‘There is a lot of destruction on the property and to the home’

Mudslides

Continued from Page A1 falling. It sounded like lightning struck 10 feet in front of us. Mud burst through the wall and in a split second filled the bedroom and began seeping into the living room and kitchen. I found out the next day that it broke through the garage and filled the entire garage.”

She said mud filled two-thirds of the small, one-bedroom house.

The home’s bathroom was spared.

“The mud came from the hillside behind the house, where nothing had ever happened previously, and there were some untouched poision oak trees in the mud,” said Ms. Graves. “When it occurred, our two cats were in the bedroom and our dog was on the couch with us. My one cat came flying out of the bedroom, and my other cat was still in the bedroom.

“I started digging in the mud and found her buried in mud with two legs trapped under the door. We called our only neighbor (Scott) at the bottom of the hill. He rescued us on his ATV,” Ms. Graves said. “He told us to grab essentials and he pulled my cat out. While we were evacuating, my other cat came flying out of the house. We didn’t find him until the following morning.

“Scott carried me and the cat down the driveway on his ATV, and my boyfriend carried our dog down the unstable driveway.We stayed at my boyfriend’s house until Tuesday night.”

Four mudslides went down their driveway.

“There were two more cyclone storms after that, and everything was soaking in water and mud,” Ms. Graves said. “My boyfriend said that it smelled like something died and was trapped in the mud. Everything that is there is not viable.

“When my neighbor helped us evacuate, we had a boulder come down on the right side of the house and a mudslide as well. Several boulders came down and exposed tree roots. There is a lot of destruction on the property and to the home,” said Ms. Graves. But she and her boyfriend were still able to smile during a News-Press photo shoot at their home.

“The positive is that we are all safe,” Ms. Graves said. “My cat only had a laceration on her leg where she was trapped under the door. My boyfriend and I got a severe poison oak rash, and the rash is just now subsiding. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

“We are fortunate to be close to my boyfriend’s parents who live in town. We are using this as an opportunity to save money to buy a condo while living with his parents,” she said.

“We have come up with a plan. We are going to buy a condo and live there for five to 10 years and renovate it. Good things have come out of it,” she said.

“I work at Mesa Cafe, and lots of local people including the

BENNETT, Barbara Ellen

Barbara Ellen Bennett passed away on January 4, 2023; she was 74 years old. Barbara was born September 26, 1948, in Fulton, Missouri. When she was 14, she and her parents moved to Aguanga, in northeast San Diego County. She graduated from Julian Union High School as salutatorian and in 1970, she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in mathematics from California Western University on Point Loma in San Diego. She met Greg Bennett the first week of their freshman year in college and they married the day after graduation.

Barbara and Greg moved to Santa Barbara for him to attend Brooks Institute of Photography. He shared his love of photography with Barbara, who enjoyed travel and taking pictures; many, many pictures, which she often used to make into albums for the people she traveled with.

After college graduation and until retirement, Barbara worked as a computer programmer, then a software engineer, and finally a project manager. She worked at Astro Research Corporation, Raytheon, and then AT&T Government Solutions until her retirement in 2014.

Barbara enjoyed serving in many capacities at her church, and especially in volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse and putting together boxes for Operation Christmas Child. She loved reading, board and card games, and spending time with her friends.

Barbara is predeceased by her husband, Greg, and leaves behind her son, David (Christina), her brother, Ray (Karen), and her niece, Samantha (Ray) and greatnephew, Ryan.

A celebration of life was held by her family and friends.

WILLEY, Charles Wayne “Chuck”

(1932 - 2022) owner, Ramiro Elizdale have been wonderful and kind, reaching out with help,” Ms. Graves said. “Ramiro really cares about his employees and has been very supportive. We have support from the cafe and the people that come in. Our situation would be a lot different without their support and his parents’ support,” said Ms. Graves.

Chuck passed away on December 21, 2022 in Missoula, Montana. He was born October 7, 1932 in Dillon to Elizabeth (Leonard) and Asa Willey. He spent his early years on the family ranch in the Big Hole, where he was the doted-upon little brother of sisters, Corinne, Elaine, and June. When his father died in 1944, Chuck and his mother moved to Wisdom and he later went to high school in Medicine Lake while living with sister, Elaine, and her husband, Bud Hjort. Following high school, Chuck attended Montana State University, where he received a B.S. with honors in 1954. Chuck then served in the United States Air Force for two years, after which he attended law school at the University of Montana. So began Chuck’s lifelong engagement with the law, studying it, practicing it, arguing about it, and teaching it. He graduated first in his class in 1959 and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Montana Law Review. After graduation, Chuck moved to San Francisco to clerk for the Honorable Walter L. Pope, Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1960, Chuck began practicing with Price Postel & Parma in Santa Barbara, California. Chuck practiced in Santa Barbara (with PP&P, his own firm, and Hollister & Brace) for 41 years and engaged widely in the legal community. He was variously President of the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara, President of the Santa Barbara County Bar Foundation, and Chair of the State Bar of California’s Committee on Administration of Justice. He served as a Judge Pro Tem in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court and was a member of the William L. Gordon Inn of Court. Chuck also served as a member of the Board of Laguna Blanca School and on the vestry of All-Saints-By-The-Sea Episcopal Church.

Following his “retirement” from active practice, Chuck returned to Montana, where he was an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Montana and Chair of the State Bar of Montana’s Business, Estates, Trusts, Tax and Real Estate Section. Chuck loved horses (he was a deft rider and an equine whisperer), dogs (large and small, all spoiled), reading (he read deeply and voraciously, with an emphasis on history), laughter, and wine (he was agnostic and liked it all). Chuck was an accomplished and caring man who always wanted to ensure that his children had winter coats. Chuck is predeceased by his parents, sisters, and brother, Harold. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Alexis; his children, Stephen (Gretchen), Heather (William), Brent, and Scott (Laurel); and grandchildren, Ryan, Cole, Blake, Lucien, Sian, Caden, Katrine, and Theo. Services will be private.

“It has been a difficult time, but it has opened up a lot of opportunities for growth in our future. It has also woken me back up to a new appreciation for everything we have and are given,” she said. “I find myself showing much more gratitude because you never know what can happen. I have become grateful for this experience from what it has shown me.

“Everything happens for a reason and I know good things are to come. Also, us and the fur babies are safe and healthy, which is all that matters. Possessions are always replaceable.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

PFEILER, Edward Joseph “Bud”

Edward Joseph “Bud” Pfeiler went peacefully to heaven on January 19, 2023, in his home in Santa Barbara, CA at the age of 102, surrounded by the love of his family.

Bud was born on August 11, 1920, in Oxnard, CA and was the son of Emil and Nellie Pfeiler. He grew up with his 6 brothers and sisters, sharing many adventures on the Rice Rd. family ranch. In 1939, he met the love of his life, Ardna Mae Isham, and they married on February 3, 1942.

During WWII Bud served his country as a pilot and flight instructor in the United States Air Force, training many young pilots. After the war he and Ardna settled in Ventura where they raised their four children. Bud continued in the Air Force reserves for thirty more years, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1963 Bud and Ardna moved their family to Santa Barbara, where he had established the family business, Pfeiler Truck and Tractor Sales. Ardna worked alongside him as the bookkeeper.

On February 3, 2017, Bud and Ardna were blessed to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary. Throughout those 75 years, they loved sharing their time together, from swirling around the dance floor as members of the Stardusters Dance Club, to golfing together at The Alisal with occasional visits to the casino. They enjoyed traveling in their motorhome, trout fishing in the Sierras, salmon fishing on the Rogue River in Oregon, and many of their anniversaries were spent in Las Vegas.

Bud made many friends throughout the years and was admired and loved by all who knew him. Unable to play golf after suffering a stroke in 2010, he continued to join his golf buddies at the Alisal on Wednesdays, riding along with them in the golf cart. Bud loved his family, and as he grew older he so enjoyed the visits from his grandchildren, great, as well as great-great-grandchildren, and cherished nieces and nephews.

Bud is survived by his 4 children and their spouses, Edward and Trini, Jo Ann, Mary Ann and Ed Schram, Beverly and Jerry Van Wingerden; and his 7 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. His faith was very important to him, and he was a great inspiration to his family and to all those who were graced by his love.

The family would like to thank Msgr. Michael Jennett for his love and friendship; the caregivers from The Key and from Complete Care S.B., and the hospice nurses and caring staff from Central Coast Hospice.

A Rosary Vigil will be held on Monday, January 30, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the WelchRyce-Haider funeral chapel, 15 E. Sola St., Santa Barbara. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at San Roque Catholic Church, 325 Argonne Cr., Santa Barbara, with interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery. Friends who wish to remember Bud may do so with a contribution to “Food From the Heart,” P.O. Box 3908, Santa Barbara, CA 93130.

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