KENNETH H. STROH
Kenneth H. Stroh passed away peacefully on March 22, 2025, in Ukiah at the age of 87. He was born in San Francisco to Gerry and Adelaide Stroh, and later the family of six moved to Hillsborough. Ken’s love for the outdoors started at a very young age and was inspired by his father who was an avid pilot and outdoorsman and worked in the sporting goods business. The family spent a lot of time on Bodega Head that was owned by his mother’s family. Many of Ken’s Boy Scout days were happily spent there. He learned how to play the piano and accordion and loved to listen and whistle to music.
Ken attended Burlingame High School from 1952 to 1956, played football and participated in track. His high school days were spent bird and deer hunting with friends and family, driving around in his 1955 Willy’s red Jeep, going to the Rec Center with friends, and spending time with his family at Blue Lakes. Ken knew at the age of 18 that he was going to be a farmer when he filled out a Report on Vocational Interest Test for Men. He ranked farming, engineering, aviation, and carpentry top on his interest list. It didn’t take long for him to accomplish all of them! One day at high school he was seen grinning with his huge Stroh grin at a beautiful freshman named Jeanette. She instantly fell in love and told her close friends that he was the man she was going to marry. Ken remembered their first date when he broke the front door handle on his way into the house and had to hand it over to Jeanette’s questioning father. Their marriage had to wait a bit while she went off to college and he worked for Darcy’s Sporting Goods and Harris & Stroh Sporting Goods. Ken was called into active duty in the Navy in 1958 as an airplane mechanic and worked mostly on F-8 Crusaders. He was stationed at Moffett Field for two years, and then it was finally time for Ken and Jeanette to marry. They were married in May 1960 at the Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel, CA. Ken remained in the Navy in the U.S. Naval Reserve until 1962. In the interim they lived in San Mateo and welcomed their daughter Kathy into their family in 1961. The family later moved to Eureka while Ken sold sporting goods up and down the state, and then the family moved to Vacaville, and San Jose. They welcomed their daughter Debbie into the family in 1966.
Ken’s parents began looking for property in Lake and Mendocino Counties and found their dream ranch in Potter Valley. They purchased the old Burns ranch in March 1967 that included 3200 acres on both sides of Eel River Road. Ken’s dream of farming came true. This was when Ken instantly became the general manager of a cattle feeder operation on the ranch and moved his family there in 1967. They moved into an old cabin, but on the first day had to scare away the skunks and rodents living there. By 1978 the ranch had 300 head of cattle, horses, 7 dogs, and sheep. The family grew sweet corn, melons, and vegetables to sell in their roadside stand and silage and hay for the cattle. Ken was known as a prankster on the ranch. One of his favorite pranks was driving the dune buggy through water and cow patties as it flew up off the tires all over his unsuspecting passengers. Over the years Ken and Jeanette happily spent a lot of time on tractors and in the car driving to all of the girls’ basketball and volleyball games. In addition to his daughters, Ken mentored many young men on farming, equipment repair, and ranch maintenance. He enjoyed sharing the ranch equipment and helping other Potter Valley farmers. He was great at making jigs to help make fixing equipment easier. If he wasn’t farming, he was flying, waterskiing, and sailing. One of his nicknames was “Sparkey” from all of the “control” burns he did that became uncontrolled and the fire department had to come save the ranch. In 1980 Jeanette opened a catering business that changed the ranch’s focus from cattle to growing hay for customers. Ken became the BBQ Tri-Tip King through Jeanette’s Country Cooking. The time after Jeanette’s death in 2005 was difficult, but his family, friends, and new friends helped him through it. He didn’t let his age slow him down . . . he was still growing and bucking hay until he was 80.
Five years ago, he met Verna Schaffer who brought so much joy to Ken’s life. They often talked about how lucky they were to have found each other at their age. Her vision of them continuing to enjoy life together gave him strength to fight cancer. She was the driving force to help him feel and get better, and the family will always be grateful to her for loving Ken and advocating for his healthcare. Ken’s huge grin and his compassion will be missed by all.
Ken loved Potter Valley, and giving back to the community was important to him. In 1975 he became a Director on the Potter Valley Community Services District followed by serving as a board member with the Mendocino County Farm Bureau, Mendocino County Farm Supply, and the Potter Valley Store. He was a volunteer with the Potter Valley Fire Department, and he was a Potter Valley Irrigation board member for 39 years of which he served 36 as President until March 2025.
Ken is survived by his daughter Kathy Williams and her husband Dick; daughter Debbie Reardan and her husband John; granddaughter Shara Sheldon and her husband Chase; grandson Kenny Madigan; granddaughter Amanda Reardan; great-grandson Connor Sheldon; brother Doug Stroh, and several nieces and nephews and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Ken was preceded in death by his wife Jeanette Stroh, brother Marvin Stroh, sister Jean Ingels, and parents Gerry and Adelaide Stroh.
The family is grateful for the end-of-life care given to Ken by Raul Gonzalez, Kim Cavender, and the staff at both Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Hospital and Redwood Cove Healthcare Center.
A Celebration of Life barbecue is scheduled for 2-5 p.m. on May 4, 2025 at the Blue Oaks Barn on the Pauli Ranch in Potter Valley at 12550 Hawn Creek Road. Attendees are asked to bring their favorite dessert to share. Gifts in Ken’s memory are kindly requested to be directed to the Potter Valley Fire Department.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kenneth H. Stroh, please visit our flower store.
SEED & SCION EXCHANGE A SUCCESS!
The 39th Winter Abundance Seed and Scion Exchange in March was another big success thanks to the energy of AV Foodshed, Cloud Forest Institute, and the myriad volunteers that came together for the day to offer seeds, scions (a small piece of one tree branch that is grafted to create new tree), fruit tree rootstock (a very inexpensive way to build a new tree), plants, plant starts, hands-on grafting demos, how-to presentations, food, and community spirit.
As you are aware, knowledge of food self-sufficiency is especially important right now. Being able to grow or source our own local food and build local support systems feels more crucial than ever. Attending Winter Abundance empowers people to take control of their food security by propagating fruit trees, vines, and plants to build abundance in their own backyards and communities. If you would like to join the AV Foodshed organizing committee, please let us know. We meet as needed to plan educational events to promote the consumption of local food.
Looking forward to the 40th Winter Abundance Workshop in 2026, we understand that the Bay Area farmer, from whose large orchard the thousands of outstanding fruit tree scions have originated for years, is retiring. Unfortunately his land is to be sold, and likely developed, thus excising the trees and the work it has taken to locate these special varieties. Without that valuable, honed scion source, we recommend that you tag branches of your favorite varieties of fruit this summer. Next January we will provide instructions on how to cut the best scion wood to share. There are many advantages to having more local varieties that are proven to produce in our valley and the county. And be sure to save seeds from favorites in your summer garden to share as well.
AV UNIFIED NEWS
Dear Anderson Valley USD Families,
Yeanette Guadalupe Camarillo Balandran
June 22, 2010 - March 27, 2025
It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of our beloved student, Yeanette Guadalupe Camarillo Balandran, who left us far too soon on March 27, 2025. In her short time with us, Yeanette touched lives within our school community. Her bright smile, kind spirit, and joyful energy will never be forgotten.
Friends, family, and educators gathered this past Friday and Saturday to honor Yeanette’s memory, and the ceremonies served as a reminder of the profound impact she had on all of us. Her passing leaves a deep ache in our hearts, and we know that the loss is felt by her friends, classmates, teachers, and all of us who had the privilege to know her. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Please know that as a school district we are here to support one another. Let us lean on each other and honor Yeanette’s memory by holding her in our hearts and continuing to show the love and care that defines our close-knit community.
We are thankful to our counseling team and to the support of the Ukiah USD counseling team, who were present to support our students as they processed their grief on Friday before break. We will continue to offer support to our school community in the coming weeks.
School Site Council / DELAC Meeting & Dinner Thursday, April 10 4:00-6:00
School Site Council / DELAC Agenda
Join us in the AVHS Library!
Committee Members: Please mark your calendars. It is this Thursday!
Everyone is invited. Join us for an update on the district and Taco Bar afterwards!
4:00 - 5:10 - School Site Council / DELAC / Student Leadership meeting
5:15 - 6:00 - Taco Bar in the AV Jr/Sr High cafeteria for participants
We will be reviewing our successes and areas for growth, district-wide.
We’ll be making some decisions about supports for students in 25-26 and planning how to allocate our limited funds as we strive to do great things for kids in 25-26
Childcare will be provided, if needed, by our awesome AVHS Student Leadership team.
FFA News
There is a LOT happening with FFA this Spring! (Thank you to Ms. Swehla and Mr. Bautista; I am using portions of your Facebook posts.)
California State Speaking Finals - Two AVUSD Students in the Top 24!
April 1 was an awesome day!
Mariluna and Zoe competed at the California State FFA Speaking Finals in Sacramento.They are in the top 24, in the state, in their particular contest!
Mariluna competed in the Spanish FFA Creed, El Credo.
Zoe competed in the Impromptu Speaking contest.
We are so proud of how they have represented AV FFA!
Discovery FFA Members (8th grade) presented and interviewed about their agriculture research projects. We will hear about the results later this week at the CA State FFA Conference.
California State Leadership Conference
FFA Students: High Schoolers at state speaking conference and 8th graders who shared their projects and discussed them, Award Winners from the California State FFA Leadership Conference
We are so proud of our students (and our teachers too), who represented our chapter at the State FFA Agriscience Fair! These students have put in countless hours researching, testing, and presenting!
Fifteen FFA members attended. Voting delegates attended to delegate business, FFA members and Ms. Swehla were on a live interview panel about our chapter. Members went to the career fair and loved the first session!
Mr. McNerney was honored as a Star Administrator for his awesome involvement in our FFA programs, at the CA State FFA Conference too. Way to go, Mr. McNerney!
Amalinalli Sanchez-Preciado & Violleth Gutierrez placed 1st in Social Systems, Division 2 with their project “Inside the Vineyards: Exploring the Perception and Challenges of Wine Grape Field Workers” and has officially qualified for the National FFA Agriscience Fair!
Xiomara Cornejo and Allison Tovar earned 2nd place in Environmental Science & Natural Resource Systems, Division 2 with their project “From School to Compost: Investigating the Composting Rates of Various School Paper Waste”
Analee Gatlin & Estrella Serna-Chavez brought home 3rd place in Animal Systems, Division 2 with their project titled “Equine Reception to Essential Oils: A Study of Reduction of Anxiety Behavior.
Vacancy on the Board of Trustees
Saoirse Byrne has resigned from the Board due challenges around scheduling conflicts. We in AVUSD are deeply grateful to Saoirse for her leadership on the board. She has kept the importance of outdoor instruction and the building of creativity and free expression at the forefront of our conversations. Her passion for student learning and her fresh perspective have been a great benefit to the district.
If you or someone you know might be interested in joining the Board of Trustees, please review this Board of Trustees Vacancy document and let us know!
Anderson Valley Education Foundation Opportunities for High Schoolers
Don’t miss these internship opportunities! For quick access, check out this Internship Job List. Deadlines are approaching so students who have not yet begun looking at these internships should do so ASAP.
Summer School
Summer School will be June 23-July 22
8:30-12:30 / ASP 12:30-5:30 Transportation provided
(bus leaves for the day at 3:00 p.m.)
AVES will provide activities including sports, crafts, science, art, and field trips. Here is the AVES Summer School flier
AV Jr High will provide fun learning activities. (More info coming soon.)
Sr High School provide credit recovery opportunities (More info coming soon.)
If you would like to be more involved at school, please contact your school’s principal, Mr. Ramalia at AVES or Mr. McNerney at AV Jr/Sr High, or our district superintendent, Kristin Larson Balliet. We are deeply grateful for our AVUSD families.
With respect,
Kristin Larson Balliet
Superintendent
Anderson Valley Unified School District
klarson@avpanthers.org
AV UNIFIED SPORTS NEWS
Happy Spring Break, AV!
Here are some important updates regarding AV Athletics as we head into the final stretch of the school year:
For the most current game schedules, please visit the AVHS Athletics page: https://www.avpanthers.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=3815652&type=d&pREC_ID=2469804
Boys Volleyball is gearing up for the final stretch of league play.
Tennis is hitting its stride.
Track and Field will have their first major competition of the season next Wednesday in Lower Lake.
Junior High Soccer has a couple of games under their belt and is preparing for a busy spring schedule.
Junior High Softball—our brand new team—is getting ready to compete against Ukiah city league teams and some familiar NCL III opponents.
AVHS Football will return this spring with 10 practices from May 19th to May 30th. These practices are required for all students interested in playing football in the Fall of 2025.
We will host a Sports Awards Ceremony for all High School athletes on May 20th in the AVHS Gym. We’ll be celebrating team awards, all-league selections, and other outstanding achievements.
Lastly, all athletes planning to participate in fall sports for the 2025 school year must have their paperwork completed by May 20th.
Have a great break, Panthers!
— AV Athletic Director John Toohey
AV FUTURE FARMERS
We’re so proud of our students who represented our chapter at the California State FFA Agriscience Fair! Their hard work, curiosity, and dedication to agricultural research truly paid off.
Amalinalli Sanchez-Preciado & Violleth Gutierrez placed 1st in Social Systems, Division 2 with their project “Inside the Vineyards: Exploring the Perception and Challenges of Wine Grape Field Workers” and has officially qualified for the National FFA Agriscience Fair!
Xiomara Cornejo and Allison Tovar earned 2nd place in Environmental Science & Natural Resource Systems, Division 2 with their project “From School to Compost: Investigating the Composting Rates of Various School Paper Waste”
Analee Gatlin & Estrella Serna-Chavez brought home 3rd place in Animal Systems, Division 2 with their project titled “Equine Reception to Essential Oils: A Study of Reduction of Anxiety Behavior.”
These students have put in countless hours researching, testing, and presenting! Their success is proof that passion for ag science makes a difference!
Help us congratulate them on this incredible achievement!
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