Friday, 22 November 2024

Obits

John Alameda. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — John Edward Alameda passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at the age of 80.

He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family and friends.

He was a beloved son, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend.

John was a retired California Highway Patrol officer, sheriff’s deputy, local business owner, horseman, sailor and PROUD Navy veteran.

John Alameda. Courtesy photo.

He spent his retirement loving life with his family, enjoyed paddling his canoes, sailing on beautiful Clear lake, and driving his jeep like a cop in pursuit. He will be sorely missed.

Celebration of life will be held at his daughter's home (Marian) in Upper Lake on Saturday, April 9, at 3 p.m.

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

Patricia Del Valle. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Patricia Ann Del Valle was a wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.

God unexpectedly took her into his kingdom on Feb. 27, 2022, after a hard-fought battle with complications due to the COVID-19 virus.

Patricia was born to Elizabeth Holmes and Joseph Del Valle on Oct 1,1952, in Colusa County.

She had seven siblings: Joseph, Mary, Frank, Fred, Delores, Carmen and Leonard.

She was proud of her Pomo Indian heritage, and she was a tribal member with the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

She accomplished many things in her life, some of which included being a class officer and high school cheerleader at Clear Lake High, dental assistant for Tribal Health and a hairdresser when she resided in Hayward. California.

She has two children, Jason Micah Whitcher (deceased) and Brittany Marie Bright Star Del Valle, along with three grandchildren, Kyrin, Asher and Michael, whom she had unconditional love for even though one has lived far away from her.

Patty was full of life and laughter, with the biggest heart. She was always bringing smiles to familiar faces, as she is known by many people and had quite a few friends.

Patricia loved spending time putting together puzzles and visiting with her grandson Kyrin, spoiling him whenever she got the chance. She always had a smile on her face as she’d watch him get excited by her presents and her company.

She was blessed with her third grandson in January, a week before she was admitted into the hospital. She was able to get the chance to meet Asher (2 months old) before her sudden passing, but did not get time to hold him, due to her not feeling well.

Patty was a very strong woman who fought hard and believed she could take on the world. She loved life and her grandsons very much.

As she joins her family in heaven, she leaves behind her daughter, grandsons, a sister, a brother, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Patricia’s memorial service will be held at the Big Valley Gymnasium, 1002 Osprey Court in Lakeport, on Saturday, March 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Kami Huston. Courtesy photo.

Kami Kathleen Huston
Feb. 26, 1966 — March 1, 2022

Kami died gently, yet unexpectedly, at home on March 1, 2022, with her life-partner Derek at her side.

Kami was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Keith and Kathryn Huston (Rayne) but by the age of 3 her family relocated to Carmel-by-the-Sea, where she was raised.

Growing up in Carmel provided many outdoor adventures at the beach and special family day trips down the coast, one of Kami’s favorite events, even into adulthood. A lover of animals, Kami was a member of 4-H, raising sheep and keeping a horse.

Attending Carmel River, Carmel Middle and Carmel High Schools, Kami’s further studies led her to become an accomplished professional hair stylist, with many faithful clients who would claim “Kami is the best!” She worked at Totally You and Bellagio salons in Carmel before moving to Cobb Mountain, California, where she owned her own salon, Bella Luna, for a time.

Moving to Cobb allowed Kami to continue her childhood love of horsemanship and she was able to keep horses on their large family property. With the voice of an angel, she was often called upon to sing at celebrations, including the opening “Star Spangled Banner” at Carmel Valley Rancher’s Days.

Kami’s zest for life was evident; she loved riding, singing, dancing, swimming, boating, animals, cooking, travel and any outdoor time in the sunshine!

Her family and friends will miss her wonderful sense of humor, caring heart, sparkling blue eyes and quick smile.

Kami’s greatest pride in life came from her two sons, Sterling (wife, Chloe) and Carson Deshong, who she is survived by, along with Derek Vogel, her mother Kate Rayne, siblings Kevin (Marilyn), Kit (Claire) and Krissy Huston, many nieces and nephews and a granddaughter, Iris Rae Deshong.

She is preceded in death by her loving father, Keith Huston, and ever-caring stepfather, Clive Rayne.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, from 2 until 5 p.m. at Rancho de la Fuente, 2290 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport.

Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

James “Sham” Cochrane. Courtesy photo.

James Michael ‘Sham’ Cochrane
1950 — 2022

James Michael “Sham” Cochrane was born in Eureka, California, on Sept. 10, 1950, to James William Cochrane III and Alice Loree Stockton Cochrane. He was the first born of their five children.

He passed away peacefully on March 14, 2022, at his home in Granite Bay, California, with family at his side.

Sham spent his childhood in the hills outside Loleta and was active in school sports, excelling in basketball and baseball. He was always ready for a pick up game as long as there was a ball involved and played school sports in Loleta, Fortuna and Humboldt State.

He graduated from Fortuna Union High School in 1968, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 and his teaching credential from Humboldt State University in 1972. While in college, he played semipro baseball as catcher for the Humboldt Crabs. He also earned his master’s degree in education at University of San Francisco along with a master’s in counseling at Louisiana State University.

Sham was drafted into the U.S. Army and enlisted on July 24, 1972, transferring to the National Guard and retiring as a 1st Sergeant of the 579th Engineering Battalion after 21 years of service on Nov. 1, 1993.

Sham met Pam Watkins in 1973 while playing softball on opposing teams, with some help from some of Pam’s co-workers at College of the Redwoods who knew Sham playing unabashed matchmakers. They married in Eureka in July of 1977 and Sham had a ready-made family with Pam’s son Gerald “Skip” Hunter.

He began his teaching career at Loleta Union School, later moving to Lake County where he taught middle school in Lower Lake and soon moving to high school at Kelseyville Unified. Never without a ball in his hand, he coached many a student in the finer points of basketball, baseball, softball and football even into his retirement years.

In 1979 Sham, Pam and Skip welcomed Kristin “Kristie” Lynne and Corey Michael arrived in 1981 to complete the family. They happily raised their family in Lake County.

In 2014, Sham retired from teaching in Kelseyville and in 2017 he and Pam relocated to Roseville and then Granite Bay where he lived until his death.

Sham also volunteered on the Lake County Fair Board for many years as well as many volunteer events while his wife Pam was auditor-controller of Lake County.

Sham is predeceased by his wife, Pam (Watkins) Cochrane; maternal grandparents, Virgil and Ruby Stockton; paternal grandparents, James W. Cochrane II and Louise Cochrane; parents, James W. Cochrane III and Loree Cochrane Buck; brothers, Patrick Stephen Cochrane and Robert Todd Cochrane; and nieces, Jana Cochrane and Dottie Chambers.

Sham is survived by his mother-in-law, Bette Watkins and her husband, Phil Merklin of Eureka; children, Skip and Lorrie Hunter and their sons Treven of Pollock Pines and Tyler of Pioneer, California; Kristie and Adam Stogner and their family, Chiara, Cameron and Cayden of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Corey Cochrane and daughter Arianna and Kristyn Long (Corey’s fiance) and son Jackson of Granite Bay.

He is also survived by his brother, Tim and Marie Cochrane of Ettersburg; sister, Leslie and Dennis Burchfield of Rio Dell; sister-in-law, Cyndee Cochrane of Fortuna; brother-in-law, Ray and Gwynn Watkins of Midway, Utah, and nieces and nephews Laura Cochrane, Rebecca Sheets, Justin Cochrane, Chris Cochrane and Lauren Burchfield.

There are so many others that have adopted Papa Sham as their grandfather, father, uncle and family, we thank each and every one of you for the loving support. He loved us all!

We would also like to thank the staff at UCD Rocklin Infusion Center and UCD Hospice for their outstanding care.

A celebration of Sham’s life will be conducted on Friday, April 15, at Medina’s Watering Hole in Scotts Valley (Lakeport) at 2 p.m. The address is 3272 Scotts Valley Road, Lakeport CA 95453.

Donna Jean Snow receiving her Registered Nursing degree. Courtesy photo.

Major Donna Jean Snow (nee Helm), born in Colorado on Oct. 9, 1935, passed away of natural causes Jan. 16, 2022, at the age 86 in Oroville, California, in the very hospital in which she served as a nurse for 31 years.

She outlived her three husbands and two brothers from her late parents, Lavern and Nellie Helm.

Her parents' families moved out west in a covered wagon from Oklahoma. Her grandmother and her mother’s oldest sister died three days apart from each other during the Spanish flu pandemic of the early 1900s.

Donna Snow graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Courtesy photo.

Donna was raised by frugal parents who lived through the depression but she grew to live a very full and active life filled with a love of camping, backpacking and enjoying the great outdoors of America.

She was very involved in leadership in the Girl Scouts and Brownies while her four daughters were growing up.

She went to the University of San Francisco and Chico State for her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and worked as a registered nurse as a career.

Donna Snow enjoying happy times on vacation. Courtesy photo.

She was commissioned into the Army as a major and as a nurse served at the Army base in Aurora, Colorado.

Later, after her retirement from nursing, she became a much sought after massage therapist.

Although she was raised by devout Christians she practiced a Middle Eastern religion for most of her adult life. However, seven short months before her passing, in the company of her beloved nieces, she humbly asked for prayer and turned her life and soul back over to the loving care of Jesus Christ.

US Army Major Donna Snow. Courtesy photo.

As her daughter I rejoice in the knowledge that she is forever fellowshipping with Christ our Savior, and on her final day she was able to confidently enter Heaven. She is once again surrounded by friends, family and most importantly her parents who, like they did for me, and all of their children and their children’s children, prayed her back into the Presence and the Glory of God.

She is survived by her five children, three stepchildren, 11 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

Memorial date to be announced by family.

Donna Snow skydiving in Davis, California. Photo by Chris Conkright.


Kenneth Bryant. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Feb. 14, 2022, Kenneth Dale Bryant went to heaven.

Born Oct. 16, 1942, to James and Addie Bryant, he was known as K.B. and Kenny to friends and family.

He was a loving Husband, Father, Pop-pop, Uncle, Brother, Son and beloved Friend.

He leaves behind his wife Sarena (Sara) of 22 years; daughter, Tina (Pat); son, Kevin (Teresa); daughter, Rebecca; daughter, Racheal (Kevin); son, Micheal; and mother in-law, Marlene Grant.

He also leaves behind his two extra daughters, Jannea (Jake) and Kailyn (Ronny), 14 grandkids, six great-grandkids and many other kids he has raised.

He leaves behind tons of friends, his “extra wife” Sandi Thompson, and his puppies Kahlua, and Rascal.

He will forever be in our hearts and minds. As he would always say, “I'm one of the last of the good guys.”

Celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. May 7 in Taft, California, at the Moose Lodge and at 2 p.m. July 30 in Lakeport, California, at the Yacht Club.

Donations can be made to Community First Credit Union in Kenneth Bryant’s name, account No. 12000900966656.

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