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Evon Jonas
A celebration of the life of Evon Jonas, member of a pioneer family and longtime resident of Sloughhouse, will take place Saturday, Dec. 9. Mr. Jonas, 84, died Dec. 3, 2006.
He was the grandson of Bernard Jonas and George Spahn who settled here at the turn of the century. The family also owned livestock ranches in Nebraska, and Mr. Jonas was born Oct. 16, 1922 on the Clarkson, Nebraska ranch to Evon and Clara Jonas.
He grew up in the Sacramento area, hunting and fishing along the rivers. As a little boy, he rode with his father in the second car to cross the H Street bridge following Gov. Rolph. When the county assessor came to the Jonas house asking about the naming of streets, Mr. Jonas placed the sign to name Jonas Avenue.
His father died when he was 11, and he learned the cattle business from his uncle Jim Cavitt, spending much time at the Cavitt Sierra Valley ranch.
Mr. Jonas graduated from Grant High School in 1940 and went to work as a machinist for the government at McClellan Air Force Base making airplane wings and other parts. When the United States entered World War II, he was sent to Alaska to work on top-secret government projects founding air force bases and working on the famous Flying Tiger airplanes.
After the war he continued his career in the aircraft industry until his retirement, including work with B52 bombers and other military aircraft, and crash site investigations.
As a young man, Mr. Jonas founded the Triangle J Ranch and moved his headquarters to Sloughhouse in 1957 where he raised Angus-Hereford-Shorthorn beef cattle. He wasa cattleman for more than 65 years.
In 1955 he obtained a U.S. government Forest Service permit to run cattle in the Tahoe National Forest on a 20x30-mile stretch of forestland bordering the Flight Strip Resort to French Meadows Lake.
“(Dad) was happiest spending summers with his cattle in the mountains where he loved to ride the range on a good quarter horse and stop at any of the many streams to fish for wild trout,” said his daughter. “He carried a trout hook in his cowboy hat. (Dad) was known as a great storyteller and he will be truly missed by everyone who cared for and loved him.”
Mr. Jonas was preceded in death by his sister Eleanor Phoebe Sills.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia Jonas of Sloughhouse; children Evan Jonas and Julia Jonas both of Sacramento and Christopher Jonas of Sloughhouse; and grandchildren Jonathan and Samantha Jonas and Patrick Risley.
Mr. Jonas was the brother of Opal Gunter and June Linn both of Sacramento, and nephew of Eleanor Cavitt of Folsom. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins, including first cousin and fishing buddy Victor Spahn.
Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 8 from noon to 7 p.m. at W.F. Gormley & Sons, 2015 Capitol Ave. Saturday’s celebration will begin at 11 a.m. at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church, 14673 Cantova Way, Rancho Murieta, followed by a luncheon reception at noon in the church hall.
Remembrances may be made to the Sacramento Food Bank in care of Father Dan Madigan.
Russell Smith
Graveside services will take place Friday, Dec. 8 for Russell Earle Smith of Elk Grove who died Dec. 3, 2006 at the age of 68. He was born April 5, 1938.
Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jenny; daughters Deborah Cooper and Tracee Lowery and husband Darrin; and grandchildren Jennifer, Nichole, Dallas, Darrin Jr. and Natalie.
Friday’s services begin at 1 p.m. at South East Lawn Mortuary, 9189 East Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove. A reception will follow at 11215 Sharmont Court, Wilton.
Mary Jo Ward
Memorial services for Mary Jo Ward, a longtime resident of Elk Grove, will take place today (Friday). Miss Ward died Feb. 15, 2007 at the age of 42.
She came to Elk Grove as an infant and grew up here, attending Elk Grove schools and graduating from Valley High School in 1983. Residents remember the cheerful girl riding around town on her bicycle.
Miss Ward was a lifelong client of Alta California Regional Center, and, said her family, brought joy into the lives of all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Lawrence and Brownie Perry and Harvey and Mary Ward; and uncles Bill Spears, Kenneth Abston, Vernon Ward and James Ward.
She is survived by her parents, Dave and Betty Jo Ward of Elk Grove; sister Leanne Ward and friend Rene Gottwig of Wilton; aunts Dorothy Abston, Norma Spears Rowe and Doris Ward; cousins Rick, Wayne, Ronald, Sharon, Delynn, Richard, Diane, Donna, Richard and Nathan; and caregivers Robin, Kim, Debra, Jerry, Charlene, Tara, Linda and Minnie.
Today’s services begin at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 8701 Elk Grove-Florin Road. Remembrances may be made to the Alta California Regional Center, Consumer Assistance Fund (Dementia), 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Vicki McDermott
Vicki Jan Kockinis McDermott of Elk Grove died unexpectedly Feb. 8, 2007 at Stanford Medical Center from complications of a bone marrow transplant she received for treatment of multiple myeloma. She was 53.
Mrs. McDermott’s interests included the outdoors, camping and fishing, gardening and Saturday morning yard sales. She also traveled, and visited Greece, Italy, Washington, D.C. and the East Coast in 2005. At the time of her death she, her mother and siblings were planning a seven-country tour of Europe.
She was preceded in death by her father, Nick Kockinis.
Mrs. McDermott is survived by her husband, Mark McDermott of Elk Grove; children Chanel Rowe and Heather McDermott also of Elk Grove and Devin McDermott of Sacramento; and grandson, Nicholas Rowe.
She was the daughter of Ethel Kockinis of Elk Grove, and sister of Eric Kockinis of Wilton and Denise Budmark of Elk Grove.
Services took place Feb. 12. Remembrances may be made to The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Ave., 5th Floor, Norwalk, CT 06850.
Ruth Hallam
Ruth D. Hallam, a resident of the Sacramento area for 42 years, died Feb. 17, 2007 at the age of 90.
She was a native of Tuscumbia, Mo., and a member of Faith Bible Church of Sacramento where her husband, Fred L. Hallam was the pastor for many years. He preceded her in death as did her son, Fred Hallam.
Mrs. Hallam is survived by her son, Charles Hallam and wife Louise of Texas; and grandchildren Bill Hallam and wife Sarah of Rancho Murieta, Heidi Quilling and husband Todd of Elk Grove, Charlotte Hallam of Richmond, Dallas Hallam and wife Marylee of Florida, Cindy Hallam of Santa Cruz and James Hallam and wife Christina of San Jose.
She was the great-grandmother of nine and great-great-grandmother of one.
Private family graveside services are under the direction of South East Lawn Mortuary with burial in South East Lawn Cemetery, Elk Grove. Remembrances may be made to J. Vernon McGee’s “Walk Through the Bible Ministries.”
Esther Northrup
Graveside services will be Tuesday, May 22 for Esther J. Northrup, a longtime resident of the Elk Grove-Sheldon area who died May 12, 2007, one day before her 78th birthday.
Mrs. Northrup was very active in the community, serving as PTA president at Pleasant Grove-Reese Elementary School during the 50's, leader of Sheldon 4-H Club in the 60's, teaching Bible study at Wilton Bible Church and working for the Western Festival and Project R.I.D.E.
Perhaps her favorite organization, said her family, was the Elk Grove Grange where she held several offices including lecturer and chaplain. She was instrumental in working with the Grange youth farm animal program and volunteered her ranch where city kids could keep their animals. She was also the coordinator of the monthly bus trips to South Lake Tahoe and later other area casinos for the Grange, Native Daughters of the Golden West and residents of The Oaks Mobile Home Park.
Mrs. Northrup was born May 13, 1929 in Santa Cruz and came to Sacramento when she was 12. She married Kenneth Northrup in 1947 and shortly after they moved to Sheldon where they operated a dairy, only the first of a variety of businesses including a roofing company and a wood business.
Through Glowing Oak Co., they sold boxes of wood through grocery stores such as Mar-Val. They also owned a tree service and planted many trees in the area including the eucalyptus trees along Highway 99 between Elk Grove Boulevard and Grant Line Road.
At one point during the 1960s they purchased five hop trucks for their children and others to drive in Sloughhouse, giving them the opportunity to earn some money.
Mrs. Northrup also worked in real estate for Blum Realty and later managed the storage unit at the corner of Elk Grove-Florin and Sheldon roads.
Other jobs were as custodian for the Elk Grove Unified School District, and picking tomatoes for the Ito farms.
Mrs. Northrup received her high school degree in the 40s through the Adult Education Program at Elk Grove Senior High School. She was a clerk and then judge for elections for many years in Sacramento County.
She was also proficient in ceramics, winning awards including Best of Show at the Western Festival and at the State Grange level. For several years she was involved with a CB club with the handle of "For Pete's Sake."
Mrs. Northrup was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years in 1990.
She is survived by her children, Kendra Blackwell and husband Roger, Margi Porteous and husband Steve, Gary Northrup and wife Diana and Laura Northrup and husband Mike; 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Visitation is Sunday, May 20 from noon to 4 p.m. and Monday, May 21 from noon to 8 p.m. in East Lawn Elk Grove Mortuary, 9189 East Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove. Tuesday's services begin at 11 a.m. in East Lawn Elk Grove Memorial Park, same address.
Remembrances may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Sgt. Thomas Slabaugh
Sgt. Thomas E. Slabaugh, a resident of the Sacramento area for 65 years, died May 11, 2007 at the age of 77.
Sgt. Slabaugh was born in Ann Arbor, Mich. and served in the U.S. Army in all of the five major campaigns during the Korean War. He retired from the Sacramento Sheriff's Department after 35 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his wife Colleen Slabaugh who passed away in 2001, and brother Frank Slabaugh.
Sgt. Slabaugh is survived by his companion Joyce Pilgrim of Sacramento; children Norene Rouse and husband Dennis Diede of Elk Grove, Richard Slabaugh of Sacramento, Thomas Slabaugh II and wife Karen of Washington, and Robert Slabaugh and wife Joan of Elk Grove; grandchildren Harrison, Melissa, Shannon, Thomas III and Catherine Slabaugh.
He was the brother of William Slabaugh of Texas and Linda Slabaugh of of Sacramento; and brother-in-law of Betty Slabaugh of Texas and Ann Slabaugh of Elk Grove.
Cremation was private. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Remembrances may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements were by East Lawn Elk Grove Mortuary.
