Modoc County Record - September 2, 2004 Betty L. Chism Former Modoc County Librarian Betty Lorinda Chism of Alturas, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, August 28, 2004, while in Las Vegas, NV. Mrs. Chism, 75, had been enjoying a trip. Born Betty Lorinda Bayne on February 3, 1929, in San Juan Bautista, CA, her family relocated to Modoc County in 1937 where they fixed up an ancient farm house and worked the 600 acre ranch. In grammar school, Betty developed a love for art and music that continued throughout her life. She was a hard worker from the time she was a young girl. She developed an early affiliation with the Federated Church, of which she was a long-time member. In high school, Betty was nearly a straight "A" student besides being active in GAA, band, drill team and working. When she graduated she was named valedictorian of the class of 1947. That year she was also named Miss Modoc County and represented the County in the Maid of California contest in Sacramento. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in Art from San Jose State University in San Jose, CA in 1951, working part-time at the San Jose State Library. Planning to be an art teacher at Modoc High, the position was dropped by the time she graduated and she went back to different schools, eventually receiving additional life diplomas in librarianship and general elementary education. She worked as a substitute teacher for a time. She also married a childhood sweetheart while attending college, Gene Malson, and they had one son, David. The marriage lasted 19 years, and Betty later married Harold Chism, whom she had known as a school supply salesman in the area for many years. Harold preceded her in death August 14, 2001. Modoc County was Betty's home for 60 years, 40 of those employed with the Modoc County Library and 37 years as Librarian from 1956 until she retired in 1993. She witnessed many upgrades and changes over those years with the library. Betty enjoyed painting, both watercolor and oil, creating decorator wreaths from nature's bounty, flower gardening, traveling, visiting the sea, especially the Fort Bragg coast. She loved music, theater, her dogs, Heidi and Shaw, her cats Smokey, Tigey and Scampi and enjoyed feeding wildlife. She as a generous donor of her time, energy and resources, a true giver, always happy and accepting of others and was an honest person. She was a member and supporter of the Art Center, the Garden Club, a 33-year member of Alcoholics Anonymous, Federated Community Church, and served on the Modoc County Mental Health and Drug Advisory Board from 1974 to 1987. She is survived by her son David Malson of Alturas; step-son Darrell Chism and Becky of Port Byron, New York; sister Grace Waters and husband Roy of Windsor, CA; two nieces, Peggy and husband Roy and Claudia and husband Carlos; nephew Bud Joy and five step-grandchildren. Because of Betty's devotion and support to the arts, memorial contributions may be directed to assist the local, non-profit Art Center at 317 So. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101, where Betty consigned many of her creative pieces over the years, welcomed artists and the public and assisted with the new show receptions. A service for Mrs. Chism will be conducted by Dr. Ben Zandstra at the Federated Community Church in Alturas at 1 p.m on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Interment will follow at the Alturas Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas. John Douglas Reid A "Celebration of Life Service" will be held for John Douglas Reid on Saturday, September 4 at 4 p.m. with interment of his ashes at the Likely Cemetery. Rev. Destry Campbell will officiate with Patricia Cantrall singing. A potluck dinner for family and friends will follow at the Federated Community Church social hall in Alturas at 6 p.m. Mr. Reid died on June 24, 2004, in Chico, CA. John Douglas "Doug" Reid was born on July 21, 1916 on Parker Creek in Alturas, California to David Graham Reid and Mary Porter Pepperdine Reid. The Porter, Dorris, and Parker families arrived in Modoc within three months after one another, and all played significant roles in the early growth and strength of the county. Alturas was originally named Dorris Bridge and Parker Creek was named for the Parker family. Doug was a great-grandchild of all three families through his maternal grandparents. Doug grew up in the Alturas area; and except for several years during World War II and the last eight years, he lived here his entire life. He loved spending time camping, hunting, fishing or otherwise enjoying the Modoc outdoors, and was fond of saying that camping trips were full of the four "Fs", fishing, family, food and fun. He always said he felt closest to God when he was out in the world He created. Doug spent his early childhood on a ranch near Alturas. He and his brother, Jim, said many times that they think they had the best possible childhoods playing on the ranch with their sister, Eleanor, and cousins who lived on nearby ranches. Together they learned many outdoor skills, the value of family, and the wealth of a simple life. On August 28, 1940, Doug married Marion Elizabeth Williams, from Likely. They had four children, Roy, Mary Ann, Beth and Robbie. Shortly after the beginning of World War II, Doug joined the U.S. Air Corps, which then became the U.S. Air Force. At the close of the war, he was scheduled to be sent to Japan to fly strafing missions. His check, in fact, went on without him; and it took months for it to catch up with him back here in the States. Doug worked as a carpenter for 36 years. He was regarded by many as the finest finishing carpenter in the area. This was a skill he and Jim learned from their father, who had completed schooling in carpentry in Ireland before coming to the United States. Doug was a former president of AFL Carpenter's Union, Almanor division. He also taught carpentry apprentice classes at MUHS for Lassen Junior College for two years. Working together with his brother, Doug worked for Jim Reid Construction for at least 15 years. Then he worked for 14 years as maintenance director for the U.S. Forest Service directing the care of all buildings and campgrounds in the Modoc National Forest Doug was known as being a great cook, a great outdoorsman, and the source of a lot of fun when in a group of family and friends. He loved making things, working with his hands. He also enjoyed travel and with Betty, made trips to Europe, Baja, California, Alaska, Hawaii and most of the western States. He was always eager to see and learn new things while traveling. Wherever he visited and however much he enjoyed it, he firmly believed no place could compare with his beloved Modoc. In 1996, Doug and Betty moved to Chico to live near two of their daughters and to enjoy living in a retirement complex, where his brother Jim and his wife Hazel also live. He and Jim loved spending their senior years together, reminiscing daily, going on jaunts to local coffee shops, stopping by a local barber shop where another Modoc'er worked, and generally being "The Reid Boys" again. Doug is survived by his wife, Betty, of Chico; his four children and spouses, Royal Graham Reid of Alturas, Mary Ann and Terry Nylund of Las Vegas, Nevada; Beth Eileen Reid (Lawrence) of Chico, and Roberta Lynn and Rick Fox of Corning, California; eight grandchildren, John Colby Nylund, David Kevin Nylund, Jacquelin Eileen Lawrence Mestaz, Amy Rachel Lawrence, Sarah Megan Lawrence, Reid Ernesto Royal III Marion IV Rodriquez, David James Fox, and Steven Douglas Fox, and four great- grandchildren, John Keegan Nylund, Aydin Paul Nylund, Mikayla Jordan Harding, and Rhianna Eileen Mestaz. He is also survived by one brother, Jim Reid of Chico. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Eleanor Reid Hinshaw, two half-sisters Mary Pepperdine Harden Enoksen and Cordelia Pepperdine Weber and one half-brother Jake Pepperdine. A Remembrance Service was held on Saturday, July 24, in Chico. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Blue Lake Church Camp in care of Federated Community Church, 307 East First Street, Alturas, CA. 96101. Elwood Wyatt Former Alturas resident and retired federal employee Elwood Wyatt, 71, of Gardnerville, NV. passed away at his residence on August 31, 2004. Funeral services will be held this Saturday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. at Walton's Chapel of the Valley in Carson City, NV. Visitation will be at the chapel from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. Born on October 13, 1932, in Dresslerville, NV. to Evan and Frieda Smokey Wyatt, Elwood attended Stewart Indian High School in Carson City, where he excelled in football, and played in the band. While in high school, Elwood was on the boxing team. He was inducted into the Indian Hall of Fame in Sports. He and wife Caroline were married at the Stewart Baptist Church in Carson City, NV. Mr. Wyatt was a federal employee for 27 years, working in the engineering department until he retired from Modoc National Forest Supervisor's office, Alturas, CA in 1993. He earned many awards of recognition for his expertise in the forestry field, while working for the U.S. Forest Service. He coached girls' slow and fast pitch softball teams in Carson City and women's basketball. In 1972, he was awarded "Outstanding Coach of the Year" by 16 teams, coaches and managers of basketball tournaments. He was awarded "Donor of the Year" for his work with numerous humanitarian organizations in 2002. Mr. Wyatt was a Jehovah's Witness and a member of Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witness Church in Gardnerville, NV. He is survived by his wife Caroline Wyatt of Gardnerville, NV.; four sons: Arlen Wyatt, Gardnerville; Vincent Wyatt, Reno, NV; Wendell Wyatt, Gardnerville; Alvin Wyatt, Gardnerville; five daughters: Leda Wyatt, Ft. Bidwell, CA; Myra Wyatt, Reno, NV; Leah Davis, Alturas, CA; Roselle Wyatt, Carson City and Ronna Sandoval, Carson City; four sisters: Florine Conway, Gardnerville, NV; Julie Barr, Gardnerville; Kay Simpson, Gardnerville and Denise Pitts, Gardnerville; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sons: Bruce Wyatt, 1979 and Kevin Wyatt, December, 1975. Burial will be at the Stewart Indian Cemetery in Carson City, NV. Services are under the direction of Walton's of Minden, NV. Jason Holderfield Jason "Junior" Holderfield, 80, passed away Friday, August 27 at a convalescent home in Fremont, where he had been a resident for several months. Junior was born June 21, 1924 in Fanshaw, Oklahoma, where he was raised. Work was scarce, he recalled. Worked some picking cotton, did a little farming and worked some in a sawmill, he said. Anything to make a dollar he would add. Around 1953, he and his wife Mary, who he had married October 21, 1947, moved to California, settling in the Fremont area. He went to work for Pacific State Steele, working there for 28 years, until the plant closed its doors. He then went to work for Leslie Salt, and continued working there for another eight years. He had many interesting stories to tell of how the salt was harvested. One doesn't often think of the process used to form the salt we so generously shake from our shakers. In 1984, Junior and Mary moved to Canby to a home they had purchased back in the 1960's. They both loved Modoc and had spent many a vacation here over the years, especially during deer season. Soon a large vegetable garden filled their backyard, which they shared with neighbors. Mary passed away in 2001. They had shared 53 years together. Junior continued in his giving ways, always ready to help neighbors and friends. He still raised and shared his garden produce until ill health took over. He is greatly missed by all of us. Survivors include his two sons, Harvey of Newark, Ca. and Donnie Holderfield and wife Jennifer, of Fremont, Ca.; sisters, Mabel Newby of Oklahoma; Eloise Glenn of Oklahoma, Claudine Goss of Oklahoma and Sharie Wann and Wanda Newby oif Arkansas and their families, including five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Burial was in Fremont on September 2 beside his wife, whom he so lovingly cared for during her illness. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.