Joe ‘Eddie’ Bustamante; Engineering Technician

Joe “Eddie” Bustamante, a lifelong Ventura County resident, has died. He was 66.

Bustamante, who died April 28 at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, was a retired engineering technician.

He was born May 18, 1934, in Santa Paula to Joe and Angelita Bustamante. He grew up in Santa Paula and graduated from Santa Paula High School. He later graduated from Ventura College, where he met his wife Sally.

After serving four years in the Coast Guard, he worked for the Department of Defense at Port Hueneme for more than 30 years as an engineering technician.

Beginning when he was 16, he played saxophone professionally with various bands in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. He also enjoyed literature and theater, and was a member of the Friends of the Library.

After retiring in 1994, he and his wife traveled extensively.

In addition to his wife of 46 years, he is survived by a son, Gerald, of Cardiff; two daughters, Diane Van Riper of Ventura and Lisa Ortega of Oxnard; a brother, Robert Bustamante; four sisters, Alice Romero, Josephine Barajas, Hortensia Chavez and Helen Leal; and five grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was said Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library, P.O. Box 403, Ventura, CA 93002 or the St. Vincent De Paul Society at Sacred Heart Church in Ventura.

Arrangements were under the direction of Pierce Bros. Griffin Mortuary in Camarillo.