Robert Russell Krones passed on into the universe on March 19, 2012, at the age of 85.

He did so much in his life it is hard to condense it all.

He was born in Washington state but lived in wild and woolly Alaska as a child. He loved to gaze at the stars from his backyard and watch the Northern Lights put on its natural light show.

He served in the Army during World War II.

He was living in Berkeley in the 1950s when he met his first wife Janice Beals. He had two daughters, Lisa Krones-Whalen (Bob) and Susan Krones-Williams (Michael) who adored him.

He later married Irene Schmitt who brought four sons into the family, Mike Palmer (Carole), Patrick Palmer (Thien-huong), Mark Palmer and Stephan Polos (Lucy).  

Robert was a computer engineer when computers were so big they could barely fit in one room much less the palm of your hand.  

He worked at U.C. Berkeley in the language lab studying the mechanics of speech by putting a small camera down peoples’ throats to take pictures of the vocal chords and how they moved when different words were spoken.  

Later this work would come in handy while working for NASA in developing a pilot voice recognition computer program.  

He had a great love for music and was the sound engineer for many folk concerts in the Bay Area for singers such as Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Odetta and Joan Baez to name just a few.  

He also had a lifelong passion for photography and always had a camera in his hand. He took amazing photos of the world around him.

He was especially proud of his photo of Pete Seeger in concert that he took in the 1960s and was used 40 years later as the cover for the film “The Power of Song,” a biography about Seeger.

He was involved from the beginning with radio station KPFA in Berkeley and therefore was very pleased to get involved with KPFZ 88.1 FM when he moved to Lake County two years ago.  

Robert liked to tell the story about the first live reading of “Beat Poet” Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” on KPFA radio.

Ginsberg asked Bob what he should do about saying the swear words in the poem on the radio. Bob told him just to slur those words and no one would know the difference and it worked.  

Robert loved Lake County and the people he met here and was always going places with his caregiver Ina Welsh, who spoiled him.

He will be missed by all who knew him for his kindness and his sense of humor.

He is survived by his two daughters; his four stepsons; and his 11 grandchildren, Rachel Whalen, Alexis Palmer, Shane Palmer, Thien-nga Palmer-Ordaz, Stephanie Polos-Ontiveros, Elyse Polos-Galetto, Stephen Polos II, Sammy Polos, Thalia Polos, Jasmine Palmer and Morgan Palmer.

At the end of his life Hospice helped him tremendously with his transition from this world to the next so in lieu of flowers please donate in his name to Lake County Hospice, 1717 S. Main St. Lakeport, CA 95453.

July 7, 1954 – November 24, 2011

Rick Norton died at home in Salinas, Calif., on Thanksgiving Day 2011 of oral cancer.

He’ll be remembered this month around a campfire at Indians Memorial Campground at the headwaters of the Arroyo Seco River. Officiating will be Rev. Paul Danielson, retired parish priest of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Corral de Tierra where Rick was baptized and he and his wife of 37 years, Tina, were married.

Rick and Danielson crossed paths often on the fish trails at The Indians, where Rick spent many of his happiest days.

Danielson is a Big Sur Land Trust board member and member of The Ventana Wilderness Alliance, a conservation group dedicated to protecting wild lands of the northern Santa Lucia mountain range. Rick would be pleased.

Danielson took the family’s favorite photo of Rick. It’s how Rick will be remembered, his wide grin, dark eyes twinkling under a SF Giants hat, proudly hefting a big trout in one hand, his fishing pole in the other, a devoted black lab at his feet.

Rick was a wood worker and artist, creating distinctive bird houses and planter boxes from recycled wood for family and friends.

He is remembered by wife, Tina, and dogs Max and Daisy of Salinas; father, Richard (Beverly) Norton of Sacramento; brother Doug (Fran Levy) Norton of Monte Rio; and sister Susanne (Lyle) La Faver, of Hidden Valley Lake; and many friends and relations.

“Death is a challenge, it tells us not to waste time, it tells us to tell each other right now that we love each other.” – Leo Buscalia

“Bill” (as his friends knew him) passed away at St. Helena Hospital Clearlake in Clearlake, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2012, following a six-month illness caused by a stroke.

Born Aug. 4, 1933 in Hawaii, he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, and along with his family was transported to the mainland.

Bill grew up in Paso Robles and graduated from Paso Robles High School in 1951. After graduation, he joined the Navy and proudly served his country during the Korean War.

Bill married Anna Santos, and together they had a daughter and a son.

Following their divorce, Bill moved to San Francisco, where he met Harold Riley, his soulmate and domestic partner for 38 years.

The two were married in 2005 in Clearlake, Calif., during the short period of time that same sex marriage was legal in California.

Bill would’ve been proud that on Feb. 7, 2012, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that the California voter-approved ban on same sex marriage, Proposition 8, violates the United States Constitution. In doing so, they found that the ban “served no purpose, and had no effect other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California and to officially reclassify their relationship and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples.”

Bill worked very hard gathering signatures of voters to encourage them not to vote for Proposition 8.

In 1995, Bill and Harold moved to Lake County and both became political junkies. Together they served on the Lake County Democratic Central Committee and were the founders of the South Lake Democratic Club.

In 2008 they founded the Stonewall Democratic Club-Matthew Sheppard Chapter to serve the lesbian, gay, and bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Community. Bill served as the treasurer up until his death, and was so careful with the group’s money that he became known as “Miser Bill.”

Bill was a whiz at Pac-Man and loved to do crossword puzzles and play computer games. He was filled with love and humor to the moment he slipped away.

He is survived by his spouse of 38 years, Harold Riley; sister, Alberta Richetti of San Miguel, Calif.; daughter, Emily Deakin of Camarillo, Calif.; son, William Brian Berkey III; and granddaughters, Tina and Lisa Deakin.

Rest in peace dear friend, and know that the memories we shared with you will be forever in our hearts.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 3, at Clearlake Methodist Church at 3 p.m., 12487 The Plaza, Clearlake Oaks, where Bill and Harold were members.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice Services of Lake County 1717 S. Main St., Lakeport, CA 95453.

Arrangements entrusted to Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, 707-994-6417, www.jonesandlewis.com .

Dolores Jean Caffey passed away on March 18, 2012, in St. Helena, Calif.

She was a remarkable woman who lived a very full life.

Born in Great Bend, Kansas to William and Ula Juergensen, she has lived in Clearlake for the last 22 years.

She was formerly a resident of Pleasanton, Calif., where she lived for 12 years. She also had spent time in Claremore, Okla., with her husband when her children were grown.

Dolores had various careers throughout her lifetime. She was very proud of the fact that she worked for Philco Ford making electronic modules, thereby helping to launch the Apollo.

In Pleasanton, she worked at Valley View School as the Cafeteria Manager. While in Oklahoma, she learned to be a taxidermist and to tan hides.

She also raised many different farm animals. After moving to Clearlake, she started working for the Methodist Church in Clearlake managing their thrift store and volunteered there for the last 10 years.

In her spare time, she loved her garden and to do needlepoint.

She is survived by her family; husband of 60 years, Ronald Caffey; children, Robert Caffey (Stella) of Vallejo and Lenard Caffey (Sandy) of Pleasanton; grandchildren, Cariann, Katrina, Jesse (Erica), Kyle
and Cody; sister, Nancy; and three great-grandchildren.

Dolores was a fantastic mother and an awesome lady who will be missed dearly.

A celebration of her life will be held at Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, on Saturday, March 31, at 1 p.m.

Her family prefers that any donations in her name be made to the Paralyzed Veterans, a cause she has supported faithfully.

Marc Albert Hansen was killed in a tragic car accident on Feb. 14, 2012 in Crescent, Ore., while on his way to visit his daughter and her family in Bend, Oregon.

Marc's “little” sister, Elise Hansen, also was killed in the accident.

Marc was born in San Francisco on March 18, 1952, and spent his childhood in Napa, Calif.; Germany' and Massachusetts.

As a teenager, he and his lifelong friend and music partner, David Raitt, went on to create and build an alternative high school in Bodenham, Maine.

After several years on the East Coast, Marc and David headed back to California and found their way to Mid Mountain and then to Ukiah where he remained until his untimely death.

He was a well-known and loved musician in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties, where he rose to local stardom as the Hansen of the Hansen & Raitt Band. He also was loved as a solo artist as well as the lead and backup of countless local bands.

He was a carpenter and used this skill to build yurts, a skill that he was quite proud of, in California, Maine and New Hampshire.

Marc is survived by the light and love of his only child Karissa (Vince) Carpenter; by his grandchildren, Ariyah, Corbin, Miela and Elise; Karissa's sister, Hannah; his nieces and nephews, Miranda, Niku, Safaa, Kent, Gemma, Georgie, Lester and Cody; his brothers and sisters, Erik, Ben, Rick, Enid and Erika – all of whom he connected with in his own special way.

He was a creative, devoted, loving father, grandfather, uncle and brother, and will missed greatly by his family, friends and the community.

He is preceded in death by his father Woodrow and his mother Dorothy.

He touched many people's hearts and was the kindest, most gentle person. He was committed to living a life that wasn't driven by consumption, but rather was committed to "livity" the way it was meant to be.

Karissa Carpenter will hold a memorial for her father, followed by one final "hoorah" done Marc Hansen style at Milano Winery on March 25, 2012. A memorial account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank under the name Marc Hansen Memorial Benefit Fund and can be donated to at any branch and location.

Carpenter said her deepest love goes out to each and every one of the people he touched and loved so dearly.

If you have any questions or want to contact the family, you can email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Longtime Lakeport, Calif., resident, Adele Burriss Grothe, born Feb. 3, 1927, in the Scotts Valley home of her parents, Margaret Marie (Wright) Burriss and Lewis Clyde Burriss, died at her home in Ada, Oklahoma, on Feb. 7, 2012.

She married Franz Daniel Grothe, her high school sweetheart, on June 13, 1945. While Dan was serving in the Army, Dell, 18 years young, took the train to Colorado Springs, Colo., for their wedding.

They had four children: Lewis (Jeep), Trudi, Jenny and Art.

Throughout Dan and Dell’s marriage Dell was a full partner in all their business endeavors. She drove truck when they were homesteading and potato farming in Idaho, hauled pears in Scotts Valley and managed the office during the appraising years.

Her eye for color elevated her quilts to works of art, and she shared her love of cooking with friends far and wide. If her cheese balls were not world famous, they were regionally renowned. Her home was a special place infused with love, and graced by her ability to mix antiques with contemporary influences.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret Marie (Wright) Burriss and Lewis Clyde Burriss; her sisters Loretta Ussery and Elva (Jimmy) Knight.

With the death of her son, Lewis Daniel (Jeep) Grothe, killed in action in 1967 in Vietnam, the Army designated her a Gold Star mother.

She is survived by her husband, Dan: daughters, Trudi and Jenny (husband Rick); son Art (wife Janine); six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 1625 High St. Lakeport, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 3, 2012, with a reception to follow.