Details announced for longtime Northern California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s memorial service
REPRESENTED CALIFORNIANS IN THE NORTH PART OF THE STATE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK. HE WAS 65 YEARS OLD. FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ARE REMEMBERING CONGRESSMAN LAMALFA FOR HIS LEGACY, FIGHTING FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS AND RURAL CALIFORNIA. WHAT DROVE HIM AS JUST A BELIEF THAT WE COULD DO BETTER, RIGHT, THAT THAT THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS TO REALLY SERVE PEOPLE AS GREAT OF A LEGISLATOR. HE WAS HE WAS EVEN A BETTER PERSON. DOUG WAS ALWAYS A FARMER. AND I’VE BEEN A FARMER RANCHER ALL OF MY LIFE ALSO. SO THE TWO OF US REALLY SHARED THE SOIL. I STARTED WORKING WORKING FOR HIM ABOUT TWO WEEKS INTO HIS ASSEMBLY CAREER. I WAS A JUNIOR FIELD REP JUST OUT OF COLLEGE, 2002, AND HE SAID, HEY, WHY DON’T YOU COME WORK FOR ME AND RUN, YOU KNOW, RUN A FIELD OFFICE FOR ME? IT’S A GUY THAT WOULD COME TO COME TO MEETINGS AND STILL HAVE GREASE UNDER HIS FINGERNAILS, BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY DID WORK IN REAL LIFE. I STARTED WORKING IN POLITICS FOR DOUG. IT’S MY FIRST JOB IN POLITICS. I’VE LEARNED. I’VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM. YOU KNOW, HE SUPPORTED ME WHEN I DECIDED TO RUN FOR THE ASSEMBLY MYSELF. SO WE’VE BEEN WE’VE BEEN ALL OVER THE NORTH STATE TOGETHER. WE’VE CAMPAIGNED TOGETHER. WE’VE. REPRESENTED TOGETHER, GONE THROUGH ALL THESE DISASTERS IN OUR DISTRICT FROM THE CAMPFIRE TO OROVILLE DAM. YOU KNOW, JUST WE’VE BEEN THROUGH LITERALLY BEEN THROUGH THE FIRE. CONSTITUENTS KNOWN HIM AS NOT CONGRESSMAN OR SENATOR OR ASSEMBLYMAN. THEY CALL THEM DOUG LAMALFA. AND HE WANTED IT THAT WAY BECAUSE HE HAD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS CONSTITUENTS. WE FLY BACK AND FOURTH. WEEK AFTER WEEK TO CONGRESS AND BACK TO CALIFORNIA AND DEVELOPED A VERY, VERY CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH DOUG. ON THE WORKING SIDE OF IT, WE SHARED THE GREAT SACRAMENTO VALLEY FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, AND TOGETHER ON ISSUES DEALING WITH THE AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY, WATER INTERESTS. SITES RESERVOIR LEVEE AFTER LEVEE AND EVEN THE VERY NEAR COLLAPSE OF THE OROVILLE DAM. DOUG AND I WERE ALWAYS SIDE BY SIDE ON THOSE SETS OF ISSUES, FROM DEMOCRATS TO REPUBLICANS. HE IS A LASTING LEGACY, AND HE’S A PERSON WHO FOUGHT FOR RURAL CALIFORNIA, HUMBLE, KIND. LIGHT HEARTED, LIKE COULD RELATE TO ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS HAD A GOOD JOKE. BUT WAS REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THE JOB OF BEING A REPRESENTATIVE FOR HIS DISTRICT. LIKE HE TOOK THAT. VERY SERIOUSLY. REPRESENTATIVE DOUG LAMALFA LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE, FOUR CHILDREN
Details announced for longtime Northern California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s memorial service
Updated: 3:49 PM PST Jan 13, 2026
A week after longtime California Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s death, details were announced for a public memorial service. The services are set to be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. Tickets are required for entry. (Video Above: Friends, colleagues remember Congressman Doug LaMalfa)LaMalfa represented California’s District 1 in Washington for more than a decade. As a fourth-generation rice farmer, he heavily advocated for his agricultural constituents. The congressman also worked to provide wildfire victims and survivors in his district with relief and recovery efforts and bolster the state’s water resources.The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said emergency personnel went to LaMalfa’s home around 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 5, after a 911 call. He was taken to Enloe Hospital for emergency surgery, but died during the procedure.LaMalfa’s impact on California is still felt following his death. On Monday, a bill previously championed by LaMalfa advanced in the California Assembly. AB 1091 would allow Californians to purchase eight-character license plates.Organizers of the memorial service noted that weapons, signs, sticks and large bags will not be permitted on the fairgrounds for the service. Gates are set to open at 10 a.m., with the service beginning at noon. Reserve tickets or learn more here. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
CHICO, Calif. —
A week after longtime California Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s death, details were announced for a public memorial service.
The services are set to be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico.
Tickets are required for entry.
(Video Above: Friends, colleagues remember Congressman Doug LaMalfa)
LaMalfa represented California’s District 1 in Washington for more than a decade. As a fourth-generation rice farmer, he heavily advocated for his agricultural constituents. The congressman also worked to provide wildfire victims and survivors in his district with relief and recovery efforts and bolster the state’s water resources.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said emergency personnel went to LaMalfa’s home around 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 5, after a 911 call. He was taken to Enloe Hospital for emergency surgery, but died during the procedure.
LaMalfa’s impact on California is still felt following his death. On Monday, a bill previously championed by LaMalfa advanced in the California Assembly. AB 1091 would allow Californians to purchase eight-character license plates.
Organizers of the memorial service noted that weapons, signs, sticks and large bags will not be permitted on the fairgrounds for the service.
Gates are set to open at 10 a.m., with the service beginning at noon. Reserve tickets or learn more here.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel