Sandra "Sandy" Jane DeShan

Sandra "Sandy" Jane DeShan, 54, of Ojai, died Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003 at UCLA Medical Center, following a brief illness. She was born Sept. 27, 1948 in Bell, Calif.
She lived most of her life in the Ojai area, and was a 1966 graduate of Nordhoff High School. She worked as a Realtor. Her interests included animals, interacting with people, fishing and walking on the beach, watching the dolphins.
She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Randy and April Ramage of Oroville, Calif., and Cory and Leah Ramage of Ojai; sisters Sharon Berzins, Susan Farrell, Sheila Bibby, and Shelly DeShan; brother Ken DeShan; sister-in-law Tina Sheets and her husband, J.R.; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her longtime husband, David Ramage.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m. at the Nordhoff Cemetery in Ojai. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to an account for her grandchildren to Susan Farrell, 3250 Pleasant Valley Road, Camarillo, CA 93012.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Margaret Brammer Thomas

Margaret Brammer Thomas, 75, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 3, 2003 at her home after a brief illness. She was born June 1, 1927 in Sharpsburg, Ky., the daughter of French Monroe Brammer and Cora Ellen Burke.
After graduating from Sharpsburg High School in 1944, she attended the Fugazzi Business College in Lexington, Ky. Upon college graduation, she returned to her hometown, where she taught shorthand and typing at Sharpsburg High School. She moved to Los Angeles in 1950 and worked as an administrative assistant for 20 years. She and her late husband, William H. Thomas, moved from Los Angeles to Ojai in 1970. They were married on Feb. 1, 1970 at their new home on the Hermitage Ranch.
Mrs. Thomas was involved in many local activities, including the Ojai Music Festival, the Ojai Tennis Tournament and the Ojai Valley Museum.
She is survived by her son, William French Jackson, of Oxnard.
A memorial service was held Jan. 7 at 2 p.m. at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. A graveside service will be held at Crown Hill Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Ky., where she will be interned beside her husband, Bill, who preceded her in death on Feb. 28, 1995.
Her son has requested that any memorial donations be made to the Ojai Valley Museum, 130 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai, CA 93023, Attn: David Mason.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Darthey "Dot" Riggs

Darthey "Dot" Riggs, 77, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 3, 2003 at Ojai Valley Community Hospital, following a lengthy illness. She was born Feb. 26, 1925 in LaGrange, Ga., and had lived in Ojai for 34 years, coming from Santa Barbara. In 1947, her family moved to California, where she met and married Olen Riggs.
Mrs. Riggs was a seamstress. She was a member of the Optimist Club of Ojai, the Elks Lodge No. 1538-Santa Maria, and a bowler.
She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Gary Orm, of Oak View, and Kerry and Jack Kirk of Zalma, Mo.; grandchildren Sandra Orm, Tamara Orm, Shawn and Tammy Orm, Joseph and Tammy Franck, John and Jennifer Franck and James Lee Kirk; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Floyd J. Freudenthal

Floyd J. Freudenthal, 90, of Oak View, died Monday, Jan. 6, 2003 after a short illness, surrounded by his family. He was born Dec. 12, 1912 in Charlton, Mass.
He married Hazel Eddy on Feb. 23, 1935 at the Greenville Baptist Church in Rochdale, Mass. He moved his family to California in 1952, and worked for Cooper Tracking in the San Fernando Valley for 20 years, retiring in 1973. He spent his retirement in Medford and Klamath Falls, Ore. His interests included traveling, dancing and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Freudenthal moved to Oak View in 1999 to live with their daughter and son-in-law.
He is survived by his sister, Virginia Loranger, of Oxford, Mass.; son and daughter-in-law Floyd and Candy Freudenthal of Medford, Ore.; daughters and sons-in-law Marilyn and Robert Chase of Newhall, Calif., Mary and J.C. McCubbins of Sunrise Beach, Mo., and Joyce and Donald Overbaugh of Oak View; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Hazel Freudenthal, and daughter Judith Cook of Boise, Idaho.
The family would like to thank Dr. Fred Fauvre and the staff at Ojai Valley Community Hospital for their care.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Jan. 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Ojai Presbyterian Church, 304 N. Foothill Road, Ojai. Graveside services will follow at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to Ojai Presbyterian Church or Ojai Valley Community Hospital.
Arrangements are under the direction of Eternal Valley Memorial Park and Mortuary, Newhall.

LaVona J. Daines

LaVona J. Daines, 79, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 3, 2002 in Ojai Valley Community Hospital, following a lengthy illness. She was born Jan. 23, 1923 in Meadow Grove, Neb., and had lived in Ojai for 12 years, coming from Phoenix, Ariz.
Ms. Daines was a homemaker and a member of the Ojai United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her sons, Charles Garbarino, of Anaheim, Calif., Jim Garbarino of Sahuarrita, Ariz., and Michael Daines of Arizona; daughters Jeanne Black of Orange, Calif., Janet Fouch of Green Valley, Ariz., and Patricia Overcash of Hudson, Colo.; 10 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Private family services will be held.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.

Betty Jo Strong

Betty Jo Strong, 78, of Ojai, died unexpectedly Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002. She was born March 5, 1924 in Canadian, Texas, to Hal and Pearl Buckner, and moved with her parents to Ojai in 1928. A resident of Ventura County for 74 years, she lived 66 of those years in the Ojai Valley.
She attended Ojai Elementary School and Nordhoff Union High School, graduating cum laude in 1942 with a lifetime membership in the California Scholarship Federation. She was involved in Quill and Scroll, an international honorary society for high school journalists, as well as the Rangerettes, a girls' honorary service group acting as official school hostesses. She placed first in a drama competition sponsored by the Ojai Shakespeare Club, playing the part of Ophelia in "Hamlet." She began playing the piano by ear at age 3 and often invented her own renditions throughout her life. She also played the organ.
As a youngster, she worked at the family business, Buckner's Cleaners, located in the Arcade. The family built their first home (which later became The Herb Garden) on Montgomery Street. While Mrs. Strong's father was instrumental in the planning and building of the Church of Christ in Meiners Oaks, she chose to attend the Ojai Presbyterian Church, where, at the age of 15, she taught Sunday school to preschool children for three years.
Her first "real" outside job was as a cub reporter for Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kilbourne, owners and editors of The Ojai (now the Ojai Valley News). From 1942 to 1943 she worked as a receptionist for Dr. C.G. Grace, the only medical doctor in the valley at the time. For four months in 1943, she studied commercial art at the Los Angeles Art Center, but returned home to work as a private secretary at Port Hueneme.
On June 13, 1944, she became the first female from Ojai to enlist in the military service, in the Air WAC. She was sent to Fort Des Moines, Iowa, for basic training, and was later transferred to the 2619th AAF Base Unit (Bombardier School) in Carlsbad, N.M., where she served as a field locater.
During this time, she met and married Robert E. Mack from Hillsdale, Ind., also stationed at the bombardier school. They would later return to Ojai to raise their family of three children. She joined the Ojai Junior Women's Club and also worked part-time for the Ojai Water Company, located in the Arcade.
In 1954, she married her high school sweetheart, Courtland R. Strong Jr. The family lived in Ventura for seven years. They had three children, and Mrs. Strong was a member of the Ventura Junior Women's League.
Returning to the Ojai Valley, she worked for AARP, the Ojai Valley Youth Employment Service and Grey Gables. Mrs. Strong also joined the Ojai American Legion Post 482, where she acted as post chaplain and finance officer. She marched in one of the Ojai Valley Fourth of July parades with other veterans and also spoke at Memorial Day services held at the Nordhoff Cemetery. The Ojai Valley Museum has included photos of Mrs. Strong in its current exhibit, a tribute to local men and women who served their country during wartime.
Her interests included art and writing. She often wrote letters to the editor and compiled a small booklet of thoughts and poems for her family one Christmas.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ivy Lynne and Stephen Hovley, of Ojai; son John Hal Strong of Washington; son David William Strong and his friend, Mary Ann, of Upper Ojai; daughter Patrice Suzanne Strong of Ojai; 15 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Hal and Pearl Buckner, brothers John and Patrick Buckner, and sons Forest Robert Mack and Richard Elliott Mack.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Legion Post 482, Fund for Disabled and Needy Veterans of the Ojai Valley, or the Ojai Humane Society.
Private family services will take place at a later date.
Arrangements were under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai