Chester E Manos

Chester Eugene Manos died on Saturday, April 28, 2012, in Ventura following a brief illness. He was born in Gravette, Arkansas on January 19, 1923 and had been a resident of Ventura County for 87 years.

Our husband, father and uncle was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He was serving on the Vestal on the morning of December 7, 1941. The Vestal, a repair ship, was moored between the Arizona and Ford Island and had already been taking its own share of hits from enemy bombs. The violence of the explosion on the USS Arizona was so intense more than 100 crewmen on the nearby Vestal were thrown into the air and hurled into the oil-covered waters of Pearl Harbor. Through courageous leadership of the captain and the heroic efforts of the sailors the mooring lines to the doomed Arizona were cut and slowly, miraculously, the Vestal moved into open water.

Chet returned to Ventura County at the end of the Second World War and spent the next forty years working in oil fields from Taft to New Zealand.

In retirement, Chet, a self-taught jack-of-all trades, shared his time, talent and energy with his neighbors in the area where he lived with his family for over fifty years. Chet continued to do the maintenance on his family home until this year. He was amazing. The pristine state of his garage was the stuff of family legend.

Chet was a Mason and a Dodger fan.

Chet is loved and will be missed by his loving wife of 56 years, Lois; son, Michael of Ventura; son and daughter-in-law, Robin and Patti Kirsch of Ventura; nieces, Karen and Kristy Portlock, Denise Rice and Leah Manos; and nephews, Rob and Rick Portlock.

A memorial service will be held Friday, May 4, 2012, 2:00 P.M., at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory. Condolences may be left at TedMayrFuneralHome.com