Remembering Edward Everett (1920-2015)
Posted
on Jun 23, 2015
Longtime Lompoc Valley resident Edward “Chiefie” Everett passed away at the age of 95. Ed was the only child of Charles Everett and Maude Fodrill Everett. As a child, Ed acquired the nickname “Little Chiefie” because his father was Lompoc’s Fire Chief. Later it was shortened to just “Chiefie,” and to many that remained his name. Ed and his dad are portrayed on the mural on the side of the City Fire Station No. 1. Ed is the little boy sitting on the front seat of Lompoc’s first motorized fire truck.Ed and his late wife, Louise, were always very involved in the community and enjoyed being so. They were active parishioners at La Purisima Catholic Church where Ed served as a Eucharistic Minister. They were members of the Cotillion Club, a group that met each month to dance and socialize. For many years Ed was a member of the Lompoc Rotary Club, serving as president in 1972-73. He was also an active member and president of the Pioneer Society, which later became the Lompoc Historical Society. He was a long time member of the Lompoc Valley Club, the Vaqueros de los Ranchos, Elks Lodge and Knights of Pythias.
Ed grew up in what was the very small town of Lompoc, progressing through elementary and high schools surrounded by a group of friends that would remain close their whole lives. Stan “Mac” McCabe, Malcom McCabe, Clint Stillman and many others fished in the Santa Ynez River and joined the Mickey Mouse Club at the Lompoc Theater.
After graduating from Lompoc High School in 1938 Ed attended Santa Maria Junior College (now Alan Hancock College) and from there attended St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in San Francisco, becoming a registered nurse.
While there he met Louise Arango, a dark eyed brunette nursing student whose family lived on a ranch near Dinuba, California. They married in March of 1942 in San Francisco and by July of the same year he had joined the United States Army. In the Second World War Ed was a Medic of the Third Infantry, Third Medical Battalion and participated in the early invasions of Algeria, French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily and Italian Peninsula.
In 1945 he was honorably discharged and he and Louise began their married life in Los Angeles. While working for the City of Los Angeles as an Emergency Room nurse at Georges Street Receiving Hospital Ed began taking advantage of the GI Bill by enrolling in college and graduated from what was then called Los Angeles State College with a degree in Public Health. He worked for several years for the Los Angeles City and County Health Departments as a Health Inspector.
Because Ed’s father had passed away, Ed and Louise moved to Lompoc in 1953 to be closer to his mother. He joined the Santa Barbara County Health Department and in 1978 Ed retired as Director of the Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Department. .
Retirement from the County gave him time to plant an annual garden, fish along the coast with Glenn Schuyler, Dint Schuyler and Don Stalker and attend the daily coffee klatch with, among others, Chuck Walker, Murray Lester, E.W. Cox and Bob Barboza. He and Louise went on several vacation trips abroad. He also spent time at the Fabing-McKay-Spanne House, thoroughly enjoying helping out with student tours. For several years he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Lompoc Cemetery District.
One of Chiefie’s retirement gifts was a set of golf clubs and he took up the sport with a passion. He was a member of the Vandenberg Village Golf Club. He spent many hours thoroughly enjoying not only the sport but the interesting people he met.
Ed is predeceased by his wife Louise, son Ed Jr. and daughter Mary Theresa. Surviving are his daughter Mary Braitman and her husband Bob and granddaughter Leah Andersson and her husband Neil.
The family extends its deepest thanks to the several wonderful caregivers, especially Yvonne Young, who helped Ed through the last few years. They also include Pam Paul, Nancy Lomeli and At Home Senior Services’ caregivers Jennice Lawrence, Torrie Faulkner and Anette Berroteran.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Lompoc Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 88, Lompoc CA 93438 or to a charity of your choice.