United States High School Yearbooks by County
Renee E. Viti
Private family services are being held today, Thursday, at Holy Cross Cemetery for Renee E. Viti, who died at the St. Helena Hospital Oct. 27. She was 83.
Mrs. Viti is the daughter of Augustin and Marguerite Balmont of Cannes, France. She was a real estate agent in St. Helena for many years, a volunteer at the St. Helena City Hall and an assistant in a ballet class for children taught through the Recreation Department.
At the time of her death, she and her husband, Steve Viti, had been married for 40 years.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1031 Jefferson St., Napa CA 94558
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Donald Ashley Champaign, M.D.
A graveside service will be held in Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, Tenn., for Donald Ashley Champaign, M.D. of Angwin, who died Nov. 7. He was 81.
Born in Wellsboro, Penn., to Samuel and Lillian Champaign in 1921, Dr. Champaign graduated from Loma Linda University with a degree as a doctor of medicine and took further training at Lansing, Mich. and became a doctor public health in Vancouver, Wash. and later Brentwood, Tenn. as a consulting physician for various counties and later retired after his Marjoire’s passing in 1990. Dr. Champaign belonged to Seventh-day Adventist Church
Dr. Champaign is survived by two daughters, Suzanne Qualley of Angwin, and Judy Champaign-Bassett of Metarie, LA; four grandchildren, Lucas and Matthew Qualley, Marjorie Rose and Maxwell Champaign-Bassett.
Arrangements made by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Jack Edward Craver
There will be memorial services at the Youth Chapel of the Pacific Union College Seventh-day Adventist Church, Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3 p.m. for Jack (John) Edward Craver who died Oct. 20. He was 89.
Mr. Craver was born in 1913 to John Edward and Mildred Craver in Stockton, Calif., moving to the Napa Valley during the Depression to work at and later attended Pacific Union College from which he graduated in 1937 – the same year he married his wife, Freda. Mr. Craver taught science and math at Kern Academy at Shafter, taught at Lynwood Academy and later at Pacific Union College where he taught in the Industrial Education Dept. for 36 years, retiring in 1975. He later received his Masters of Education in Industrial Arts in 1955 from Oregon State University.
In 1941, Mr. Craver and his wife built their home on Cold Springs Rd. where they lived for 59 years before moving to Silverado Orchards Retirement Center in May, 2000.
Mr. Craver was preceded in death by two sisters, Jean, who died at the age of 3 and Mildred, who died at the age of 7 months; and his wife, Freda in February of this year and he is survived by numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
Contributions may be made to Hospice of Napa Valley or your favorite charity.
Arrangements made by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Elder Marvin R. Walter
A memorial service will be held at Signs Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church in Yountville Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2:30 p.m. for Elder Marvin R. Walter. He was 89.
Mr. Walter was born at the St. Helena (Sanitarium) Hospital in 1913 to Ezra and Sadie Walter, graduated from PUC Prep in 1931 and from Pacific Union College in 1939. He married Gwendolyn Fern Rathmann in 1936 and, after teaching in Northern California for a short time, the couple began pioneering the Adventist work among the Navajo Indian tribe in Arizona. Mr. Walters earned his Masters degree at Potomac University and pastored in Mich., then returned to his work with Native Americans in South Dakota and pastoring at the Idaho Conference before his retirement.
Mr. Walter is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn Walter, of St. Helena; two sons, forest of Ft. Pierre, SD and Elder M. Daniel, of Singapore; one sister, June Bowen of Oakhurst, Calif.; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mr. Walter was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary, and brother, Ed Walter.
Arrangements made by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Gene Genochio
Gene Genochio passed away peacefully and with his family by his side,Monday, November 11, at Piners Nursing Home in Napa, he was 83. Gene died of complications with Parkinsons Disease.
Gene is third generation Bay Area Californian. He was born July 17, 1919 in San Francisco to Philip and Mary(Krysten) Genochio. He graduated from Balboa High School in San Francisco. During the depression he worked for the CA Conservation Corps. He served his country in the Army in WWII. An avid sportsman, Gene ran track, played football and would later coach little league teams as well as the American Legion.
Gene was a sheet metal worker and member of Local #104 for over 50 years. He was past President of Native Sons, St. Helena, as well as Past Commander of American Legion . He was also member of the Sons of Italy, Ducks Unlimited and the Elks Lodge.
He enjoyed spending time with his Labradors and Brittany Spaniels. He also found great pleasure working in his garden. Gene’s greatest times were with his family.
Gene is survived by his wife, June, his high school sweetheart and lifetime love. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year. Also surviving are his daughters Jackie Rhodes of Carson City, NV and Jeanne Cabral(Ernest) of Yountville, Son Philip Genochio(Kathy) of Portland, OR. Four grandchildren, Jodi Rigg, Jim Rhodes III, Kimberlie Peters and Anthony Genochio, and four great grandchildren. Also survived by his sister Dorothy Peterson of Miwak Village, CA.
The family suggests memorial contributions be made in his memory to: Hospice of Napa Valley 3299 Claremont Way Napa, CA 94558 or to the National Parkinson Foundation, Inc. 1501 NW 9th ave. Bob Hope Rd. Miami, FL 33136-1494
Funeral mass will be celebrated Thursday, November 14, 2002, noon, at the St. Helena Catholic Church., 1340 Tainter Street, St. Helena, CA.
Arrangements being cared for by Morrison Funeral Chapel, St. Helena, CA, 963-3536.
Ruth Buntain
interment will be in the St. Helena Cemetery for Ruth Elsie Buntain, a 25-year resident of St. Helena who died at St. Helena Hospital Nov. 5. She was 89.
Mrs. Buntain, the daughter of Charles and Louise Jaeger, was born in Chicago, Ill., and was five when she moved with her family to Kings County in California.
She graduated with honors from Fresno State College in 1934 (now California State University, Fresno), and accepted a teaching position in Wasco, near Bakersfield, where she met her educator-husband, Harold Buntain. Following their marriage on Christmas Eve, 1941, the couple continued as educators in the Wasco schools until retirement, then moved to Angwin and later to St. Helena.
Mrs. Buntain devoted her time to freelance writing. A children’s book she wrote was a Junior Literary Guild selection accepted by the American Library Booklist and later published in a number of school textbooks.
She was a member of the St. Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church; a lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation; and a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society
She is survived by a sister-in-law, Ora L. Jaeger, of Prineville, Ore., and four nephews.
Her husband died in 1981. They had been married 47 years.
Memorial donations may be made to International Children’s Care, P.O. Box 4406, Vancouver, WA 98662-0406; Holbrook Seventh-day Adventist Indian School, P. O. Box 880, McLaws Road, Holbrook, AZ 86025; or to the charity choice.
Arrangements by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Eleanor von Metz
Services were held Nov. 10 for Eleanor von Metz, 73, who died Nov. 8 at Queen of the Valley Hospital. She was 73.
Mrs. von Metz was raised in Paauhu, Hawaii, and came to the mainland in 1952, and moved from Illinois to California in 1955.
Four years later she married Bill von Metz. The couple moved to Napa County in 1969 and later moved to St. Helena. For the past year they had been living in Napa. Mrs. von Metz was an avid gardener, reader, cook and collector of antiques.
She is survived by her husband of 42 years, William, of Napa; three brothers, Glen of Antioch, Clarence and Francis, both of Hawaii; and by her mother, Sueko Kunishige, of Hawaii.
Memorial donations may be made to the Robert Louis Stevenson Silverado Museum, P.O. Box 409, St. Helena CA 94574.
Robert Gepford
A memorial service will be held at 12:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Clearlake Seventh-day Adventist Church, 14490 Uhl Ave., in Clearlake, for Robert Gepford of Deer Park, who died Nov. 15. He was 78.
Born in Keene, Tex., to Robert William and Mable Ellen, Mr. Gepford moved with his family to California in 1837, eventually moving to Lake County. Mr. Gepford graduated from Pacific Union College and married Claire “Kitty” Forsman in 1948 and they have lived in the area since that time. Working for Pacific Press for 35 years, Mr. Gepford has been a printer, musician, aviator and artist.
Mr. Gepford is survived by a son, Robert David Gepford of Vallejo; a daughter, Laurie Stephen Gepford of Kelseyville; two brothers, John W. Gepford, of Wash., and E. Waldo Gepford, of Okla.; and a sister, Mary Felicia Johnson of Clarksville, Mo.
Arrangements made by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Ramon G. Leon
A prayer service will be held Nov. 16 at 101 a.m. in the chapel of Richard Pierce Funeral Service for Ramon Gonzalez Leon, who died Nov. 8. He was 62.
Born in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Mr. Leon moved to Napa in 1972 where he worked for Charles Krug Winery for thirty years.
Mr. Leon is survived by his wife, Maria Leon, of Napa; two daughters, Maribel Corona, of Napa, and Rosario Vega of American Canyon; a sister, Susie Leon, of Ontario, Calif.; two brothers, Mike Leon, of Apple Valley, Calif., and Paul Espinoza, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.,; and numerous grandchildren.
Arrangements made by Richard Pierce Funeral Service.
Alan E. Moore
A memorial service was held Nov. 13 for Alan E. Moore, who died Nov. 8. He was 84.
Born in Long Grove, Iowa, to Elmer and Alma Moore, Mr. Moore graduated from Davenport High School in Davenport, Iowa and served his country during WWII in the US Army.
Mr. Moore is survived by a daughter, Loralee Dunn and husband Randall, of Angwin; a brother, Harlan Moore of Irvine, Calif.; a sister, Melva Durbin, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; two grandchildren, Mike and Kristina; and great-grandchildren, Alex and Tatyana. Mr. Moore is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Moore in 1994.
Arrangements made by Morrison Funeral Chapel.
Howard E. Rhoads
A memorial serivce will be held Saturday, Nov. 24, at 11 a.m. in Grace Episcopal Church for Howard E. “Dusty” Rhoads of St. Helena, who died Nov. 15. He was 89.
Mr. Rhoads, a graduate of Kansas State University, was a civil engineer with C.F. Braun Company in California and New Jersey.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Oda Mae, of St. Helena; a son, Ross Rhoads of Maryland; a daughter, Tracy Lintner and her husband, Larry, of St. Helena; and grandchildren Dana Caruso, Jared Matcham, Quincy Selbach and Tyler Matcham.
