Nicolas James Kaminski, born on March 25, 2008, adoption finalized on Dec. 11. Proud parents are James and Mechelle (Powell) Kaminski; grandparents are James and Nell Powell, of the Clarksville, TN Worldwide Grace Fellowship.

• Antonio Castillo, Denver (Spanish), CO

• Marco Mendoza, Denver (Spanish), CO

• Larry Oglesby, Columbus, GA

• Paul Tellez, Glendora, CA

Ruby Whiteside McAllister, 92, died Jan. 25 in Baton Rouge, LA. She was born Nov. 3, 1916, was a member since 1951, and was ordained a deaconess in 1972. Over the years, she attended services in Mobile, AL, Jackson, Hattiesburg and Laurel, MS; and Baton Rouge. Ruby is survived by a sister, Zula King; a brother, Marion Whiteside; daughters Virginia Rice and Margaret Mitchell; grandsons Phillip, Anthony and Michael Rice, Nathan and Steven Mitchell; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Betty (Bates) Michel, 82, died in her sleep on Jan. 28 at her home in Castaic, CA. She was born May 19, 1926, graduated from high school in Tulsa, OK, attended Ambassador College when it opened in 1947, and became its first graduate in 1951. She married Gene Michel in August 1952, and worked at the college switchboard and in the business office until 1958. She is survived by Gene, her husband of 56 years; one sister, Peggy Hope, who lives in Oklahoma; and one daughter, Elizabeth Michel.

James Francis (Frank) Pearce, (right) died Sept. 13 in Colorado. He was born February 17, 1911 in Sea Cliff, NY, and moved to Colorado Springs at the age of 6, where he lived for 91 years. He built his own home and lived in it until a few weeks before his death. He saw the city grow from having only a few paved streets and some dirt roads to its current size. Frank rode his bicycle all over town delivering telegrams for Western Union for only a few cents each. As an adult he worked for Alexander Film Company and was also a business owner. Frank never married, but he was active in many other avenues of life. He became part of the church in 1971 and immediately became an important part of the congregation's social life. His sense of humor was famous, and he owned many books of jokes, from which he constantly read and practiced favorites to tell his friends. Having served in the US Army during World War II, Frank was buried with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

Ruth Beal Smith, 91, died Dec. 20 in Inglewood, CA. She was born on Feb. 13, 1917. She and her husband, Hoyt, who preceded her in death, were members since the mid 1970s. They lived in Union Point, GA, for several years after their retirement, and attended the Athens, GA, congregation. After her health failed, she moved to California with her daughter, Gloria Beal. She is survived by one son, James Beal, and two daughters, Gloria Beal and Willa Onayo, eight grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren. Her oldest daughter, Ruth Swain, preceded her in death two years ago.

Garland Wendell Snuffer, 76, of rural Bonaparte, IA, died on Dec. 15, 2008 in the emergency room of Van Buren County Hospital, Keosauqua. He was born in Tams Mountain, WV, on December 4, 1932 to Garland Ray and Ruby Jewell (Huffman) Snuffer.

He attended school at Montandon High School in 1950. For four years he was on active duty in the Air Force as a CW Radio Operator, and then served in the reserves until his honorable discharge in 1959. While he was in the service, he completed two years of college, and radio operator school. Later, he completed several communications and electronics courses.

After his discharge from active duty in 1955, he met Beverly Irene Weatherill. They were married at Buffalo Church of the Brethren in Pennsylvania on March 16, 1957. He worked for IBM Corporation in Harrisburg, PA, before moving to Pasadena, CA, where he worked at several companies for eight years as senior electronics technician.

He was a member of the Church of God since 1959. He began working for the church in the radio production department, and held a position there for over 27 years, eventually becoming manager of the department. He retired in 1994. He worked for many years with the cassette services for the blind as part of his responsibilities. On retirement, he moved to Bonaparte to be near his family.

He obtained his FCC first-class radio operator license on more than one occasion, even working for a brief time at radio station WMLP during his years in Pennsylvania. He was an avid amateur radio fan throughout his life, holding an extra class license (N6SN), as well as being a qualified licensing examiner. He was one of the founding members of the AARA (Ambassador Amateur Radio Association) in the 1970s, and wrote the AARA newsletter for many years. A special treasure of his was a confirmation from the Scouts of Venezuela which he received in March 1961.

Surviving are his wife; two sons, Garland Mark Snuffer in California and Eric Alan Snuffer (and his wife Edith) of Tyler, TX; one daughter, Linda Rex of Farmington, IA,; three grandchildren; two brothers, Dallis Snuffer in Nevada and Luther Boop; and one sister, Norma Jean Sauers both of Mifflinburg, PA. His parents preceded him in death. Cards of condolence may be sent to his wife, Beverly, at PO Box 26, Bonaparte, IA 52620.

Virginia Mae (Wheeler) Sass, 60, died on Dec. 21 at home in Robbinsdale, MN. She was born on Jan. 20, 1948 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Superior, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Duluth, MN, congregation from 1971 to 1995. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothea and Frank Wheeler. She is survived by her husband of 34 years, Edward James Sass, her daughters Lisa Seltzer and Sarah Sass, six brothers, four sisters, and four grandchildren.

Elva B. Williams, 90, of Tacoma, WA, died on Dec. 27 at the care facility in which she had lived for the past two years. She had been a member since 1983, and she attended services for many years in Pasadena, CA, where she had been baptized. For the last several years she attended services in Tacoma, WA. She was born May 10, 1918, in Seattle. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard D. Williams, who died in 2001, and by a daughter, Judith L. Williams, who died in 2000. She is survived by two daughters, Janet Sanders, of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jeanne Fernandez, of Kailua, HI; three sons, John D. Williams, Thomas H. Williams and Raymond E. Williams, all of Tacoma. She had eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.