* Miguel M. Ortiz; Milkman, Community Activist

Miguel Morales Ortiz, a retired milkman, died Sunday at home in Santa Paula with four generations of family at his side. He was 81.

He was born Sept. 29, 1918, in Nochislan, Zacatecas, Mexico. When he was 9 months old, his family moved to Kingman, Kan.

There he attended St. Patrick’s grade school and graduated from Kingman High School in 1937. He was an all-conference fullback at both his junior and senior high schools. In high school, Ortiz founded the St. Patrick’s basketball team, and he coached the team to a successful year.

After high school, Ortiz moved to California and settled in Saticoy, where he met Delphine Garibaldi. They married in 1940.

He served two years in the Army beginning in 1942. After being discharged, he worked in construction and on an offshore oil rig. Later he became a milkman for Golden Top Dairy.

Ortiz was involved in the community as a volunteer firefighter, coach and umpire. He was also a Eucharist minister, a member of the Knights of Columbus and Lions Club, and he worked as the first Santa at the former Buenaventura Mall.

In addition to his wife, Ortiz is survived by sons Michael and George, both of Oxnard; daughters Judy Petit of Oxnard, Vicki Reyes of Santa Paula and Veronica Cota of Bakersfield; brothers Nick of Garden City, Kan., Victor of Torrance, Ray of Wichita, Kan., and Joe of Lincoln, Kan.; sisters Vicki Villavera of Kingman, Irene Garza of Texas, and Natalia Acosta of Wichita, Kan.; 21 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his son Donald “Speedy” Ortiz.

Visitation is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. today at the Joseph Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura. Recitation of the rosary is scheduled at 7:30 tonight at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura.

A memorial Mass is scheduled at 11 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Church, with Father Daniel O’Sullivan officiating. Interment will follow at Santa Clara Cemetery.