Tag archives: in memoriam

Ralph Minc, longtime Santa Barbara local, passionate athlete, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2025, at the age of 79. Ralph was born in Tayport, Scotland, to Catherine Duncan Minc and Hendryk Minc, a Polish Jew who escaped the Nazis and eventually made his way to Scotland. In 1958, the […]

“Finish every morsel.” Those were Cathy Sanford’s words while sharing a meal with the grandkids – and yet it was also the way she lived her life. She believed in savoring every bite, every moment, and every opportunity in life. And for 94 beautiful years, she did just that. Cathy’s life was rich with love, […]

Gerry Spence, the legendary Wyoming attorney whose folksy style and relentless advocacy won him every criminal jury trial he ever argued, died Wednesday at his Montecito home. He was 96. Over more than five decades, Spence built a reputation as a “country lawyer” who took on some of the nation’s most powerful institutions. His high-profile […]

Ralph Minc, longtime Santa Barbara local, passionate athlete, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2025, at the age of 79. Ralph was born in Tayport, Scotland, to Catherine Duncan Minc and Hendryk Minc, a Polish Jew who escaped the Nazis and eventually made his way to Scotland. In 1958, the […]

Ed Maschke, longtime Santa Barbara County environmental activist, political consultant, labor organizer and elected official, passed away peacefully at his home in Lompoc. He is survived by daughters Gwenivere (1970), Jennifer (1973), and Aurora (1980), ten grandchildren, one great grandson, countless friends and the thriving California solar energy industry he was instrumental in creating. Interest […]

James Daniel Simmons, known as Jay to most, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025, at the age of 57 after his short battle of liver and kidney disease. Born and raised in Oxnard, California, Jay was a proud graduate of Rio Mesa High School, class of 1986. Jay was a devoted husband to his […]

Joanne Cooper Holderman passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 27, at the age of 89 in Santa Barbara, California, after a brief illness. She was surrounded by her loving children, Caroline Calvin and William Holderman. Born on July 1, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, Joanne was the first of three daughters of Margaret and Dr. John […]

With full hearts and deep gratitude, we say goodbye to our dear friend and mentor, Suzanne Baker Neal Perkins – a woman whose life was nothing short of extraordinary. A true force of nature, Suzanne has lived a life of adventure, elegance, and unwavering excellence. From flying the skies with Pan Am to the rolling […]

Philip Chapin Nolen, 92, of Montecito, CA, passed away peacefully April 24, 2025, at Casa Dorinda. Known as Chapin or Chape, he led a life marked by love of family, service, and a passion for connection. Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Chapin grew up in Upper Arlington, Ohio, where his father was a professor […]

Amber Kelleher-Andrews, a matchmaker whose luxury firm discreetly united some of the world’s wealthiest and most recognizable individuals in love and marriage, and who was known professionally as Amber Kelleher, died Sunday at her home in Montecito, California. She was 56. The cause was cancer, said John Berg, her friend, business partner and chief executive […]

Leslie Hollis López passed away peacefully in her home in Montecito on March 8, 2025. She was surrounded by family members until the very end: a beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara day spent listening to The Beatles, Claude Debussy and John Barry. Leslie was an adoring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a devoted friend to many. A force of nature […]

Dr. Geoffrey Dudley Phillips, 77, of Montecito, California, died January of 2025 in Montecito. Geoffrey will always be remembered for his skills at stitching up a wound, carrying a tune and some of the BEST FÊTES Montecito knew in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s!  Geoffrey was born December 7, 1948, in Trinidad and Tobago, which […]

Marvin Agather Bauer, known to friends as “Marv” and family as “Tink,” was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Legend has it that his mother, Agatha, once remarked that she couldn’t improve on perfection, and thus he became an only child. Raised in Chicago, Marv went on to become an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin and […]

Betsy was born on December 21, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois, to Elizabeth Sifers and George Phillips Hollingbery. Raised in Illinois, she and her family were active in the Glencoe Union Church, instilling in her a strong sense of community and service from a young age. She attended Central School Elementary in Glencoe, IL and New […]

On a personal note, I remember Karim Aga Khan, who just died at his estate in Portugal at the age of 88. The vastly rich religious head of the Ismaili sect of Islam, which has as many as 15 million members, he inherited his title from his grandfather in 1957, aged just 20, and was […]

James (Jimmy) Searcy passed away on January 30, 2025. He was a beloved Husband/Father/Brother/Grandfather/Great-Grandfather, Uncle, and friend to so many and will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Jimmy was born in Cleveland, OH on September 19, 1932. He was the son of Frank Ellsworth Searcy and Margaret Spruit.  Jimmy was in the […]

It’s painful to think, to imagine, to realize, that I’ll never experience the joy of being with Erin Graffy de Garcia ever again. She passed away – surrounded by family – at Cottage Hospital at 2:54 am on January 21 after a frighteningly short bout with cancer. To say that she’ll be missed is a […]

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Patrick Manners Sullivan, a beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and loyal friend who left us on December 11, 2024, at the age of 77. Patrick was born in Seattle, WA, to parents Morris and Rose Sullivan. He was the fourth child born in a […]