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UPDATE, 10:18 p.m.:

Photo: Andrew Goff.

Supervisors Rex Bohn and Mike Wilson have ditched their own shindigs and joined the wild party at the Pearl Lounge, where the No on Measure A people continue to celebrate their almost certain victory.

— Hank Sims

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UPDATE, 8:41 p.m.: First Results In

The first election results are in, and — so far — they show Measure A going down to massive defeat. With 16,702 votes counted, the “no” side have 72.81 percent.

Also: Challenger April van Dyke has a big, big lead against incumbent Superior Court Judge Gregory Kreis — 61 percent to his 39.

Elsewhere: Mike Wilson and Rex Bohn have big leads (82.67% and 63.7%, respectively), which Michelle Bushnell has a somewhat smaller one (58.24%).

Might be a very short night.

Happy No on A people. Photo: Andrew Goff.

— Hank Sims

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UPDATE, 8:15 p.m.:

Photo courtesy Alex Stillman.

It was still pretty subdued affair at the Plaza Grill, home of the Mike Wilson reelection campaign, at about 7 p.m. The candidate hadn’t shown up yet, but one table of supporters were pregaming.

Arcata Mayor Meredith Matthews and City Councilmember Alex Stillman were at the bar. Both predicted victory — “at least 51 percent,” Stillman said — and both were delighted with the prospect of another four years of Wilson.

“I will return the compliment he gave me when I was running,” Matthews said. “Mike has an Arcata heart and an Arcata mind.”

Later on the candidate arrived and the party moved over into the front room, overlooking the Plaza. Here’s the spread:

Photo: Stephanie McGeary.

An Arcata belly too, evidently.

Here is the candidate associating with known Eureka City Councilmembers Leslie Castellano and G. Mario Fernandez. Photo: Stephanie McGeary.

— Hank Sims

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Super Tuesday? More like Super SNOOZEday.

It seems insane to say it, but I have been a working reporter in Humboldt County for 22 years now, which means that I have covered 20+ primary and general elections here, and it’s hard for me to think of a single one that has been less engaging, with conclusions more foregone — possibly with the exception of the race for superior court judge, with its late-breaking fireworks.

Or I dunno — maybe I’m just getting old and insensate. Prove me wrong, Humboldt!

But, again: Election Nights are not what they once were, either. Did you know, kids, that back in the day we used to have almost all the vote tallied at the end of the night and could almost invariably declare a winner? Post-pandemic universal vote-by-mail laws, and the great expansion that makes it easier and easier to Vote Using Any Method You Like (a good thing, don’t get me wrong!), means that we don’t have anything like a definitive count for weeks and weeks. If a race is at all close, we have to stick a wet finger in the air and gauge the speed of the Blue Shift to make a semi-informed guess about the way the election has panned out.

Still and all, the Outpost is going to be doing its usual thing tonight, jotting around to various election parties, despite the fact that fewer and fewer candidates are actually bothering to throw them, and we’ll bring you pictures of the great and the good out celebrating their triumphant campaigns.

That, plus election results as they come in, or for as long as we stay awake. County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes is promising first results at around 8:30 p.m., with hourly reports following as ballots from the county’s Voting Centers make their way back to home base.

Still haven’t voted? Better act quick! Here’s how to get your ballot in. 

Enough bitching! Let’s get it started in here! ELECTION NIGHT — live!

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On March 3, 2024, at about 8:41 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to a reported home invasion robbery that occurred in the 1700 block of River Bar Rd. in Hydesville earlier that morning.

Upon arrival, deputies met with the 47-year-old victim who reported he answered a knock on the door at about 5:00 a.m. and was confronted by a male subject wearing a neck gator around his face. As he opened the door, another subject approached and pointed a shotgun at him and demanded entry into the residence.  

The victim told deputies a third suspect had also entered the house. Once inside the house the suspect’s zip tied his hands behind his back and forced him to sit on the couch while he was held at gun point by one of the suspects while the other suspects searched the house. 

The first suspect was described as a white male adult, approximately 45 to 50 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall, heavyset, wearing a flannel shirt with a green lucky shamrock shirt underneath and a beanie. 

The second suspect was described as a white male adult, approximately 55 to 65 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing around 180 pounds, with brown hair, wearing a black jacket, black snow pants, black boots, and a black beanie. 

The third suspect was described as a white male adult, mid to late 30’s, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, 170 pounds, with red hair. He was wearing a dark brown jacket with a hood, tan Carhartt pants, brown boots and a baseball cap.

The victim reported that the suspects stole approximately 5 to 6 pounds of trimmed marijuana and an amethyst crystal valued at around $3000.

No injuries were reported, and the suspects fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. 

This case is still under investigation. 

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539. 

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Press release from the U.S. Department of the Interior:

WASHINGTON — Today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced $72 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify homes. This investment from the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest ever investment in climate — is a critical step toward the goal of electrifying all homes in the United States with clean energy sources and advances the Biden-Harris administration’s work to reach a carbon pollution-free electricity sector by 2035.  

This first round of funding from the Office of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Electrification Program will provide financial and technical assistance to 21 Tribes to connect homes to transmission and distribution that is powered by clean energy; provide electricity to unelectrified Tribal homes through zero-emissions energy systems; transition electrified Tribal homes to zero-emissions energy systems; and support associated home repairs and retrofitting necessary to install the zero-emissions energy systems. The program will also support clean energy workforce development opportunities in Indian Country. 

“Every home deserves to have access to reliable, affordable electricity – and now, with historic investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re bringing much-needed resources to Indian Country to electrify homes with abundant clean energy sources,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “As we implement this new and innovative program, we will continue to support Tribal communities as they work to develop their electricity infrastructure and help meet our shared clean energy goals.” 

Secretary Haaland made the announcement during a visit to the Hopi Tribe in Arizona, which is receiving $4.2 million through these awards. The visit comes as Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland conclude a multi-day trip that included visits with the White Mountain Apache and the Pueblo of Zuni in New Mexico to highlight how historic resources from the President’s Investing in America agenda are supporting Indigenous communities.

“Indian Country’s revitalization and future depends on Tribal households, schools and businesses having access to clean, reliable power,” said Assistant Secretary Newland. “The Tribal Electrification Program is important for providing Tribes a much-needed boost to their efforts of closing the access-to-electricity gap in their communities.” 

In 2000, the Energy Information Administration issued a report which estimated that 14 percent of households on Native American reservations had no access to electricity, which was 10 times higher than the national average. In 2022, the Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy issued a report citing that 16,805 total Tribal homes were unelectrified, with most being in the Southwest region and Alaska. By recognizing that each Tribe has its own energy- and electrification-related needs and implementation capacity, this program will meet the unique needs of individual Tribal communities. 

The Tribal Electrification Program also advances the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which was established by President Biden as part of his January 2021 Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and which set the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution, including federally recognized Tribal Nations, which are recognized as Justice40 communities.  

The 2024 grant recipients are: 

Tribe or Tribal Organization	State	Funding
Levelock Village	Alaska	$333,813
Kootznoowoo, Incorporated	Alaska	$500,000
Chickaloon Native Village	Alaska	$7,767,520
Tanana Chiefs Conference	Alaska	$9,922,060
San Carlos Apache Tribe	Arizona	$360,000
Hopi Utilities Corporation	Arizona	$4,200,000
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority	Arizona, New Mexico and Utah	$10,000,000
Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians, Colusa Rancheria	California	$250,000
Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians	California	$250,000
Yurok Tribe	California	$3,271,068
Guidiville Rancheria of California	California	$3,552,350
Shoshone Paiute Tribes	Idaho and Nevada	$525,000
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation	Kansas	$305,000
Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska	Kansas	$9,400,000
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa	Minnesota	$295,000
Prairie Island Indian Community	Minnesota	$500,000
Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians	Minnesota	$600,000
Pueblo of Santa Ana	New Mexico	$14,500,000
Rosebud Sioux Tribe	South Dakota	$1,000,000
Quinault Indian Nation	Washington	$3,650,000
Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority	Wyoming	$1,000,000
Total		$72,181,811

California voters today are considering Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $6.4 billion plan to build mental health treatment beds and housing through a ballot measure that he characterizes as critical to addressing the state’s homelessness crisis.

Proposition 1 is a two-part ballot initiative. It includes a bond to build treatment facilities and permanent supportive housing for people with mental health and addiction challenges. It also proposes changes to a longstanding tax on personal incomes over $1 million, known as the Mental Health Services Act, by requiring counties to spend 30% of that revenue on housing instead of other services.

Newsom has previously said Prop. 1 will help California fulfill a decadeslong promise to get “people off the streets, out of tents and into treatment.”

The Yes on Prop. 1 campaign amassed a nearly $21 million war chest for the ballot measure, drawing support from law enforcement groups, major health care organizations and the mental health advocacy group NAMI California.

In contrast, the opposition campaign raised very little money. Opponents are led by clients of mental health services and some small mental health agencies who worry their programs could lose funding if the measure passes. Others, including the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, opposed the measure because of its cost.

Recent polling casts uncertainty over what many initially considered an easy win for the governor. Fifty percent of likely voters supported the measure a week ago, according to the latest poll by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies. The poll tallied opposition at 34% and undecided at 16%.

Prop. 1 needs a simple majority of the vote to pass.

Here’s a look at what the measure would do.

What does Prop. 1 promise?

The dual bond measure and change to California’s so-called “millionaire’s tax” are Newsom’s attempt to increase the state’s mental health and addiction treatment capacity and get people living in encampments into stable housing.

The number of unhoused Californians had ballooned to 181,000 people in 2022 during the most recent point-in-time count, a 60% increase over the past decade. New research from UCSF estimated that more than 21,000 homeless people currently experience hallucinations. Meanwhile, the number of acute care mental health hospital beds decreased by at least 30% between 1995 and 2016, according to the California Hospital Association.

The bond measure is supposed to build a combined 11,150 treatment beds and housing units with some set aside for veterans.

Where will the money go?

Money raised by the bond would be funneled into two existing state programs: the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program and Project Homekey.

The behavioral health program would get a $4.4 billion infusion to build 6,800 in-patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment beds. The Department of Health Care Services will award grants to counties and local organizations to construct, acquire and expand treatment capacity. To date the department has awarded more than $1.6 billion to a variety of programs including crisis care and children’s facilities as part of a pre-existing budget investment.

Project Homekey would get $2 billion to build 4,350 units of supportive housing for people with mental health and addiction challenges. A little more than half of the units will be reserved for homeless veterans. Project Homekey is an extension of Newsom’s pandemic-era efforts to house people living in encampments during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state budget previously gave the Department of Housing and Community Services $736 million to convert hotels, motels and other buildings into housing.

How much will it cost?

Bonds allow government agencies to borrow money and repay debt over time. Prop. 1 is estimated to cost $310 million annually over 30 years, totaling $9.3 billion, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. Payments would be made from the state general fund.

California is facing state budget cuts for the second consecutive year with some estimates projecting a $73 billion dollar shortfall.

What other changes have happened recently?

Newsom has made mental health a signature issue. If Prop. 1 passes, it would represent another milestone in his overhaul of California’s behavioral health system.

Last year, Newsom signed a law easing restrictions on California’s decades-old’ conservatorship law, which limits who can be placed in involuntary treatment programs.

In 2022, his signature mental health push established a special court system to compel people with untreated mental health and addiction challenges into treatment programs.

And in 2021, Newsom poured more than $4 billion in one-time funds into children’s programs to address rising suicide rates and overdoses among youth.

Who opposed it and why?

A coalition of small mental health organizations, disability advocates and current clients of county mental health programs opposed Prop. 1. They argued that the measure would increase the amount of involuntary treatment and divert money from local organizations that serve hard-to-reach populations, such as LGBTQ people and communities of color.

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

Dustin Scott Latham, a 42 year lifelong resident of Humboldt County and a Yurok tribal member, passed away on February 27, 2024 in Eureka.

Dustin was born to Sherry Latham and Howard Chavez on Wednesday, April 1 of 1981 at 7 p.m. at the Humboldt General Hospital. Dustin was raised by many family members including his mother, Sherry, grandmother Marilyn and many aunties and cousins. Dustin always enjoyed being surrounded by his “village.”

Dustin was involved in several sobriety programs, such as, The Red Road Meetings in Eureka and participated in the United Indian Health Services sobriety programs with various activities. Dustin has lived in several safe and sober homes in Humboldt; the structure of the programs and the friendships he made were a big help for his journey through sobriety. There are many people Dustin met through these venues that touched his life in great and positive ways. We are thankful for the many people that walked with and guided Dustin throughout his life.

Dustin was into “Popping tags” at the thrift store, finding a good deal, telling his friends and family “big fish tales.” Dustin also enjoyed going fishing, hiking, camping and enjoying nature. But most of all he enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He was quite the character as some would say and his laugh would make it all the more apparent.

Dustin is preceded in death by his #1 fan, grandmother Marilyn Lewis-Latham. along with his grandfather, Lawrence “Jip” Latham, and his father, Howard Chavez. Dustin will be laid to rest alongside his grandmother, Marilyn.

Dustin is survived by: Mother - Sherry Latham, Uncle - Wesley Latham, and Great Aunt, Janice Yerton. Siblings: Summer Rose Chavez-Porter, Cassandra Chavez, Roberta Chavez, Sherilyn Latham, Matt & Destiny Douglas, Kyle & Raven Smith, and Chwakin Latham. Along with numerous nephews, nieces, and many many cousins. Special thanks to Dennis Moffett, Fredrick Lewis and other household members for being with Dustin in his last days.

A service for Dustin will be held in Hoopa on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at the Hoopa First Baptist Church, located on the corner of Loop Rd and Highway 96 at 11 a.m. Following the services, a reception with food provided, will be held at the church. Burial will be afterwards with immediate family at the graveside.

Betty Diehl was born November 29, 1936, and passed February 1, 2024, with music and the laughter of great-grandchildren in her ears, while holding a family member’s hand. She led a full life, meeting challenges with determination, opportunities with gratitude, and under it all, a joyful spirit.

Of Finnish heritage, Betty was raised with, and embraced, the concept of Finnish ‘sisu’ – stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness. She knew just one phrase in Finnish – “Christmas has come and gone” – but she repeated it with relish.

She was born to Nellie Spanger and Everett Husu in Sacramento, CA. She and her sister, Ina Mae Husu Rathert, were raised on a peach ranch in Citrus Heights by her father and stepmother, Adeline Husu (Aunt Ad); while sharing time with her mother and stepfather, Ralph Spanger, in Roseville. She was young during World War II and remembered the times well, especially Aunt Ad sewing her saddle shoes together in the evening before the next school day, and her accident with rat poison that ruined their ration of sugar for a month. She delighted in memories of good times – packing peach boxes, swimming in the neighbor’s rock swimming pool and with her cousins in the irrigation ditches in Red Bluff, navigating the stairs that creaked at the ranch house, playing endless games with her older sister, and the smells of peach trees in the heat and Aunt Ad’s baking.

She sang her first solo at 5 years old at Advent Lutheran Church, learning young what Martin Luther said some 500 years ago: “Beautiful music is one of the most magnificent and delightful gifts God has given us.”

In high school, Betty acted in plays and musicals, and sang with school groups and at her commencement. After graduation, she attended junior college learning secretarial skills that led to a job in Sacramento at the Department of Food and Agriculture, commuting by bus from Citrus Heights. She left the job of meat safety behind, but saw shorthand as a skill for life, especially to thwart her nosy children.

She met William Diehl when he served as vicar at Advent Lutheran, near the final stage of becoming a Lutheran minister. They were married on Christmas Day, 1956, where she wore a wedding dress made by her Aunt Ad.

They lived briefly in St. Louis and Vacaville, and she began learning the ropes of being a pastor’s wife. They received a call to be pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Ferndale, where they served until his death in 1983. She often recalled the view as they motored their Volkswagen bug over Fernbridge for the first time, thinking, “This will be a good place to live,” and she continued to think that over the next 65 years, never failing to relish that view.

What a pastor’s wife she was. Bill noted in his resume to St. Mark’s that his wife was capable of leading group singing, and lead it she did. She sought out music that Sunday School and Vacation Bible School kids would find both fun and meaningful (and she made the singing fun and meaningful, too); she directed a church choir and a junior choir; she sang for a billion weddings and funerals. She learned to accept being judged with good humor from the very first, when she was reproached for wearing petal pushers (that’s slacks for you younger folks) instead of a dress, and she always did what she believed was right. She welcomed everyone into her home, from tea with the most venerable older folks to innumerable grilled cheese sandwiches with the young navy guys after church.

Her faith was an integral part of her life and who she was. While open to new ideas and changing social norms she did her best to not judge others, finding in Bible studies a guideline for living as Christ did, especially, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (This is the first and greatest commandment.) And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Grace and mercy, a welcoming spirit, and actions that show a God of love as lived by Christ, were what she loved about her church community. She recommended singing one’s heart out for the joy of it all.

In preparation for Easter one year, she got the choirs of St. Mark’s and Our Savior’s together for a concert. It was so well received, and people had so much fun, they did it again for Christmas, and then more people wanted to join in the singing, and the Ferndale Community Choir was born. After the death of her husband – when her whole life changed from that of a pastor’s wife with church housing to that of a young(ish) woman with four kids and a one-day-a-week job – music, and especially the choir, was a constant source of inspiration and joy. It was during this time that the Chameleon Singers also came into existence – singing at the drop of a hat for anything and anyone. Directing the Chameleons at Ferndale Memorial Day commemorations and the Tree Lighting were two of her very favorite things to do.

Betty began working “full time” at Becker Insurance, where she skidded in the door at 10:00 and had a sign on her desk that said Day Sleeper. She loved her job, the Becker family, and the opportunity to see so many people in Ferndale from her “window on the world.”

She was honored to be on the board of the Bertha Russ Lytel Foundation for about 40 years and was immensely proud of the work the Foundation does. Her monthly routines revolved around rehearsals on Thursdays, and the Lytel Foundation on the second Wednesday of the month.

Music was part of her throughout her life. She sang songs to wake her kids, tell them to get in the car, and say good night. She had a song for virtually everything, and when the lyrics didn’t fit, she’d make some up. She sang while washing dishes to the chagrin of her kids, who came in all horrified to say, “People can hear you outside!” When she wasn’t well enough to lead singing in recent years, people came to her – with Christmas caroling, euphonium and trombone concerts in her front yard, ukuleles (and a tiny banjo!) in the living room, hymns on her piano, songs sung over the phone, flute, and any number of voices.

Betty directed the Ferndale Community Choir for 50 years, performing sacred music with over 600 people over that time commuting to Ferndale from as far as Petrolia, Trinidad, and Hydesville. She selected a diverse mix of music that was challenging for singers and musicians, while still accessible and meaningful to listeners. She directed with emotion and joy, imbuing music and hearts with feeling – choral music for the soul.

In January 2017, the choir was invited to sing Handel’s Messiah with singers from around the world at Carnegie Hall that November. Distinguished Concerts International NY found videos of choir performances on YouTube, and the invitation was issued without an audition. Betty studied past performances so she would know how the concert would sound with a symphony behind the singers, got to know the director’s style and inflections, and put together the most prepared choir there that year. The people of Ferndale and Humboldt County showed extraordinary support by raising a significant amount of the money needed to fund the trip, and 53 singers had the opportunity to sing at one of the most celebrated concert venues in the United States.

Betty loved getting together with the Choir Gals – Bev Carlson, Loretta Alexandre, Kristy Winkelhaus, and daughter Susan – after rehearsals for a snack and a sip. She sang with a number of local groups, from Bill Fales’ Bluegrass Band to the Redwoods Chorale; from West Broadway Company (where her rendition of Flamin’ Agnes brought the audience to their feet) to the Humboldt Light Opera Company. She and a group of friends caroled at hospitals and rest homes on Christmas Day in the evening for more than 25 years; and with Bev Carlson, daughter Susan, and a flexible few others, went Halloween caroling on a regular route ending up at a party at the Bansen’s.

There are so many things to say about Betty – she was fun and she was funny, she was whole-hearted; a fiercely loyal friend, resilient in challenges, a careful driver, an insatiable box-saver (but this is a good box!), an ice cream lover, a late-in-life Perry Mason enthusiast. She loved travel and adventure, spontaneous detours, hours-long croquet games in the backyard after a picnic, watching waves at Centerville, gardening, playing softball and basketball, walking with her friends, and playing cards. She was delighted that she had a line in the Outbreak film – and even more delighted when a friend living in Kyoto, Japan recognized her on a movie poster ad, as well as the time a young man who was visiting Ferndale found out where she lived and knocked on her door asking for an autograph. She was an artist, in watercolors and colored pencils, and spent many happy artistic and laughing hours with her scofflaw friends, Sharon and Ruth. She loved her family. She loved her home in Ferndale and thought she was the luckiest person ever to be able to live in such a town.

Betty was sturdy in mind, spirit, and body, until her first illness in 2020. She regained her health after facing polymyalgia rheumatica, and managed heart problems. She beat breast cancer after nearly a year of chemotherapy, which she told a consulting doctor at UCSF was “quite enjoyable” – because they brought her a warm blanket and hot chocolate. When brain cancer was discovered, she faced it and radiation treatments with ‘sisu’ and a sense of humor about the weird things her brain would do. She retained grace, laughter, and dignity to the end. She was never alone; she was deeply touched by the people who cared for her, and her family and friends are grateful for the time we had to spend with her, to let her know how much she is loved.

Betty’s kids have many people to thank – the wonderful friends who came to stay with Mom when we couldn’t be there, those who brought music and laughter (and endless toffee, for which reason we are all now on a diet). Her doctors and the nurses at St. Joseph Medical Oncology and Radiology were wonderful and always helpful. Dr. Mary Mahoney is treasured as a source of solid information, strength, and encouragement. The ladies at the Breast and GYN Health Project made the introduction to living with cancer and all its variables easier and hopeful and provided ongoing personal support. And we thank the beyond-wonderful people with Hospice of Humboldt, especially Steve, who walked us through how Hospice works, and helped us ensure Mom’s death was peaceful and dignified.

Betty leaves behind her four children with grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Susan with grandchild Shane, great-grandchild Cierra with partner Mike and great-great-grandchild Vivian, and great-grandchild Bailey with husband Josh; Karl and daughter-in-law Christy; Bill with grandchild Chad and great-grandchild Wyatt, and grandchild Sara with great-grandchildren Ayla and Moose; and Michael, with grandchild Amber and husband Anthony, and great-grandchildren Ashem, Noelle, and Mae; grandchild Ashliegh with her partner Bryan #2, and grandchild Emily with her partner Bryan #1.

She leaves behind treasured members of the Husu clan, cousins Pat and Dorothy, nieces Jeanne and husband Luis, Hannah with husband Travis and baby-on-the-way, and dear extended cousins well-remembered from Finn Family Fun Reunions. She also leaves behind her cherished brother- and sister-in-law Richard and Peggy Diehl, and the remarkable Diehl nieces and nephews across the country.

She was preceded in death by her much-loved parents, her husband and partner in ministry William Diehl, her beloved sister Ina, her son-in-law Ralph, and a number of treasured cousins and in-laws.

Betty saw music – making it or listening to it – as an essential part of life, bringing people together as nothing else can. A scholarship fund for the benefit of current and aspiring musicians is being created at Humboldt Area Foundation to assist with formal education costs, lessons and training, and the purchase of instruments. Until the fund is set up, donations earmarked for the fund may be made to the Ferndale Community Choir, a 501(c)(3) organization, at P. O. Box 67, Ferndale CA 95536.

Betty will be laid to rest beside her husband in Ferndale at a private gathering in March. A memorial service at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Ferndale will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 11 a.m., followed by a celebration of her life (with ice cream) at the Ferndale Community Center. Betty would remind you to mark this date on your calendar, in pen. And to be aware that singing may occur.

Deborah “Debbie” Ann Lewis Roberts
Nov. 21, 1954 - Feb. 11, 2024

Our mom, Debbie, was a Humboldt County native, born in Eureka and raised on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. She graduated from Hoopa High School. She was a proud member of the Yurok Tribe.

Debbie graduated from College of the Redwoods Associate Nursing Program when she was 20 years old. She then served a long and productive career as a R.N., with roles in the hospital, home health care (Redding, Ca.) skilled nursing, and dialysis. In her free time she was also a dedicated student of holistic medicine. When she retired, she was a manager at UIHS Potowat Health Village in Arcata, a role she loved immensely.

Debbie was a life-long learner, skilled practitioner, and good listener who helped many people along her path. She took immense pride in her work and her dedication always shined bright. She had a knack for helping people and a gift for putting her patients at ease. At the same time, she had an inspiring work ethic and brave spirit.

Debbie will be remembered by all as a supremely kind and creative soul. She could always be found cooking, listening to music, singing, making art, exploring photography, writing and traveling.

She also cross-stitched, crocheted, painted, sewed and made beautiful jewelry, just like her mother. Debbie was an avid reader and loved to get lost in a good mystery. She loved hummingbirds, the Big Dipper, herbs, flowers, gardens, coffee, Star Trek, a fast drive over the mountains and her impeccably kept cats.

For her grandchildren she supplied a library of books, as she wanted to share her passion for reading with them. In this life, she wanted people to feel appreciated and loved and gave back to many in the North Coast, her home, which she always described as “a place with unbelievable beauty with its beaches, redwoods and forests.” The majestic nature of Humboldt County is where she was born and where she belonged through and through.

Debbie’s last years were spent caring for and being with her beloved mother, Barbara Jean Lewis. After her mother passed, Debbie faced head on, with the upmost inner strength and courage her own autoimmune illnesses and lung disease. Before she was too ill to travel, she spent a decade of summers with her incredibly loved grandchildren. They were her pride and joy.

If you feel called to honor, Debbie, do something nice for someone. In her last years, her voice was taken from her so another way to honor her would be to sing or speak your heart out to the world. She understood the importance of words, so she would remind us to choose our words carefully and to ask ourselves the well loved question of, “Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”

She is survived by her daughters, Rose and Hannah Roberts; her son-in-law, Sean London; her beloved grandchildren, Sloane and Corbin; her siblings, Sherlette Colegrove, Michael Lewis, Pamela (Arnie) Wickerd and Cheryl (Frank) Tuttle; her nieces and nephews Misty (Brian) Jensen, Jenea (Slade) Lawrence, Ruby (Pyuwa) Bommelyn, Mariah Lewis, Nathan (Cat) Wickerd, Michael (Amber) Lewis, and Koiya (Brianna) Tuttle. Debbie was preceded in death by her parents, Pete and Barbara Lewis; her brother Ernest (Butch) Lewis III; her two dear high school friends who passed very young whom she never stopped loving, Kim and Linda.

In an incredible twist to her journey on Earth, she passed away on the same day as her father, 15 years apart.

To end we would like to share with you a writing that our mom wrote as an exchange in 2021 after her own mother passed. The words she wrote are so beautiful….just like her.

“Honey. Enveloped in the sweetness of the golden honey… The name Deborah in Hebrew translates to “bee”.. …

As found in the Bible in the book of Judges..

Spent most of my life “busy as a bee” and didn’t realize that it was an inherent trait.

Honey is seen in the spiritual aspect of representing immortality…….. as our souls live on once we leave this earthly plane to another dimension that is not visible to our eyes, only felt with our heart and so gentle.

Now that I am not able to be so busy, it is becoming easier to feel with my heart and know that there are many souls helping and guiding me as I get ready to return home.

Honey.”

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Debbie Roberts’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.