Obituaries

Rose Richardson Romney 

Rose Richardson Romney was born to Augustine and Amada Reyes on November 24, 1936 in Santa Paula, CA.  She graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1954 and continued her education at Ventura College.  There she met Herbert Richardson whom she married in 1957. They lived in Los Angeles where he worked as a High School teacher and had 3 children, Kathie, Michael and Maria.  Rose lost Herb to illness in April of 1970.  

In 1972 she married Jefferson Romney and lived in Ventura and became the stepmother of Scott, Nancy and Stacy.  Rose went on to receive her bachelor’s degree at Cal State LA.  In 1973 the family moved to Camarillo where she worked as a teacher’s aid and was a volunteer at Pleasant Valley Hospital.  In 1978 Jeff was transferred by GTE to Long Beach and the family moved to Fountain Valley.  There Rose became a Montessori teacher and there she developed life-long friendships that she treasured.  She would go on to host “girl’s weekends” at the family beach house in Ventura until the time of her passing.  She held this group of women very close to her heart.

In October of 1986, Jeff and Rose returned to Ventura County, again on a GTE transfer, and took residence in Westlake Village.  She again became a teacher at the Montessori Children’s Place in Thousand Oaks. She loved to teach and loved children.  She again built friendships that she held dear.  After retiring from teaching she continued to serve on the board of directors at the Montessori Children’s Place and in the spring of 2006 she started volunteering at the Reagan Library.  She would light up when she talked about her work there and her fellow docents were like a second family to her.  Rose loved to travel and spent time in Spain and Italy this last Fall.  She loved music, the beach, and had a passion for reading.  It was not unusual for her to finish several books a week.  Those who knew her could immediately feel her generosity, her loving spirit, and most of all, her loyalty to those she loved.  

She died on March 3, 2013 as a mother of three, a stepmother of three and a grandmother of eleven.  She passed with her family by her bedside holding her hand.  Although she is no longer with us, she will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew her.

She is survived by her children - Kathie Mellin (who lost her husband Tom to cancer in 2011), Michael Richardson and Maria Rawson (husband Toby); and her step-children – Scott Romney, Nancy Dirckx (husband Donn) and Stacy Dalton (husband John).  She is also survived by her brother David, daughter-in-law Karen Richardson and grandchildren Devon Mellin, Jordan Mellin, Chelsea Richardson, Andrew Richardson, Samantha Rawson, Mathew Rawson, Julia Dirckx, Sarah Dirckx, Matthew Dirckx, Korey Dalton and T.J. Dalton.

A celebration of Rose’s life will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 2 p.m. at  New Hope Lutheran Church, 29295 Agoura Rd., Agoura, CA.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to Montessori Children’s Place at 390 Arcturus St., Thousand Oaks, CA  91360 or to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (RRPL) Volunteers Association, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, CA  93065.

Charles “Eddie” Grant 

We are saddened to announce the loss of our beloved husband, father, Papa, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and friend to many. Charles “Eddie” Grant, 68, passed away peacefully in sleep on March 12, 2013 after battling a string of illnesses caused by Lupus. 

Eddie was born February 10, 1945 in Huntington, West Virginia to Ira Clovis “Tody” and Wilma Dean “Billy” Grant. He came to live in Santa Paula in 1958, where he met the love of his life, Becky, on his first day at Isbell Middle School. 

Eddie started working at the young age of 14 and continued to work hard until the age of 65, when he retired as the area manager of Irish Construction. 

He had a big heart and was always ready to jump in to help out anyone who needed a hand, a tool or a ride. There was nothing Ed enjoyed more than watching his granddaughters in a play, a soccer game, cheerleading competition, or to listen to their beautiful voices sing a song. He enjoyed spending his retirement traveling and going on cruises with his wife and family.