LOOKING BACK From our archives; compiled by Howard Stitt

10 Years Ago March 29, 2012 Services were held for Jack W. Reed, 88, a Texas native. He served in Burma during World War II as a mule skinner. Reed was best known as a bricklaying contractor building quality homes for 50 years. A Celebration of Life was planned for Sandra Marie Berquist, 67, a Loomis resident since 1970. She was a great outdoor person, particularly camping when shared with her grandchildren. Del Oro High School FFA student Pierre Beauchamp won $10,000 for part of the Busch Gardens/SeaWorld 2012 Environmental Award. His project was a greenhouse using aquaponics. Regina Dvorak, a National FFA Organization advisor at Del Oro nominated Beauchamp for the award. Among those waiting hours to view the movie "The Hunger Games," were local high school students Alyssa Mitnick, Lilia Zehnder, Hannah Spence and Kristine Springfield. ln 1999, Louise Dutton of Loomis stumbled upon articles about the benefits of essential and plant oils. She created a line of soap products with essential oils and natural botanical plant oils called Bella Soap Company. Dutton's products are sold in 13 states and locally at Main Drug Store. Ginger Abalkhail, owner of Curves in Loomis with the help of members Nancy DeSmet and Elizabeth Rocha, held a food drive to replenish the Loomis Basin Food Pantry shelves. The Citizens for Tree Preservation of Rocklin sprung up after the city did not preserve 396 oak trees on the southeast corner of Sierra College Boulevard and Rocklin Road. Del Oro High School graduate Jesse Stafford took a year off from the Air Force Academy to volunteer in Mongolia with the Samaritan's Purse group. The organization sends over eight-million shoeboxes filled with small gifts throughout the world from all over the U.S. Ironically, one of the shoeboxes ended up in the same place Stafford was located and it came from the Loomis Charter School, the same school Stafford's cousins, Grace and Emily Rudolph, attend. A winning wrestler at Del Oro, Stafford was also wrestling with the Mongolian National Team. His mother, Chris, said, "Mongolians are crazy about wrestling." 25 Years Ago March 27, 1997 A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Amelia Lemos, 86, a Milpitas native. From 1938 to 1967, she owned Alice's Fruit Stand on Highway 40 in Loomis. Lemos was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Rocklin as well as various Portuguese fraternal associations. Services were held for Kiyoto Thomas Nishimoto, 78, a lifetime Placer County resident. A 1936 graduate of Placer High School, Nishimoto was a retired supervisor of property management at California State University of Sacramento. He was a member of the Placer Buddhist Church, Shodokai of Placer County, Veterans of Foreign Wars Nisei Post 8985 and Sierra Bonsai Club. Local high school contestants for the Lions International's annual speaker's contest were Denise Vasquez of Rocklin, Sarah Sneed from Del Oro and Lincoln's representative Shanon Netschke, who won the contest. Local residents affected by flooding due to the severe winter storms can apply for funds offered by federal and state assistance programs. Pioneer Quilt Guild member Marilyn Stitt displayed an old quilt from Lotus, California. The backing on the quilt was said to have been part of a banner to celebrate the election of U.S. Grant as president. Irmgard Hirschinger's painting, "The Sacramento Valley No. 3," earned a first-place award for the KVIE annual Art Auction. The Loomis artist studied art in Innsbruck, Austria. Fire destroyed a structure on the old Hamamoto labor camp. Fifth-graders Rachel Garland, Holly Boberg and Cayla McCrae performed an "Erkal" routine as part of the Loomis School Spirit Assembly. Principal Glenn Lockwood was a good sport and took a pie in the face during the assembly. The Soroptimist International of Rocklin-Loomis is preparing for their Beer & Wine Tasting event. Sandra Farinha is accepting donations of artwork for the event's silent auction. The proceeds will benefit a grade school tutoring program. The Del Oro Girls' Basketball team was one win away from playing in the state championship but lost to Alcalanes in the Nor-Cal Championship. The Lady Eagles ended the season with a 22 win and a 10-loss record. 50 Years Ago March 30, 1972 Funeral services were planned for Mrs. Hagino Oseto, 71, a Japan native and an Auburn resident for the past 50 years. Survivors included her husband, Katashi Oseto. Airman Richard Presley, son of Mrs. Nita Ensign of Loomis, completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is assigned to Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado for training in the supply field. Heavy frosts throughout the area caused extensive damage to fruit crops. Some growers were literally wiped out while others received only partial losses. Warm weather earlier in March caused blossoms to come out too fast and were stricken by the cold. Residents of Placer County are receiving their Christmas Seals for the 1972 Campaign. Theodore Bacharach, campaign chairman, said, "We hope they will use Christmas Seals on all their Christmas cards and packages." The Loomis Congregational Church, located on Oak Street, operates Dopey Thrift Shop. The Women's Fellowship at the church planned a rummage sale at the shop. Charles Stone plans to develop and operate a welding and repair shop in the Citrus Colony section of the Loomis area. The Paris Peace Talks were suspended by the United States delegation. They informed the North Vietnamese that the talks would be resumed when they were serious about discussing specific issues. 75 Years Ago October 1946 Funeral services were held for Robert M. Gordon, 49, a Woodland area native. He was engaged in the fruit business in our area. Robert is survived by his wife, Flora; his mother, Mrs. Cora Gordon; brother, Ted; and sister, Mrs. Eola Beckett, all of Loomis. In the last presidential election, one of the most vital in our history, nearly 32 million persons who were eligible didn't bother to cast their ballots. The production of rubber in British Malaya increased, so Uncle Sam put in an order for 200,000 tons. That was in addition to prior orders from the British and Dutch East Indies. All of which meant a lot of good tires for drivers and nipples for baby bottles. School Principals Cain and Parsons of Auburn along with Richard Brown of Loomis attended the Northern Section of Instructors. Three one-armed bandits made their way to liberty out of the Loomis Cafe after robbing hundreds of victims. No culprits were located. Scoutmaster Bruce Barnes, along with assistants Robert Hansen and Frank Law, prepared the Troop 12 Boy Scouts for the annual Tahoe Area Council Rally. With the aid of hounds, a bobcat was taken down by local hunters W.E. Wever, Bill Gordon, Earl Falkons, John and Gene Patton. Local 4-H members joined 279 others to travel by chartered bus to see UCLA play the UC Berkeley's football team. In attendance were Guy Hamberg, Annie Foster, Lyman Nash, Kedren and Carol Castro along with their leaders Mrs. Myrtle Hamberg and Mrs. Pearl Hobbs. The Rocklin Mothers Club honored the Rocklin Elementary School teachers Mrs. Evelyn Crawford, Mrs. Dorothy Dimmler, Miss Evaline Lindelof, Mrs. Louise Harmon and Mrs. Glenn Smith. Following the price raising of meat after the lid went off of price control, an owl flew down the chimney of the Dick Ramsey home in Loomis. The owl was liberated by Mrs. Ramsey only to continue to fly about the room before the final disposition was made. We have heard of "boiled owl" but not "barbequed owl." However, meat is meat these days.