Author: David Anselmi

Charles Miller (1955-1973)

July 3, 1955 – Feb 8, 1973

Funerals services were held at Napa Valley Memorial Gardens for Charles Guy Miller, who died Thursday in Kaiser Hospital, Oakland, after a long illness. He was 17.

Charles was born in Michigan July 3, 1955. His family came to Napa five years ago and he had been a member of the Napa High School varsity basketball team.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Miller of Napa; three brothers, Richard of Oxford, Michigan, and Roger and John, both of Napa; two sisters, Rebecca of Napa and Mrs. Nancy Moshier of Oxford; his grandmother, Mrs. Della Miller of Capac, Michigan; two nephews, five nieces and several aunts and uncles.

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John Beall (1955-2017)

July 28, 1955 – August 17, 2017


John Beall was born on July 28th 1955, the third in a line of four boys and by far the orneriest of all. He hailed from Napa California, the son of Tyson and Faye Beall. They brought him up as a renaissance man. He could make homemade ice cream, wood fire pizza and of course buttermilk biscuits were his crowning glory. He knew how to fix a car, fix a light, fix a wooden game and just about anything else that might need fixing. He could talk politics, history, current events or really anything with the best of them and out talk just about all of them. He bested a teenage boy on a video game, setting a seemingly insurmountable challenge for his grandson Cino in his final hours. Not only did he survive in a pack of women, he reveled in the achievements of his girls and his love for Jenny, Jessica, Savannah, Charlotte and at the top of the pyramid, his beloved Carol.

At 6’5” John could have been an intimidating man yet he chose to turn that prowess into protectiveness. He encouraged his girls to always do and be better, even when they thought they couldn’t. He treated them as precious, being the most important things in his life, all the while encouraging their indelible spirit; engendering a feeling of possibility. Keep your word and don’t lie, the rest will all come.

John spent his working life helping people. He started as an ambulance driver and paramedic. Then following in his father’s footsteps, he became a telephone man on the special services team. He finished his career at Central Washington Hospital as communications manager keeping the lines open in order to better save lives. H

is crowning achievement occurred just after high school. With the assistance of their dear friend Rhonda Brown, he captured the heart of Carol Polzin. Like a knight in shining armor he then braved many tasks that came with his new found love; repeatedly tying the shoes of the disapproving little sister, maintaining constant good-naturedness in face of the not so certain parents of the teenage girl and wooing said girl to elope with him. Theirs was indeed an epic love spanning coasts, states and four decades. Their love and commitment is a shining example of what a true love story can be.

An avid family man whose memory is wrapped in a shroud of warmth and togetherness. As we continue our adventures, he will be with us on the still glass water of the Columbia where he used to cut arcs of rooster tales on one slalom ski, on the slopes of Mission Ridge, in the kitchen of Sun River refereeing a water fight, rocking out at the Gorge, supporting the Mariners at Safeco Field and BBQing on the deck overlooking his beloved apple orchard. He was larger than life and the relationships that he forged with people will transcend time and space.

When you sit down to remember him and his stories crack a Miller High Life, throw on a Far Side T shirt and crank up the Doobie Brothers. Memorial Donations are suggested to Central Washington Hospice, Red Cross – Houston Relief, The Wounded Warior Project or Best Friends.org.

If you’d like to share your memories with us, please visit John’s Heritage Book of Memories to upload stories and photos.

Michael D Kilgore (1954-2022)

Sep 23, 1954 (Napa) – Aug 26, 2022 (Florence, OR)

Michael Dwight Kilgore was born in Napa, Calif., on Sept. 23, 1954, to Christine and David Kilgore. He attended local schools where he played football, became an Eagle Scout and hunted and fished with friends and brothers Levi, Bruce and Carl and sister, Pam (Knight).

He studied at the community college as well as UC Davis, after which he worked as a bartender, gourmet baker and in the winery hospitality industry.

He married Boudinot Kilgore in 1997 and moved with their grandchildren, Jackson Brastow and Logan Kilgore, to a home they built in Florence, Ore., in 2006.

He retired from the Safeway bakery in 2016.

He was active in the Florence Garden Club, the PTA, Girl Scouts, the Soup Brigade and pursued photography in his travels to Kauai, New England and Europe. His most recent project involved building a greenhouse with recycled windows from Habitat for Humanity.

Those who wish to may honor his memory by gardening.

He was predeceased by his parents, siblings Levi and Pam and stepdaughter Jessica Brastow. Burns’s Riverside Chapel Florence Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Rory Solis (1954-2021)

Apr 25, 1954 – Apr 9, 2021

Rory Solis of Yountville was born to Mike and Jenny Solis on April 25, 1954 at St. Helena Hospital. He passed away on April 9, 2021, at Queen of the Valley Medical Center after an extended illness.

Rory attended Yountville Elementary School, Redwood Junior High School and graduated in 1973 from Vintage High School.

He played Little League Baseball in Yountville, baseball and soccer at Redwood Middle School and baseball at Vintage High.

He was employed as a carpenter and in general construction.

Rory enjoyed golfing, fishing and watching horse racing, concerts and casino gambling.

He is survived by his son, Rory Michael Solis, and daughter, Taylor Solis, his mother Jenny Solis, brother Bobby Solis and sister Anita Solis. He also is survived by his nephew Jacob Solis, niece Katy Solis and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was predeceased by his father, Mike Solis.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Silverado Dialysis in Napa for their excellent care of Rory. They would also like to thank Dr. James Srebro of Queen of the Valley Hospital for his compassion and kindness above and beyond all expectations.

At Rory’s request there were no services. Cremation was by Tulocay.

Dawn (Moskowite) McDermott (1954-2020)

Dawn Leann McDermott, 65, of Jackson, CA, passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. She was born in Eureka, CA on December 19, 1954 to the late Joan and Harold Moskowite.
She was a graduate of Napa High school and then employed by the NVUSD for many years until she retired due to her cancer diagnosis for Lymphoma. She spent her life giving and loved her grand babies to the moon. She also loved visiting our condo in Cabo and going in our bus all over. I will forever miss her.
Dawn is survived by her beloved husband, Michael J. McDermott; three sons, Jeff (Jamie) McDermott, Chris McDermott, and Kurt McDermott; three sisters, Nancy Brown, Beverly Moskowite, and Lorraine Raper; two brothers, George Moskowite and Donnie Moskowite; and numerous nieces and a nephew.

Terie (Bryant) Musante (1955-2023)

Jan 3, 1955 – Mar 19, 2023

Terie Musante, 68, of Napa, CA, peacefully passed away at her home on March 19, 2023, after a long difficult battle with Alzheimer’s.

Terie was born on January 3, 1955, to David and Alene Bryant in Monterey, CA. Her father Dave, a proud member of the military, moved his family to various states and abroad, finally settling in Napa. Terie was a pom-pom girl at Redwood Junior High and Napa High, and was in the first graduating class at Vintage High in 1973. She went on to Napa College to study criminal justice. She worked for a short time at the Napa Police Department and became a co-owner of a flower shop in Napa.

Terie met the love of her life, Paul Musante, in 1972, at Napa High. They got married in 1983, at Napa’s St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Their son Christopher, one of the greatest joys of her life, was born in Napa. Shortly after his birth, Terie, Paul and Christopher moved to Warren, OH, for many years. Terie immersed herself in Chris’ activities and worked part-time for a gift shop and then Proctor & Gamble Co.

Terie loved to travel with family and friends. Some of her favorite travels were cruising the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Catalina Island and the San Juan Islands.

Terie was a very happy and carefree person and the most loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She especially loved being Mimi to Nico and Naya. She always made time for those she loved, had such a generous heart and will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her husband, Paul; son, Christopher (Kaylee); and grandchildren: Nico and Naya; brothers: Ed Bryant (Pamla) and Dave Bryant (Julie); and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Dave and Alene; and sister, Sandy O’Day.

A special thanks to the most wonderful compassionate caregivers: Nidia, Molly and Lusi, who were with her for years, Collabria Hospice and the many close friends who spent compassionate time with Terie and helped care for her.

A private ceremony was held at Tulocay Cemetery on April 7, 2023.

Ruben Gomez (1953-2012)

Dec 07, 1953 – May 21, 2012

Ruben Gomez, 58, was called home May 21, 2012. He was born in Juarez, Mexico to Manuel and Maria Gomez, Dec. 7, 1953.

Ruben served proudly in the U.S. Navy as a medic during the Vietnam War. While in the Navy, he learned seven languages. He earned an associate’s degree and worked at Safeway.

Ruben enjoyed music, camping, hiking and being with family. He was a very generous man and was always on time. He will be remembered as a man who loved his God, family and country.

He is survived by his wife, Emilia, four daughters, five sons, 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, nine brothers and three sisters.

Services were held May 26 at Hopewell Baptist Church. He was buried with military honors at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on May 30.

Tulocay Cemetery Memorial

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