She was preceded in death by her husband, Orville Woolley, in 1998, her parents, Horace and Bessie Byrd, four brothers and two sisters.She is survived by her sons, Roy Woolley of Chico, and Glen Woolley of Willows; brothers, Kenneth Byrd of Norman, Oklahoma, Ronley Byrd of Wichita, Kansas, and Benny Byrd of Weatherford, Texas; sisters, Vela Reed of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Alley Loveless of Stonewall, Oklahoma, and Joann Palmer of Wichita, Kansas; eight grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren.Graveside services were held May 31 at the Upper Lake Cemetery in Upper Lake, California. Arrangements were under the direction of Sorensen’s Affordable Mortuaries, Chico and Gridley.Opal M. TaylorOpal M. Taylor, age 79, of Ojai, passed away May 27, 2001 in Ojai following a lengthy illness. She was born May 7, 1922 in Louisburg, Missouri.Mrs. Taylor was a county resident for 50 years, coming from Missouri. She was employed at the B & D Market in El Rio.She is survived by her sons, Steve (wife Erin) Taylor of Ojai, and Bob (wife Dina) Taylor of Palmdale; seven grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.Graveside services will be held on Friday, June 1 at 2 p.m. at Santa Paula Cemetery, with Michael Campbell officiating. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 2 at 2 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1015 Tico Rd., Ojai. Burial is at Santa Paula Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.
Obituaries
June 01, 2001
Obituaries
Librado C. Fuerte
Long time Santa Paula resident Librado C. Fuerte, 96, died Saturday, May 26 following a lengthy illness. He was a 72-year county resident coming from Mexico in 1929.Mr. Fuerte was born August 17, 1904 in La Maza, Abasolo, Guanajuaton, Mexico. He was a citrus laborer for 40 years, last working for the Friend Ranch. He was a former member of La Casa del Mexicano, Santa Paula.Librado was a very religious man and very proud of his Mexican heritage. He taught himself to read and write, and especially enjoyed reading Mexican history books. Librado will be remembered as an avid gardener who loved to drink coffee, and enjoyed his grandchildren and any child who was around him.He will be remembered by his family and friends, including daughters and sons-in-law, Adela and Carlos Magdaleno of Santa Paula, Sally and Joe Pacheco of Henderson, Nevada, and Arlene and Ed Toy of Davis; son and daughter-in-law Rudy and Rachel Fuerte of Rosemead; son Manuel Fuerte of Las Vegas; brother Arnulfo Fuerte of Mexico; 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews.Visitation will be Saturday, June 2 from 8 to 10 a.m. at Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula. Funeral services will be held June 2 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with burial to follow at Santa Paula Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula.Essie Dow WoolleyEssie Dow Woolley, age 87, of Lucerne, California, passed away May 26, 2001 in Willows. She was born November 14, 1913 in Lula, Oklahoma.Mrs. Woolley grew up in Lula and attended schools there. In 1931 she married Orville Woolley. She came to California in 1941, settling in Santa Paula, and worked 35 years at the citrus packing house. She was employed as a checker for seven years by Ventura County Market. She moved to Lake County in 1981.Mrs. Woolley was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She liked to crochet, sew, and tend to her vegetable garden.
