Kathleen Timothy Garner was born on March 18, 1914 in Upper Lake to Leland and Kate Garner in the family home that was located directly across the street from the Upper Lake Grammar School. She was the second of three girls. She passed away on July 18, 2007.
She came from a long line of early Lake County pioneers. Her Garner grandparents came to Long Valley in Eastern Lake County in the 1880s from the Napa Valley. About 1902, the family moved to Upper Lake.
Kay”s mother”s family, the Timothys, came to Lake County from Wales in the 1880”s. Her grandparents worked for the Buckingham family (Buckingham Park) and later in moved to Spruce Grove south of Lower Lake.
When Kay was 11, Lee and Kate Garner moved their family to their ranch, Green Meadows, a mile north of Upper Lake. She graduated from Upper Lake High School in the Class of 1932.
In 1936 she married Carroll Bucknell of Lakeport. His great-grandfather, George Bucknell, was one of the original settlers in Upper Lake in 1855. Kay and Rusty (as everyone called him) had two boys, Leland and Jim. After Rusty”s untimely death, she married Dan Polk in 1956. Dan was a former mayor of Lakeport who was then living in the Bay Area. She and Dan moved their blended family to Walnut Creek. After the children were grown, they moved to Danville.
Upon Dan”s retirement in 1976, they returned to Upper Lake and established their retirement home on a portion of the walnut orchard that was on her family”s ranch. They called their new home on Elk Mountain Road, Danakay Acres. They had a wonderful retirement in Upper Lake putting together their new home, planting the yard, working their walnut orchard, taking many RV trips and reconnecting with their Lake County friends. Kay was a pink lady at Lakeside Hospital. She attended the Women”s Protective Society at the Upper Lake Library. They were members of the Upper Lake Methodist Church. After Dan”s death in 1998, Kay continued to live on the ranch for almost 9 years.
One of Kay”s favorite activities was meeting with long-time friends for their “Friday Lunch Bunch.” Three members of this group have passed this month – Thelma Griner, Myrven Middleton – and now Kay Polk.
Kay was predeceased by her two husbands, Carroll Bucknell and Dan Polk; two stepsons, Richard Polk and Jim Polk; and sister, Nadine Dodge.
She is survived by her sons, Lee Bucknell and wife Sandy of Modesto and Jim Bucknell of Burien, Wash.; two stepdaughters, Linda and husband Ron Timothy of Fort St. James, B.C., and Martha and husband Howard Leggatt of Kamloops, B.C.; daughter-in-law, Sheila Polk of Martinez; sister, Muriel Box of Elgin, Ill.; four cousins, Elton Garner of Long Valley, Margaret Sylar of Lakeport, Phil Adamson of Lower Lake and Bob Timothy of Woodland; 13 grandchildren, Cindy Miller, Christy Ubleis, John Timothy all of Fort St. James, B.C., Teresa Timothy of San Carlos, Gary Bucknell and Jim Bucknell of Modesto, Nan Bucknell of Santa Clara, Richard Polk of Idylwild, Danny Polk, of Sacramento, Tim Bucknell and Matt Bucknell of Sheridan, Ore., and Andrea Hawkins and Danny Leggatt of Kamloops, B.C.; 29 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren, including one who was just born this past month.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18 at the Upper Lake Methodist Church.
The family requests donations be made to the memorial fund Upper Lake Methodist Church, P.O. Box 276, Upper Lake, CA 95485.
For further information call Chapel of the Lakes at 263-0357 or 994-5611 or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.
Please sign the guest book at www.record-bee.com. (Published in the Record-Bee on Friday, July 20, 2007.)
