Morna Jane Larew; Ex-Switchboard Supervisor

Morna Jane Larew, a former switchboard supervisor, died Dec. 12 at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, from pneumonia. She was 73.

She was born Jan. 31, 1927, in Glen Campbell, Pa., where she grew up and went to school. Before graduating from high school in 1945, she contributed to the war effort by testing hand grenades at a munitions plant.

Later, she worked for Bell Telephone Co. and became a switchboard supervisor and training specialist.

She lived in Oxnard for the last 27 years with her husband, Lee. She was a quilter and entered the Ventura County Fair, where she won several ribbons, including some for her own designs. She was also an avid reader who enjoyed collecting books.

At the fair in August, she and her husband celebrated 40 years of marriage at the fair’s annual “Blessing of Marriage.”

Her husband said she developed a love for country life while growing up in the mountains of western Pennsylvania, where she also learned to fly-fish.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by sons Richard of Alaska, Douglas of Washington and William of Texas; daughter Laurie Larew of Texas; sisters Dessa Cross of Pennsylvania and Daisy Gallas of Ohio; brother Howard of Arcadia; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by sisters Veda Dubeansky and Gail Wheatly.

A memorial service is scheduled Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the clubhouse of the Imperial Ventura Mobile Estate, 5065 Telephone Road in Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Ventura County Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 5545, Oxnard, CA 93031-9901.

Arrangements are under the direction of Guardian Memorial Funeral Directors of Ventura County in Oxnard.