Modoc County Record – October , 2001 Elfriede Helene Ohm Graveside services for Elfriede Helene Ohm will be held Oct. 5, 11 a.m. at the Alturas Cemetery. Mrs. Ohm died Sept. 30, 2001 in Cedarville and had been a Modoc resident for 66 years. She was born Oct. 21, 1908 in Westermuhlon, Germany. She was married to Peter Ohm April 12, 1935 in Germany. Her husband passed away in July, 1989. Lela F. Tomajko Lela F. Tomajko died Sept. 18, 2001 in Alturas, California where she has been a resident for the past five years. Burial was in Ontario, Ca. She was born July 8, 1916 in Clairmont, Ca., where she lived much of her life and worked as a housekeeper and cook. Her husband, John Tomajko, died March 24, 1984. OCTOBER 18, 2001 Erma I. Burgoyne Lifelong Surprise Valley resident, Erma Ila (Sweeney) Burgoyne of Cedarville passed away October 5, 2001 at the Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, Calif. Services will be conducted on Friday, October 12 at 11:00 a.m. at the People's Church of Fort Bidwell, by Pastor Conrad Marzuola of Living Water Fellowship. Interment will follow at the Fort Bidwell Cemetery. OCTOBER 25, 2001 Elvira B. Allen Lifetime Modoc resident, Elvira B. Allen, 85, of Alturas, Calif. passed away October 14, 2001, at the Skilled Nursing Facility at Modoc Medical Center, in Alturas, Calif. Graveside services will be held at the Fort Bidwell Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. October 25, 2001. A complete obituary will be printed later. OCTOBER 25, 2001 Glen Norman Bearden Canby resident Glen Norman Bearden, 81, passed away at home on Saturday, October 20, 2001 Born August 30, 1920 in Kusa, Oklahoma to Dennis and Jessie Bearden, he left Oklahoma at age 17 to move to California. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. As a long-line truck driver, he was an owner/operator until retiring from Sunnyvale to Modoc County in 1973. He married Ada Buchanan in Carson City, Nev. on August 26, 1978. After he retired, he worked as a school bus driver, driver for the Senior Citizens Center in Alturas, worked with the U.S. Forest Service, and in Waste Management in Alturas "He loved fishing and dabbled in a little of everything from making quilts and painting to doing woodcrafts," said his wife of 23 years. "He was always trying new things and was easy-go-lucky." Mr. Bearden was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Eastern Star, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans as well as a Shriner and member of the Scottish Rite Temple. He was also active in working with the Rainbow Girls in Alturas for several years. He was preceded in death by his parents, three sons, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He is survived by his wife Ada of Canby; a son Bobby Joe of Fairfax, VA; daughter Billie Sue Bearden of Sunnyvale, CA; two step-daughters, Mellena Delaney of Yreka and Melva Brister of Cave Junction, Ore.; sisters Lillie Pate of Redding; brother Claude Bearden of Eufalla, Oklahoma; two step-grandsons, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was loved and will be missed by many Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1 at the Canby Fire Hall. The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Fall River Hospice or charity of the donor's choice. George H. ‘Hank' Welbourn Hank Welbourn loved Modoc County, from the time he was 12-years-old and had hunted each hunting season with his father. He vowed to retire to the area and made that dream come true in 1987. George Henry ‘Hank' Welbourn, was a World War II Veteran of the U.S. Navy and a 36-year employee with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. He was a Powerhouse Supervisor for eight Sierra-based area powerhouses known as the Drum Power House Division. He was born to Olga Evelyn (Rockhold) and Albert Edward Welbourn in Anderson, Calif. on August 5, 1922. He met his future bride, Leslie Childs of Red Bluff, when she was 12. The families knew one another. At age 18 he entered the U.S. Navy on January 14, 1941. He served on a destroyer that was sunk in the Pacific, followed by an assignment to a new destroyer. The day after Thanksgiving, he and his long-time sweetheart Leslie were married on November 25, 1943. After his discharge on December 20, 1946, at the rank of Chief Machinist Mate, he wasted no time in going to work with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. with the start of 1947. Throughout his 36-year career and transfers with the company, the Welbourn family lived in several counties some of which were Plumas, Trinity, Tehama, Shasta and Placer. He and Leslie made the trek to Modoc County each hunting season, in keeping with the tradition he and his father had started. Hank loved to hunt, fish, play golf and enjoyed his horses, when he retired to Modoc County. He was a member of the BPO Elks, Alturas Lodge 1756 for 54 years and 51 years with the Free & Accepted Masons, Alturas Canby Cross Lodge #248, both of which honored him with 50-year pins. He was a member of the Royal Arch Masons, Franklin Chapter #20, Oroville; Knights Templar of California, Butte Commandery No. 5; Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Sacramento; Ben Ali Shrine, Sacramento; had a life membership in the California Rifle and Pistol Association and was a member of the National Rifle Association. Hank and Leslie were to celebrate 58 years of marriage next month. Mr. Welbourn had been a resident at a Sacramento Alzheimer Center since 1994. He passed away in Sacramento, Calif. on October 9, 2001. Services will be private with inurnment at Anderson Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, Anderson, Calif. He is survived by his wife Leslie H. Welbourn of Alturas; daughters Gayle McMaster of Quincy; Linda Welbourn of Granite Bay, Calif.; son Michael Welbourn of Loyalton, Calif.; twin sister Emma Isbell of Sacramento; three granddaughters, Laura Miller of Paradise; Diana Ruch of Medford, Ore.; Mannell Anton of Rocklin; two grandsons, Darrell McMaster of Quincy and Daron Sullivan of Forest Hill, Calif.; great-granddaughter Sierra Cheyenne McMaster of Quincy. The family suggests any memorial contributions be directed to the Shriners' Children's Hospital, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA. 95817. Edward W. ‘Bud' Porter Services are pending for Edward W. "Bud" Porter who passed away at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, Calif. on October 23, 2001. Full obituary to follow next week. Marie Etta Steward Long-time Lake City resident and rancher Marie Etta Dunten Steward, passed away at the age of 97, of natural causes, on October 18, 2001 in Cedarville, Calif. She was born Marie Etta Dunten on June 30, 1904 in Walterville, Ore. to Emma Belle Dotson Dunten and was delivered on the stairway of their home by her father Vivian Levering Dunten. Marie was the third child in a family of seven children. Marie was left to do most of the work on her father's ranch in Camp Creek, Ore. She later moved to Eugene and stayed with an aunt where she attended high school. At age 17, Marie first met Bruce Steward when his car got stuck in a mud hole and she pulled him out with her horse. At that time, he thought she was a boy because her long, auburn hair was up under her hat. Bruce was working in the saw mills. At the time, Bruce was married to Meta Collins and had two children, Audrey and Brucie. Shortly after meeting Marie, his wife and daughter died a month apart. He later moved back to Lake City, Calif. Bruce and Marie then corresponded for a year. They decided to get married and she came by train to Klamath Falls, Ore. where Bruce and Russell Steward met her. They then traveled to Alturas in Russell's Model T Ford, where Bruce and Marie were married April 16, 1923. On their arrival at Lake City, they were surprised by a chivery at the Steward Ranch, where they made their home with his parents. During their early married life, Brucie and Marie went with Bruce trapping and hunting. They ran the Leonard's Baths along with working on the ranch. To their marriage four children were born, Vivian, DeLos "Bud", Dale and Theyel. Due to Bruce losing his sight at age 50, Marie took over all the ranch responsibility with the help of her children. She also trapped for coyotes, milked several cows, raised a big vegetable and flower garden, peddled her vegetables and milk to people in the valley and surrounding areas. She put in approximately five hundred entries in the fair and won the sweepstakes at Modoc District Fair for many years. She loved her family and always had a house full of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her home was always filled with family and friends or anyone who needed a place to stay or get a haircut. Her father had been a barber by trade and Marie had learned the trade. Her stove was always ready with a meal for anyone who needed it. Behind her great cook stove one never knew if a calf, lamb or pig might be found, as she was warming it up, so she could return it to its mother. Marie put in many years on the range, moving cattle to and from Nevada. She has been a member of the First Baptist Church in Lake City since 1923. She lived on the ranch until 1989. She passed away peacefully at Surprise Valley Hospital's long-term care, where she had resided for a number of years. Her husband Bruce preceded her in death on June 9, 1984, at the age of 94 and after 61 years of marriage. She was a loving mother to Brucie D. Steward who preceded her in death, as did daughter-in-law Jane, sons-in-law Carey Kemble, Buzz Weagant, and Bill Hauver, grandsons Ed Kemble and Frank Kemble; granddaughters Kathryn Kemble, Robbie Weagant and Julie Ann Steward and great-granddaughter Wendy Rebbeca Steward, and her brothers and sisters. She is survived by her daughters, Vivian Kemble of Cedarville and Theyel Hauver of Lovelock, Nev.; sons, DeLos "Bud" Steward of Cedarville and Dale Steward of Lake City. She was also blessed with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; five generations of love. Pastor Rod Bodmer of Faith Baptist Church, Alturas gave the service at the Baptist Church in Lake City on October 22 at 1:00 p.m. Mrs. Steward was laid to rest at the Lake City, Calif. Cemetery. Contributions in her memory may be directed to the Surprise Valley Community Hospital, P.O. Box 246, Cedarville, CA 96104 or to a charity of the donor's choice. Ginger Preston Vink Services are pending for Ginger (Preston) Vink of Alturas, who passed away at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, Calif. on October 23, 2001. She was born in Alturas, Calif. on October 10, 1960. Mrs. Vink served as the first Executive Chairperson on the April 6, 1995 opening of the Resources for Indian Student Education "RISE," in Alturas. Full obituary to follow. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.