Obituaries : * Denise Ford; Animal Rights Activist, Poet
Denise Ford, a local animal rights activist and poet, died suddenly in her Ventura home Sunday. She was 35.
Ford, together with her husband, Simon Oswitch, established the animal rights organization Animal Emancipation Inc. in 1988 when the couple lived in Santa Barbara.
After its founding, the organization moved its headquarters to Ventura.
In addition to organizing regional campaigns against animal abuse, Ford worked with high school and college students who had expressed a desire to become involved in the animal rights movement.
A native of San Jose, Calif., Ford earned a degree in philosophy from San Jose State University in 1984.
She is survived by Oswitch; her mother, Betty Ford, and her brother, Russell Ford.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home, Ventura. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Animal Emancipation, Inc., 6108 Telegraph Road, Suite 105, Ventura.
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