Part VI - Obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Volunteers

Sonora, CA

    Finally, here are four more members of Tuolumne Hose Company Number 1 Volunteers, ending with my maternal grandfather, Dave Wilcoxson.
....
Paul A. GRAZIOLI
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Thursday 19 February 2004 Sonora Union Democrat, p.2A
--
    Longtime Tuolumne resident Paul Grazioli died Sunday at a Sonora hospital. He was 77.
    The son of Italian immigrants, Giacomo "Jim" and Pauline Grazioli, who came to Tuolumne in 1913, he was the youngest of six children. He was born on the family ranch at Cherokee. He attended Arastraville Grammar School and graduated as class valedictorian from Summerville High School in 1944.
    He then went to work for the West Side Lumber Co. as a payroll clerk. Except for a stint in the U.S. Army, he remained with the lumber industry for 48 years and became one of the longest-term employees the company had ever had, his family said.
    Mr. Grazioli retired in 1992 as a timber accountant and was honored with his own horseshoe pit across from the Standard office.
    On Oct. 14, 1950, he married his wife, the former Alice Panzi. There were married 52 years and had three children.
    He helped found the Little Boys League in Twain Harte, Tuolumne and Standard. The Little Boys League, a baseball club for kids, was the predecessor to the High Sierra Little League.
    He was a member and officer of the Tuolumne Hose Company for 25 years and recently was appointed as one of the directors for the Tuolumne Fire Protection District. He was a charter member and officer of the Tuolumne County Horseshoe Club. He delivered Meals on Wheels and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Italian Catholic Federation. He also served as an appointed trustee for Summerville Elementary School.
    He was an avid bowler and served as an officer for the Bowling Association.
    Mr. Grazioli was the ultimate sports fan who hardly ever missed any of his sons' or grandchildren's sporting events, his family said. He was a fan of all Summerville High sports and was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and Giants.
    He was a member of Sonora Sons in Retirement.
    His family said he loved to fish, play cards, pitch horseshoes and bowl, and loved Tuolumne and contributed many hours to the community. He was a kind, gentle, generous and loyal friend, his family added, and the most important things in his life were his wife and family.
    Mr. Grazioli is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Pauline and Jerry Owens of Tuolumne and Murphys; two sons and daughters-in-law, Andrew and Marley Grazioli and Gary and Elizabeth Grazioli, all of Tuolumne; seven grandchildren, John Paul Grazioli of Mariposa, Nicole Owens and Julia and Gary Grazioli, all of Tuolumne, Sgt Jason Grazioli of Camp Lejeune, N.C., Scotts Owens of Riverbank and Michelle Grazioli of Grand Forks, N.D.; four step-grandchildren, Dan Ricketts of Watsonville, Catherine Perez of Chula Vista, San Diego County, Trish Harris of Modesto and Cyrstal Towler of Sonora; 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
    He was preceded in death by his wife, Alice; sisters, Marie Consani, Elizabeth Norris, Lucy Hodge and Elaine Muzzi; a brother, John Grazioli; and a step-granddauther, Ann Ricketts.
    Visitation is scheduled from 4-7 p.m. tomorrow at Terzich and Wilson Funeral Home Tuolumne Chapel. A vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Tuolumne chapel. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at noon Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Tuolumne. Burial will be at Carters Cemetery.
    Terzich and Wilson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
....
Claude W. Follett
--
Rites Set for C.W. Follett
--
Thursday 29 April 1965 Daily-Union Democrat. p.7
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    Funeral services for Claude W. Follett of Tuolumne will be conducted tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Terzich-Wilson Funeral home.
    The Rev. Will Cahahan will officiate and interment will follow at Carter's cemetery in Tuolumne.
    Mr. Follett was found yesterday in his home where he reportedly took his own life with a shotgun. He was 78 years old.
    A native of Lemoore, he came to Tuolumne county when he was 17 years old. He was employed at West Side Lumber Co. for many years as a millwright and served as car shop foreman at the time of his retirement.
    He was married to the former Kat Pooley, daughter of a pioneer Tuolumne camily, who was killed in an auto accident between Modesto and Tracy in 1951.
    Mr. and Mrs. Follett raised a nephew, Ernest Follett, who attended school in Tuolumne.
    Mr. Follett had been a member of the Tuolumne fire department, a member of the East Belt Masonic lodge since 1916 and had participated in early activities of the Tuolumne Sanitary district.
    Survivors include two nieces, Mrs. May Dambacher of Sonora and Mrs. Kathryn Cox of Westley; three nephews, C.J. Follett and Billy Follett of Lemoore and Weston Follett of Oakland, and a sister-in-law, Mrs. Charles Rosasco of Sonora.
....
Link to obituary for Adolph A. Antinetti
....
David William WILCOXSON Sr.
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Thursday 5 April 1984 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.6
--
    David W. Wilcoxson, a Tuolumne county resident for more than a half-century, died yesterday in a Watsonville hospital. He was 87.
    A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Carters Cemetery in Tuolumne.
    A native of Louisville, Colo., Mr. Wilcoxson move to Tuolumne County in 1919, where he worked for the West Side Lumber Co. for many years[, lastly managing the Stock Room.]
    [He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and was a projectionist at the Fireman's Theater in the 1940s and 1950s.]
    He moved to Santa Cruz in 1983.
    Surviving are one daughter, Mary Lemmon of Santa Cruz, 5 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
    A son, Dr. David Wilcoxson, died in 1969 and his wife, Cordelia, died in 1980.
    Arrangements were handled by Normans's Family Chapel in Soquel.
--
Links:

• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part V
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part IV
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part III
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part II
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part I

T 20 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mono Vista - Sonora - Long Barn

W 21 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Sonora - Long Barn

Th 22 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Sonora - Three Links Camp

F 23 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Lwr Mill Creek Rd

Sa 24 Sep Route: Lwr Mill Creek Rd - Kennedy Mdws - Sonora Pass - Bridgeport
--
Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Part V - Obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Volunteers

Sonora, CA
    Four more obituaries of members of Tuolumne Hose Company Number 1 volunteers.
....
John RONTEN
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Obituary
--
Monday 30 March 1987 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p. 11A
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    John Ronten, retired sales manager for West Side and Pickering Lumber companies, died Saturday in a Sonora hospital.
    Mr. Ronten, 71, a native of Tuolumne, spent 42 years in lumber sales with the two mills. He first went to work at West Side in the summer of 1933, following garduation from Summerville High School. He returned to take a sales job there after studying forestry at Chico State College and pharmacy at the University of California at Berkeley.
    When the West Side mill burned in 1962, Mr. Ronten stayed on for a year to handle liquidation of the lumber supply. He then moved to Pickering's Standard plant as general sales manager.
    Mr. Ronten had served as secretary of the Tuolumne City Progressive Club, a trustee of Summerville High School District, chief of the Tuolumne Fire Department for two years, president of the fire district for 13 years, president and director of the Muller Mutual Water Co., member of East Belt Masonic Lodge, Aahmes Temple of Oakland and Mother Lode Shrine Club.
    He is survived by his wife, Rose of Tuolumne, one son, Richard of Fremont, one brother, Arther of Tuolumne; two sisters, Evelyn English of Sonora and Lee Miller of Redwood City.
    A service will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Heuton Memorial Chapel and burial will follow at Carters Cemetery in Tuolumne.
    Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Heuton Memorial Chapel.
    Rembrances may be sent to the Tuolumne Volunteer Fire department or a favorite charity.
....
Antonio B. "Bob" BETTANINI
--
Obituary
--
Monday 23 January 1989 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.2A
--
    A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Terzich-Wilson Funeral Home's Tuolumne chapel for Antonio B. "Bob" Bettanini, a lifelong Tuolumne resident and a retired lift truck driver who died Friday at a local hospital. He was 65. The Rev. Michael Kelly will officiate.
    Visitation is from 2 to 8 p.m. today at the Tuolumne chapel, Bay and Pine streets in Tuolumne.
    A native of Yatesboro, Pa., he moved to California with his family and settled in Tuolumne when he was 4 years old. He attended local schools and, in 1942, was graduated from Summerville Union High School, where he was active in sports.
    He enter the Army in February 1943, and after his discharge in 1945 worked for West Side Lumber Co. until 1962.
    He married Yolanda "Babe" Dal Travero in 1948. After West Side closed down, he was a lift operator for Pickering Lumber from 1963 until his retirement.
    He retired after 25 years of service to the Tuolumne Fire Department and was a member of Figli D'Italia.
    He was an avid fisherman, hunter and mushroomer and enjoyed all sports. In 1983 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Summerville as athlete of [a previous] year.
    Survivors include his wife, Babe; a daughter, Nancy Bettanini of San Diego; a brother, Phil Bettanini of Standard; three sisters, Edith Neil and Mary Roberts, both of Tuolumne, and Enis Crabtree of Standard; 10 nieces and nephews, and 18 grand-nieces and nephews. A brother, John Bettanini, preceded him in death.
    Burial will be at St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery in Sonora.
    The family suggests donation to the ICF (Italian-Catholic Federation) scholarship fund, care of Babe Bettanini, P.O. Box 281, Tuolumne.
....
Robert JAMES Sr
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Thursday 26 February 1981 [Sonora, CA] Daily Union Democrat, p.11
--
Obituary
--
    Robert "Bob" James Sr. of Tuolumne died yesterday in a local hospital.
    He was 66.
    A native of Copperopolis, he had lived in Tuolumne county for 62 years.
    He worked as a conductor for the West Side Lumber Co. railroad for 22 years and also was employed as a maintenance man for the County of Tuolumne.
    Mr. James was also a member of the Tuolumne Volunteer Fire department.
    He is surved by his wife, LaReine "Babe," of Tuolumne; two sons, Robert James Jr. of Chilcoot and Donald James of Tuolumne; two daughters, Sharol Birkes of Reno and Dianne Richter of Woodland; three brothers, Albert "Hap," and Dick James of Tuolumne, and Jack James of Soulsbyville; a sister, Gladys Harrington of Oroville; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
    A service is pending at Heuton Memorial chapel.
....
Jack T. FRIARY
--
Obituary
--
Wednesday 21 February 1990 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p. 2A
--
    Jack T. Friary, a 44-year Tuolumne County resident, died yesterday at a local hospital. At age 86, he was the last survivor of nine children born to Thomas and Kate Friary.
    Born in Pine Island, Minn., Mr. Friary had been a sell-employed insurance salesman and realtor for 50 years until his retirement in 1967.
    He lived in Tuolumne for 24 years and had lived in Sonora the past 20 years.
    Mr. Friary was a member of the Tuolumne Volunteer Fire Department and the Tuolumne City Progressive Club. He was a past grand knight of the Knight of Columbus and was past president of the Tuolumne Lions Club, the Tuolumne County Board of Realtors and the Tuolumne Sanitary District.
    He is survived by a son, John Friary of Sonora; three daughters, Delores Hall and Janet Colombani of Sonora and Patricia Buck of Groveland; 20 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by his wife Dora Badger Friary in December, 1976.
    Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Heuton Memorial Chapel. A rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. at the chapel, led by the Rev. Theodore Lambert.
    The Rev. Michael Kelly will officiate at a funeral mass at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Tuolumne. Burial will be at St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery.
    Pall bearers will be Tony Malgesini, Lloyd Sivora, Jay Skinner, Bob Ingalls, Bob Klein, and Albert Capuccini.
--
Links:

• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part IV
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part III
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part II
• Other Tuolumne Hose Company obits - Part I

T 20 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mono Vista - Sonora - Long Barn

W 21 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Long Barn

Th 22 Sep Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Three Links Camp
--
Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Part IV - Obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Volunteers

Sonora, CA

    Here are three more obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Number 1 volunteers, starting with a very early member: William R. "Bill" Naismith.
....
William R. NAISMITH
--
Thursday 24 October 1963 [Sonora, CA] Daily Union Democrat, p.6
--
William Naismith Dies At 83
--
    William R. Naismith, an 83-year-old resident of Tuolumne, died yesterday in a local hospital following an extended illness.
    A native of Oakland, Mr. Naismith moved to Tuolumne in 1908 as manager for the Paul Morris general merchandise store, a position he held until the store closed in 1916. He also maintained a Tuolumne office of the First Nation Bank of Sonora before joining West Side Lumber Co. as a clerk and timekeeper.
    Mr. Naismith was advanced to the position of purchasing agent at West Side in 1940 and held that job until he was forced to retire because of ill health in 1957.
    Mr. Naismith was a past president of the Tuolumne City Progressive club, a member of St. James Episcopal church and a 50-year member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Oakland.
    He was a charter member of Tuolumne Hose Co. of volunteer firemen, having joined the unit in 1909, and retained his membership until his death. He served as secretary and manager of the company for many years.
    He is survived by his wife, Gertrude; a granddaughter, Mrs. Priscilla Isley, and six great grandchildren, all of Tuolumne. Patricia McCarthy of Tuolumne and Mrs. Verna Grisel of Castro Valley are nieces of Mrs. Naismith who were raised in the Naismith home in Tuolumne.
    Funer services are pending at the Heuton Memorial chapel.
....
Louis M. GURNEY
--
Monday 3 February 1958 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.2
--
Louis Gurney Services Held This Morning
--
    Funeral services for Louis Mark Gurney, 69, of Tuolumne, were conducted at the chapel of the Bigelow Mortuary followed by mass at 10 a.m. today in St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Tuolumne.
    Interment was in Carters Cemetery at Tuolumne.
    Rosary services were conducted at the chapel at 8 p.m. Sunday.
    Mr. Gurney, a longtime resident of Tuolumne, died at a Sonora hospital early Friday following an extended illness.
    A native of Bridgeport, he was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Gurney, who came to Tuolumne county when he was a boy and operated the Excelsior Hotel at Long Barn. His mother was a daughter of the late Mark Hughes, a pioneer Sonora postmaster. Mr. Gurney was employed for many years by the West Side Lumber Company at Tuolumne as forman of the company's log mill ponds.
    He leaves his widow, Mrs. Frances Gurney of Tuolumne; three daughters, Mrs. Kathryn Rotelli of Oakland, Mrs. Mary Frances Arnold of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Audrey Kelley of Sonora; a son, James Gurney of Millbrae; a sister, Mrs. Julia Evans of Lafayette; two brothers, Marion Gurney of Tuolumne, and William Gurney of near Jamestown, and 10 grandchildren.
....
Merle "Jiggs" DOWLING
--
Obituary
--
Wednesday 16 June 1993 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.2A
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    Merle Victor "Jiggs" Dolling, a retired West Side Lumber Co. employee and volunteer fire chief, died Monday at a Sonora hospital. He was 76.
    A native of Knights Ferry, he moved up the hill to Tuolumne in 1934 to work for West Side Lumber Co. He retired 44 years later.
    He was also retired from the Tuolumne Volunteer Fire Department, which he joined in 1949. He served as chief for many years.
    Aside from a three-year break, Mr. Dolling has been a member of the Mother Lode Firemen's Association since its inception in 1960, and worked for many years on the Columbia Fireman's Muster.
    He worked on just about every aspect of the musteer, serving as parade marshal in 1991, but chose the bucket brigade as his favorite. Tuolumne City adopted Mr. Dolling's version of the competition to use for the Tuolumne Fireman's Fun Day.
    He was a member of the Mother Lode Senior Citizens Club, the Tuolumne County Horseshoe Club, the AFL-CIO Lumber and Sawmill Union, and served as a trustee for Summerville High School.
    He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Bernice Dolling of Tuolumne. He is also survived by a son, Melvin Dolling of San Mateo; a brother, William Barter of Modesto; two sisters, Dorothy Hall of Manteca and Vadna Johnson of Riverbank; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
    He was preceded in death by his son, Eugene Dolling, in 1980.
    Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Terzich and Wilson Chapel.
    Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the Tuolumne chapel. Burial will be in Carters Cemetery.
    Donations in Mr. Dolling's name may be made to the Senior Citizens Building Fund, 540 Greenley Rd., Sonora.
--
Links:

• Excelsior Hotel on Historic Sites along Sonora Pass web site

M 19 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Twain Harte - Tuolumne - Long Barn

T 20 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mono Vista - Sonora - Long Barn

W 21 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Long Barn

Th 22 Sep Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - 3-Links Camp
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Arastraville School and 3-Links RV Park

Long Barn, CA

    On my way back from a visit to Carter's Cemetery in Tuolumne I stopped to take a photo of the Arastraville Elementary School. In checking for information about it on-line I noted that it was located in Cherokee, long an indian settlement on the northern edge of Tuolumne.
    But the Cherokee Tribe is from the south-eastern U.S. Check below for a link to "John's Place" for an explanation of how Cherokees ended up in California instead of Oklahoma.

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Three Links RV Park [aka 3-Links Camp]

    When built in 1958 the entrance route to the IOOF/Rebekah Camp was via Wheeler Road off of SR108 just before a climb to the exit to Long Barn. However, now the entrance road is located directly across SR108 from the Lyons Dam Road. While the manager said they could handle RVs up to 40 feet, I'd suggest trying elsewhere if your rig is longer than 28 feet.
    Best of all, the price for a full hookup is only $20. The rest rooms and showers were reasonably clean; and the showers have 2 handles, which helps avoid scalding U-know-what with hot water or spraying your south side with cold water. There is also a coin laundry.
    Even though 3-Links Camp is closer to Sierra Village than to Mi-Wuk Village, there is no post office in the former; hence, 3-Links Camp's mailing address is Mi-Wuk Village, where the post office is near Mi-Wuk Community Center; there's a library there with 24/7 WiFi.
    See link below.
--
Links:

• John's Place explanation of Cherokee settlement near Tuolumne, CA
• Three Links IOOF/Rebekah RV Park

F 16 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Sonora - Long Barn

Sa 17 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne City Memorial Museum - Long Barn

Su 18 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Sonora - Long Barn

M 19 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Twain Harte - Tuolumne - Long Barn

T 20 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mono Vista - Sonora - Long Barn

W 21 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Long Barn

Th 22 Sep Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - 3-Links Camp
--
Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Sonora to Mark Twain Cabin to Frogtown RV Park

Frogtown RV Park

    After getting what I would call an "idiot message" instead of mileage and other data on my Ford F250 I had it serviced at Hammond Ford on Mono Way in Sonora. The good news was that it didn't cost me anything; the bad news is that it was part of the 5-year warranty for which I paid big bucks when I bought it.
    After returning to Carters Cemetery in Tuolumne to make sure the drops on the road near my grandparents plot were water and not oil (it was the former), I drove to the Sonora Fairgrounds planning on staying in their RV Park. But a 9/11 memorial had packed the place so I ended up parking on Hammond's lot right next to the junction of Mono Way and SR108, one of the noisier intersections in and around Sonora. (It helped that I parked next to another truck camper on a F350 since no one bugged me in the morning after they opened for business.)
    After lunch at a shady spot on the Fairgrounds I headed for the Tuttletown Recreation Area on New Melones Reservoir.

    While I hadn't intended to visit Mark Twain's Cabin, which my grandmother had taken us kids to in the late 40s or early 50s, I veered right & headed up the narrow road toward the cabin. What you see to the right is not the original cabin from the mid 1860s but rather a replica built some time after and last restored in 2005.

 

 

    Here's a back view of the cabin. Judging from the moss on the fireplace, it was restored previous to 2005.

 

 

 

 

    While I took the photos there were a couple of curious onlookers. A sign in their field said "In Memory of Molly, 1980 - Jul 2010." [Don't know how many how many horse years are equivalent to 1 year for a human bean, but 30 seems quite a bit in equine years.]

 

 

 

 

    A view toward the NW corner of the cabin. Note the granite with a bronze plaque.

 

 

    Note that Twain stayed at the cabin on Jackass Hill from 4 Dec 1864 to circa 25 February 1865. During his stay with the Gillis Brothers (Jim & Bill) and Dick Stoker he heard the now-famous tale of the Jumping Frog at a saloon in Angeles Camp, less than ten miles to the north. That tale was the catalyst for Twain's switch from reporting to writing fiction, travel tales, and commentary on the human condition.

 

 

    No doubt the original fireplace was much blacker on the inside than is this replica -- even though Jackass Hill, which is roughly the same elevation as Jamestown to the south, rarely gets snow during the winters. [Click 1 or 2 times to enlarge.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Wish I had stood up 5-7 minutes earlier, for here is what was left of the sunset from the door of my camper at Frogtown RV Park at 7:33 p.m.
--

 

Links:

• More photos of Mark Twain Cabin
• Long biography of Twain; search for Gillis with your browser

M 12 Sep Actual Route: Sonora - New Melones Dam CG - Frogtown RV Park

T 13 Sep Actual Route: Frogtown RV Pk - Angels Camp - Sonora - Sugar Pine - Mi-Wuk Village - Three Links Camp

W 14 Sep Actual Route: 3-Link Camp - Mi-Wuk Village - Tuolumne - Sonora - Long Barn

Th 15 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Sonora - Long Barn

F 16 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne - Sonora - Long Barn

Sa 17 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Tuolumne City Memorial Museum - Long Barn

Su 18 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Sonora - Long Barn
--
Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Part III - Obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Volunteers

Sonora, CA
    More obituaries of the volunteers who may have helped rebuild the Firemen's Theatre in 1946.
--
Laurence Lincoln "Bill" HODGE
--
Bill Hodge, Former Tuolumne Postmaster
--
Monday 12 February 1996 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.2A
--
    Laurence Lincoln "Bill" Hodge, a lifelong resident and former postmaster in Tuolumne, died yesterday at his home there after a long illness. He was 83.
    Mr. Hodge's grandparents, Frank and Delia Baker and Matthew and Elizabeth Hodge, were early settlers in Tuolumne County. The Baker ranch was located where the town of Tuolumne is now, and the Hodges settled in the Blanket Creek valley.
    Mr Hodge was born on Dec. 22, 1912, in Tuolumne to Ernest Havilah Hodge, a county supervisor for 28 years and a judge for 10 years, and Maude May Baker, who raised six children and was active in the community.
    Mr. Hodge graduated from Sunnerville grammar and high schools. His only time spent out of the county were brief periods working in Berkeley in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression and in the Stockton shipyards during World War II.
    He worked at West Side Lumber Co. as a fireman, then managed a local grocery store and sold insurance.
    In 1938 he became a clerk at the Tuolumne post office. He became postmaster in 1944, serving in three different location over his 26-year tenure. He retired in 1970.
    Mr. Hodge was a member of the Tuolumne Fire Department for many years and was granted an honorary life membership.
    He was a two-term past master for the East Belt Lodge No. 391 F&AM.
    He was instrumental in preserving the Memorial Cross on Mount Havilah east of Tuolumne, moving it back to near its original location on his ranch and cooperating with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post in having it relighted.
    His first wife, also a long-time Tuolumne resident, was Lucy Ann Grazioli. She preceded him in death after 47 years of marriage.
    Mr. Hodge is survived by twin sons, John Hodge of Tuolumne and James Hodge of Modesto; his daughters, Paula May Marr of Tuolumne and Lorraine Freeland of Modesto; his brother, Lloyd "Bud" Hodge of Chinese Camp; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
    He is also survived by his second wife, Nellie Carr Hodge. They were married in 1989.
    Cremation is planned. Private family graveside services will be held at Carters Cemetery in Tuolumne.
    A private family memorial service will be held on the family property in Tuolumne.
    Remembrances may be made to the Cross Fund, VFW No. 4748, P.O. Box 638, Tuolumne, 95379.
....
William ARCHER
--
Obituary
--
Monday 21 April 1986 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p. 3A
--
    William Archer, a resident of Tuolumne since 1902, died yesterday at a local hospital after a long illness. He was 89.
    Mr. Archer was born in Ashland, Wisconsin.
    He had worked for 42 years as a sawyer and supervisor for Pickering Lumber Co. and was a World War I navy veteran. He retired in 1960.
    He was a member of the East Belt Masonic Lodge of Tuolumne and Knights Templar and the Mother Lode Shrine Club of Sonora.
    Survivors include his wife Ada, also of Tuolumne; a son, Richard Archer of Oakland; and a sister, Lillian Ford of Tuolumne.
    A Masonic service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Terzich-Wilson Funeral Home.
    Burial will follow at Carters Cemetery in Tuolumne.
....
Icel BIGGS
--
Obituary
--
Thursday 26 March 1964 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.5
--
    Funeral services for Icel [J.] Biggs of Tuolumne will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday from [the] Heuton Memorial chapel.
    Mr. Biggs, a 69-year-old native of Indiana and a retired employee of Pickering Lumber Corp.'s West Side division, died yesterday morning in a local hospital.
    Survivors include two sons, Ralph and Ervin Biggs, both of Manteca; a sister, Mrs. Inez Philbrick of Oakdale, and four grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be under the auspices of East Belt Masonic lodge and Pine Tree Odd Fellows lodge of Tuolumne.
    Interment will be in Carters cemetery in Tuolumne.
--
Links:

• Tuolumne City Memorial Museum blog
• Wikipedia article on Tuolumne, CA

F 9 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Sonora - Long Barn

Sa 10 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Sonora - Sugar Pine - Long Barn

Su 11 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Tuolumne - Sonora

M 12 Sep Actual Route: Sonora - New Melones Dam CG - Frogtown RV Park

T 13 Sep Actual Route: Frogtown RV Pk - Angels Camp - Sonora - Sugar Pine - Mi-Wuk Village - Three Links Camp

W 14 Sep Route: 3-Link Camp - Mi-Wuk Village - Tuolumne - Sonora - Long Barn
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.

Part II - Obituaries of Tuolumne Hose Company Volunteers

Sonora, CA
    Here are three more obituaries of volunteers of the Tuolumne Hose Company.
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Ivar C. EKMAN
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Monday 26 June 1972 [Sonora, CA] Daily Union Democrat, p.8
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Lodge Leader Ivar Ekman Dies at Age 81
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    Longtime civic and fraternal leader Ivar Carl Ekman of Tuolumne died Saturday in a local hospital after a week's illness at the age of 81.
    Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow in St. James Episcopal church, with the Rev. Ronald Swanson officiating.
    Interment will be in [the] Masonic cemetery. Heuton Memorial chapel is in charge of arrangements.
    A native of Asmundtrop, Sweden, he moved with his parents and brother to Tuolumne in 1901. He attended Summerville elementary school and was graduated from Healds Business college in San Jose in 1912.
    Mr. Ekman then became [a] bookkeeper for the West Side Lumber Co., a job he held for many years. He served with the 144th Field Artillery during World War I and reached the rank of sergeant.
    He later became office manager, treasurer and a member of the board of directors for West Side. He was transferred to the Standard office of Pickering Lumber Co. in 1958, where he served as cashier until his retirement in July of 1965.
    An active sports enthusiast, Mr. Eckman played baseball for Tuolumne and was a member of the San Jose Garden City Wheelmen while he was there.
    Mr. Eckman was also known for his many lodge affiliations and his long-standing membership in the Episcopal church. He first joined St. Michael's church in Tuolumne in 1905 and was active in St. James' church during his adult life. He served as a vestryman at St. James.
    He was recording secretary for 33 years of Pine Tree lodge, International Order of Odd Fellows, Tuolumne, and a past grand. He was a member for 68 years. He also was a past district deputy president of the organization.
    He was a 55-year member, master, secretary and treasurer of East Belt [Masonic] lodge. He held the treasurer post for 30 years and was secretary for three.
    He was representative to the Grand Lodge of Michigan from California; a past patron of Eastern Star, Sonora; and a member of the Royal Arch Masons. He was past high priest of the Sonora chapter of the latter body.
    Mr. Ekman was also treasurer of the Sonora council of Royal and Select Mason and past commander and treasurer of the Pacific Commandery of the Knights Templar, Sonora. He held the Grand Cross of Honor for Outstanding Service for the Order of Rainbow for Girls.
    He was a member of Aahmes temple of the Shrine of Oakland; the Twain Harte High 12 club; and a former memer of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
    Other affiliations included being a charter member and past director of the Tuolumne County Historical society.
    He seved the Tuolumne Volunteer department for 56 years and had been the unit's secretary and treasurer since 1914.
    He is survived by his wife, Margaret, of Tuolumne; a daughter, Hilma Harris of Weaverville; a son, John, of West Covina; and five grandchildren.
    Pall bearers will be Wallace Fiske, William Archer, Laurence Hodge, Richard Crandall, Arthur Ronten and Hugh Kellog.
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Wallace H. FISKE
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Fiske Rites Set Monday
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Thursday 28 March 1974 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.8
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    Masonic funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday for Wallace H. Fiske, 61, of Tuolumne, who died yesterday at his home.
    Services will be at the Heuton Memorial Chapel.
    Mr. Fiske, a lifelong resident of Tuolumne county, had been a service representative for the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. since 1937.
    He was a member and past master of East Belt Masonic lodge of Tuolumne and past patron of Tuolumne Eastern Star chapter, Order of Eastern Star of Sonora; a member of Royal Arch Masons and had been assistant grand lecturer to the grand lodge of California since 1964.
    He is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Tuolumne; a son, Gerald Fiske of Fresno; one daughter, Bernice Hamilton of Vancover, Wash; two brothers, Robert Fiske of Coulterville and Russell Fiske of Monterey; two sisters, Eliz Jaenecke of Coulterville and Jean Lundstron of Kerman; and 5 grandchildren.
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Stanley CURNOW
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Obituary
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Wednesday 30 September 1964 [Sonora, CA] Union Democrat, p.4
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    Stanley Curnow of Tuolumne, son of a pioneer Soulsbyville family, died last night in a local hospital after an extended illness. He was 63.]
    A native of Soulsbyville, Mr. Curnow's parents were Emily and Thomas Curnow from Corwall, England. His father was an early-day miner.
    Mr. Curnow was employed at the West Side division of the Pickering Lumber Corp. in Tuolumne until he retired three years ago. He was a past noble grand of Pine Tree Odd Fellow lodge.
    He is survived by his wife, Agnes of Tuolumne; a daughter, Mrs. Janice Linn of Stockton; three sisters, Laura Curnow of Soulsbyville, Mrs. Stella Stahl and Mrs. Mabel Crase, both of Stockton; a brother, Tom Curnow of Sonora; and two grandchildren.
    Funeral services are pending at Terzich-Wilson Funeral Home.
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Links:

• Mention of Garden City Wheelmen in San Jose

Th 8 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Twain Harte - Sonora - Long Barn

F 9 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Sonora - Long Barn

Sa 10 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Sonora - Sugar Pine - Long Barn

Su 11 Sep Actual Route: Long Barn - Mi-Wuk - Tuolumne - Sonora

M 12 Sep Route: Sonora - New Melones Dam CG
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Finding Campgrounds:

• RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
• Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com

N.B. I receive nothing from Trailer Life or Woodalls for including links to their free campground lookups.