Adonis “Al” Harmegnies

Linda Rae Loeffler

Gayle Vina McCurdy

Ruth Amy Sylvester

Edna Eldora Canoy

Catherine Romaine Lolatte

Joseph Miranda

Adonis “Al” Harmegnies
Adonis “Al” Harmegnies was born in Chareton, Iowa to Cassie and Alfred Harmegnies on June 9, 1928. He passed away in Redding, Calif. on July 31, 2011. He was 83 years old.

Al was a Navy veteran and served from 1946 to 1948 where he was awarded the American Area WWII Victory medal.
Al met and married his wife of 44 years, Lin Charron Hyde on Jan. 28, 1959 in Oakland, Calif. and relocated to Susanville shortly thereafter.

Al was the produce manager at Safeway for more than 20 years, retiring in September of 1985. He and Lin moved to Lakeside, Ore. in 1989 after Lin retired.

Al loved to hunt, fish, tell tall tales and watch westerns, especially John Wayne movies.

Al was preceded in death by his wife Lin, in 2003; his sister Tillie Fouche, in 2002; and his son Gene Harmegnies, in 2008.

Al is survived by his children and step-children: Cathy Harmegnies, of Payette, Idaho, Donna Equre (Anthony), of Redding Calif., Michael Hyde (Elizabeth), of Rocklin, Calif., Gary Hyde, of Athens, Ala., Charron Plummer (Fred), of Fox Island, Wash. and daughter-in-law Mary Harmegnies, of Renton Wash.

He also leaves behind 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, countless cousins and close friends.

Linda Rae Loeffler
Linda Rae Loeffler was born Nov. 13, 1939 in Grand Junction, Colo. and died Aug. 18, 2011 at Country Villa Riverview in Susanville. She graduated from Fruita High School in 1957, attended Mesa College in Colorado, and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno. She accepted a position as instructor and Media Production Specialist at the university, and also operated her own commercial art advertising business.

In 1980, Linda moved to Lassen County, where she was an instructor in commercial art and media at Lassen College, while continuing her own business.

She was a talented woodworker, and loved animals, particularly cats and horses.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Gordon and Mary Ann Loeffler, of Reno, nieces and nephews, and friend, Barbara Malone.

Services were held at Walton’s Colonial Mortuary on Thursday, Aug. 25.

The family requests that donations be made in Linda’s memory to the Lassen Humane Society or to the activities fund at Country Villa Riverview.

Gayle Vina McCurdy
Gayle Vina McCurdy died Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011 as a result of a traffic accident at the age of 61.

She was born to Willis Samuel and Sammietta Pauline Horsley on May 12, 1950 in Reno, Nev.
Gayle spent her early years in Reno and later moved with her mother to Martinez, Calif. and then to Monterey, Calif. where she married and bore two children, William Frank and Traci Lynn.

In 1973 Gayle divorced, and in March 1974 met her current husband of 36 years, David Dennie McCurdy.
In November 1974, Gayle and David moved their newly-formed family to Citrus Heights, Calif. where Gayle pursued an associate of arts degree in early childhood education.

In 1976 Gayle started an in-home daycare, finally using the skills she learned in college and realizing her dream to work with children. As with everything else she had tried, she excelled in her pursuit until 1990, when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Due to the debilitating effects of the disease Gayle had to close her daycare.

After learning of the positive effects researchers were having using equine therapy with M.S. patients, Gayle got her first horse in November of 1990. The effects were amazing, and by mid ’92 Gayle’s M.S. was in complete remission. She was spending long days in the corrals, round pens and on the trails, becoming an accomplished horse trainer and rider.

During the floods that took place in the Sacramento Valley in 1995, Gayle volunteered her time, as well as her resources and training to work with “United Animal Nations” rescuing all types of animals devastated by the flood.

In May 1999, David’s job brought Gayle to Northeastern California, where she and David decided to build a horse ranch in the hills west of the town of Madeline. She thrived on the challenges it produced and the ranch flourished, with Gayle building a strong and devoted clientele until 2002, when Gayle received a devastating back injury working with a horse.

After seven back surgeries, the abuse to the body took its toll, and the Multiple Sclerosis relapsed. In 2006 she had to say goodbye to her equine friends, a very sad day.

Gayle spent the next three years in and out of hospitals and doctors’ offices fighting the M.S. disease and back pain. By 2010 she began showing signs that the M.S. might go back into remission.

In November, 2010 she started setting aside her crutches, keeping them close by “just in case.” By April of 2011 Gayle’s M.S. was nearly in complete remission and she was beginning to get a handle on her pain. She was feeling better and getting stronger with each passing day.

Gayle enjoyed fishing, camping, boating, water-skiing, hiking, horses, dogs, cats, quilting, children, busy days, peaceful nights and quiet prayer.

Her parents preceded her in death.

She is survived by her husband David D. McCurdy, son William F. McCurdy, his wife Michelle and their daughter Kelcie, of Lebanon, Ore.; daughter Traci L. Pearch (McCurdy), her husband Edward Pearch and their three boys Trevor, Clayton and Drake, of Bakersfield, Calif.; one sister, Sharon L. Rhodes, of Reno, Nev. and a brother in Citrus Heights, Calif., Jay F. Battenfeld; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints on Highway 39 in Standish, Calif. at 11 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2011 with viewing beginning at 9 a.m.

Rest easy, Gayle, you’re with the Lord now. You don’t have to fight the pain anymore.

Ruth Amy Sylvester
Long time Lake Almanor resident, Ruth Amy Sylvester, passed away Aug. 20, 2011 at her daughter’s rural Nevada home after convalescing several months there. Ruth was born in Salt Lake City to Leland Ballantyne Anderson and Jane Melba (Judd) Anderson, and lived there during her early years. She and her family moved to Redwood City, Calif. in 1943. Ruth graduated from high school there and continued her education, majoring in business at San Jose State College and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah; graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 1950.

Ruth married Ed Sylvester in 1951 and they had three children: Greg, Rick, and Jane. In 1970, the family moved to Lake Almanor, where she lived until she moved into an assisted living facility in Sparks, Nev. in 2010. In late March, 2011, she suffered from declining health and moved in with her daughter, Jane, in Stagecoach, Nev.
Ruth’s parents and her brother, Robert preceded her in death.

She is survived by her brother Lawrence Anderson, of Fresno, Calif.; her three children and spouses — Greg and Kelly Sylvester, of Cody, Wyo., Richard (Rick) and Melissa Sylvester, of Chester, Calif. and Jane Brown, of Stagecoach. She is the proud grandmother of 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Ruth received her teaching credential in 1978 from California State University, Chico, and taught in various Plumas County schools for a number of years. Until her health deteriorated she was very active in the L.D.S. Church in Clear Creek, Calif. She also enjoyed traveling to many state and national parks; including those in Alaska and her favorite, Yellowstone National Park — with her husband, Ed. She was also an avid fan of her grandchildren’s many talents and activities, and would often be seen — whether in the bleachers or the concert hall — enthusiastically cheering them on. She also enjoyed family camping and fishing trips, watercolor painting, golfing with friends, singing in the Chester Community Chorus, serving in the Chester P.T.A., and was a longstanding member of the P.E.O. Chapter BO, Westwood, Calif.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011 at the L.D.S. Chapel in Clear Creek, Calif. on Highway 147. A viewing will be held at 9:30 am in the same location.

Graveside services will be held at Chester Cemetery, with a reception immediately following. Anyone wishing to make donations in Ruth’s name are invited to donate to the L.D.S. Humanitarian or Perpetual Education Funds, to the Chester Community Chorus or to the educational or humanitarian organization of their choice. An opportunity to express your condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.

Edna Eldora Canoy
Edna Eldora Canoy, 85, died Aug. 19, 2011 in Susanville, Calif. She was born July 22, 1926 in Susanville.

Edna is survived by son David (Pat), of Rio Linda, Calif.; daughter Tonya (Jody) Gabel, and two grandchildren.

Donations in Edna’s name can be sent to the American Cancer Society.

Catherine Romaine Lolatte
Jan. 12, 1928 – Aug. 6, 2011
Catherine Romaine Lolatte died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011 in Westwood, Calif. at the age of 83.

She was born in Berwick, Pa. on Jan. 12, 1928 to George and Anna (Smith) Jones.

She is survived by her husband Robert, of Summit, N.J., daughter Sharon Graves and her husband Guy, of Westwood, her grandchildren Roscoe and Patrick, along with four great-grandsons.

She is preceded in death by daughter Cathy Bowden and brother George Jones.

Following cremation locally at Fehrman Crematory, graveside services will take place in the Restland Memorial Park located in East Hanover, N.J. An opportunity to express your condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.

Joseph Miranda
Joseph Miranda, 82, died Aug. 18, 2011 in Susanville, Calif. He was born March 6, 1929 in Oahu, Hawaii.

Joseph is survived by sons Daniel and Terry Miranda, of Susanville, Herb and Lorraine Miranda, of McKinney, Texas; daughters Rosemary Roberts, of Oro Valley, Ariz., Sophie Miranda, of Sacramento, Calif., Carmen and Frank Kruger, of El Sobrane, Calif.; sister Lucy Lum, of Ewa, Hawaii; and 10 grandchildren.

Joseph was preceded in death by his daughter, Yvonne.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with burial to follow in San Pablo, Calif.

Visitation was held Monday, Aug. 29 at Walton’s Chapel with Rosary held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.