Merle Christina Paytas Blickenstaff

Melvin Dean Brooks

Betty June Nuding (Ross)

Merle Christina Paytas Blickenstaff

Merle Christina Paytas Blickenstaff was born June 25, 1970 in Monte Vista, Colo. and passed away Aug. 29, 2012 with her mother, Ethel Webster, and husband, Tim Blickenstaff, at her side at the Veterans Hospital in Reno. She was 42.

Christi lived in Colorado throughout her childhood. She was Colorado’s Miss Photogenic La Petite in 1975 and won Miss Congeniality at the world pageant in Baton Rouge, La. in 1976. After graduating from Woodland Park High School she married her high school sweetheart, Mark Paytas, and moved to California where he served in the Marines. They were married for 22 years.

She achieved an associate degree in accounting from Eldorado College in Oceanside, Calif. Merle, as she was known by in the Air Force, was an Aerospace Propulsion Craftsman. Her father, Nels Olsen, had also been an aircraft mechanic in his early career. While serving the Air Force (1997-2003) she was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Training Ribbin, NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon, Air Force Longevity Service Award with Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon. While serving in Yokota, Japan her daughter, Kayla Paytas, was born. Merle worked at Sierra Army Depot from 2003 to 2006 as a civilian employee. She lived in Delta Junction, Alaska for one year from 2006-2007.

Merle was a member of Eastern Star in Susanville. She loved cooking and gardening, but most of all she loved animals and had many.

Christi lived her life to the fullest every day. She will be remembered and loved by family and friends. She married Tim Blickenstaff Feb. 22, 2011.

Merle Christina is survived by her husband, Tim Blickenstaff, of Janesville, Calif.; her daughter, Kayla Paytas, of Walla Walla, Wash.; her mother, Ethel Webster, of Susanville; her father, Nels Olsen, Jr., of Wellington, Colo.; her brothers, Nels Olsen, III, and Ryan Olsen, of Colo.; her grandmother, Isabell Christina Goodnight, of Rossville, Ind.; her aunts, Linda Webster, of Woodland Park, Colo. and Chris Fox, of Rossville; her cousins, Olin West, in Tacoma, Wash., currently serving in the navy, Elton West, Tim Tripp and Eddie Tripp, Tina Fox, Richard Fox, Danny Fox and Phil Koenig, who live in Colorado, Texas and Kansas; and her sisters, June and Penny Waldroup, of Colorado.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Nels and Merle Olsen; her aunts, Barbara Orton and Bonita Sanborn, of Monte Vista, Colo.; her grandfather, Ralph Goodnight, of Rossville, Ind.; her cousins, Jack Fox and James West, who died in Iraq in 2002.

A celebration of her life was held at the Blickenstaff farm. A memorial service will be held in Monte Vista. Merle Christina loved animals. Please donate to your local animal shelter in her name, rather than flowers.

Melvin Dean Brooks

Melvin Dean Brooks (Mel), of Susanville, passed away Sept. 12, 2012 after a short illness at St. Mary’s Hospital in Reno, Nev.

Mel was born Jan. 10, 1944 in Alturas, Calif. to Floyd and Mary Lucille Brooks of Jess Valley Likely, Calif. Modoc County.

He graduated in 1962 from Modoc Union High. He worked on local ranches in Modoc and Lassen County. He hung up his spurs and saddle in 1982 and started driving trucks. He worked for Sierra Pacific for 14 years and other local logging companies in this area. At the time of his death, he was driving for Ketcherside Trucking in Standish, Calif.

Mel enjoyed being in the big rigs and talking to all his trucker buddies on the C.B.

He is survived by his wife, Janice, of Susanville, daughter Melva Dahl, of Grants Pass Ore., daughter Molina Fisher of Indiana; brothers, David Brooks, of Cloudcroft, N.M., John Brooks, of Folsom, Calif., Bill Brooks, of Sprague River, Ore.; and sister Carolyn Wimple, of Moscow, Idaho.

He was preceded in death by his father, Floyd Brooks, 1997 in Alturas, his mother Mary Lucille Dillaman Brooks, 1992 in Alturas; sisters, Marie Malitz, in 1978 in Alturas, and Darlene Stiles, 2006 in Klamath Falls, Ore.

Mel asked not to have services and to thank Dave, Dean, Gib and all the guys he worked with for helping him out when he needed extra help. Thanks from Mel!

Betty June Nuding (Ross)

Betty June Nuding (Ross) was born June 27, 1921 in Nebraska and died Sept. 23, 2012 in Susanville, Calif.

Nuding was a resident of Susanville since May 2012 and a previous lifelong resident of Stockton, Calif.

Nuding was a homemaker and a member of Stockton Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) since 1951. She was the president of SDA Church Community Services Center for 13 years, helped with VBS for more than 20 years, lead Sabbath class weekly for many years and helped spread the gospel.

Nuding was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Ben T. Nuding; her parents, Charles and Nora Ross; and siblings, Merle Ross, Glen Ross, Gail Ross, Shirley Trivelpiece and Duwan McTeer.

She is survived by her sisters, Virginia Baker and Rachel Gilkey; daughter, Phyllis Fromm and husband Norb; granddaughters, Cindy Harrison and husband Jim, and Sandy Raffelson and husband Stace; six great-grandchildren and two great-great grandsons.

Services were held in Lodi/Stockton Oct. 1, 2012. An opportunity to express your condolences and sign the guestbook is available at legacy.com, search Chapel of the Palms Stockton.

Memorial donations may be made to the Susanville Seventh-day Adventist VBS Fund.