In Memoriam Page 4

In Memoriam

Page 4

Stacy Nyburg, 1985
Stacy passed from ovarian cancer, circa 1992ish.

Sherri Noah, 1985
Sherri was murdered at age 37.
See article about the crime here.

Danny Meyer, 1985
Danny was struck by lightning on Mt. Lemon in 1995.

Todd Degain, 1988

Related article in Arizona Republic

Tricia Lynn Gauthier, 2003

Julie Sargent, 1986
Julie was in a car accident in Phoenix in June 1994.

Steven Dennis Lockett,
1988 (?)

Wade William Weikart, 1985
Wade was born in September 1967. He lost a long battle with terminal cancer on January 15, 2000. He left behind a wife, Regina; and a daugher, Marisha.



			Todd DeGain (left photo) was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Mesa. DeGain's family and friends (from left) Sandra Spade, Michelle Spade, mother Janet Muir, brother Ben DeGain, father Glenn DeGain and stepsister Teri Klug mourn at his gravesite.

Article Text: Caring was his passion Mourners recall man always helping out those less fortunate Senta Scarborough The Arizona Republic Sept. 22, 2005 12:00 AM Todd DeGain was always putting out the welcome mat. The 35-year old Mesa electrical technician frequently took in friends and pets that had no place to go. At the time of his death last week, two friends and their dogs were staying with him, trying to get on their feet again. "I am amazed at the number of people that are crushed about (his death)," said Todd's father, Glenn DeGain, 58, of Scottsdale. "He collected people that people didn't want. He didn't have much but he gave them a home." advertisement DeGain had gone to a friend's house to help him with his computer and was returning home at 2:30 a.m. Sept. 14 on his motorized skateboard when police say he was struck by Muneerah Ali Al-Tarrah, a former Arizona State University student. Al-Tarrah, 22, and ASU student Reem Ahmad Bishara, 19, both face several charges including leaving the scene of a fatal accident, failing to stay at a fatal injury accident and DUI. Al-Tarrah and Bishara are out on bond, $150,000 and $75,000, respectively. Both women are Kuwaiti citizens, and Mesa police are holding their passports on a judge's order. A preliminary hearing is scheduled in Maricopa County Superior Court on Friday. On Monday, friends and family wrote their goodbyes in red, black and blue markers on his closed coffin. They thanked Todd DeGain for being a "beautiful example of how to live life," helping them "think about life in a different way," or coming to their rescue at the worse time of life. "Look at all this love you created," wrote one friend. About 140 people and DeGain's dog, Bailey, attended his memorial service, where they listened to You've Got a Friend by James Taylor, scriptures and saw a slide show of family photographs. Todd's family provided magnetic photographs of him as keepsakes. They were photos of him playing the guitar, doing karate kicks and having fun at the beach. People picked their favorites, sometimes a high school yearbook photo when Todd had long hair, saying, "That's when I knew him." Others said they knew him only for a short time. Shawn Murphy, 25, recently stayed at DeGain's home when he had little money and had just moved to the Valley. "He was helping me get on my feet and find a place to live," Murphy said. "He helped everybody out." Sarah Wyckoff came to the memorial service and gravesite seeking closure. The 24-year-old Phoenix woman said she was driving a friend home when she was the first to arrive at the hit-and-run scene last week. She said she stayed with Todd until paramedics arrived. "I wanted to see him the whole way through," Wyckoff said. "I am honored to have been with him during his last moments." She said the way DeGain died was "tragic" and showed her how "fragile we are." Todd DeGain moved to the Valley when he was 8 and graduated from Shadow Mountain High School, his father said. "My heart is broken, and I am forever changed," he said. "I hope if there is any good to come from this is that it will deter people from drinking and driving and accept responsibility for their actions." Todd earned an associate degree in electronics from DeVry Institute of Technology and worked at Urban Defense installing security systems. He was a self-taught musician who loved to play the drums and guitar and write songs. He enjoyed snow skiing and snowboarding and loved wakeboarding. On the last day of his life, family and friends said DeGain went out with friends on his boat and went wakeboarding. When the friend called late with computer problems, he took his motorized skateboard to get to the house because his boat was still hitched to the back of his vehicle. But DeGain often rode his motorized skateboard in the neighborhood for fun, his father said. He could be seen riding around his home with his dog chasing him down the street. His girlfriend, Julie Page, 33, said Todd was a father to her son, Ryan, 7, and was someone who loved adventure and having fun and making people laugh. He also loved pets. "He was always there for us," Page said. "He was always full of life and had the biggest heart. I am going to miss him so much." "He was brilliant," said Eddie Blue, a longtime friend. "His was a mind of constant unparalleled creativity." Blue said Todd also used his gift to create a lot of good times with his friends, adding he was a "never-ending source of entertainment." But Blue said he also stood by his friends. "While so many were there only for the good times, Todd stuck it out," Blue said. His father added, "He taught us all to accept ourselves and others just the way we are. It was about compassion and caring for other people, that was his passion."

	Steven Dennis Lockett, 36, passed away on January 17th in Tempe. He attended Shadow Mountain High School and graduated from Chaparral High School where he was a member of each school's baseball team. He attended Glendale Community College and the University of Arizona where he also played baseball. Steve graduated Cum Laude from ASU with a Bachelor if Fine Arts degree in printmaking. He received a Master's degree in printmaking from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He loved art, especially printmaking and currently two of his prints are on display at the Herberger Theatre gallery. Steve was so deeply loved and is sorely missed by his family and friends. Steve is survived by his parents, Nancy and Dennis Lockett, sister Michelle Smith and brother-in-law Chris Smith of Peoria and his paternal grandparents, Winifred and Cleo Lockett of Phoenix. A celebration of Steve's life will be held on Saturday, January 27 at 10:00 A.M. at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E Greenway Rd. in Phoenix. Because Steve was an avid fly fisherman and loved the outdoors, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Arizona Flycaster's Club, P.O. Box 47357 Phoenix, AZ., 85068 for conservation and education. Published in The Arizona Republic on 1/25/2007. http://www.legacy.com/azcentral/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=86136046	Tricia Lynn Gauthier, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away on March 25, 2006. She was a proud 2003 graduate of Shadow Mountain High School. Trish loved dance and was on the SMHS pom line. She was studying film production and editing at SCC. She is survived by her parents Gary and Susanne, her little sister Amy, her everything, Kevin Fitzgerald, her grandparents Russell and Fleurette Gauthier as well as many other family and friends who will all miss her dearly. A Celebration of Life event will be held Sunday April 2, at 1:30 pm at Mayo Clinic Taylor Auditorium, 13400 East Shea Blvd., Scottsdale. The family asks that no flowers be sent; a memorial fund has been established in her name at Wells Fargo Bank. May God rest her soul and give peace to her family.