Cave Creek, Arizona
Jan 9, 1944 – Mar 23, 2016 (Age 72)
True to his own code, John Timothy "Tim" Mehren quietly took his leave of the world in Cave Creek, Arizona on March 23rd. He passed away in his sleep with his dog, Diva, by his side. He retired to Cave Creek for the warm climate and quickly found a warm and welcoming group of friends, joining them most mornings at The Grotto for coffee to talk baseball, music, politics and dogs. Tim was an early riser, an avid reader, and a straight talker. He was proud to be a liberal in conservative Arizona and took every opportunity to stick it to the man, particularly if that man was Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Tim graduated from Sacramento's C.K. McClatchy High School in 1961 and began a decade reporting for newspapers in Redding, Watsonville and Sacramento. He covered the Crosby golf tournament at Pebble Beach or a Sacramento student protest march with equal interest in the human side of the story. As a former baseball player and sportswriter, Tim could quote lineups and stats from the San Francisco Giants going back decades. He left The Bee and newswriting in 1971 for a career in corporate communications and investor relations, working at Pacific Telephone before moving to AT&T's corporate headquarters in New York City, then in the Bay Area at Triad Systems, McKesson, cbsmarketwatch.com and Longs Drugs. Tim also served as business editor of the Contra Costa Times. Tim's tremendous presence in the lives of his family and friends will be sorely missed. He had a ready laugh, a knack for storytelling and a soft spot for Mel Brooks movies, Roquefort cheese, and Broadway showtunes. For his nine nieces and nephews he will always be their favorite Uncle Tim. He was preceded in death by his parents, John G. Mehren and Doris S. (Hauge) Mehren, as well as his niece, Nancy Rodriguez. He is survived by his daughters, Leslie Mehren and Victoria Mehren, both of Seattle, WA, his beloved granddaughter, Madelena, stepdaughter Katelyn Rattaro (Walnut Creek), sisters Garlynn Mehren of Elk Grove, Gail (Mehren) Peterson of Yerrington, NV, and Sally (Mehren) Brown of Bend, OR, and cousins from Sacramento to Portland and Toronto. Tim loved his life and it loved him right back. A celebration of life will be held in Sacramento later this Spring.
I worked with Tim at Triad Systems. I was an Accounting supervisor. He worked just a few cubicles from me. I have a neurological disorder that would cause dizzy spells where I would have to lie down. Tim always watched out for me and always asked how I was doing. I loved his wit. Anytime I needed something edited, I always went to Tim. Tim was one of the good ones. He will me missed Mark Dias Newark CA
Mark Dias
November 01, 2021 | Newark, CA | Coworker
I am so sorry to hear of Tims passing we worked together in the same department at McKesson in the 80s. I recently was on Facebook and tried to find him and found his obituary. Although I have not seen him for many years, I will never forget him!
Janet Perrone
May 26, 2018 | Auburn, CA | Coworker
I met Tim when he first arrived in the Valley and had posted a craigslist ad looking for a housemate situation. I liked him immediately, and though he ended up living in Cave Creek instead of renting a room from me, we became Facebook friends and kept in touch regularly. I was so glad to have known him, even though we never actually met in person, facebook allowed me to get to know him and his great sense of humor and love of music, shared by Tim on FB as "Your morning wakeup call." Like...
Lydia Cypher
June 05, 2016 | Phoenix, AZ | Friend
Tim was my first boss in a room full of ladies, and I think that helped to draw us together. (Preservation) We discovered a mutual "warped" sense of humor and enjoyed bickering back and forth, he being somewhere left of planet earth and me being somewhere right of Attila, the hun. I had the very good fortune of knowing a good portion of Tim's family and through this sad turn have met more. His humor lives in many of them. I had made reservations to visit Tim for a week a short time...
Steve Miller
April 25, 2016 | Cool, CA
Tim was a character with a capital "C." But always a friend, mixing humor even when pushing a point of view. His writing diversity earned him a diversified life and a great wealth of friends and family. I was once a prep sports writing rival of his in Sacramento, he of The Bee and me of The Union, and although our competition wasn't that long, we could always be friendly foes. We all missed him when he left the Sacramento area to move to Arizona, some of us wondering why at first but soon...
Jim Jenkins
April 08, 2016 | Sacramento, CA | Friend
Tim was a sweet, kind, funny friend. We had many good times when he lived in Fresno. He was a part of our work family. Rest in Peace Tim. You will be missed, my friend.
Sally McKenzie
April 07, 2016 | Zephyr Cove, NV | Friend
Here's to raising a cup of coffee to morning at "The Grotto" with Tim and Diva!
Here's to raising a cup of coffee to morning at "The Grotto" with Tim and Diva!
Paty Morgan
April 07, 2016 | Cave Creek, AZ | Friend
Tim, you will forever remain in my heart! I am very honored and grateful to have a piece of you, Diva and your beautiful daughter, Leslie, in my life. Watch over me as I live a joyful life with my newest family member (AKA: your red suburban). I will continue the "Grotto" coffee legacy with my dogs. I know you are in a beautiful place and will continue to watch over your "Grotto" family. Be at peace, my friend ...Until we meet again. Paty Morgan
Paty Morgan
April 07, 2016 | Cave Creek, AZ | Friend
Tim was a dear friend and a good man. The world is a sadder place without him.
Brian Kilcourse
April 07, 2016 | Grass Valley, CA | Friend
