Obituaries

Betty C. Smith (93), a native and lifelong resident of Madera, CA, passed away on January 4, 2025. She was a member of Madera First Christian Church and was well known for her kind service at the Madera Rescue Mission. Betty graduated from Madera High School in 1949. She later worked as a clerk for James department store on Yosemite Ave and at Bethard Square. She then moved over to work with Bud at GBS for the next 40 years as the Office Manager.

Betty is preceded by her husband, H.B.” Bud” Smith; her parents, William and Beulah Bare Creamer; her brothers Herb, Leo, and Nelson Creamer; her sister, Phyllis Parker; and her grandson, Bradley Smith.

Virginia Lee McClaran (84), born January 31, 1940, to J.E. and Mary McKinney, passed peacefully in her home on January 7. Virginia was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and educator. She was married to her loving husband, Everett McClaran, for 66 years and raised two children together.

Education was extremely important to her. She worked for Madera Unified for 34 years, where she helped open Alpha School and touched the lives of many colleagues, students, and families in town. After her retirement, she was active in the American Association of University Women.

Thomas Ray Whitaker (69) was one in a million and loved by all who knew him. Surrounded by his family, on the evening of November 12, 2024, Jesus came and escorted him home to Heaven. Tom was born on February 4, 1955, to Ray and Joyce Whitaker at Dearborn Hospital in Madera, CA. A lifelong resident of Madera, Tom attended local schools and graduated from Madera High with the Class of 1973.
 
He attended Fresno City College before working full-time at the family dismantling business, Whitaker’s Auto Wrecking. In 1988, Whitaker’s Auto Wrecking split, and Tom became the owner of Whitaker’s 4x4 Heaven, specializing in pick-ups, vans, 4x4s, and Jeeps. Later, when the shop closed in 2003, he decided on his second career as a school bus driver for Madera Unified, where he stayed until his retirement in 2017 after almost 15 years.

MADERA - With great sadness, we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Joseph Paul Jackan, 41, of Madera, California, on November 2, 2024. Joe was born in Bellevue, WA, grew up in North Bend and Mukilteo, WA, and at age 10 moved to St. Charles, IL. He graduated from Central High School in 2001 and received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from the University of Illinois in 2006.

Joe attended the University of Iowa and received a Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2014. On his first day of pharmacy school, Joe met the love of his life, Angela Sze. After graduation, they moved to Santa Rosa, CA, to begin their careers as Pharmacists, where CVS and Target Pharmacies employed Joe. Joe married his soulmate, Angela (Sze), on August 18, 2020.