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Sun Lakes Lifestyles February 2023

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66 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | FEBRUARY 2023 | Stephen J. Kijula passed away peacefully at his home on December 7, 2022, after a short illness at the age of 90. He was born and raised in Woodbridge, N.J. He excelled in sports and was granted a football scholarship to Shepherd University in West Virginia where he lettered in football, swimming, and basketball. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree, he came to Los Angeles and joined the Los Angeles Police Department, earning several commendations for bravery over a career of 20 years. He was a resident of Sun Lakes since 1993, an avid golfer, and an active member of the Sun Lakes community. He will be sorely missed. Lorraine Theresa (Angers) Lai (Wohlers) Lori passed peacefully and returned Home on December 20, 2022. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on September 16, 1926 to Emeric Joseph Angers and Albertine Rose (Mathieu) Angers. In 1953 Lori moved to California with her husband, Frederic William Eastman (a veteran of the U.S. Navy and survivor of Pearl Harbor), and their two children, Gary and Jeanette. In California they joined her parents, Emeric and Albertine, and her sister Irene (Angers) Lavallee and her husband, Francis Lavallee. A few years later the extended family was joined in California by Lori's brother, Emeric Angers and his wife, Angelina (Calo) Angers. The Angers family were part of the great 1950's migration from the east coast to The Golden State! After losing her husband in a motorcycle accident at age 31 and with two children to support, Lori courageously raised Gary and Jeanette with her long career as a medical secretary/receptionist in Long Beach, California and later in Whittier, California. Once she retired, Lori and her husband, George Lai (also a Pearl Harbor survivor), traveled the world with lengthy stays in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and Europe – making life long friends as they traveled. After George passed, Lori moved to Banning, California and became a member of the Sun Lakes Community. In Sun Lakes, she met and married Walter Wohlers (WWII veteran – combat pilot) and her friendships multiplied with her outgoing personality. A dancer from the age of 5, her love of dancing continued until the age of 90 when back surgery curtailed her dancing career. Both she and Walt entertained audiences each year at the Sun Lakes Follies. Lori danced with Evelyn Hawkin's precision dance ensemble and Jeanne Svarvar's tap group. One year the Sun Lakes Life reported: "Lori Wohlers brought back her Shirley Temple act as she sang Animal Crackers in My Soup and was absolutely adorable in her blond wig… Lori always receives lots of cheers and applause from the audience." Walt performed as a stand-up comedian – often using Lori as his comedic foil. Lori was also a member of ICC, the Paisano and Friendship Clubs and an active member of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church in Beaumont, CA. Lori is survived by her daughter, Jeanette (Eastman) Eilers and son-in-law Thomas Dyell Eilers; Walt's children, Robert Wohlers and Suzanne (Wohlers) Iverson; George's children, George Quon Lai, Jr, and Jeannie (Lai) Ming; fiv grandchildren: Noelle (Lange) Davidson, Jessica (Eastman) Balesteri, Ulysses William Elgar, Sunni Elgar, and Mary (Eastman) Mosqueda; and many great grandchildren and step great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Lori was preceded in death by her sister, Irene Lavallee, her brother Emeric Angers, Jr., her son, Gary William Eastman, and husbands, Frederic William Eastman, George Quon Lai, and Walter Wohlers. The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to the Alzheimer's Association (https://act.alz.org/donate) in memory of Lorraine's sister-in-law, Angelina (Calo) Angers; or the ALS Foundation (https://donate.als.org) in memory of Robert Kraft Eilers. Friends we will miss Submit your Friends We Will Miss to sunlakesnews@yahoo.com. Please keep remembrances to 400 words and include one recent, high-resolution photo.

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