Robert and Elnore Maunder

Robert E. Maunder and

Elnore Palmyra Maunder

On Thursday March 15, 2007, our Dad, Robert E. Maunder (Bert), surrounded by loving family members, moved beyond the confines of the material world. He was born in San Francisco, CA, on March 22, 1913, where he resided at 18 Joy Street (tucked between Joy and Faith Streets) with his Grandpa Anders Larson (Pa), Grandma Tilla Larson (Ma), his mother Augusta (Larson) Maunder (Auntie Goo to some), his Dad Frank Maunder, big brother George Maunder, and big sister Flo (Maunder) Wolfenden, all of whom he has gone to join. Cousins Helen (Larson) Sweyer, Little-Flo (Larson) Leal, and Bob Larson rounded out the rest of the family that resided in that joyful home. Our Mother, Elnore Palmyra (Schmidt) Maunder (Ellie) joined her lifelong and eternal mate when she passed later on the same night of March 15, 2007. Mom was born in San Francisco, CA, on April 16, 1916, residing most of her early years on Hugo Street, with her Dad Emil Schmidt who died when she was only 15, and Mother Augusta Schimdt (Gussie).

Dad and Mom were married September 2, 1939. As soon as possible after Pearl Harbor, Dad joined the Navy to defend our country. He fought with the Navy Seabees on Guadalcanal and Okinawa until peace was declared. Dad worked as a letter carrier for the US Postal Service for 35 years in San Francisco. Mom worked for the city of San Francisco in the Welfare Department, the Hetch Hetchy Department, and finally retired as the head clerk of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Mom and Dad began raising a family in May 1947 with the birth of their son Jim, followed 22 months later by the birth of their daughter Pam.

Dad opened Sidney’s Uniform Shop after his US Postal Service retirement. Mom and he sold the house where their children were raised in San Francisco at 1643 38th Avenue after they left to start their own families. They developed their retirement property from scratch in the Mount Shasta Vista Subdivision in Siskiyou County at the corner of Carnes and Chipmunk. Mom moved there while Dad conducted business at Sidney’s during the week, to join Mom on weekends, eventually selling his share of the business to his partner to join Mom full time. They enjoyed many years of happiness, fishing, hunting, and establishing deep friendships while there.

In 1986 they moved into a new home near Eureka on Humboldt Hill in Humboldt county near their children’s families, where they resided until their deaths. Dad and Mom were active with the Eureka Senior Citizen Center where Dad was a regular singer with the Senior Citizen Golden Aires, performing at senior citizen assisted living residences, and each Christmas season singing Christmas carols at the Eureka Inn before it closed it’s doors.

Dad sang his love songs to us with his beautiful voice until his last hour of life when his lungs could no longer push song through his lips. Dad and Mom sung an intimately beautiful duet “I LOVE YOU TRULY, TRULY I DO”, that final day. Dad indicated to Mom that she was his darling Ellie whose favorite bird was the wild goose. Mom indicated that she felt sure she would be joining him soon. Mom was raised by the “Golden Rule” and practiced integrity in all her affairs. She lovingly embraced Dad as he passed. Having fulfilled the earthly portion of her role to be his everlasting mate, she set sail into the mystic, and joined him eternally. On the following morning, when the geese realized her passing, they formed flock after flock over their home on Humboldt Hill, numbering in the thousands for over an hour. That morning the deer found not Ellie, but her children feeding them over the back fence after attracting them by mimicking her unique witty-ut whistle. Nature will miss her, who embraced it so lovingly.

Though we know they no longer carry their earthly burdens, we who remain will miss them, and will try to follow the example they set. Especially challenged by their departure are son, Jim Maunder and daughter-in-law Fances; daughter, Pam (Maunder) Shaw and son-in-law Bob; grandchildren, Paul Maunder and his wife Heidi, and their daughters Laurel and Megan; Kelsey (Shaw) Zerlang her husband Shane, and their children Shianne and Michael; Joel Maunder, his daughter Mallory, and her mother Laura Trinity (Maunder) Miller and her husband Frank, and their children Randy, Mason, and Alyssa; Matt Shaw, his son Connor, significant other Tara, and her children Samantha, Madeline, Mason and Carson; step-grandsons, Michael Shaw and Eric Brogan and his wife Rose. Other significant family members include: Berha Shaw; cousins, Helen, Bob, Jan and Mark Sweyer, Flo Leale and husband Les, Bob Larson; nephew, Bill Wolfenden and wife Connie; nieces, Jolice (Maunder) Sellers and husband Don, Diane (Maunder) Pavon and husband Paul, Betty (Wolfenden) Ingle and husband Barry. There were so many significant friendships made over the years, I would be certain to omit many, but special mention must be made for neighbors Frank and Irene Arruda, and Diana, the wonderful letter carrier who delivered their mail and was heart broken by their death.

An intimate gathering of family and friends will be held at 6149 Pryor at the intersection of Bayview in the Humboldt Hill District south of Eureka, CA, on Sunday March 25, 2007, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Arrangements entrusted to Pierce Mortuary, Eureka.

Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com, click on obituaries.