January 7, 2005 The ADVOCATE’s Free Press & Community News Serving Anderson, Southern Franklin and Western Linn Counties Volume 9, No. 2 Transcribed with permission of Vern Brown Page 5, Column 1: “Loma Lawrence 1911-2004 Memorial services for Loma Lawrence, 93, Garnett, are Saturday, January 8, 2005, at 11:30 a.m. at Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel with Rev. Gary Benjamin officiating. Mrs. Lawrence died Friday, December 31, 2004, at Golden Heights Living Center. Loma Anita Graves Luce Lawrence was born April 12, 1911, on a farm near Greeley to Ossman Pasha Graves (Pash) and Pearle May Burrows Graves (May). Loma was the middle of their seven children, all of whom preceded her in death. Her siblings were Leonard Augustus Graves (Gus), LaVerna Agnes Graves Tilton, Lenora Ardeth Graves Conlon, Lowell Adrian Graves, Ossman Pasha Graves, and Duane Burrows Graves. Loma was married to Frederick Allen Luce in 1931 at Garnett. He preceded her in death in 1964. In 1968, Loma married J.A. (Pat) Lawrence of Emporia at Wichita. Pat, too, preceded her in death after a long illness. Loma was a Life Member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She went through all of the chairs of that organization and served as Past Worthy Matron. She was a fifty plus year member of the Rebecca Lodge, where she served as Past Noble Grand. Loma very much enjoyed belonging to the Vista Study Club and a bridge club. At one time, she was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. During her early years in Garnett, Loma worked in the Graves Drug Store. After her marriage to Fred Luce, they lived in many different locations, as Fred was employed by the railroad. During that period of time she had many interesting and enjoyable experiences. Fred and Loma resided for a while in Emporia. They owned a cabin at Lake Kahola, where they spent many happy hours with friends and family. They were active in many social affairs in the Emporia area. Some time after Fred’s retirement from the railroad, Loma and Fred moved to Garnett. They purchased a shoe store there, and operated it for several years. While living in Garnett, they resided in the Graves family home on West Third Avenue. After Fred’s death, Loma remained in Garnett until her marriage to Pat Lawrence. She and Pat lived in Emporia until Pat’s health failed, at which time they, too, moved to Garnett, where Loma cared for him until his death. She was a Garnett resident for the remaining years of her life. In later years, Loma was a loving caregiver for her brother, Adrian. She purchased the apartment building on West Fourth Street in Garnett, known as the Carter building, where she and Adrian lived. She managed the apartment building until a fall and resulting broken hip in January of 2003 required she enter a care facility. She had resided at Golden Heights Living Center since that time. Loma is survived by a sister-in-law, Lois Graves; nieces, Judy Smith, Karin Hill Otto, Mary Graye Fine, Peggy Ann Morgan, and Kay Benjamin and spouses; great-nieces, Susan Suzuki, Kathy Hill-Otto Anglin, Leslie Alley, Trudie Safreno Darcy Chown, Sarah Mitchell, and Jenny Thomsen; great-nephews, David Benjamin, Vance Morgan, Alleo Morgan, Bradley Morgan, and Patrick Young; and many great-great-nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Music will be provided by Jeanine Zentner, organist, and Scott Schulte, vocalist. Musical selections include “In The Garden” and “How Great Thou Art”. Memorial may be made to Golden Heights Living Center or Garnett First Christian Church. Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.” Page 5, Column 2: “Gerald C. McLees 1914-2004 Gerald C. McLees, 90, died at his Portsmouth, NH, home on Thursday, December 30, 2004. “Mac” was born in Richmond, KS, on October 17, 1914, the son of Allie Murray and Mason McLees, both deceased. After graduating from high school, McLees and a buddy hitchhiked to Topeka and joined the Navy as a way to escape the dust-bowl prairies of the Kansas farms. Following service on surface crafts for several months, a friend told Mac that his submarine was looking for a seaman. Mac stated, “As soon as my foot touched her deck, I knew I was home.” He served as sentry that night with a 45 strapped to his leg and began his long and distinguished service on U.S. submarines. On May 23, 1939, Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class McLees and 58 other crewmates and civilians took the U.S.S. Squalus for her 19th test dive off the Isles of Shoals. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard built the boat. She and her sister ship Sculpin were the pride of the new naval submarine fleet. Disaster struck, however, as an induction valve failed and water poured into the aft compartments of Squalus. Sadly, 26 men were lost that day. The McCann Diving Bell, invented by Swede Momsen, made four trips to the surface with 33 survivors after over 48 hours trapped at a 250-foot depth. To date, the Squalus rescue remains the only successful underwater rescue in world history. For his part, McLees never considered himself a hero. Interviewed several times for documentaries, articles, and books over the years, McLees insisted that he and his crewmates were simply doing their jobs and that the real heroes of Squalus were the shipmates who lost their lives and the divers who risked their lives to effect the rescue. Peter Maas, Pulitzer Prize winning author of “Serpico” and “The Valachi Papers”, visited McLees several times while writing “The Terrible Hours”. Chronicling the events of the Squalus and Swede Momsen’s contribution to naval rescue technology, Maas featured McLees throughout the book. “Submerged” was adapted from Maas’ book and a highlight in Mac’s life was being invited to the White House for dinner with President George W. Bush on May 16, 2001. After dinner, President and Mrs. Bush screened the film in the White House theater. From that day forward, Mac carried a picture of himself with President Bush in the Rose Garden on that special night in his shirt pocket. The Navy raised Squalus from the bottom of the ocean and refitted and recommissioned her U.S.S. Sailfish. Four former Squalus crew members volunteered to serve on the Sailfish, including McLees. When asked what made him volunteer, his answer was quite simple: “Commissioning the Sailfish was the only way to stay in Portsmouth and the woman I loved was here.” Mac married his sweetheart, Theresa Regan, on January 9, 1941. McLees served throughout the Pacific Theater during World War II making 10 war patriots on the Sailfish and the U.S.S. Crevalle. When the war ended, he was heading back to combat in the Pacific on the U.S.S. Sea Leopard. He spoke proudly of his boat rescuing dozens of women and children from the Negros islands during the war, and loved seeing those who attended the submarine conventions throughout the years. After attaining the rank of Chief, McLees retired from the Navy in 1956. He then worked at the Portsmouth Naval shipyard as a Chief Electrical Inspector of Submarines until his retirement in 1972. His later years were spent attending submarine conventions, VFW meetings, and gardening. After his wife’s death in 1989, Mac enjoyed a wonderful period of almost 15 years living with his daughter, Julianne Vogt, and son-in-law, Ian. McLees will be missed by Julie, Ian, and his three grandchildren, M.A.C., Caitlin, and Zachary Vogt. In addition to the Vogts, Mac is survived by his sister, Lucille Bennett of Garnett; several nieces and nephews; and many dear friends and family members. Memorial contributions may be made to the: Portsmouth Home Health and Hospice, 95 Brewery Lane, Portsmouth, NH 03801.” Transcribed for Anderson County Kansas USGENWEB By: Lulu B. Nixon