Leonard J. Holsapple, 96

Bruce Morgan McKay, 56

Max Paul Wielputz, 67

Leonard J. Holsapple passed away April 4, 2012, at his home in Brookings, Ore. He was 96.

Leonard was born Jan. 27, 1916, in Divide County, N.D., the oldest of 11 children to Benjamin and Lavada (Lumsted) Holsapple.

The family moved to Minnesota where Leonard attended school only until the eighth grade when, at the onset of the Great Depression, he was forced to go to work to help support the family.

Though a lack of formal education would not stop Leonard from becoming a very learned man in his life, he felt very strongly that his children and grandchildren go to college — all have.

Leonard married Amy Gunderson Oct. 2, 1939, in Brainerd, Minn.

The conclusion of World War II found Leonard being drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as a POW guard in the Philippines. Following an honorable discharge, he returned home and he and Amy moved back to California. He spent most of his career as a millwright and machinist for Collins Products at their Chester plant. He and Amy lived in Chester for 62 years. They moved to Grants Pass, Ore., briefly before moving to Brookings in 2005.

Leonard loved taking care of his garden. Their home in Chester often looked like a park given the attention Leonard placed in it. He also loved to read. Retirement for Leonard and Amy was traveling around the country visiting different segments of the family. Leonard’s pride and joy was his family to whom he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Survivors include his wife of 72 years, Amy Holsapple, of Brookings; daughters Florence Savercool, of Brookings, and Joy Larsen, of Yakima, Wash.; son and daughter-in-law Lester and Sharon Holsapple, of Missoula, Mont.; grandchildren Teresa, Scott, Heather, Kate, Jim and John; great-grandchildren Ariel, Crystal, Jonas and Sam; and great-great-granddaughter Katelyn.

Leonard was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Herbert Savercool; three brothers; and three sisters.

Services will be held at a later date in Chester. Condolences may be expressed online at redwoodmemorial.net.

Bruce Morgan McKay was born in Kellogg, Idaho, March 3, 1956, as the first son to Nita and Mike McKay. He was born in a valley of silver, grew up around creeks of gold and thought himself lucky to earn a living pulling coal from the ground. He died April 5, 2012.

Bruce was a man of earth and sky. He took joy from the feel of wind off a sail, the crunch of snow beneath his skis and the sun on his face. Bruce tried to find an adventure in everything he did whether on vacation or at work. His years at Kiewit Mining gave him great pride and many friends.

Bruce leaves his son, Stuart; wife Sharon; former spouse Mary Alice; brothers David and his wife Robin, and Bryan, along with his sister-in-law Stacie; and nieces, nephews, cousins and all who knew him with stories to tell and his favorite phrase: “Shake hands with danger.”

While we are saddened at Bruce’s sudden departure he has gone on to join his mother and father and will be waiting for us.

A celebration of Bruce’s life is planned for a later date. An opportunity to express condolences to the family and sign the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.

Indian Valley resident Max Paul Wielputz passed from this life unexpectedly Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, at his residence outside of Greenville at the age of 67.

Born on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, in El Monte to Max Sr. and Elsie (Dame) Wielputz, he was raised and educated in Tujunga Canyon. He was a 1962 graduate of Vergugo Hills High School.

Max went into a partnership as a tow truck operator out of high school while also working as a fleet mechanic for Sears. In 1971, he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area where he began what became a 29-year career as a mechanic for Hanzel Auto Body.

While harassing a pretty young waitress named Cecille in a local restaurant he was asked to repair her car. Later following a trip to Reno, Nev., Max surprised her with a proposal and the couple was united in matrimony Oct. 26, 1974 in Reno.

Max leaves behind two sons and two daughters.

Following Max’s retirement he and Cecille relocated to the beautiful Indian Valley of northeastern California in 2003. Max had a great love for Antelope Lake where his family and friends had vacationed for 32 years straight. Max had a great passion for the automotive repair trade and loved collecting antique automobiles whether they were the real thing or models. He had pulled an engine on one of his cars the morning of his passing.

In passing Max leaves his loving wife of 37 years, Cecille, of Greenville; daughters Sharline Pollard and her husband Richard, of Antioch, and Jeannie Lynn Wielputz and her husband Joe, of San Antonio, Texas; sons Michael and his wife Angie, of Gainesville, Ga., and Richard and his wife April, of Greenville. The joys of his later life were his grandchildren, Heather, Jordan, Amelia, Abigail, Evan and Bretton. Also surviving are his brother Ben, of Palmdale, and sister, Liz Gray, of Reno. Max had many animal friends that he befriended while living in Greenville.

He joins his granddaughter Renee along with two sisters and a brother in their eternal home.

Following cremation, a private family celebration of Max’s life will take place at a later date. An opportunity to express condolences to the family and sign the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Max’s memory to the Plumas Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), c/o Fehrman Mortuary and Crematory, P.O. Box 803, Greenville, CA 95947.