Lake County News,California

Obits

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Wednesday, 15 June 2022 01:29; 15 June 2022

Bernard Merchen

Bernard Merchen
Feb. 20, 1927, to June 5, 2022

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Born on Feb. 20, 1927 in Witten, South Dakota, Bernard attended a rural one room elementary school and graduated from Bennett County High School in May 1945.

He was inducted into the Army in October 1945 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, completed his basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, and served in Korea from 1946 to 1947.

Bernard returned to South Dakota to be a ranch hand until 1950.

His teaching career began then in a one room rural school. He attended the Black Hills Teachers College. From 1959 to 1960 he taught eighth grade and coached two elementary school teams at Kadoka, South Dakota.

He moved his family to Soledad, California, in 1961, teaching at the elementary school. In 1967 he moved his family to Upper Lake and began teaching in Lakeport. He taught seventh, fifth, fourth and third grades, retiring after 26 years in Lakeport, with 43 total years teaching.

Married Joyce Spencer in 1952 to her death in 2000. They had 3 children, Steve, Joe and Shelly; 6 grandchildren, Michael, Tracie, Chrissy, Laura, Kevin and Jason; 9
great-grandchildren, Alexis, Caitlin, Zander, Ryan, Brayden, Vance, Dominic, Chase and Antonio.

Married Roberta Tawney July 2005, becoming the Stepfather to Char, Debbie, Jackie and Phil.

He served as Treasurer of the Lake County Retired Teachers Association 1994-2006. He served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Ukiah Valley Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Served as Esquire, Lecturing Knight and Loyal Knight of the Lakeport Elks #2704.

Bernie enjoyed family, playing horseshoes, dancing, his friends, and meeting his former students and hearing or reading about their successes.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce; daughter, Shelly; stepdaughter, Jackie; granddaughter, Laura; and grandson, Kevin.

Care entrusted to Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary FD1336, www.chapeklofthelakes.com in Lakeport, 707-263-0357.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Thursday, 09 June 2022 02:06; 09 June 2022

Frederick Arthur Limerick

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Fred Limerick, 87, of Kelseyville passed away on May 31, 2022, at Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa after losing his battle with heart issues.

Fred was born in Brooklyn, New York to parents Frederick and Catherine in 1934.

Fred worked as a certified exterminator for over 45 years. During that time, Fred met his wife Catherine Landis in Pennsylvania, and they were together for over 30 years before her passing.

Fred was a devoted husband and father to many fur babies, cats and dogs alike. He dedicated his time and energy to caring for and loving his animals.

Fred was exceedingly kind, lovable and very opinionated. He was an incredible friend and while we were not blood relatives, we were the very best kind of family, the kind that chooses each other. He was the father I never had and the only grandfather my son ever knew.

Fred will live on in our hearts and memories forever. His last words to me were, “This old boy’s going back to Brooklyn.”

Fred your new journey is beginning as you return to the loving arms of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that you are now at peace and more importantly that you are no longer in pain. Thank you for everything. We love you very much!

Resting place is All Faiths Cemetery, 67-29 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, New York.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Wednesday, 08 June 2022 01:38; 08 June 2022

Brad Howell

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Brad Howell of Kelseyville.

He passed at home on Monday, May 23, 2022. He was 64 years young.

He attended Newark High School. He was married to his wife, Phyllis Kelley-Howell, for 40 years.

Brad worked as a produce clerk at the Safeway in Lakeport and Clearlake. He also worked at Bruno's Foods as a produce clerk and the assistant manager. Before that he loved being a carpenter and building homes in Hidden Valley.

A big-hearted soul, Brad was very fun loving and enjoyed laughing and making others laugh.

He loved the outdoors, whitewater rafting, camping, fishing abalone and scuba diving.

His passion was his family and friends and playing his harmonica. Brad will be greatly missed.

Brad is survived by his wife, Phyllis; daughters, Desiray Taylor (Jeremy) and
Brandy Hesser (Lonnie); grandchildren, Ryan and Emily Taylor; mothers, Jacque Haley and Laryn Howell; brothers, Rick Howell (Victoria) and Chris Howell; and sister, Jacquelyn Haley.

A celebration of life will be held at 12:30 p.m. at Konocti Vista Casino on July 17 in Lakeport. Please come and celebrate Brad's life and share your memories.

Care entrusted to Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary FD1336, www.chapeklofthelakes.com, Lakeport, California, telephone 707-263-0357.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Thursday, 09 June 2022 02:08; 09 June 2022

Clorissa Bernice Dennison

Clorissa Bernice Dennison entered Heavenly Paradise on June 1, 2022 in San Francisco, California.

Clorissa or Chloe as she liked to be called, was born April 30, 1997, to Brian Dennison Jr. and Elvira.

Clorissa was a vibrant, funny and loving young woman, who brought immense joy into her family's and friend's life.

She was so loved by her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and many cousins. She loved makeup, fashion and her friends.

Clorissa is survived by her parents, father, Brian Dennison Jr., stepmother, Danielle Jackson and mother, Elvira; siblings, Brittany Dennison, Anthony Dennison and Jacklyn Keller; great-grandmother, Mildred Montgomery; grandfather, Brian Dennison Sr.; aunts, Cheryl Mastin and Linda Miller; uncles, Leo Carpenter and Joey Montgomery; cousins, Lucinda and Melinda Miller, Leslie Colegrove, Allison and John Carpenter.

Her beloved extended family includes grandma, Ronda Beckett; aunts and uncles, Jessica Jackson, Martina Jackson, Justina Jackson, Iris Picton (Patrick Picton), Amber Jackson (Kyle Williams), Aimee (James Penn) Jackson-Penn, Anna Jackson and Rebecca Jackson, Joseph Rahmer, and her many cousins.

The family is grateful for all those that love and cared for her. We will miss her terribly and hang on to the promise from God that we'll be reunited again.

Visitation will be held at the Habematolel Community Center in Upper Lake on Sunday, June 12, at noon and continue to Monday, June 13, at noon.

Graveside service will be held at the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Cemetery on Monday at 2 p.m.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Wednesday, 08 June 2022 01:40; 08 June 2022

Anni Borghesani

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With sad but stalwart hearts, friends and loved ones bid farewell to longtime Lake County resident and owner of Kelseyville Lumber & Supply Company, Anni Borghesani, who made her unexpected exit from this world’s stage on May 28, 2022, just two days after her 78th birthday.

Anni left us in as untimely a fashion as she arrived, on May 26, 1944, less than two weeks before D-Day, when she was born to Gerhard and Elisabeth Hann in a German-occupied region of Poland.

Though they lost nearly everything during World War II, the family survived, and in 1952, with her parents and two older sisters, Lina and Adina, Anni emigrated to the United States, living at her new home in Oregon until she went off to boarding school.

Rather than impede her progress, these humble beginnings as a war refugee and an immigrant spurred Anni toward a life of accomplishment. After studying business at Pacific Union College in Northern California, she jumped quickly into a job market that remained largely resistant to women, especially those with her ambition and drive. Anni embodied what many would refer to in the 60s and 70s as a career woman — single, successful and fiercely independent.

As manager of a roofing company in Rohnert Park, California, during the late 1970s, Anni was enjoying the fastball straight trajectory of her professional life when a tall, handsome stranger stepped onto the field and threw her a curve.

Anni may not have been searching for a soul mate at the time; nevertheless, she found one in Bob Borghesani, a rugged outdoorsman, country gentleman and favored son of Lake County who frequented Anni’s workplace to purchase supplies for his burgeoning lumber business in Kelseyville.

Reluctant at first, Anni finally agreed to date Bob, and soon she was making good use of her pilot’s license by flying up and visiting him in his hometown. With much in common, Bob and Anni became inseparable, and they married in 1979, establishing a home with Bob’s two sons, Mark and Paul, that bore witness to many prosperous, happy years, during which time she supported the boys by attending their innumerable sporting events.

When the love of her life passed away in 2011, rather than close the business that Bob and she had worked so hard to sustain, Anni assumed the reins of the operation and, with the help of Mark and Paul, oversaw the preservation of a local success story.

Both brash and fearless, Anni was also intelligent, generous and kind. She was an Auntie Mame character to her many nieces and nephews, all of whom she doted on and showered with gifts. Charitable with her time for those less fortunate than her, she helped fund, or volunteered for, many relief efforts in various parts of the world, including traveling to Thailand and assisting survivors after the devastating tsunami there in 2004.

Anni was a larger-than-life inspiration, and anyone who entered her sphere was caught up in the whirl of her tireless energy and spirit. With her doors always open, Anni afforded her family and friends countless opportunities to socialize and celebrate reunions, weddings, anniversaries, holidays, and yes, even funerals.

Christmas, in particular, marked a special time for Anni, when she would not only entertain her extended family, but also host a Ladies Night at Kelseyville Lumber that drew hundreds of women to the business for an evening of spectacle and fun.

Despite these virtuous qualities, Anni wasn’t beyond dodgy tactics if it meant gaining the upper hand, especially when she and her sister Adina would sit down to play cards against their husbands, Bob and Jack. As son Mark attests, the two sisters “would start speaking German to each other, to their advantage of course, get on a roll, but then could not keep their poker faces, and would start laughing loudly. It was hilarious to watch them.”

A sky diver, avid golfer and seasoned equestrian, Anni was also a clothes horse, and she delighted in shopping for wardrobes to suit every occasion, accumulating such a large array of outfits that it necessitated the expansion of storage space in her master bedroom, and Anni would no doubt agree that, given more time, she would have achieved the walk-in closet equivalent of the Winchester Mystery House.

Anni’s warmth and goodwill extended beyond the human realm. Her fondness for other species was also notable, and may have begun with one of her beloved dogs, a Shih Tzu named Daisy. She adopted many dogs throughout her life, providing strays and pound puppies with much needed food and shelter. In turn, they gave her companionship, as her last charges — Bravo, Zoey and Raven — most certainly did.

With an affinity for hummingbirds that bordered on fixation, Anni surrounded her house, backyard and large garden with numerous feeders, which were kept filled at all times. No doubt thousands of Anni’s hummingbirds, past, present, and future can thank Anni for their existence, as all who knew her can appreciate her teaching them some of life’s most important lessons.

Anni is survived by her two sisters, Lina and Adina, as well as her sons, Mark and Paul, though her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

The Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church will host a memorial service for Anni on Friday, June 17, at 2 p.m.

Donations in her memory can be made to Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic/Dosha Fund by mail or in person at 3083 Highway 175, Lakeport, CA 95453 or by phone 707-263-5101.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Wednesday, 08 June 2022 01:35; 08 June 2022

Nancy Carol Carter

LUCERNE, Calif. — Nancy Carol Carter, 75, of Lucerne passed away on May 21, 2022, after many years of being “Carter Strong” while fighting cancer.

Nancy was born and raised in Reisterstown, Maryland, the daughter of James Robert “Bob” and Helen Carter.

She is survived by her children, Jennifer (Jason) Voss of Aurora, Colorado, Jessica (Kris) Byrd of Lucerne and Jason (Valarie) Ferguson of Lowgap, North Carolina; and grandchildren, Natalie, Joey, Bailee, Harmony, Connor, Carter, Seth and Kaleb.

Nancy had a smile that could light up the room and she lived life to its fullest. She was happiest spending time with her family and dear friends, decorating a different themed Christmas tree for every room in the house, creating eclectic art, riding horses, treasure hunting at the beach, telling and re-telling stories, and cooking feasts to share with her loved ones.

Her family is forever grateful to have shared these moments with her. She will be remembered by her grandchildren, the light of her life and their ultimate cheerleader, as a silly Grandmom who made them laugh by her comedic antics and for her famous brownies that she made whenever requested (which was often).

A celebration of life, as she would have wanted, took place at St. John’s Episcopal Church on June 4 with refreshments following at the location of 1190 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport. A celebration of life will also be held in Maryland at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Epona’s Equine horse rescue in Kelseyville, California, and to the Lake County Arts Council in Lakeport, California. Both expressing herself through her eclectic art and allowing her soul to shine bright while riding were her forever passions.

Obits

Bernard Merchen

Frederick Arthur Limerick

Brad Howell

Clorissa Bernice Dennison

Anni Borghesani

Nancy Carol Carter

Upcoming Calendar

Mini Calendar

LCNews

Newsletter

Search