obituaries
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William (Bill) McLaughlin // – //
William (Bill) McLaughlin died suddenly but peacefully in Port Townsend WA on November at the age of , following a week spent visiting with friends and his son Michael. Bill’s wife Margaret passed away in after a marriage of years. Bill had three sons, Timothy (wife Diane) of Cazenovia, New York, John, late of Telluride, Colorado, and Michael of San Jose, California. Bill grew up in Upland and nearby Cucamonga in Southern California. A sailor from early on, Bill learned to sail in a boat he purchased with $ that his father lent him. With his father serving as ‘crew’, Bill did well in the Pacific Coast Regatta and other races. While attending Santa Barbara High School, he also ran track as a high hurdler. Bill went on to earn his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara where he met Margaret, his future wife. They were married March rd, , days before he shipped out as an activated USN reserve. He then spent time off of Korea and in the China Sea as a navy signalman, primarily on the escort carrier CVE-, the Rendova. Bill returned home to his new bride and first son Tim, mustering out in . He continued his education, earning his teaching credential, Master’s degree, and school administrative certificate at UCLA. He taught social studies at Newport Harbor High School before moving back to Santa Barbara to head the social studies department and coach a winning track team at the new San Marcos High School. He moved into administrative work, eventually becoming Assistant Superintendent of the Santa Barbara School system. In Santa Barbara schools he hit his stride, learning the difficult balance of laws, policy and politics that are involved in working with the various educational stakeholders; students, parents, faculty, administrative staff, and the Board of Education, each with different perspectives and concerns. One of his proudest achievements while at Santa Barbara was the building of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta. Bill joined the Federal Office of Education (within HEW) at the Region Nine office in San Francisco, where he worked with educators and community activists throughout the West Coast, Hawaii, and the Trust Territories on such programs as the “Model Cities” initiative of , part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty”. He particularly enjoyed his commutes from Tiburon in Marin County to San Francisco via ferry during these years. After two years in San Francisco he established the new Office of Education Region Ten office in Seattle, with responsibility for working with educators in the North20
THE INDEPENDENT
western states. His work in Seattle included highly innovative projects, such as the then novel satellite broadcasting of educational programs to remote Alaskan towns and villages. The family moved again in to Virginia, where Bill assumed responsibility for all ten regional offices within the Office of Education and then the Department of Education. He became a charter member of the Senior Executive Service (S.E.S.) in . In , Bill was informed that the new presidential administration wished to dispense with his services. Due to his S.E.S status, he was able to transfer into the Education Department’s Office of Inspector General as Assistant Inspector General for Management and Policy. Working in an environment that was new to him, he adapted and earned “Outstanding” or “Superior” performance evaluations for his work in this new role. He was fortunate that at the end of his working life he was able to return to special education, a field he studied at UCLA. He served as the acting Director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) assisting public institutions with issues as diverse as educational curricula, head trauma research, and A.D.A. compliance. A highlight was when he represented the United States on a trip to rehabilitation centers in India. While in the Washington DC area, Bill and his wife Margaret established the National Capitol chapter of the UCSB alumni association. While Margaret served as Chapter President, Bill helped students adapt to life in the nation’s capital and became a member of the UCSB Alumni Board. For his alumni work and his career accomplishments in education, Bill was awarded the UCSB Outstanding Alumni Award. Upon retiring from Washington D.C. to Washington State in the mid nineties, he became active in politics, something precluded during his career in the Federal civil service. He worked with the Washington State Democratic party, guiding local candidates door to door in Port Ludlow, serving as a state committee member, arranging presidential caucuses and more. For his efforts in Jefferson County and Washington State as a whole, he was awarded the Warren G. Magnuson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Washington State Democratic Party. He and Margaret became active members of the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. In his spare time he sailed his small sailboat “Geist”, tended his garden, and entertained a stream of visiting family and friends to the Pacific Northwest. Bill is survived by his two sons Timothy and Michael McLaughlin, sister Barbara Johnson of Santa Barbara, California, and a large extended family. A memorial service will be held
december 19, 2013
at pm on Sunday, December th at the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, San Juan Ave., Port Townsend Washington. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).
Mike (Miguel Julio) Rivera // – //
Thomas Bronson O’Reilly // – //
In Memory… Dearest Mike:
Thomas Bronson O’Reilly passed away on Nov. , , at Cottage Hospital, with his wife and children present. He was . Thomas was born in Plainfield, N.J. on April , and grew up on Shelter Island, NY. His mother Mary (Meehan) O’Reilly and father Luke O’Reilly were Irish immigrants. He had two brothers, Luke and Gil. He graduated from Shelter Island High School in . He joined the US Navy in and trained as a meteorologist. On Dec. th, , he was stationed at the Kaneohe Naval Air Station in Oahu when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. During the attack, he and three of his mates shot down the only Japanese plane lost in the attack on Kaneohe. After the war, he studied Political Science at Colgate University, graduating in . Soon after, he met Lillian Scheideler. They wed in . Thomas made an unsuccessful bid for US Congress in . Working with his lifelong friend and college classmate, Richard Bates, he campaigned from a horse-drawn covered wagon with the slogan “Pioneer in Politics”. Thomas and Lillian settled with their children in Santa Barbara, in . Starting in the early ’s, Thomas was a sales representative and later an executive and entrepreneur, importing and inventing typewriters and business machines. He finished his business career developing the Sierra Typewriter and marketing it in the US. In he sold his patents to JUKI and retired as President of JUKI USA. Thomas O’Reilly is survived by his wife Lillian, his children Kevin (Jean), Maureen (Murray), Colleen, Shannon (Ninoska), Rory (Laura), Tara, Siobhan, and Cathlin (Peter), grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held at the Santa Barbara Mission on Nov th. A celebration in memory of Thomas will be held on New Year’s Eve at the family home, beginning at pm.
Four years ago you flew into the arms of the angels. How do we tell your story? With tears and laughter – knowing that each of us was changed by knowing you… you were not religious, but oh you were so spiritual… you saw the good in everyone; you loved to meet new people and they went away having made a new friend. Santa Barbara was your home and you loved every part of it. We celebrate you with JOY in our hearts; JOY because you gave JOY to so many by the little things you did; sharing the fruits of your gardening; visiting friends and family who could not drive; telling jokes, always smiling when I walked in the door from work. In the words of Winnie the Pooh, “When you see someone putting on his BIG BOOTS, you can be sure that an adventure is going to happen.” Each day with you was an amazing adventure cradled by love. Thank you for the joyful memories we keep forever in our hearts. Your loving wife, Marilou, and the entire Rivera Family
Kim Kihlstrom
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Kim Kihlstrom, a professor of Computer Science at Westmont College, died December , at home following a long battle with cancer. She was born April , in Santa Rosa, CA to C.W. (Bud) and Virginia Potter. She received a BSEE from Stanford University in . She married Ken Kihlstrom in and they raised three children: Kathy, Karen, and Kevin. In , she and her husband moved to Santa Barbara to begin teaching at Westmont. She was part time until she pursued her
PhD in Computer Engineering at UCSB, completing it in . She then returned to Westmont as a professor of Computer Science. In , she won the Teacher of the Year award for the Natural and Behavioral Sciences as well as the Faculty Research Award. Twice she and her husband led Westmont’s Europe Semester Program. Kim was active in her local church community. She is survived by her husband and three children, as well as by her mother, Virginia, and brother Kris Potter (both of Medford, Oregon). Memorial Services was held at Montecito Community Church on Wednesday, December , at : pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the endowment for the Kim Kihlstrom Scholarship in Computer Science at Westmont College.
Joseph Allen Fuller, Jr. // – //
Joseph Allen Fuller Jr., loving son, husband, and father, died at home, surrounded by family, on December , . Joe was born in Eureka, Kansas, on November , . He served as a navigator in the South Pacific during World War II with Marine Air Group . At the end of the war, he met Dorothy Herron, who had served in the WAVES during the war. They married in and attended the University of Wichita on the GI bill, graduating at the same time. Joe earned his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Illinois in . He worked for many years for Chevron Research and Standard Oil of California. Joe and Dorothy were married for years. For most of those years, they lived in Mill Valley and were active in the Mill Valley Community Church. Dorothy died in . Joe lived the last three and a half years of his life with his daughter Carol in Santa Barbara. He is survived by his sister Helen Fuller (Robert Lake), his daughters Carol Schwyzer (Hubert Schwyzer) and Marilyn Fuller (David Krug), and his sons Douglas Fuller (Debbie Shroyer) and Scott Fuller, as well as seven grandchildren, one greatgrandson, and many nieces and nephews. The family is grateful to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara for their capable and caring support at the end of his life.