Levi Humphrey — Oct. 30, 1933 to Nov. 11, 2024. 91 years of age.

Born October 30, 1933 on the family homestead near Copeland, Arkansas. He was the second youngest of 11 children. His first years were typical farm life watching his father and older brothers till many acres behind a team of horses and helping with the harvest as he could. In 1937, his father purchased a new Ford two ton truck. Shortly thereafter with the family and their belongings loaded onboard, they headed for California over the famed Route 66. Levi said he felt a kinship with John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” which was written approximately the same time. Arriving in California, they developed into a migrant farm worker family traveling a circuit through California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona. Picking strawberries in Oregon and hops (a major component in the brewing of beer) being some of the high points of their season. With the advent of World War 2 and gasoline rationing, the migrant farm worker lifestyle was no longer viable. So the family returned to the Arkansas homestead for the duration of the war. After the war ended, the family returned to California settling in the Modesto area seeking a more stable life. Resuming a migrant farm worker routine through the summer months but with less and less family members in tow.

After his schooling years, Levi moved to the Cottage Grove, Oregon area and began his career working in sawmills. Still in his teen years, he was drafted into the U.S Army. Upon leaving his childhood home of Modesto, it was noted by neighbors that his cheerful whistling as he walked to and fro from his hunting and fishing adventures was greatly missed.

He completed basic training in Fort Ord, California then was deployed to Germany where he met his future wife Lore. His Company receiving an earlier discharge prevented him from marrying Lore in Germany. Upon returning to the U.S. and after much toil, paperwork and an attorney, he was able to have Lore immigrated to the U.S. They married on April 5, 1956 remaining married until her passing in 2019.

Shortly after marriage, they moved to Briceland, where he resumed his career in the sawmills. Levi said that of all the places he had lived and traveled, southern Humboldt County was the best and he remained there the rest of his life. He would typically work at a sawmill until it ceased operations and then shortly thereafter be employed at another local sawmill. He retired from Eel River Sawmills Redcrest Division at the age of 60 at the request of family.

An avid outdoorsman since childhood, he and his family spent many pleasant days hunting, fishing and camping. Some of the family favorites included trout fishing the tributaries of the Eel and Mattole rivers until regulations prohibited such, camping and surf fishing at Usal and rock picking abalone at the beaches of Mendocino and Humboldt counties.

After retiring, Levi discovered new passions. Namely the foraging of wild mushrooms and hunting the newly introduced by California Department of Fish and Game wild turkeys. Along with his lifelong activities of hunting and fishing, his vegetable garden, tending his honeybees, grafting, pruning and harvesting his fruit trees, yard work and maintenance of his Redway home, cutting and selling firewood, tending and maintaining his beloved property near the Garberville airport made him a perpetually busy man. Always in very good health right up to his passing of natural causes. He instilled in his children to never be afraid of hard work and cherish the outdoors.

He was preceded in passing by his wife of 63 years, Lore, in 2019, his 10 brothers and sisters and by all but one sister in law. Levi is survived by his much loved sister in law Maryann Humphrey of Alderpoint, four children, one stepson, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

If any memorial contributions wish to be made, Levi would ask that you join the National Rifle Association to help preserve the Second Amendment.

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