John Glenra Besteman; Ventura Centenarian

Ventura resident John Glenra Besteman died at Community Memorial Hospital on Monday after a brief illness. He was 100.

Besteman was born March 3, 1898, in Holland. When he was 12, Besteman moved with his family to Washington state, where he attended grade school and high school, his family said.

Besteman lived in Wisconsin and Missouri before moving to Ventura County in the late 1940s to work at Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station. He was a civil service employee who was a heavy equipment inspector for about 20 years.

He is survived by his wife, Blanch Besteman of Ventura; sons, John of Idaho and Robert of Wisconsin; a daughter, Beverly Schwabe of Wisconsin; three stepchildren, Eloise Uchita of Tulare, Gene Bays of Westley and Jim Bays of Montana; two sisters, Kay Harrison of Santa Monica and Liedeway Macias of Tracy; a brother, Matt Besteman of Washington; 23 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. today at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home followed by burial at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, both in Ventura. Rev. Edwin Crist will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to a memorial fund at Community Presbyterian Church in Ventura.