Obituaries

Les J. Benis

1932-2007

A celebration of life will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville for Les J. Benis, 75, who died Oct. 29, 2007. He was a 12-year resident of Minden.

He was born Feb. 25, 1932, in Budapest, Hungary, to Joszef and Lidia Benis, he emigrated to the United States after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Educated as an architect and engineer, he retired from Hughes Aircraft after working and raising a family in the Los Angeles area.

He is survived by his wife, Agnes; daughter Evi and son-in-law Bill of Laguna Hills, Calif.; son Andy and daughter-in-law Debby, granddaughters Melody and Emma Joy of Mission Viejo, Calif.; and his sister Marika and brother-in-law Albert of Szentendre, Hungary.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations to support the National MS Society can be made at Web site www.mspacific.org.

Carl Lamon

1937-2007

No services are planned for Carl Lamon, 70, a 50 year resident of Carson Valley, who died Nov. 15, 2007.

Mr. Lamon was born Feb. 13, 1937 to Addie and Jack Lamon in Oakland, Calif. He was raised on a working farm in Fort Jones, Calif. and graduated from Fort Jones High School in 1955. He spent two years in the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Presidio in San Francisco.

He worked as a surveyor for the government from 1956 through 1966, and then as a truck driver for Richfield from 1966 to 1971. In 1971 he was employed by the Nevada Department of Transportation and retired in 1996. He was a Past Master in the Mason's in Douglas Lodge 12.

Mr. Lamon was preceded in death by his parents, Addie and Jack Lamon, son Tommy Lamon, and grandson Richie Fernandez.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Sue; children, Cindy Fernandez of New York, Joe Fernandez of New York, Valerie Lamon of Arizona, Arnie Lamon of Arizona, Tim Dowd of Reno, Danny Dowd of California and Lupe Dowd also of California. Between he and his wife, they have 11 grandchildren, Joey, Jennifer and Michelle Fernandez all of Valley Stream, N.Y., Luke and Alicia Lamon of Mesa, Ariz., Robbie Dowd of Reno, Michael and Megan Dowd of Minden, Jordan Dowd of Livermore, Calif., Dustin and Deziree Lamon of Findlay, Ohio.

Arrangements and cremation are in the care of Walton's Family of Funeral Homes in Carson City.

Helen Fay McKnight

1940-2007

A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Masonic Memorial Gardens in Reno for Helen Fay McKnight, 67, who died at her home, Nov. 22, 2007.

Mrs. McKnight was born Jan. 25, 1940, in Bishop, Calif., to Ken and Betty Saunders and was a resident of Douglas County and Carson City for more than 40 years.

She worked at Harrah's Lake Tahoe as a waitress where she met her husband Donald McKnight.

They moved their family to Gardnerville in 1977 where she was employed at Bently Nevada and GE Energy until her death.

She loved the outdoors, four-wheeling with her friend Silvia, camping, driving the back country, painting, crocheting, baking, shopping with her friend Pat Bartlow and shopping for her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald McKnight.

She is survived by her parents Ken and Betty Saunders; brother Larry and sister-in-law Sharon Saunders; children Cara and husband Bryan Bibee, Brad and wife Tammy Saunders, Stacy and husband Don Harrison; grandchildren Ty, Whitney and Zachary Bibee, Thorne and Foster Saunders, Brandon and Alicia Harrison as well as her extended family from Bently Nevada and GE Energy.

Howard Redman Nafie

1924-2007

No services are planned for Howard Redman Nafie, 83, who died Nov. 25, 2007, in Gardnerville.

Mr. Nafie was born Jan. 19, 1924, in Whittier, Calif., to Clifford and Irene Nafie. He served as a Merchant Marine in World War II and married Geraldine Patterson on July 30, 1948. The couple adopted sons Jeffery and Rodney and in September of 1958, the family moved to Lake Tahoe.

Mr. Nafie was a land surveyor who surveyed from the jungles of Costa Rica to some of the highest peaks surrounding Lake Tahoe. Some of his most notable accomplishments were Squaw Valley for the 1960 Olympics, the original chairlifts for Heavenly Valley, the Gardnerville Ranchos Units 1-7, the Carson Valley Country Club, Edgewood Golf Course, the first unit of the Tahoe Keys, Skyland, Silver Springs, townhouse units on South Benjamin and Tramway, Summit Village and David Walley's Resort Hot Springs & Spa.

He also surveyed from Stephanie Way and Johnson Lane to Raley's in Gardnerville, east to the Pine Nuts. When a plane crashed in Genoa in the early '60s, he surveyed the site for the National Transportation and Safety Board. He was a member of the Sons in Retirement and he enjoyed playing golf as often as possible. He was a loving husband and father with an amazing sense of humor, a good provider, a loyal friend and teacher of life, who will be truly missed.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Geraldine Nafie of Kingsbury Grade, sons and daughters-in-law Jeff and Artha Nafie of Central Point, Ore.; Rodney and Cheryl Nafie of Gardnerville; grandchildren Andreanna Allyn, Wilburton, Okla., Carissa Nafie and Evan Nafie of Reno, great-granddaughter Abigael Allyn; his older brother Charles Bud Nafie and nieces and nephews from Ventura, Calif. and Alaska.

Arrangements are in the care of FitzHenry's Carson Valley Funeral Home in Gardnerville. The family requests that in lieu of flowers or other gifts, contributions be made to the National Kidney Foundation in Howard Nafie's memory.

Vicki Ann Wilkinson

1951-2007

A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 891 Mahogany Drive in Minden for native Nevadan Vicki Ann Wilkinson, 56, who died Nov. 23, 2007, in Gardnerville.

Ms. Wilkinson was born Jan. 18, 1951, in Pioche to Mahlon and Donna Wilkinson. She worked in the restaurant industry and she was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She is survived by her parents, Mahlon and Donna Wilkinson of Gardnerville; brothers Gregg and John Wilkinson; sisters Linda, Carol and Sue Wilkinson.

Arrangements are in the care of FitzHenry's Carson Valley Funeral Home in Gardnerville. Cremation will take place at FitzHenry's Crematory in Carson City.