Freda Elizabeth Clegg
Freda Elizabeth "Nana" Clegg, 86, died suddenly after surgery Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001 in Ojai. She was born July 30, 1914 to John and Ella Ervin Haring in Los Angeles, Calif., spending her early years around the RCA Studios in Hollywood where her father was a carpenter.
A resident of Ojai since 1955, she had worked as secretary to Matilija Junior High and Nordhoff High School from1957 to 1977. In the Ojai Valley News in 1975, she was written up as Ojai's "busiest woman," which described her as "chief engineer of Grand Central station" at Nordhoff High School. She was honored to be asked to be commencement speaker for the graduating class of 1974. When her husband Bill died in 1973, she wanted to do something special as a memorial to him and bought an Olympic diving board for the Nordhoff pool.
In her early retirement, she traveled all over the world. Mrs. Clegg also volunteered at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital, having been Volunteer of the Year in 1999.
She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law William J. and Diane Clegg of Ojai, Robert E. and Bonnie Clegg of Asheville, N.C.; twin sister Frances Hopkins of Santa Rosa, Calif.; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Clegg was preceded in death by her husband William "Bill" in 1973 and her brother Dr. Robert Haring in 1986.
A celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Memorial donations can be made in her name to Nordhoff High School or Help of Ojai.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home.
Edward J. Chaloupka
Edward J. Chaloupka, 82, died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001 at his home in Ojai. He was born Feb. 4, 1919 in Chicago, Ill., and lived in Ojai for 21 years, coming from Illinois.
Mr. Chaloupka had been a chemist, employed for 33 years at Universal Oil Products.
He volunteered for 15 years in the Boy Scouts program, and was a member of the Retired Professional and Businessmen's Club, Seniors on Stage, the Ojai Valley Volunteer Patrol and the Ojai Valley Civic Bridge Club. He was also a member of the Ojai United Methodist Church and its Chancel Choir.
Mr. Chaloupka is survived by his wife Lucille Chaloupka of Ojai; sons Thomas Chaloupka of Texas, and John Chaloupka of Ojai; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Ojai United Methodist Church, with the Rev. David M. Burgeson and Pastor Jan Nairn officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the Ojai United Methodist Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Miriam L. Forkum
Miriam L. Forkum, 79, of Ojai, died Friday, Feb. 9, 2001 at her residence of natural causes. She was born Aug. 7, 1921 in Quincy, Ill. She had lived in Ojai for three years, coming from Lancaster, Calif.
Mrs. Forkum was a homemaker. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in business administration and was a support to her husband of 37 years, who spent his career as an executive in the steel industry.
She was a member of the Ojai Presbyterian Church and its Thursday Bible study group, and her hobbies included gardening and bridge.
Mrs. Forkum is survived by her daughters Lou Taylor of Ojai, and Pat Davis of Cowley, Wyo.; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Forkum and granddaughter Audrey Taylor.
A memorial service is being held at 11 a.m. today at the Ojai Presbyterian Church, with Pastor Leon Thompson officiating. A private interment
will be held in Lancaster.
Memorials may be made to the Ojai Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Lucy M. Boyles
Lucy M. Boyles, 83, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital after a brief illness. She was born Aug. 7, 1917, in Louisiana, Mo., and lived in Ojai for 46 years, coming from Louisiana, Mo.
Mrs. Boyles was a homemaker and a member of the Ojai Valley Baptist Church. She is survived by her son Thomas E. Boyles of Ojai; and brothers William MacBride of Orlando, Fla., and Robert MacBride of St. Louis, Mo.
Family services will be held in Louisiana, Mo., at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Help of Ojai.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Brekie Rodarte
Brekie Rodarte, 77 of Ojai, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital. He was born Oct. 8, 1923 in Los Angeles, Calif., and has been a Ventura County resident for the last 72 years.
Mr. Rodarte was a carpenter for 30 years, working with the Carpenters Local #150. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his wife Virginia Rodarte of Ojai; son and daughter-in-law Ronald Steve and Cindy Rodarte of Ojai; stepsons John Aguilar of Ventura and Jim Aguilar and wife Tracie of Washington; daughter and son-in-law Yvonne Marie and David Morris of Ojai; stepdaughter Mona Campbell of Ojai; brother Frank Rodarte of Santa Paula; sisters Diane Valenzuela of Arizona, and Juanita Torrez of Oxnard; six grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Rosary services will be held Monday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. in the chapel of the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura, and Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 8:45 a.m. at the San Buenaventura Mission. Burial will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday from 2 to 7 p.m.
Arrangements are under the direction of Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home.
Aaron Lewis Clement
Aaron Lewis Clement, 22, of Ojai, died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at his home after a long bout with cancer. He was born April 6, 1978, in Ventura, and was a lifelong Ojai resident.
Mr. Clement's hobbies included "four-bying," dirt bike riding and radio control cars.
He is survived by his mother Ann Luftenburg and her husband Dale of Oak View; father Terry Clement and his wife Sharon of Kennewick, Wash.; sisters Terra Clement of Ojai, and Madison Clement of Washington; brothers Beau Luftenburg of Ojai, and Christopher Clement of Washington; grandparents Bud and Elizabeth Joy Clement of Washington, and Neal and Delores Luftenburg of Ventura; and more.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at 10 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ojai, with Bishop Dennis Cammack officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Ojai Affiliate. The family would like to thank the community and all nurses and doctors at University of California at Los Angeles and Ventura County Medical Center for their support during his illness.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Marie Bladow
Marie Bladow died Saturday, Feb. 24, 2001, in Chatsworth, Calif. She was a resident of Ojai for 25 years, and an active member of Ojai United Methodist Church, the Sew 'n' Sew Club and the Ojai Valley Estates' clubs and activity groups.
She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Elmer Bladow; sons and daughters-in-law Robert and Celia Bladow, and Ronald and Irene Bladow; daughters and sons-in-law Beverly and George Ashlin, Barbara and Paul Weber, and Debralin and David Singer; daughter-in-law Suzanne Wilson; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Bladow was preceded in death by her son Terrance.
The family has requested that donations be made in her memory to the Church Memorial Garden Fund at Ojai United Methodist Church, 120 Church Road, Ojai, CA 93023.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m. at the Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Chapel in Westlake Village. Arrangements are under the direction of Bade Mortuary in Tujunga.
Gary L. Neal
Gary L. Neal, 53, of Ojai, died Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. He was born Jan. 22, 1947, in Homer, Mich. He lived in Ojai for 11 years and was a Ventura County resident for 23 years, coming from Lima, Ohio.
Mr. Neal was a structural engineer and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #3935 of Port Hueneme.
He is survived by his daughters Shelly Conner, Jodie Tenney and Pam Nickolson, all of Lima, Ohio; son Jason Neal of Ojai; and one grandchild.
A memorial service is being held today at 2 p.m. at Clausen Funeral Home, with Pastor Scott Harrell officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to PETA.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Rose Pryor
Rose Pryor, 85, of Ojai, died Friday, March 2, 2001, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital. She was born Oct. 17, 1916, in Hemming, Minn., and had lived in Ojai since the 1970s.
She is survived by her brother Louie Amelino of Sunnyvale; brother and sister-in-law Victor and Patricia Amelino of Redondo Beach; stepdaughter Joann Evans of Santa Maria; stepson Greg Pryor of Kauai; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceeded in death by her husband Bert Pryor.
Family and friends are welome to come to her home for a memorial on Saturday, March 10, from noon to 2 p.m.
Dale Thorne
Dale Thorne, 75, of Ojai, died Saturday, March 3, 2001, at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura after a sudden illness. He was born May 6, 1925, in Burlington, Kan., and lived in Ojai for 48 years, coming from Burlington.
Mr. Thorne had been a tool pusher for California Production Service for 35 years, retiring in 1988. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #11461, Ojai. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dixie Thorne of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Diane and Jim Von Allmen of Ventura; daughter Debbie Thorne of Ojai; and son-in-law Olan Dolan of Ojai.
Mr. Thorne was preceded in death by his daughter Dalene Dolan in 1997.
Friends may call at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai Thursday, March 8, from noon to 8 p.m. Services will be held at the funeral home Saturday, March 10, at 11 a.m.
A private family burial will take place at Nordhoff Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Easter Seals Pool of Ventura.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Nelda Peterson Fagothey
Nelda Peterson Fagothey, 86, of Oak View, died Monday, March 5, 2001, in Ojai of natural causes. She was born April 15, 1914, in San Francisco, Calif.
Ms. Fagothey was an artist, receiving her art degree from Fresno State University. She studied under Vera Cooke in Hawaii and her original designs were made into "Kahala" Hawaiian shirts. She also developed and created collages using rice paper. She received her master's degree in art at the University of Hawaii and joined the Honolulu Association of Artists.
After moving to Ojai, Ms. Fagothey participated in the first Art DeTour in Ojai. Later, she exhibited at the Ojai Coffee Roasting Co. and the Great Dames' Gallery. She did a show with her daughter Jill Burroughs Wojahn at Great Dames last year.
She is survived by her daughter Jill Wojahn of Oak View; sisters Bette Winthers of Salinas, Calif., and Lois Manter of Fresno, Calif.; and two grandsons.
Private services were held.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to NAAM, Parkinson's Disease Division, 4612 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
John Oliver Kennedy
John Oliver Kennedy, 80, died Wednesday, March 7, 2001, in Los Angeles. He was born Jan. 4, 1921, in Fargo, N.D., the eldest of eight children. He quickly became responsible for the family when his father died when he was 17 years old. The family had no means of support in the years before the Social Security safety net.
He moved to Ventura in 1942 and joined the Merchant Marines. He sailed on tankers in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. In 1945 he married Harriet Grout and briefly settled in Ventura. They had met at the Port Hueneme Base during World War II. He lived most of his life in Ojai, and worked as a meat cutter for Safeway and Bayless Market for many years, retiring in 1983 at the age of 62.
Mr. Kennedy built much of his home on Thacher Road in Ojai while working in the meat markets 50 hours a week in the early 1960s. Later his favorite hobby became remodeling his rental homes. He and his wife often traveled about the country in their motor home, and were members of Good Sam Rovers RV Club for more than 20 years.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Harriet Kennedy; son Larry Kennedy of Camarillo, Calif.; daughter Lynda Kennedy Killingsworth of Pittsburg, Kan.; brothers Patrick Kennedy of Van Nuys, Calif., and James Kennedy of Nipomo, Calif.; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Three brothers and two sisters preceded him in death.
Memorial services will be held at Clausen Funeral Home, 316 E. Matilija St. in Ojai, Saturday, March 10, at 3 p.m.
