PrenticeNet

This article was originally created by Joe Dewald for the Winter 2010 Newsletter. He received additions and correction, via email, in 2010-2013, from Daniel George Prentice, son of George David Prentice, Jr. We have received additional details from Daniel in 2025 and are in the process of making additional refinements.

1.  George David Prentice, parents unknown, was born on 20 Feb 1877 in Smithville, Lawrence Co., Arkansas.[1] He appears in the 1900 census as an unmarried Private in the military in Vigan, Philippine Islands.

He married first, on 24 Feb 1908, to Dorothy "Dora" Margaret Brunner, in Oklahoma. (Or according to this newspaper article, they were married in San Diego, CA.[2]) She was born on 10 Aug 1884, in Illinois or Iowa, and died on 7 Nov 1915, in Oklahoma (or possibly in California, where she appears to have been living?).

The 1910 census for Justice Precinct 2, Hopkins Co., TX, lists George Prentice with wife Dora. It indicates that George was born c.1877, in Arkansas, with his father born in Tennessee and mother in Arkansas. It indicates that Dora was born c.1885, in Iowa and both parents both born in Germany.

Children of George and Dorothy:

1. Dorothy "Dora" Goldie Prentice, b. 17 May 1910, in Saltillo, Hopkins Co., Texas; m. about 1930 to Roy Still; d. 20 May 1997, in Holtville, Imperial, California.[3] Roy and Dorothy are listed in the 1930, 1940, 1950 census for Imperial Co., California. Names: Dorothy Goldie Still and Dorothy Thompson.

   Children of Dorothy and Roy (from census records):

   1. Juanita Siyble Still, b. c.1931.
   2. Wilbur Jack Still, b. c.1934.
   3. Betty Jean Still, b. c.1938.
   4. Dorothy R. Still, b. c.1941.
2. David Monroe Prentice, b. 3 Apr 1912 in San Diego, California; m. 1st, on 9 Sep 1933, to Julia Maurine Coe, in Orange, California, dau. of Roy N Coe and Iva Belle Moore.[4] m. 2nd, on 2 Jul 1944, to Corinne Chester, in Porter, Indiana, dau. of Gust Carlson.[5] m. (?) to Sue _____ (??). (In an earlier version of this article, "Sue" was listed as David's wife, but I'm not seeing anyone of that name in any records. Corinne is buried with David.) David retired from the Navy and lived in San Diego, CA. David died on 14 Mar 1998 in San Diego, and is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park, San Diego, San Diego County, California.[6]
3. Charles Milton Prentice, b. 26 Jun 1913 in San Diego, CA; d. 24 Feb 1915 in San Diego; buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, San Diego.[7][8]
4. Everett Arthur Prentice, b. 18 Feb 1915, San Diego Co., CA; m. in 1944, to Bessie Mae Patton (1918-1982), dau. of _____ Patton and Louisa Millie Johnson; d. on 4 Jun 1979, in Los Angeles Co., CA; buried at Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, Orange County, California.[9] Everett retired from the Navy and lived in Long Beach, CA.

After the untimely death of Dorothy (apparently struck by lightning while sitting on her porch), George married second, in 1918, to Isabella (Patterson) Feldman, dau. of Tomas Patterson and Hannah McMaugn. She was born on 24 Sep 1881 in Manchester, England. Isabella was previously married to Jacob Feldman (by 1904?). He was born in 1875, in New York, and died on 18 Oct 1910 in Corona, California.[10][11]

Children of Isabel and Jacob:

1. Grace Feldman, b. 21 Jan 1904, in Corona (or New York?); m. Herbert Earl Garton (1904-1994); d. 8 Jan 1990;[12] buried at Corona Sunnyslope Cemetery, Corona, Riverside County, California.[13]
2. Ada Feldman. Not mentioned in Samuel's obituary.
3. Samuel "Bud" Fletcher Feldman, b. 20 Jun 1910, in Corona, Riverside, California;[14] m. on 2 Sep 1938, to Frances Sue (Sigler) Greer, in Orange, California;[15] d. on 9 May 1989, in Orange, California;[16] buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California.[17][18] No known children.

Children of George and Isabel:

5. George David Prentice Jr., b. c.1919, CA. . . . . . . . . [2]
6. Betty J. Prentice, b. c.1926, CA. She m. Arthur Louis Karnesky on 1 Sep 1946, Corona, Riverside Co., CA. He was b. 16 Jan 1927, Pomona, Los Angeles Co., CA, and d. 18 Feb 2007 in Grass Valley, Nevada Co., CA. He was the son of Frank J. Karnesky and Angeline Simontacci. They had 3 sons.

The 1920 census for Corona, Riverside, California, lists George and Isabel living with children [daughter] Feldman (15), Samuel Feldman (9), and George Prentice Jr. (0). The 1920 census indicates he was a farm tractor driver. The 1930 census for Temescal, Riverside, California, lists George and Isabel living with children Everett Prentice (15), George Prentice Jr. (11), and Betty J Prentice (3). His occupation was listed as "Irrigator, Ranch."

George died on 18 Sep 1939 in Corona, Riverside Co., California, and is buried at Corona Sunnyslope Cemetery, Corona, Riverside County, California.[19]

Isabel died on 22 Jun 1963, in Corona, Riverside Co., California, and is buried at Corona Sunnyslope Cemetery, Corona, Riverside County, California.[20] We found this brief biography by Isabelle (via Internet search, source currently unknown):

For us, Corona will always be our home, and this, no matter how much time goes by, will always be our sky.

My name is Isabel Prentice, but my George always called me Belle. George David Prentice was my husband for many years. We had 5 children together, plus my 3 that always knew George as their Daddy, and by the time I died we had 11 grandchildren and 7 great grand children.

We didn't do anything Earth-shattering. I worked as a Cafeteria Manager for Corona High School and George worked at the Chase Plantation and for Joy Jameson as a farm hand, doing irrigation for Chase Ranch. We weren't one of the founding families, and we didn't discover anything or build anything that you may have seen. We were just regular people, a loving family, one that saw this town through many changes. Even our own little house is a piece of Corona history that is still around today, just part of the Corona scenery, like the sky.

I was from Manchester, England, born September 24, 1881. My family moved to Pennsylvania in 1887, then to Corona in 1905. George was born in Arkansas on February 25, 1877. His parents were born in Arkansas, too, they were pioneers of that state. George came to Corona in 1909 to settle down after spending time in the Philippines serving in the Spanish American War as a cook. There were many soldiers who suffered with illnesses during and after that war, especially stomach problems. He tried to reenlist, but then his own illnesses, especially his epilepsy, forced him to spend months in the hospital before being honorably discharged.

In 1918, my George went to the post office to register for military service again during the Great War, the World War, registering was required of all men, even those who knew they couldn't serve. So, he filled out his card like everyone else, eyes: brown, hair: auburn, height: 5'4", next of kin: Belle, and his status: honorably discharged. He never served again, but he was always known for being a person of excellent character who was very proud to be a veteran.

We were very active in community groups such as the Spanish American War Veterans and the American Legion. We even have a picture of one of their many parades commemorating the Veterans. We tried to bring up our children to be people of good character, like all parents do. Our oldest son, George Junior, went on to be a pillar in Corona as well, spending 36 years working with the Corona Post Office, saying, "I like to think that I have contributed something to this community." With all our children and grandchildren and great grand children, we would like to think that we've contributed, too.

Our family home has many memories for us, but it has more memories in its walls than just ours. We bought the bungalow at 620 West Sixth Street from Everett Brockman in January of 1931, and even after George died in 1939, I continued to live there with our daughter, Betty, the other children had grown and moved away to start families of their own. That house was built by J. R. Myers, who owned Myers Trucking. We lived there until 1953, when it was bought by the Frazers, who owned the Frazer Real Estate Company. From 1978 to 2003 it became Harmony Antiques, the cutest little antique store. Then, in 2003, John Kane bought the house for $1.00 to save it from destruction. He moved it to 809 E. Grand and completely restored the house. It still stands today, and is well-tended-to by the current owner, who is an avid family historian.

We would all like to think that we're leaving a mark on this world when we go. Not everyone gets to be a prominent scientist or the first person to do some amazing thing. Some of us are just regular people, but it takes a world full of regular people to make life happen. We may not have etched our names into the world's history books, but we did leave an impression on our home town, from the family we raised to the little home we left behind. The Corona that stands today is the way it is because we were a part of it, one of the many wonderful families that just lived and did their best every day to be a part of something bigger. When we look up at the sky, we can't see the outline of every cloud that was there before, but we need only to look at the trees and the grass and the flowers to know that every cloud was important for its time. And I'm proud to lie here, beneath the clouds of today, looking up at my Corona's sky.

2.  George David Prentice, the son of George and Isabel, was born on 19 Apr 1919, in Corona, Riverside Co., California.

The 1930 census for Temescal, Riverside, California, lists George (Jr) as living with his parents.

He married, on 7 Feb 1948, to Rita Clara Donart, in Corona, Riverside Co., California. She was born on 2 Jan 1923, in Buffalo, New York, the dau. of Charles Arthur Donart and Elizabeth Amelia Bickel.

Children of George and Rita:

1. Daniel George Prentice, born on 3 Feb 1949, in Corona, California. In 2004 he lived in La Quinta, CA. He married first, to Sharen Sue Arby of La Mirada, CA. He married second, to Sharon Le Sullivan of Grand Junction, CO. In 2010 he was employed by the Coachella Valley Unified School District teaching English I at the Coachella Valley High School (founded 1910). He volunteered at the Indio Performing Arts Center and has been part of cast and crew in several productions; he appeared as Mort in Neil Simon's California Suite, and as Edgar, the Second Solictor, and Jedediah Fezziwig in Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol. He is a member of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Council of the Knights of Columbus, the Coachella Valley Airborne Association, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foriegn Wars.
2. Joseph Edward Prentice, born on 25 Mar 1951, in Corona, California. He married first, on 8 Jun 1974, in Orange, California, to Paula M Cunningham. He married second, in 1980, in San Diego, California, to Janet Sue Weisner. He retired from the Post Office and in 2010 lived at Lake Havasu City, AZ, where he worked as a youth and adult probation officer.

   Child of Joseph and Paula:

   1. Jeffery Prentice, married, with 1 child.

   Children of Joseph and Janet:

   2. Dana Prentice, married, with 2 children.
   3. Mindy Prentice, married, with 2 children.
3. John Fletcher Prentice, born on 2 Dec 1953, in Corona, California. He married, in 1980, to Melody Cissna. John was active in his chosen career as a CPA for more than 40 years. He joined Eadie & Payne, LLP as a staff accountant in 1976 and between 2000 and 2017 served as the firm's managing partner before retiring. John died on 30 Apr 2020, at his home in Baja, California.[21]
4. James Donald Prentice, b. 27 Apr 1962. In 2010 he lived in Ramona, CA, at the Hidden Valley Ranch for people who suffered head and neck trauma. James was driving big rigs cross-country until he was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street and was in a coma for three months. In 2013 he lived in a facility for head and neck trauma patients in Ramona, CA. He is divorced from Christine Prentice.

   Children of James and Christine:

   1. Tiffany Prentice who later changed her name to Katalina Prentice.
   2. Heather Prentice.

George died on 24 Jan 2004 in Riverside, Riverside Co., California. His obituary in The Press-Enterprise of 28 Jan 2004, reads as follows:

George Prentice, 84, died Saturday at his home in Redlands. Born in Corona, Mr. Prentice lived in Redlands nine years. He formerly lived in Corona most of his life.

He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for many years until he retired in 1981 as postmaster of a Corona post office. He graduated from Corona Senior High School in 1937. Mr. Prentice was grand knight of the Corona Knight of Columbus and president of the Corona Rotary Club. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

Mr. Prentice is survived by his wife of 56 years, Rita; four sons, Daniel of La Quinta, Joseph of Temecula, John of Redlands and James of Ramona; three grandchildren; a great-grandchild; a sister, Betty; three step-sisters, Dora, Grace and Aida; and three step-brothers, David of La Quinta, Everet and Bud.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Redlands. Friends may call from 5 until 8 p.m. today at Cortner Chapel in Redlands. The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Interment will be in Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside. Memorial contributions: Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center Hospice.

In 2010 Rita retired and was living in Redlands, California. By her 100th birthday in 2023, she left her home in Yucaipa, California and moved in with son, Daniel, in Vista, California. After an illness, in early 2025, she moved into a group home, Monte Vista Manor. She died on 17 Jun 2025, and was buried near her husband and parents at Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside, California.

The only clues we have for now are in the 1910 census tells us his father was b. in TN and his mother in Arkansas and in the 1930 census which indicates both parents were b. in AR.

References

• Ref 1:  George David Prentice, profile. [ancestry.com]
• Ref 2:  Geo. D. Prentice and Dorothy Brunner in 'Cupid Is Busy In San Diego.' The San Diego Sun, San Diego, California, Tue, Feb 25, 1908, Page 2. [newspapers.com]
• Ref 3:  Dorothy Goldie Still on United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 4:  David Monroe Prentice and Julia Maurine Coe on California, County Marriages, 1849-1957. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 5:  D. M. Prentice and Corinne Chester in Indiana, Marriages, 1811-2019. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 6:  David M. Prentice. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 7:  Charles M Prentice in California, Birth Index, 1905-1995. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 8:  Charles Milton Prentice in United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2013. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 9:  Everett Arthur Prentice. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 10:  CORONA, Oct. 18--Jacob Feldman. The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Wed, Oct 19, 1910, Page 24. [newspapers.com]
• Ref 11:  Jacob Feldman. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 12:  Grace Garton in United States, Social Security Death Index. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 13:  Grace Garton. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 14:  Samuel Feldman in California, Births and Christenings, 1812-1988. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 15:  Samuel Feldman in California, County Marriages, 1849-1957. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 16:  Samuel Feldman in California, Death Index, 1940-1997. [familysearch.org]
• Ref 17:  Samuel Feldman. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 18:  Samuel Feldman - obituary. The Golden Rain Seal Beach Leisure World News, Seal Beach, California, Thursday, May 18, 1989, Page 37. [newspapers.com]
• Ref 19:  George D. Prentice. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 20:  Isabella Prentice. [findagrave.com]
• Ref 21:  Obituary for John F. Prentice. [dailybulletin.com]

Note: Footnote reference numbers may change as information is added or removed.