News

Yoshio "Yosh" Shinkawa (96) of Fresno, CA, passed away on Friday, May 4, 2018, at Orchard Park. He was born in Fresno, CA, on April 19, 1922, to the late Toshio and Kinu Shinkawa, who immigrated to the United States from Japan in 1910. Yosh was a member of the Fresno Bowles Church, Bowles Shinwakai and Fresno Buddhist Church. He was a raisin farmer for 70 years.

He attended Washington Union High School and graduated in June of 1941. The following year he was relocated to Jerome, AK, with his family during WWII. After the war ended the family was able to return to their home in Fresno to continue with their raisin farming. They were very grateful to their neighbors who oversaw the ranch and farmed it during the family's internment period. Yoshio eventually purchased his own 60-acre farm in Caruthers, CA, and farmed there for the next 58 years until the death of his wife, Mary Shinkawa.

Mrs. Jessie Mae Williamson (90), a native of Hope, AR and resident of Madera, CA for 66 years, passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2018 in Jurupa Valley, CA. She was a health care provider and a devoted member of the Grace Tabernacle Church in Fairmead, CA. Jessie was a quilter and enjoyed home canning. She also enjoyed gift shopping and collecting Christmas memorabilia.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse and Roxie (Johnson) Garland, her husband Clarence Leon Williamson, who passed away in December of 1990, daughter Kathy Williamson and brothers John Garland, J.C. Garland and Jim G. Garland.

Eugene N. “Pete” Harlow, 87, a long time Raymond resident, passed away Wednesday, April 11, in Fresno, surrounded by his children, grandchildren, sisters and nephews. A native of the Usona area of Mariposa, Pete was born on October 12, 1930 to Maude Leonard Harlow and Ed Harlow at the family home ranch on Usona Road.

His maternal grandfather was Archibald Campbell Leonard, a noted guide and one of the first rangers of Yosemite National Park. Leonard accompanied President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir on their 1903 tour of Yosemite. His father Ed Harlow, was one of the first Native-Americans in the state of California to be elected to a county seat when he was elected to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors in 1936.

John Michael Bryan (68) was born November 9, 1949 in Bakersfield, CA and died in Madera, CA on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018. John was a 1967 graduate of San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno. He later served in the U.S. Army as a medic in Vietnam where he received the Purple Heart for a wound to his leg and was honorably discharged. John earned his Bachelor’s Degree at CSU Fresno and received his D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) from Washington University in St. Louis, MO in 1981. He practiced Dentistry at Grace Hill Community Services and started 5 clinics while in St. Louis. In 1988 he relocated to Madera to be near family. He practiced dentistry in Madera and for the Healthy Smiles Foundation's Healthy Smiles Bus until the time of his death.

John was a member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and a Fellow in the American College of Dentistry. In the community of Madera he was an active member of the Elks Lodge, Madera Kiwanis Club, the St. Joachim’s Church Folk Choir, was a past president of the parish council at St. Joachim’s and belonged to the VFW and American Legion Posts.

Thomas H. “Tom” Austin (84) and a 50 year resident of Madera County, passed away Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at his Madera home.  He was born in Claremore, OK. and raised in Merced, CA., graduating from Merced High School in 1952. Tom was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving in the Korean Conflict and was a member of both V.F.W. and the American Legion. 

He was the founder and owner of Ag and Industrial Supply and Firebaugh Ag Supply. He was also a member of the Cherokee Heritage Association, Firebaugh Lion’s Club, Tin Can Sailors, USS Saint Paul Assn., and the Las Palmas Masonic Lodge in Fresno.  Tom loved camping with his family, square dancing, RV travel and visiting with friends and family.

Paula DeCesari Baraldi (88) passed away on January 29, 2018. Paula, with her daughter Nancy, owned and operated DeCesari Stationery for many years. She was also very active in her community. She served as Director and Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Madera Chamber of Commerce and participated in the Chamber's Retail Merchants Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee.

She also achieved 30 years of perfect attendance and was a lifetime member of the Soroptimist Club of Madera in which she accepted the responsibilities of serving as President and Secretary. Other areas of her community service included life member of the Madera County Historical Society; President of the American Cancer Society; President of the National Association of Republican Women; member of the Association of Stationers; member of the Italian Catholic Federation; and was an active member of St. Joachim's Catholic Church. She was recognized as a distinguished graduate of St. Joachim's School and received the Madera District Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.