Katherine Goshko
Katherine Goshko, 95, of Ojai, died Saturday, Jan. 23, 1999, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital after a lengthy illness.
She was born April 16, 1903, in the Ukraine, and had lived in Ojai for 15 years, coming from Long Beach, Calif.
Mrs. Goshko was a homemaker, a Canadian actress and a free-lance writer for newspapers and magazines. She was active in AARP while living in Long Beach. She also taught classes in cardiopulmonary resuscitation through the American Red Cross. She was a member of Women's Aglow, an international women's Christian group.
Mrs. Goshko is survived by her son Joseph D. Goscoe of Vancouver, B.C., Canada; daughters Dollia Van Remoortere of San Francisco and Vera Johnston of Ojai; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Michael Goshko in 1967.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, at 3 p.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Ojai, conducted by Pastor Jan Nairn and Rev. Harold W. Ruddick. Private inurnment will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Long Beach.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Child Development Center of Simi Valley Hospital. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
S. Anna Bird
S. Anna Bird, 93, of Ojai, died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at Acacias Care Center in Ojai after a lengthy illness.
She was born Sarah Anna Burton Sept. 24, 1905, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was an Ojai resident for 30 years, coming from Inglewood, Calif. Mrs. Bird, a homemaker, was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ojai 2nd Ward.
She is survived by her daughter Claudia Allen of La Miranda, Calif.; daughter-in-law Jeanne Bird of Courtland, Calif.; sister-in-law Beverly Bird of Beaverton, Ore.; nine grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her husband Claude E. Bird in 1985, her son Bruce B. Bird and son-in-law Denzel C. Allen Jr.
Funeral services were held Jan. 25 in Ojai. Arrangements were under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Carroll Ogletree
Carroll "Gene" Ogletree, 72, died Saturday, Jan. 23, 1999, at his home in Oak View after a short illness.
He was born Feb. 5, 1926, in Claude, Texas, and had lived in Oak View 48 years, coming from Merced, Calif. Mr. Ogletree was a plastering contractor in the Ojai Valley. He was a submarine veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife Vera Ogletree of Oak View; sons Patrick Ogletree of Ojai and John Boubel of Burbank, Calif.; brothers John, Willis and Edward Ogletree, all of Oroville, Calif.; sister Myrtle Peters of Mantera, Calif.; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Mr. Ogletree was preceded in death by his son Michael David Ogletree, who died in a helicopter crash in 1989 while serving in the U.S. Navy.
A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. Cremation will be followed by scattering at sea off the coast of Ventura.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Livingston Hospice. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Betty Jean Leasure
Betty Jean Leasure, 61, of Ojai, died Saturday, Jan. 23, 1999, surrounded by her family, following a battle with lung cancer.
Mrs. Leasure, the only child of Roy and Bonnie Boyd, was born April 26, 1937, in Lost Corner, Ark. She moved to Oxnard in 1942 and then to Ojai in 1984. Mrs. Leasure was a wife and mother. She retired from the Automobile Club of Southern California in 1992. Mrs. Leasure was active in the Ojai Church of Christ.
She is survived by her husband Paul Leasure of Ojai; stepfather John Duvall of Whittier, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law Paul and Sharon Leasure of Arvada, Colo.; son Tom Leasure of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Belinda and Kirk Jackson of Ojai; adopted son Frank Dunn of Ojai; and two grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held today at 1 p.m. at Clausen Funeral. Home in Ojai. Burial will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura. Donations may be sent to the Search Children's Home, 900 N. Main, Searcy, Ark. 72143.
Lois A. Burk
Lois A. Burk, 70, of Ojai, died at her home Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1999.
She was born Feb. 11, 1928, in McKeesport, Pa., to Carl F. and Ethel Marks Peistrup. The family moved to Santa Monica, Calif. while she was in secondary school.
Mrs. Burk was a registered nurse for 42 years after graduating from St. John's Hospital School of Nursing in 1948.
She also attended the University of California at Los Angeles. She has been an Ojai resident since 1975, coming from San Pedro, Calif.
Mrs. Burk had been an active member and elected officer of the Ventura County Dog Fanciers, the Golden State Chow Club and the national Chow Chow Club. For many years, the family was active in breeding and showing purebred dogs.
She is survived by her daughter Michele G. Burk of Harbor City, Calif.; daughter and son-in-law Patricia and Loran Qualls of Ripon, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Mrs. Burk was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Robert C. Burk Jr. in 1986 and her son Robert C. Burk III in 1994.
An open house and celebration of her life will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Burk residence in Ojai.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to HELP of Ojai, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai, CA 93023.
Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai. Inurnment will be private.
Link Schmeling
Link Schmeling, 70, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at home after a lengthy illness. He lost his battle with lung cancer as a non-smoker.
He was born Feb. 12, 1928, in Winneconne, Wis., and had lived in Ojai for 34 years. He was a Ventura County resident for 40 years, coming from Redondo Beach, Calif.
Mr. Schmeling was roofing contractor. He and his wife Bernice owned Ojai Roofing from 1969 to 1997 and had also previously owned Rustic Roofing and Eggleston Roofing. He was a member of the Ojai Valley Moose Lodge #1417.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Bernice Schmeling, of Ojai; daughters and sons-in-law Carolyn and Stephen Danielson of Wisconsin, and Cindy and Barry Ogle of Redondo Beach; son and daughter-in-law John R. and Kim Schmeling of Ojai; son Craig Fort of Ventura; sister and brother-in-law Lorraine and Karl Ginnow of Sun City, Ariz.; mother Luella Nerad of Llano, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Schmeling was preceded in death by his father Oscar Schmeling and sister Betty Cooney.
Friends may call at Clausen Funeral Home today from noon to 8 p.m. Services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at Clausen Funeral Home, with Pastor Jan Nairn officiating. Interment
will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.
Memorials may be made to Ojai Valley Moose Lodge #1417.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Caroline Rockenbaugh
Caroline Rockenbaugh, 83, of Ojai, died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999, at her home after a lengthy illness.
She was born Jan. 23, 1916, in Terre Haute, Ind., and lived in Ojai for 47 years, coming from Albuquerque, N.M.
Mrs. Rockenbaugh, a homemaker, was a member of the Ojai Valley Community Church.
She is survived by her sons Charles Rockenbaugh of Las Vegas, Nev., and Richard Rockenbaugh of Ojai; daughters Laura Van Pelt, Mary Capot and Katherine Foster, all of Ojai; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband John Rockenbaugh in 1981; her son Donald Rockenbaugh in 1969; great-granddaughter Amanda; and her sisters Wanetta Boyer and Eugena McPherson.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, Feb. 6, at 11 a.m. at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura, with Pastor Don Moore officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Leona Bell Bagai
Leona Bell (Parr) Bagai, 76, of Ojai, died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, following a stroke.
She was born in Freedom, Pa., spent her childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to Southern California in 1946.
During her 25-year marriage, Mrs. Bagai was active in the East Indian/American community in Los Angeles, and published a book on the history of East Indian and Pakistani immigration to America.
For 10 years, she was also a regular contributor to the Sunday Book Review for the Los Angeles Times.
Mrs. Bagai moved to Ojai in 1983 and was an active member of the New Life Foundation and served as regional secretary for the organization.
She is survived by her former husband; two children in California; two children in Oregon; four grandchildren; and a sister in Ohio.
Charitable contributions can be made in her name to the Skilled Nursing Center of the Ojai Valley Community Hospital where she received years of care.
A memorial service is planned in Los Angeles. Details can be obtained from Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Robert Cooper
Robert George Cooper, 78, a longtime resident of Ojai, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999.
He was born Aug. 10, 1920, in Tempe, Ariz., the son of George Edwin and Ethel Cooper.
He followed in his father's footsteps with interests in sports, coaching and camping and in his commitment to family.
He graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1937 and from the California Institute of Technology in 1944. He earned his master's degree in chemistry from the University of California at Los Angeles and a California teacher's certificate. In 1942, he married Helen Gould Gans at the Church of the Lighted Window in La Caņada, Calif. During World War II, he served from 1944 to 1946 as an ensign in the U.S. Navy.
Following the Navy and a brief stint with Richfield Oil, Mr. Cooper taught at Occidental College, Palos Verdes Junior College, Stillwater Cove Ranch School, Thacher School, Claremont Collegiate and Desert Sun School. Most of his career was spent at the Ojai Valley School.
In 1950, Mr. Cooper began teaching at the Ojai Valley School Lower Campus, where he was assistant headmaster, and then became the first director and headmaster of the Ojai Valley School Upper Campus. The Ojai Valley School Science Center is named the Robert G. Cooper Science Center in his honor. and his reminiscences of Ojai Valley School camping trips were collected and printed privately.
Mr. Cooper is survived by his wife Helen Gans Cooper of Ojai; daughters and sons-in-law Susan and Robert Shaver of Fresno, and Bonnie and Francois de la Roche of Tegucigalpa, Honduras; sons and daughters-in-law Robert G. and Catherine Cooper of Santa Cruz, Carl S. and Jody Cooper of Ojai, and James A. and Ruth Cooper of Ojai; and seven grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. at the Ojai Presbyterian Church in Ojai.
Memorial donations in his name, in lieu of flowers, can be made to the Ojai Valley School, the California Institute of Technology, the American Red Cross or the Ojai Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
Maxine Saltis
Maxine Viola Morse Saltis, 80, of Ojai, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, in Ventura.
She was born Jan. 27, 1919 in Onalaska, Wash., and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Saltis lived in Kelso, Wash. for 50 years and worked in the kitchen of a nursing home for a few years. She ran her own day-care center for several years before moving to Ojai in 1978 to help care for her grandchildren, Jeff and Jason Saltis. She enjoyed gardening.
Mrs. Saltis is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Ronald Joe and Sylvia Saltis of Ojai; daughter and son-in-law Bonnie Leona and Ray Moore of Palm Springs, Calif.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at Clausen Funeral Home today from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at Clausen's, with Pastor Don Moore officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army.
Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home in Ojai.
