In Memory

Before coming to work for DFG, John served as a submariner in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. After his stint in the service, John worked as a chemist at the Campbell’s Soup processing plant in Sacramento, making sure that your tomato soup was safe to eat.

He worked for California Department of Fish and Game in the Sacramento area for almost 40 years.  He retired in 2009.  John served DFG in a variety of positions, ranging from chemist at DFG’s Water Quality Lab in Rancho Cordova to project review, instream flow assessments, and Chief of the Environmental Services Division in Sacramento. Prior to his retirement he worked at OSPR in the Scientific Branch.

His involvement with activities pertaining to the Public Trust Doctrine and Mono Lake and its streams was a contributing factor in DFG’s successful efforts to rewater the streams.  One of John’s passions was playing the banjo; he was a member of the Sacramento Banjo Band for many years.  The last several years before his death John started also playing the ukulele.

After his retirement he and his wife Anita moved to Vancouver, Washington. They loved it there, especially because it was so green all year.

At his request, there will be no services.

Services:  Viewing for friends: Oct. 3, 6-8pm, Hoyt-Cole Chapel of Flowers, Red Bluff.
Funeral: Oct. 4, 10am, Hoyt-Cole Chapel, Red Bluff.  Steves friends welcome.  Luncheon and Celebration of Life: 12pm -??, Elks Lodge, Red Bluff.

Bob Mapes passed away on August 23, 2024.  Bob started with the Department of Fish and Game just after he received his degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State College in 1965.  He worked throughout the State with most of his time at Region 2. During his tenure with the Department, he always worked as a Wildlife Biologist/Wildlife Management Supervisor until he retired in 2000 with over 35 years with the Department. Bob was the best friend one could have and he was my best friend. Bobby Mapes Obituary (1937 – 2024) 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sacbee/name/jack-parnell-obituary?id=51860784

Prior to serving as the Chief of Marine Resources Division in Sacramento, he served all over the state. From Honey Lake WA, the Salton Sea, the Delta Study in Stockton, Grizzly Island WA and the  Marine Resources Region in Long Beach.  He retired in 1995.  His span of involvement was wide – from waterfowl to sea urchins.  He was a true people person…..with both staff and resource users.  Throughout his career he exemplified a balance between resource protection and resource use/enjoyment by users.

Rolf was a birdwatcher all of his life, so if anyone wants to make a memorial gift in his honor the Cornell Lab of Ornithology would be a good idea.

In 1991, Barry and his family decided to move from Stockton to Humboldt County where Barry continued his career at CDFW working on the natural stocks assessment project; he then moved into the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program, which supported salmon and steelhead habitat restoration projects up and down the northern California coast. During these years on “take your daughter to work day” he brought his daughter, Alison Collins, out to count juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead in the local rotary screw traps. This sparked her interest in fisheries and led her to pursue a career as a fisheries biologist. Today she works in the California Delta on many of the same projects that her father worked on.

https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2022/aug/31/obituary-barry-collins/

Tom Stone

According to Don Koch, Tom recently had open heart surgery and was home recovering.  He had some complications on Friday and, after taking some fluid off his lungs at the hospital, he was back at home.  I guess he started having trouble breathing on Friday evening.  Gretchen called 911, but he had passed by the time they arrived.

Tom started his career with waterfowl staff out of Sacramento but spent the majority of his career in Region 1 working in the Environmental and Wildlife programs. He retired in 2000. He will be missed

Mary Anderson

February 2020

Jerry Morinaka

November 2019

Well… some more sad news. There are not many of us around any more that worked with Bob in the desert, but I thought I would share this with those of you that had worked with him and for whom I had e-mail addresses. I hope you are all doing well… Things here in North Dakota are fine; very cold and ugly weather, but not too crowded. All the best, and please share this news as you see fit.

Robert “Bob” R. Celentano, 78, of North Bend, passed away Feb. 26, 2018 in North
Bend. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel

There will be a Memorial Service at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery,
5810 Midway Road, in Dixon on February 26th 11:00 AM.

The Celebration of Life will continue at the Leach Family Home, 3828 French Ave Sacramento. Howard’s Obit

Brian died from cancer days after being evacuated and losing his home during the Napa Atlas fire. Brian was predeceased by his second wife, Judi (Lawrence) Hunter, to whom he had been married for over 40 years. Brian is survived by his children from his first marriage to Donelle Franke; Eric (April) Hunter and Sherie (Rory) Lovell; his four grandsons, Hunter (Becca) Watkins, Alexander Watkins, Chase and Jack Hunter and his great-grandson Carter Watkins.

http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/brian-f-hunter/article_bd7e4a87-3828-5a99-9d97-7f9bad8c8dd8.html

On December 28, 1947 he married Carol Ellen Renius of Manhattan Beach, CA, whom he had met at Stanford. They were married for 56 years, until her death in 2003. He is survived by four children: Ellen A. Dillinger and Carla C. Dillinger of Sacramento, Anne F. Lemieux of Galt, and William R. Dillinger of Great Falls, VA, and by six grandchildren: Tyson, Jessie, Ian, and Madeline Lemieux of Galt and Karl and Emily Dillinger of Great Falls.

Anyone who worked at the Department of Fish and Game knows the name, Dick Weaver. He was the desert expert on Big Horn Sheep. He was also known for his work with creating watering sources in the desert called quail guzzlers. He worked over 40 years for the Department of Fish and Game as a wildlife biologist. He was raised in the Badlands, just east of Moreno Valley in Southern California.

He enjoyed golfing and traveling with his wife and friends. He was an avid outdoor enthusiast. He instilled an appreciation of the outdoors in his family, spending time camping, hunting and fishing. He was an active member of California Waterfowl Association. He is survived by wife Naida Jensen.

He studied at Humboldt State University and graduated with a Masters in biology 1960. In that same year John started in Sacramento for the State Department of Water Resources. 1966 Hayes was transferred to Dept. of Fish and Game in Red Bluff and eventually coming to DFG in Redding. For 35 years he fought to protect the fish in the wild rivers and nature of California. Throughout his career Hayes stood up to the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Water Resources to protect salmon and steelhead habitat from dams.

In the early 70s, Hayes would form the foundation for the Trinity River Task Force. As the DFG’s first regional Environmental Services Supervisor, Hayes was a driving force behind California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Hayes convinced the Corps of Engineers that rip-rapping the Sacramento River would destroy too much riparian vegetation and salmon habitat.

He guided the Upper Sacramento River Salmon and Steelhead Advisory Committee in the 1980’s whose reports on the status on the river below Shasta dam helped pave the way for the listing of the winter-run King Salmon as an endangered species. He was always an ardent spokesman for fish and fishermen. It took great courage and dedication to accomplish what he did. His legacy as a dam buster for the salmon lives on in the free rivers of California.

John loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and camping with family and friends. He loved to sing with Barber Shop Quartets. He belonged to the Redding BPOE, Elks Club, and 49er Club. He was an avid 49er fan.

After completing his degree from the University of Florida, Ray relocated to California where he worked for the Department of Fish and Game as a Fisheries Biologist. While working with the State of California, he studied and published research related to the preservation of salmon, sturgeon and striped bass populations. He worked for Lee Miller/ Don Stevens on striped bass projects at Bay Delta.

She worked for the State of California in a number of departments, including the Department of Education, Department of Fish and Game, Employees’ Retirement System, Department of Water Resources, and Water Resources Control Board. In 1966 she married Robert Macklin who was with the Department of Fish and Game. Robert passed away unexpectedly in May 1970.

On May 28, 1971, she and Leonard Fisk, who was with the Department of Fish and Game, were married. She retired as Administrative Assistant to the Executive Officer of the State Water Resources Control Board in 1980. Her beloved husband of 36 years, Leonard, died December 28, 2007.

Sullivan, served the Department of Fish and Game as a Chief Deputy Director.

His survivors include his wife, Kathy, and two children, Megan Dill and Brendan.

Retired DFG Fisheries Biologist Robert Lee Reavis died of natural causes at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. He was 73.

He is survived by his wife Kim, and daughters Erin and Amy.

Bob served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the South Pacific at Guadalcanal, Layte, in the Philippines and Japan.

After the war, Bob graduated from Humboldt College with a Bachelor of Science degree. He worked for the California Department of Fish and Game for 30 years. After retiring in 1982, he continued commercial fishing at Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay area, some days coming home with 30-plus salmon. His wife, Piret, loved to fish with him for halibut.

In his earlier years, Bob loved to hike and hunt in the rugged hills of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and California. In his later years, he turned his love for outdoors into gardening, always sharing his knowledge and harvest with neighbors.

He had a long history with DFG, from his start at the Mt. Whitney hatchery to working as a warden, captain and finally as the Executive Secretary to the Fish and Game Commission. Les retired from the state in 1979 with over 38 years of service to the wildlife resources of California, but he wasn’t finished yet. Les went to work as the Western Regional Director for Ducks Unlimited and gave another 10 years in service to the future of wildlife resources for us and our children.

I know that he loved to fish as I saw him regularly on the American River when I was the local warden in that area.

Bill didn’t wish to have a funeral service. His family may organize a celebration of life in the future.

Those of you who remember Bill, know that he managed the Wildlife Investigations Lab before his retirement. Bill was was a very special person to all who knew him.

Karen retired after working for DFG with 35 years of service. Most of us remember her dedication to the Big Game Program a the License and Revenue Branch.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the caring doctors and staff at Kaiser South and the kindness and care provided her at Mercy McMahon Terrace in her final months.

Manley had been living at the Home for a number of years after his wife Mary passed away. He was about 94 years old. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Italy.