In Memoriam

BY

Farold Westwood

Farold Westwood

Farold Lloyd Westwood, “Red,” age 85, passed on Sunday, July 19, 2015 in Canyon Lake, California of COPD. When his lungs gave out, he was surrounded by his loved ones.

Red was born March 13, 1930 in Dodge City, Kansas to Walter Fletcher and Effie Mae Westwood. Red was the youngest of four sisters and four bothers. He joined the U.S. Navy, where he was honorably discharged. He also worked for Standard Oil. His passion was for his work with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. This for 22 years never waned. He then retired at 50 to play golf and enjoy life.

Red had a sense of style and humor that was uniquely his. His family and friends will forever remember him as a kind and generous man who put everyone’s needs ahead of his own.

Red is survived by his beloved Rita Ann Crocker, daughters Kimberley Jane Westwood Robinson, Leessa Marie Westwood, and son Reece Lloyd Westwood. Red was married to Vereta Joyce Westwood for 46 years, who passed in January 2001. Red was also loved by his extended children, Terry Taylor and Ginger McNicoll. He was blessed with eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Red’s Celebration of Life was held July 30 at the Canyon Lake Country Club.

Lorraine Parks

Lorraine Parks

Barbara Lorraine Parks passed away on July 21, 2015. She was born Barbara Schmidt on March 14, 1920 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Following high school, Lorraine pursued a career in dance, moving to New York City at just 17 years old. After dance classes and auditions, she was selected for the lineup of dancers at the “Hollywood Cabaret” on Broadway at 48th St. The grueling schedule of rehearsals and shows proved too much for the 17-year-old and she became ill, returning home to Baltimore in the late Fall of 1937.

Lorraine married her high school sweetheart, Gordon Parks, in June 1938. She continued her career as a model locally and in Atlantic City and New York until 1940, when the couple moved to Syracuse, New York. There Gordon accepted a job with Crucible Steel, while Barbara continued her dance career as a teacher at the Nanita Johns Studio in Syracuse.

After the war, in 1947, she and Gordon started a family. The family enjoyed the water, living on Skaneateles Lake for 30 years. They were always active in the Episcopal Church. Retiring in 1980, Lorraine and Gordon sailed their sailboat from Lake Ontario to Key West, Florida, eventually settling in Florida for retirement.

The couple moved to Canyon Lake in 1999 to be closer to their son, Stew Parks. Lorraine is survived by son Stewart and daughter-in-law Jude Donahue-Parks of Canyon Lake; grandchildren and spouses, Sarah Gates (Dennis) of Rancho Cucamonga and Jamey Parks (Sandy Blancher-Parks) of Cottonwood Heights, Utah; and great-granddaughter, Viviane Parks, of Cottonwood Heights, Utah.

A memorial service will be held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 26704 Murrieta Rd. in Menifee at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 1. A short reception will follow at the church.

Denise Nee

Denise Nee

Denise Marie Nee passed away July 27, 2015 of a sudden illness. She was born September 17, 1970 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Denise was a teacher’s aid and then a teacher, but most of all, she was devoted to her children. She lived in Canyon Lake the past 15 years.

She is survived by her son and daughter, Jacob and Summer Nee of Canyon Lake; mother and stepfather, Shari and John Blough of Canyon Lake; father, John Gammon; brother, Bobby Gammon; and numerous stepbrothers, stepsisters and other family members. Mom says, “I love you and you will always be in my heart.”

Services will be held Saturday, August 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Options Funeral Home, 601 Crane St., Ste. D, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530.