Obits
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Richard Carl Harr
1940 - 2025
Richard was born in Portland, Oregon to Carl Royce and Lenore Ruth Harr. He had a younger brother, Tommy J. Harr.
The family moved to Sacramento, California where he met Mary Ann Dowling, mother of his two children, Michael CDR, SC, USN (Ret.) and Teresa Gage, state of California (Ret.)
His family included four grandchildren, Milissa, Brandon, Christopher and Barbara; and two great-grandchildren, Mariah and Nicholas Jr.
After graduating El Camino High School, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Later he joined the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department as a patrol officer.
He remarried and moved with Elenor (Elle) Harr to Kelseyville, California where he continued his law enforcement career as a member of Lake County Sheriff’s Department until his retirement.
Richard loved to fly, earning a pilot’s license and gliding on the water. It was fitting that he was able to spend many years as a boat patrolman with Lake County.
He will be missed for his quiet strength and gentle nature. Fair winds and following seas, Richard!
Graveside funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Kelseyville Cemetery.
Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit chapelofthelakes.com. 
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Kay Hancock went home to be with her Lord and Savior on July 16, 2025, and also joined her loving husband John Hancock in heaven.
She was 83 years old. Kay was born in Rainier, Washington on September 26, 1941, and grew up on a small farm with a single mother as the youngest of four siblings in Forest Grove, Oregon.
While growing up she always pretended to be a teacher, which turned out to be her career for 42 years.
At age 8, she started picking strawberries for money and worked other jobs even in the summers, as a young adult, to compensate for her teaching salary.
She taught in Oregon, Washington and California. She genuinely cared about each student she taught, which was strongly reflected in the Lucerne, California, community she taught in for the majority of her teaching years.
Kay deeply loved God, her many friends and family. In fact, if you were her good friend, in her eyes you were considered family. Kay was a very loving mom and grammy. She loved to play cards, cook and have a genuine conversation about you, not her.
Kay is survived by her son, Aaron Hancock; her loving daughter-in-law, Bethany Hancock; amazing grandkids, Lillian and Luke Hancock of Wilton, California; sister, Jo Vermilyea of Tillamook, Oregon; numerous nieces and nephews from Oregon; and honorary sons, Brian Stempe of Santa Rosa, California, and Chad Love of Glenhaven, California.
Kay touched the lives of many students, friends and family. She will be deeply missed.
Kay’s celebration of life will be delayed due to the renovation of her church. Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 15, at noon at Rancho Murieta Community Church, near Sacramento. The address of the church is 14670 Cantova Way, Suite 101, Rancho Murieta, CA 95683.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Todd Walter Burkhead, age 61, passed away Aug. 9, 2025.
He was the son of Watson and Claire Burkhead; husband of 27 years to Karen Burkhead from Kelseyville, California; brother to Tammy Murphy of Glasford, Illinois, and Lori McLaughlin of Hidden Valley Lake, California; and father of Shaley Rivera.
Todd worked for the Department of Parks and Recreation in Clearlake, Standish Hickey and
Richardson Grove.
Todd had a passion for wildlife and the great outdoors. He will be missed.
Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit chapelofthelakes.com.
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