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Ernest Julius Leebeck
January 22, 1926 - May 11, 2006
Birthplace: Turlock, California
Resided In: Chico, California
Memorial services will be held for Ernest Julius Leebeck, 80, of Chico 1p.m. Monday May 15th at the Chico Evangelical Free Church. A graveside service will precede the church memorial 11:30a.m. at Glen Oaks Memorial Park. He died Thursday May 11, 2006 at a local convalescent hospital.
Ernie was born January 22, 1926 in Turlock, CA to Ernst and Helen Leebeck. In 1944 he graduated from Turlock High School. Following high school he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and later attended Modesto Community College. On September 9, 1950 he married Betty Bergman in Berkeley, and the couple lived in El Cerrito where Ernie began a 38-year career with Pacific Telephone. In 1964 the family settled in Chico, and in 1986 Ernie retired from the phone company. Following his retirement he worked part-time transporting recreational vehicles for Jackson R.V.’s. His travels took him throughout the country including 21 trips to Alaska. Ernie enjoyed singing in the church choir and gardening.
Survivors include his wife, Betty; a son, Stanley and his wife, Jane of Lincoln; 3 daughters, Darlene Boyd of Sacramento; Diane San Filippo and her husband Mario of Olympia, WA, Cynthia Tedder and her husband Danny of Battleground, WA; 3 sisters, Florence Finney of Modesto, Betty Letterman and her husband Bill of La Mesa, CA, Greta Cushman and her husband, Lyle of San Mateo; 9 grandchildren, Justin Helbig and his wife, Leslie, Chris Leebeck and his wife Nikki, Brent, Brandon and Brian Boyd, Luke, Amy, Andrew and Mark Tedder; 3 great grandchildren, Justin, Megan and Arthur Helbig; a sister-in-law, Rose Lofgren and her husband Norman of Chico.
Visitation will be 4 to 6p.m. on Sunday at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Evangelical Free Church Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.
Mary Margaret Vazquez
December 08, 1939 - May 11, 2006
Birthplace: Marionville, Missouri
Resided In: Chico, California
Funeral services will be held for Mary Margaret Vazquez, 66, of Chico and formerly of Colusa 11:00a.m. Tuesday May 16th at the Chico First Assembly of God Church. She went to be with the Lord on Thursday May 11, 2006 in Chico.
Mary was born December 8, 1939 in Marionville, Missouri to John and Ruby Glidewell. On December 9, 1955 she married Tony Vazquez and that same year the couple settled in Colusa. Mary was a bilingual instructional aide in Colusa and Butte County. She enjoyed her grandchildren, church activities, concerts, card games and handcrafts.
Survivors include her husband, Tony; a daughter, Angie; 2 sons, David and Marty; 2 brothers, Randy and Sam Glidewell; 2 sisters, Doris Shreve and Glinnis Lee and 3 grandchildren, Cassie, Marty Jr. and Cody.
Visitation will be 7 to 9p.m. Monday at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home. Burial will take place next to her son, John, at Colusa Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Assembly of God Church Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.
Miles Benjamin Knouse
August 29, 1982 - December 09, 2006
Birthplace: Chico, California
Resided In: Chico, California
Miles Benjamin Knouse, 24, died Saturday Dec. 9, 2006 at his home. Being a Chico resident all of his life, he gained a love for motorcycling, baseball and held a loving pride for his Bears football team. He was extremely close with his family and valued the many special friendships he maintained over the years. Whenever the opportunity arose to visit the ocean, his feet would seep into the sand and he would enjoy the smell of the ocean breeze.
Miles is survived by his mother Debbie Knouse, father Mike Knouse, sister Jennifer Knouse, Jimmy Ingersoll, Granny Bib and Papa Gene Girard, Aunt and Uncle Tami and Steve Dietz, cousins Ryan and Tyler Dietz and many loving friends.
There will be a viewing Thursday Dec 14 from 7-9pm and services Friday Dec 15 at 12:30 at Newton Bracewell. In lieu of flowers, denotations may be made to the Miles Knouse Memorial Fund in care of Newton Bracewell Chico Funeral Home.
Nancy West Miller
October 26, 1920 - December 11, 2006
Birthplace: Tucson, Arizona
Resided In: Chico, California
Nancy West Miller, born October 26, 1920 in Tucson, Arizona to Emma and Leroy Barker, passed away December 11, 2006. Nancy moved to California with her parents and sister, Betty, at an early age. Her mother died when she was ten, and she and Betty went to live with her aunt and uncle, Josephine and D.A. Blackburn.
Nancy graduated from Muir Tech High School in Pasadena in 1938 and attended Pasadena Jr. College for one year. It was during this time that Nancy developed a love of dance, and started studying ballet.
On June 30, 1939 she married Ray Fell Miller. They soon moved to Paradise, CA, then to San Francisco where she danced with the San Francisco Opera Ballet Company. She attended San Francisco City College until Ray was drafted into the Marine Corp. While he was serving overseas, Nancy moved back to Paradise, and then to Chico to live with her sister Betty, and give birth to son, Daniel.
Upon Ray’s return, they built their first home in Paradise, where daughter, Julie was born, and Nancy taught ballet. Over the next 14 years, they moved to Quincy, Chico, Willows, and then Lake Almanor. In 1989, they moved back to Paradise and later to Chico. Nancy was always active in church wherever she lived, teaching Sunday school, and singing in the choir.
She joined Chapter KT of the P.E.O. Sisterhood in Paradise (of which she is a 60 year member), and helped form the Meet and Eat Society. She taught Textile painting in Chico, and worked for the County Treasurer in Willows. She worked for Bank of America in Chester and taught knitting classes. For 15 years, she thoroughly enjoyed being a first grade teacher’s aide at Chester Elementary.
In 1971, Nancy and Ray took their first of three trips to Europe. They loved to travel and greatly enjoyed trips to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, Hong Kong, China and all over the United States. Each year Nancy eagerly signed up for several Elder Hostel classes around the U.S. In 1976, she began to study art and continued to paint and sell her watercolors for the rest of her life. She played the piano, spent many happy hours with Ray on the golf course, played bridge, quilted, made her own cards, and loved to garden and entertain.
Nancy was preceded in death by husband, Ray, in 2005. She is survived by children: Dan Miller and wife, Priscilla of Washington; Julie Phillips, and husband, Justin, of Chico, and by sister, Betty Murry of Wisconsin; grandchildren: Jim Miller, and Jessica Rady, and husband, Chris Rady; great grandchildren: Hope and Aidan Rady, and cat, Agate, all of Washington; sister-in-law, Eva Miller; brother-in-law, Marvin Sampson, and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Nancy’s life will be held at 2pm on Thursday, December 28th, at the Congregational Church on East 1st Ave. in Chico. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nancy’s name in care of Newton-Bracewell Funeral Home to the ALS Association, or Butte Home Health & Hospice.
Dorothy Mae Stevens Wilson
August 27, 1922 - December 11, 2006
Birthplace: Driad, Washington
Resided In: Chico, California
Dorothy Mae Stevens Wilson, Professor Emerita, passed away on December 11, 2006 at her home in Chico, Ca. She was a passionate advocate of education through the arts for children. She believed that “children are unique individuals with wisdom and a purpose deep within that need to be nurtured, nourished and encouraged to emerge into the light.”
She was born to Herbert D. and Nellie E. Stevens on August 27, 1922 in Driad, WA. She received her doctorate in Music Education and Educational Psychology at the University of Oregon. On the faculty at CSU, Chico from 1965 to 1993, she taught courses in elementary music education, sharing her conviction that the arts play a critical role in the complete growth and development of the child.
Dr. Wilson founded the International Institute for Education Through the Arts (IIETA), offering workshops on improving the quality of education through the arts. For 12 years she directed the IIETA Family Nature and Arts Camp at her mountain retreat grounds in Berry Creek, CA. This camp served as a lab for research in a philosophical system that promotes an understanding of how a child’s ‘way of being’ influences how he or she learns.
She presented numerous clinics, workshops and conferences at local and international levels. She authored two books advocating the importance of an educational system that acknowledges the uniqueness of each child.
Dorothy loved to travel and meet people from all cultures. Her travels took her to all continents including Antarctica. She shared her joyful spirit with her P.E.O. sisters for 52 years.
She was an active member of St. John’s The Evangelist Episcopal Church and founded its Children’s Ministry. She developed the church school curriculum and actively promoted children’s Christian education and spiritual growth. She donated her Berry Creek property for an Episcopal Retreat Center. Her love of God and her relationship with Him led her throughout her life.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen Brace and son-in-law, Steven Brace of Wilsonville, Oregon, and a sister-in-law, Virginia Stevens of Redding, CA, and 3 grandchildren and 8 great grand children. She was preceded in death by her sister, Charlotte Withrow, her brother, Ronald Stevens and daughter, Lynnetta Weston.
A memorial service for Dorothy will be held at St. John The Evangelist Episcopal Church at 2341 Floral Avenue, Chico, at 2PM on Saturday, December 16, 2006.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dorothy M. Wilson Music Education Scholarship Fund, in care of Newton Bracewell Funeral Home, 680 Camellia Way.
David Hudec
July 10, 1947 - December 11, 2006
Birthplace: Wakefield, Michigan
Resided In: Oroville, California
Dr. David P. Hudec, 59, of Oroville, Calif. passed away at a Chico hospital on December 11, 2006. He was born in Wakefield, Michigan on July 10, 1947 to Dr. Donald and Mrs. Patricia Hudec. After 25 years as a self employed Chiropractor in the Sacramento area, David retired to Oroville.
His desire and dedication to improve his patient’s lives was a reflection on his character. He was a loving and caring father and friend and, among many talents, impacted people through his glasswork. David is survived by his mother, sister, Carrie Linville, and daughter, Sara Reding.
Paul Houston Taylor
February 20, 1945 - December 14, 2006
Birthplace: Riverside, California
Resided In: Redding, California
A beloved father and a daughter’s best friend.
Paul Taylor, age 61, of Redding and Bangor Ca passed away December 14, 2006 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. He was born on February 20, 1945 in Riverside Ca.
Survivors include: his daughters, Brandi of Redding and Lori of Oroville; his grandchildren, Christina, Hailey, Josh, Lacie, Kylie and Danielle; a sister, Billy Dunn; brothers, Wayne and Sonny Taylor; and longtime companion, Shirley. Services will be held at the Bangor Community Church January 6th, 2007 at 12:00.
