Senior Living & Townehouse News

Ventura Townehouse resident Tom O'Neal

Say Hello to Tom O’Neal

Decorative green leaf

My birth took place in Tenafly, New Jersey, on March 19, 1943. In my high school years, I played football, tennis, wrestled and in college I played soccer. In my senior year a school counselor asked me if I planned to go to college and what would I major in? I did go to Roanoke College in Virginia majoring in chemistry because it sounded like a good choice.

With graduation I joined the Air Force going to Officers Candidate School. Based in the South Philippines, I was part of the parachute delivery of goods to bases in Viet Nam. I was discharged as a captain and returned to the US and found myself at LSU teaching chemistry. Geology and oceanology became my desires, and I received a Chevron Fellowship and teamed it with my GI Bill to return to those studies at USC with, also, a Sea Grant Fellowship. I worked in the petroleum field for four years. From there I taught at USC Northridge and ultimately here at Oxnard Community College for forty-five years. In my mid-twenties I was losing my hearing and so hearing aids became a way of life. Eventually I had a cochlear ear transplant in both ears. So wonderful to hear better. Last year I retired and recently, because of physical ailments, my son thought I should consider looking for a more secure living condition which I’ve found here, and I love it.