05-30-03obituaries

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THE OVN
408A Bryant Circle
Ojai, CA 93023
805.646.1476

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Obituaries for the week ending August 1, 2003

Leroy Melvin "Slim" Fleming

Leroy Melvin "Slim" Fleming, 79, of Ojai, died Saturday, July 26, 2003 of lung cancer in a Ventura hospital. He was born Aug. 12, 1923 in Rattan, Okla., and was a Ventura County resident for the past 57 years, coming from Bakersfield.
Mr. Fleming was an electrician, working for Rockie Mountain Drilling Company for 19 years. When they closed, he went to work for Cal Drill for five years, and also worked at Oil Well Supply. He worked for U.S. Steel for 20 years, retiring in 1991. His hobby was fishing.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Neola Fleming; stepson Robert Reynolds of Bullhead, Nev.; daughter Joann Tankersly of Tulsa, Okla.; brother Gilbert Fleming of Frasier Park; sisters Bernee Stevens of Oak View, Rosetta McKee and Lena Fay McKee, both of Oklahoma, and Durella Farmer of Florida; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Fleming was preceded in death by his son Jim and daughters Ann and Betty.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 31, at 2 p.m. at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, with Pastor Dan Hull officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Joseph Reardon Funeral Home, 757 E. Main St., Ventura, where friends may visit today from 2 to 7 p.m.

Lillian May Mace

Lillian May Mace, 94, of Ojai, died Wednesday, July 23, 2003 in Ojai. She was born July 19, 1909 in Mountain Home, Idaho, and lived in Ojai for 15 years, coming from Maywood, Calif.
Mrs. Mace was a registered nurse, a graduate of Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane, Wash. in 1932. She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She served in the Army Nursing Corp in Santa Barbara at Camp Roberts and in Okinawa during World War II. Her hobbies included cooking, knitting, sewing and watercolors.
She is survived by son Michael T. Mace and daughter Maureen Breton. She was preceded in death by her husband Howard T. Mace in 1998.
Private services will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart School of Nursing, Spokane, Wash.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai. (805) 646-1451.

Lawrence Alan "Larry" Coke

Lawrence Alan "Larry" Coke, 52, of Falcon, Colo., died in his sleep Monday, July 28, 2003. He was born Dec. 21, 1950 at Foster Hospital in Ventura, and lived in Ojai for the next 18 years.
He attended school in Ojai, and then graduated from Santa Barbara City College in 1981. He worked at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara until he moved to Colorado Springs in 1985, where he was employed by County Health Partners. Mr. Coke was an X-ray technician.
He is survived by his daughter, Crystal Coke, of Ventura; his son, Michael Coke, of Colorado Springs; his parents, Merle and Wilma Coke, of Meiners Oaks; brother and sister-in-law Merle Jr. and Beverly Coke of Las Vegas, Nev.; and six grandchildren.

Robert Merkley

Robert Merkley died suddenly in Ojai on Friday, July 18, 2003.
Bob was born in Jasper, Indiana, on May 10, 1930, to Frances Eckert and Edwin Joseph Merkley. He had lived in the Matilija Canyon since 1976 and in Ojai on Fairway Lane since 1986.
Bob graduated from Jasper High School in 1949. He joined the Navy and served in the Korean War. A graduate of Denver University, Bob came to California in 1962 and taught in the Hueneme School District until his retirement in 1995.
Bob was very active in many community organizations. He loved helping with the Villanova events when his children were students there. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Ojai Film Society and the Optimist Club of Ojai. He was co-owner of the Ojai Learning Center.
Bob is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dr. Fran Merkley; son Christopher; daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Jim McKittrick; granddaughters, Caitlin and Lauren; sisters Margaret Rush-Very and Mary Winkler; sister-in-law Edith Merkley; and several nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass was held for Bob at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on Tuesday, July 22. Full military honors will be held for him at the Fort Roscrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
Bob was loved by so many. He will be truly missed by his wife, Fran, and his children, granddaughters, family, friends and all who were touched by his gentle and caring ways.