A funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 17 at St. Sebastian Church in Santa Paula. Burial will follow at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Mildred E. JohnsonMildred E. Johnson, 90, of Santa Paula, passed from this life on April 12, 2002. She was a 50-year county resident, coming to Santa Paula from Springfield, Missouri.Mildred was born December 30, 1911 in Reeds Springs, Missouri to Charles and Ruby Davis. She was the third born and had 10 brothers and sisters helping to raise each one. She went to work at the age of 16 after finishing 10th grade in order to help her family.In 1933, at the age of 22, she met K. O. Johnson. Three years later they were married, on September 5, 1936 in Camden Missouri. They lived in Jefferson City, Missouri for three years, Quincy, Illinois for three years, and Springfield, Missouri for 11 years before moving to Santa Paula.Mildred was a dedicated Christian, devoting her entire life to her Lord and family. She was an avid reader each day of her life, reading the Bible completely numerous times. Little wonder she is filled with wisdom, love and joy. She taught Sunday School most of her adult life. Mildred was a member of First Southern Baptist Church and then moved to Westside Baptist Church, which is currently Life Way Baptist Church.Mildred’s legacy is her wisdom, counsel, love and her giving spirit which she imparted to her husband, children and extended family. Her children describe her as a classy, quiet-spirited woman who lived her life serving others. She rarely raised her voice, yet she commanded complete respect. She was truly a model Christian woman whom everyone aspired to emulate in their own lives. Her grandchildren describe her as compassionate and one who loved them unconditionally through good and bad times.She is survived by daughter Judy Austin of Lubbock, Texas; sons, K. O. Johnson of Sonora and Mike Johnson of Santa Paula; 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Thelma Britt, Birdie Smith and Dutch Compton.Visitation will be Wednesday, April 17 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, 128 S. 8th St., Santa Paula.Funeral services will be Thursday, April 18 at 11 a.m. at Life Way Baptist Church, 673 W. Santa Paula St., with the Reverend Bob Walpole officiating. Burial will follow at Santa Paula Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula.
Obituaries
April 17, 2002
Obituaries
Ruth Mills
Ruth Mills, 79, went home to be with her Lord on April 10, 2002 in Santa Paula, following a lengthy illness.Ruth was born in Poteau, Oklahoma on August 13, 1922 to parents George and Mattie Nolen. She was the youngest of four children. Ruth moved with her family to California at an early age, living many years in Bellflower. She graduated from Excelsior High School in Norwalk.For many years Ruth was employed as an administrative secretary by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. During this time she taught many secretarial and office practice adult education classes. Ruth retired from working 15 years as administrative secretary at Rio Hondo College, Whittier.Many will remember Ruth’s lifelong love of music. She was an accomplished pianist and organist, and served her Lord by sharing her talent in many churches. She spent many years teaching youth and adult Bible classes. She was a member of Life Way Baptist Church, Santa Paula. Ruth touched the lives of all who knew her with her sense of humor, strength, and abiding love of the Lord.After over 61 years of marriage, Ruth is survived by her husband, Ray of Santa Paula; daughter, Marty Duncan, Santa Paula; granddaughters, Kelly Duncan of Ventura and Kimberly Duncan of Santa Paula; great-granddaughters Brooke Alcantar and Taylor Shelton of Ventura; and many nieces and nephews.At her request, graveside services were held April 16 at Bardsdale Cemetery, Fillmore.In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Santa Paula Memorial Hospital. Arrangements are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula.Amado G. BarajasAmado G. Barajas, 67, of Santa Paula, was called home on Friday, April 12, 2002 to our Father in Heaven after a lengthy illness.Amado was born September 13, 1934 in Santa Paula. He was a lifelong resident of Ventura County.He was interested in many subjects, especially science and electronics, but his passion was being an accomplished artist. Amado, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for most of his life, would wake up each morning accepting his handicap, living a full life around it, and showing more courage in a day than most people demonstrate in a lifetime.Amado is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Alice Barajas; son and daughter-in-law Jeffrey Sr. and Patricia Barajas of Santa Paula; daughter and son-in-law Alison and Alex Cerda of Santa Paula; grandchildren, Jeffrey Barajas Jr., Tawnee Barajas and Nicholas Cerda, all of Santa Paula; and brothers and sisters, John Barajas of Glendale, Frank Barajas of Ventura, Ramiro Barajas of Oxnard, Elias Barajas of San Diego, Ramon Barajas of Oxnard, and Mary Helen Barajas, Teresa Gomez, Ignacio Barajas, Jesus Barajas and Sergio Barajas, all of San Diego. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francisco and Trinidad Barajas.“Dad, no more pain, no more limits, just freedom to walk, run and dance unto our Lord.”
