Wanda Rossier
CAPA Charter Member
Raphael Pittman
Passed away, February, 2009
Member of Orange County Porcelain Artists
Past President of Sequoia Porcelain Painters
Juneva E. Yerke
Juneva E. Yerke, passed away on September 12, 2005, the day after her 81st birthday and just 2 days after suffering a heart attack and a massive stroke.
Born in Rawls, Texas, Juneva first moved to Southern California in 1940 with her family, where she met and married her husband, Oscar L. Yerke in May 1943. The newly married couple remained in Southern California, rearing 3 children and enjoying 4 grandchildren. They moved to a 30-acre ranch just outside Mariposa, CA in 1983 when Oscar retired.
Juneva was always very active. As a young mother, she took adult education classes in millenary, lamp shade making, cake decorating, tailoring, upholstering and piano, and was actively involved in each throughout her life. Her training in the art of cake decorating enabled her to make and decorate all of her family’s wedding cakes and those of many friends, each one a beautiful work of art. Juneva was a voracious reader, with a special love for biographies. She was also very active in her work for the Church of Christ, providing an excellent example of the Christian woman for all who knew her.
Juneva was an avid china painter for over 30 years, first having learned the fine art in Torrance, CA in 1975. It was in Mariposa in 1984 that Juneva began teaching her first classes. She entered her china painting in both the Los Angeles County and Mariposa County Fairs, winning numerous ribbons.
Juneva’s family and friends were always eager to see what her latest projects were, treasuring each piece that came out of the kiln. In fact, Juneva decided to paint complete sets of dinner china (12 place settings plus serving pieces) for each of her 3 children and presented them as Christmas gifts in 1986: 3 huge, matching boxes under the tree, filled with the amazing beauty of her exquisite painting.
Another large project Juneva had always wanted to complete was to paint all 50 state birds and flowers on dinner plates, a project she did indeed master in the mid-1980s. Her dining room in Mariposa was large enough to accommodate all 50 plates. And what a fabulous sight it was. Juneva was also honored when the Bank of America in Mariposa asked her for the privilege of displaying the plates in their branch, an honor which she cherished.
Juneva moved from the ranch in Mariposa to Oakhurst, CA in 1991, 2 and a half years after her husband passed away. She lived and painted happily in Oakhurst for 10 years, moving back to Southern California in 2001.
Juneva is survived by her 3 children: Barbara Hole, Dennis Yerke and Susan Yerke; 4 grandchildren: Michelle Yerke, Jason Hole, Matthew Yerke and David Hole; and 2 great-grandchildren: Nikolas Yerke and Taylor Hole…as well as a host of friends and family around the country. All who knew Juneva loved and respected her. She will be dearly missed.
VERNA KAUN
Verna was born Oct. 28, 1917 and passed away May 28, 2001. She is survived by two sisters, Helen and Yvonne, one son, Dennis; three grand children and four great grand children. Many nieces and nephews.
Verna was born in her parent's home at 333 East Chapman Ave., in Orange, CA. Six months later the family moved to an orange ranch near the corner of Tustin and East Chapman Avenue where her father was foreman. She worked on the ranch as a field hand, grew up wearing overalls most of the time. She packed oranges at the local packing plants from 1936 to 1953.
Verna went through grammar school at Immanuel Lutheran in Orange and attended Orange High School. She had to drop out of school and work full time to earn funds to help out at home. She and her husband Gilbert attended grammar school, he was a year ahead of her. They met again later and were married in 1941. While they were dating, Verna played on a Women's semi-pro softball team. She played on the Orange Lyonettes Softball team from 1937 to 1941. Played second base, center field, left field and any other position they would let her try out for. Their uniforms cost them $5 and a ticket to see the game cost fifteen cents. The Lyonettes were a championship team and two of the notables that played on the team were star pitcher Bertha Reagan and first baseman Ruth Sears.
From 1953 to 1958, Verna worked at the same Post Office where Gilbert worked. Among many of her working endeavors were: driving bus for school children and taking senior citizens to and from sporting events, plays and musicals... which she also enjoyed with them.
She was given the nickname "Mom Vi" by one of her coworkers she has been friends with for 50 years. She was known as "Aunt Verna" by her family and many acquaintances.
Verna worked at the Greely School in Orange as supervisor of the cafeteria for sixteen years until she retired. She and her husband bought a lot in Three Rivers and built their retirement home. She could quilt, crochet, and needlepoint.
Verna had many hobbies during her lifetime. China painting became very important to her when Pearl Nickerson and Donna Fairman introduced it to her. She was a member of Sequoia Gateway China Painters, California Association of China Painters and California China Painter's Art Association. She attended many conventions, was an officer many times and show chairman for CAPA. She bought a fifth wheel trailer and traveled as far as Florida with other painters. A trip to Australia with Dorothy Todd introduced her to many friends and painters besides going clear to England for many more seminars and throughout United States for International China painting conventions. Also a member of International Porcelain Artists.
When Verna was in her 70's she went to College of the Sequoia's and finished her High School education by completing her GED. She was a hard worker and she believed in finishing a job and kept busy working up until she was 82. Her talents were many and always had a smile and friendly greeting as there was not a stranger she didn't meet.
She will be missed by all who knew her and her joyous personality.