Flowers of The Forest

Jock McLeod Thebaut

August 25, 1913 - November 30, 2011

......Jock was two year shy of becoming a centurian but he had enough adventures and accomplishments to fill two centuries
He was a combatant of the Great Depression, a World War II naval fighter, an educator for troubled youth, an historic-minded business patron of the arts, a founding member of the Mother Lode Scots and a community icon with an incredible love for learning.
......Born in Kansas City, Missouri he grew up traveling with a military family around the U.S. In the 1930, shortly after marrying Muriel, he was hired as an educational advisor for the Civilian Conservation Corps. He lead groups of yourn men, who would have otherwise been unemployed due to the Depression, on huge forst managements and restoartion missions in Yellowstone and Death Valley.
......When World War II enveloped the U.S. Jock answered the call of duty, joining the Navy and soon thereafter commanding a U.S. Navy Armed Guard unit on a Liberty Ship running perilou missions through the Coral Sea. The ship eventually came under heavy attach from Japanese bombers in Oro Bay, off the coast of New Guinea, forcing the, then, 29 year old commander to direct his navy riflemen and 20mm machine gunners to throw a volley of lead into the sky as their only hope for survivial. The ship survived the attack and he was eventually reunited in California with his wife, Muriel.
......At the end of the war Jock was hired as an educator and parole agent at the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp. Moving to Volcano in 1948 where they started their family.
In 1954 Jock and Muriel bought a stone Gold Rush-era saloon on the outskirst of Fiddletown that was slated for destruction. They moved the historic walls to Volcano and rebuilt it as one of the most admired structures in town, The Jug & Rose building, where they ran a popular social hub for years.
......Both Jock and Muriel were instrumental in Chaw'se Indian Grinding Rocks becoming a state park, creating a stylish art gallery in Vaolcano, buying and restoring the cobblestone Theater and helping foster a young volcano Theatre Company in 1973. Eventually donating the building to Volcano Theatre company.
......Jock also worked to keep his own heritage of art and music alive in the foothills. In 1979 he helped form Mother Lode Scots. He served at Chief in 1992 and was referred to as "Our Senior Chief". In 2000 he was knighted in a ceremony in Volcano