Wilbur V. Champlin

Wilbur Champlin, 91, of Whittier, died June 15 at 91 years of age, of natural causes. He lived a long and active life, and devoted much of his energy to his family, his community, church and his beloved backyard garden.Champlin was a longtime employee of Union Oil in Wilmington, CA where he served as a supervisor chemist and taught new employees at the company about the chemical composition of different kinds of oil. After retiring from the company, he taught chemistry as a substitute teacher at St. Paul High School in Whittier.Throughout his life, he was a devoted patron of many philanthropic causes, notably to Operation Smiles and to his alma mater, Loyola University in Los Angeles.He could often be seen ushering and welcoming members of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, where he attended for more than 40 years. He also was a devoted gardener who experimented with science and botany, leading to the creation of a new breed of avocado tree, which he patented under the name 'Dr. C.' In retirement, he also conducted his own experiments into the healthful properties of pomegranate fruit. He took pleasure in tending to his garden, which was always bountiful with avocado trees, macadamia nut trees, oranges, blood oranges, tomatoes and flowers, which he always gave away to neighbors, visitors and friends.Champlin was born in Manchester, Iowa on Dec. 3, 1919 but his family moved to Southern California when he was young, settling in Bellflower. He graduated from Excelsior High School in Norwalk, Calif. and joined the U.S. Coast Guard and then U.S. Navy. He was trained through a program at Columbia University in New York in anesthesiology so he could work on a surgical team scheduled to depart on a ship for Japan, but then Japan surrendered.Champlin attended Loyola University on the G.I. Bill, earning his bachelor's degree and also worked at GoodYear Tire Co. He later obtained his PhD in biochemistry through a program sponsored by Union Oil and UCLA.Champlin is preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara Johnson, of Los Angeles, with whom he had three children. The marriage ended in divorce. His second wife, Geri Champlin, died in 1989. He is survived by his partner of 14 years, Dolores Gomez and her three daughters, Dolores, Lizeth and Lupita. He is survived by his three children, Judy Howard of Long Beach; Susan Jean Goo of Chevy Chase, Md.; and Gary Champlin, of Laguna Hills. He is survived by 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.Funeral services will be held at White Emerson Mortuary in Whittier on June 17 at 11:00 AM. A graveside service will immediately follow the funeral at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Rowland Heights.