News

Richard Ambrose Farias (89), known to many as “Cardy,” was born December 7, 1925 in Culver City, CA , to Eugene Joseph and Juanita Peralta Farias. He was 89-years-old when he passed Wednesday, January 14, 2015, with his daughter, Carla, at his bedside.

The Farias family moved to the Dixieland area in the late twenties where Cardy attended Dixieland School. In 1943, he graduated from Madera High School and enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He served with the 8th Air Force, 493rd Bomb Group as a B-17 belly gunner and flew 25 missions while stationed in Debach, England.

Pastor Tim Bergdahl of the Madera Avenue Bible Church, met his Savior face to face on January 8, 2015. Timothy Allen Bergdahl was born February 9, 1959 in Castro Valley California. He was raised in San Lorenzo in a multicultural neighborhood, and early on formed a love for those of different faiths. That love grew into a passion for mission.

Tim’s first friend was books! He learned to read early on, and was often found with a book in hand. Once his cousin brought some friends over and introduced Tim saying, “This is my cousin Tim. He doesn’t talk. He reads”. Another time his parents couldn’t find him anywhere in the house, and finally found him on the top of the bookcase reading a book.

Doris Evalyn Scott (93), passed away on January 6, 2015 at a Madera Convalescent Hospital. A native of Thailand she was a resident of Madera for 42 years. Doris was a co-owner of Circle S Sales and Mid Cal Rubber. She had volunteered at Madera Community Hospital for many years.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband Oliver in 1992.

OBITUARY - Tom Schoettler was born in Glendale, California to Hal and Loretta Schoettler, one of six children raised in Central California.  In 1948, Tom played offense for the Madera High School championship football team.

He graduated in 1950 briefly attended Fresno State University when he was called for two years of active duty in the United States Navy in the Korean Conflict where he received numerous citations.

Scott Jones (52) - The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is saddened to announce the passing of retired Undersheriff Scott Jones. Jones, 52, collapsed last night at his home in Clovis.  Emergency Medical personnel responded and immediately transported him to Clovis Community Hospital where he later died.

Jones began his career as a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office in 1983.  In 2007, Jones was promoted to the rank of Undersheriff by newly elected Sheriff Margaret Mims.  He held that rank until his retirement in 2013. The exact cause of death is unknown at this time, however, it is believed to have been medically related.

James Eldred McKinney died peacefully in Madera on December 3, 2014 at the age of 100. He was born April 19, 1914, in Gordonsville, Tennessee to Myrtle and Eva McKinney. Eldred was the fourth son in a family which eventually grew to 11 children. Although he wasn’t the youngest, they nicknamed him Little Boy. He grew up surrounded by many close relatives.

As soon as he was old enough, Eldred began working on his parents’ 160-acre farm. There he developed a lifelong love of farming. In 1932, he became the first in his family to graduate from high school. He hoped to complete college, but he had to return home after only 6 months to help on the farm. Later that year, he left Tennessee to join his older brother Buddy, who was working for their uncle, J.R. Gibbs, in Madera.