Obituaries for the week of 2/21/18
Elizabeth “Betty” Frazier
Elizabeth (Betty) Frazier passed away peacefully under the compassionate care of the staff at Eastern Plumas District Hospital’s Skilled Nursing Facility in Portola, on Feb. 3, 2018, at the age of 95.
Born June 28, 1922, in Quincy to John and Anna Hefty, who came to Quincy from Switzerland in 1916. Betty was the youngest of five children.
Betty had remained on the family property for nearly 94 years. She attended Pioneer Elementary School and was a Quincy High School graduate.
She married her sweetheart John D. Frazier on her nineteenth birthday in 1941. John worked at the local mill and spent his days off building their home.
Betty was a stay-at-home mom who enjoyed gardening, crocheting, fishing, playing the piano and organ, canning her homegrown produce and observing wildlife that ventured onto the property. She excelled at baking and had an abundance of blue ribbons from past Plumas County Fairs to prove it. Most of all she loved spending time with family.
She was preceded in her passing by her husband John in 2006.
Betty leaves behind her son, John E. Frazier and wife Julia, of Quincy; daughter, Gail Frazier-Sanders and husband Claude, of Cromberg; granddaughters, Kimbery Pilkington and husband Jeremy, of Quincy, Gina Pontarolo and husband Darrell, of Susanville; great-granddaughters, Cassidy Miller, of Quincy, Jacey Pontarolo, of Susanville; and her good friend Ruth Reid, of Quincy.
She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Private family services took place alongside her late husband in the Quincy East Lawn Cemetery.
An opportunity to express condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.
Gloria Jean Henry-Begay
Plumas County native Gloria Jean Henry-Begay peacefully passed from this life early Monday morning, Feb. 12, 2018, at her home in Canyon Dam, following a valiant battle with cancer. Her beloved family was at her side.
Born March 28, 1942, in Quincy, to California natives Ben and Mae (Epperson) Cunningham, as a young child she and her family moved to Greenville where she was raised and educated. She married Jim Henry in 1958 and was the proud mother of one daughter and seven sons.
Following Jim’s passing Gloria met and later married Harry Begay in August of 1999 in Reno, Nevada, and the couple made their home in Canyon Dam. She could be found alongside Harry as he competed in horseshoe tournaments throughout the area helping to keep score.
She will be remembered by many in the community as the longtime employee at the Indian Valley State Preschool starting in 1977 and retiring after 25 years of service to the youth and parents of our community. It is said that Gloria’s “green thumb” could grow anything and she loved to tend to her garden and can her fruits and vegetables.
Gloria had a great love of life and loved to share it with all she came in contact with.
In her passing, Gloria leaves her loving husband, Harry, of Canyon Dam; sons, James Henry, of Fairfax, Virginia, Phillip Henry, of Redding, Lee Henry, of Homer, Alaska, Charles Henry, of Greenville, Michael Henry, of Greenville, Paul Henry, of Reno, Nevada; daughter, Sheryl LaFlamme, of Sacramento; brother, Ben Cunningham, of Greenville; sisters Patricia Garcia, of Greenville and Naomi Kaufmann, of Leesville, Louisiana; along with her precious nine grandchildren.
A celebration of Gloria’s life is planed for 1 p.m. at the Indian Valley Community Center on March 18. Private inurnment will take place in the Shady Grove Cemetery, Lake Almanor. An opportunity to express condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com. Any remembrances in Gloria’s memory can be made to the Greenville Assembly of God, P.O. Box 465, Greenville, CA 95947.
Jerrell Joy Howard
Chester resident Jerrell “Joy” Howard passed from this life peacefully, with her loving family at her side, early Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2018, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Born Jan. 27, 1932, in Lordsburg, New Mexico, to the late Arkansas natives James and Lula (Bissel) Fox, she was raised and educated in Kirby, Arkansas, graduating from Kirby High School where she was a star basketball player.
Joy met and married the love of her life Wilbur V. “Bill” Howard on Christmas Day 1954, in Arkansas and over time the family grew to two daughters and one son. The family settled in the northeastern California community of Quincy, where she worked as a telephone operator for the then Pacific Telephone. After a six-year stay in Yreka, the family returned to Quincy, before moving to Lake Almanor some 27 years ago.
First and foremost a loving wife, mother and grandmother, Joy, as she affectionately was known, enjoyed following her grandchildren as they competed in athletics. She found relaxation in sewing and cooking for her family. As Joy cared for her husband while he was a resident of Seneca Hospital’s Long Term Care Unit suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, she found her second calling in life, that as a caregiver. She lovingly cared for her husband’s daily needs and upon his passing continued to care for the elderly in the Long Term Care Unit. She went on to receive her Certified Nursing Assistant credential.
In Joy’s passing, she leaves her daughters, Belinda Gail Jones and her husband Dusty, of Clovis, Jan Hammill and her husband Bob, of Lake Almanor, son, Kyle Virgil Howard and wife Debbie, of Chester, and was proud to be the grandmother to 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, two step-great-grandchildren and one step-great-great grandchild. She was anxiously expecting another great-grandson shortly.
She joins her husband Wilbur V. “Bill” Howard, who passed in 1998, and four brothers in her eternal home.
Services are being planned for a later date and interment will take place in the Howard Family Cemetery in Aitkin, Minnesota. The family asks that any remembrances in Joy’s memory be made to either the Activities Fund of the Long Term Care Unit of Seneca Hospital District or the Lake Almanor Food Bank c/o Fehrman Mortuary and Crematory, P.O. Box 803, Greenville, CA 95947.
An opportunity to express condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.
Vickie Irene Lane
Quincy native Vickie Irene Lane tragically passed from this life far too soon, Saturday morning, Feb. 10, 2018 at her daughter’s residence in East Quincy.
Born July 22, 1971 in Quincy to David and Leilla (Gray) Lane, Vickie was raised and educated in Quincy graduating from Quincy High School as a member of the Class of 1989. She later went on to further her education receiving her certified Nursing Certification.
Vickie enjoyed the art of care giving and for a number of years cared for her elderly family members at home. She also worked for a brief period of time at the former Quincy Convalescent Hospital as well as working as a receptionist for DuPont Power Tools.
In her untimely passing, Vickie leaves her son, LCpl. Daniel Downey, currently serving our country with the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton; daughter, Amber Nichole Houston and her husband James, of Quincy; father, David Lane, of Orland; brothers, Curtis Lane, of Las Vegas, Nevada, Justin Lane, of Orland and Brian Lane, of Caldwell, Idaho; sisters, Karen Stockton, of Quincy, Maggie Hennessy, of Quincy, Katie Hennessy, of Marysville, Melaine Dean, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Tammy Yager, of Portola. She was the proud grandmother to Jacquelyn and Rory Houston.
A celebration of Vickie’s life was held Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at the West End Theater, in Quincy. An opportunity to express condolences to the family along with signing the memorial guest register is available online at fehrmanmortuary.com.
Mark Hathaway Payne
Mark Hathaway Payne, 60, (formerly of Canyon Dam, California) of Franklin, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, surrounded by his loving family, after valiantly battling with diabetes and cancer.
Mark was born on March 18, 1957, in Salinas to Rowland and Katharine “Kitty” (Johnson) Payne. He was the third of Rowland and Kitty’s four sons: Richard, Stanley, Mark and Ronnie. After graduating in 1975 from North Salinas High School in Salinas, California, Mark moved with his family to scenic Lake Almanor, where the Payne family owned and operated the Canyon Dam General Store (later known as Rowland Park Zoo) for nearly 20 years. In his 30’s, Mark relocated to the Franklin, Ohio area where he was a successful journeyman plumber for many years, with a reputation for honest and superior workmanship.
Mark had a natural talent for mechanical and technical projects, preferring to rebuild rather than replace, and always quick to lend a helping hand. An independent spirit with a love of fast cars and rock and roll, he was self-taught and rebuilt his first auto engine in his teens. Mark wore many hats, acting as store manager, bookkeeper, carpenter, plumber, and anything else needed. He restored the laundromat at Canyon Dam store after fires and record snowfall destroyed the original structure, leaving it much improved for his efforts.
Mark was gifted athletically as well, once pitching a no-hitter as a youth and later was known on the Collins Pine Co. baseball team for making spectacular diving catches in the outfield. He always worked and played at full throttle, and will be remembered by his many friends and family members as a charismatic man with an endearing sense of humor — fun to be with and loved by all who knew him. He spent much of his time with his dear mother Kitty, and took loving care of her until her passing in 2012. Always loyal, gentle and kind, Mark had a soft spot in his heart for “salvage” animals — a trait shared by his sweet mother Kitty as well, and passed on to his daughter Hailey.
Beloved son, brother, father and friend to many, Mark is survived by his only child, daughter Hailey Payne Banks, of Chico, from his marriage to Marcia (Hathaway) Looney; brother Stanley G. Payne, of Milwaukie, Oregon; extended family, and countless friends in both California and Ohio.
He is preceded in death by his father Rowland H. Payne Sr., mother Katharine M. Payne and brothers R. Richard Payne and Rowland “Ronnie” H. Payne Jr.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Mark’s name can be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton hospiceofdayton.org/donations.
Private services will be held.
Marie A. (Marquez) Root
Marie A. (Marquez) Root, of Greenville, passed from this life Feb. 12, 2018, at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital at the age of 65.
She is survived by her loving husband of 20 years, Lieutenant Commander Gary D. Root, USN (retired); step-children, Jennifer Sims, of San Diego and Technical Sergeant Donovan Root, USAF, and his wife Ruby step-grandchildren, Adam Root and Joseph Root, of Travis Air Force Base; siblings, Stefan Marquez, Catherine (Kay) Marquez, Hugo (Von) Marquez, Dr. Margaret Marquez, and Heinrich Marquez; along with her beloved nieces and nephews.
A native Californian, Marie graduated from Lincoln High School, Stockton. She earned her RN degree from American River College Sacramento and during her career specialized in intensive care and cardiac intensive care for 25-plus years. She was a lifelong volunteer at the American Red Cross and particularly enjoyed working as a medical team member of Doctors Without Borders.
She lived in many places, from California to Virginia to Japan. Marie was an excellent gardener and loved crafts including quilting, crocheting, macramé and card making. She enjoyed the great outdoors — skiing, swimming, hiking, fishing, scuba diving, ATV riding, camping and partaking in cross-country RV adventures. An avid dog lover and trainer, they would accompany her ‘rock hounding’ as she collected rocks for her garden and dabbling in gold prospecting.
She was a member of the Indian Valley Red Hat Society and volunteered for the Chamber of Commerce and the Indian Valley Thrift Store, for which she acted as secretary.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Red Cross: www.redcross.org.
A celebration of life is planned at the Southern Baptist Church on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m., located at 241 Greenville Wolf Creek Road, Greenville, CA 95947. As Marie loved the color purple, attendees are encouraged to wear a splash of color at the service.