Hundreds of Humboldt County people are spending their some of their International Women’s Day at the courthouse this afternoon, lining both sides of Fifth Street to protest actions taken by the Trump Administration. The above video gives you some sense of the scale of the gathering.

There are signs supporting federal workers, women’s rights, social security benefits and general human decency, among other things.

The Trump Administration has taken a large whack at the National Environmental Policy Act (often better known by its acronym, NEPA). NEPA is the federal environmental law that requires that the federal government understand and acknowledge the environmental impacts of its actions and provide an opportunity for public engagement on projects.

While a bedrock federal environmental law, the law itself is vaguely worded. Thus, implementing regulations (issued by the Council on Environmental Quality in 1978) have been important to its application. Through these regulations, we have NEPA as we know it — “major federal projects” and “cumulative impact analysis” and so on. All that changed on January 20th. Through Executive Order, Trump revoked the authority of the Council on Environmental Quality to issue regulations and the agency has withdrawn the long-standing rules. Now we are in a legal limbo: NEPA still exists (Trump can’t veto a law that has already been approved) but the rules implementing NEPA are gone. What are we to do?

Jan Hasselman of Earthjustice and Melodie Meyer of EPIC join the program to discuss this major turning point in federal environmental law.

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Before I get into the story of “night life in early Eureka,” I want to describe as best I can the way Eureka looked from its beginning to the 1930s.

In the early 1850s, the City of Eureka was started in a small clearing in the redwood forest that grew right down to the bay. The first settlers lived in tents and small shacks. This land was not very level; it sloped back up inland and was crisscrossed with many deep gulches and sloughs (most are no longer in existence in that they have been filled in and built over with streets and homes).

The town was built along the bay with wharves built for ships to tie up. The only method of transportation to the bay was by ship and, likewise, everything was brought to the area by ships.

The streets were laid out north and south, east and west. First Street ran east/west along the bay; Second Street was next; then Third. The streets running north and south started with A Street and continued with B, C and so on.

The main stores were located along Second Street. The first Pioneer School was built on the southwest corner of Third and G streets. Children were not allowed to walk down to First and Second streets as there were many saloons and “bad elements” down there. The first church (Congregational) was constructed on Fourth and G streets and was right up against the redwood forest.

Eureka grew slowly during the next 60 years. By 1910 there were three manufacturing brickyards in Eureka, and four redwood saw mills and shingle mills. Lumber, along with good gravel and sand bars, and a good water supply made for readily available building materials.

Eureka had built a beautiful courthouse, a city hall, several large buildings, theatres, banks and business houses. There were eight new large school buildings built throughout the town, along with several large hotels, including The Vance. The Armory Hall, where boxing matches were held, was on the northeast corner of Second and C streets and still stands today. Almost all of these buildings were located between Fourth Street and the bay. The Occidental Pavilion, a very beautiful, large building located at Second and A streets, was for many years used for fairs, carnivals, dances, banquets, plays, rollerskating, boxing matches and other activities.

In 1887 a horse-drawn streetcar system began in Eureka. In 1903 an electrical streetcar system was installed. This street railroad covered the main parts of Eureka until 1940 when it was abandoned in favor of a bus system.

Streets were graded and graveled, and sidewalks were built of redwood planks (there was very little street pavement or cement sidewalks until the 1930s). In 1914 the railroad to the south was completed, which helped development by making it easier and faster to come to Eureka.

Eureka was a seaport and logging town from the very beginning — a real working man’s town. As a result, soon came the “sporting girls.” These women worked in the dance halls, saloons and cabarets — places where the men and their money hung out. Eureka had more than its share of saloons, gambling houses and dance halls. In short, it was a “wide-open” town. In the 1800s, women working in the saloons enticed men to buy drinks. The woman might then invite him up to her room upstairs for a party and, if the man passed out, he would be relieved of his money, then tossed out.

In the 1920s there were several cabarets in Eureka, including the Blue-Bird Cabaret at 100 F St.; the Louvre, upstairs at 240 Second St.; the Woodland, 503 Second St.; Young’s Cabaret, 317 Second St.; the Olympia, First and E Streets; and the Dreamland Dime Dance Hall, upstairs at 325 Second St.; these cabarets employed about 25 women each. This Second Street was where the action was.

Kittie Farris’ Joy Emporium is pictured here on the corner of Second and D streets in Eureka, c. 1882. Photos via the Humboldt Historian. [Ed. note from 2025: The building still stands. Compare its current name to its original one.]

In these cabarets and dance halls there was always someone selling tickets at 10 cents apiece. These tickets were good for one, very short, i.e. two-minute, dance with your favorite girl. She would turn these tickets in at closing time and collect her pay for them. A good dancer and good company could make out pretty good. The woman would always ask you to buy her a drink, however, hers would be soda water even though you paid for an alcohol-loaded drink. The women got credit for the drinks they sold.

Most of these working girls were good looking and good conversationalists; they also dressed well. Just like anyone else, they had to make a living. Some were married and they took this job to supplement their husbands’ meager lumber mill salary.

A good many of these sporting girls had rooms over C.V. Jackson’s Store at Second and E streets, or other rooming houses down in that part of town. Some would make dates, meeting after the dance hall closed for the night. Some might turn a few tricks for a price if a man had the money.

Before you pass judgment, remember there were no food stamps, welfare system. Social Security or unemployment checks in those days; if you did not work, you did not eat. The system apparently worked as there were no homeless women on the streets.

The cabarets were very popular places, not only with the loggers and seamen, but also some of our local, prominent men who patronized these places. They, of course, did not tell their wives.

These dance halls and cabarets had some very good, small bands playing for the dances; many musicians got their start in these places. The performers received a few dollars for each night’s work.

Before Prohibition, whiskey, wine and beer flowed freely in Eureka’s saloons, gambling rooms and cabarets. With the passing of the Volstead Act in 1919, the country was required by law to be dry. But, as we well know, bootlegging whiskey and other spirits ran rampant not only in Eureka but throughout the nation. In all of the alcoholic drinks sold, it was bootleg whiskey, wine or beer that provided the punch.

The local “dry squads” and law enforcement officers were constantly raiding the various saloons and other spots, called blind-pigs or speakeasies, to catch anyone selling bootleg booze. The authorities did not have great success trying to control this activity.

This bootlegging went on for 13 years, up until ratification of the 21st Amendment in December 1933. During Prohibition the entire nation was in trouble with gang warfare over the bootlegging activity. Many murders by rival gangs were reported in the large cities of the country.

Whiskey was made throughout Humboldt County with many stills in the surrounding woods and mountains. Most of this “moonshine” corn whiskey sold by the bootleggers to the blind-pigs below Fourth Street went for $6 or less per gallon, depending upon the quality. Moonshine was sold in five-gallon tin cans. If not properly distilled, it could become poisonous, causing blindness, even death.

During the late summer, many truckloads of grapes from the south were delivered to various establishments along First and Second streets. They surely did not eat all these grapes, rather, they made them into wine to sell. This illegal wine, called “Dago-red,” could be quite good.

Many local people made home-brew beer, some of which was good, some terrible, all of which was against the law.

There were many arrests of bootleggers in Humboldt County, and some skulduggery amongst local county officials over bootleg whiskey. Some even went to prison over this. A portion of the confiscated booze disappeared from the storage room in the Humboldt County Courthouse. There was no shortage of thieves who would hijack the booze from the bootlegger, then sell it.

During this time there were many rooming houses in the area covered by A Street east to J Street and from Fifth Street north to the bay. Almost all of the two-story buildings in this area had “rooms” signs hanging in front. Most of these rooming houses were brothels, occupied by an older woman, called the madam, and her girls. The madam would see that proper decorum was maintained by the customers and working girls living there. She would be in charge of operations, collect a share of the money for the house and keep track of tricks turned by the women. The working girls kept timecards each night showing the number of drinks sold and tricks turned. These were turned in each night to the madam along with her cut of the take. These houses had from two to five women each. These “ladies of the night” would entertain loggers, seamen and many local men by selling drinks and other “services.” These places also doubled as blind-pigs where moonshine booze, whiskey, wine or beer could be bought.

These establishments would open for business in late afternoon and close at two or three in the morning. They sometimes stayed open all night, especially on Saturday nights when hundreds of loggers came to town on the logging trains. At other times there were several large freight and passenger ships in the harbor, bringing many sailors who had their pay to spend — and spend it they did.

Most of these houses had a small light hanging over the entrance, often red in color, hence, the name “Red Light District.” The stairs leading up to these rooms usually had one of the steps wired which, when stepped upon, would ring a buzzer in the madam’s room. This alarm enabled the residents to stash the booze in case of a raid by the “Dry Squad.” They knew when someone was coming up the stairs, friend or foe.

The local taxi cab drivers knew the location of all these places in Eureka. They had agreements with the madams for a cut of the take from the customers they would bring to their rooms. Strangers in town always asked the cabbies for directions and the cab drivers would ask a male visitor if he wished to see a woman. If the answer was “yes,” the cabbie would escort the man to one of these places.

Some of the women had boyfriends, called pimps. These fellows were often bartenders or cardsharps playing in local gambling establishments, or involved in doing some other menial task around town. They would inform other players or lonesome men of a place where they might find a woman who would show them a good time. These pimps would collect their share of the money from the women. During the 1920s and 1930s, the going price of a trick was $2. During the Civilian Conservation Corps days, the price paid by these C.C.C. boys was $1.50.

These “ladies of the night” patronized many of the local stores, paying cash for whatever they purchased. Many of them purchased the best clothes and shoes from Daly Brothers Big Store and other well-known establishments in Eureka. Most of them purchased their cosmetics, perfumes and medications from the Pacific Pharmacy on Second and F streets. The Eureka merchants had nothing but good words for these working girls as they were good paying customers. They never acted smart or sarcastic and never caused trouble, which was remarkable considering they had to deal with a lot of drunken, mean men.

If one of these women met a customer on the street the following day, she would never show any sign of recognition. Therefore, many of Eureka’s married men had nothing to fear in meeting these women on the street.

These sporting girls had examinations every two weeks by a local physician, either Dr. Carl Wallace or Dr. Sam Burre. Consequently, there was no epidemic or venereal disease in Eureka. If a case of venereal disease was brought into town by some out-of-town person, it was very soon detected by these doctors and taken care of.

These women did not need to solicit customers on the streets as they had plenty of walk-ins. Sometime they would beckon from their upstairs window to men passing by, inviting them to “come up and see me sometime.” They would usually sleep in until noon or later.

In 1949 the local Elks Lodge #652 started a drive to help the local Blood Bank. Eureka was divided into sections, with members delegated to sell tickets in each section. Four well-known members had the section from A Street east to J Street and from Fourth Street north to the waterfront. These four men sold more tickets and collected more money from the 35 local brothels in that section than all of the rest of the men collected in the entire city. These women were apparently very willing to help other people.

At Christmas time in Eureka, the Salvation Army could always count on these girls for large donations for the poor people, children and down-and-outers.

The Eureka Volunteer Fire Department would always sell more tickets to the Firemen’s Ball in this area than all the rest of Eureka — yet the girls never attended the party.

Many of these women had stories they could tell that would make the ordinary person’s blood run cold: abused childhoods, rapes, failed marriages, bad company, broken families. There were many reasons for their plight.

This oldest profession in history was very much a part of the history of Eureka and Humboldt County during the early 1930s. A count once made of the number of women following this profession in Eureka claimed over 250. There were well-known houses on the Humboldt Bay beach near the mouth of Elk River, the Old Triangle Road House on Elk River Corners, Johnie Wood’s Hotel at Freshwater Corners, and many such houses at Rio Dell and other places around Humboldt County.

“The best little whorehouse” in Eureka was upstairs over the Mission Cigar Store on the northeast corner of Third and E streets, across E Street from the Clarke Museum (there is a park there today). A pretty woman called Jackie was the madam.

There was also the Alpine, Atlas, Carlton, Chester, Denver, Eureka, Gordon, Mecca, Royal, Ruby and Star Rooms. Mattie Well’s Hotel, Kitty Ferris’ Joy Emporium, the Model Rooms, Popular Hotel and Rex Rooms comprised some of the 30 or so places in Eureka. Most never had names and were just “rooms.” Some had entrances from the alleys and no numbers. A few are still standing today.

There was an African American house. This house, located on Summer Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, was operated by a black madam. She later opened a barbecued sparerib house at another location. She and her husband also catered banquets and receptions, and did a fine job.

It seems that much of gambling, card rooms, slot machines, punch boards, prostitution, bootlegging, speakeasies and other illegal operations were controlled by certain men in the area during these rough days. Sometimes referred to as the “Mafia,” these men were well known and made their fortunes in this business.

In 1942, during World War II, Eureka Mayor H.R. Simmons received orders from U.S. Army Headquarters to close the houses of prostitution, at least for the duration of the war. The mayor called a special meeting of the Eureka City Council and the city officials decided to follow orders. They tried…but were not very successful. Some of these displaced women obtained jobs at the Chicago Bridge and Iron Dry Dock Plant at the foot of Washington Street where they fared well at their new trade.

In the early 1950s there was a statewide movement outlawing this “social evil” and street-walking throughout the state. The mayors of Eureka, John Langer followed by Robert Madsen, followed this law and closed most of these places — or at least tried. They sent local police to raid these houses and arrested all offenders, both hookers and clients. A good many citizens did not approve of this action.

Many absurd aspects to this story exist: One night, during a raid of one of these houses by police, the officers discovered a prominent local businessman hiding unclothed in a closet, a very embarrassing situation for him. His name was never printed but word got around.

The windowpane broken by a brick which fell through June 6, 1932, during a 6.4 earthquake (a woman was killed by the brick as she lay in bed).

During the violent earthquake of June 6, 1932, when many chimneys were damaged in Eureka, bricks fell off the chimney of the Carson Building at Third and F streets into the alley between Second and Third streets. One brick crashed down through a window in a building on the other side of the alley, killing a woman in bed in this rooming house. The break in the window where the brick went through left a perfect silhouette of a woman’s head; a photograph of this phenomenon appeared in a local newspaper.

During November 1932, this writer was a young carpenter working for a contractor who had a contract to build a new, modern building on the north side of Second Street between C and D streets. This building was designed for a cardroom and “blind-pig” operation, complete with hidden trap doors and sliding panels for hiding booze. The second floor was designed for a brothel with several small bedrooms and, of course, a wired step in the stairway. I remember a very pretty blond lady coming by every few days in order that she might see how her new “house of pleasure” was coming along. She went by the name “Sugar.” It was said she got married and left the profession, but the building is still there.

There are many stories that can and cannot be told of incidents that occurred in these places during these times, so many that a rather colorful book could be written about the early history of the old “Downtown Eureka.”

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The story above is excerpted from the May-June 1993 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

Andrew “Andy” James Conner passed away at his home, February 26, 2025, surrounded by his family, after a long battle with COPD/emphysema. He wrote his own obituary, so without further ado, here are his final words:

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I am writing these words well in advance so that when my time finally comes, my family will be spared the details of having to do so after I’m gone. I’m sure they would write something nice about me and probably make up some story about how I accepted my fate and went out with grace and dignity. In reality, I’ll probably go out kicking and screaming, simply because I’m not quite ready to die.

It was always my desire that when the end was near to have four or five of my closest friends try and breathe life back into me. Since you are reading this, it is safe to say that idea didn’t work out so well.

So without further delay, here we go.

I was born in San Francisco on June 8, 1944. My father was stationed in Japan at the time (WWII) and at the age of six months, my mother took her little bundle of joy (that would be me) and we traveled by train north to Fortuna where we would stay with relatives. My father returned home in October of 1946, and the 3 of us moved to Rio Dell, where I was raised, and have always proudly called home.

Being raised and growing up in Rio Dell in the late 1940’s, all through the 1950’s and into the early 1960’s was a unique and wonderful experience. It seemed that the entire town was one large family and everybody cared about everyone else. It was such a happier and simpler time. From the Bellevue area in the northern part of town, to the end of the lane after crossing the little wooden bridge over Monument Creek at the southern end and everything in between, made it a special place. So did friends like Jerry Rye, Bob Henry, Tom Grundman, Carlo Branchini, Butch Nylander, Ted Hamilton, Larry Davis, Paul Barellies, Denny Barrote, Greg Ambrosini and others. Also throw in some of the good guys from Scotia, like John Sarginson, Tom Chandler and Bob Booth. I miss these guys and the good times we had. Simply put, it truly was a great place to grow up.

I attended Rio Dell Grammar School and graduated in 1958. Then on to Fortuna High School, graduating in 1962. In 1963, I enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was honorably discharged in 1966. I could comment on my working career after my discharge, but it would be rather boring. Let me sum it up by saying that it was different and a definite struggle at times. But our family survived and we learned a lot of life’s lessons along the way.

Now that I have come to understand, but not quite accept the fact that my time here is coming to an end, I have taken some time to reflect on what was and what could have been. “What was” were the times and situations that I thought I handled things well. “What could have been” is the realization that if I had the chance to do it over again, I would have tried harder to do better - been a better son, a better husband, a better father. A better brother, uncle, cousin and grandfather. Hindsight being 20-20, it is woulda, coulda, shoulda. Damn, it’s too late now. I just hope that I haven’t left anyone behind with hurt feelings.

As long as I am on this sentimental trip down memory lane, I would like to take this time to thank a few of the people who, in addition to my immediate family, helped and cared about me in my younger days. Most of them are not with us any longer, but it would give me satisfaction to let their children and perhaps grandchildren know just how much I appreciated them.

Thanks to my aunt and uncle Mary and Louie Rovai, my Godfather and Godmother Joe and Dolores Barrote, Norm and Dolly Ambrosini, Louie and Mary Barsanti and Linda Rovai. There were so many others. People such as Ralph and Mary Goddi, Elsie Barrote, Mary Bareilles, Gino and Evelyn Rovai, Max and Christine Borges, John and Virginia Barratti, Mary Branchini, Joe and Gloria Masini and Janet and Bruce Lewis. (Hello Connie, Jackie, and Danny)

I had better stop, because at this rate I will end up including everyone in the entire town. Good people all, and I learned a lot from them that no doubt, had a role in shaping me for my future.

On a more current note and in no particular order, I would like to acknowledge and give thanks to a few more people. Stay with me here for another minute or so, OK?

Rebecca Morris, Jodie Coleman and Dee Anderson for staying in touch and sending me the occasional email, it meant a lot guys. To everyone who dealt with me at North Coast Ophthalmology. You all treated me great and I appreciated that. Asa Shively at Edward Jones, thanks for all the good advice.

I’d also like to thank my producer, director and my agent … Oops, wrong speech. Sorry about that.

I wish I could have stayed around a while longer but it wasn’t meant to be. In case anyone is interested, in 2011, I was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD for short. It’s a catchall phrase for respiratory ailments, mine being emphysema. So as I write this in advance, I will assume that my death will be from complications relating to COPD, as compared to being hit by a runaway beer truck.

I am trying to fight the good fight and I think that I have done a pretty decent job so far, but damn, this is one tough disease! My condition is slowly getting worse and I know that there will come a time that the fight will be lost and the battle will be over. It is what it is.

All things considered, it has been a good life and an interesting journey. I’ve met a lot of people and made a lot of friends along the way. I’ve also been blessed with a loving wife, we were just shy of 55 years on March 6th, two super children, and four great grandkids. What more could you ask for, huh?

I was preceded in death by my wife, Linda Conner, just 5 short days before my own passing. My father Kenneth (Bill) Conner, mother Marguerite Micheli, stepfather Orlando Micheli, brother Angelo Micheli, sister Bettina Chittenden and my lovely and talented sister, Cleone Monson. Also not to be forgotten were three great dogs; Buddy, Tuffy and Charlie.

I am survived by my daughter Kristen Stewart and her husband Ernie, son Brooks Conner and his wife Tracie, my grandchildren, Samantha and Andrew Stewart, and Olivia and Madison Conner. I also leave behind my sister Neferti Kinser, and husband Craig, sister Charmaine Jordan, and brother-in-law Tom Monson, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

For personal and sentimental reasons, my pallbearers will be; Craig Mitchell, Garette Gilliam, Al Bainbridge, Tom Monson, Gene Hanson, and Michael Landry. Honorary pallbearers will be; Angelo Micheli, James Doolan Kennedy, Jim McCusker, Jerry Rye, Ernie Stewart, Rodney Nelson, Ric Dias, Jim Snead, Bill Brinkman and Al Jones from Stewart, Mississippi. I know some of these people will not be available for one reason or another, but not to worry. It’s the thought that counts.

Well, boys and girls, dudes and dudettes, that’s about it for now. So let’s have heads up, smiles all around, and remember the good times. Humor me here, OK? Remember to play fair, share your toys, say please and thank you, and above all, treat each other with respect. If you do that, it truly would make the world a better place.

In Irish it’s Oiche mhaith, Gach duine. In Italian it’s Buona notte a tutti. It means goodnight everyone.

So, from the original lovely and talented, take care and maybe I will see you in the after life.

Go Dodgers!

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There will be a gathering to celebrate the lives of Andy & Linda, on March 15, 2025, at Gobles Mortuary, 560 12th St, in Fortuna, from noon to 2 p.m. We welcome friends and family to gather and share stories about our parents. There will be a viewing for Andy, followed by a small optional graveside ceremony at Table Bluff Cemetery. As Linda wished to be cremated, she will not have a viewing or graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, please drink a toast with your loved ones, and be kind to one another.

We love and miss you so much.

Linda Conner passed away unexpectedly on February 21, at St Joseph’s Hospital with family by her side.

Linda Carol Rader was born May 18, 1949 to Bernard and Dorothy Rader in San Francisco. In 1965, at the age of 16, she moved to Humboldt County to live with her father. She graduated from Eureka High School in 1968.

In 1969, while working for the NorCal Answering Service, in Eureka, she met an adorable vending machine route driver, named Andrew (Andy) Conner. They began dating, and were married in 1970. In 1971, they welcomed a daughter, Kristen, and in 1974, they had a son, Brooks, and the Conner Clan was complete. Linda returned to work for a while at the renamed Answering Service of Eureka, and then Eureka Oxygen, in the 1980s to mid 1990s, making friends along the way.

After that, she was happy to become a full time homemaker, and do what she loved best, taking care of her family, her yard, and her beloved animals. Her cooking skills were beyond compare, and she could whip up a delicious meal to feed an army in the blink of an eye. She took great pride in her yard, and had a green thumb that was the envy of the neighborhood. Linda was a lover of all kinds of animals, with her favorite being cats. There was never a time there wasn’t one (or more!) cats living at the house. Also not to be forgotten were three great dogs she loved in her lifetime — Buddy, Tuffy and Charlie. Linda also fed many neighborhood cats, raccoons, skunks and possums, much to Andy’s dismay. She also had a real affinity for the neighborhood crows, and loved to toss them all sorts of treats.

Linda was survived by her husband, Andrew Conner, for five short days, before he also passed away; daughter, Kristen Stewart and her husband Ernie, son Brooks Conner and his wife Tracie, grandchildren, Samantha and Andrew Stewart, and Olivia and Madison Conner, all of Eureka. She is also survived by her brother, Donald Bragg, and wife Ann, of Texas. She was preceded in death by her father, Bernard Rader, her mother Dorothy Jones, and her brother, Fred “Rusty” Bragg.

There will be a gathering to celebrate the lives of Andy and Linda, on March 15, 2025, at Goble’s Mortuary, 560 12th St, in Fortuna, from noon to 2 p.m. We welcome friends and family to gather and share stories about our parents. There will be a viewing for Andy, followed by a small optional graveside ceremony at Table Bluff Cemetery. As Mom wished to be cremated, she will not have a viewing or graveside service.

Hey Mom? Don’t worry, we will all take care of Squeenie, Stashy, Cheeto and Merlin too.

We love and miss you so much.

Marilyn Patricia Bilderback passed away on the cool sunny morning of January 14, 2025, just after the moon peaked in its fullness. She was preceded in death by her husband of over 50 years, Jim Bilderback. Together they traveled the world and set foot on every continent.

Marilyn was born in Eureka to Florence Wilson and Harry Counsil. She and her brother Bryan were raised in Eureka, although they spent many summers at their family cabin in Redway. She loved to swim, play cards and board games, read, and shoot baskets. Bryan passed away tragically while Marilyn was still in high school, and she made great efforts to honor and support her parents while they lived. Her father had an ice cream business during World War II, and she developed quite a sweet tooth which she kept through her life — from baking 15 kinds of Christmas cookies each year to share with friends and neighbors to leading 4-H cake decorating classes to her last meal of milk chocolate.

Upon graduating from Eureka High, Marilyn attended UC Berkeley, where she met a group of friends she stayed in touch with throughout her life. She got her first teaching job in San Rafael and had already been to Europe before moving back to Eureka where she met her husband. Some mutual friends set them up by inviting them over to watch travel slides since he had a passion for travel too. The story goes that he served her dessert but sprayed the whipped cream in her face instead of on her plate, but it seemed like it worked! They were married, and designed their home in Cutten together. While it was being built they rode their bikes each day to check its progress after work, enjoying wildlife like foxes and deer in the undeveloped area.

At that time Marilyn was working at Grant Elementary school. She often mentioned how she loved her job as a sixth grade teacher. She played guitar for her students and engaged them in creative projects. She saved a note from a parent that thanked her for the difference she had made in her daughter’s life to help her become more well adjusted at school, and described her as “hardly recognizable as the same girl who set foot in her classroom at the beginning of the year.”

When her daughter Marcia was born, she took several years off to be at home with her, sewing, knitting and crocheting many of their clothes and making healthy meals. She made her closest lifelong friend in the fabric store during a conversation over a pattern for an outfit, and their daughters grew up as friends. Recognizing the job market was changing, they both decided to go back to school to be more employable and supported each other with this endeavor. Marilyn pursued her special education credential and would prep meals for weeks and months in advance to be able to succeed academically while taking care of her family and completing her degree.

She then worked at both Ridgewood and Cutten Elementary schools as a special education teacher. Another mom (and family friend) wrote that she almost magically helped her son catch up from ”second to sixth grade reading level in a few months with her fun and unique ways,” giving him the boost he needed to become successful in school and love reading into adulthood. She also placed a high value on education as a mother, making dedication to homework non negotiable but fun. She was a Campfire and 4-H leader and went to every one of Marcia’s sports events.

During the school year, she was a busy teacher and mom, but she always managed to plan a unique vacation for the upcoming summer. During the summers she loved to read in the sunny backyard with her potted plants while at home. Family vacations varied from touring the Western National Parks to taking a steamboat down the Mississippi River to international travels to the South Pacific, China, and an East African safari.

When Marcia went to college and worked at outdoor educational sites afterward, Marilyn and Jim would always visit and show interest in what she was teaching. When Marcia moved back to teach in Humboldt county, Marilyn attended her classes to teach bookmaking to her students - from kindergarteners to high school English language learners. She always had a way of connecting with the students and they were thrilled to get the opportunity to work with her.

After she retired, she did many classes with OLLI at Cal Poly Humboldt, including local history classes, French language and was a member of the book arts guild. She and Jim traveled more extensively, including trips to Antarctica, India and Bhutan, and many parts of the African continent. They truly enjoyed getting to meet people from different walks of life, and Marilyn took photographs while Jim took videos.

During the year she would create elaborate photo albums of these journeys and gather friends together during the winter months to eat dessert and share adventure stories told through her photos and Jim’s videos. These albums were a great source of pride for her, and she paid attention to every detail and added souvenirs and supplemental material to bring them to life even more.

When her grandson Kaiteo was born, he became a huge focus in her life. She often watched him and went to great lengths to plan activities, spoil him with educational toys, and take him on outings to the Sequoia Park Zoo, the Discovery Museum, and the Natural HIstory Museum. She read him hundreds of books and also gifted him whale watching trips to Monterey Bay and Baja California with his mom. Educational opportunities were one of the most beautiful things she felt life had to offer, and when she couldn’t travel anymore she continued to watch documentaries and read travel accounts and historical fiction. She especially loved to watch nature shows and was very fond of cats, dogs, penguins, and owls in particular.

During the last years of her life she and her husband moved to Especially You Assisted Living. There she was known for her sense of humor and polite ways with the staff. She and Jim liked to eat their meals in the beautiful sunroom, and she was always known to have a book in her hand. After Jim’s passing last March, she developed a close relationship with her niece by marriage that each of them valued immensely.

Marilyn is survived by her daughter Marcia, grandson Kaiteo, nieces and nephews Jo, Jim, Gene, David and David Jr., Mike, Gary, and Rick. She will be missed for her incredible generosity, thoughtful gestures, sense of humor and adventure, and dedication to making the world a better place. A celebration of her life will be held in late spring or early summer for family and friends who would like to attend.

James (Jimmy) Bernard Friel died at home in the arms of his beloved wife, best friend and life partner Lela McKee Friel, on February 1, 2025. His death came 16 months after being diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Jimmy was born and raised in Philadelphia. He studied at Pennsylvania State College and Tyler School of Art before apprenticing as a plumber with his father, Charles Friel. Jimmy moved to San Francisco in 1981 to join his brothers Tom and Brian in the trade. Lela was the first person Jimmy met when he arrived in San Francisco. After knowing each other as friends for several years, they started dating in 1988 and married in 1990. Jimmy and Lela renovated a home together in San Francisco, then moved to Lela’s home town of Whitethorn in Humboldt County. There they designed and built a gorgeous house, studio and barn, cultivated a thriving garden, raised chickens and goats, and became beloved members of the community. Jimmy got sober in his early 30s, remained gratefully so for the rest of his life, and was instrumental in helping others who sought sobriety.

Jimmy had what we lovingly dubbed “serial obsessions”: he was a potter, hiker, sailor, marathon cyclist, marathon runner, yoga practitioner and world traveler. His passion for travel started at age 16 with hikes on the Appalachian Trail, hitchhiking and cycling throughout eastern Canada and driving cross county from Philadelphia to San Francisco. As a teenager he considered these trips his true education. He went on to travel worldwide, including domestic and international cycling trips that he meticulously organized for friends and family. After retiring from his plumbing practice, he jumped in to assist his father-in-law, Bob McKee, manage the Whitethorn Construction campus, including a major new building and water system. He retired a second time in 2023 and celebrated by walking 170 miles from Porto, Portugal to Compostela de Santiago, Spain with his sister Margaret and brother Brian. A plumber never truly retires; with Lela’s assistance, Jimmy fixed a frozen waterline in her greenhouse a few days before he died.

Jimmy was a problem solver and mediator. He had a gift for being forthright and diplomatic, compassionate, fair, and clear-eyed. Jimmy brought all of these qualities to the task of understanding and dealing with his diagnosis, treatments, and the eventual knowledge that he was facing death. His insistence on embracing life while accepting his mortality was a tremendous gift to his family and loved ones, tempering the devastation of his death with the knowledge that he lived exactly as he wanted to live, with full awareness and agency over his choices and decisions. Jimmy opted to spend the time he had left savoringthe relationships he had built over a lifetime, in his home with Lela, embedded in nature, and in contemplative inquiry into his own heart, mind, and spirit. The five months between Jimmy’s last surgery and his death were filled with love pouring in from dozens of people he had known throughout his life. Near the end of his life, he said that he had never expected to pack so much living into dying. Like Jimmy, we carry both the piercing sadness of loss and tremendous gratitude for the beautiful life he lived.

Jimmy was the dearly loved husband of Lela McKee Friel; cherished son of the late Charles Patrick and Dorothy Leona (O’Beirne) Friel; dearest friend to ten siblings and their spouses: Kathy Stannard-Friel (Don), the late Denise Hanson (Robert), Charles Jr., Michael (Margie Albers-Friel), Tom (Kitty Quinn- Friel), Brian (Rachel), Mary Anne, Margaret (Steven Allen), Theresa Wood (Robert) and Christine (Peter Eisenberg); beloved sibling-in- law to: Rebecca McKee (Ron Macaruso, deceased), Sita Formosa (David), Tasha McCorkle (Jim Groeling), Rob McKee (Maryellen), and the late Sean McCorkle; treasured son-in-law of the late Valerie and Robert McKee; adored uncle to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews; and beloved cousin. He will be deeply missed by friends from his Whitethorn, San Francisco and Philadelphia communities.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart of the Redwoods Hospice, which, provided incredible care and guidance to Jimmy and Lela in the late stages of his illness.

Celebration of Jimmy ( James ) Barnard Friel’s life will be held June 28 @ 545 Shelter Cove Rd. starting at 2 p.m. Shares begin at 2:30. Food and refreshments will be served after the shares. Celebration goes until 6 p.m.

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