Bill Cooter; Navy and Air Force Veteran

Bill Cooter, a 20-year veteran of the Navy and Air Force, died Friday following a brief illness. He was 68.

Cooter, a resident of Camarillo, was born Aug. 22, 1928, in Knoxville, Tenn. He joined the Navy at age 17. Two years later, Cooter joined the Air Force, where he held the rank of staff sergeant until his retirement 18 years later.

Upon returning to civilian life, Cooter became a sales representative for Kellogg Supply Inc. in Carson. He retired in 1993, when his eyesight began to fail due to diabetes. When he could no longer see, he placed several chairs and a radio on his front porch, where he listened to talk radio and played host to visitors.

“Bill was a man who was a friend to everyone,” said Floryne Cooter, his wife of 32 years. “He was blind from the diabetes, and he just loved to sit outside, listen to the radio and talk. Neighbors would drop by all the time. Oh, he had so many friends.”

In addition to his wife, Cooter is survived by daughters Lauri Maddock of Moreno Valley, Kathy Cooter of Upland, and Tamara Blitz, Carol Blitz and Sherry Silva, all of Long Beach; sons Mark Cooter of Oregon and David Blitz of Long Beach; sisters Nell Aegerter of Newport Beach, Hazel Van Buskirk of Pomona and Peggy Porenski; brothers Rex and Lynn Cooter; 21 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

Visitation will be Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. in the Chapel of the Islands at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park in Camarillo. A service will follow, with the Rev. Roy Takaya officiating.

Donations may be made to the Diabetes Assn. Arrangements are under the care of Conejo Mountain Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Camarillo.

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Finnerman, Lillian, 79, of Simi Valley, cook. Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary, Thousand Oaks.

Galvan, Guadalupe Rivera, 88, of Santa Paula, retired grader with Saticoy Lemon Assn. Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary, Santa Paula.

Hutten, Dorothy, 90, of Newbury Park. Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary, Thousand Oaks.

Ventura County obituaries are published free of charge as a public service to readers. Obituaries are based on information provided by mortuaries.