Obituaries for January 16, 2002
Stanley N. Brookins
Stanley N. Brookins, a 54 year resident of Galt, passed away from a sudden illness on Jan. 13. He was 84.
He was born on June 24, 1917 in Orange County, CA. He was a police officer for several years before opening a sawmill in Mariposa with his father. After the close of the mill he worked as an electrician for many years until his eyesight forced him to retire.
He was on the Board of Directors for the Galt Christian Church where he was a member. He was a 50 year member of the Valley Oaks Grange #368 and the long time District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose, a member of the Galt Senior Citizens Club, past member of the Galt Lions Club and past chairman for the Galt Festival Committee.
He enjoyed spending time with his large family and many friends and he enjoyed going on trips to Reno.
He is survived by his daughter, Penny Inman of Galt; sons, Earl Flannery of Auburn, Larry Brookins of Galt and Otis Brookins of Ohio; 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at the Galt Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 18, at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the local chapter of the National Society for the Blind.
Eduardo Manuel Gonzales
Eduardo Manuel Gonzales, of Stockton, died of natural causes at the UCSF Medical Center on Jan 9.. He was 15-days-old.
He was born in San Francisco, on December 22, 2001, to Linda and Alberto Gonzales of Stockton.
He is survived by his parents; a sister, Evalynda Gonzales and a brother, Luis Gonzales of Stockton; his grandmother Eva Luna of Galt; Grandfather, Tory Salazar of Woodland, step-grandfather, Enrique Moreno of Galt; godparents, Tory Salazar Jr. and Zalma Hernandez of Woodland and great-grandmother, Dora Luna of Woodland.
Graveside services were held Jan. 11 at the Galt Cemetery with the Rev. Jerry Ryle of St. Christopher's Catholic Church officiating.
Frank White
Frank White, of Lockeford, died in a Lodi hospital on Jan. 10 of natural causes. He was 71.
He was born in Shamrock, Texas, on March 24, 1930. His family moved to California when he was an infant and he has resided in Lodi, Galt and Lockeford for the past 40 years.
He was a well known building contractor in San Joaquin County for many years, retiring in 1995. He enjoyed fishing and being with his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Norma White of Lockeford; two daughters, Ana Meracle of Folsom and Susan Chatwood of Lodi; a son, Tony White of Folsom; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A chapel service was held on Jan. 14 at the Lodi Funeral Home with committal following at Cherokee Memorial Park.
Rebecca Lynn Cahoon
Rebecca Lynn Cahoon, formerly of Galt, went to rest on Jan. 10, in her Charleston, IL., home, after battling cancer. She was 43.
She was born Rebecca Lynn Wilder In Anaheim, on July 16, 1958. She joined the U.S. Army in 1979 and served two years in active duty and three years as inactive. She moved to Galt in 1986 and lived there for five years. She remarried Gary Cahoon in 1991 and moved to Charleston, IL.
She was a member of the Friendship Baptist Church in Charleston and spent her time caring for family members who were ill. Rebecca knew no strangers.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Cahoon of IL.; her children, Roberta Anaya and Rachel Powell of Galt and Vivian Vincent, Gary Cahoon Jr. and Carrie Cahoon, all of Charleston; her mother, Vivian Berniece Wilder Malone of IL.; brothers, Butch Ramsey of IL., Perry Ramsey of AL., Robert Wilder of AK., and John Wilder of CA.; sisters, Theresa Dodge of WA., and Brenda Sue Alley of CA.; grandchildren, Jose Anaya Jr., and Robert Anaya of Galt and Damien Webb, Ganon Stivers and Madison Stivers of IL.; many nieces and nephews, family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her father Robert Wilder in 1997 and her brother Ronald Ramsey in 1972.
A funeral service was held on Jan. 12 at the Friendship Baptist Church in Charleston IL. Pastor Bob Skinner officiated. She was laid to rest at the Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston.
James Alan Blagg
James Alan Blagg, of Galt, died Thursday at the age of 37, due to an automobile accident.
He was born in Stockton and has lived in Galt the past eight years. He was a Fixed Operations Director for Geweke Auto group for three years.
He is survived by his wife Lisa Blagg of Galt; two sons, Cody and Jacob Blagg of Galt; his father, Dannie Blagg of Manteca; his siblings, Dennis Blagg of Desert Hot Springs, Jeff Blagg of Stockton and Brenda Burg of Acampo.
Memorial contributions can be made to any branch of Farmers and Merchants Bank, account #10-745629-19 under the James Blagg or Jim Curry Memorial Fund.
Funeral services will be held today at 1 p.m. at Frisbie-Warren & Carroll Mortuary at 809 N. California Street in Stockton with committal to follow at the Parkview Cemetery.
Obituaries for January 9, 2002
Florence Marie Higgins
Florence Marie Higgins, of Galt, died in a Lodi hospital on Jan. 1. She was 83.
Born Florence Marie Garrett in Chicago, Illinois on Dec. 10, 1918, she was raised and married there before moving to Sanibel Island, FL., where she lived before moving to Galt in 1989 to be closer to family.
A housewife, she was a member of the St. Christopher Church in Galt for 12 years and a member of the Daughters of Isabella. She was very active in the church and enjoyed reading and doing needle point. Her family remembers her as a very good cook who liked growing roses.
She will be missed by her husband of 61 years, Joseph Higgins, of Galt; her children, Beth and Irvin Gemkow Jr., of Wheaton, Ill., Michael and Kathleen Higgins, of Galt; grandchildren, Benjamin and Sylvie Resch, of Paris, France and Jay Gemkow, of Dekalb, Ill. And great-grandchildren Emily and Valerie Resch, both of Paris, France.
A Mass was held on Jan. 7 at St. Christopher's in Galt with committal following at the Galt Cemetery.
Inez McDonald
Inez McDonald, formerly of Galt, died Dec. 29 at the Plymouth Square Retirement Center in Stockton.
A native of Missouri, she was born on June 19, 1909. Having lived in Galt for a time, she recently moved to Stockton. She retired from Pacific Bell after 30 years.
She is survived by her daughter Pauline Krey, of Stockton; her son Robert McDonald, of San Francisco; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
A service was held on Jan. 4 at the Evergreen Chapel on Highway 99 and Harney Lane.
Remembrances may be made to your favorite charity.
Silvester (Sal) Gaffke
Silvester (Sal) Gaffke, formerly of Galt, and of Mokelumne Hill for the past 15 years, died on Dec. 12. He was 81.
A builder and a cowboy, he was also a member of VFW Post 3322 and the Kit Carson Mountain Men.
He is survived by his long time companion, Mary Stafford, of Mokelumne Hill daughters, Karen O'Hara, of Elk Grove and Deborah Gaffke, of Mich.; grandchildren, Bob Liebig, of Galt and Kerry Wood, of Sacramento; three great-grandchildren, Jake and Krista Liebig and Dylan Wood.
He was cremated at the San Andreas Memorial Chapel and a Memorial Service will be held on Jan. 10, at 11 a.m. at the VFW Post in West Point.
Lieselotte H. Davis
A memorial service will be held on Jan. 4 at the Galt United Methodist Church for Liselotte H. Davis, 69, who died from a long illness on Dec. 23.
She was born Liselotte H. Forster in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 3, 1932. She moved to the United States in the early 1960s after her marriage to Billy Davis. She has lived in the Galt area for 15 years.
She had a true love of music and enjoyed square dancing.
She is survived by two children.
The Rev. Craig Dale, of the Galt United Methodist Church will lead the memorial service.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), 21021 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91364.
Deeann Flores
A memorial service was held for Deeann Flores, 28, of Galt, who passed away on Dec. 2, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Grizzly Flat.
She was born in Sacramento on April 20, 1973 and lived in Galt for 12 years. She enjoyed traveling.
She is survived by her mother, Diana Szalay, of Galt; her children, Brandon and Michelle; a sister, Carrie Szalay; a brother, Adam Szalay and grandmother Genevieve Davis.
The service was held on Jan. 5 at the Ben Salas Funeral Home in Galt followed by a private committal.
Helen Billy Hook
Helen Billy Hook, of Anderson, died at the Sunbridge Care Center in Redding on Jan. 1. She was 95.
She was born in Floristan, CA on July 28, 1906 and lived in Galt for 71 years before relocating to Shasta County in 1991.
She was a member of the Episcopal Church in Galt, a homemaker and former clerk at the Galt Post Office.
She is survived by her son, John Wade, of Anderson; her daughter, Helene McCoy, of Folsom; a sister, Hazel Bogdanof, of Morrow Bay; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and 21 great-great-grandchildren.
Violet Joy Martin
Violet Joy Martin of Concord, formerly of Galt, died in Concord on Jan. 1, of natural causes. She was 100.
Born Violet Joy Hanson on March 12, 1901, in Woodburn, Or., she lived in Couer d'Alene, Idaho until she moved to Galt in 1966.
She graduated from a three year nursing program at the Glendale Sanitarium/Hospital in 1922 and was a nurse in many different hospitals. She was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1915 and was a member of the Fairmont Church in Lodi.
She is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at the Ben Salas Funeral Home on Jan. 13 at 11 a.m., Pastor Francis Ruddle and Pastor Ernie Dobkins of the Seventh-day Adventist Church will officiate, followed by a private committal at the Galt Cemetery.
Obituaries for January 2, 2002
Artie Sheffield
Artie Sheffield, of Galt, died on Dec. 12, of natural causes at a Lodi convalescent hospital. He was 82.
Born in Nebraska on May 26, 1919, he moved to Meridian, Idaho with his family at the age of nine where he graduated from Meridian High School. He was a member of the Church of God Seventh Day who served in the U.S. Army during WWII.
After his discharge from service in the mid 1940s, he moved to Lodi where he met Alice Nienhuis at a local camp meet. They were married in Lodi on Dec. 7, 1947.
He enjoyed church activities, especially the song service and he liked going to the Galt Market.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Sheffield of Galt; five sons, Darrell Sheffield of Carmichael, James Sheffield of Galt and Richard, Jeffrey and Tim Sheffield of Lodi; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and a brother, Wayne Sheffield of Idaho.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rosalie Sheffield and two brothers, Oroville and Ray Sheffield.
Chapel services were held on Dec. 17 at the Lodi Funeral Home with Elder Loren Stacy of the Church of God Seventh Day officiating, followed by committal at Cherokee Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Church of God Seventh-day Building Fund, 1545 Jasmin Way, Lodi, CA 95240.
Betty Sue Maples
Betty Sue Maples, of Galt, died of natural causes at a local hospital on Dec. 22. She was 66.
Born Betty Sue Erwin in Eastland County Texas on April 18, 1935, she moved from Texas to Hanford, CA and then to Galt six years ago.
She was a homemaker who attended the Galt First Baptist Church.
She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Brown of Texas; a son, Derl Childers of Texas; a sister, Bobbie Glen of Sacramento and several grandchildren.
Per her request, no services have been planned and committal will be private at the Hanford Cemetery in Hanford, CA.
Lynden "Smitty" Smith
Lynden "Smitty" Smith, of Galt, died at a San Francisco VA hospital from heart failure on Dec. 25. He was 79.
Born in Oconto, WI. on February 17, 1922, he has been a local resident for 30 years.
he was a loving father and friend. He was a WWII veteran, a Grange member, an American Legion member and a member of the Galt Senior Citizens Club.
He enjoyed crafts, building, woodworking and helping anyone in need.
He is survived by his son, Gerald Smith of Idaho; a stepson, Stanley Hering, Sr.; seven grandsons; three granddaughters; two great-grandsons and two sisters.
A chapel service was held on Dec. 30 at the Ben Salas Funeral Home in Galt. Pastor Norman Mowery of the First United Methodist Church in Lodi officiated. Committal followed at the Galt Cemetery.
Memorial contributions maybe sent to the Disabled American Veterans, national Headquarters, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.
Obituaries for December 26, 2001
Oma Mildred Lamb
Oma Mildred Lamb, of Galt, passed away of natural causes at the Anderson Guest Home, in Galt, on Dec. 18. She was 83.
She was born in Berta, Ark., on August 8, 1912. She married Jack Lamb in 1933, he later passed away in 1961. Oma moved to Lodi in 1964 where she worked for Pacific Coast Producers in Lodi for many years until she moved to Galt where she resided until her death.
She loved cooking, driving and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her daughter, Polly Johnson of Galt; her son, Jack C. Lamb of Spokane; a sister, Theda Hambright of Galt; three grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jack Lamb in 1961 and her grandson, Kenneth Johnson Jr. in 1991.
Services were held at the Galt Funeral Home on Dec. 21. Committal followed at Cherokee Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions maybe made to the Kenneth Johnson Memorial Scholarship at Galt High School.
Francis Lee Waters
Francis Lee Waters, of Perris, died in his residence on Dec. 17. He was 87.
A resident of Perris for 17 years he had retired from the National Cash Register Company in 1973.
He loved to travel in his fifth wheel trailer and did so full-time from 1973 to 1994.
He is survived by his long time companion Lorene Adams, of Perris; two daughters, Shirley Ann Fordis of Galt and Glenda Lee Ott of Paradise; two brothers, Herbert Waters, Gerald Waters and Forrest Waters, all of Ill.; five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions maybe made to Hospice of the Valley at P.O. Box 686 Sun City, CA. 92586.
