LAKEPORT, Calif. – Florine S. Taylor, 95, was born Dec. 8, 1919, in Lancaster, Calif. She passed away Aug. 8, 2015, at her home of 66 years in Lakeport.

She is survived by daughters, Cynthia Ramos and Camela Grasteit; 17 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren.

In her 95 years, she touched many people's heart with her poetry and positive attitude.

The loves of her life were her family, home, gardening, chickens, and to enlighten herself and others of healthy nutritional living.

Visitation is from 10 a.m. until the funeral service at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, Lakeport.

Interment will be at Hartley Cemetery.

For further information call Chapel of the Lakes at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Chris Mallock was a traveler both literal and allegorical so it was fitting that his next voyage was begun during the fireworks of Independence Day.

He faced his cancer with courage, and lived four years longer than predicted.

Well before his stint in the Navy, he had started adventuring away from his family's Maryland home.

He traveled widely, frequenting New York, New Orleans, San Francisco and Mexico, as well as Chile and further.

Throughout, he was an avid reader and compelling storyteller, writing a series of sci-fi books that weave historical fiction into family-friendly fantasy.

In the mid-70s, his travels brought him to the Clearlake area, where he settled down with Lenore Monk and their son, Will, and opened a restaurant called the Juice Bar.

Later Chris invested in our community in some other unique ways. He was a regular at his beloved writers group and Yoga studio.

For more than a decade he tended bar at Konocti Harbor Inn, and for nearly 30 years he was one of the only local flight instructors.

But he was most proud of being one of the founding members of Lake County's Community Radio, KPFZ. He remained a dedicated member and organizer up until the end, and donations may be made to the station, in his name.

His spirit will be long remembered.

Many will miss him, including his son, William Monk of Arcata; his two sisters, Lou Witherite of Vermont and Jane Barss of Maryland; numerous nieces and nephews; his local network of extended family and friends; and of course his sweetheart, BarbaraJo Bloomquist.

Friends and family will gather for a celebration of his life on Aug. 8. It was his wish that it would be a fun party, and his radio station friends have been instrumental in making this happen.

For more details about the event, please call 707-279-4272.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Donald Stewart was a manufacturing engineer at Ampex for 30 years.

He was also a sheriff’s reserve at that time.

He started coming to Clear Lake in 1964 on weekends, holidays and vacations.

He retired in Finley, where he lived since 1980. He stayed active with the Gleaners for 20-plus years and as a volunteer at California Highway Patrol for 14 years.

Don also was involved in local politics.

He is survived by daughter, Debra Anshutz; son, Ray Stewart; and granddaughters, Kimberly Khan and Kristy Medina; and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his eldest daughter, Denise Frye, a year ago.

There will be a celebration of life at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at 4053 Thomas Lane in Lakeport.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the firefighters fund. Mendo Lake Credit Union is accepting financial donations on behalf of North Coast Opportunities to assist with fire recovery efforts. Checks may be made out to Rocky Fire or North Coast Opportunities.

Arrangements entrusted to Jones Mortuary www.jonesmortuary.com FD311, Lakeport, Calif.

NICE, Calif. – Bettie Clancy, born in Denver, Colo., in 1929, passed away in Nice, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2015, at the age of 86.

Bettie was raised in Laramie, Wyo., and moved to Las Vegas to finish high school.

After high school she moved to Los Angeles, where she worked in the accounting field and raised three children.

In 1969 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she lived for 10 years. She returned to California in 1979, and moved to Lake County in 1989.

Bettie worked in the accounting field for more than 45 years and retired from the Lake County Auditor’s office in 1994.

She continued to work part time until 2006, when she closed the yarn shop she ran with her daughter. 

Bettie loved knitting and enjoyed all the customers she met while running the business.

Bettie is survived by her three children, Jim (Trish) Clancy of Rancho Cucamonga, Kathy (Brad) Barnwell of Lakeport, and John (Andee) Clancy of Kelseyville; brother, John (Sherry) Dorman of Wayne, Nebraska; sister, Cindy (Shane) Johnson of Limon, Colo.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, John and Vera Dorman, and by her siblings, Otis Dorman and Sister Mary Jeanne (Bobbie Nell).

No services will be held at this time.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your favorite charity. 

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On July 13, 1929, Peggy (Agee) McCloud was born in Springfield, Miss.

In Lakeport, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2015, Peggy was born into Eternal Life.

She was a graduate of Clear Lake High School and met her future husband, Don McCloud, during the tumultuous years of World War II. Together they raised two sons.

She enjoyed being a housewife and mother but when the boys went to school she went to work.

Over the years she worked as a bookkeeper for KBLC Radio, Lakeport Chevrolet and Gottschalks and Connelly Construction.

She was passionate about this community and received numerous awards for her dedicated service.

She served 16 years as a member of the planning commission. Peggy also served on the Juvenile Justice Court, the hospice board and many other avenues of laboring for her beloved community.

She is survived by her husband, Don McCloud; her two sons, Scott and Sid (Patty) McCloud; and grandchildren, Amy (Jace) and Molly; four great-grandchildren, Travis, Riley, Trevor and Madde; and her sister, Billie of Sonoma, Calif.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 11 a.m., at United Christian Parish (UCP) in Lakeport.

Peggy asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the memorial fund at UCP.

For further information please contact UCP at 707- 263-4788 or Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Oh, wow! As I sit at the Hidden Valley Campground with my goats and  dogs, a few possessions and paperwork, I contemplate how good God is as he spared Bruce this high adventure of being evacuated at 1 a.m. due to wildfires too close to our home, a first! What better time than to share Bruce A. Anderson’s life story.

He was born 68 years ago to Verna and Carl Anderson and has one older brother and four sisters and would tell pretty good tales of their growing up. Like only having one TV in a Montana town with only one station and all the neighbors would come over and watch it or the big hill they’d slide down on the sleds crossing a busy street at the end. And his daredevil life never changed.

His first wife Sandra and  he had four children, Carl, April, Sonya and Bruce Wayne and even though the marriage wasn’t for life, their relationship was. He was always there for his children and helped Sandra out throughout her lifetime.

He met wife No. 2 but that only lasted a couple of years. It was important though in his life as through her he met his best friend/brother for life, Chuck; Lisa, his third wife-to-be; Sam and Sharon, and later me, to make our own “family circle.”

Lisa and I met in South Dakota as VISTAS and when Bruce and Lisa decided to get hitched, he came and took her back to California, leaving me, Sharon and Sam with baby Roger. Sam, Sharon and baby Roger soon after moved back to California. I went back to California for Bruce and  Lisa’s wedding and met Chuck. Jim and Nona were there too as witnesses. The following year, Chuck and I married.

Bruce and Lisa had Jara in Sonoma County, Calif., and Bruce’s four children would visit often. Later, they moved to Lake County, Calif., where Bruce built their home in Coons Flat Valley with occasionally Chuck’s help.

When Roger was 7, we lost a member of our family circle, his father, Sam. Both Chuck and Bruce took over until Sharon married Jon, another friend of our circle. After 20 years, Lisa, always loving Bruce, decided to leave and Chuck became terminally ill. Separately, Bruce and Lisa stood by his and my side as we watched in horror at what the rages of cancer did to Chuck.

Chuck, wanting to take care of both me and  his bro, “willed” me to Bruce upon his death. Later on, Bruce and I were married and enjoyed 15 years on the farm.

Bruce was a loyal Local 510 Union member. He started as a sign painter, telling us, “Ya never step back to admire your work when doing a billboard on a scaffold!”

Later, he became a journeyman for the trade shows mostly held in San Francisco, always there to train the “high guys”(ones who used the scissor lifts to hang convention signs) and did it all. When he retired, he was called one of the dinosaurs as he’d been working shows for so long.

He enjoyed his life, was his own man and helped those in need.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Glo; former loving wife, Lisa; our children: Carl, April, Sonya (Glen), Bruce Wayne and Jara (Jim); our grandchildren, Heather (Jeremy), Renee, Ben, Jason, Nicole, Zachary, Bruce Jr., Brittany, Gibson, Katalina and Buddy; and our five great-grandchildren, Serenity, Teresa, Erica, Bentlie and Raelynne.

He also leaves his loving siblings, Bill, Lynette, Sarita, Dawn and Jackie; many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and their children; Aunt Doris; and lots of friends and  good neighbors.

Bruce will be surely missed!

So as the fire continues to grow (nearly 70,000 acres), I thank God for all the neighbors, friends and  family who have helped me so much through actions and prayers.

Bruce had a wonderful life and is at peace. And as my Aunt June says, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, life’s too short.”

And Sharon’s favorite, “Have no guilt, have no regrets, you did your best!”

Blessings to you all with love and hugs, Glo.