David James Gardner

David James Gardner, 95, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003. He was born Nov. 5, 1907 in Burnettsville, Ind., to James Madison and Mary Elizabeth Gardner.
His family moved to the San Fernando Valley during his high school years. He served as president of his senior class at Van Nuys High School in 1925, and claimed varsity letters in football, basketball, track and baseball. As a teenager attending the youth group of Van Nuys First Baptist Church, he met Ruth Virginia Luntsford, and in 1929, they married.
Mr. Gardner was a businessman in the Southern California area. His business interests included oil distribution and real estate development. He also served as a deacon and business manager for the Van Nuys First Baptist Church.
In 1963, Mr. and Mrs. Gardner moved to Ojai, where Mr. Gardner was involved in the ministries of the Ojai Valley Community Church for 38 years. He contributed to the Ojai Valley community through Help of Ojai as a van driver and delivering Meals on Wheels. He was also a pancake breakfast chef at Ojai Valley Estates.
His interests included traveling and camping and fishing on the Klamath River. He was a sports fan of the USC Trojans, the L.A. Dodgers and the Anaheim Lakers.
Mr. Gardner is survived by his brother, Glenn Gardner; daughters and sons-in-law Dona and Gene LeMelle, and Dolores and Mike Hoover; eight grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Ruth Virginia Gardner, in 2000, and his daughter, Doris McConnell, in 1990.
Visitation was held Sunday, Feb. 2, from noon to 6 p.m. at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. A service in celebration of his life was held Monday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m. at the Ojai Valley Baptist Church. Interment was Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Gideons International.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Margaret "Madge" Southby

Margaret "Madge" Southby, , died Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 in Melbourne, Australia, where she had returned some years back to be with her family after the death of her husband, Leonard.
While residing in Ojai, she was a member of the Ojai Presbyterian Church and the Mariners' Club, as well as the Double Duffers Golf Club.
She is survived by her sons, David and Robert, and their wives, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all in Australia.
She was preceded in death by her sons, Geoff and John, and her husband, Leonard.

Frances P. Amoruso

Frances P. Amoruso, 95, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, following a long illness. She was born Sept. 16, 1907 in San Jose, Calif., and lived in Ojai for six years, coming from Fresno.
Mrs. Amoruso was a homemaker with many interests and talents.
She is survived by the Petropulos, Dalto, McElroy and Batchelder families, including many nieces, nephews and extended family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Amoruso, in 1992.
Private family services will be held at St. Peter's Cemetery in Fresno.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Trinidad N. Visencio

Trinidad N. Visencio, 89, of Ojai, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 in Ojai following a brief illness. She was born Oct. 17, 1913 in Zacatecas, Mexico, and lived in Ojai since 1945, coming from Mexico.
Mrs. Visencio was a homemaker and member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Ojai.
She is survived by her son, Louis H. Visencio, of Camarillo; grandchildren Michael and Lauren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Catarino Visencio.
Visitation was held Monday, Feb. 3, from 2 to 8 p.m. at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai, with rosary recited at 7 p.m.
Mass of Christian Burial was held Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, with Father Michael McFadden officiating. Interment was to be at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park immediately following Mass.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Lillian V. "Toots" Jackson

Lillian V. "Toots" Jackson, 92, of Ojai, died Sunday, Feb. 3, 2003 after a brief illness. She was born in Deer Lake, N.D., and, at age 7, moved with her widowed mother and four siblings to Ventura, where her grandparents operated a small hotel and boarding facility.
In 1933 she married W. Wilbert Jackson and together they operated a small grocery store in the Ventura Avenue area. They moved to the Ojai Valley in 1944 and opened another grocery store, Jackson's Market, in Meiners Oaks. In 1956 they sold that business and purchased a ranch in the west end of the Ojai Valley where they grew oranges.
Mrs. Jackson's interests included gardening, fishing and camping with friends and family.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Dennis and Nancy Jackson; grandson Chris and granddaughter Holly; three great-grandsons; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbert; a daughter, Charlene; brothers Jay Pendergast, Wayne Pendergast, Squibbs Pendergast and Virgil Stoner; and sisters Mae Pendergast Bernhardt and Adeline Pendergast Cook.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai, with services to be held at that facility on Monday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m.

Louis Hurak

Louis Hurak, 82, of Ojai, died Monday, Feb. 3, 2003, after a long battle with cancer. He was born Sept. 26, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pa., to Emma Slabey and Charles Hurak, both Czechoslovakian immigrants.
He graduated from North East High in Philadelphia, where he was involved in the gymnastics program. He joined the U.S. Navy on June 11, 1940, seeking a career in the electrical field. After boot camp in Newport, R.I., he was assigned to the destroyer, USS Sigourney, in the North Atlantic.
Mr. Hurak served in combat missions throughout the Pacific on the heavy cruiser, USS Chester, during the Pearl Harbor attack. In October 1942, his ship was torpedoed and they put in to Sidney, Australia, for repairs. From there, he went back to the East Coast, where he served on the PC591 in the invasions of North Africa, Italy, Sicily, and southern France. Mr. Hurak also served off the South American coast on the USS Trumpeter.
On Jan. 6, 1945, he married Amelia Mollie Hedbavney, also of Philadelphia, and of Czechoslovakian immigrant parents. When the war ended, Mr. Hurak was assigned to special services duty at Willow Grove Naval Air Station in Pennsylvania. While stationed there, he built a family home in Warrington, Pa.
In 1956, the family moved to Port Hueneme, where Mr. Hurak was a Seebee at the U.S. Naval Constrution Battalion, serving tours of duty in the Philippines and Okinawa. In 1960, they went to the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Polaris Weapon Center in Cutler, Maine, and returned to California in 1961, when Mr. Hurak retired from the Navy.
For a period of time, Mr. Hurak worked for Southern California Edison Company at the Mandalay Generating Station, and as the senior electrical inspector for the County of Ventura. He was called back into the Navy as an electrical instructor at the Seabee base in Port Hueneme, and retired again after 2-1/2 years in 1978.
Working at retirment, Mr. and Mrs. Hurak then went up to Yellowstone National Park, where he did electrical maintenance during the park's open season for 10-1/2 years.
Mr. Hurak's interests included traveling, and he made trips to Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Mexico, the Panama Canal, and Hawaii. He sang with the Oxnard Barbershop Chorus for 10 years and traveled with them to Atlantic City. He was also with the Coast Guard Auxiliary for 20 years, and was an active member of the Masons and Shriners in Oxnard.
Mr. and Mrs. Hurak also served on two mission-work trips to Kauai, and Hilo, Hawaii.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mollie; daughters and sons-in-law Jane and Doug Payne of Ventura, and Joan and John Welborn of Ojai; daughter Sue Hendrickson of Oxnard; son and daughter-in-law Louis and Becky Hurak of Ojai; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
The family would like to extend thanks to Dr. Evan Slater for his medical expertise and care.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 8, at 1:30 p.m. at Ventura Missionary Church, with Pastor Mark Holman and former Pastor Leonard DeWitt officiating. A reception in the Fireside Room will immediately follow the service.
Arrangements are under the direction of Charles Carroll Funeral Directors, Ventura.