Obituaries

Janet Elizabeth Robles Janet Elizabeth Benson was born in Ojai on September 20, 1933. She married Santa Paula native Otilio Robles 51 years ago.Janet was the child of Swedish and Native Californian parents, Bruno Benson and Jane Byles. Their early divorce caused an ache that was later filled not only by Otilio and her children, but also by a love of music, a ravenous curiosity, and a voracious reading habit.Janet was a quiet rebel, a brilliant intellect, and an intuitive parent. She was an amateur botanist, loved nature, and was a staunch conservationist. She designed and drew the blueprints of the family home to adapt to the placement of three mature oak trees on the empty lot. Since childhood, she loved to camp in the Sierras and passed the love of nature on to her husband, children, and grandchildren. She spoke Spanish and Japanese and loved oriental philosophy in artistic expression. After her children were grown, Janet received an A.S. degree in Chemistry from Ventura College, “for fun.” She also studied art history and received a medical technician license.Many people remember Mrs. Robles as the Science and Math teaching assistant for Santa Paula High School during the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, where her enthusiasm proved a great help to students.She was well known throughout Ventura County as La Gringa Mexicana because of her love of singing trio music and boleros with her husband Otilio; as well as for her fluency with Spanish. She generously encouraged many young musicians over the years to pursue their interests. Under the direction of international conductor Pepe Martinez, Janet once sang in concert with the famous Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Recording artist Carmencristina Moreno called Janet “a go-getter, and one of the few women who could sing fourth or fifth voice harmony very well. She had such a good musical ear.” Janet had “perfect pitch” and could identify a single out-of-tune string from among many instruments during a performance. This uncanny ability gave her a love of a wide range of beautiful music, as she would demonstrate by playing Chopin on the piano or Jose Alfredo Jimenez on the guitar.Janet Robles passed away on May 10th of complications from COPD and will be remembered profoundly by her husband Otilio; children Daniel, Elena, James and Anthony; daughters-in-law Rhonda and Selena; and grandchildren Andrea, Edward, Jeffrey, Marshall, Isaac and Selena.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to the Santa Paula Blanchard Community Library, 119 N. 8th St., Santa Paula, CA 93060-2784.Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, 525-5595.Jim “Jimmy” ColeLifelong Ventura County resident Jim “Jimmy” Cole, 57, of Santa Paula, died Sunday, May 11, 2003 in a Ventura hospital following a very brief illness.Mr. Cole was born June 18, 1945 in Ventura. He was raised in Santa Paula and graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1963, where he played both football and baseball.He began his career in the retail grocery business directly out of high school and became a stocking clerk, working for Bayless Market, Santa Cruz Market and, for most of his career, Safeway-Vons Market, retiring in 1998. Jim was a loyal employee, known and respected for his work ethic. He was a member of Retail Clerks Local #1036. Following his retirement he was often found helping his son Craig at his business, Bob’s Radiator Shop in Fillmore. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. Jim also enjoyed many trips with family and friends to Las Vegas.Jim is survived by his wife, Jan Cole; son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Lynn Cole of Fillmore; son Chris Cole of Santa Paula; daughters and sons-in-law, Lisa and Armando Aguilar, and Crystal and Dan Campos, all of Santa Paula; grandchildren, Curtis and Corey Cole, Armando and Austin Aguilar, and Daniel, Alyssa and new Baby Campos; sisters, Saundra Bryant and K. K. Donnelly, sister and brother-in-law Cheryl and Mike Johnson, and brother-in-law Don Donnelly, all of Santa Paula; aunts, Billye Bellew, Lucy Riley and Donna Leyden; great aunt Davinie Lythgoe; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Carol and Clifton Cole, in 1997.Services will be held Friday, May 16, 10 a.m. at Life Way Baptist Church, 673 W. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, with Pastor Bob Walpole officiating. Burial will follow at Santa Paula Cemetery.