Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Sarah V. Champion
Funeral services will be held Friday, March 15, in Fort Bragg for Sarah Velma Champion, co-owner with her late husband, Jack, of Champion Nursery in St. Helena, who died March 11. She was 91.
Mrs. Champion, the daughter of a Seventh-day Adventist minister, attended college in Lodi and earned a teaching credential. She and her husband, Jack, were marriage in Fresno in 1932, moved to Lemoore and then, in 1944, to St. Helena.
The Champions owned and operated Champion Nursery for 18 years before moving to Fort Bragg where they ran Champion Nursery and Health Food Store until retiring in 1980.
Mrs. Champion is survived by two children, Marchjorie Philpott and William “Bill” Champion; a sister, Ruth Chaney; 10 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Cora Sandborn; five sisters and a brother. Jack Champion died in 1989. Roy Dunken, Mrs. Champion’s second husband, died in 1998.
Memorial donations may be made to the Seventh-day Adventist Church School, 22850 North Highway 1, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, or to a charity of choice.
Luis Vargas
Services were held at St. Helena Catholic Church for Luis Vargas, who died March 6 at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation in Calistoga. He was 79.
Mr. Vargas and his wife, Elvira, moved to the Napa Valley in the 1960s where he worked for Frank Wood and Beringer Vineyards. The couple split their time between their home here and in El Llano, Mexico.
In addition to his wife of 56 years, he is survived by nine children, Beatriz Castillo, Jose Vargas, Esther Vargas, Evelia Ponce, Loudes Paniagua, Gustavo Vargas, Ignacio Vargas, Elvia Gallegos and Marchio Alberto Vargas; a brother, Ignacio Vargas, sisters Angelina Solis and Dolores Vargas, 19 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mr. Vargas was preceded in death by four children, two brothers and three sisters.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Joan Burns
Memorial services were held March 9 at Morrison Funeral Chapel for S. Joan Burns, who died March 5 at St. Helena Hospital. She was 75.
Following her marriage to Jack Burns in 1948 in Bombay, India, the couple traveled world-wide. His job in the oil industry took them to England, Italy, Bahrain, India and the Hawaiian Islands, as well as throughout the United States.
Mrs. Burns, who was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., was an avid gardener, a member of the Republican Women of Napa County and an Esther in the Eastern Star.
In addition to her husband of 52 years, Jack, of Pope Valley, she is survived by a nephew and his wife, Richard and Debbie Hodges of Dallas, Texas; a brother-in-law, Capt. Robert P. Burns, and his wife, Georgie, of Port Townsend, Wash., and their children Mary of Washington and Kathi of Canada. She was predeceased by a son, John Michael Burns, who was born in Bahrain and died in 1992; a brother, Henry Spielman, and a sister, Helen Hodges.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Joan Burns Educational Fund, 1300 Aetna Springs Rd., Pope Valley, CA 94567.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Claudia C. Brand
Claudia Clara Neiderer Brand died March 8 at Woodside Senior Residence in Angwin. She was 99.
Mrs. Brand, a native of Marbach, Switzerland, emigrated to New York City in 1918, where she became a governor to the children of the Life Society.
She marriage Fred Brand in 1926 and continued to live in New York and Atlantic City, N.J. until 1942 when the family relocated to California, settling in Angwin, where she became a member of the Pacific Union College Church.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Claudia and Carl Benson of Angwin; three grandchildren, Robert and Fred Benson, both of Angwin, and Claudia Flaiz of Oregon; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1994, by a daughter, Elaine Parks, in 1959, and by three brothers and a sister. Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Jane Walker Jewell
A private family Interment will be held at a later date for Jane Walker Jewell, a St. Helena resident since 1977, who died Wednesday, March 7. She was 82.
Born in 1918 in Gridley, to Olivia and Keith Walker, Mrs. Jewell graduated from Napa High School in 1937. She lived with her husband, Paul, and their children, in Lafayette and Oakland before retiring to St. Helena. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1990. She is survived by her sister Bethann Walker Klatt of Moraga; brothers Robert Walker of San Rafael and William Walker of Fair Oaks; a son, James Jewell, and a grandson, Max Jewell, of Skagway, Alaska; a daughter, Patricia Fletcher, of Liver-more; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to Hope Hospice.
Daniel C. Podilla
Daniel C. Podilla, a former St. Helena resident, died March 7 in Redding. Mr. Podilla was born in Placerville in 1928 to Apolonio and Sofia Podilla. He spent his childhood on Zinfandel Lane and attended schools in St. Helena. He was retired from Diamond International where he was yard manager for 35 years. Survivors include his wife, Cynthia Podilla of Red Bluff; sons Daniel Podilla, Jr., and Michael Podilla; sisters Francine Brody of Napa and Josephine Kane; brothers Ralph Podilla and Toto Podilla; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to the Elks National Foundation in care of Red Bluff Elks Lodge, or Sacred Heart School in Red Bluff.
Jerry Trujillo
A funeral service will be held Thursday, March 15, at 2 p.m. in Morrison Funeral Chapel for longtime Upvalley resident Jerry Trujillo, who died March 11 of a heart attack. He was 79.
Mr. Trujillo was born in the Village of Chamayo, N.M., to Toribio and Andalecia Trujillo. He attended schools in New Mexico, and in 1941, Adam State Collage at Alamosa, Colo., for one quarter. During his early years, he and his brother Henry rode on horseback several miles to land that their parents owned to take care of the fields and stay the night in a small log shelter.
Mr. Trujillo marriage in 1940 and reared three children: a daughter, Linda Mae, and two sons, Joe Arnold and Jerry Eluid. During World War II, he worked for Douglas Aircraft as aircraft mechanic. In 1954, he started his own automotive repair business known as Jerry’s Automotive Service, a business he ran for 35 years until 1989. In 1972 he accepted a position at College of Alameda as instructor assistant in automatic transmissions. He went on to earn California state credentials as an automotive instructor and continued teaching at Alameda College until 1992.
Mr. Trujillo, divorced from his first wife in the early 1970s, in 1984 marriage Elaine Finck Skadsheim, an Oakland school teacher who held a degree in music. In 1992 the couple moved to the Napa Valley to be caregivers for Mrs. Trujillo’s father, Elder Ernest Finck.
Mr. Trujillo worked with the Red Cross, held a position with the Napa Valley Retired Teachers Association, and volunteered at the St. Helena Community Food Pantry.
He is survived by his wife and many friends.
Mili Zopfi
Services were held March 13 at the United Methodist Church in St. Helena for Mili Zopfi, who died March 8 in Roseville. She was 81.
Mrs. Zopfi was born in Glarus, Switzerland, to John and Elisa Zopfi. In 1929, at the age of 10, she emigrated with her family from Switzerland to St. Helena to assist a family member with his ranch. A U.S. citizen since 1935, she lived in St. Helena until four years ago when she moved to Rocklin to be with her daughter. She worked many years as a nurse’s aide at the Yountville Veterans Home. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Mili and Max Southwell of Rocklin; grandaughters Marti Southwell of Citrus Heights and A.J. Southwell of St. Helena; a brother, Peter Zophi of Napa and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to U.C. Regents, Hospice Program, U.C. Davis Medical Center, 3630 Business Drive, Sacramento, CA 95820.
Arrangements by Coch-rane’s Chapel of the Roses.
Mildred T. Enea
Mildred Taplin Enea died March 12, at her home. She was 93.
Mrs. Enea was born Feb. 11, 1908, in St. Helena and was a 1926 graduate of St. Helena High School. She graduated from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in 1929, and worked at Mrs. Shuffleton’s Hospital in Carmel for three years.
A resident of Monterey County since 1930, she is survived by her daughter, Nancy Willoughby of Salinas; a step-son,. H. Vincent Enea of San Francisco; two grandsons; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her first husband, Neill Fleischer, died in 1946, and her second husband, Vincent Enea, died in 1987. At her request, no funeral will be held. The family suggests that memorial contributions may be sent to the donor’s favorite charity.
John J. Hafner
Services will be held March 24 at 4 p.m. at the Celebration Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1137 Bryn Mawr Ave., Redlands, Calif., for former PUC music teacher head John J. Hafner, who died March 1 in Redlands. He was 92.
Mr. Hafner, who began playing violin at 9 and was teaching violin by age 16, was concert violinist, and music teacher at Andrews University in Michigan, Pacific Union College and Walla Walla College. At PUC he taught in the music department from 1947 to 1955.
Mr. Hafner is survived by his wife of 70 years, Charlotte Briggs-Hafner; children Jeanne Shafer, Eunice Sackett and Donna Joyce Burdy; sisters Mary Lehnhoff and Florence Hafner; brothers, frank and Charles Hafner; 16 grandchildren; and 42 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, J. Jay Hafner, and an infant daughter, Carla Sue Hafner.
Memorial donations may be made to the John J. Hafner Music Scholarship Endowment, Walla Walla College, College Place, WA 99324.
Lorenza Pavon
Graveside Services were held March 17 at Holy Cross Cemetery for Lorenza Barboza Pavon, who died March 13 at Marlinda Convalescent Hospital, 16 days short of her 89th birthday.
She was born in Spain to Andres and Andrea Barboza, moving to the Napa Valley in 1917. She worked at Stony Hill Winery for 12 years.
Mrs. Pavon is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Art Dunn of Elfrida, Ariz.; brothers Antonio Barboza of Montague, Calif., and Benito Barboza of Napa; and sister Dolores Pina of Rutherford; two grandchildren, Diana Nail of Woodland and Julie Scully of West Virginia; three great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceeded in death by her husband, James Pavon; a brother, Manuel Barboza; and a sister, Carmen Frediani.
She enjoyed sewing and gardening and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Napa Valley, 3299 Claremont Way, Napa, CA 94558.
Arrangements cared for by Morrison Funeral Chapel. St. Helena, 963-3536.
Alvin P. Murphy
A funeral Mass was celebrated March 22 at St. Helena Catholic Church for Alvin P. Murphy who died at his St. Helena residence March 19. He was 90.
Mr. Murphy, a graduate of Sacred Heart High School and UC-Berkeley, worked as a sales representative for Butler Paper Company for 40 years.
He and his wife, Alice, moved from San Mateo to St. Helena last year to be near their son and his family.
Mr. Murphy was a member of the St. Matthews Catholic Church in San Mateo for more than 50 years. At St. Matthews he was a CCD organizer and past president of the Friendship Club for seniors. He was also past president of the Fathers Club of Sierra High School and a life member of the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife were 20-year volunteers at Mills Hospital. In St. Helena he was a member of the St. Helena Catholic Church.
In addition to his wife of 62 years, he is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Philip and Andrea Murphy of St. Helena, and Michael and Paula Murphy of Belmont; three grandchildren, Molly Murphy, Darren Murphy and Aimee Lucchetti; a sister-in-law, Helen McCracken; two nieces, Joann McCracken and Kathleen Phillips; and a nephew, Seamus Mc Cracken.
Mr. Murphy was preceded in death by two brothers and his parents.
Memorial donations may be made to The Samaritan House of San Mateo, 401 North Humboldt, San Mateo, CA 94401.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
