Awanna L. Kalal died June 3, 2017, in her own home after a short illness. In her final days, she enjoyed the support and love of her family and her extended circle of dear friends from the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Awanna began her life journey March 3, 1931. Born to Ruth Isabel Laughlin and Joy Judge Laughlin, she grew up in Elgin, Ore. and Walla Walla, Wash., graduating from Walla Walla High School in 1949.

After proving to her parents that she could save $100, she went off to college in Cheney, Wash., at Eastern Washington State College, where she earned her BA and teaching credential, and met her future husband Robert D. Kalal while washing dishes together in the cafeteria. They later moved to Sacramento and had two children, Rebecca and Daniel.

Awanna taught school at Center Unified School District, Sacramento for 35 years; five years as a kindergarten teacher and 30 years as a reading specialist. She was passionate about teaching and helping every student succeed, especially through the mastery of reading. She was always innovative: In her kindergarten classes, she brought a live chicken each morning so her young pupils could see eggs being laid; she taught her students how to make applesauce, and to make a life-size pony out of a sawhorse and paper mache. She wrote reading instruction guides for her colleagues and parents, served on countless committees, produced awards assemblies and student talent shows (giving every student a chance to experience using a microphone), and organized the district’s first Black History Month activities. Awanna was the first woman in the district to wear pants to work.

After retiring in 1997, Awanna moved to Eureka to be near her daughter and to join the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where she began a multitude of volunteer activities. She wished to help make the world a better place, and could be found, along with her friends, daughter and son-in-law, at many a protest march, including the Women’s March in January of this year. (Her children remember being taken to join the march of Cesar Chavez and the National Farm Workers Association from Delano to the Capitol Building in Sacramento in 1966.)

She loved to travel, especially on road trips with her family. She and her son Daniel traveled through many states, over thousands of miles; making a post-Christmas road trip for each of the past 35 years. At the age of 70, she began traveling internationally, eventually making five trips to the United Kingdom and Ireland. She loved exploring her Scottish roots, and going to the Highland Games in Pleasanton, Calif.

In 2015, Awanna, Daniel and Rebecca achieved one of Awanna’s dreams by travelling to Selma, Alabama and crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the 50th anniversary of the famous civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery. Awanna, Daniel and Rebecca made one last Kalal Family Road Trip in October 2016, following our 17th century ancestors in New England, using her father’s genealogical research, and enjoying spectacular scenery and autumn colors along the way.

Awanna is survived by her son Daniel Kalal, daughter Rebecca Kalal (Gil Yule), sister Lorraine Ragsdale (Mike), niece Sandi Richerson (Larry), nephew Stanley Ragsdale (Suzi), and step-great grandson Alexaundre Yule. Her three cats miss her very much, as well.

The family thanks our team of marvelous, loving care givers assembled by dear friend Jan Rowen: Dot Campbell, Nancy Powers, Salina Rain and Diane Walker, along with Awanna’s sister Lorraine and niece Sandi, as well as the Threshold Singers and everyone from Hospice involved in Awanna’s care.

A memorial for Awanna will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at The Unitarian Fellowship at 24 Fellowship Way, Bayside. Please gather to share stories, sing and celebrate Awanna (enjoying the proper use of the microphone, naturally).

If you are so inclined, donations can be made to The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, PO Box 506, Bayside, CA 95524 or to Sequoia Park Zoo or Hospice of Humboldt.

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The obituary above was submitted by Awanna Kalal’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.