Vince Ordonez Jr.; Superior Court Officer

Vince Ordonez Jr., assistant executive officer of the Superior Court in Ventura, died of bone marrow cancer Thursday at his home in Oxnard. He was 52.

He was born Feb. 23, 1947, in Oxnard, where he grew up and attended school.

In 1989, he started working with the Ventura County Superior Court. He also had worked as an administration officer for the probation agency.

He participated in a number of committees and projects with the California Administrative Office of the Courts.

He was the first paid executive director of El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, the first Latino to serve on the county’s Planning Commission and the first Latino to serve on the Board of Regents of Cal Lutheran University, associates said.

Most recently, Ordonez served as president of the nearly 5,000-member California Court Clerk Assn. Previously he served on the boards of United Way, the American Red Cross, the Ventura AIDS Commission, Big Brothers & Big Sisters and the El Rio Gymnasium Committee.

He also had been active in the Oxnard Neighborhood Councils and the city’s Personnel Committee.

Ordonez spearheaded teams from the court in support of activities with the annual AIDS Care Walk, the American Diabetes Assn. and the American Cancer Society.

He took great pride in his Catholic faith and was a member of the Sacred Heart Church.

In a notice to the court staff, Court Executive Officer Sheila Gonzalez said, “The court as an organization will be forever enriched by the many contributions Vince made in his professional capacity, first as deputy executive officer and then assistant executive officer of the court. It was a privilege to have been his co-worker. It has been a blessing to have had the gift of his friendship.”

Presiding Judge Charles W. Campbell Jr. said, “This is a great loss for all of us. We did some great things with Vince as a member of our team and will miss him deeply.”

He is survived by Michael Singer of Oxnard; two sons, Tony and Alex of Ventura; his father, Vincent J. Ordonez Sr. of Oxnard; one brother, Richard of Oxnard; one sister, Kathy of Oxnard; and devoted friend Peggy Garcia Castor of Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the American Cancer Society.

Visitation and rosary services will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oxnard.

Mass is scheduled at 10 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart with Father Daniel O’Sullivan officiating. Interment will follow at Santa Clara Cemetery in Oxnard.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Joseph Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura.