Obituaries

June 14, 2000
Obituaries
Dr. Edgar B. Hoxsie Dr. Edgar B. Hoxsie, long time physician and resident of Ventura County, passed away at St. John’s Hospital in Oxnard on June 2, 2000.He was born November 14, 1911 in Los Angeles, and spent his childhood in San Bernardino. After graduation from medical school in Los Angeles, Dr. Hoxsie was a physician on the Parker Dam construction project.In 1941 he opened his general medicine practice in Santa Paula, where he delivered many of the children born in the 40s and 50s. He was the high school athletics doctor for almost two decades and a reserve deputy sheriff in Ventura County.Dr. Hoxsie had a positive impact on the lives of many Ventura County residents, quietly assisting many patients who could not pay for their medical services, and he also provided food for many in need. He gave medical services gratis to the Mexican bracero migrant workers in the Fillmore and Santa Paula areas during the 50s and 60s. Dr. Hoxsie was the last physician in Ventura County to make an old fashioned house call.In the late 50s Dr. Hoxsie attended UCLA School of Medicine to specialize in anesthesiology, then went on to build Oxnard Community Hospital with a group of local physicians, where he retired in 1975.“Ed” Hoxsie was a member of the Fillmore-Santa Paula Masonic Lodge No. 291 for 50 years, an Al Malaikah Shriner for 25 years, and an active member of the Santa Paula Lions Club for 20 years.Dr. Hoxsie is survived by his daughter Judi Minitello, son Jack Hoxsie, four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.Burial will be private at Santa Paula Cemetery, with a memorial service on June 25th at 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 117 N. 7th St. in Santa Paula.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Braille Institute Library Services, 741 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029.Gayford Grover CowdenGayford G. Cowden, age 84, of Ventura, has entered into the Kingdom of our Lord after a long and courageous battle with congestive heart failure. He passed away at his home on Tuesday, June 6, 2000.Mr. Cowden was born to Guy and Zona Cowden in Polk County, Missouri on March 25, 1916. He first came to Ventura County in 1920 and resided here for more than 70 years. He married Emily Avila, a life-long Californian, December 15, 1942 while home on leave from the Army. The Cowdens were married for more than 52 years when Emily passed away in 1995.During the war Cowden was promoted to sergeant while serving in the infantry in both the Pacific and European Theaters of War. His wartime service took him from Alaska’s Aleutian campaign to France and on to Germany by war’s end. His son Ronald was born on the same day that Sergeant Cowden landed on the beaches of northern France in 1945.Cowden had a long career in Ventura County agriculture, retiring in 1981. He also served for many years as a volunteer fire fighter for the Ventura County Fire Department. He was active for several years in community service with the Saticoy Lions Club. Mr. Cowden was a deacon in the Missionary Calvary Baptist Church in Santa Paula, and he always tried to live the teachings and spirit of his church and faith.Mr. Cowden had a wide circle of friends from all over Ventura County and his genuine warmth, his helpful nature, and his deep love for family and friends have touched the lives of so many people. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.Mr. Cowden was a devoted husband and father. He and his wife Emily raised two sons, and he is survived by Ronald of Ventura, and Daniel and wife Cerri of Frazier Park. He is also survived by his two grandchildren, Amy Licea and husband Joaquin of Ventura, and Jake Cowden of Ventura; two great grandchildren, Christine and David Licea; four sisters, Phylane Roweton of Ventura, Nadine and husband Bill Beckwith of Santa Paula, Iris and husband Lloyd Brown of Ventura, and LaVerne and husband Edward Willis of Oxnard; and numerous nieces and nephews.Funeral services were held June 10th at Missionary Calvary Baptist Church, Santa Paula, the Rev. Barry Barnes officiating.Arrangements under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Mable BarhamMable Barham of Parker, Colorado, died June 7, 2000. Mrs. Barham was 90 years old. She was born September 8, 1909 in Walden, Arkansas.She is survived by two daughters, Sue Teel of Parker, CO, and Deonne Cicenas of Phoenix, Arizona; two granddaughters, Debbie Crawford and Barbie (Mike) Maloy of Parker, CO; grandson Jason Clemons of Phoenix, AZ; three great granddaughters, Haley Maloy, and Sarah and Amy Crawford, and two great grandsons, Dale Michael Maloy and Kenny Crawford, all of Parker, CO; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Glen, who died January 1, 1983.Graveside services were held June 13 at Santa Paula Cemetery, the Rev. Francis Boyle officiating.Arrangements under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Lloyd Olin StoneLloyd Olin Stone passed away June 7, 2000 in Ventura. He was born on March 28, 1907 in De Soto, Kansas to Herman Gottstein and Harriet Finley. His birth name was Lloyd Olin Gottstein.As a child Lloyd lived in the small towns of Gardner and De Soto. He graduated from De Soto High School and then moved to Kansas City, Missouri to work in the hotel business, since he did not like farm work. In 1934 he rode from Kansas to California in the rumble seat of a Motel T Ford.
In Los Angeles, Lloyd worked at various hotels. He met and married his wife, Elma Hietala, in 1935. In 1941 he and his family moved to Burbank, where he worked for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as an aircraft electrician. His fondest work memory is of the time he worked a super secret project, building the legendary SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance airplane. After his retirement he and his wife moved to Ojai, where they lived until 1999.Lloyd was a member of the Glendale Lodge #368 of the Masons and Ojai Chapter #528 Order of the Eastern Star.For the past year he was a resident of the Venturan Convalescent Center. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Venturan for the wonderful care they gave to our father.Lloyd is survived by his children, June Hopkins of Santa Paula and Wayne Stone of Pohkara, Nepal; and grandchildren, Susan Hopkins of Helsinki, Finland, Eric Hopkins of San Francisco, and Lalita Stone of Pohkara, Nepal.A memorial service was held June 10 at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula.The family requests that instead of flowers donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Ventura County or the organ fund of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula.Arrangements under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Gordon Garry EsterbrookGordon Garry Esterbrook, age 85, of Santa Paula, passed away on Wednesday, June 7, 2000 at home after a brief illness.Mr. Esterbrook was born in Los Angeles on February 12, 1915 and was a 23-year county resident. He was retired, having been a lineman for the U.S. Government for 30 years. He was a World War II and Korean War veteran, serving in the Army.Mr. Esterbrook was active in Santa Paula and Ventura County, having served on the Ventura County Grand Jury, the Santa Paula Planning Commission, Santa Paula Mobile Home Rent Control Commission, and the Golden State Mobile Home Owners Association Board of Directors. He was a member of the South Pasadena Masonic Lodge #290 F.&A.M., Pasadena Scottish Rite Bodies, and Al Malaikah Shrine Temple.He is survived by his sister, Louis Zaun, and a niece, Beverly Pearce. He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura, in 1994.Graveside services will be held on Friday, June 16 at 1 p.m. at Santa Paula Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula.Leonard Earl Renfro, Sr.Leonard Earl Renfro, Sr. lost his long battle with cancer, passing away peacefully at his home in Ventura on June 8, 2000 at age 85.Born on November 29, 1914 at his grandparents’ home on Briggs Road in Santa Paula, he was a lifelong county resident. He attended schools in Ojai, Ventura and Santa Paula.Leonard loved working in the outdoors, and was able to accomplish this early in his career. He was foreman of the Pope Ranch, east of Santa Paula, as well as Valley Ranch Associates in Saticoy. Retiring from citrus ranching in 1960, he went to work for Santa Paula High School and then transferred to Ventura Unified School District. After 20 years with the schools, he retired in 1980 as custodial supervisor for the district.After retiring for the second time, Leonard was able to return to his first love, gardening. He nurtured a large garden of fruits and vegetables, which he was happy to share with his family and his many friends.Leonard was an active lifelong member of the Baptist Church. He was also a member of the Montalvo Lions Club, and a past president of the Ventura Chapter of the California School Employees Association.He will be greatly missed by his many survivors, which include his wife of 64 years, Mary F. (Gillette); son and daughter-in-law Leonard (Lenny) E. II and Mavis Renfro of Folsom; daughter and son-in-law Lenora and Miles Linman of Ventura; six grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren; brothers, John Albert Renfro of Barstow and Delmar Renfro of Riverside; and sisters, Evelyn Sweeney, Carolyn Bynum of Arroyo Grande, and Joyce Foster of Bodfish.A memorial service was held June 12 at the First Baptist Church of Ventura, the Rev. Don Loomer officiating.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Baptist Church of Ventura, 241 N. Mills Rd., Ventura, CA 93003, or to Tender Loving Care Hospice, 4762 Maureen Lane, Moorpark, CA 93021.Leonard was entrusted into the care of Charles Carroll Funeral Home, Ventura.



Site Search

E-Subscribe

Subscribe

E-SUBSCRIBE
Call 805 525 1890 to receive the entire paper early. $50.00 for one year.

webmaster