Obituaries : Lynn Frobisher; Simi Valley Police Dispatcher

Lynn Frobisher, the terminally ill Simi Valley police dispatcher who received a $25,000 donation from city employees last month, has died. She was 47.

With her teen-age children nearby, the woman who inspired even strangers to donate vacation time for her welfare died at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in her Simi Valley home. She had been told in February, 1993, that she had cancer, and her doctor informed her on Sept. 13 that she had one to three months to live.

“The Police Department has suffered the loss of one its major morale boosters,” Lt. Rex Jones said. “She was quick-witted, humorous and real fun. . . .. She’ll be missed a lot.”

Frobisher, a Los Angeles policewoman from 1969 to 1975, had spent about 13 years as a dispatcher with the Simi Valley Police Department.

To shore up her dwindling savings and defray her family’s living expenses, 180 city employees pooled $31,719.52 in just a few days by giving up some of their vacation time. One person sacrificed a week.

“I don’t know what to say, other than, ‘Thank you,’ ” Frobisher said on Sept. 23, before being presented with a check. Some of the donation went to taxes.

Frobisher is survived by her 19-year-old daughter, Jennifer Walker, and her 17-year-old son, Richard Walker.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 7 p.m. at United Methodist Church at 2394 Erringer Road in Simi Valley.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to the Simi Valley Police Department’s canine program.