Cleo Devoto, a longtime residence of Lakeport, passed away on July 19 in San Diego.
She was born to Madison and Edna (McQuiddy) Anderson on Aug. 31, 1912, in Rebel Creek, Nev., near her parents' large cattle ranch in Battle Mountain.
When she was about 12 her parents sold the ranch and moved to an apartment house which they bought in San Francisco. She attended Galileo High School in San Francisco and then Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.
She met her future husband, the late Judge Ralph V. Devoto, when he rented a room in her parents’ apartment house. They married in 1932 and moved to his home town of Santa Rosa where he practiced law.
They moved again to Lake County in 1938 when they bought Lake County Title Co. and lived for many years on S. Main Street at the corner of 16th Street.
With her husband Cleo was busy with many activities. In the 1940s the local Red Cross held their annual swimming classes on the beach at their home. Later she took up horseback riding with her children and was an active member of the Clear Lake Horsemen.
To pasture their horses they bought a ranch in south Lakeport. She grew hay there and also planted walnut trees. They later sold this ranch and bought several walnut orchards and a pear orchard in Big Valley. In 1971 she began to grow winegrapes which went into several prize-winning wines.
Judge Devoto passed away in 1983 and, shortly after she moved to Rossmoor, a retirement community in Walnut Creek.
She sold her apartment in Rossmoor in 2005 and moved to a senior residence, first in Moraga, then in Ukiah and finally in San Diego near her daughter.
She is survived by her son, Steve of Kelseyville; her daughter, Janis Devoto, of San Diego and Boulder, Colorado; five grand children; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
No public service is planned.
Delbert Lang of Clearlake passed away on Nov. 10. 2010.
Arrangements are pending.
Family is encouraged to contact Jones and Lewis Clearlake Memorial Chapel, 707-994-6417
Arrangements entrusted to Jones and Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, Calif., www.jonesandlewis.com .
Ronald Rex Dothage passed away on Dec. 23, 2010, peacefully at his home in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. He was 80 years old.
We will dearly miss him. He was loved very much by all of us. Our memories of him will live forever.
Born on Nov. 22, 1930, in Columbia Missouri, Ron was a veteran serving his country in the United Air Force.
After several years of coming to their vacation home in Clearlake Oaks, Ron and his wife Evelyn became permanent residents on April 1976, where they opened R&E Auto Marine on May 1976. Ron retired in 1990.
Ron enjoyed traveling in his motor home, fishing, boating, jewelry making and buying and selling on eBay.
Ron became very familiar and enjoyed the technology of the computer. He attended Clearlake Oaks United Methodist Church and enjoyed participating in church fund raisers and functions.
Ron is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Evelyn; children, Greg, Ronette and Barry; and stepchildren, Linda, Chris and Debbie. He had 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
There will be a celebration of life on Jan. 15 at Clearlake Oaks United Methodist Church, 12487 The Plaza, at 12 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Association or Hospice Services of Lake County.
Born in Missouri on Nov. 30, 1917, Lola and her husband William (Willie) moved to the San Mateo area in 1949 where they lived and raised their children.
Lola and Willie were married on March 31, 1936 in West Plains, MO. She was very active in the Methodist Church and she and Willie were dedicated Boy Scout leaders. Lola was named “Mother of the Year” in the early 1950’s.
After selling Koelling’s Auto Body Shop, located in San Francisco, in 1977, they retired to the Middletown area. Lola loved gardening, her family, the Methodist Church and her women’s group. She was a very giving person and was everyone’s “Grandma” whether they were related or not. She will be missed very much.
Lola is survived by her beloved family; children, Floyd Koelling (Karen) of Fairfield, Darryl Koelling of Middletown, Lorene Auvinen (Mike) of Santa Rosa; grandchildren, Ricky Koelling of Santa Rosa, Denise Ibsen (Greg) of Rifle, CO, Daniel Koelling (Shirley) of Vacaville, Brian Koelling (Rachel), Brad Koelling (fiance, Amarissa) of Fremont, Jamie Kimball (Jason) of Evans, GA, Dawn Meeks of Santa Rosa and Jason Meeks of Fort Bragg; great-grandchildren, Shane Koelling of Folsom, DJ Koelling of Fairfield, Gabby Ibsen of Rifle, CO, Jaydra Ibsen of Riffle, CO, Brooke Koelling of Vacaville, Stephen Grippin of Santa Rosa, Daylon Grippon of Santa Rosa and Mia Kimball of Evans, GA and sister Nora Bench of West Plains, MO.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Koelling; son, Ralph Koelling; grandson, Ronnie Koelling; and siblings, Lillie Jones, Ralph Johnston and Virgil Johnston.
Funeral Services for Lola will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, at the Middletown Methodist Church.
Visiting hours will be held at the church prior to the service from 10 a.m. until noon.
Interment services will follow at Middletown Cemetery.
Arrangements were entrusted to Jones and Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, CA, 707-994-6417, www.jonesandlewis.com .
The service will begin at 11 a.m. at the Northshore Fire Protection District's Lucerne headquarters, 6257 Seventh Ave., Lucerne.
Gray died Oct. 30 at the age of 83. He was the longtime caretaker of the old Bartlett Springs Resort property.
Community members are invited to come and share their memories of him.
A reception with coffee and other refreshments will take place after the service.
For more information call Elizabeth Larson, 707-274-9904.
Award winning journalism on the shores of Clear Lake.
If you aren't already a subscriber, please take a moment to become one.