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Helen F. Wilkins
Helen F. Wilkins died on Nov. 26, 1999, at Courtyard Health Care in Davis. Born on Sept. 29, 1904, in Chicago, she was 95.
She was raised in Chicago. She was a music teacher for several years, but most of her life was spent as a homemaker. She came to Davis from Southern California in 1976.
After her husband's death in 1980, she moved to Palm Springs where she resided until moving back to Davis in 1988. She was a member of the Davis Senior Center and the Davis Christian Science Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Leslie Wilkins, on Jan. 9, 1980, and her daughter, Georgia Ann Cooper, on Aug. 19, 1997.
She is survived by her grandchildren, Brandt Cooper of Antelope and Susan O'Rell of Davis. She also leaves six great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
Private burial will take place at the Davis Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Davis Funeral Chapel.
WILLARD
Rodney Gale Willard
Rodney Gale Willard passed away on Oct. 19, 2005 in Davis. Born in Woodland on July 20, 1953 to Dale Willard and Alma Lee Willard, he was 52 years old. Willard was raised and attended school in Winters.
Rodney was an avid basketball fan and loved to read.
He is survived by his mother, Alma Lee Jones; daughter and son-in-law Melissa and Mark Overgaard; granddaughter, Kendall Overgaard; brothers Dale Ray Willard, Marty Willard and Austin Veliz; sister, Tina Minges; 10 nephews and nieces: Jeffery Shane Willard, Weston Willard, Marty Willard Jr., Benjamin Veliz, Christian Minges, Zachary Minges, Jessica Minges, Tyler Veliz, Jarret Veliz, and Katie Veliz.
He is also survived by many aunts and uncles: Randall and Barbara Swink, Dale Swink, Dwayne and Carla Swink, Lynn and Josie Swink, Glenn and Bonita Gay, Mark Swink, and Geraldine Willard; numerous cousins and friends including Kimberley and Jr. Galabasa, Benny and Connie Willard, Todd, Ryan, Adam, Michelle and Amy Gay, Randy Swink, Phillip and Sue Swink, Janell and Rick Garcia, Nicholas and Kelly Swink, Aaron and Diane Swink and Jason and Laura Swink, Sherry and Phil Robertson, Lenial and Sheryl Stankewitz, Delane and Carla Swink, Robert and Kathy Swink, Macario and Joemar Dagdagan, the Gillespie family and the Shirley family.
He was preceded in death by his father, Dale Willard; grandparents, Delbert and Zella Mae Swink, Walter “Heavy” Willard and Bessie Younger; uncles Laverll Swink and Uncle Jiggs, and cousin Bruce Willard.
Christian Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m. at the Winters Cemetery. A celebration of his life will follow at Discovery Worship Center at 315 Edwards Street in Winters.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Baptist Food Closet, 512 First Street, Winters and to the Discovery Worship Center, 315 Edwards Street, Winters.
WILLEY
Chester Willey
Chester Willey died on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 in Bend, Ore. He was 89. Chet lived and worked in Woodland for nearly 50 years, from 1947 to 1997 when he moved to Bend to be near family.
During those years, Chet operated a successful construction business, Klinkhammer and Willey, owned jointly with his brother-in-law Earl Klinkhammer of Woodland. The company was highly respected for its quality construction of custom homes and commercial buildings, such as Bill & Kathy's Restaurant in Dunnigan. Many homes in Woodland's southwestern neighborhoods where built by Chet and his crews during the post-war building boom until his retirement in 1985. Eunice Drive, near Gibson and West Streets, was named after Chet's mother-in-law, Eunice Klinkhammer, and the company built most of the homes on Eunice Drive, including the Willey family's residence. Willey Construction Company, started by Chet in the 1970's, built the Cross Court Athletic Club. Chet was well known amongst members of Woodland's construction trades for offering good humor, encouragement, and advice to workers.
Chet was born in Chester, Massachusetts in 1914. In the early 20s, his family moved to southern California, where Chet graduated from high school in Los Angeles with a scholarship to USC. The Great Depression required that Chet work to support his family immediately out of high school, but he remained a Trojans fan for the rest of his life. During his years in Los Angeles, Chet excelled in tennis, winning a championship of countywide games in the early 30s.
To acquire work during the Depression, Chet moved his mother, Caroline Willey, to Oregon in 1932 and began work in ranching, logging, and construction. He worked on the construction of the Columbia River railroad prior to completion of the New Deal dams, witnessing the last days of Indian fishing at Celilo Falls on the Columbia, prior to inundation by Bonneville Dam's reservoir. While working on a ranch near Klamath Falls, Oregon, Chet met a local farmers daughter, Fern Klinkhammer, whom he marriage in 1939 in Reno, Nevada.
Chet served in the U.S. Army during World War II, specializing in aircraft mechanics. He and Fern had two sons - Earl and Wayne Willey, born in 1942 and 1946 respectively. Both sons attended Woodland schools and graduated from Woodland High School. Each year the family trekked north to the Mt. Lassen area for summer trout fishing and to the Eagle Lake area for fall mule deer hunting. Chet was an active booster of civic improvements, including donating time and materials to the construction of several baseball fields in Woodland.
Chet is survived by his wife Fern and two sons (Earl and Wayne) their wives (Janene and Pamela), all now residing in Bend, four grandchildren (Daren, Luke, Josh and Sam) and two great-grandchildren (Caitlyn and Julianna).
WILLEY
Stephen Laurence Willey
Stephen Laurence Willey of Woodland died from injuries sustained in a car accident in Knights Landing Saturday, April 9, 2005 at age 52.
Mr. Willey was born Oct. 12, 1952 in Colchester, Vt.
He was a Yolo County resident for 17 years.
He was a member of Operating Engineers for more than 30 years.
He worked as an equipment mechanic for Agriculture Distribution Inc.
Survivors include Mr. Willey's wife, Connie Jean Kasitz Willey also of Woodland; his daughter, Katrina Willey of Woodland; his parents, Laurence Edward and Frances Gleason Willey of Woodland; his sisters, Chris Baldocchi of Woodland, Laurie Din of San Francisco and Trish Kasitz and her husband Len of Carmichael.
The family requests memorials in Mr. Willey's name be directed to Gideons International at P.O. Box 773, Woodland, 95776.
Services: The memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. today, Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church, 506 Cottonwood St., Woodland.
Private inurnment will be held at a later date.
Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors is assisting the family with arrangements.
WILLIAMS
Carolyn Mary Williams
Carolyn Mary Williams passed away on Jan. 6, 2005 at Kaiser North Hospital in Sacramento.
Born to John and Agnes (Krauel) Nikolas in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on May 13, 1913, she was 91 years old.
During her early years, her family moved to Foreston, Minnesota, where she grew up on their farm.
In 1958, she moved to Lancaster, where she resided until she moved to Davis in 1992.
She worked for the United States Government at Edwards Air Force Base under the supervision of Colonel Chuck Yeager for 14 years.
A member of St. James Catholic Church in Davis, Mrs. Williams also belong to the local chapter of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, NARFE, since her retirement in 1975.
She is survived by three daughters, Loretta Woods, of Billings, Montana, Lorraine Bowlin, of Winters, and Lynn Kossack, of Woodland; a son, Lawrence Williams, of Lynnwood; a brother James Nikolas; and a sister, Margurite Miller, both of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Her legacy leaves seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, James Williams, in 1963; brothers Francis and Cyril Nikolas; and sisters, Marie and Kathryn Nikolas.
A private family service will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lancaster, with interment to follow at Joshua Memorial Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. James Catholic Church in her memory.
Arrangements are under the direction of Evergreen Funeral Service, of Woodland.
WILLIAMS
Chester Lynn Williams
Chester Lynn Williams died at St. John's Retirement Center in Woodland Saturday, Nov. 17, 2004, at age 86.
Mr. Williams was born Feb. 6, 1918 Henleyville, Tehama County to Albert and Frances Williams. He had been a Yolo County resident for 55 years. He was self employed as C.L. Williams Trucking doing supply and delivery of produce and later worked and retired from Adams Trucking.
He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping all over Northern California and especially liked the Payne's Creek area.
Survivors include Mr. Williams' daughter, Judith Dickey and husband David of Woodland; his grandson, Rodney Dickey and wife Kimberly of Olympia, Wash.; his granddaughters, Sharon Hein and husband Jack of Vacaville and Susan Gattuso of Stockton; his five great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Fay Williams in 1996, his brother Leland Williams, and his sisters Irma Eichoff and Emily Porter.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions in Mr. William's name be made to the American Heart Association, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, 94010 or the Northern California Cancer Society, 1765 Challenge Way, Sacramento, 95815.
Services: No visitation is scheduled prior to services. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004 at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Red Bluff. Family and friends are invited to attend the services and the reception to follow.
Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors, of Woodland, is assisting the family with arrangements.
WILLIAMS
Floyd Lewis Williams
Floyd Lewis Williams died at St. John’s Manor in Woodland on Feb. 22, 2006. He was 87.
Born June 30, 1918, he was one of six children born to Pearl Eaves and Ernest Williams of Lorenzo, Texas. He was raised on the Texas panhandle and graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
He marriage Frances Cleveland on New Year’s Eve 1943, and immediately reported for duty to the U.S. Navy. He served as a lieutenant, stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany, during World War II. After his honorable discharge, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, receiving a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
He returned to Texas Tech as an assistant professor of engineering for several years. During this time he wrote a textbook on the use of the slide rule. Next, he went to work for Hughes Aircraft in Tucson, Ariz.
In 1956, he and Frances and their two young daughters moved to California, where he began his career with Litton Industries.
Upon his retirement, the family moved to Santa Paula where they owned and operated a thriving citrus and avocado ranch for the next 20 years.
He and Frances moved to Davis in 1996. They celebrated 61 years of marriage before Frances died in May 2005.
He will be remembered for his lifelong love of numbers and number games, his gentle, supportive presence, and his sense of responsibility and caring.
He is survived by his daughters, Katrina Steiner and her husband James of Ventura, and Karen Slinkard and her husband Stephen of Davis; and his grandchildren, Christopher Steiner and Matthew Steiner of Las Vegas; Donovan Slinkard of Sacramento; Dustin Steiner of Washington, D.C.; Megan Slinkard of Albuquerque, N.M.; Shannon Steiner of San Diego; and Monica Slinkard at college in Davidson, N.C.
The family plans a private celebration of his life and requests that memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, be made to Alzheimer’s Association of Ventura County, 1339 Del Norte Road, Camarillo, Calif. 93010.
Evergreen Funeral Service of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
