Obituaries

Rosie Cruz

1930-2007

A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Antelope Valley United Methodist Church in Coleville for Rosie Cruz, 77, who died Nov. 22, 2007, in Reno.

Mrs. Cruz, a resident of Walker for 18 years, was born Sept. 19, 1930, in Stockton, Calif. She lived in Orange, Calif., before moving to Walker. She married Frank Cruz, June 29, 1968, in Las Vegas. Mrs. Cruz was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Women's Auxillary and she enjoyed camping, fishing and bird watching.

She is survived by her husband Frank Cruz of Walker; her children Tony Espere, Theresa M.E. Bohanon, Jennifer Teague, Annett Espere, Pamela Walton, Leilani Juneau, Christopher Espere and Catherine Espere; her brothers Filicidad Tabosa, Stanley Escalano as well as 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are in the care of FitzHenry's Carson Valley Funeral Home in Gardnerville. A viewing will take place 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at FitzHenry's with burial to take place at the Antelope Valley Cemetery in Coleville.

Jeanne M. Gysen

1943-2007

A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville for Jeanne M. Gysen, 64, who died Nov. 19, 2007, in Death Valley.

Mrs. Gysen was born Sept. 14, 1943, in New York, to Edward and Jeanne "Jeanie" Van Hamont. She had a bachelor's degree in French and Spanish and held teaching degrees for Vermont and California. She married Roland Gysen, Aug. 29, 1971, in Wells River, Vt. She served in the U. S. Navy from 1973-1983 as a cryptology technician. She also taught high school, junior high school and she was a homemaker. She volunteered as a Virginia City docent, she was a member of St. Gall Catholic Church. Previously a resident of Boulder Creek, Calif., she has been a resident of Gardnerville for two years.

She was preceded in death by her parents in 2000. She is survived by her husband Roland (Cohagen) Gysen of Gardnerville; daughters Noelle Alcazar of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Danielle Gysen of Boulder Creek, Calif.

Arrangements are in the care of Brune Mortuary in Bishop, Calif.

William Frederick Nelson

1912-2007

A memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday at Bill's Land on Highway 395 for William Frederick Nelson, 95, a lifetime resident of the Carson Valley and a man who touched so many lives with his generosity and kindness. Mr. Nelson died at home Nov. 30, 2007, of natural causes.

He was born May 29, 1912, to Emma Hussman Nelson and Charles William Nelson, the first boy born in Minden after it became a town.

His mother died shortly after childbirth and he was raised on his grandparents' ranch in the Valley. From his childhood on the ranch he developed a deep love and respect for nature and the outdoors. He was an avid rough and ready outdoorsman and dedicated environmentalist long before that became fashionable. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mr. Nelson enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served through World War II. After returning to Gardnerville he married Johanna Warren, a high school English teacher. They raised their three children at their home on Douglas Avenue where Mr. Nelson lived for the remainder of his life. The Outdoorsman, owned and operated by Bill Nelson and lifelong friend Hank Rosenbrock, was a favorite hang-out for local sportsmen until the early '80s. In the years following retirement his favorite pastime was feeding the magpie population of the Carson Valley. Well into his 80s, he could still be seen shoveling snow, lugging boulders on his land on Highway 395, and cutting firewood in the Pine Nuts. In his 90s, his body no longer supported him, but he remained in good spirits and was still out in his favorite restaurants bantering with the locals.

Mr. Nelson was preceded in death by his wife Johanna Warren Nelson. He is survived by his three children, Nancy Nelson of Gardnerville, Warren Nelson and daughter Johanna of Berkeley, Calif., and Kristin Nelson-Hansen and husband Steve of Santa Fe, N.M. His death leaves a hole in their hearts which will never be filled.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to www.aussiebcrescue.com in the memory of William Frederick Nelson. For information, contact Kathy Givens at 267-4068.

Straucie Marie Ogborn

1910-2007

A memorial service is 10:30 a.m. today at Trinity Lutheran Church in Gardnerville for Straucie Marie Ogborn a resident of Minden since 1991. Mrs. Ogborn died Dec. 2, 2007, in Carson City at the age of 97. She was born on Feb. 11, 1910, in Stanberry, Mo. Her early life was spent in Missouri and she moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, for several years and came to Nevada in 1948. She attended Trinity Lutheran Church and served as an operator for Contel Telephone Co. in Minden for 15 years. She devoted much of her life to her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters, two husbands, and a son Norman in 1996.

Survivors include a son Jack (Essie) Prien of Reno, a daughter Beverly (Le Roy) Tietje of Minden, 13 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Burial will be at Garden Cemetery.

Memorials may be made in Mrs. Ogborn's name to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements entrusted to Walton's Douglas County Mortuary in Minden.