William Mead

William Bernard Mead William (Bill) Bernard Mead, 73, passed away at his home in Ojai, Thursday, March 8, 2012 with his family by his side, after a long illness and complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Bill was born in Newark, New Jersey on June 17, 1938 to Stanley and Veronica Mead. He was raised in New Jersey, Washington DC, Arizona and then finally in Southern California. He attended high school in Canoga Park, CA and went on to graduate from Oregon State University with a degree in pharmacy. Bill interned at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and he studied in Nice, France, which was also one of his favorite countries to visit. Early in his career Bill served with the Public Health Service where he often visited the Hopi Indian Reservation in Phoenix, Arizona. Bill’s career took him many places and he made some great friendships along the way. He enjoyed his roles as Chief Pharmacist at Ventura Community Memorial Hospital and St. John’s Regional Medical Center as well as his time spent with Thrifty and Rite Aid. Along the way Bill also found time to teach pharmacy classes at Ventura College. Bill was a sports fan that loved to play golf with his family and friends, he was a constant collector of art and memorabilia. His collections ranged from baseball artifacts and autographed baseballs to fine art, wine and exotic plants. One of his greatest joys was taking his grandchildren to Dodger Stadium for a ballgame. He also loved watching his grandchildren play in their numerous sports which included softball, track, golf, basketball, baseball and field hockey. His love for music continued throughout his life and he loved to attend concerts and especially enjoyed the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Bill and his family enjoyed hosting students from around the world for the American Field Service (AFS), which resulted in his becoming the local chapter president. He hosted high school kids from Yugoslavia, Germany, Brazil, Spain, and Norway and he placed many other students in other local homes. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Judy Mead, son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Donna Mead, daughter and son-in-law, Shana and Eric Stalnaker and grandchildren, Josh, Kelsey and Matt Mead, and Carly and Jack Stalnaker as well as his loving sisters, Dorothy Mead, Lynne Speck and, sister and brother-in-law, Jaime and Geri Contreras. We would like to thank all of you for your prayers and kind supporting words throughout this difficult time. Bill was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend who touched many lives and he will be truly missed. We know his spirit will live on in our hearts forever. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 21st at Our Lady of Assumption in Ventura at 11:00am. A celebration of Bill's life will immediately follow. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to be made to the Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice in Bill's name located at 1996 Eastman Avenue, Suite 101, Ventura, CA 93003 or by telephone at (800) 223-4862. An Irish Blessing May the road rise up to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face And rain falls soft upon your fields And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of His hand.