Edward Lewis O'Rear
Edward Lewis O'Rear, 85, of Taft, Calif., died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2002. He was born Nov. 10, 1917 in Rains County, Texas. He was a resident of Ventura for 49 years before moving to Taft two years ago.
Mr. O'Rear used to live in Ojai where he spent time with his friends walking and playing shuffleboard. He won 12 trophies playing shuffleboard.
He is survived by his wife, Bettye, of Taft; daughter Barbara Moseley of Ventura; brothers Jim O'Rear of Oregon, and Chas O'Rear; sisters Martha Tidwell (Marvin) of Oregon, and Argie Hyatt of Indiana; three grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Dorothy Fae O'Rear in November 2000; his parents; two sisters; and daughter Mary Frances.
The family would like to thank Taft Optimal Hospice for their care.
Graveside services are being held today at 10 a.m. at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, with Pastor Don Hull officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura.
Darwin Lannom
Darwin Lannom, 56, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002 at Ojai Valley Community Hospital of pneumonia. He was born May 5, 1946 in Tucson, Ariz., and lived in Ojai for 35 years.
Mr. Lannom was cook for The Oaks at Ojai and was also an artist. His paintings were on display at Acacias Care Center and articles had been written about him in the Ojai Valley News.
He is survived by his father, Robert W. Lannom; mother Esther Lannom; sisters D.E. Timm, Jean Brinlee, Linda Jaimes and Nancy Soto; brothers Thomas Lannom, Dean Lannom and Bill Brocamonte; 14 nephews and two nieces.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Michael A. Lannom.
Services were held Nov. 30 at Clausen Funeral Home.
Arrangements were under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.
Linda Kay Brandolino
Linda Kay Brandolino, 50, of Ojai, died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2002 at her home after battling malignant melanoma. She was born Dec. 2, 1951 in San Francisco, Calif., to Robert and Dorothy Jones, the youngest of four children.
She grew up in Rochester, Minn. She attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and later became a psychiatric technician, caring for the developmentally disabled and ill in Rochester and at Camarillo State Hospital. She married Daniel Brandolino in 1977.
Mrs. Brandolino also worked at the Smart Start Child Care Center at Mira Monte Elementary School, and was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Ojai Second Ward, where she participated in the annual "Celebration of Christ, Nativities of the World" project.
She is survived by her husband, Daniel Brandolino, of Ojai; children Ellen, Lindsay and Adam; mother and father Dorothy and Robert Jones of Wabasha, Minn.; siblings Robert Jones, Sharon Stewart, and Roger Jones; son-in-law Greg Bursett; and her first grandchild, Byron.
She was preceded in death by her son, Justin.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 411 San Antonio St., Ojai. A graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at Conejo Mountain Memorial Cemetery in Camarillo.
In lieu of flowers, send contributions to Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 101, Ventura CA 93003, or Melanoma Research Foundation, 23704-5 El Toro Road, #206, Lake Forest, CA 92630, in memory of Linda Brandolino.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.
Glen Reaford "Reaf" Wear
Glen Reaford "Reaf" Wear, 68, of Santa Paula, died Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 2002 of a sudden illness. He was born April 27, 1934 in Teleco Plains, Tenn., and moved to Ojai in 1943, where he attended San Antonio Elementary School and graduated from Nordhoff High School in 1953. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1956.
Mr. Wear married Charlotte Ann Russell on May 6, 1956. He owned and operated a construction company for 32 years. The Wears lived in the Ojai Valley for 30 years, raising their family of four children, and moved to Santa Paula in 1986.
Mr. Wear is survived by his wife, Charlotte, of Santa Paula; his four children, Rusty, Cindy, Cheryl and Charlene; mother Maude Wear of Kingwood, Texas; sister and brother-in-law Orlanda and David Grant, also of Kingwood, Texas; brother and sister-in-law Daniel and Rosemary Wear of Lompoc; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Peggy Russell of Santa Paula; sister-in-law Donna Woolwine of Oak View; 10 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, B. Glen Wear.
Services are being held today at 1:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Paula. Burial will be at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park.
Arrangements are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary in Santa Paula.
Rear Admiral John S. Coye Jr.
Rear Adm. John S. Coye Jr., USN (Ret.), 91, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002. He was born April 24, 1911 in Berkeley, Calif., and was a direct descendant (fifth great-nephew) of John Parker, captain of the Minutemen at Lexington, Mass., in 1775.
Rear Adm. Coye was a highly decorated naval officer in World War II with six patrols as skipper of the submarine, USS Silversides. Cmdr. Coye and his crew sank the third highest tonnage in the Pacific and he received the Navy Cross with two Gold Stars for "extraordinary heroism."
Upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933, he began 35 years of active naval service, which included commanding submarines, a heavy cruiser, an amphibious group and serving with NATO. In 1968, he retired to Coronado, Calif., for 30 years of sailing and racing his Cal-25, Sea Dog. His lifelong hobbies included playing the organ, woodworking and photographing his worldwide cruises, including one around Cape Horn. He served as commodore of the Coronado Yacht Club in 1975.
Rear Adm. Coye is survived by his wife of 67 years, Elizabeth, of Ojai; his daughters Cmdr. Beth F. Coye, USN (Ret.), of Ashland, Ore., and Sarah White, of Ojai; son and daughter-in-law John S. and Sally Coye III, of Windsor, Calif.; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
There will be a private family service with full military honors this month at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery overlooking San Diego Bay where he used to sail.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Raymond G. Hagadorn
Raymond G. Hagadorn, 76, of Ojai, died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2002, surrounded by his family. He was born Dec. 4, 1925 in Kansas City, Mo., and had been an Ojai resident since 1945.
Mr. Hagadorn was employed by Shell Oil Company in Ventura as a diesel mechanic for 18 years and finished his career with Dresser-Rand after 28 years as a service supervisor.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Ojai for 56 years, and also served with the U.S. Army during World War II as a paratrooper. His interests included country music and taking trips to Laughlin, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and the desert.
He is survived by his wife, Geraldine; daughters and sons-in-law Barbara and Chuck Taylor of Oxnard, and Susan and Don Small of Lancaster; stepchildren Gail Nye and her partner, Lloyd Beaver, Cristie Strasser, Jim Strasser, and Kenny and Joy Strasser; five grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Sr., his mother, Zola, and son Thomas.
At Mr. Hagadorn's request, no services will be conducted and there will be a private burial.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
David Wayne Glazer
David Wayne Glazer, previously of Ojai and Camarillo, crossed over suddenly on November 27, 2002 in a Henderson, Nevada hospital due to complications with diabetes at the young age of 56.
David was born in Compton, California, in 1945. He moved to the Ojai Valley in 1949. He graduated from Nordhoff High School in 1964. David enlisted in the United States Navy after graduation. He was a Vietnam Veteran, having served a year at DaNang Naval Hospital. The Navy introduced David to a profession that he would pursue until, because of his diabetes, he was unable to serve others.
After his Navy tour, David continued to work diligently and compassionately to help others. He spent the next 30 years working in Burbank area hospitals and clinics. His greatest satisfaction was comforting and helping patients with AIDS.
Upon his retirement in 1998, he moved to Camarillo. In July, David and his companion of 31 years were able to fulfill their lifelong dream to move to Henderson, Nevada, where his time on earth ended.
David was an avid reader and had a great passion for music. He amassed a wonderful collection of books he had read and cherished. His record collection of more than 1,000 titles included all types of music from the '60s to present.
David will be greatly missed by his devoted companion of 31 years, Raymond Rosco Dean. Their commitment and love for each other was immeasurable.
He also leaves his sister, Chris Neary, and brother-in-law, Alex, who embraced his love, laughter and wonderful sense of humor, which will be profoundly missed.
Surviving family members also include his birth father, Burris C. Farris, and his wife, Helene, of San Antonio, Texas; his mother, Patricia Glazer, of Ventura; stepsister Beverly Glazer of Ventura; stepbrother Dale Glazer of Danville; his devoted cousins, Phyllis Jane Anderson of Oxnard, and Cheryl Schully of Camarillo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
David was preceded in his journey to the other side by his devoted grandparents, Bill and Berta Weaverling, of Ojai, and his father, Mitchell (Mick) Glazer, also of Ojai.
Under the direction of Raymond Dean, and in accordance with David's wishes, there will be a private family celebration of David's life. At his direction his ashes will be spread and rest upon the hills of Camarillo.
David will be greatly missed by all those who understood him and appreciated his spontaneous wit and humor and love for his fellow man.
I cupped your face and whispered "you could go."
Now, my heart aches with sadness and many tears will flow.
What it meant to lose you no one will ever know.
And if tears could build a stairway,
And memories were a road to heaven,
I'd walk right up there,
And bring you back to be with me, again.
But that can never happen,
So for now you'll wait for me.
Thanks for the memories,
My brave and loyal brother.
Cecil Irvin Taylor
Cecil Irvin Taylor, 74, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002. He was born March 4, 1928 in Highland Park, Mich., to Bertha Buhl and Cecil Frank Taylor of Detroit, Mich.
He attended Detroit public schools until moving to Ann Arbor, Mich., in the early 1940s. In January of 1948, he graduated from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. He enlisted in the Michigan National Guard in 1947, and married Barbara Jean Salisbury, of Ann Arbor, in 1951.
In 1951, Mr. Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Denver, Colo., at Lowry Air Force Base for four years, attending U.S. Air Force schools in electronics, mechanics, computers and education, while he was also an instructor. His honorable discharge as staff sergeant occurred in 1954.
In 1955, Mr. Taylor manufactured the first all-transistor geiger counter for Modern Living Electric, Inc., in Denver, a company he founded. He moved back to Ann Arbor in 1956 to work on the Atlas Computer at Burrough's Corporation, which was used to put man on the moon. He then worked for the Bendix Corporation in Ann Arbor, as a component engineer, supervisor of instrument engineering, logistic engineer and maintainability engineer.
Mr. Taylor next worked as senior quality control engineer for AVCO Corporation in Richmond, Ind., and then as quality control head at General Dynamics in Newark, N.Y. He was a missile transportation specialist during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Early in his career, he was a charter member of the Society of Logistic Engineers, a senior member of the American Society of Manufacturing Engineers and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
In January of 1972, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor conceived of and directed a nonprofit art center called Artworlds, a multimedia school of the arts in Ann Arbor, with programs in dance, photography, crafts, fine arts, martial arts, theater arts, music and more. At its zenith, 40 instructors were teaching 800 students, and the center continued with Mr. Taylor until 1980, at which time he moved to Channel Islands Harbor, Calif., where he took up work for Abex Aerospace in Oxnard as reliability manager, later including quality control.
Retiring in 1987, he and his wife moved to Ojai.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara J. Taylor, of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Laurie and Michael Taylor-Ladd, and grandchildren Kristen and Beau Ashton Taylor-Ladd, of Ojai; son Todd Andrew Taylor of San Diego, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law Brook Elliot and Marion Taylor, and grandchildren Clare and Mastina Taylor, of Eugene Ore.
A private memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 7, at Our Lady and All Angels Liberal Catholic Church in Ojai, with the Rev. Jim Voirol officiating. Ashes of the deceased will be scattered at sea.
Arrangements were under the direction of McDermott-Crocket Mortuary in Santa Barbara through Channel Cities Memorial Society of Ventura.
Herbert C. Mercer
Herbert C. Mercer, 101, died Friday, Dec. 6, 2002 at his home in Ojai after a brief illness. He was born Feb. 23, 1901 in Ventura, and was a lifelong county resident. He had lived in Ojai for 40 years.
Mr. Mercer was a rancher and a veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his brother, Ben Mercer, of Ojai, and many nieces and nephews.
Graveside services are being held today at 10 a.m. at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, with the Rev. Jeff Holland officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to a favorite charity.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.
Kathrine Mohr Meister
Kathrine Mohr Meister, 87, of Ojai, died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002 at her home after a short illness. She was born Nov. 22, 1914 in Gatliff, Ky., and had lived in Ojai for 28 years, coming from Glendale, Calif.
Mrs. Meister was a homemaker.
She is survived by her daughter, Erika Meister, of Ojai; and a niece, Judy Munroe, of Oregon.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William C. Meister, in 1985.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. Private inurnment will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.
Dan Spencer
Dan Spencer, 76, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002 at his home following a four-year battle with prostate cancer. He was born Oct. 6, 1926 in Los Angeles, and had lived in Ojai since 1967, coming from Hawaii in 1941.
Mr. Spencer was owner-operator of Spencer Trucking and a motorcycle enthusiast.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Marlene Spencer, of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Dani and Jesse VanDiver of Oak View; brother and sister-in-law Bill and Ann Faith of Ridgecrest, Calif.; father Earl Faith and companion Fran Binnion of Ventura; granddaughter Kylie Stump of Oak View; and many nephews.
The family would like to extend special thanks to all the staff at Livingston Memorial Hospice, especially Carol McCormick.
A celebration of life will be held at later date.
Memorials may be made to Livingston Memorial Hospice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.
Memorial Service
A memorial service for Raymond Tracy of Eugene, Ore., who had lived in Ojai for 40 years, will be held Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Ojai, with the Rev. Corrie Lassen officiating.
