United States High School Yearbooks by County
TAYLOR
Wayland Francis Taylor
Wayland Francis Taylor of Woodland died Monday, March 20, 2006 at age 106 1/2.
Mr. Taylor was born Aug. 31, 1899 in Yolo County and was a life-long resident. He had been a farmer for 55 years.
Mr. Taylor is survived by his niece, Helen Taylor Daniels and her husband John of Woodland; his great-niece Debra Daniels Campbell and her husband Jeff of Escalon; great-nephew John Taylor Daniels of Sacramento; and great-great-nephew Kyle Daniel Campbell of Escalon. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Martha Jacobs Taylor; his sister, Almira Taylor Borach; and his brothers, James Elmer Taylor and Clay William Taylor.
The family requests memorials in Mr. Taylor's name be directed to the charity of the donor's choice.
Services: Respecting the wishes of Mr. Taylor, private graveside services are scheduled. Interment will be at Mary's Cemetery. McNary's Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
TETTLETON
James Bennett Tettleton
James Bennett Tettleton died July 14, 2005, at Courtyard Healthcare in Davis. He was 84.
Born July 13, 1921, in Humboldt, Tenn., he was a Yolo County resident for more than 30 years. Prior to his retirement, he was employed as a park caretaker for the city of Alameda.
He was preceded in death by his son, Jack Roy Tettleton, and his brother, Charles Lynn Tettleton.
He is survived by his son, Bobby Tettleton of Citrus Heights; a daughter, Gloria Mora of San Pablo; and a brother, Larry Vargas and his wife Katherine of Vacaville.
Interment is at the veterans plot at the Davis Cemetery.
THOMAS
Kevin John Thomas
Kevin John Thomas died at his home in Woodland Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005 at age 48.
Mr. Thomas was born Feb. 19, 1957 in Hancock, Mich. to John and Mona Komula Thomas. He had been a Yolo County resident for 44 years. He attended Woodland schools and worked in the construction industry. He was working for Sisemore Trucking of Woodland at the time of his death. He was a member of Ducks Unlimited for 12 years.
Survivors include Mr. Thomas' parents, John and Mona Thomas of Woodland; his brother, Jaysen D. Thomas and his wife Robin of Yuba City; his grandmother, Toini Komula of Chassell, Mich.; his uncle, Ron Komula and his wife Linda of Woodland his cousins, Erik and Ryan Komula of Woodland and his niece, Jennifer Hall Thomas of Roseville. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Eino Komula and Leona Sammons.
The family requests memorials in Mr. Thomas' name be directed to The Kevin Thomas Memorial Fund of Ducks Unlimited, c/o Dan Parcell, 15 Yardis Court, Sacramento, 95833.
Services: Visitation is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 26 at Evergreen Funeral Chapel, 327 College St., Woodland. A celebration of Mr. Thomas' life will follow at noon at Eagles Hall, 37650 Highway 16, Woodland. Evergreen Funeral Service of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
THOMAS
Lanitta U. Thomas
Lanitta U. Thomas died unexpectedly May 1, 2000, in her Davis home. Born Aug. 4, 1946, in Columbus, Ohio, to Grace and Jack Thomas.
She graduated from Kearny High School in San Diego.
Leah moved to Davis and joined the UC Davis department of food science and technology in November 1979 and worked as a lab assistant there for over 20 years.
Leah was an avid cyclist and had a small bicycle repair business. She was a tireless volunteer for Davis Community Meals; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Center at UCD; the Lambda Center in Sacramento; the Yolo County Gay Pride Day; and for other gay rights groups.
Her friends remember her as a warm and caring person, one who loved to bake and share her desserts liberally with her friends and co-workers.
Friends and colleagues will meet to celebrate Leah's life Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Cruess Hall Courtyard, UC Davis. Cruess Hall is located south of the Student Health Center on California Avenue.
The Leah Thomas Scholarship Fund for LGBT students in distress has been started in Leah's memory. Anyone wishing to make a donation should make checks out to UC Regents and mail them to the Leah Thomas Scholarship Fund, care of the LGBT Center, UCD.
THOMAS
Mabel Colette Thomas
Memorial services are pending for Mabel Colette Thomas who passed away on Oct. 1, 2004 at Alderson Convalescent Hospital. She was born in Oakland on June 17, 1910 to Huriah and Lula Watkins. Because of her poor health at birth, the family was forced to move to the Capay Valley, where she and his siblings were reared. She graduated from Esparto High School in 1930.
Mabel was very proud of becoming "Woman of the Year" in 1991. She was quite active in the AARP, served four years as president of the Yolo General Hospital Auxiliary, a tutor for the HOSTS (Help One Student To Succeed) program and was very successful with her catering business.
Her husband, Laurence "Bucky" Thomas preceded her in death, in 1999, as well as her sister Eloise Brown, and her brothers William, Archie, Herbert, Clyde, Lionel, and Herman Watkins. A nephew, Martin Watkins, and great-grandniece, Sandra Brown, also preceded her in death.
She is survived by her nieces Rowena Richardson, Nedra Bell and Elena Caines; nephews Herman, Glenn, Carroll and Gary Watkins, Walter Brown and Robert Bell; grandnieces and grandnephews Chris Brown, Kim Blake, Ron and Keith Bell, Sandra, Steven and Michael Watkins, Nikki and Jason Bell and five great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews.
Mabel also leaves her "special" family at Alderson who lovingly and faithfully cared for her for many years.
Donations in the name of Mabel Thomas may be made to the American Heart Association or Meals on Wheels.
GATTON
Barbara W. Gatton
Barbara W. Gatton died at Woodland Memorial Hospital Tuesday, April 26, 2005 at age 89.
Mrs. Gatton was born Nov. 19, 1915 in Northfield, Minn. She had been a Yolo County resident for 22 years. She worked as a bookkeeper for 25 years and was a member of several bridge clubs, former captain of the Davis Women's Golf Club and volunteered for the PTA statewide office.
Survivors include Mrs. Gatton's daughter, Barbara Gaffney of Woodland; her grandsons, Kyle Miller and his wife Kendra of San Luis Obispo and P.R. Gaffney and his wife Theresia of Fresno; her great-granddaughter, Akayla Miller of San Luis Obispo and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Robert Gatton; her parents, William and Mary (Adams) Gibson; her sisters and brothers, Alice Elstad, Harold Gibson, Mabel Gibson, Marie Skafte, Laura Errington, Ed Gibson and John Gibson.
Services: A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4 at St. John's United Church of Christ, 434 Cleveland St., Woodland. Ashes will be scattered by the family. The Neptune Society is assisting the family with arrangements.
GAUKEL
Margaret "Grandma" Joann Gaukel
Margaret "Grandma" Joann Gaukel of Woodland died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006 at age 67.
Mrs. Gaukel was born May 29, 1938 in Red Oak, Okla. to Kenneth and Lola Crum. She had been a Yolo County resident for 42 years. She attended high school in Lodi and was a cannery worker for Contadina for 25 years.
Survivors include Mrs. Gaukel's daughters, Deborah Beck and her husband John and Charlene Staats and her husband Berry, all of Woodland; her son, Kenneth Lawrence Gaukel and his wife Judy of Colgate, Okla.; her grandchildren, Alyssia R. Staats, Nickolas Zenella, Michell Beck and John Beck; four great-grandchildren; her sisters, Betty Sue Baker of Sacramento and Barbara Jean Crum of Stockton; and her brothers, Ralph Lee Crum and Kenneth Crum Jr. both of Arizona. She was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Frances Arnold Gaukel and her parents.
Services: Visitation is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 at McNary's Chapel, 458 College St., Woodland. A funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Tuesday at McNary's with Pastor Bob Hargrave officiating. Interment will be at Woodland Cemetery. McNary's Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
