Edward Lucky Scarritt, Jr., commonly known by his middle name, Lucky, passed away on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 in Ventura. Lucky was born in Roswell, New Mexico to Edward L. Scarritt, Sr. and Clara (Mason) Scarritt on November 4, 1937. Lucky’s mother passed away when he was only three months old. Lucky, his older brother, Charles Scarritt, and their father then moved in with Lucky’s maternal grandparents, Charles and Conie (Bear) Mason. Lucky fondly recalled his early years when he lived in the home of his Mason grandparents. Lucky’s father later married Winifred (Hadley) Scarritt, and he was then raised by his father, Ed, and his stepmother, Winnie.
As a child, Lucky lived in various cities in New Mexico as his father worked in the newspaper business. As Lucky was preparing to enter middle school, his father was hired by the Toledo Blade newspaper in Toledo, Ohio. Lucky and his family moved to Maumee, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo.
In Maumee, Lucky met his lifelong friend, Richard Holden. Richard was Lucky’s neighbor and school classmate. Lucky had many treasured memories of his youthful friendship with Richard. He especially recalled summers when he and Richard rode their bikes to the Maumee River to go swimming. Lucky maintained his friendship with Richard into adulthood, even though Richard lived in the Washington D.C. area and Lucky resided in Oxnard and Ventura. Lucky graduated from Maumee High School in 1954 and following high school he returned to New Mexico for a time.
Lucky was inducted into the United States Army in 1963. Following training at Fort Ord in California and Fort Gordon in Georgia, Lucky was assigned to his permanent duty station at a Nike missile base in eastern Pennsylvania. Lucky enjoyed this period in his life as it enabled him to frequently visit relatives who lived in Pennsylvania, and he also took advantage of many opportunities to travel throughout the eastern United States while on leave.
Following his service in the Army, Lucky moved to Oxnard where his father was employed with the Oxnard Press Courier newspaper. On February 16, 1966, Lucky took a civilian position with the Ventura County Marshal’s Department. The Marshal’s Department was later merged into the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Lucky proudly served 36 years in the Sheriff’s Department until his retirement on March 2, 2002.
Lucky was a quiet and reserved person who enjoyed socializing with friends and work colleagues but who also valued his personal solitude. He enjoyed reading, seeing movies, jogging (walking as he got older), loyally following and supporting his Los Angeles Angels, and dining out. He also loved to travel and he said his favorite trips were his vacations in England, Scotland, Hawaii, Canada, and Washington D.C. He had a lasting memory of a warm, moonlit night on Miami Beach in Florida when he stood knee-deep in the Atlantic Ocean and enjoyed the moon reflecting on the calm water. He said in his quiet, contemplative moments, he often recalled the sense of serenity he felt on that night on the beach in Miami.
Lucky had a caring and generous nature, and he made many donations to various charitable organizations, especially St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. Lucky is survived by many friends and a few family members, in particular his beloved cousin, Jane Travis, and her husband, Ralph, of Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania. Lucky is preceded in death by his father, Ed, his mother, Clara, his stepmother, Winnie, and his older brother, Charlie.
Lucky’s family and close friends wish to express their sincere gratitude to the caring staff in the memory unit at Cypress Place in Ventura and to Assisted Hospice. Under their care, Lucky was able to conclude his life’s journey with as much dignity and peace as was possible.
A celebration of life for Lucky will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at BOYKO & REARDON TELEGRAPH ROAD MORTUARY & CREMATION, located at 15 Teloma Drive, Ventura, CA 93003. Per his direction, Lucky will be cremated, and his ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charitable organization of the donor’s choosing.