I am attempting to compile a list of all Laton Alumni who were in the Military, as well as those who were Killed in Action or POWs. They will be honored with the following stars next to their names ---
* - Served in the Military
* - Killed in Action
* - Prisoner of War
Give me a few months then if I have missed names that should be added, please contact me at LatonHigh@comcast.net
* - Served in the Military
* - Killed in Action
* - Prisoner of War
Give me a few months then if I have missed names that should be added, please contact me at LatonHigh@comcast.net
Class of 1957
Adams, Richard * - Stella NC - Dick (R.T.) spent 20 years in the military and after having earned his wings as a Naval Aviator in the USMC and flying two tours in Viet Nam - first in Hueys on med-evacs and then the Cobras gunbirds, he retired. He then worked another 20 years in Civil Service instructing in helicopter simulators. He just "changed hats." He now has spent the last three years as an instructor with CUBIC, Inc., who staff the simulators for the USMC, at New River Air Station, Jacksonville, NC. "Six more months and I will retire, once and for all," he says. He hopes to do some traveling then and to visit California once again. He and his wife, Claudia, built their dream retirement home a year ago on the banks of The White Oak River, Stella, NC. They have one son, an attorney, in Sarasota, Florida.
Avila, Veronica (Vernie) McKelvey - Hanford CA
Azevedo, Ernie - Deceased
Bernard, Shirley Taylor - Elkton OR
Betts, David - Deceased (2015) *
Blowers, Frank Allen - Deceased
Bristol, Dale - Deceased (2009)
Cornelius, Phyllis Chandler - Deceased (2007)
Davis, Charles - Elephant Butte NM
Dodd, Dixie Glick - Deceased (2022)
Dunagan, Howard - Salinas CA
Durst, Eddie - Deceased (2013)
Evans, Janet Alexander - Santa Rosa CA
Ferguson, Eugene - ?
Fike, Rodney - Laton CA
Fitzgerald, Sharon Knox - Hanford CA
Flynn, Henry - Sonora CA
Ford, Jesse - Lancaster ? CA
Fraley, Joanne Lee - Deceased (1993)
Gamble, Morrie - Deceased (2017)
Godley, Jim L. * - Redding CA - After high school, Jim worked at McCloud Ford in Riverdale and Hill Drive-In. They he spent over 3 years in the Sahara desert in North Africa working with an oil exploration company. Upon returning to the States, Jim joined the Air Force and was stationed in Fairfield, California. There he met and married his first wife, and has two children with her. Spending time in Florida and Japan, he was discharged in 1965. He then went to work for PG&E in San Jose and then in Redding. He married Brenda in 1989. In ’98 he retired, but still does a lot of traveling. Jim’s hobbies are snow skiing, SCUBA diving, flying, photography and traveling. His has no cats or dogs that tie him down, but he has "a pet rock (that has 2 chips in it) and it hasn’t been neutered."
Gould, Leon - ?
Gravance, Dick - Deceased (2004)
Harris, Gay Needham - Henryetta OK
Harris, Regina Cowan - Deceased (2016)
Hennesay, Gay - Fresno CA
Hughes, Howard - Deceased
Jimenez, Frances Balver - Laton CA
Jones, Thomas - Kingsburg CA
Lee, Charlette Gudgel - Deceased (2012) - Charlette was widowed in 1990. She had one daughter and two grandsons who lived with her in Fullerton, California. In 1980, she went to work for the USDA as a fruit and vegetable inspector. She was able to travel a lot with her job. She retired with 25 years of service. Charlette loved to play Bingo and slots. She had a large pool and swam a lot in the summer. She also enjoyed traveling and cruising. “I have been in all but seven states and hope to see them all before I die,” Charlette said. She had a lung disorder called COPD and had to use oxygen and a walker sometimes.
Leonardo, Mike - Deceased (2022) - Mike married Sharon Hoegh in 1960. They have three daughters and eight grandchildren. Mike worked for Fleming Co. for 37 years and also farmed 20 acres of grapes. Mike and Sharon enjoy traveling in Europe and Canada. They also have enjoyed cruising Alaska and the Panama Canal. He rides his bike daily and plays golf.
Lockhart, John - Olivehurst CA
Lopez, Emelio C. - Fresno CA
Love, Nina Church - Fresno CA
Lowe, Duane - Deceased (2011)
Mendes, Louie - Deceased
Mendes- Silva, Vera Rocha - Corcoran CA
Miller, Linda Davis - Elephant Butte NM
Miranda, Pres - San Jose CA
Morgan, Sandy Ahearn - San Luis Obispo CA
Rodriquez, Helen - ?
Rodriquez, Patsy Aguayo - Laton CA
Rosa, Juvenal - Laton CA - Juvenal has been married to his wife Rosalie for 48 years. They have three children and eleven grandchildren. He has been a farmer since graduating from Laton High. Juvenal owns a 1957 Thunderbird and belongs to a Thunderbird car club. He also likes to collect antique John Deere tractors and belongs to a tractor pull club.
Sheldon, Carol Fike - Laton CA
Singh, Patricia - Lincoln CA
Thornsberry, Judy Merritt - Deceased (2018)
Tipton, David - Deceased (2008)
Tolbert, Eugene - Carmichael CA
Vargas, Elsie Tostado - Hanford CA
Vink, Mary Ann Bettencourt - Visalia CA
Warmerdam, Bill - Deceased (2022)
Warmerdam, Eddie - Deceased (2022)
Weaver, Shannon Coryell -Deceased (2021)
Williams, Kenneth - ?
Williamson, Boyd - Redding CA
Woodard, Joe - Bakersfield CA
Woodard, Nadine Dingwall - Bakersfield CA
Woods, Ray - Deceased (2010)
Yingst, Don - San Martin CA
Adams, Richard * - Stella NC - Dick (R.T.) spent 20 years in the military and after having earned his wings as a Naval Aviator in the USMC and flying two tours in Viet Nam - first in Hueys on med-evacs and then the Cobras gunbirds, he retired. He then worked another 20 years in Civil Service instructing in helicopter simulators. He just "changed hats." He now has spent the last three years as an instructor with CUBIC, Inc., who staff the simulators for the USMC, at New River Air Station, Jacksonville, NC. "Six more months and I will retire, once and for all," he says. He hopes to do some traveling then and to visit California once again. He and his wife, Claudia, built their dream retirement home a year ago on the banks of The White Oak River, Stella, NC. They have one son, an attorney, in Sarasota, Florida.
Avila, Veronica (Vernie) McKelvey - Hanford CA
Azevedo, Ernie - Deceased
Bernard, Shirley Taylor - Elkton OR
Betts, David - Deceased (2015) *
Blowers, Frank Allen - Deceased
Bristol, Dale - Deceased (2009)
Cornelius, Phyllis Chandler - Deceased (2007)
Davis, Charles - Elephant Butte NM
Dodd, Dixie Glick - Deceased (2022)
Dunagan, Howard - Salinas CA
Durst, Eddie - Deceased (2013)
Evans, Janet Alexander - Santa Rosa CA
Ferguson, Eugene - ?
Fike, Rodney - Laton CA
Fitzgerald, Sharon Knox - Hanford CA
Flynn, Henry - Sonora CA
Ford, Jesse - Lancaster ? CA
Fraley, Joanne Lee - Deceased (1993)
Gamble, Morrie - Deceased (2017)
Godley, Jim L. * - Redding CA - After high school, Jim worked at McCloud Ford in Riverdale and Hill Drive-In. They he spent over 3 years in the Sahara desert in North Africa working with an oil exploration company. Upon returning to the States, Jim joined the Air Force and was stationed in Fairfield, California. There he met and married his first wife, and has two children with her. Spending time in Florida and Japan, he was discharged in 1965. He then went to work for PG&E in San Jose and then in Redding. He married Brenda in 1989. In ’98 he retired, but still does a lot of traveling. Jim’s hobbies are snow skiing, SCUBA diving, flying, photography and traveling. His has no cats or dogs that tie him down, but he has "a pet rock (that has 2 chips in it) and it hasn’t been neutered."
Gould, Leon - ?
Gravance, Dick - Deceased (2004)
Harris, Gay Needham - Henryetta OK
Harris, Regina Cowan - Deceased (2016)
Hennesay, Gay - Fresno CA
Hughes, Howard - Deceased
Jimenez, Frances Balver - Laton CA
Jones, Thomas - Kingsburg CA
Lee, Charlette Gudgel - Deceased (2012) - Charlette was widowed in 1990. She had one daughter and two grandsons who lived with her in Fullerton, California. In 1980, she went to work for the USDA as a fruit and vegetable inspector. She was able to travel a lot with her job. She retired with 25 years of service. Charlette loved to play Bingo and slots. She had a large pool and swam a lot in the summer. She also enjoyed traveling and cruising. “I have been in all but seven states and hope to see them all before I die,” Charlette said. She had a lung disorder called COPD and had to use oxygen and a walker sometimes.
Leonardo, Mike - Deceased (2022) - Mike married Sharon Hoegh in 1960. They have three daughters and eight grandchildren. Mike worked for Fleming Co. for 37 years and also farmed 20 acres of grapes. Mike and Sharon enjoy traveling in Europe and Canada. They also have enjoyed cruising Alaska and the Panama Canal. He rides his bike daily and plays golf.
Lockhart, John - Olivehurst CA
Lopez, Emelio C. - Fresno CA
Love, Nina Church - Fresno CA
Lowe, Duane - Deceased (2011)
Mendes, Louie - Deceased
Mendes- Silva, Vera Rocha - Corcoran CA
Miller, Linda Davis - Elephant Butte NM
Miranda, Pres - San Jose CA
Morgan, Sandy Ahearn - San Luis Obispo CA
Rodriquez, Helen - ?
Rodriquez, Patsy Aguayo - Laton CA
Rosa, Juvenal - Laton CA - Juvenal has been married to his wife Rosalie for 48 years. They have three children and eleven grandchildren. He has been a farmer since graduating from Laton High. Juvenal owns a 1957 Thunderbird and belongs to a Thunderbird car club. He also likes to collect antique John Deere tractors and belongs to a tractor pull club.
Sheldon, Carol Fike - Laton CA
Singh, Patricia - Lincoln CA
Thornsberry, Judy Merritt - Deceased (2018)
Tipton, David - Deceased (2008)
Tolbert, Eugene - Carmichael CA
Vargas, Elsie Tostado - Hanford CA
Vink, Mary Ann Bettencourt - Visalia CA
Warmerdam, Bill - Deceased (2022)
Warmerdam, Eddie - Deceased (2022)
Weaver, Shannon Coryell -Deceased (2021)
Williams, Kenneth - ?
Williamson, Boyd - Redding CA
Woodard, Joe - Bakersfield CA
Woodard, Nadine Dingwall - Bakersfield CA
Woods, Ray - Deceased (2010)
Yingst, Don - San Martin CA