Modoc County Record for August 27, 1998 Vickie Kim Stevenson Vickie Kim Stevenson of Bieber died unexpectedly on August 21, 1998 at Fall River Mills, just six days shy of her 43rd birthday. Services will be held at graveside on Friday, August 28 at 1:00 p.m. at the Alturas Cemetery, Alturas, Calif. Pastor Walt Fisher will conduct the service. Born August 27, 1955 in Alturas, Calif. to Ramona and Bob McDonald, Vickie graduated with the class of 1973 from Modoc High School in Alturas, Calif. She received her license to practice cosmetology after finishing beauty school in 1990 in Susanville. A year later, she married Charles Stevenson on May 19, 1991 in Lookout. She was a home maker and had worked as a cosmetologist. Vickie was also talented at making crafts and enjoyed gardening. She is survived by her husband Charles Stevenson of Bieber; son Jeremy Yarborough of Reno; daughter Kelli Yarborough of Reno; daughter Kacie Stevenson, Bieber; mother Ramona McDonald, Red Bluff; father Bob McDonald of Adin; brother Doug McDonald, Susanville; sister Robin Greer, Red Bluff; brother Scott McDonald, Red Bluff and grandmother Hazzel McDonald of Canby. Modoc County Record for Sept. 3, 1998 Ruth Frances Vernon Surprise Valley native Ruth Frances Vernon, an accomplished pianist, died August 25, 1998 in Redding, Calif. from complications due to a stroke. Mrs. Vernon was 86. Mrs. Vernon was often invited to provide the music for the hymns at church services in Alturas, Lake City and surrounding communities. She was born to Issac Clint and Alice Naomi Bachtel in Cedarville, Calif. on May 23, 1912. She at tended elementary school in Lake City and Surprise Valley schools through her high school years. At age 19, she married Earl E. Vernon on July 3, 1931 in Lakeview, Ore. and the two shared al most 34 years of marriage and were blessed with seven children. Earl passed away on April 6, 1965. Mrs. Vernon made her home in Lake City until 1960, when she moved to Alturas. She was a homemaker, and was good at crocheting, gardening and quilting. She also enjoyed fishing and camping as well as playing the piano. Mrs. Vernon enjoyed having lunch and visiting with friends at the Modoc Senior Citizens Center in Alturas, as often as she could. In 1979 she moved to Freedom, Idaho, but returned to Alturas nine years later in 1988 and continued to make Alturas her home until her passing. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, four children and two grandchildren. She is survived by her son Arthur "Shorty" Vernon of Alturas; daughter Earlene and husband Willard Conklin, Alturas; daughter Nelda and husband Mark Robinson of Alturas and numerous grandchildren and great-grand children. A memorial service is pending. In lieu of flowers donations may be directed to Modoc Senior Citizens Center, 906 West Fourth St., Alturas, CA 96101 or to North Valley Baptist Church 2690 Hartnell Ave., Redding, Calif. 96002. The North Valley Baptist Church ministers visited Mrs. Vernon to comfort her daily while she was in Redding. Mildred "Midge" Easley Mildred "Midge" Easley of Alturas, died August 30, 1998 in Fort Stockton, Texas. Mrs. Easley had made Alturas her home for eight years, having moved from Corning to Alturas. She had been staying with her daughter who was caring for her while she was battling cancer. Mrs. Easley was 71 at the time of her passing. She was born Mildred Nance in Neosho, Missouri on April 24, 1927. She and Ira Harold Clayton Easley were married on July 19, 1947 in Reno, Nev. Four children were born to their union, three sons and one daughter. She is survived by her sons Billie and wife Jan Easley of Yuba City, Calif.; Larry and wife Leslie Easley of West wood; Steve and wife Wendy Easley of Alturas; daughter Pam and husband Hank Ortega of Fort Stockton, Texas; 16 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband. Cremation was chosen. The Fort Stockton Funeral Home handled arrangements. Modoc County Record for September 10, 1998 Winona Elizabeth Fisher Winona Elizabeth Fisher, a resident of Alturas since 1944 and an active member of her community, passed away at the Plum Ridge Care Center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, early Friday morning, September 4, 1998. She was 84. Winona was born in Fresno, Calif. on October 19, 1913 to Floyd and Esther [Eggert] Benson. She was reared in and attended schools in Anaheim, Calif. and graduated from Santa Barbara State College with teaching credentials. She worked for the University of California Extension Services which sent her to rural counties of California as a Home Demonstration Agent. She was sent to Alturas in 1943 to work. That is when she met Marion Fisher and the two were married on September 17, 1944. They purchased the family ranch in June 1945 and moved onto the ranch in January of 1946. While raising their three children, Winona was also very active within the community. Mrs. Fisher was a past member of the Alturas Elementary School Board, a past member of the P.T.A. having held several offices. She was a 58-year member of the Order of Eastern Star Chapter #51. She was a two-time past matron of Alturas Chapter 51 and held other offices on the local and state levels. She was a leader of both the DeMolay and Rain bow Girls of Alturas. Her leadership in Rainbow Girls included being a Grand Deputy for the Northeastern counties of California. She was a leader and helper for Cub and Boy Scouts, Brownies and Girls Scouts. Mrs. Fisher was a charter member and the charter president of the Modoc County Cow Belles in 1965 and served as president and on multiple committees in the following years. She was named Cow Belle of the Year in 1978. She also was a member of the Modoc County Farm Bureau, was an Election Judge for Modoc County, was a judge at local fairs. Mrs. Fisher was a member of the Board of Deacons of the Federated Church of Alturas, a member of the Fellowship Tea Group of Alturas and the Canby Mothers' Club for which she was honored as "Mother of the Year" in 1986. Mrs. Fisher was an active 4-H leader for Alturas and helped 4-H and FFA members throughout Modoc County. She was also involved in many other community services and organizations. During the 1960s and 1970s, Mrs. Fisher was a substitute teacher throughout Modoc County and taught Home Economics, Shop, Physical Education, Math and any other classes that required a substitute. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, needlepoint, along with other hand crafts, cooking, canning and gardening. Mrs. Fisher was preceded in death by her husband Marion Fisher who passed away on February 4, 1996. She is survived by her son Ted R. Fisher and daughter-in-law Louise of Gloucester Point, Virginia; two daughters, Virginia A. Longworth and son-in-law Michael of Auberry, Calif.; Frieda L. DuBois and son-in-law Peter of Klamath Falls, Ore.; a brother Lee Benson of Castro Valley; and two sisters Louise Dickenson of Lindsey and Esther Burke of LaVerne, Calif. Five grandchildren: Ronald Fisher, Elk Grove; William and Alan Longworth of Auberry; Tami and Stephanie DuBois, Klamath Falls; and great-granddaughter Kayla Fisher, Elk Grove, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation hours will be held on Thursday, September 10 from 2:00-7:00 p.m. at the Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Friends are invited to attend funeral services at the Federated Church at 307 East First Street in Alturas on Friday, September 11 at 2:00 p.m., followed by burial at the Alturas Cemetery. All are invited back to the church following the ser vices for a potluck and gathering. The family would appreciate that memorial contributions be made in lieu of flowers to the CattleWomen Scholarship Fund, c/o Shirley Flournoy, P.O. Box 428, Likely, CA 96116. Arrangements are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary of Alturas. William D. Smith Former Alturas resident William D. Smith, a longtime engineer for Southern Pacific Railroad, died at his home in Redding on September 2, 1998 of natural causes. Mr. Smith was 83. He was born January 19, 1915 at Ash Creek, Calif. Mr. Smith was a member of the Alturas Masonic Lodge #248 of Free and Accepted Masons; Alturas Chapter #51 Order of Eastern Star and received a Dr. Rob Morris award in 1982. He worked for Southern Pacific Railroad for 50 years, retiring as a railroad engineer. His work with the railroad took him from Alturas to Dunsmuir and then to Shasta County in 1978. He is survived by his sister Sheila Wright and brother-in-law John R. "Bob" Wright of Ventura and nephews Thomas C. Wright of LaPalma, Ca. and John R. Wright of Ventura. Alturas Masonic Lodge #248 conducted a service at graveside at the Alturas Cemetery on Tuesday, September 8 at 1:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Dogs for the Deaf, 10175 Wheeler Rd., Central Point, OR 97502 or Mercy Hospice. Anderson's Chapel in Anderson took charge of arrange ments. Services for Ruth F. Vernon A memorial service for Ruth Frances Vernon will be held on Tuesday, September 15 at the Modoc Work Activity Center, 310 West C Street, Alturas at 5:00 p.m. Mrs. Vernon, a native of Surprise Valley, was 86 at the time of her passing in Redding, Calif. on August 25, 1998. Alturas had been her home for many years. She is survived by her son Arthur "Shorty" Vernon of Alturas; daughter Earlene and husband Willard Conklin of Alturas; daughter Nelda and husband Mark Robinson of Alturas; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Modoc Senior Citizens Center, 906 West Fourth St., Alturas, CA 96101 or to North Valley Baptist Church 2690 Hartnell Ave., Redding, CA 96002. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.