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David Alan Lassen – Died in Motorcycle
accident
Lassen was born March 2, 1977 in San Mateo, CA, and died Sunday,
May 17, 2009 in a motorcycle accident in Sebastopol. He was the
second youngest of four children born to the late Lois Parrick
Lassen and the late Sergei Ivonavich Lassen. The family moved to
Santa Rosa when Lassen was five years old. He attended the Mark
West School District, Redwood Junior Academy and received a
certificate in Machine Tool Technology from Santa Rosa Junior
College. For more than 10 years, he was a dedicated employee at
Micro-Vu in Windsor.
Lassen enjoyed taking trips with friends, fishing, driving dune
buggies, working on his car and riding motorcycles. His last hours
were spent doing what he loved most, enjoying the open air from the
seat of his bike.
Lassen is survived by Steven and Allyson Lassen of Windsor, Tim
Lassen of Santa Rosa, Daniel and Katrina Lassen of Santa Rosa, as
well as his nieces Arianna and Victoria, his nephews Jacob and
Kaiden, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
There will be a public Memorial Service Monday, June 8, 2009 at
2 p.m. at the Healdsburg Seventh Day Adventist Church at 429
Terrace Blvd. Healdsburg, CA 95448.
Wayne Thompson – ‘Wayne the Water Dowser’
Wayne Thompson died Wednesday, May 20, at home in his bedroom
after a yearlong battle with a brain tumor. He was best known for
his permanent smile and infectious laugh. He never met a person (or
a horse) he didn’t like.
Thompson was born in Modesto, CA on March 26, 1927, to Walter
and Mary Thompson. He and his family moved around California
operating various family businesses in Ceres, Modesto, Livermore,
Tracy, Willits, finally settling in Santa Rosa, where they started
Weeks Drilling and Pump Co., which remains a family run company
today. Thompson served in the Navy as a cook at the end of World
War II, and then returned home where he met his wife of 60 years,
Jeannine Ullstrom Thompson. They were married in 1949 and lived in
Sonoma County until 1982 when Thompson retired as Sales Manager for
the family company.
People around Sonoma County may remember “Wayne the Water
Dowser” running around their property with a forked willow branch
locating the perfect spot to drill a water well. He was very proud
of his ability to locate underground water by dowsing. He commented
that he would like to be remembered as a dowser who could find
water in difficult areas, and was such a successful dowser that he
was written up in Smithsonian Magazine. He was also a member of the
American Dowsing Society. Thompson was also a cowboy. He loved to
ride horses and particularly enjoyed his many rides with the Sonoma
County Trailblazers and the many friends he made there. After
retirement, he and his wife moved to Southern California to be
nearer his favorite spot on earth, Posada Concepcion, in Baja. For
the past 22 years, Claremont was his home.
Thompson belonged to numerous civic organizations. He was a
Shriner, served on the Sebastopol Parks and Recreation Committee,
Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival Organizing Committee, Sonoma
County Trailblazers, Pomona Valley TriCity Council, CAMI, Marshall
Canyon Mounted Auxiliary Unit, and helped to found BIACO Club in
Pomona, an organization to assist mentally ill patients and their
families.
Thompson was preceded in death by his father Walter (1959) and
his mother (April 2009) and by his oldest son Gregory (2001). He is
survived by his wife, Jeannine Thompson of Claremont, his daughter,
Lori Connolly (Philip) of Lake Arrowhead, his son, Barton Thompson
of Claremont, daughter-in-law, Lin Thompson of Graton, his brother,
Jerry Thompson (Joyce) of Sebastopol, CA, brother Robert Thompson
(Jocelyn) of Santa Rosa, CA, brother Ward Thompson (Pat) of Santa
Rosa, CA,  grandson Ryan Connolly (Elizabeth) of  Beverly Hills,
granddaughter Erin Whitfield (Steve) of Oxford, NC, grandson,
Brandon Connolly of San Diego, grandson Austin Connolly of Shell
Beach, granddaughter, Alexandra Connolly of Carlsbad, grandson,
Sean Thompson of Graton, and his great granddaughters, Elisa
Connolly and Katherine Whitfield. In addition, He is also survived
by many more nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and
cousins.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Saturday,
May 30, 2009, at 1 p.m. at the Claremont United Methodist Church,
211 West Foothill Blvd. in Claremont, CA.. In lieu of flowers,
donations in his memory may be made to Visiting Nurse Assn. and
Hospices of Claremont, who did an excellent job of caring for
Thompson in the latter stages of his life. The address is VNA and
Hospice, 150 West 1st Street, Suite 270, Claremont, Ca. 91711.
Janet A. Scardina – Animal lover, gardener
Janet Scardina died in Sebastopol on May 21, 2009 at the age of
78. She was an animal lover and gardener who enjoyed working in her
greenhouse and adored her many animals.
Scardina is survived by her children Joe Scardina, Jr. and
Lynette (Michael) Barrett, grandchildren Leah (James) Cigler,
Lorraine Giddings, and Adaiah Mathis, and great-grandchildren
Shawn, Eric, McKenna, Mariah, Riley, Madison, and Carson. Dear
sister of Elmyra Thomas, as well as nieces Karen, Claudia, and
nephew Carl.
RADM Bennett S “Bud” Sparks, U.S.C.G
(retired)
Born October 10, 1925 in Pennsylvania, died May, 22, 2009 in
Windsor, California. He was the father of Bennett Jr. of Novato,
James of Vancouver, Washington, John of Cotati and Julieann
Rosenberg of Windsor. His sister, Doris Lederman of Bellevue,
Washington, survives him, as well as 11 grandchildren, 22
great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, nieces, nephews,
grandnieces and grandnephews. Two of his grandchildren live in
Sonoma County: Hannah (Mrs. Andy) Miller of Santa Rosa and Elisa
(Mrs. Carlos) Garcia of Windsor. Admiral Sparks was the devoted
husband of Elizabeth “Betty” Sparks; at her death they had been
married for more than 60 years. Two children, Richard and Donna,
predeceased them.
Bud served not only his family but also his church, his local
community and his beloved country.
Admiral Sparks joined the United States Coast Guard Reserve in
1942 and served in all enlisted rankings through Chief Petty
Officer. He served as a Combat Aircrewman aboard a variety of Coast
Guard aircraft, including PBM’s and PBY’s in the Pacific, Atlantic
and European theaters, flying both Anti-Submarine and Air-Sea
Rescue missions. In 1946, he transferred to the regular Coast
Guard. In 1957 he received a field promotion to Ensign. Later
training included assignments at the Naval War College, National
War College, National Defense University, Industrial College of the
Armed Forces and the Army War college.
As a pilot, he flew as both a Coast Guard and civilian aviator
in Alaska from 1946 to 1957 on mapping missions for the U.S. Coast
and Geodetic Survey. From 1966 to 1989, he held nine consecutive
commands; four Coast Guard Units, three Coast Guard Groups, and two
U.S. Navy Maritime Defense Zone Sectors. He also served as District
Inspector for the eleventh Coast Guard District and as Senior Coast
Guard Reserve Officer for the Pacific Area in San Francisco and the
Atlantic Area in New York. He commanded the United States Navy
Northern California Maritime Defense Zone headquartered in San
Francisco and later the maritime Defense Zone Sector Six at the
U.S. Navy Base in Charleston, South Carolina.
He was nominated by President Reagan for Flag Rank in the United
States Coast Guard in February 1985. he was promoted to his second
star in 1987.
He was the first Coast Guard President in the then
sixty-year-old history of the Reserve Officers Association of the
United States. In the 1980’s he served as Chief of the United
States Delegation to the Inter-Allied Confederation of Reserve
Officers (CIOR) at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. In 1990,
he was appointed International Secretary General of CIOR. During
his term of office the 870,000-member organization held its annual
meeting in the United States.
He served as the National Deputy Executive Director of the
Reserve Officers Association of the United States in Washington
D.C. from 1988 to 1991 with additional duties as Director of
Administration and Director of Finance.
He held the Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal and twice
received the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Medal. Other
military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious
Service medal, two Coast Guard Commendation medals, the Coast Guard
Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service medal, the Arctic
Service Medal, the Coast Guard Combat Air Crew Wings and the Coast
Guard Command Ashore Device.
A long-time member of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple
of Jerusalem, the NATO Grand Priory, he was promoted to Knight
Commander for his services to both NATO and the Society.
He was a member of the parish at Our Lady of Guadalpue Catholic
Church in Windsor. Among his many volunteer activities, he served
as Chairman of the State of California Veteran’s Board, Board
Member of the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging and North Bay
Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and
Nevada. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the
American Legion, and the Disabled American Veterans, among numerous
other military organizations. In 1991, he was instrumental in the
creation of the Windsor Police Department for the new Town of
Windsor.
Funeral services will be held at the Wells Fargo Center for the
Arts, Santa Rosa, CA, on Saturday, June 13 at 12 noon. In lieu of
flowers, the family suggest memorial contributions in his name to
the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, the Veteran’s Home of
California, Yountville, or the North Bay Chapter of the Alzheimer’s
Association.
Patricia J. Goodwin
Patricia J. Goodwin passed away on May 19, 2009 at the age of
58. Special aunt of Michael Thomsen and Brianna Scott and her
husband Brian, along with all of Healdsburg; great-aunt of her
beloved Jacob and Addison Scott; dear friend of Laurie and Jeff
Thomsen and LeAnn and Cal Chamberlin; she is also survived by
numerous long time friends; She worked at Exchange Bank for over 35
years and was an avid sports fan following closely the 49ers,
Giants, Ohio State, Montgomery and Healdsburg High.  “Aunty Patty”
was a wonderfully loyal, committed and loving friend to everyone
who knew her.
Friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service on Saturday,
May 30, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Daniels Chapel of the Roses, 1225
Sonoma, Santa Rosa.  If desired, memorial donations may be made to
the Northern California Shriners Hospital, 2425 Stockton Blvd.,
Sacramento, California 95817
Maria A. Madrid
In loving memory of Maria A. Madrid. Feb 2, 1925 – May 25,
2009.
Maria was a Windsor resident for 40 years. She was a loving
mother, grandmother, sister and aunt. She was born in Colorado
City, Texas. Loved and adored by all. Maria passed away peacefully
on May 25, 2009, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was preceded in death by Raul Madrid, Abel Ramos, Felix
Madrid, Billy Ramos and Philip Madrid. Maria is survived by
Gilberto and Teresa Madrid of Odessa, Texas, Antonio Madrid, Daniel
Ramos, Angie and Elias Ortiz, Nancy and Henry Carretero, 28
grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren,  1 great great grandchild
and two sisters, Esther Garcia and Gertrudiz Alvarez.
Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation and
rosary on Thursday, May, 28, 2009 at 7 p.m at the Windsor
Healdsburg Mortuary. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 29
at our Lady of Guadalupe Church at 1:30 p.m. Immediately following
is internment at Shiloh District Cemetery.