Celebration of Life
There will be a Celebration of Life for Sally Jo Lyons Friday, Sept. 6 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Wild River Pizza and Brewing in Cave Junction. Please join us in sharing the memories. There will be refreshments vided.
Obituaries
Craig Gustafson,
beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, son-in-law, brother-in-law, and cousin was a kind and gentle soul. He lived for family and fly-fishing. He loved camping, fishing, boating, drumming, gardening, and cooking. Craig passed peacefully at his home in Cave Junction on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at the age of 74.
He was born in 1949 in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Fernando Valley, where he attended James Monroe High School. Craig worked at Universal Studios and Western Bagel Baking Corporation and later owned and operated Craig’s Pool Service, serving Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades.
Craig met his wife Susan in 1973 at a friend’s wedding. They married in 1976 and moved to Cave Junction in 1978 to raise a family. Craig worked as a mechanic and then as a produce manager for many years at four markets in Cave Junction–Sentry, Drive-N-Save, Shop & Kart, and Shop Smart. He later worked as a medical shuttle driver for Mountain View Medical Shuttle.
Craig loved to make his children and grandchildren laugh by telling funny stories. He loved planning family vacations and fishing trips, gardening with his daughter Kaley, playing with his dog Mochi and listening to his grandson Austin play original music on the acoustic guitar. He loved spending time with family and friends: visiting his sister Linda and family, his friends Mark and Midge and Randy and Lisa, all living in California. He also loved visiting his daughter Melissa, and grandchildren Jasper and Vivian in Eugene. While there, he loved attending their school events, shopping at Saturday Market, going on dog walks, visiting the farm stand, frequenting car and RV lots and making spontaneous trips to the beach.
Craig is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Melissa Gustafson (Chris Schatz) and Kaley Gustafson (Tony Ringo), grandchildren Austin Bosch, Jasper Schatz and Vivian Schatz, all living in Oregon, sister Linda (Jerry) Olsen, nephew Michael (Karleena) Olsen, nieces Katy Olsen, Jenny (Kris) Pashko and Stephanie Munson (Ryan Martinez), all living in California, mother-in-law Rose Downey, and brother-in-law Steve Munson, living in Oregon, sister-in-law Teresa (Joseph) Stevens, living in Washington, and numerous cousins.
Craig was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth “Betty” (Wayne) Seward, and his father, Virgil Gustafson. A memorial service is planned for spring.
Ryan Dunham
Brother Ryan was born on our living room floor at 11650 Takilma Road. I was five years old and it’s the most vivid, and earliest, memory I have. It was a happy, sunny June Day. Neighbor Joe Carnahan was in the kitchen making margaritas with fresh just-picked strawberries. The birth mobile was parked in the driveway––we had midwives, and Dr. Shames––this was one of those very early Takilma home births. Me, and a few other kids tucked away in a bedroom while the adults huddled around the living room floor, my mom in the middle on a floor mat. I was excited and couldn’t wait to take care of my new baby brother. I don’t remember the actual birth––I got to rub lotion on my mama’s back, then I was whisked away to the neighbors to give my mom time with Ryan.
This memory takes up its own shelf in my mind, and it stays protected over time––I swear it’s just as vivid today, 47 years later. When someone asks what’s your earliest memory, I get to go to the shelf and visit that day, his birth, and I get to feel that blessing every time.
From that day forward it was he and I, a united sibling bond, a strong friendship.
Ryan passed away June, 15, 2023 in the same house he was born in.
He grew up in Takilma, went to the early Dome School, and then played soccer and wrestled for IVHS.
After high school, he moved to Portland to play soccer for Portland Community College. Then he lived in Ashland before moving back to Portland where he earned his BA in Psychology from Portland State University. During those years in Portland, I was lucky to have my brother live close by so he got to be there as my kids grew up. As my dad was getting older, Ryan returned to Takilma to help with the property and the two houses. It was then Ryan met and fell in love with his partner, Sidra Darcy. The land we grew up on has always been his favorite place. Ryan and Sidra took loving and meticulous care of our property––and Sidra continues to help my dad and care for him. We all consider her part of our family. Ryan was a generous friend to many––he loved the underdogs in life––wherever he went, he adopted people who’d been kicked around by the world. He would offer food, rides––anything he could. Mostly he wanted people to know they were never alone. He was easy to talk to and probably the most intelligent person in my life. Our values aligned. I always appreciated his insight. Ryan loved the woods, he loved learning and telling Takilma history and being close to the land. He loved sharing it with his family. Ryan loved being an uncle to his nephew and two nieces––they adored him!
When you lose someone suddenly, you tend to think about all the things they didn’t get to do, but life is about doing the best we can with each situation in front of us. Ryan, we love you and miss you every second of every day. I will live the rest of my life honoring you.
We always just wanted more him.
Ryan is survived by his father, Bill Dunham, sister Lisa Stewart, nieces Maggie and Charly, and nephew Quinten, mother Cathy and stepfather Robert Elliot. Lastly, he is survived by long term partner Sidra Darcy.
A Celebration of Life was held August 17. It was a very casual and low-key event just like Ryan.
( Publishers note: Ryan’s Obit was to run prior to his celebration of life but I dropped the ball. My apologies to all who weren’t aware due to my negligence. djm)
Births
Fenwick Harrison
Apatosaurus Proffitt
was born in Grants Pass on August 6 to Kayla Danielle Rau and Travis Lee Proffitt of Selma. 10lbs, 4 oz. Welcome, Fenwick!