Robert and Lorraine Mathiasen

MATHIASEN, Robert Neal October 4, 1924 – February 24, 2012 MATHIASEN, Lorraine Ruth August 11, 1928 – February 27, 2012 Bob and Lorraine died at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs as the result of a car vs pedestrian accident. They were in Palm Springs to attend a reunion of Bob’s WWII 100th Bomb Group, a favorite annual event. Bob was born October 4, 1924 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital to Hazel I. and Clifford N. Mathiasen. Bob was educated in Santa Barbara schools and served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1945 during WWII. From 1943 to 1944 he was a ball turret gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 418th Bomb Squadron and completed 30 missions. After his return from the service, he was employed by Glaser Brothers Wholesale in Santa Barbara until he opened the Buellton Market at 101 and Hwy 246 in Buellton. After selling the market, he became VP and General Manager at Belvedere Products in Goleta and then in Irvine, CA until his retirement. Lorraine was born August 11, 1928 in Plentywood, Montana to Oliver F. and Ruth P. Ziebarth. She was educated in Missoula, MT, El Centro, CA and at the University of Montana in Missoula where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and was pinned as a Sweetheart of Sigma Chi Fraternity. After college she returned to her family’s new home in Santa Barbara. In addition to being a loving wife and mom, she was employed in casualty insurance agencies in Santa Barbara, Solvang and Mission Viejo until her retirement. She was active in the Santa Barbara County Children’s Home Society while living in the Santa Ynez Valley and was a current member of Nu Phi Delta Chi Sorority in Santa Barbara. Bob and Lorraine were married in Santa Barbara on May 20, 1951. Their three daughters were born in Santa Barbara and raised here and in the Santa Ynez Valley and in Mission Viejo. They have three grandsons and two granddaughters. After returning from the service, Bob was active in the Santa Barbara Trail Riders with his dad. While living in the Santa Ynez Valley, he enjoyed singing lead with a barbershop quartet. After retirement, Bob and Lorraine sold their home in Mission Viejo, bought a 5th wheel and traveled all across the United States several times visiting their children and grandchildren in Colorado, Florida and New York as well as many places of interest in between. In 1994 they returned to live in Santa Barbara and Goleta. Bob was an active in Santa Barbara Elk’s Lodge 613 and both Lorraine and Bob traveled regularly with the Santa Barbara Elks Caravaneers. Both of them were also active supporters of the Foresters Baseball team before, during and after the time their grandson played for the team. They are dearly loved and will be greatly missed by their daughters, Robin Yost of the Santa Ynez Valley, Karen Hood of New York City and Kristy Cohan (Bob) of Bakersfield, CA; their grandchildren Cody Cohan of Portland, OR and West Cohan of Bakersfield, Chloe Yost, Chase Yost and Hayle Yost of the Santa Ynez Valley. They will also be missed by Lorraine’s sister Janice Baker (Tony) and Bob’s sister Dorothy Vendrame (Jimmy) both of Santa Barbara and many cousins, nephews, nieces and friends. Bob was pre-deceased by his sisters Jayne Wilson and Rose Condit and his brother Roger Mathiasen. Services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 10th at the Elks Lodge, 150 North Kellogg, Santa Barbara. In lieu of flowers, friends may remember the 100th Bomb Group Foundation, c/o Cindy Goodman,13 Ettington Lane, Bella Vista, AR 72714; the National Glaucoma Research Foundation, 251 Post Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94108; the Santa Barbara Foresters/Hugs for Cubs, 4299 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA, 93013; or their favorite charity.