Life Tributes for the week of 1/21/20

James B. Lytjen

James B. Lytjen, better known as Jim or Coach, passed from this world Oct. 19, 2019. He was born in April 1921 in Berkeley, California to L. Marinus Lytjen and Johanna Navoni Lytjen. His father passed away when Jim was an infant. His mother then became a working mother, and his upbringing was supported by his extended Italian immigrant family on their Napa Valley Ranch. His childhood was one of hard work and play — filled with running, hiking, hunting, fishing and responsibilities of orchard and animal tending.

As a young youth he excelled in track and field and basketball. He was captain and center of the basketball team at Napa High School. He ran middle distances in track, earning records in the 880-yard run (800 meters). He graduated from Napa High School and went on to study and run at Sacramento City College and then University of California, Berkeley.

His college education was interrupted by World War II during which he served in the Coast Guard as a medic, being stationed in Hawaii.

After the war he returned to Sacramento City College where he met his first wife, Reba. After marrying he transferred to the University of California at Berkeley where he graduated in 1948. Their daughter, Danna, was born the previous year. He then moved his young family to Susanville to begin his teaching and coaching career at Lassen High School. He and Reba later welcomed another daughter into this world, Janice, and two years later, daughter Jeanie.

His career as teacher, coach and mentor to many students and athletes spanned 35 years. Five of those years were spent away from Susanville, coaching and teaching at Ukiah High School and San Jose City College. After experiencing enough of city life, he returned to his beloved mountain community of Susanville. He continued to coach and teach at Lassen High School, eventually transferring his talents to finish his career at Lassen Community College. He also completed his master’s degree in health education at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon during those years.

He coached many track and field, cross country teams and individuals to league championships. He also coached his daughters and a Lassen Girls summer Amateur Athletic Union team in track and field.

After 23 years of marriage he and Reba divorced, yet they remained good friends until her death in 2011. He married Jeanne Hawley in 1971. They later divorced and also remained good friends.

He retired in 1982 to an active life of volunteer coaching, running, bicycling, gardening, hunting, fishing, hiking, rockhounding and bird watching.

He became a master runner in his late 60s and competed in the 800 and 1500 meters. He won the gold in the World Masters Championship in track and field in Turku, Finland in 1991 in both events at the age of 70, setting a world record in the 800, with a time of 2:27:57.

After a full life he struggled with osteoporosis and dementia but never lost his kind disposition. The twinkle in his eyes and warm smile were a blessing for others to receive to the very end of his days.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his dear sisters, Marcia and Jackie; his former wife, Reba; his loving daughter, Danna; and sweet granddaughter Niki.

He is survived by and remembered endearingly by his two daughters, Janice (Avram) and Jeanie; five grand-children: Jessica, Seth (Ra), Mico (Colm) Amadeo and Teresa (Scott); and four great-grandsons.

He is also survived by his former wife and friend, Jeanne Hawley and her children; Carol Ferguson and Fred Hawley; also by her grandchildren, Eliza and Will, Jackson and Sara; and Jeanne’s three great- grandchildren.

In addition he is survived by his dear family friends, Judy and her daughter, Beth (Mike). They as well as many of his grandchildren affectionately called him “Papa Jim.”

His family thanks his former athletes and the community of friends and caregivers in Susanville and Oregon for their love and support during Jim’s career and in his aging years.

Remembrances may be made to the Lassen High School Jim Lytjen sports scholarship fund, the Lassen Community College sports program or an outdoor conservation or environmental organization of your choice.

A celebration of his life will be held in May of 2020. Time and location will be announced in this publication in April of 2020 and on Jeane Lytjen’s Facebook page.

Susan Lee Baston 

6/25/88 – 12/28/19

“God saw you were getting tired And a cure was not to be,

So He put His arms around you

And whispered, “Come to me.”

With tearful eyes we watched you, And saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly,

We could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.”

Susan was a cancer survivor for 10 years.  She lived well with cancer. She was smart, funny, brave, empowered and loved by so many. She was the best sister and aunt that could ever be.

Susan passed away surrounded by loved ones. We are all better people for having her in our lives.

Please keep research going to find a cure. Donations in Susan’s name to the Gene Upshaw Memorial Cancer Center, Truckee, CA and/or The American Cancer Society will help keep Susan present in our hearts. We love and miss you so much.

Sammy Grady Brasher

Sammy Grady Brasher was born Feb. 19, 1930 in Mansfield, Arkansas, the fourth of 12 children. He died in Placerville, California Dec. 29, 2020 at the age of 89.

Sam grew up on a farm in Arkansas where he learned to work hard. He moved to California in 1949 to work as a faller in the woods for Red River Lumber Company. He loved the woods, and he loved running a chainsaw!

Sam met and married Jo Ann Johnson in Westwood. They lived there until the mill closed, then moved down to the Sacramento Valley where Sam worked in a lumber mill. For the last 21 years of his working career, he worked for the USDA Forest Service in a number of different forests.

A few years after his retirement, Sam became interested in the Bible. In 1994 he became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He would tell you that was the start of the happiest and most rewarding part of his life. For almost 25 years he spent one to three days each week teaching the Bible to inmates at the prisons in Susanville. A number of his students also became Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Sam was preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann; and son, Steven. He is survived by daughters, Karen (Brian) Finlayson and Susan (Douglas) Turner; two granddaughters; and two great-grandsons; as well as three sisters; and a brother.

A memorial for Sam will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2404 Bunyan Road in Susanville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Snowline Hospice of Placerville, CA, snowlinehospice.org, mail to 6520 Pleasant Valley Road, Diamond Springs, CA 95619, your local hospice (hospicenet.org), or a favorite charity.

Manuela Delgado

Manuela was born in Laguna Grande, Zacatecas, Mexico on Sept. 14, 1934 to Antonia and Santos Casas. She lived in Laguna Grande until she married Refugio Delgado on Aug. 24, 1967 and moved to Susanville. She stepped into the role of homemaker and mother to her husband’s previous children and cherished her instant family. There was never a time anyone came into the house that they did not get immediately invited to sit down and eat. Her time was happily spent cooking and taking care of her family, and she was very devoted to God and the Catholic Church.

She was a kind and gentle, woman, always with a smile and loved spending time with family and friends. She was a proud mother and grandmother, and she was never happier than when it was time for a family dinner and she had everyone together.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, Refugio. She is survived by her daughter, Julieta Delgado; her son and daughter-in-law, Refugio and Lorie Delgado and their children, Ryne and Rachel; and son and daughter-in-law, Jesus and Carla Delgado, and their children, Jagger, Malik and Gabe. She is also survived by the extended family of her late husband, whom she considered her own children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

There will be a viewing at Walton’s Colonial Mortuary from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 with the Rosary beginning at 7 p.m. The funeral service will be at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17 with interment at Lassen Cemetery immediately following. There will be a reception after that at Monsignor Moran Hall.

Charlotte Scheiber Rigsby

Charlotte Scheiber Rigsby passed away in Sparks, Nevada on Dec. 20, 2019 after a short illness due to congestive heart failure.

She was born Charlotte Ann Salyer on Feb. 10, 1930 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Her family moved to Bell Gardens, California when she was 6 years old. At about that time she met Roy Scheiber. They grew up together, married in 1950 and had three daughters. Roy died in 1992.

In 1994 she married Don Rigsby, and they lived in Janesville, California. Don died in 2015.

Charlotte always saw the good in people and was truly interested in others. Anyone who spent time with her could feel her warmth and charm. She changed many lives as a foster parent to troubled teens.

She always said, “Moderation is everything,” and showed that moderation in her daily glass of wine and piece of chocolate.

She leaves behind her broken hearted family: daughters, DiAnn Eskuri, Darlene Curry, of Boise, Idaho, and Dodie Boss, of Janesville, California; brothers, Chuck (Judy) Salyer, of Auburn, Washington; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Bernard “Bernie” Lindblom

On Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, Bernard “Bernie” Lindblom, of Janesville, passed away at the age of 89 after a long battle with cancer.

Bernie was born Oct. 27, 1930 in Phoenix, Arizona to Wallace and Eva (Hicks) Lindblom. After graduating from high school, Bernie served 10 years in the United States Navy during the Korean War. Bernie left the Navy in 1957 and subsequently married Donna Wheeler in June 1959. They raised two sons, Dana and Ben, and a daughter, Shelly.

Bernie had a passion for automobiles and enjoyed working on them and restoring them, including a 1946 Ford flatbed pickup. He usually attended local car shows to show off his ’46.

Bernie also enjoyed the holidays and family gatherings, spending time with family, friends and, of course, his grandchildren.

Bernie was preceded in death by his father, Wallace; his mother, Eva; and his older brother, Don Lindblom. Bernie is survived by his wife, Donna; his three children, Dana, Ben and Shelly; his four grandsons, two great grandsons; along with his sister, Beverly Claypool; and several nieces and nephews.

No services were held at his family’s request.

Richard (Dick) Dale Holmes

Richard (Dick) Dale Holmes, 85, of Susanville, California, passed away peacefully with family by his side Nov. 21, 2019, at The Mackenzie Place, Assisted Living Facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado, after a battle with cancer.

He was born to Prentice B. Holmes and Frances S. Holmes (Wright) on Aug. 11, 1934, in Susanville, California.

As a young boy, he enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. He loved being in the outdoors and going fishing and hunting with his dad. He loved playing and spending time with his older brother, Don, and their dogs, Butch and Pal.

After graduating from Lassen High School in 1952, Dick attended the University of California, Berkeley for three years. He then began active duty service in the US Army in 1956, and was honorably discharged in 1958. He went on to attend San Jose State University where he obtained his bachelor of science degree in business in 1960. He married, had three children and returned to Susanville in 1967.

In 1968, Dick began a lifelong career for the California Correctional Center in Susanville, where he retired after approximately 28 years of dedicated service.

Dick loved the community of Susanville, and his heritage includes family that helped pioneer areas of Lassen County. He served the community in various ways. He was a member of Toastmasters and the Elks and Masonic Lodges. He volunteered in the schools in various capacities ranging from tutoring to driving the school bus.

After retiring, Dick got a teaching credential and became a substitute teacher. He also volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels, and at the Lassen Senior Center by serving on the board of directors and driving their weekly bus to Reno for seniors’ doctor appointments. He was a longtime member of the Lassen Historical Society, and also served as an elder for a number of years at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Dick is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Donald L. Holmes and sister-in-law, Sue Holmes. He is survived by his children, Kim (Bob) Cross, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Julie (Will) Scoggins, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Mike (Nancy) Holmes, of Estacada, Oregon; five grandchildren, two nieces, one nephew and their families.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. at Walton’s Colonial Mortuary in Susanville, California with a luncheon to follow at the Monticola Club.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Lassen High School Alumni Association in memory of Richard Holmes.

The family extends its very special appreciation to Judy Posey, and to the caregivers at The Mackenzie Place, for their loving care and support during Dick’s final days.