George Earl Reed passed away suddenly on January 15, 2012, in Grants Pass, Ore.

George was born in Crescent City on June 10, 1954. He joined the Army in 1973 with his buddy Carl Scott, which led him to Texas. He met and married Donna Nagel (Barker) and they had a son, Harley Lee Reed, in 1975. George and Donna continued to remain friends throughout the years. George moved back to Crescent City where he met and found his life-long companion Brenda Del Ponte. George and Brenda moved to Cave Junction in 1990 where they created a beautiful and unique life.

Morgynn Sydney Ford was born on December 24, 2011, at 5:14 a.m. to Matthew and Melissa Ford. She was born at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital due to expected complications at birth. Morgynn was diagnosed at 20 weeks gestation with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, (CDH). Morgynn was given a 50 percent chance of survival, and it was imperative that she be born at a hospital with the appropriate equipment and technology to handle her severe condition.

According to CHERUBS, The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness and Support: “CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth growth. CDH occurs in 1 of every 2,500 births; somewhere in the world, a baby is born with CDH every 10 minutes. 50 percent of babies diagnosed with CDH do not survive. The cause is not known. Over a half million babies have been born with CDH since 2000. CDH is as common as Spina Bifida and Cystic Fibrosis but there is very little awareness and even less research.”

Bette Jane Greenley Hatton passed quietly from this world on Friday, January 6, 2012, in Willits.

She was born October 16, 1926, in Casper, Wyoming, to Ansel Ray Greenley and Mary Jane Maddux Greenley.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Robert Greenley and sister Lela Jones; husband Ernest Glen Hatton; grandchildren Myles Glenn Hatton, Jennifer Satin Ford and Joshua Kelly Ford.

She is survived by her children, Debbie Kay Clark and husband Charles A. Clark, and David Glenn Hatton, all of Willits, and Donald Paul Hatton of Ukiah; brothers William Greenley (Marilyn) of Oregon and Everett Greenley (Mary) of California; grandsons Tyler and Kaili Clark of Playa del Rey, Logan Clark and Paula Abajian of Willits; and numerous nephews and nieces.

John Martin Casovia II was born in Ventura, Calif., on December 9, 1947, passed away on January 12, 2012, in Crescent City. He was raised in Hayward, Calif. John was very proud of his Yugoslavian heritage, he loved his Baba (grandmother) and Jeto (grandfather). He  graduated from Mt. Edon High School in 1966. John loved all kinds of sports and excelled in many as a young man before moving on to college. John attended Chabot and Diablo College before starting a carpenter’s apprentice program and in time was a general contractor and spent a total of 35 years in the carpenter’s union. John was in charge of several big projects in the Vacaville and Fairfield area.

Noreen Erlyn Matt, age 61, a lifelong resident of Northern California, passed away January 3, 2012, in Crescent City.

A kind, warmhearted individual, Noreen was a creative person whose lifelong passions included sewing, the outdoors and raising several beautiful dogs, all boxers. Noreen was unassuming and will always be remembered fondly for her contagious laughter and gracious spirit. She now is finally with her soulmate and best friend, her late husband, Phillip Matt, for whom she deeply longed for since his passing in 2003.

Noreen was born in Arcata on February 15, 1950, attending Arcata area schools and graduating from Arcata High School in 1968. She also attended College of the Redwoods.

Noreen Erlyn Matt, age 61, a lifelong resident of Northern California, passed away January 3, 2012, in Crescent City.

A kind, warmhearted individual, Noreen was a creative person whose lifelong passions included sewing, the outdoors and raising several beautiful dogs, all boxers. Noreen was unassuming and will always be remembered fondly for her contagious laughter and gracious spirit. She now is finally with her soul mate and best friend, her late husband, Phillip Matt, for whom she deeply longed for since his passing in 2003.

Noreen was born in Arcata on February 15, 1950, attending Arcata area schools and graduating from Arcata High School in 1968. She also attended College of the Redwoods.

Matthew W. Charleston, formerly of Crescent City, passed away from natural causes at a local care facility in Brookings on January 3, 2012. He was 31.

Matthew was born March 12, 1980, in Crescent City to Daniel and Deborah (Corliss) Charleston. He grew up in Crescent City, playing youth football for 3 years and graduating from Del Norte High School in 1998. Matthew held various jobs but was most recently employed at Del Norte Tire where he worked as a mechanic. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and working on his Mitsubishi pickup.

Lydia Jennie Johnson (“Jonesie”) of Crescent City died on December 28, 2011. Born on November 12, 1915, in Eureka, to Mary and Henry Grossi, she was 96.

In Eureka, Lydia was active in track and field, winning many ribbons and participating in the Junior Olympics. That energy continued with her throughout her life. In her 60s she could be found playing baseball with her grandsons. She worked as a cook and waitress at the Busy Bee restaurant in Eureka for a number of years before moving to Crescent City in 1949 with her family and now deceased husband, Orville Jones. In 1950, they bought a small grocery store, the  “Stop n’ Shop,” located where Burger King is now, and ran the store until the early 1960s.