Richard Wittenberg
May 24, 1940 – August 20, 2023
Richard Wittenberg, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, died peacefully at home on Sunday, August 20, one day after the 61st anniversary of his marriage to his wife, Joyce. He was 83.
For a quarter of a century, he was the top executive of two California counties, serving for 17 years in Ventura followed by eight years in Santa Clara. He was the first Jewish person appointed to be a county chief in California, and was the longest-tenured holder of that position when he retired.
In work and life, Richard was successful because he invested in relationships (and in municipal bonds). He told silly jokes and talked to everyone, but mostly he listened. With wit and wisdom, curiosity and care, Richard bridged divides and brought people together.
He shunned the internet but made deep and personal connections. He remembered names, rejected labels, and remained committed to helping people overcome adversity. He had the same best friend since middle school.
When he was nine, his father, David, died. His mother, Dora, an immigrant from Vitebsk, Russia (now Belarus) moved her three children from New York to California in search of a better life. She took jobs in bakeries across Los Angeles, and Richard grew up knowing the pain of loss and the importance of hard work. He studied political science at UCLA, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and was valedictorian of his class. He met his wife Joyce there and also earned a law degree.
Grief and grit shaped him into a compassionate leader who looked out for the little guy. He always thought he was one of them, even as he rose through the ranks of a career that began as a legislative analyst in Port Hueneme. He was 65 years old when he bought his first new car.
Richard loved diner food, Las Vegas buffets, but especially Joyce’s cooking. He drank root beer but never wine and ate a Red Delicious apple every day. A star slugger but admittedly poor fielder in high school, he once threw the first pitch at a San Francisco Giants game.
He gave generously, in time, advice and support. He was a longtime board member of Brandeis-Bardin (now AJU)/Camp Alonim and sent his children and grandchildren to camp there. He enjoyed living in Ventura and long visits to Hawaii. He relished memories of trips to Italy, China, and Australia.
Back when Richard was young and drove an old Pontiac Ventura, he made a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of an Oxnard parade procession. The error was inadvertent, but it was also illustrative; Richard gravitated to the center of the action and embraced every minute of it. He navigated challenges, especially his battle with Parkinson’s and the loss of his vision, with grace and good humor.
Richard loved his wife and family fiercely. He told his children to write if they got work, to smoke ’em if they got ’em, and to never let others define them.
He let his grandchildren cover him in wrapping paper.
He was a gift.
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Richard is survived by his wife, Joyce; his children, David Wittenberg (Heather née Yolles), Kevin Wittenberg (Orli Belman), and Laura Siders; numerous grandchildren; and his sister, Phyllis Jacobson.
A funeral service will be held at 9:30 am, Monday, August 28 at the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME, 757 E Main St, Ventura, CA 93001 followed by an 11:00 am graveside burial at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, 5400 Valentine Rd, Ventura, CA 93003. Donations can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686/#!/donation/checkout)