Obituaries - Feb. 15, 2008

Clara Morgan Butcher

Clara Morgan Butcher passed away quietly in La Cañada on Feb. 7. She was surrounded in love by friends and family.

Clara is survived by her daughter, Roberta Whitla; son-in-law, Guy; grandchildren, Keegan and Braeden; stepchildren Joseph and Thomas Stitick; and four step-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert D. and son, Robert W.

Clara was born in Kelso, Wash. on July 8, 1925. Her family moved to Inglewood, Calif. when she was 2 years old and later moved to Tujunga, where she attended and graduated from Verdugo Hills High School. She later attended and graduated from Glendale College and earned a bachelor’s degree from the USC College of Archiecture in 1948.

Clara is best known for her architectural business, Clara Morgan Butcher Designers. She opened her first office on Foothill Blvd in La Cañada. After closing that office due to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, Clara worked out of her home until she and Robert built a new office at 3712 Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta in 1973. Clara was one of the founding board members of the Architectural Designers Association and many apprentice architects have been mentored by her during Clara’s 60 year career. Although the architectural world has lost her unique talent, her legacy lives on in the countless residential and commercial buildings she has designed.

Along with her illustrious career, Clara will be missed as a loving and dedicated mother and a friend to many. Her spiritual connection to many is a testament to her Christian values.

A memorial service was held on Monday, Feb. 11 at Descanso Gardens. A scholarship fund is being set up in her honor at the USC Architectural School.

Ruth Ann Leopold

Ruth Ann (Stuessy) Leopold, 54, of La Cañada Flintridge, died Jan. 30, 2008.

Ruth Ann was born Nov. 22, 1953 in Monroe, Wisc., the daughter of Nathan I. and Anna (Weckerly) Stuessy. While growing up she worked in the family business, Stuessy’s Clover Farm in Gratiot, Wisc. She graduated from Blackhawk High School in 1971.

Ruth Ann married Stephen Leopold in November 1972. She worked for Advance Transformer for 17 years.

In 1985 she moved to Tucson, Ariz., where she earned her associate degree in office management from Chaparral College. She returned to Wisconsin in 2000 and worked at the Bank of Evansville before moving to California in 2004. She most recently was employed at the Crescenta Cañada Pet Hospital in La Crescenta.

Ruth Ann was an avid reader who had a wonderful smile and pleasant demeanor.

Survivors included her son, Nathan Leopold of Oregon, Wisc.; Nathan’s father, Steve Leopold of Janesville, Wisc.; her mother, Ann Stuessy of Monroe, Wisc.; two brothers, Steve (Linda) Stuessy and Thomas L. (Judi) Stuessy, all of Tulsa, Okla.; two nieces, Tammy Hagen and Renee (Dwayne) Hillhouse ; two nephews, Tommy Stuessy and Raymond (Terri) Stuessy of ; several aunts, uncles, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins. She also leaves her good friends, Gwen, Tami, Val and Dr. Speas. She was preceded in death by her father, Nathan Stuessy, in September 1971.

A memorial service was held Tuesday at the Newcomer Funeral Home in Monroe, Wisc., followed by burial in the Greenwood Cemetery, also in Monroe.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund will be established in Ruth Ann’s name. She was a very special person whose disposition and smile could always brighten the days of others.

Richard Salisbury

Richard M. “Dick” Salisbury, 85, died Dec. 2, 2007.

He was preceded in passing by his wife of 55 years, Jane, who died in 2000.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Terri Salisbury of Citrus Heights, Calif.; his daughter and son-in-law, Susan and John Casper of Concow, Calif.; his daughter and son-in-law, Sherri and Les Brown of Tujunga; and his grandson, Eli Brown, of La Cañada.

Dick retired as president of L.A. By-Products in 1987 and remained on its board of directors for many years. He had worked previously with Columbia Records Corp. as West Coast engineer.

His engineering expertise aided him in the building of his home on Palm Drive in La Cañada. He lived in La Cañada most of his life, returning after serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II. His grandfather, Dr. Samuel Scott Salisbury, owned a ranch north of what is now La Cañada Elementary School, Salisbury Road being named after him.

Dick enjoyed traveling, boat camping and water skiing. He was never too busy to teach a beginner to ski.

The family requests that any donations in memoriam be given to the National Rifle Association or the National Republican Committee, two of his favorite charities.