Obituaries

Marshall Padilla (87)

Marshall Padilla (87) - The world lost a self-made man on November 17, 2020. Born in Madera, he and his three brothers were the first generations of his family born in the United States. Raised by his mom, Marshall and his brothers often heard, “Work or go to school!” In his early years, the family traveled from Madera to areas up north and to the Central Coast to pick whatever crop his mom could get them hired to harvest. The boys were always back in school at the end of the harvest season and this paved the way for three of the Padilla boys to graduate from Fresno State College while the fourth went on to serve as a career military officer.

In junior high, Marshall worked as an orderly at Dearborn Hospital, sometimes having to step in and help the doctors deliver babies when the nurses were called elsewhere. Later he worked setting up displays and selling shoes for Brammer Shoes while going to high school.

Bob Blankenship (80)

Bob Dale Blankenship (80), passed away Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Fresno, CA. He was born to Clifford and Katie (Brannum) Blankinship in Milo, OK, and was a resident of Madera, CA for 45 years. He was an Auto Tech for the California Highway Patrol for 32 years until his retirement.

Bob, was raised in the San Joaquin Valley and graduated from Tranquility High School in the class of 1959. He was a founding member of the Clovis 4-Wheel Drive Club, and for 25 years helped organize Madera Sober Grad. He was also deeply involved in Habitat for Humanity in Santa Rosa, CA. A few of his passions in life were fishing and car racing. In his younger days, he spent much time at the Kearney Bowl working on racecars and enjoying the races.

Randy Durbin

Randy Kit Durbin - It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Randy Kit Durbin who passed away on September 11, 2020. He was a graduate of Madera High, studied abroad in Europe, graduated from U. C. Davis, earned a Master’s Degree and Career Technical Education certification at Fresno Pacific College, and had an administrative credential.

He had a passion for learning and hoped to pass that thirst for knowledge on to others throughout his 24 years of teaching at Madera High and Madera South as well as his 31 years of teaching at the Madera Community College.

William Robert Wibbenhorst (91)

William Robert Wibbenhorst (91) - After a long and full life, William (Bill) Wibbenhorst passed away peacefully at his home in Madera, California, on August 13, 2020. Bill was surrounded by the great love of his life and wife of 68 years, Marilyn, and his loving children. He will be remembered for his dedication to his family of four children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. The silver-haired patriarch was a true man’s man, a friend to many, and a stranger to none.

Bill was born in San Bernardino, CA on May 11, 1929. He was the son of William Martin Wibbenhorst and Verna Fulton Wibbenhorst, and brother of Norman R. Wibbenhorst; who he has now joined in heaven. After graduating from Point Loma High School, Bill enlisted in the ROTC program at UCLA in 1946. Across town at USC, he met the love of his life, Marilyn Joan Martin.

Jo Alene Brown (84)

Jo Alene Brown (84) was born on November 25, 1935, in Ft. Cobb Oklahoma to Joe and Gladys Bryson. She passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and Covid-19 on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at Autumn Ridge Assisted Living in Kerman, Ca.

Jo Alene spent her younger years growing up in Oklahoma until the family moved to California and settled in the Kerman area. She attended Kerman High where she fell in love with Joe Brown. They were married following her graduation in 1953. They moved to Madera shortly after and she lived here until 1 year ago when she moved back to Kerman to live at Autumn Ridge.