Carole Marie Martinsen Collins

Carole Marie Martinsen Collins, 70, of Ojai, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at home with her five children at her side. She was born Oct. 12, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to the Ojai Valley 20 years ago.
Mrs. Collins was an artist and earned her living as an accountant.
She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Christine and Thomas Ringo of Northville, Mich., Lisa and Butch Lee of Santa Ana, Calif., and Laura and David Biedebach of Franklin, Tenn.; son and daughter-in-law Patrick and Beth Collins of Ventura, Calif.; son Thomas Collins of Ojai, Calif.; sister Genevieve White of Costa Mesa, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 5, at 2 p.m. at Ojai Valley Community Church, 907 El Centro St., Ojai.
Memorial contributions may be made to Help of Ojai, P.O. Box 621, Ojai, CA 93024.

Zella Harmonson Balch

Zella Harmonson Balch, 88, of Ojai, died Saturday, March 29, 2003. She was born May 13, 1914 in Archer County, Texas. She had lived in Ojai at Krotona Institute since 1984.
Mrs. Balch was manager of the Krotona Quest Book Store at the institute here in Ojai. She also lived at the Theosophical Headquarters of the American Section in Wheaton, Ill., for several years. In 1975, she went to Adyar, India, for one year, and later again for one year to work at the international center of the Theosophical Society.
She is survived by her son, Robert W. Balch, of Visalia, Calif.; daughter Joyce McDavid, of San Antonio, Texas; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceeded in death by her husband, Tony Balch, in 1970.
A requeim mass is being held today at 10 a.m. at the Liberal Catholic Church of Our Lady of All Angels, 1502 E. Ojai Ave. A reception follows the mass. An informal memorial service will be held at the library/main hall at Krotona Institute of Theosophy in Ojai on Thursday, April 3, at 3 p.m.
Arrangements are under the direction of McDermott-Crockett Mortuary in Santa Barbara.

Madeleine Nichols Watkins

Madeleine Nichols Watkins, 90, of Ojai, died Tuesday, March 25, 2003. She was born Dec. 28, 1912 in Boston, Mass.
She attended Sarah Lawrence College in Chappaqua, N.Y., and graduated from Crafton College in Yucaipa, Calif., in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in medical terminology. She had a career as a real estate broker in Southern California, and also worked as an editor. Her interests included reading.
Mrs. Watkins moved to Ojai in 1998, and attended Ojai Presbyterian Church. She was also a senior volunteer at Little House.
Mrs. Watkins is survived by her three daughters and their husbands, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 5, at 2 p.m. at Ojai Presbyterian Church, 304 N. Foothill Road, Ojai.