Antonio Ventura

Antonio (Tony) Ventura, 92, was born May 27, 1928 to Romana Vargas Ventura and Pedro Guillen Ventura in Camarillo, California.  He went to the lord on March 17, 2021, reuniting with his parents, three brothers and two sisters, his first grandson, Stephen, and many relatives and friends. He is survived by his younger sister, Carmen, and sisters-in-law, Mary and Judy Ventura.  He is a true native son of the Somis/Camarillo area.  When he was born, Don Adolfo Camarillo, founding father of the city of Camarillo, stopped by and saw my grandmother holding our father in her arms and exclaimed, “Oh my dear young girl, you have another baby boy!”  With that he placed a $100 dollar bill on our dad, much to my grandmother’s surprise and appreciation.  When he graduated from Somis Grammar School as a boy of 13, he started a career in farming and ranching that spanned 76 years.  He was a ranch hand, gardener, horticulturist, and for many years managed a ranch of avocado and lemon orchards along the foothills of Camarillo.  Antonio was extremely bright.  When he graduated from the eighth grade he was honored with the American Legion Award for scholastic excellence.  Even though he did not go to high school he took classes at Ventura College.  He became a prolific writer and left many journals and booklets of exceptional writings.  Our dad lived a quiet and simple life, patterned after his mentor, St. Francis of Assisi.  He loved nature and all creatures, especially the eight dogs he owned over the years.  Dad was loving, caring and kind.  He gave of himself to a fault, helping those in need, and living a modest life, choosing spiritual values over material possessions.  He loved his three sons and their wives, David (Kathy), Steven (Cea), and Chuck (Joy), and the mother of his sons, Lucy.  Dad adored his 6 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and enjoyed the times they would visit him at the ranch. His advice to his children and the world: “Love God above all, love one another, be honest, be forgiving, take care of all God’s creatures, and protect mother earth.”

A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 9, 2021 at 10:30 am at St. Mary Magdalen Chapel on Ventura Blvd in Camarillo, California. Interment will follow at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park.

...Family in the care of Erin Arteaga, Funeral Director