Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, CA
Published in the "Big Bear Grizzly"
File uploaded 18 Feb 2005

This file is part of the California Tombstone Project
http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/californ.html




Loren Ward Whitcomb
 
105, of Big Bear City and Indio, Calif., passed Oct. 3, 2004 in Mesa, Arizona. 
Loren, aka  "Ward", was, born on June 18, 1901, in Boone, Iowa, son of George 
and Elizabeth Lumley Whitcomb. His wife of 40 years, Esther Marie preceeded 
him in death in 1991.

At the age of 16, Ward served in World War I, in the 308th U. S. Army Cavalry 
stationed  at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, and was honored for his service by the 
Chandler VFW Post #7401 on June 25, 1995. Ward had an interesting and creative 
life as a scenic artist and specialized in wild animal life. Many big game hunters 
commissioned him to do wildlife  murals in their homes. His career as a scenic artist 
started in 1930 with Paramount  Studios where he stayed for 20 years. Ward painted 
war safety posters for Lockheed  Aircraft during World War II; worked for Shipstad 
and Johnson's "Ice Follies" for 15 years  and retired from Walt Disney Productions 
after 12 years as a scenic artist.

While living in Big Bear City for many years, he was very involved in doing special 
art work for local establishments, starting with the old Peter Pan Woodland Club at 
the corner of Greenway and Country Club, which was destroyed by fire in 1948. He also 
painted mountain-type art work in the smaller Peter Pan lodge, which was moved down 
the hill and called Peter Pan Rancho and also, later burned down. He was a friend of 
Andy Devine and he did distinctive work in Andy's Sportsman Lodge, now named Captain's 
Anchorage.  At the old McNeal's Trading Post, he painted wildlife canvases as backdrops 
for all their display windows, which remained there for many, many years. Later he 
opened an art gallery in the old Minnelusa Post Office (North Shore) where he sold 
his wildlife paintings.

He continued his love of painting by teaching groups for several years. He and his wife,  
Esther, donated many paintings and hours to the San Bernardino County Museum doing  
scenic work for the museum's wildlife exhibit, which is there today in Redlands.  
Mr. Whitcomb is survived by his son, Burton (by his first wife, Myrtle) of Palmdale, 
Calif.; two grandsons; his sisters, Raeciel Whitcomb of Apple Valley, Calif., and 
Elizabeth Lynch of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a brother, Laddy of Escondido, Calif.; 
two stepdaughters, Dolores Thompson of Big Bear Lake, Calif., and Maxine Fowler of 
Sun Lakes, Ariz., and her three children, Bradford K. Johnson and Carol Marie McKinney 
of Mesa, Ariz., and  Gary L. Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz. Mr. Whitcomb will be interned 
next to his beloved wife, Esther, in the Desert Lawn Cemetery, Calimesa, Calif.