Donald Truesdell; Longtime Santa Paula Resident

Donald Claude Ellis Truesdell, a retired investment banker, died Friday in Santa Paula. He was 88.

Born on May 20, 1912, Truesdell moved from Flint, Mich., to Santa Paula in 1913 with his parents, Ambra Irene DeMode and Claude Delbert Truesdell. His father was one of the first barbers in Santa Paula and eventually became a local Realtor.

As a young man, Donald Truesdell enjoyed fishing and hiking the Sespe. He was the 1928 “home run king” on the Santa Paula High School baseball team. He survived the St. Francis Dam collapse and the Great Depression.

Truesdell opened produce stands in Santa Paula and Oxnard. As a hobby, he charted the stock market for decades.

He attended Woodbury Business College and was the accountant for Limoniera Ranch for 10 years. He then pursued investment banking as a career and in 1947 moved to Ventura to open the first local Dean Witter office, located in the Zander Building downtown.

In his later years, Truesdell followed his father’s footsteps and became a real estate broker.

Colleagues remember his knowledge and ability to discuss current events, political issues and business.

His last family outing was to the Faulkner Farm Pumpkin Patch in October. He leaves a legacy of many fruit trees he planted for members of his family at several homes throughout the county.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan A. Truesdell, in 1975.

He is survived by daughters Beverly Nadine Stiles, Joyce Arlene Truesdell, Trudy T. Shields and Cynthia DeMode and 13 grandchildren.

Graveside services are scheduled at 2 p.m. today at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.

The Truesdell family can be contacted at P.O. Box 6352, Ventura, CA 93006. Donations in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Charles Carroll Funeral Home in Ventura.