All Obituaries

Harold Wayne Casto, born May 16, 1937 in Arkansas, laid down to rest on Aug. 7, 2019. Harold leaves behind his beloved wife Kris Casto of 45 years; children Leland, Christine, Lindsey and his wife Michelle; as well as his grandchildren, Jason, Ashley, Christopher, Garrett, Kasey, Taylor and Madison. As a young boy, Harold moved with his family to Northern California where he spent the rest of his life. Harold met his bride-to-be through his love of aviation while flying his Cessna. In...

Marlys Martin went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 7, 2019. She passed away peacefully at home. She was 88 years old and had lived in the Don Pedro area since 1973. Marlys was born in Dodgeville, Wis. on Oct. 23, 1930 to Ben and Anna Julson. She lived on her father’s dairy farm with her family which included three brothers. She graduated from high school in 1948. When she was 21, Marlys married Robert Gailenfeldt and had a daughter, Jacalyn. Marlys became a widow on May 20,1953,...

Fred Rathbun passed away suddenly in his home on July 14, 2019, at the age of 72. He was born in Cooperstown, N.Y. in March of 1947, where he was raised on a dairy farm. At the age of 8, he moved to Southern California with his mother, where he resided until moving to Mariposa in 1990 with his wife and two children. He’s quoted as saying that what drew him to this area is that he was smitten with gold mining in Mariposa. In Southern California, he was an executive for St. Louis...

Leota L. Tucker was born in Atchison, Kan. on July 23, 1923 to George William Neville and Lydia Louise Neville. She was preceded in death by her husband and father of her three children, Frank Albert Edward Ledgard, in 1958; her second husband, Leo Tucker, who passed many years later; two brothers: Eugene Neville, who was killed in World War II on the USS Saratoga, and John O. (Slim) Neville in April of 2014, who was a resident of Mariposa County. She is survived by her remaining brother,...

Ray G. Jeske, age 86, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on May 24, 2019 at his home in Mariposa, Calif. Ray was born in Chicago, Ill. His younger years were spent in Madison, Wis. where he began his lifetime love of automobiles, planes and trains. He learned to fly a plane and received his pilot’s license before his driver’s license. After high school he moved to Santa Monica where Ray earned his Bachelor’s of Science in aeronautical engineering from...

James Earnest Granville of Mariposa, Calif. passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 9, 2019. He was born on July 19,1947 in Odessa, Texas. Jim was the youngest child of Earnest and Elaine Granville. He attended Cherry Creek High school in Englewood, Colo. and the University of Colorado Boulder. He was an Eagle Scout and an avid sportsman. He enjoyed rock climbing, snow and water skiing and hiking. He moved to California in 1969. Jim married Lee Ann Walters in Pleasant Hill, Calif. on August...

On Saturday, February 2, 2019 Flora ‘Jean’ Werly passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Fresno.  This last November her family and many friends celebrated her 99th Birthday, and a life well lived.  Jean was a great communicator and storyteller.   At the age of 93 she realized her biggest personal accomplishment by completing her book A Tent by the Creek.  She had a deep love for the the Sierras, and felt most at home in nature,...

Born to Murrel and Hilma Haas of Oberlin Kansas, Rodney, and his older brother Larry spent their youth in Hollister, Ca. Rod graduated in 1953 from San Benito County High School where he excelled as an athlete. He briefly attended San Jose State University before enlisting in the Air Force in 1955. Rod married Verna Lee Winkle on January 1, 1956.   He was stationed at Tyndall AFB and served out his enlistment in Panama City Florida, where daughter Cheryl was born.  Rod was a...

 Carolyn Ann Lindquist of Mariposa passed away suddenly in Doctors Hospital, in Modesto Monday November 27th. Born September 13, 1933 to Myrtle and Ralph Biblehouse in Long Beach  CA.  Carolyn was the beloved Wife of Don Lindquist for more than 49 years before his passing in 2009.  Her family and friends will undoubtedly remember her for her quick wit, confidence and willingness to love and encourage others.  She taught everyone that life is full of energy of...

Melvin Ruiz, born  October 4, 1936 passed away peacefully on December 6, 2017 at home. He was born in Saugus, California to Henry and Juanita Ruiz.  The family moved from Saugus in 1955 to Mariposa.  A few years later they moved to the current homestead on Ben Hur Road  near Raymond.  Both Henry and Juanita lost  many of their immediate family members on March 12, 1928 when the St. Francis Dam located in San Francisquito Canyon near Los Angelses broke. After a...