Obituaries

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On the morning of February 17, 2024, Linda “Ann” Featherston McGuire Crouse passed away at the age of 70 at her home in Buckeye, AZ.  Ann was born January 18, 1954 in Wichita Falls, Tx to Robert G. Featherston and Haroldine “Deanie” Wolfe Featherston.  She shared her childhood with two brothers, Brad and Mike Featherston.  In 1972, Ann graduated from Rider High School “ROHO” of Wichita Falls, TX.  In 1987, she received her certificate as a Licensed Vocational Nurse from Vernon Regional Junior College, and then then in 1995 she achieved her degree as a Registered Nurse.  Ann married Terry D. McGuire on October 19, 1973.  The two met in junior high school where they became close friends.  In 1977, they became parents to a son followed by three more sons.  In 1986, Ann met Charles W. Crouse while attending the same church in Wichita Falls, TX.  On December 26, 1986 the two were married.  In 1988, they welcomed their first daughter, followed by two sons.

Ann worked as a nurse in general medicine, behavioral health, home health, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, a burn center, correctional health, travel nursing, and holding the highest position of Director of Nursing.  She also obtained her Emergency Medical Technician license and worked on an ambulance.  She was known for her loving and caring spirit.  She was an avid reader, writer, and seamstress.  She also loved and cared for her animals, but her biggest passion was leading others to Christ.

She is survived by her seven children (Jason & Patty of Gainesville, TX, Andrew & Shelley of Gainesville, TX, Robert & Karen of Litchfield Park, AZ, Micah of Payson, AZ, Shaina of Buckeye, AZ, Chad of Buckeye, AZ, and Casey & Kim of Scottsdale, AZ) and her twelve grandchildren (Jordin, Malachi, Cassidy, Morgan, Elijah, Zoey, Melody M., Steven, Melody J., Jasmyn, Killian, Jason).

A funeral service will be held in her honor on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 from 5:00pm – 9:00pm, with a Nurse Honor Guard tribute at 6:00pm at Thompson Funeral Chapel, 926 S. Litchfield Rd, Goodyear, AZ.  Following this precession, her two oldest sons will be transporting her to her home town of Wichita Falls, TX for a graveside service on Friday, March 1, 2024 at 2:00pm at Hampton Vaughn Crestview Funeral & Memorial Park, 1917 Archer City Hwy, Wichita Falls, TX where she will be laid to rest next to her husband and family.

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William “Bill” Gustav Wild was called home to the arms of our Lord on February 4, 2024. Bill was born on April 27^th, 1934 in Buffalo New York to Henry and Lillian Wild. He was one of seven children.

Tough on the outside but soft on the inside is how those closest to Bill would describe him. He was kind and didn’t believe in holding grudges. His motto was to be “attentive and forgiving” in every aspect of his life. He prayed daily and was a very faithful and spiritual man.

Bill met his wife Cecilia in the drafting room at Linde Air Products in Tonawanda, New York. Cecilia was instantly smitten with Bill after she first met him. According to Cecilia Bill blushed all shades of red after their first meeting, something she wasn’t used to. She instantly decided that Bill was going to be the one for her. Shortly after their meeting Bill enlisted with the United States Army and was sent to Germany for two years. Cecilia and Bill wrote to each other nearly every day during their time apart. Right after Bill got back to the US, he took Cecilia to the Buffalo Botanical Gardens and asked her for her hand in marriage. They married in 1957 in Cecilia’s hometown of Kenmore, New York at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Cecilia and Bill shared 67 wonderful years together. His advice for how to keep a happy marriage is to follow the bible’s word about never going to bed angry or upset. In his own words, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger and differences.”

Their union brought four beautiful children into their lives completing their family. Bill was a loving, but strict dad who prioritized sharing his love of the Lord with his children. He wanted them to grow up knowing the Lord’s love and compassion. He also wasn’t afraid to get down and “rough and tumble” play with his kids. He also loved taking his kids to all the different museums, zoos, and art galleries that New York and Canada had to offer. It was important to Bill that his kids were exposed to all the amazing culture that the world had to offer.

Bill worked as an engineer in multiple different industries throughout his life including General Motors and Fisher-Price. He found joy in bringing new innovations to the world and was passionate about helping his employees learn and grow within the company. Bill was always striving for greatness and never shied away from helping others along the way.

The outdoors was Bill’s happy place. He loved to hike and was a part of two different hiking clubs in Arizona. He also loved staying active by playing tennis, bowling, racquetball, and swimming.

Bill is survived by his loving wife Cecilia Wild, his daughter Sister Mary Wild, his sons William “Bill” Wild Jr., Daniel Paul Wild (Elizabeth), and Martin Gerald Wild, his brothers Father Robert Wild and Gerald Wild, and his six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by Henry Paul Wild Jr., Claire Crowley, Leon Wild, and Sister Andrea Wild.

A memorial service will be held on February 21, 2024, at 10:30 AM. The service will take place at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Parish 17111 W Bell Rd, Surprise, AZ 85374. He will then be laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Carmel of the Assumption Monastery. Donations can be made by check mailed to 5206 Center Drive Latrobe Pennsylvania 15650.

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Dante Ramon Lucas, 46 of Surprise, Arizona passed away on February 6, 2024, in Surprise, Arizona. He was born on June 20, 1977, to Rosetta Sykes and Jerry Darnell Lucas Sr. of Waukegan, Illinois.

He is survived by his mother, Rosetta Sykes, his brother Jerry Darnell Lucas Jr, and sister, Shalonda Lucas. He is also survived by his paternal grandmother, Clotea Spiller. He was a great basketball player in high school and was always competitive. He had a great heart and enjoyed watching football and basketball. He will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues, and extended family.

He is preceded in death by his father, Jerry Darnell Lucas Sr, and his aunt Joan Wakefield.

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Mr. Carl Savillo Jr., 73 of Surprise, Arizona passed away on December 13, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona. He was born October 6, 1950, to Carl Savillo and Olga Savillo in Brooklyn, New York.

As the first-born son of Carl and Olga Savillo, Carl Savillo Jr. spent his childhood in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, until his preschool years when he — along with his younger brother, Robert, and the family — moved to Ozone Park, Queens.

During his formative childhood, his inquisitive intellect matured from playing with erector sets and toy trains and building model cars to his voluminous reading of Car and Driver, Motor Trend, and Popular Science magazines. It was no surprise then that his first vehicle was an Austin-Healey, a British sports car, but he soon replaced it with a Harley Davidson Sportster motorcycle — the first of many cherished bikes that he owned over his life. One of his favorite songs, Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild,” so rhythmically captured his joy of riding and being free on the open road — a pastime he could fortunately do until the last weeks of his life.

Like many children, he loved raising hamsters, turtles, and tropical fish (he also had a hedgehog when he was an adult), but playing with dogs was one of his favorite activities. He even rescued stray dogs and brought them home to the dismay of his parents! Having a dog was always a part of his family. He was very passionate about dogs and spared no expense when it came to their health. As they aged, he was right by their sides.

He was a graduate of the New York City public school system. He first received his Associate Degree from the Academy of Aeronautics and his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering at the then-called Polytechnic Institute of New York (now known as the New York University Tandon School of Engineering, the second oldest private Engineering school in the Country). With the assistance of the Dept of the United States Navy, he would later earn his Master’s Degree at the University of Southern California. While at Navair, Carl graduated from the Defense Systems Management College, Program Management Class 83-2 in 1983; the program was likened to the Harvard Business School at the time, and even included Harvard Professors who lectured there often.

Not long after earning his Engineering Degree, he moved his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, working for General Electric as an Aerospace Engineer in the Wind Tunnel, on jet engines, and then to Seattle, Washington, for Boeing. There, he worked on the Boeing 757 and 767. After Boeing, Carl transported his family back to the East Coast and went to work for the DOD United States Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command in Washington, D.C. Navair, as it’s called, relocated to Patuxent Naval base in Southern Maryland, where he worked in Source Selection until he retired. The Presidential Helicopter, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and Drones, were a few of the last things he contributed to.

During his summer job, while still in College, as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service in Ozone Park, New York, he met his future wife, Debbi Figliola, while delivering letters to her office at Prudential Insurance. Carl wasted no time, and soon married Debbi and started a family. Carl and Debbi would have four children — Carl III, Rosalie, Robert, and Nicholas. Carl was a devoted husband and father.

As someone very knowledgeable and passionate about new technology, Carl enjoyed building and working on computers, which came easily to him. He had multiple devices and spare parts all over his home office! He also immensely enjoyed playing video games and did so often with his children and grandchildren. He loved watching football, and later in life watched all types of sports on television. He was very mechanically inclined, and could fix anything, including cars, household appliances, and nearly anything else.

Carl retired to Surprise, Arizona, where he lived with his wife, Debbi, and next door to his first-born son, Carl Savillo III, and his wife, Annie, and children, Gage, Luca, and Finn. He is survived by them as well as his daughter, Rosalie Savillo, and her daughter, Coralie; his son, Robert Savillo, and his wife, Katherine, and their two sons, Asher and Ranen; and his youngest son Nicholas Savillo.

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Mrs. Donna Maureen Fritsch, 76 of Buckeye, Arizona passed away on January 23, 2024, in Buckeye, Arizona. She was born on September 8, 1947, and adopted by Paul and Johanna O’Leary of Chicago, Illinois.

She is survived by her daughter, Aimee Thibodeaux, and son-in-law, Adam; her son, Randy Fritsch and sister, Kathy Nijakowski. She was a loving grandmother to Lauren and Conner Thibodeaux, and Matthew Fritsch.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Cliffton Fritsch; her parents, and her son, Cliffton Fritsch Jr.

A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Friday, February 23, 2024, at Thompson Funeral in Goodyear, Arizona.