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- Written by: Editor
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — John Edward Alameda passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at the age of 80.
He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family and friends.
He was a beloved son, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend.
John was a retired California Highway Patrol officer, sheriff’s deputy, local business owner, horseman, sailor and PROUD Navy veteran.
He spent his retirement loving life with his family, enjoyed paddling his canoes, sailing on beautiful Clear lake, and driving his jeep like a cop in pursuit. He will be sorely missed.
Celebration of life will be held at his daughter's home (Marian) in Upper Lake on Saturday, April 9, at 3 p.m.
Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
James Michael ‘Sham’ Cochrane
1950 — 2022
James Michael “Sham” Cochrane was born in Eureka, California, on Sept. 10, 1950, to James William Cochrane III and Alice Loree Stockton Cochrane. He was the first born of their five children.
He passed away peacefully on March 14, 2022, at his home in Granite Bay, California, with family at his side.
Sham spent his childhood in the hills outside Loleta and was active in school sports, excelling in basketball and baseball. He was always ready for a pick up game as long as there was a ball involved and played school sports in Loleta, Fortuna and Humboldt State.
He graduated from Fortuna Union High School in 1968, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 and his teaching credential from Humboldt State University in 1972. While in college, he played semipro baseball as catcher for the Humboldt Crabs. He also earned his master’s degree in education at University of San Francisco along with a master’s in counseling at Louisiana State University.
Sham was drafted into the U.S. Army and enlisted on July 24, 1972, transferring to the National Guard and retiring as a 1st Sergeant of the 579th Engineering Battalion after 21 years of service on Nov. 1, 1993.
Sham met Pam Watkins in 1973 while playing softball on opposing teams, with some help from some of Pam’s co-workers at College of the Redwoods who knew Sham playing unabashed matchmakers. They married in Eureka in July of 1977 and Sham had a ready-made family with Pam’s son Gerald “Skip” Hunter.
He began his teaching career at Loleta Union School, later moving to Lake County where he taught middle school in Lower Lake and soon moving to high school at Kelseyville Unified. Never without a ball in his hand, he coached many a student in the finer points of basketball, baseball, softball and football even into his retirement years.
In 1979 Sham, Pam and Skip welcomed Kristin “Kristie” Lynne and Corey Michael arrived in 1981 to complete the family. They happily raised their family in Lake County.
In 2014, Sham retired from teaching in Kelseyville and in 2017 he and Pam relocated to Roseville and then Granite Bay where he lived until his death.
Sham also volunteered on the Lake County Fair Board for many years as well as many volunteer events while his wife Pam was auditor-controller of Lake County.
Sham is predeceased by his wife, Pam (Watkins) Cochrane; maternal grandparents, Virgil and Ruby Stockton; paternal grandparents, James W. Cochrane II and Louise Cochrane; parents, James W. Cochrane III and Loree Cochrane Buck; brothers, Patrick Stephen Cochrane and Robert Todd Cochrane; and nieces, Jana Cochrane and Dottie Chambers.
Sham is survived by his mother-in-law, Bette Watkins and her husband, Phil Merklin of Eureka; children, Skip and Lorrie Hunter and their sons Treven of Pollock Pines and Tyler of Pioneer, California; Kristie and Adam Stogner and their family, Chiara, Cameron and Cayden of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Corey Cochrane and daughter Arianna and Kristyn Long (Corey’s fiance) and son Jackson of Granite Bay.
He is also survived by his brother, Tim and Marie Cochrane of Ettersburg; sister, Leslie and Dennis Burchfield of Rio Dell; sister-in-law, Cyndee Cochrane of Fortuna; brother-in-law, Ray and Gwynn Watkins of Midway, Utah, and nieces and nephews Laura Cochrane, Rebecca Sheets, Justin Cochrane, Chris Cochrane and Lauren Burchfield.
There are so many others that have adopted Papa Sham as their grandfather, father, uncle and family, we thank each and every one of you for the loving support. He loved us all!
We would also like to thank the staff at UCD Rocklin Infusion Center and UCD Hospice for their outstanding care.
A celebration of Sham’s life will be conducted on Friday, April 15, at Medina’s Watering Hole in Scotts Valley (Lakeport) at 2 p.m. The address is 3272 Scotts Valley Road, Lakeport CA 95453.
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- Written by: Editor
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Patricia Ann Del Valle was a wonderful grandmother, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.
God unexpectedly took her into his kingdom on Feb. 27, 2022, after a hard-fought battle with complications due to the COVID-19 virus.
Patricia was born to Elizabeth Holmes and Joseph Del Valle on Oct 1,1952, in Colusa County.
She had seven siblings: Joseph, Mary, Frank, Fred, Delores, Carmen and Leonard.
She was proud of her Pomo Indian heritage, and she was a tribal member with the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
She accomplished many things in her life, some of which included being a class officer and high school cheerleader at Clear Lake High, dental assistant for Tribal Health and a hairdresser when she resided in Hayward. California.
She has two children, Jason Micah Whitcher (deceased) and Brittany Marie Bright Star Del Valle, along with three grandchildren, Kyrin, Asher and Michael, whom she had unconditional love for even though one has lived far away from her.
Patty was full of life and laughter, with the biggest heart. She was always bringing smiles to familiar faces, as she is known by many people and had quite a few friends.
Patricia loved spending time putting together puzzles and visiting with her grandson Kyrin, spoiling him whenever she got the chance. She always had a smile on her face as she’d watch him get excited by her presents and her company.
She was blessed with her third grandson in January, a week before she was admitted into the hospital. She was able to get the chance to meet Asher (2 months old) before her sudden passing, but did not get time to hold him, due to her not feeling well.
Patty was a very strong woman who fought hard and believed she could take on the world. She loved life and her grandsons very much.
As she joins her family in heaven, she leaves behind her daughter, grandsons, a sister, a brother, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Patricia’s memorial service will be held at the Big Valley Gymnasium, 1002 Osprey Court in Lakeport, on Saturday, March 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.