It is with great sadness that the family of Gretchen Clarke Howard announces her unexpected passing on June 30, 2023, in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. She was born in Eureka, California on March 6, 1949 to Clarence (Bud) Clarke and Jane (Clarke)Walsh and grew up with her two older sisters, Carol and Susan, at the family home on Howard Heights in Freshwater.
She married Rick Juchtzer in 1971 and they settled on a ranch on Kneeland Road with Rick’s daughter, Stephanie. Shortly thereafter, daughter Inge was born. They enjoyed country life with a huge organic vegetable garden, fruit trees, chickens, and abundant wildlife. An orphaned fawn decided to adopt the family and when Gretchen would get in her VW to go somewhere, the fawn would jump in the back seat for a ride! The marriage ended but Gretchen had fond memories of life on the Kneeland ranch.
In 1989 Gretchen married Gary Poncia and they enjoyed many adventures together including surfing trips to Baja and vacationing in Italy. After Gary’s death, Gretchen moved back to Eureka to live with and care for her mother. They took day trips to the countryside in her PT Cruiser, studied the local architecture, enjoyed Sunday brunch at Baywood, danced to live band music at the Moose Lodge and invited friends and family to join them for their Friday evening soirees. She organized several family reunions, and each year joined her mom and sisters on a trip to a scenic location.
Following her mother’s death, Gretchen moved to Historic Jacksonville in the Rogue Valley to be near her sister, Susan. She made many new friends and enjoyed the variety of musical events, hikes into the surrounding hillsides, trips to Crater Lake, Lake of the Woods, and the Rogue River. She especially enjoyed life in Jacksonville where she made lifelong friends and enjoyed the town’s music and art scene. As a special project, she took photos of the unique doors of Jacksonville and created a poster, The Doors of Jacksonville. She spent winters in Hawaii with her daughter and made her final move to Kailua Kona.
Gretchen was an activist who was passionate about the oceans, animals, world peace and the environment. She lobbied to pass laws to reduce the use of plastics and to ban glyphosate. She supported local organic farmers and the use of natural methods for pest control. She once attended a country fair dressed as a bumble bee carrying a sign that said, “I brake for bees.”
Gretchen was especially interested in Victorian architecture and she and her mother cataloged the unique doors of Eureka and Ferndale. She helped restore the Victorian Ryan House in Eureka. On a trip to Australia, she helped build a straw bale house. She enjoyed her trips to Europe, North Africa, New Zealand, Guam, and Mexico. She grew organic vegetables and always created a beautiful garden wherever she lived. She loved animals, especially dogs, cats and deer and enjoyed watching the birds that came to her garden in Hawaii. She was an excellent seamstress and always looked stylish. She knitted beautiful hats for family members and made wonderful peach pies. Gretchen was interested in art and had a treasured collection of paintings by her mother and other local artists.
She was a Realtor for 20 years and prided herself in finding homes that pleased her clients. She worked for Coldwell Banker Island Properties and served on the board of the West Hawaii Association of Realtors in Kailua Kona.
Her prized possession was her vintage Airstream trailer. She had spent 12 years restoring it and was preparing to take it out on a long-anticipated journey down the coast of California. Her friend Bruce agreed to join her in this latest adventure, and they were just weeks away from their departure date.
Gretchen was preceded in death by her father, mother and stepfather, Joseph Walsh. Also, preceding her in death was her husband Gary Poncia and her stepsister Pam Walsh Olson. She is survived by her daughter, Inge Juchtzer and stepdaughter, Stephanie Brittain, her sisters, Carol Clarke and Susan Harrison, step-sister Sandy Walsh Shikuma and step-brothers Mike Walsh(Lynne) and John Walsh(Barbara). In addition, many friends, nieces, nephews and cousins will miss her kind, optimistic and cheerful spirit.
At this time, no memorial service is planned. If you wish to make a donation in Gretchen’s memory, please consider The Nature Conservancy, ASPCA, 350.org, the Environmental Defense Fund or any other organization working to make this world a better place. If you have memories, questions or comments, her daughter Inge may be contacted at ingeute@gmail.com.