Donald A. Ulrich

February 27, 1928 – July 1, 2013. Donald was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and uncle; as well as an educator, businessman and artist. He was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming by parents Everett and Sarah Ulrich. After graduating from Cheyenne High School, he was drafted and joined the U.S. Navy where he specialized in Electronics and Radar Training.

He went to the University of Boulder, Cal State Long Beach and then graduated from the University of California Los Angeles in 1953 with a major in Art - Industrial Design and Social Sciences . While at UCLA he was part of Project India: a special student program to visit universities in India. After graduation, he worked for the Red Cross as Asst. Field Director for Servicemen at Camp Pendleton.

After obtaining a teaching credential, he taught speech, English, drama, art, photography and industrial drafting at the Polytechnic Senior High School, Long Beach. He published yearbooks and produced Shakespearian plays, including sets and costumes.

Meanwhile, his private studies were in opera. His love of singing sent him to Vienna where he took on more vocal training and immersed himself in the artistic and operatic world ever present in Vienna.

Upon his return he joined UCLA as the Assistant Dean of Foreign Students and Associate Director of the International Student Center. Lamia Charaf was one of the international students studying liberal arts there. Having found the love of his life, Don and Lamia later married. Two children were born of this union: Elianne and Ramsey.

Don then joined California Institute of the Arts in Burbank as the Director of Institutional Facilities and Design Coordinator for its six academic schools: Art, Music, Design, Theater, Dance, Film-Video & Critical Studies. Cal Arts later moved to Valencia.

After the 1969 earthquake damaged their home and having grown weary of inland smog, Don moved his family to coastal Ventura.

In Ventura, he established and became the owner of Creative Arts on Seaward, which displayed work of California artists. As a natural extension of his artistic proclivities, Don established the Lemon Turtle restaurant, which was annexed to Creative Arts. The Lemon Turtle began as an ice cream shop with its signature cone dipped in chocolate with a cherry on top, served with freshly squeezed lemonade. Pita Pockets were another popular item, filled with falafel and garnishes. The Lemon Turtle later developed into Mediterranean style fine dining.

Don was actively involved in the growth of art in Ventura through shows, viewings, education and expression. He is an accomplished artist of abstract sculpture, oil & acrylic paintings, as well as multimedia pieces. He exhibited all types of work in fine art galleries, museums, and shows in the United States and foreign countries.

Don participated in Ventura's first street fair. He built a Pita Pocket parade float-- recruiting his children's friends in its construction. He built floats for the Camarillo and Santa Barbara street-fairs, as well as Parade of Lights in the Ventura Harbor. He was part of Ventura's burgeoning art life and a member of Ventura Artist Union Gallery.

He responded to many names: Daddy, Bumpa, Grandpa, Great Grandpa.

He is survived by his wife of forty-eight years, Lamia; daughter Elianne and son-in-law Cameron Kempsell; son Ramsey and daughter-in-law Rachel Ulrich; grandchildren Stuart and wife Shauna Kempsell, Colin and wife Jillian Kempsell; and Brycen, Davis and Josephine Ulrich. He has one great granddaughter Delilah Kempsell and great grandson Austin Jay.

A remembrance gathering will take place on Saturday August 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lemon Wood Mobile Home Club Room at 850 Johnson Drive.