Marian also helped to revive and remains involved with the League of Women Voters Santa Paula Chapter, and she was involved in the League’s publications: “Too High A Price,” a study of housing costs and availability of housing for farmworkers, and “Know Your Community: A Study of the Santa Paula Area.” “She has been a docent at the Ventura County Museum for many years,” said Stone, “and both she and Jack are currently docents at the Santa Paula California Oil Museum.”The Totherohs have been “involved in so many other things over the years too numerous to mention. Everywhere I go in Santa Paula, I am always running into Jack and Marian actively engaged in some community activity, just as they have been for over 60 years. In short,” noted Stone, “Jack and Marian don’t know the meaning of slowing down. They embody the spirit of service on which Rotary is built.”A California native, Jack’s father Roland “Rollie” Totheroh was the longtime cinematographer for comic genius Charlie Chaplin. Jack himself made his film debut as an infant in an Essanay film starring silent cowboy star and producer Billy Bronco, and has made film appearances in recent years, including the 1992 production of “Chaplin,” which was partially filmed in Santa Paula.
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Right, Mitch Stone (Rotary President) hands Jack and Marian Totheroh their “Community Service Award”. |
Marian and Jack Totheroh honored with Rotary Community Service Award
August 01, 2008
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesThe Santa Paula Rotary Club honored two longtime Santa Paula residents for their lifetime of commitment to community, and Marian and Jack Totheroh showed they’re still going strong, according to Mitch Stone, who made the presentation at his last meeting as president.“This is the third year of the Community Service Award originated by Past President Joe Jauregui, an award to a non-Rotarian for service to our community” and deep commitment to bettering society. “Thank you for doing that, Joe, because it gives me an opportunity to recognize two of my favorite people in Santa Paula, Jack and Marian Totheroh.”Stone said the Totherohs moved from Hollywood to Santa Paula in 1945, where Jack became a Santa Paula High School teacher/advisor/counselor for seven years before joining the Ventura County Superintendent of Schools office. “And, when Jack retired in 1984, he had three years of accumulated vacation time which he still hasn’t taken!” said Stone.Marian, was also a teacher, starting in Piru in 1952 before joining the Santa Paula Elementary School District’s Grace Thille, McKevett and Bedell schools. She has volunteered with the Santa Paula Art Collection inventory, and helped establish Santa Paula’s Head Start program.
