David James Renfer, a beloved member of the community and a dedicated father, volunteer and golfer, passed away unexpectedly on April 30, 2023. Although we are heartbroken at this tremendous loss, we take comfort in knowing David is with the Lord he loved so deeply. He was born in Portland, Oregon on July 10, 1985. He was 37 years old.

David’s greatest love was being a father to his two boys, Connor and Kasey. Fatherhood changed David’s life and he truly found his identity in being a loving dad. He embraced every moment and opportunity to be there for Connor and Kasey, whether it was grabbing his glove to play catch at a moment’s notice, or never missing a single practice, game or recital. David was especially known for being at least 30 minutes early every day for after-school pick up so the boys never had to wait. He demonstrated his deep love for his boys through words and actions every day. The boys were his world.

David grew up with a love for sports, especially golf and tennis. Playing in tournaments from a young age, he became a highly skilled golfer and famously long-driver off the tee. Some of his proudest accomplishments were reaching the state finals his senior year and the hole-in-one he hit during a junior high match at Quail Lodge Golf Club. After graduation, he continued his passion for the sport by playing regular weekly golf competitions at Eureka Municipal Golf Course.

David cherished the opportunity to pass on his love for sports to others through coaching. He volunteered as a coach and mentor to teach young players the fundamentals of baseball, basketball and soccer. His enthusiastic and encouraging coaching style made him a beloved figure among the youth sports community.

Recently, David found a new passion as a youth group leader at his local church, Faith Center. He enjoyed working with young people, sharing his love for the Lord, and making a positive impact on their lives. David’s dedication and enthusiasm for his work inspired many of the youth in his group, and he quickly became a beloved mentor.

David will be remembered for his infectious smile, his youthful enthusiasm, and his brightly-colored golf shirts. His love for his family and friends was unwavering. David had an incredible ability to comfort others through his strong faith in the Lord.

He leaves behind his wife Natalie, his two sons, Connor and Kasey, his mother Kimberly Walker, father Len Renfer, sister Jenny Kamnikar (Shaun), niece and nephew Hailey and Walker Kamnikar, brother Danny Renfer, mother-in-law Vicki Casey, sister-in-laws Valerie Canfield and Stephanie Goodwin (Beau), nieces and nephews Ella and Cade Canfield and Carter and Amelia Goodwin, grandparents Jim and Bonnie Walker and Dorothy Renfer. He also leaves behind a large extended family and community. David was preceded in death by grandparents Leonard Renfer Jr. and Linda Renfer and Father-in-law Ben Casey.

A memorial service will be held on May 7th, 2023 at 3:00 pm, at the Faith Center Church of Eureka. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his memory to Redwood Fields to benefit youth sports programs. Donations may be sent in the form of check to P.O. Box 327, Cutten, CA 95534.

David, we love you and miss you dearly. We will cherish our memories until we meet again.

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David Joseph Lindstrom
February 9, 1932 – April 6, 2023

Dave Lindstrom passed away on April 6, 2023 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 91 years old.

Dave was born in Eureka on February 9, 1932. He grew up in Fairhaven on the Samoa Peninsula, where most of the Lindstrom family had settled. His first six grades were in one room at the Rolph School, which is now used by the Fairhaven Fire Department. After that, he attended Eureka Jr. and Sr. High School, where he ran track and played the trombone in the band.

He became interested in flying as a young boy, when the US Navy flew in several planes for an airshow at the Blimp Base, located near the current Fairhaven airport and dragstrip. At 14 years old, and to the surprise of his parents, he started flying lessons with Al Camilli. After some four hours of dual flight, he soloed and received his student license.

After graduating from Eureka high School in 1949, he took jobs at the local mills while going to Humboldt State College. After a year and a half at HSC, the Korean War broke out and he joined the Navy in the Aviation Division. After attending several schools from Jacksonville, Florida to Barbers Point, Hawaii, he received his “combat air crew” wings and was sent to an anti-submarine squadron located at Los Alamitos Navy Base. After training with submarines off San Diego and qualifying on “jeep” carriers, they made their first six-month tour off Korea. He said the most exciting times were getting shot off the 590-ft. carrier by the catapult. The carrier was the USS Bataan, which was said to have the fastest catapult in the Navy at the time, launching the planes to 90 knots, or over 100 mph, in 70 feet. The trick was getting back onto the carrier after a four-hour flight in the dark, which always made for “exciting” times.

After four years in the Navy, he returned home to resume working as an electrician. He spent his spare time building drag racing cars in his parent’s garage, one of which was the first “slingshot” dragster in Humboldt County. He went on to win multiple championships at the Samoa Drag Strip. His racing was put on hold when he married Deanne Walsh and began raising a family.

He continued his love of hunting throughout his life, with his best memories being times spent with his family and friends at the family hunting camp near Bug Creek Butte, becoming known locally as “Lindstrom Rock,” where his grandfather and father had hunted since 1917. He also made many out-of-state hunting trips with his family and friends, including hunting trips for mule deer, elk, caribou, and antelope.

Dave was also an avid fisherman. He especially loved salmon fishing in the local ocean waters. He built a cabin cruiser in 1963 in his parents’ garage and named her the “Dawn Marie” after his daughter. He was able to enjoy many salmon fishing trips with family and friends over the years.

After working as an electrician for about 14 years upon returning home from the Navy, he started his own electric motor repair shop, Arcata Electric Motor Service, and ran it until his retirement in 2004.

In the mid 1970s, he was able to resume his love of flying. He first bought a 1947 Stinson taildragger, then progressed to a Cessna 206 and later a Cessna 210. He enjoyed flying whenever he had the chance, including vacations as far away as Florida, flying to Fort Bragg to go diving for abalone, and to Baja, Mexico for fishing trips. He eventually sold the planes and bought a commercial fishing boat, naming her the “Josie L” after his mother, which his son Dale still operates, mainly for crab fishing in the winter months. He later bought a second and larger boat, naming her after his granddaughter Molly, which was used for offshore albacore fishing for a few years.

Dave is survived by his children, Dale Lindstrom, Dennis Lindstrom and Dawn Lindstrom, Jami Sanchez, Lani Bomshtein, stepson Jason Rainwater, his 7 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Josephine Lindstrom, his grandson Walter Lindstrom, and many lifelong friends, including Doug Lewallen and Bud Peterson. The family would like to express our gratitude to the Veterans Administration and Hospice of Humboldt for the wonderful care they gave our dad throughout the last years of his life.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 13 at 2 p.m., at the Veteran’s Hall in Arcata. All friends and family are welcome to attend and share stories and memories of Dave. Refreshments will be served.

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Duane Rickie (Rick) Lewis of Rio Dell passed away March 4, 2023. He was born to Richard and Roberta Lewis on June 21, 1953, in Arcata. He was the youngest of five children, having four older brothers and one older sister.

He graduated from McKinleyville High School, which is also where he met his wife, Teresa Dore. They were married in 1974 and had two daughters. They first raised their girls in Orick, close to Teresa’s parents and their family hometown. On the weekends, they would often drive to McKinleyville for Lewis gatherings, gaining numerous stories that have been told numerous times and will hopefully continue to be. Rick worked for Arcata Redwood for many years. The family moved to Fortuna in 1985 when Rick obtained a position with Pacific Lumber Company.

Our dad was not only our mentor, but our playmate. We looked forward to him coming home every day, especially during the summer months in Orick. He would often take us fishing, teaching us both at young ages to bait a hook and cast, (although I doubt either of us are capable now-unless it’s like riding a bike). Speaking of which, bike riding was a definite past time which we did often together. One of us never learned to use our bike brakes and would crash into the mobile home to stop. He would do damage control to prevent her from being in trouble with our mom. He loved the outdoors, nature and all of the animals in it.

Rick worked at Pacific Lumber Company in many different positions, starting with pulling green chain and ending with loader operator. He received the nickname “Bobber” while pushing logs on the pond. He enjoyed playing softball and basketball on one of the PL company teams each year.

Our dad was a giver. He gave and did for many, including his in-laws in their final years. We have seen many obituaries that say, “they would have taken their shirt off their back for anyone”, and our father is among that category of humans.

He is survived by his children Jackie (Joe) Eldridge, Monica Pitts, his grandchildren Mackenzie Eldridge, Madison Eldridge, and Hallie Pitts, his brothers David (Sue) Lewis, Donald (Karen) Lewis, Dennis (Kathy) Lewis and sister Diane Grimes. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Richard and Roberta Lewis, and his wife Teresa (Dore) Lewis.

His ashes will be spread with the love of his life, Teresa. No funeral services will be held.

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James (Jim) Troy Snead Jr. passed away at the age of 90 on April 24, 2023 at his home in Eureka.

Jim was born in San Francisco on July 25, 1932. After high school, he enlisted in the National Guard and then the US Air Force. After his honorable discharge from the military, he worked for Western Electric Phone Company for 33 years. He retired from the phone company and a few years later started working at KIEM TV part-time. After his retirement from KIEM TV, he spent time traveling the United States and many different countries including Panama, Canada, Scotland and Morocco. When home he liked to spend his time puttering in his garage, golfing, fishing and camping. He also made a point to attend as many sports events, musical recitals, graduations and more for his grandchildren. He loved that his grandchildren & great grandchildren called him “GGPa.” He was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and Giants and he watched many games on TV and in-person.

Jim thought of himself as a comedian and was famous in the family for his sayings like “If the rain keeps up, it won’t come down.” If someone asked him how he was feeling, his answer would always be “with my fingers.”

One of the highlights of his life was being part of one of the Honor Flights to Washington DC. Above all else, Jim felt the Lord blessed him with his loving family and friends and never hesitated to tell his family. He gave great hugs and was always ready to help everyone.

Jim’s family wants to extend a special thanks to Hospice and to the doctors and staff at the Veterans Department in Eureka for their amazing help and compassion in the final days of his life.

He is survived by his loving partner, Frances Argo, daughters Dawn Snead & Diane Morrison (Larry), daughter-in-law Debbie Snead, six grandchildren, Rodney Morrison (Becky), Ryan Morrison, Janel Person (Ron), Craig Mitchell Jr., Carrie Snead (Jeff) and Jamison Snead. He is also survived by eight great grandchildren; James Morrison, Seth Morrison, Alan Morrison, Dominic Person, Zaniyah Person, Aurora Mitchell, Jade Mitchell and Neo Rosen-Mitchell. He is also survived by other special people in his life; Fran’s children and grandchildren, Sarah & Pam Rosen-Mitchell and his little doggy companion Mr. Bixby.

Jim was preceded in death by his first wife, Janet Snead & his second wife, Mary Ruth Snead, his sons, James Patrick (Bimbo) Snead and James Troy Snead III, his father James Troy Snead Sr, his mother, Evelyn Snead, his sister, Dorothy Snead and his best friend, Sid Riddle

A celebration of Jim’s life will be announced at a later date via friends, family & Facebook.

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On Sunday, January 22, 2023, Leroy Rakestraw, loving husband, father, and papa of many passed away at the age of 86.

Leroy was born May 18,1936 in Eureka to Harry and Dorothy Rakestraw. He graduated from Eureka High School in Eureka. He had many passions in life. After he joined the Air Force and served his time in Arizona he got married to Betty Scott and they had a child, Pamela.

While he worked as a logger for most of his life, he pursued a college education graduating from Humboldt State College. He taught school for a while, then went back to logging. In 1974 he married his second wife, Cynthia. He then became a stepdad to four children. He then pursued the mission of becoming a Presbyterian minister and he obtained that, ministering at the Presbyterian Church in Orick.

After the children were raised they took up foster parenting. They became foster parents to many children. The ones that held the closest part in their heart were Albert and Barbara Mills, who they cared for as their own children. He also played a big part in the raising of his granddaughter Lacey. He had many hobbies, running and cycling, he participated in various marathons. He was cycling up until his last year of life. His other skills were woodworking, a mechanic and music.

Leroy was preceded in death by his wife Cynthia, his brother Herbert Brooks, his parents Harry and Dorothy Rakestaw, his granddaughter Shannon Ordonez, and his grandson Nicholas Sellars.

Leroy is survived by his brother Bob Rakestraw (Barbara), his sister in law Joanne Lewis (Richard),his brother in law John Panter, and numerous nieces and nephews. Leroy is survived by his daughter Pamela Rakestraw, His stepchildren, Lura Dickey (Stanley), Debbie Williams, Bobbie Williams (Allen)and Patrick Williams.

Leroy had many grandchildren: Rolland and Audrey, Ryan and Michaela, Eric and Kelly Dickey, Roseanne and Jessie Ordonez, Christine and Angela Williams, John, Jeff and Chloe Williams, Shelby and Chris, Lacey Readen, Brannon Hennings, Annabelle Mills, Aiden and Allen Chilcott, and Claudio Mills.

Lots of great grandchildren: Juan, Jasmine, Deborah, and Robert Esconbido, Theresia, Lucas, Natalie, Alexis, Karter,America, Kennedy, Corinne Dickey, Rylynn and Colton Lane, Kai and Kobe Yang,Koen Wolf, Thalia,Cyndi, Alicia, Tino and Cattleya Ordonez, Zachery Crain and Ariana Martinez.

Great-Great-Grandchildren: Camelia, Cartier and Kylo. He was known as Papa by all of his grandchildren.

We will be having a Celebration of Life on May 20, 2023 at Moonstone Beach House, Westhaven,12-3 p.m.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Wier’s Mortuary.

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Press release from Security National:

The Citizens for a Better Eureka coalition filed a second lawsuit against the City of Eureka today. Like the initial suit filed April 6, 2023, in California Superior Court, the petitioners are asking the court to stop the city from further actions on the public parking lot located at 5th and D, in Eureka. The city approved moving forward with seeking proposals from interested companies to develop the public parking lot into low- and very-low-income apartments at their meeting April 4. 2023.

The more than 50 members of the coalition claim the city failed to meet the requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to properly assess the environmental impacts of the housing development proposed for the site. It is the city’s responsibility to comply with CEQA and analyze appropriately the impacts on pedestrian and public safety, air quality, neighborhood compatibility, and traffic.

The City of Eureka is planning to eliminate about 640 public parking spaces from the downtown area and put in low- and very-low-income housing. There is no plan to provide parking for visitors, tourists, shoppers, and downtown workers. In addition, the new housing developments will not provide parking for the residents of the apartment buildings.

The Citizens for a Better Eureka support the development of housing but not at the expense of local businesses and the waterfront. Taking away more than 600 parking spaces will limit access to downtown shops, restaurants, and businesses – the very heart of the downtown culture and environment. These parking lots are critical to keeping customers, tourists, and employees coming downtown. Alternative sites, such as the former Jacobs Middle School property, are much better suited for community housing, the coalition believes.

The Citizens for a Better Eureka is a coalition of concerned residents and business owners seeking to have the City of Eureka step back from turning downtown parking lots into low- and very-low-income housing developments. CBE is asking the city officials to work collaboratively with business owners, special interest groups, and residents on a sustainable downtown redevelopment plan and consider other viable options for housing developments.

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DOCUMENT: Petition and Complaint, Citizens for a Better Eureka v. City of Eureka

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Arkley Threatens Lawsuits, Referendum, Recall Drive Over City of Eureka’s Plans to Convert Parking Lots to Housing
• ‘Furious’ Rob Arkley Says He’s Moving Security National HQ Out of Eureka After Clashing With City Staff About Development Priorities
• New Group — ‘Citizens for a Better Eureka’ — Says It Will Sue Eureka Over Downtown Housing Development
• Eureka City Council Approves Surplus Designation for Vacant Lots by the Boardwalk Despite Lawsuit Threats, Paving the Way for Affordable Housing and Mixed-Use Development Along the Waterfront
• Here is the Housing Development/Parking Lot Lawsuit Served on the City of Eureka Today
• Local Environmental Groups Call ‘Bullshit’ on Lawsuit Seeking to Stop Development on Eureka Parking Lots

HUMBOLDT TODAY: A disabled Cal Poly Humboldt student has filed a class action lawsuit against CSU; the City of Eureka needs you to choose between a squid, a harbor seal, and a pelican; plus, another local sea creature was rescued by some do-gooders this week. Those stories and more in today’s online newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING: 

• What’s YOUR Vision for Eureka? Community Members Are Invited to Attend an Upcoming Strategic Visioning Workshop
• Disabled Cal Poly Humboldt Student Files Class Action Suit Against University and Entire CSU System Over Accessibility Issues
• Grace Marton Memorial Park is Getting a Waterfront-Themed Playground in the Coming Months and the City of Eureka Wants to Hear Your Thoughts on Its Design
• Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Day With Awareness Walk
• Crescent City Councilors Urge Staff to Get Input From Business Owners On TRL Ordinance; One Member Calls Discussion A ‘Waste of Time’

HUMBOLDT TODAY can be viewed on LoCO’s homepage each night starting at 6 p.m.

Want to LISTEN to HUMBOLDT TODAY? Subscribe to the podcast version here.