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| FPA Memories This section is to honor members who have passed on but whose spirits are still alive in their paintings and our hearts.
 BEAGLE -- Elva Juanita Beagle , 94, of Fresno died Saturday, 2/7/2009. She just turned 94 on January 3rd. She graduated from Fresno High School in 1933. She managed S&H Green Stamp store in fresno in the 50s. Elva was a woman of many talents with a heart of gold. Our monthly meeting place has been her church for 48 years. Elva joined FPA in 1976 and is one of our charter members. She was an honored artist in 2005 and became an honorary member in 2007. BUFKIN -- Ruth M. Bufkin, 86, of Kerman died Saturday 2/21/2009. She was a charter member of FPA. Her teacher was Ferne Cardwell and Lucille Corbin She turned 86 on October 29. Graveside: 10 a.m. Thursday 2/26/09, Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno. Remembrances: Central California SPCA Animal Shelter, 103 S. Hughes Ave., Fresno, CA 93706. Lucille E. Corbin, 85, of Tollhouse, died 1/25/2008, painted delicate birds, flowers and other emblems of life on china for decades. Her earlier years were more warlike: She affixed her name on the tags of bombs that Americans dropped over Germany during World War II. Mrs. Corbin, an artist, riveter and explorer, suffered a stroke last year and died Friday. Mrs. Corbin was born in Kerman and graduated from Kerman High School in 1942. As World War II exploded, she found work on a "Rosie the riveter" assembly line in Southern California. She helped put together bombs for the war effort, said daughter-in-law Patsy Corbin. A fuse for each bomb told who had worked on it, and Mrs. Corbin received notes through the war from airmen. They sent their greetings, and told how they were destroying targets in Adolf Hitler's Germany. Jim Corbin, Mrs. Corbin's son and Patsy's husband, said he suffered pain well before her death. "I've been watching her go for a year," he said.
He served as her critic, watching her craft a career painting china. He recalled her love of American Indians and their culture, which she learned living in the Sierra foothills. She enjoyed ceremonial openings and closings of Indian sweat lodges.
She taught Ruth Bufkin to paint china. Bufkin keeps a photograph of Mrs. Corbin painting china in Fashion Fair mall for onlookers. Bufkin said Mrs. Corbin "painted anything you could think of. I have one picture 2 feet high, bunches of grapes on vines." Mrs. Corbin and her husband, Lawrence, lived for years in Whittier, where he became fire chief. When he retired, Mrs. Corbin taught porcelain art in a Whittier adult school. Lawrence Corbin died in April 1983. Mrs. Corbin was the perfect mother-in-law, Patsy Corbin said: When her mother-in-law became most angry, she would say, "Don't that just frost you?" (Jim Steinberg, The Fresno Bee)
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