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.

She earned a master’s degree in social work, worked as an adjunct professor and retired recently as administrator of Children’s Mental Health for Stanislaus County.

She was preceded in death by her twin sister “Sami” (Sydney), her older brother Patrick and her son Patrick.

She is survived by her husband Ken Davis and their son Josh.

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.

He is survived by his brother Dave of New Mexico, as well as family in Washington state – his daughter, Gabrielle Nonast, son-in-law Doug, and grandchildren Ian and Leah.

Writer, environmental activist, entrepreneur, baseball lover and self-described hippy, Don was born in Detroit to parents active in local politics and labor issues.

After college he moved to Los Angeles and carried on the activist spirit as a draft-resistance counselor during the Vietnam War.

He sold juice on Venice Beach and delivered produce to the stars before founding Bongers, a small business that made handheld massage tools, a business he would run for 30 years.

In his later years he founded a health-food products company (his second of this type) to promote capomo, a protein-rich bean from Central America.

His greatest passion and commitment was protecting the environment. Don wrote about environmental concerns for a variety of publications, and in the 1980s created a board game called Save The World.

In the 1990s Don left the “craziness” of LA and settled in Middletown, where he was an active member of the Harbin and HAI communities.

Averse to cold weather, he spent winters in Mexico. There he built a palapa in Yelapa and wrote the novel he’d been planning for years, “King of Diamonds.”

Funny, intelligent, warm, friendly, adventurous, passionate, outspoken, creative, cantankerous, optimistic, unconventional, generous … this is how we will remember him.

Jim M. Love of Clearlake, Calif., died on Sunday, November 6, 2011. He was 79 years old. Courtesy photo.

Jim M. Love, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away on Nov. 6, 2011, at St. Helena Hospital in St. Helena, Calif.

He was born in Arkansas on May 13, 1932, and moved to California at age 11.

He spent most of his life in the Bay Area. Jim was a Navy veteran, and enjoyed being in the service and forming relationships with those he met. He was stationed on the USS Anderson, nicknamed “The Andy,” and would often attend ship reunions.

After his service, he was employed by AT&T and stayed with them in various positions for 30 years.

Jim retired to Clearlake with his wife Linda in 1986. Jim enjoyed being a part of civic organizations and was a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, as well as a member of the Elks, VFW and American Legion. His hobbies included hunting and fishing, activities he loved to do with his family.

Jim leaves behind his family: wife of 25 years, Linda Love of Clearlake; children, John, Jolayne, Julie, Anita, Cindy and Kevin; grandchildren, Brandon, Malinda, Myriah, Shawn, Joe, Rick, Derek, Tessa, Laney, Faelyn and Seamus; great-grandchildren, Dalley, Nolan and two on the way; sister, Jo Guerisoli (Vic); nieces, Vicky (David), Maggi and Judy Gomes; and many other extended family and friends.

Services for Jim will be held on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 12 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge, 7100 South Center Drive in Clearlake. In Lieu of flowers please send donations to the American Lung Association.

Arrangements entrusted to Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel, Lower Lake, CA www.jonesandlewis.com.