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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
In loving memory of our father, Richard Van Caster, who passed away on Jan. 14, 2023, in Red Bluff, California.
He was the loving father of Richard Van Caster Jr. (deceased), Charles Van Caster (Christine Van Caster), Wayne Van Caster, Tracey Van Caster (Jana Van Caster), Sharmayne Roundy, Lorrie Van Caster-Fike (Andy Holl) and Kathy Blume (Darryl Blume).
Richard was the proud Grandpa to 12 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Richard was born on Jan. 17, 1936, the youngest of five children raised in Wisconsin by Louis and Alice Van Caster.
He spent 20 years in the military and retired from the Coast Guard in 1976.
He started a new career and retired as the director of maintenance and transportation at Old Adobe School District in Petaluma, California.
After retirement he moved to Lucerne, California, where he enjoyed his days fishing, telling stories and having coffee with friends.
In April of 2022 he moved to Red Bluff and enjoyed running around his new town with his best friend of 30-plus years, Patricia Ryan.
One of the most generous souls on this planet, our father was always ready to lend a helping hand.
He truly loved people and being around them and was always ready with a story and joke to share.
At Richard’s request no services will be held.
You may make donations to the Gary Sinise Foundation in his honor as an alternative to flowers.
Donations may be made online at www.garysinisefounation.org or mailed to P.O. Box 40726, Nashville, TN 37204.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The world is a little less bright today due to the passing of Joni Lynn Roumiguiere.
Joni was born Feb. 1, 1986, and is the oldest daughter of John and Donna Roumiguiere.
Growing up, Joni attended Lakeport Elementary and Clear Lake High. She received her AA degree at Santa Rosa Junior College.
Most recently, Joni was putting her cheerful attitude and excellent customer service skills to use while being employed by AAA in Lakeport.
Joni was extremely creative and was known for her photography and painting.
She had a love of all animals but cows held a special place in her heart. She would often entertain her friends and family with her funny animal impressions.
Joni was passionate about all things Disney. One of her favorite pastimes was spending time with her nieces playing and laughing and singing Disney songs.
Joni was a ray of sunshine to everyone who was fortunate to know her. Her infectious laughter and sense of humor will remain with us always.
Joni passed away peacefully on Nov. 20, 2022, and is proceeded in death by her father, John Roumiguiere; grandparents Robert and Patricia Hudson, and Robert Roumiguiere Sr.
She is survived by her mother, Donna Roumigiuere of Lakeport; her siblings Justin (Tausha) Roumiguiere and Jenna (Matt) Amendola; her nieces, Alexandra and Shayla; grandmother, Barbara Roumiguiere; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A celebration of Joni’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Little Theatre at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Jude Children’s Research Center or a local animal shelter of your choice.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Karen Sue Hook, "Mimi" as her six grandchildren called her, went to be with her Jesus Dec. 18, 2022. She was 73 years young when she passed.
Her husband, Jerry Hook, and three children, Tom Hook, Jenn Avila and Andrew Hook, are sad to see her go but know that she is laughing and singing without pain surrounded by loved ones.
Karen was born in Lakeport, California, on Dec. 31, 1948 to Melvin and Hazell Pounds. She had three sisters, Debbie, Melba and her identical twin Sharon.
Sharon Lou and Karen Sue looked and sounded so much alike that they pulled a couple of fast ones in their day (may have involved covering for each other at work and on the telephone but we can neither confirm nor deny that).
All the sisters attended schools in Kelseyville where Karen eventually became a songleader on the Kelseyville High School Cheer squad.
She met a certain young man in the hallway one day and asked him to take care of a rubber salamander she found. A few days later the young man returned the favor by asking her to take care of a wool worm he had “dug up.”
And as Jerry would later say after the exchange, “The race was on!”
What does love have to do with exchanging strange insects and reptiles? A lot.
Jerry was one year older than Karen and after graduation from high school he would pilot a plane from Davis, California, where he was attending college, to see her in Lake County. What's more romantic than your boyfriend flying over your P.E. class and tipping his wings?
After high school Karen worked at a doctor's office on Main Street in Kelseyville to raise enough money to attend and eventually graduate from Santa Rosa Junior College with a Licensed Vocational Nurse degree.
Jerry and Karen got married during spring break of Jerry's senior year at Davis. They lived in married student housing otherwise known as “Fertility Flats.” Karen once again went back to work so that Jerry could get his master’s degree in agricultural engineering.
The two moved to Hawaii for two years and Karen got pregnant with their first son, Tom. Molokai isn't called the friendly island for nothing.
Karen and Jerry made a couple more moves going from Hawaii to Modesto (they're a little different), then to Lake County, then to Washington state, and then back to Lake County.
Jerry and Karen eventually became the owners of Stokes Ladders and Karen had two more children, Jenn and Andrew.
Karen would serve her family, sacrificially cooking and preparing more food than most restaurant chains and then doing it all over again, and again, and again.
It was very common to find Karen singing or whistling the old hymn “Majesty” while busily whipping up some sort of goodness. It was also very common to find her bent over the kitchen sink at night, cleaning something to dirty again the next day.
Jerry and Karen would attend all of the sporting events, scouting events and church events that came with having three active kids.
Karen was known for her whistle, which became such a staple at basketball, baseball and volleyball games that opposing teams said they knew where it was coming from.
She even fell through the stands at a track meet after rooting one of her sons on to the finish line. Needless to say, she got into it. Also, don't mess with her San Francisco Giants or 49ers.
While raising her family and working at Stokes Ladders as a bookkeeper and human resource manager, Karen was also active in Grace Evangelical Free Church, California Women for Agriculture and the Kelseyville Pear Festival
Jerry and Karen moved from Lake County to Paso Robles on the central coast of California in 2019 to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Karen would take her skill of sacrificially caring for others to a whole new level, becoming a mother-in-law and grandmother. She loved her daughters-in-law, April Hook and Kelly Hook, and her son-in-law, Travis Avila, as if they were her own.
Have you ever seen a prouder grandmother? Nope. She loved Ethan Hook, Carson Hook, London Avila, Stella Avila, Eleanor Hook and Merritt Hook to the very last second of her life. And they knew they were loved.
Karen Hook, though small in stature, left an enormous legacy of love and servanthood that will be remembered for generations.
She is survived by husband, Jerry; son, Tom (April); daughter, Jennifer Avila (Travis); son, Andrew (Kelly); sister, Melba; her grandchildren, listed above; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
There will be a memorial service for Karen at Grace Evangelical Free Church, 6716 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville, on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m.
After the service attendees will be encouraged to stay and eat refreshments and share stories and memories of Karen.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, 8330 Ward Parkway, Suite 510, Kansas City, MO 64114.