William V. Butler, 94, of Clearwater, Fla. died October 16, 2004 at Sylvan Health Center, Clearwater, He retired to Florida in 1976 from the Panama Canal Zone where he was a canal ship operator.

Albert “Al” B. Collins died on August 29, 2003 in Fort Valley, Ga. after a short illness. He went to the Canal Zone at the age of 12 and graduated from Cristobal High School. He worked on the Atlantic side with the Commissary Division and later with the Motor Transportation Division until his retirement in 1973.

James E. Dillon, 57, of Quincy, Mass. passed away suddenly at home on August 12, 2004. He was born in Ancon, Canal Zone. He moved to South Weymouth, Mass. in 1961 when his father retired and left the Canal Zone.

George Arthur Gerchow M. (Millán), 67, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on October 9, 2004 in Panama. He was born in Bocas del Toro and was a graduate of Cristobal High School. He worked as a police officer in the Coordination and Liaison Office and the Housing Office as a housing inspector. He retired in 1998 with 35 years of service.

Capt. Billy G. Gewin, 76, died on September 8, 2004 in Houston, Texas where he was receiving treatment for leukemia. He was hired by the Panama Canal Company in 1965 where he was employed as a ship pilot and port captian until his retirement in 1990.

Irene Wright Hollowell, 100-1/2 years old, of Houston, Texas passed away October 23, 2004. She was married to Lee Wright (deceased) and they lived in Balboa from the 1930s to the 1970s. She worked as a secretary for the Administration Department.

Richard Harold McConaughey, 86, of Ocala, Fla. died September 5, 2004 at his home. Dick was born in Ancon Hospital and spent 57 years living and working in the Canal Zone. He first worked for the Mechanical Division and then spent most of his career with the Locks Division until he re-tired in 1974.

Preston E. Minton, 91, died October 3, 2004 in Panama. He retired from the U.S. Navy where he worked at Fort Amador as well as the Panama Canal Department of Motor Transportation. He arrived in the Canal Zone in the 1940s and was one of the founding members and a predominant member of the Diablo Camera Club until his retirement to Coronado.

Roy R. Shuey Sr., 80, died at home in Orange Springs, Fla. on August 20, 2004. He was born at home in Balboa and graduated from Balboa High School in 1942. He served an apprenticeship with the Army and built airfields in the Canal Zone during WWII. He transferred to the Panama Canal Company where he spent the rest of his career in Gamboa at the Aids to Navigation Division. The last two years of his career he taught shop at the Canal Zone Penitentiary until 1974.

Charles D. “Bill” Tillman, 87, of Hendersonville, N.C. died October 23, 2004 following a period of declining health. He lived and worked in general construction in the Canal Zone for 32 years. He was a general contractor in metal fabrication for Bildon Corporation.

Virginia Sydney (Clement) Townsend, 94, passed away July 31, 2004 in Ocala, Fla. She was born in Ancon, grew up in Las Cascadas and East Balboa, and graduated from Balboa High School in 1927. After graduating from college she returned to the Canal Zone and married Wesley (Red) Townsend in 1938. She taught kindergarten and first grade at Balboa Elementary School until her retirement in 1971.