Charles L. Honn; Pleasant Valley School Official

Even as his health deteriorated, former Pleasant Valley School District Superintendent Charles L. Honn could be counted on to make his community a better place, according to those around him.

He gave his time to the Rotary Club of Camarillo, and he helped out at the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. He devoted his efforts to the Pleasant Valley Historical Museum, of which he was a founder.

On Saturday, Honn died at the age of 78, following a battle with cancer.

“He was such a fine person,” said his wife, Ruth. “We were married 54 years. He was a wonderful man.

“We met in Santa Barbara in 1942. He was in the service and I worked at the Army Hospital in the office.”

Charles Honn was born May 26, 1918, in Porterville, Calif. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Eastern Washington and a master’s degree in education from the University of California.

He served in the Air Force during World War II, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Honn came to Ventura to teach at the Rio School District in El Rio and in 1952 moved to the Pleasant Valley School District. Two years later, he became principal of Pleasant Valley School--the only school in the district.

He was elected superintendent of the district in 1957 and held on to the post until his retirement in 1978. When challenged with a recall effort midway through his 21 years in office, Honn won in a landslide vote.

At the time of his retirement, the district had grown to 13 schools.

Honn and his wife lost two of their three sons while on a family outing to Mandalay Beach in 1962. “The boys drowned in the ocean near the Edison plant. After we lost our boys, the Rotary Club of Camarillo set up the Honn Memorial Scholarship to help high school students,” said Ruth Honn. The scholarship continues to this day.

Robert Bergman, a dentist in Camarillo and a fellow Rotarian, said Honn was always very involved with the community.

“He was a real popular Rotarian, and even in his poor health, you could always depend on him helping out,” Bergman said. Honn served as president of the Noontime Rotary Club.

Among the projects in which Honn took pride, according to Bergman, was the Rotary elementary school track meet that he founded and the annual Viva La Comida fund-raiser, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club, YMCA and Boy Scouts.

Honn and his wife were recognized as don and dona of the Pleasant Valley Historical Society in 1989. That same year, Honn was named Camarillo’s man of the year. And in 1995, the Charles L. Honn Museum Park and Botanical Garden was named in his honor.

In addition to his wife, Honn is survived by his son, Rich, of Pasadena; brother Gerald, of Spokane, Wash.; sister Joan, of Vancouver, Wash.; and two granddaughters.

He was preceded in death by sons Robert and William, and his brother, Robert.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Camarillo. Interment will follow at Ivy Lawn Cemetery, Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Charles L. Honn Museum Park and Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 570, Camarillo, CA 93011, or to the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary, Camarillo.