James ‘Mack’ Isaacs; Operating Engineer

Retired welder James “Mack” Isaacs of Ventura died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 79.

The 57-year county resident was born Dec. 25, 1916, in Ozark, Ark.

Isaacs, who served with the 333rd Infantry Regiment during World War II, worked for 40 years as an operating engineer for Ventura-based Public Works Inc., a sweeper-repair business. He retired from PWI in the mid-1980s.

Isaacs was a longtime member of Anacapa Lodge 710, Free & Accepted Masons. He also belonged to Operating Engineers Local 12 in Ventura.

“He was a real strong man,” said his grandson, Jason, of Ventura. “He was real supportive of his family and worked hard all his life. His family always came first.”

Another grandson, Chad, lives in Ventura, and the third, Brandon, lives in Anchorage, Alaska.

Isaacs was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, in 1988.

In addition to his grandsons, Isaacs is survived by his son, Jim of Ventura; and sister, Cora Randolph of Ratcliff, Ark.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary in Santa Paula. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the mortuary. Burial will follow at Santa Paula Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 3160 Geneva St., Los Angeles, 90020.