Oliver Ignatius Thomas Reardon; Musician

Oliver Ignatius Thomas Reardon, known for playing the organ at silent movies in downtown Ventura in the Roaring ‘20s and, more recently, at the San Buenaventura Mission, has died after a long battle with cancer.

Reardon, 87, died Friday in an Oxnard hospital. He was one of six sons of Oliver L. and Mary A. Reardon, who established Reardon Mortuary in Ventura in 1911.

Four of Oliver L. Reardon’s sons followed their father into the funeral business, establishing additional mortuaries in Oxnard and Simi Valley. But the mortuary founder’s namesake decided instead to pursue a career in music, obtaining a doctorate degree in music from Emerson University in Boston.

From 1919 to 1925, Reardon and his mother were organists for silent movies played at the former Liberty Theatre in downtown Ventura, which was also known as the Flea Palace or Chilly Hip, family members said. He also performed at vaudeville shows in Ventura at The Apollo, which was located near the intersection of Chestnut and Main streets.

Reardon taught music and languages for 18 years at Villanova High School in Ojai before entering the Navy in 1942. He spent the next 30 years as a Navy pianist, organist and conductor. He was an organist for the San Buenaventura Mission in 1984 and 1985 after his retirement from the military.

Reardon never married, relatives said. He is survived by brothers Joseph Reardon, owner of Reardon Mortuary in Ventura, and James Reardon, former owner of Reardon Mortuary in Oxnard. He is also survived by 12 nieces and nephews.

Service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Ventura. Burial will be in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura. Reardon Mortuary in Simi Valley is handling the arrangements.