Don Partridge

1919 - 2007

Don Partridge died at home in Oxnard on Oct. 17, 2007.

Originally form Kenosha, Wis., he was born Oct. 19, 1919, the son of Leslie and Lillian Partridge.

As a teenager, Don joined the volunteer Coast Guard, and later studied mechanical engineering at Purdue University. After college he worked for McWhyte company before joining the Army. In World War II, Don served as a medic on New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

He returned to the United States in 1945 to attend Officer Candidate School and married Betty Jo Holmes in April of 1945. Their marriage has lasted 62 years. In 1949, the family moved to Des Moines, where they lived for 20 years.

In 1965 the family moved to California where Don started T-51 Western, West Coast distributor for Townsend Industries.

Don enjoyed boating, beginning with a canoe, power boats on the Mississippi and continuing in California with sail and power boats. Don built two of the sail boats before he retired and moved to Oxnard in Channel Islands Harbor with the boat at his door. Until recently, he played golf three days a week with senior groups.

He is survived by his wife, Betty; three children, Sue, Les and Jan; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and sister, Ruth Jackson of Florida.

A memorial service was held on Sunday, Oct. 21 in Oxnard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Lung Association.