obituaries
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Dr. Joanne Friedrich Yinger 07/07/33-12/08/18
We lost our beloved Momma, Johanna Yinger, as she rested in a peaceful setting with her family by her side. She is survived by children, Michael Yinger, (Stacy), Peter Yinger, Lydia Yinger, Andrew Yinger (Perri), and Theresa Yinger with grandchildren, Nicholas, Alysha, Asher, Noah, Zach, Jacob and Grace. Most of the extended family had the opportunity to say goodbye to grandma over a Thanksgiving meal prepared by her children, eating some of her favorite foods, including Oysters Rockefeller. Joanne preferred to by addressed as Johanna in her later years, as she fully embraced a more spiritual guidance and termed the new name a re-birth of the spirit within. She was born to William and Marian Friedrich in Los Angeles, CA on July 7, 1933 and had one sister, Shirley. She moved to Michigan as a pre-teen and eventually met her husband, Winthrop B. Yinger during college in Albion, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Child Psychology. She was a lifetime educator and spent many years at Far West Laboratories in San Francisco, which was the Center for Educational Research and Development, where she traveled the country, writing textbooks and teaching educators and scholars K-3 curricula. She was most proud of this work, although she talked often about her years in the classroom as a kindergarten and first grade teacher and was one of the pioneers of the Early Head Start Program, which was founded in Fresno, CA in 1967. Johanna was a creative soul and worked her way through college as a floral designer, a skill she used much later when she partnered with a long-time friend to open her own flower shop in Sonoma, CA. She dabbled in pottery, Chinese Tempura painting, and was a voracious reader and writer of poetry. She was a pastor’s wife, having spent more than 50-years of marriage with Winthrop, who was ordained as a Methodist Minister in Hemlock, NY and eventually represented the United Church of Christ, hailing from a multi-generational family of clergy and educators. Part of Winthrop’s ministry at one time included a stint with a large church in Piedmont, CA, which sponsored a church camp in Calaveras County, CA, ensconced in the beautiful Sierra foothills. The Yinger Family spent summers at Lodestar, as the camp was called, and Johanna was what they called the “crafty lady” (a name lovingly given to her by her husband). She spent endless hours with kids of all ages, races and beliefs, creating beauty through art in the form of beads and mosaic, sewing and 14
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crochet, sculpture and painting, and anything else she could gather from the forests to create something inspired. Johanna was courageous in all her undertakings and never knew the word stop. She received her PHd in Early Childhood Development from Cal Berkeley in 1978 with most of her studies and dissertation accomplished with four children at home! Her tireless work to improve herself and see the world through boundless curiosity was evident as she entertained her grandchildren with philosophy, art, and an open mind about all the possibilities in life. She spent her last years at Maravilla Assisted Living in Santa Barbara, a dream location for her, where the gardeners brought clippings for her artwork. She was often featured in expositions and fund raisers around the city and enjoyed concerts, theatre and the gorgeous Pacific coast. Dr. Joanne E. Yinger will be immeasurably missed by all who knew her and will be honored with a celebration of life on January 27th, 2019 in Santa Barbara, CA. She supported Heifer, Intl., whose mission is to end world hunger and poverty, so if you’d like to send a donation on her behalf, that would also be meaningful.
Nancy Andrea Rikmar Poyourow 12/16/44-12/18/18
Nancy Poyourow passed away at the age of 74 at her home, surrounded by her loving daughter Sarah and son Solomon. Nancy was born December 16, 1944 in Long Island, New York. She was the third eldest of 4 children of Charles and Emma Rikmar. Nancy met Doug in her mid-20’s and they immediately fell in love and traveled the United States together, settling in Santa Barbara. Nancy was a dedicated mother first and foremost. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them. She especially loved her role as Omie to her two grandchildren Madelyn and Caleb. Nancy had a love of gardening. She was a volunteer for the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens for 20 years and kept a rose garden of her own, which she enjoyed tending to. Nancy would love to sit outside by her garden every morning and have breakfast with her beloved dog Ellie. Nancy was predeceased by her husband Douglas, her parents Charles and Emma Rikmar and her two sisters Ellen and Lore. She is survived by her daughter Sarah and son Solomon. The funeral service will be held at the Santa Barbara Cemetery Chapel, 901 Channel Drive, Montecito, at 1:30pm on January 4, 2019. Reception to follow at Stella Mare’s, 50 Los Patos Way, Santa Barbara. In Lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. Arrangements entrusted to McDermott-Crockett Mortuary
DECEMBER 27, 2018
Mara Kohn
Mara Kohn, 92, forty-year resident of Santa Barbara, passed away on Monday, December 17, at Santa Barbara's Cottage Hospital. Born in Berlin, she escaped Nazi Germany with her family, arriving in New York City in 1940. Residing first in New York, then in North Carolina and Ohio, she arrived in California in 1959 with her first husband, Otto Schiff, and their children Naomi and Benjamin. Volunteering at the Sunair Home for Asthmatic Children in Tujunga beginning in 1963, she rose to become the institution's Director. Subsequently she entered the field of special education eventually becoming a lead teacher and administrator at the Mardan School in Costa Mesa. Mara moved to Santa Barbara in 1978 with her second husband, Professor Walter Kohn, when he became the founding director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at U.C. Santa Barbara (now the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics). Mara taught English as a Second Language and brought the Portraits of Survival project to the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara. From 1990 onward, Mara was absorbed with organizing and managing the legacy of her father, photographer and biologist Roman Vishniac. She edited three books reproducing his work, managed innumerable details in connection with exhibitions and related publications. In 2018 she donated approximately 30,000 items to the University of California at Berkeley's Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, constituting the bulk of the Vishniac archive. Professor Kohn, a 1998 Nobel Laureate, died in 2016. Mara is survived by her daughter Naomi Schiff, son Ben Schiff, granddaughters Ruby and Zina Goodall and Melina Schiff, Walter's family, and many wonderful friends. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to one of Mara's cherished causes: SB Foodbank (donate. foodbanksbc.org/give/42395/#!/ donation/checkout) International Rescue Committee (www.rescue. org/) Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara (jewishsantabarbara. org/home-page/donate) Photo credit: Laura Bialis
Joey Lamar West
Joey Lamar West who passed away Nov 1 2018 at Serenity house.
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He was born in Los Angeles CA but lived in Santa Barbara soon after his birth. He was born to his Mother Mattie Bell Dennis and Father David West. His mother passed away at a young age but raised his siblings 8 total on her own. Brothers Maurice West, Michael West, and Tony. Sisters Tanya, Sharon West and Twins Linda and Brenda. Joeys wife Lillian West preceded him. Joey had a giving nature and would give his last to anyone in need. He loved God and his spirit showed though in his beautiful smile and Green Eyes. He was known by the nickname Slep rock at an early age. Joey went to UCSB and loved to play Tennis. He was a salesman at junior shoe town and various other telemarketing positions. He made many friends and people never had a bad thing to say. He will be dearly missed by all and his fiancé Sheila Morales are soul mates and was there till the very end. He passed on at Serenity House and thanks to Cottage Hospital Doctors and nurses who were there as well. Thank you to all attending his celebration of life Nov 17 2018. Rest in peace Joey you will always be in my heart love you always and forever love Sheila.
Raymond Sargent Jr.
Raymond Sargent Jr. passed away in his sleep on December 17 after a full life that began in 1926. When you google his name you'll get next to nothing but his life was so much more than an internet search. Dad was born in Maine and maintained a lifelong love for the state. He spent his childhood exploring the fields and woods of the rural town of North Vassalboro. Local folklore has it that he and a group of kids started a fire in a field. Short on details like who put the fire out and how much field was burned, but soon thereafter the local fire brigade was organized. School and academics were not priorities for him though he got an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point in 1947. Childhood polio left him with some significant physical difficulties that made him eligible for military service dismissal. He chose to serve to honor his father's wishes. After he graduated in 1951 he headed to the war zones of South Korea. A week after getting there he was sent out on a midnight scouting expedition with 40 other soldiers in the dark, freezing conditions of the Main Line of Resistance. This mission went horribly wrong due to many significant military errors resulting in an ambush by the enemy. Furious that his comrades were injured and the captain and first lieutenant killed, he and another soldier charged ahead into enemy gunfire with their guns blazing
reaching the enemy trench. Once the fight subsided, they returned to many injured soldiers and, as the only officer on site, found himself thrown into leadership of a really horrible situation. Keeping his wits under heavy enemy fire, he called in artillery support to cover their evacuation of the wounded. He met with resistance over his command but it worked. Shortly after this tragic event, he was reassigned to a military police position at a prisoner-of-war camp where he was in no mood for any nonsense from other military personnel or prisoners. He was awarded the Silver Medal of Honor for his bravery.He received an Honorable Discharge in 1958 and buried those emotional scars deep and far in his psyche for decades. After his military service, he worked in New York City for Western Union. He was tasked with figuring out why early fax machines had a tendency to catch fire -- not really good for sales. He left NYC after he married the beautiful Anita Rodriguez in 1960. Not sure if he fixed the spontaneous combustion problem. Ray met Anita on the commuter train they rode every day from New Jersey to New York City. After a courtship, they married in 1960 and headed to California with his new bride driving in a boatish Bel Aire and eventually settled in Santa Barbara. Dad was a horrible employee but an exceptional and attentive boss, and successful small business owner with his wife. They bought and owned Magnolia Clothes Care Center and retired after over 30 years. They spent their retirement taking extended visits to Maine and New York visiting childhood friends, their children and grandkids. At dad's 50th West Point reunion, it was obvious he was loved and respected by his peers. Stories he flatly denied with a wink and smile rang true -- trying to make hard cider in the campus boiler room but yielding vinegar; a trip to Washington D.C. where he and other cadets imbibed alcohol-a taboo for cadets -- all but dad got caught who avoided extended marching for their punishment. Dad will be remembered as an extremely generous, humorous, and hardworking man. During his entire adult life he had one favorite punch line "Warren P. Wonkel" to thequestion "what's my name?" No one knows the back-story to this joke. A few hours before he died, he asked his daughter 'what's my name?' She said ‘Raymond.’ He weakly replied 'no, Warren'. Those were his last words -- he ended his life with a joke. Dad was predeceased by his wife who died in March. He is survived by his daughters Suzanne Kafel (John) of Bastrop, TX; Sally Kehl (Richard) of Tulsa, OK; and Maryann Sargent (Steve Solnit) of Berkeley, CA. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Isaac and Martin Solnit, and Adam, Briana and Trevor Kehl. There will be a Celebration of Raymond & Anita's lives in April 2019, please contact family for more information.