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Page 17Around California continued...In MemoriamChelu Travieso-Earhart~1950-2012Chelu was a past president of MHET(1997 and 1998) and had been servingon the MHET Board of Directors since1990. She was a member of WMA,CMHI, MHI, and was vice president ofthe California Mobilehome ParkownersAlliance (CMPA).Industry icon and friend, CheluTravieso-Earhart passed away onMarch 30, 2012 after a brave, vigilantbattle with systemic scleroderma.Chelu started her real estate careerin 1971 as on on-site manager of a30-unit complex with USIF OklahomaCorp., a division of Arlen Realty.Within one year she was managinga 544-unit complex. Since then,she had been involved in variousaspects of residential, industrial andcommercial real estate management,sales and marketing, acquisitions anddevelopment in Arizona, California,Oklahoma, Texas and WashingtonState. Chelu held a ManufacturedHousing Sales Dealer License.Except during her employment withDr. Nolan Frizzelle, past Chairman ofthe California Republican Party andformer State Assemblyman, Chelu’spast employers include the real estatefirms of Parkcenter Corporation, AxiomProperties, Inc., and Newport PacificCapital Company.She first became involved in themanufactured housing industry in 1983and since 1990, had been exclusivelymanaging manufactured housingcommunities as president of MobileCommunity Management Companyand handling in-house sales as a dealerthrough Community Mobilehome Sales.Mobile Community ManagementCompany manages approximately5,000 spaces throughout the state.Chelu received the Freedom FighterAward from CMPA in 1990. She issurvived by her husband, Don Earhartand three stepchildren; Tim, Dan andCindy.Chelu will be greatly missed by allthose who have had the opportunityto work with her throughout her manyyears in the industry.Richard Schmidt~1964-2012It is with great sadness that we reportthe passing of our friend and colleague,Rich Schmidt. Rich followed hisparents’ career path when he went towork at Marlette Homes right out ofhigh school in 1982. That began a 28year career at Marlette during whichRich worked his way up from theproduction line, through managementand became General Manager in2006. He was a respected member ofthe industry and also loved for beinga “great guy”. He served on boththe Northwest Housing Association’sBoard of Directors and the NorthwestPride Committee.Rich courageously, and withoutcomplaint, battled cancer for over adecade. He was a devoted husbandand father and leaves behind his wife,Tracy and daughters, Crystal andCindy.Financial remembrances canbe made to “Just Cure It Kids”, anorthwest non-profit foundation set upin memory of a previous Marlette teammember with all proceeds benefittingfinding a cure for cancer. Checksshould be made payable to “JustCure It Kids” and may be sent to BethWheeler, Human Resources, MarletteHomes, 400 West Elm Avenue,Hermiston, OR, 97838.Dan Pocapalia~1916-2012Dan passed away peacefully,surrounded by his family at home onMay 7, 2012 after a very rapid declinefollowing the diagnosis of colon andliver cancer. Born “Dante Pocapaglia”to Italian immigrant parents on theirsmall farm located near the currentLos Angeles Airport, Dan and his twobrothers Dominic and Vic and sisterRose, lived a hard life.continued on page 18