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Jacqueline M. Rich
Jacqueline M. Rich passed away May 24 at the Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa. She was born May 26, 1924 in Olathe, Kansas but was raised in Elkhart, Indiana. On April 7, 1945 she married Paul H. Rich who was stationed at Camp Howze, Texas. She worked at the St. Helena branch of Wells Fargo Bank from 1965 until 1980.
Survivors are her husband, Paul H. Rich; her son, Michael J. Rich; daughter-in-law, Yvonne S. Rich; granddaughter, Talia Y. Rich & husband, Evan Payne; and three great-grandchildren, Emma, Madison and Trevor Payne. Internment and graveside service will be at the St. Helena Cemetery
at a later date.
Dave Martinelli
David Eugene Martinelli, born April 2, 1934, passed away May 24, 2003, after a long illness. He grew up in St. Helena and attended local schools graduating from St. Helena High School in 1953. He resided in Lake Berryessa, with his wife Patty Martinelli for several years and most recently in Lake County.
Dave owned and operated St. Helena Tire Service and Dave’s Tire Service for many years. He was very active in the local Lyon’s Club and served as President as well as Zone Chairman. He was a Sergeant in the St. Helena Police Reserves, and a member of the Volunteer Fire Department.
Dave owned and sponsored Sprint Cars in the N.A.R.C. Races for many years, and loved to fish and water ski. He and his wife enjoyed traveling in their RV throughout the country.
He is survived by his wife Patty Martinelli of Lake County; his son, John Martinelli of Lake County; and his daughter, Marci Sculatti of St. Helena. He was a loving brother to his sisters, Pat Cary of Aptos, Rose Cozad and Catherine Reichstein, both of Napa. He is also survived by his stepsons, Clifford, Steven, Craig and James; his grandchildren, Jennifer, Angie, Jessica and Morgan; as well as numerous nephews and nieces, and a wide community of loving friends.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 11:00 a.m. at Mr. & Mrs. Sculatti’s home, 1668 Main Street, St. Helena. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, and will always be remembered.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society, 1031 Jefferson, Napa, CA 94558.
Ruth C. Faber
A family gathering will be held Sat. June 1, at 11 a.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church in Paddock Lake, Wisc., for Ruth Catherine Faber, who died May 21, at her daughter's Calistoga home, where Mrs.Faber had lived since last year. She was 84.
Mrs. Faber was born Feb. 2, 1918, to John and Catherine (Meixner) Guderyahn in Chicago, Ill.
She married Jacob Faber in 1955. At the time of his death in Wisconsin in 1994, they had been married for 39 years.
Mrs. Faber worked for 10 years as a secretary at the Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America’s Harmony Hall, Kenosha, Wisc.; then retired after working 15 years for the Salvation Army’s "Camp Wonderland."
Before coming to Calistoga, she had lived in Silver Lake, Wisc., for 40 years.
Mrs. Faber was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church in Paddock Lake, Wisc. and of the Rebecca Circle of her church.
She is survived by two daughters, Mary Catherine (Kay) Heffernan of Surprise, Ariz., and Rita Tucker of Calistoga; two stepdaughters, Janet Behling of Antioch, Ill., and Betty Avery of Salem Wisc.; two sisters, Betty Nebeck of Mesa, Ariz., and Shirley Kish of Tecumseh, Mich., seven stepchildren; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Wisconsin.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
HARRIS, Rennick W.
Died on July 19, 2002 in Napa, CA.
Beloved husband of Genevieve and loving father of Ren, Alanna, Jim, Tim and Greg. Grandfather to eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A loving and caring man. He will be missed by all. A private family memorial service was held on July 22. A memorial website can be found at: socrates.berkeley.edu/~jfreeman. In remembrance of Rennick donations may be made to: Maryknoll Catholic Mission (888-627-9566) or the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic (415-561-5252).
Milton Ruhl
Milton Ruhl was born in Streeter, N.D., July 28,1916, and passed away July 19 in Portland, Ore., a week short of his 86th birthday.
When he was 7 years old, the family moved to Lodi, Calif. where his father was a grape grower. He attended school there and graduated from Lodi High School. Dr. Ruhl continued his education at the University of the Pacific in Stockton and at U.C.-Berkeley, where he graduated in l943 with a Doctor of Optometry degree from the College of Optometry.
Dr. Ruhl and Fedalma Taylor were married in Glendale, Calif. Jan. 1, l947. The couple moved to St. Helena that year where he started an optometry practice at 1428 Main St.
In August l955 Dr. Ruhl accepted an invitation to join the Clinica Bella Vista in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico where he worked as a missionary optometrist until July l959 when he returned to St. Helena and resumed his practice. He later moved his office to the Safeway Plaza and retired in l983 after selling his practice to Dr. Charles Bailey, although he continued his practice at the California Veterans Home for several years.
Dr. Ruhl was an active member of the St. Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church, a volunteer with the St. Helena Community Food Pantry founded by his wife and an active member of the St. Helena Rotary Club for many years.
In May 2001 the Ruhls moved to Portland to be near their son, Brian, and family.
Dr. Ruhl is survived by his wife of 56 years, Fedalma, of Portland, Ore.; two sons, Taylor of Crownsville, Md., and Brian of Portland; a grandson, Benjamin; granddaughters, Jennifer and Liesl; a great-grandson, Jackson; three sisters Laura Hibbard, Sylvia Kelly and Alice Hammer, as well as several nieces and nephews.
His only brother, Wilbert, predeceased him just two months to the day.
Memorial services will be held Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. at the St. Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1777 Main St.
Jim King
NAPA - Jim Big Bear King passed away at his home in Napa on Nov. 13, 2007, after a courageous 25-year battle with asbestosis. Jim Big Bear was born on March 20, 1931 in Portola to Edward Leroy and Erma Victoria (Sitting Fox) King; he was the seventh of eight children.
Jim was raised in Vallejo and attended St. Vincent’s Catholic School, Farraget Elementary and Vallejo Jr. High. In 1947 at the age of 16, Jim made the decision to enlist in the Army Air Corps. In 2002 Big Bear was among the first graduating class to receive their high school diplomas from Napa County Department of Education at the Veteran’s Home in Yountville. These diplomas were earned by veterans who left school early to serve their country. This ceremony was a dream come true for Big Bear.
Jim was in the Army Air Corps from 1947 to 1950 and was stationed in Germany as part of the post-Berlin Air Lift Mission. Upon returning home in 1950 Jim was introduced to Arlene Thornton, a beautiful redhead with starry eyes for him. Arlene was 16 and Jim was 19 years old. After dating for over a year, and two days after Arlene’s 18th birthday, they were married on Oct. 14, 1951. That same year Jim was accepted into the program at Benicia Arsenal and worked in fire control. In 1955 Jim moved his family to Los Angeles and qualified for a position at North American Aviation. He was a part of the engineering research team who developed the guidance systems that was later used on the Apollo Moon Mission and the Nautilus submarine’s first exploration to the North Pole. Jim continued his education throughout his life. In 1962 Jim began his career at Mare Island Naval Ship Yard where he held over five engineering certifications. The majority of his years were spent in the nuclear power division. Big Bear assisted many fellow workers apply for compensation when they discovered that they too were struck with asbestosis. Jim retired from Mare Island in 1983 due to his progressive asbestosis.
In 1972 (after the Wounded Knee incident) Jim’s spirit of justice was ignited from within his own Native American roots that drove him to use his experience, knowledge and spirituality toward the preservation of the Native American culture. His first act of awareness to the American Indian plight was to pull a cross from Napa to Sacramento with Capiler’s Indian Laws and Rights bound to it. Shortly afterward he became involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM), Dennis Banks’ extradition, and the introduction of the religious rights of the Sun Dancers to practice their annual ceremony. He was an active Sun Dancer (eight times) until his health no longer allowed him to dance. Big Bear continued to be an advocate for and an educator of the true history of Native Americans, the sacred rituals, and a fighter for religious freedoms. Big Bear spent countless hours speaking at elementary, junior high, high school and colleges throughout Northern California. Big Bear was active in the establishment of the Suscol InterTribal Council whose mission it is to develop and maintain a Native American cultural center as well as to preserve and protect Native American sacred sights and traditions.
Throughout Big Bear and Arlene’s 56 years of marriage they have brought comfort, food, clothing and love to those in need from the elderly and forgotten in nursing homes, to the homeless, to those who had no voice. This heritage has strongly influenced, provided direction and given spiritual strength to Big Bear’s three children, Susan Tall Tree Stanton of Napa, Caleb Lame Deer King of Goodman, Mo., and Erma Attracting Woman Weyandt of Napa.
Big Bear’s rich heritage and stories will continue to be passed on to his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and generations to come.
A community memorial will be held on Dec. 1, at 1 p.m., at the Elks Lodge, 2840 Soscol Ave., in Napa. This will include an American Indian ceremony and a celebration of his life. We welcome all who remember Big Bear and his involvement in our community. In lieu of flowers the family would like memorial donations to go to Suscol Inter-tribal Council, P.O. Box 5386 Napa, CA 94581 or www.suscol.nativeweb.org.
Christopher Johnson
CALISTOGA - On April 4, 2009, Christopher Robert Johnson passed away peacefully, surrounded by friends and family after a courageous, year-long battle against pancreatic cancer. Born Dec. 10, 1962 in Reno, Nev., Chris is survived by his daughters, Jennifer and Emily, and their mother, Kristi, of Calistoga; parents Greg and Patricia Johnson, of Auburn; and sister Rene Marie (Johnson) Richardson. Chris is also survived by Ruth Souroujon and many close friends who were always there during this extremely challenging time in his life while he continued to pursue his dreams.
Chris graduated from Jesuit High School in Sacramento and received his degree in oenology from Fresno State. He has established significant respect in the winemaking community, bringing his experience from both coasts and around the world to his position as one of the top winemakers for Kendall-Jackson. Chris’ ambitions to better his surrounding community and world were apparent in many ways, especially in his positive relationships with those around him.
A memorial to celebrate his life will take place Saturday, April 11, at 1 p.m., at his home in Calistoga.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to pancreatic cancer research at UCSF or to the Selby Creek Restoration Project.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel, Napa Valley, (707) 963-3536. Condolences may be written to the family at www.morrisonfuneralchapel.com.
