OBITUARY
Santa Paula Chronicle, Tuesday, October 15, 1991
Owen Chelsea Bird
Services will be held for Owen Chelsea Bird of Santa Paula on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary Chapel in Santa Paula with the Rev. Thomas Heslop of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be at Santa Paula Cemetery. Friends may call at the mortuary on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Thursday, from 9 a.m. until service time.
Mr. Bird died on Sunday at his home after a long illness. He was 88.
He was born February 21, 1903 in Sabetha, Kan., and lived in Ventura County 55 years after coming from San Fernando. He was a citrus association manager for 43 years. He was a member of the Santa Paula Rotary Club and was past president of the Moorpark Rotary Club. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Lemon Men's Club of Saticoy and was past president of the Santa Paula Union High School Board of Trustees.
As a 45-year affiliate with Sunkist, Mr. Bird built the first lemon packinghouse, called Briggs Lemon Association, in Santa Paula, and in the 1950s built the first orange packinghouse in Agadir French Morocco for Logan International. He also built the Ojai Tapo orange packinghouse in Somis and served on the board of directors for the Fruit Growers Supply Company.
He is survived by a son, Owen L. Bird of Santa Paula; a step-son, Paul Boetius of Sacramento; a daughter, Sara Webb of Palmdale; five grandchildren, Richard Bird of El Centro, Larry Bird of San Antonio, Texas, Nancy Bird of Costa Mesa, Dan Bird of Albuquerque, N.M., and Arthur Webb of Arlington, Va.; five step-grandchildren, Gale, Paul Jr., Susan, Kirby and Ernie Boetius, all of Sacramento; and two great-grandchildren, Michelle Bird and Michael Bird, both of El Centro.
Services are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary of Santa Paula.
END OBITUARY
*********************
Personal Notes
(by Owen's granddaughter, Gale Boetius Perez, Find a Grave Member 47724849)
Owen's daughter Sara Bird Angilello recalled that Owen's father Robert was one of 14 children. His mother was second generation Amish and always wore black, bought dresses at rummage sales and added sleeves to them in the winter.
Sara recalls that Owen came to Orange County from Kansas at age 17, when he was a senior in high school. After a week, he said, "Mom, I'm not going to school, it's too big." Maybe he had been used to one room in Kansas.
In 1923, Owen returned to Kansas to marry his first wife, Helen Feldmann, at her parents' farm in Sabetha. Owen and Helen returned to California, where Owen was beginning his career in the citrus industry. His first position in the industry was with the Placentia Mutual Citrus Association. A photo of Owen working with his father at the Placentia packing house is posted on this memorial. Subsequently, Owen was house foreman for the San Fernando Citrus Association, and then served as foreman at a plant in San Diego starting about 1925.
Owen and Helen moved to Santa Paula in 1936 when he became the first manager of the Briggs Lemon Association. He retired from Briggs in 1958.
In early 1959, Owen traveled to French Morocco where he built the first orange packing house in Agadir for Logan International and arranged for exports to France. Owen's daughter Sara recalled that Owen was recommended for this job by Sunkist (one of the growers for Briggs Lemon). Owen's family remembers his fond recollections of his time there and how well he was treated.
Owen had intended to be in Morocco for at least four months, but in May he received word that his daughter Nancy had become ill with leukemia. Owen flew home to be with her and she died December 1, 1959. Three months later, on March 1, 1960, a devastating earthquake and tsunami razed Agadir, killing 12,000 people including Owen's replacement.
In 1959, Owen became assistant manager and later general manager of Tapo Citrus. He told us many years later that he would sometimes drive out to actor Walter Brennan's ranch in Moorpark to hand-deliver a crate of oranges. He liked to eat occasionally at the Santa Paula airport cafe and probably ran into actor Steve McQueen there more than once.
Owen retired from Tapo Citrus on March 1, 1968 but he continued his involvement in the citrus industry.
In retirement, Owen continued to manage his commercial and residential properties near Railroad Avenue, and remained active in the Rotary Club and other civic organizations. In addition to his service with the Rotary Club and Santa Paula High School Board of Trustees mentioned in his obituary, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce (1971-1972) and was a member of its board of directors. In the 1940s, he served as a vice president and member-at-large on the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and was appointed to the newly-established Recreation Commission. In the 1940s and 1950s, he was active with the Santa Paula - Fillmore - Piru Chapter of the American Red Cross, and served as Chairman in 1956-1958.
In 1973, he served on a citizens' advisory committee in a Housing and Urban Development project to instill economic, housing, and social elements in Santa Paula's master plan.
Owen and Olive enjoyed socializing and playing bridge with friends such as Hazel and Cord Beckerdite (Find a Grave Memorials 119234860 and 119235264).
In the 1960s they took cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.
Owen and Olive also enjoyed visiting with their children and grandchildren, and trips to their cabin in the Eastern Sierra, near Crowley Lake. In 1955, Owen and a friend, Jack Cline, had teamed up to build the cabin. Jack owned People's Lumber of Santa Paula, and provided the lumber; Owen financed the labor. Owen later bought Jack's portion of the cabin. Owen and Olive's children and grandchildren also spent many happy vacations at "The Cabin." (The current address of the cabin is 120 Pinon, Crowley Lake, California.)
**********************
Santa Paula Chronicle, Tuesday, October 15, 1991
Owen Chelsea Bird
Services will be held for Owen Chelsea Bird of Santa Paula on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary Chapel in Santa Paula with the Rev. Thomas Heslop of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be at Santa Paula Cemetery. Friends may call at the mortuary on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Thursday, from 9 a.m. until service time.
Mr. Bird died on Sunday at his home after a long illness. He was 88.
He was born February 21, 1903 in Sabetha, Kan., and lived in Ventura County 55 years after coming from San Fernando. He was a citrus association manager for 43 years. He was a member of the Santa Paula Rotary Club and was past president of the Moorpark Rotary Club. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Lemon Men's Club of Saticoy and was past president of the Santa Paula Union High School Board of Trustees.
As a 45-year affiliate with Sunkist, Mr. Bird built the first lemon packinghouse, called Briggs Lemon Association, in Santa Paula, and in the 1950s built the first orange packinghouse in Agadir French Morocco for Logan International. He also built the Ojai Tapo orange packinghouse in Somis and served on the board of directors for the Fruit Growers Supply Company.
He is survived by a son, Owen L. Bird of Santa Paula; a step-son, Paul Boetius of Sacramento; a daughter, Sara Webb of Palmdale; five grandchildren, Richard Bird of El Centro, Larry Bird of San Antonio, Texas, Nancy Bird of Costa Mesa, Dan Bird of Albuquerque, N.M., and Arthur Webb of Arlington, Va.; five step-grandchildren, Gale, Paul Jr., Susan, Kirby and Ernie Boetius, all of Sacramento; and two great-grandchildren, Michelle Bird and Michael Bird, both of El Centro.
Services are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary of Santa Paula.
END OBITUARY
*********************
Personal Notes
(by Owen's granddaughter, Gale Boetius Perez, Find a Grave Member 47724849)
Owen's daughter Sara Bird Angilello recalled that Owen's father Robert was one of 14 children. His mother was second generation Amish and always wore black, bought dresses at rummage sales and added sleeves to them in the winter.
Sara recalls that Owen came to Orange County from Kansas at age 17, when he was a senior in high school. After a week, he said, "Mom, I'm not going to school, it's too big." Maybe he had been used to one room in Kansas.
In 1923, Owen returned to Kansas to marry his first wife, Helen Feldmann, at her parents' farm in Sabetha. Owen and Helen returned to California, where Owen was beginning his career in the citrus industry. His first position in the industry was with the Placentia Mutual Citrus Association. A photo of Owen working with his father at the Placentia packing house is posted on this memorial. Subsequently, Owen was house foreman for the San Fernando Citrus Association, and then served as foreman at a plant in San Diego starting about 1925.
Owen and Helen moved to Santa Paula in 1936 when he became the first manager of the Briggs Lemon Association. He retired from Briggs in 1958.
In early 1959, Owen traveled to French Morocco where he built the first orange packing house in Agadir for Logan International and arranged for exports to France. Owen's daughter Sara recalled that Owen was recommended for this job by Sunkist (one of the growers for Briggs Lemon). Owen's family remembers his fond recollections of his time there and how well he was treated.
Owen had intended to be in Morocco for at least four months, but in May he received word that his daughter Nancy had become ill with leukemia. Owen flew home to be with her and she died December 1, 1959. Three months later, on March 1, 1960, a devastating earthquake and tsunami razed Agadir, killing 12,000 people including Owen's replacement.
In 1959, Owen became assistant manager and later general manager of Tapo Citrus. He told us many years later that he would sometimes drive out to actor Walter Brennan's ranch in Moorpark to hand-deliver a crate of oranges. He liked to eat occasionally at the Santa Paula airport cafe and probably ran into actor Steve McQueen there more than once.
Owen retired from Tapo Citrus on March 1, 1968 but he continued his involvement in the citrus industry.
In retirement, Owen continued to manage his commercial and residential properties near Railroad Avenue, and remained active in the Rotary Club and other civic organizations. In addition to his service with the Rotary Club and Santa Paula High School Board of Trustees mentioned in his obituary, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce (1971-1972) and was a member of its board of directors. In the 1940s, he served as a vice president and member-at-large on the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and was appointed to the newly-established Recreation Commission. In the 1940s and 1950s, he was active with the Santa Paula - Fillmore - Piru Chapter of the American Red Cross, and served as Chairman in 1956-1958.
In 1973, he served on a citizens' advisory committee in a Housing and Urban Development project to instill economic, housing, and social elements in Santa Paula's master plan.
Owen and Olive enjoyed socializing and playing bridge with friends such as Hazel and Cord Beckerdite (Find a Grave Memorials 119234860 and 119235264).
In the 1960s they took cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.
Owen and Olive also enjoyed visiting with their children and grandchildren, and trips to their cabin in the Eastern Sierra, near Crowley Lake. In 1955, Owen and a friend, Jack Cline, had teamed up to build the cabin. Jack owned People's Lumber of Santa Paula, and provided the lumber; Owen financed the labor. Owen later bought Jack's portion of the cabin. Owen and Olive's children and grandchildren also spent many happy vacations at "The Cabin." (The current address of the cabin is 120 Pinon, Crowley Lake, California.)
**********************
OBITUARY
Santa Paula Chronicle, Tuesday, October 15, 1991
Owen Chelsea Bird
Services will be held for Owen Chelsea Bird of Santa Paula on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary Chapel in Santa Paula with the Rev. Thomas Heslop of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be at Santa Paula Cemetery. Friends may call at the mortuary on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Thursday, from 9 a.m. until service time.
Mr. Bird died on Sunday at his home after a long illness. He was 88.
He was born February 21, 1903 in Sabetha, Kan., and lived in Ventura County 55 years after coming from San Fernando. He was a citrus association manager for 43 years. He was a member of the Santa Paula Rotary Club and was past president of the Moorpark Rotary Club. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Lemon Men's Club of Saticoy and was past president of the Santa Paula Union High School Board of Trustees.
As a 45-year affiliate with Sunkist, Mr. Bird built the first lemon packinghouse, called Briggs Lemon Association, in Santa Paula, and in the 1950s built the first orange packinghouse in Agadir French Morocco for Logan International. He also built the Ojai Tapo orange packinghouse in Somis and served on the board of directors for the Fruit Growers Supply Company.
He is survived by a son, Owen L. Bird of Santa Paula; a step-son, Paul Boetius of Sacramento; a daughter, Sara Webb of Palmdale; five grandchildren, Richard Bird of El Centro, Larry Bird of San Antonio, Texas, Nancy Bird of Costa Mesa, Dan Bird of Albuquerque, N.M., and Arthur Webb of Arlington, Va.; five step-grandchildren, Gale, Paul Jr., Susan, Kirby and Ernie Boetius, all of Sacramento; and two great-grandchildren, Michelle Bird and Michael Bird, both of El Centro.
Services are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary of Santa Paula.
END OBITUARY
*********************
Personal Notes
(by Owen's granddaughter, Gale Boetius Perez, Find a Grave Member 47724849)
Owen's daughter Sara Bird Angilello recalled that Owen's father Robert was one of 14 children. His mother was second generation Amish and always wore black, bought dresses at rummage sales and added sleeves to them in the winter.
Sara recalls that Owen came to Orange County from Kansas at age 17, when he was a senior in high school. After a week, he said, "Mom, I'm not going to school, it's too big." Maybe he had been used to one room in Kansas.
In 1923, Owen returned to Kansas to marry his first wife, Helen Feldmann, at her parents' farm in Sabetha. Owen and Helen returned to California, where Owen was beginning his career in the citrus industry. His first position in the industry was with the Placentia Mutual Citrus Association. A photo of Owen working with his father at the Placentia packing house is posted on this memorial. Subsequently, Owen was house foreman for the San Fernando Citrus Association, and then served as foreman at a plant in San Diego starting about 1925.
Owen and Helen moved to Santa Paula in 1936 when he became the first manager of the Briggs Lemon Association. He retired from Briggs in 1958.
In early 1959, Owen traveled to French Morocco where he built the first orange packing house in Agadir for Logan International and arranged for exports to France. Owen's daughter Sara recalled that Owen was recommended for this job by Sunkist (one of the growers for Briggs Lemon). Owen's family remembers his fond recollections of his time there and how well he was treated.
Owen had intended to be in Morocco for at least four months, but in May he received word that his daughter Nancy had become ill with leukemia. Owen flew home to be with her and she died December 1, 1959. Three months later, on March 1, 1960, a devastating earthquake and tsunami razed Agadir, killing 12,000 people including Owen's replacement.
In 1959, Owen became assistant manager and later general manager of Tapo Citrus. He told us many years later that he would sometimes drive out to actor Walter Brennan's ranch in Moorpark to hand-deliver a crate of oranges. He liked to eat occasionally at the Santa Paula airport cafe and probably ran into actor Steve McQueen there more than once.
Owen retired from Tapo Citrus on March 1, 1968 but he continued his involvement in the citrus industry.
In retirement, Owen continued to manage his commercial and residential properties near Railroad Avenue, and remained active in the Rotary Club and other civic organizations. In addition to his service with the Rotary Club and Santa Paula High School Board of Trustees mentioned in his obituary, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce (1971-1972) and was a member of its board of directors. In the 1940s, he served as a vice president and member-at-large on the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and was appointed to the newly-established Recreation Commission. In the 1940s and 1950s, he was active with the Santa Paula - Fillmore - Piru Chapter of the American Red Cross, and served as Chairman in 1956-1958.
In 1973, he served on a citizens' advisory committee in a Housing and Urban Development project to instill economic, housing, and social elements in Santa Paula's master plan.
Owen and Olive enjoyed socializing and playing bridge with friends such as Hazel and Cord Beckerdite (Find a Grave Memorials 119234860 and 119235264).
In the 1960s they took cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.
Owen and Olive also enjoyed visiting with their children and grandchildren, and trips to their cabin in the Eastern Sierra, near Crowley Lake. In 1955, Owen and a friend, Jack Cline, had teamed up to build the cabin. Jack owned People's Lumber of Santa Paula, and provided the lumber; Owen financed the labor. Owen later bought Jack's portion of the cabin. Owen and Olive's children and grandchildren also spent many happy vacations at "The Cabin." (The current address of the cabin is 120 Pinon, Crowley Lake, California.)
**********************
Santa Paula Chronicle, Tuesday, October 15, 1991
Owen Chelsea Bird
Services will be held for Owen Chelsea Bird of Santa Paula on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary Chapel in Santa Paula with the Rev. Thomas Heslop of the First United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be at Santa Paula Cemetery. Friends may call at the mortuary on Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Thursday, from 9 a.m. until service time.
Mr. Bird died on Sunday at his home after a long illness. He was 88.
He was born February 21, 1903 in Sabetha, Kan., and lived in Ventura County 55 years after coming from San Fernando. He was a citrus association manager for 43 years. He was a member of the Santa Paula Rotary Club and was past president of the Moorpark Rotary Club. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Lemon Men's Club of Saticoy and was past president of the Santa Paula Union High School Board of Trustees.
As a 45-year affiliate with Sunkist, Mr. Bird built the first lemon packinghouse, called Briggs Lemon Association, in Santa Paula, and in the 1950s built the first orange packinghouse in Agadir French Morocco for Logan International. He also built the Ojai Tapo orange packinghouse in Somis and served on the board of directors for the Fruit Growers Supply Company.
He is survived by a son, Owen L. Bird of Santa Paula; a step-son, Paul Boetius of Sacramento; a daughter, Sara Webb of Palmdale; five grandchildren, Richard Bird of El Centro, Larry Bird of San Antonio, Texas, Nancy Bird of Costa Mesa, Dan Bird of Albuquerque, N.M., and Arthur Webb of Arlington, Va.; five step-grandchildren, Gale, Paul Jr., Susan, Kirby and Ernie Boetius, all of Sacramento; and two great-grandchildren, Michelle Bird and Michael Bird, both of El Centro.
Services are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary of Santa Paula.
END OBITUARY
*********************
Personal Notes
(by Owen's granddaughter, Gale Boetius Perez, Find a Grave Member 47724849)
Owen's daughter Sara Bird Angilello recalled that Owen's father Robert was one of 14 children. His mother was second generation Amish and always wore black, bought dresses at rummage sales and added sleeves to them in the winter.
Sara recalls that Owen came to Orange County from Kansas at age 17, when he was a senior in high school. After a week, he said, "Mom, I'm not going to school, it's too big." Maybe he had been used to one room in Kansas.
In 1923, Owen returned to Kansas to marry his first wife, Helen Feldmann, at her parents' farm in Sabetha. Owen and Helen returned to California, where Owen was beginning his career in the citrus industry. His first position in the industry was with the Placentia Mutual Citrus Association. A photo of Owen working with his father at the Placentia packing house is posted on this memorial. Subsequently, Owen was house foreman for the San Fernando Citrus Association, and then served as foreman at a plant in San Diego starting about 1925.
Owen and Helen moved to Santa Paula in 1936 when he became the first manager of the Briggs Lemon Association. He retired from Briggs in 1958.
In early 1959, Owen traveled to French Morocco where he built the first orange packing house in Agadir for Logan International and arranged for exports to France. Owen's daughter Sara recalled that Owen was recommended for this job by Sunkist (one of the growers for Briggs Lemon). Owen's family remembers his fond recollections of his time there and how well he was treated.
Owen had intended to be in Morocco for at least four months, but in May he received word that his daughter Nancy had become ill with leukemia. Owen flew home to be with her and she died December 1, 1959. Three months later, on March 1, 1960, a devastating earthquake and tsunami razed Agadir, killing 12,000 people including Owen's replacement.
In 1959, Owen became assistant manager and later general manager of Tapo Citrus. He told us many years later that he would sometimes drive out to actor Walter Brennan's ranch in Moorpark to hand-deliver a crate of oranges. He liked to eat occasionally at the Santa Paula airport cafe and probably ran into actor Steve McQueen there more than once.
Owen retired from Tapo Citrus on March 1, 1968 but he continued his involvement in the citrus industry.
In retirement, Owen continued to manage his commercial and residential properties near Railroad Avenue, and remained active in the Rotary Club and other civic organizations. In addition to his service with the Rotary Club and Santa Paula High School Board of Trustees mentioned in his obituary, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce (1971-1972) and was a member of its board of directors. In the 1940s, he served as a vice president and member-at-large on the Ventura County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and was appointed to the newly-established Recreation Commission. In the 1940s and 1950s, he was active with the Santa Paula - Fillmore - Piru Chapter of the American Red Cross, and served as Chairman in 1956-1958.
In 1973, he served on a citizens' advisory committee in a Housing and Urban Development project to instill economic, housing, and social elements in Santa Paula's master plan.
Owen and Olive enjoyed socializing and playing bridge with friends such as Hazel and Cord Beckerdite (Find a Grave Memorials 119234860 and 119235264).
In the 1960s they took cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.
Owen and Olive also enjoyed visiting with their children and grandchildren, and trips to their cabin in the Eastern Sierra, near Crowley Lake. In 1955, Owen and a friend, Jack Cline, had teamed up to build the cabin. Jack owned People's Lumber of Santa Paula, and provided the lumber; Owen financed the labor. Owen later bought Jack's portion of the cabin. Owen and Olive's children and grandchildren also spent many happy vacations at "The Cabin." (The current address of the cabin is 120 Pinon, Crowley Lake, California.)
**********************
