Madeline Arata – Devoted Homemaker
Madeline Arata passed away at her home after a short illness on
Nov. 22, 2008. Born May 20, 1919 in San Francisco, she moved with
her family to St. Helena at the age of 3. She attended the St.
Helena Ursuline Academy and graduated from St. Helena High School
in 1937. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years,
Henry, in June of this year.
Madeline was a devoted homemaker who always looked after her
family. She was an excellent baker, with Lemon Meringue Pie being a
family favorite. Her grandchildren will always remember that upon
visiting the first question was always, “Are you hungry, can I fix
you something to eat?”
She was a devoted mother to her children, Ronald
(daughter-in-law Gail), Mary Lee (son-in-law Dan) Pina. Her
grandchildren, Ryan and Garon Arata and Kori and Jeffrey Pina were
a constant source of pride. Brother, Aldo Micheli (Eda) and many
nieces, nephews and their children survive her. She was preceded in
death by her sister Velia and brother-in-law Nathan (Babe)
Brovelli.
Madeline was a quiet and gracious woman who was a friend to all.
She will be remembered as a caring, devoted loving wife, mother,
grandmother and friend. She will be dearly missed by all who knew
and loved her.
At her request, interment will be private. As an expression of
sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Napa,
415 South Jefferson, Napa, CA, 95449, or to a charity of ones
choice.
Florence Ruth Kenworthy Smith – Gentle and
generous
Florence Ruth Kenworthy Smith passed away unexpectedly Nov. 24,
2008 at the age of 85. She left an indelible mark on the many lives
that she touched. Her gentle touch, encouraging words, and
incredible strength can never be replaced. Florence was born in
1923 in Iowa, the fifth child of Othello and Else Kenworthy. The
family moved to Sterling City, CA when she was 3 years old. She
attended Chico High School and Bethany Bible College. She assisted
her brother Reverend Chester Kenworthy at his first pastoral
appointment at the First Assembly of God Church in Healdsburg. It
was here she met Russell Smith, a young soldier returning from
World War II. Their love and devotion built a lifelong commitment
that endured beyond Russell’s death in 1974. Florence will be
remembered for her loving acceptance and kindness towards
everyone, and her faith in the goodness of people. She loved to
learn and had a tireless work ethic. Florence’s generosity of
spirit and patience is an enduring example to those that were
graced by her presence. She will be deeply missed by her children
Steven, Cynthia, Verna, Sandy, and Bruce; granddaughters Hillary,
Hayley, and Kaitlin Smith and Kirstan Kimball; her sister Clara
Raimer; brothers Chester and Ellis Kenworthy; daughters-in-law
Mary Lou and Kendra; son-in-law Kevin Kimball; sisters-in-law
Marceline DeLira, Kathleen Smith, Nancy Neopolitan, Adella
Kenworthy and Annie Smith; brothers-in-law Stan and Douglas Smith
and Merle Raimer; and many kind and caring nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m., at
Healdsburg Community Church, 1100 University Street, with a
reception to follow.
Eugene Abraham Levitt – Loved music
Dr. Eugene Abraham Levitt died peacefully at his home in
Healdsburg, CA, Nov. 18, 2008. He was 83 years old. Dr. Levitt is
survived by his wife, Dr. Phyllis Levitt, his children Dr. Jonathan
Levitt and Lisa Levitt, daughter-in-law Kelly Levitt, son-in-law
Paul Campbell, and grandchildren Ryan and Christopher Levitt, and
Max and Myra Levitt-Campbell. Gene (as he was known to his friends)
was born in New York City on Jan. 30, 1925. As a young man he
developed a lifelong love for music of all varieties. He attended
the High School of Music and Art in New York from 1938, graduating
in 1942. He joined the Army in 1943 and served as a medic in the
Ardennes Theatre Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1943-1944.
Gene stayed in France following the war and attended the American
Services University at Biarritz before returning to the U.S. and
completing his B.A. at Ohio State University. Gene attended
Columbia University for his doctoral studies, graduating in 1962.
He practiced as a clinical psychologist for 38 years before
retiring to Healdsburg in 1994.
Gene was deeply involved in the Healdsburg Community, serving as
a president and later as Landscape Committee Chair of the Fitch
Mountain Village Villas over the years. He was involved with the
community garden and he served on the Board The Friends of the
Healdsburg Library. Gene was a member of the Northern California
Chamber Chorale of Santa Rosa Junior College for six years, where
he sang bass. He was a perpetual fixture at the dog park near the
Villa Chanticleer with his dog, Trevor.
There will be a celebration of his life Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3
p.m. at the Villa Chanticleer Annex. In lieu of flowers, the family
requests donations in his name to the Healdsburg Animal
Shelter.
Rosemary Cross Hornby – Worked for World Affairs
Council
Rosemary Cross Hornby died peacefully at The Sequoias
in Portola Valley on Monday, Nov. 17. Rosemary was born Nov. 16,
1922 in San Francisco, CA. Her early school years were spent in San
Francisco, Palo Alto and Los Angeles. She graduated from Stanford
University in 1944. During World War II she wrote broadcasts
to China for the Office of War Information and worked briefly for
the World Affairs Council. Her marriage to William Hornby carried
her to London, Paris & The Hague where her husband worked for
the Marshall Plan.
Divorced in 1958, she returned to the family house on the
Stanford campus and began a career working
for Stanford University and the Stanford Medical School where she
was Manager of Human Resources for over 20 years. She retired in
1992 and moved to The Sequoias in Portola Valley. She is survived
by two daughters, Melinda Barnard (Tim) of Healdsburg, CA., Megan
Hornby (Don Keister) of Lake Oswego, OR.; and two grandsons, Henry
Eichman of Duluth, MN., Zachary Eichman of New York, NY.
A memorial celebration will be held at The Sequoias in Portola
Valley, 501 Portola Valley Rd., 94028 on Friday, Dec. 19 from 3 to
4:30 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to The Yosemite Fund
(www.yosemitefund.org) or the Rosemary Hornby Library Book Fund
at AlexanderValley School, 8511 Highway 128, Healdsburg, CA.,
95448.
Catherine Irene Perry – Lifelong resident, lived to
100
Catherine Perry died in Sebastopol on Nov. 29, 2008 at the age
of 100. Perry was a native of Bodega and a lifelong resident of
West Sonoma County. Her greatest loves were her family, animals,
and her garden. She not only raised her own children, but reared
her sister’s children, the Bertolini family.
Perry was preceeded in death by her husband Harry Perry, and
sons Primo Piazza and Alvin A. “Manny” Piazza (Amelia).
She leaves behind sons Alfred “Buck” Piazza and his wife
Lorraine of Bodega, Joseph “Patty” Piazza of Sebastopol, and
daughter Evelyn Casini of Bodega, as well as 10 grandchildren , 16
great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. She is also
survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to all of
Catherine’s caregivers, especially Letila Seru.
The family prefers memorials be made to the Humane Society of
Sonoma County, P.O. Box 1296, Santa Rosa, CA 95402.
Andrew Brian Farmer – Artist, ‘huge’ Raiders
fan
Andrew Farmer died on Nov. 21, 2008 at the age of 31. He lived
all his life in Graton. Farmer was an artist who painted murals and
drew pictures that became tattoos for many of his friends. He was
very good with his hands and worked as a handyman for many
years. Farmer also enjoyed music, with tastes ranging from Waylon
Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr. to KISS and AC/DC. He was a huge
Oakland Raider fan.
He is survived by his fiance, Monica Alberigi, his parents,
Carolyn Farmer and Larry (Priscilla) Farmer, brothers Matthew
(Jennifer) Farmer, Torrey (Melyssa) Farmer, and seven nieces and
nephews, Jessica, Raymond, Mitchell Gunnar, Torey Beth and Maci
Farmer, and Lacy and Natalie Alberigi. He is also survived by
grandparents, Irv and Wanda Brown, as well as countless close
friends, especially Sherry and Al Binder.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in
Farmer’s name to Memorial Hospice, 821 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa,
Ca 95401.
Louie Gus Scheeler – Pearl Harbor survivor
Louie Scheeler died at home in Sebastopol on Nov. 21, 2008. He
was born in Kintyre N.D. to Gus and Jeanette Scheeler on Aug. 25,
1919. A member of the VFW, he joined the U.S. Navy in the 1930’s
and was a Pearl Harbor survivor aboard the Battleship USS
Tennessee. After WWII, he was a truck driver for Coca Cola,
Carnation, and the U.S. Post Office.
Scheeler was preceded in death by his wives Helen Zenishek and
Florence Thomas. He is survived by his sisters Roxie Lois Assinessi
and Betty Joyce (Roger) Maisonneuve, of Salinas, his daughter Joedy
and her husband William Heilman of Pacifica, his grandson William
(Elizabeth) Heilman of Puyallup, WA and granddaughter Roxanne
Heilman of Sebastopol, who for the past six years lived with and
cared for her Grandma and Grandpa. Scheeler is also survived by
great-grandchildren Bonnie, Casey, Trenton, Annie, Kaitlyn and
Faith of Puyallup, WA.
Janice H. (Jann) Kalbaugh – SSU professor, community
volunteer
Jann Kalbaugh was born in Oakland 84 years ago, to Carl and
Gladys (Gile) Hooven of Marshalltown, Iowa. Kalbaugh lived in
Oakland until her father closed his cabinet making business and
moved his family to Alexander Valley during the Depression.
In 1944 she went to work in San Francisco for Pan American World
Airways as a passenger service representative. It was during her
employment with Pan American that she met Robert (Bob) Kalbaugh,
whom she married and raised one son, Kim, and two daughters,
Kristine and Ann.
In 1964, the Kalbaughs moved to Sebastopol. It was during this
period that Kalbaugh was the executive secretary for four
successive elementary school principals in the Sebastopol Union
School District. In 1964, she enrolled as a full-time student at
SSU and majored in humanistic psychology.
She became an active supporter of SSU’s Re-Entry Program when it
was formed in the early 1970s.
She graduated from SSU in 1967, having earned a BA and MA in
psychology. She went on to become the Director of Student
Activities at SSU and then Director of the Counseling Center where
she enjoyed counseling individuals, couples and groups of
students.
Kalbaugh retired from SSU in 1982, and began to focus more of
her energy on her private practice as a marriage and family
therapist.
In the 1960s, she was a member of several working Boards of
Directors, including the Sonoma County chapter of the ACLU, 544
HELP, Sonoma County Volunteer Bureau, and the Sebastopol
Library.
For many years, she was an active member of the West Sonoma
County Historical Society, the California Museum of Arts at the
Luther Burbank Center, and the Sebastopol Center of the Arts.
Kalbaugh was preceded in death by her husband Robert, and
daughter Kristine, and is survived by her daughter and son-in-law,
Ann and Eric Cross of Alameda; her son and daughter-in-law, Kim and
Scharol Kalbaugh of Plumas County and their two children, Jordan
and Kellan.
There will be a celebration of Jann’s life at the Sebastopol
Center for the Arts on Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. Suggested contributions in
her memory may be made to Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780
Depot St., Sebastopol, 95472; or Sebastopol Area Senior Center, 167
North High St., Sebastopol, 95472.
