Author: Carmen Guerrero

It’s hard to imagine a more meaningful, impactful life. His family and friends grieve that he was robbed of the time we thought he would have but are glad that he had so many fine adventures while he lived.

Jim moved to Oxnard in 1981 and made it his home. He received a tenure-track position at Oxnard College in 1985. There, he spent his career as an active member of the college community and as professor of English and ESL, teaching and chairing his department until his retirement in May of 2017.

In 1985, he married Kitty Ann Balabanov. They had two daughters and enjoyed a rich family life. Jim and Kitty raised their children in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, where they both served in several leadership positions. Jim served two separate terms as president of the board of trustees, sang in the choir from its founding until his death, and was active in regional Unitarian Universalist governance.

Jim showed his love of community in his actions. In the ‘90s, he chaired the Tierra Vista Neighborhood Council and was the campaign manager for the Measure N School Bond. In 2001, he joined the Ocean View School Board and continued to serve first as a trustee and then board president until his death. In all his leadership roles, he saw himself as a caretaker and referred to himself not by his title, but as one serving in that position.

His service to the wider world was nurtured by his deep devotion to family: as a spouse, a daddy, and a brother. He leaves behind his wife Kitty, daughters Erin and Caitlin, daughter-in-law Raven, and brother Tony and sister-in-law Gena. He is preceded in death by his parents, and his older sister, Judy.

His deep intelligence, quick wit, and love of storytelling made Jim a delight in conversations and a superb partner in Trivial Pursuit games. He traveled to many lands and enjoyed exploring and visiting the far-flung friends that made up his extended family. As a talented musician, he was quick to take the harmony line and to regale his family with a lullaby, ditty, or jingle. We will miss the music and joy he brought to our lives.

While at Oxnard College, Jim composed the College’s Alma Mater, which is framed and now hangs in the Liberal Studies Building, where his office was located.

A memorial for Jim will be held on March 1st, 1:00 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston St., Ventura, CA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to:

• CAUSE https://causenow.org/
• 805 Undocufund https://www.805undocufund.org/
• The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura https://unitarianuniversalistventura.org/giving/
• The Ocean View School District https://www.oceanviewsd.org/en-US
• Oxnard College https://oxnardcollegefoundation.org/donate/
• The Trevor Project https://www.thetrevorproject.org

With sadness, VCCCDRA has learned of the passing of Tom Bertolino on December 6, 2025. Tom was an engineering and mathematics professor at Ventura College and retired in 2000.

Tom was born June 20, 1935, to Edward (HS principal and coach) and Vivian (grade school teacher and community pianist) Bertolino in Nokomis, Illinois. Tom graduated from Nokomis High School in 1953.

Tom graduated from the University of Illinois in 1958, earning a Master’s in Electrical Engineering that year. In 1957, Tom met Shirley Clark during summer 1957 employment. They were married August 23, 1958, and moved to San Diego, where Tom was employed at Astronautics working on the Atlas and then Centaur missile guidance systems.

Tom’s goal to become an educator was attained September 1965 as an engineering and mathematics instructor, which continued until he retired in 2000. Tom then continued teaching part-time at VC for 5 more years, plus tutoring at Holy Cross School.

It is with sadness that VCCCDRA has learned of the recent passing of Patricia ‘Patty’ Rush. Patty retired as a professor of Spanish at Ventura College. Patty also served as Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages. Patty earned bachelor and master of arts degrees from California State University, Los Angeles; and she authored textbooks in vocational Spanish. In addition to teaching university transfer courses in Spanish, she also taught vocational Spanish for Health Workers, School Personnel, Business, and Law Enforcement.

Per her obituary, a celebration of life will be held in Ventura; details will be announced to family and friends. Donations in her honor may be made to a local education or arts charity.

To read Patty’s obituary, please use this link.

With sadness, VCCCDRA is informing the membership of the passing of Gail Metcalf on March 13, 2024. Gail retired from Oxnard College in the late 90s as a librarian. The obituary below was recently received from Roma Metcalf, Gail’s daughter.

“In Loving Memory of Gail Metcalf

January 7, 1936 – March 13, 2024

“Gail Metcalf passed away peacefully at home in Camarillo, California, on March 13, 2024, at the age of 88. Born in Reno, Nevada, Gail devoted her life to books, education, and family. She worked as a librarian at Monte Vista Junior High, Santa Paula Library, and later Oxnard College Library until retiring in the late 1990s.Avid about folk dancing, history, and storytelling, Gail was a proud member of a local folk dance group and served as a docent at the Camarillo House. She loved spending summers at Lake George in Mammoth Lakes with her family and was rarely seen without a book in hand. Even in her later years, she continued writing her life stories through a weekly Ventura class called Preserving Your Past.

“Gail was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Roma Carmody; her sister, Nancy Linscott; and her granddaughter, Briana Linares. She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Walter Metcalf, who passed away six months later on September 29, 2024. She also leaves behind her children, Vicki Linares, Roma Metcalf, and Pat Metcalf; six grandchildren: Bruce, Patrick, Nick, Aretha, Matthew, Aimee; and eight great-grandchildren: Ethan, Lilly, Makayla, Leela, Nathanael, Amelia, Jonathan and Connor. Also, nephews, Kevin and Russell. 

Gail’s love of learning, storytelling, and family will live on through the generations she inspired.”

Condolences may be emailed to Gail’s daughter, Roma, at amor4roma@yahoo.com.

“My father was one of the founding faculty at Moorpark College, where he taught accounting. He was also chair of the business department for many of the 24 years of his teaching career. Before that, he worked in private industry as an auditor and computer operator. He retired in 1991, the same year that I began my own teaching career at Oxnard (and, later, Ventura) College.

“He had many interests outside of accounting. He loved history, literature, and flying private (small) aircraft. He earned numerous flying licenses and ratings, including instrument, commercial, aerobatic, and seaplane. He mostly flew out of Santa Paula and Santa Susana airports. My father was particularly adept at identifying military aircraft, and could tell you the engine model and displacement of most of the planes used in World War II, both Allied and enemy.

“He read over a thousand books after he retired, including scholarly collections such as Durant’s series “The History of Civilization.” He memorized and could quote numerous poems (everything from bawdy limericks to Ozymandias), and passages (some of them obscure) from Shakespeare. My father also asked me numerous questions about mathematics and physics, which interested him even though his understanding was limited. He knew so many factoids outside his field of study that a teaching colleague once called him a “compendium of trivia.”

“He had a sharp wit and a ready collection of bon mots. He was a great believer in the value of education, and provided the bulk of financial support for Kimberly and me to attend college (thank you, Dad!). He also donated to San Diego State University (his alma mater), UCLA (where he earned the first of his two MBAs), and the Moorpark College Foundation. I hope you will consider making a donation in his memory to one of these worthy organizations.

“Per his request, there will be no memorial service, and his Facebook accounts have been deactivated. I will miss his love, wit, and generosity.”