HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Frederick William Poucher Jr.’s dry humor and razor sharp wit shined in rare form as he shared stories and jokes with his family and medical team on his way into open-heart surgery on March 18, 2015.

Although he passed away that afternoon, his lively personality and brilliant mind were in full force to the end, finishing his life the way he lived it, a force to be reckoned with and bringing joy, inspiration, and laughter to all who knew and loved him.

Born in 1931 in Minnesota, his family moved to Brea, Calif., where he first displayed in the family’s neighborhood café, what would be a lifelong tireless and amazing work ethic.

When his beloved older sister Marilyn contracted polio as a teenager, he stepped up to help. It created a special bond between them and highlighted his innate generosity of spirit and giving, which he used to help others throughout his lifetime.

Fred turned down an appointment to West Point to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with a chemical engineering degree and began working for General Electric in Richland, Wash., on the Plutonium Uranium Purification Project.

He went on to Atomics International Division of North American Rockwell which became Boeing where he finished out his illustrious career as program manager of alternative energy systems.

Some of his greatest accomplishments included development in the Space Nuclear Power Program, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, as well as wind, geothermal, and solar energy programs.

He married Joan M. Lastner, and successfully raised three children, Greg, Diane and Eileen, whom he cherished with all his heart and showered upon countless hours of love and devotion.

He used his Greatest Dad skills daily, carpooling, helping with homework (especially math), leading 4-H projects, traveling to horse shows, coaching Pop Warner football and YMCA Basketball, and just always being there when you needed him, as well as teaching us all to fish on numerous camping trips around the U.S. pulling the Shasta Trailer behind the family’s Country Squire station wagon.

More than 30 years ago Fred met and later married Joan Brown, gaining an adored stepdaughter, Janice Rivera, who especially appreciated the math homework help and sage advice. Her girlfriends requested to hang out at the house for the “Fred Poucher Comedy Hour” when he would always make them laugh.

In 1992 Fred retired and moved to Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., to be near his sister and mother. There he enjoyed puttering around the beautiful home he and Joan designed and had built.

They also loved to travel the world, favorite places being Hawaii, Palm Springs, and Cancun, as he loved the warm weather.

Spending many years as a caregiver to others including his children, his sister and her two children, Steve and Lynn, when they lost their father at a young age, and also his beloved mother, Fred’s giving spirit didn’t stop in retirement.

He became a member of the Redbud Health Care District Board, the St. Helena Hospital Region Board and the Northern California Network Board, and spent 20 years fighting for the community’s best interests.

He was instrumental in several important projects including the sale of Redbud Community Hospital to Adventist Health, the building of the St. Helena Clearlake Hospital Emergency Department, and promoting many community projects that benefited seniors, children, and those in need.

He loved working on his computer, feeding the wild birds, the San Francisco football season, ketchup, watching Bill O’Reilly and Meghan Kelly on Fox News, hitting the casino on Senior Day, being there for his family, and giving back to the community. Ironically, he loved fishing, but hated fish.

He was a fighter, never afraid to take on the big dogs, and in his quiet, strong way, always got things done. He was your go-to guy in a crisis, able to handle with confidence whatever problems arose while you could be rest assured he’d take on your burden and fix the problem. His could always make you laugh, had an infectious smile, was easy to be around, and in even the largest crowd, he was the one everyone wanted to be near.     

Fred is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Joan E. Poucher; his four children, Greg (Patti), Diane (Saadi), Eileen (Mark), Janice (Ken); his 14 grandchildren, Jeff, Chris, Mike, Julianne, Anisa, Zuhayr, Ibrahim, Alyssa, Jake, Gregory, MacKenzie and Morgan, Avery and Ariana; and six great grandchildren, Ryan, Charlotte, Clarissa, Brayden, Elijah and Isaiah.

He is preceded in death by his father and mother, Fred Sr. and Irene, his sister Marilyn Patterson, and his daughter-in-law Debbie Poucher.

Services will be held Friday, March 27, at 1:30 p.m. at the Middletown Community United Methodist Church, 15833 Armstrong St.

There will be a viewing Thursday, March 26, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Jones and Lewis Funeral Home, 16140 Main St., Lower Lake.

Interment will be Saturday, March 28, at 10 a.m. at the Kelseyville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions are appreciated to St. Helena Hospital in memory of Fred Poucher, and sent to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, Development Department, 15630 18th Ave, P.O. Box 6710, Clearlake, CA 95422.

He was always trying to get to the warm weather of Palm Springs, but now Fred basks in the greatest of God’s glory, light and warmth.

Fred William Poucher Jr., you were dad, husband, grandpa, and good friend. We miss you and thank you for the blessing of having you in our lives. We are jealous of the angels.

Arrangements under the care of Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel. Please share your loving memories of Fred by signing his online guestbook at www.jonesandlewis.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Margaret (Peggy) Hischier, born May 7, 1923, went to be with her family on March 20, 2015, at the age of 91.

She is survived by her daughter, Sharon Sessions (Doug) of Lakeport; grandson, Shaun Stark of Kelseyville; brother, Mervin Bader of Carson City, Nev.; sisters, Donna McElroy of Meadow Valley, Calif., Margo Stratton of Quincy, Calif., and Sandra Taborski of Reno, Nev.; stepgrandsons, Michael Sessions of Lakeport and Malcolm Sessions of Lucerne.

She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, sister Betty Housten, and son, Gary Hischier.

There will be a private interment in Meadow Valley at a later date.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, Lakeport.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Caryl Lankford passed away on March 15, 2015, at age of 76 after a lengthy illness, with his wife of 50 years and three children by his side.

Born July 13, 1938 in Hanford, Calif., Caryl was the only child of Elbert and Inez Lankford.

He lived most of his childhood in Hanford, he attended schools in Hanford, graduating from Hanford High School in 1956. After graduation, he attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia.

Caryl enlisted in the Army in 1961. He was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C, serving in the 3rd Army Combat Engineers. He was discharged in 1963. 

Caryl and Irma married in 1964. They lived in Hanford, then moved to Tulare where Caryl started a muffler shop.

They eventually relocated to Monterey where he worked as a service manager for Singleton Chevrolet  They resided there for seven years, eventually moving to Lakeport where he worked for various car dealerships before starting his own automotive repair business. Caryl retired in 2000.

Caryl loved pursuing his passion, drag racing. He owned and raced a Modified B Roadster and was a charter member of the Juggers Racing Team, which specializes in driving nostalgic race cars. He also was a member of the National Hot Rod Association.

His sons also were involved with their dad as his pit crew, making it a family affair. Together they loved driving to race tracks in Sonoma, Bakersfield, Medford, Ore., and Las Vegas, where he won several races in his class. Caryl also loved hunting, fishing and being outdoors, cutting firewood for his family was a passion of his.

Caryl is survived by his loving wife, Irma; two sons, Ronald (Doris) and Jeffrey (Megan) of Lakeport; daughter, Laura Vandewarker (Aaron) of Ukiah; and his beautiful grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Owen and Thomas Vandewarker of Ukiah and Freya Lankford of Kelseyville.

He will be greatly missed by those he loved and cared about. 

Memorial services will be scheduled at a later date.

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

Julie Lynn Hecomovich, born in San Rafael, Calif., on July 31, 1961, passed away in St. Petersburg, Russia on March 13, 2015.

Always inquisitive, she embraced life, and was passionate about her many interests – art, architecture, literature, languages, theology, history and people.

She experienced more in her 53 years of life than most of us would if we lived to be one hundred.

Raised in the Cobb area of Lake County, Calif., she graduated from Middletown High School in 1979, serving as class valedictorian.

She went on to graduate from Yuba Community College, Marysville, with high honors in 1981 and received an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award upon graduation from San Francisco State University in 1984.

After working in San Francisco for five years, she left for Europe, never to return to California on a permanent basis.

She fell in love with Germany and lived in East Berlin for many years, then the Jordan Valley in Israel, London, her beloved New York City and finally St. Petersburg. In all the cities she called home, she worked as a writer, editor, translator and teacher.

In addition to living around the world she traveled widely through Europe as well as trips to other locales including Bolivia, China, Jordan, and India.

Of all the things that were of importance to Julie, what mattered most was to be a friend, and she made them around the world. She loved them dearly and was loved dearly by her friends and her family.

Julie is survived by her mother, Darlene Hecomovich; her brother, William Hecomovich; husband, Kirill Miller; as well as by many aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her loving father, William Hecomovich; husband, Alexander Nensberg; grandparents, Dorothy and Ernest Olsen, and Julia and Charles Hecomovich; aunt, Olive Hecomovich; uncles, John Hecomovich, Paul Bradley, Marvin Dickinson and Paul Pieri; and cousins, David Hecomovich, Sergio Rossi, Marla Dickinson and Raymond Dickinson.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, 21396 Highway 175, Loch Lomond, with a reception following the ceremony at Moore Family Winery, 11990 Bottle Rock Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Services of Lake County, 1862 Parallel Drive, Lakeport, CA 95453.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Maria de Jesus Adamson, 90, passed away on March 14, 2015.

Maria was predeceased by her daughter, Peggy Erickson.

She is survived by her sister, Filomena Macedo; daughter, Teresa (Jerry) Mathis; grandsons, Lowell Fletcher, Dwayne Fletcher, Michael Mathis and Mark (Heather) Mathis; granddaughter, Tamara (Scott) Fletcher-Swisher, Jennifer McCown, Maria McCown and Hope Cassle; six great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

Maria was much loved and will be sadly missed.

Private services will be held.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, Lakeport.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Chris Jurek was born Feb. 28, 1982, in Santa Clara, Calif., and passed away on March 15, 2015, in Clearlake.

He left behind mother, Maria Volpicelli; aunt, Ermena Barclay; uncle, Tom Barclay; numerous cousins in D.C.; and many friend here in California.