d. April 26, 2016

Mary Alice Waller Feeney passed away peacefully early in the morning of April 26, 2016, after saying her goodbyes to her beloved family.

She was born in Holdrege, Neb., the eldest child to Milford and Minnie Waller. Mary Alice was raised on her parents’ farm and went to a one-room schoolhouse from kindergarten to eighth grade. High-school years were spent living in a basement during the school week with her brother.

After graduating from Holdrege High School, her father paid for a bus ticket to Denver.  She went to dental hygienist school and began working for dentists. San Francisco was her next stop, working for a dentist at Union Square.  While in San Francisco, she met the love of her life, Robert Feeney. After a short romance, Bob left California to become the biochemistry department chair at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.  Mary Alice returned to her roots to marry Bob on Dec. 3, 1953.  Davis became her home since 1959 when Bob took a position in the food science and biochemistry department at UC Davis. 

 Mary Alice was a hospitable homemaker, proud of her daughters and grandchildren, and loving wife. She opened her home to Bob’s Ph.D. students for many memorable parties. Her special moments were traveling with her husband as he traveled the world with his scientific studies.  Mary Alice delighted in teaching piano lessons and playing the piano for her friends. She continued to play thru out her long life until one week prior to her passing. For 30 years she was active in the University Covenant Church, where she met many lifetime friends. 

 For the past 20 years, she has fought Parkinson’s disease. This made her leave her prized home in Davis to live in Woodland at St. John’s Retirement Community.  She had wonderful care until the day she left us. We wish to thank the staff at St. John’s and Yolo County Hospice, especially her nurse Ted Skiera.  

 Mary Alice will meet her beloved husband, brothers Roger and Jack, brother-in-law Dick Gustafson, sisters-in-laws Mae and Norma Waller, and her parents in heaven. She is survived by her loving sister Virginia Gustafson; daughters Elizabeth Lindemann and Jane Baker (Steve); and grandchildren Michelle and Lauren Baker, Sean Lindemann, and twelve nieces and nephews. 

 The family will be holding a memorial service at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, in the chapel at St. John’s Retirement Community in Woodland.  Memorials can be made in Mary Alice’s name to Yolo County Hospice.

Richard Russell Miller died April 27, 2016, in Bend, Ore. Born Sept. 13, 1939, he was 76 years old. He was with the department of cardiology at the UC Davis Medical Center from 1969 to 1977.

A celebration of life will take place later this summer. Arrangements are under the direction of Autumn Funerals in Bend; www.autumnfunerals.net. Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

April 20, 1938 — May 1, 2016

Lifelong Davis resident Wally Winton passed away peacefully at home of an apparent heart attack on May 1, 2016.

Born in Nevada City to Frank and Evie Winton, he was the oldest of three sons. Wally’s family moved to Davis in 1955, when Frank became the lumber yard manager at Davis Lumber (Ace Hardware). Wally started his senior year at Davis High School, which is where he met the love of his life, Wanda Tincher, and they were married in June 1957.

Wally attended Sacramento State University as a criminal justice major. He took a summer job at UC Davis, first in the plant pathology department, and after three months was hired in the viticulture and enology department, where he worked for 40 years. Wally enjoyed being a winemaker and teaching students from all over the world how to make wine.

Some of his most interesting job responsibilities included being a food and wine consultant for many of the UCD functions, including the Quarter Century Club. He also was the chancellor’s wine consultant for many years. He often tells the story about serving wine to the world-famous Julia Child. He also consulted with several restaurants to prepare their wine lists, traveling to various wineries for the selections. In addition, he enjoyed participating as a wine judge for the California State Fair, Calaveras County Fair and the El Dorado County Fair.

Wally was in the Davis Jaycees for many years, a member of the Dixon Boat Club and the Richmond Hunting Club. Wally was an outdoorsman and loved to fish and hunt. Some of his favorite fishing spots include several lakes in the Sierra where he and Wanda have a cabin. Wally’s life was one of generosity and meaningful purpose. He donated his time freely to help a friend or family member with any project big or small. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Wally is survived by his wife of 58 years, Wanda; two daughters and their husbands, Tammy Smith (Jeff) and Tracy Winton (Kevin Rash). He also leaves behind four grandchildren who adored him, Jason and Justine Smith and Brandon and Austin Rash. He is also survived by one brother, Jim Winton and sister-in-law Laura Winton, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Rick.

Wally cherished his family more than anything in life. He rarely missed a tennis match, baseball game or soccer tournament and as an avid Aggie fan, he enjoyed watching his granddaughter cheer for his team. It is hard to imagine life without him.

Viewing will be on Saturday, May 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Smith’s Funeral Home, 116 D St. in Davis. The funeral and reception will be at the University Covenant Church, 315 Mace Blvd. in Davis, at 11 a.m. Monday, May 9, with burial at the Davis Cemetery, 820 Pole Line Road, at 2 p.m. for those who wish to attend.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, and sent to Wanda Winton, 305 Mills Drive, Davis, CA 95616.

Dec. 17, 1921 — April 27, 2016

Alice Noriko Uriu passed away peacefully in her Davis home on April 27, 2016, at the age of 94. She was healthy, happy and active to the end.

Alice was born in Elmira on Dec. 17, 1921, and moved to Mountain View when she was four. She was the second of four children of Gengoro “Jack” Okamoto and Takeshi “Mary” Shibakura.

Alice became interested in nursing and attended San Jose State University, nine months before World War II began. Her family was relocated to the Heart Mountain Japanese internment camp in Wyoming where she used her nursing skills in the internment camp hospital. Alice was accepted into nursing school at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and became a Nurse Anesthetist.

Alice and Kiyoto Uriu were married in 1949 and they enjoyed 59 loving years of marriage. As Kay was earning his Ph.D. at UC Davis, Alice worked at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento. They had four children: Don, Margie, Jan and Bob.

Alice was involved in the community working with the University Farm Circle and International House. Over the years she has welcomed hundreds of foreign students and faculty and helped to ease their transition into the Davis community and American culture. Her house became a place for visiting scholars and families to pick up a wide array of household items to help them start their life in Davis. She helped set them up with utilities and taught weekly English classes sometimes coupled with cooking.

Alice was proud of her heritage and incorporated Japanese customs and culture throughout her life. She studied and later taught koto, a stringed Japanese instrument. She learned the art of ikebana flower arranging and there were always beautiful arrangements throughout the house.

Alice was an avid San Francisco Giants fan; she could tell you the score of every game. She waited more than 50 years to see the Giants win the World Series and she celebrated their 2010, 2012 and 2014 victories with joy. This is another even year and we hope the Giants can give Alice another championship win.

Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Kiyoto Uriu, and her brother William Okamoto. She iis survived by her sisters Sophie Iwatsubo and Ruth Nagano; children Donald Uriu (Keiko), Margie Nocifera (Jon Paul), Jan Uriu-Adams (Tom) and Bob Uriu (Noriho); and grandchildren Daniel, Masato, Steven, Kazuto and Michiko.

Alice also leaves behind countless number of friends that she has made over her lifetime. She weathered difficult times during the war yet always maintained a strong and positive outlook on life. She will be remembered for her generous spirit and kindness to all. Alice was a woman of simple tastes and few desires and demands. She remained active and healthy to the very end, teaching English, playing Bridge, taking exercise classes, following her beloved Giants, and enjoying time with her extended family. We will remember her always.

The family will hold a memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at the Davis Senior Center, 646 A St. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to the Davis Schools Foundation or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Oct. 8, 1922 — May 3, 2016

Alecia C. “2-D” Duncan died on May 3, 2016, at Sutter Davis Hospital. She was born on Oct. 8, 1922, in Cedarville, Calif., to Georgia T. Conard and George H. Conard. She lived in Northern California her entire life, moving often as a child and eventually settling in Winters and graduating from Winters High School in 1941.

She married William E. Duncan in 1943 before he entered the Army Air Corps. During the war she spent time at the bases where he was stationed and in Winters while raising the first of their three children. After the war, they returned to Winters and started a farming operation.

Along with the responsibilities of raising a growing and expanding family she often drove the grain-hauling trucks, ran a small egg delivery service, cared for the family horses, maintained and cleaned Buckeye School, and kept three children healthy and happy. After moving to Davis and retiring, she and her husband traveled across the United States and to Alaska, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

2-D loved to cook. She volunteered her time at numerous community events, often preparing and organizing large meals. More a “chef” than “cook,” she never found a recipe she could not make better. Whether it was a neighbor, friend or family in need, she jumped at the chance to send them food. She especially loved desserts, much to her family’s and friends’ delight.

She also truly listened to others. She remembered everything about them that they shared. She listened before giving advice and only then when it was wanted or would be useful. She loved to be with her friends, as is evidenced by the bridge clubs to which she belonged until her eyesight ended her playing. She is the last member of a group from Winters who met once a month for more than 50 years.

There are those among us who live a life that truly makes it a better world for all who know them. You will not see their names in numerous newspapers or see them on television. They are not given awards at banquets. They do not have things named after them. They do not end up with numerous degrees nor are they published in journals or write books.

These people are truly loved by all who know them and are a positive influence in the lives they touch. Their wisdom from years of experience is a gift to all who seek it. They truly care for others and have an unconditional love and acceptance of the diversity in all life. They give of themselves what is needed to help those who need it without expectation of a reward or recognition. Such a person was “2-D.”

She was preceded in death by her husband, William E. Duncan; her son, George W. Duncan; and her brother, George H. Conard. She is survived by her German shepherd, Nina; her daughter, Dana Duncan and husband Joe Tursi of Alameda and son, Thomas Duncan and wife Judy Bean of Winters; daughter-in-law, Sandra Duncan; four grandchildren, Brian Duncan and wife Karen, Sara Bean Duncan, Joseph Tursi and Ryan Tursi; and one great-grandchild, Kayla Duncan.

Her family is grateful for the excellent health care she received through Sutter Davis Health Care, Sutter Davis Hospital and her other Davis doctors. They are also grateful for the wonderful care provided by her caregivers. Finally, they want to thank her neighbors and friends who watched over her and helped her remain in her home.

At her request, she will be cremated and there will not be a service or memorial. In her memory, enjoy your favorite dessert and give thought to this vibrant, charming and wonderful woman.

Those wishing to make a donation may do so to the Guide Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915, or to an animal rescue organization of their choice.

Margaret (Peggy) Northup-Dawson died May 2, 2016, in Davis.  Born April 20, 1926, she was 90 years old. As a social worker, she was founding director of Yolo County Family Service Agency and then worked as a family therapist in private practice in Davis. Her celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29, the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Davis, the church in which she was active for many years and to which any contributions may be made.  For information please call her husband, Stanley Dawson, at 530-756-0327.

Amand Kasimatis, 94 of Davis, a renowned UCDavis viticulturist, died May 4, 2016. He was a World War II naval veteran, husband , father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

d. April 21, 2016

Kevin R. Dougherty of Davis, 64, passed away on April 21, 2016, in California.

Kevin was born in Frankfort, Mich., to Robert and Bonnie Dougherty, growing up in an Army family; he spent his childhood traveling the world. He lived in Greece, Turkey, Italy, and France. Upon returning to the U.S. he spent a couple of years in Washington, D.C.

Upon his father’s retirement from the Army, the family moved to Davis.

He is survived by his wife Lori, children Sarah and Andrew Dougherty, grandchildren Addison and Owen Chownyk, brother Steve (Mary) Dougherty, and niece Michele Bento. 

A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, at Smith Funeral Home in Davis.

Contributions in memory of Kevin may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Those who wish to sign a guestbook online may do so at www.smith-funerals.com

Nov. 1, 1937 — May 11, 2016

Richard Crews Wydick, emeritus professor of law at UC Davis Law School, died at his home in Davis on May 11, 2016, his family at his side. He was 78.

Wydick was born Nov. 1, 1937, in Pueblo, Colo., to Alice and Charles Wydick. He graduated in 1955 from Fountain Valley School near Colorado Springs where he was the student-body president and captain of the western horseback team. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1959 from Williams College in Massachusetts, where he majored in political economics, headed the student council, and was president of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and the college’s Social Council.

He then attended Stanford Law School, where he was a member of the Stanford Law Review and Order of the Coif. In 1961, he married Judith Brandli James. The couple celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in August 2015.

After receiving his LLB in 1962, Dick joined the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He and Judy ended up spending their three-year tour in Charlottesville, Va., where Dick taught military law at the JAG school on the University of Virginia campus. Their son Bruce was born in 1964.

The young couple left the Army a few weeks before the Vietnam War heated up, returning to California. Dick practiced antitrust law for five years in the San Francisco law firm of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison. Their son Derrick was born in 1967.

Remembering how much he had enjoyed teaching, Dick decided that teaching law suited him better than practicing it. In 1971, he found a faculty position at the then-young UC Davis School of Law. For the next 35 years, he taught evidence law, antitrust, legal ethics, intellectual property and legal writing. Along the way he was associate dean for two years and acting dean for another two. In 1983, he received the School of Law’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

He co-authored many editions of three books on legal ethics. His best-known work, however, is a slim volume, first published in 1979, called “Plain English for Lawyers,” which has sold more than 1 million copies. As Dick wryly stated for his obituary, “It shows lawyers how to write plainly so as to be understood by those who must read their stuff, but so far it hasn’t worked.”

But his friend Joseph Kimble of Scribes, a legal-writing organization, noted that after centuries of bad legal writing, the cycle is starting to break, thanks to Dick’s book, which is used all over the country: “We’re going on two generations of lawyers and law students who have been guided and changed by ‘Plain English for Lawyers.’ No other book on legal writing can make a claim like that.”

For many years, Dick also taught evidence and ethics for BarBri, a review course preparing law students to pass the State Bar exam. And for more than 10 years he served on a Scribes committee to select the best book in the country published the previous year on a legal subject — out of roughly 40 submitted each year for consideration.

While teaching, Dick was able to take four sabbatical years abroad where he did his best writing. In 1977-78 the family lived near Auckland, New Zealand, the most special period they had together. Dick and Judy spent three subsequent sabbatical years based in London, with long periods in Great Malvern (England) and Mallorca (off the coast of Spain), experiences that enriched their lives immeasurably.

During their 1987-88 sabbatical in London, Dick decided to take over the cooking so that Judy also could have a sabbatical. Upon their return, he decided to continue, and cookbooks became his favorite bedtime reading. He became a gourmet cook, his presentation as important as the content of the meal, and he continued this hobby until they moved to the University Retirement Community in 2013.

Dick retired in 2003. He was a longtime member of the American Law Institute. His honors included the Golden Pen Award from the Legal Writing Institute and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Scribes, the American Society of Legal Writers, in recognition of his contributions to legal writing.

In 2006 he was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable progressive disease in which the lungs scar over. He participated in a drug study at UC Davis, however, and survived 10 years, significantly longer than untreated patients.

In keeping with his character, Dick prepared an inch-thick loose-leaf notebook filled with detailed instructions concerning everything his family would need to know about what to do after his death — including complete directions for the memorial service and reception.

He is survived by his wife Judy of Davis; son Derrick, his wife Laura and their daughter Katie of Columbia, Calif.; and son Bruce, his wife Leanne, and their daughters Alice and Kayla of Berkeley.

His memorial service will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, at the Episcopal Church of St. Martin, 640 Hawthorn Lane in Davis.

The Wydick family has endowed a scholarship for UC Davis law students. If you care to contribute, please indicate on your check that it is for the Wydick Family Scholarship, and make it payable to the UC Davis Foundation — School of Law, 400 Mrak Hall Drive, Davis, CA 95616-5201.

April 20, 1926 — May 2, 2016

Margaret “Peggy” Northup-Dawson drew her last breath on May 2, 2016, just one week after celebrating her 90th birthday with all six of her beloved children. Her passing will leave a void in the lives of many, Peggy was larger than life, filling a room with her generosity, kindness and joy.

Born in Hollywood to Dr. Kenneth Samuel Davis and Ursula Mary Walker on April 20, 1926, she grew up in Beverly Hills with her two sisters and two brothers. Her Irish-Catholic mother insisted she attend the local parish school for her elementary education but Peggy persuaded her parents to allow her to attend high school at Beverly Hills High. 

After high school she attended UCLA where she met and married Oliver Northup Jr. (Chip). After graduating in June 1946, she entered graduate school at Berkeley, studying psychology while Chip studied law at Boalt Hall. She stopped her graduate studies for the birth of her first child, Kathy, followed 18 months later by her second child, William. Shortly after the birth of William the family moved to Sacramento where Chip began his work as a lawyer. 

While living in Sacramento the expected third child turned out to be identical twins, James and John. The family moved to Woodland in 1953 where her last two children, Mary and Robert were born. While raising her family in Woodland she worked with friends to organize the Democratic Women’s Club, was active in the League of Women Voters, and helped to start the Woodland Parent Nursery School. She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, where she was very active, eventually founding a pastoral counseling service. 

After her four oldest children were in college she pursued her MSW at Sacramento State. Her first marriage ended in 1973, just as she embarked on her new career in social work. Peggy decided to get a fresh start on life by spending a year abroad. She rented a flat in London and using that as a base explored the continent. Peggy had a “joi de vivre” that opened many doors for her. In Europe she met people that invited her for extended visits offering such adventures as fox hunting on Boxing Day, and two weeks in Greece with a group on an archeological dig. She made lifelong friends everywhere she went.

Returning to the States after her year abroad, she located in Davis and took a position with the Yolo County Family Service Agency, eventually becoming director. She became a specialist in family therapy receiving training from leading therapists in the Bay Area. She transferred her passion for her family from her early years into a passion for family therapy. She had a thriving private practice but also took time to train others through adjunct programs in Ukiah and Redding offered by the Sacramento State graduate school.

In 1992 she married Stanley Dawson. With Stan she had opportunity to travel and hike and participate in the activities she loved with someone she loved beside her. She particularly enjoyed her mountain cabin and visits to the ocean, watching the sunset with Stan.

In 2006 Stan and Peggy with long time Unitarian Universalist friends started Glacier Circle, the first elder co-housing community in the United States, as featured on the front page of the New York Times. 

The theme throughout Peggy’s life has been her connection to people — to her family, with survivors, Stan, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to her beloved sister Kathy-Pat and nieces and nephews and to her extensive community of friends.  

A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.

Feb. 1, 1924 — May 17, 2016

Gordon Green died at age 92 on May 17, 2016, in Davis. He was born Gordon Harold Green on Feb. 1, 1924, in Fergus Falls, Minn., to parents Dwight Philemon Green and Ruth Edna (Davis) Green. He grew up in Battle Lake, Minn. He joined the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines following World War II.

After the Army, he attended Minneapolis Business College, where he met a fellow student and the love of his life, Mary Rosalynd Capps. They were married on Feb. 18, 1950, in Minneapolis, Minn. They moved to California in 1954 and to Davis in 1955, where they raised a family of three sons.

He worked in bookkeeping and payroll for Spreckels Sugar in Woodland for almost 30 years. He was a member of Davis Community Church, the Davis Camera Club and the Davis Genealogy Club, and served as an Assistant Scoutmaster and District Representative for Boy Scout Troop 111.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Rosalynd, sister Evelyn Harris, sister-in-law Marie Balding, brother-in-law Bill Balding, and daughter-in-law Alice.

He is survived by his three sons, Robert (daughter-in-law Pamela) of Lafayette, Gary of Carmichael and Steven of Omaha, Neb.; two granddaughters, Janelle of Lindenwold, N.J., and Jessica Schulze (son-in-law Anthony) of Oxnard; a great-grandson, Robert Davies; a great-granddaughter, Rose Marie Schulze; a brother-in-law, Ed Harris; four nephews; and two nieces.

A memorial service will be held at Atria Covell Gardens, 1111 Alvarado Ave. in Davis, on Thursday, May 26, 2016, at 2:30 p.m. He will be buried at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery at 5810 Midway Road in Dixon after a service on Friday, June 3, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. An online guestbook is available at www.smith-funerals.com.

d. May 13, 2016
Marjorie Maxstadt Pardee, formerly of New Paltz, N.Y., and Davis, departed this life peacefully on Friday, May 13, 2016, at age 86.
An accomplished watercolor painter, hiker and avid reader, Marjorie dedicated her life to her family, helping those less fortunate as an active participant in ESL (English as a Second Language), the Presbyterian Church Steven’s Ministry, PEO (a scholarship program for young women), League of Women Voters, Reading for the Blind, The Sierra Club and many others.
She is survived by her sons Michael, Richard and Thomas, and their families.
She attended college and obtained degrees from the University of Wisconsin, UC Berkeley and Rutgers University. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.

May 12, 1939 — April 13, 2016
Coral Elizabeth Brown (Mitchell), born in Canton, Ohio, passed away peacefully in Woodland on April 23, 2016.
Coral touched many lives during her 28-plus years working as an RN and she found great joy in her children and grandchildren. She loved nature, especially hummingbirds, gardens and the many dogs, cats and horses she had over the years.
Her ability to share her faith and understanding of what is yet to come during the last few weeks made her family laugh, cry, contemplate life and make each day count, but ultimately gave great comfort. Their memories were blessed by her gracious spirit. She was ready for “The next beautiful thing.”
She is survived by her daughters Teri (Klaus) Hoffmann, Sharon (Joe) McIntyre and Wendy Brown Martinez (Steve Imbach); many beloved grandchildren; and her partner, Tony (Clyde) VanHemert.
She was preceded in death by her siblings Richard Mitchell and Susan Snyder (Mitchell); and James R. Brown, her first husband and father of her children.
Special thanks to the loving staff at Alderson Convalescent, her many doctors and nurse practitioner Heather Kelly at Woodland Healthcare, and compassionate care with Yolo Hospice.

Nov. 18, 1925 — May 16, 2016

Charles Graham Higgins Jr., emeritus professor of geology at UC Davis, died at Carmel Valley Manor on May 16, 2016. He was 90.

He was born Nov. 18, 1925, in Oak Park, Ill., to Frances Henderson Higgins and Charles Graham Higgins Sr. After graduating from Oak Park River Forest Township High School in 1942, he matriculated at Carleton College in Minnesota before transferring to the University of Chicago, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology in 1946 and 1947. He earned a Ph.D. degree in geology in 1950 from UC Berkeley.

He was fascinated by geomorphology, the study of the physical features of the Earth’s surface. This interest originated in the summer of 1936, when his parents took him on a road trip to the great national parks, including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Zion and Yosemite. When he was a student at the University of Chicago, he worked during the summer as a field assistant for the Montana Bureau of Mines, helping to map the geology of the Hecla Mining District. He also mapped and analyzed the geologic history of a large limestone cavern in Missouri for his MS thesis. His doctoral research at Berkeley involved mapping and analyzing the geologic development of the lower Russian River. After graduation, he taught at the University of Michigan for one year before accepting a split-appointment assistant professorship at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. He gave up the split appointment and moved to Davis in 1953.

For more than 50 years, he was a professor at UC Davis. He was the first full-time faculty member in Davis’ fledgling geology department and its first department chair, a position he held from 1951 to 1962. He became professor emeritus in 1990 and moved to Carmel Valley. Although retired from teaching, he retained a desk at the geology department and continued to present papers at professional conferences for many years. In 1995 he received the E.B. Burwell Jr. Memorial Award, Engineering Geology Division, from the Geological Society of America for his work on groundwater geomorphology.

He was married twice. He met Carol Elizabeth Ellis (1925-1994) at Carleton College, and they married in 1947. He and Carol raised two daughters in Davis, where they had a very active social life with other young faculty families. During these years, he took his family to Europe several times to conduct research on the formation of beach rock in Greece, a project that was funded by the U.S. Navy. He and Carol divorced in 1967. Several years later he met Rosalie Darleen Trew through the Cooperative Extension Program at Davis, and they married in 1974.

His personal life took a new direction after he married Rosalie. They bought a rural property with a walnut orchard outside of Woodland. Rosalie cultivated an extensive garden there, and they became regular vendors at the Davis Farmers Market, selling melons, grapes, tomatoes and other produce. The walnuts they harvested won prizes at the Yolo County Fair. Charles built a split-rail fence by hand and renovated many of the old structures on the property. When family members visited, he enjoyed taking his young grandchildren out to collect eggs from their chickens and pick olives from the trees at the edge of the property.

He never lost his passion for music. As a high school student in 1941, he had his own 11-member swing band: the Charles Higgins Orchestra. He played the drums. As an undergraduate at Carleton, he played with Bob Carey’s Dance Orchestra. By the 1970s, he was playing with a jazz band, a tradition that continued in Carmel Valley Manor until he became too frail to hold the drumsticks.

He loved good beer, salted nuts, anything made with beans, hiking in the Sierra and travel. For many years he liked to travel without making any reservations, just for the pleasure of seeing where he would land at the end of the day. After moving to Carmel Valley, he and Rosalie traveled the world together.

Charles is survived by his wife Rosalie; daughter Lesley Higgins and her husband Peter King; and daughter Kim Higgins Tolley, her husband Bruce Tolley, and their daughter Emma Tolley and son Nathan Tolley.

The family will sponsor a small celebratory event in Charles’ name for the residents and staff of the Carmel Valley Manor Medical Center, featuring jazz music, grilled sausages, salted nuts and beer on Sunday, June 12.

The Neptune Society has handled the cremation arrangements. Condolences and memories to be shared with the family can be sent to Kim Tolley at ktolley@gmail.com.

Dec. 24, 1947 — May 19, 2016

Lawrence Don Fanning died peacefully on May 19, 2016, after a six month-long battle with brain cancer. He was 68 years old.

A resident of Davis since 1973, he is survived by his life partner of 43 years, Stephen Peithman; his sister, Pat (Sid) Styers of Anderson; his brother Charles (Karen) of Elkins, Ark.; and his beloved niece Mary (Dan) Reid of Vacaville, among other family members and friends.

Born in Berryville, Ark., on Dec. 24, 1947, he was the third child of Lewis and Beatrice Fanning, who moved to Dixon when Larry was a young man. He graduated from Dixon High School and Sacramento City College, and received his B.A. in history and M.A. in medieval history from Sacramento State University. He credited his educational achievements to the support of his father; the encouragement of his Dixon High School teacher Rose Vineys; and his mentor, Sacramento State professor James Straukamp.

Larry worked in the San Francisco office of Basic American Foods, and in several positions at UC Davis. In 1981, he began his own business, Résumés Plus.

He was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church at age 16, and later became a member of the Episcopal Church, serving in various lay positions at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and as a member of the Church of St. Martin in Davis.

Larry served as a volunteer in the early years of the Davis Community Meals Program, and was active in the Davis Comic Opera Company, including as box office manager and a member of the stage crew. He served on the Yolo County Community Action Board, and worked on events for Yolo Hospice and other local nonprofits. He was an avid reader, with a special passion for church and Tudor history, as well as science fiction.

Larry’s family is grateful for the care he received from the physicians, nurses and staff of Kaiser Permanente and its Hospice program, and the love and support of his many friends.

A memorial service will begin at 1 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Episcopal Church of St. Martin, 640 Hawthorn Lane in Davis, followed by a reception in the parish hall.

d. May 23, 2016

Dennis (Denny) Saul, age 71, of Davis and formerly of Bassett, Va., passed away May 23, 2016, at his residence.

He was the son of the late Herman Benford Saul and Vera Ferguson Saul. He was preceded in death by brothers Winston and Dean Saul. He is survived by his daughter, Lisa Belcher of Woolwine, Va.; three grandchildren; sisters Linda Ljunggren of Austin, Texas, and Brenda S. Thompson of Christiansburg, Va.; brother Doug; and nephews and many cousins.

Denny loved his family and friends that he had across the country, especially those in Davis. There will be a gathering of family at a later date.

April 14, 1939 — May 11, 2016

Billie Jean Clune died on May 11, 2016 at home in Davis, California after a courageous 2.5 year fight with pancreatic cancer. She was 77 years young.

Born Billie Jean Heinz in Lawton, Okla., on April 14, 1939, to to Eugene and Judith Lenore Heinz, on the Heinz Dairy Farm, a homestead purchased in 1906 by her grandfather Frederick Heinz, when Oklahoma was still a territory. She spent her first years there, later moving to “town” for a happy childhood. Billie Jean helped at the dairy as a teen until she graduated from Lawton High School (‘57) Cameron Junior College and left to attend the University of Oklahoma.

Marrying William Cartmill Clune (1927-2008) in Lawton, Oklahoma in 1960, she then traveled the world, living in Topeka, KS; Wurtzberg, Germany; Seoul, Korea; Corrales, NM; Washington DC; San Francisco, Rio Vista, and Davis, California, while raising 4 children. In addition to being a creative and wonderful mother, she enjoyed watching birds, gardening, being with her dogs and grandchildren, and was an expert resource in learning issues and children’s literature. Always a lover of animals, later in life she developed a new passion, training 3 dogs to be hearing assistance dogs.

She is survived by her sister, Judith Heinz Earp, her four children Fredrick (married to Robin (Turner), Timothy (married to Eden (Silberstein), Catharine (married to Mitchel Pergola), and Caroline Clune, her niece, Cynthia Jane (Forbess) Peters, and her four grandchildren Andrew, 18, Connor, 15, Eli, 11 and Lulu, 6.

Her daughters, Catharine and Caroline and daughter-in-law, Eden, took loving care of Billie Jean during her fight with cancer.

The memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, June 11 at the Episcopal Church of St. Martin, 640 Hawthorne Lane in Davis, California with a reception at the house following. For more information, please call 707-344-1800.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory can be made to the California Raptor Center of UC Davis at 530-752-6091.

Jan. 28, 1941 — May 10, 2016

Ellen Rosen was born Jan. 28, 1941, in Chicago to Clara Paulker and Samuel Rosen. Before she entered school, the family moved to Glencoe, Ill., a suburb north of Chicago, where she attended elementary and middle school. In 1958, she graduated from New Trier High School, one of the premier American high schools. She earned a B.A. from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., with a major in psychology. She completed a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign in 1967 and was hired immediately as an assistant professor at the College of William and Mary (W&M) in Williamsburg, Va.

Her teaching interests were in the technical and quantitative areas of psychology. She taught statistics and experimental design as well as physiological psychology, but also instructed human sexuality, women in psychology and seminars in emerging areas of the discipline. Ellen also taught several courses in the Women’s Studies Program. She served several terms as director of the graduate program in psychology.

Ellen earned tenure in 1971 and later was promoted to full professor of psychology. Ellen and her research partner Linda Petty were awarded grants from the Department of Education and the National Institute of Mental Health to support their research and to develop innovative educational programs for students and faculty at Hampton University, a historically black university. In 1993, Ellen co-authored “Gatekeepers of Psychology” with E. Rae Harcum, a colleague in the psychology department at W&M. In 2000, Ellen retired as professor emeritus after 32 years at W&M. Ellen became dean of the Graduate Programs at Chicago State University, a minority university on the south side of a Chicago. During her time at CSU, the graduate programs flourished with the addition of numerous master’s-level programs and the approval of several terminal degrees.

In 2004, Ellen and her life partner Linda Petty retired and moved to Davis, where they had often visited friends and enjoyed the low humidity. They were able to legally marry in 2008 in California. Ellen volunteered at Davis Community Meals for many years, earning the nickname “The Salad Lady.” She was also a dedicated volunteer at the Davis Police Department. Her favorite activity there was directing traffic on Picnic Day. As an active member of the Davis Unitarian Universalist Church, she served on the finance committee, was a worship associate, and sang in the choir.

She brought years of experience and wisdom to her service on the Davis Human Rights Commission. Through her early experiences as a Jewish girl in the post-WWII upper-class suburban Midwest and her consciousness-raising in the 1960s, she was always a soldier in the army for social justice. She was a founder of the Women’s Studies Program and was an advocate and mentor for women and minority students at W&M. She served in many volunteer and grant-funded capacities in the psychology department and the Center for Teaching Excellence at HU. She was a teacher and mentor of minority students at HU and CSU. She was a feminist lesbian educator who served and loved her students. They are her legacy.

Ellen cultivated her love of nature and all animals. She had a special affinity for dogs, and in the course of her life, she nurtured 27 dogs in her home. She was an early supporter of the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah.

Ellen is survived by her life partner of 45 years and wife of eight years, Linda Petty. She leaves behind her brother Elliott Rosen, his wife Sandy, and their daughters Samantha and Lee Shan of Chicago. She took on the role of mother to a deceased friend’s son, Jeff Justice, of Virginia Beach, Va. Ellen also has an adopted daughter-in-law, Lori Mathis, and a granddaughter, Dani Mathis, of Marietta, Ga.

Ellen’s memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Road in Davis. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Sept. 23, 1955 — May 26, 2016

Maureen Elizabeth McEwen-Vik, 60, of Great Falls, Mont., passed away on Thursday, May 26, 2016, at her home.

Maureen was born on Sept. 23, 1955, in Los Angeles to Mike and Marjorie McEwen. Growing up in California, she developed a love of the outdoors, exploring the beaches, mountains and deserts. She often shared her memories of hiking in the Grand Canyon with her family.

Maureen received a business degree from Heald Business College. She pursued a career in retail, fashion and merchandising and held multiple positions in the field. Maureen moved to Great Falls 24 years ago to raise her children. She was a compassionate and fun-loving woman who embraced life with unwavering confidence. Her spirituality was multi-faceted and a central part of her life. To know Maureen was to be her friend. She loved her family, children and grandchild very much.

Maureen is survived by her son, Weston Vik; daughters Krystal King and Ali Rinker; brothers Michael McEwen and Mark McEwen; sisters Jennifer McEwen, Kathy McEwen and Amy Goller; and grandson Connor King.

She was preceded in death by her father, Mike McEwen.

No service will be held at this time. Her family will gather at a later date to celebrate her life. Cremation has taken place under the direction of O’Connor Funeral Home.

March 16, 1928 — May 20, 2016

Bill Regan died at home in San Jose on May 20 after a long illness. He grew up in Davis, attended Davis schools, and graduated in the high school class of 1946.

He attended UC Berkeley, where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and UC Davis, where he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural engineering, (1951 and 1956). At Davis he was affiliated with the Beta Phi fraternity.

Bill served as a research staff assistant at UC Davis from 1951-57, was a Senior Engineer at the Food Machinery Company in San Jose from 1957 to 1971 and held a similar position at the Currie Machinery Company in San Jose, from which he retired in 2006.

Bill loved golfing. He was a member of the Yolo Flyers Club in Woodland, and the El Campo Golf and Country Club in Newark. In retirement he devoted his activity to the work of the Twelve-Step Program.

In death Bill followed his parents, William and Susan Regan, and his sister Mary. He is survived by his sister Susan McKillop of Davis; nephew Allan McKillop of San Francisco; and niece Mary McKillop and grandnephew Patrick McKillop-Bay of Corvallis, Ore. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends who remember him with love and affection.

A gathering in his memory will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 18, in the social center of Valley Village, 390 N. Winchester Boulevard in Santa Clara. Plans for a similar gathering in Davis have not yet been determined.