Longtime Sebastopol resident, Lloyd Focha turned 90 years old on
Nov. 6. A neat box of meticulously framed pictures, brought by his
daughter, Elaine Mensching, offered a snapshot of a man of many
years and talents.
“My dad stands for strength, courage and honesty, and he has a
‘can-do,’ attitude,” said Mensching, who sees her father as an
inspiration.
Born on Twin Pines Ranch, near Andy’s Produce in 1921, Focha
grew up among apple and cherry trees and that start colored the
rest of his life. “Every farmer needs to be his own mechanic,” said
Focha, who not only helped with the family harvest but learned to
operate heavy equipment and build and fix things. “My dad always
said, ‘If you borrow something send it back in better shape than it
was before,'” said Focha.
Focha’s family moved to Blank Road in 1930 and he attended
Eucalyptus School where there were only two teachers, after that it
was onto Sebastopol Grammar School located in town. This was before
there was bussing and the train picked the kids up for school and
dropped them off a few blocks away from the school and then they
walked the rest of the way.
Focha was part of Analy High School’s 1940 graduating class. He
won the prestigious Analy Horticultural Cup offered at the time for
his apple project and also played for the Analy Football team and
began studying mechanics and wood shop.
Focha joined the army when he was 21 and was sent to the
Philippines and then to Japan. He put his mechanical abilities to
work and during his 3 and a half year service became a sergeant
after restoring power to a broken generator, that no other soldiers
or higher ups could manage to fix. Even at his ripe age Focha
recalled every complicated technical aspect that was involved in
restoring the collapsed generator.
Focha returned to Sebastopol after the war and started a family
with the late Emma Olufs.
Together, the couple made a real impact, donating their time to
Mobile Missionary Assistance Program (MMAP), traveling throughout
the U.S. helping with construction projects at other churches,
orphanages, camps. Focha was awarded a plaque for his participation
in 65 construction and remodel projects. He was instrumental
locally as well, in the establishment of the Hessel Grange and the
was one of the original Hessel Volunteer Fireman. “I’m the only one
left alive,” said Focha, who built many of the original fire
trucks.
He said Sebastopol has changed a lot over the years in just
about every aspect.
“It’s a completely different town. The streets are still in the
same place though,” he said with a chuckle. Focha is an active
member of Hessel Church and serves as the official greeter who also
passes out programs on Sunday mornings.
