Sonoma West Times & News > Obituaries
Previous Sonoma West Times & News HeadlinesMarch 10th, 2010 Allison Borland CloseAllison Borland Close died at her home in Forestville on Feb. 10, 2010 at the age of 87. After attending Cal-Berkeley, she married and supported her husband and family through World War II, Medical School, and the Korean War. Moving to Hayward, she spent the next 30 years involved in her community through the League of Women Voters and the PTA. She also attended California State University Hayward where she obtained a degree in Social Sciences. At the time of her death, she was living on an apple ranch in Forestville which had been in her husband’s family for more than 100 years, just a few miles from her childhood home on Hessel Rd. She was preceded in death six months earlier by her husband of 67 years, Franklin D. Close. Close is survived by her daughter Susan Close-Weber; grandchildren Jennifer (Daniel) Scheiber and William (Tamara) Weber; great-grandchildren Alan and Samantha Scheiber and William and Mia Weber. In accordance with her wishes, no services will be held. Donations in her name may be made to the National Wildlife Federation.Marilynn Smith BurgerMarilynn Sue Smith Burger died on Feb. 17 at the age of 88 in her home in Sebastopol. Born Jan. 2, 1922 in Breckinridge, TX, she attended Texas Christian University for a year before moving to Los Angeles and studying at Chouinard Art Institute. She was a draftsperson at Douglas Aircraft, then joined the Navy during WWII and served in the WAVES as an occupational therapist in Chicago, where she met her husband, Robert W. Burger. They were married in 1946. She moved to Sebastopol in 1974. She found expression in pottery, weaving, and most of all, painting. She was active in the Sonoma County Alliance for the Mentally Ill, as president, publishing their first newsletter and serving on educational forums. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mortimer and Marion Smith; sister Betty Lou Coyner; former husband Robert Burger and their daughter, Melanie Ann; she is survived by her children, Roderick Burger, Gregory Burger and his wife Mary DeSmet, Lucinda Farnan and Debra Willett; grandchildren Reese Farnan, Darcy Farnan, Galen Willett, and niece, Melissa Coyner. The family wishes to express its gratitude to Debra Willett as well as Illiana Naigulevu and Memorial Hospice for their care and support during her illness. No service is planned. Donations can be made in her name to Sonoma County Alliance for the Mentally Ill. The family can be contacted at 851 Robinson Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472.Morgan CaufieldMorgan Caufield, 54, died suddenly, surrounded by her friends on Feb. 22, 2010. Caufield was a creative spirit, an accomplished, published photographer and artist. She loved all four legged creatures, especially her own animals, Jasper and Simon; all her young friends; her students through her work in Sebastopol schools; and her Sonoma County family of friends. Caufield is survived by her family in New York, parents Jack (Pops) and Marguerite; sisters Monica and Martha; brothers Paul and Joe; and nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her Sonoma County family of friends Longwillow, Mookie and Chris, as well as many others who were honored to call her a friend. A public gathering to celebrate her life will be held at Wischemann Hall, 465 Morris St., Sebastopol on Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. Donations may be made to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 5001 Angel Canyon Rd., Kanab, Utah 84741 or to the animal advocacy charity of your choice. An altar in Caufield’s honor has been set up at Milk & Honey, 123 Main St., Sebastopol.Ruth C. PĂ©ron-HayesRuth C. Péron-Hayes died in her sleep on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010. She was born in Purdum, NE in 1919. After graduating from Lincoln High School at age 17, she moved to Oregon. Shortly thereafter she moved to southern California where she met her first husband René Louis Péron. They married in 1942 and in 1948 moved to Rincon Valley. Soon after they moved to Santa Rosa. Péron started an at-home day care and later had a career with Sonoma County Schools Administration and Mental Health Accounting. She retired to Oakmont, and some years after René Sr.’s passing in 1979, remarried to Thomas Hayes. After the passing of both Thomas Hayes and Belle James, Péron returned to Sonoma County and settled in Sebastopol at the Burbank Heights and Orchards. She made new friends in Sebastopol and enjoyed an active social life. She is survived by her sons, René Péron of Sebastopol, and his younger brother, Marc Péron of San Antonio, TX. Donations can be made to one of her favorite charities: Paralyzed Veterans of America, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, or The American Red Cross.Eugene Ward CurtisEugene Ward Curtis, 73, died at home in Sebastopol with his family on Feb. 20, 2010. Born July 28, 1936 in Longview, WA to Harold and Ruby Curtis, he was a U.S. Army veteran, serving from 1953 to 1961. For the last 45 years Curtis was an upholsterer in Petaluma who along with deceased business partner and friend Albert Lewis took pride in all their work. Curtis was a fisherman, football fan, lover of barbeques, parties, camping and all around good conversations. Curtis is survived by brothers Thomas and Jack Curtis; children Thomas, Terri, Karen, Kathy, Ronald, Harold, Cindy, Michael and Kelly; step-children Susan and Donald Johnson; 15 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; friends Rick, Donnette, Bob and his family at the shop. A celebration of Curtis’s life will be held at a later date.Edward B. CoughlanEdward B. Coughlan died on Feb. 11, 2010. Coughlan grew up in Monterey and served in the U.S. Army, 97th Reconnaissance Troop in both Germany and occupied Japan during World War II. After the war, he came home to the family farm in Sebastopol called Luwalped where he delivered his family’s products. He left the farm to drive trucks for Diamond Lumber, retiring in 1985 to spend time researching and collecting military memorabilia. He enjoyed fossils, dining out with friends, and his backyard birds. He was preceded in death by long time companion Polly Ullman; and is survived by friends Cindy and Tom Nardi, Carol Tellez and Tom Candau; and many other people.March 3rd, 2010 Nestor OrfansNestor Orfans, born Sept. 16, 1933, died on Feb. 20, 2010. Orfans was born in San Francisco to Spiro and Dianantina Orfans and lived in Sonoma County nearly all his life. He lived with his family in Sebastopol for 46 years, and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Orfans was also stationed in Alaska. He was a Jack-Of-All-Trades putting in time as an electrician, plumber, carpenter, and mechanic, as well as owning a service station. He devoted many years to The Tides Wharf in Bodega Bay as a master of maintenance. He was a devout Catholic for many years who could always be seen walking to service Sunday mornings like clockwork. Orfans is survived by his wife of 52 years Amy Orfans; his only daughter Debra Marie and her three children, Christina Archer, Justin Chavez and Michael Chavez; and brother Demetrius Orfans and wife Violet of San Francisco.Rebecca Jean MeshnaRebecca Jean (Mitchell) Meshna was born on May 30, 1960, and died at home on Feb. 12, 2010 in Sebastopol. Meshna was born and raised in Lafayette CA. She graduated from St. Mary’s college in Moraga and married Ron Meshna in 1986. In 1990 their son Kyle James was born. She earned her teaching credential and became an elementary teacher. In 2008 she relocated to Sebastopol. Meshna is survived by her son Kyle; parents Bob and Shan Mitchell; sister Heather Cruciano; brother Bruce Mitchell; sister Jennifer Schaefer and family. She is also survived by her former husband, Ron Meshna and her companion Don Goreham.Katherine Edith PrinceKatherine Edith “Kae” Prince died on Feb. 7, 2010 with family by her side. Born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, Prince has been listed in Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who of the World, the Royal Blue Book, the California Social Register, and First Families of California. She was named among the Notables of America of the Bicentennial Era and was awarded a plaque for her achievements. She became an art docent at the Oakland Museum in 1966 and continued there as a lecturer for more than 20 years. She served as director of the Sonoma County Arts Council and as president of the Redwood Palette Club. She was a longtime member of the Northwood Golf Club in Monte Rio, the AWS Art Club in Sebastopol, the Artist Round Table in Santa Rosa, and the Rio Nido HOA. Through the sales of her donated artwork, she helped raise funds for hospice and the Guerneville Public Library. A talented artist, Prince’s paintings have hung in many galleries. She specialized in acrylics and watercolors and enjoyed painting Sonoma County landscapes, florals, seascapes and historical buildings. Her family has owned property in Rio Nido for more than 80 years. Prince is survived by her niece, Kate (and Robert) Gilmore, of Pleasant Hill; nephew, Victor Herron, of Mendocino; niece, Sandra Freedman, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Barbara (and Valeri) Safiullin, also of Ft. Lauderdale; and niece, Joan (and Larry) Courson, of Dexter, MI, as well as many grand-nieces and nephews including Chloe and Bobby Gilmore, and Brent, Stephen, and Suzanne Courson, and sister-in-law Barbara Carouso. Prince was preceded in death by her husband, James Prince, daughter and son, Sheila and James, Jr., and siblings, Dorothea Herron, Alexandra Freedman, and Nicholas Carouso. A memorial service will be announced for early spring. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a favorite charity in Prince’s memory.Daniel B. FurlongDaniel B. Furlong, 56, died in Santa Rosa, Feb. 13, 2010. A native of Sebastopol, he was a member of the pioneer Furlong family of West Sonoma County. Furlong was a longtime resident of Sebastopol and was a civil engineer for 34 years. He is survived by his father Edward J. Furlong of Cazadero; brothers Jim (Laura) Furlong of Geyserville, Mike (Barbara) Furlong of Cazadero; sisters Maureen A. Furlong of Santa Rosa, and Eileen (Mike) Smith of New Plymouth, Idaho. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Tony Murphy of Glengarriff, Ireland and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Dorothy L. Furlong and sister Susan Murphy.Edward E. RagerEdward E. Rager, 94, died in Santa Rosa on January 29, 2010. Rager was a native of Derry, PA, and retired as a Colonal in the U.S. Army. As 1939 West Point graduates, Rager and his brother Elmer, were the first twins to attend and graduate from West Point. Following his graduation, Rager’s career in the Army spanned 30 years. Serving in Germany during World War II, he was awarded the Silver Star. After retiring from the military, he became a CPA and managed the Santa Clara County Employees Credit Union. Rager enjoyed playing golf, but most of all, loved being a part of the U.S. Military and traveling the world with his wife. Rager was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Lorene “Bunny” Rager; son Darrol Rager; his twin brother Elmer Rager, sister Mary Mollohan, and brother Glenn Rager. He is survived by his daughter Terry Miller and her husband Ron, of Sebastopol; daughter-in-law Cheryl of Salinas; grandchildren Kim, Kelly, Kori, and Derek. |
Today's Weather
Sebastopol, CA
|
   |
     |
Popular Searches