Vaden Earl Jantz, Jr. left his body in the morning of June 19, 2022. He would have celebrated his 72nd birthday on August 11. He joins his parents, Marie and Vaden, and his brothers, Wayne and Dennis in heaven. He grew up in a loving and stable household and neighborhood. He attended Bloomfield School, Stewart Elementary School, and graduated from Arcata High School in 1968. He continued his education at College of the Redwoods.

Growing up you would find him playing with neighborhood friends, spending family time at Mad River Beach, participating in the Boy Scouts, and working at the Arcata Creamline Dairy milking cows, getting green feed, and scraping the corral. In high school he belonged to FFA and enjoyed showing cows (actually, he like spending the nights at the fairgrounds and goofing off). His senior year he worked as a bus boy at the Big 4 Restaurant. Vaden started working for the City of Arcata in 1970 operating the street sweeper, and he started volunteering at the Arcata Fire Department. In April 1986, he was promoted to Crew Leader and to Equipment Operator. He left to become a full-time Fire Fighter in March 1987. After retiring from the Fire Department, he returned to seasonal work for the City of Arcata from 2005 to 2021. Somewhere in his working years he had a second job working for Hooven and Turner.

Vaden and Yvonne Walters were married on February 14, 1976, and built their novel dome home on Fickle Hill. They had 17 years of sharing their lives together, playing softball, camping, participating in the Fireman’s Muster, and hanging out with family and friends.

He was introduced to Linda Lee, and their relationship started with a Save the Dunes dance. Thereafter he found himself volunteering with the Friends of the Dunes, a new adventure for Vaden. He and Linda enjoyed working and hanging out together. They were married at the Dunes on September 24, 1994. They lived in Manila on the ocean side, and they were always working on creative and artistic home projects. Recently they moved to Arcata. Linda encouraged Vaden to explore and leave his comfort zone. They traveled to Mexico, Cuba, Tahiti and Virgin Islands, Island of Dominica, Spain, Portugal, and Canada. They spent time kayaking on the bay and building a get-away place on the Van Duzen River.

On one of their early excursions to Mexico, Vaden had encephalitis and was hospitalized. It took awhile, but he recovered. In the last two years, he had a brain bleed and spent a couple of weeks at UCSF. Again, he regained his balance and coherence. Up until fall of 2021, he would eagerly return to his seasonal job with the City.

Vaden’s true love was his work and helping people. He cherished his kinship with his co-workers and friends, and of course, his family. He was always eager to help family, friends, and friends of friends. He always had a “story” to tell, whether factual or exaggerated; from the boiler monster grabbing him in high school making him late for class, or true adventures in his life.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, and her children, Hallie and Rye; brother Dale and wife Ronnie, sister Kathy and husband Tom; nieces and nephews: Beth, Debra, Christie, Sarah, Sharon, Dale, Jantz, Vaden, Jana; sister-in-laws, Sandra, Jane, Joey, Kathy, Karen; cousins Mary and Bill; and many friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 27, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Blue Lake Fire Department House. You are welcome to come and bring a “story to tell” or enjoy listening and remembering. If only we could have his onion rings!

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The obituary above was submitted by Vaden Jantz’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.