Listen to this article
Promoted to Glory
Mrs. Commissioner Saguna Dahya
Surrounded by family members, Mrs. Commissioner Saguna Dahya was promoted to Glory on July 27 from the Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York.
Saguna was born in Gujarat State, India, in 1906 to Salvation Army officer parents, Makanji and Premben Pragji. In 1926 Saguna and her husband, Joseph Dahya, became officers. In their appointments throughout India, Mrs. Dahya was active in women’s ministries, especially the Home League, teaching women to sew along with other homemaking skills. She and her husband served as territorial leaders in India Northeast, India South and India West during their last 18 years of active service, and retired in 1974 from the India West Territory.
After retirement, the Dahyas gave voluntary service in various capacities in the India West territory before moving to the U.S. They became naturalized American citizens in 1988 and lived in Portland, Ore. where they were faithful soldiers of the Portland Tabernacle Corps.
Commissioner Joseph Dahya was promoted to Glory in 1996, and Mrs. Commissioner Saguna Dahya moved to Chestnut Ridge, New York in August 2000. Her life personified sacrifice and service and many will lovingly remember her for her ministry.
Services of remembrance were held in Suffern with Maj-or Joan Guldenschuh officiating, and in Portland with Maj-or Jeffrey Martin officiating.
Surviving Mrs. Commission-er Dahya are sons Daniel Joseph of Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. and Benjamin Dahya of Australia, daughter Mrs. Eva Van der Wekken of Holland, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Messages for the family may be sent to Daniel Joseph, 189 Hubert Humphrey Dr., Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977.
Miriam Robbins Burr
Lifelong Salvationist Miriam Robbins Burr was promoted to Glory July 18, 2003.
Miriam Robbins was born August 7, 1919 in Hastings, Nebraska to Salvation Army officer parents. She became a senior soldier in 1935 while her parents were stationed in Sioux City, Iowa.
In 1940 Miriam married Charles Burr. They had two daughters, Eileen and Annette. In the early ’40s, they moved to the San Diego area where the family joined the San Diego Temple Corps. Miriam was a League of Mercy member, Sunday school teacher, bandsman, songster, Home League treasurer and junior soldier counselor.
When the El Cajon Corps was established in 1976, she transferred there, where as a charter member, she continued as a Sunday school teacher, Y.P.S.M. for many years and Home League secretary for over 20 years.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Charles, and grandson, David Busch. Surviving are daughters Eileen Busch and Annette Scates, two grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, brother Frank Robbins and niece Lt. Colonel Janice Buchanan.
Major Leslie R Hood
Major Leslie Hood was promoted to Glory Aug. 20 from the Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, Calif.
Les was born Aug. 12, 1931 in Anacortes, Wash. His parents were Brigadiers Ira and Efflow Hood. In Sept. 1949, Les joined the Standard Bearers Session at SFOT. In 1950, he was commissioned and sent to the Prescott, Ariz. Corps.
Les’ wife-to-be, Gerry Compton, entered training in 1950, married him in 1954 and joined him at the Redlands, Calif. Corps. They were blessed with four children: Ken, Sharon, Jim and David.
While stationed in Juneau, Les was named the first chaplain of the Alaska State Senate. The family was also adopted into the Tlingit Indian tribe.
In 1960, the Hoods began a 30-year stay in the No. Calif. and Nevada Division, commanding corps in Chico, Reno, Hayward, Bakersfield, Vallejo and Eureka.
After serving as corps officer in Pasadena, Calif., Major Hood was named director of social services for Los Angeles County. He then served as administrator of Los Angeles Silvercrest and finished his active career as correctional services secretary for the Southern Calif. Division.
The Hoods retired in 1996 and moved to Citrus Heights, Calif. where they were faithful soldiers at Sacramento Citadel.
A Celebration of Life service was held at the Sacramento Citadel Corps with Major Warren Dabis, corps officer, officiating.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Salvation Army Sacramento Citadel Corps Music Camp Scholarship, in the name of Major Les Hood.
Surviving Major Hood are his wife, Gerry; sons Major Ken and David; daughter Sharon King; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and brother and sister-in-law Commissioners Ken and Barbara Hood. Son Jim predeceased him in 2003.
Messages may be sent to Mrs. Major Gerry Hood at 7400 Carriage Dr., Citrus Heights, CA 95621; Major Ken Hood, 862 Maranta Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94087; and Commissioner Ken Hood, 3003 Nelson Dr., Roseville, CA 95661.
Candita Apuan
Candita Apuan, grandmother of Captain Alfredo Apuan, Jr., Captain Jonathan Apuan and Captain Paula Wild, was promoted to Glory on Sunday, August 3 at age 86.
Born August 29, 1916, she was one of the first Salvation Army soldiers in the Philippines. After immigrating to the U.S., she served as a soldier at the El Paso Citadel Corps from 1965 until her death.
Funeral services were held at the El Paso Citadel Corps. Cards and messages may be sent to Captain Jonathan Apuan, 6965 S. W. Heath Place, Beaverton, OR 97008-5619.
Captain Ken Waldron
Captain Ken Waldron was promoted to Glory on Monday, August 25, 2003 from the Lake City Extended Care Center in Lake City, Florida.
Ken was born in Woodbury, Conn., to Salvationist parents on October 14, 1911.
In 1954 he moved to Southern California and married Sylvia Johnson in 1955. Ken and Sylvia attended the Glendale Corps. They felt a call to officership, and became envoys at the Chula Vista, Calif. Corps. In 1960 they became one of the first aux. captains in the West.
The majority of their officership was served in the West with appointments in Phoenix, Prescott, and Douglas, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif. After a year of service in the East, they were appointed the assist. officers of the Las Vegas, Nev. corps and then as managers of the Hospitality House in Henderson, Nev. Before retiring in 1976 they served as corps officers in the Southwest Division.
During the last few years they attended the Suwannee River Church of the Nazarene in White Springs, Fla.
Ken leaves his wife of 48 years, Sylvia, son Thomas and daughter Genenieve Lesko, three stepdaughters, nine grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at the Suwannee River Church of the Nazarene. Cards may be sent to Mrs. Capt. Sylvia Waldron at 16407 S.E. CR 25A, White Springs, FL 32096
