In Memoriam

Irma Jurkowitz

Irma Jurkowitz – a local philanthropist and dear wife of husband Morrie Jurkowitz – had been a resident of Montecito for more than 50 years, and in that time quietly made a lasting mark on the community she loved. The private Jurkowitz Family Foundation is a funding source for various charity projects, and the Morris and Irma Jurkowitz Honors Program Award goes to Honors students enrolled in SBCC. Believing firmly in the life-changing aspects of live performance, the Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement (JCEE) subsidizes ticketed performances for those who might not otherwise be able to attend a world-class performance at the Granada, a theater once owned by the Jurkowitzes. Through similar gifting, the JCEE makes the Granada’s McCune Founders Room available to local nonprofits for conferences, meetings, and gatherings. Irma was 89.

David Crosby 

David Crosby passed in January of this year, joining the ranks of foundational American rock and folk artists to leave us in 2023. Born in L.A. and raised in Santa Barbara, Crosby attended Crane School, Laguna Blanca, and Carpinteria High School, ultimately dropping out of Santa Barbara City College to pursue music. Gigging in NYC and Chicago, Crosby bumped into future Byrds bandmates Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, Michael Clark, and Chris Hillman. Splitting from that pioneering band in ‘67, a chance meeting with Graham Nash in Laurel Canyon would lead to the formation of CSNY, and Crosby’s celebrated second chapter. Impassioned about his music to the very end, Crosby died in his sleep of COVID complications during preparations for a tour. He was 81.

(photo by Christopher Michel via Wikimedia Commons)

Milt Larsen 

Milt Larsen – Santa Barbara resident, master prestidigitator, scion of a family of working magicians, and founder of The Magic Castle – exited the stage this year. Having grown up on the road with a family of traveling illusionists, Larsen became personally and professionally immersed in that community, in 1963 founding The Magic Castle with his brother Bill Larsen in Los Angeles. Repurposing an old mansion into a global destination for top-flight magic acts, the spot became the Academy of Magical Arts headquarters and a nexus for envelope-pushing sleight of hand. An attempt at a second Magic Castle venue in Santa Barbara was undone by COVID and a number of permitting issues. Mr. Larsen was 92.

Benjamin Fay Brode 

Painter, adventurer, commercial fisherman, Navy seaman, prospector for gold in the remote jungles of Nicaragua – Ben Brode didn’t waste a minute. The son of artists and a deeply local artist himself, Brode designed logos for John Dory (later renamed Brophy Bros.) and Harbor restaurants, became a furniture and cabinet maker, and later took up landscape painting, mounting many art shows in Santa Barbara. His collaboration with writer Thomas Steinbeck produced the celebrated pictorial tome In Search of the Dark Watchers: Landscapes and Lore of Big Sur. A wry, gentle spirit who inhabited his days and nights with love and creativity, Brode passed peacefully from pancreatic cancer.

Reuben Walker Eliyahu Smith

Reuben Walker Eliyahu Smith was not just an artist but an integral part of the art community and the lives of everyone he touched. Reuben will be forever missed.

Bill Cornfield

Well-known interior designer, shop owner, and friend to many, Bill Cornfield, died on September 9th.

Greta Fairchild

We miss you so much Mom.

Love,

Paul, Andrew, Sara and Matthew

Mary Ann Froley

Mary Ann Froley, a/k/a Mary Ann Kovacevich, died at home on December 10, after a sudden illness. 

Mary Ann was a majorette, systems engineer, wife and mother, sailing buddy, and an intensely proud grandma. She loved her life and friends in Santa Barbara. A memorial will be held in 2024.

Kamala Mirpuri

August 17, 1933 to September 18, 2023

To our sweet Mom, 

Your bright smile and cheery presence will always be remembered by your family and friends all over the world who call you one of the kindest, most sincere souls ever met.

You taught us to be flexible, understanding, hardworking, and kind. 

Thank you for everything and for your infinite love you gave us.

We love you more,

Your daughter and son-in-law,

Sheela and Mark Ashton Hunt

John S Reynolds

John S Reynolds died 3-14-23 “Dancing the Night Away.”

JoEtta G. McClintock

Born March 5, 1934, JoEtta G. McClintock passed away peacefully on September 7, 2023. Along with our deep sadness, we celebrate her colorful life and character, remember her laugh, and how she enriched our lives immeasurably. May she rest in peace. – The McClintock Family

Denis Delaney

16 February 1932 – 26 June 2023

Jane Spencer

Feb 13, 1949 – Oct 4, 2023

Beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend. Active member of the Santa Barbara community for 25+ years with her husband Rudi Freimuth (dec). Former manager of the Rack at the Music Academy. Property Manager in Montecito. She is deeply missed, and we are grateful for the many memories she leaves behind.

James Allan Young

Born 7-2-67 in Rochester, New York, to Donald and Gayle Young.

Moved to Montecito April 1973.

Attended Cold Spring School, Howard School, Santa Barbara High, and Brooks Institute of Photography, earning a bachelor’s degree and becoming a professional photographer.

Diagnosed with cancer and died March 12, 2023.

Arborary Memoriam

I lost, we lost, two of my most favorite Montecito friends this year. The Monterey cypress tree and the gigantic Morton Bay fig tree along the 101 – Daniel Seibert

Sojourner Kincaid Rolle 1943 – 2023

In her exemplary, extraordinary life, from criminal justice to healing justice, from activist to artist, from playwright to poet, from mediator to mentor, and from historian to Her-Story, Joy Sojourner Kincaid Rolle was also a beloved sister, aunt, cousin, and wife. 

To honor these rich relationships, MJ reached out to her family to share their personal stories as a tribute for Soj.

Sister Vanessa Kincaid-Monroe –“My sister Sojourner ‘Joy’ holds a special place in the memories of all of us who knew her well. I could write a book. I vividly recall the invaluable support she provided during the nerve-racking process of learning to drive. My first year at University of North Carolina Charlotte brought us even closer; I was a freshman and Sojourner was a senior. Sojourner emerged as my unwavering rock, guiding me through the intricacies of college life and shepherding me through the initial stages of independence.” 

Sister Sharon Kincaid-Dula – “I affectionately reminisce about Sojourner’s unique dining habits, particularly her knack for devouring all the gravy when it made its appearance at the dinner table – a sight that left an indelible impression.” 

Brother J. Barron Kincaid – “I cherish the numerous conversations I shared with Sojourner about our family history and a wider perception of life. These interactions have inspired me to take on the role of the Family Historian. I am forever grateful to her for helping me understand life in a larger perspective and not just a small-town life. Sojourner’s impact on our lives is undeniable, marked by her support, unique quirks, and the lasting legacy she has left in the fabric of our family narrative.”

Brother DeHaven Phillips –“My sister was amazing. She would call me day or night just to talk. Her subject matter always dwelled around her latest involvements. The events and meetings she attended were to benefit as many as possible. My sister very seldom said ‘no’ to requests. Our long, yet wonderful conversations always ended on a positive note. She was a great listener who loved giving advice. SK Rolle will forever be unforgotten to those whose path she crossed.” 

Cousin Janelle Marshall, Director of the Pathways Program for the state of Virginia – “Sojourner was a force and brought love and light to wherever she went. I’ll never forget that key moment in my life as a young girl when she interviewed me on Outrageous Women. She has poured so much wisdom into me over the years and I am forever grateful for her life and wisdom.”

Husband Rod Rolle – Here is an excerpt from a poem by Soj that I chose, it is relevant for the times today, from her book, Black Street, Center for Black Studies Research, UCSB, 2009:

Inseparable

On contemplating the legacy of Mrs. Rosa Parks

“…Each moment as soon as spent
becomes a part of the great Our Past…
We reach for that one glorious expression
achieved by our composed action
That our living not be for naught;
That our striving not be in vain…
Let this shining star
be a sign unto us –
All is not lost,
we bask in reflected glory
and continue.”

A public memorial service for Sojourner is scheduled for Monday, January 15, 2024, from 12 pm – 2 pm, at the First United Methodist Church, 305 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

www.pueblodelreyfuneralservice.com/obituary/sojourner-e-kincaid-rolle