Monday, December 29, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: A time to remember

Several prominent Nevadans left us in 2003

Hardly a day goes by that death fails to take someone who has made an impact on our community. No list can be all-inclusive, but as we look back on 2003, let's take a moment to remember some of those who brought something special to Las Vegas, Nevada and beyond:

-- Dick Carver, 58, Jan. 9, a Nye County rancher and leader of Nevada's second "sagebrush rebellion."

-- George Von Tobel, 84, Jan. 12, son of Las Vegas pioneers Ed and Mary Von Tobel, a real estate developer active in local philanthropy, and the first Republican elected to the Nevada Assembly from Clark County.

-- Joseph H. Dryden, 75, Feb. 19, director of the Nevada Test Site Support Office from 1978 to 1985, who aided native Pacific Islanders who had been displaced because of U.S. nuclear tests.

-- Vernon Willis, 88, Feb. 23, district manager for Western Airlines, owner of Willis Travel Agency, and the financial manager who was instrumental in convincing Wall Street investors to finance casino development in Las Vegas.

-- Maj. Gen. Homer Hansen, 80, Feb. 23, first U.S. pilot to fly 100 missions in the Korean War, commander of the Tactical Fighter Weapons Center at Nellis Air Force Base and president of CalFed Bank in Nevada.

-- Tommy Nelson, 90, March 30, "Mr. Boulder City," professional musician, electrician who helped build Hoover Dam, American Legion post commander, and member of the Boulder City Council.

-- Tom Bell, 76, March 31, special staff assistant to Sen. Alan Bible, deputy attorney general for Nevada, owner of Mercy Ambulance and staff attorney for Howard Hughes.

-- Charles "Cholly" Atkins, 89, April 18, Tony Award-winning choreographer for vaudeville, swing-era big bands, The Temptations and other Motown artists, and Gladys Knight's show at the Flamingo.

-- William Southard, 79, April 20, chairman of the Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Commission, the Salvation Army Advisory Board and a member of the Council for the Boulder Dam Area Boy Scouts of America.

-- Frank Wright, 64, April 25, longtime researcher at the Nevada Museum & Historical Society and author of pamphlets and text materials on Southern Nevada history for local schoolchildren.

-- Ralph Menard, 74, April 30, program host and familiar on-air voice of KVVU-TV, Channel 5.

-- Paul Iverson, 55, May 8, director of the state Department of Agriculture and former science curriculum coordinator for the Clark County School District.

-- Herman E. Fisher Jr., 73, May 18, former North Las Vegas Municipal Court judge and justice of the peace.

-- George F. Kalb, 83, June 21, founder of the George F. Kalb Construction company, builder of the McCarran Center office complex and other major commercial properties.

-- Philip Deale, 75, June 24, founder of the Las Vegas landmark restaurant Philips Supper Club.

-- Buddy Hackett, 78, June 30, legendary stand-up comic who headlined Strip showrooms from the 1950s through the 1990s.

-- Dan Rottuno, 75, June 27, former senior vice president of Valley Bank.

-- Dick Odessky, 70, July 3, former newspaper reporter and gaming columnist and publicist for the Flamingo and the Stardust during the heyday of "Old Vegas."

-- Dr. Don Christensen, 73, July 23, former chief of staff and chief of surgery at Sunrise Hospital and president of the Las Vegas Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

-- Bob Broadbent, 77, Aug. 9, first mayor of Boulder City and director of aviation for Clark County during the renovation of McCarran International Airport.

-- Dr. John Crear, 78, Aug. 19, the second black physician to establish a practice in Nevada and founder of the West-Crear Medical Society.

-- Gen. Wilbur Creech, 73, Aug. 26, management consultant, head of the Top Gun tactical fighter school at Nellis Air Force Base, and "Father of the Thunderbirds."

-- Shannon Bybee, 65, Sept. 18, former casino executive and executive director of UNLV's International Gaming Institute.

-- Harry "Bob" Fechter, 82, Sept. 30, physicist who helped discover two subatomic particles and founder of the UNLV physics department.

-- Carl Fontana, 75, Oct. 9, trombonist and member of Woody Herman's "Third Herd" big band and mainstay of the Las Vegas jazz scene.

-- William "Si" Redd, 91, Oct. 14, founder of slot giants Bally Distributing Co. and IGT and developer and promoter of the first modern video poker machines.

-- Claude Trenier, 84, Nov. 17, rock-and-roll pioneer and fixture on the Strip lounge circuit.

-- Joseph William McNamee, 68, Dec. 6, a third generation Nevadan and former assemblyman who also practiced for one of the state's first law firms, founded by his grandfather.

-- Goldie Moran, 81, Dec. 21, widow of former Clark County Sheriff John Moran.