How to resolve AdBlock issue? Obituaries - Recent
6-27-21, James W. True, 98
Jim True was a lucky guy. Born in 1922, he grew up during the Great Depression in Washington, D.C., in a family of four brothers and a sister. He had a sunny disposition from the start.
As a kid, “Happy Jimmie” worked for a milkman, hopping off the truck to run bottles to home doorsteps — a great job in those hard times, since he got all the milk he could drink. We think that’s why he still had teeth when he died at 98.
Straight out of high school, Jim served in World War II for five years as a sonarman, first on a submarine chaser off the coast of Florida and later on a destroyer called the USS Owen in the South Pacific.
He didn’t get a scratch, even on March 19, 1945, when his ship came under heavy attack from kamikaze while protecting the aircraft carrier USS Franklin. (The Franklin was badly damaged, and you can see footage from that day in the Hollywood movie, “Task Force,” starring Gary Cooper.) After the war, he studied opera in Milan on the GI Bill, and then met the girl of his dreams in Paris, while living the life of a starving artist.
He and Sally (Tymstra) got married three months later and stayed married for 67 years. With Sally, and later his two daughters, Margo and Julie, he traveled the world as a Foreign Service officer, with posts in Paris, Geneva, Rangoon, Vientiane, Nogales (Mexico), Capetown, Brasilia, Niamey, Madrid, Guadalajara, Tijuana and Antwerp.
That traveling life lasted 33 years, followed by retirement in Ojai that lasted even longer.
Jim spent several summers sailing around Europe with his Belgian friend André.
Jim and Sally played tennis, had dinner parties, went on trips — New Zealand, Australia, New York, the San Juan Islands — and saw their daughters graduate from college.
Julie got married in the backyard and Jim walked her down the aisle. His two grandchildren, Riley and Casey, were born, grew up and went to college. Margo finally got engaged and Jim thoroughly approved.
He maybe wasn’t so lucky in having vascular dementia during the final years of his life, but it never robbed him of his essentially kind, gentle, courteous nature, or his lifelong love of music. Even after he could no longer really talk, he would conduct vigorously from his recliner while listening to “Sundays at the Met,” or his favorite opera CDs.
Jim wasn’t a religious man, but music filled and lifted his soul. He also took great pleasure in food, the sight of birds, and his family.
On June 27, after several weeks of winding down, Jim died in his sleep, without drugs, surrounded by love and respect. He was lucky to the end.
A family memorial will be planned at a later date.
8-30-21, Paul “Scott” Blair, 71
Scott passed away suddenly on August 30, 2021. He was born in San Fernando, CA on October 28, 1949.
Scott’s family moved to Upper Ojai in 1958, where he attended schools in Upper Ojai and Ojai, graduating from Nordhoff High School in 1968. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army, and loved talking about his time stationed in Germany.
Scott married Nancy Jones of Ojai in 1975, and became stepfather to Ramona “Nikki” Wall-Williams. Scott and Nancy welcomed their beautiful daughter, Brandy Blair, in 1976.
Scott attended college at Ventura (Junior) College, completing his last required course just days before he was surprised with another dream come true, the birth of a son, Jay Scott Blair, in 1978.
Scott worked many years for Jim and Charlotte Gresham at the Double J Market in Meiners Oaks.
From there, he went on to become a route driver for Dolly Madison, and then a change in careers in the hotel industry followed.
Scott enjoyed spending time with friends and family, riding his dirt bike, camping, barbecuing, spending weekends at the “Ojai Beach” at La Conchita, bowling at Topa Lanes, and dancing his feet off on the weekend, winning many dance contests and trophies. He also loved weekend jaunts to Las Vegas. Sundays and Mondays were spent watching football and watching the World Wrestling Federation with his son.
Scott is survived by his daughter, Brandy Blair, his son, Jay Blair, his sister, Maryetta Whatley Sanders (husband Jim), and their sons, Mark, Eric, Bruce, Scott and Tran, and several other nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his longtime life partner, Cheryl Knox.
He was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, Robert and Georgia Blair, his sister, Dona Whatley, and brother, Robert “Bob” Blair.
8-8-21, Joanne Catherine Barnes, 80
Joanne Catherine Barnes (80), born December 17, 1940, was called home August 8, 2021, with her son, Ralph, and daughter, Deborah, by her side. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Barnes, parents, Edwin and Jean Camp and her brother, James Camp.
Joanne was born at St. Luke’s Hospital, San Francisco, California, to Edwin and Jean Camp, on December 17, 1940.
She lived and went to school in Menlo Park, until she met and married her husband, James H. Barnes on February 22, 1959.
In 1961, they had their first child, Ralph and in 1963 their daughter, Deborah.
Joanne was a homemaker, avid bowler, and quilter. Many people might know Joanne’s welcoming personality when she worked in the cafeteria at Matilija Jr. High and Nordhoff High School. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years as well.
Joanne is survived by her son, Ralph Barnes, and daughter, Deborah Neil (Richard), grandchildren Steven Barnes (Ashley), Sara Robba, Jennifer Neil, Elizabeth Neil, Jeanette Neil; great-grandchildren James Barnes and Ellie Barnes and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Mountain Vista Manor of Ojai and Assisted Hospice Care of Ventura. Their attention and love for our mother was extraordinary.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Joanne’s memory to Assisted Hospice Care of Ventura, 4450 Westinghouse St., Suite 103, Ventura, CA 93003 (www.Assistedcares.com) or Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, Inc., 2021 Sperry Avenue, Suite 35, Ventura, CA 93003, (www.OmbudsmanVentura.org).
Services will be held on September 22, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. at Ivy Lawn Cemetery, 5400 Valentine Road, Ventura, CA. 93003. Reception to follow.
