Tag archives: in remembrance

Gordon Guy Remembered
By Richard Mineards   |   April 12, 2022

On a personal note, I mark the move to more heavenly pastures of Gordon Guy, longtime executive director of the 73-year-old nonprofit New House, a recovery center for men with alcohol and drug problems. The charity, which has three facilities in our Eden by the Beach, holds its annual fundraiser at the Hilton emceed by […]

Derek Kenneth Hunter
By Montecito Journal   |   March 15, 2022

Derek (“Derk”) Kenneth Hunter passed away peacefully February 19, 2022, at his home in Woodside, California, surrounded by his family. Born April 25, 1931, in San Marino, California, he was the son of Kenneth and Helen Hunter. He is predeceased by his wife, Fredricka (“Dricka”) Hunter, his daughter, Antonia (“Toni”) Hunter Breck, and his brothers, […]

Richard L. Kahler, M.D.
By Montecito Journal   |   March 15, 2022

Richard Lee Kahler, MD, FACC, beloved husband, cherished father and grandfather, and treasured family member and friend, died peacefully at home on February 21, 2022, at the age of 89. Dick was a longtime resident of La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, and Montecito, California, before moving to Colorado in his final decade. Professionally, Dr. Kahler […]

John W. McIntyre
By Montecito Journal   |   March 8, 2022

On Monday, January 3, 2022, the world lost a thoughtful, principled, energetic, loyal, and loving man. John W. McIntyre’s passing will be felt by the many people whose lives he touched, but none more than his adoring wife and three admiring daughters who were by his side at their forever home in the hills of […]

Justin Bruce Forrester
By Montecito Journal   |   March 8, 2022

Justin Bruce Forrester was born in Santa Barbara, California, on July 16, 1999 and passed away in Santa Barbara on February 22, 2022 at the young age of 22. Justin was a fun-loving and good-hearted young man who had family and many friends who loved and adored him. Justin attended Montecito Union School where he […]

DeAnna Joy Wassom. Timeless. Ageless. Gone too soon!
By Montecito Journal   |   February 22, 2022

DeAnna peacefully passed on the morning of January 30. Her partner of 18 years, Michaela Morgan, was by her side, and their “baby” fox terrier Chanel was at her feet. I have lost the love of my life… We never talked about her passing as we focused on living and celebrating the daily “wins” no […]

Reitman Was Righteous
By Les Firestein   |   February 22, 2022

I reconnected with showbiz vets James Widdoes and Tim Matheson on the passing of Ivan Reitman, the prolific director and producer and founder of the wildly successful production company The Montecito Picture Company. All four of us (including Reitman) are connected through the National Lampoon, a magazine where I was once editor but which has […]

Rest in Peace, Ivan
By Richard Mineards   |   February 22, 2022

On a personal note, I remember Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, who has died at the age of 75 at his Montecito home, formerly part of the legendary 70-acre El Mirador estate near Westmont College. Reitman first made his mark producing the irreverent college fraternity film National Lampoon’s Animal House with John Belushi in 1978. A […]

Louise Larson Darlington Levine
By Montecito Journal   |   February 15, 2022

In sorrow we announce that Louise Levine died peacefully in her Rivera home on January 22, 2022. She was born to Jared and Dorothy (Larson) Darlington in Patterson, New Jersey, on August 13, 1946. She grew up in Ramsey, New Jersey, graduated from Ramsey High School, attended Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, for two […]

RIP, Desmond
By Richard Mineards   |   January 18, 2022

On a personal note, I remember Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights, who died at his home in Cape Town aged 90. I met the Anglican Archbishop in 2011 at a reception at the beachfront Montecito home of the late Nancy Koppelman and found him unfailingly charming. […]

Taking a Moment to Remember
By Nick Masuda   |   January 6, 2022

On Sunday, January 9, at 6:30 pm, multiple Montecito organizations will band together in remembrance of the 23 victims lost in the 1/9 Debris Flow. You can sign up to watch the fourth anniversary livestream and telecast of “Raising Our Light” here: westmont.zoom.us/j/96145574354 The event will kick off with an invocation from Montecito Fire Chief […]

The Community Cornerstones We Lost in 2021…
By Montecito Journal   |   January 4, 2022

The arts, entertainment, sports, and philanthropic worlds were hit hard along the South Coast this year, losing the likes of philanthropist Lee Luria, musician Peter Clark, beloved polo club icon Charles Ward, and the Metropolitan Theatres’ owner Bruce Corwin. It was a tough year, but also a reflective one that allowed us all to appreciate […]

Aristides Burton Demetrios, 1932-2021
By Montecito Journal   |   December 28, 2021

Aristides (Aris) Burton Demetrios was born in Lincoln, Massachusetts, on February 17,1932. He was born to a family of celebrated artists. His father was classical sculptor George Demetrios, who was a student of Bourdelle and had studied with Rodin. His mother was Virginia (Jinnee) Lee Burton, a celebrated author illustrator of children’s books, including “Mike […]

Jesse Alexander, 1929-2021
By Montecito Journal   |   December 28, 2021

Jesse Alexander, 92, a photographer who documented the golden age of motorsport, passed away on December 14, 2021, in Santa Barbara. He was comfortable and at home, with his beloved wife, Nancy, by his side, holding his hand. Jesse was born on April 15, 1929, in Santa Barbara to Florence Louise Lyman and Junius Beverly […]

D. William Wagner, Human and Legal Rights Champion
By Montecito Journal   |   December 21, 2021

D. William (Bill) Wagner, 78, passed December 7, 2021, at home in Santa Barbara, surrounded by his wife and sons. Bill was born to Earl and Lois Wagner in Dixon, Illinois, and raised in Sterling, Illinois. A lifelong love of language and people led him from consecutive statewide debate championships for Illinois in 1960 and […]

23Strong Memorial Finds Its New Resting Place
By Nick Masuda   |   December 14, 2021

Susan Venable can’t help but get choked up a bit, as the mental images that come from weeks of helping clear out other people’s homes amid natural tragedy are something that will stick with her for the rest of her life. As an artist, the Montecito Debris Flow was chockful of visual reminders, but none […]

A Place to Celebrate the Lives of Those We’ve Lost
By Nick Masuda   |   December 7, 2021

For Sharon Byrne, gazing at the 15-foot tree that stands in the grassy knoll in front of Pierre Lafond in the Upper Village has a new significance in 2021. For the first time, a silver star will have the name of a loved one on it for Byrne — for her father, who passed away […]

Peter Clark: A Man That Always Chose to Give Back
By Denice Spangler Adams   |   September 14, 2021

Peter Clark always chose good, and “quietly” did good, never publicly sharing his many good deeds for others. The Montecito Journal’s society tribute to Peter was excellent, however I feel compelled as his decades’ long “jazz mom friend” to add to this exceptional man’s legacy from observations and what he shared over coffee near his […]

Rosemary Phyllis Looney: 1926-2021
By Montecito Journal   |   July 1, 2021

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Rosemary Phyllis Looney after a brief illness. She was born in Norwood, Massachusetts, on December 20, 1926, and passed at home in Carpinteria on June 8, 2021.  She is survived by her daughters Sharyn Plunkett (Richard) and Sheryl Ford of Carpinteria, and Cynthia […]

With Charles in Charge, Polo Community Soared into New Territory
By Richard Mineards   |   July 1, 2021

On a deeply personal note, I remember Charles Ward, the longtime Texan publicist and promoter for the Santa Barbara Polo Club, who left us for more heavenly pastures at the age of 80 in his hometown of Dallas. We first met in 2007 when I moved to our rarefied enclave from Hancock Park in Los […]