Timeline
From Whittier in 1929 to Simi Valley in 1983. Select a photo to see it larger.
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March 26, 1929
Born in Whittier, California
Arthur Edward Axworthy Jr. is born to Art Sr., who worked for the postal service, and Lucy. He grows up in Whittier with his sisters, Betty and Dot.
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The war years
Working at the Whittier Post Office
With so many men away at war, he and his friends Dana Collins and Lloyd White carry mail after school, on weekends and on vacations, where his father and uncle also work.
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June 1946
Graduates from Whittier Union High School
Class of 1946. He was in the Science Club and the "Money Minded" Club, and one of the Dukes, a group of friends who met at the Whittier YMCA.
Senior photo, Class of 1946Whittier Union High School -
1947
Whittier College
A freshman at Whittier College, and still active with the youth group at the First Baptist Church of Whittier.
Art and Edwina Bowen at Forest Home, the First Baptist Church summer camp, 1947 -
November 24, 1949
Marries Barbara E. Lee of Whittier
On Thanksgiving Day.
Art and Barbara on their wedding day, November 24, 1949 -
December 1955
Doctorate from USC
He earns his doctorate in research chemistry under Dr. Sidney Benson, with his research on how ozone breaks down when heated.
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1955
A world conference in Chicago
He and Dr. Benson are invited to present their ozone work.
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September 1956
Moves to Concord for Shell Oil
He joins Shell as a research chemist in Northern California.
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1956
Daughter Linda is born
Linda Marie is born in Concord.
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1963
Son Stephen is born
Stephen Arthur is born in Concord.
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January 1964
To Rocketdyne
He leaves Shell for a new job at Rocketdyne, then a division of North American Aviation, and the family moves to an apartment in the San Fernando Valley.
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December 23, 1964
Home in Simi Valley
They move into the house in Simi Valley.
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January 1965
Settling in at the Simi house
Art with Steve and their dog Fifi at the new house.
Steve, his dad and their dog Fifi at the house on Garvin Street, January 1965 -
December 20, 1966
U.S. Patent 3,293,180
A patent from his Shell work on grease and lubricant compositions is issued to Shell.
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1966 to 1972
Rocket propellant chemistry
At Rocketdyne he studies how fast propellant chemicals break down, and how light splits interhalogen compounds. Some of the work stays classified until 2005.
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1974
Their 25th wedding anniversary
His kids throw a party for Art and Barbara's 25th anniversary.
Art and Barbara's 25th wedding anniversary party, thrown by their kids -
Mid to late 1970s
Fossil fuel research
He works on fossil fuels under a Department of Energy contract.
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Late 1970s
First president of the USC Double Bond
Dr. Benson, back at USC in 1976, starts an alumni group for its chemists, and Art is its first president.
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1977
Art and Barbara divorce
They separate in January, and the divorce is final in July.
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March 8, 1980
Marries Teresa Murray
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March 1980
Linda marries Richard Sadowski
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1981
His first grandchild
Jennifer Sadowski is born.
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June 13, 1982
With family
With his niece Wendy and her husband, Robert Cannon.
With his niece Wendy and her husband, Robert Cannon, June 13, 1982 -
January 7, 1983
Art dies at 53
He dies at West Hills Hospital of a blood clot in the lung, still working on chemical lasers at Rocketdyne. He is buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
Since 1983
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Over the years
He missed the births of his next six grandchildren and all five of his great-grandchildren
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November 14, 2022
His daughter, Linda, passes away at 66
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April 7, 2023
Barbara, his first wife and the mother of his children, passes away at 91