Barbara Jean McKeever Stafslein passed away peacefully in Eureka surrounded by her friends and family at 3 p.m. on February 19, 2023.

Barbara was born in Grafton, N.D. on April 27, 1945 to parents Gladys Smith McKeever and Matthew Marvin McKeever. She grew up in Hamilton, N.D. She attended school there and was a straight A student and valedictorian of her graduating class. Barbara was active in band and singing and was a class officer, and served as editor of the school newspaper “Tigers Roar” along with helping to produce her senior yearbook. She was a cheerleader for the basketball team all through high school. She also was an active member of the Hamilton Presbyterian Church. Barbara was selected to attend Girls State her junior year. Barbara was small in stature but she had an engine that wouldn’t quit. Barbara was offered a scholarship to University of North Dakota and selected to be in the honors program. That is where she met her future husband, Tim Stafslein.

Barbara and Tim both studied Art at the University of N.D. It was an instant connection and they were married in Grand Forks in 1966. While at the university Barbara earned the nickname “Mousie” because she had pet mice. She would be known as “Mousie” by most people from this point forward.

After the birth of their first child, a daughter Ona, in 1967, Mousie and Tim would follow their friend Christy Orion to California. They had heard tales of warm winters, beautiful mountains and tall trees. Mousie had always dreamed of living in the mountains and trees after growing up on the flat plains of North Dakota. So the move west began in 1968.

Their son Jebadiah was born in Fort Bragg in 1969, Samuel Dakota was born at home in Whale Gulch in 1972 and Isaac was born at the Sherwood Forest Motel in Garberville in 1981.

Mousie used to call herself a “modern-day gypsy.” She never liked to stay in one place too long. As a result she moved all over Southern Humboldt and Northern Mendocino County in her 50+ years in the area, landing in Fort Bragg, then Whitethorn, Whale Gulch, Whiskey Hill, Needle Rock, Miranda, Ettersburg, Alderpoint, Redway, Garberville, Weott and finally settling in Shelter Cove.

In the early 1980s Mousie started teaching math and English to junior high students at the Whale Gulch School. Her love of teaching was evident immediately and she decided to go back to school to get her credentials. In 1987 she earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Oregon State College. She would later complete her masters degree at Humboldt State University. In 1988 she began her teaching career for the Southern Humboldt Unified School District. She taught for numerous schools over her almost 30-year teaching career. These include: the Osprey Learning Center in Garberville, Casterlin Elementary School in Alderpoint, Miranda Junior High School and Weott Elementary School.

Mousie had the biggest heart and she loved each and every student like they were her own children. She always found a way to connect with people but especially with her students. She wanted to make learning fun and memorable. This was evident by the relationships she kept with generations of her students. After she retired she continued to sub and tutor because she loved teaching so much. Mousie was recognized with numerous awards over the course of her career including being chosen as the teacher to receive the Humboldt County Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014.

Mousie loved art, music, history, baking, gardening and nature. She especially loved visiting national parks, and it was extra special if there were a wide variety of wild flowers. If she could weave some history into her love of Nature and Parks she would do that. We once followed the Lewis and Clark trail from Oregon all the way to N.D. Mousie believed the best way to get from one point to another was to travel in one gigantic circle so you could see everything that was possible along the way.

Family was everything to her. Especially her grandchildren! She didn’t hesitate to pack up the car and head to Oregon or Sacramento to spend a week or two, catching up with her grandkids who lived out of town and all their activities. She was always at their plays, choir concerts, band concerts, basketball games, volleyball games, softball games and track meets. Her granddaughters that lived near her were always a part of her life and she would do anything for them. She never missed a birthday, graduation or any other holiday for that matter. If she couldn’t be there in person she would send one of her incredible cards. Collecting cards that reminded her of her family and friends became almost like a hobby to her. If you knew Mousie then you probably received one of her beautiful cards with a handwritten heartfelt message from her at some point in your life. She truly cared for and loved others unconditionally.

Mousie was preceded in death by her parents, Gladys and Marvin McKeever; her husband, Tim Stafslien; her brother Dennes McKeever and her son-in-law Malcus Williams.

Mousie is survived by her brother Richard McKeever; her sister Marjorie (Micheal) Axt; her daughter, Ona (Robert Smith) Williams; her sons, Jebadiah (Meredithe) Stafslien, Samuel (Karin) Stafslien, Isaac Stafslien; her grandchildren Jasmine (Torrey) Hass, Dakota Stafslien, Sammie Stafslien, Savannah (Steve) Sagert, Georgia (Collin) Malcolm, Brooklyn Williams, Avery (Kelly) Stafslien, Abby Stafslien; her great-grandchildren Olivia Hass, Oliver Hass, Felix Hass, Sterling Sagert; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

We will all gather to celebrate the life of an amazing mother, sister, grandmother, friend and teacher as soon as the weather is nice and we can be outside in the sun, fresh air and nature that Mousie loved.

In lieu of flowers or cards please think about making a donation in her name to the National Parks Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation or your local food bank.

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

Rosa Roete
September 6, 1935-February 21, 2023

Rosa, born in Aalst, Belgium to the late Gustaf and Josephine deSchryver, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by family on February 21, 2023 at the age of 87. Rosa was a wonderful, kind, humble woman of faith who helped take care of everyone around her. She was strong through all her loss and she was a woman of grace who loved her family fiercely.

Rosa lost her mom at the age of three, and her Father was deported to a work camp in Germany, so Rosa was sent to live with her Grandmother Rosalie and her Aunt Hilde. She emigrated to Canada with her Father, at the age of 15, where she worked as a seamstress. She met her future husband, Hubert, who was also from Belgium. They married in 1953 and their first daughter, Anne, was born in Montreal in 1955. A short time later they went to Detroit where their second daughter, Doris, was born. Then they moved to Laguna Beach, California where they had three more children — Christine, Brigitte, and finally a boy, Mark.

After 13 beautiful years in Southern California they packed up the five kids and moved to Loleta to follow Hubie’s dream of becoming a dairy farmer. Rosa worked for many years at the Loleta Grocery Store where she made many lifelong friends. On the farm she took care of the calves and kept the books. Rosa loved to cook and bake. She was famous for her Belgian Waffles. Their farmhouse was always filled with children, grandchildren, love and laughter, especially during the holidays. Throughout her life she liked to sew, making all the kids clothes, she enjoyed swimming with Hubie at EPT for many years, and she loved to watch her children and grandchildren play basketball.

She is survived by her children; Anne Hornsby, Doris (Robert) Echeveria, Christine (Jeff) Jacobs, Mark (Rebecca) Roete and Son-In-Law David Finkelstein (Brigitte) as well as her grandchildren; Domenic (Heather) Belli, Andrew (Deanna) Belli, Laura (Robert) Hastings, Brittanie Hornsby, Ryan (Jamie) Cox, Jason (Melissa) Cox, Dustin Echeveria, Julie (Jon) Whinnery, Kyle Jacobs, James (Angela) Jacobs, Kelsey (Cody) Beaton, Michael Jacobs, Janay Jacobs, Jennifer Jacobs, Emily Jacobs, Arie Finkelstein, Rachel Finkelstein, Nathan Finkelstein, Coty Schraeder, Lily Wagner, Jackson Wagner and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren as well as numerous relatives in Belgium.

She was preceded in death by her Husband, Hubie, her daughter Brigitte and her son-in-law Rick Hornsby. There will be a celebration of life in the summer, date to be announced.

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

Press release from the California Highway Patrol:

On February 24, 2023, at approximately 5:59 A.M., a solo vehicle fatal traffic crash occurred on US-101 southbound, south of the West End Road under-crossing in Arcata. A 2001 Toyota Sequoia was traveling southbound on US-101 when it suddenly traveled off the west edge of the road, overturned and came to rest down the embankment. The driver, 21 year old Makayla Bernald of Blue Lake, sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash.

Alcohol and/or drug impairment are not considered to be a factor in this crash. The #2 southbound lane of US-101 at the scene was closed for several hours as this crash was investigated.

The California Highway Patrol extends its condolences to the family and thanks all responding agencies for their assistance in managing the scene. The CHP Humboldt Area office is continuing its investigation and asks anyone who may have additional information to contact the California Highway Patrol at 707-822-5981.

HUMBOLDT TODAY: Other than the cool tornadic waterspout in Shelter Cove, the weather has been a bit of a pain with multiple highway closures and power outages making life in Humboldt a bear. A roundup of the important bits and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING:

• Waterspout Spotted at Shelter Cove
• Suspect Arrested for Assault in Whitethorn Which Caused ‘Extensive Injuries’ to Acquaintance
• Humboldt County Supervisors Expected to Open Bidding Process for Jail Expansion, New Community Corrections Re-Entry Resource Center
• ATTEMPTED MURDER INVESTIGATION: Sheriff’s Office Seeking Suspect They Say Shot at a Man Exiting His Home
• (UPDATE: OPEN) Highway 101 Closed Again From Garberville to Ukiah Following Heavy Snow

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.

Press release from the Northern California Community Blood Bank:

The Northern California Community Blood Bank today announced that a number of factors, including low collections due to inclement weather, have combined to create a situation considered critical in the care of patients on the North Coast.

Blood Bank CEO Kate Witthaus said that “Rural hospital patients may have to wait many hours or even days for a transfusion. So we are very lucky here in Eureka to have a local blood bank that can deliver blood within minutes. That’s pretty special! But the national blood shortage continues, and our local supply is critically low. If you’ve never given blood before, now is the time to help save patient lives.”

Impacted by recent inclement weather, blood collections have dropped significantly in the month of February, to levels 28% below last year. Stormy weather and snowfall limits where the Blood Bank can send bloodmobiles, resulting in fewer blood drives. Additionally, fewer donors have been visiting the blood center. Blood Bank spokesperson John Gullam described the situation as dire, stating that “this shortage must be addressed immediately.”

“Our greatest need is for those people who have never donated,” states Gullam. “Now is also a great time to come back if you have donated in the past but have gotten out of the habit.”

Recent changes to donor eligibility requirements may allow people to donate who were previously deferred. If you have any questions about your eligibility to donate, call the Northern California Community Blood Bank at (707) 443-8004.

The Blood Bank asks that type O donors and anyone who doesn’t know their blood type make an appointment to donate as soon as possible at the Blood Center at 2524 Harrison Ave. in Eureka by going to nccbb.org or by calling (707) 443-8004.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Joseph Allan Edison Grenz Booking Photo | Humboldt County Correctional Facility

On Feb. 25, 2023, at about 8:30 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Highway 101 and Palmer Boulevard, near Fortuna, for the report of a carjacking.

Deputies contacted a 38-year-old female victim, who had sustained minor injuries as a result of this incident. The victim told deputies that she and a friend were parked in a dirt lot near the Highway 101 off-ramp when a suspect vehicle occupied by two people pulled alongside of her. The passenger of the suspect vehicle, identified by the victim as 24-year-old Joseph Allan Edison Grenz, reportedly exited the vehicle, forcibly removed the victim and then fled with her vehicle. During their investigation, deputies learned that Grenz also had outstanding warrants from the state of Missouri.

The following day, February 26, just after 6 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies located the stolen vehicle unoccupied in the area of Palmer Boulevard and Page Way. Continuing their investigation, deputies responded to a residence associated with Grenz on the 500 block of Summer Street in Fortuna. The Fortuna Police Department responded to assist. After commands for Grenz to exit the residence, Grenz peacefully surrendered and was taken into custody.

Grenz was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of fugitive from justice (PC 1551(a)) and carjacking (PC215(a)).

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Fortuna Police Department for their assistance with the apprehension of Grenz.

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.

A waterspout can be seen looking south from near Mario’s Motel in Shelter Cove. Photo: Micah Crumbaugh

Unusual weather has been all the rage here in Humboldt as of late. They’re keeping that trend going down in Shelter Cove where a tornadic water spout was seen a ways down the beach from town.

Check out the following video, captured by local Micah Crumbaugh.

Cool, no? If you’re unfamiliar with this rarer weather phenomenon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides the following explanation:

Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water, or move from land to water. They have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.