Helen married Gerald E. (Gerry) Gray on October 27, 1951 in New Jersey, and they began married life in Philadelphia, where her first three children, Lynne Ann (VanderMolen), Dawn Marie and Gerald Edward were born. The family then moved to southern Wisconsin in 1960, where two more sons, Paul John and Bruce Allen, were born.After her divorce in 1975, Helen attended a technical college and then began a new career at the American Geographical Society’s Golda Meir Library at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where she worked for nearly 20 years.Upon retirement, Helen moved to Santa Paula, CA, and settled into Rancho Santa Paula, where she took on the position of newsletter editor. She became active in the Santa Paula Historical Society, and joined the Universalist Unitarian Church and the Mary A. Livermore Society, a social and philanthropic women’s organization, where she eventually served as president for four years.Helen will be greatly missed by her five children, three grandchildren, Matt, Donny and Alex, and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula on February 17 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Arthritis Foundation.Isabel GarciaVillarrealIsabel G. Villarreal, 79, a lifelong resident of Santa Paula, died peacefully on Sunday, February 4, 2007 with her loving family by her side. Isabel was born in Aransas Pass, Texas on April 13, 1927 to Jesus and Elena Garcia.Mrs. Villarreal was a woman with a big heart and a helping hand, whenever someone needed it or not. Isabel, with others, started an organization called “Services United” in Santa Paula, and helped many people coping with alcohol and drug addictions with her counseling.She also was a teacher at Grace Thille Elementary School. She volunteered in any organization in need, and her kindheartedness did not go without notice – she received the “Woman of the Year” award in 1995. Mrs. Villarreal retired as the director of Services United in 1999.Mrs. Villarreal is now reunited with the love of her life, Jesus “Chucho” Villarreal, her daughters Martha and Eva, sons Jessie and George, and grandchildren Dolores and Robert Villarreal.She leaves behind sons Johnny (wife Mary), Peedee (wife Susie), Richard (wife Sandra), and Gilbert; daughters Mary (partner Belen) and Cynthia (husband Joe); her two sisters, Eva Moreno and Elena Garcia; 29 grandchildren, Jessie, Ruben, Nora, Norma, Johnny, Tony, Angela, Sonia, Gilbert Jr., Christina, Paul, Gilly, Lisa, Clarissa, Tiana, Nathan, Matthew, Richard Jr., Brittany, Gabriel, Ilene, Arthur, Alissa, David, Angel, Angie, Jessie IV, Jacob and Monica; and 36 great-grandchildren, her ex-daughters-in-law Linda and Alice, and many nieces, nephews and friends.Funeral mass will be on Friday, February 9 at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula, with burial to follow at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery.Arrangements are under the direction of Funeraria del ángel Stetler Mortuary, 128 S. 8th St., Santa Paula.
Obituaries
February 09, 2007
Obituaries
Rutilio M. Lozano
Rutilio M. Lozano passed away Friday, January 26, 2007 in his home in Santa Paula, CA, where he lived for 39 years. He was born on June 20, 1923 in El Pasco Naccional, Durango, Mexico.He moved to Ventura County in 1962 and found employment at Limoneira Ranch, where he worked as a laborer in the fields. His friends called him “El Borrego” (The Sheep) because of his picking style when harvesting the citrus crop. They said he would plow into the trees headfirst with his helmet and collect the fruit.After a while he began working in the maintenance department, fixing and painting houses on the ranch. But his favorite job was working in the waste management department.Our father was a kind man and loved to joke around, and because of that he made a lot of friends along his route hauling wastewater all over Limoneira. He loved to share a laugh, and would often compose his own jokes and riddles, and he was not past jumping out from some corner to startle people.Oftentimes when the neighborhood kids saw his truck coming, they would give chase and yell out, “What did you bring us?” More times than not he would have candy in his pockets, which he would disperse to the children.One of his proudest moments was working closely with Cesar Chavez in the United Farm Workers movement that swept through the country in the late ‘70s. He was a driving force in helping to unite the workers at Limoneira Ranch.Rutilio’s favorite hobby was playing dominos with his friends for hours in “championship” matches.After retiring from Limoneira Ranch, he began repairing washing machines and built up a fair amount of clientele who were calling him even up to his last days.Rutilio was preceded in death by his parents, Jose Elias and Petra, and his son Alberto Lozano.Rutilio is survived by his brother Teodomiro and sister Paulina Selph; his loving wife Bertha; his son Ernesto Xavier Penaloza and wife Blanca; his daughter Irma Lozano; his son Armando Lozano and wife Jackie; his grandchildren, Ricardo X. Penaloza, Corina Penaloza and husband Johnny, Rosana Penaloza, Matthew Hernandez, Sarah Lozano, Gissele Lozano, and Nicholis Lozano; and great-grandchild Damian Guzman.Rutilio Lozano was an honorable husband, loving father and a fun grandfather who will be greatly missed and loved forever.Services were held at Funeraria del ángel in Santa Paula on January 30. Please go to www.mem.com under “Lozano” to see a memorial of his life.Helen Ann GrayHelen Ann Gray passed away January 3, 2007. She was born January 7, 1933 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Agnes (Phillips) Beck. Leaving high school because she “didn’t like PE,” she finished her education at a local business school.
