"Tragedy by the Sea" photo, 1954 and some more lovely photos

Today I came upon an article showing all kinds of Pulitzer Prize winning photographs. There was one titled "Tragedy by the Sea" that was taken by Los Angeles Times photographer John Gaunt. The moment was taken on Hermosa Beach on April 2, 1954. A commotion was stirring on the beach so Gaunt grabbed his camera and started shooting. On the beach stood Mr. and Mrs. John McDonald, holding each other. Their 19 month old son Michael had wandered from their beach home and drowned in the surf. Gaunt was there to capture the scene and in 1955, won the Pulitzer Price for the photo. The child was swept out to see by the surf and his body wasn't found until April 12 when it washed up on shore.

As a mother of two, my heart aches for parents! The parents were John and Lillian McDonald. John Angus McDonald Jr. was born on July 20, 1921 in Montrose, Colorado and died on August 25, 1987 in Rancho Palos Verde, California at the at age of 66. Lillian was born on May 28, 1923 in California and died on 03 Mar 2021 at the age of 97 years old.

The 19 month old child who drown was their one and only child at the time. Michael Lewis McDonald was born on August 28, 1952 in Los Angeles. John and Lillian went on to have 3 more children: Jennifer Ann (b. Oct 1954), Gordon A. (b. Dec 1956), and Holly J. (b. Jun 1958).

I also found some beautiful photos of Lillian's immediate family.

Lillian's Father/Michael's Grandfather-

Leslie Lawrence Prince (1900-1969)

Lillian's Mother/Michael's Grandmother

Dorothy Marion Walker Prince (1899-1984)

                                                        Lillian's Brother/Michael's Uncle

                                                        Lawrence Lewis Prince (1925-2003)

            Above is a photo of John Gaunt with his prize winning photo of the McDonalds

John Gaunt was the son of John L. Gaunt Sr. (1889-1963) and Blanche E. Schontz (1890-1968). John Jr. was born on June 4, 1924 in Syracuse, New York and died on October 26, 2007 in Desert Springs, California at the age of 83. 

1965 Airplane Crash in Folsom, California

I live in Fair Oaks, California, which is roughly about 8 miles from Folsom. Two days ago, it was announced that a small aircraft was found in Folsom Lake using sonar. It is suspected that the plane is from a mid-air collision that happened 56 years ago- January 1, 1965. 

I researched the accident, because...that's what I do. A Piper Comanche 250 collided with another small aircraft and went down into the lake. The other aircraft had damage, but was able to land safely, no passengers injured. The passengers on the Comanche, however, all perished. One passenger's body was recovered but the plane and the other 3 bodies were never recovered...until now? I'm eager to see what details they will find as they investigate! 

The perished: 

There were four people aboard the Piper Comanche-

    1. The pilot- Ford Marshall, age 50

    2. Passenger- James Marshall (brother to the pilot), age 51

    3. passenger- Helen Gotcher, age 50

    4. Glenn Emick, age 15

~Ford Marshall- Pilot

Ford Morton Marshall was born on 21 Oct 1908 in Colorado to Franklin D. Marshall (1885-1965) and Maude Ford (1887-1979). He owned and operated the Town House Motel in Roseville, which was built in 1955. 

Town House Motel
401 Washington Blvd, Roseville
Image is from Google maps

Ford was married 2x- first, to Marjorie Elizabeth Norton on 30 Aug 1932 and then on 25 Oct 1936 to Marguerite Olga Romero (1910-2010). Ford and Marguerite had 1 daughter- Sheryl Dee Marshall, born 04 Dec 1938. 

Ford was 50 years old when he died. 

~James Marshall- Passenger

James Boyd Marshall was the brother of the pilot- Ford. He was born on January 10, 1913 in Colorado. James and Ford were 2 of four sons- the other two were Donald Franklin Marshall (1910-1993) and William Chandler Marshall (1918-2007). 

James was the only body recovered at the time of the accident- the other three bodies have yet to be found. James is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. 

~Helen Gotcher- Passenger

Helen Gotcher was born Helen Lisbia Bancke. She was born on August 9, 1915 in Alberta, Canada to Ferdinand Bancke (1887-1952) and Augusta Ingrid Johnson (1887-1965). 

Helen married Gordon James Gotcher (1920-1992) in 1944 in Canada and they came to America on December 7, 1948. 

Helen and Gordon had 3 sons:

1. Jack Ralph (born 1946)

2. Gordon George (born 1949)

3. Royce Keith (born 1952)

Helen, her husband Gordon and their three boys-
Royce, Jack and Gordon

 ~Glenn Emick- Passenger

Yearbook Photo
1965

Charles Glenn Emick II was born on January 11, 1949 in Sacramento. He attended Roseville High School and was voted Most Valuable Player on the football team. He was the son of Charles Glenn Emick Sr. (1925-1983) and Phyllis Lorraine Bowman (1929-2003). He was the oldest of 4- Jerry Earl (born 1949), Diane Marie (born 1951) and Rickey Phillip (born 1954). 

The Team Football Picture was very odd in that it cut off some of the members and put them on a different page. Glenn is in the second picture at the top, looks like number 17.

Roseville High School Yearbook, 1965
Glenn was a sophomore and had a memorial page shared with a school councilor named J.C. Cole.

California Birth Index, Mendenhall Surname, Part 11

 ~Dates 1940-1950, Page 3

(I was able to finish this series but just didn't have time to blog about it, until now)

Continuing from: Previous California Death Index Posts

~Page 3

    41. Harold Dean Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed

        born: 18 Mar 1946 in Santa Clara County, California

       died: Still Living

       Parents: Harold Lloyd Mendenhall (1922-1995) & Bonnie Inez Schuler (1920-2003)

    

    42. Dianne Joy Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 3x removed

        born: 09 Nov 1944 in Kern County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Norman Elwood Mendenhall (1914-2007) & Johanna Krauss (1914-2003)

    43. Marsha Mae Mendenhall- couldn't find parents :( 

        born: 30 Oct 1944 in Oceanside, California 

        died: 16 May 1991

    44. Sandra Elaine Mendenhall- already in tree- 9th cousin, 2x removed

        born: 11 Feb 1946 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Robert Thomas Mendenhall (1920-1999) & Alice Doris Buck (1922-1997)

    45. Marcia Louise Mendenhall- found in tree- 7th cousin, 2x removed

        born: 13 Feb 1944 in Sacramento County, California 

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Warren Dale Mendenhall Jr. (1920-1995) & Maryann Erwin (1919-2000)

Marcia Mendenhall
Age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1961
San Juan High School in Citrus Heights, California

    46. James Bradley- couldn't find parents :( 

        born: 24 Aug 1946 in Los Angeles, California 

        died: Still Living

        Mother's Maiden Name: Densmore

    47. James Roy Mendenhall- found in tree- 6th cousin, 2x removed

        born: 15 Sep 1946 in Stanislaus County, California

        died: 23 May 2007 in Oakdale, California, age 60

        Parents: Ivor E. Mendenhall (1918-1999) & Betty Annetta Olsen (1918-2015)

Boy Scout Jimmy
Found from Ancestry.com

J. Mendenhall
age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1963
Leigh High School in San Jose, California 

    48. Sandra Lynne Mendenhall- couldn't find parents :( 

        born: 31 Jul 1944 in San Diego County, California

        Mother's Maiden name: Wood

    49. Dennis Lee Mendenhall- found in tree- 7th cousin, 2x removed

        born: 14 Feb 1946 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: 21 Jan 2017 in Westlake Village, California, age 70

        Father: Ralph Arthur Mendenhall (1922-2002) 

Dennis Mendenhall
Age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1962
William H. Taft High School
Woodland Hills, California 

Photo From Ancestry.com

    50. Robert Cameron Mendenhall- couldn't find parents :( 

        born: 24 Sep 1944 in Los Angeles County, California

        Mother's Maiden name: Taylor 

    51. Carolyn Sue Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed

        born: 13 Feb 1944 in Los Angeles County, California 

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Barney Mendenhall (1923-1980) & Pauline Weatherman (1926-2007)

    52. Charles Wesley Mendenhall- already in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed

        born: 14 Sep 1944 in San Jose, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Charles Floyd Mendenhall (1917-1999) & Beryle I. Smith (1925-1988)

    53. Joseph Leo Mendenhall- already in tree- 4th cousin, 2x removed

        born: 25 Jan 1943 in Yuba County, California

        died: 18 Aug 1943 in LIve Oak, California, age 7 months

        Parents: Robert L. Mendenhall (1918-1997) & Emma Louise King (1920-2001)

Live Oak Cemetery
Live Oak, California 

    54. Elaine Marie Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed 

        born: 08 Aug 1947 in Alameda County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: John D. Mendenhall (1907-1986) & Katharine B. Jorgensen (1911-1981)

This one makes me laugh- that Hair!!!
Elaine Mendenhall
Age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1963
Oakland High School in Oakland, California 

    55. Donald Hale Mendenhall- already in tree- 5th cousin, 3x removed

        born: 15 Feb 1947 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Donald Hale Sr. (1912-1989) & Eleanor P. McGowan (1917-2008)

Donald Mendenhall
Age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1964 
Delano High School in Delano, California

    56. Sharon Diane Mendenhall- found in tree- 9th cousin, 3x removed

        born: 12 Apr 1947 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Clarence H. Mendenhall (1919-1973) & Darlene Townsend

Sharon Mendenhall
Age 16
Yearbook Photo From 1963
Anaheim High School in Anaheim, California

    57. Lucienne Mendenhall- couldn't find parents :(

        born: 22 Jul 1947 in Los Angeles County, California 

        Mother's Maiden name: Hain

    58. Leonard Lee Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed

        born: 25 Nov 1943 in Los Angeles County, California 

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Leonard Lee Sr. (1918-1992) & Lillian Haworth

    59. Sandra Dianne Mendenhall- found in tree- 8th cousin, 4x removed

        born: 22 Sep 1943 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Garland L. Mendenhall (1917-2004) & Ruth Grace Laxson (1923-1991)

    60. Katherine Louise Mendenhall- already in tree- 9th cousin, 3x removed

        born: 18 Sep 1947 in Los Angeles County, California

        died: Still Living

        Parents: Floyd R. Mendenhall (1929-2009) & Wilma Fay Gillette (1926-1990)

        

Tombstone Tuesday: Howard Mendenhall 1924-2005

Today, I needed a break from my kiddos and husband so I decided to drive a half an hour north to Rocklin (California) and search for a gravestone of my 8th cousin, 4x removed.

I found his grave on Findagrave.com...buried in Rocklin Cemetery. This is the picture on the site.

So, I jumped in the car, grabbed a strawberry acai refresher from Starbucks, turned up the radio (Pandora- Michael Buble radio) and set off for Rocklin.

With Google Maps, the cemetery was easy-enough to find but it's a fairly large site and I had no plot number to search by. I stopped by the office (which was closed because of Covid (open for appts only) ). Luckily, a man was leaving the office and he was super kind enough to lookup Howard's plot number for me!

At the time, there were several workers maintaining the grounds. I also saw some squirrels and a ton of geese... and I mean a TON... goose poop everywhere!

And found the grave of my distant cousin! 

I was a little disheartened... the gravestone has not been kept up... it's really dirty and weathered. Certainly different than the picture on Findagrave.com, which I can imagine was when it was new. 

I wanted to upload a video of all the geese but blogger is being difficult so Im uploading a tiktok a made of it this morning-

Cemetery Walk

A Conundrum!

While researching a Mendenhall name in the California death index (see previous posts of this series here), I came upon a very annoying "problem" that I just can't figure out!!

I was researching Marsha Mae Mendenhall, born 30 Oct 1944 in San Diego, California; mother's maiden name was Dershan.

I traced her line back to her great-grandparents: Arthur Mendenhall (1876-1904) & Eliza J. Huffman (b. 1878). 

Here is where I get confused.

I did find a grave for Arthur:

Art Mendenhall

b. 10 Oct 1876

d. 17 Sep 1904 

Buried in Springfield, Greene, Missouri

Hazelwood Cemetery
Springfield, Greene County, Missouri

Where it gets confusing- 

I found a newspaper article for an Arthur Mendenhall who died 17 Sep 1904 in Kansas City Missouri and his body was taken to Springfield to be buried- this would match the death date & burial site.

19 Sep 1904
The Kansas City Times
Kansas City, Missouri

The problem is- this Arthur Mendenhall was 35 years old...which would have his birth year around 1869. I even found a Missouri Death Record for him- his birth date being "abt 1869" and death "17 Sep 1904". 

So we have 2 Arthur Mendenhalls: 

1. Arthur Mendenhall                                2. Arthur Mendenhall

b. abt 1869                                                    b. 10 Oct 1876

d. 17 Sep 1904                                                d. 17 Sep 1904

I was able to find a census record for Arthur #2- matches what I have for my possible ancestor- wife's name, child's name, etc. However, I wasn't able to find any census records for Arthur #1. 

Either the grave is wrong or the news article and the death record are wrong... 

Needless to say, I'm not sure where to go from here. I can't find any parental information for either one of these two persons...