BARBARA LYNN BLATTNER (1947 — 2025)
Barbara Lynn Blattner, 78, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away unexpectedly on November 14, 2025, in Gold River, California.
She was born on August 14, 1947, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the eldest of five daughter's born to Willis Edward Tucker and Bobbie Lee Pennington Tucker. She moved at the age of 6 months old to Boonville, CA, with her parents and attended Anderson Valley schools.
On October 14, 1964, she married Arnold Slotte, and welcomed son Timothy Edward "Eddie" and daughter Kimberly Lee "Kim". They lived in Ukiah, where Barbara worked at Ukiah Hillside Hospital and Irene's Dress Shop as a bookkeeper for many years.
In 1974, Barbara returned to school to obtain her diploma and participated in the graduation commencement, marching with her sister Marti at Anderson Valley High School.
In 1987, Barbara began working with at-risk youth as a site manager for Unicorn Youth Ranch Services, in Philo, California, through 2014.
While retired from Unicorn Youth Ranch Services, she remained in touch with many of the young men she worked with at the Ranch, until her passing. All of them, often expressing, how much their time at Unicorn meant to them and how grateful they were. She was always very touched by their sentiments and loved to hear how they were doing in life.
On May 16th, 1992, Barbara and Jerry Blattner were married. They worked side by side at Unicorn Youth Ranch until his passing on October 28th, 2003. They loved being with each other. Although heart broken, Barbara continued on as best she could. Continuing her work as site manager and being there for family and friends, whom she loved dearly.
In November of 2022, Barbara moved from the Ranch she loved, to be with her daughter and family in Gold River, CA. She built a beautiful life there and continued pursuing past times and hobbies, such as painting, water aerobics, coffee chats, and going out to breakfast with her family (her favorite).
Barbara is survived by her son Eddie and his wife Candy, of Boonville, and her daughter Kim and her husband, Edward Morgan, of Gold River; grandchildren Jessie Slotte, Ryan Slotte, and his wife Connie, Garrett Morgan, Quentin Morgan, and Madeleine Morgan, great-grandchildren Felix, Celisa, Hunter, Amayah, Christian, Jaylene, and Olivia, her sisters Patti Crabb (Rick), Sandra Knight (David) and Marti Titus (Craig), as well as many nieces and nephews. She also leaves her special life-long friends from childhood Shirley Blattner, Brenda Holcomb, Helen Huey, Alice Waggoner, and her beloved cousin Simone Short-Smith. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Jerry, her parents, Willis and Bobbie, and her sister Judy Ann.
Barbara had an extraordinarily long list of family and friends that she loved and cherished deeply. She prayed for them every evening before bed. Some of this list being people she had never even met. But, most of all she loved Jesus. In her last text message to her sister Patti, she said, “I know we serve a faithful lord & savior”. “Joy is the serious business of Heaven” - C. S. Lewis
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, December 10, at 11 AM, at Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville, followed by a celebration of life and potluck gathering at 1:00 PM at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville.
ANDERSON VALLEY WINEGROWERS LAUNCH NEW FUND TO SUPPORT LOCAL NONPROFITS
by Sara Stierch
A new giving fund aimed at supporting nonprofits that serve Anderson Valley has launched, the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association announced Monday.
The Anderson Valley Wines Community Action Fund is managed by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County. Funds will be raised through AVWA events — including February’s International White Wine Festival — as well as donations from winegrowers, wineries and the public. Wine lovers, including visitors to the region, are invited to contribute. The association will recommend grants to local nonprofit organizations.
The new fund follows a model used by other wine associations in the region. Napa Valley Vintners, Sonoma County Vintners and the Lake County Winery Association all raise money through events and donations and distribute proceeds to local nonprofits.
The AVWA said it has donated more than $600,000 to Anderson Valley-area nonprofits since its founding more than 40 years ago. Past recipients include the Anderson Valley Health Center, local fire departments, the historical society, a skate park and other community organizations.
The fund launches at a challenging time for the wine industry. According to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2025 State of the U.S. Wine Industry Report, wine sales and demand are down nationwide as alcohol consumption has reached record lows. Younger generations are drinking less, abstaining altogether or choosing alternatives such as ready-to-drink cocktails, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.
The bank also cited increased concern about the health impacts of alcohol and continued economic uncertainty and inflation as factors affecting sales.
Courtney DeGraff, executive director of the AVWA, said the association saw an opportunity to expand its mission beyond promoting local wine.
“Today we also have a responsibility to strengthen the communities that make these wine regions possible,” DeGraff said. “Launching this fund allows us to bring charitable giving alongside our marketing and event programs, and to ensure that Anderson Valley’s people and essential services are supported for the long term. That’s why we partnered with the Community Foundation of Mendocino County.”
Donations to the fund can be made at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VYPAJBLZTQ8JC.
For more information, contact Lia Holbrook of the Community Foundation of Mendocino County [email protected] or (707) 472-1680 or Courtney DeGraff at [email protected] or (303) 517-0232.
(www.mendovoice.com)
SKYWRITING: NOYO FOOD FOREST
by Andrew Scully
Good evening, Coasters. It was "Giving Tuesday" earlier this week, apparently a relatively new day devoted to charitable contributions; if you are like me, or even if you're not, your email box may be overflowing with appeals from the needy and the wanting.
It's a metaphorical Thursday morning swimming pool full of floating rubber duckies, inner tubes, and neon foam noodles, all competing for your attention. Why would I want to put another toy in the pool to distract you? I don't want to do that. So instead I direct your attention to the small airplane, a Sopwith Camel biplane, now beginning to circle up in the air above the pool. Do you see it… just there? Way up. He's beginning to skywrite. What do those puffy white smokey letters say? What are they beginning to spell out?
Well, let me help you, cuz I can see it clearly… It says: Noyo Food Forest - Mendocino Grove Saturday Night.
What does it mean? I can assist with that as well. It means that This Saturday Night One Night Only is the 4th Annual Mendocino Grove Holiday Craft Extravaganza And Dinner Party Under The Stars to benefit Noyo Food Forest.
For those of you who may be new to the area or who may be unfamiliar: The Noyo Food Forest is a cooperative non-profit venture with the Fort Bragg School District that provides a organic working farm experience to our most valuable treasure, our young people, students in the local public schools. The NFF is an organic farm, located adjacent to the high school which provides internships, educational opportunities, learning, teaching, and food! The farm programs grow thousands of pounds of organic fresh food for the Fort Bragg School district cafeterias where 100% of the students are in free and reduced-cost nutrition programs.
The Noyo Food Forest is a remarkably cost-effecient and effective program that enhances our lives. Promoting agricultural education, stewardship, community engagement and empowerment through food security and biodiversity. Please give generously today. Link is here: https://noyofoodforest.networkforgood.com/events/92317-annual-benefit-gathering
And do make plans to attend the Gala Magical Evening on Saturday night December 6 at the Mendocino Grove. Local impresario Teresa Raffo and her family will once again host the annual fundraiser at their beautiful glamping resort. The interactive and immersive event includes all activities: food, libations, drinks, appetizers, craft making, activities, fun, friends and festivities all benefiting the NFF and all in the magical twinkling Mendocino Grove… High end glamping at its finest.
I ran into Teresa and her daughter Ella in the poultry aisle at Harvest Market on Sunday and she advised me that ticket sales are a little slow. We're less than 25% sold with less than a week to go. We need to pick it up. So people please come out and support our treasure, our young people, and our Noyo Food Forest. Let the call go out, to the very forks of the creeks: Open your hearts and your wallets, give it up and come celebrate with us under the stars and the twinkling lights of the Grove.
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