Tehama Museum Notables

Zella Audrey Abbay
1911 - 1998

Zella was a great gift to the Museum. Having been office manager of the Paul Bunyan Lumber Co. for so many years, her talent for the Museum was as treasurer at a time when most of us couldn’t balance our own checkbooks. She got and kept our records in order.

She was a member of the St. Peter’s church in Red Bluff, the Historical Society, the Museum, the Eastern Star and a longtime member of the Pink Ladies at the hospital. She was survived by her daughter and husband of Red Bluff, four grandchildren (all of whom are doctors!) and four great-grandchildren.

Margaret C. Bauer top
1915-2002

By Paul Quinn, Secretary

It is with great sorrow that I inform you that our friend, our Museum founder, Margaret Bauer has died. She passed away April 20, after several years of struggling with health problems. She leaves a legacy second to none. That familiar voice on the telephone and in print as editor of the Museum Tidings newsletter is now silent. Her passing was honored and her life was celebrated in a fine memorial gathering at the Museum at the request of the family. "This is what she would want," her son told us. Even though the Annex building is unfinished inside and we wanted the place of gathering to reflect the respect we all held for her, we offered it is case of bad weather. The family said she would not fret about it being unfinished. You see, after God and family, the Museum was where her heart was.

Mrs. Bauer served as secretary for many years and held most of the other major offices as well. But that does not adequately define the many ways she applied herself to make the Museum operate smoothly and successfully. The Museum came into her life as one of those unexpected events that start so innocently, so simply - an ad in the newspaper announcing that this piece of property with its old building was for sale - "a good buy for the bricks and other salvageables."

And so, her characteristic curiosity led to a phone call which resulted in the creation of the Tehama County Museum for the preservation of and education about the local history and to serve its people. Her hand and her heart were in every fund raiser, every task. With her love and dedication, the Museum has become a creation of the people, by the people, and for the people. In many instances, citizens have stepped forward and generously donated their time, efforts and money because of contact with Mrs. Bauer. As a teacher at Los Molinos High School, she taught their kids. She scolded them when they needed it, she inspired many of them to make something of themselves, and she affected their lives for the better. She challenged them with a strong hand … and a soft heart.

She and her late husband were recently honored at a special River Boat Gala. She was truly moved by the evening of festivities and memories, and typical of her feisty nature, she was frustrated with herself for being physically unable to handle all of the arrangements as she had hoped to do. The community came together that evening to say "thank you" and she graciously accepted it.
Several years ago, she responded to the Museum President's request for a cultural event by holding a piano recital in her own living room. It was an evening of Chopin. She loved Chopin's music, and it was a delightful evening of music and friendly commentary on all of the pieces. Most people did not know that, because of the effects of arthritis in her fingers, her linear spacing was off and she had to relearn the fingering of all of the selections. It is just so easy for those of us who are younger to overlook the courage she showed and to fail to appreciate the monumental obstacles she overcame for that performance.
This briefly expressed the excellent example she set for us. Her depth of intellectual curiosity kept her going. Her generosity kept her fully involved in activities. And she was just plain nice. We miss her…and we love her. As she said in an interview by the Red Bluff Daily News on 7/10/96:

"One of the things I want to do when I get to Heaven is to ride on one of those Clipper ships [from History], one without scurvy on it."

Born in Petaluma, he was raised in Sierra Madre. He graduated from Pasadena High School And cleared an approach road to Lassen Park on a WPA project.
He, was associated for years at the park before he was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1941. He moved up from Lieutenant to Major and was awarded the Bronze Star and two Pacific stars. -He Tetired as a Lt. Colonel. He was associated for most of his life with the Lassen Park area, finally serving as Chief Park Ranger until he retired in 1969. He was the unofficial Mayor of Mineral and a founding member of Mineral Hose Co. #1. He served on the National Ski Patrol as both first aid and avalanche instructor, and was on the Olympic Ski Patrol during the winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in 1960. (He skied until he was 85.) He is survived by his wife Muriel whom he married in 1946.

One of our very good members and a long-time influence in our county died in March. Inez Marie Borror left us on March 12, 1997 at the age of 90. She was an enthusiastic 4-H leader, an active member of the El Camino Methodist Church and organized and worked for the Hope Chest in Red Bluff. She is survived by her son Bill Borror of Tehama, a sister, six grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Born in Muskogee, Okla., Catherine and her husband, Walter, moved to Red Bluff in 1945. She was soon active in community affairs with the Blood Bank, Soroptomist International, and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She organized the Triton Swim Team and served as coach until a trained coach could be hired. In 1954 she was the only woman appointed to the city's first planning commission. In 1965 she became the city clerk and served in that capacity for 18 years. She said that the position of city clerk was to help the public reach the right people to deal with. She is survived by her husband, three sons, a daughter, a sister and two brothers, ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Both Judy and her husband Dick have been active supporters of the Museum for many years, serving as directors and docents, and providing foundational leadership and insight. Judy was an active supporter of a wide range of museum activities, giving freely of her time and talent.

Word has been received here of the death of Frank Clark in Alamogordo, New 'I'lexico. Frank and his wife, Mildred, were members of the Board for quite a number of vears in the early days of the Museum, He was a book dealer, finding rare copies of books long out of print. He worked from his home in Tehama. After moving to Alamogordo, he began teaching at the University there. He belonged to Molino Chapter of the Masons and St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Corning.

Graffell was born in Seattle, Wash., on Dec. 4, 1928, to Jesse Charles and Ruth Irene Graffell. However his roots are steeped in Tehama County history.

His grandfather Charles came to Red Bluff in 1880, a veteran of the Civil War. He was 14 when he enlisted in the Union Army and learned to shoe horses for the calvary. He then learned the blacksmith trade. He would later put those skills to use when he opened a blacksmith shop on the corner of what is now Main and Walnut streets in Red Bluff.

His grandfather would also be in the party that escorted the widow of abolitionist John Brown to the city where she would later settle. After the war, Graffell's grandfather moved his family to Red Bluff where his father was born.

Graffell once told the Daily News that growing up he had always heard of this little town of Red Bluff.

"All my life, I grew up hearing the stories about Red Bluff from my dad and aunts and uncles," he said. "I always told myself that some day I was going to take a trip to Red Bluff and see my heritage."

With retirement looming, the couple decided to look for a place to settle finally deciding on their home by the Sacramento River. They bought property in 1982 and built a home in 1984. And in 1986 they moved to Tehama.

His wife became active in the museum and Marty lent his maintenance skills, often joking that he was the entire maintenance department.

Graffell served on many positions on the board of the Tehama County Museum Association; he was currently the association's treasurer. He was also instrumental in the planning process of the annual Tehama County Museum Jubilee Days.

"He's going to be dearly missed, not just for what he did but for what he was," said fellow association member Chris Bauer. "I remember how he treated my mother. He was such a caring person."

Bauer made reference to the impact Graffell had on his mother, the late Margaret Bauer known as the "grand dame" of the museum. Bauer was instrumental in the development of the museum and the association. Graffell was also a driving force in the museum's growth.

The Knowles family has supported the Museum for many years through membership and help at fund raising events. A finer family is hard to find.

Charlotte was born in Arizona lived in Sacramento for 18 years before moving to our county She was a member of the Museum the Church in Gerber, the Garden Club, the Community Club, Eastern Star and VFW Auxiliary. Her husband Charles, who died in 1995, was the Museum's private "safe-cracker". They managed the Tehama Cemetery for 12 years.

Clifford was born in Missouri, but had lived in Tehama County since 1934. He was custodian for the Museum for a number of years and drove school bus for the Los Molinos School District for 14 years. He enjoyed the outdoors and always had a nice garden wherever he lived. He is survived by a daughter, three brothers, three grandsons and one great-grandchild.

Laura was born in Red Bluff, educated in the Tehama County school system, graduated from Red Bluff High School in 1934, and attended college in Chico. She owned and operated Lora's Super Service Station in Los Molinos. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Robert E. Ward, and five cousins of the Turner and Flood families. She held Life Membership in the Tehama County Museum.

Joy was the very first Lifetime member of the Museum. She was on the Board for a number of years. One of our Memorial Redwood trees was in honor of her family. She was a member of the Eastern Star. The last honor she received was to be chosen Grand Marshall for the Round-up parade.

Well-known in the community for his tireless love for his fellow man, Lew was involved in a number of worthy organizations. Both Lew and his wife, Artie, served as directors on the Museum Board. He helped us by becoming a docent and lending a hand at the Jubilee.

Museum Notables

In Memoriam