Rebecca Bair Kurwitz passed away in Eureka on Friday, April 14, 2023, following a brief illness. She was the last surviving child of Marie Melanson Bair and Thomas Edward Bair III. Though her parents were Humboldt natives, she was born in Los Angeles California on July 16, 1941 during a period when her father was training horses for motion pictures. She attended Canal School and College Elementary, graduating from Arcata High in 1958. She lived most of her youth at the Bair Family ranch in the Arcata Bottom, and resided in McKinleyville at the time of her death.

She is survived by her husband, George Kurwitz; seven children; Melinda Myers (Patrick Swartz), Merry Rogers (Jack), Christina Otteson (Jay), Matthew Myers, Sean Taggart, Kelly Buckman, and Ken Kurwitz (Dawnelle); 12 grandchildren; Samuel (May) and Augustus Johnson, Brendan (Jodi), Ryan (Sam), and Isabella McDonald, Kacey Soares, Zachary (Kate), Jeffrey (Chelsey), and Tyler (Nayeli) Myers, and Katelyn, Jacob, and Nathan Kurwitz; 7 great-grandchildren; Elias, Noah, Tristan, Lachlin, Tayler, and Rhett Myers and Lindon Lorenzen. There are so many more young people who call her grandma; too many to list here. Her many nieces and nephews will miss her dearly, but especially her sisters’ daughters, Sophie and Lillie Steinbock, Rose Steinbock Alvarez and Jan Carr.

She was predeceased by her grandson Lance Lorenzen, along with her siblings Martha Bair Steinbock, Mary Bair Paita, and Thomas Bair IV.

Mom was kind, generous and compassionate. She tirelessly and endlessly took care of everyone she met as well as she did her children and grandchildren. She gave of herself happily to those most vulnerable and alone in the world. She was an advocate for those who didn’t have anybody to look out for them.

She volunteered at Planned Parenthood and for numerous Democratic Party campaigns, but more recently she just helped whoever needed help, with whatever they needed. She was most recently busy enjoying planning her 1958 AHS class reunion. She bought shoes for other people’s kids, dropped off food to people who were ill, and she dearly loved numerous dogs and cats. Her Border Collie, Bulldozer, is beside himself with grief. Dogs weren’t the only animal she devoted herself to carrying for. Chickens, geese, cats, parrots, kids, it didn’t matter what it was, if it needed help, she’d give it a home (often over dad’s eyerolls). It was important to her that her adopted son, Sean was able to stay connected to his tribal community and Yurok heritage.

She laughed easily and often, which she’d tell you is the mark of a well-lived life. She loved making cookies with her great-grandchildren, sewing beautiful gifts for new babies, and reading a copious number of books.

In lieu of flowers, she would have preferred a contribution in her honor to your favorite charity,

Services will be held June 2, 11 a.m., at Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka. Please contact the family for details. Her remains will be interned in the Bair Family plot at Greenwood Cemetery.

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