Winfield Wands Smith
Long-time Glen Ellen fire chief Winfield Wands Smith died peacefully Friday Oct. 12, at his family ranch following a lengthy battle with cancer. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, Win was a fixture of Glen Ellen life for most of his 74 years.
Win was a man of remarkably varied interests and countless friends. He was the rare man who could derive equal pleasure from a hunting trip, a college football game or a visit to an art museum.
Born in San Francisco on April 28, 1933 and raised in Sausalito and Glen Ellen, Win is survived by Patricia, his loving wife of 51 years; daughter Jennifer Kish and son in law Kevin of Zumbrota, Minn.; son Gregory of Sonoma; son Matthew of Santa Rosa; daughter Miriam Keown and son in law Tim of Fairfield; daughter Courtney Harris and husband Todd of Fair Oaks; sister Mickey Cooke of Glen Ellen; brother Maynard Smith of Glen, Mt.;16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Win was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Smith.
A memorial Mass and celebration of Win’s life will be held Friday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Agua Caliente.
Much of Win’s life was spent in selfless service to a community he loved with a passion. He served Glen Ellen as a volunteer firefighter before spending 16 years as the town’s fire chief, and his influence in the department extended through two generation’s of Glen Ellen firefighters.
Family was paramount in Win’s life. Visits to the ranch were highlights of his grandchildren’s lives. In their younger years, he and Patricia were known for their adventurous family vacations, typified by regular spring camping trips – via Volkswagen bus – to the beaches of Baja California.
Win spent 3+ years in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot, reaching the rank of first lieutenant before leaving the service to complete his undergraduate degree.
A graduate of the UC Berkeley School of Landscape Architecture, Win worked as a professional landscape designer and project manager. He returned to Sonoma Valley in 1967, working for the City of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Water Agency.
After leaving the water agency, he ran his own landscape architecture business from his office in downtown Glen Ellen for nearly 20 years. His designs include Santa Rosa’s Spring Lake Park, Bennett Valley Golf Course, Ernie Smith Park (named after his father) and numerous wineries. He merged two of his many passions – nature and fire prevention – by specializing in fire-safe landscaping during the last few years of his practice.
He loved the outdoors, spending significant volunteer hours on various conservation projects over the last decade of his life. He enjoyed hunting in Montana, fly-fishing in the Sierra, abalone-diving on the Mendocino coast and snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez. Win undoubtedly holds the unofficial record for number of hikes up Sonoma Mountain, usually in the company of Patricia and Duke, his trusted chocolate Lab.
Win also was a devoted sports fan, holding a special affinity for Cal football while always finding time for his grandchildren’s sporting events. Among his final causes was to spearhead a successful effort to have his late father, Bay Area sports broadcasting pioneer Ernie Smith, inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. The induction will take place later this year.
Win’s final days were marked by the same calm dignity and good humor that earned him so much love and respect in the community.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Win’s honor to the Winfield Smith Memorial Firefighters Scholarship Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, 480 W Napa St., Sonoma, CA, 95476, or to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospice, 821 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401.
Kathleen Mary Morin
Kathleen Mary Morin, 94, died in Sonoma on October 10, 2007.
She was the wife of the late Lawrence J. Morin and dear mother of Patricia Ann Morin of Eldridge. She is also survived by nieces and nephews.
Kathleen was a veteran of the U.S. Army (WAC) WW II, and a 30-year employee of the U.S. Postal Services. She was an active parishioner at St. Francis Solano Catholic Church very involved in the Legion of Mary and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Kathleen was a resident of Sonoma for 50 years and a native of Spokane, Washington.
Friends are invited to a memorial mass which will be held at St. Francis Solano Catholic Church. at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. Private inurnment will be held in the family plot at Saint Francis Solano Cemetery, Sonoma.
Donations to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Sonoma are preferred.
Alfred Ernest De Santis
Alfred Ernest De Santis, 85, died Oct. 12, 2007 at home in Sonoma with his loving wife Gaetana F. De Santis. He was the father of Gregory De Santis of Santa Rosa, Gail Petersen of Sonoma and father-in-law of Philip Petersen. Alfred was the dear brother of Anita Miller of Merced. He was the idolized nanu of Nicola and Blake Petersen.
Alfred was an exceptionally kind, generous and humorous man. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army-Air Force, WW II and Korea. He was a records keeper for Pacific Bell in San Francisco for 36 years. He moved to Sonoma in 2001 to be closer to his grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend a funeral mass at St. Francis Solano Catholic Church, 469 Third Street West, Sonoma at 1 p.m., Friday, Oct 19th, 2007. Vigil will be held Thursday eve. 7 P.M. at Duggan’s Mission Chapel.
Donations to Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, P.O. Box 78, Sonoma CA 95476 or the Charity of your choice are preferred by the family.
Duggan’s Mission Chapel and Mission Cremation Service are in charge of arrangements.
525 West Napa St. Sonoma
(707) 996-3655
