Share a Memory

Share a memory

From Whittier Union High, Whittier College or USC, from Shell or Rocketdyne, from the bowling alley or the neighborhood. Every memory is read before it appears, and your email is never shown.

1. (Note from Steve: Today at my Aunt Dot’s 80th Birthday party she gave me a letter that had been written by Tom Axworthy to my dad’s mother Lucy Axworthy shortly after my fathers death. Tom said that I could share it here. It is a good example of the influence my father had on others.)

   January 18, 1983
   Dear Aunt Lucy,

   I wanted you to know that I’ve been thinking about Art Jr. a great deal since the funeral.

   He is a very important person to me personally. His kindness and friendship to me as I was growing up was most encouraging. Art’s dedication to his career and his great success provided me with a real goal for my own career and someone, whose life influenced mine greatly.

   As you probably know, I was planning on a career in chemical engineering through the first two years of college. I’m sure this was a direct influence from Art Jr.

   When I switched to music I still felt his influence in showing me the importance of dedication

   Art Jr. was very important to my career and my life. I’ll miss him.

   Love,
   Tom

   

   Tom Axworthy · Family; a letter to Art's mother, Lucy, in January 1983

2. 

   From Dorothy Bentley on 9/10/05…
   RE: Lake Arrowhead
   Your Dad probably told you that our family went up to a cabin in Skyforest almost every year. It was our dentist’s cabin, and he let us use it in return for Dad doing some yard work there. Every day we would go down to the lake and swim or rent a rowboat or motorboat and enjoy the day. For lunch we always got some hamburgers in the village and washed them down with Delaware Punch. I don’t know if your Dad ever told you about one evening we spent in the village, bowling or playing Skee-Ball, etc. Some people approached our parents and asked if they could ‘borrow’ their son for the evening. They were having a social evening at the local country club and needed several boys about his age for a stunt they were going to do. So my folks let him go with them. Then they began to worry. “What have we done! We let our little boy go off with complete strangers.” As it turned out, he was returned perfectly safe at the end of the evening. They had dressed him up in jockey colors and they had a huge ‘race track’ outlined on the ballroom floor. People would roll big dice and if the number on the jockey corresponded to the number on the dice that jockey would advance.. Of course there was a lot of gambling going on and the boys each got generous tips.

   Dorothy Bentley · His sister

3. 11/17/2007 from Dorothy Bentley (my dad’s sister)…
   The only time I ever saw Art cry (other than when we were tots), was when he was developing some pictures. He was always setting up a dark room wherever he could. This time he was about 12, and as part of the developing process, he let cold water run over the negatives. However, he inadvertently turned on the hot water instead, and when he returned, it had just washed off everything from the film.

   Dorothy Bentley · His sister

4. (This email was received today from Sidney Benson. My father worked with Dr. Benson while he worked toward his doctorate at USC.)

   February 1, 2008

   Dear Steve,

   I’m glad that you are engaged in the project of bringing more recognition to your father. Art was among the top 20% of the students I ever had. That is 35 students. At the time he began his research on ozone our motivation was quite different from the applications that attracted “public” attention later. There was a strong military interest arising from the fact that ozone was a much more energetic oxidizing agent than liquid oxygen. It is also a very unstable chemical capable of exploding spontaneously. Art discovered this the hard way. He built a very complex apparatus to study the decomposition in the gas phase at 100º C. Our first attempt was disastrous. The apparatus was reduced to small pieces and the doctor who came spent almost an hour picking glass out of Art’s face. Fortunately no more serious injury occurred. Art had to rebuild the apparatus together with a Plexiglas barrier. If no explosion occurred in the first three minutes we could obtain useful data. About half of our experiments exploded but the others gave us enough data to fix the mechanism. Art became a very good glass blower!

   In 1955 there was a world conference held in Chicago and we (Art and I) were invited to present our work. At the time Art was already employed by N.A.A. and his boss told him that N.A.A. would pay for us to go to a good dinner. We went to one of the most expensive restaurants in Chicago and Art, just recently a student and not used to such opulence when the check came for the modern equivalent of $200. Art was sure that his boss would never pay that much whereupon he would have to pay it himself. He had some anxious days until he presented his expensive voucher. His boss merely commented, “That must have been a great dinner.”

   There was a 13 year gap in our relationship while I was at Stanford Research Institute. In 1976 when I returned to USC I was asked to look into the formation of an alumni organization which was very successful. We called it the “USC Double Bond.” Art was its first president. Later when he decided that he has served long enough we bogged down on finding a suitable successor – not enough alumni living in the USC area.

   Art’s unexpected death was a loss to his friends and colleagues which will be remembered for a long time. I miss him.

   Sid

   P.S. If you are ever in the USC area I would be glad to talk to you further. I am at USC on Mondays.

   P.P.S. Enclosed are Art’s publications with me.

   The Mechanism of the Gas Phase Thermal Decomposition of Ozone, A.E. Axworthy, Jr. and S.W. Benson, J. Chem. Phys., 26, 1718 (1957).

   Kinetic Frequency Factor Calculations, A.E. Axworthy, Jr. and S.W. Benson, J. Chem. Phys., 27, 976 (1957).

   Mechanism of the Gas Phase Decomposition of Ozone. Thermal and Photochemical Reactions, A.E. Axworthy, Jr. and S.W. Benson, In: Ozone Chemistry and Technology, Advances in Chemistry Series, 21, Am. Chem. Soc. Monograph, p. 388, 1959.

   Kinetic Considerations of the Efficiency of Ozone Production in Gas Discharges, S.W. Benson, In: Ozone Chemistry and Technology, Advances in Chemistry Series 21, Am. Chem. Soc. Monograph, p. 405, 1959.

   Dr. Sidney Benson · His doctoral adviser at USC

5. 09/25/2008 from Dorothy Bentley (my dad’s sister) in reply to my question about my dad’s year of graduation from high school…

   Art graduated in 1946. I double checked my yearbook to make sure. Even though we were only 14 months apart in age, he was two years ahead of me in school, because of the fact that the school system decided to do away with mid-year terms. When he started school, he started in the middle of the year. When they decided to do away with that idea, students like Art were either held back half a year or pushed forward. So in his case he was pushed forward.

   Dorothy Bentley · His sister

6. The letter below was received today from Dana Collins who was my fathers best friend as a young man… Thanks to Fran Johnson for giving me the name and some background which allowed me to find him.

   October 7, 2008

   Dear Steve,

   Yes, I was a friend of your fathers, way back when.

   Ken Chandler, Bruce Ballanger, your dad and I all attended the First Baptist Church in Whittier, starting about kindergarten, and were together through high school. Ken Chandler still lives in the Whittier area. Bruce Ballanger lived on Orcas Island in Puget Sound for some time and now divides his time between there and his daughters in Las Vegas. This information is several years old, and I hope it is still true.

   After high school we all went our separate ways, your dad to USC and I to Oregon State and a forestry career. I visited with Art once in the late 50’s or early 60’s when he was with Shell Oil, and that’s the last time I saw him. We did correspond at Christmas for many years after that, however.

   He worked for the Post Office in Whittier, as did I, shortly after WWII, vacations, weekends, and after school. In those days $1.29 per hour was good pay! His father and uncle also worked there, full time. I remember Art as studious, but not necessarily a “nerd” by today’s definition. I’m not surprised he went on to get his doctorate.

   My filing system is sorely lacking so I can’t find any photos of the early days in Whittier. I’m afraid all this doesn’t add much to your project, but as I mentioned, we went different ways after high school, and that was a long time ago!

   Other high school friends you might contact are:
   Lloyd White – (Address removed for privacy)
   William (Jim) Ervin – (Address removed for privacy)
   Bruce Ballanger – (Address removed for privacy)
   Ken Chandler – (City removed for privacy)

   I wish you luck in your further search,

   Dana Collins

   Dana Collins · Boyhood friend, Whittier

7. I worked with your father at Shell, Martinez for about 6 yrs.. but that was a long time ago, and I am trying to remember past history. I remember your father as a good friend, honest and likable person. I don’t think I had any honest disagreements with him and I thought we got along quite well although I was not in the same group. I know he worked on a problem with static buildup in jet fuel which set a few jets on fire back in the early days of jet transports, and I believe he may have patented the additive that Shell was using which went by the name of chromium diisopropyl salicylate. Several of us at Shell bought houses at the same time, and I remember helping Art insulate his house after work, I think some pizza was involved, but I can’t remember if there was any beer. We also helped pour each others cement patios. One weekend we went up to a cabin I was building at Donner Lake, but that is all I remember. Art was a very organized and methodical person as most scientists are, but he was working on a project to measure the kinetics of certain components of gasoline because there were some knocking problems associated with the newer gasolines. He had a very elaborate glass apparatus not unlike you would see in a top-notch university lab, but it blew-up one day, and I don’t think the higher ups appreciated it. Shell didn’t like explosions, but shortly thereafter Art moved to Rocketdyne. That’s about all I know, but I think he was happier in Southern California, and the move was a good one for whatever reason. I visited your family several times after that in Simi Valley, but wasn’t aware of any problems.

   The only other person I can think of that might have some comments is Harry Richards who worked at Shell and retired from Wood River, Ill.

   Duncan Frew · Worked with him at Shell, Martinez

8. To begin, we both graduated from Whittier High School in 1946, and since that time I have had no contact with Art. I am terribly sorry that he passed at such an early stage of his life. And as a addendum to his passing after working at the Santa Susana Federal Facility, I also lost a close College friend, Bob Cordy in his early life while working at the same location. I soon left the Whittier area after Graduation to commence my College studies.

   In those High School days there were a bunch of us who formed a club called the “Dukes”. Art was also a “Duke”, as was I and Dana Collins. There was no real meaning to the Club, only young fellows gathering together as friends for the fun of the relationships. If I remember correctly, Art was not what one would call a joiner. However, he did join the Science Club at Whittier High. I don’t recall that he was into sports.

   I do know that he had a very pleasant demeanor and was well liked in High School. I mentioned your letter to my Sister Sally, who is 2 years younger than I, and She immediately recognized his name. As I said he was well thought of.

   Jim Ervin · Whittier High, Class of 1946

9. I remember Art as a good friend, who was interested in science, was inquisitive, and pleasant to be around. I shared his interest in science but was more interested in electronics than chemistry.

   I remember, as did Dana Collins, that Art, Dana, and I worked for the Post Office in Whittier, while we were in high school, during vacations, weekends, and after school. That was probably because many men were away at war and there was a shortage of postal carriers.

   I am grateful that you are continuing your search, for Art certainly deserves to be well remembered.

   Lloyd White · High school friend, Whittier

10. (Note from Steve: I had always heard that my mother and father were introduced by Lewis Johnson, Fran’s husband… Fran sent me this story to elaborate on that.)

    Fran wrote…

    I was still in high school and Lewis and I had an on again off again relationship … his fault, of course 🙂 One time when we broke up he invited Barbara to a dance and then the next day came to see me and got back together, which left him with 2 dates. He talked Art into taking out B – it was not a hard sell. The rest, as they say, is history.

    Fran Johnson · Family friend

11. Ross wrote…

    Sorry to be so slow in answering your e-mail request for information about your father. Art and I worked together on a couple of projects at Rocketdyne. One was the fossil fuels work you mentioned. I was fairly handy with glass blowing and I made and repaired the fused quartz sample holders with which your dad injected the coal and oil samples into his pyrolysis apparatus. The other project you also mentioned namely the laser work. Your dad and I worked out the system for the controlled injection of iodine vapor into a rapidly moving stream of singlet delta oxygen at low pressures to make a reliable oxygen-iodine research laser.

    One thing you mention in your synopsis is Art’s mentor for his graduate work. It was not Karl Christe as he was in the same group at Rocketdyne as I and not at USC at that time. Art worked on the kinetics of ozone decomposition under Dr. Sidney Benson. I do not know if Sid has communicated with you but I did pass on your e-mail to him at his recent 90th birthday celebration at USC.

    On the personal side I never met your mother but I know Art had a difficult time trying to adjust to her status as a “Glenn Campbell groupie”. I did meet his second wife on several occasions at Rocketdyne gatherings. She was very nice and I felt badly that your dad’s new found happiness was cut short by his untimely demise.

    I wish you luck on your project and hope the above may be of some help. Happy Holidays to you and yours,

    Ross I. Wagner

    Ross Wagner · Worked with him at Rocketdyne

12. Today is the 26th year since my dad’s death. It is always a tough day and the years don’t seem to make it any less so. Still all these years later it is so hard to comprehend how much more life had to offer to him that he was denied. I just try each day to live my life as he would have wanted. I know I possess a lot of his traits as does my brother and we both are now a part of him continuing on thru life, as are our children and their children. I am happy for the memories that time only makes more precious to me. Love you Dad

    Linda Axworthy Sadowski · His daughter

13. 

    Fran Johnson put me in contact with Edwina and she was kind enough to call me on March 22, 2009. We had a nice conversation. Here are the details from notes that I took during that call.

    The photo above (provided by Fran Johnson) of Edwina and my father was taken in 1947 while they were at Forest Home for First Baptist Church Summer Camp. They were ‘dating’ which at that time (and due to Edwina being very young) meant that they paired up at church youth group activities (Camp, Ice Skating, etc.). My father was 18 and a freshman at Whittier College at the time and I think Edwina was 14. They liked each other and ‘dated’ for about 3 or 4 months.

    Edwina said she knew my grandmother Lucy Axworthy and my aunt Dorothy (Axworthy) Bentley very well.

    Edwina described my father as “shy, soft spoken and respectful.” She said that is one of the reasons she liked him. He was “not forward at all” and “good natured”

    She told me about my father trying to teach her to drive in his mothers 1933 Buick which was a stick shift… and how patient he was with her, trying to show her how to double clutch so as not to grind the gears.

    She lost contact with my father when he ‘went away’ to school and attended his wedding to my mother.

    Edwina Bowen Close · Dated Art in 1947, as told to Steve

14. There has been mention of a group in High School called ‘The Dukes’.. many of the signatures in my father’s yearbooks mention it.

    So I wrote an email to Lloyd White asking what the Dukes were. He replied:

    The Dukes mystery.
    It was just a name we adopted for a group of us guys who hung out mostly at the Whittier YMCA. It included Collins, Axworthy, England, Pendell, Ervin, & Arnold as I recall.

    Thank you Mr. White

    

    Lloyd White · High school friend, Whittier

15. I have a chill remembering that ride over there to the hospital 27 years ago and then the realization that he had died.. I opted to not go into see him.. I wanted to remember him when he was alive.. he left this earth way too soon..in some ways it does seem like yesterday.. I only wish he could have met all of his grandchildren and great grand child..

    Linda Axworthy Sadowski · His daughter

16. (Note from Steve: My father and Dr. Buss worked toward their Doctorates at USC at the same time under the same professor. My father often told stories about Jerry Buss, the most memorable one being that when my father and mother would go to a school party there was always one man off to the side with several others around him talking about different deals and ways to make money… that was Jerry Buss… I remember my father always liked to hear good news on TV/radio about Dr. Buss. (he has owned the Los Angeles Lakers since 1979 and has also owned the Los Angeles Forum, the Kings, the Lazers and the Sparks in the past.))

    Dear Steve,

    In response to your letter, I must tell you that I misplaced it and have just recently found the letter and I will now respond to your request.

    My association with Art was very limited. Art worked in a lab not far from where I did my chemistry and on occasion we would share stories concerning our mutual mentor, Dr. Sidney Benson.

    I always found Art pleasant and reserved, the kind of person you’d like to have as a friend and you could always trust; modest to a fault but perhaps that’s a merit.

    I do not recall any specific discussions with Art, just the general overall impression I have tried to outline above.

    Art was a good man and a reliable friend

    Sincerely,

    Jerry H. Buss

    

    Dr. Jerry Buss · Fellow doctoral student under Dr. Benson at USC

17. Today March 26th 2010 I am thinking of birthday celebrations of so very long ago.. homemade cakes.. usually yellow cake with Chocolate frosting..and candles. Today I am thinking we have missed so much with our Dad .. but we do have great memories of him no one can ever change.. If Dad was here today he would be amazed at all the changes in the world.. but mostly he would be amazed that Buzz Aldrin is dancing on T.V. LOL

    Linda Axworthy Sadowski · His daughter