Years Ago

Dispatches from the Express archives.

145 Years Ago

March 16, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate) Operations commenced on repairing the Railroad bridge, partly carried away by the freshet on Sunday week, on Monday, and on Tuesday the pile driver had closed the gap and the track was laid in time for the noon train to cross and commence, running regular to Madison, on Wednesday 11 car loads of wheat went forward from Winters. There are some nine hundred tons in the warehouse at this point.

On Friday night, a German named Chris Weinmiller, who lived alone on his ranch near Sweany creek in Solano county, about one mile north of Joseph McMurtry’s ranch, was murdered by some unknown party or parties. It is conjectured the murderer followed Weinmiller from Dixon, supposedly he had a large sum of money in his possession, as he had sold his wheat at that place for $1,000 and had drawn a portion of the money.

Three members of the Board of Supervisors of Yolo county have been appointed to meet a like number from the Solano county Board of Supervisors in regard to the matter of repairing the Stevenson bridge. They will meet on Tuesday next. Fruit raisers of Pleasants Valley are expecting large crops and good prices for their early fruit.

130 Years Ago

March 18, 1893 Charles F. Wyer returned from his visit to the Eastern States, England and Ireland, on Thursday. Surveyor Ashley has been engaged this week in surveying and subdividing the Waughtel tract. When the work is completed, the land will be put on the market for sale.

On Wednesday evening, Winters was aroused by the entertainment given by the N. D. G. W. in the Opera House. “The Widow,” a comedy in three acts, was rendered. Among those participating in the cast were Miss Pauline Spencer, C. L. DeVilbiss, Miss Birdie Spencer, Miss Fanny Cooper, Paul Morris, W. H. Wyatt, Misses Ida Lamme, Annie Snodgrass, Madge Rust and Messrs. Jos. Griffin, Ed. Baker, Jim Briggs and J. E. Mefford; E. C. Rust, Miss Nelia Shelford, and Miss Eve Cooper. The excellent music rendered by Miss Nora Sims, Miss Lena DeVilbiss, Mr. S. H. Hoy and Mr. C. W. Sinclair proved an addenda absolutely invaluable.

J. P. Schantz reports the rainfall at his place 7 miles northwest of Winters, from the 4th to the 15th of

March as being 74 inches, which brings the total for the season to date up to 46 1⁄2 inches.

95 Years Ago

March 16, 1928

Both Winters banks having been purchased by the Bank of Italy are now under one roof — the fine banking building owned by the Citizens Bank. Mr. Lewis is manager under the new arrangement with apparently plenty of work for all.

Tuesday evening, the Legion and Auxiliary gave a turkey banquet in honor of

Obituary

On Saturday, March 4, after listening to his last Giant’s game, Harold Anderson passed away peacefully with loved ones at his side at 204 Russell Street in Winters — the city he most loved and to which he dedicated his life to serving. There was no place else he would have rather been in the world.

After Graduating from Winters High School in 1961, the son of Sybil and Abe Anderson obtained his law degree from the McGeorge School of Law. He also served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. In his free time, Harold lived an incredibly active lifestyle: he enjoyed backpacking, camp- ing, fishing, hunting, gardening, Rotary, cycling, volunteering, coaching, walking his dogs, working on automobiles, attending baseball games and meetings, serving on committees and organizations, listening to sports radio, and mostly, watching games in his living room with his wife and boys.

Collaborative, active in the community, and — in his own words, “just trying to make Winters a little better place” — Harold gave steadfastly and unselfishly with everything he could. He served seven consecutive terms on the Winters City Council from June of 1994 all the way through the pandemic to January of 2023, and as the city’s mayor for two terms from 1988–1990 and from 2002–2004.

In 2003, he was honored as the Winters Youth Day Parade Grand Marshal and, in 2005, he was honored as Citizen of the Year. During this lengthy period of time, Harold represented Winters proudly, serving as a steady hand and driving force while working with countless others to help realize some of the city’s more remarkable achievements, such as the downtown revitalization, the Putah Creek Car Bridge project, rehabilitating the railroad trestle bridge, the forming of the Putah Creek Council, the Putah Creek Restoration Project, and the extension of utilities to the I-505 to support the new PG&E Gas and Training Center and freeway-serving commercial center, which created new vital revenue sources for the city.

His impact, according to his former the boys who have been playing on the Legion basketball teams during the winter months. These boys have had a very successful season, losing only one game.

Things just aren’t the way they used to be. Whatever happened to businesses that were eager to please? Well, there is one right here in our town. We offer the same outstanding service offered decades ago.

Are we hopelessly out-of-style?

We certainly hope so.

The boys honored were: Leroy Freeman, Franklin Demaree, Robert Haze, Yolo Briggs, Henry Shackleford, Frank Judy, Emmett Scott, John Graf, Ralph Freeman, Benoit Nehring, Ceril Richey, Fenley Briggs and William Scott. Frank Judy was unable to be present.

Monday night’s meeting of the Exchange Club was given over mostly to an evening of fun. The enter- tainer was Joseph Cuneo of San Francisco. The program committee for the evening was H. M. Ball, E. W. Fenley and S. W. Jopes. According to a San Francisco disptach, Helen Wills, daughter of Mrs. C. A. Wills, formerly of Winters, ranks among the 14 highest of 125 women chosen as candidates for the California “Hall of Fame.” course, could have been possible without the unwavering support and sacrifice of his loving wife Gaylene. Perhaps most astonishingly, while committing himself to the various meetings and obligations associated with all of the aforementioned achievements, Harold still managed to be there for his family as a gentle, supporting, and loving father and husband. colleague and dear friend, John Donlevy, is “all around us, all the time.” When asked about such achievements in a 2005 Winters Express article, he said “They’re not really my accomplishments. It’s more a group effort.”

M. Chulick has just about completed construction on his new slaughter house on the F. P. Henrich property he has leased west of town. Carpenters Ritchie, Murray and Smith have been doing the work.

During this time, Harold also served on numerous other organizations, such as Winters Rotary, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Yolo Solano Air Quality District, the Yolo County Transportation District, as well as on the Boards of Winters Little League and Winters AYSO, to name just a few. He was the type of person who would tamp and rake the Little League and High School baseball fields, before the game, when no one was watching.

None of this, of

He drove his kids to their practices, attended their games with Gaylene, and guided his sons throughout his life, encouraging them to pursue their educations and to live the types of lives they wanted to lead. Harold coached every one of Brian’s Little League and Senior League teams and even soccer teams. When asked by his wife what he wanted for Christmas in December of 2022, Harold said simply “I just want the boys to be home.”

He is survived by his brother Ralph Anderson, his two sons Brian and Eric, and his wife Gaylene — all of whom know he is up in the bleachers, cheering and rooting them on, clapping and shouting “Playball!” Irreplaceable and one of a kind, Harold will be missed deeply and daily, but with us always.

Love, Eric, Brian, and Mom