Albert "Bob" Wonacott

Funeral services were held Aug. 16, for Albert "Bob" Wonacott, 87, 
of Bishop, following his death Aug. 11, at Inyo County Sanatorium.

The Rev. J. Hackett Johnson of the First Presbyterian Church 
officiated at the service, held at Brune-Talmage Chapel, Bishop.  
Burial was in East Line St. Cemetery.

Mr. Wolnacott was born Oct. 18, 1886 in Calaveras County, Calif., 
the last in a family of nine brothers and sisters.  He was brought 
to Bishop as a baby from Calaveras county, camping in the high 
brush near the corner of Main and Willow in 1887.

The Wonacott family operated a ranch on Dixon Lane, a portion of 
which was provided to the Riverside school district.  It was there 
Bob was educated.

For a time the family moved to Tonopah, Nev., where Bob was a 
"swamper," working the freight wagons.  He later was licensed a 
mortician and worked with the Wonacott and Cavanaugh Funeral Home 
in Tonopah, moving back to California and settling in Round Valley 
on a ranch in 1912.  He began dairy operation about 1914.  Every 
summer the dairy was moved to the Mammoth area and milk provided 
to the guests of Charlie Summers at the Mammoth Hotel.  It was 
here that Bob developed quite a business in making the rounds of 
the "tourist camps", dipping up a quart of mild from 10-gallon 
cans for a dime.  The dairy was operated until 1959, at which time 
it was located on North Highway US 395, Bishop.

He is survived by wife Carrie; a son, Thomas A. Wonacott of Bishop, 
and Archie Allison, who was raised by Bob and Carrie Wonacott; two 
daughters, Mrs. Barbara Dawson of Bishop, and Mrs. Thelma Brown of 
Gardnerville, Nevada, two sons and a granddaughter in Los Alamitos; 
13 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Charley Olds, George Brown, Don Tibbals, Richie 
Conway, Jack Alexander, Willis Smith, Lester Cline, Jim Heavens, 
Bill Reed, Lee Summers, Joe Hird, Denton Woods.

Those wishing to honor the memory of Bob Wonacott may contribute 
to the Inyo County Sanatorium Fund.

The Inyo Register
Bishop, Inyo County, California
Thursday, Aug. 22, 1974 - Page 26

Transcribed by Pat Houser for Inyo County GenWeb, July 21, 2004