Johnny W. Chapman Johnny Willard Chapman, a native Modocer, passed away March 7, 2005, at Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville. Mr. Chapman was 67 years old and had lived most of his life in Modoc County. Graveside services were conducted by the Alturas Veterans organizations at the Alturas Cemetery on Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m. . Chapman was born in Likely, CA on January 17, 1938, to James and Fay (Smith) Chapman. Johnny was the third child of four. He left high school as a sophomore to enter the U.S. Army in Oakland on Dec. 4, 1956 and served with the military police in Germany until his honorable discharge as a Private 2nd Class November 15, 1957, when he returned to Alturas. Following his discharge, he worked for many years at the Alturas Laundry when it was owned by Mrs. Marguerite Cook. A "jack of all trades," Mr. Chapman was a carpenter for Coppedge Construction, and worked on several Alturas housing developments. He worked at the lumber mill in Burney, worked in maintenance at California Pines Lodge and the past few years, he worked at Antonio's Cucina Italiana restaurant in Alturas. About five years ago, he underwent a seven-way bypass heart surgery. Mr. Chapman enjoyed working in his yard, raising flowers and manicuring his beautifully green lawn. He was a quiet man, with a soft heart for young children. Mr. Chapman is survived by his two sisters Betty Russell of Alturas; Eunice Seminario of Alturas and brother Robert Joe Chapman of Oroville; daughter Agnes Fay of Texas and son Johnny Carl Chapman of Burney, CA.; four grandchildren and one great-grandson. Among his numerous nieces and nephews is his niece Karen Ballard of Cedarville who loved and cared for her uncle during his declining health. He considered Tina Smith as a daughter and her daughter Dana as a granddaughter, as they adopted him as well. His daughter Debby Chapman and son Mark Chapman preceded him in death. Memorial donations may be directed to the American Heart or Lung Association. Ray D. Henderson Family and Friends are invited to a celebration of Ray D. Henderson's life at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at Pleasant Grove Community Church, 1730 Pleasant Grove Boulevard, Roseville (adjacent to Sun City Roseville). Mr. Henderson's passing on March 7, 2005, was a peaceful one at his home in Sun City Roseville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to: Pleasant Grove Community Church (address above - zip code 95747) or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 3105 Fite Circle, Suite 101, Sacramento, CA 95827. The former Alturas resident and developer of Rancho Murieta and Cameron Park, was the third son in a family of five boys and one girl, born on May 8, 1916 to James Lee and Emma Clara Henderson on a ranch in Tolbert, Texas. At Kelton High School he played basketball and football and made a name for himself in baseball as a standout pitcher on his hometown team. After high school graduation, Ray decided to become a farmer. There were very few tractors in those days in the Texas Panhandle, so his father rigged up a six-horse team and turned it over to Ray, along with 100 acres of land. Plowing from sunup to sundown, 18 year-old Ray had plenty of time to think, and his thinking was intensified by the dust bowl years in Texas. Ray handed his plow over to his father in 1935 and set out to find his niche. He hitchhiked to California and ran out of money in Alturas. He got a job in A.W. McCaughan's grocery store and service station and worked nights at the Ford dealership. During the summer he met Marie Espil at the boarding house where both were staying. They were married on December 21, 1935. Ray and Marie's two sons, Ron and Marty, were both born in Alturas. Ray sold automobiles for other dealers and in December of 1936, he bought and operated the Chrysler and Plymouth dealership under the name of Henderson Motor Sales. It wasn't long before Ray was operating the Ford dealership and Marie worked as his bookkeeper. In December, 1941, Ray was operating the Chevrolet truck and automobile agency in Alturas. Then came the attack on Pearl Harbor. Reasoning that it was only a question of a few weeks until the government would assume control of the sale of all motor vehicles, Henderson started buying all the heavy earth-moving trucks he could find on the market. With this equipment he went to Richmond where he obtained a contract for moving earth at the Kaiser shipyards, employing three shifts of drivers for each truck, thus keeping his equipment busy 24 hours a day during WWII. In June of 1946 Cranston Bros. of Woodland sold their implement business to Ray. The sale included International Harvester and truck franchise that covered Yolo and Colusa counties. In 1949, Bill Sutton joined the Ray D. Henderson Co. as full partner. Ray took up flying in Alturas and used his airplanes for business and pleasure until the late 1970's. Ray was a 32nd degree Mason in the Modoc Lodge in Alturas, and spent time in the Elks and Rotary organizations. He belonged to the Ben Ali Temple in Sacramento. During his lifetime he was a member of the Yolo Fliers Club, The Sutter Club, Cameron Park Country Club and Rancho Murieta Country Club. In 1948, Ray became a Tucker automobile dealer and had a show at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium with Preston Tucker in attendance. Near that time, Henderson also sold golden anniversary Packards. Ray shifted gears in the 50's from autos and machinery to real estate. He went to work as vice president and manager of the commercial and ranch department for MacBride Realty in Sacramento. While working for Frank MacBride, he put together a series of ranch exchanges involving former Lt. Governor Butch Powers involving property valued at $3.6 million. He used his flying ability to sell ranch property all over the western United States. Ray partnered with Jack Richey to open his their own realty company, Real Estate Inc. Jack, Ray and Ray's oldest son Ron built a very successful commercial and ranch brokerage firm over the next several years. In the mid 1960's Ray led a small group of investors in the purchase of the Cameron Park community in El Dorado County from Larry Cameron. The golf course residential community was in place, including the original Stage Coach Inn, later purchased by Sam Gordon. Ray expanded the airport and developed the concept of "airport" homes whereas pilots (including himself) could land their planes and park them in a garage under the home. He added an equestrian center, recreational lake, continued to develop residential lots, and later built several custom homes and an apartment complex to encourage others to build in the area. He partnered with PGA Professional Arnold Palmer and built the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy at Cameron Park. It was a summer golfing camp with dormitories for kids and Arnold would fly in to speak to the kids at graduation time. Ray sold his interest in Cameron Park to a large REIT in the early 1970's to pursue his biggest dream of all a 5,000-unit planned unit development located off a small and twisting two-lane Jackson Highway, 23 miles east of Sacramento. Ray, along with the Pension Trust fund for Operating Engineers Local No. 3, staked claim to the oak-studded oasis near Sloughhouse called Rancho Murieta. The Operating Engineers Training Center provided 140 practicing apprentice engineers who have accounted for nearly all of Murieta's earth-moving improvements over the years, including three major dams. Henderson built two championship golf courses; a 40,000 square-foot private country club; a modern equestrian facility; an FAA-approved airport with a 3,800 foot runway; five lakes, three of which provide a self-sustaining water supply for the community; a business conference center and lodge. Ray owned and operated the sales organization and had the managing contract from the Operating Engineers to oversee all development for the project. The development's conservative use of water was one of Henderson's favorite topics. He casually gesticulates about the "gravitational flow" of the multi-tiered dam system. How much formal training did he have in engineering? "No engineering degree", he laughed. "Just the invaluable experience of building things wrong for so many years." Ray left Rancho Murieta in 1983 and opened a small brokerage office in Sacramento. Ray and his sons developed "SunRay Plaza", a commercial shopping center in Citrus Heights anchored by Tom Thumb Market. The center was subsequently sold. Ray moved to Sun City Roseville in 1996 and after the death of his wife, Marie, he married Debbie. They spent many years playing golf and traveling the globe. When Ray's health began to fail, he still enjoyed reading books, going out to lunch, and visiting with friends. Ray was diagnosed with acute leukemia in January of 2005. He is survived by his wife, Debbie; sons Ron and Marty (Sue); granddaughters Kim, Kelly (Paul), Karen, Jenny, Kendal (Arun), Emily (Marcus) and; and great-grandchildren Maddie, Katie, Ethan, Shea and Olivia. Ray was preceded in death by his first wife, Marie. Mary Luvene Grubb Ernest H. Grubb Former Alturas residents Mary Luvene (Renner) and her husband Ernest Harold Grubb have passed away in Modesto, CA. Mrs. Grubb passed away February 26, 2005 at Modesto Medical Center, Modesto, CA. Mr. Grubb passed away February 28, 2005 at their Modesto, CA home. Both were in declining health. Mary Luvene Renner was born on January 17, 1925 in Alturas, CA and attended local schools. Ernest was born in Fulton, Kansas on January 26, 1920. He had worked at the box factory in Alturas. The Grubbs had lived in Modesto since 1940. Mr. Grubb was self-employed in construction and Mrs. Grubb was a clerk for 25 years for the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. They enjoyed travel, and he, hunting and she, knitting. He is survived by his brothers, Jack Grubb and Ed Grubb, both of Modesto; and their three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They were preceded in death by their daughter Carol Lewis. A combined memorial service was held at 1 p.m. March 12 at Salas Brothers Funeral Chapel in Modesto. Private burial at the Alturas Cemetery at a future date. Remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1601 Ford Ave., Suite 8, Modesto, CA 95350. Ruth Ann Richardson Ruth Ann Richardson passed away March 11, 2005 at Valley West Care Center in Williams, CA. She was age 83. A Colusa resident for 52 years, Mrs. Richardson was a homemaker and a member of the Order of Eastern Star. She enjoyed baking pies, making homemade jam, and spending time with her family. She was born Ruth Ann Boland on December 12, 1921 in Sulfur, Oklahoma. Survivors include her son, Dennis Richardson of Colusa; four grandchildren: Jada Richardson, Seth Silvera Richardson, Jennifer Richardson, Dennis Richardson, Jr.; one great-grandchild; sisters: Lois Sanders of Fresno, CA and Alline Berg of Vallejo, CA; brothers Hugh Boland of Snelling, CA and Bob Boland of Modesto, CA. Her husband Leonard Richardson and her children Thomas Richardson, Charles Richardson, and Patricia Richardson preceded her in death. Funeral Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 17 at McNary-Moore Chapel in Colusa. Burial services will be private. Memorial contributions may be made in her behalf to the Colusa Regional Medical Center. Services are under the direction of McNary-Moore Funeral Service. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Modoc County, California "The Last Frontier" www.rh2o.com/modoc --- Our outgoing mail is checked by Norton AntiVirus.