Obituaries for November 6, 2002
Don Wuchter
Don Wuchter of Galt passed away suddenly on Oct. 31. He was 59.
He was born on May 7, 1943 in Evanston, ILL. and had been a resident of Galt for 20 years.
He was the owner and operator of Galt Carpet Cleaning and a Christian Scientist who coached both Pop Warner and Warrior football. He was also a member of the Galt Booster Club and an avid fisherman who spent much of his time on the Delta Loop as a member of the Bass Association.
He is survived by his wife Lynette Wuchter; his son, Donald Wuchter and his wife Mary; grandchildren, Rachelle, Crystal and Jordan Wuchter and his mother and step-father Tom and Glory Tomasik.
Gravesdie services were held at the Galt Cemetery on Nov. 5 with David Haas of the Christian Science Church in Lodi officiating.
A memorial fund has been established at farmers and Merchants Bank, account #0381640019, for Donald C. Wuchter Jr.. In Lieu of flowers donations would be greatly appreciated to assist in funeral expenses.
The family wishes to thank all of the loyal Galt Carpet Cleaning patrons that have helped build and then support the local business for 20 years.
Evelyn M Brooks
Evelyn M Brooks passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in
Galt, October 26, 2002. Born June 28, 1927 in Cooke, Nebraska. Evelyns family moved to California in 1937.
Preceded in Death by her sister Mildred, Grandson Cody, and Husband Walter.
Evelyn retired from the River Delta School District and resided in Courtland until September of 2001.
Survived by her sister Margie and her sons Don Sherry of Lincoln, Ron Sherry and wife Gay of Galt, Gene Brooks and Wife Alecia of Galt. Seven Grand children and Four Great Grandchildren.
Evelyn you will always be loved and will truly be missed
Obituaries for February 26, 2003
Betty Faye Navarra
Betty Faye Navarra died Feb. 15, 2003 in Sacramento. A native of Jerome, Arizona, she was 77 years old.
She was the loving daughter of the late Roy and Ursula Prather; devoted wife of Phillip Navarra of Cebu City, Philippines; loving mother of Duane P. Navarra of McMinnville, Oregon, Bruce Navarra of Jackson and Tony Navarra of Alameda; dear sister of Barbara Riddlesperger of Galt, patricia martin of Monterey and Dennis Prather of Lemoore; devoted grandmother of six, Keith, Priscilla, Scott, Paul, Mia and Marcus; and great-grandmother of three, Emily, Allison (deceased) and Sarah.
She was a charter member of the North Highlands Salvation Army, where she served as Home League chaplain and Sunday School teacher.
A memorial service was held Feb. 23 at the Salvation Army in Roseville. Remembrances may be expressed to the Salvation Army, 102 Lincoln Ave., Roseville, CA 95678.
Rocha's Mortuary of Lodi was in charge of arrangements.
James L. Eoff
James L. Eoff of Galt passed away suddenly on Feb. 17. He was 57.
He was born on November 23, 1945 in Los Angeles. Formerly of Oceanside, CA. and Tri-Cities Montana, he was a resident of Galt for 40 years.
He was a laborer, fork lift driver and dry wall apprentice. A member of the Calvary Life Tabernacle, in Galt, he was a bible study leader and active in children's music ministry.
He was a collector of baseball cards, stamps, coins, old movies and books and he was an avid game player.
He was preceded in death by his parents Maxine and Floyd Eoff; his step-father Charles Franks and his niece Crystal Eoff.
He is survived by his wife Carolyn Eoff of Galt; daughters Carla Gaytan and Katie Eoff of Galt, Cammie Posey of Lodi; his son Luke Eoff of Tri-Cities; his sister Darlene Beverson of Oceanside; a nephew Brian Eoff and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at the Calvary Life Tabernacle on Feb. 24 with Pastor Larry Lyons officiating. Internment followed at the Galt Cemetery.
Elaine Ray Crabtree
Elaine Ray Crabtree of Galt passed away on Feb. 20. She was 77.
She was born Elaine Ray McAlister in Oroville. She lived in other parts of the United States returning to California in 1958. She settled in Galt in the early 1980s.
She was a retired bookkeeper in the beverage industry and was gifted in needlepoint.
She was very active in the Grace Presbyterian Church in Lodi.
She is survived by her daughter Marsha Gulbor of New York City; four grandsons and one great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her son Fred Lawrence Aasa in 1976 and her husband John Watson Crabtree in 1993.
Graveside services were held on Feb. 25 at the Galt Cemetery, Pastor David Hill of Grace Presbyterian Church officiating.
Obituaries for April 21, 2004
(Editors note: The birth date for the following obituary was incorrectly printed in last week's Galt Herald. We apologize for this error and have rerun the obituary, in its entirety.)
Carl J. Aldridge
Carl John Aldridge passed away suddenly at his residence in Galt on April 5, 2004 at the age of 43.
Carl lived in Galt all of his life. He was born in Lodi on May 6, 1961. He enjoyed fishing, spending time with his family, and he truly loved all animals.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Aldridge of Washington state; his mother, Theresa Bromme and Charles Bromme of Galt; brother, Charles Aldridge and Rita Bowen of Galt; sister, Rebecca Spencer of Galt; and close friend, Sherrie Hughes of Galt; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins; two grandmothers, Cecil Aldridge of Galt and Bernice Wagner of Napa.
He was preceded in death by his father, Chuck Aldridge; his grandfather, Roland Wagner; uncle, Constaine Sova; and his aunt, Maxine McGregor.
Services are pending, and interment will be private. Lodi Cemetery is in charge of arrangements.
Obituaries for May 12, 2004
Wauneta Bowen
Wauneta Bowen of Galt passed away from natural causes on May 2, 2004. She was 89.
She was born Wauneta Banks in St. Joseph, Missouri on June 23, 1914. She was a resident of the Galt area for 38 years.
She was a cannery worker and a homemaker who enjoyed needlework and crafts. She also enjoyed shopping and loved family gatherings.
Surviving her are daughters Carol Bowen of Galt and Sandra Bowen of Lodi; son Robert Bowen of Galt; 12 grandchildren; 30 great grandchildren, and 12 great-great grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Lorenzo Bowen; a daughter, Doty Gilbert; and two granddaughters.
A church service was held on May 7 at Big Valley Church. Gene Wilburn officiated.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sutter Hospice, 2800 L Street, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Randall L. McComas
Randall L. McComas of Galt passed away from natural causes on May 5, 2004. He was 82. He was born in Dedham, Iowa on July 26, 1921.
He lived in Iowa for 54 years, in Wisconsin for 10 years, and Florida for two years. He was a resident of the Galt area since 1987.
He was a self-employed, retired retail meat processor. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in the local Knight chapter. He was lay distributor of Holy Communion with St. Christopher's Church.
Surviving him are his sons, Marshall McComas of Folsom, Roger McComas of Orland, Patrick McComas of Milpitas; daughters, Deborah McComas of Stevens Point Wisconsin and Mary Jansson of San Francisco; sisters, Maureen Rocha of Manteca, Janis Genovese of Des Moines, Iowa, Rita Pantano of Lockport, Illinois and Donna Olson of Perry, Louisiana; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Viewing is at Ben Salas Funeral Home in Galt on Wednesday, May 12, from 2-5 p.m., followed by an additional 6 p.m. viewing and vigil at St. Christopher's Catholic Church. There will be a mass on Thursday, May 13 at 10 a.m. Fr. Jerry Ryle will officiate.
Committal will follow at Galt Cemetery.
Obituaries for September 8,2004
Walter Wipfli, Sr.
Walter Wipfli of Galt died in a Lodi hospital Aug. 31, 2004 at the age of 80 years.
Mr. Wipfli lived in Fremont for 74 years before moving to Galt 10 years ago. He was a retired dairy farmer in Fremont and enjoyed gardening and woodworking. He also was a craftsman. He was a member of Aelpler Gruppe Swiss Club of Newark.
Surviving him are his wife, Elizabeth Wipfli of Galt; sons, Walter Wipfli, Jr. of Redmond, Oregon, Robert Wipfli of Galt, Stan Wipfli of Palm Springs; three grandchildren; and sisters, Olga Snyder of Colusa, Frieda Bauhoffer of Fremont and Bertha Vogt of Gilroy.
Memorial Mass will be held Friday, Sept. 10, at 9 a.m. at St. Christopher's Catholic Church, 950 S. Lincoln Way. Father Jerry Ryle will officiate.
Ben Salas Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Obituaries for October 6, 2004
Joseph Wiechec
Joseph Wiechec of Galt passed away in Galt on Sept. 27, 2004 at the age of 41. He was born on Jan. 8, 1963 at Selfridge AFB, Michigan to John and Elizabeth Wiechec.
Mr. Wiechec moved to this area 36 years ago. He was a copier tech for Ikon Office Solutions. He was a member of River of Life Celebration Center in Galt and a youth mentor for the U-Turn Program.
Mr. Wiechec was most notably known for his excellence in house Christmas decorations, having taken first, second and third place over a period of time for the best decorated house in Galt. He enjoyed gardening and loved his animals.
Surviving him are his sons, Theodore Joseph Wiechec and Nicholas John Wiechec of Galt; father, John Wiechec of Sacramento; former wife, Sheryl Wiechec of Galt; siblings, Lorraine M. Ficklin of Martinez, Phillip J. Wiechec of Mt. View, John T. Wiechec, Margaret A. Wright of Lees Summit, Missouri, David Wiechec of Ontario, Oregon, and Walter P. Wiechec of Sacramento.
His brother, Thomas F. Wiechec, preceded him in death.
Memorial services were held Saturday at Lodi Funeral Home with Pastor Larry Brand of River of Life Celebration Center of Galt and Brian Winsor officiating. Committal was private.
A virtual register book may be signed at www.lodifuneralhome.com where memories may be shared. Lodi Funeral Home handled arrangements.
Mary Morelli
Mary Morelli, a native of Casalveiri, Italy and resident of Galt since 1957, passed away Sept. 29, 2004 after a lengthy illness. She was preceded in death in 2002 by her husband of 72 years, Ralph.
Surviving her are her four children, Vera Sekol of Galt, Lillian (and Domenic) Peticca of Detroit, Michigan, Walter (and Clara) Morelli of Lexington, Michigan and Jean (and Chuck) Rose-Flack of Roseville; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Rosary was held Monday at Ben Salas Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial was Tuesday at St. Christopher's Catholic Church.
Ronald Prachar
Ronald G. Prachar passed away Oct. 1, 2004. He was born Dec. 15, 1940 in Dixon, South Dakota and moved to Galt with his family when he was five years old.
Ron retired after 25 years with Tri-Valley Growers.
Surviving him are his daughter and son-in-law, Tamra and Josh Tisdale, and only grandson, Austin Tisdale; mother, Helen Reis; brother, Donald Prachar; sister, Shirley Billick; and sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Larry Simmonds; plus several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Estrellita Ballroom on C Street in Galt. Everyone is welcome.
Valerie Rios
Valerie Rios of Stockton died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004 in St. Joseph's Medical Center at the age of 41. She was born May 25, 1963 in Lodi.
She lived in Stockton two years. She also lived in Lodi for four years and Galt for 17 years. She was a member of Revival Church in Lodi. She enjoyed spending time with her family and making people laugh.
Surviving are five children, Michael Kelley, Juliet Kelley and Roy Kelley of Galt, Fedrico Rios and Alejandro Ramos of Stockton; brother, Rudy Rios of Galt; and parents, Rose Roderick of Lodi and Raul Rios of Galt.
Her brother, Alfonso Rios, preceded her in death in October 1997.
Friends will be received from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct.8 at the Ben Salas Funeral Home in Galt. Services will follow at 1 p.m. with Pastors Russ Moore and David Butt officiating.
Interment will follow in the Galt Cemetery.
Betty Carter
Betty Carter of Lockeford passed away Oct. 3, 2004 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Betty was born in Tailorville, Illinois on Jan. 10, 1926.
She spent her childhood in Illinois and Oklahoma and later moved to California where she lived in the Marysville area near her grandchildren. She moved to the Lodi area 15 years ago to be closer to her daughter.
She enjoyed crossword puzzles and television game shows and loved to visit Lake Tahoe. She shared much joy in participating in the lives of her grandchildren and great grandchildren of whom she always lived within a few miles.
She is survived by her daughter, Tommy Sue Evans of Lockeford; son, James Daniel Henry of West Virginia; grandchildren, Jim Roberts of Linden, Kenneth Steele of Stockton, Susan Steele of Stockton, Sherry Daley of Galt, Rachael Roberts of Galt, Shawn Hempfield of Yuba City, Jerry Steele of Yuba City, and Christine Roberts of Galt; two sisters, three brothers, and numerous great grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Thomas Carter; daughter, Linda Moss; two sisters and three brothers.
A graveside service will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Lodi Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Gierhart Wells and Donahue Funeral Home from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. She will be missed by all. Donations can be made in her name to the American Cancer Society.
Thomas A. Farrell III
Thomas Anthony Farrell III lost his courageous 16-month battle with cancer in Sacramento on Aug. 18, 2006.
A native and lifetime resident of Sacramento, he was 53 years old. Tom was a 1971 graduate of Galt lHigh School and a graduate of San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, where he attained his funeral director and embalmer's license. He was a pari-mutuel clerk for the State of California Horse Racing Board, a devoted employee and patron of Cheaters Sports Bar, a devoted San Francisco 49er fan, avid sports enthusiast and friend to all.
He was the beloved husband of Petra Farrell, loving father of Thomas 'The Rock' Farrell IV, step-father of Rehannon Aragon, son of Thomas and Janet Farrell of Galt, brother of Toni Farrell of Elk Grove and Shaun Farrell of Galt, grandfather of Dustin Phillips, uncle of Grant, Matthew and Andrew Farrell of Galt. Numerous close friends and relatives also survived him.
Friends are welcome for visitation at W.F. Gormley & Sons Chapel, 2015 Capitol Ave., Sacramento on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Vigil Service will be held at St. Mary's Church, 1333 58th Street, Sacramento on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. Friends are also invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial to be offered for the repose of his soul at St. Mary's Church on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m. Interment will be private.
Mary V. Farmer
Mary V. Farmer passed away in Galt on Aug. 21, 2006 at the age of 84. Born in Hemphill, W.V., Mary has lived the past six years in Lodi, but lived many years previously in Covina.
She enjoyed genealogy, reading, music, and crossword puzzles. She had many books about rocks and geology.
Surviving are her daughter, Becky Erickson of Lodi; Robert Patrick Farmer of New Mexico and Joseph Timothy Farmer of Southern California; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Private services were held at Cherokee Memorial park in Lodi under the direction of Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home.
