Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Thomas M. McCanta
Thomas Michael McCanta, beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and dear friend, died June 29, 2002, at Stanford University Hospital after complications following open-heart surgery. He was 30 years old.
He was born on Sept. 28, 1971, in Spokane, Wash., to Harriet Lamanna and Dan McCanta of Sacramento. The family moved to Woodland in 1978. He graduated from Woodland High School and UC Davis. Until last August, he lived in San Jose but returned to Davis to work at the university.
Along with his parents, he is survived by his sister Mary of Oakland; brother Robert of Sacramento; grandparents Loretta and Jim McCanta of Bellevue, Wash.; Ann Lamanna of Priest River, Idaho; and by a large extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1066 26th St. in Sacramento. A vigil service will be held Friday at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass celebrating his life will be said Saturday at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in his memory to the American Heart Association.
Dorothy E. Schoensiegel
Dorothy E. Schoensiegel entered eternal life on June 26, 2002, from complications with Lou Gehrig's disease. She was 73 years old.
She was born in Davis on May 28, 1929, where she fell in love with and marriage Richard Schoensiegel. The couple moved to Whittier in 1948.
In Whittier she and her husband raised four children, started and successfully ran a business.
She believed in working hard and playing hard. Her interests included reading, cooking, and deep-sea fishing. She was also a philanthropist. Above all, she was a remarkable woman who loved her family and was utterly devoted to her husband for 53 years.
Survivors include her husband Richard of Del Mar; sons Richard Jr. of Huntington Beach and Jim Schoensiegel of Yorba Linda; daughters Carol Cottle of Adelaide, Australia, and Diane Wold of Whittier; brothers Robert Morlan of Sacramento and Roy Morlan of Sonora; sister Betty Border of Fresno; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dorothy Schoensiegel Memorial ALS Research Fund, The Center for Neurological Study, 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 320, La Jolla, CA 92037.
Ray T. Shy
Ray T. Shy died of kidney failure on July 3, 2002, in Davis. He was 49 years old.
He was born on Jan. 9, 1953, in Prairie Grove, Ark.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth Shy; father, Roy L. Shy; and brother, Randy M. Jones.
He is survived by a daughter, Lena Shy of Sacramento, and two brothers, Roy L. Shy of Davis and Tommy W. Jones of La Mirada.
A service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the UC Davis Arborteum Gazebo on Garrod Drive.
Ellen N. Lindberg
Ellen Nellie Lindberg died at Stollwood Convalescent Hospital on July 5, 2002. Born in England on Aug. 29, 1900, she was 101 years old.
At the age of 12, she moved from England to Canada. Upon her marriage to Melvin A. Lindberg, she moved to Esparto in 1925. She was a homemaker for most of her life and enjoyed cooking and gardening. She also traveled often to England and British Columbia.
She is survived by two sons, Tom Lindberg and his wife Betty of Woodland, and Mel Lindberg of Napa; sister, Emily Callman of Napa; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Alice Powell; husband, Mevin; brother, Sam Powell; sister, Mary Lindberg; and daughter, Nel Gisler.
Friends are invited to attend a funeral Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Countryside Community Church in Esparto. Internment will follow at Capay Cemetery.
Mc Nary's Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Eunice V. Alongi
Eunice (Dean) V. Alongi died on July 6, 2002, at Bruceville Terrace Skilled Nursing Facility in Sacramento after complications following a stroke she suffered on June 10. She was 73 years old.
She was born in Jefferson, Texas, on Jan. 18, 1929, to Charlie B. Reed and Beulah Pearl Smoak. She enjoyed spending her leisure time quilting and reading mystery novels. She cherished the time she spent with her family, especially the hours devoted to spoiling her only grandchild, Claire.
From 1963 to 1999, she was a Concord resident. In 1999, she and her husband moved to Davis to be closer to their family.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Charlie Alongi; son, John Alongi and his wife Ann Larsen of Davis; granddaughter, Claire Larsen Alongi of Davis; brother, Harold W. Reed and his wife Dorothy of Trinity, Texas; and sister-in-law, Jenny Sciro of Birmingham, Ala. She also leaves several nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited for visitation Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Davis Funeral Chapel, 116 D St. in Davis, and for the funeral Friday at 10 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church, 200 W. 14th St. in Davis. Burial will follow at the Davis Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made in her name to STEAC, P.O. Box 1047, Davis, CA 95617. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis Funeral Chapel.
Laura M. Turpin
Laura Mitchell Turpin died on June 7, 2002, in San Diego. Born July 25, 1922, in Sidney, Neb., she was 79 years old.
She met her husband, Paul W. Turpin, in San Diego. They were marriage in San Francisco on March 23, 1944.
She worked most of her life. Earlier this year, she wrote the story of her working life for an issue of the Turpin Family Journal, which she and Paul published.
When she found her first job, it was 1937, one of the toughest years of the Great Depression. The small cafe she worked in was next to the train tracks and mainly fed the men who worked for the railroad.
Determined to get out of Nebraska and move to the West Coast, she managed to graduate a year early, in 1940.
Times were still tough and she sold cosmetics door-to-door and was then hired as an usherette by a movie theatre in 1941. She wore the usherette's uniform proudly and learned to use her flashlight with skill.
When men began to go to war, she was hired by an insurance office as a bonded clerk and by the end of the war had become assistant office manager.
During the course of her career and travels, she became specialized in the administrative areas of law enforcement, social and emergency relief work. She worked at the U.S. Probation and Parole Office for the Southern District of California of the U.S. courts from 1974 until her retirement in 1985.
Two years ago, she organized a surprise birthday party for her husband and flew children and grandchildren in from all across the country. She managed the complicated affair with her usual skill and flair, as every hotel room had a bouqet of her signature carnations.
She is survived by her husband, Paul W. Turpin, who just moved to Davis where their daughter, Linda Turpin, lives with her husband, Bob Johnson, and children Alice, Ellen and Cord. She is further survived by her daughter Nancy Turpin and son-in-law Robert Gordon of Chicago; and son Paul Bruce and daughter-in-law Susan Jones of Las Vegas.
Family and friends recently held a memorial service for her in San Diego. A second remembrance will take place in Davis.
Deborah C. Balka
Beloved mother, wife, sister and daughter, Deborah Lynn Cornum Balka passed away at home with her family at her side on July 8, 2002 after a long battle with cancer. She was 49 years old.
Born Oct. 15, 1952, in Salt Lake City, Utah, she graduated from Brighton High in 1972 and attended the University of Utah where she affiliated with Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She marriage Raynor Balka in 1978 in San Francisco and had two sons.
She moved with her family through job transfers from Utah to California, Connecticut and Pennsylvania before settling in Davis in 1992. She was the school secretary at West Davis/CŽsar Ch‡vez Elementary School from 1992 until she retired in 2001.
She enjoyed participating in sports, decorating, movies, visiting historical sites and particularly traveling. Her last trip was a cruise around the Mediterranean with her family. She especially enjoyed walking for several hours through the ruins of Pompeii and Ephesus. She was also active in the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her main love, though, was her family.
She was everyone's friend, especially the young and vulnerable. People were drawn to her because of her warm, caring personality and children from her school would often run up and throw their arms around her legs when they saw her. She helped support several children in underdeveloped countries over the years and was always in line to help the less fortunate whenever and wherever she found the need.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Todd Hayes, in 1976 and her parents, Lynn Cornum, in 1965, and Joyce Neff in 2000.
She is survived by her husband and sons, Alexander and Andrew, of Davis; her brother and sister-in-law, Greg and Jody Neff of Phoenix, Ariz.; her stepfather, William Neff; her cousin, Pat Baddley; and her other sister-in-law and her husband, Diane and Mike Haberman, all of Salt Lake City; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at The LDS Chapel, 785 Elmwood Drive in Davis. Graveside services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Park Section, in Salt Lake City.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation in her memory be made to The Christian Children's Fund, P.O. Box 85066, Richmond, VA 23286-8912.
Margaret J. Moody
Margaret Jane Moody died at her home in Woodland on July 5, 2002. She was 82.
She was born in Stockton on Dec. 15, 1919, to Alfred and Hazel Holck. Until her high school years, when she moved to Guinda, she lived in Stockton and Dunsmuir. Before moving to Oregon in 1981, she lived in Yolo County for 30 years. In 1996, she returned to Woodland.
She was active in the Woodland Assembly of God Church in the children's ministries. She also worked as a secretary for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Moody, and daughter, Peggy Fertado.
She is survived by two daughters, Karen Williams and her husband Norman of Woodland and Diana Reisenauer of Woodland; sister, Barbara Fair of Murphys; brother, Ted Holck and his wife Phyllis of Woodland; and seven grandchildren: Shane and Shannon Journey, Melissa and Natalie Williams, and Allison, Bethany and Doug Reisenauer all of Woodland.
A graveside memorial service will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Capay Cemetery in Esparto. McNary's Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
Florence L. Nelson
Florence "Flo" Lillard Nelson died on July 8, 2002, after complications with Parkinson's disease which she courageously battled the past few years. She was 73 years old.
Born on Aug. 9, 1928, she was a native of Davis as were her parents, Walter and Anna Hoag Lillard.
She was a lover of life and believed a person could do anything if the desire was strong enough. This was evident in her passion for flying. With the financial backing of her parents and big brother, she was in the first graduating class at the University Airport. She graduated and flew solo at 16.
After graduating from Davis High School with the Class of 1946, she attended Sacramento City College, where she was a member of the ski team and symphony orchestra. She was a charter member and past Worthy Adviser of the Davis Assembly of Rainbow Girls. She was also the first state officer appointed from that assembly.
An avid sportswoman, she was a member of a synchronized swimming team and high-diving exhibition team in her youth. Until a knee injury prevented her from hitting the slopes, she enjoyed downhill skiing for more than 25 years. She played softball with the Marcus Auto Supply team from Sacramento and the Woodland Merchants. She was also a 50-year member of the International Women's Bowling Congress.
During her tenure as a vice president of the Alameda County Women's Bowling Association, she attended many national IWBC conventions and tournaments. She was secretary/treasurer of the University Women's Bowling League for 25 years.
Prior to her marriage to Robert Nelson, she was a flight attendant with United Airlines. She then moved to Berkeley where she attended UC Berkeley and was a Cal Bears supporter in addition to maintaining her loyalty to Aggie sports.
In 1967, she returned to Davis with her three daughters and was employed at UCD's Institute of Government Affairs. After 32 years of service, she retired in 1991.
At the age of 65, she took up golf and became a member of the Davis Women's Golf Club as well as the Monday Niners Club. She enjoyed attending play days at area courses. She was also an active member of the Sutter Hospital Auxiliary, where she worked in the Surgery Center until she was no longer able.
Her passion for sports was demonstrated by her commitment to Aggie athletics. She served on the Board of Directors of the Cal Aggie Booster Club while employed on campus. In recognition of their Aggie loyalty, she and her sister, Laureene Hunt, were presented with a UCD insignia watch at the Hall of Fame function. Her love of Aggie sports came early in her life when her parents would wrap the kids in blankets, pack them in the car and drive onto the track field to watch football games.
For many years, Lake Tahoe was her home away from home. The Oregon coast, Hawaii, Santa Cruz and Disneyland were also favorite vacation destinations.
Always the optimist, she insisted that there would be no sad songs for her, but rather a celebration of her life attended by those who shared her life.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Janet Sue Nelson; her brother, Emery Lillard; and her sisters, Beth Schwartz and Laureene Hunt of Davis.
She is survived by two daughters, Marilyn Harris and her husband Rich of Anchorage, Alaska, and Nancy Rose and her husband Michael of Sacramento; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and her niece, Linda Helvick, and great-niece, Dana Helvick, both of Davis.
A memorial service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Davis Community Church, 412 C St. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. The graveside service will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that rememberances be made to either the Emery Lillard Grant-in-Aid Fund at UCD (for information, contact Marci Pieratt at 752-0188) or to Yolo Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis, CA 95617.
Martha J.C. Riley
Martha Jane Cole Riley died on June 4, 2002, in Santa Rosa after a brief illness. She was 84 years old.
She was born on Nov. 3, 1917, in Oregon.
She was a Davis resident for many years and was employed by UC Davis as the associate admissions administrator.
She is survived by her husband of more than 61 years, Walter Denman Riley; two sisters, Dorothy Josephine Carty of Santa Rosa and Helen Ann Derusha of Santa Cruz; her brother-in-law, Loring Derusha of Santa Cruz; her niece, Dorothy A. Murray of Santa Rosa; and three nephews, Stephen, John and Matthew Peet of Bakersfield.
She will be missed by her family, to whom she always exhibited love and grace.
George A. Chambers
George Allen Chambers died in his rural Woodland home on July 4, 2002. He was 71 years old.
He was born on Oct. 2, 1931, in Santa Clara to George A. and Jessie (Evans) Chambers.
Shortly after his birth, the family moved to the Woodland area, where he was raised and lived most of his life.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served in Korea before being discharged in 1954. He retired from Citizens Chevrolet eight years ago, having started with the firm at age 17 when it was known as Midland Chevrolet.
He enjoyed life with his many animals. He especially enjoyed time spent with his grandson, Joe, during basketball season.
He is survived by his wife, Connie of Woodland; son, Jeff and his wife, Paulia of Elk Grove; daughter, Jani Hamilton of Davis; two grandsons, Joe and Michael Chambers. He is further survived by his stepmother, Evelyn Chambers of Woodland; mother-in-law, Geri Cox of East Nicholas; sister, Patti Weir and her husband Jim of Woodland; step-brother, Richard Chambers and his wife Deb of Woodland; as well as several nieces.
At his request, private services have been held. McNary's Chapel assisted with the arrangements.
Joseph Willard Raviotta
Joseph Willard Raviotta died on July 10, 2002, at his home in Yolo. He was 71 years old.
He was born on Jan. 25, 1931 in Sacramento to Joseph and Lila (Willard) Raviotta.
He attended Arden Grammar School and Grant High School in Sacramento where he played varsity football. After graduating in 1948, he continued to work in the construction industry as a carpenter. He then joined the United State Army in 1952 and attended Military Police Officer school where he earned awards and commendations for marksmanship in pistol and riflery. He was then assigned to duty in Germany where he continued to serve until 1954 and took up boxing as a sport.
He returned to California after the Korean conflict and continued in the contracting business working for such companies as Unger Construction and Broward Bros. Construction. He then worked with Bill Brown before starting his own construction company, Casa Bella Construction Company. He specialized in building custom homes in Davis, El Macero and Woodland.
An avid sports fan, he enjoyed watching the 49ers, basketball and football. When he wasn't working or watching sports, he could be found fishing, hunting, golfing and flying radio controlled aircraft. He had a great love of aviation, which he extended into private aviation flying out of Yolo County Airport. He obtained a private pilot's license.
A member of Yolo Sportsman Association, he could always be counted on as camp cook during his annual out-of-state hunting trips. He was known for his meatballs, cioppino and home-made wine. Sharing time and experiences with his family was his passion in life.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jim Raviotta.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Arlene (Vizenor) Raviotta; son Joseph C. Raviotta and his wife Nancy of Woodland; daughter Teresa Keon and her husband Mike of Placerville; daughter Tina Winger of Yolo. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Gina Olson and her husband Ethan of Pollock Pines, Angie Williams and her husband Trent of Placerville, Mike Keon and his wife Melissa of Wendell, N.C., Sierra and Joseph J. Raviotta of Woodland and Stephanie and Natalie Winger of Yolo. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Sophia Olson of Pollock Pines and Kylie Keon of Wendell, N.C.
He is further survived by a brother John Raviotta and his wife Patty of Sacramento; sisters Ninfa Selander and her spouse Hub of Coos Bay, Ore., and Lila Mapes and her husband Jerry of Sedro Wooley, Wash. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive him.
A funeral service will be July 16, 2002, at 10 a.m. at Kraft. Bros. Chapel, 175 Second St. in Woodland. Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. that same day. Internment at Mary's Cemetery, 12020 County Road 98, Yolo, will immediately follow. Deacon Ed Kull will be officiating.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to Yolo County Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis, CA 95617.
Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
