Orval Loyd Wooner

Orval Loyd Wooner

Services: Thurs., Jan. 13, 10 a.m.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2005, at 10:00 a.m., at Northminister Presbyterian Church. Visitation will also be held on Wednesday, January 12, 2005, from 4-8 p.m. at Hillcrest Mortuary.

Orval Loyd Wooner was born on March 11, 1932 to William and Ora Wooner, the youngest of eight children, in Letcher, South Dakota.

In 1937 Orval moved with his family to Gridley, California. He graduated from Gridley Union High School in 1950. Shortly afterward he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and was sent to the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. There he met his wife to be, Cynthia Ann Karsmarski, on a blind date. Cynthia was from Meriden, Connecticut and Orval hitch-hiked many weekends to her family home in Meriden to spend time with her and her family. Orval and Cynthia were married on July 14, 1951. Three months later he was sent overseas to Korea. After an Honorable Discharge from the Coast Guard Orval and Cynthia moved to California. There Orval attended college under the G.I. Bill and Cynthia also attended college and they were in many classes together.

Orval received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of California, Long Beach.

A year later their daughter, Aurora Ann was born in December 1960, and their son, John Karl was born in December 1961.

Orval worked in Law Enforcement for the cities of Montebello, Huntington Beach, and Orange, California. He also was a substitute teacher in junior high school and taught Criminal Justice at Oceanside, Orange Coast and Long Beach City Colleges. In 1966 Orval accepted a position as Public Safety Advisor with the United States Dept. of State, USAID/OPS and served in Vietnam and Bengla Dash (East Pakistan). Among his numerous awards was the South Vietnam Medal of Honor, both 1st and 2nd class.

In 1971 Orval and Cynthia celebrated their 20th Wedding Anniversary by touring Europe and the Orient. Along with their children they visited England, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Japan and many other countries. After returning to this country, Orval accepted the Chief of Police position in Arvin and the family moved to Arvin in 1972. After a few months Orval became the first City Manager of Arvin. During his 14 years there, Orval wrote and administered more than $20 million in grants and established the Pers State Retirement System for city employees. He improved and built up Arvin in many ways, creating a City of Industry which brought in many new businesses, was responsible for building many new homes, built a City Hall, a new Police Department and the list is endless. In 1933 Orval retired from the city of Arvin and Cynthia retired from the County of Kern. In 1998 they moved to Bakersfield to be near their children and grandchildren.

Left to mourn his loss are his wife, Cynthia; daughter and son-in-law, Aurora and Mark Roomsburg; son and daughter-in-law, John and Jennifer Wooner; four grandchildren, John Wooner, Corinna Wooner, Alexander Wooner and Olivia Wooner.