* Wiley Tonnar; Retired Army Colonel, Educator

Wiley Tonnar of Ventura, retired colonel with the Army Reserve, died Thursday in a local hospital. He was 95.

Tonnar was born June 25, 1902, in Guttenberg, Iowa, and lived in Ventura County for 40 years.

He graduated from the University of Idaho and had been a teacher in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In 1932, he graduated from USC with a master’s degree in education. Tonnar taught at Santa Barbara High School and was instrumental in forming the business education department.

In 1941, Tonnar was called into active duty with the Army Reserve after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served until his retirement in 1957.

While serving in the military and stationed at Macon, Ga., he taught ROTC at Mercer University.

Upon leaving the military, he became a part-time professor at Ventura College, where he taught business law while also working as an income tax, financial and estate planning consultant until his retirement in 1990.

Tonnar was a life member of the National Retired Officers Assn. and the California Retired Teachers Assn.

Tonnar is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marie; daughters Alicia Powers of Santa Barbara, Marsha Stephens of Santa Maria and Linda Tonnar of Ventura; son Wiley P. Tonnar of Port Hueneme; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ted Mayr Funeral Home in Ventura with burial following in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura.

Arrangements are under the direction of Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura.