Thursday, 21 November 2024

Register

Obits

Posted On

Don Hendricks. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Don Hendricks passed away on Nov. 19, 2021, at the age of 97.

He was born Sept. 3, 1924, in Lakeport, California, to Marion (Hooley) Hendricks and Ruth (Wray) Hendricks. Both of his parents came from pioneer families (Hendricks, Morris, Wray and Rantz) most of whom had settled in Lake County prior to and during the Civil War.

Don attended Lakeport schools and graduated in the class of ‘41 from Clear Lake Union High.

During World War II, he served the Army Air Corps in Wisconsin teaching electronic communications to our troops.

After completing additional studies in electronic engineering at the University of Pacific (Stockton), he married Alice Megown in 1949.

Don worked for Pacific Gas and Electric as an estimator, transferred to Auburn, California, in 1966, and retired there in 1984. Don and Alice returned to Lake County in 1988.

Don served as an elected board trustee of the Lakeport schools (1964-1966). He was a certified lay leader and speaker for the United Methodist Church, a talented tenor for several choirs, and a member of Kiwanis in Auburn and Lakeport. As age began to limit his activities, he developed quite a reputation for baking zucchini bread for charities.

Don is survived by his brother, David (Kay) Hendricks; his daughter, Nancy Hendricks; two sons, Rich (Janelle) Hendricks and Doug Hendricks; nieces, Suzanne (Rob) Eamigh, Kathy (Max) Mills and Marion (Dale) Berry; nephew, Scott (Jennifer) Hendricks; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Alice, by two of his brothers, Robert (Bob) Hendricks and Stephen James (Jim) Hendricks, and by a great-granddaughter, Alicia Barger.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, at United Christian Parish, 745 N. Brush St., Lakeport.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to United Christian Parish.

Posted On

Cora Ann Blue. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Cora Ann Blue, on Dec. 29, 2021, at the age of 86.

Ann was born Jan. 19, 1935, in Arkansas and was one of four children to Buff and Mattie Roberts.

She was raised in Dyess, Arkansas, a colony that was established in 1934 under the Roosevelt administration to help destitute farmers during the depression.

Life on the farm was hard work and, as a small child, Ann was tasked with wandering the fields to find roots turned up by the plow for firewood for the stove.

She and her mother spent Tuesdays and Wednesdays washing clothes by hand and ironing with a heavy cast iron. And each year was the harvesting of cotton.

Her most famous classmate, country singer Johnny “JR” Cash, was in the same grade as Ann's older brother, Joe.

Cora Ann Roberts, her father and siblings, in Dyess, Arkansas. Courtesy photo.


In 2010, Arkansas State University began a restoration project to preserve Dyess as a heritage site focused on its agricultural history and Johnny Cash. Ann played a significant role in the restoration project by providing Dyess artifacts from her childhood. She was interviewed several times over the years by the director of the project and made several trips to Dyess to support the effort, including recording an oral history.

Ann moved with her family to Stockton, California, when she was 17 years old. It was here where she met and married her husband, Robert “Bob” Blue.

Bob was from New York City and was serving off the coast of the Korean Peninsula in the Navy. Although Bob and Ann had not met in person, Bob’s Navy buddy was married to Ann’s best friend and facilitated exchanging their addresses for correspondence. After six months of writing letters, they finally met and were married four and a half months later in 1954. They spent 63 years together until Bob's passing in 2017.

Ann worked as a telephone operator for Pacific Bell Telephone Co. in Stockton until she took a six-year work hiatus to have her three children: Robert Jr., Elizabeth and Lezlie “KC.”

Cora Ann Blue and her family in Stockton, California. Courtesy photo.

In 1962, the Blue family relocated to Lakeport when Bob started working at Clear Lake High School as a high school history teacher. Soon after arriving in Lakeport, Ann returned to work at Pac Bell's Lakeport office and later commuted to the Ukiah office, eventually retiring as a supervisor after 30 years of service.

During their years in Lakeport, Ann, Bob and their children enjoyed attending church on Sundays, bike rides in Scotts Valley, swimming and canoeing at Highland Springs and Blue Lakes, high school football and basketball games, and fireworks on the lake.

The Blue Family particularly enjoyed cross-country road trips, visiting 48 states and many National Parks.

Ann was also known for her sewing and craftwork, later joining the Lake County Doll Club. She frequently gifted loved ones with dolls made from old sweaters, yarn, buttons, each with unique names and back stories.

Cora Ann Blue. Courtesy photo.

Ann was very active in her community and enjoyed being a member of the Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club. She created many unique and beautiful floral arrangements and recently received “Best of Show” for an arrangement at the Lake County Fair.

She also worked with the city of Lakeport by serving on the Planning Commission, the Traffic Safety Committee and the Lakeport downtown beautification committee. She spent many hours developing a walking path through Library Park and downtown Lakeport. In recognition of her efforts, the city of Lakeport named the path in her honor. She was also instrumental in getting historical street signs erected in the downtown area.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Buff and Mattie Roberts; her brothers, Joe and Herbert Roberts; her husband, Robert Blue Sr.; and her daughter-in-law, Susan Blue.

Ann and Bob Blue. Courtesy photo.

She is survived by her brother, Carl Roberts; son, Robert Jr. Blue (Melissa Whitney); daughter, Elizabeth (Steve) Huber; and daughter, Lezlie “KC” (Terry) Norton. She is also survived by grandchildren Ian and Leah Blue (Brendan Kucz), Christopher and Nathaniel Huber, Bailey, Brody (Brittany) and Bronson (Danielle) Bramlett, and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be held Monday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. at the Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Penny Pines Plantation (part of the National Forest Reforestation program) in care of Suzanne Russell with Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club, P.O. Box 3, Lakeport, CA 95453.

Ann Blue and her granddaughter, Leah Blue, at Leah’s wedding. Photo by Nirav Patel.
Posted On

Mark Reisbeck. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Mark Devero Reisbeck was born March 1, 1953, in Long Beach, California, and passed away peacefully on Dec. 3, 2021, in Lake County.

Mark grew up in Buena Park and attended JFK High school in Cypress, California.

He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1972. He proudly served at the USAF Satellite Control Facility in Sunnyvale, California, tracking spy satellites. He loved all things electronic and learned to build TVs and computers, mostly self taught.

While in the Air Force, Mark earned his private pilot's license and took a Bell and Howell correspondence course where he built his first television from start to finish.

After moving to Lakeport in 1975, Mark purchased Peront's TV and soon changed the name to Westlake TV Service, a business he would run in Lakeport until 2016. During this time he also worked for the Lake County TV Club, maintaining the UHF television transmitters and translators atop Mount Konocti, often making the long trek to the top of the mountain with his sons in tow during rain and snow storms in his trusty four-wheel drive truck to keep the equipment up and running.

Mark also became an avid ham radio operator (call sign KA6JJW). For 20 years he maintained a repeater on Mount Konocti that was a vital source of emergency communications in Lake County during fires and floods. In the words of a dear friend, Tom Patton, Mark was “one of the few elite” who would climb towers and work on antennas, always willing to help others.

In addition to his genius for all things electronic, Mark could fix just about anything. Mark loved hunting, water skiing on Clear Lake and flying. He was also a huge fan of music, collecting thousands of vinyl records and reel-to-reel recordings, his favorites being Peter Frampton and Fleetwood Mac.

Mark lived with a wonderful sense of humor — once purchasing a hearse from Debbie's Uncle Harold Jeffers in Lakeport and driving it to Southern California, where he and his high school friends had lots of fun playing practical jokes with it.

But what Mark's family and friends cherished most was his selfless and giving nature. He would do anything for his family and friends.

Mark is survived by his children, Brian (Veronica) and Derek (Elissa); his grandchildren, Delilah and Adeline; his brother, Matthew (Rosemary); former wife, Debbie; and his nieces and nephews, Cinamon Vann, Todd (Casey) Elsa, Jeremy Jeffers, and Geoffrey and Alex Reisbeck; and his grand-niece, Tara Elsa.

He is also survived by his beloved in-laws, Jim and Nancy Elsa, Nettie Vann, John Jeffers and Becky Jeffers, as well as close friends Steve Shafer, Tom (Candy) Chrestman, Greg (Michele) Fulton and many more.

He is predeceased by his parents, Charles and Patricia Yvonne (Devero); his aunt and uncle, Margie and Ernie Smith; and his nephew, Lance Davis.

Mark's graveside service will be held at Veteran's Circle, Hartley Cemetery with military funeral honors, on Jan. 7 at noon, followed immediately by a celebration of life at TNT`s on the Lake restaurant. Please bring your memories and stories to share.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.

Blog Left ad
Posted On

Ryan Schaefers. Courtesy photo.


UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Ryan Bernard Schaefers of Upper Lake, born on Feb. 1, 1984, in San Jose, California, to the late Bernard August Schaefers and Marlene Ryan Schaefers.

He passed away at age 37, on Dec. 22, 2021, in Upper Lake.

He attended Prospect High School and completed his undergraduate coursework at San Jose State University majoring in justice studies with a minor in sociology, to pursue a career in criminal justice.

After completing the Academy in 2007, Ryan was sworn in as a deputy sheriff in Santa Clara County.

For approximately 12 years, he worked various patrol assignments including being part of the Sheriff’s Off-Road Enforcement Team and making Detective. However, his favorite part of his time with the sheriff’s office was working as a rural crimes deputy; patrolling the mountains and establishing relationships with the local ranchers. Ryan was liked and admired by all those who worked with him.

An accomplished athlete, Ryan competed for the San Jose State Spartans in football and for the San Jose Seahawks in rugby. As strong as he was, Ryan also had an enormous heart. He was a supporter, mediator, protector, and giver; always ensuring that everyone around him was OK.

In 2018 Ryan moved to Lake County, California, to be closer to his family and children.

Ryan was preceded in death by his father, Bernard Schaefers; uncle, Daniel Schaefers; grandfather, Bernard Schaefers and grandmother, Marcella Ophoven Schaefers; grandfather, Marlowe Ryan and grandmother, Treva Stahlheber Ryan; great-uncle, Myron Stahlheber; and cousin, Charlotte Schaefers.

Ryan is survived by his longtime partner, and the love of his life, Jenna Sperber; their two young boys, Connor Ryan Schaefers and August Stephen Schaefers, and their older siblings Kamden and Grayson Murray; mother, Marlene Ryan Schaefers; sister, Katherine Schaefers; aunt, Barbara Ryan Schaefers; cousins, Cory Schaefers (Kara), Marcella Psalmonds (Phil), Morgan Psalmonds, Emily Psalmonds, Eric Schaefers (Regina), Christel Schaefers, Brandon Schaefers, Scott Schaefers (Nancy), Joshua Schaefers, Stacey Ballard (Vicki); and godchildren, Aimee Schaefers, Daniel Schaefers, and Addison Schaefers. He was considered family by many of his friends.

Ryan is fondly remembered as someone with an infectious smile and a kind heart, with an insurmountable appetite for meats and cheeses.

Ryan was an outdoorsman. The peace and connection of nature were his respite. In his own words, “I want my children to experience the same joys their father has while hiking in the mountains, fishing in our lakes, streams and oceans, and hunting on our lands.”

As a father, Ryan loved being with his boys, and raised them with the same kindness and compassion he gave to those around him, instilling in them respectful behavior and manners towards people, animals and spaces.

Ryan also enjoyed reading, and had a good collection of novels about adventure, crime, sports, ghosts and detectives. Other hobbies included road trips with his family, hunting trips to Wyoming, dirt bike adventures in Oregon, watching B-movie horror films, or simply staying in and hanging out with his family.

You could usually find him at home working the property, whether that was incinerating the weeds with a propane torch, on the John Deer with his cowboy hat, or playing with his boys in the yard.

Family was the most important thing to Ryan. His second home was his cousin Cory’s house, where he liked to hang out with his friends and family and raid the fridge for tasty leftovers. His Auntie Barbara’s house held unlimited family memories, including summers throughout his childhood. This was where family gathered for special events and holidays. Ryan looked forward to these get-togethers for the tasty food almost more than the family. You would not find him without a back pocket full of Ziplocs; and rest assured he would be back the next day, as he would never let a crumb go to waste.

Friends and family can pay their respects at the remembrance service Saturday, Jan. 15, at 10a.m., at the Chapel of the Lakes, 1625 N. High St., Lakeport.

A celebration of life will be held after the service, at the home of Barbara Schaefers, 1325 Van Sleeper Rd., Upper Lake 95485. Ryan would want everyone to be relaxed, please wear comfortable attire. Ryan’s favorite color was dark blue if you would like to incorporate that.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Gofundme for Ryan’s funeral arrangements, and the benefit of Ryan’s children: https://gofund.me/610796b6.

Care and service entrusted to Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary FD1336, 1625 N. High St., Lakeport, CA 95453, 707-263-0357, www.chapelofthelakes.com.
Posted On

Gregory Wiser. Courtesy photo.

Gregory Lawrence Wiser
Nov. 23, 1976 — Dec. 5, 2021

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With deepest sorrow, we announce that Gregory Wiser, age 45, our most beloved son, brother, family member and friend, passed peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, at home with family.

Those who knew Gregory, even just a little, lost a shining light in their lives. He had an enormous heart and loved helping others.

He loved travel, adventure, any and all outdoor activity including hiking, watersports and fishing.

Greg enjoyed and competed fiercely in the Special Olympics, winning many team medals and meeting many new friends.

Gregory will be missed everyday by his father, Steve Wiser; mother, Jessie Wiser; brother, Marcus; his nephews, Grayson, Liam and Makhi; niece, Ella; grandmother, Jessie Tuttle; his loving aunts, uncle and cousins; and many, many great friends.

BE STRONG and COURAGEOUS! Do not be afraid; do not be DISCOURAGED, For the LORD YOUR GOD will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:8-9

We miss and love you so much son! xoxo

A celebration of life will be held in two locations to accommodate family and friends with travel limitations: Friday Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5340 3rd St., Kelseyville; and Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. at Generation Life Church, 125 Academy Dr., Sutter Creek.

Donations may be made to Lakeport Hospice or North Coast Supportability LLC* in Kelseyville (*donations not tax-deductible).
Posted On

William Jensen. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — William (Bill) Henry Jensen was born on July 25, 1953, in Santa Monica, California, to Marjorie Taylor and Jack Jensen.

He unexpectedly passed away on Dec. 2, 2021, in Lakeport, California, at the age of 68.

Beloved husband, father and grandfather, Bill is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Linda Jensen; his children, Michelle Halbur, Newell Jensen, Russell Jensen and stepdaughter, Leilani Greer; as well as his two grandchildren, Madeline and Rowan Halbur. He also leaves behind his parents, Marjorie and Jack Jensen; his two brothers, Jim and Paul Jensen; and his nieces and nephews.

Bill had a huge spirit and embodied living life to its absolute fullest. No matter what interest, hobby or adventure he was embarking on, he put his whole heart into it. He was an avid mountaineer, kayaker, snowboarder, scoutmaster, wood worker, dancer, teacher, mechanic, entrepreneur, sailor, pilot, scuba diver and traveler.

In his youth, Bill assisted with the family business — Jensen Graphics and Printing — in Torrance, California. In 1981 he moved his family and the business north to Sonoma County. In 1997 he met his wonderful wife, Linda. They moved to Lake County in 2000 where they taught dance lessons and continued providing graphics and printed products to the community as Direct Image Printing.

In 2010, Bill was diagnosed with stage four cancer. During this stage of his life, he found his ultimate passion — flying. He obtained his sport pilot’s license in 2011 after having surgery and while undergoing intensive radiation and chemotherapy. He began flying ultralight aircraft, which gave him the hope, joy, and inspiration he needed, aiding in his struggle with terminal cancer.

After he survived and outlived his six-month prognosis he began to play in the air and share his passion for flying with his co-pilot wife, children and friends throughout the US. He especially enjoyed flying other members of the community that were also battling cancer for free in his “Live to Fly” program that he set up so they could build memories and share in his appreciation and wonder for life. That gave him even more joy.

Bill’s passionate and playful spirit will be sorely missed.

A celebration of life will be held for family and friends at a future date. To receive information when a date is selected, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting that donations be made to the Cancer Research Institute at cancerresearch.org.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.

LCNews

Responsible local journalism on the shores of Clear Lake.

 

Memberships:

 

Search