Thomas Kinkade Fans Asked to Donate to World Vision in His Memory

A private funeral service in Los Gatos was held on April 17 for the , a close family friend said Wednesday.

Los Gatos resident Linda Raasch, the godmother of the four Kinkade daughters—Merritt, Chandler, Winsor and Everett—said she, along with husband Ken Raasch attended the service, which was held under Redwood trees.

Raasch said nearly 200 of his close friends and family, including brother Patrick Kinkade and sister Kate Johnson paid their respects to Kinkade, 54, who died  April 6 in his Monte Sereno home.

"It was a beautiful service," she said. "It was a picturesque day and we were blessed to honor Thom and celebrate his life."

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are asking his fans to give a donation to World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization helping children and families in Third World countries.

Those interested in donating can do so by indicating account number 105429515, when contacting World Vision.

Raasch said she met Kinkade and wife Nanette in 1986 when her husband, Ken, became a close friend of the painter's and together they took the Thomas Kinkade Company public in 1994.

"I love his four daughters like my own," she said.

Restraining Order Against Kinkade's Girlfriend

A temporary restraining order against the painter's live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, was never served, said Marcia Horowitz, a publicist with New York-based Rubenstein Associates public relations firm who's representing the Kinkade Trust.

Horowitz said she wasn't aware of any plans by attorneys to seek a longer injunction against Pinto-Walsh, who's still living in Kinkade's mansion in Monte Sereno on Ridgecrest Drive.

"The funeral was private ... and in terms of anything public ... some public event to honor his memory, we're discussing various options, but those decisions haven't been made," Horowitz said.

Several calls to attorneys with Los Angeles-based law firm of Zuber & Taillieu LLP, who are representing Windermere Holdings LLC have not been answered.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Lucas signed a 15-day temporary restraining order against Pinto-Walsh on April 16 after attorneys representing the Kinkade Family Trust and his widow, Nanette Kinkade, sought to silence her after she spoke to the press after the painter died.

The court documents revealed that the Kinkade family feared Pinto-Walsh would disclose information that would defame, criticize, disparage or discredit Kinkade, his family or his companies.

several media outlets around the country picked up the story.

The temporary injunction prevents Pinto-Walsh from publishing or assisting in the publishing of any book, article, review, notice, press release, advertisement, public or private communication or report concerning Kinkade, his widow or any company owned by Kinkade.

She's also forbidden from selling, trading, publishing, disclosing, producing, permitting access to or otherwise revealing proprietary information defined in a confidentiality agreement she signed in February 2011 to anyone in any manner whatsoever such as photocopy, reproduction or electronic media.

In one of several declarations attached to the restraining order request, Raasch said after she learned that the painter had died, she visited the Monte Sereno Kinkade residence the morning of April 6 to "provide support during what I knew would be a difficult time for the Kinkade family."

During a conversation with Pinto-Walsh, Raasch said she directed her attention to personal photographs, papers and memorabilia belonging to Kinkade concerning his family and said she "intended to release the Kinkade items to the press and to the public."

When she told Pinto-Walsh that disclosing the items to the press and the public would cause great emotional distress to his widow and children, "Pinto-Walsh was unmoved by my entreaty and continued to say she intended to release the Kinkade items to the press and the public."

Multiple calls to Pinto-Walsh have also not been answered.