Obituaries
May 24, 2004

Mitch Uharriet

Mitch Uharriet, a diving coach, self-taught folk musician and former Santa Rosa firefighter, died of a heart attack May 12 at his Mendocino County home. The Redwood Valley man was 48.


He was born Raymond Mitchell Uharriet in Los Angeles on Nov. 3, 1955, and moved with his family as a young boy to San Jose. There, he attended Pioneer High School, where he excelled on the diving team.


He served in the Navy for three years in the mid-1970s and was stationed in Long Beach, where he served aboard a ship as a firefighter.


"He liked it so much that he wanted to further his studies in it and become a firefighter" professionally, recalled his sister, Annie Uharriet of Rainier, Ore. "That was just like Mitch.... He really went for it, just like his music."


After studying fire science at a Southern California college and working in the Coast Guard, his sister said, Uharriet moved to Santa Rosa and took a job with the Santa Rosa Fire Department in 1979.


In the mid- to late 1980s, however, a back injury forced Uharriet out of firefighting. Dejected, Uharriet turned to music for solace, training himself in the fiddle, banjo and mandolin.


"He taught himself out of desolation; what a lesson that is," said Jack Sklena, a longtime friend and neighbor in Redwood Valley. "He never passed any of his troubles along. He just wanted to bring joy and pleasure and happiness to everyone he met."


Uharriet performed weekly at Redwood Valley Community Church and, billing his forte as "Bluegrass to the British Isles," played in pubs, cafes, wineries, fairs and contests.


"It wasn't always for money," his younger sister recalled. "Mitch just wanted to keep the music alive."


For most of the past 10 years, Uharriet also coached diving at Ukiah High School.


In addition to his sister, Uharriet is survived by his father, Raymond Uharriet, and stepmother, Marilyn Uharriet, both of Hooper, Utah; four half brothers, Brad Fischer of Henderson, Nev., Bart Uharriet of Starkville, Miss., James Uharriet of Fort Carson, Colo., John Uharriet of Weston, Fla.; and half sister Jennifer Uharriet of Hooper.


A memorial service was Sunday at Redwood Valley Community Church. His remains were cremated.


-- Katy Hillenmeyer