLines, andMelindaLong.Margaretwasa long-timeresidentofLaCanada yearatherhomeinLakeTahoe, andmovedrecentlytobenearher Margaretissurvivedbybrother laugh.

GravesideservicewillbeFriday, Aug.19,1955-Feb.10,2006 Fromthefamilyandfriendsyou ourheartsandinourthoughts. "WeloveyouCam." (80) ResidentofSyl- HewasaVeteran (U.S.Army-Counter IntelligenceCorps)andissurvived niecesandotherrelatives. Feb.18,11:30a.m,atSt.Mark's www.fukuimortuary.com (213)626-0441 suddenlyinacaraccidentFebruary daughterofBrianandDenise; granddaughterofBruceRebman andMurielGranier.Shealsoleaves alargeextendedfamilyofaunts, friendsandstudents. Intermentwillbeprivate. Amy'smemorymaybemadeto CallananMortuaryDirectors (800)901-0090 www.callananmortuaryservices.com (84) BornNormaPrenticeonJuly28, Feb.9,2006aftermanymonthsof illness.Predeceasedbyherhusband anddaughters-in-lawDonnaand great-grandchildren.

MovingtoCaliforniaasababy, shegrewupandwasmarriedin SantaMonica.Awonderfulhome- involvedinthefashionworldwhen shewasn'tdotingonhersonsand theirfamilies.Anexquisitewoman enjoyedthebeautifulandserene thingsinlife.BornaLeo,shetruly embracedthatsignasnothingcame betweenherandhercubsorthe familypride.Andintheend,she surprisedusallwithwhatcould strength. Wordscannotdescribeourlove spacenevertobefilled.But,you leftawonderfullegacytobe RestinPeaceuntilweseeyou again. ServiceatForestLawnGlendale HewasaretiredteacherfromSt. Hewillbewellrememberedas teacheranddeanatSt.Bernard HisfuneralMasstookplaceatSt. MarySeatofWisdomChurchin Chicago.FatherRichardVallswas themaincelebrant.

Mr.Salvinoissurvivedby relativesandfriendsandwas precededindeathbyhisfatherand Hewillbemissedbymany. DeLoisewasborninAberdeen S.D.June14,1911.Shepassedaway thewholesalegarmentindustryin LosAngeles.Shebecameactivein lovedbymanyandissurvivedby grandchildren. Acelebrationofherlifeforfamily andfriendswillbeheldatthe familyhomeinPacificPalisades flowersthefamilysuggestsdona- tionsbemadetoacharityofchoice. (83) fullyinhissleepThursdayFebru- HospiceinSantaBarbara. Tom'sachievementsweremany.

AftergraduatingfromLosAngeles attendedtheUniversityofNew MexicobeforetheUnitedStates enteredWorldWarII.Tomserved asaLieutenantintheNavyinthe CentralPacificandparticipatedin theinvasionofandassaultonIwo Jima.In1948,aftertheWar,he finishedaB.E.inMechanical graduatedfromtheUCLASchool ofBusinessExecutiveProgram. Tomspentmostofhisprofessional careeratFarrCompanyinEl Europe.HebeganhiscareeratFarr theswitchtosaleswherehe enjoyedmeetingandinteracting withpeople.UltimatelyTombe- cameGeneralManagerofEuropean VPin1985. Tomenjoyedabusyretirement. Duringhisfirsttenyearsof severalcompaniesinSouthern RickeyallovertheU.S.andEurope, acquiredhisfirstcomputerto enthusiasticallycreatecardsand MemorialHospital.Uponmovingto volunteeringatCottageHospital. uedhisglobetrekkingbytraveling lifelongdreambytravelingtoNew Zealand.Hetookgreatjoyinhis volunteerdutiesatCottageHospi- bykeepingtheminstitcheswith hisquick(andsometimeswicked) witandhugerepertoireofjokes.

Tomlovedworkingthefront supportivecommunityofMaravilla wherehecontinuedtomakefriends withresidentsandstaff.Hewas unabletoreturntohisvolunteer withhismanyfriendsthroughe- mailandoccasionalvisits. WealllovedTomforfinding humorinalmostanysituationand forhispunaffliction.Tomcom- pletelyacceptedthewayothers tendednottonoticewhenhis granddaughterpiercedhereyebrow andwassimplyrelievedthatnoone washurtwhenagrandsontotaled him.Mostwhoknewhimhadno ideahewassickbecausehenever allrememberthathealwaysfelt Tom'sfamilyextendsitsheartfelt thankstoDr.MargaretRay,allthe dedicatedworkersonSixthCentral ersoftheVisitingNursesAssocia- tionandSerenityHouseHospicein SantaBarbarafortheloveand respecttheyprovidedTominthe pastyear. Noservicesareplanned.Instead, smileandrememberastoryhetold you.Inlieuofflowers,pleasemake acontributiontoeitherVisiting 93105orTheCancerCenterofSanta ForObituaryAssistance call1-800-528-4637 Ext.77241or77242 PassedawayFeb.11,2006in DebraSegrest.Serviceswillbe private. InMemoriam CATHERINEL.QUINN Feb.15,1913-Dec.30,2003 HappyBirthdayMom Iamtheluckiestdaughter intheworldtohavehad youformymother Imissyouandloveyousomuch Sandra InglewoodParkCem.Mausoleum siveFamilycemeteryplot.8 spaces.Westlake.(805)377-2205 FORESTLAWNGLENDALE-2adj. CremationServices Forassistance regarding ObituaryNotices CallMs.Ryan orMs.Smith forunderstanding andhelpfulservice 1-800-528-4637 Ext.77241orExt.77242 Forassistance regarding ObituaryNotices CallMs.Ryan orMs.Smith forunderstandingand helpfulservice 1-800-528-4637 Ext.77241orExt.77242.