Obituraries

* Richard Hernandez; Lawyer, County Housing Commissioner

Richard A. Hernandez, 54, Los Angeles County commissioner of housing and economic development. A native of Los Angeles, Hernandez was educated at St. Mary’s College, Cal State L.A. and the Loyola University School of Law. The politically involved lawyer was an aide to former Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty. In 1982, Hernandez was elected chairman of the newly organized California Republican Hispanic Council. On Saturday in Encino of cardiac arrest.

* Donald March; Film and TV Producer, Emmy Nominee

Donald March, 53, a film and TV producer who was nominated for Emmys for the miniseries “Billionaire Boys Club” and the movie “David.” He held executive positions at ABC, CBS, Filmways Motion Pictures and other studios. In 1984, March joined HBO, resigning as executive in charge of original made-for-pay-TV films a year later. In Los Angeles on May 3 of the complications of AIDS.

* Clarence Paul; Motown Record Producer, Songwriter

Clarence Paul, 67, composer and Motown Records producer for such artists as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Known throughout the industry as “C.P.,” Paul composed several popular songs, including Wonder’s “Fingertips” and Gaye’s “Hitchhike.” Paul also wrote “A Place in the Sun,” “Hey, Love” and “Until You Come Back to Me.” On Saturday in Los Angeles of diabetes and heart problems.

* Mike Radcliffe; West Hollywood Activist

Mike Radcliffe, 52, activist who was president of the West Hollywood Community Alliance. In that position, Radcliffe frequently battled West Hollywood officials and leaders of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Last year he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the West Hollywood City Council. A political veteran, Radcliffe had campaigned over the years for Republican candidates, including Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. On May 1 in West Hollywood of cancer.

* Warren Reese; U.S. Prosecutor Helped Lead Camarena Case Probe

Warren Reese, 65, a retired federal prosecutor who helped direct the investigation into the murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena. A native of East Los Angeles, Reese became a federal prosecutor in 1969. He was one of the two U.S. prosecutors who tried Daniel Ellsberg over his release of the Pentagon Papers concerning the Vietnam War. The trial judge dismissed that case after Ellsberg’s psychologist’s office was burglarized by Watergate intruders. On April 29 in Del Mar, in a traffic accident.

* Frank Ross; Member of Mary Kaye Trio Lounge Act

Frank Ross, 70, the comedic member of the Mary Kaye Trio. Born Biagio Rossario Blogna in Cleveland, he changed his name to Frank Ross in 1946 when he joined Mary Kaye and her brother Norman in the popular trio. The group pioneered the highly paid lounge act in Las Vegas, appearing regularly at the Frontier, Sahara and Tropicana hotels. They also performed at the Copacabana and the Latin Quarter in New York and the Chez Paree in Chicago. On Tuesday in Torrance of leukemia.

* Gaston J. Sigur; Assistant Secretary of State Under Reagan

Gaston J. Sigur Jr., 70, assistant U.S. secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs in the Ronald Reagan Administration. Sigur joined the Administration in 1982, serving as a special assistant to the President for national security affairs and as senior director of Asian policy for the National Security Council. He joined the State Department in 1986 and played a key role in pushing for fair elections in South Korea and in talks with the Soviet Union concerning the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from Cambodia. On April 26 in Washington of cardiac arrest.

* Mikhail S. Zimyanin; Former Pravda Editor in Chief

Mikhail S. Zimyanin, 80, a leading Communist Party official and editor in chief of Pravda during the Leonid Brezhnev era. He was one of the last Brezhnev stalwarts in a high Soviet government post, serving on the party secretariat until his retirement was announced “for health reasons” in January, 1987. Western news reports at the time--nearly two years into Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms--said he had been ousted. On May 1 in Moscow of lung and heart problems.