Digby "Ted" Ford
Digby "Ted" Ford, 89, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital following a brief illness. He was born April 25, 1912, in Fort Worth, Texas, to a family of 14 children.
Mr. Ford was a machinist for General Dynamics for 34 years.
He is survived by one sister, Belfa Montgomery, of Torrance, Calif.; and many nieces and nephews in California and Texas.
Services will be held in Fort Worth, Texas.
Arrangements in California are under the arrangement of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Howard Hansen
Howard Hansen, 80, of Oak View, died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura surrounded by his family. He was born Sept. 24, 1921, to Louis and Mary Johnson Hansen in Bloomingdale, Ill.
He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. After the war, he lived and worked for Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Wash., and then settled in Southern California where he met and married Betty Armijo in September 1956. Mr. Hansen worked as a tool and die maker in the aerospace industry for more than 40 years until his retirement in 1985.
Mr. and Mrs. Hansen purchased land in Oak View in 1978 and spent a year building their retirement home. Mr. Hansen's interests included photography, rebuilding cameras, restoring old family photographs, and researching subjects that caught his attention.
He was active in the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, and was committed to pursuing veteran status for the Merchant Marines. He traveled with other veterans to Washington, D.C., to secure official National Historical Landmark status for the S.S. Lane Victory, a World War II cargo ship now berthed in San Pedro, Calif.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Barbara Hansen, of Oak View; four stepchildren; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held today at 1 p.m. at the Santa Paula Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Edwin John "Kitar" Erickson
John "Kitar" Erickson, 56, died Sept. 29, 2001, due to heat stroke while mountain biking in the hills above Santa Barbara.
"Kitar" arrived in Ojai in the early '70s and soon became a leader in various civic/political projects, including organizing and directing the Green Dot Food Co-op, co-founding and providing great impetus for Stop Uranium Now, fighting Petrochem, stopping the gypsum mine, helping in the early efforts of R.E.A.P., leading the fight against Diablo Canyon and raising concsiousness about the problems with the RocketDyne facility in the Santa Susanna Hills.
During this time, he founded Aptech, a solar energy firm, which was the last business operated where Ojai's newest park is now being built. He moved to Santa Barbara in the mid-'80s and founded Santa Barbara Watersports, a kayak outfitter, which continues today as Aquasports, providing kayak adventures of the coast and the Channel Islands.
In his later years, Mr. Erickson was totally immersed in the Internet and e-commerce.
He is survived by his father, M.L. Erickson, and sister Beth Smithwick of Lake of the Pines, Calif.; brothers Tom Erickson of Ojai, and Rob Erickson of Portland, Ore.; son Robby Erickson and grandson Cyrus of Boulder, Colo.; daughter Ara Kaufer-Erickson of Seattle, Wash.; and several nieces and nephews and their children.
A sharing of memories was held at Full Circle Farm in Upper Ojai on Oct. 3, with about 50 people in attendance. The sharing was taped. Additions to the tape are welcome from those who would still like to share. The tape is available for anyone who wants to hear/see it. Contact Tom Erickson at 525-8987.
Carol Jean Grossnicklaus
Carol Jean Grossnicklaus, 43, of Oxnard, died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2001, after a battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 1, 1958, in Madison, Wisc.
She graduated from Camarillo High School where, as a junior, she was nominated to go to the National Science and Advanced Math Program. She went on the the University of California at Santa Barbara where she graduated with a degree in geology. She then sought a master's degree in geology at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. She also earned her teaching credential at California Lutheran University and a master's of arts in math education from California State University-Northridge.
Ms. Grossnicklaus worked as a math and science teacher at Oxnard High School for 14 years, and was the sponsor for the Oxnard High Knowledge Bowl team. She was also the Math Engineering Science Association counselor.
She was recognized for her role as an author and founding member of College Preparatory Math Curriculum, rated as an "Exemplary Mathematics Program" by the U.S. Department of Education. She was on the WASC committee for state accreditation for Oxnard High, and was also a member of the Oxnard High School Freshmen Success Program, which helped students with low academic skills to achieve success. She was a regular supporter of Oxnard High football and her students' sporting endeavors.
Ms. Grossnicklaus' interests included progressive jazz. She was a member of the Ventura County Dog Fanciers Club and owned a champion Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen named Angel.
She is survived by her mother, Nancy Grossnicklaus, of Ojai; her stepmother, Donna Grossnicklaus, of Paso Robles; brother and sister-in-law Dan and Janet Grossnicklaus of Fresno; sister and brother-in-law Jeri and Troy Becker of Ojai; and aunt Cuma Netherton of Statesville, N.C.
She was preceded in death by her father, Paul Grossnicklaus.
A memorial service was held Thursday, Dec. 20, at 4:30 p.m. at Mount Cross Lutheran Church in Camarillo.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ventura County Sheriff's K-9 Unit, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009, or The Wellness Community (a cancer support group), 530 Hampshire Road, Westlake Village, CA 91361, or The Cancer Center of Ventura County, 1700 N. Rose Ave., #145, Oxnard, CA 93030.
Arrangements were under the direction of Conejo Mountain Memorial Park Funeral Home in Camarillo.
Marvin A. Bacon
Marvin A. Bacon, 94, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001, at Acacias Care Center in Ojai. He was born Feb. 1, 1907, in Milwaukee, Wis.
Mr. Bacon was a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he earned his doctorate in economics in 1941. He worked for several years in the Federal Department of the Budget before serving two years in the U.S. Army. Following his discharge in 1945, he had assignments in the Office of Price Control, followed by Review of Requests by Government Agencies for Funds, and the Marshall Plan implementation, involving travel to the Middle East.
In 1965, he retired from the State Department and spent one year as assistant professor of economics at Maryland University.
Mr. Bacon and his wife, Isabel, retired to Naples, Fla. In 1967, his wife died, and nine years later he married Rita Scully in Virginia. They lived in Hampton, Long Island, N.Y., and later moved to Naples, Fla. Rita Bacon died in 1996, and Mr. Bacon moved to Ojai in 1999.
He is survived by his brother, Howard W. Bacon, of Ojai. He was preceded in death by his two wives, and two brothers, Kenneth of Davidson, N.C., and F. Roger of Grosse Pointe, Mich.
A family memorial service is pending. Interment
will be at Naples Memorial Gardens, Naples, Fla.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Elizabeth "Lucille" Ross
Elizabeth "Lucille" Ross, 89, of Ojai, died Friday, Dec. 22, 2001, in Ventura. She was born Feb. 22, 1912, in Nowata, Okla., and was a 50-year Ventura County resident, coming from Texas.
Mrs. Ross worked at Camarillo State Hospital, and was a homemaker who raised seven other children in addition to her own daughter. Her hobbies included biking, shopping and going to Laughlin.
She is survived by her daughter, Darlene Seger, of Ventura; grandchildren Cheryl (Hyatt) Lechene of Utah, Lana McDaniel of Ojai, Jerry Hyatt of Utah, and Jack, Ron and Jim McDaniel, all of Ojai; 17 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is being held today at 1 p.m. at the Church of Christ, 411 N. Montgomery St. in Ojai, with the Rev. Jim Short officiating.
Merlin "Bill" Wilson
Merlin "Bill" Wilson, 88, of Ojai, died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2001, at his home after a lengthy illness. He was born June 9, 1913, in Clearwater, Kan. He was a 60-year Ventura County resident, with 50 years in Ojai, coming from Wichita, Kan.
Mr. Wilson was a dispatcher at Port Hueneme and had worked at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ojai, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
His family would like to thank all the care givers who made his last days more enjoyable.
He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Richard J. and Katy Atkinson of Santa Ynez, and David G. and Pat Atkinson of Oak View; son-in-law Bill Rhoades of Ojai; nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Alma Wilson, and daughter Sharon Rhoades.
Funeral services will be held Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai, with Dr. Wilbur Skeels officiating. Interment
will follow at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home.
