Obituaries

Alpha E. Brown Alpha E. Brown, 78, passed away August 6, 1999 in Salem, Oregon after a valiant battle against cancer, congestive heart failure and kidney failure.Born in Fairfax, Oklahoma to the late Thomas Raymond and Opal E. Boren, Alpha moved to Santa Paula in 1921. She grew up and attended Santa Paula schools, graduating in 1939 from Santa Paula High School, and earned an AA degree in Business from Ventura Junior College.Alpha retired in 1984 after 30 years with Garrett Airesearch in Los Angeles.Her survivors include her children, Norma Rae Naylor and her husband Steve of Salem, Oregon, and Forrest Lee Brown and his wife Millie of Winchester, Virginia; her sister Irma Hamilton of Salem, Oregon (formerly of Santa Paula); three grandchildren, Douglas Naylor and his wife Kristy of Salem, Oregon, Michelle Pescatore and her husband John of Wayne, New Jersey, and Stephen Naylor of Simi Valley; and four great grandchildren, Reilly and Bailey Naylor of Salem, Oregon, and Marisa and Johnny Pescatore of Wayne, New Jersey. She will be greatly missed by her nieces and nephews, their children, and a multitude of good friends.After cremation, a family memorial service was held at the home of her daughter Norma on Saturday, August 14. Interment will be in Santa Paula.Donations to the American Cancer Society in Alpha’s memory would be greatly appreciated.Alexander E. PhillipsAlexander E. Phillips was born in Chatham, New York. He was the son of Michael and Rose Philipkowsky, Polish immigrants who operated a dairy farm.Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Pittston, PA where Alex’s father held a job as a blasting engineer in the coal mines.As a high school business course student, Alex’s talent on the accordion gave rise to establishing his own band. He toured extensively throughout the coal mining towns of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as the many C.C.C. camps established by the National Recovery Act.Having an interest in chemistry, he attended the Ford Motor Company school in Michigan where he earned a degree in metallurgy. Eventually, his love for music brought him to UCLA at Santa Monica where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music.He journeyed to Connecticut to become a special metallurgist at Underwood Typewriter Company in Hartford, CT experimenting with the process of electro-polishing. During evenings, he gave piano lessons. His nephew, Alex Phillips, studied with him for 14 years and went on to New York City to become a concert pianist.In 1995, Alex and his two brothers established an automotive sales and service business in Forestville, CT. They sold and services International Harvester trucks and Studebaker/Packard automobiles. The business dissolved 20 years afterwards and he and his wife Carrie retired to Ventura County, CA.Alex was a Master Mason with membership in the Walnut Hill Masonic Lodge, New Britain, CT. He was a man rich in knowledge of the sever liberal arts and sciences; always willing to share his wisdom. His last endeavor was helping in the research of composers who had affiliations with the Masonic Fraternity.