Our dear Angelus Oaks resident, Wendell R Young, age 91 and a half (he would want you to know), passed away here at home late Thursday, Oct 13, 2016. He lived in Angelus Oaks for 25 years. After Pneumonia last December, he struggled with Congestive Heart Failure. Despite the many challenges, he never lost his humor and his goal was always to make someone laugh. He was a social guy, positive, a punster, and simply loved his friends. One could not forget that big smile when he greeted one.
Wendell was born January 23rd, 1925 in Santa Paula, CA, the son of Clarence R and Elsie (Haase) Young. He grew up in Bardsdale, a rural unincorporated community in Ventura County with the closest town being Fillmore off #126. The citrus of Sunkist Growers in Bardsdale is sold throughout the country and around the world. Though growing up on an orange farm, his father, Clarence, worked for the Bank of Italy in Fillmore which became the Bank of America. Clarence Young was Manager for this bank for over 40 years.
After graduating from Fillmore High School in 1942, Wendell was drafted in June 1943, at 18 years, into the Army Air Corps, Fort Ord, CA. He was honorably discharged in November with a Certified Disability Discharge (CDD) from Scarlet Fever while at Kearns Army Air Base, Utah. With a GI Bill of Right, he attended Fresno State College from 1944-1946, and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1948 with a B.S. degree in Plant Pathology. After working as a Plant Pathologist for San Bernardino County Dept. of Agriculture for 36 years (1949-1985), he retired and self-employed, consulting as a licensed Pest Control Advisor, primarily dealing with plant disease, both ornamental horticulture and commercial agriculture. He kept a hand in identifying nematode species for growers in Imperial Valley and Central California until 2012.
His hobbies were “botanizing”, especially with nature plants, trees and shrubs. He traveled throughout the United States, Europe and South America. The Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu greatly affected him. And on an emotional trip, he traveled to Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands where his High School best friend, Arnold Harrison, from Bardsdale was killed in WWII.
Skiing, sailing, singing with the choir at the Congregational Church in Highland, hiking and backpacking in the Sierras of California and San Bernardino Mountains were fond memories. He loved instructing hikers in botanical and zoological aspects of the environment. He played tennis, and when his eyes failed around 2005, he picked up digital photography with local plants and animals and later local birds. He made his own picture frames and enjoyed woodworking in his garage/shop. His love of Classical Music started early with musicians in his family, and always had KUSC on the radio in the background. The LA Sunday crossword puzzle took over a day of the week and he gradually went to Sudoku.
In 1985, Wendell met his wife Therese Voelker in Santa Paula, CA. where she was working at a Soil and Nematode business. They moved to Angelus Oaks in 1991 and continued their business together until 2012, identifying nematode species for the Farmers in California. After 20 years of partnership, they married officially on May 23rd. 2005.
Wendell leaves his wife, Therese, and son Jeff (Kim), son Barry (Janean), Daughter-in-Law Chere, wife of son Scott, Stepdaughters Cindy and Jane (Rick Lazar), along with 7 Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandchildren. His sister, Garland (Ferrell), will be 94 in November 2016, and lives in Salinas. Preceding his death, Wendell lost his son Scott, to Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Disease in 2015 at the age of 58. His wife, Pat, mother of his sons, and wife, Joyce, mother of his stepdaughters have also passed.