Obituaries : Stephen Raba; Retired NYPD Mechanic

Stephen Raba, a Somis resident and former mechanic for the New York Police Department, has died. He was 85.

Raba, who moved to California from New York in 1976, died at Pleasant Valley Hospital on Friday after a brief illness, said his son, Martin Raba.

A native of Warsaw, Raba immigrated to New York City with his parents when he was nearly a month old.

After he retired from the New York Police Department, he moved to California to be near two of his three sons. In 1990, he moved to Somis, following his son, Martin.

“He was an extremely energetic person,” said Martin Raba. He added that his father used to trap-shoot twice a week, take daily walks and ride a bicycle two to three times a week until shortly before his death. “He did not look his age at all.”

Even after his retirement, Raba’s interest in fixing machines continued. Youngsters in his Somis neighborhood would seek him out to repair their broken bicycles, Martin Raba said.

“He would spend hours teaching kids how to fix their bikes,” he added.

In addition to his son, Raba is survived by his wife, Edna Raba of Somis; two other sons, John Raba of Granada Hills and Stephen Raba of Long Island, N. Y.; a brother, Joe Raba of Key Largo, Fla.; a sister, Lena Leech of Albuquerque, N. M., and three grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Guardian Memorial Mortuary in Oxnard.