obituaries
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John W. Shaver May 1950-July 2017
John leaves behind his friends who will miss him greatly. He was not only a gifted artist, but a poet who understood the fragility of life balanced by its precious, but elusive beauty. John was gentle, piercingly intelligent but most of all a kind and caring friend. He is preceded in death by his mother Betty, his sister Karen and his beloved cat, Evinrude. May John’s beautiful soul finally be at peace.
David Thomas Ferreira 09/03/53-06/17/17
Our gentle blues brother left us quietly and suddenly on June 17th, 2017. Children of the San Joaquin, David, his brother Carlos and his sister Glory grew up wading in the creeks of Los Banos when they ran cold, clean and tufted with watercress for our grandmothers to flavor their soups. The creeks died with the advent of the San Luis Dam on August 18, 1962. Our nine-year old brother slipped away from my family as fifteen thousand people clamored for a look at a young President, John F. Kennedy, and Governor Pat Brown, as they gave the signal to detonate the first charges inaugurating the site. David had wound his way through the crowds and managed to squeeze himself onto the podium to shake the President’s hand. The President looked down, noticed him, shook his hand and lifted him up. “Is anyone missing their little boy?” He raised fancy pigeons, and each one had a name. When his sister began breeding German roller canaries for their songs and vivid colors, David visited them often, perching below the aviaries and listening to their complex melodies. Like humpback whales, 22
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each generation added flourishes to their songbook. We’d cover the furniture with drop cloths and set them free, watching them glide, dip and soar through the house in formation behind the Alpha male. Always they returned to their open cages for snacks - dandelion greens, apple slices and fresh English rose petals from the garden. He was a free spirit and a wild soul. He treasured his connection with his family, revered his elders and felt the suffering of strangers. He thumbed his way through the back roads of Arkansas, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, always finding work to pour himself into. He volunteered at local homeless shelters bathing disabled men and talking with his harmonica to the runaways. David, like his father, had a gift with food. An inspired, self-taught blues harmonica player, he was welcomed into many Santa Cruz bands at the Catalyst. And like his mother, he was a restless, soulful poet. He developed a passion for roses late in life and became adept at pruning. His rescue cat, Tabbers, was his joy, his in-house Yoda. Like his pigeons, David always returned home when his wanderlust abated. Home to him was Santa Barbara, the crucible where he fought his demons with the unfailing support of family and friends. Creativity, music and love were his weapons of choice. He is survived by his brother Carlos of San Francisco and his Santa Barbara sister, Glorianna. He was predeceased by his beloved and loving parents, Henry and Marianna Ferreira of Los Banos, and will be remembered by many wonderful cousins (many of them musicians), aunts, mentors, Stalwart House friends, his sponsors and many satisfied diners. He was happiest wielding his skillets, knives and secret spices for patrons of The 1129, Brophy Brothers, the Montecito Inn, Ryan’s Place and all the truck-stops and smalltown cafés he served during his gypsy days. His omelets and hearty entrees with a Mediterranean flair were mouth-watering and original. David was a gentle and loving man, unassuming and generous. He will be deeply missed and remembered by those who really knew him. He looked up to his brother, a powerful role model and his medical advocate during the UCLA transplant process. He loved the fishing expeditions and dinner/movie nights his brother planned. He shared frequent and meaningful conversations with his sister. He cared about people and confronted bullies with hatred, injustice and cruelty in their hearts. He expressed gratitude and prayed for all the people who lent him a hand. We are profoundly indebted
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to those who helped David; the irreverent and funny Sister Maxine Vogan of Ottsville, PA; Bill, Miss Sarah and Tom Stewmon of the Ole Sawmill Café in Forrest City, AK; Bob Rose, a restaurant entrepeneur who never lost faith in David. Drs. Robert Shaffer and Wanda Matchett of University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, AK; in Santa Barbara, Drs. Kristen Corbett, Alois Zahner, Jeffrey S. Sager, Thomas V. Aguirre, Erin Moore and Jared Perrin. Dr. Mohamed El-Kabany and his staff at UCLA’s Pfleger Transplant Institute, and especially to all the selfless, kind nurses and assistants who helped care for and comfort David through his many harrowing surgeries. Special blessings are reserved for his caring neighbors, Drew and Javier, and Dr. Tom Eby of CARES, who helped David jump-start the will to live and begin the long walk back towards life and inner peace. A Santa Barbara Memorial Service with some of his favorite music – Mississippi Delta blues, Dylan, Clapton and Neal Young - is planned for what would have been David’s 64th Birthday in September. A later family service will follow in his birthplace. David’s mantra was “Nothing But Love.” We know he’d be happy if we all made kindness, courtesy and forgiveness a daily practice in our fragile world. “Now cracks a noble heart. Goodnight, Sweet Prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” (Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet Act 5, Scene 2)
Richard Joseph (Dick) Blair 05/26/29-06/26/17
Dick Blair of Edwards, Colorado and Santa Barbara, California passed peacefully into the arms of God on Monday morning June 26th at 2:30 a.m. He was at Serenity House in Santa Barbara, surrounded by his loving family. Dick was 88 years old and for six years has been battling cancer, congestive heart failure and COPD. He was born in Los Angeles, CA May 26th 1929 to Lillian Trapp Blair and Sam Polow who soon divorced. He attended elementary school and high school in southern California except for his senior year
when he attended New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI). Dick was an outstanding athlete and participated in gymnastics, wrestling and played football. He went on to get his Bachelor of Science degree at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Dick excelled in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and specialized in artillery. With his training from NMMI, as well he was rapidly promoted from Corporal to 1st Lieutenant. He was called into the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean conflict and performed beyond his official rank to serve as battery commander in “Operation Big Switch.” After returning from the war he and his family moved back to Colorado where Dick worked in the insurance business and also became a broker for Payne Webber Jackson and Curtis. He and his first wife Karolynka divorced in the late 1960’s. In 1974 Dick became sole proprietor of Colorado Aero Tech, an aviation mechanics school. He grew that company into one of the largest and most successful aviation tech schools in the U.S. He also acquired the land adjacent to the school. He had his own airplane and truly loved to fly. In 1978 he met the love of his life. Jeannette Arithson. They married in 1980, and also renewed their vows to follow Christ and were happily married until his passing. Dick served as the president of the Colorado Private School Association, and on the board of the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools and was president of the Aviation Technicians Educational Council. In 1981 he sold the school and eventually the land when he retired. Immediately upon retirement he poured himself into Christian philanthropic activities. He served on many boards and committees of churches and of para-church organizations including, Harvest Foundation of Phoenix, that does world wide outreach, Mike Silva International, out of Portland, which practices evangelism primarily in Latin American Countries and Promise Keepers out of Denver and Boulder, to name a few. He founded a matching program for prisoners with friends called Friends in Transition, it is now known as Friends of Youth in Denver, which he continued to support. He has a heart for the poor and downtrodden, here and abroad, and was driven to spread the life-changing message of the Gospel. His witness for Christ continued until the very last day of his life. Dick Blair was preceded in death by his mother Lillian Blair, his brother Bob Blair and wife Pat, his precious daughter Cambia
Blair, his son-in-law John Adkins and many more distant loved ones on both sides of the family. He is survived by his wife Jeannette Blair, his daughters Victoria K. Blair Adkins, Tresi K Houpt (Jefferson) and son Jake Blair AKA Richard J Blair II. Grandchildren Nicole Blair Adkins (Eric), Emelia Blair Adkins (Tomas), Samuel Beyer Blair Houpt (Kenzie), Franklin Claypool Houpt (Kenzie). Great grandchildren Zoe Blair Johnson, Isaac Russell Johnson. Half brother Joel Rosenkranz (Janice) and many more cousins nieces and nephews. Memorial to be held on July 24th 2017 at 1:30 p.m. at Calvary Chapel of Santa Barbara 1 North Calle Cesar Chavez Santa Barbara CA 93103 Life Celebration Reception to follow 3:00-7:00 at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity in memory of Dick Blair. Information on memorial service in Colorado to be announced. In his last years Dick wrote his Memoir, “Too Blessed to be Stressed” the Spiritual Journey of Dick Blair. If you would like to read more about the story of his life the book is available on Amazon.
Dylan Corselius Willson 05/27/86-07/14/08
Nine years have passed. How can that be? Though the tears never dry and the heart never heals, I have always felt you so close and for that I am so grateful. I would apprieciate it if you would light a candle on the 14th and see Dylan's love and laughter in the flicker of the flame. Thank you Grace You are the poem. That awesome blend of deepest love and forever promise. You are the poem. Throbbing with the power of words so knowing, so right. You are the poem. Tickling and jabbing, soothing and energizing. You are the poem. Precious, poignant, playing your melody On the strings of my heart.