ESSENTIALS

Obituaries

Sharon Gail Escobar

Nov. 9, 1937 - June 2, 2023

Sharon Escobar passed away peacefully at her home in Placerville on June 2, 2023 at the age of 85. She was born in Klamath Falls, Oregon to Russell & Clara Swenson. At the age of 9 her family relocated to Camino, California where her father began employment with the Michigan California Lumber Company as a lumber grader. After graduating from El Dorado High School in 1955, she planned to return to Oregon but her plans would soon change, while working at the tower fountain on Main Street. While working at the Tower Fountain, a handsome young man by the name of John Escobar who had just returned from the Korean War pulled up to the Bell Tower with water beads still dripping o his freshly washed car. Once she saw his beautiful smile, there was no turning back.

After many months of courting they were married in November 1955, the new couple settled on the Escobar family pear ranch on Cold Springs Road just outside of Placerville where she resided the rest of her life. John and Sharon were blessed with two children, Lori & John “Craig”. Sharon spent many years working on the ranch, including hauling pears on the flatbed truck to the Fruit House when it was located on upper Main Street in Placerville.

Sharon was an avid baseball mom, supporting Craig from Hangtown Little League through Senior Babe Ruth. When Lori & Craig were grown she went to work for River City Bank when the new branch was opened on Main Street Placerville. She was employed by River City Bank for many years and worked her way up to loan o cer but retired as grandkids began arriving. She ended up with 5 grandchildren to pamper & spoil and did so in the best way possible, cooking her famous tacos, hand mixing milkshakes and hosting many pool parties! Sharon will be remembered as a loving wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, sister and aunt. She was loved & admired by all who knew her and whose lives she touched. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Russell & Clara Swenson, her husband John of 43 years, her beloved son Craig, brother Don & her sister Joy who she referred to as her “rock”. Survived by daughter Lori A Veerkamp (Doug), grandchildren Loni Brewster (Justin), Matt Veerkamp (Gretchen), John Escobar (Tara), Je Escobar (Jennifer), Jesse Escobar (Noel) and 12 great grandchildren. Her Christian faith sustained her and after the loss of her son in 2000, she facilitated a grief class for 13 years at Green Valley Church. She used her loss to help countless others in their time of grief. A memorial service will be held at the family property on Thursday June 15, 2023 at 5:00 pm, 2581 Cold Springs Road, Placerville.

Remembrances can be made to Snowline Hospice.

Patricia Lynn Koszalka

Oct. 15, 1949 - Feb. 19, 2023

Patricia Lynn “Trish” Koszalka, age 73 of Placerville, died peacefully at home of natural causes on February 19, 2023. Her final hours were spent in the company of her loved ones.

Trish was born in Sacramento, California to Emanuel and Violet Koszalka on October 15, 1949. Having grown up first in Carmichael, and then in Pollock Pines, she was a 1967 graduate of El Dorado High School and lived her entire adult life in Placerville. She worked for El Dorado County in the Tax Collector’s o ce and in the Mental Health department before leaving to open and operate a board and care home for seniors for nearly 20 years.

Trish lived by the maxim that when you take care of others, you take care of yourself. After her second retirement from her board and care home, she remained active in the community. Trish was a member of Placerville Kiwanis and participated in their e orts to serve others locally. She was also an active volunteer with Snowline Hospice, the El Dorado County Food Bank, and Meals on Wheels. She saw retirement as her opportunity to give back to the community that had been so important to her throughout her life.

Trish is survived by her husband, Mace Bannon; her son, Paul McHenry of Cupertino; her daughter, Marijane Boyd, of Bend, Oregon; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

At Trish’s request there will be no services. A celebration of life will be held at Henningsen Lotus Park on June 16, 2023. Details will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor her legacy to volunteer in the community, contribute to the Kiwanis Family House at UC Davis Medical Center, or to contribute to a charity of their choice.

Matthew Dale Mortensen

April 27, 1978 - May 25, 2023

Matthew died May 25, 2023. He loved to gold pan, ride his motorcycle, and was well known for his funny songs with his own lyrics. He is survived by his mother Kathy Mortensen, his sisters Katrina Bosworth (Je ), Mesja Weinberger, Sarah Spears (Danny), and a whole lot of nieces and nephew. He was a good little brother and uncle. You will be missed lots “Fatty Mattie”. We love you!

Services will be held at the Pilot Hill Cemetery, 4781 Pedro Hill Rd., Pilot Hill, at 10:30 a.m., Saturday June 10, 2023.

Lynnette Rae

Appelbaum

Sept. 7, 1941-May 10, 2023

Lynnette passed away peacefully at home in Latrobe at the age of 81. She was born in Turlock to Robert and Myrle Domecq. In 1948 the family moved to Latrobe. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, George Appelbaum; her sons Jeffery (Sydney) and Craig Mize (Kathy), her sister Michele Souza (Jim), brothers Robert (Beverly) and Charles (Carolyn) Domecq; numerous cousins, nephews, nieces and their descendants; grandson Douglas Mize (Jenni) and the love of her life, greatgranddaughter Taylor Mallory Mize. She was predeceased by her parents and her sister Cheri Benjamin. She graduated from El Dorado HS in 1959 and went on to obtain a BS in psychology from Sacramento State, the first in her family to obtain a degree. While raising her boys as a single mother, she often took in stray and needy people in need of housing. In those years, she supported the family by working as waitress, bartender and planting seedlings at the Institute of Forest Genetics.

Lynnette was a much-loved and respected member of the community. She worked with the Women’s Center in every position from answering telephones to President of the Board. After college graduation, she was hired as the County’s first Patient Rights Advocate for the mental health system.

After marrying George in 1984, she enriched her life by traveling to Europe nine times and also to North Africa, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Hawaii and on cruises to Alaska and through the Panama Canal.

She was a strict vegetarian (provided that bacon can be considered a vegetable). She was a founding member of the WORDIES Book Club, at whose meetings she never refrained from expressing her opinions.

In recent months, she astonished and delighted her friends by dying her hair bright pink (see the color photo in the online obituary). She was an advanced mahjongg player, a devoted yoga practitioner and a skilled maker of pine needle baskets. She loved, and was loved by, her two Siamese cats.

We will all miss her spirit, her commitment to the community, her devotion to her family and her sense of humor. A celebration of her life is planned for October 7 in the Shingle Springs area. All friends of hers will be welcome.

Please consider making a donation in her name to Snowline Hospice, which provided so much love and care in the last weeks of her life.

David L. Combs

Feb. 12, 1946 - April 25, 2023

On Tuesday April 25th, David Combs of Pollock Pines passed away peacefully at Marshall Hospital in Placerville, California, at the age of 77. He is survived by his wife Carol Harrison, his son Skylar Combs and his sister Jana Reid. He was much loved by all his family and friends and he enriched the lives of all who knew him. David was born in Gold Beach, Oregon, and was raised in Santa Cruz. He lived for several years in Iran, Algeria and France and he was fluent in several languages. David was a teacher at Smith Flat Charter School and the University Prep School, where he taught many subjects including drama, Latin and French, and produced and directed numerous student drama productions. He was also a studio teacher of child actors on many movies and TV shows including The Wonder Years, Boy Meets World and Fuller House. David was always a lot of fun to be around with his dry wit and stimulating intelligence. He lived a long and full life and will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

Carol Ann Countryman Sadler

Jan. 16, 1964 – April 22, 2023

Carol was born in Panorama City, CA. She was the youngest of 4 siblings born to Kirk and Lois Countryman. The family moved to Placerville during Carol’s high school years. She was a 1982 graduate of El Dorado High School.

Soon after graduation Carol married Ron Marshall and they had two children Leanne and Ron.

In 1989 Carol was introduced to Buddy Sadler at Poor Reds by the bartender and her future fatherin-law Bud Sadler. They married in 1990 and formed a ready-made family of 5 with the addition of Buddy’s son Patrick. They made it complete with the birth of their son Zachary in 1992. Carol and Buddy were married until Buddy’s passing in 2018.

Carol married her current husband Robert Borthwick in May of 2022. Unfortunately their marriage was cut short by Carol’s illness.

Carol worked in the Insurance industry before joining Legacy Chillers Inc. where she worked for 12 years as a bookkeeper and sales representative until 2012. Currently she was a homemaker, entrepreneur and bookkeeper for her and Robert’s business enterprises.

Carol had the heart of an artist. She was known for her love for her family, her unique and whimsical sense of style, delicious cooking, beautiful quilts, her love of orchids and infectious laugh.

Carol is survived by a huge family, including her husband Robert Borthwick, children Leanne Marshall, Ron Marshall, Patrick Sadler, Zachary Sadler, Crystalyn Borthwick and Wesley Borthwick and grandchildren Caitlyn Garrigues, Cassie Garrigues, Cole Garrigues, Hayden Marshall, Willow Sadler, Penny Sadler and Wyatt Borthwick as well as her brother Perry Countryman (Jackie), her sister Patty Salee (Rick), and many nieces, nephews and cousins that will miss her dearly at Thanksmas celebrations and much much more. She was proceeded in death by her parents and her husband Buddy.

We have lost a bright star who made our lives better for knowing her. Her loyalty to her family was a treasure and her kind ways will be missed by all who loved her. She rests now in the loving arms of God and finally knows the peace she has longed for.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Green Valley Church on August 3, 2023 at 1 p.m. Wearing your most colorful hippy fashion is highly recommended.

Peter Brown Wilkinson

Dec. 31, 1955 – Nov. 27, 2022

Peter “Pete” Brown Wilkinson, 66, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, November 27, 2022, from an enlarged heart. We find comfort in the fact that although he was taken from us too soon, he passed quickly.

Pete was born on December 31, 1955, in San Diego, California; he loved having a New Year’s Eve birthday; he always said, “There’s always a party that night!” He spent his childhood years in the San Diego area. While San Diego was a special place to grow up, he fell in love with Eugene, Oregon, when he moved to go to college and play baseball. The years spent in Eugene were some of his favorites. To know Pete was to know his love for the Oregon Ducks. After college, he moved to the Northern California area and began working for his brother’s pizza restaurants. It was there he met his wife and the mother of his children, Cindy. They were married in August 1980 and had 4 children; Meredith, Zach, Taylor, and Thaddeus. Pete was a very hands-on dad, happy to coach all their teams, cheer them on and share his life experiences. Pete’s enthusiasm for life was unmatched. Regardless of the situation, he was just happy to be in the presence of his family, friends, and even strangers. He will be missed by Cindy, Meredith (Nate), Zach, Taylor, Thaddeus, Granddaughters (Mabel, Hadley, and Eloise), Sister Susan Hall, Brother Steve (Cathy) Wilkinson, many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews, and his ever faithful four-legged friend, Ruger. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Anne Wilkinson, and brother-in-law Joe Hall. A Celebration of Life will be held in El Dorado Hills, Calif. on June 10, 2023. If you would like celebration details, please email PeteWilkinsonService@gmail.com.