Obituaries

Curt Amacker, 57, passed away on Sunday, December 25, 2016 at Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe.

Born July 23, 1959, in Carson City, Nevada, Curt lived in South Lake Tahoe his entire life, other than a short time spent attending tech school in Phoenix, Arizona.

Curt was an avid outdoorsman who loved the mountains, riding ATVs and Snowmobiles, shooting his prized firearms, and sitting around a bonfire visiting with his friends and family.

Vernice Rianda, former long-time Lake Tahoe Community College bookstore employee and mother of El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel, has passed away at the age of 88.

South Lake Tahoe native Zach McAllister passed away unexpectedly on November 12, 2016. His bright smile and beautiful soul will be deeply missed by his family and friends. His passing has left a huge hole in each of our hearts.

Dr. Annie Davidson should be the next LTUSD School Board member from Trustee Area #1. Since coming to Lake Tahoe, she has jumped into the community with great energy and commitment. For example, she is an adjunct faculty member of Lake Tahoe Community College and co-teacher at Tahoe Parents Nursery School with Aileen Yure and Jennifer David. She served as member of the Sierra House Elementary PTA Board as a co-grant coordinator, classroom volunteer, and also volunteers with the Coalition for the Homeless and Warm Room Advisory Council.

It is with deep heartbreak we say goodbye to Shallyn Diane Farris. She was a bright angel on this earth, full of life, love and kindness for all who knew her. Many who have visited South Lake Tahoe's Magic Carpet Golf over the years may have met Shallyn while she was working in the family business.

The native Sonoma county resident died on July 17, 2016. Shallyn loved horses, music, soccer, her family and friends. She was a graduate of El Molino High School and studied cosmetology at Lytles Beauty School.

Christy Smith was a loving Mother, Grandmother, Wife, Sister and Daughter who dedicated her life to the service of others, especially children. She passed away on July 23rd after a courageous battle with cancer.

Christy was born March 10, 1949 in Altadena, California to Jack and Marjorie Cosbey. She spent her childhood in Southern California, graduating in 1967 from Long Beach Polytechnic High School. She studied Nursing at Long Beach State College and worked as a nurse in Cardiology and Family Practice.

After a 3 1/2 year battle with brain cancer, JoJo Conroy passed away peacefully in her garden on Saturday July 9th. She would have been 66 on July 24th. During her 43 years as a resident of South Lake Tahoe she touched many lives in a variety of capacities. She spent her summers as a banquet waitress at Edgewood Golf Course and her winters overseeing the operation of Rainbow Mountain Ski Shop. But it was her commitment to her community and friends where she truly shined.

Steve Leonard died peacefully in the company of his family on Thursday, July 7 , 2016.

He is survived by his wife, Maureen Leonard; children, Tess and Benjamin Leonard; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Brenda Leonard; brother, Jack Leonard ; nephews, Jon and Sam Leonard, and Lance Rominger. He is preceded by his parents, John and Opal Leonard, and sister, Sharon Leonard.

Charles “Butch” Jensen died peacefully in Sacramento on May 14, 2016 of cancer. He was 73 years old.

Anne “Annie” Elisabeth Thomas passed away peacefully on Friday, April 29 after a hard fought battle with cancer. Annie was born in Batavia, New York on December 16th, 1955, to Anne Elisabeth McGee (Zehrung) and Herman Fisher.

Howard Bittner, a longtime South Lake Tahoe resident and chiropractor died April 17, 2016 after fighting a lengthy illness. He was 66.

Howard had been struggling with Pemphigus Vulgaris, an autoimmune disease, for the last 18 months.

Howard Henry Bittner was born on March 7, 1950, in Akron, Ohio. After growing up in Arizona and California, he attended Santa Barbara Community College before enlisting in the Navy. Howard graduated with honors from the Palmer College of Chiropractic in Iowa in 1980.

Dr. Timothy Stoll died suddenly of galloping pneumonia on February 12, 2016 at the age of 77.

Dr. Stoll, an icon of the Tahoe area, practiced dentistry for over 50 years in both South Lake Tahoe and Minden.

On Wednesday morning, December 23, 2015, my wife and best friend, Charlene Middlebrook lost her long and courageous battle with cancer. As with everything she did, Charlene handled the cancer and a subsequent stroke, with grace, courage, total resolve and of course her humor and her smile, once again being the hero in our family. Charlene and I met here in Tahoe 35 years ago and soon discovered that we had both grown up in Southern California about two miles apart.

Mary E. "Betty" Duke, a longtime South Lake Tahoe resident, passed away on Oct. 29, 2015. She was 90.

Betty was born on Feb. 27, 1925, in Monroe, La., to Albert and Clara Olsen.

Betty was an active volunteer with many organizations. She enjoyed reading, traveling, playing piano and accordion, dancing, and the outdoors, but especially anything involving her family.

With the devastating fires currently burning in California it brings to the forefront emergency preparedness.

September happens to be National Preparedness Month and El Dorado County's Public Health Preparedness and Response reminds residents to make an emergency communications plan for themselves and their families. Planning ahead will help protect families, neighborhoods and communities when emergencies and disasters arise.

Hanifan, Mariana Osuna, 82, of St. Louis, MO passed away July 17, 2015 in the presence of her daughter and husband after a wonderful evening attending a long awaited Osuna family gathering held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On Wednesday, May 20, 2015 Dr. Paul Joseph Fry Jr. passed away in his home in El Macero, California in the company of his family. Paul was born in Dixon, Illinois in 1931, the son of Paul J. and Lauretta M. Fry, is preceded in death by his wife, Dee, of 53 years and is survived by his six children, twenty three grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren. Upon graduating from Notre Dame, Paul attended Medical School at the University of Illinois; he served his internship at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital and did Residency Training at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dan Rix, affectionately known as “Papa Dan” to his family, passed away peacefully at his home in South Lake Tahoe on February 11, 2015 at the age of 73 after a brave and courageous battle with a long illness. Dan was born December 30, 1941 in Pueblo, CO to Dorothy Mae and George Robert Rix and spent his childhood growing up in Daly City (CA). He eventually moved to Tulare (CA) with his family where he graduated from Tulare Union HS in 1959.

Amada Soriano Masellones, age 79, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by loving family on Tuesday morning, December 30, 2014 following a long illness.

Amada was born June 9, 1935, in Calape, Bohol, Philippines to Jorge and Macra Soriano. She attended and graduated from Silos Vocational School of Dressmaking in the Philippines on February 14, 1953.

A photograph hangs in our father’s home—Needham Grammar School, Lodi, California, class of 1944, 120 kids from a different time. Amazingly, Dad could name a fair number of those classmates 70 years later.

A teacher for 25 years, the former students of South Tahoe High School will remember having Mr. Campodonico for history or civics. Vince held an optimistic belief in society and citizenship that he practiced all life long. He was always planning a trip, back from a trip or on a trip. Vince enjoyed people and would want us to say his goodbyes to his friends and family.

Long time resident Esther Simpson, passed away on October 9, 2014 after a short illness.

She was well known as the owner of Simpson’s Jewelers in South Lake Tahoe since 1966, and was not only a fine businesswoman, but an amazing, beautiful soul who loved life to its fullest and a very generous person to so many.

7/23/14 update: After a manhunt lasting several hours, Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputies located Anthony Robert Diaz on July 22, 2014 at approximately 11 p.m. walking near Pine Nut Road in Gardnerville. Diaz’ 12 year old son was with him, and was safely recovered and returned to his mother. Diaz was arrested for ex-felon possession of a firearm, and child endangerment. Diaz remains in custody in the Douglas County Jail in Minden, and his bail has been set at $50k.

Clifford Nass, a popular professor at Stanford University, passed away at South Lake Tahoe's Stanford Camp on Saturday, November 2. He was well known for his studies on the way people interact with technology and for his work on individual differences associated with multi-tasking.

Nass, 55, was in South Lake Tahoe to attend the fall Staff and Faculty Weekend at Stanford Camp which is located on the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake. He suffered a heart attack.

If anyone out there is thinking about crying, don’t. Kathy Bluethman would prefer a smile.

“Anyone who is mourning Kathy doesn’t get it,” Bluethman’s longtime friend and local coach Dan McLaughlin said. “Who’d be the most upset? Don’t mourn. Celebrate the fact that we got to spend time with probably the most remarkable person we will ever meet.”

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