Born June 19, 1927 in Turlock, Elaine had an early interest in music, taking lessons in piano, violin and stringed bass. During World War II, while a high school student, Elaine was a plane spotter from a tower near the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds.She graduated from Modesto Jr. College in 1947, majoring in Liberal Arts, and was able to secure a teaching job on an emergency credential; later she earned a BA from San Francisco State. She and then-husband Al Peterson had three children, Lori, Tom and Alan. Another daughter died when an infant.Elaine moved to Santa Paula in 1960 with then husband Bill Nash and she taught at Isbell Middle School.Bob Musselman came into Elaine’s life after her divorce ad they were married in 1965 and she gained a step-daughter, Lori Ann. Elaine became a substitute teacher and she and Bob started the furniture refinishing business in March 1966. Musselman’s Antiques & Lighting evolved from that beginning.So active in the business community was Elaine that she became President of the Chamber of Commerce in 1997.At her installation, Elaine said “people are our greatest resource. . .and the message is we all love to live here.”She became a founding member of the Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau months later, noting “Heritage Valley has the potential to be the most sought after spot in the state; and, for the most part, it’s already here.”Elaine was also active in various other groups and organizations, including the Murals Project of Santa Paula and the Santa Paula Downtown Merchants Association, among others.A Memorial Service will be held Friday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary Chapel, on the corner of 8th and Santa Paula streets.
Elaine Musselman, Main St. merchant and former Chamber president, dies
December 14, 2001
Santa Paula News
Main Street merchant, Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau founding member and former President of the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce Elaine Musselman passed away Dec. 12 at home after a long illness; Elaine, a native Californian, was 74.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesMain Street merchant, Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau founding member and former President of the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce Elaine Musselman passed away Dec. 12 at home after a long illness; Elaine, a native Californian, was 74.She and her husband, Bob, created Musselman’s Antiques & Lighting, a destination business known not only for its wonderful array of lighting fixtures and accessories and antiques, but for the fine furniture restoration and repairs - including resilvering mirrors - that drew customers throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties.“She was just a totally different person,” said Elaine’s daughter Lori Peterson. “She loved perfect things. The hardest part,” of observing Elaine’s failing health was, “her hands, always so busy,” with sketching, piano and other interests, no longer engaged in constant activity.Hospice of Santa Clara Valley helped Elaine and her family greatly during her final illness, Peterson added.“Elaine put much of her time and energy into the downtown to make it a better place for all of us,” said Debbie Johnson, President of the Santa Paula Downtown Merchants Association. “Musselman’s is a quality shop that offered Santa Paulans as well as visiting customers nothing but the best.”Elaine was a master of window and interior display and she and Bob would return from buying trips with only the highest quality antiques.”Film studios “love Musselman’s, not only for what was needed for the shoot, but for personal shopping. Elaine was so knowledgeable, had so much energy and great ideas. . .her death is a great loss to her friends, including the merchant community,” Johnson added.
