In Passing

If you would like to submit an obituary for In Passing, please limit your submission to 400 words or less and submit it and a photo (if you have one) via email at [email protected] or online at robsonpublishing.com/editorial.

Previous In Passing posts may be found here or by searching by name in the upper right-hand sidebar.

 

Joseph (Joe) R. Esterman

Joe Esterman was born on April 11, 1945, in Chicago, Ill. On Nov. 29, 2024, at the age of 79, he passed away.

Joe enjoyed a very full life with his wife of 55+ years, Camille. They spent most of their married life in the Chicago suburbs, with short corporate moves to Farmington Hills, Mich., and Westchester, Pa. In April of 2017, they retired to SaddleBrooke Ranch in Oracle, Ariz.

Joe’s education prepared him for a succession of rewarding careers. He earned a B.S. in chemistry at the University of Illinois and did his MBA work at the University of Chicago. Beginning as a bench chemist at Sherwin Williams, Joe moved into sales at Bee Chemical. This led to employment for 23+ years at Nalco Chemical where his positions included international marketing and ended as the Division VP of Investor Relations.

Upon retirement from Nalco, Joe became the Investor Relations Officer for American National Can, followed by consulting work at Ipsco Steel and finally as a financial planner for Morgan Stanley.

The energy Joe showed in his career carried over to his love of adventure. He and Camille enjoyed regular hiking trips with friends, especially in the National Parks. They rafted the entire Grand Canyon four times and even hiked in and out of it. They also enjoyed 25 bicycle adventures all around the world. In retirement, new adventures involved river cruising and touring in Europe.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Camille, and his daughters Jennnifer Stites and Nicole Coderre. He also has four beautiful granddaughters, Madeline and Abigail Stites and Noelle and Caroline Coderre.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a memorial donation in his name to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach at community-outreach.org.

Brandon Eudeen Webb

Brandon Eudeen Webb was born on Dec. 10, 1976 in Rochester, Mich., and passed away unexpectedly on March 13, 2024, in his adopted home state of Arizona. He was 47 years old.

Brandon grew up in Metro Detroit, Mich., and later made his home in Catalina, Ariz. He was a huge music lover, an avid collector of Pixies memorabilia, and a musician himself—a guitarist and singer like his Papa Campbell. He fronted the band Lahzi Daze in Detroit and later founded his touring band, Carnuba, in Prescott, Ariz.

Brandon was also a visual artist, starting his visual arts career in Prescott, specializing in murals and faux finishing. He decided to take his design interests further and study Interior Design at The Art Institute of Tucson, where he graduated with honors, Alpha Beta Kappa, in 2015, earning his B.A. in Interior Design.

After graduation, he owned and operated his own successful interior design firm, The Artful Space in Oro Valley, Ariz. He served many clients throughout the state, using his design talents to help his clients turn their houses into dream homes.

Brandon loved adventuring and snuggling with his son, Jonah, and his favorite part of the day was taking him to school. He also loved his childhood stuffy (Sugarpuss), listening to the Pixies, making fun of his mom, and hiking with his family.

Brandon relished playing practical jokes, BBQing, having taco Tuesdays with his family, eating pistachios and drinking V8, detailing his car or cleaning house while listening to more Pixies, and chatting it up with his sister after a long day.

He held a passion for gardening, tending to his chickens and goats (and making sure everyone knew how many farm fresh eggs he had), botany, geology, design, home and yard projects, any opportunity to wear his Campbell kilt, skateboarding, and again, the Pixies.

Brandon was a generous and tender person, filled with so much talent, laughter, and love. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished by many.

Brandon was preceded in death by his father, Ron Webb; his papa and grandma, Frank and Sheila Campbell; his grandfather and grandmother, Willie and Helen Webb; his aunt, Karen Ladendorf; and one of his closest pals, Marty Love.

Brandon was survived by his wife Lara, his son Jonah, who he loved so deeply and tenderly, and Jonah’s three half-siblings who Brandon also loved and provided for; his mother Kim and stepdad Herb, his sister Shenyah, her husband Rick, and their children Zenikaya and Tigerlilly; His stepmom Anita and step-siblings Vince and Michelle; his stepbrothers Evan and Ethan; and a host of loving relatives and friends far and wide.

His Celebration of Life will be hosted at 1130 E. Calle de La Cabra, Tucson, Ariz., on May 4. The service will begin at 2 p.m. and a dinner of Brandon’s favorite foods will follow. For more information or to RSVP, please reach out to [email protected].

Brinton Taylor Darlington

Formerly of Augusta, Maine, and SaddleBrooke Ranch, Tucson, Ariz., Dr. Brinton Darlington left this world on Dec. 19, 2023, a few weeks before his 102nd birthday. Honesty, perseverance, thriftiness, and a dry sense of humor guided him throughout his life. His accomplishments were many: he became an Eagle Scout at the age of 13; graduated from Ohio University in 1943, and Syracuse Medical School in 1945; and completed his medical training at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland and a residency at the Marine Hospital in Staten Island, N Y. There he worked out of a mobile x-ray van to detect tuberculosis during the national TB epidemic. Brint served his country from 1942 to 1952 in the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, and Public Health Service, the latter in a Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Fort Stanton, N.M. He and wife Alice Reeves moved their growing family to Portland, Maine, in 1952 and to Augusta in 1954. There, Brint joined the Dirigo Clinic as an internal medicine physician, and later established his own private practice. He also served the medical community as president of both the Maine Tuberculosis and Maine Heart Associations and as Maine’s representative on the National TB and American Medical Associations.

Brint and Alice “snowbirded” to a rental home north of Tucson during the early ’90s, and in 1996 purchased a small second home at SaddleBrooke Ranch, a community focused on golf (Brint’s joy) and southwest beauty (Alice’s love). They left Maine and moved there full-time in 2014. Throughout their time in Arizona, they were active volunteers at the Catalina State Park, and at a thrift store that had been started by SaddleBrooke residents and grew to serve a large valley-wide community.

In 2017 they made their last move, to an assisted living center in Seattle near daughter Ann. Alice passed away at the age of 95 in 2019. Brint is survived by daughter Linda Darlington, Linda’s spouse Hunter Townsend, his grandson Bill Gammon, and great-grandson Tyler Gammon; daughter Ann Darlington, Ann’s spouse Jim Elsea, and his grandson David Elsea; and daughter Martha Darlington and her spouse Dana White. He was previously deceased by daughter Gail Darlington in 2006.

Jan Arlene Wilson

Jan passed away in the company of her children on May 23, 2023, near her apartment in Charlotte, N.C., following a brief illness.

Born Dec. 11, 1942, in Seattle, she was the second of three children born to Mary Elizabeth “Dixie” Tuck Edwards and Herbert Meredith Edwards. She attended the University of Puget Sound where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy.

Jan was an enthusiastic member of the Girl Scouts from her childhood. As an adult, she became a troop leader and was recognized numerous times for her volunteer service.

Jan married Dean Andrew Wilson in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 11, 1969. She was a loving mother to Carla Lynn Wilson (Barrett) born July 5, 1971, and Eric Edwards Wilson born July 7, 1975.

She and Dean moved to the SaddleBrooke community near Tucson, Ariz., in 1998. Jan enjoyed hiking and the outdoors tremendously and was a hike leader in the SaddleBrooke hiking club. Jan loved leading hiking groups from SaddleBrooke on many slower but challenging hikes, often including unplanned adventures!

In 2013, Jan and Dean moved to the 55+ community of Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land, S.C. More recently, Jan resided at the Brightmore of South Charlotte senior independent living community.

Jan was preceded in death by her husband Dean Andrew Wilson. She is survived by her siblings Carl Edwards and Lynn Edwards Miller; her daughter Carla Wilson Barrett, son-in-law Gary Wieboldt, and step-grandson Dylan Wieboldt Liedy; and her son Eric Wilson, daughter-in-law Melissa Rosenberry Wilson, granddaughter Morgan Wilson, and grandson Blake Wilson.

A drop-in celebration of life will be held in Jan’s honor on July 29 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Brightmore of South Charlotte located at 10225 Old Ardrey Kell Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277.

For those wishing to send memorial gifts, please consider Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines , Harrison United Methodist Church www.loavesandfishes.org, or The Nature Conservancy.

Stuart Murray Grant Jr.

On Jan. 16, 2023, at the age of 88, Stuart Murray Grant Jr. passed away at Oro Valley Hospital surrounded by his family.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1934, Stu grew up in Kent, Wash., and graduated from Washington State University. He worked for Household Finance for 42 years as a manager and a supervisor; living in Nevada, Hawaii, and California.

Stu met Marcia, his beloved wife of 53 years, in Honolulu where they were both working. They have one daughter, Susan, who lives in New Jersey and is married to Dan Krulikowski, and has two stepsons, Michael and Owen.

Stu and Marcia moved to SaddleBrooke Ranch in 2012. Marcia plans to continue living at the Ranch.

Stu enjoyed playing cards and eating the wedge salad at the Ranch House Grill and hot dogs at Ed’s Dogs. Having a great sense of humor and a great conversationalist, he made many friends. He loved the beauty of Tucson and soaking up sun.

Many wonderful summers were spent at the family cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

He is truly missed and will be in our hearts forever.

His obituary may be found at www.VistosoFH.com. Many photographs of Stu, Marcia, and the family can be viewed on this website. If interested, you can donate a tree to be planted in Stu’s name on this site.

Carolee Louise Bailey

On Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, Carolee Louise Bailey (nee Gentili), loving wife, mother, and grandmother passed away in Tucson, Ariz.
Carolee was born and raised in Tacoma, Wash., the only child of Albert and Louise Gentili. She attended Central Washington State University briefly before her first marriage and the birth of her three daughters. She later relocated to California to raise her daughters as a single parent. While there she returned to college, graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Sociology. Carolee worked in real estate, land conservation, and as a paralegal. Later in life she developed a passion for politics and volunteered extensively.

In 2009 she met and a year later married Paul Bailey. Together they found love, companionship, and adventure. They traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and throughout the U.S. by motorcycle and with Corvette clubs.

Carolee adored her four grandchildren and cherished spending time with them. She loved her Burmese kitties, Sanda and Wynn, gardening, and staying fit. She was an avid, lifelong reader and always had a good book to share.

In 2014 Paul and Carolee came to SaddleBrooke Ranch to build their forever home. Carolee was involved in various activities at the Ranch. In 2019 she found her true passion and organized the Republican Women of Action (WOA). The WOA grew over the years to more than 120 members. They functioned to educate women in politics and to provide a means where women could be involved in political functions.

Carolee is survived by her husband Paul, daughters Tracy Magers, Tia Magers, and Kendall Hewitt and husband Noah, as well as her four grandchildren Matthew and Nikola Koso and Kenna and Matea Hewitt. She will be dearly missed by all.
A private, family memorial will be held in the Chicago area at a later date.

Larry Allen Marchant

Larry Allen Marchant, 78, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, loving friend, wonderful caring neighbor, and supportive community pillar, passed after a valiant battle with cancer in the comfort of his home with family on Dec. 22, 2022, in Oracle, Ariz.

Born May 19, 1944, in Minneapolis, Minn., to Hilton C. Marchant and Freda K. (Peters) Marchant and is survived by brother Albert (Peggy) Marchant, of Medford, Ore., and sister Kay Tordoff, of Soldotna, Alaska; his loving wife of 20 years, Sharon Olivia Marchant; along with seven children; Scott (Susan) Marchant, of Crabtree, Ore.; Melissa Wood, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Kelly (Ross) Nease, of Valdez, Alaska; Nathaniel Marchant, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Trudy (Eric) McNeil, of North Pole, Alaska; Steven Marchant, of Valdez, Alaska; Megan (Coty) Turner, of Valdez, Alaska; 2 step-children Kelly (Ed) Hillman-Harding, of Olympia, Wash., and Wes (Rachel) Hillman, of Olympia, Wash.; 32 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren; and is pre-deceased by his spouse Cecelia.

Larry had an exciting and adventurous life, moving to Oregon as a child, living in Cave Junction and Medford followed by his proud service in the U.S. Navy primarily aboard the USS Vesuvius ammunition ship with primarily Pacific Ocean duty calls. He returned to California where he got the call from his parents to gather up his siblings and venture to Alaska in 1966. He and his growing family experienced a series of amazing life adventures during his 50 years in Alaska, including living and working for the Dew Line stations in Barrow and Kaktovick, Alaska; driving truck on the Haul Road and working in Transportation, Maintenance and Logistics within Alaska. Larry retired from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in 2006, having served as an Oil Spill Response Coordinator for 12 years. He and his wife RVd extensively for several years and settled in Oracle, Ariz.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a platelet or blood donation in Larry’s honor. Celebrations of life will be held in Arizona, Washington, and Alaska at a later date.

Updates and obituary can also be viewed at www.vistosofh.com.