Deaths in the Family

Gordy Gauntlett went home to be with he Lord on April 17, 2024.

Gordy is survived by his wife of 68 years, Peggy Gauntlett and his 3 children Ginny, Todd and Phyllis. Gordy and Peggy have 8 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. A wonderful husband, father, Pop Pop and dear friend to so many.

A Celebration fo Gordy's life will be held at Lake Avenue Church in Family Life Center FL201/203 (Roseroom) on Tuesday, June 18 at 10:30am.

Mariano (Mario) Vasta (79) passed away on March 28, 2024. Mario is survived by his wife Georgia, daughter Meridith Vasta, son Darrel Huntington, daughter Jilayne Binning, son John Stevens and 4 grandchildren.

Mario was a member of the Navigators Class and an usher for the worship services.

A Celebration of Life will be held on May 18 at 12:00pm in the Chapel at Lake Avenue Church. Steve Morgan officiating.

Donald Ruble Davis was born on February 21, 1932 in Denver, Colorado. He attended Denver schools and worked summers in his father’s auto body shop. His family frequently spent time in the Rocky Mountains, where he developed a love for nature. He attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he earned a BA in History in 1954, and he met his future wife, Julie Weaver.

Don and Julie were married in May of 1955, and moved to Pasadena, CA where Don graduated from Fuller Seminary in 1957. They ministered together in Los Angeles and Mexico City. They returned to the United States in 1965, where they served in urban ministry in Chicago (Living Peace Baptist Church), and Denver (Neighborhood Church of the Master). He earned a Masters of Theology in 1975 and a Doctorate of Ministry in 1982. Their final pastorate was Fairview Heights Baptist Church in Inglewood, CA, where they fulfilled a long-time desire to see a church in a changing community continue to minister, with Spanish and English speaking congregations.

After retirement in 1999, Don and Julie moved to Temple City, CA, where Don taught the King’s Couriers Sunday School class at Lake Avenue Church, and led a men’s Bible Study in Hollywood. He also returned to his love of nature and oil painting.

Don was a sympathetic and thoughtful listener. He always had a word of support, whether a verse, a poem, or a song. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to take risks and trust God. He often said, “Faith is the continuing response to God’s work in our lives.”

Don passed into his heavenly home on April 4, 2024. He was predeceased by his wife Julie. He is remembered by his children, Robin (Alex), Cindy (Paul), and Jennifer; his grandchildren, Nathan, Jessica (Sean), Anna, Mary (Miguel), and Jonathan; and two great-grandchildren, Nathan and Kiera. He will be missed by his family and friends, though his kindness, compassion, and love will remain in our hearts and minds.

A memorial will be held on April 22 at 11am at:
Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration
1881 S 1st Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91006
Pastor Nick Barrett officiating

“Wait on the LORD. Be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14 KJV

Ginger Anne Mikl, 67, of Altadena, California passed peacefully at home and went to the loving arms of Jesus on March 22, 2024. Ginger was born on March 18,1957 in Whittier, CA to Billie and Jose Gomez. One of four children, she was very close to and protective of, her two younger sisters Marca and Gayle, and looked up to her big brother, Joey. She attended Whittier Christian Elementary and Jr. High School where she excelled in her studies and found her love for theatre and performing. She joined Drama at Pioneer High School, where she was the first freshman student to win Best Supporting Actress for the Whittier Union High School District.

After high school, she became an escrow officer. Through this work, she was introduced to the legal aspect of real estate transactions. She joined Jones Day as a corporate and real estate transactional paralegal. She spent most of her career at Jones Day and later went to Lamb & Kawakami where she retired. She took pride in her work, was incredibly hard working, and was loved and well respected by her colleagues, some fortunate enough to become life-long friends.

Many of Ginger’s passions revolved around good health and good food. For many years she was an avid runner, hiker, and aerobics instructor. She kept her body, mind, and spirit in shape with weight training, Pilates, and yoga classes. Ginger had a wealth of knowledge about foods, herbs, and nutrition, and she loved to experiment and learn new recipes in the kitchen – crafting delicious, nutritious, and flavorful foods.

In September 2011 she met, and eventually married her beloved husband, Jeffrey Mikl. Both Ginger and Jeff would say “God has given me the greatest love of my life”. They were best friends and spent the next 12 years doing the things they loved, building their business, and facing Ginger’s health challenges with optimism.

Although she had no children of her own, Ginger was a wonderful Auntie to her nieces and nephew: Chase, Taylor, Kiersten, Katey, Kelly, Payton, and Harper, and had an immeasurable impact on all their lives. 

Ginger was an active member of Lake Avenue Church and the Choir. It brought her great joy to serve the community through song and worship. Her faith was unwavering and inspiring. She devoted her life to the Lord and glorified Him in all she did. Her toughest battles only brought her closer to the Lord and she was always certain of His plan.

It is impossible to put into words just how incredible Ginger was. She will be dearly missed by all her family and the many friends she made throughout her lifetime. Her absence will forever be felt, her delicious cooking missed at every holiday, her beautiful singing voice missed at church, her companionship missed at home — it will not be the same without her here. 

She is survived her husband, Jeffrey Mikl, mother, Billie Gomez, brother, Joe Gomez (Debi), and two baby sisters, Marca Malm (Erick), and Gayle Lopez (Ron). She is predeceased by her father, Jose Gomez, Sr.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Ginger will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2024, in the main sanctuary at Lake Avenue Church (393 N. Lake Ave Pasadena, CA 91101).

Victor Springer (99) passed away on November 27, 2023. He is survived by his wife Ann of 75 years, his children Paul, David, Richard, and Lois, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Vic was a member of the Voyagers Class and traveled with Vanguard missions group for several international missions trips.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, March 5 at 1:30pm in HH400 (Skyroom)

Jacqueline Ella (Jury) Groseth, 93 of York, PA; San Marino, CA; Alhambra, CA; passed away in her sleep on January 11, 2024, at Atherton Baptist Homes. She was the third of five born on February 24, 1930, in York, Pennsylvania to Jacob and Julia Jury. After graduating from West York High School in 1948 the family moved to Salinas, CA where she attended Hartnell Junior College studying office management. When the family moved to Southern California she came along and got a job with Coldwell Banker in their real estate office downtown Los Angeles. While there she met Lloyd Groseth at a YMCA dance. They were married in October of 1955 and had three sons.

Jacqueline (Jacque) loved to read and help others. She was an active member of the Alhambra Chapter of P.E.O. and was Chairman of many committees—including the Scholarship Committee, which helped struggling young women receive assistance with education and finances. She tutored her sons and then students at Harambee Christian Community Center, as well as volunteering at the San Marino Public Library. She was a Founding member of the Foothill Apartment Association. She was also involved in many ways in her community, including San Marino Republican Women’s Club and held several leadership positions including President and later joined the Newport Beach Republican Women’s club. Jacque loved her Lord Jesus and read through the Bible several times as well as doing the Bible Study Fellowship program at least five times. After her boys were grown, she joined the choir at Lake Avenue Church.

Jacque loved to try new things including sewing, cake decorating, and even interior design. Two of her most favorite things to do were travel and drink tea. On many occasions she combined the two and gave talks about her ever-increasing knowledge of tea and her adventures around the world.

Jacqueline Groseth is proceeded in death by her sisters, Bea Beavers, Jean Buhler, Barbara Jury; her brother Jake (Jim) Jury; and her ex-husband Lloyd Groseth of Sun City, AZ. She is survived by her three sons and their wives; Jeff and Jacqui Groseth of San Clemente, CA; Brian and Joycelyn Groseth of Shellman Bluff, GA; Mark and Carrie Groseth of Houston, TX; her granddaughter Samantha and her husband Nick Johnson and their daughter Kennedy of Pasadena, CA; and several nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Sky Room, March 2, 2023, from 3P-5P. Pastor Steve Morgan officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Jacque’s two favorite organizations:
>>P.E.O. Headquarters, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312 (Alhambra Chapter)
>>Walter Hoving Home, 127 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, California 91101

Malcolm Barnett Collins, retired LAC Missionary to Kenya, passed into the loving arms of his Lord on September 4, 2023, at age 77. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, seven children, and nine grandchildren. A Celebration of Malcolm's Life will be held on January 13, 2024, 2:00 pm., at the Miriam Chapel, Atherton Baptist Homes, 214 S. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra, CA 91801.

Jane Avis Butler Zarish
Born April 18 1927
Died November 9, 2023

Jane Avis Butler Zarish, an amazing woman and caring mother, whose charm warmed everyone, passed away quietly and peacefully at 96 ½ years old on November 9th, 2023 in North Hollywood, California. Jane was born in Chicago, Illinois, where she attended Mundelein College, majoring in acting. She enjoyed a successful career in Chicago both on stage and in radio. She married Joseph Frederick Zarish in 1953 in Chicago, and while raising four children, started her own business “My Lady Fair Charm School,” and served as a Forensics Coach for Deerfield High School. She and her husband volunteered for the Chicago branch of the American Diabetes Association, and with both serving terms as President they raised over a million dollars for Diabetes research. In her later years Jane worked in the legal Dept. of the Illinois Guaranteed Student Loan Association and spent 18 years serving the state of Illinois. Jane was an avid bridge player and teacher. Because of her magnetic personality, her sense of style and her grace and charm, in her last few years she enjoyed the creativity of being an Instagram Influencer. Known as “Lady Jane,” she posted inspiring pictures and offered words of encouragement to her 32,500 followers on the art of living and aging. She is survived by her four children, Janet, Barbara, Karen and Jeff. There will be private memorial services in Los Angeles and Chicago for her close friends and family. She will join her husband, Joseph, at Abraham Lincoln Cemetery in Peoria Illinois.