Joseph Lewkowitz Jr. of Middletown, Calif., died on Jan. 3, 2012. He was 76 years old. Courtesy photo.

Joseph Lewkowitz Jr. of Middletown passed away on Jan. 3, 2012, after a long fight with diabetes and the complications that came with it.

His loving wife and caregiver of 54 years, Clarine, was by his side along with his children.

His survivors include his wife, Clarine; daughter, Vicki Lewkowitz (Paul Moore) of Middletown; son, Joseph Lewkowitz III (Theresa) of South San Francisco; son, Wade Lewkowitz (Christine) of Elk Grove and daughter Sarah Bucini (Craig) of Pacifica. He also leaves eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; brothers, Jack and Victor; sisters, Terry, Fran and Darlene.

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Charles.

Joe was born in Silver City, New Mexico, on March 27, 1935, to Joseph Sr. and Sarah Lewkowitz.

He proudly served his country in the US Air Force from 1954 to 1958. After returning, he landed a few different jobs but then became employed by Local 38 Steam-Fitters Union out of San Francisco. He was a proud Union worker and retired after 30 years.

Joe and Clarine moved to Lake County in 1984 and settled in Middletown. Joe found he preferred working to retirement, so he took a position in the Middletown Unified School District. He worked in several positions and was most recently known as “Security Joe.” He retired from the school district in June of 2010.

In his time he was an avid fisherman, hunter and scuba diver. Growing up, baseball was his passion and it took him as far as trying out for the Pittsburgh Pirates as a pitcher. He was a faithful 49er and Giants fan and was a diehard Middletown High School Football supporter. He was a faithful member of the Lions Club, the NRA and was president of the Hobi Hobiknocker Club.

A celebration of life will be held at the Lions Club, 15399 Central Park Road in Middletown on Saturday, Jan. 21, at noon.

His family prefers that any donations in his name be made to the Middletown High School Booster Club or St. Joseph Catholic Church in Middletown.

He will be missed, but his family knows he is up in heaven with a whole new audience to entertain!

He was raised in Sonoma County, attending McNear, Valley Vista, Petaluma Junior and Senior High Schools.

He will be lovingly missed by his parents, Duane and Debbie Clarke; his aunts, Bridget McLeran and Gail (Steve) Wilkins; his cousins, Cristy, Candace, and Cody Cash; his stepbrother, Hudson (Lori) Clarke; as well as his father, Ricky Lamar Dee.

He lived his life like it was an adventure, and he endeared himself to all that knew him.

He was a waiter, sous chef, bartender, and DJ in establishments in Petaluma, San Francisco, Miami Beach and Manhattan.

A private family gathering will be held in Lake County, and a celebration of his life will be held for his friends in Petaluma during spring, his favorite season.

Donations can be made in his name, to your community's Boys and Girls Clubs of America here: https://secure2.convio.net/bgca/site/Donation2?df_id=4001&4001.donation=form1 .

Shirley Hillix died unexpectedly after a brief illness and protracted incapacitation on Dec. 29, 2011. She was 76 years old.

Shirley was born in Mecca, Calif., on Jan. 8, 1935.

She was first married to David Cate and they had one daughter, Cathy. Her second marriage to William Hillix ended in 1980 and produced another daughter, Allison.

Shirley then went to work to support herself and her daughter. In 1999 she retired from the Grossmont High School District in San Diego and moved to Lake County. She worked briefly at Upper Lake Elementary School before her health made it to difficult to work.

Shirley had several hospital and nursing home stays, but came home in June 2010 to live with daughter Allison and joys of her life, granddaughters Makynli and Tory.

She follows her mother Velda Sauer and sister Beverly Barker in death, and is survived by those who loved her so at home, including son-in-law and loving caregiver Jacob Merrill and beloved former son-in-law Scott Walker.

She will also miss baby brother Warren Sauer, oldest daughter Cathleen Mitchell and her niece Lorna Garvin, who especially helped Shirley to feel loved in her last weeks.

Shirley was touched by countless friends and family made throughout her nearly 77 years, and in lieu of flowers she would rather that everyone go out and do a nice thing to make someone a little happier, or to make the world a kinder place.

No services are planned according to her wishes.

Mom, I will miss you every day.

We love you, Grandma.

Charley Hershel McDaniel, born Nov. 13, 1921, in Jonesboro, Ark., passed away on Dec. 29, 2011, at the age of 90.

Known as “Bud” to friends and family, he was a devoted family man and outdoorsman.

Bud served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the South Pacific islands as an infantryman and was involved in several battles on different islands.

He was sent into Japan six weeks after the bombs were dropped, and discharged from the Army as a sergeant after serving four years.

Upon returning home after the war he married his wife, Inez, whom he was still married to when he passed away.

In the late 1940s Bud and Inez moved to Humboldt County, Calif., with their only child, where Bud went to work for awhile making roofing shingles in the redwood forests.

In the early 1950s Bud went to work for the Pacific Lumber Co. in Scotia, where he worked until he retired 35 years later.

In 1986 Bud and his wife moved to Lakeport to be closer to their son and grandchildren.

Bud loved his family and spent as much time as he possibly could with his family. He taught his son to hunt and fish and spent a great amount of time teaching his grandchildren about the outdoors.

He spent hundreds of hours teaching his grandsons how to trout fish on the Mad River, how to fish for salmon and steelhead on the Eel River in Humboldt County, and how to deer hunt in the mountains of Trinity County.

His grandchildren will never forget all of the camping trips on trout streams and hunting camps in the mountains with their grandparents.

His wife Inez was along on every single camping trip, and was constantly with him on the streams and rivers catching fish along side him.

He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren, but they have lasting memories of their grandfather that will be cherished throughout their lives.

Bud was predeceased by his only child, retired Lakeport Fire Chief Chuck Hinchcliff.

He is survived by his wife Inez McDaniel; grandsons, Richard Hinchcliff (Denise) and Pat Hinchcliff (Jenelle) of Lakeport; granddaughter, Linda Rouland (Bob) of Chester; great-grandchildren, Deitra, Jamie, Shannon, Cerra, Kacie, Brent and Brooke; and great-great-granddaughter, Olivia.

Rest in peace, Grandpa.

Patricia Leon, age 70, passed away on Dec. 30, 2011. Formally of San Francisco, she has lived in Lake County for 30 years.

Patricia is survived by her family: daughters, Robin Shorten of Portland, OR, Donna (Quentin) Parker of West Linn, OR, Jennifer (Ricardo) Garcia of San Bruno and Rosa (Moses) Reyes Leon of Clearlake; sons, Andre (Jenny) Lopez Jr. of Cabot, AR, Filipe Leon Jr. of Clearlake and Anthony (Jessica) Leon of Sacramento. She also leaves behind her sisters, Robin Freeman of Clearlake and Shea Broerson of New Jersey; sister-in-law Gisela McClean of Florida; 21 grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She loved to play gin rummy, playing the slots at Twin Pine Casino, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be held for Patricia at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Clearlake on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 11:30 a.m.

Luwana Quitiquit of Nice, Calif., died on Friday, December 23, 2011, at her home. She was 70 years old. Photo courtesy of the Quitiquit family.

Luwana Fay Quitiquit, an Eastern Pomo, passed away on Dec. 23, 2011, in Nice, California.

Luwana was born Nov. 13, 1941 in Isleton, Calif.

She is survived by her children, Alan Harrison, Christina Harrison and Suelumatra Castillo; grandchildren, Marie Andrade, Elizabeth Davis, Solomon Douglas, Miranda Douglas; greatgrandchildren, Christian and Delicia; sisters, and brothers, Patricia A. Thompson, Marion C. Quitiquit, Steven D. Quitiquit, Cheryl A. Anderson, Godfrey D. Quitiquit, Wanda A. Quitiquit, Denise A. Quitiquit, Lalaine A. Quitiquit, Michael W. Quitiquit, Robert F. Quitiquit, Irenia A. Quitiquit; and many nieces and nephews.

Luwana was predeceased by her son, Tyrone A. Douglas; mother, Marie Boggs Quitiquit of Robinson Rancheria, Nice, Calif.; father, Claro A. Quitiquit of Stockton, Calif.; and brothers Lawrence Thompson, Ludwig, Gregory, and Adrian Quitiquit.

Luwana grew up in the Stockton Delta in the agricultural area of Union Island along the Middle River of Clifton Court Bay.

She attended David Bixler elementary, and graduated from Tracy Joint Union School. Her entire family worked as farm laborers in the Delta.

In November of 1969 during her employment at U.C. Berkeley, she was one of the first to land on Alcatraz Island where she remained until the occupation ended in 1971.

Luwana received her bachelor's degree in sociology from U.C. Berkeley in 1977. Since then, she became very active as a scholar and researcher, and worked as director of various California Indian organizations where she was at the forefront of the changes and challenges in California Indian country.

Luwana traveled to New Zealand and Australia, where she met with indigenous leaders who encouraged her to act on preserving her Pomo culture and heritage.

Luwana learned Pomo basketry from renowned weavers such as Mabel McKay, and became highly proficient at making Pomo baby cradles and opentwined baskets. She believed that anyone wanting to become a weaver must also learn the methods for gathering, cleaning and storing the basketry materials; thus, she felt strongly about educating and teaching basketry, and began demonstrating basketry and doing speaking engagements.

Luwana was a visionary and always had an idea to promote and better her art work; she was a “multitasker” when it came to her projects, such as beaded leather dresses and shirts in the traditional style. She was an expert abalone jeweler, and produced exquisite bead work.

As a businesswoman, she owned and operated the Pomo Fine Art Gallery in Lucerne, Calif. She traveled extensively throughout California promoting and selling her artwork.

Luwana was very successful at writing grants to educate, preserve and cultivate basketry materials; including the importance of sustaining natural plant habitats for use and for future generations.

Recently, Luwana joined the Elder’s Talking Circle and looked forward to teaching traditional Pomo art at the new Circle of Native Minds Wellness Center.

In December, 2008, Luwana and her entire family were disenrolled from Robinson Rancheria, and she became very active in fighting this injustice.

In retaliation, the illegal council at Robinson took action to evict Luwana and four other disenrolled families from their longstanding homes. Serving as spokeswoman, Luwana was instrumental in raising needed funds for their legal battle to retain their homes.

Her close friend Sandy Elgin said, “Luwana taught a cultural wellness class at the health clinic that became a class model for other tribal clinics in California. She was, and still is, a legend with a gentle spirit that will live on forever.”

On Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, during the day, a wake will be held at Luwana’s home at 1019 Manzanita Circle, Robinson Rancheria, Nice, Calif.

Later that afternoon, a dinner will be held in her honor at 3 p.m. at the Upper Lake Odd Fellows in Upper Lake, Calif.