Jerry Chotenovsky

He was born in Staten Island, New York on Sept. 7, 1945 (joking that the war ended when he was born). His parents packed him up and moved cross country, with a tornado following them part of the way to Los Angeles when he was a year old. Though he had a difficult childhood, Jerry was creative, developed strong leadership skills and a good business sense. As a child he made money by mowing lawns, selling scrap metal, working at a feed store, any odd job to make a few dollars. Later, he worked long hours at McCulloch and a Volkswagen dealership.

After his brief first marriage ended, he moved to Thousand Oaks with his family and eventually worked for Northrop in Newbury Park where he held various positions becoming a Production Control Manager until the plant closed. He then ran a gardening business. Retirement meant relaxation after working hard for so many years.

Jerry met his wife Sharann on a blind date while she was in high school and they married in April 1968- it was a once in a lifetime love. He was a wonderful, caring husband, good provider and very best friend. His grandfather was a marshal in Arizona and knew Wyatt Earp- those stories instilled a love the "wild west" in Jerry at a young age, always claiming he was born in the wrong era. His favorite movie was "Tombstone" and he always identified with Doc Holiday hence the nickname "Doc."

Jerry also took upon himself to watch over our dirt road apprehending anyone who was speeding and yelling in this booming voice to "SLOW DOWN!" Thus, he became "Sheriff" of the Lane- always a cowboy at heart this was a title he was very proud of. Jerry loved helping people and made friends wherever he went, striking up a conversation and turning a stranger into a friend.

He was an excellent cook and shared his culinary creations with neighbors and friends. Jerry was very patriotic with a fierce love of America and all our freedoms, always willing to stand up for his beliefs. He enjoyed listening to talk radio, never shying away from a good political debate. He loved country music (Waylon and Willie being favorites), Elvis, old movies (especially westerns and would laugh heartily at Laurel and Hardy, The Little Rascals and Abbott and Costello). He was quite the bargain hunter when it came to grocery shopping and garage sales. Being a bit of a prankster, he also loved a good joke and relished in telling stories about his many adventures-or misadventures-often under the influence of a few beers or rum and cokes.

He thoroughly enjoyed being retired and having all of his close friends and neighbors join him in the afternoon at the "Boys Club" for beer and lively conversation. His church was the great outdoors where he spent as much of his time as possible admiring all of God's handiwork, the beauty of Nature and all His creatures. God could not have made a more honest, down-to-earth, compassionate, kind and sensitive (and funny) man-one who wanted to right all the wrongs in this world.

Jerry is riding off into the heavenly sunset with his cowboy hat on, his dusty tall boots and old Levis, surely wearing his sheriff's badge and new angel wings watching over those streets paved in gold and yelling at those other angels to "SLOW DOWN!"

WE LOVE AND MISS OUR FAVORITE COWBOY!!

Jerry is preceded in death by his father; mother, Margie; sister, Bev; in-laws, Jack and Sandy; and beloved dog, Shelby.

He is survived by his wife, Sharann; sister, Joyce Firmin(husband Scott Firmin, their three children and five grandchildren); niece, Carol Burlison(husband Wayne Burlison and daughter Alyssa Burlison); brother-in-law, Jim; sister-in-law, Becky; his furry and feathered children, Tootsie, Samantha, Tabitha and Chico, and all of his wonderful friends and neighbors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association , Humane Society, your favorite charity or just extend a helping hand and a kind word to others in Jerry's memory.