Memorial for photographer John LeBaron to be held April 6

A memorial celebration for respected Sonoma County photographer and teacher John LeBaron will be held Sunday, April 6 at Santa Rosa Junior College.

LeBaron, a retired Press Democrat chief photographer and a longtime SRJC photography instructor, died Feb. 19 at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after suffering a stroke. LeBaron was recovering from a previous stroke on Jan. 25. He was 85.

The memorial celebration will be begin at 3 p.m. at SRJC's Lawrence Bertolini Student Center. A reception will follow.

A scion of west Sonoma County pioneers, LeBaron grew up in Valley Ford and graduated from Tomales High School and Santa Rosa Junior College. He later graduated from Sonoma State University.

He spent 20 years working as a photojournalist and more than 30 years as an instructor at SRJC. A small exhibition of LeBaron's work will be featured at the Robert F. Agrella Gallery in the Doyle Library from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 6.

LeBaron is survived by his wife of 55 years, Gaye LeBaron of Santa Rosa; his daughter Suzanne LeBaron of Oakland, his son Anthony LeBaron of Santa Rosa and his grandson Trenton LeBaron Potter of Oakland.

Contributions in LeBaron's name may be made to a scholarship fund for art students established with the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, or to the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 522 MS#3R02, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402-9964.