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HOMEPAGE | HEADLINES | OPINIONS | POLICE BLOTTER | OBITUARIES | SPORTS | HOROSCOPE

 

Obituaries for the week ending December 20, 2002


Richard Reed

Richard Reed, 82, of Ojai, died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002. He was born Aug. 20, 1920 in Pennsylvania. He was a veteran of World War II, being honorably discharged from the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He was a pilot, flight instructor, flight test engineer, aeronautical and mechanical engineer, inventor and musician.
Mr. Reed received many U.S. patents during his 30-year career as an aeronautical engineer, having graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Pennsylvania State University.
He was a member of the Ventura County Concert Band for 11 years, and a charter member of the Ojai Band, which plays during the summer in Libbey Park, playing flute and piccolo. Mr. Reed was an active member of Ojai Presbyterian Church and a member of the Caterpillar Club for bailing out of an airplane to save his life.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years and schoolmate since fourth grade, Virginia Reed, of Ojai; children Richard, Michael, Christina and Timothy; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Susan Jill Reed Webb, and grandson Timothy Samuel Taylor.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 21, at 10 a.m. at the Ojai Presbyterian Church, located at the corner of Foothill Road and Aliso Street, Ojai.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Clarence Edward Johnson Jr.

Clarence Edward Johnson Jr., 57, died Monday, Dec. 9, 2002 at Meridian Care Center in Oxnard, of injuries resulting from an accident that occurred March 15, 1972.He was born June 3, 1945 in Spokane, Wash., to Clarence and Mary Lou Johnson.
The family moved to Bakersfield, Calif., in 1951, where he attended school and graduated from Bakersfield High School. Soon after graduation, he went to Alaska to work on the Alaska pipeline. He was an outdoor sportsman.
Returning to California two years later, he settled in Ojai, where he lived until his accident. Mr. Johnson and his wife and children moved to Santa Barbara in 1974 to continue the medical care provided by Dr. George Halling.
He is survived by his wife, Vickie, of Los Alamos, Calif.; children Larry Johnson of Riverton, Utah, Claudia Blevins of Wynnewood, Okla., Cynthia Ebejer of Los Alamos, and Michelle Thomas of Davis, Okla.; his father, Clarence Johnson; brothers Jack and Dan Johnson of Priest River, Idaho; and six grandchildren.
Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Lou Johnson.
Graveside services are being held today at 11 a.m. at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, with the Rev. Dan Hull officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Joseph Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura.

Elmer "Al" W. Younger

Elmer "Al" W. Younger, 80, of Oak View, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002. He was born Nov. 10, 1922 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Veronica and Elmer Younger Sr.
As a young man, he was an All-American swimming champion, earning many honors. While a student at Iowa State University, he worked as an architect on several houses in the area, and earned acceptance to study with renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. But World War II intervened and he joined the Army Air Corps instead.
Mr. Younger served as a radar observer from 1942 to 1945, flying in the China-Burma-India theater. He flew more than 60 night fighter missions in a P-61 before being discharged as a first lieutenant.
He then returned to Iowa to marry his sweetheart, Betty Kitchen. They joined his mother and father in California, and he pursued studies at the University of Southern California.
In 1949, he decided to re-join the Air Force, where he became a part of the Atomic Energy Team during the Korean War. When he eventually retired from the reserve, he was a lieutenant colonel.
After his service, Mr. Younger joined the aerospace industry in California at North American Aviation. He was part of the development teams for the Hound Dog missile program, all of the Apollo projects and, ultimately, the Space Shuttle program. Ill health forced him to retire after 35 years in the industry.
At that time, he and his wife moved to Oak View with their daughter and son-in-law and their family.
Mr. Younger is survived by his wife, Betty Younger; daughter and son-in-law Sandy and Ed MacGilfrey; son and daughter-in-law Wally and Cindy Younger; four grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; one great-grandchild; and five step-great-grandchildren.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Ojai.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Sue Anne Fischer

Sue Anne Fischer, 50, of Oak View, died Wednesday, Dec.11, 2002 in Ventura following a brief illness. She was born Dec. 6, 1952 in Lubbock, Texas, and lived in the Ojai Valley for five years coming from the Bay Area.
Mrs. Fischer was an international account executive for Federal Express.
She is survived by husband John Fischer of Oak View; daughter and sons-in-law Christy Jeff Gremer of Ft. Collins, Colo.; daughters Ricci Starr of Ventura, and Chelsea Fischer of San Luis Obispo; son Brandon Fischer of Vermont; mother Oleta Worley of Bakersfield, Calif.; sisters Karen Stanfield and Daria Starr, both of Bakersfield; brother and sister-in-law Randy and Sandy Worley of Bakersfield; and granddaughter Ashley Gremer of Ft. Collins, Colo.
A celebration of life was held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai, with Pastor Scott Harrell officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the Lupus Foundation.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Jacques Bamberger

Jacques Bamberger, 93, of Ojai, died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, following a brief illness. He was born Feb. 26, 1909 in Holland, Amsterdam, and had lived in Ojai for four years, coming from Paris.
Mr. Bamberger's interests included traveling, playing bridge (and soccer when he was younger), and gourmet dining.
He is survived by his brothers, Maurice Bamberger, of Ojai, and Harry Bamberger, of South Lake Tahoe; and friend Sam Samaniego of Ojai.
Mr. Bamberger was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Ely "Lilly" Bamberger; two brothers; and three sisters.
No formal services will be held. Memorial donations may be made to Help of Ojai.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Wilma E. Dickens

Wilma E. Dickens, 86, of Ojai, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2002 at Ojai Valley Community Hospital's Skilled Nursing Center. She was born May 29, 1916 in Benedict, Kan., and had been an Ojai resident for five years.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Judy Dickens, of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Lynda and Ed Ranck of Pennsylvania; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Everett M. Dickens.
No formal service will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to Help of Ojai.
Arrangements are under the direction of Charles Carroll Funeral Home, Ventura.

Arthur Camp

Arthur Camp, 79, of Ridgecrest, Calif., died Monday, Nov. 11, 2002 at his home. He was born April 29, 1923 in Los Angeles, Calif.
He was awarded the Bronze Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Medal for action against the enemy on Banika in the Russel Islands during World War II.
After leaving the service, he met and married his wife, Elise. Upon completion of his education, Mr. Camp began a long and varied career as a portrait artist and scenic artist for film and art direction for television and theater. During the 1950s, Mr. Camp painted the original murals for Disneyland and worked at Disney Studios, where he created the sets for the daily episodes of "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Mouseketeers." He also designed automobiles and created renderings and prints for celebrities. In the 1980s, he was commissioned by William Harrah to design the sets and exhibits for the renowned Harrah's Auto Collection in Reno, Nev.
Mr. Camp taught art at Help of Ojai and worked at Point Mugu during the 1990s, and moved to Ridgecrest in 1999. He was employed at Point Mugu and China Lake as the senior visual information officer. His teaching assignments were at many schools and colleges throughout California, including Santa Barbara, Cerro Coso College and at Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe, where he was the chairman of the art department. Mr. Camp continued to teach until the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elise Camp, of Ridgecrest; one daughter; three sons; and two grandsons.
At his request, services will be private.

Margaret A. Lyons

Margaret A. Lyons, 83, of Ojai, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002 at her home. She was born July 24, 1919 in Glasgow, Scotland.
She was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she received her bachelor's degree in nursing. She then met and married Frank Lyons and soon after they moved to California. Her nursing career included public health, California Youth Authority and private duty nursing.
After retiring, Mrs. Lyons volunteered her time at Community Memorial Hospital, Food Share and Meals on Wheels. She also gave her nursing expertise to the people of remote Jamaica, and traveled with Elderhostel.
Mrs. Lyons was a member of Ojai United Methodist Church, where she was also a care giver to shut-ins.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Joey and Eva Lyons, of Ventura; daughter and son-in-law Peggy and Mitchell Fox of Santa Paula; daughter Wendy Lyons of Ojai; brothers Alex and Norman Goble of Vancouver, B.C.; and six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Lyons, and daughter Caroline Mascho.
A celebration of her life will be held Friday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m. at Ojai United Methodist Church, 120 Church Road, Ojai, with Pastor David M. Burgeson officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Help of Ojai's Oak Tree House, P.O. Box 621, Ojai, CA 93024.

Robert Harper McCormick

Robert Harper McCormick, 93, of Ojai, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002 in Ojai, after a lengthy illness. He was born March 29, 1909 in Livingston, Mont., and lived in Ojai for 30 years, coming from Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. McCormick had been the director of reservation services for TWA. He was a graduate of the University of Southern California in 1931. He was a member of the Ojai United Methodist Church and the Ojai Masonic Lodge No. 663, F. & A.M.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Helen J. McCormick, of Ojai; son and daughter-in-law Edward J. and Carole McCormick of Lakewood, Colo.; daughter and son-in-law Barbara A. and Wayne Lake of Coram, N.Y.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held Dec. 19 at 2:30 p.m. at Santa Barbara Cemetery, with Pastor David Burgeson officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

© 2002 The Ojai Valley News