Obituaries : * Guy E. Spracklen; Retired Principal

Guy E. Spracklen, a retired principal in Thousand Oaks and Santa Paula schools, died Monday of cancer. The Santa Paula resident was 67.

Spracklen, who was born in Douglas, Wyo., on April 30, 1928, was a 40-year Ventura County resident.

He was a veteran of the Army Air Force, having served in Guam from 1946 to 1949.

Spracklen received a bachelor’s degree from Chico State College in 1954 and a master’s degree in education in 1955. He also attended USC, receiving a degree as a curriculum specialist and an advanced master’s degree in educational administration in 1968.

Spracklen came to Santa Paula to teach at Isbell Junior High School in 1955. During his 13-year career with the Santa Paula district, he served as principal of Isbell, and Webster and Bedell elementary schools and also as the district’s director of education.

During the next 18 years, Spracklen worked for the Conejo Valley Unified School District in Thousand Oaks, retiring in 1985. In the Conejo district, he served as principal of Ladera, Horizon Hills and Manzanita schools.

He was an avid fisherman.

Spracklen is survived by his wife of 45 years, Maxine; a son, Stephen Spracklen of Fresno; two daughters, Karen Craft of Huntington Beach and Kristin Sistler of Bakersfield; a brother, Milo Spracklen of Camarillo; his mother, Bessie Spracklen of Fillmore, and eight grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. today. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Santa Paula, with the Rev. James Rothe officiating. Burial will follow in the Santa Paula Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the ICU at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital.

Arrangements are under the direction of Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula.