Family of Josh Retallick thanks community – update -Ukiah police find missing man dead; community mourns lifelong inland Mendocino resident

Family statement :

After publication of our story, we were able to connect with Anne Retallick, Joshua’s mother. She and the family wanted the community to know more about Josh and to share their gratitude for the support they have received. The following is their message:

“Our heartfelt thank you to everyone who has reached out. We are deeply grieving the loss of our son, and we are comforted by so many community members, friends, family, and law enforcement.

Josh was an active little boy playing soccer, T‑ball, swimming, and ultimately falling in love with the game of golf, which he excelled in. He was chosen as the Block U blanket recipient in his senior year. He worked at the Ukiah Golf Course as a teen, and it was always like his second home.

He sang in middle school choir and played piano, violin, and guitar. He took part in multiple Children’s Theater productions spearheaded by Catherine Chan and also in the Players Theatre production of Oliver.

In high school, he became an avid abalone diver, surfer, snow skier, and backpacker. He climbed Mount Shasta as a young teenager, nearly reaching the summit.

After graduating from Ukiah High School, he attended Foothill College, playing on their golf team, then briefly transferred to San Jose State University and ultimately Humboldt State before returning home to us in 1995, when symptoms of serious mental illness became evident.

Josh always had a strong work ethic and took on many jobs when he first returned to Ukiah. He struggled with his illness — especially the side effects of medication — and often faced the stigma of having a serious mental illness in a small town where so many people knew him.

We realize now, with the outpouring of love from our community, how many others knew and cared about our son. We only wish he were still with us to read all the wonderful posts.

Our hope is that Josh’s very public disappearance, the widespread search, and his ultimate death will bring about greater awareness and open discussion about serious mental illness and how we can do better as a community. Statistics show that one in five families are affected by these illnesses.

Our heartfelt thank you, Anne and Bill Retallick.”

Mendocinocoast.news will publish an update with information on where condolences and donations may be sent as soon as the family finalizes those details.

Our earlier article:

In the 1980s, Joshua Retallick was a bright little boy growing up in Ukiah, appearing in the paper on student of the month lists and other elementary school awards. As a kid, he once starred as Christopher Robin in a community playing of Winnie the Pooh, in which most cast members were adults with acting experience. We don’t know his life story, but there are official indications that the bright little boy became a man troubled by mental health issues. And on Monday, he was found dead just a few blocks from the elementary school where he was once a standout student.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said Retallick, 51, was found dead Monday near the western edge of Low Gap Park, close to the archery range. He had been reported missing on April 16 as an at‑risk person. According to the sheriff’s press release, foul play is not suspected.

As news of his death spread, attention turned to the people who had been searching for him. Retallick’s family, along with law enforcement and community members, had mounted an extensive effort to find him, and we reached out to them to gather memories of Josh and better understand the life behind the name.

A press release can tell us where someone was found and when the search ended, but it can’t hold the weight of a life. It can’t capture the bright boy in the school photos, the man who walked familiar streets, or the people who worried and waited for news. Every person is more than the circumstances of their death, more than a case number or a line in a report. As we share the sheriff’s statement, we also remember that Joshua Retallick was once a child in this community, a neighbor, a familiar face. Each life deserves to be seen in full, and each passing deserves more than the few official words that announce it. In marking his death, we honor the simple truth that every life among us carries a story worth remembering.

The press release follows: