Obituaries

There will be a Celebration of Life for Wiley Tipton on October 10, 2021. Wiley was born on February 5, 1950 and passed away in his sleep on October 13, 2020.

He had been suffering complications from a recent stroke.

Friends and family are invited to The Landing in South Lake Tahoe for the Celebration of Life at 1:00 p.m. Come share stories, love and laughter.

The Landing is located at 4104 Lakeshore Blvd.

A man of kindness and generosity with a powerful, fighting spirit, Robert Gregson Christen passed away on July 22, 2021.

Born on the Fourth of July in 1953 in San Francisco, CA, the whole country celebrated Bob’s birthday, and he loved it.

Bob graduated from Novato High School in 1971 prior to joining the Navy in 1972. He served as a Boiler Technician (BT) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (aka San Francisco’s Own). He spent time in Southeast Asia towards the end of the Vietnam War, achieving the rank of E-5 when honorably discharged in 1976.

Randall "Randy" Brown, age 69, passed away in his South Lake Tahoe home on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.

Randall was born in Iowa, and was raised by his loving parents George and Verna. He graduated high school and, in 1974, he fell in love with South Lake Tahoe and was a resident for over 45 years.

He retired after a very successful career as a General Contractor building custom homes and owning his own business, RB Tile & Construction for over 30 years. He is survived by his twin daughters, Alexis and Ciara as well as his granddaughter, Gabriela.

Robert Anthony Warren passed away unexpectedly in his South Lake Tahoe home on June 17, 2021. He was born on October 31, 1967 in Concord, Calif.

Robert was a member of the South Lake Tahoe community for more than 20 years where he was a loving father to his two daughters Serenity and Brittany. He is predeceased by his parents who he loved so dearly.

Robert was a personality you would not forget and has many friends all throughout the world that miss his outgoing spirit dearly.

A Celebration of Life for Teresa (Teri) Golden will be celebrated on Saturday, June 19, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church. All those who knew and loved Teri are welcome. The family hopes friends will share a short remembrance of her during the eulogy time.

Teri passed away in her home on Dec. 29, 2020. She had called South Lake Tahoe since 2007 and loved this area and serving the community in many ways. She loved the outdoors and the mountains in particular. She will be missed by her family and friends.

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Early Saturday morning on the first day of Spring our father, Bill David Russell, went home to his heavenly father and joined the love of his live, Ann Amelia Russell, who proceeded him in death 21 years earlier. He is survived by his three sons and their wives (Alan / Nancy, Gary / Marja and Steve / Donna), 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Bill was born to Harry and Katie (Hornbeck) Russell on Aug. 25, 1930 in Klamath Falls, OR. He was the youngest child in a family of 10 children (with 3 sets of twins).

Our Muetti (Mommy) passed away peacefully on April 29, 2021. Anyone that knew her will understand that she gave a good fight to the very end.

She and her husband immigrated to the United States from Switzerland in 1957. After a very brief time in Tracy, CA they both discovered Lake Tahoe in 1959, bought a tiny motel that they soon completely rebuilt, and over the next 25 years fulfilled their American Dream. The Matterhorn Motel was our home, our fun, our family’s fondest memories. Relationships were created that are still in place today.

Long-time teacher and community member Donald H. Kortes died March 24, 2021 at home in South Lake Tahoe surrounded by his family. His death was due to congestive heart failure and complications from surgery in October. He was 90 years old.

James Anthony Biller was born in Ventura, CA, July 10, 1951, to Jack and Marjorie Biller. Growing up in Ventura, he surfed, sailed, played water polo for the Ventura High Cougars, and was one of the best swimmers Ventura High had ever seen, getting his varsity letter and pin as a sophomore and setting swimming records that stood for many years after he graduated in 1969. That Jim had a love of the beach, sailing, and everything that had to do with the water was obvious to everyone around him.

Raul I. Aguilar was one of 10 children, born on April 17, 1942 in Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico and passed away on December 19th, 2020 in South Lake Tahoe, California. In his 20's, Raul worked as a radio disc jockey and enjoyed playing and winning in chess tournaments.

Raul moved to South Lake Tahoe in the early 1970's where he later got married and had three children. Raul always worked in the service industry as a banquet server and enjoyed meeting people and catering all sorts of events along the way.

It is with profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beautiful Mother. Julie passed away peacefully in her sleep, after a courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Julie was born in Stockton, Calif. before the family moved to Napa. Eventually she landed herself in South Lake Tahoe before finding her love in Georgia, with her fiancé Erick Leich and son Sean.

After the passing of her youngest son, Army Specialist Garrett Fant in 2011, Julie became an active member of the Gold Star community, and to so many played a pivotal roll of support and love with its many members.

Larry Eugene Schaffer passed away on October 28, 2020 after a brief illness. He was 76-years-old.

The son of Harold and Mary Schaffer. Larry grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Larry enlisted in the Marines at age 18 where he was a radio mechanic during the Vietnam War. After the Marines he attended California State University Northridge and received a degree in Sociology. He went on to receive his Master’s degree.

Upon his return from the war Larry married Elizabeth Anne Brewer who preceded him in death after 10 years of marriage. Larry and Beth had one son, Jason Schaffer.

George passed away peacefully in his home in the presence of family on August 5, 2020.

George was born in New York City, NY. He attended Brooklyn Technical
High School, Notre Dame University, and Carnegie Mellon University, where he
met his wife, Elaine, and acquired his MBA. He and his wife were married for 57
years. In 1995 they moved to Lake Tahoe where George and his wife have been
real estate brokers for the more than 25 years. Nonetheless, his first and foremost
concern was always his family.

George loved Lake Tahoe and spent many hours skiing and hiking. His favorite

Lake Tahoe has lost one of its icons. At the young age of 66, Terry Alan Ogg left us suddenly July 28, 2020.

Terry was born March 18, 1954 in Richmond, California. He grew up in Pinole, California and graduated from Pinole High School in 1972. As a teenager, he developed a love for music and found his instrument, a "Huge" (his words) Hammond organ. He moved his organ to South Lake Tahoe in 1975 at the age of 21 on a quest to become a rock star, among other interests.

Ildefonsa Balwing, age 65, passed away on July 22, 2020 in Riverside, California after a short, but hard fought, cancer diagnosis. She was born January 23, 1955 in Tanay, Rizal in the Philippines and was the tenth of eleven children in her family.

Robert “Bob/Bo” Jones, loving husband, father, son, brother, and “Papa” passed away peacefully at home April 19 after a courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Janey; daughter Elyse and son-in-law Josh; son Grant; grandchildren Van and Goldie; brothers Paul and Brent (Lynn); extended family, numerous nieces and nephews, and dear friends.

Noboru Oishi, MD, 91, passed away suddenly and peacefully at home on March 5, 2020, in South Lake Tahoe.

Originally from Kauai, Hawaii, Dr. Oishi first traveled to Lake Tahoe in 1979 and has made South Lake Tahoe his second home ever since. Noboru and his wife, Jeri, split their time between Tahoe and Texas. Besides being an oncologist, Dr. Oishi and Jeri owned the Enchanted Florist in South Lake Tahoe

Andrew (Andy) Joseph Mora, 37, passed peacefully on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at Renown Hospital. He was born on December 15, 1982, in Reno, Nevada to Andrew and Kristie Mora.

Con mucha tristeza comunicamos el fallecimiento de nuestro querido padre
Raul Guzman Hernandez

Murio el 26 de Diciembre del 2019 en Barton Memorial Hospital. Nació en la Ciudad de México, hijo de Juan Guzman Martinez y Dolores Hernandez Ayala. Es recordado por su amada esposa Antonia; sus hijas Yahaira, Esmeralda, Ana, y Dolores; sus nietos Juan Carlos, Felix Raul, Glen James, Finn Antonio; sus yernos Juan Carlos, Ryan, y Glen.

Fue un hombre de aventura y de amor por su familia. Un hombre compasivo y generoso que va a ser recordado y extrañado por muchos.

Carmen Elaine Withrow (Terrell) passed away peacefully on October 8th, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. A wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend, she will be dearly missed by those that knew and loved her. She was a compassionate person, kind to everyone, not one to talk about others and always there for you in a time of need. She was born on June 19, 1942 at home in Whitt, Texas, the youngest of 6 children and 12 years younger than the next oldest sibling.

Keith Karl Klein, age 78, died peacefully at his home in South Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, surrounded by his wife and close friends, following a recent diagnosis of cancer.

Krista Kline Carson passed away peacefully on July 9, 2019 surrounded by family and friends after a 3½ year battle with cancer. Always positive, always upbeat she would constantly describe her life as AWSOME! She was a positive force for everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her husband Jesse Kalin (Philip) Carson, daughter Trella Ruth Carson, parents Don and Gwen Kline, brother and sister-in-law Scott and Jen Kline, step-daughter Madison Merz, step-son Travis Steidle and uncles, cousins and other relatives too numerous to mention.

Raymond Donald Kope passed away on January 13, 2019, at his winter home in Cathedral City, California, with his wife, Cat, by his side.

Ray was born to Michael Kope and Edith Roskos Kope on December 19, 1943, in Lakewood, Ohio. When he was a young boy, his family left their home in Ohio and headed west to the San Jose, California, area where Ray attended grammar and high schools.

A Celebration of Life has been set for long-time local resident Doug Madden who passed away on February 1, 2019.

Friends and family will be gathering at the Lakeland Village Clubhouse on June 23 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. To attend, please email Mickey at maddens021@gmail.com

Mickey and Doug had been married for 48 years. He is also survived by daughter Shannon Crowe, daughter Kendra Miesner, and granddaughters Brianna and Adrienne. He was an avid dog lover and Cleo and Jake will miss him very much.