Paul Kluk died May 9, 2011, in Grass Valley, Calif. Paul was a generous and genial man who made friends everywhere he went. He was an avid gardener and often shared the bounty of his gardens with friends and neighbors.      

Paul was born in Hudson, Pa., on February 29, 1920, to Sebastian and Julia Kluk. He was one of 16 children. Upon completion of high school, he was given a football scholarship to the University of Georgia. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox as a catcher in 1942 and played that summer in their farm system. He graduated in 1943. As he often put it, he received his diploma in one hand and his Navy orders in the other. 

Edward Joseph Prauss was  born July 4, 1925, in Dickinson, N. D. He died  peacefully on April 28, 2011, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, Calif. Ed’s father, Joseph, died of tuberculosis when he was a very young boy. Soon after Ed and his mother, sister, and brother came west to look for work. Ed soon assumed  the role of head of their family and  took on responsibilities far beyond his years. He often boarded out to farms as a worker providing his mother with one less mouth to feed. These early lessons in unbreakable work ethics and unbending dedication to family would be the cornerstones of the way Ed lived the rest of his life.          

Ed took great pride in the years he honorably served his country in the European and Pacific theaters of World War II. Soon after returning home from the war, Ed met and married Maxine Billings, the woman he would happily spend the next 64 years with.

David Allen Cochrane, 66, of Crescent City, died on May 15, 2011, at Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass.

Services with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cave Junction, Ore.

Contributions: Disabled American Veterans DAV Memorial Program P.O. Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or www.dav.org

For online condolences and tributes please visit stephensfc.com.

Arrangements by Stephens Family Chapel.

Molly Anne McCarthy was born in Santa Ana, Calif., on July 7, 1965, and passed away May 13, 2011, in Portland, Ore., at the age of 45. She was the younger of two children. Molly graduated from Del Norte High school in Crescent City. There she was a member of the tennis team.

She enjoyed riding her horses in Klamath where she lived with her parents Marilyn and Paul McCarthy. Molly graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Administration from Sonoma State University.

After graduating from college Molly worked as an assistant buyer for Macy’s in San Francisco and Monterey. From there she became a buyer for Liberty House in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her most recent position was with Fred Meyer where she was the buyer for girls ages 10-14 for the past 10 years. Molly loved her friends, family and cat “Howie.” She also loved to travel, doing so for her work and personal life.

Doris Maxine Forkner (McNamara) was born on Oct. 19, 1925, in Crescent City to Pearl and Jim McNamara.

Doris passed away on May 12, 2011, in Medford, Ore. She was preceded in death by her husband Harley J. Forkner and son Richard L. (Rick) Forkner.

Leonard Keith Nielsen passed away at age 79 on April 4, 2011, in Crescent City.

Leonard was born on May 19, 1931, in Crescent City, to Melton and Marie Nielsen. 

Leonard attended and graduated from Del Norte High School in Crescent City.

Leonard met the love of his life (Beverly) in San Francisco while he was stationed at the Presidio Army Post. On September 13, 1953, they were married in the post Chapel and shortly after in 1955 moved to Crescent City to live and raise a family. Leonard worked at Nielsen’s Hardware, the family owned business, on the corner of 3rd and I street, until the store was destroyed in the 1964 tsunami. After the tsunami disaster Leonard helped the family to rebuild and reopen the business as Nielsen’s Furniture Store. In 1967 Leonard and Beverly purchased the Sears Catalog Store. Leonard and Beverly, for 24 years, owned and operated the business until their retirement in 1991.

John Stuart Christensen, born February 17, 1941, in San Francisco, passed away on May 5, 2011, in Crescent City. He was a nine year resident of Del Norte County.

John enjoyed motorcycle riding, wood working, and was an all-around handy man who built his own log home. Prior to his retirement, John was a firefighter for 25 years and then was an arson investigator. John was a huge sports fan, he especially loved the 49’ers, Giants, Sharks and Warriors. He bowled a 300 in league play! He enjoyed spending time with his lovely wife, and together they traveled to all 50 states and all Canadian Provinces. John was known for his great laugh and sense of humor. He always knew when to say “yes Dear.”