My Condolences. Seems Bert had a good sense of Humor. Bert D. Alton, Jr, W6SGR SK SK June 19, 2015 Bert DeForrest Alton Jr. Ventura, CA It was Bert's wish and desire that his obituary, as written by himself partly in jest reflecting his indomitable worldview and sense of humor, be printed in its entirety without alteration. His family is honoring that wish. Our sincere apologies in advance to those who may take offense to some of his words. Bert D. Alton Jr., 92, died peacefully at home on June 19, 2015 in Ventura. He was born to Bert D. Alton Sr. and Thetis Alton (Junker) in Oakland California, on July 11, 1922. The family established their homestead in San Bernardino California in 1924. Bert served in the Navy in WW-II in the Aleutian Islands and Central Pacific as a Chief Warrant Officer (Electronics) on the destroyer USS Luce (DD-522) and repair ship USS Mindanao (ARG-3). In 1947 he was employed for seven years at the Naval Air Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, CA, then thirty-five years as a senior missile systems engineer for Raytheon Co. in Oxnard and Bedford, Massachusetts. At Raytheon, Bert was part of a team of engineers responsible for the research, development, test and evaluation of the Sparrow III and Sea Sparrow missiles as well as several other radar and missile systems programs. Bert met his first wife, Shirley Ann Patch, at Point Mugu. They had three precious children, Linda, Bert III and Betta. Shirley died in 1983 whereupon he located and married a family friend, Wanda Richardson. Bert and Wanda enjoyed a wonderful thirty-two years together in Ventura. Bert had many interests, especially a lifelong fascination with electronics and music. Other activities included photography, astronomy, archery, amateur radio, flying, parachuting, German automobiles, banjo, drums, guitar, ragtime piano, stamps, honeybees, scuba diving, antique radios, and scales & scientific instruments. He abandoned most of these hobbies when the novelty wore off ? a serious character defect, Bert would say. Bert loved to claim that he was founder and president of two important activist organizations: S.O.N.I.A. (Stamp Out Neckties In America) and the Banjo Anti-Defamation League. A certified skeptic, Bert often reminded us all that he had little tolerance for astrologers, UFO-ers and religious zealots. In his later years he stayed busy as a docent in the Point Mugu Missile Technology Historical Association and playing rhythm plectrum banjo in the local Dixieland bands Razzberry Jam, Untouchables, and his own group, Jeremiah Toad. He was preceded in death by his mother Thetis, father Bert Sr. and sister Barbara Potter. Bert is survived by his wife Wanda, brother Leland, daughters Linda Hardy and Betta Alton, and son Bert III. He is also survived by son-in-law Gary Hardy, daughter-in-law Rosemalee Alton; step-children Barbara Baker, Carlos Richardson III and Tom Richardson; grand-children Gary Hardy II, Andrea Hardy, Nathalie De Oliveira, Garrett Phillips, Sarah Beu, Tara Alton, Brian Alton, and six great grand-children. Bert's family would like to thank the staffs of Livingston Memorial Hospice Care, Coastal View Skilled Nursing Facility and the Visiting Angels Elder Care Services, particularly Ms. Pilar Cantos who Bert loved as one of the family in his last days. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Point Mugu Missile Technology Historical Association (MTHA), 1310 Lantana St. Camarillo, CA 93010-3029 or to an organization or . A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Here lies old Bert, gone to dirt. He hasn't "passed on", as is commonly said, Nor is he "meeting his Lord", He is just plain dead. He won't go to heaven, Like most ev'ry one. Nor down to hell, either, Hell! That might be fun. So bundle his carcass, Get out the matches, Pile on the wood, Reduce him to ashes. Take those ashes And scatter him alone. Please, no marble orchard Under fancy scribed stone. Sprinkle him, instead, in the forest, Mix him into the loam. There he will feed the trees, Bert DeForrest has come home. There's a message in this story: Any fool should plainly see We are destined for Fertilizer, Not E-ter-ni-ty. Mankind does not ascend To glorious pie-in-the-sky. But will continue to enrich Mother Earth 'Til all, by nuclear, die. (Author Bert D. Alton Jr.) Published in Ventura County Star from June 27 to June 28, 2015 - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ve...rest-alton&pid=175169533#sthash.scJGvQ8H.dpuf
