Lucille Diener-Dougan

1920 - 2014

Lucille Lee Diener-Dougan, age 94, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on April 25, 2014 in her Oxnard home of more than 58 years, surrounded by her children and other family members who were at her bedside during her final days.

She was born in Grand Island, Nebraska to Rean and Emma (Rustman) Callier in her parent's home on March 16, 1920. Lucille has been a resident of Oxnard for 75 years. Lucille spent her formative years in Nebraska with her parents, older sister Faye (Burkey) and her younger brother Douglas. She was an avid athlete and marksman and loved fishing and hunting. Following a move to Sterling, Colorado, she graduated from Sterling High School in the Class of 1937, where she was a member of the State Champion basketball team. She then attended Colorado State College, pursuing a general education. However, during a trip to Oxnard, California to visit with her then married sister Faye in 1939 her life was forever changed when she met her future husband, Paul Edgar Diener while attending a picnic sponsored by the local Professional Women Society at nearby Camp Comfort. Faye had arranged a meeting at the picnic with a member of the women's group where she was introduced to Paul, who was with another group from the Santa Clara Church Young Catholics. They were married in Santa Clara Catholic Church in Oxnard on November 28, 1940 and had eight children: Michael (Colleen) Diener, Robert (Ann) Diener, Kathy (Robert) Bosak, William "Bill" Diener, Mary (Greg) Coats, Elizabeth "Betsy" (George) Bury, Louise (Preston) Gratiot and Theresa (Robert) Cote. The grandchildren are Tim, Ken and Ben Diener, Julia Adams, Mike and Steve Bosak, Tom and David Marlow, Ryan Gratiot, Tracy Sewell, Danielle Prochnow, Kara Friedman, Alexandra, Lauren and Julia Cote and a growing cadre of great-grandchildren.

Following their marriage, Lucille and Paul relocated to Vallejo, California in the San Francisco Bay area so Paul could do electrical work in the shipyards in support of the then growing war effort. They lived in Vallejo until 1945 when they moved back to Oxnard. Paul started Diener's Electric in Oxnard in 1946, a business that continues to be family run.

Lucille was a proud stay-at-home mother but always seemed to find the time to serve on numerous public service boards. She was a charter member and Lifetime Member of the Board of the original St. John's Hospital Auxiliary, beginning her long association in 1952. She also had the honor to be one of the first female Humanitarians of St. John's Regional Medical Center. Lucille was also a charter member of the Ventura County Navy League and the Stella Coeli Young Ladies Institute. In addition, Lucille served with distinction in the Ventura County League of Women Voters, was on the Founder's Committee of the Women's Division of the Chamber of Commerce, volunteered with the Children's Home Society and served with the Assistance League, Mary Health of the Sick and the National Charity League, as well as several other community service organizations.

She was loved and respected by all with whom she came in contact. Lucille always retained an emotional attachment to the town of Oxnard and to her place of worship, Santa Clara Catholic Church, located just around the corner from the Diener family home. The Diener affiliation with Santa Clara Catholic Church, including her service with the Altar Society of Santa Clara, goes back to the early 1900s, with the family worshiping in the same pew all of these years with numerous family members following Lucille and Paul's example by exchanging their solemn wedding vows within the walls of this traditional Ventura County landmark.While always active in the Ventura County social scene, Lucille enjoyed hosting special holiday gatherings and events with her more than 40 family members, including her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and close friends. She also continued to engage her family and friends with her quick wit and ready sense of humor at her 94th birthday in March.

Lucille was the loving center of her family, which has gradually spread out from their Ventura County roots. Lucille was welcoming and worldly and made many fast friends. Lucille and Paul celebrated their family and cherished time together for more than 40 years and enjoyed spending weekends at the family's cabin in Wrightwood, CA before his untimely passing in 1981. Lucille became a member of the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club (PCYC) in 1981 and visited many parts of the world with fellow PCYC members including numerous trips to the many scenic attractions of the five continents.

In 1992, Lucille married Art Dougan, originally of Butte, Montana, a retired engineer and decorated veteran who was an Army officer in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska during WWII. He preceded her in death in 2008, but not before the two entered a second chapter of her life with more travels and charitable work including becoming members of Friends of the Thomas Bard Mansion, a charitable foundation dedicated to the reconstruction of Port Hueneme's historic Bard Mansion and additional support for the Ventura County Maritime Museum.

Lucille has left many behind to celebrate her life and legacy including her many loving sons, daughters, 15 grandchildren and her numerous great-grandchildren that brought her joy and delight during the later years of her life. The world has lost a very special and giving person and her family is thankful for the help of her devoted staff of caretakers and the members of the Assisted Hospice Care staff that helped her during her final days.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30 at Santa Clara Mortuary, 2370 North H Street, Oxnard with a Rosary taking place at 6:30 p.m. A celebration of her life and Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, at Santa Clara Catholic Church at 323 South E Street in Oxnard. A private interment will follow, for family only, at Santa Clara Cemetery. There will be a reception immediately following the church service. Santa Clara Mortuary 805-485-5757