The Desert Sun from Palm Springs, California • Page 15

DESERT SUN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2 2004 B5 FOR THE RECORD Local Iraq war toll The fallen: Marines and sailors from units based at Twentynine Palms killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom: Staff Sgt. Donald C. May 1st Tank Battalion, 31, Richmond, combat, March 25, 2003 Lance Cpl. Patrick T. 0'Day, 1st Tank Battalion, 20, Santa Rosa, combat, March 25, 2003 Cpl.

Robert M. Rodriguez, 1st Tank Battalion, 21, New York, combat, March 25, 2003 Lance Cpl. Francisco A. MartinezFlores, 1st Tank Battalion, 21, Los Angeles, combat, March 25, 2003 Pfc. Christian D.

Gurtner, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 19, Ohio City, Ohio, non-combat weapons discharge, April 2, 2003 Cpl. Mark A. Evnin, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 21, South Burlington, combat, April 3, 2003 Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 18, Tampa, combat, April 7, 2003 Cpl. Jesus Martin Antonio Medellin, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 21, Fort Worth, Texas, combat, April 7, 2003 Cpl.

Jesus A. Gonzalez, 1st Tank Battalion, 22, Indio, combat, April 12, 2003 Cpl. Jason David Mileo, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 20, Centreville, friendly fire, April 14, 2003 Seaman Joshua McIntosh, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 22, Kingman, non-hostile gunshot wound, June 26, 2003 Lance Cpl. Cory Ryan Geurin, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 18, Santee, fall from a roof, July 15, 2003 Pfc. Brandon C.

Smith, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 20, Washington, enemy action in AI Qaim, March 18, 2004. Pfc. Rick A. Morris 3rd Marines Continued from B1 mended for the Purple Heart. He is survived by a wife and three children.

Gray joined the Marine Corps on Feb. 19, 2002, and was a rifleman with Lima Company, officials at Twentynine Palms reported. He deployed to Iraq in 2003 and returned for his second tour in February. His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and he is also recommended for the Purple Heart, the base reported. Gray's family in Illinois could not be reached for comment.

Amaya joined the Marines on July 17, 2000, and was a rifleman with Kilo Company, the base reported. He also deployed to Iraq in 2003 and re-deployed in February. His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. "And you can add to that the Purple Heart," said Amaya's stepfather, David Carpenter, from their Texas home. "It'll be presented to his mom (today)." His mother, Kathleen Amaya Carpenter, was too upset to come to the phone.

"Although she understands this has happened, the full reality Rescue Continued from B1 hospital said she was in stable condition late Tuesday, with family at her bedside. In Indio, the flier still hung from the window at the Circle on Monroe Street and Oleander Avenue Tuesday evening with photographs of a mother and her smiling child. The flier asked shoppers i if anyone had seen 26-year-old Norma Bustamante and her daughter Ruby or if anyone had seen the late-1990s model Ford Taurus they were driving on April 4. By Tuesday evening, news reports and televised interviews with relatives confirmed the fears of neighbors on Orangegrove Avenue. The search was over.

Riverside County Coroner's officials had not identified the woman's body late Tuesday. But neighbors expressed shock and sadness at the news that the quiet woman up the block was believed dead. The shock the neighbors felt was mixed with relief that, after 10 days at the bottom of an embankment, Ruby Bustamante had survived. "When we heard they were missing, our hearts went out because of the girl," said neighbor Margie Flores. "We were hoping the outcome was good.

Battalion, 7th Marines, 20, Lubbock, Texas, enemy action in Al Qaim, March 18, 2004. Cpl. Andrew D. Brownfield, Marine Wing Support Squadron 374, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 24, Summit, Ohio, enemy mortar attack, March 18, 2004. Cpl.

David M. Vicente, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 25, Methuen, enemy action near Hit, Iraq, March 19, 2004. Pfc. Dustin M. Sekula, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 18, Edinburg, Texas, enemy action in 1 Al Anbar Province, Iraq, April 1, 2004.

Lance Cpl. Aric J. Barr, 2nd Batallion, 7th Marines, 22, Allegheny, enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, April 4, 2004. Lance Cpl. Christopher B.

Wasser, 3rd Batallion, 7th Marines, 21, Ottawa, enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, April 8, 2004. Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez II1, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 21, Veribest, Texas, hostile fire in Iraq, April 9, 2004. Pfc. Chance R.

Phelps, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, 19, Clifton, hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, April 9, 2004. 1st Lt. Oscar Jimenez, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 34, San Diego, enemy fire in Al Anbar Province, April 11, 2004. Cpl. Daniel R.

Amaya, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 22, Odessa, Texas, hostile fire in AI Anbar Province, April 11, 2004. Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 19, Patoka, hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, April 11, 2004. SOURCE: BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, SOURCE: BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE hasn't hit," Carpenter said.

"We've been trying to keep ourselves busy with arrangements." The family is holding a memorial service for Amaya today, he said. The Carpenters learned of their son's death on Easter, moments after they returned from church. "The Marines rang the front bell," he said. "That's how we found out." While still grieving, the Carpenters remembered Amaya's sense of humor. He was even joking the week before when he called around 4 a.m.

His mother thanked him for staying up late to call his "favorite mother," and he responded, "Well, you're in the top 10." "Just things like that," Carpenter said of Amaya's sense of humor. Carpenter, who reared Amaya since he was 11, said Amaya was on a delayed enlistment program, meaning he signed up for the Marines before he was 18 and needed parental consent. He extended his enlistment to remain with his unit as they headed to Iraq for the second time. On his first tour, Carpenter said Amaya indicated it was less personal, but on this second tour the combat was much closer. But that's why Amaya enlisted in the infantry, he said.

"If there was ever action, he wanted it," Carpenter said. Nelsy Rodriguez can be reached at Nelsy. Nelsy.Rodriguez@thedesertsun.com or 360-8356. The Associated Press contributed to this report We're really heartbroken by it." The fears were of a different kind in the early days of the pair's disappearance. Too often, Flores said, news of someone's disappearance is connected to a kidnapping or worse.

That Ruby had survived a tragic accident, provided some measure of relief for the Flores family. "So many different things go through your mind," Margie Flores said. "We went over (to the Bustamante home) the other day," Flores' husband Larry said. "They hadn't found her." "All this time in the car," Larry Flores continued, imagining little Ruby's ordeal. The CHP continues to investigate the crash.

Darrell Smith is a reporter for The Desert Sun. He can be reached at Darrell.Smith@thedesertsun.com or 778-4669. The Associated Press contributed to this report. CLOSET DESIGNS Local 342-5020 OBITUARIES Ruth Hirst FIND MORE Desert Sun obituaries Ruth Naoma Hirst, 80, of Thermal died April 10, 2004, in Thermal. She was born Jan.

17, 1924, to George Nichols and Ida Prince in Oklahoma. She was an agricultural labor contractor for 35 years. She is survived by her son, Larry Hirst of Thermal; her sister, Evie Nichols of Oklahoma; her brother, Murrel Nichols of Arkansas; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Hirst in 2002. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m.

Thursday at Coachella Valley Cemetery under the direction of FitzHenry Funeral Home in Indio. Thelma Newton Thelma Joan Newton, 71, of Indio and Troutdale, Ore. April 9, 2004, in Indio. She was born Dec. 9, 1932, to Herbert Claire Hansell and Nellie Mae Chipperfield Hansell in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

She married Douglas Harold Newton on Sept. 1, 1951, in Vancouver. She was a data processing clerk with wholesale carpeting firms for 18 years. She was a member of Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells. She is survived by her husband, Doug Newton of Indio; two sons, Wesley Newton of Troutdale and Bradley Newton of Portland, her sister, Juanita "Nita" Evans of Vancouver; and her brother, Herbert Hansell of White Rock, B.C., Canada.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Coachella Valley Christian Church in Indio. Private arrangements are under the direction of Rose Mortuary of Desert Hot Springs. Willy Lopez Willy Diaz Lopez, 33, of La Quinta died April 11, 2004, in Indio. He was born Feb.

9, 1971, to Felix Mendoza Lopez and Alicia Diaz Lopez in Indio. He married Carmen Marie De Los Santos on Aug. 10, 1996, in La Quinta. He was a sales manager at I-10 Toyota for six years. He was a member of The Palms Golf Club and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Carmen Lopez of La Quinta; his son, Dimitri Lopez of La Quinta; his sister, Erica Lopez of San Diego; his brother, Mark Lopez of Indio; and his mother, Alicia Lopez of Indio. Visitation will be from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Friday, with a funeral Mass celebration at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Help Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Indio. Burial will be at Coachella Valley Cemetery under the direction of FitzHenry Funeral Home Indio.

Michael Jameson Michael Ray Jameson, 34, of Bermuda Dunes died April 10, 2004, in Redlands. He was born Oct. 16, 1969, to Raymond Harry Jameson and Bobbie June Carmichael Jameson in Indio. He is survived by two sisters, Rene Hopkins of Bermuda Dunes and Dee Jameson of Kingman, his parents, Ray and Bobbie Jameson of Bermuda Dunes; and his grandmother, Thelma Blystone of Shelocta, Pa. Private arrangements are under the direction of FitzHenry Funeral Home Indio.

CALIFORNIA LOTTERY SuperLotto Numbers picked PICKS 5 plus mega 5, no mega 4 plus mega dating back to July 1999 are available online: thedesertsun.com Raymond Jimenez Raymond Jimenez, 23, of Coachella died April 6, 2004, in Coachella. He was born May 6, 1980, to Jose Jimenez and Margarita Diaz in Brawley. He was a farmworker for three years. He is survived by four sisters, Lorena Gonzalez and Cristina and Margarita Jimenez, all of Indio and Sonia Garcia of Coachella; his brother, Jose Alejandro Jimenez of Mexicali, Mexico; and his parents, Jose Jimenez of Coachella and Margarita Jimenez of Mexicali. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in Mexicali with burial at Panteon Centinela.

Casillas Family Funeral Home of Coachella is in charge of arrangements. Marlene Schatz Marlene Keystone Schatz, 73, of Sparks, and formerly of Palm Desert died April 5, 2004, in Reno. She was born Jan. 29, 1931, in Detroit. She was an artist, a party planner for 30 years, and subsequently a physician's assistant in Albuquerque, N.M.

She is survived by her partner, Elissa Hepner of Sparks; her son, Mark Schatz of Novato; her daughter, Andrea Schatz of San Francisco; and her brother, Jay Keystone of Reno. A celebration of her life will be held May 30 at her home in Sparks. The family suggests that donations be made to a charity of choice. Eleanor Connor Eleanor Connor, 75, of Cathedral City died April 8, 2004, in Rancho Mirage. She was born Jan.

11, 1929, to Roy Marland and Helen Abbott in Massachusetts. She was a tax examiner with the Internal Revenue Service for 15 years. She is survived by her daughter, Carol Connor of Cathedral City; her son, Christopher Conner of Cathedral City; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren. Additional survivors include her sister, Carol King of Cathedral City; and two brothers, Fredrick Marland of Georgia and Leroy Marland of Arizona. Private arrangements are under the direction of Palm Springs Mortuary of Cathedral City.

James Watt James Christopher Watt, 50, of Palm, Desert died April 11, 2004, in Rancho Mirage of cardiac failure. He was born Aug. 14, 1953, to Marvin Carl Watt and Yolanda Mae Keene Watt in Portland. He was an auto body painter for approximately 20 years. He is survived by his brother, Gary L.

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She was born April 17, 1922, to Gerald and Constance Kroh Gates in Santa Ana. She married Harry L'Heureux on Dec. 12, 1942, in Chicago. She was a homemaker for 62 years and active in the American Red Cross and the Assistance League of San Pedro. She was a member of Rolling Hills Country Club.

She is survived by her husband, Harry L'Heureux of Palm Desert; her daughter, Constance L'Heureux Boose of Loveland, her son, Stephen Marshall L'Heureux of Carlsbad; three grandchildren; and one greatgrandchild. Services will be private with arrangements under the direction of FitzHenry Funeral Home Palm Desert Chapel. The family suggests that donations be made to Guide Dogs of the Desert International, Palm Springs; World Wildlife Fund or the Assistance League, San Pedro. Robert Farmer Robert Joseph Farmer, an infant, died at birth on April 8, 2004, in Palm Springs. He is survived by his parents, Denise and Will Farmer of Yucca Valley; his sister, Alexandra Feliscian of Yucca Valley; his maternal grandparents, Theresa and Chet Johnson of Morongo Valley; and his paternal grandparents, Debbie and Robert Farmer of Klamath Falls, Ore.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Palm Springs Mortuary in Cathedral City. The family suggests that donations be made to the Shriner Children's Foundation. Virginia Lauer Virginia Grace Lauer, 94, of Indio died April 9, 2004, in Indio. She was born April 25, 1 1909, to William and Lula Boaz Smith in Russellville, Mo.

She married Edwin T. Lauer on June 30, 1955, in Las Vegas. She was a member of United Methodist Church in Indio and served as president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Women's Auxiliary in Indio for several terms. She also served as a volunteer at the Coachella Valley Historical Society Museum. She is survived by two sisters, Marjorie Matson of Montclair; and her brother, Harry Smith of Columbia, Mo.

Services will be private with burial at Bellevue Cemetery in Ontario. Arrangements are under the direction of FitzHenry Funeral Home. The family suggests that donations be made to Visiting Nurse Association Hospice in Palm Desert. The winners Gerber: Reelected, ran unopposed. Richard Kite: Reelected, ran unopposed.

Measure Eliminates City Council districts. Measure. Requires that the City Council, at its second regular April meeting in nonelection years, and at the meeting in which new council members are installed during election years, appoint a council member to serve as mayor for a one-year period on a rotating basis that affords each member of the council equal opportunity to serve as mayor. Measure Requires that, after the council appoints a mayor, it shall appoint a council member as mayor pro tem who appears most likely to meet the eligibility requirements to succeed the current mayor the following year. The voting Candidate percentage Richard 100 Harvey Gerber.

100 Measure percentage Measure 71 Measure 80 Measure 79 1,931 ballots were cast (22.53 percent of 8,570 registered voters in Rancho Mirage) Election Continued from B1 "What this does is provides stability to city government," said Gerber, a 69-year-old retired attorney. "It allows you to finish programs you've started. This council has shown an ability to work together to make things happen. We haven't had a lot of dissension. But when it has occurred, we generally can compromise to make it work." The 1,931 ballots cast represented only 22.53 percent of the 8,570 registered voters in the city.

Of that total, 1,520 (78.7 percent) submitted absentee ballots, which means only 411 ballots were cast in precincts. "The turnout of more than 20 percent is typical of a stand-alone election and even higher than this type of election in some other cities," Townsend said. "There are more absentee ballots now because the laws changed so people get them automatically without being required to ask for them for every Kite, a 61-year-old investments manager who has lived in the Coachella Valley for nearly 50 years, termed it "gratifying" that he and Gerber wound up running unopposed. "I feel we've done a good job and I'm looking forward to an even more challenging four years," he said. "The measures should eliminate a lot of the polticking and the results should be better for city government." Rick Davis can be reached at Rick.Davis@thedesertsun.com Gramps chard Amado Miguel, Sr.

was born on April 16, 1924 to Amado and Refina Miguel on the Pala Indian Reservation in Pala, California. As a child he attended the St. Boniface School and later went on to Sherman Indian High School, an open school which still remains in Riverside, California. Richard served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1946, and was a veteran who received an honorable discharge. Upon his return home he became a caretaker of the original bathhouse where the New Spa Resort and Casino now stands.

Richard Amado Miguel, Sr. is preceded in death by his daughter, Sheila Miguel; his one and only sister, Laverne Nelson, and his wife of 47 years, Eileen W. Miguel. He is survived by his three daughters; Jean Y. Nelson, Denise R.

Duran, Cecile R. Miguel Ruiz, and one son, Richard A. Miguel, all of Palm Springs, CA. Three nephews and three nieces; Virginia Milanovich, Richard Milanovich, Lonnie Saubel, Delbert Saubel, Rosanna Saubel and Cheryl Miranda. Fifteen grandchildren; Felice M.

Gomez, Amanda E. Nelson, Mathew Nelson, Amber L. Nelson, Destiny A. Nelson, Jade F. Duran, Joseph W.

Duran, Arnold Duran, Justin A. Duran, Deidre E. Allen, Sunnie L. Ruiz, Kristin J. Ruiz, Jessica E.

Miguel, Jasmine A. Miguel, and Joseph A. Miguel. Twelve great-grandchildren; Samantha L. Avila, Aaron M.

Avila, Sheila Y. Leimas, Brenna A. Lee, Christopher W. Paipa, Darian G. Nelson, Cecile R.

Duran, Melana T. Duran, Jeremiah A. Duran, Siena J. Allen, Mieileen Allen and Diara R. Allen.

He is also survived by several great nieces and nephews and two Goddaughters; Namoi Arviso and Victoria Miguel. A traditional wake will be held at Agua Caliente Tribal Building, 64250 Old Rincon Village Road in Palm Springs on April 15, 2004. Lunch to be served at 12 PM. An all night vigil pending arrival of body at 5:00 PM. Rosary at 7:00 PM.

Burial will be at Jane Augustine Patencio Cemetery April 16, 2004 at 10:00 AM, under the direction of Wiefels and Son Funeral Directors..