Kenji Ota: 1923 - 2015
Martial Arts and Ballroom Dance Sensei
Gruff, warm, commanding, and relentlessly generous, Ken Ota combined the teaching of martial arts and ballroom dance. Read story.
Ed Mannon: 1953 - 2016
Homeless Rights Advocate, Street Person
Ed Mannon occupied the epicenter of homeless activism in the 1980s, challenging the "no camping" ordinance and getting voting rights for people with no "fixed domicile." Read story.
J.J. Hollister III: 1932-2016
Gaviota Rancher, Raconteur
An attorney, rancher, and grand storyteller, J.J. Hollister left a legacy of civic and family pride. Read story.
Haskell Wexler: 1922-2015
The People’s Cinematographer
Haskell Wexler earned Oscars for producing a short film and two for cinematography, and recognition at Cannes along the way. Read story.
Helen Stathis: 1930-2015
Inspired the Greek Festival
Bringing the warm hospitality of her Greek heritage to her adopted city, Helen Stathis sparked the first of Santa Barbara's decades of Greek Festivals in 1973. Read story.
Hilda (Shanta-Ma) Densmore: 1915-2015
The Original 'Hugging Mother'
Nothing in Shanta-Ma's brutal early life would suggest she'd live an increasingly loving and openhearted 100 years. Read story.
Dennis Rickard: 1953–2015
Old Spanish Days Leader
Dennis Rickard's involvement in Fiesta started when he was 2 and culminated in his role as El Presidente. Read story.
Steve Malone: 1949-2015
Photographed Santa Barbara for 43 Years
Photographer Steve Malone spent his life capturing the essential moments in the life of our town. Read story.
Dan Poynter: 1938-2015
Legendary Author and Self-Publishing Pioneer
Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual guided countless authors' manuscripts into becoming books. Read story.
Kenneth Storey Korten: 1954 - 2015
A Gifted Artist Who Lived Simply
Santa Barbara artist Kenneth Korten created beautiful objects through careful observation and patient craftsmanship, and he walked gently on this earth. Read story.
Stewart Harrison Mills: 1986-2015
Forever Young
Everyone who met Stewart Mills came away with a new friend; such was his remarkably positive, easy empathy, and sense of fun. Read story.
Lola Nava Guerra: 1925-2015
Gifted Singer, Caring Community Advocate
From the United Farm Workers boycott to saving Ellwood's butterfly grove, talented singer Lola Nava Guerra embraced the activist life. Read story.
Dana Schorr: 1952-2015
A Life Wild and Free
From international meetings to foreign bars, Dana Schorr could use his polylingual charm to get people talking despite cultural and linguistic barriers. Read story.
Barbara Sonia Adams, aka Madame Rosinka: 1947-2014
Wishing the World Well
She made many people’s dreams come true by helping them believe in themselves; her positive attitude was contagious. Read story.
Rosa Margaret Pace: 1929-2015
Celebrated Chumash Elder and Tribal Advocate
Rosa Margaret Pace helped modernize the Chumash reservation and founded its first medical clinic. Read story.
