Obituaries: Gordon Leland Doss Life-time Modoc resident Gordon Leland Doss passed away August 24, 2003 in Alturas, CA. Mr. Doss would have been 87 today, September 11. He served his community well and contributed greatly to the safety of his country as a pilot during war time. Mr. Doss was recognized for "perfect service, dedication and pride" as a Star Route Carrier with the U.S. Postal Service for 50 years. Postmasters from as far back as World War II, supervisors, directors and the Postmaster from Reno honored Gordon by attending his retirement dinner in Fort Bidwell July 30, 1988. Gordon Leland Doss was born the eldest of three children on Sept. 11, 1916 in Reno, Nev., while his father Leland, was working the SP railroad shops. The family returned to their Ft. Bidwell home, where Gordon was reared and graduated from Ft. Bidwell High School. His mother, the former Verda Lunsford, was from a Modoc pioneer family. Gordon always loved driving from the time he was 11. He got started hauling freight for his father and in 1934 amassed enough to buy a $50 four-cylinder Star from B.N. Bock. Gordon met his wife Fern Ash, the first day back to school in Fort Bidwell in the seventh grade and vowed she was the one he'd marry. He and Fern were married in Reno on June 7, 1936. For a time, Gordon tried his hand at selling used cars in Alturas, driving a gas truck hauling from Bieber and in 1938, he went back to work for his father and also landed a mail contract of his own. He drove the Eagleville-Ft. Bidwell route, with 16 hour days, six days a week and Sundays spent working on keeping the equipment going. The route was switched in 1946, to the Fort Bidwell to Nubieber route, for which Gordon was responsible for 22 years. His last 22 years were doing the Fort Bidwell to Tulelake route. When a Civil Pilot Training course was offered in Alturas, Gordon enrolled and attended the ground school classe! s for two to three hours a night, making for long work days. In 1942, he had completed the training with 75 hours of flying and wanted to be a fighter pilot. He hitchhiked to McClellan Field in Sacramento to take and pass a flight officer training test and returned to Alturas to volunteer for the draft. He was sent to Maxwell Field, Alabama and later Georgia where he hoped to become a P-38 fighter pilot with the Army Air Corps. Because of his height, he was too tall to fit into the cockpit and was sent to bomber school. Commissioned a 1st Lt. he flew in the left pilot's seat. His crew called him "Pappy" as the eldest, at 26, as well as the tallest. Gordon was assigned to the 8th Air Force (490th Bomber Group, 849th Squadron, which also had the highest number of casualties during the war) and headed for England by way of Brazil and North Africa. His squadron was based at Eye Field, England and he landed there April 1, 1944. Thirty days later, he was on his first of 25 bombing! missions. While assigned to the Air Transport Command at Palm Springs when he returned, Gordon had the distinction of bringing the largest airplane to ever land on the tiny Alturas municipal airstrip --a C-47, on June 6, 1944, when his father was ill and his family called him to come home. His last mission was in a new B-17 on Sept. 25, 1944, somewhere over Germany, when flak repeatedly hit the plane, knocking out all the controls, except the rudder. Gordon told the Record in a 1981 story, he made it back "in a kind of glide all the way to England and when he landed, the whole airplane just about fell apart." While Gordon was a bomber pilot for three years, his wife Fern operated the freight and carrier route business. He was a hero to his younger brother Mick, who was 17 years Gordon's junior. From the time he was a young man, Gordon loved history and seeking out artifacts. He had always enjoyed restoring antiques, such as gas lamps and had quite a collection of rare items, he'd collected over the years. He also enjoyed hunting and was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post. He is survived by his brother Mick and wife Joanne Doss of Alturas, CA; sister Dixie Peterson of Klamath Falls, OR; sister-in-law Jane Stevens of Alturas, CA. and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Fern and brother-in-law Charles Stevens and his parents. A private inurnment was held at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3327 in Alturas. Kerr Mortuary in Alturas was in charge of arrangements. Harold L. 'Hal' Pearcy Harold L. "Hal" Pearcy, a former Alturas resident and State Building Inspector for Public Instruction, passed away August 27, 2003 in Ventura, CA. Not one to stand on ceremony, at Mr. Pearcy's advance request, no services will be held. Born on a farm in Kanarado, Kansas on May 31, 1915, and educated in Belleville, Kansas, he moved to California with his father Glenn Pearcy to work in the construction industry. It was in California where he met his wife of 63 years, Katharine Riley, at her mother's rooming house. The couple married November 8, 1940 in Los Angeles, CA. and moved to Tulare where Hal was to be a civilian-military flight instructor at Rankin Air Field, where he trained fighter pilots for World War II. He returned to Southern California to start their own plastering contracting business. Hal took a partner and moved the business to Lancaster in the early 1950s. Named "Get Plastered With Pearcy and Casey," it was the major construction company during the building boom in the Antelope Valley. Hal was very active in Rotary in Lancaster and donated countless hours of service to their causes. He was a lifetime achievement member of Rotary and AOPA member. He loved boating and water-skiing, motorcycles and flying, keeping his pilot license until the age of 70. He provided his family with many recreational opportunities, including horses for his daughters Jeanne and Carol. Mr. Pearcy became a state building inspector for public construction, supervising the Antelope Valley Hospital and College additions, the College of the Siskiyous additions and improvement projects at Alturas Elementary and Modoc Middle Schools in the mid-1980s. He donated many hours of inspections to Red Cross buildings. Hal was a frequent patron of the Beacon Restaurant in Alturas, when he joined fellow-construction pals, the late Frogs Ballard and Glenn Jobe for coffee. He was known as "the Grandpa" to daughter Carol's many child care charges. Hal enjoyed amateur video-taping and visiting with his family and friends. His contagious smile and sense of humor will be remembered by all who knew him. He was a beloved husband, father and grandpa. He is survived by his wife Katharine of Ventura; daughters, Jeanne Pearcy, Alturas, CA; daughter Carol and husband Bill Studt, Ventura, CA; sisters Margaret Balleweg, Canoga Park, CA and Glenna Joe Ucker, Encinitas, CA; grandsons Jeff Studt and wife Nikki of Ventura; Ryan and wife Rainy Studt of San Diego; granddaughter Lacy Ann Studt, Thousand Oaks, CA; nephews, George, Joe, and David Balleweg and Karl Pearcy; nieces Julie Balleweg, Joyce Ucker and many grand nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Glenn J. and Lena (Skeers) Pearcy; sisters Florence Douglas and Lena Mae Hartwell; brother Louis Pearcy, an infant twin sister; nephew Ken Pearcy, niece Patty Wittry. Memorials may be made to any charity of the donor's choosing or to provide a service project for a friend. Roy Swain Roy Swain of Adin, Calif. passed away at Fall River Mills, Calif. on September 6, 2003. Mr. Swain would have celebrated his 97th birthday, having been born on September 26, 1906 in Susanville, Calif. Always a hard and energetic worker, Mr. Swain was a buckaroo in his early days and worked on the George and Elmer Williams, Corporation and J.D. Flournoy ranches in Modoc County. He mined for gold at the Hayden Hill Gold Mine near Adin in 1944 and went to work for Edgerton Brothers Lumber Company in Adin. In later years, he was employed with the County of Modoc as the maintenance person, taking beautiful care of Adin's pristine park for 14 years, during the 1970 and 80s, until he retired. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons. Mr. Swain was married on January 16, 1935 in Reno, NV. to Edith Smith Gordon. The two shared 53 years of marriage together, until her death in 1988. He was also preceded in death by his daughter Roselea Nelson in 2003. Pastor Destry Campbell conducted a graveside service at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the Adin Cemetery, Adin, Calif. Mr. Swain is survived by his son-in-law Glenn Nelson of Adin; granddaughter Susan Cull and husband Perry of Redding; grandson Alan Nelson and wife Kathie of Adin; granddaughter Kris Dodgen and husband Bryan of Adin; nine great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Memorial donations to the Adin Ambulance fund, at P.O. Box 102, Adin, CA 96006, will be appreciated. Kerr Mortuary was in charge of arrangements. Ardis E. Doyle Former Alturas resident Ardis E. Doyle of Sacramento, passed away September 2, 2003. A native of California, she was born June 17, 1919 in San Francisco, Calif. The family resided for several years in Alturas, where Ardis' husband Richard "Dick" Doyle was manager for Bronson and Doyle John Deere Tractor Co., until their move to Sacramento in 1956. She still leaves friends in Alturas. Her husband preceded her in death. Ardis was the loving mother of Sharon D. Yuke of Sacramento, and Dustin F. Doyle of Roseville and loving grandmother of Robyn Richardson, Ryan Richardson, Matt Doyle, Marc Doyle and Eric Doyle. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Memorial services will be held at East Lawn Mortuary, 5757 Greenback Ln., Sacramento, Sept. 13, 2003 at 2 p.m. Remembrances may be made to The Ronald McDonald House Charities, Eagle Lake Memorial Fund, 2555 49th St., Sacramento, CA 95817. Ruth French Zimmerman Ruth French (McLaughlin) Zimmerman passed away at Methodist Hospital in Sacramento, California on August 19, 2003 at the age of 87. She will best be remembered as a very loving person with an accepting nature and a gentle spirit. She gave unconditional love to not only all of her family members but to everyone she knew. Ruth was born in Alturas, California in 1915 to Gertrude Payne and Robert French. The youngest of three children, Ruth was brought up in the newspaper business as her parents published the Alturas Plain Dealer. She was able to run a linotype machine at the age of 10 and used her knowledge of publishing in various careers her entire life. She was also a very successful athlete at Modoc High School and maintained that love for sports her entire life. Ruth graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Speaking; the first member of her family to graduate from college. She moved to Sacramento and became a proofreader for several newspapers and publishing companies. In 1949, she married Kenneth McLaughlin and had her only child, Dan McLaughlin of South Lake Tahoe. She and Ken divorced early and Ruth raised Dan as a single mother in an era when women could not get equal jobs or equal pay to men. In 1963, she married her soul mate, Ernest Zimmerman and supported his business, the Zimmerman Reading Clinic until his retirement in 1981. They remained devoted to each other until Ernie's death in 1983. She was also real close to her sister Dorris Scroggin of Medford, Oregon during her life. Ruth can be best described as having a pioneering spirit. She believed that a stranger was just a friend she hadn't met yet. She believed in herself and her abilities and passed that strength of character to her family and friends. She never judged a person on reputation but made her own opinions on what she observed. She judged people on who they were, not what other people thought they were. Ruth's never say die attitude was best shown in how she survived two major operations to live a very normal life. She had a Thyroid operation and in 1956 she became one of the first persons in the State of California to have an Illiostomy. A supposed debilitating operation, Ruth not only lived a normal life afterwards, she also traveled the state showing others facing the same operation, how to cope. She was truly an inspiration to all who knew her. She was past president of the Ostomy Association, member of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and very active later in life in the Widowed Persons Society and an avid Pinochle player. Ruth's true love in life was to follow the athletic careers of her son and grandchildren. She would regularly travel to South Lake Tahoe to watch the Sports Concern Softball team that Dan played on. She became the surrogate mother for all the players. She also made frequent trips to South Lake Tahoe to watch her grandson Shawn's Little League, Babe Ruth, high school baseball and volleyball games as well as granddaughter Shaylene's ASA softball, basketball and volleyball games. She was a particular fan of the volleyball teams her son Dan has coached over the years, regularly attending their matches in the Sacramento and Bay Areas. In later years, in Sacramento she enjoyed luncheon meetings with other 'old Modocers' and also attended the annual Modoc Picnic in Sacramento. "She and her parents made a difference in many public projects," states grade and high school classmate and friend Laura M. Putnam of Sacramento. Ruth is survived by her son Dan McLaughlin, daughter in-law Sue McLaughlin, grandson and granddaughter Shawn and Shaylene McLaughlin, all of South Lake Tahoe, California; niece Susan French of Davis, California; nephews Mike French and his children Jessica and Kimberly of Overland Park, Kansas and Terry Scroggin and his children Jenny, Joanna and Terra of Klamath Falls, Oregon; step daughters Charlotte Moellenbeck and Joanne Pottenger of Santa Fe, New Mexico; step grandchildren Dennis Pottenger and Janice Rush of Sacramento, California, Mike Pottenger of Los Angeles, California, Albert Moellenbeck of Omaha, Nebraska, Mary Kuehner of St. Louis, Missouri, Cheryl Tallman of Petoskey, Michigan and Joan Ahlers of Los Alamos, New Mexico. A Celebration of Life was held at Mt. Vernon Mortuary, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 29. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be given to the United Ostomy Association, Inc., 19772 MacArthur Blvd., Ste. 200, Irvine, CA. 92612-2405. Dawn Elaine Myers Thomas Creek resident Dawn Elaine Myers passed away at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, Calif. on September 1, 2003 due to cancer. Mrs. Myers was 49. Born Dawn Elaine Jones in Long Beach, Calif. on September 22, 1953, she graduated from Poly High in Long Beach and Long Beach City College. She was trained and had worked as a certified nurse assistant (CNA) and also as a doctor's representative. A talented painter, Mrs. Myers also enjoyed crochet work as a hobby. She married Robin Myers in Las Vegas, Nev. on December 23, 1988. He preceded his wife in death on Feb. 24, 1997. Mrs. Myers had made Modoc County her home for the past 14 years. She is survived by her mother Ethel M. Kawagoe of Alturas; stepfather Frank Kawagoe of Alturas; brothers Micheal Lee Jones of Anaheim, Larry D. Jones of Alturas and Paul L. Jones of Alturas, CA; step-brother Randy Kawagoe, one niece Elaine Jones, nephews Harry Stanford, Michael Lee Jones, William Regis, all of Alturas; 10 great-nephews and seven great- nieces. Her husband's family resides in Las Vegas, NV. A private family service will be held at the family home in Thomas Creek. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society, Redding Field Office, 3290 Bechelli Lane, Redding, CA 96002. Kerr Mortuary in Alturas was in charge of arrangements. ~~~~~~ Billie C. Reynolds Anita "Jean" Waters-Reynolds (Family Genealogy) http://www.rh2o.com (Modoc County Genealogy) http://www.rh2o.com/modoc/ --- Our outgoing mail is checked by Norton AntiVirus.