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Donald Joseph Derbes, 81, lumber trader for Product Sales Co., Orange, Ca., died of an aortic aneurysm Nov. 6 in Riverside. Ca.

Born in Addis. La.. Mr. Derbes served as a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot in the European Theater in World War II. He began his lumber career in 1947 as general manager of Palm Springs Builders Supply Co., Palm Springs. In 1960 he became manager of Valley Lumber & Supply Co., Indio; in 1962 sales manager and director of operations at Inland Lumber Co., Colton; in 1976 general manager of Rolando Lumber Co., Etirvanda; in 1982 sales manager and purchasing agent for H&M Wholesale Lumber, Etiwanda, and in 1986 a lumber trader at Whittaker Forest Products, Santa Ana. A year later, he joined Product Sales.

Mr. Derbes was 1977-78 president of the Lumber Association of Southern California (now Lumber Association of California & Nevada).

Rene6 Bates, 46, salesperson with Fontana Wholesale Lumber, Fontana, Ca., died ofbreast cancer Nov. 23 in Fontana.

A 25-year industry veteran, she worked for Robbins Lumber, Fontana; Foothill Builders. Fontana; Chandler Lumber, Fontana. and Ole's Builders Mart, Fontana, before joining FWL in 1991.

Charles Lewis Spence, 86, long-time operator of Pacific Lumber & Shipping, Seattle, Wa., died Nov. 4.

Mr. Spence joined his father's timber business after serving in Navy intelligence during World War II. He took over Pacific Lumber & Shipping a few years later, after his father's death, and helped launch new Far East markets for Pacific Northwest logs.

The company has since sold off its three Washington mills, but continues to export logs.

Kenneth C. "Abe" Willis, 85, longtime California lumber and fencing veteran, died Aug. 1 in Glendora, Ca.

A World War II Army veteran, he got his start in 1955 when he and his wife, Leona, acquired Charley's Fence Co., Baldwin Park. Ca. He gradually transitioned the firm from an installer/retailer into a remanufacturer/wholesaler.

He also co-founded Mission Fence, Pomona, Ca., later buying out his partner and moving the business to Eureka, and in 1978 acquired wholesaler T&R Lumber, Rancho Cucamonga, from retiring Joe Terrell.

Mr. Willis retired in 1989, closing Charley's Fence, selling T&R Lumber to his grandson-in-law, Philip Guardia, and selling Mission Fence to Bob Britt.

He was a founding member of the International Fence Industry Association (now American Fence Association), served as its first president in 1963, again was president in 1972, and was an inaugural inductee into its Hall of Fame in 1984.

Edward Lanctot, 84, retired longtime general merchandise mgr. of Cotter & Co., which later became TruServ, died Oct. 30 of complications from a stroke.

Mr. Lanctot began in the hardware business after high school in 1936 at Kelley How Thompson, a hardlines distributor in Duluth. Mn. He was the first person hired when co-worker John Cotter launched his own wholesale co-op in 1947.

He reviewed credit reports and created a list of 3.000 dealers in the local area that fit the profile they were looking for.

As its first head of buying, merchandising and advertising, he created the company's first direct mail piece, a 32-page, twocolor catalog in 1948.

By the time he retired in 1989, he had helped the co-op grow to 7,000 True Value stores.