Scott James RIDDELL

Donald married Jean Elizabeth ZENTMYER [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John Zentmyer was born in North Platte, Nebraska, and migrated to Los Angeles with his parents and brother in 1918. He met his wife May Hobart while attending UCLA, and after marrying her, secured work with the Southern California Gas Company and subsequently with the newly-formed Civil Aeronautics Administration, the precursor to the Federal Aviation Administration. After a long career as an Air Traffic Controller and Administrator with the FAA he retired, then went back to school and studied nursing, earning an LVN degree. He was hired by Torrance Memorial Hospital and spent a number of years working there. A life-long Presbyterian, he was known for his charitable activities, his love of big bands music, and of books, especially about Sherlock Holmes and the Donner Party. (two different genres) He took up distance running in his 60's and completed many marathons, including a first-place finish at the Valley of the Flowers marathon in Lompoc in 1990.



John graduated from UCLA on 22 Jun 1934 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

John married May Elizabeth HOBART 16 Jul 1938, Los Angeles, California. May (daughter of Frank Grant HOBART and Jeanette BRUTSCHÉ) was born 22 Oct 1914, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California; died 20 Nov 2008, Baldwin Park, Los Angeles, California; was buried 29 Nov 2008, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, Los Angeles, California, Sunrise Slope #6207. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

May Hobart Zentmyer, 94, died Nov. 20, 2008, after a brief illness, in Baldwin Park, Calif. She was the mother of longtime La Cañada residents Gary Zentmyer and Jeanie Riddell and San Diego resident John Zentmyer. May was born in Los Angeles on Oct. 22, 1914. She graduated from UCLA, where she was women's editor of the Daily Bruin. It was there she met her future husband, the sports editor, John Zentmyer. After graduation, she became society editor for the Los Angeles Citizen News, covering such events as the first Lux Radio Theater broadcast, and the Screen Actors' Guild Ball at the Coconut Grove. Her husband's career as an air traffic controller found her moving around the country, raising their family in Northern California, Texas, Florida and Virginia, before returning to Southern California. They immediately gravitated to the church they'd attended during college, the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, where they served faithfully for many years. After earning California credentials, May became a teacher and librarian in Watts. After 20 years she returned to UCLA, earning a master's degree in library science. She finished her career in 1980 as a consulting librarian for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Always wanting to be productive, she next became the director of Christian Education at their church, St. Andrew's of Redondo Beach, a position she held until 1987. She and John then traveled extensively, and contributed many volunteer hours to their church. Her hobby of collecting early children's literature resulted in her being honored with a UCLA Distinguished Alumni award.

She is survived by John H. Zentmyer (Jill), Gary Zentmyer (Claudia), Jeanie Riddell, grandchildren Mark Zentmyer (Tiffany), Scott Riddell, Eric Zentmyer, Michael Riddell, Brian Zentmyer, Jeffrey Riddell (Katy), Becky Zentmyer, Will Zentmyer, Ellie McGee, and great-grandson Thomas Zentmyer. Services will be held at Royal Oaks Manor in Bradbury on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 3:30 p.m. Contributions in her memory may be made to The American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006. -- La Canada Valley Sun, 27 Nov 2008



She was named 'May Elizabeth' after her two grandmothers.

Notes:

1895 Summer job as messenger boy at U.P. Depot.
1896 Age 16, went to work full time with Union Pacific Railroad as a messenger at Schuyler. Education 1st year high school.
1897 Station helper at Humphrey, Nebraska under K.E. Bay.
1898 Telegraph operator North Platte, Nebraska
1900 Census in Schuyler, Colfax, Nebraska, telegraph operator
1901 Dispatcher, Omaha, Nebraska (City Directory)
1902 Dispatcher, Omaha, Nebraska (City Directory)
1905 Dispatcher, Omaha, Nebraska (City Directory)
1906 Dispatcher, Omaha, Nebraska (City Directory)
1910 Chief Dispatcher, North Platte, Nebraska
1912 Chief Dispatcher, North Platte, 416 S. Vine St. (City Directory)
1918 January through April, lived in Los Angeles
1918 November, spotted in Los Angeles, on Los Angeles Times front page
1920 Census (January) lived on E. Ave. 42 Los Angeles with Walter and Alfaretta Strahorn Scott. (but working in North Platte??)
1920 November, moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
1921 Dispatcher, Las Vegas, Nevada
1922 Dispatcher, Las Vegas, Nevada
1923 Dispatcher, Las Vegas, Nevada
1923 June, moved back to Los Angeles
1923 Chief Dispatcher, Los Angeles
1924 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1925 Built house at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles. (Strahorn's 50th Anniversary)
1930 Census at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles.
1932 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1930 Census at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1940 Census at 5929 Mesa Ave. Los Angeles. (poss. census taker error?)
1945 Retired from Union Pacific Railroad
1946 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1947 - 1952 worked part-time at Cal Tech.
1948 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1950 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1952 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
1954 Voter Registration at 5929 Terrace Drive, Los Angeles
Lived at 68664 H Street, Cathedral City, Riverside, California during late retirement.

George married Mary Elizabeth STRAHORN 28 Apr 1910, North Platte, Nebraska. Mary (daughter of John Calvin STRAHORN and Sarah Elizabeth WOOD) was born 22 Dec 1885, Sterling, Logan, Colorado; died 12 May 1973, Riverside, Riverside, California; was buried Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside, California, southwest corner of Section W-2 . [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Graduated in 1908 from University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, according to the North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, 12 Jun 1908.

Notes:

Frank was the fourth cousin of Vice President Garret Augustus Hobart.



According to Frank's daughter (our mother) May Hobart Zentmyer, Frank's aunt Stella Picken Wood and her husband Dr. Everett Wood raised him in Sedalia, Missouri after the death of Frank's father Sidney, when he was seven years old. But it is more likely that Frank and his sisters were not taken in by the Woods until after the death of Frank's mother Elizabeth Picken Hobart in 1896. In fact, probate records state that the children were still living in Hancock County Illinois on 12 Feb 1896, shortly after their mother's death.



"Frank G. Hobart, Bachelor of Arts in journalism, University of Missouri, Newspaper career began in High School, writer-reporter, editor, Denison, Sherman, Ft. Worth, Texas. At Los Angeles, Editor of the Los Angeles Record. In field of Advertising, Public and Employee Relations, Industrial Editor in petroleum and electrical industries. Semi-retired at 75, acts as consultant and feature writer." Lehlah Belle West b.1879 writing in 1957



"Frank G. Hobart has resigned as managing editor of the Los Angeles Record, and is succeeded by Thomas P. Grimshaw, late of the Fresno Tribune." The Fourth Estate, March 8, 1913



Frank joined the Cannon Electric Company in 1939, working in advertising and public relations. He was employed by Cannon until his death, although his salary in later years more resembled a pension.

Frank married Jeanette BRUTSCHÉ 14 Oct 1906, St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Denison, Grayson, Texas. Jeanette (daughter of Joseph BRUTSCHÉ and May Augusta LEGATE) was born 20 Dec 1880, Denison, Grayson, Texas; died 07 Oct 1978, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; was buried Forest Lawn Memorial Park, (Hollywood Hills) Los Angeles, California. [Group Sheet]