Month: September 2018

Oct 28, 1955 – May 23, 2001

Peter L. Malinowski, 47, a 33-year resident of Napa County, died peacefully at his Sacramento home on May 23, 2003, following a long illness. He was born October 28, 1955 in Berkeley, California.

He attended Napa schools, graduating from Vintage High School in 1973. He worked at Mare Island as a supervisor for 20 years.

Preceded in death by his father, Frank, Peter is survived by his wife, Isabel, of Sacramento; his mother, Barbara Barter, of Napa; son, Cory Malinowski and daughter, Crystal Malinowski, both of Napa; stepson Roland of Sacramento; sisters, Frances Carpenter of Napa and Mary Chilcote of Sacramento; brothers Karl and Kenneth Malinowski of Sacramento; and granddaughter, Sarina Koroknay, of Napa.

Peter was a generous man with a big heart who loved life. He was a loyal friend to many and will be missed by all whose lives he touched.

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Jul 15, 1955 – Apr 05, 1980

Napa native Lori Lou Gates, 24, died Saturday at her home following a brief illness.
Mrs. Gates was born July 15, 1955, and was raised and educated in Napa. She graduated from Napa High School and had worked as a clerk at Kaiser Pharmacy in Napa for three years. She married David F. Gates February 4, 1978, in Napa’s First Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her husband, David of Napa; her father and step-mother, Curtis and Lois Allen of Napa; two sisters, Linda Christian of Napa and Andrea Montalbo of Sacramento; and a grandmother, Andrea Petersen of Iowa.
Memorial services were held Apr 9, 1980 at First Presbyterian Church in Napa, with the Reverend Erwin Bollinger officiating.

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Mar 03, 1955 – Jun 29, 1994

Self-employed rancher A. Frank Paoli, 39, died Wednesday at a local hospital after a tractor accident.

Paoli is survived by his mother, Dina, and brothers Francisco, John and Cecil, all of American Canyon.

A vigil service was held July 5 at Twin Chapels Mortuary. A Mass of Christian Burial was held July 6 at St. Basil’s Church. Burial was at St Vincent’s Cemetery.

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Aug 2, 1955 (Eugene, OR) -Apr 9, 2007 (Tracy, CA)

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Jul 15, 1955 – Mar 05, 1978

Paul M. Melnick, 22 died March 5 as a result of injuries suffered in a plane accident at Humboldt Bay.

He was born July 15, 1955 in England to Alexander and Pamela Melnick. In 1968 he came to Napa with his family. He graduated from Vintage High School in 1973. Mr. Melnick was a zoology student and was a member of the Audobon Society.

His parents, Alexander and Pamela Melnick of Napa, survive.

A remembrance Mass of Christian Burial was held March 11 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Arrangements were under the direction of Claffey and Rota Funeral Home.

May 29, 1955 – Nov 18, 2010

A longtime member of the Spirit booth in Community Village, Anna Armaiti (aka Cheryl Alekner, aka Ophidia) passed from this earthly plane on Nov. 18, 2010, after a two-year struggle with ovarian cancer.
She was born Cheryl Ann Alekner on May 29, 1955, in Decatur, Illinois, to William Lee and Virginia Jan Walkinshaw Alekner. Early on,her family moved to Napa, California, where she graduated from Napa High School.She later moved to Berkeley, California, and became a bookkeeper while also studying with feminist spirituality teacher Vicki Noble.
During this time, Cher (as she was known) adopted the name Ophidia and kept more than 100 reptile pets in her apartment, including a three-foot Savannah monitor Lizard who lived in the bathroom, Marley the South African Burrowing Bullfrog, Ishi the iguana, and several boas. As Ophidia became more immersed in feminist spirituality, she found that her bookkeeping job did not match her personal ethics, and quit.
In the 1980s, she joined Berkeley’s Emerald Earth Laughing and Drumming Society, where she met Don St. Clair. They became partners for almost a decade. Her original chants and songs were published in “Songs for Earthlings,” compiled by Jess Shoup. She performed at several large group rituals in the San Francisco Bay area,including events facilitated by feminist authors Riane Eisler and Starhawk. Anna also was a musician along with Don at Unity of the Spirit Church in Lafayette, California, and a member of Berkeley’s Gorilla Choir, along with Don and his future partner, Fiora. The Gorilla Choir performed at many events, ranging from San Francisco Earth Day 1990 to the Oregon Country Fair.In 1990, Don and Anna (performing as “Dawn and Ophidia”) traveled on a 20-city tour with the Redwood Summer national road show to promote saving the last coastal old-growth redwoods. Their live album,”Songs for Redwood Summer,” will be released for free online soon.
Don brought Anna to her first Rainbow Gathering and her first Oregon Country Fair. An avid gardener, she fell in love with Eugene her first day after walking to Sundance and noticing the many front-yard gardens. She moved to Eugene in 1993. She and Don parted ways amicably a while later.
In Eugene, Anna became a member of the Sufi and Pagan communities. She participated in the Spirit Booth at the Oregon Country Fair,and performed with the Middle Eastern Dance Guild and with the band Americanistan.
In 1995, Anna met her soulmate, Daniel Ishaq Jud, a Sufi teacher. They shared a home, a passion for music, and their lives until he died in 2006 of early onset diabetes.
Anna had a beautiful voice, played guitar, led Dances of Universal Peace in and outside the Community Village, and was a prolific song-writer. She worked in many artistic media, including photography, T-shirt design and painting. She was a garage sale queen, avid gardener,cat lover and fashionista.
Anna is preceeded in death by her mother. She is survived by her father, and her two kitties Sequoia and Akbar (who have since found new loving homes). We love you, Anna, and wish you peace.

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