obituaries
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Wendy Johnston Grim
Dana Andrew Jakubowski
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Wendy Grim, , left this world peacefully on July , after a long and brave battle with cancer. Her last days were spent at Serenity House, in Santa Barbara CA, lovingly surrounded by family and friends. A fourth generation Santa Barbara native, Wendy was born on April , at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. She graduated from Santa Barbara High School in , the ninth in her family to attend and graduate. She worked at the Santa Barbara Polo Fields, Jedlicka’s (her favorite job), Barclays Bank and for the last years at UCSB. Wendy met the love of her life, her husband Rich, in March and they married on October , . Wendy inherited a love of horses from her grandmother, Beth Clare, and spent countless days riding her horses in the mountains and on the beaches of Santa Barbara. “Horseback riding is my therapy” she would always say. Wendy rode in many Fiesta Parades with various groups, mostly Los Padres Trail Riders. As a guest, she also participated in quite a few semi-annual rides with the Sage Hens. She loved being outdoors and camping with her many friends, her family, her horses and any and all dogs. Wendy is survived by her husband Rich, daughter Clare (Goleta), parents Cindy and Jim Reed (Santa Ynez), her four older brothers and their spouses, Bryce and Susan Johnston, Brent and Ayako Johnston, Clay and Kathy Reed and Kirk Reed. Also survived by nephews and nieces Matthew and Jeffrey Johnston and Daniel, Josh, Emily, and Kalen Reed. Her father, Robert Johnston, passed in September of . In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care c/o Serenity House. Friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Life on Friday, August , at Stow Grove Park at pm
Carine Degli Esposti
IN MEMORIAM... AGOSTO Al mio solo, unico, immenso, incommensurabile AMORE. Per sempre, Guerrino 24
THE INDEPENDENT
Dana Andrew Jakubowski passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July , at Serenity House, in Santa Barbara, following a long illness. His charm and irreverent wit were intact till the last. Dana was born on May , in St. Louis, Missouri, to Frank and Marie Jakubowski, the youngest of four children, which included twins, Sharon and Susan, and brother, Frank Edward. Because Dana’s father was a career military man, the family spent many years in various states and abroad, eventually settling in Tucson, AZ. The experience of living in Japan and Germany engendered in Dana an interest in foreign cultures, languages and literature. While living in Okinawa, Dana became highly proficient in karate, attaining the level of “black belt,” with Dana serving as demonstrator for his “Sensei.” But, it was Germany which most affected him, ultimately influencing his field of university study, and career: German Language and Literature. Dana attended the University of Arizona, graduating with a B.A. in Education, with an Emphasis in German. During the course of his studies he received a prestigious scholarship from the U. of A. to study German Pedagogy in Hamburg, Germany, for a year. He was accepted in the Master’s program of the German Department at UCSB, where he was the only non-native speaker in the program, and completed his M.A. there. Dana was a popular German teacher at U.C.S.B., Santa Barbara City College, and Ventura College for many years. He could often be seen on campus wearing his signature beret, and carrying his guitar to class, where he would encourage his students to practice the sounds of German through song. Invariably, one of his young students would show up to class sporting a beret of his own! Dana was a natural teacher, and had a sincere fondness for young people, especially those whom he saw were struggling. Between his stints of serious university study, Dana enjoyed many colorful experiences. While in his early twenties, he worked as an actor and stunt man at “Old Tucson Film Studios” in Arizona, the location for many Western movies. He not only performed in daily stunt shows for tourists, but he acted and did horseback stunt-riding in innumerable films, where he met many of the popular actors of the time, from John Wayne to Frank Sinatra. Dana’s abiding passion was playing music, specifically bass guitar. He played with several successful touring bands based in Tucson in the ’s,‘s, and ‘s. One novelty group which toured throughout California, was called “Chuck Wagon and the Wheels.” Dana always made playing music a part of his life, taking up the violin, double bass, ukulele, and most recently, the Gypsy guitar, in the Django Reinhardt style. He also developed an interest in building guitars, and painstakingly constructed several, including child-size guitars for his grandchildren. One of the great joys of Dana’s later life was becoming a grandfather to his two step-
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grandchildren, Annika and Sebastian Small. They adored listening to him singing and playing guitar for them while they danced and plucked at his heartstrings. Dana is survived by his loving life-partner of years, Kerry Mistretta, step-children, Giancarlo Mistretta (Lisa McGill) and Gina Mistretta Small (Luke) and children, his father and brother, Frank and Edward Jakubowski, of Tucson, AZ, and sister, Sharon Samu, as well as several nephews and nieces. The family wishes to thank Dr. Nicholas Nissen, of Cedars Sinai Hospital, in L.A., for his devoted care of Dana, Dr. Michael Polo, at Sansum Clinic for his consistent and positive treatment, Dr. Michael Bordofsky, and the incomparable and loving care of all the nurses and staff at Serenity House, where Dana was privileged to spend his last six weeks. Please make any donations in Dana’s memory to Serenity House in Santa Barbara.
dido and son Jim (Marie) of Littleton, CO, as well as grandchildren Roxanne (Andre) Farris, Emily and Noah Eckebrecht. A memorial mass will be held in Johnny’s honor on Friday, August , at am at the Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Maria Celeste Frascella // – //
Maria is survived by her mother, Susan Frascella of Santa Barbara, her father William Frascella of Mishawaka, Indiana and her three sisters, Kristin Frascella, Sarah Frascella and Nina Lafuente all of Santa Barbara. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews Arielle Lafuente, Diego Galindo and Lucia and Leonardo Vigna, as well as her lifelong friends Isis Castaneda and Stephanie Reich. The family invites Maria’s many friends and acquaintances to a memorial at PM August at Friendship Center, Eucalyptus Lane in Montecito.
Evelyn “Eva” G. Hoyt
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Johnny Jacqueline Eckebrecht // – //
Johnny Jacqueline Eckebrecht, formerly of Santa Barbara, passed away on April , at the age of in Oceanside, CA. She was born in Oklahoma City on July , to parents James Bryant and Ruby Clouette. Johnny met her future husband, Frank Edward Eckebrecht in and they were married in . While Frank served his country in the U.S. Army during WWII, Johnny did her part by enlisting in the U.S. Marines, stationed at Camp LeJeune, N.C. When Frank came home, they made their home in Chicago, IL and raised their family there. She was the former owner of Burlap and Velvet Décor Shoppe while in Chicago. In the early ’s, Frank and Johnny moved to Santa Barbara, where they lived on the Mesa. While in Santa Barbara, Johnny and Frank immersed themselves in the community. They attended the Old Mission Santa Barbara and made many good friends there. They were members of the Santa Barbara Dance Club and loved their times dressing up, listening to the “old-time” bands, and dancing with their friends. Johnny began working at St. Francis Hospital as a dedicated Guild volunteer and eventually became President of the Guild. She had a special relationship with the Franciscan Sisters who lived in the convent behind the hospital, and formed special friendships with several priests who served there as well. As Guild President, Johnny also served on the St. Francis Foundation and was appointed as an Honorary Foundation Board Member for her many years of enthusiastic assistance with numerous fund-raising events, including the annual pro-celebrity golf tournaments. In , Johnny and Frank moved to Conroe, TX to live closer to their daughter and son-in-law. In , Johnny moved to Oceanside, CA when her daughter and sonin-law decided to live close to their daughter and family. Johnny was predeceased by Frank, her husband of years, and is survived by her daughter Diane (James) Nelson, of Escon-
When Maria was born years ago the world received a precious gift. She died suddenly and unexpectedly on July , . Maria was born in South Bend, Indiana on May , , the youngest of four daughters, born to William Frascella and Susan Frascella. She was raised in Santa Barbara California where she attended Monroe elementary school, Santa Barbara Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School. She also attended St. Joseph’s High School in South Bend, Indiana for one year. Maria lived her life believing that the happiness of others was essential to her own. She spread joy, passionately embraced her friends and family and always accepted others with an open, nonjudgmental and generous heart. Maria was a messenger reminding us that life is a journey, to savor every moment, and let the destination take care of itself. Maria was a free spirit who led from the heart. Artistic, warmhearted and passionate about life, she loved to dance, sing, and write poetry. Life to her was an adventure and she embraced its twists and turns wholeheartedly. She loved to travel, particularly Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico, where she visited with family and friends. While still quite young she moved to Yosemite to embark on a grand adventure and graduated from Mariposa County High School in Mariposa, CA while working at the Ahwahnee Hotel. After attending Chico State she decided to return home to her friends and family in Santa Barbara; she graduated from SBCC’s School of Cosmetology, was a licensed cosmetician and worked as a facialist at The Underground. Her ability to listen and empathize with another’s point of view served Maria well in her customer services positions at several companies in town, most notably at Magellan’s, where her enthusiasm, caring spirit, and infectious smile never failed to win the day. The last seven years of Maria’s life were challenging after she was diagnosed with MS and later, epilepsy. Yet the obstacles she lived with did not dim her spirit. She refused to be defined by physical trials. In the last year of her life Maria was a Peer Intern with Santa Barbara County Alcohol Drug Mental Health Services (ADMHS) where she brought her full self to bear in service of others. She worked at CARES South and also co-facilitated the Depression Support Group at the Santa Barbara Recovery Learning Community. Maria will be missed forever by those who knew and loved her. Perhaps most important is what she can continue to teach us if we, her family, friends and the people she met along the way have the courage to pay attention to her message: love is powerful and life is meant to be lived.
Evelyn G.“Eva” Hoyt died peacefully on July , at Burnett Medical Center Continuing Care Center, Burnett County, Wis. She was born in Vienna, Austria, on March , to Karl and Stephanie Landeis, She attended schools in Vienna and London. Her father died when she was young. Eva and her mother emigrated to the United States in -. In , Eva became a naturalized U.S. citizen and was married in Hollywood, Calif., to John E. Wengraf, a stage and screen actor who also emigrated from Vienna. They moved to Santa Barbara in . After her divorce from Wengraf, she went to work as a dental receptionist for Dr. Karl Hawes, D.D.S. In October , Eva married Robert Ingle Hoyt, AIA. She worked full time as his partner and office manager until his death in . Eva lived in Santa Barbara until , when she moved to Webster, Wis., to live with her daughter and son-in-law. Eva was a dedicated wife, mother, helpmate and homemaker. She was a member of the “Greatest Generation,” who loved America and California. She was a “liberated woman” long before that term was invented. Eva volunteered locally with “hippotherapy,” helping challenged children horseback ride, and she was a docent at the Courthouse. She and Robert were La Cumbre Country Club members, where he played golf and they both played tennis, which she kept up until she was years old. In earlier years, Eva played the piano, sewed, drew, and painted. She enjoyed doing her own home repairs and maintenance, including house painting and gardening. She loved animals and always had cats as pets. She valued her friendships and was a loyal, caring friend. Eva is survived by her daughter, Harriet Rice, and son-in-law, Arne Ardell of Webster, Wisconsin; stepsons William Clason Hoyt (Lisa) of Wyoming, and Dibblee Hoyt of California; stepdaughter Antonia Hoyt of Utah; step granddaughter Amanda Hoyt of Wyoming, and cousins; Gerda Lydon (Phil) of California, Marian Kretsch of Connecticut, and Lily Kautsky of Missouri. A life celebration and scattering of her ashes in the Santa Barbara Channel are being arranged for a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Eva Hoyt’s name to the Humane Society of Burnett County, Midtown Rd., Siren, WI .