On Monday evening, all four candidates running for the pair of Eureka City Council seats up this cycle participated in the trusty KEET/League of Women Voters candidate forum, which always provides viewers a great opportunity to see how Humboldt’s political power seekers perform given a level playing field.

Did you watch? If not, we invite you to get a sense for how the candidates feel about various local issues — from the housing shortage, to public safety and the controversial Measure F — by tuning in below:

All caught up? Great.

Now, for today’s LoCO Poll, we want to know: How do y’all think the candidates fared? Here on LoCO, we will not hold you to the City of Eureka’s strict ward system — everyone gets to play! This is good practice for November! Get to votin’! 

# # #

[Note: Cheaters never win.]

# # #

PREVIOUS CANDIDATE COVERAGE:

• LoCO INTERVIEW: Eureka City Council Candidate Thavisak ‘Lucky’ Syphanthong Talks About His Journey From Laos to America, Tells Us Why He Decided to Run, and Takes a Stand on Measure F
• LoCO INTERVIEW: Scott Bauer, Eureka’s Fourth Ward City Council Representative, on His Re-Election Campaign and the Importance of Community Resilience
• LoCO Interview: Kati Moulton, Eureka’s Second Ward City Council Rep, on Her Reelection Campaign, the False Promises of Measure F, the Importance of Police Transparency, and More!
• [Note: The Outpost will run an interview it conducted with Kenny Carswell on Wednesday.]

Press release from the County of Humboldt:

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today joined with Representative Jared Huffman and other Congressional officials to urge leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to reconvene its members and approve new disaster relief funding in response to another season of unprecedented natural disasters. As federal, state and local officials and first responders continue to prioritize recovery efforts in areas hit by recent hurricanes, it has become obvious that additional funding is needed not only for these events but also for prior disasters across the country, including Humboldt County.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages more than 100 open disasters at any one time, and while the agency funds some immediate response efforts during a time of emergency, a significant portion of its funding is dedicated to reimbursing activities related to prior disasters. According to its monthly reports to Congress, FEMA is still reimbursing disasters from as far back as 2005. With additional funding, FEMA will be able to continue funding current response efforts as well as reimburse open  r projects from prior disasters.

“Our hearts go out to the people in the Southeast, many of whom have had their lives turned upside down by these hurricanes,” said Rex Bohn, Chair of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. “People are in need of immediate help, and I know local governments in those areas need it too in order to respond and begin the long recovery process. At the same time there are lots of communities around the nation that have been waiting for years for disaster funds. Congress needs to get back in session immediately to provide the resources we all need.”

FEMA’s September Monthly Disaster Relief Fund report noted that the agency spent roughly $47 billion in fiscal year 2024 on past storms. However, Humboldt County continues to have several open roads-related disaster projects with FEMA that have not received funding and would benefit from Congress approving additional disaster relief.

Until FEMA obtains sufficient appropriations, Humboldt County must wait to receive more than $11 million in reimbursements from two events alone in 2017 and 2019.

The winter storms of 2017 damaged more than 400 sites across the county road system. Work to repair the roads has largely been completed, and while the county already paid for this work years ago, it still awaits roughly $7 million in federal reimbursements. The winter storms of 2019 also caused significant damage. FEMA reimbursement for that event is estimated at $4 million.

There have been two other federally declared emergencies in Humboldt County since 2019 with estimated reimbursements totaling nearly $5 million, though actual payments to Humboldt likely remain years away.

“This is the exact scenario our Board talked about when we decided to put Measure O on the ballot, playing out in front of our eyes; constant states of natural disasters and constant gridlock in Congress when it comes to funding emergency road repair,” said Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell. “Our roads are suffering the brunt of these disasters and the status quo is just going to end up in failed local roads. We need Congress to come back immediately and approve this funding so we can finally be reimbursed for some of these years-old roads projects.”

These claims do not represent all of the recent disasters that have affected county roads. Some disasters did not reach federal thresholds for damage to warrant a federal emergency declaration, including the December 2022 earthquakes, this year’s winter storms that pushed the Mad River to its highest levels in 60 years, closing roadways across the county, and the landslide at Fleener Creek.

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. Eureka Police Department would like to remind drivers to slow down and be alert for people walking on our roads. By always taking extra precautions, you can help protect pedestrians and reduce the risk of crashes and injuries. Walking should always be an easy and safe option for getting around any community.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 7,522 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes across the United States in 2022. In California alone, 1,158 pedestrians were struck and killed on California roads in 2022, accounting for 26 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in the state. The high number of pedestrians injured and killed on our roads highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and safety measures for people walking.

“Every step we take towards greater pedestrian safety is a step towards saving lives,” Eureka Police Department Chief Brian Stephens said. “We want to remind everyone that safety begins with you, whether you’re behind the wheel or on foot. Small actions, like slowing down, putting away distractions and yielding at crosswalks, can make a life-saving difference.”

Eureka Police Department offers safe driving and walking tips, including staying off the phone when behind the wheel or walking.

Drivers

• Do not speed, and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
• Never drive impaired.

Pedestrians

• Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers may anticipate foot traffic.
• Watch for approaching vehicles and practice due care crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
• Make it easier for drivers to see you at night – consider wearing bright colors, reflective material, or use a flashlight when practical.
• Be careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night or on busier streets with higher speed limits.

Share your thoughts about pedestrian safety by participating in the Go Safely Movement, a call-to-action traffic safety survey from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Take the survey at this link.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Out of every measure on the ballot this election cycle, only two of them, if passed, won’t raise taxes in some way, shape or form. 

Don’t get too excited though — one of them is Eureka’s controversial Measure F, and the other is Measure M, which is still tax-related but complicated to anyone who doesn’t study California’s tax laws for fun. 

In 2020 voters in the Arcata Fire District approved a different Measure F, a property tax that funds the fire district. Part of that measure allowed the fire district to collect more total tax money than they were allowed to previously — to raise its so-called “appropriations limit” — a step required by California’s constitution. Measure F didn’t raise that limit by a specific number; it raised it by however much money the tax ends up generating. The tax expires in 2030. 

However, that appropriations limit can only be raised higher for four years at a time, by law. If passed, Measure M will allow the district to keep it higher for another four years so the fire district can keep collecting the tax. It requires a simple majority to pass. 

According to the Humboldt County Counsel’s impartial analysis of Measure M, if Measure M fails and the fire district has revenue that exceeds the appropriations limit, the district has to return the money by revising the tax rates or fee schedules. 

“As for Measure M, if it isn’t successful, it would limit our funding to the existing cap,” Fire Chief Chris Emmons wrote in an email to the Outpost. “If we cannot use the appropriated funds, certain items that are budgeted for may not occur. This could be equipment, programs, maintenance, etc. Staffing would be the absolute last item impacted. Currently we would be able to staff as we are today.” 

More worrisome to Emmons is the possibility that 2020’s Measure F doesn’t get renewed in 2030. Before Measure F passed, staffing vacancies forced the fire district to operate stations on a rolling basis. Even if Measure M fails, the district likely won’t have to return to that.

PREVIOUSLY:

• GRAND JURY SAYS: With Limited Funds and Skyrocketing Buildings, the Arcata Fire District is in Serious Trouble

A campaign spot flooding TV airwaves in the Sacramento region this election season warns that the incumbent Republican Assemblymember is “backed by anti-abortion extremists” who “know he’ll back their dangerous, anti-choice agenda.”

Residents of the northern Los Angeles suburbs might find their YouTube videos begin with an ominous pre-roll ad declaring the GOP challenger to the local Assemblymember is “too dangerous for our community” because he “would ban abortion.”

And around Palm Springs, a Democratic hopeful is running a commercial that highlights a vote, taken by the Republican senator she is hoping to unseat, against a bill to prohibit criminal prosecution of miscarriages and stillbirths. “Which state Senate candidate will protect reproductive freedom?” the narrator asks.

Though California politicians have affirmed and expanded the state’s commitment to abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a constitutional right to the procedure two years ago, Democrats running in competitive legislative seats this November are nevertheless making the threat to reproductive health care a central message.

The outcome of any individual race will not substantially change policy at the state Capitol, which has been dominated for decades by Democrats who support abortion rights. But some candidates say their focus on reproductive freedom is a reminder to voters that those victories must be upheld — while also signaling their values during a presidential election where abortion bans have been a frequent topic of debate.

“You need to meet people where they are at all times, and all of us are intimately attuned in Washington, D.C., right now,” said Lisa Middleton, a Democratic city councilmember in Palm Springs who has made reproductive rights the top issue in her campaign against state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, a Redlands Republican. “America is at a crossroads and the decisions we’re making nationally are fundamental.”

All politics is national

Public polling suggests that Californians do not regard abortion rights as one of the most important problems facing the state. In a June survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, voters cited the economy, housing costs and homelessness above all other issues; abortion did not come up enough to rank.

But pollsters nationally have found that it is an increasingly decisive factor in the presidential race, particularly for women. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, has repeatedly slammed former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, for wanting to restrict abortion access nationwide, a claim that he has denied without being able to explain his position.

Rusty Hicks, chairperson of the California Democratic Party, which is funding some of the abortion-related ads for legislative candidates this fall, said politics has become federalized in recent years, so that what’s happening in the presidential race drives the conversation and voters’ attention down the rest of the ballot. Harris’ urgent campaign message has made Californians wonder what could happen with abortion here, he said, and whether state Republicans will go after their rights as well.

“California has always been a leader for the country on these important, top-of-mind issues,” Hicks said. “So it’s completely appropriate for voters to consider candidates who are going to protect and preserve their freedoms at the state level.”

Anti-abortion protesters gathered at the state Capitol against abortion measures in the state. June 22, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Unlike the presidential campaign — where Trump has tried to flip Harris’ support for abortion rights into a weakness by labeling her an extremist — Republicans in California are not hitting back on this issue and many appear to be avoiding it altogether. CalMatters reached out to five GOP legislative candidates who have been the subject of abortion-related attack ads; only one responded to an interview request.

Jessica Millan Patterson, chairperson of the California Republican Party, said voters are far more concerned about the failure of Democrats, who have long enjoyed total control of state government, to solve more pressing issues such as the cost of living, crime and homelessness. She said abortion rights would not be a winning strategy this election, but Democrats have no alternative.

“I understand it. If I were a California Democrat, I would want to talk about anything but what California voters care about,” she said. “The abortion issue here in California has been asked and answered.”

A bipartisan issue

But Democratic candidates said they’re responding to what they are hearing from their constituents.

Porsche Middleton, a Citrus Heights city councilmember who is trying to win back an Assembly seat in Sacramento County that Democrats unexpectedly lost in 2022, said that when she brings up her core campaign issues — health care, education and the economy — abortion rights is the first thing that voters ask her about.

“They’re very much future-thinking,” she said. “They say their personal freedoms should not be up for debate.”

Though reproductive rights is not a policy area where she plans to introduce legislation if she’s elected, Middleton said highlighting it in her campaign is a statement about how she would vote on bills that come before her and draws a sharp distinction with her opponent, Republican Assemblymember Josh Hoover of Folsom, whose position she argues is out of step with the district.

“It’s important to continue having these conversations out loud,” she said. “You don’t want someone who’s going to stand up and put their own personal ideologies ahead of the voters.”

Abortion rights are overwhelmingly popular in California, where 67% of voters agreed to add language about reproductive freedom to the state constitution in the 2022 election. Public polling has even found that most Republicans and conservative-leaning voters are supportive. That gives Democrats a way to reach a broader electorate across an ideologically diverse state, including in more moderate swing districts.

“Generally, keeping government out of people’s lives is important to this community. And it’s a working class district where people value quality health care,” said Kipp Mueller, a Democratic lawyer seeking an open Senate seat in northern Los Angeles County that’s currently held by a Republican.

He’s run a cable ad attacking his GOP opponent for “a record that’s loud and clear against reproductive rights,” including opposing bills to prevent criminal prosecution of pregnancy loss and to make it a crime to record patients and providers at an abortion clinic without their consent.

‘You can’t be silent’

The dynamic has put some Republican candidates on the defensive.

Mueller’s opponent, former Assemblymember Suzette Valladares, released her own digital ad in which she speaks directly to camera about separating her personal “pro-life” beliefs from her approach to legislating, noting that she voted to put the reproductive freedom amendment on the 2022 ballot: “I will stand up for the right of women to make decisions about their own bodies.”

In an Assembly district that stretches through the Riverside County desert, mailers tout that GOP incumbent Greg Wallis of Rancho Mirage, who won by only 85 votes in 2022, is “pro-choice with a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood” — an organization that several candidates told CalMatters polls extremely well in their communities.

“It’s frustrating when we see this used as a political football,” said Wallis, who added that his position on abortion rights aligns with his belief in limited government. “It’s a deeply personal decision, which the government should not be involved in.”

The Democrat challenging Wallis — Christy Holstege, another member of the Palm Springs city council — is also running an ad admonishing voters that he was “endorsed by anti-abortion extremists.” Wallis said abortion is probably not an issue he would have brought up before the Supreme Court ruling in 2022 and it is not the priority in his cost of living-focused campaign, but he understands that Californians are worried.

“We just wanted to be proactive,” he said. “The reality is that California is a pro-choice state. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. But it’s fair for voters to ask where you stand and make sure they’re sending someone to Sacramento who represents their values.”

The California Republican Party, which last year retained opposition to abortion in its platform, is funding the mailers for Wallis.

“When someone is attacking you, you can’t be silent,” Patterson, the party chairperson, said. “You need to be very clear on where you stand on the issues and not let someone else define you when they’re trying to run away from their own records.”

More than a campaign slogan

Beyond the political strategy of focusing on abortion rights, Democrats argue that it’s also an important policy point to raise for voters in legislative races. If Trump wins the presidency, California could find itself fending off challenges to its abortion laws, which are some of the most expansive in the country.

“It’s because we’ve elected state legislators who’ve fought for this,” said Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, a Democrat locked in a tight race for re-election in the northern Los Angeles suburbs against Republican retired sheriff’s deputy Patrick Lee Gipson. “If we erode that, if we elect extreme anti-abortion people like my opponent, then that continues to build that threat.”

Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, right, speaks to colleague Chris Holden during a floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Feb. 20, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Access to reproductive health care also remains a challenge in some parts of California because of geography and local opposition. Mueller said there is more the state can do to improve the system, as long as it maintains a Democratic majority.

“It’s not as simple as the binary of whether or not [abortion] should exist,” he said. “There’s way more to it.”

And abortion provides candidates an entry point to talk about other health issues, such as in vitro fertilization and transgender care, that have become increasingly contentious in national politics and are far less settled in California.

“As a transgender woman, I have had my health care politicized for all of my adult life,” said Middleton, the Palm Springs-area Senate candidate, who could become California’s first openly transgender legislator. “What I hope will also resonate, if they can do it to me, if they can do it to the women of this country, who’s next?”

###

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Darroll “Dean” Meyer passed away in the early morning of October 8, 2024, at his home in Eureka.

Dean was born on October 24, 1933, in Redding to Valentine Frederick “Val” Meyer and Bernice Belle “Bea” Mortensen. His childhood was filled with wonderful memories with his two older brothers Bob and Dale. He was either running around and helping out in the brick mill their father owned in Redding or working in the mill yard on school breaks in Korbel. Once moving to Korbel as a teen, Dean attended Arcata High School. It was at Arcata where he met Joyce Ames. He had asked her out several times, but she continued to refuse him. Around Christmas time of their senior year, her brother Mel finally convinced her to go on a date with Dean. They were both involved with student government at Arcata and Dean was Student Government President in the Spring semester. Dean and Joyce graduated in 1951. After graduation, Dean went to a diesel mechanic school in Portland, Oregon. On May 10, 1952, Dean and Joyce were married. They worked together at a trucking company in Blue Lake for a short while. Dean worked in the shop and Joyce in the office. After a few months, Dean and coworker Harry Nelson opened their own truck shop in McKinleyville. Unfortunately, as soon as the shop was up and running Dean was drafted into the United States Army.

Dean was stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. It was at Fort Leonard Wood that he got the news that Joyce was having their first child. He got back home to Arcata on April 27, 1954, having arrived just an hour or two after their son Darroll Dean Meyer Jr. was born. He was allowed ten days of leave for the birth before having to return to Fort Leonard Wood. Upon his return he was shipped to Wildflecken, Germany where he would be serving for a year. Dean served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955. On July 5, 1956, they welcomed their daughter Karen Kathleen into the world. During their childhood Darroll and Karen remember all the weekends Dean and Joyce would take them on camping trips to Hat Creek with the cousins, or to Myers Flat and Grizzly Creek with the Summit Street families and friends. Dean would spend these camping trips playing board games with the family, hiking and fishing.

Dean retired in 1988 from Brizard Matthews Machinery Co, where he had worked for over 30 years as a diesel mechanic and eventually a supervising manager. During his life, Dean worked many jobs including teaching small engine repair classes for the Cub Scouts and owning Uniontown Laundromat with family friends Mary and Ernie Cunningham.

In retirement, Dean and Joyce loved traveling and would take big trips to places like Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico. They would also make regular trips to Washington and Texas to see family and friends.Dean always recalled taking trips with his grandchildren. He and Joyce took many trips to Redding to see granddaughters Kristen and Kari and took them on trips to Washington. They spent many weekends at Hat Creek with Grandsons Jeff, Brad and Greg.

Dean and Joyce celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May of 2002. On July 5 of that year Joyce passed away.

Dean was an avid hunter and fisherman, a love that he passed on to his son and grandsons. In his later years, he would go on many hunting and fishing trips to Montana with his son and grandson.

In July of 2007, Dean married Shirley Walken Morse. Together they would travel the country and enjoy spending time with their numerous children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great-great grandchildren.

Dean will always be remembered for his hard work ethic and devotion to family and friends. He always enjoyed the years his grandchildren participated in St. Bernard’s sports. Spectators will still remember hearing his booming voice yell “Defense” during basketball and football games. Dean was a long-time member of the Native Son of the Golden West and the Elks club.

He was forever proud of his 1973 Ford Pickup that amid the 1970s fuel crisis he installed a CAT diesel engine. One of the fond memories of his four oldest grandkids is when Grandpa Dean and Grandma Joyce took them to Disneyland while sitting in lawn chairs in the bed of this truck. That truck is still within the family and is a favorite to drive around town. Something Dean would always say was, “If you’re going to take the time to do something, do it right the first time.”

To his last day he was full of energy, tending to his apple trees and making his beloved applesauce.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents Val and Bea, his stepmother and mother-in-law Dorthey, his first wife Joyce, his brothers Dale and Bob (Pat), his stepdaughter Erlene, and his great granddaughter Taylor who passed away earlier this year. Dean is succeeded in death by his wife Shirley, his children Darroll Dean Jr. (Bobbi) and Karen (Rich), his grandchildren Jeff (Becca), Kristen (Micheal), Kari, Brad (Amie), and Greg, His great grandchildren, Shelby, Jena, Kodi, Tyson, Jason, Ava, Quinn, Ashton, and Harper, His step-children Greg (Barbara) and Genine (Brett). His step-grandchildren Judy (Kevin), RaeAnn, Stephen (Caitlin), Kailey (Matthew), Gavin (Lauren), Charlie (Jesse), Desiree, and Jared (Bailey), and his step-great-grandchildren Macy, Sierra, Danika, MaKenna, Huntley, Bridger, Lain, Elijah, Rook, Damien, Wyatt, David, Ian, Elliot, Oliver and Eve. The Meyer family would like to give special thanks to Elite Caregivers, especially Kim who cared for Dean.

At Dean’s request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Bernards Academy Crusader Athletic Board.

###

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

Born on August 28, 1938, in Scotia, Clara May Voigt was the fifth child of ten born to her parents Warren G. and Clara M. Voigt of Shively. She was the fourth girl of 7 in the family in addition to three brothers. Life in Shively in the 1940s and early fifties was rather dull. Clara, maybe more than any of her other siblings, was a girl of adventure. A city girl trapped in a country setting. How she loved the trips to Eureka on the train with her grandmother as a young child. The big city had so much to offer a young country girl. She would always behave her very best hoping to coax a nickel out of her favorite grandmother for some special “shopping” in Eureka. Come to think of it, shopping was always her favorite pastime to the very end.

Coming out of the Great Depression, life was very simple in her youth. Father Warren worked for the railroad and as was common in those days, her mother Clara was home with all the children. With nine mouths to feed (brother Willard died a few days after birth) the family did not have any extra money to meet the dreams young Clara visualized in her mind. She was always into fashion even as a young girl. Oh, how she longed to live in the big city and wear all those fancy clothes.

Little Shively had a two-room schoolhouse. Clara and her sisters would walk the railroad tracks to school and back each day. Summers were spent at the river playing with friends or maybe helping around the house. Winters in Shively were a problem. As the Eel River would rise, the summer bridge would wash out. This would require the kids from Shively to use a motorboat to cross the river at sometimes flood stage to get to high school each day and again to get home in the evening. Clara had a big problem with the boat thing. It could perhaps have been that she did not trust the boatmanship of her older brother Warren, but when Clara was only fourteen years old, she decided she would move in with her Aunt Carrie, who lived a few blocks from Fortuna High, and solve the fear of crossing that river all together.

Being on your own at fourteen, to come and go as you please, was not a great recipe for getting through high school without any hitches. Unfortunately, Clara found that out the hard way. In 1955, while working and not attending school, she happened to meet the man of her dreams. His name was Tom Demello, he was five years her senior and was driving a cattle truck for his brother Babe. Let’s just say” it was love at first sight.” It was not long before the two were inseparable. Tom was very encouraging to Clara to go back, graduate and get her diploma. The following school year she re-enrolled and was able to graduate that following June. Not having had the opportunity to do the same, Tom was very proud of her for sticking with it and walking across that stage. Tom and Clara were married in a very small ceremony in Sacramento in December of 1957.

Nine months later, in September of 1958, the young couple had their first child. A boy they would name Keith Glenn. In a little less than three years, in August of 1961, the family was complete with the birth of a daughter, Tamra Lynn. For the next eleven years the Demello family lived in a small house on Loop Road in Fortuna, CA. Most of those years Dad was working long hours, six days a week, driving a log truck and Mom was busy caring for us. She kept busy teaching Sunday School at the Presbyterian Church on Ross Hill Road, in addition to being a “Welcome Wagon” host to newcomers in the Fortuna area. In 1969, they started building their forever home on Nelson Lane in the foothills of Fortuna above Newburg Park. She lived there the rest of her life.

In the early 1970s, with both kids well into school, Mom decided to go back to work. She first took a job at Payless, then one at a small grocery store (Cannam’s) near Eureka High. It was there that she became a retail clerk and after a few other jobs eventually settled at Safeway in Fortuna. She was very proud to be part of the union and would remind us that our braces were possible because of the great health insurance they offered. She took her work very seriously and seemed to love her job. I’m sure many people remember her warm welcome and friendly smile at the “big red S.”

Unfortunately, tragedy struck our life on March 22, 1990 when dad unexpectedly passed away prior to a scheduled shoulder surgery. Mom’s world was rocked!! Only someone who has lost a spouse in such a sudden and unexpected way can really relate. Thank the Lord, Mom had grandchildren to love on and help take her away from the constant feeling of loss that takes hold of you during these times. She also had a great support network of friends and family to see her through the rough times. The next seven or so years were a new and different adventure for her. She spent time watching grandchildren, burying herself in work, even buying a few rentals and fixing them up. Never one to miss a good garage sale, her and her kid sister Sharon would often scour the telephone poles or newspapers hoping to not miss the next “big” one. Another individual who was very important to Mom in these trying times was her very good friend Hanalore Klinger. The two of them worked together at Safeway and would spend many hours away from work, walking, shopping or just having coffee. Their friendship was very strong. Perhaps Mom’s longest friendship, and someone very special in her life was Pat Munson. It is believed they had known each other for more than eighty years.

The late 1990s were an exciting time for Mom. Someone gave her a heads up about this cute guy giving dance lessons and who was doing an exhibition at Redwood Village in Fortuna. Living on her own for the past seven or so years must have given Mom extra courage. She marched right up to the instructor and introduced herself. Next thing you know she was receiving “Private Dance Lessons.” Howard (Kip) Wandler was his name, and he swept Mom right off her feet. The two were married in January of 2000. Mom and Kip loved to travel. She had not traveled much with Dad in their 32 years of marriage. She and Kip made up for lost time. They cruised to Alaska, around New Zealand, many times in the Caribbean, other trips by plane to Hawaii, Cancun, Canada and much of the United States. Mom and Kip were married for over 24 years. She felt like she had been blessed with two incredible husbands who were very different from one another yet shared a special love for her that many women are lucky to ever get.

Mom’s health had been an issue the past seven years. A severe sinus infection required brain surgery in September of 2017. She was 79 then but, by the way she looked and acted, you would have thought she was 15 years younger. The brain surgery significantly changed things. A series of additional health issues followed. Kip did his absolute best those final years to care for Mom in a most amazing way. She finally went to be with the Lord on August 20, 2024. At the time of her death, she was only eight days shy of her 86th birthday. In her last few months, she would reflect often on her life. She felt very blessed to have lived the life she had. She was thankful for two amazing husbands, two wonderful children, two caring stepdaughters and five grandchildren in addition to six step-grandchildren and finally in January of 2024 her very first great-granddaughter.

Mom had no idea how important she was to so many people. Those who knew her were always taken by her constant smile, positive attitude and unique way of making you feel so special. She was always quick with words of encouragement, remembering special details of your life or just a kind, warm touch on the arm when she was speaking with you. She was security to some, friendship for others, a shoulder to cry on, or a home to take shelter. There is no doubt she will be greatly missed.

Mom and Kip attended Hydesville Church for many years prior to her passing. She loved to garden, dance, travel and of course shop.

Clara May Demello Wandler was preceded in death by her parents Warren & Clara Voigt. Brothers Warren, Willard & John Voigt. Sisters Leotta McCrigler, Loretta Kalford, & Judy Kiesel. Her late husband Thomas Glenn Demello and her loving grandson Tyler Gilreath. She is survived by her remaining three sisters, Helen Zigan, Bonnie Swift and Sharon Johnson (Bill) in addition to her husband Howard (Kip) Wandler, children Tamra Demello, Keith Demello (Danette) and grandsons Alex Eddy, Shane Demello (Adrienne), Cole Demello (Valarie), Ryan Demello (Aryanna) and great grand-daughter Reese. In addition, Kip’s daughters Darcy Baber (Sean) and Denise Robinson (Joe), and step-grandchildren Erin and Adam Baber; Alex Furtado, and Cole, Evan & Jake Robinson.

A private graveside service will be held for family at Sunrise Cemetery on Newburg Road in Fortuna at 11 a.m. on Saturday October 26, 2024. All friends and family are invited to please join us for a celebration of life that same day from 1-4 p.m. at the Monday Club (610 Main Street) in Fortuna. In lieu of flowers please consider donations in Clara’s memory to Hospice of Humboldt. They were amazing help in Mom’s final days.

###

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