Mary Rowena Campbell-Davis
Feb. 21, 1929 – Dec. 24, 2021

Mary Rowena Campbell-Davis, our beloved mother, stepmother, grandmother, teacher’s aide and foster grandparent, went Home for Christmas on Christmas Eve Day 2021. Everyone who knew her remembers Mary as the happiest person in the room. Her contagious smile and cheery nature came from her love for Jesus. She lived her faith, regularly reading her Bible, singing hymns, praying, journaling and opening her home and kitchen table to family and family friends.

A grandchild of a preacher and preacher’s wife, Zachariah Henderson Campbell (1880-1957) and Rowena C Higdon-Campbell (1885-1965), she was born February 21, 1929, to William Samuel Campbell (1907-1965) and Mamie Myrtle Churchville-Campbell (1909-1994), in Blackshear, Pierce County, Georgia.

When Mary was six, during the Great Depression, her mother boarded a California-bound train with Mary and her six-month-old sister, Marlene (1936-2009), to join Mary’s father in the migrant worker camps around Bakersfield, Shafter and Wasco, California. Mary recounted living in a tent in those early days. Like so many others at that time, she picked fruit and worked to support her family.

She was an active girl and young woman who, in her later years, was quick to remind folks she was “acrobatic.” And she had the pictures to prove it! After graduating from high school May 28, 1948, Mary completed the Nurse Attendant’s course at Monterey Union Adult School, and in 1953 began service as a Nurse’s Aide on the maternity ward of the Peninsula Community Hospital (now Montage Health), Monterey Peninsula.

In 1965, she took a chance on a Humboldt County lumberjack, Lawrence Corley Davis (1922-1995), whose family once lived across the alley from her family’s Wasco, California home. They were married at a little church near the McKinleyville airport, on June 8, 1965, attended by Lawrence’s cousin, Herbert Wood Sr (1929-2018) and his wife, Velda Rae Jones-Wood (1931-2014). Mary instantly became stepmother to Lawrence’s two children, Danny and Leslie.

With love and enthusiasm, Mary also embraced being a second mother to Danny and Leslie’s older half-sister and half-brother, Sharon Kay Moody and James Floyd Moody, Jr., and, later, Danny and Leslie’s younger half-sister, Teresa Marie Laughlin. Eventually, their children came to know Mary as Gramma Mary or Gramma Davis. Not surprisingly, she became friends with Althea Bernice Moon-Vorpahl (1938-2019), Lawrence’s first wife and mother of Sharon, James, Danny, Leslie and Teresa, often hosting Althea and her husband, Robert Leonard Vorpahl (1942-2015), for a visit at Lawrence and Mary’s McKinleyville home.

Mary welcomed her new life on their five acres, tilling and planting their nearly one-acre garden, then harvesting and canning countless Mason jars of fruits and vegetables. She milked the cow, pasteurized and sold countless gallons of milk, skimmed cream and churned it to butter in a glass hand-churn. She fed the ducks and chickens and collected countless chicken eggs over the years. Though it eventually became Danny’s job, she could wield the hatchet and axe to cut kindling and firewood, and build a roaring fire in their cast iron wood stove.

In 1968, Mary blessed the family with a daughter, Rebecca Delani. Sometime around Rebecca’s enrollment at Dow’s Prairie Elementary School, Mary took on a new role as a teacher’s aide. Her love for children and teaching, and her teachers’ appreciation for her work with their students, filled Mary’s weekdays at Dow’s for 29 years, after which she became a Foster Grandparent and stayed to help for another 10 years before retiring!

In 1969, Mary, with Lawrence’s sisters Lorene Woodward (1918-2016) and Berniece Jarnagin (1920-2019), served as caretaker to Lawrence’s mother Ollie May Corley-Davis (1897-1969), before Ollie passed in September of that year.

For about two years, starting in 1969, Mary hosted Lawrence’s niece, Vicki Davis, while Vicki attended Humboldt State University in Arcata. Mary treated Vicki as her own daughter while Vicki was away from her Taft, California home and her parents Milton (1925-2009) and Sally (1925-2004).

In 1994, Mary, with her Aunt Claudis (1922-2008), served as caretaker for her mother, Mamie Myrtle Churchville-Campbell (1909-1994), before Myrtle passed in November of that year. Mary was with her mom when she passed. Family members covet the quilts Mary and her mother made for them on a quilting frame hung from the living room ceiling.

When Lawrence died in 1995, Mary sold the property and moved into a McKinleyville apartment. While her new place was smaller than the Woods Lane property, her heart was no less large. After Sunday morning at McKinleyville Jesus Name Pentecostal Church, Leslie and her boys, Larry, Sean and Scott, and James’s daughter Michelle and her boys, Douglas, Dylan and Dustin — and, sometimes, their friends and other family members, would gather for dinner at Mary’s. Crafts or games like Scrabble, Yahtzee and Aggravation followed at the dining room table.

Cut from the same cloth, in 2004, Mary’s daughter Rebecca headed east to Long Lane, Missouri, to take a chance on a dairyman and country entrepreneur named Gary Howard. (But that’s a story for another time.)

In late 2015, Mary followed Rebecca to Missouri to live out her golden years near her granddaughter, Ellen Rose. After the morning service at Cedar Ridge Free Will Baptist Church, it was common to have Sunday dinner with Rebecca, Gary and Ellen, and Gary’s mother and sister, Elna and Gail, at Mary’s place. When she could no longer attend church, Mary enjoyed sitting at her kitchen table, faithfully reading her Bible, singing, praying, journaling, and doing crossword and word puzzles to keep her mind sharp.

In the summer of 2021, Dan and Leslie traveled separately to visit Mary as her health began to decline. Though she only faintly remembered them, her broad smile, cheerful heart and Godly nature welcomed them as if they lived next door and visited often. When handed an old hymnal, Mary sang out, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. O’ what a foretaste of glory divine…” Without doubt, that is her story, that is her song!

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve Day 2021, Mary laid down for an afternoon respite, and went Home for Christmas. Rebecca, Gary and Gail were at her side when she left us.

Today, we have assurance, she is at rest with her Savior, happy and blessed. She no longer watches and waits. She is above, filled with His goodness and lost in His love.

In every way, Mary showed love for Jesus; for her husband, Lawrence; for Rebecca and her husband, Gary; for Dan and his wife, Deb; for Leslie and her husband, Greg; for Sharon and her husband, Larry; for James; for Teresa and her husband, Kirk; for Michelle — and for all their children. Also, for her long-time friend, Carol Stubbs, and for 39 years of Dow’s Prairie students and teachers — especially Lora Cunningham.

While she lived, she put her whole heart and soul into serving others. Indeed, she touched many lives, and she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Mary’s family is forever grateful for the thoughtful care provided to her while she made her way Home, especially from family friend Anita Evans and St. Croix Hospice of Bolivar, Missouri.

The family invites you to join them in honoring Mary at a graveside service at Greenwood Cemetery, Arcata, at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 5, 2022; arrangements by Paul’s Chapel. She will be buried there with her husband Lawrence, near his father and mother, James Albert Davis (1890-1959) and Ollie May Corley-Davis (1897-1969). Mary’s stepson, Dan Davis, will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you generously donate to your local Hospice or memory care facility.

Born December 6, 1937, left this Earth on December 25, 2021.

Carole was born in Eureka. Her parents were Walter V. Head and Lynne A. Stevens Head. She attended Eureka High School and was a member of the class of 1957.

She married Arthur Covington on April 15, 1956. She spent the next 65-plus years being a housewife and raising two sons. She loved tending to her flowers, both in containers and in the ground. When not busy, she always liked vising with her neighborhood friends.

She loved the camping trips in the Bear River Valley at her aunt and uncle’s ranch for many years.

She leaves behind her husband Arthur Covington and her two sons David Covington and Walter Covington (Candy). Her brother, Loren of Rocky Point, Or, and her sister, Cheryl George (Roger) of Reno, Nevada. Grandsons David, Tyson, and Garrett. Granddaughters, Ashlee, and Danielle. Great-grandchildren Chase, Parker, Henry, and Elizabeth. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Services will be held at Sanders Funeral Home in Eureka and interment at Ocean View after the Service on Monday. A viewing will be at 11 a.m. and the service will be at 12:30 p.m.

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The new year is upon us and if reducing your waste was not already one of your new year’s resolutions, it is something you will soon need to think about thanks to a new California law that will require you to keep your food scraps out of the trash.

California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy – also known as SB 1383 – takes effect in January, 2022 and will require city and county jurisdictions to compost their green waste, such as food scraps and yard debris, in an effort to reduce the release of greenhouse gasses emitted by organic materials decomposing in our landfills. And although our local waste management agencies, including Humboldt Waste Management Authority (HWMA) and Recology Humboldt County, do accept people’s yard waste, they do not currently provide a composting service for food scraps.

Aware that this legislation was coming down the pipeline, the Humboldt County Solid Waste Local Task Force – which includes representatives from our local municipalities – has been working for more than a year on reviewing the legislation guidelines and creating a plan for coming into compliance. Emily Benvie, deputy of environmental services for the City of Arcata and member of the task force, says that rolling out the necessary changes will be no easy feat.

“Especially given the rural nature of Humboldt County, it’s huge legislation,” Benvie told the Outpost of SB 1383, adding that California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) posted the compliance guidelines in November, 2020. “Between the publishing of guidelines and the deadline for enactment, there hasn’t been much time for municipalities to sort through everything.”

And SB 1383 is definitely huge legislation. In addition to requiring California cities and counties to provide organic waste pickup and processing, the law requires jurisdictions to reduce waste by establishing food recovery programs (which require food service businesses, like restaurants and grocery stores, to donate edible food) and by using composted or recycled products – such as compost, mulch and renewable gas – for city projects. The bill also outlines new recordkeeping requirements for waste management facilities, requires regional capacity planning and requires jurisdictions to conduct extensive education and public outreach.

This all might sound like a lot, and it kind of is, especially considering the new regulations technically go into effect on Jan. 1 and, clearly, Humboldt has not made all of the necessary changes. Luckily, Calrecycle understands that implementing these changes will take longer for some jurisdictions than others. Benvie explained that Humboldt has been granted more time to come into compliance and needs to show that it has a comprehensive plan and timeline in place to meet the requirements.

So where is that plan? Well, Benvie told the Outpost that it is still in the works, but will be released very soon. A few months ago, the county task force developed an ad hoc committee to address SB 1383 and the committee decided to enlist the help of a third party consulting firm. With HWMA working as the lead agency, the committee just recently contracted with Edgar and Associates – a Sacramento-based environmental engineering company and lobbying firm. The firm has been tasked with developing a “compliance roadmap,” Benvie said, which should be released within the next month.

Though the official plan itself is not yet complete, Edgar’s service proposal includes a rough timeline for developing a plan that would largely have Humboldt in compliance by the end of 2024. Some enforcement will take place on a regional level, while some will fall on individual cities and require adopting ordinances. Lower population municipalities, like Blue Lake and Rio Dell, however, will likely be granted exemptions, giving them until 2027 to comply with the new legislation.

One of the biggest components of the legislation and the first area the consulting firm plans to address is establishing organics collection services, which will eventually mean all residents will have a three bin pick-up system – with separate bins for trash, recycling and compost. Changing this system will be a big undertaking, since Humboldt does not currently have the infrastructure in place to process food scraps and Linda Wise, general manager of Recology Humboldt County, told the Outpost that it will probably take a while to get something like that in place. Wise is still not sure how it will all look but said it’s possible that local waste management agencies will need to take compostables to an outside facility – similarly to how Humboldt’s waste is transported to landfills outside of the area or how Recology transports residents’ yard waste to Wes Green Company in Arcata.

In addition to the question of where the County will process our compostable materials, the change brings up many other questions: Will this additional service require an increase in rates? And what about residents who do their own composting or who use a different composting service? Will they be able to request an exemption?

Hesitant to provide much information yet on this ongoing process, HWMA’s new executive director, Peter Fuller, said that the answer to most of these questions is “we just don’t know yet.” Donna Wood, community service director for the City of Eureka and a member of the local task force, was able to tell the Outpost, however, that for people who choose to opt out of the service “exemptions will likely be looked at” as part of the planning process. Wood said that the City of Eureka will focus a lot of energy on public outreach in the coming months to try to gauge the community’s needs when it comes to some of those factors.

Another big part of the legislation is establishing food recovery programs, which will require food service businesses – like grocery stores and restaurants – to collect edible food that would otherwise go to waste and redistribute it to feed people in need. This component of SB 1383 will be rolled out in stages. “Tier one” businesses – including grocery stores, food vendors and food distributors – are required to start food recovery Jan. 1, 2022, whereas “tier two” businesses – including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools and events venues – need to start in January 2024.

Many of our local businesses already utilize food recovery programs, with local food banks like Food for People collecting edible food from local grocery stores like the North Coast Co-op. But Wood says that more outreach will need to occur with local business owners before we can accurately say how many businesses do or do not already donate their food to local food recovery programs.

Though the City still has a lot to figure out, Wood feels that Eureka is in a good position and says that the regional efforts have been successful. “Even though cities won’t be taking the same exact measures, no one has to feel like we’re alone in navigating this effort,” Wood said. “We’re all going to get through it together.”

Outreach and education are going to be a huge part of Humboldt’s ability to wade through the changes that come with SB 1383 and teaching people how to properly dispose of their food scraps will likely be one of the biggest challenges. Wise told the Outpost that preprocessing is one of the largest and most time-consuming aspects of waste management. Recycling is full of contaminants and people place many things in the recycling that aren’t actually recyclable. Luckily, another piece of California legislation – SB 343 – enacted this year targets this issue by banning non-recyclable plastics from carrying the recycling symbol. But it certainly won’t address the issue entirely and Wise anticipates that this will be a difficult aspect of processing compostables as well.

“It won’t come in a form that’s ready to compost,” Wise said. “We have to separate things and take contaminants out – banana stickers, mayonnaise packets.”

Wise says that, although residents will not be required to start putting their compostables in a different bin right away, now is a good time to start preparing yourself for the transition by making changes to your habits that help reduce waste and help make waste management workers’ lives a little easier.  If you produce lawn clippings or other yard waste, you can start by adding the current green waste pickup to your service. Try to be better about only placing things that are actually recyclable in your recycling bin and be sure to remove stickers or labels from your containers.  More than anything, Wise suggests that we all focus on reducing our consumption and trying to avoid putting things into the compost, recycling or landfill in the first place.

“We all just need to buy what we need and nothing more,” Wise said. “If you’re going out to dinner, or going to the grocery store – plan ahead. Think about what you really need. It’s better for your pocket book, it’s better for these programs and it’s better for the environment.”

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CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that HWMA provides pickup service for yard waste. HWMA accepts yard waste at its transfer station, but does not offer pick up services of any kind. The Outpost regrets the error. 

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

A search and rescue for a 21-year-old Blue Lake man is currently underway in the Trinidad area.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Hunter Nathaniel Lewis who failed to return home from recreating in Trinidad yesterday afternoon. Lewis is believed to have possibly entered the ocean in his canoe near the Trinidad Harbor sometime between 10 a.m. and noon, December 30.

A search of Trinidad Head and the surrounding water was conducted during the night, with negative results. Search efforts continue today.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Special Services deputies, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Posse, the United States Coast Guard and California State Parks are currently searching the surrounding beaches and ocean for any sign of Lewis. Search crews are utilizing a Coast Guard helicopter, the Coast Guard Cutter and small boats, in addition to searching on foot.

Hunter Lewis is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, 135 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be wearing a dark-colored wet suit.

Lewis’ canoe is described as a 15-foot fiberglass canoe with a green exterior.

Anyone who saw Lewis in the Trinidad area yesterday or has any information regarding his current whereabouts is urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251.

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Hunter Lewis | Facebook

A multi-agency search is underway off Trinidad Head after a young man in a canoe went missing Thursday evening.

A spokesperson for Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay says the man, identified in social media posts as 21-year-old Hunter Lewis, was reported missing around 7:30 p.m.

The Coast Guard initiated a search with help from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California State Parks.

On Thursday morning Lewis’s father, Corey, posted a request for help on Facebook, asking anyone with a boat in Trinidad or Eureka to join the search. We reached out to him for more information but have yet to hear back.

Another Facebook post says Hunter Lewis was wearing a wetsuit and had a greenish canoe when he went missing. It asks for anyone who may have seen him to share whatever information they have.

Kym Kemp spoke with one member of the search party, who said Lewis set out on the water to prepare a treasure hunt for friends.

Here’s video of the search efforts from this morning, submitted by Ishan Steelhead.

Donald Gene Buchanan was born on August 5, 1940 to William and Charlie Buchanan, in Twilight, Oklahoma, he was 81 years old. Don passed away peacefully in his home on December 16, 2021 in Eureka. We will have a Celebration of Life/Funeral for Don Buchanan on January 7, 2022, at 2806 Dolbeer St., Eureka. The service will start at 11 a.m. with a graveside service immediately following.

Don was born in a small house in the middle of a cow pasture in the community of Twilight, Oklahoma. He spent most of his life in Oklahoma. When he was in High School they would close the school when the cotton was ready to be picked, then the high school students would help to pick the cotton. Don and his cousin Jerry joined the Navy a short time after they graduated High School. He served during the Vietnam Conflict.

He meet his loving wife Peggy Young in California while he was in the service. They were married on June 21, 1963, and enjoyed 58 years together. They settled in El Centro for a short time then moved to Indio, where he worked as an employee of the Federal Government. Don received a promotion as a manager of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service which moved their family to Eureka in 1976.

Don loved serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as a Scout Master, a member of the Eureka Ward Bishopric, Sunday School President, and other various positions. His last position was in the Family History Center (Genealogy Library) where he loved to help others trace their ancestors.

Don will be remembered as a wonderful and loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, leader, and friend. He was preceded in death by his parents and 14 older siblings, one daughter Lucinda, and son William. He is survived by his wife Peggy Buchanan and their children Jeffrey Buchanan (wife Laurel, children Rhys, Peyton, and Cole), Kathryn Luna (husband Michael, children David & Jenn, Daniel & Zoe, Blake & Amy Luna-Beltran, Kohan & Saili, Joseph & Hannah, Brayden, and Sarah), Ryan Buchanan (wife Maria, children Catja, Nickolette & Keefer Kocherhans, Francesca, Antonio, and Freya) as well as his Great Grand Children Adyson & Lief Luna, and Harper & Rilie Luna. He is also survived by his brother Clarence Buchanan (wife Cherill) and several Niece’s and Nephews.

The family would like to thank the Veterans Administration for all their help and support, Hospice and Agape for their care, making Don transition at the end of his life much easier.

The family deeply appreciates your kind expression of sympathy in their time of great sorrow.

Love all whom you hold dear,
Precious is the time you share,
Do not wait for tomorrow,
For tomorrow may not be…

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Joel Frederick Cudney
March 13, 1925 to December 26, 2021

Joel Frederick Cudney was born in Eureka on March 13, 1925 to Elmer and Bertha Cudney of Fort Seward. There he was raised and went to local schools until the age of 16, when he went to work in defense work in the Manganese Mines, which was in demand at that time.

Joel worked until called into the military service on March 30, 1944 in World War II. After a short training at Fort Riley, Kansas he was sent to Europe aboard a troop ship. Joel landed in Le Havre France 9 days later and went into combat with General Patton’s 3rd army as a heavy mortar crewman. After the war Joel was sent on his second tour of duty to the Philippine Islands for more training for the big invasion, but the war ended at that time. Joel remained on the islands until his discharge.

Joel returned to his hometown of Fort Seward, and went to work as a timber faller, then later as a cement finisher. He was a true country boy, where he enjoyed hiking, fishing and was a great deer hunter.

Joel met Mary Ethel Combs in 1951 and they were married a year later in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Arcata on June 16, 1952. They later moved to Eureka and started their family of nine children — six boys and three girls. Joel continued in construction work for several years for Ernest Pierson Company, then later, because of work shortage, he went to work for Louisiana Pacific Corp. as a gardener and groundskeeper for 13 years. The last three years of his retirement was at Eureka’s famous Ingomar Club.

Joel passed away peacefully in the early morning hours on December 26, 2021 surrounded by family.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• “Scanner Traffic Indicates”

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From the Eureka Police Department:

On December 30, 2021, around 2:45 p.m., a multi-agency law enforcement team was working to apprehend a wanted felon near 3rd and T Streets in Eureka. During the apprehension, the suspect was in the driver seat of a vehicle and began ramming law enforcement vehicles and driving towards officers. An officer involved shooting (OIS) occurred at this time.

Immediately following the shooting, the suspect fled in the vehicle, causing a traffic collision at 5th and V Streets. The suspect then fled on foot into a greenbelt near 6th and T Streets. Officers quickly set up a perimeter around the greenbelt and set a lockdown in the immediate area.

At about 3:20 p.m., the suspect was located hiding in the greenbelt and taken into custody without further incident. The suspect was transported to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) has been activated. This is an active investigation. More information will be released as available. Anyone with information is asked to contact lead investigators EPD Senior Detective Amber Cosetti at (707) 441- 4315 or DA Investigator Martin Morris at (707) 268-2578.