Kathleen L. “Leah” Harthorn; Crisis Counselor

Kathleen Lenore “Leah” Harthorn, counselor and lifelong Ventura County resident, died in her sleep on Thursday at Ventura County Medical Center. She was 62.

She was born June 5, 1938, in Hollywood and grew up in Santa Paula. She graduated from Santa Paula High School and went on to Ventura College, where she later graduated from its psychiatric technical program.

According to friends, Harthorn had a gift in caring for people and she became a crisis intervention counselor. She was also an advocate for access to quality mental health care.

She was passionately dedicated to the National Organization for Women, the Democratic Party and Judaism.

Harthorn was involved with civil rights and mental health issues. She enjoyed traveling and had been to Central America, Mexico and many states. Her last trip was a pilgrimage to Israel.

She is survived by partner Lucianne Ranni; son Paul S. Berkley; daughter Colleen Lenore Thompson; brother Charles Harthorn; and four grandchildren, all of Ventura County.

Services are scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura. Interment will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Feminist Majority, 8105 W. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Arrangements are under the direction of Angeleno Valley Mortuary in North Hollywood.