Albert Quincy Spaulding, Jr

Dad, this one’s for you! Our wonderful and irreplaceable Father, Albert Quincy Spaulding, Jr., passed away peacefully, on Sunday July 16th, in his own bed, in his own beautiful home – his wishes fulfilled!

Al was born on July 8, 1925, at St. Francis Hospital, to his mother, Josephine Marie McManus (Josie), a very well-known portrait artist and father, Dr. Albert Quincy Spaulding Sr. (Baba), a beloved doctor in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria. His sister Gwendolyn (Gwennie) was two years old. Dad was raised on Monte Vista Road and Picacho Lane. Albert had many nicknames, as they did in the day – “Q’ser” (because Gwennie couldn’t pronounce Quincy), “Butch” (from being a quarter back at Catholic High School), “Foofee” (a name bestowed upon him by the White Family of Montecito), “Al” (as everyone in Santa Ynez and his care givers knew him and “Daddy/Dad” (as his children called him). Dad was raised a Catholic, baptized at Mount Carmel Church and was an altar boy, swinging the incense pot with his adorable smile. He attended Montecito Union School and Santa Barbara Catholic High School and had lots of friends and many interests. His horoscope sign is “Cancer”, so he always loved his homes, family and the moon. Marbles (or “megs” as he called them) were very popular at school and also a game called “chilicojotes” which were green prickly round pods filled with 3 dark, shiny brown seeds, kept in your pockets and held in a closed hand to play “odd or even”. Once at a construction stop on Highway 154, he jumped out of the truck, ran down the hill and bushes toward Lake Cachuma and plucked a long vine from an oak tree. Even though the car line might start moving, Dad just jumped in with his “catch” of “chilicojotes”, opened one up and the seeds were beautiful – then he explained how to play the game – can you believe that?! As a boy, Dad would stop at “Colville’s Grocery & Soda Fountain” for his giant 5 cent bologna and cheese sandwich, on his walk to school. He loved fishing off the Miramar pier using hand lines, right next to the Miramar Swim Club (unfortunately, both the pier and the swim club are gone!). Dad was a great swimmer, enjoying body surfing at Miramar Beach and swimming out to the hotel’s raft! His parents were members of the Coral Casino, which at that time, had a professional high diving board and beautiful white sand all around the ocean water pool – he loved swimming there! Sailing was also one of his favorite things.
After he joined the Santa Barbara Yacht Club’s junior “sailing school”, he learned the sport on small boats called “Seashells” for the kids. Baba was a “Commodore” there in 1942 and 1943, as he also loved boating. Dad’s family had lots of dogs; most remembered was their springer spaniel “Rowdy” – he always loved animals. He even raised bees for years and when we lived at the Sycamore Canyon house, we had Banty Hens, and Rod White, a great friend, brought us the most adorable Australian Shepard puppy called “Dobie”, named after our adobe house. In his teens, Baba, Dad and other friends would horseback ride into the back country (the Santa Ynez Range), with Dad riding his trusted buckskin mare, “Bieta” and burros carrying all the gear and supplies for a one- or two-week trip of hunting and fishing. At Santa Barbara Catholic High School in 1938, Dad wasn’t much for school (except all of the nuns loved him!), but he loved playing football – a quarterback he was, and the nickname “Butch” was born! Dad also said that they practically had to bar the front door on Picacho because the local boys were besotted with his sister, Gwennie. She and our cousin Peggy McManus were the Belles of the Ball in Montecito, but all they were interested in was riding their horses on the beach (well, maybe they were a little interested in the boys)!

Dad left high school at 17 and along with two friends took a boat to Catalina Island for Merchant Marine School. When Baba, the doctor, found out, he contacted our father and said “remember, Q’ser, one night with Venus – a lifetime with Mercury” (because they didn’t have Penicillin in those days)! Dad got the picture! He studied a lot and played a lot on that island for two months and joined the “Sailors Union of the Pacific”. He signed up in San Pedro, went to Portland Oregon as an “Able Bodied Seaman”, working in the galley on a P2 tanker on the Columbia River, then back to San Pedro to catch another new vessel and worked as a Deckhand, then to the engine department, then steward and eventually at the age of 18, a Bosen! Back to San Pedro and bussed to New York. First big trip was to Dover, crossing the Atlantic on a Liberty Ship – then across the English Channel to France where his ship was pounded by a hurricane so intense that none of the other Liberty ships could stay together. This might have “saved his bacon” because their ships were always targets for the enemy due to their dangerous and precious cargo (bombs, ore to make steel, etc.). Next time shipping out from San Pedro, they stopped in Honolulu for supplies, surged through a storm before arriving at Midway, near New Guinea. At dock, the ship was camouflaged, and the older guys brought boxes of “Three Feathers” whiskey on board. Sea Bees on a landing craft stole the booze and then the MP’s (Military Police) found out and shouted, “get rid of it or you’re all going to the Brig”! Q’ser was non-plussed! His exciting, but treacherous itinerary follows: Mediterranean, Suez Canal, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, the Tigress and Euphrates River, up the Bosporus Straight, Sudan, Ethiopia (where they picked up sisal), south to Mozambique to pick up Tunston ore ( to make steel), Durbin and Cape Town, South Africa and detoured to the Caribbean to take the ship’s baker off due to V.D. (venereal disease, just to be clear!). The food, per Dad, on the ships was nothing great, but there was a lot of it. The highlight for Dad on all of his travels (he went around the world at least 3 times) were the Solomon Islands – such wonderful people and so beautiful! We all know that we are losing the “Greatest Generation” that went through the Second World War, but still lived in one of the best times in our nation’s history. We now salute all those who have served their Country, especially Dad and his son in law and Susanna’s husband, Stephen Davis.

After the war, Q’ser had experienced a lot of growing up and many fantastic experiences! He moved back into the Picacho Lane house and immediately called his very best friend Stewart (Storky) White and started right where they left off! Our brother Quinn’s middle name, Stewart, results from their close bond. Dad was known for the Ford Model A that he cruised State Street and Cabrillo Boulevard in. After he met my mother, he often double dated and “dragged” State Street up to the “Fig Tree Drive-In” (later, the “Blue Onion”) where the waitresses roller skated to your car in cute, short uniforms and hooked your food tray onto your car window – those were the days! One weekend, Q’ser decided to throw a party, as his parents were out of town. Being a small town, word got out fast and all of Dad’s friends and some strangers showed up for the festivities. You cannot mention Dad without our mom, Jeannie (Queenie, for short). Jeannie showed up with a date and Q’ser also had a date. The party was in full swing and Q’ser could barely keep up with all the beer bottles, glasses, cigarette butts and chaos, so Jeannie went into the kitchen to help him and ended up staying for the entire party! The next day he called her, showed up at her door, and they started going out every night (Dad called her every day!) and true romance had blossomed. Their first date was to the wrestling matches – so popular in those days. Dancing was a huge part of their relationship as well. Sorrowfully, at this fun filled and happy time, Storky was tragically killed while flying an airplane near his family’s home in Montecito. Our Dad was devastated and of course, his family and friends. Bendy White, Stewart’s younger brother, is a very good friend of ours to this day.

Sister Gwendolyn (Gwennie), a Pan American Airlines stewardess, married United Airlines pilot, Vernor “Pete” Petrie and Dad is also survived by their daughter, Robin, all were from Sausalito. Soon after, Mom and Dad were married in November of 1946. They lived in the Picacho guest house and Dad had a successful cleaning business until he landed something he really wanted to do. One thing– he didn’t want to work for anyone else – he was always self-sufficient and wanted to manage his career in his own way and at his own speed. In 1948, along came their first daughter, Susanna (Tutie), so Mom gave up her banking career and in 1952, another bundle of joy arrived – Lisa Bryn; Dad called her “Lisa Brynie-Pin Stuffins” which always made us laugh. Life was beautiful then as we had four “parents”; Mom and Dad, Baba and Josie. Then Baba saw an advertisement – “For Sale, Montecito Lemon Ranch” with 52 acres, a family home and a lemon packing building. It was being auctioned, so Baba, Josie, Mom and Dad, put up the final paddle, unbelievably with the highest bid, and bought the newly named “Rancho San Alberto” on the corner of Sycamore Canyon Road and Camino Viejo in Montecito. The plan was to continue working the lemon orchard for income and turn the large hilltop hacienda into two residences. To our utter shock and complete sadness, our grandmother, Josie, passed away and all of Baba’s and Dad’s lives and plans were forever changed. Baba sold a portion of the ranch land and Mom and Dad kept 12 acres, plus the beautiful house and the adobe packing house, which Dad successfully turned into a small home. Dad planted the top 9 acres with Hass avocadoes. We loved helping him graft the trees and we remember him lifting the heavy irrigation pipes to water both the lemons and the avocados. In 1956, cute little Quinn arrived, bringing happiness to all. Dad was seeking a business to really sink his teeth into and bought Santa Ynez Feed and Milling Company – a working mill in little downtown Santa Ynez. We rented out the Montecito house and Mom packed us up and we “headed for the hills” and drove Hwy 154 to Edison Street in her classic navy blue and faux wood Country Squire wagon, as the chickens from the neighborhood crossed the street in front of us – we all said in unison “Oh, No!” We rented a house on Edison Street which at the time had a pine tree forest and was close to the mill. Dad grew the business, but times were changing. Instead of chicken ranches and cattle ranging, customers were building large houses on large properties, raising and training thoroughbred horses with first class staging to lure the very wealthy. Al, with his amazing business mind, picked right up on the phenomenon and turned the mill into a retail store with feed for most animals, Western and English tack, rentals and off he went.

Susanna attended Santa Ynez High School for one year and was horrified that almost half the students wore cowboy hats and boots, and being a blond beach girl, a fish out of water literally! We are remembering all the fun family trips we took Palm Springs every spring break (Oh, the hors d’oeuvres at Trader Vic’s!), many weekends at Hollister Ranch – catching our first halibut, Lake Arrowhead – water skiing, Lake Tahoe – boating and river rafting on innertubes, most of the Western State National Parks and a special family resort in Idaho – fishing and canoeing. Mom and Dad also loved to ocean cruise and when the Sitmar Line started, they cruised to Mexico and Alaska – also flying to Hawaii. But our favorite family trips were always to the Palmilla Resort in San Jose Del Cabo. That second-floor bar, totally open to the air, sky and ocean waves crashing on the massive rocks, the margaritas, guacamole, and home-made tortilla chips were the best ever – bar none! It will always be remembered as our paradise! In Santa Ynez, Susanna remembers sneaking out of her bedroom window with her best friend Vail, and Dad, unbelievably grabbing her foot and holding on – they were so busted! Then another time she had a party (parents were gone) and one of the boys hot-wired Dad’s Army Jeep and took it for a country off-road joy ride. It barely made it back to the garage, due to a freshly broken axle and Dad was never told for three months, but he knew and asked her “what took you so long?” and figured that she had suffered enough with overwhelming guilt and worry. That’s how truly nice he was!

Susanna was receiving her driver’s license and Al and Jeannie didn’t want her to drive the San Marcos Pass – so, we moved back to Montecito and Dad amazingly commuted from Santa Barbara to the “Valley” over the Pass for 54 years (from 1964 to about 2018) without a hitch in his classic white Ford Ranchero, replacing several engines through the years (he also delivered hay, etc. to customers in Santa Barbara – mostly Hope Ranch and Montecito). He finally purchased a beautiful brand-new truck. Al loved working at the Feed Store, either lifting bales of hay into customer’s cars or loading the delivery trucks or sitting in his office near the registers and holding court with all his favorite folks. He never stopped coordinating all the responsibilities of a large business.

In 1985 Quinn joined Dad in the business and helped to add more retail departments, like the tropical fish department and many hardware store items as well as an incredible shavings business, and started a Western clothing store –“Tumbleweeds”, upstairs. In 1986 Susanna joined the family business (after a career in travel), restructuring Tumbleweeds and eventually moving it next door to a much larger space. Dad loved having the clothing store and was so happy he could buy his jeans and shirts at work! Eventually another renter left, and Al asked what she could visualize in the space and “Sage of Santa Ynez” was born. Al changed this into a wonderful space for home furnishings, gifts and accessories and it is a hit for the locals and Santa Barbaran’s alike!

Eventually Dad bought the entire corner, after luckily finding out it was for sale by word of mouth. It had been a Real Estate office and Steve’s Wheel and Tire – so here he went again and built his dream restaurant and deli. It was a “5 star” to us and was called “Santa Ynez Feed and Grill”. In 1999, Lisa left her tennis teaching job at Birnam Wood and helped start the restaurant and deli. You want to work at the toughest job ever? – build, open or buy a restaurant! After four years of serving delicious family recipes, we decided to rent the business and after a few unsuccessful tries, we landed Carlos Lopez (the owner of “Cava” on Coast Village Road and son of “Carlito’s” owners on State Street). Hence the opening of “Dos Carlito’s”, the topper of our family corner and a gorgeous place for a “delish” margarita (with any Tequila you want) and great food and ambience! Dad was so happy to see the completion of his dreams – family working with him and a successful collection of businesses, with varied offerings, that helped to complete the town of Santa Ynez!

Back to our Sycamore Canyon home – Dad had a “thing” for Bar-B-Que’s – he had 5 in total, but whenever he BBQ’D, he always used the original black steel one, that was furthest from the house. It went up and down as you turned the handle, and he always used the best wood and kindling to get a perfect fire. I can see him now, jumping over the back wall, holding a large flashlight in his mouth with the chicken sizzling. Only once did he really get mad regarding his new built-in BBQ on the patio. Quinn (sorry, Quinn) had a party and unzipped the cover of the new BBQ and actually cooked steaks on Dad’s perfect grill! Well, apparently, no one cleaned it afterword, and when Dad saw it, he went crazy! How could anyone use my new BBQ before me?! – we should probably drop the subject now!

Dad was really into hunting, and he was invited to many ranches. There were duck, dove, quail and pheasant, so Susanna turned into a professional “Duck Plücker”. There were often 1 or 2 deer curing in the garage – we loved the chops and grew up eating fresh and organic game. Mom used to cook the pheasant in butter, sour cream, sautéed mushrooms, and white vermouth until it was so tender – we all went crazy for it! And every Sunday night we had a family gathering and Dad BBQ’D his famous chicken– none better! Also, we can’t forget Mom’s famous “taco nights” – they were out of this world. All of our friends begged us to come over! Some of the best things that Dad cooked were scrambled eggs, pancakes (the best), BBQ’D chicken and lemon meringue pie -Yumm!

Every get together or party at their house, after talking, laughing and drinking and eating for hours, when we were ready to go home to bed, Dad would follow us outside the front door, walk you to your car, lean on the driver’s windowsill and start a whole new conversation (which was good for another 15 or 20 minutes!). He always loved a good party and never wanted it to end! Some of Dad’s favorite things…dancing with Jeannie, music, sailing, swimming, jogging, hunting and fishing, horseback riding, all animals, margaritas and Manhattans, great food, his family and friends, his work family, his care givers, his favorite book “Something of Value”, traveling, the satisfaction of building something and of course, the fact that it’s ok to wear the same uniform every day – light blue oxford cloth shirt, wrangler jeans and his comfy boots ( except when he wore a tuxedo!). Can you imagine being 98 years old, having lived in the same small town all your life, married 75 years (to the same person) and slowly everyone wants to live here, and they just keep coming. There used to be stop lights on the 101 and State Street had 4 lanes, sidewalks and parking and there were Christmas trees going all the way to Sola Street. It seemed like we all knew each other, and it was such an innocent time – life was simple. He was so lucky to have been raised then and he always just accepted the changes –Almost!

Jean Lavonne Neilson Spaulding died on March 8, 2021, at the age of 97. Married to Q’ser from 1946 to 2021 – 75 years of love, fun and compromise. That’s marriage! When you live with someone for so long in your life, it’s almost like they will be here forever – it is part denial, part hope and all love. We were so lucky, as a family, to have enjoyed our parents for so many years, precious years! We still go toward the phone to call Mom…and now we are doing the same with our dad. It instantly stuns you into reality, a big letdown and then sadness. But remember, our mourning is love and without mourning we never really loved.

Q’ser/Al’s legacy: Kindness, incredible love, honesty, hard work, incredible happiness, generosity, a great sense of humor, people lover, his uniqueness, the joy of dancing with our mom, common sense, a deep sense of awareness, amazing memory and the quote “can’t everyone just get along” (Rodney King). Stephen recently asked Dad “what got you through all the difficult and challenging times throughout your life and career?” – long pause…” you just have to learn how to roll with the punches”. Q’ser is survived by his children, Susanna Davis  (Stephen), Lisa Spaulding (Brian Felix) and Quinn Spaulding, granddaughter Quincy Spaulding and his niece, Robin Petrie Hostetter. We would like to thank Mom and Dad’s kind caregivers, Leslie, Letty, Rosie, Candice, and others. We believe that with their loving hearts, they gifted and added long and happy years to both of our parents’ lives. We will never forget all of you… and thank you, Mr. Ruben Rey, proprietor of Pueblo Del Rey. Funeral Services, we appreciate you all so much.

There is no such thing as an ending, just a place where you leave the story – We love you, Dad!