Toni (Hytholt) Major

Toni (Hytholt) Major, 80, passed away peacefully at home in Port Angeles, Wash., on Oct. 24, 2013, after a long illness.

She was born Dec. 6, 1932, in San Francisco, to Joseph P. Raiff and Helen (“Mickie”) Smircich. After moving to El Verano with her mother and stepfather in 1946, she attended local schools, including Sonoma Valley High.

Most of Toni’s life interests involved animals, having “rescued” numerous and at one time being co-owner of The Animal House pet shop in Sonoma, with her mother, for many years.

Toni was preceded in death by her parents and stepparents, Joe and Dorothy Raiff and Bill and Mickie Smircich, all of El Verano; her first husband, Maurice Hytholt; son, Randy Hytholt; and her second husband, Arnold Major.

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Robyn and Tim Cella, of Port Angeles, Wash., with whom she lived the past two years; her brother, Don Raiff, of Gold Hill, Ore.; her daughter and son-in-law, Melanie and Jon Ray; daughter and son-in-law, Stehanie and Marc Ray, all of Sonoma; her grandchildren, Misty Rose Hytholt of Nampa, Idaho; “KC” Martinez, Craig, Keeley and Jasper Ray, all of Sonoma. Toni also had three great-grandchildren, William, of Nampa, Idaho; Zephyr Martinez and Azalea Cross, of Sonoma. Also surviving her are nephews, Cory Barnes (and family), Savannah, Ga. (U.S. Army); Damien Cella, Port Angeles, Wash.; and her niece, Moni Raiff, of Gold Hill, Ore.

She will be missed greatly by all of us, including her golden retriever, Megan MacKenzie.

There will be no formal services at her request.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made to Pets Lifeline, 19686 Eighth St. E., Sonoma, CA 95476, petslifeline.org; Sonoma Humane Society, P.O. Box 1296, Santa Rosa, CA 95402, sonomahuman.org; Sonoma Little League, 166 First St. E., Sonoma, CA 95476; or Assured Hospice, 24 Lee Chatfield, Sequim, Wash., 98382.

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