Christopher Earll Webb Jr.

Long-time Ventura resident, Christopher E. Webb, died unexpectedly in the evening of Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Mr. Webb was born in Bakersfield, California on November 18, 1927, grew up in Bakersfield and Palo Alto, California, and served in the U.S. Navy in 1946 and 1947. During his time in the Navy he was attached to a newly-commissioned seaplane tender assigned to provide support for Operation Crossroads, the second and third U.S. atomic bomb tests which were conducted at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific. Mr. Webb was fortunate never to have contracted any disease related to his exposure to nuclear radiation.

After being released from the Navy, Mr. Webb worked for his eldest brother’s construction equipment company and married Helen Hatch of Santa Maria, California on March 25, 1951. He continued to work for his brother’s company until the late 1950s when he went to work for the Martin Marietta Corporation managing defense contracts at Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc, California.

In 1962, he moved with his family to Ventura, at which time he returned to work as a heavy equipment operator for SP Milling. In 1963, he opened a Honda motorcycle franchise and then an auto tune-up business in Thousand Oaks, until he realized that he didn’t have the temperament for operating a business. After selling his business and the real property on which it was located, he returned to work as a heavy equipment operator, from which he retired in 1991.

Mr. Webb was an avid fan of anything related to automobile performance and technology, including auto shows and NASCAR and formula one car races. For many years, he performed maintenance on his own cars and helped his sons with maintenance and modifications on their cars. He was an excellent cook, and enjoyed hosting friends and family for get-togethers.

He is survived by his wife, Helen, and his sons Andrew (currently working for the US Coast Guard in Cape May, NJ) and Randall (currently working for Intel Corporation in Portland, OR).

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura.