Obituaries

Barbara Anne Brown Manrriquez (76) was born May 21, 1948, to the union of Shaffer and Mayola Brown of Madera, California. Barbara attended local schools. She married her first husband, Gene Brewer, in 1965 while attending high school. She graduated in June 1967. This marriage was blessed with four children: Tyra, Shawn, Gene Jr., and Donson.

She worked as a selector at Madera Glass Plant for 32 years, retiring in 2008. While working at the glass plant, Barbara met and married her second husband, Ted Manrriquez. Ted and Barbara were very happily married; she called Ted her best friend.

MADERA - On October 21st, 2024, Doris Potter passed away surrounded by her loving family at 91 years of age. Heaven not only received the kindest of souls, but God also called home a wife, a mother, an “Nana”, and a beacon of light to all whom she came across. Everyone lucky enough to enjoy her company felt her charisma, gentleness, compassion, and warmth.

A native to Madera, Doris was born December 28th, 1932, to Jake & Connie Jacobson. Growing up in a rural country, she loved riding horses and helping her father work on cars.

Rickey Mel Murch (76) of Tulare, California, passed away on October 19, 2024.  He was born July 1, 1948, in Tulare, California, to John and Goldie Murch. He attended school in Tulare, attending Palo Verde Union Elementary and Tulare Western High School.

Rickey met Linda Wilbanks, and they quickly became sweethearts; they were married in 1966 and settled in Tulare. Rickey later began his 30-plus-year career working as a construction welder for Butler Manufacturing.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Linda Wilbanks Murch, and two sons, Rickey Murch Jr. and Steven Murch (Melody). He also has eight grandchildren (Matthew, Kyle, Brittany, Daniel, Niki, Krystal, Joey, and Ethan), nine great-grandchildren, three siblings (Virgil, Kathryn, and David), many in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Rickey was preceded in death by his Father John B. Murch, Mother Goldie M. Murch, his brothers Johnny, Billie Joe, Jack, Donald, Wayne, his sister Deloris, and his daughter Carolyn Murch Jimenez.

If you had the privilege of knowing Rickey, you knew that family meant everything to him. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend to many. Rickey was a huge fan of Elvis, enjoyed all things science fiction, slot machine gambling, and woodworking, was an expert Xbox Gamer of Tanks and Call of Duty, spent many days tending his lawn, and spent many hours reminiscing with his family about the good old times.

The family would like to thank everyone who was involved in caring for Rickey.

There will be a viewing from 4-7 pm on October 28, 2024, at the Peers Lorentzen Funeral Home, 132 W. Kern Ave., Tulare. Chapel Services will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at the Peers Lorentzen Funeral Home, 132 W. Kern Ave., Tulare. Graveside services will immediately follow at the North Tulare Cemetery.

Peers-Lorentzen Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Maxine King (96),  a resident of Madera since 1966, passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at Cedar Creek Retirement Community, where she had lived most recently.  

Mary was born to Clyde and Bessie Johnson on September 12, 1927, in St. Joseph, Missouri. She grew up in Missouri but also lived in Charleston, SC, and graduated from Vallejo High School in Vallejo, CA, in 1945. She attended Missouri State Teachers College, where she received her Teachers' Certification and went on to teach in a one-room schoolhouse in Missouri.