LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A lifelong Lake County resident, Bessie Wilds passed away Saturday, May 17, 2014, at the age of 85.

Bessie was born March 16, 1929, on a hop ranch in Scotts Valley to John and Edith Woodward, the youngest of four daughters.

Bessie moved with the family to Hartley Street to attend elementary and high school.

During her high school years she helped her father operate a Shell Oil Gas Station located at 11th and Main streets in Lakeport.

She was devoted to her mother, who did not drive and had difficulty walking.

Bessie graduated high school in 1948 and married Junior C. Wilds. They made their home outside of Kelseyville and raised their son and daughter on a walnut ranch.

Bessie was a member of the Kelseyville Women's Club and also active in the local Lions Club.

During the 1970s and 1980s she was a waitress at Anne Card's Coffee Shop in Kelseyville.

In 1986 Bessie and Junior sold their walnut ranch to Beringer Winery and downsized to a small parcel near the vineyard. They watched the transformation from trees to vines.

After the loss of Junior in 2002, Bessie became a solitary person, preferring to live a quiet life.

She loved to sit at her kitchen table listening to KNBR or KGO and the police scanner, and watch the traffic. Her cats and the hummingbirds gave her great pleasure.

Bessie is survived by her son, Ron Wilds; daughter Cheryl (Ernie) Ostern; sister-in-laws, Gloria Wilds and Laura Buchanan; and brother-in-law, George Wilds; four nephews; and six nieces.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Kelseyville Cemetery, 3375 Bell Hill Road, Kelseyville. A reception will follow.

For further information please call Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

COBB, Calif. – Amber Nicole Brown Stogner entered into rest in Cobb, Calif., on Sunday, May 11, 2014.

Amber was born in Napa, Calif., and resided in Cobb the last 14 years of her life.

Amber is survived by her two sons, Jerimiah R. Brown-Mortensen, age 12, and Raymond Lee Stogner, age 8. She also is survived by her parents, Colleen and David Brown; and brother, William Brown.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering that will be held to honor Amber’s life at the Little Red School House, 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb, on Saturday, May 24, beginning at noon.

Arrangements are entrusted to Jones & Lewis Clearlake Memorial Chapel in Lower Lake.

Please sign Amber’s online guest book at www.jonesandlewis.com .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Ellen G. Heath, 82, passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, surrounded by loved ones.

Ellen Louise Galbraith was born on March 30, 1932, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Robert and Louise Galbraith.

Ellen spent her youth in Orinda, Calif., where she attended Acalanes High School in Lafayette. She attended UC Berkeley and East Contra Costa Junior College before transferring to Chico State where she received her teaching degree.

She married Dale Jensen in 1953 and moved to Lake County to begin her teaching career. Ellen taught both elementary and high school but her favorite age group and where she is most remembered is as a kindergarten teacher.

Ellen retired from teaching after she married Milton Heath in 1984. She became immersed in contributing to the family’s businesses, including Nova Vineyards in Kelseyville and Superior Propane in Williams, Ariz.

It was also her vision, drive and determination that lead to the creation of Novavine, a grapevine nursery located in Santa Rosa, Calif., where she served as president.

Ellen grew up with a love of horses, participating in horse shows in her early life, owning horses and riding often in her mid-life and attending rodeos and horse shows at every opportunity.

Ellen was active in the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture and the Lake County Republican Women Federated. She also was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise.

In addition to business, Milton and Ellen spent their time having fun. Whether it was dancing at a local charity event, traveling to places including Australia, Italy and Turkey, spending three years touring the United States in their motor home, enjoying a glass of wine or riding the Orient Express, she valued spending time with her family, close friends and dogs.

Ellen is survived by her husband of 29 years, Milton Heath; her son, Jay Jensen; daughters, Jill Jensen and Lindie Rodgers; sons, Lonny Heath and Larry Heath; her sister, Jean Derrington of Australia; many beautiful grandchildren; and multiple nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise or your favorite charity.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 10, at the Middletown Lions Club, 15399 Central Park Road, Middletown.

Please sign Ellen’s online guest book at www.jonesandlewis.com .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Bernard (Bernie) Parker was born in New York on Sept. 15, 1917.

He was a World War II veteran.

His final resting place was at home in Lakeport, Calif., on April 28, 2014 at the age of 96 years.

He was surrounded by those who loved him and his wife, Betty J. Parker.

His life celebration will be Saturday, June 21, at 2 p.m. in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1111 Park Way in Lakeport.

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The life of Dr. Arthur Warmoth, a longtime psychology professor at Sonoma State University, will be celebrated this Sunday, May 18.

Warmoth died at his Rohnert Park home on April 4. He was 76 years old.

For more than 41 years he was a psychology professor at Sonoma State University, as well as a community activist and member of the Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights.

He is survived by wife of 44 years, Georgina; daughter, Monica and husband Kevin of Cotati; son, Arthur and wife Glenda of Seattle, Wash; daughter, Tonantzin of Los Angeles; grandchildren, Liam and Isabel of Cotati, and Alma of Seattle; sister, Ann and her her husband John of Bethesda, MD; brother, Edward and sister-in-law Celeste of Helena, Montana; as well as family, friends and students from all over the world.

The celebration of life event will take place beginning at 1 p.m. at the Sonoma State University Student Center, 1801 East Cotati Ave. in Rohnert Park. Parking is available in Lot D for the memorial.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, Warmoth's family asks those attending to honor him by bringing nonperishable food items to donate to the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Bill Buker, a longtime Lake County resident, passed away April 26 after a short illness.

He was born in South Dakota and became a merchant seaman during World War II.

He was a veteran survived by his wife Betty, her children and families and his children and families, also his sister Mona and nieces and nephews.