Obituaries

Gwenn Lynnore Cloepfil passed away on May 21, 2023, at Timber Ridge in Eureka where she spent the last nine years due to multiple medical issues. She was a cherished woman who was always pleasant and caring to all people that crossed her path for her entire life. Her family will miss her dearly. She was special.

Gwenn was born Feb. 9, 1931, as the second child of Ruth and Lynn Switzer. She was raised in Newberg, Oregon, along with her older brother Hugh. Gwenn loved Newberg and always spoke of it in glowing terms. While growing up, Gwenn picked berries, green beans and other produce to earn money for school clothes. Times were hard, and she never shied away from hard work and never complained. She was married two weeks after graduating from high school to Howard Melvin Cloepfil in 1949. Her mother sewed her wedding dress, and Gwenn grew the flowers for her wedding. Gwenn waitressed and worked in a jewelry store while Howard finished college at Oregon State University. Howard and Gwenn were a real team and they were devoted to each other. Gwenn had never wanted to be anything but a wife, mother and homemaker. She kept the home going and was at Howard’s side while he progressed in the J. C. Penney, Co. which involved multiple moves in California and Oregon over the years. Howard passed in 2014 and that was very hard on Gwenn, as he was her rock.


Gwenn downplayed her skills, as she was very humble, but she was amazingly clever about many things. Besides her multiple crafts, she could knit, sew, embroider and tat. Gwenn was also great at fixing things around the house as Howard worked long hours, so some handyman duties fell to her. She even installed a tube radio in a 1947 Dodge that the family was fixing up to be her kids’ first car. Gwenn also loved watching sports, gardening, singing harmony to old songs and slot machines at casinos. Daughter Tamara got the love of following sports from both her parents, and it was great to go to a couple Crabs games with Gwenn when Timber Ridge attended a game. Gwenn was always searching the ground and coin returns for coins, and she found a lot of them! She kept her eyes open for finding stuff, and she even found a diamond in a slot machine mixed in with the nickels in Reno.

Gwenn loved people and wanted everyone to be happy and comfortable. This meant she often put other’s needs before her own. At Timber Ridge, she always had a smile or compliment for staff and other residents. We have never heard of anyone who didn’t love Gwenn.

Gwenn was preceded in death by her husband Howard, brother Hugh Switzer, and parents Ruth and Lynn Switzer. Gwenn is survived by her children Tamara Lynn Clohessy, of McKinleyville, and Scot Douglas Cloepfil (Carol), of Eureka. She also had two grandchildren, Terence Clohessy (Nancy), of Vacaville, and Travis Clohessy (Elizabeth), of Eureka. The recent joys of her life were her great-grandchildren Murphy and Addison Clohessy. Pictures and visits with them always brought her so much happiness. She cherished time with her loved ones.

A huge amount of gratitude is sent to Dr. Stephanie Dittmer who went above and beyond in her care on multiple occasions. The family also wishes to thank Timber Ridge Eureka for her years of care and multiple kindnesses shown by staff there. Hospice of Humboldt was also very helpful in her last days.

No services were held and the family gathered recently to remember her fondly. If you wish to honor Gwenn, please consider a donation to Hospice, a mental health charity, as Gwenn was a volunteer for Sempervirens in the ’70s, or any sports organizations that encourage future atheletes.