OBITUARIES click here

Helen Virginia Christensen – Active in Sebastopol Senior
Center
Virginia Christensen died on April 20, 2009 at the age of 93.
She was born to William and Cecile (Watson) Meurer on May 10, 1915
in Lyndon, WA. She attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio
where she adopted the nickname, “Vhee.” She married in 1944 in
Seattle, WA, was a dedicated homemaker and mother of three children
in Santa Rosa. She was a member and past president of the Redwood
Garden Club, member of the CA Native Plant Society and Girl Scout
Leader. She enjoyed gardening, was an avid reader, and was a wife
for more than 59 years.
Christensen was an active member of the Sebastopol Senior Center
and participated in the Graton Community Flower Shows and
luncheons. She resided in Graton with her caregiver of seven years,
Venina Seeto.
She is survived by her two daughters, Jan Christensen of Siletz,
OR and Judy Christensen of Graton, and her partner, Gene Broderick;
by her grandson, Jarrad Fraser, and his wife, Gina Cirio, and
great-granddaughters, Oceanna and Raina Fraser of Cloverdale. She
is also survived by her brother, Jack Meurer of Clarkston, WA, and
numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins in California, Washington,
and other states. She was preceded in death by her husband, O.E.
“Chris” Christensen and her son, Kyle Christensen.
Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on
Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 10 a.m. at Graton Community Club with Rev.
Lisa Joslen officiating. Private internment will be held at Santa
Rosa Memorial Park. Donations may be made in Helen Virginia’s name
to the Sebastopol Area Senior Center.
Valora (Rowe) Tighe – Analy, SRJC alum, baseball
fan
Valora Tighe died on April 27, 2009 after a long struggle with
cancer. Tighe was born in Sebastopol on Dec. 11, 1926 to Harold and
Nell Rowe, and attended Sebastopol schools, graduating from Analy
High School in 1945 and Santa Rosa Junior College in 1947. She was
an avid softball player for the Sebastopol Times Girls team during
the 1940s and a big fan of the Oakland A’s. During WWII, she
volunteered with the Red Cross as a Gray Lady in the Naval Hospital
at Mare Island, where she met her husband-to-be Russ, a
recuperating sailor.
Tighe is survived by her husband of 59 years, Russ Tighe, their
daughter Linda Helton, sons Kevin and Regan Tighe and Regan’s wife
Linda, grandchildren Meghan, Amanda, Alicia and Anthony Tighe, Cody
and Tyanna Helton and great-grandson, Devin Hart.  She is also
survived by her brothers and their wives Leroy and Vera Rowe,
Gerald and Mill Rowe, and her sister, Doris Rowe.
A memorial service will be held today (Thursday, May 7), at 1
p.m. at Pleasant Hills Cemetery, 1700 Pleasant Hill Rd.,
Sebastopol.
Robert Lewis Goldberg – Served in the Philippines in
WWII
Robert Goldberg was born on June 1, 1926 and died on May 1,
2009. Goldberg served his country proudly on a LCI in the
Philippines during WWII. 
He is survived by his wife, Beatrice, daughter, Deborah (Tom)
Marsh, son, Gary and brother-in-law Jerome L. Scheyer.
Graveside services will be held Friday, May 8, 2009 at 12:30
p.m. at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Rd.,
Dixon, CA.
Minnie Schaeffer – Past Matron of Eastern
Star
Minnie Schaeffer (Dominica Mariola) died on May 2, 2009 at her
home in Sebastopol at the age of 99. She was a resident of
Sebastopol the past 95 years. Schaeffer supported the Rainbow
Girl’s, served as a Past Matron of the Sebastopol Eastern Star, and
was an honored widow of Masonic Brother, Marc Swengel. She was in
charge of the Santa Rosa Senior Center dance group for many
years. Schaeffer was preceded in death by her husband Nick
Schaeffer, Sr. of Schaeffer Rd. She is survived by her brother,
Charles Mariola; three children, Nick Jr., Arthur and Marliene
Schaeffer; numerous grand and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews,
extended family and friends.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 10 a.m.
at Pleasant Hills Memorial Park, 1700 Pleasant Hill Rd. Donations
may be made in Schaeffer’s name to Memorial Hospice, 821 Mendocino
Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
L.T. ‘Bud’ Parker – Worked on Warm Springs
Dam
L.T. “Bud” Parker passed away peacefully at home in Healdsburg
on May 2, 2009, at the age of 86. He was born in Nicollet County,
Lake Prairie Township, Minnesota.
After World War II Bud came to Underwood, North Dakota to work
on the Garrison Dam. There in 1948 he met the love of his life,
Virginia. He joined the Catholic Church and they were married on
December 31, 1949 at Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church. They were
married 59 years.
Bud served in World War II from December 1, 1942 to October 15,
1945. He was a member of the 237th AAF unit stationed primarily in
Italy. He was a corporal and an airplane engine mechanic. After the
war he worked on various hydro-electric and flood control projects
in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and West Virginia. He
retired from the Army Corp of Engineers after 28 years of service.
His last project was the Warm Springs Dam in Healdsburg,
California. He volunteered at every Catholic Church in various
capacities in every town where he lived. His charity was done with
such little fanfare that not many people knew about it.
Bud was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather and
great-grandfather. He is survived by: his wife, Virginia J. Parker;
his siblings Faye Anderson, Larry Barr, Ben Barr; children Mark
(Roberta), Bill (Sharon), Damian (Carolyn), Ginny, and Carrie;
grandchildren Kristy (Jay), Jessica, Michelle, Katie, Brett, Sarah,
Graham, Jason, Aaron, David, Michael, Brianna, Matthew, and
Samantha; great-grandchildren Sam, Joey, Henry, Ethan and Kelsey.
Bud is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and friends. To
say that he will be sorely missed is an understatement, to say that
he left a legacy is not.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Friday, May 8, 2009 at 4 p.m.
at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church, Healdsburg, California.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the charity of your
choice in Bud’s memory.
Dolores Faye Howard – Lived in Healdsburg most her
life
Dolores Faye Howard passed away peacefully in Santa Rosa, CA, at
the age of 72 on April 22, 2009. Loving mother of Robert Bell of
Yuba City, CA, Jerry Bell and long time companion Tammy Stapelton
of Santa Rosa, CA, Steven Bell of Santa Rosa, CA, the late Randy
Howard of Santa Rosa, CA, adored grandmother of Jacob Howard, Randy
Howard Jr.; adored great-grandmother of Randy Howard III; all of
Santa Rosa, CA.
Daughter of the late Leo H. and Vergie Hollingsworth of
Healdsburg; survived by sisters Leona Barilani of Calabasa, CA,
Debbie Bradley of Lake Port, CA, brother Leo Willie and Thelma
Hollingsworth of Healdsburg, CA. Preceded in death by the late
Billy Wayne and Louise Hollingsworth of Healdsburg, the late Johnny
Hollingsworth of Healdsburg. Survived by many adored nieces,
nephews and cousins. Survived by aunts Wanda Monticelli of
Healdsburg, Algusta Wright of Watsonville and Loyce Walker of
Auberry, CA, and Faye Cryder of Georgia.
Dolores was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, June 26, 1936. Her
family moved to Hayward, Oakland then to Healdsburg for most of her
life. Dolores and her children attended Healdsburg schools. She
worked at Santa Rosa Junior College in the math department from
1975 to 1998 for 23 years when she retired. She loved her job,
happy to help the professors or students whenever she could. She
was known to have taken many book drafts home, proofed and typed
the books on her own time for the math department. She had several
books dedicated to her for all her tireless work. She had a heart
of gold.
Dolores was an avid 49er fan, you could always count on her to
be leading the cheer “Here we go Niners, here we go.” One of her
favorite past times was going to Healdsburg Rec. Park and watching
her boys and her nephews play ball. Dolores was known by many (more
than just her sons) as Mom, and to have a heart as big as all
outdoors. She touched so many lives. She will be missed by all who
had the pleasure of knowing her. God Bless.
A memorial service will be held in her honor at the Trinity
Baptist Church, 515 Powell Ave., Healdsburg, CA, at noon on
Saturday, May 16, 2009.
Family prefers memorial donations to be made to Trinity Baptist
Church, 515 Powell Ave., Healdsburg, CA, 95448 in memory of Dolores
Howard.
Joe Kawakami – Loved to fish and carve
Joe Kawakami peacefully passed away at home on April 26, 2009
surrounded by his loving family. He was 79. Joe was born to Chikaji
and Matsu Kawakami in Oakland, California.
Joe grew up in Oakland until his family was relocated and
interned during WWII at a camp at Topaz, Utah. Following the end of
WWII the family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Joe finished
school and joined the Navy so that he could pursue an education in
engineering. After leaving the Navy he completed his education at
IIT in mechanical design and then returned to California where he
began a 50 year career in mechanical engineering and industrial
design, 25 of these were at the lead of his own firm.
Joe met his wife of 50 years, Misako, in San Francisco after
returning to California. They raised four daughters and put them
all through college. In 1987, Joe and Misako found the lovely town
of Healdsburg and moved there to establish their retirement life.
Joe loved to fish and carve. He was an active member of the Grizzly
Peak fly fishing club and a member of the Healdsburg Senior Carving
club.
Joe is survived by his wife Misako, daughter and son-in-law
Diane and Jim Coward, daughter and son-in-law Susan and Richard
Cyr, daughter Tomi Patigler, and daughter Mitzi Kawakami. He also
leaves behind his loving grandchildren Erin, Melanie, Matthew and
Joe Cyr, and Alex, Erich and Andreas Patigler.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joe Kawakami’s
memory to the American Cancer Society, Sonoma County Unit, 1451
Guerneville Road, Suite 220, Santa Rosa, CA  95403.
Private family services held.