Barbara Joan Yates

Barbara Joan Yates, 79, a longtime resident of Stockton, passed away quietly at home on the morning of January 22, 2017. Barbara was born in the city of Stockton. She was the oldest daughter of four children born to Viola and Reinholt "Mike" Nessler. She graduated from Stockton High School and attended Delta College. She worked for several years at the Red Cherry Bakery and Lincoln Village Bakery. She married Eldon Yates on September 21, 1955. The couple lovingly raised two children in the city of Stockton. Barbara also acted as a surrogate mother to several children over the years.

Barbara is preceded in death by her beloved father Mike Nessler, sister Janet Bryan, and brother Michael Nessler. She is survived by her husband of 61 years Eldon Yates, her mother Viola Nessler, sister Eleanor Adamson, daughter Eileen Yates, son Bruce Yates, daughter-in-law Carol Yates, grandson Justin Dillard, grandson Kenneth Yates, granddaughter Jessica Yates, grandson Richard Williams, grandson Aaron Williams and numerous great-grandchildren.

Barbara was at ease in the outdoors and found great enjoyment in gardening, fishing, and hunting. She loved archery and held office on the board of Lodi Bowmen for ten years. She was also a very talented self-taught painter and created scores of beautiful paintings over the course of her lifetime, but she will be most remembered for her kind spirit and dedication to family.

VISITATION

Visitation will be Thursday, January 26, 2017, from 4-8 PM at Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home, 831 Industrial Way in Lodi.

SERVICES

Funeral services will be held Friday, January 27, 2017, at 1 PM at Cherokee Memorial Park in the Evergreen Chapel. A luncheon will follow the services at Casa Flores in Lodi located at 400 East Kettleman Lane Suite #5.

Aiko Mikami

Aiko Mikami, 87, of Lodi, died on January 18.  She was born in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 27, 1929.  A devoted student of Japanese arts, Mrs. Mikami received at the age of 28 the highest tea ceremony certificate, Midare, from the School of Omotesenke and was the only person in the U.S. to hold such a distinctive certificate.  1958, she immigrated to the US, marrying Matsuto Jim Mikami of Lodi.  During her time in California, she was an ambassador of Japanese culture.  In 1969, she became a founder of the Omotesenke Domonkai, Northern California chapter, an organization focused on the study of the art of tea ceremony; it has over 250 members today.  In addition to teaching tea ceremony, Mrs. Mikami taught koto and shamisen, two classical Japanese instruments, for over 50 years to more than 100 students.  Additionally, over her lifetime she performed countless demonstrations of Japanese culture including music, tea ceremonies, origami crafts, and flower arrangements at venues from San Francisco to Micke Grove to nearly all local elementary schools. Lastly, Mrs. Mikami was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother.  She helped grow grapes on the family vineyard and successfully raised two children through college.

She is survived by her daughter, Eileen Takeda, of Clovis; son, Jason, of Oakland; and three granddaughters.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Matsuto Jim Mikami, and brother Masanori Ninomiya.

 SERVICES

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lodi Buddhist Church, 23 N. Stockton St., Lodi.  Inurnment will be private at Cherokee Memorial Park.

Betty Pickrell

Betty Joan Pickrell passed away peacefully in Lodi on January 15, 2017. She was 90 years old. Betty was born in Oberlin, KS on May 8, 1926, to Oscar and Lela Kemp. Betty lived last 45 years in Lodi and worked as a bookkeeper for over 20 years. She loved taking road trips and always seemed to have good luck at the casinos.She is survived by her children: Merle Pickrell (Toni) of Harold, Brenda Hill (John) of Lodi, and Marilyn Brookes (Bob) of Harold, CA; 7 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren 2 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Don Pickrell and her parents.

VISITATION

Visitation will be held from 4-8 PM on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home, 831 Industrial Way, Lodi, CA 95240

SERVICES

A funeral service will take place at 1 PM on Thursday, January 19, 2017, at the Evergreen Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park, Hwy 99 and Harney Ln, Lodi CA.

Cherokee Memorial Park is a 501(c)13 non-profit company, owned and operated exclusively for the benefit of the community, serving Lodi, Stockton, Galt, Manteca and the San Joaquin Valley since 1940.

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