On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, Ron Lee Carterby passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and five children. He was 67 years old. Born to Ruth and Arnold “Art” Carterby on October 27, 1954 in Arcata, Ron graduated from McKinleyville High School in 1972. Over the years, Ron made Humboldt Country his playground. He explored areas that most of us have never seen all while viewing it from the back of his dirt bike. Ron rode motocross for many years.
Through this sport he met many friends and gained a lifetime of memories that he loved to tell anybody who would listen. He had a love for football, music, bowling, golf and sports of all kinds. He was always giving family and friends updates on where motocross riders were placing during competitions and what was happening during the Little League World Series. He would tell you these stats whether you cared to hear them or not.
His greatest love of all was his family and spending time with them. He was a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Indian Tribe and was very proud of his heritage. He was always excited to learn about the history surrounding his tribe. He was thrilled to discover that one of our own family members (Ben Carterby) was a Code Talker during WWI.
Ron was preceded in death by his father Arnold “Art“ Carterby and other extended family members. He is survived by his mother Ruth Carterby, sister Lorrie (Garth) VanVoltenberg, wife Kathy Carterby along with his five children: Jesse Carterby, Ashley (Guy) Walkner, Anika Carterby, Jaidyn Carterby and Brydan Carterby. Ron had two granddaughters, Tatum and Baylee Walkner, who will forever miss their Pop Pop.
The family would like to thank Eureka EMT, St. Joseph Hospital staff and especially the ICU nurses who supported the family during this difficult time.
A memorial service will be planned at a later date.
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The obituary above was submitted by Ron Carterby’sloved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. | Screenshot from Tuesday’s meeting.
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On Tuesday afternoon, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to censure Planning Commission Chair Alan Bongio for derogatory and racist remarks he made during recent meetings.
The board’s motion, which was made by First District Supervisor Rex Bohn, the man who appointed Bongio to the Planning Commission nearly a decade ago, also called for Bongio to be removed — or to remove himself — from the chair position, though he must evidently take that step voluntarily since the board lacks the authority to order his removal.
While discussing the matter, Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone revealed that the county received a formal complaint on Monday from the Wiyot Tribe. The six-page complaint, which you can download and read in its entirety by clicking here, says Bongio used “racist and offensive language” at the Planning Commission’s August 18 hearing.
The complaint also alleges that Bongio created a hostile environment for tribal government staff and that his comments and actions revealed bias in favor of applicant Travis Schneider.
The complaint, which is signed by Tribal Administrator Michelle Vassel, Tribal Chair Ted Hernandez and the balance of the Wiyot Tribal Council, goes on to say that Planning Commissioner Melanie McCavour was given an unfair advantage in her capacity as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, and that her dual roles create a conflict of interest while giving her “special privileges” in conversing with the rest of the Planning Commission.
The complaint was submitted “in the hope that the County of Humboldt Government will take action,” though no specific action is requested. “Chair Bongio’s conduct the night of August 18, 2022 was shocking, shameful and prejudice [sic] and I hope not reflective of the Humboldt County Government,” it concludes.
Madrone
Madrone, in his introductory remarks, called out Bongio’s behavior at both the August 18 meeting as well as the September 1 follow-up, saying, “It certainly did seem to me that the chair’s actions and demeanor at those meetings showed a strong disregard for respect and decorum with derogatory and racist remarks that were made by the chair towards local Native American tribes and representatives.”
He proposed establishing a formal code of conduct and a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy to govern all county boards, pointing out that the Planning Commission was presented with a proposed set of rules in the past year or two but failed to adopt them.
Madrone also recommended that the board formally censure Bongio, adding that ideally he’d like the board to recommend that Bohn remove Bongio from the commission, “but our current rules don’t really allow us to do that as a board.” And he suggested that Bongio should be required to undergo DEI training.
County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes told the board that the county’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, headed up by Dr. Jeremy Clark and Neftali Rubio-Mills, recently asked for county leaders to send a letter to local tribes outlining the county’s efforts with DEI work “and really just showing support for the tribes, who are valued community partners for the county.”
Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell and Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass expressed displeasure that the Planning Commission previously failed to adopt the county’s recommended code of conduct, and Hayes said the board has the authority to require it of them.
Dr. Jeremy Clark.
Clark stepped forward to address the board. He recounted some of the county’s recent DEI initiatives, including a series of commitments and pronouncements made on July 19. “[A]nd anytime any agent of the county operates in a manner that is inconsistent or antithetical with those, you will likely hear from from our committee,” Clark said.
Hayes said that she’s the one charged with investigating formal complaints, and she’s working with the Human Resources Division and county counsel to address the one received yesterday from the Wiyot Tribe.
About 25 minutes into the hour-plus discussion, Bohn finally weighed in, saying that, at his request, county staff arranged a DEI training for Bongio.
“I’ve been called every name in the book this week, [told] I should resign,” Bohn said. “I guess we’re born at the hip with our appointments and things like that,” he added sarcastically. “And I appreciate everybody who’s written and especially those that want me to resign.”
Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson spoke up, saying Bongio’s language was not just offensive to the people in the room and listening to the meeting elsewhere.
“I want to speak to the damage that was also done to the relationships with the county with our tribal counterparts, not just the ones directly involved but those also listening and hearing and the wounds that has reopened,” Wilson said. “From an institutional perspective, we need to say we’re sorry about that, we apologize about that — recognize what has happened and then re-commit ourselves to those relationships.”
Bohn then addressed the matter head-on.
“I guarantee you, it hurt me more than probably any of you to hear what [Bongio] said, because my relationship with quite a few tribal leaders is very solid, and I have since talked with [Bongio] about that at length. And as Supervisor Madrone said, we all have bad days. We all say things we shouldn’t say … and he got caught up in the fever. And it was bad. And I’ve told Alan I was disappointed. [That] doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate him [and] his 55 years of friendship.”
He went on to commend Bongio for his 10 years on the Planning Commission “without any written complaints,” though he acknowledged that some people have complained verbally about Bongio being tough on cannabis.
“His attendance is second to none,” Bohn continued, adding that the fact Bongio was recently re-appointed as chair shows his colleagues’ respect for him.
“Now, does he lose that respect the other night? I would hope so,” Bohn said. He went on to say that Bongio has agreed to attend more DEI training and has tried to reach out to the local tribes.
“And we can all learn from our tribes,” Bohn said. “They’ve got a great approach on managing the lands. We’re seeing that [with] fire; we’re seeing that culturally. They’ve got some some great ideas.”
Bohn said he agreed with the request to censure Bongio and would agree to ask him to step down as chair. “But if we’re going to ask every one of us that ever makes a mistake — .” He left that thought unfinished but went on to reiterate his disappointment in Bongio’s actions.
“I support him going forward and learning about the cultural aspects of our native population, and we’ve all learned a little bit about Native populations in the last two years, four years, 10 years,” Bohn said. “I think we’ve all learned a little bit [about] where they stand and that we have to respect all native — we can’t pick. We have to respect them all. And so I would make the motion to censor him [sic] and have him step down as chair, if he decides. That would be up to him.”
Bohn said Bongio doesn’t appear to have a history of such behavior. “It was a bad day,” he said. “I don’t know what happened to him.”
Bongio wanted to attend today’s meeting but was out of town, Bohn said.
Bohn
“I will still support my friend,” he continued. “I will still be appalled at the reprehensible statements he made and the way they were presented. … and much like the Native Americans and ourselves and what we all do, we’re not going to get anywhere unless we’re forgiving.”
Bohn said he doesn’t like the idea of, “If you offended us, we cancel you.”
“I just can’t bring myself to it. Because I’ve spent 68 years on this planet, a majority of those trying to help our community, build our community and hopefully sometimes in there, being forgiving with people … ,” he said.
Bohn again advocated for further training and education for Bongio to “make him a better person, which is going to make him a better planning commissioner.”
He concluded, “I can’t fire my friend. I’m sorry.” He then made a motion to have the board censure Bongio, ask him to step down as chair of the Planning Commission and participate in further training.
Wilson asked whether Bohn would be willing to make an addition to his motion directing staff to send a letter to the tribes acknowledging the situation and inviting them to connect with the county’s DEI staff. Bohn said he was fine with that suggestion.
Wilson spoke up again, saying he wanted to push back against the notion that a solution can be found simply through education and training.
“It’s not just about learning about another person’s culture,” he said. “It’s really having to look deep inside yourself about the biases that we carry, and how do we move on that arc towards ridding ourselves of those biases, or working really hard on that? That is actually the real work … .”
Wilson said Bongio’s recent comments revealed deep-seated biases that he’s been carrying. “It’s not like it just showed up one day and there it was,” he said. “And it’s going to take work to remove it. … And I’m saying that we all carry all kinds of biases, that we need to work on those things, challenge ourselves and appreciate those challenges.”
Wilson said he’d like to see that work from the Planning Commission as well as himself, adding that there are also biases around “who you know,” who owns land and resources and who’s in control.
The board went on to discuss the mechanics of getting Bongio to step down as chair, given the board’s limited authority over the Planning Commission.
Bohn said he’s hopeful that Bongio will be “respectful enough of the motion to resign at the next meeting,” but Madrone expressed doubt about the board’s ability to ensure that result.
Finally, Bohn said that if Bongio refuses to give up his chairmanship, Bohn will ask him to resign. “I think that will take care of all your problems,” he said, adding once again an expression of appreciation for Bongio as a friend as well as someone who “pounds nails” for a living and “knows how to get project through and what it takes.”
Madrone thanked Bohn for that commitment and for his willingness to see how serious the situation was.
Adult Chinook showing signs of external lesions | Photos courtesy Six Rivers National Forest
Six Rivers National Forest release:
Isolated rain events in early August released tons of suspended sediment downstream from the McKinney Fire. Soil, ash, and other organic matter was discharged creating highly turbid water which is still visible within the Klamath River today.
In response, the Six Rivers National Forest Fisheries Program in partnership with the Klamath Basin Fish Health Assessment Team (KFHAT), have been monitoring water quality and fish health conditions within the Klamath River. Crews are surveying mainstem refuges and incoming cold tributaries where adult fish typically hold during their migration. A portion of these adult Chinook and steelhead have been showing visible signs of Flavobacterium columnare (bacterial gill rot) and Ichthyophthirius multifillis (Ich infection—a parasite in the Phylum Ciliophora). These fish diseases are not uncommon for the Klamath River, but sick and dead Chinook salmon have been observed over the past six weeks throughout most of the basin which is uncommon.
“High stream temperatures coupled with low flow conditions from late July through early September certainly worsened the situation within the Klamath River,” says LeRoy Cyr, District Fish Biologist on the Orleans, Ukonom, and Lower Trinity Ranger District.
Organic debris and filamentous bacteria found in Chinook gills
Thermal fish refuge at Dillon Creek confluence
Moribund Chinook holding near tributary confluence
Chinook and Klamath River Small Scale Sucker carcass recovery
Six Rivers National Forest fish studies also show a lot of migrating adult Chinook and steelhead crowding into small thermal refuges where these pathogens can quickly spread. Since early August, the Klamath River mainstem discharge at Orleans has been hovering around 1.600 cubic feet per second (c.f.s.) until September 10th when release flows below Iron Gate bumped it up to 2,400 cfs. As a result, mainstem temperatures dropped from 24° to 20° C.
“We are hopeful that more forecasted rain in the coming weeks can further improve conditions, but the KFHAT is still very concerned about the overall health, migration, and spawning success of this fish run,” says Cyr. “It is imperative that we continue to work together to monitor, report, and find a future course of action.”
The KFHAT was formed in 2003 when a large fish kill occurred resulting in the loss of about 35,000 adult Chinook salmon. Low flows, high temperatures and high fish densities in September 2003 allowed disease to run rampant. Since that time, basin partners have worked together to develop preventative measures that safeguard against such a catastrophic fish kill from occurring again. The group is currently carrying out weekly meetings and real-time communication due to the on-going elevated concerns throughout much of the basin.
On September 9, 2022, the group was able to complete a fish kill response training event (the first in several years), with attendees representing US Forest Service, CA Dept. Fish & Wildlife, CA Waterboards, Karuk Tribe, Yurok Tribe, US Fish &Wildlife Service, Salmon River Restoration Council and Mid-Klamath Watershed Council.
“The Klamath Fish Health Assessment Team allows us to bring together data from across the basin, and provide both updates to the public, as well as information and potential recommendations to resource managers,” says Dan Troxel, Environmental Scientist for California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Data from KFHAT and similar technical workgroups informed the decisions which provided additional releases of water down the Trinity River in late August 2022 to ameliorate disease concerns in the lower Klamath River. However, this may have also served to allow more fish to migrate into the mid-Klamath region, where environmental and disease concerns are equally problematic, resulting in the high concentrations of fish observed by USFS Orleans.
Six Rivers National Forest and the KFHAT team will continue to be vigilant and monitor this situation as it progresses.
In reporting yesterday’s story about the recent revelation that PG&E has all but reached the limits of its capacity to transmit electricity to new projects across southern Humboldt County, the Outpost asked the utility a series of questions.
Among them: Why didn’t PG&E anticipate these issues and address them earlier? When did PG&E become aware of the capacity issues, and why weren’t local officials warned earlier? Does PG&E blame cannabis projects for the situation?
PG&E did not respond before our story deadline, but spokesperson Deanna Contreras emailed a statement this morning. It addresses some of the questions we’d asked, but not all. And it raises others.
For example, while the statement below says short-term capacity work will allow the new Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville to move forward, it does not offer a timeline for other improvement, including a line reconductoring project and substation upgrades to increase capacity in Fortuna, Rio Dell and Garberville.
We have requested more information, including details about how much capacity will be added via the reconductoring project and upgrades mentioned in the statement along with the timeline for that work. We’ll let you know if and when we hear back.
Here’s the statement from PG&E:
PG&E’s grid planning process carefully considers the energy needs of the 16 million customers we serve in Northern and Central California, including our hometowns in the North Coast. As part of our Distribution Planning Process, we annually forecast load growth to assess needs on the electric distribution system and create plans and projects to address them. Similarly, the CAISO’s annual Transmission Planning Process forecasts load growth on the electric transmission system. Examples of projects created to address needs in this vital part of our service area include the Humboldt Bay Power Plant which opened in 2010 specifically to support local capacity needs, and the more recent Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid, which provides grid resiliency and additional local generation.
Our multi-year grid plan is addressing needs in this area through projects already in progress, and others planned over the next few years. These include a line reconductoring project and upgrades to the Rio Dell substation to increase capacity in Fortuna and Rio Dell; transmission and distribution system line reconductoring, and upgrades at the Garberville substation, to increase capacity for serving the Garberville area.
While some of this work is longer-term, in the short-term our capacity work planned through next year will support smaller energy load applications, such as the new Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville, to move forward.
Building new transmission facilities requires engagement from multiple parties, including our customers, landowners, environmental regulators, and the CAISO. We are committed to working creatively and collaboratively to develop standard and creative solutions to meet our customers’ needs.
It is our privilege and our obligation to serve all our customers. To do that, we generally follow a first-in, first-out approach to grid project planning, while prioritizing the most important projects in each area, including our North Coast region. It’s critical to maintain open two-way communication with our customers and communities at the earliest indication of potential growth projects. Our regional service model, launched in 2021, is designed to facilitate that communication. We acknowledge that past projects have experienced delays, and we are dedicated to continuous improvement so that we are doing the right work the right way to support local economic growth and vitality.
UPDATE, 12:20 p.m.: Well, that went about as you’d expect! Less than three hours after the Sara Bareilles concert announcement was made, Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman has confirmed to LoCO that all of the roughly 11,000 free tickets to next month’s show have been claimed. We’d like to think we played a part, but more likely Sara video-promoting the show on her social media did the job.
Anyway, way to spot a deal, Humboldt. See you at Halvorsen Park!
Original Post: It is not often that LoCO gets to bring you happy-making news of this magnitude, but after some lengthy negotiations between city officials and a certain beloved hometown hero, we can now confirm that Sara Bareilles will be playing a concert in Eureka’s Halvorsen Park on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Oh, by the way, those wishing to attend will need to secure tickets, but said tickets are free. This is happening, people!
More details can be found in the City of Eureka release below:
The internationally-acclaimed musician, actor, and writer Sara Bareilles is returning home to perform a special community concert on Sunday, October 16, at Halvorsen Park on the Eureka waterfront. Live music is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., and opening acts will include local performers hand-selected by Bareilles.
“I am so lucky to be able to come home and share music and appreciation for the community that raised me.” says Bareilles. “It has been such a long time since I have been able to do a show for my hometown, and this year felt like a good year to make an effort to spread some joy. The roots of my music and my artistry come from Humboldt County, and I am who I am because of where I’m from. I hope to simply bring some music and gratitude to the community to say thank you for being my home.”
Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman adds, “This is an exciting opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate our shared love of this city and all of the wonderful art, culture, and craftsmanship it inspires. We are so proud of Sara’s nationally acclaimed success and her continued support of the arts and the many wonderful non-profit organizations in our community.”
“This concert is a big deal,” City Manager Miles Slattery said. “We are all especially excited that Sara is sharing this performance with us in a way that will allow everyone in our community to participate. Personally, I am really looking forward to spending the day enjoying the park and the waterfront with my friends, family, and neighbors.”
Although entry will be free, tickets will be required and can be reserved in advance at visiteureka.com/sbconcert. Up to six tickets may be reserved at a time and an individual ticket will be needed for each attendee regardless of age. Ticket reservations will be closed when venue capacity is reached.
Concert goers are invited to bring picnic baskets or small soft-sided coolers, folding chairs, and blankets. On-site food trucks and beverage vendors will also offer refreshments for purchase, and all vendors will be donating a portion of their proceeds to local non-profit organizations.
A free city shuttle will help bring attendees to the event from several designated special event parking locations across the city. More information is available at visiteureka.com/SBConcert.
ABOUT SARA BAREILLES
Sara Bareilles’ performances on the world’s largest concert stages, as well as on Broadway and television have made her internationally acclaimed, but her success remains a significant point of pride for Humboldt County. Many consider her to be Eureka’s favorite daughter.
Bareilles burst onto the national music scene in 2007 with her single “Love Song,” which spent 41 weeks on the Billboard top 100 chart, 19 weeks in the top ten. Other hits and millions of album sales followed, but perhaps more importantly, other doors were opened for Bareilles to broaden her reach. In 2015 she wrote the lyrics, composed the music, and later starred in the hit show Waitress on Broadway, for which she received a Tony nomination. More recently she stars as Dawn Solano in the ongoing TV series, Girls5eva, and in 2022 played the Baker’s Wife in the critically acclaimed run of Sondheim’s Into The Woods on Broadway.
But Bareilles’ impact locally extends well beyond her accomplishments in entertainment. Her philanthropic legacy has helped fund a variety of youth-empowerment programs in Humboldt County and beyond, and she consistently acknowledges the positive impact that growing up on California’s North Coast has had on her success.
ABOUT THE CITY OF EUREKA
As the county seat of world-famous Humboldt County, California, the city of Eureka (Pop. 27k) is the heart of the U.S. Redwood Coast. Eureka is the market and cultural center of a beautiful region filled with iconic redwoods – the world’s tallest trees – and stunningly beautiful, rugged, and remote ocean landscapes. Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland and a frequent stopover point for road trippers exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Culturally protected by the ‘redwood curtain,’ the city is most famous for its unique Victorian architecture, one-of-a-kind shops and artisanal businesses, and its rich, authentic history. Learn more at visiteureka.com.
Christopher
John Lottie passed away suddenly on July 28, 2022
Christopher
John “Chris” Lottie, was born August 6, 1980, in Raleigh, N.C. The
family made moves to New Jersey, Texas, Washington and Minnesota before moving to Plano, Texas,
in 1994. Christopher finished middle school in Plano, and graduated
from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas. He spent two years
at the University of Texas-Austin before graduating from Le Cordon
Bleu Culinary Institute of Austin. Chris was part owner of two
Dickey’s BBQ Pit restaurants in Austin before moving to Redway in 2015.
When
Chris was a kid the family used to take a lot of road trips to visit
friends and family across the US. His parents quickly learned that
the easiest way to keep Chris and his little sister from arguing was
to embrace their shared love of comedy movies, specifically Jim
Carrey movies. On one of these many long drives, Chris came up with
an idea while watching Ace
Ventura Pet Detective.
There’s a particular part in the movie when Ace is really close to
cracking the missing dolphin case and he ends up at Ray Finkle’s
childhood home. Upon asking for Ray Finkle, Ace launches into a
one-breath impressive monologue documenting the great kicker’s life.
Chris and Christy loved this scene so much and would watch it on
repeat. Chris decided they should memorize the monologue and each
take a turn reciting it while the other sibling listened and tried to
get the speaker to crack into laughter. This game became a tradition
between the two and carried into adulthood. Chris loved to laugh and
there was one surefire way his little sister had in her back pocket
that would crack him up at any moment…two simple words. “Penis
wrinkle.”
Upon
moving to Redway he quickly made friends and became an important
part of the community. He volunteered for many local events through
the Mateel Community Center and for the local fire departments. Chris
made friends easily and would drop whatever he was doing to help a
friend in need. He was a brilliant, fun, loving, and generous soul.
He was known for his huge smile and his tremendous sense of humor.
Chris loved to hunt, fish and work outdoors. His favorite place to
fish was Shelter Cove and he never came home empty-handed. He was a
die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan and rooted for the SF Giants. He was an
amazing chef and had a deep passion for food, both cooking and eating
it. No one left the table hungry when he was cooking a meal. He
loved road trips and enjoyed attending concerts. He was the world’s
best dog dad to his two beloved labradors, Beretta and Voodoo.
Chris
also had a deep passion for helping sick children and supporting the
Humboldt County volunteer fire departments. During the 2020 and 2021 wildfires, he helped evacuate friends and strangers offering his
trailers and trucks to help others safely evacuate while possibly
having to evacuate himself. During fire season he would drive around
with a cage tank of water and water pump ready to stop any new fires
that started.
Chris
met Mackenzie Dorn in June of 2019 while she was working at Dazeys.
It took a month of flirting until he finally asked her on a date.
From that first date on they were inseparable. They bonded quickly
over their shared love of nature, Guns N’ Roses, food, dogs,
attending community events, movies, comedy, and working hard. The
two simply just fit into each other’s lives perfectly. Very early on
in their relationship, Chris knew he had met the woman he would spend
the rest of his life with. He proposed in March of 2021 on her
birthday and took her by complete surprise. They married on June
25, 2022 at the Dorn Family Ranch. They were married for one month
and three days before his passing.
He
is survived by his wife Mackenzie Dorn Lottie (Redway), his
parents Rick and Vickie Lottie (Prosper, Texas), his sister Christy
Lottie and husband William Ellis (Orinda), his uncles Raymond
Lottie (Hawley, Minn.), Robert Lottie and his wife Elfi (Kailua, Hawaii),
Dick Bossing (West Lafayette, Ind.), his mother and father in-law Lynn
and Richard Dorn (Eureka), his sister-in-law Katie Dorn (Eureka) and several cousins.
A
celebration of Christopher’s Life is planned for September 24th,
2022, in Redway at the Mateel Community Center. Please come and
celebrate Chris and share your favorite stories of him and what he
meant to you.
In
lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to:
The obituary above was submitted by Chris Lottie’sloved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
Mike was born September 15, 1952 and died peacefully in his sleep on August 14, 2022.
Mike was born and raised in Myrtletown. Growing up in Myrtletown was special to Mike, as he made many lifelong friends there. Mike’s greatest passion in life was baseball. He was very proud of the fact that his mom made it to every game but one, and wouldn’t you know it, that was the time he pitched a perfect game. As he got older his attention was diverted to other interests, however he never lost his love of sports. He especially enjoyed watching his boys and later his grandchildren play sports. One of his most talked-about vacations was in 2004, when his wife Mary surprised him with a trip to Yankee Stadium. He would brag about using the same urinal that Mickey Mantle used. It was everything he ever thought of and more.
His other favorite vacation spot was the adult playground, Las Vegas. In July of 2009 Mike and wife Mary renewed their wedding vows of 35 years at MGM Grand, with their children in attendance. What a special trip that was! Mike loved traveling from casino to casino just to say he had been there.
Mike’s first job was at Verla’s pizza parlor. After a few years there he then went on to work for Tommy Fuller at Mobil (where he met the love of his life, Mary). He then went on to work for Eureka City Schools, where he worked on the grounds crew. He took pride in taking care of Albee Stadium. Fridays during football season were his favorite times, knowing that he got to get the field ready for Friday night football. Go Loggers! Prior to his retirement in 2016 Mike and wife Mary were the proud owners of the Eureka Grocery Outlet for over 20 years. Not only was it Mike’s workplace, but a place where new friendships were made and old friendships renewed.
Mike is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary, his sons Mike Jr and wife Susy, and Dustin and wife Sandy. Also his six beautiful grandchildren — Kelly, Mariela, Crystal, Dustin Jr, Annabella and Alex. Also his brother Herb Barber and sister Sue Hinds and many other family and lifelong friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents Herb and Violet Barber, in-laws Huey and Joyce Stark and best friend Dave Schneider.
The family would like to thank Ayres Family Cremation for their professionalism and compassion, Hospice of Humboldt, Dr. Luh, Dr. Holst, Dr. Palmer and the staff at Providence St.Joseph Hospital.
There will be a celebration of Mike’s life on Saturday, October 1, at 1 p.m. at Sequoia Park.The family would like guest to wear pink, as this was Mike’s favorite color.
