Obituaries for the week of 12/06/16
Robert Alan Campbell
Robert was born March 23, 1931 to Robert B. and Mabel E. Campbell in Toledo, Ohio and passed away on Sept. 30, 2016 with his son and wife at his bedside while at Banner Lassen Medical Center.
Robert and Dona were married Aug. 5, 1951 in Covina, California, where they both went to school. Robert was a four-year naval air veteran. He trained at San Diego naval station. Then sent for more training in Memphis, Tennessee. When finished there, he was sent back to California Naval Air Station at Coronado, California.
Robert (Bob) enjoyed playing football and he played 14 seasons at different places starting in high school at Covina City, then for the navy at San Diego N.T.C., then in Memphis, Tennessee, and then back in California to Naval Air Station in Coronado. He was there assigned to a unit until time for football training when he was assigned to the admiral’s unit, overseeing the football team (the Sky Raiders) where he played 3 seasons for the Sky Raiders where they won the championship for Navy each year.
Upon discharge from the navy, he went to work for the Flying Tigers and also played semi pro football for Eagle Pack team.
From there, Bob decided to go to college and enrolled at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and played four seasons for them. While going to college, he also worked as a commercial fisherman out of Morro Bay for a year. Then started work for the Department of Corrections at the Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo while still attending college at Cal Poly and played football there for four seasons. His desire of being a coach was halted due to an auto accident and he was unable to fulfill the ambition.
Before being discharged from the Navy, Bob and Dona had their first children, twin boys Lawrence Alan and Gerald Robert born Dec. 9, 1952 at the Naval Hospital on Coronado. Then after discharge they had another son, Gregary Lynn on Feb. 19, 1955 at the hospital at Covina, California. Bob had just began his college career.
After Gregory was born, the family moved to San Luis Obispo, then to Cayucos, California, then on to Atascadero, California, where they built their home after 10 years.
Then the next move was to La Sierra (Riverside Area) and Bob transferred as Lt. to the Norco facility for about five years, then moved to San Quentin for seven years. While at San Quentin, Bob was armory Lt., range master and along with other duties. One of which Bob had the responsibilities for transferring a group of inmates, each day, known as the San Quentin six to stand trial of the Marin County courthouse for the murder of staff. Seeing they got to court and book to San Quentin each day safely.
This transportation crew completed their mission to and from court while in the courtroom without serious mishap, even though they were all on constant alert for the possibility of a rescue attempt.
After that, Bob transferred to CCC in Susanville in December of 1979. By this time, the children had married and gone to college or service – Bob and Dona moved to their new home in Janesville on Feb. 14, 1980 and started enjoying being out of the bigger cities. Bob retired in 1985 and we have had a comfortable time for the last 30 years doing traveling where and when we wanted visiting with the children and friends and seeing more of our country.
After Bob became ill and was hospitalized at St. Mary’s, needing more care, he went to a nursing facility and then for the last three months he was being taken care of at Lassen skilled nursing and rehabilitation Susanville. Lawrence and I spent our days with him – our family appreciated all the staff there for the loving care they showed Bob and friendliness showed to Terry and Dona and grandchildren.
We lost one of our loving Gerald Robert on Feb. 21, 2015 when our heavenly father decided he needed him and called him home.
Robert is survived by his wife Dona (of more than 65 years) and sons, Lawrence alone and Gregary Lynn, along with seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. We all love and miss you.
Bonnie Mae DeForest Walsh DeWitt
Bonnie Mae DeForest Walsh DeWitt, 87, passed away on Nov. 20, 2016. She was born in Susanville on Jan. 6, 1929, to Charles and Christine Hill-DeForest. She was a rancher in the Willow Creek Valley, Alturas, and near Wendel in the Honey Lake Valley. She worked many years at Lassen Community Hospital.
She had 12 siblings; some who have preceded her in death: Marjo, Fraiser, Junior, Vaden, Levoy, Betty (Yeakey), Helen (Beterbide), Gilbert, Chesley, and Flora (Genkinger). She was married to rancher Patrick Walsh who tragically died in a roping accident in 1955, and Wm. Franklyn DeWitt, also a rancher, who passed away in 1975.
She is survived by her brothers, Ralph DeForest, of Likely, California, and Gay (Sunny) DeForest, of Empire, Nevada. Survivors also include her step-daughter, Jo (Claud) Neely, of Susanville; son Patrick (Elizabeth) Walsh of Standish, California; daughter, Frances “Lynn” DeWitt, of Elko, Nevada; and son Dale Doshier, of Klammath Falls, Oregon. A stepdaughter, Elaine Setzer, preceded her in death in 1998. She leaves behind grandchildren, Tommy (Becky) Neely, Darin (Yvette) Neely, Keri Neely, Deena (Setzer) Unger; Dawna (Setzer) King, Cody Walsh, Casey Walsh, Kelli Walsh, Christine Walsh and Jessie Walsh. She also leaves behind many great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her mother’s side of the family, the Hill family, settled in Willow Creek Valley, after moving from Clark Station, Nevada. Her father’s side of the family, including Clinton DeForest, among other DeForests, came to the Lassen County area during the Fremont Expedition of 1842-4.
Bonnie enjoyed reading, creating beautiful gardens and creating folk art, which often represented the ranching life. At one time, her cow-rib back scratchers were even for sale during the Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada, where she lived with her daughter from 2004 to present.
A celebration of life and friends and family reunion is slated for June in Susanville. Any donations can be made to a charity of choice.
Dorothy Hall
Dorothy Hall, age 66, passed away peacefully on Nov. 20, 2016 surrounded by family. She was born April 24, 1950 in Blythe, California.
She is survived by her husband, Douglass Hall; children, Diana Hall, Debby Thomsen, Daniel Hall; sisters, Connie Kratzmeyer, Jeanie Bohanon; and five grandchildren.
She will be laid to rest at Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley at 11 a.m. Dec. 9. A celebration of life service will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 in the Rainbow Bend Clubhouse at 500 Ave. De La Bleu De Clair, Sparks, Nevada.
Curtis Thompson Jones
Curtis Thompson “C.T.” Jones, age 73, passed into the loving arms of his Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, on Nov. 19, 2016. Residing in San Andreas, California, C.T. enjoyed reading, acting, jewelry making, numismatics and firearms. In 1998, C.T. was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Moorestown, New Jersey, C.T. attended both Moorestown High School and the Bordentown Military Academy. He was a member of the Moorestown Fire Department Hose Company No.1 and the Moorestown Emergency Squad in the 1960s and 1970s. He served in the United States Navy and worked numerous construction jobs, including as an ironworker on nuclear power plants on the east coast. C.T. moved to California and was certified as a paramedic. He worked as a first responder in Oakland in the 1980s and 1990s.
C.T. always considered himself a craftsman and was talented in his life’s labors. His unabashed sense of humor, audacious charm and benevolent generosity endeared him to all those who knew him.
C.T. was predeceased by his father, Perry Thompson Jones, and his mother, Doris Marie Jones, Nee Bement, and cousin, Mark McDonough. C.T. is survived by several first cousins, Leslie Whitehurst, of Washington, North Carolina, Clay Jones, of Aiken, South Carolina, Janice Wells, of Hudson, New Hampshire, Perry McDonough, of Methuen, Massachusetts, Shane McDonough, of Methuen, Massachusetts, and many friends and loved ones on both coasts.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Dec. 2, 2016, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 221 Church Hill Road, San Andreas, California, with a viewing from 10 to 11 a.m. Burial followed immediately at Double Springs Cemetery, Valley Springs, California. San Andreas Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements, (209) 754-3361. Donations in honor and memory of C.T. can be made to Moorestown Hose Company No.1, 261 West Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057.
Lawrence Panfilio
Lawrence “Larry” Panfilio, age 85, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 21 in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
Larry was born 1931 in Washington State and began working as a logger during his summer breaks from school when he was age 13, and except for his service in the Navy during the Korean conflict remained employed in the logging industry until his retirement 1996.
Larry is survived by his two older sisters, Anita Mulkins, of Hayden Lake, and Loraine Weathers, of Raymond, Washington; his son, Randy Panfilio, of Susanville; daughter Catherine Panfilio living in Edmond, Oklahoma; grand children, Shannon Panfilio-Padden, Aaron Panfilio and five great grandchildren.
Larry graduated high school in Myrtle Point, Oregon in 1951, enlisted in the navy and married Marlene Boekelman in 1953. During his deployment, his parents, sister and brother-in-law moved to Humboldt County, California, where, after his honorable discharge, he relocated as well and returned to logging throughout the 1950s, 60s and early 70s then moved to Susanville with his new wife Bonnie and her son Kenny Harts.
Larry was employed by B&B logging, of Susanville, where, like all men of action, he gained a reputation as a reliable woods boss whose sense of self-worth was coupled to his vocation.
Larry knew the value of honest labor, was and remains well respected by the men and women he worked with and by many who know of him by reputation only. He was always respectful and generous as much as was deserved, insisted on a high level of craftsmanship from his crew and never demanded more than the expertise of those in his charge would allow. Loyal to his friends and the people he worked with, his passing is a mark in time like so many before him who labored to provide for his family and produce a commodity which built communities.
He was preceded in passing by his parents; wife Bonnie; and his youngest daughter, Angie Panfilio. He will be interred in the family crypt in Eureka, California.
No service is scheduled and those who wish to remember Larry best will do so by having a beer at his request.
Sylvia Quam
Sylvia J. Quam, a long time (more than 40 years) resident of Susanville died at Renown hospital on Nov. 18 of a heart attack.
Sylvia was born in Fall River Mills, California, on May 9, 1941 to John and Murial Rilea. The family moved to Greenville, California, where Sylvia attended school and graduated in 1959. She married Jerry Quam and had three children, Curtist and Clinton Quam, both of Westwood, and Cheryl Quam, of Susanville.
Sylvia worked for Frontier Tellecommunications for many years, then retired at age 62. Sylvia loved spending her weekends working on her home and enjoyed her flower gardens, bunco and Friends. Her dogs brought her both comfort and joy.
The real love of her life were her five beautiful grandchildren, Chase Quam and wife Hazel, of Oakland, California, Caven Quam, Chauncey Quam, of Chico, Zachary Quam, of Westwood, and Shaye Quam, of Chico.
Sylvia was preceded in death by her oldest brother, Laurence Rilea; her parents and beloved friends, Jeffrey (Quam) Esparza and Jolene Palazzi.
Sylvia’s surviving siblings are Leonard Rilea, of Redding, Mark and Esther Rilea, of Greenville, Karen Maley, of Chico, and Mary Dillon, of Susanville.
She will also be missed by her life long friend Judy Jennen, of Marysville, and Joni Quam, of Susanville.
Celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at Waltons Colonial Mortuary.