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Raymond Walter ReBell
October 11, 1917 - November 29, 2004
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
Resided In: Chico, California
Raymond W. ReBell
Raymond worked as a tool and dye maker for many years in Cleveland, Ohio. When he and his wife Margaret moved to Susanville, Calif. to be near their sons, he went back to school at the age of 62. He learned how to repair copiers and other office equipment to work in their sons’ stores.
He and Margaret moved to Chico in August of 2002 for the moderate climate and health care facilities. He and his wife enjoyed traveling to the many places where their daughter and son-in-law made their homes--including Europe.
He was a wonderful husband, father of three, grandfather of seven, and great-grandfather to eight. He worked very hard to put his three children through college because education was very important to him.
He will truly be missed for his good, honest heart, sense of humor, corny puns, and his “magic” fingers--as he could fix or repair anything.
He leaves behind His loving wife of 63 years, Margaret ReBell, son and daughter-in-law; Raymond and Rozanne ReBell of Quincy, Calif., daughter and son-in-law; Marie and Richard Evans of Naples, Fla., son and daughter-in-law; Ronald and Susan ReBell of Susanville, Calif., two sisters; Alice Brett of Half Moon Bay, Calif., and Dorothy Wagner of Ashland, Ohio., seven grandchildren; Renee Kenney, Robyn Miller, Ryan ReBell, Jennifer (Evans) Meisenheimer, Chad Evans, Neil ReBell and Lindsey ReBell, as well as nine great-grandchildren; Drew, Madelyn, Bridget, Michaela, Kenney, Zachary and Nathan Miller and Megan and William Meisenheimer.
A memorial service for Raymond will be held at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home, Thursday, December 2, 2004 at 2 pm.
Stephen Gray Keale
November 22, 1968 - November 30, 2004
Birthplace: New York
Resided In: Chico, California
Stephen Gray “Steve” Keale, 36, husband of 10 years to Susan Keale of Chico, owner of Chico Florist; son to Marty & Charlotte Keale of Sacramento; brother to Stephanie and brother-in-law to her husband Christopher Mackey of Carmichael CA; uncle to Julia, Alexandra & Mikaela Mackey.
Stephen passed to the next life unexpectedly and peacefully on Monday, November 29, 2004 while attending a retreat with Sogyal Rinpoche, a world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher. He had lived all of his life with the painful, debilitating effects of hemophilia, and had been infected with HIV and hepatitis C over 20 years ago while being treated for the hemophilia.
Steve was born on November 22, 1968 in Westchester County NY and grew up in Norwalk CT. With his family he relocated to southern California in 1981, where he graduated from Newbury Park High School in Thousand Oaks. On his own Stephen later moved to northern California, residing for a time in Arcata and in Mt. Shasta, where he met Susan, his wife. They moved to Chico in 1996 to attend CSU Chico. Steve received a BS in Therapeutic Recreation in 2000. He was an occasional guest lecturer at CSUC on the topic of living with disabilities.
Stephen was employed for several years as a pharmaceutical sales rep for a firm which provides hemophilia blood products. He was a co-founder and first President of Disabled Adventure Outfitters, a non-profit organization which provides wilderness experiences for people with disabilities. Stephen also worked as a goldsmith from time to time, and was a certified gemologist. He enjoyed whitewater rafting and golf and was an avid movie buff. He could recite the plots of some films scene by scene. His favorite director was Akira Kurosawa of Seven Samurais fame.
Stephen devoted his life to alleviating the suffering of others. His generous spirit, warm, caring smile and marvelous sense of humor will be missed by all who knew him.
A celebration of Steve’s life will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2004 at 1:00 PM. at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home, 680 Camellia Way, Chico, CA 95926 (530-342-9003).
Anyone wishing to send flowers is encouraged to use his wife Susan's shop, Chico Florist, phone 530-345-1855. Donations may be sent in Stephen’s name to the Rigpa Foundation, 159 Delaware Ave #181, Delmar NY 12054 (866-200-5876). Rigpa is an American charity run by Tibetan Buddhists, serving disadvantaged people. Or, donations may be sent to Disabled Adventure Outfitters, Box 152, Arcata CA 95518 (707-822-1101). DAO is a non-profit of which Steve was co-founder and President. They provide wilderness opportunities to persons living with disabilities.
Alta Florence Gerfen
September 01, 1918 - November 30, 2004
Birthplace: Ohio City, Colorado
Resided In: Chico, California
ALTA GERFEN
A Graveside Service will be held at Noon on Friday, December 3, 2004 at Glen Oaks Memorial Park for Alta Florence Gerfen. She died Tuesday, November 30, 2004 at her son’s home after a short illness. She was born September 1, 1918 in Ohio City, Colorado to Guy & Ruth Wright. She was raised and educated in Lodi, California. August 11, 1934 she married Raymond Gerfen in Chico, California. Alta was a homemaker and enjoyed gardening, traveling, camping and spending time with her family. Her husband and two daughters preceded her in death. She is survived by a son, Donald, 13 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 15 great great grandchildren. Memorial Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home.
Gordon F. Beitinger
December 20, 1927 - January 10, 2005
Birthplace: Skagway, Alaska
Resided In: Chico, California
Gordon F. Beitinger, 77, of Chico, Calif. passed away in The Health Center at The Terraces Retirement Community on January 10, 2005. He leaves behind his loving and devoted family; wife Charlotte of Chico; daughters, Stephanie Lewis of Lake Almanor, Calif. and Susan Purcel of Virginia; four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, two sisters, one brother, nephews and nieces. Gordon truly loved his family, life and golf. He retired from Pacific Southwest Airlines/US Airways on May 10, 1991 in San Diego California. Inurnment will take place in San Diego at Greenwood Memorial Park at a later date.
Rest in peace dear heart.
Nellie Johanna Shields
January 25, 1923 - January 12, 2005
Birthplace: Netherlands
Resided In: Chico, California
NELLIE SHIELDS
Nellie Shields, loving wife, mother, sister, and friend, died Wed. January 12, 2005, at the age of 81 of cancer. She would have celebrated her 82nd birthday in two weeks.
Nellie was born and raised in Rotterdam, Holland, the eldest of six children. Nellie met her husband, Cliff, during the war. She came over to America, by herself, at the age of 23, speaking only Dutch at the time. She taught herself English, by watching movies at the local theater where she lived. They lived in Utah, where she was a cook for many years. Nellie did not return to see her family in Holland for about 11 years. She made the 2-½ week journey, by boat, with her 2-½ year old daughter, Patty. She was pregnant, with Cindy at the time. Over the next several years, she revisited Holland about three times. Her husband, Cliff, accompanied her on one of the trips in the early 1970’s. Leaving her family in Holland had always been a very difficult and sad thing for Nellie.
In the early 1950’s, they moved to southern California, and then to Chico in 1956, when Cliff’s job, as an ironworker, brought him here to work on the old Missile Base north of town. . She had two daughters, Patty and Cindy. Nellie was a very hard worker all of her life. Together, with her husband, Cliff, they started up and operated DuraClean Rug and Upholstery Cleaning for many years, until Cliff retired. This was very back-breaking work, because it was all done by hand, due to the fact that steam cleaners had not been introduced yet. Nellie then worked for Tenneco Nut Company, for many years, until she retired, after the plant closure, sometime in the 80’s. Years ago, Nellie and Cliff used to love to go out dancing with their friends at the Sundown Club in Chico. Nellie also bowled on a few bowling leagues, down at Orchard Lanes, until she developed back problems. She also used to knit and crochet a lot, and she really enjoyed their occasional trips to Reno. She loved playing those slot machines. She was an immaculate housekeeper and always did all of her own painting and yard work. Although she didn’t have many hobbies as she got older, you could always find her out working in her yard. Even after she got sick, on her good days, she would go out and rake and tend to her plants. She always had a green thumb, and would often rescue Patty and Cindy’s plants that were dying. Nellie never learned to drive, so she walked everywhere, which probably contributed to her longevity. Up until it started raining, she was still walking over to the Beauty College to get her hair done once a week, and over to Spike’s to buy her cigarettes.
She always enjoyed going out to lunch with friends and family, and she especially looked forward to going out for Sunday lunch, (at Cozy Diner, Happy Garden, Country Waffle, or Denny’s) with her loving daughters Patty and Cindy, and her Saturday shopping excursion with the girls.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cliff, her parents, Mary and Frederick, her step-father Kaas, her brother, John, two sisters, Rick and Riet, and her son-in-law, Clark McGarr.
Nellie is survived by her loving family, Daughter and Son-in-law, Patty and Rusty Cooper, Daughter, Cindy McGarr, grandchildren, Michael and Tiffany Cooper, Stacey and Doug Ferriera, Patrick and Matthew McGarr, Great-grandchildren, Stephanie Ferriera, and Allison and Sydney Cooper, her Brother, Adrie, Sister, Anne, a niece and several nephews in Holland, and many many dear friends both in United States and Holland.
Nellie was so very proud of her family and she will be dearly missed by all of us. P.S. Mom, thanks for being such a wonderful Mom to us. We will love you always!
Memorial Services will be held at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home, 680 Camellia Way, Chico, Ca 95926, on Friday, January 21, 2005 at Noon. There will be a private family service for the inurnment of her ashes. In Lieu of flowers Memorial Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home.
Gary Jason Dorenzo
August 04, 1941 - January 14, 2005
Birthplace: Oakland, California
Resided In: Chico, California
At the age of 63, Gary Jason Dorenzo, passed away on January 14, 2005 at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco after a sudden battle with cancer.
Gary lived in Chico with his wife, Terry, where they shared five short, yet fulfilling years of love and growth together. Gary was born on August 4, 1941 in Oakland, CA, the first son of Tony and Lucille Dorenzo. He attended Bay Area schools in Oakland and Pleasant Hill. After he graduated from High School in Pleasant Hill in 1959, he enlisted into the Army and was stationed in Fort Ord and Germany until 1962 where he worked on the Redstone Missile Effort during the Berlin Crisis. After the Army, he worked at Lockheed in the Bay Area as an electrical engineer. He also received a degree in Psychology from San Jose State University in 1978 and later certified as a drug and alcohol counselor. From 1986-1996, he was employed through Sterling Health Care Corporation as director of chemical dependency and adolescent/child services. His job transferred him to numerous areas throughout the US where he setup programs and services for the corporation. He transitioned from the medical field into the computer industry within the corporation. In 1997, he moved to Chico and opened his own computer services business, The Final Outpost.
Gary loved to ride motorcycles and to be out in nature. Music always played a very large role in his life—he often sang and played the guitar and harmonica for his family and friends. Pets were always in his life. Throughout the years, he had many dogs, cats and even a parrot that he enjoyed with his family.
Gary is survived by his wife Terry; his mother Lucille Baehr and stepfather Jim Baehr of Paradise; his children, daughters Cindy Dorenzo of Kings Beach, Lanay LaFerriere and husband Bryant of Tahoe City; sons Gavin and Beau Dorenzo of Chico; sister Tonette and husband Billy Formico of Reno, NV; brothers and sisters-in-law Dennis Dorenzo and wife Lynn and Richard Dorenzo and wife Carolyn of Chico; two grandchildren, Alissa and Derek LaFerriere and many nieces and nephews; Gary was preceded in death by his father Tony Dorenzo.
A memorial service will be held at Newton-Bracewell Funeral Home on Saturday, January 22, at 1:00pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Butte County Humane Society or the American Cancer Society in care of Newton-Bracewell Funeral Home.
