All Obituaries

Mary Jean Waldkirch was born August 16, 1927 to Thomas and Lena Funk in Portland. She passed peacefully surrounded by her daughters on June 18, 2020, in McKinleyville. Mary graduated from Lincoln High School and continued on to pursue her education as an administrative professional. After a whirlwind romance of only three weeks she married the love of her life, Walter Waldkirch, on August 31, 1947, and they began their life together in Orick. In 1962, Mary and Walt decided to move to...

Gianpaolo Venturi was born on December 11, 1940, in Bologna, Italy. He died on June 12, 2020, in his home in Arcata from ampullary cancer. Gianpaolo graduated with a law degree from the University of Bologna. Shortly after beginning a family, he and his family moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, where along with his father-in-law, they established Price Chopper Food Center. While in Beatrice, GP, as he was known to his American family and friends, supported renovation of the local library, donated...

Leonard Hogan Smith, loving husband and father started a new adventure with the Lord on June 10, 2020. Leonard was preceded in death by his father, Leonard and mother, Pat. He is survived by his wife Debbie, his three children, Jennifer Cunningham, Jason and Heather Smith. His brothers Tom Smith, Gary and Linus Lorenzen. His grandchildren, Garret, Candace, Bobbie, Jeremiah, Iosha, and Jayden and his great grandchildren, Wayden and Jaxsin. Also several nieces, nephews, cousins, brother and...

Dorian Carranza, 71, was born December 28, 1948 and passed away May 31, 2020. After life care was entrusted to Paul's Chapel. Memories and condolences can be expressed on Dorian's tribute wall. Photo by Keith Luke on Unsplash

Rosemarie Handley, 91, was born February 7, 1929 and passed away May 28, 2020. After life care was entrusted to Paul's Chapel. Memories and condolences can be expressed on Rosemarie's tribute wall. Photo by Marcus Marlowe on Unsplash

Luginia Saffell, 84, was born October 2nd, 1935 and passed away May 27, 2020. After life care was entrusted to Paul's Chapel. Memories and condolences can be expressed on Luginia's tribute wall. Photo by Pedro Monteiro on Unsplash

“To make a long story short,” Hollis H. McCoy passed away on May 19, 2020 at the age of 79. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 14, 1940 and is preceded in death by his parents Noel and Della McCoy. Hollis graduated from Arcata High School in 1960. He joined the Marine Corp in November of 1960 and achieved the rank of Corporal E-4 before being honorably discharged in 1963. After returning to Humboldt County he joined the Arcata Police Department before joining the...

Franklin Lewis Sr. April 2, 1937 – May 10, 2020 Awok Franklin Lewis Sr. was born to Manuel Lewis Sr. and Jane Jefferson Lewis on April 2, 1937, and passed on May 10, 2020 at the age of 83. He was from a very large family consisting of 10 brothers and 3 sisters. He attended local schools and also Chemawa, where he learned many useful trades. Franklin served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany from 1957 – 1959. He lived almost his entire life in the Weitchpec and...

Clark Gerald “Gunny Sack” Stevens passed away April 30, 2020 due to complications from pneumonia. He was 69. Gunny was born to Gladys “Sog” and George “Ski” Stevens on Oct 4, 1950. He was only 3 months old when his dad died in an auto accident. He never got to know him.  Gunny first met Beverly “Bubbles” Welsch in 1969 and they were married in January 1976. He began a career in law enforcement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office...

Leonard Lee Huffman was born on December 2, 1958 at Trinity Hospital in Arcata. He passed away peacefully on April 24, 2020 at Mad River Community Hospital at the age of 61. He was a lifelong resident of McKinleyville and a proud member of the Yurok Tribe. He graduated from McKinleyville High School in 1977 and attended College of the Redwoods. Leonard had a caring, challenging, yet inviting personality and was a great storyteller. He was a generous person who cared for his elderly parents...