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Juanita (Campos) Martinez of Winters passed away on Jan. 30, 2012. Born on Jan. 14, 1927, she was 85. Visitation is on Monday, Feb. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. at St. Anthony Catholic Church, and the Rosary from 6 to 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at St. Anthony Catholic Church at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at the Winters Cemetery.
John “Jack” Lewis Atherton passed away Jan. 29, 2012, after a brief illness and with family at his side. Born in Burma in 1923, he lived in England and Borneo before bringing his wife and children to Winters in 1959. He served the community for decades as a teacher, principal and, in the 1970s, as mayor.
He was June’s devoted husband of 66 years; Daddy to Hilary, Beverley, Richard and Rosalynd; Granddad to Natasha, John, Jamie (Richard), Lauren and Bridgette; Jack to Dale, Stephanie and Sean; and a true gentleman to all. He will be dearly missed.
At Jack’s request, no services will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
Kenneth Donaldson Jr. passed away at home on Jan. 24, 2012, after a long battle with cancer. He was 73. Born on Sept. 21, 1938, in Fairfield, he lived in Winters his entire life.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Bessie Donaldson; his brother, Paul Donaldson; his daughter, Kim Nevarez; and his grandson, Rudy Nevarez.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Betty Donaldson; his children, Sherry and Ken Haleen, Todd and Sandy Donaldson, Gina and Lorin Warren, Dave Lucero, Frank and Rosie Lucero, John Lucero and Eric and Laura Lucero; his sister, Donna and Ted Wieker; and his brother, Don and Susie Donaldson. He had 21 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Donaldson loved to go camping with his family, riding motorcycles in the mountains with his brothers and boys, then dune buggy rides, which were his grandchildren’s favorite things to do. He loved being at the ocean, flying kites, playing horseshoes and sitting around the campfire. He was always the last one in at night. He also worked with wood, making furniture, refinishing things and making decorations for the yard. He was an avid 49er fan and never missed a game.
Gravesite services were held at the Winters Cemetery
at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30.
Henry Dale Swink passed away peacefully at his home in Winters on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Swink was born Nov. 8, 1944, in Rector, Ark., to Mae and Delbert Swink. He was 6 years old when he moved with his family to California where he was raised in Winters.
He served in the U.S. Army as a medical corpsman with Co. C 28th Infantry from 1967-69. Swink was honorably discharged after receiving injuries while assisting wounded soldiers. Swink continued to assist hurt soldiers even after being seriously injured himself. He was awarded the Purple Heart, The Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Combat Medal and The Combat Medical Badge.
Swink enjoyed being with family and friends. He loved to stroll along the creek with his dogs, browse antique stores and listen to people talk about the history of Winters. He was an avid reader, a vinyl record collector and enjoyed listening to music. His favorite time of year was when it rained.
Swink is survived by his sisters, Alma Jones and Bonita (Glen) Gay; brothers, Dewayne (Carla) Swink, Lynn (Josie) Swink and Mark Swink; sister-in-law, Barbara Swink; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; as well as dear friends, Tom and Joan Keck.
Swink was preceded in death by his parents, Mae and Delbert Swink, and brothers, Laverll and Randall Swink.
Swink’s brothers and sisters invite family and friends to a celebration of life in his honor at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Fourth and Edwards streets, Winters.
The family asks that gifts in his memory be given to Yolo Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis, CA 95617, or online at www.yolohospice.org.
Vera Smith Arthur, known for her sweet smile and gentle disposition, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Jan. 8, 2012. Her loving family was at her bedside in Vacaville, when she was released from her struggle after a brief illness. She was 74.
Her career centered in public safety services. After graduating from Woodland High School in 1955, she worked at the Yolo County Health Department. She then became a dispatcher for the California Highway Patrol in Vallejo, where she met and married her husband, Billy Wayne Arthur.
They settled in Alta Loma and Vera began a long career in administrative services with Foothill Fire District in 1975. The district became Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department and Vera began a new career as a fire inspector and investigator. She retired in 1991.
She was a member of the San Bernardino County Fire-Arson Investigators Association, California Conference of Arson Investigators, California State Firefighters Association, International Association of Firefighters and Soroptimist International. She served as an officer in some of these organizations.
Following the death of her husband, Bill, a lieutenant with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, she moved back to Woodland and subsequently built a home of her own design in Winters.
Retirement allowed her to indulge her love of traveling as often as possible, taking many cruises and road trips with her sisters. She generously gave of her spare time making quilts, and was always willing to donate them for a charitable cause, such as Project Linus, muscular dystrophy and breast cancer research fundraisers. She donated quilts to the Winters Healthcare Foundation and to chemotherapy patients at the Woodland Clinic. She also custom-designed and made quilts for some of her fellow fire department retirees. They are treasured mementos of her friendship.
She is survived by daughters Sharon Greene of Utah and Terry Adams of San Diego; sisters, Melora Speer of Woodland and Edna Westerbeck of Fresno; brother John Smith of Garden Grove; two grandsons, three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren. Her husband and parents, Edward and Melba Smith, preceded her in death.
She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Vacaville. Her church community and family will carry treasured memories in their hearts always and receive comfort and peace knowing she rests in the arms of her Heavenly Father.
Rogelio Echeverria, 45, of Dixon, passed away Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, at Woodland Memorial Hospital. He was an area resident for 20 years.
He was born Feb. 22, 1966, in Mexico to Rosa Ramirez and Rafael Echeverria. He was born with cerebral palsy but was still able to show his love and affection for his family.
He is survived by his parents, Rafael and Rosa; siblings Rafael R. (Maria) Echeverria of Winters, Jose Luis (Cristina) Echeverria of Winters, Lorena (Norberto) Echeverria of Natomas and Paty (Enrique) Jiminez of Winters; and several nieces, nephews and extended family.
A time of visitation was held on Thursday, Jan. 19, with a Rosary being recited at St. Anthony Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial took place on Friday, Jan. 20, also at St. Anthony Catholic Church.
Nola Pittman of Colusa died Monday, March 6, 2006.
Born in Woodland on October 12, 1932 to Omar and Eliza Dickson, she lived in Woodland for 30 years before moving to Winters and living there for 30 years, and then to Colusa in 2001. She was a bookkeeper for 10 years and before that she managed the Plainfield Station Restaurant. She was a member of the Lighthouse Christian Church in Winters until moving to Colusa where she attended Charity Baptist Church.
Nola enjoyed crafts, ceramics, crossword puzzles and helping her grandchildren with homework. She was a member of one of the first pioneer families in Yolo County, the John Stoddard family. They settled on Road 27 in Woodland after coming to the United States from Scotland.
Nola is survived by one daughter: Bobbie McMahon of Colusa and husband Steve; and sons Gerald Dinsdale and wife Wendy of Dixon, Michael Pittman and wife Marla of Winters, Steve Pittman and wife Flo of Williams, Alan Pittman and wife Bobbie of Knights Landing.
Her grandchildren are Shawn Humphrey and husband Devin of Williams, Erin McMahon, Steven McMahon and Ryan McMahon of Colusa, Dustin Pittman and Brooke Pittman of Winters, Shyla Trojanowski and husband Jason of Winters, Jennifer Pittman Kayla Pittman, and Megan Pittman of Williams, Aaron Dinsdale, Myra Dinsdale and Owen Dinsdale of Dixon, Jessica Morse and boyfriend Kevin Foster of Woodland, and Jamie Nesbitt, John Nesbitt and Robert Nesbitt of Knights Landing. She is also survived by great grandchildren Alyxandra and Alexis McMahon of Colusa, Payton and Landon Humphrey of Williams, Derrick and Logan Pittman of Winters, Ian and Aislyn Trojanowski of Winters, and Elora Foster of Knights Landing.
She was preceded in death by son Richard Dinsdale, brother Leon Jones and Dick Dickson, and sisters Jacquilin Hallet, Theresa Hill and Leona Frei.
Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 at the Charity Baptist Church, 2150 Wescott Road in Colusa.
Memorial contributions may be made in Nola’s behalf to the Colusa Regional Medical Center, 199 East Webster Street, Colusa, CA, 95932.
Lela Orilla Werner, a Winters resident for four years, passed away after a long illness in her home on February 22, 2006 at 96 years of age.
Mrs. Werner was born in Cash, Oklahoma on December 22, 1909. She was a resident of Richmond from 1955 to 2002.
Mrs. Werner was a homemaker and was also an excellent seamstress and custom drapery maker.
She is survived by her daughters Sherry Stroup of Winters, Carolyn Stifel-Machettie of Ione and Jacqueline Juntz of Hayward, sister Elsie Siebel of Loomis, brother Orest Merry of Lodi, nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Werner were held on March 1 at 11 a.m. in Memorial Park in Richmond. Pastor Tim Hohm with the Central Assembly in El Sobrante officiated.
Roy Yukichi Hiramatsu died at his home in Winters, on Feb. 17, 2006. He was 88 years old.
Mr. Hiramatsu was born in Winters on April 25, 1917, to Sukeichiro and Sei Hiramatsu. He lived nearly all his life on the family farm located in the Wolfskill district. He graduated from Winters High School in 1936, where he earned the honor of valedictorian, and, as a member of the tennis team, won the Northern California Mixed Doubles Championship.
In 1941, Mr. Hiramatsu entered the United States Army. He was stationed at Camp Shelby in Mississippi, where he served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team as a supply sergeant and as an instructor. He was later transferred to Camp Savage in Minnesota, where he attended Military Intelligence Language School. From there he was sent to the China-Burma-India Theater, where he led an intelligence unit that translated Japanese communications and interrogated Japanese prisoners. For providing vital intelligence information, Mr. Hiramatsu received several commendations and was awarded a field commission of Second Lieutenant. He was a life member of the VFW Nisei Post #8985.
Mr. Hiramatsu married his childhood sweetheart, Helen Hatsumi Nishikawa, on Aug. 31, 1943 in Syracuse, Kansas. After the war, they returned to Winters to farm and to raise a family. Mr. Hiramatsu was a devoted and caring husband and father, and he took great pride and joy in his family. He was also a meticulous farmer and was known for his expert grafting and well-tended orchard. He was a member of Blue Diamond Almond Growers, the Japanese American Citizens League, the Wakayama Kenjin Kai, and the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. In his free time, he greatly enjoyed visiting with family and friends, tinkering with his farm equipment, fishing, traveling and raising birds.
Mr. Hiramatsu is survived by his wife of 63 years, Helen; his son Dennis, and wife Julie; his daughter Julie; his daughter-in-law, Virginia, and granddaughter, Suzanne; and many loving family members. He was preceded in death by his parents; his older brother Jack, and his oldest son, Ronald.
A public memorial service for Mr. Hiramatsu will be held on Monday, Feb. 27, at noon, at the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, 2401 Riverside Boulevard, Sacramento. Friends and family are warmly invited to come together to honor and celebrate his life.
In lieu of flowers and gifts, a donation to the National Parkinson Foundation or Yolo Hospice in Mr. Hiramatsu’s memory would be most appreciated.
