Obituaries

September 13, 2002
Obituaries
Lonnie Nasalroad Lonnie Nasalroad, 88, died September 1, 2002 at his home in Santa Paula.Lonnie was born on February 21, 1914 in Sperry, Oklahoma. During the Depression he worked in CCC Corps for two years in the western United States. He came to California in 1937, settling in Santa Paula. During World War II he worked for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and in the Naval shipyards in Los Angeles. Following the war, he returned to Santa Paula where he worked first for the Department of Agriculture. He was then maintenance electrician for the former Oxnard Frozen Foods for 20 years, retiring in 1978. Lonnie was a member of Masonic Lodge 291 in Santa Paula since 1953.Lonnie touched the lives of those who knew him as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. His jovial attitude and gracious, generous demeanor endeared him to us all. He had a brilliant memory and could cite with great detail events that had occurred many years in the past. His sense of humor and infectious laugh drew loyal friends and relatives to his side. If something needed to be fixed, he would invent a gadget or method for repairing it.Lonnie had an inquisitive mind and a broad range of knowledge. He had a knack for gardening, growing a variety of vegetables, fruit trees and flowers. His roses were given the golden green thumb award by neighbors and friends. He happily shared the bounty of his garden.The last few months of Lonnie’s life were a struggle, but he continued to live his life with honor, dignity and humor. His smile, jokes and stories will be missed. No father or husband could be loved more than he was loved, and the lives of those who knew him will be forever blessed by the good example he left behind. Breathe freely, Daddy, and watch over us. We love you.Lonnie is survived by his wife of 63 years, Viola; children Gary Nasalroad of Santa Paula, John Nasalroad of Palm Desert, Sue Nayfack of Goleta, and Debra Moyal of Ventura; grandchildren Taira Garces, and Tisha and Ryan Nasalroad, all of Santa Paula, Kristin Franke, Dustin Coffey, Heidi Olcott and Zackary Moyal, all of Ventura, and Jared Krause of New York; four great grandchildren; sister Jackie Cook of Missouri; and brothers Fred, also of Missouri, and Willard of Las Vegas.Graveside services will take place Friday, September 6 at 2 p.m. at the Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery under the direction of the Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula, 525-5595.Walter PendletonWalter Lyle Pendleton, a 49-year resident of Santa Paula, passed away peacefully Wednesday evening September 4, 2002 at a local hospital. His family feels blessed that he had ten more years of life after a serious head injury in 1992. His neurosurgeon, who gave him zero per cent chance of survival, called him her “miracle man.” He shared the resilient spirit of his contemporaries in that great generation that met the challenges of the economic depression and saved humanity in a world war.Born January 23, 1924 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Walter played the clarinet in the high school band and worked at the local glass factory after graduation. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1943, becoming a lieutenant and serving as a trainer of fighter pilots. His hours in the cockpit of planes such as the P-38 and AT-6 gave him a lifelong love of flying and he considered becoming a crop duster after the war. His new bride, June Elaine Bird of Tulsa, Oklahoma, whom he married in March 1944, encouraged him to pursue other interests. While working as a chemist he decided to study to become a pharmacist. With a family that now included two sons, Walter and June moved to California, where he celebrated the birth of his daughter. He graduated from the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy in 1952, exhibiting the intelligence so many of his friends will remember about him.The family relocated to Santa Paula the next year and Walter worked at Cauch’s Drug, eventually becoming a partner with Harold and Charles Ringle. The three of them opened College Pharmacy in Ventura in 1961. Walter helped administer the first polio vaccinations in the city schools and became active in the new Little League. He worked long hours at the drug store but always had a great sense of fun and humor. His standard reply when someone mentioned something he also liked was “Yeah, boy.” Many knew him as the life of the party and he and June hosted many backyard barbecues and even a Mexican luau.After his first marriage ended in 1965, Walter started his own drug store in Simi Valley before eventually settling in on a long career with Sav-on Drugs in Ventura. He earned a commercial pilot’s license and enjoyed flying friends such as Jess Carranza and Ben Johnson to Mexico and Gold Beach, Oregon to fish and relax.Walter married Mary Elna Garlinger in July 1974 and the two of them traveled often to Mexico and Hawaii and visited China. After his accident in 1992,his wife Mary became his source of strength and the family expresses its appreciation to her for her loving care. We also thank Mary’s nieces, Pat and Mikelyn Zufelt for all their help.Walter is preceded in death by his parents, Walter Broyles and Faye Alma Pendleton and by his sister Alma (Sugie) Westika and grandson Michael Alexander Pendleton.
He is survived by his wife Mary Pendleton, first wife June Welsh and her husband Gordon, sons Roger Pendleton of Dallas, Texas and his wife Yvonne Saliba Pendleton and John Pendleton of Ventura and his wife Stephanie Bush Pendleton, daughter Mary Deines and husband Glenn of Santa Paula, sister Mary Belle Laib of Riverside, and by grandchildren Jeff Pendleton of Versailles, Kentucky and his wife Phyllis and children Jared, Christian and Anne Haley; Jocelyn Pendleton and Jay Pendleton of Dallas; Leah Pendleton Owings and husband Jeffrey of Dallas; Matthew Pendleton of Davis, California; Mark Chisholm and wife Jennifer of Santa Paula; Brad Chisholm of Ventura and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.Graveside services will be Wednesay September 11 at 2 pm at Pierce BrothersSanta Paula Cemetery, 380 Cemetery Road, Santa Paula. The Rev. Paul Kim of the First United Methodist Church will be officiating. Arrangements will be under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula. Memorial contributions may be sent to Santa Clara Valley Hospice, 133 N. Mill Street, Santa Paula.Rex Lindley WellsRex Lindley Wells, age 86, of Santa Paula, passed away August 27, 2002 at St. John’s Hospital, Oxnard. He was born May 30, 1916 in Jackson, Michigan.Rex moved to Santa Paula in 1935 to open a business at the Santa Paula Airport. Prior to that he had been commuting from Los Angeles to instruct and service students’ planes.During World War II, Rex was a Civilian Flight Instructor under contract to instruct cadets for the Army Air Corps. Rex was self-employed as a Certified Flight Instructor and an aircraft mechanic. He and wife Mildred sold their business, Wells Aircraft and Engine Service, and retired in 1980.Rex was a member of various flying organizations and the Sheriff’s Aero Squadron.He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Armstrong Wells, in September 2000. He is survived by their daughter, Christine Wells of Santa Paula; grandchildren Kurt White and Wendi White of Santa Paula; brother-in-law Richard Armstrong; nieces and nephews, Patty Page, Joyce Armstrong, Cheryl Armstrong, Clarence Trout, and Doug Armstrong; and numerous great nieces and nephews. Rex will also be remembered by his many former students and fellow pilots.A memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 8 at 2 p.m. at CP Aviation at the Santa Paula Airport.Contributions may be made in his memory to the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula.Arrangements are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.



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