Robert John Savala, Sr. passed away on January 31, 2023, at the age of 86. Robert was born on November 24, 1936. He was the 2nd child of 11 children born to Lillian Martinez and Felipe Savala. His father worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad so he and his siblings grew up on the railroad property "the section" located on the bluff across from Pierpont Inn. Robert loved surf fishing with his brothers and dad in Ventura below the bluff where he was raised.
Robert graduated from Ventura High School in 1954. He joined The United States Marine Corps out of High school and served during the Korean War from 1954 to 1956 as a corporal, First Division, The United States Marine Corps, stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Robert was the first in his family to graduate from college. He also attended the Maxwell Air base in Alabama and received a certificate of graduation. Robert earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of LaVerne and his MBA in Business Administration from California Lutheran University. He attended a doctoral program in Public Administration for two years. Robert held various accounting positions at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme and Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu rising to Accounting Officer then Deputy Comptroller and was a member of the American Society of Military Comptrollers. While working at the Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, Robert went to Vietnam to train the Seabees in Finance. Robert worked for 37 years until his retirement in 1992 at the age of 55. After his retirement, Robert golfed every day and was a member of Spanish Hill Country Club and other local golf clubs, the Mexican American Golf Association and Bench Warmer. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge #1430 and Catholic Church. He loved to teach golf to his sons and golf friends, showing them how to make improvements on their golf swing, and continually worked on improving his golf game. Throughout his life, Robert made many, many lasting friendships.
Robert was very industrious and was a paperboy as a teenager and spent his first earnings to buy a harmonica because he loved music. He also worked at Mission Linen and Nehi Bottling Co and H&R Block as a tax accountant. Robert always encouraged relatives and others to get an education. Robert spent his entire life on self-analysis towards self-improvement. He continued to learn and grow consistently throughout his life. Robert loved fishing, golfing, bowling, baseball, playing Spanish music on the guitar, politics of the day, analyzing the stock market, orchids and gladiolas but most loved sitting in the sun in his backyard and enjoying the koi pond and many barbecues and social gatherings with his family and friends.
Robert married Carol Holly and had three children, Raymond, Robert and Christine. He later married his beloved wife Carol Keller and gained two additional daughters, Anna and Deanne. Robert had ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Phillip "Chino", Tom, sisters Rachel Trout, Gloria Eldridge, Alice Zavolosieck, and Deborah Savala, and daughter Deanne. Robert is survived by his wife, Carole Savala, sons, Raymond Savala (Dedee), Robert Savala, (Lorie), daughters Christine Williams (Rick), Anna Hansen (Jack), brother Edward (Irene), and sisters Edith Roberts (Wayne), Rosemary DelaTorre(Joe), Joyce Revelez (Roy), and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Services will be held on Friday, February 24, 2023 at Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home, 757 E. Main Street, Ventura. Visitation will be held from 9:00-11:30 a.m., followed by a Memorial Tribute from 11:30-12:30 p.m. Military honors and catholic burial by Deacon Ed Mills from Our Lady of Assumption Church in Ventura will follow and be held at Ivy Lawn Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Homes for Heroes at https://help.buildinghomesforheroes.org/give/108979/#!/donation/checkout or Ventura County Animal Services at https://www.vcasfoundation.org/donate/
The family wishes to thank Dr. Todd Yates, Dr. Thomas Kong, Dr. Tane Liu, and Dr. Ramsey Ulrich at Dignity Health. They would also like to thank Gigi and Eddie at DaVita College Estates Dialysis for the care and compassion shown to Robert. Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.