Mrs. Stone was born May 23, 1927 in Pasadena, and had been a 32 year Ventura County resident before moving to Fresno to be near her family. For 23 years she taught second grade in Santa Paula, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, and Tucson, Arizona. She was a member of Community Presbyterian Church, Ventura, and the Mound Club.Dorothy will be deeply missed by her family and friends: son and wife, David C. and Kari Stone of Fresno; grandsons, Jason Stone of Fresno, Joseph Stone of Grass Valley, and Matthew Kolbert of Davis; and two great grandchildren.Chapel services will be held on Tuesday, June 20 at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura. Burial will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura.Memorial donations may be made in Dorothy’s name to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, 3022 “A” De La Vina, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, or to your local elementary school.Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura.Norma Frances RobbinsNorma Frances Robbins was released from her pain and suffering into the loving care of our Lord Jesus. She died at her home in Ventura, with her family present.She was born September 16, 1924 in Santa Paula to South Mountain rancher Norman Stevens Richardson and Ada Nilla Smith. She worked on the ranch and loved riding her horse, Hi-Pockets. She rode with the grace of a born horsewoman and was the envy of many local male riders.Norma led a full and active life in her hometown for 75 years. She had a beautiful singing voice and sang in the Ventura County Master Chorale and, in later years, in the Gold Coast Chorale.She was an avid sportsperson and was a founding member of Santa Paula Little League. She was secretary to the fledgling baseball program for this district, which stretched from Lompoc into Ventura County, and over to Taft. She was an excellent bowler, participating in many leagues, and was also a member of W.I.B.C. 600 Club.Norma was a great gardener and many will miss her lovely bouquets and vegetable baskets.Norma was preceded in death by her daughter, Gwynn, in 1965. She leaves devoted husband William G. Robbins, son L. Steven Robbins and his wife Stephanie, and their children, Nicholas and Blair, all of Ventura; sister and brother-in-law Virginia and Lyle Gunderson, and brother Robert Morton Richardson, all of Santa Paula; and grandson, U.S. Army Captain Rhett Weddell and wife Katrina, and their daughters Ashley, Megan and Alexandra, all residing in Germany.All family and friends are welcome to a memorial service to be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the private Richardson cemetery, at the foot of South Mountain. All are invited to a celebration of Norma’s life at the home of son Steve Robbins on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Ventura. Officiating will be Betty and Wyman Spalding of Santa Paula.Any donations may be made to Hospice of Santa Clara Valley or Santa Paula First United Methodist Church.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, Lois 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.
Obituaries
June 16, 2000
Obituaries
Jose Muñoz Martinez
Jose Muñoz Martinez, age 23, of Santa Paula, passed away June 2, 2000 following a forklift accident while working at a Somis ranch. He was born March 18, 1977 in Mexico, and was a Santa Paula resident for four years.He is survived by his parents, Perfecto Martinez and Josefina Muñoz; sisters, Maria de la Luz, Micaela, Reyna, Veronica and Magdalena Martinez; and brothers, Rosario, Gabriel, Porfirio, Felipe, Ramon, Rojelio, Jorge and Luiz Martinez.Mass was held June 8th at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Santa Paula. Burial was in Mexico.Helen Louise FlandersHelen Louise Flanders, nee Ungashick, age 83, passed away peacefully into our Lord’s arms with her daughter at her side on Thursday evening, June 8th at her daughter’s home in Santa Paula.She was born in Canton, Ohio on August 18, 1917 to Joe and Minnie Ungashick, one of five children. She attended St. Peter’s grade school, Mt. Marie Academy (now Central Catholic High School), and graduated from Kent State University.Her love of teaching extended over 40 years, mostly with 5th graders at Reedurban, Watson and Avondale elementary schools. She believed that motivation is what teaching is all about and that innovation and creativity on the teacher’s part are what stimulate learning. Once, she had the school janitor build a giant sandbox in the classroom so the students could construct the mountains and rivers of the United States.After Helen retired, she stayed involved with many volunteer programs including teaching at the Pax Saturday school at St. Mary’s Church, helping with mentally challenged children, tutoring a blind woman with her college courses, helping a wonderful Vietnamese family settle into a new world in Canton, delivering communion to the patients at Aultman Hospital, and presenting a slide show and narrative for the Right to Life campaign.She also found time to travel extensively around the world and has hundreds of mementos and slides from the places she visited. She learned to play golf late in life, and was in the Tam O’Shanters women’s league. Bridge was also a lifelong game she enjoyed with many of her friends.Whether teaching, traveling, volunteering, playing golf or bridge, Helen always brought a positive attitude to everything. She was a shining light to all who knew her and had a quick and broad smile for everyone. She was married over 50 years to her late husband, Robert. She raised three children, and is survived by Leslie and her husband Bob and two daughters Hilary and Savanna of Santa Paula; son John and his wife Cynthia of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Jeff and Colleen of Moab, Utah.Helen was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Canton, and her strong faith was the source of her inner peace and outward joy. Donations will be accepted by St. Joan of Arc Church in her name. We love you Mom, say hi to Dad for us.Michael Joseph LawMichael Joseph Law, age 66, of Santa Paula, passed away June 10, 2000 following a brief illness.He was born September 25, 1933 in International Fall, Minnesota, and was a county resident for 10 years, coming from Lancaster. He was an electrician for the State of California.He is survived by his daughters, Kathy Tubbs of Santa Paula, Lisa Clark of Colorado Springs, and Terri Tunnell of Honolulu; three grandchildren, Michael Law, Jr. of Colorado Springs, and Kristy and Candace Tubbs of Santa Paula; brother John Law of Hewitt, Texas; and sisters, Patricia Cook of Moukham, Ontario, Kay Lade of Laky Lake, Florida, Rosemary Horniung of Walhalla, North Dakota, Maureen Hallow of Dayton, North Dakota, and Maryann Flanagans of Concord.Burial was at Santa Paula Cemetery.Joe “Alfalfa” AguilarJoe “Alfalfa” Aguilar, age 85, of Santa Paula, passed away June 11, 2000 in Santa Paula. He was born April 9, 1915 in El Paso, Texas, and had been a county resident for 70 years, coming from El Paso. He had been employed as a construction worker.He is survived by his daughters, Juanita Hallsworth of Ventura, Josephine (husband Milton) Cosme of Ventura, Teresa (husband Gordon) Dalgarno of Washington state, and Anita (husband Roy) Ryan of Texarkana, Texas; 10 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; and sister Antonia (husband Robert) Ramirez of Santa Paula.Graveside services were held at Santa Paula Cemetery June 15, the Rev. Bartholomew De La Torre officiating.Arrangements under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Dorothy “Dottie” StoneDorothy “Dottie” Stone, age 73, of Fresno, died June 13, 2000 in a Fresno hospital following a lengthy illness.
