Jeri (Ledford) Nissen, November 28, 1941-March 21, 2021

 

Geraldine Marie “Jeri” Nissen November 28, 1941 – March 21, 2021

Jeri graduated from Point Arena High School in 1958, was engaged to Gary, and they had plans for the future. As often happens, life steps in, and those plans got changed. Like everyone, Jeri enjoyed good times and survived bad times during the next 40 years. A strong and caring person she raised 3 children, was a help to many people, and worked a variety of jobs. She was known as “the cool grandma” to her grandchildren.

 

In 1999 she and Gary reconnected at a high school reunion and spent the next 21 years together, living in Riverside for 18 months and then moving to Willits. They were married August 12, 2002. During those years they traveled a great deal, often on one of their motorcycles. She overcame her fear of flying and had the opportunity to visit many places in the US, something she had not been able to do before. Rocks from Death Valley and dirt from the Churchill Downs racetrack in Kentucky were among her favorite keepsakes. Bowling, Line Dancing, and tending her flower garden were three of her favorite activities and she excelled at all. She had many friends on the coast and made new ones everywhere she went. The last couple of years were challenging as Jeri developed a form of dementia. 

Jeri is survived by her husband Gary, her daughter Joni Murphy, her son Brent Pritchard, grandsons Riley and Mitchell, granddaughters Katie, Rebecca, and Breanna, and great granddaughter Avery.

She is also survived by her sisters, Dana (Ron) Galletti, Tracy (John) DuPont, and many nieces & nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles “Irv” & Dolores Ledford, and her son, Mark Kespohl. 

She will be missed and never forgotten.

 

I CRIED WHEN YOU PASSED AWAY, I STILL CRY TODAY. ALTHOUGH I LOVED YOU DEARLY, I COULDN’T MAKE YOU STAY. A GOLDEN HEART STOPPED BEATING, HARD WORKING HANDS AT REST. GOD BROKE MY HEART TO PROVE TO ME HE ONLY TAKES THE BEST. 

Jeri's obituary was published in the Independent Coast Observer, Gualala, on November 26, 2021

 

Gary Nissen - Class of 1958

Matt Piper and Gary Nissen, 1958 - How about the haircuts?

Two weeks after graduation, on 1 July 1958 Gordon Crispin & I deplaned in San Antonio, TX, USAF Airman Basics. I was on the way to becoming an Air Policeman and seeing the world. Four weeks later I was sent to aircraft nav-aids/radar repair tech school in Biloxi, MS, obviously because of my vast electronic technical background milking cows, driving tractor, changing irrigation pipe and other related skills. January 1959 found me at March AFB until discharged 30 June 1962 although I did get a 2 week assignment to Hawaii and 3 months in ID. (So much for seeing the world.) After leaving the USAF I worked 2 years for a major aeronautical firm but did not like being in a big concrete building with no windows.

In SoCal for 40+ years I raised a family, did Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, the Beach scene, and all the other stuff you read about. I have not been without a motorcycle since 1959, riding desert, mountain & street; traveling through many states, and visiting a couple hospitals. We currently own a Kawasaki Nomad & Honda Gold Wing Trike.

At 2200 hours on 1 May 1964 I reported for my first shift at Riverside PD; new blue uniform, badge, loaded six-gun, and not a clue. No academy until you worked for about a year and proven you could do the job. My TO, a former Marine, yelled at me for 2 months straight, and after 3 months cleared me to work solo.

I retired from RPD 15 July 1994 as a Lt. I promoted up through the ranks, worked and supervised in every division. I was a member of The Royal Order of the Boot for nearly 5 years as an officer & Sgt. Motors & Investigations were the most fun although certain assignments gave me the opportunity to “sort of” learn to fly helicopters and play with a lot of really expensive equipment. There were good times & bad times. I was fortunate in that I retired out in relative good health with only a few minor injuries that haunt me as I grow older.

I obtained a PI license, did some defense work, eventually specializing in police employment backgrounds and internal investigations for several departments until December 2002 when I moved to Willits. I have Substitute and Part Time Adult Subjects teaching credentials; worked in various elementary schools and at Willits & Ukiah high schools. For the past 6 years I have worked for the Adult School & Mendocino County in the Jail Education Program.

I pretty much stayed away from Point Arena for nearly 40 years although I had been coming to a friend’s ranch in Hopland every year since 1968; something no one knew. I returned to the Acquistapace homestead about 1995 and had the good fortune to be able repay in part, my uncle and his family for raising me through high school and teaching me skills that got me by quite well all my life.

I attended the 1999 PAHS reunion and accepted the fact there were some unresolved issues needing attention. Jeri & I were married 12 August 2002.

Joan (Iversen) Robinson - Class of 1958

After graduation, I attended Humboldt State along with Carolyn York, Tamara Cossi and Gene Bowman, all of the class of 1958.


I majored in Music Education and graduated with a teaching credential in 1962. I took my first teaching job as a Music Supervisor for South Bay Schools in Eureka. I married George (Bill) Robinson that fall. I taught music 2 years, 4th grade one year in Point Arena while my husband studied abroad, and worked as the Assistant Registrar at Mills College in Oakland for two years while George completed graduate school in Hospital Administration at UC Berkely. His residency took us to Seattle, where we adopted our daughter. We moved to the Portland area when George took his first job with Kaiser Hospital and our son was born there .



Other than a brief return to the bay area, we have lived most of our married life here in the greater Portland area. I taught private music lessons while our family was young and then returned to work as a college registrar when our children were off at college. We are currently retired and will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in two years. Our daughter Julie lives nearby, works as an EMT in a hospital trauma center and is returning to school to get her nursing degree. She has given us two wonderful grandchildren, Emma 11 and Jaden 6 whom we unabashedly dote on. Our son David is a Movie Special Effects Producer and lives in Santa Monica.


I still enjoy music, love to garden and exercise, we attend the Symphony and the Theater, do some volunteering, collect first edition books and like to cook for friends. We are happy to have the oportunity to travel in retirement. I have stayed close to my best childhood friend, Carolyn York, and we have been able to share trips to Europe with she and her husband. My current goals are to stay healthy, read lots of books and complete our family genealogy, which I've been working on.
　
　

Carolyn Biles (York) - Class of 1958

I was born in 1940 in Healdsburg, California, to Doris (Gillmore) and Taylor York. Brother Chuck followed the next year, and brother Jim in 1949. Our family lived in Healdsburg until 1944, then moved to Point Arena to be near my grandparents while Dad spent two years in the army. When he returned we moved back to Healdsburg and I started first grade. The following year we moved to Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg where Chuck and I attended Manzanita School, a small country school with all eight grades in one room with one teacher. In 1951 we moved back to Point Arena where we attended elementary and high schools.

After graduating from PAUHS in 1958, I attended Humboldt State College in Arcata and received a bachelor of science degree with a major in nursing. In 1962 Bob Lopez and I were married. We lived in Eureka for a year while he received his teaching credential, then moved to Pittsburg, California. I worked at the local hospital until daughter Elise came along. When she was two years old we moved back to Eureka where Bob taught art in the local high school and I worked part time at one of the local hospitals. Daughter Michelle came along in 1967, and daughter Diana in 1969. Life changed for me in 1976 when I became a single parent and took training to work as an intensive care nurse at General Hospital in Eureka. The girls grew into young women – Elise became a college student, Diana became a working girl and Michelle became a wife. In 1988 I married Charlie Biles and life changed again. We bought a new house and began to learn about gardening (we are still learning) and being a married team once again. Bob lives in Eureka with his wife, Janet, and is retired. We are good friends and share family and grandchildren.

A big change for us has been becoming grandparents, which is such a joy! Diana and husband Derrick have two children – Taylor, sixteen years old (boy) and Devin, almost thirteen (girl). They live in Eureka and we see them often. Elise and husband Ted live in Redding, and have two children – Teddy, six years old, and Annalise two years old. We see them often also, since the drive is only 3 hours from Eureka to Redding. We have a grandson, Nigel, who lives in southern California. His father is Charlie’s son. We don’t see him as often as he is so many miles away. Daughter Michelle passed away in 2002 after a long illness and I chose not to return to work after her death. Charlie retired in 2005. He was a mathematics professor at Humboldt State University.

Since retiring I have become an active quilter. Charlie is studying American history. We have done some traveling, including three trips to Europe and one to Costa Rica and Guatemala. This fall we will journey by car to the east to visit historical sites. We will meet brother Chuck and his wife, Mickie, in Williamsburg and explore together. Life is good!

Gordon Crispin, Class of 1958

Gordon Crispin Bio

The reunion in 1999 in Point Arena was fantastic! I saw folks I hadn't seen since 1958 including you and I got invited to breakfast too. Now I'm sure that was because of Uncle Joe and Dorothy, but it was good and I enjoyed seeing you again too.

Unfortunately, Deanna and I will not be able to make this one: health problems.

Next time you speak to Sam Oglesby, tell him Hi for me. Last time I saw him was at Plieku, Viet Nam in 68 or 69. This young Lt. came by to say hello. I never forgot that. He was a good guy in school too even if his dad was the principal.

A short Bio is just that—short. I spent 29 years, 3 months in the Air Force, 1 July 1958 - 30 Sept 88.

I worked at the Air Force Academy for a year, Las Vegas, Nevada for six months, and then it was on to Alaska for eight years working mostly for ITT as a government contract supervisor.

I retired in 1997 and moved to northern Idaho. Oh yes, I also found my bride Deanna in Alaska.

In October 99 I went back to Alaska to assist another corporation "bed down" at the same radar site I was at before returning in April 2000 for total retirement.

I love it; we love it and really want for nothing. We have 6/1/4 acres in the woods to putz (sometimes work) at. We live in a double wide that is very comfortable for us. Nothing fancy, but compared to what I lived in as a kid, it's a castle!