Grant Mickle; Retired Firefighter and Longtime County Resident

Retired firefighter and longtime county resident Grant Mickle died in Ojai on Monday following a lengthy illness. He was 88.

Mickle was born Sept. 17, 1909, in Parsons, Kan. He moved with his parents to Fillmore where his father worked in the produce business.

Mickle attended grade school in Fillmore and high school in Santa Paula. In the early 1920s, Mickle moved with his family to Santa Paula, where he lived for more than 60 years.

He worked with his father in the produce business and also served two years in the National Guard in the early 1940s, said Mickle’s son, Ernest E. Mickle of Ojai.

In February 1945, Mickle went to work as a patrolman for the Santa Paula Police Department. In March 1954, he switched careers and became a firefighter for the Ventura County Fire Department.

Mickle worked as a firefighter in Santa Paula and also served as a fire spotter on South Mountain in Santa Paula, his son said. Because of medical reasons, Mickle retired from firefighting in 1962, his son said.

Mickle enjoyed reading mystery novels and was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Santa Paula.

In 1982, Mickle and his wife moved into an Ojai rest home.

In addition to his son, Mickle is survived by his wife, Ada Mickle of Ojai; a daughter, Druscilla Vaterlaus of Chloride, Ariz.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

There will be no services. Mickle will be buried at Santa Paula Cemetery. Skillin-Carroll Mortuary handled the arrangements.