James Lloyd-Butler

1925 - 2022

James Ormonde Lloyd-Butler
December 15, 1925 - January 25, 2022
James Ormonde Lloyd-Butler, one of the state's last "Californios", was born in 1925 in Oxnard at St. John's Hospital. From his early years and throughout his long life, Jim was guided by the foundational values of the "Californios", the original European settlers of our state. Among these values were his devout Roman Catholic faith, inherited from his parents; his love and devotion to his extended family and staff, and his dedication the family ranch, Rancho Santa Clara del Norte, a 200 year old Mexican land grant, where he was raised, sought his livelihood, and lived the majority of his 96 years.

Jim's early years on the ranch centered around hard work, family ties, and their Catholic faith. The Lloyd-Butler children picked and shucked walnuts during the depression. They rode horseback in gymkhana events in an arena behind the house and explored sandstone caves in remote corners of the property. They served and attended mass in the family chapel, which was consecrated by Papal decree in 1926 and is still in use today.

After his Naval service in the Second World War, Jim joined many of his friends at Saint Mary's College in Moraga. Several years later, an advanced degree in soil sciences and entomology at Cal Poly Pomona, prepared him for a life-long career in farming. His collection of insects still survives and is the foundation for a large and expanding collection of rare, and extinct specimens found in the ranch's "cabinet of curiosities" a 150 year old cottage on the ranch grounds.

In 1956, Jim was reintroduced to Cynthia Dolores Marsh, who became the love of his life for nearly 60 years. Cynthia had just returned from a year in Tokyo where she taught 3rd grade the children of American dependents during the Allied Occupation of Japan. They were married in the Santa Barbara Mission on February 9th, 1956, the home parish of many generations of Oreñas and de la Guerras, Cynthia's maternal ancestors. After a reception at the Santa Barbara Biltmore, they embarked upon a glamorous honeymoon in Jim's green and cream-colored Studebaker Commander 2 door coupe, motoring to Hermosillo and Guaymas México.

Jim and Cynthia returned to Ventura County and settled in a cottage at the Broome Ranch, where he and Cynthia started their small family. It was a happy time and Jim had a treasure trove of funny memories about his time working for Mr. Broome at Rancho Guadalasca. On one occasion, Jim picked up an escapee from the nearby Camarillo State Hospital who he found wandering through a tomato field. The patient asked him quizzically, "Is this hell?" Jim replied with his usual dry wit, "no, this isn't hell, this is The Broome Ranch!". Unconvinced, the patient responded, "well, it sure looks like hell". Jim took further delight in Mr. Broome's bewildered reaction.

By the mid 1970s, Jim and his brothers agreed that it was time for him to manage the the family ranch. Jim embarked on a voyage to re-imagine its operations to better serve his extended family, its staff and laborers, its soils and water resources. Under his watchful eye, the ranch achieved new levels of productivity and efficiency. Jim upgraded irrigation systems to save water. He planted new orchards. He helped the ranch become a model of biodiversity, drawing upon his background in etymology and soil science. He collaborated with Dr. Gordon Frankie at U.C. Berkeley in a program to create bee habitat gardens that now support 126 species of native bees found in the Ranch's pastures. He added a mile-long riparian corridor which connects the ranch's orchards and fields with the habitat – rich riparian land in the Santa Clara River basin.

Jim was especially devoted to the men and women who helped him develop and execute his vision for the ranch. First were his two brothers, Shane and Pat and, later, their families. Equally important was the team of men and women who helped him manage the ranch's staff, operations and its 200 year adobe house and grounds, including brothers Arturo, José and Ramiro Romo and Lupe Torres, the "ama de llaves" who he worked with for more than 40 years.

Jim was predeceased in life by Cynthia, his beloved wife of 59 years. He was also predeceased by his cherished daughter Camilla, who succumbed to cancer in 2018. Jim is survived by his son Thomas and Thomas' partner Daniel Zelen, and by four grandsons and one great grandson. Thomas's sons are Ross Oreña Lloyd-Butler (Vianna) and John Forderer Lloyd-Butler (Sheila), and their son Jack. Camilla's sons are James McLaughlin and Weiler Worthington Shafer. Jim is also survived by his son in law, Arthur Hammel Shafer. Jim also leaves behind his beloved German shepherd dog, King, who will be well loved and cared for.

There will be a private Vigil Mass and Rosary at the Ranch Chapel. Please join the family at a Mass of Christian Burial on February 25th, at Santa Clara Church in Oxnard at 10am.