Muriel Lavender OBITUARY

Former Riverside, CA resident Muriel Lavender passed away peacefully on May 18, 2024.Muriel was born to Edith and Robert Leonard in Omaha, Nebraska on February 3, 1937. The family soon moved to Riverside, where she and her identical twin Marilyn graduated from Riverside Polytechnic High School. Muriel had many happy memories from those years, including marching with Marilyn twice as a majorette for Poly at the Pasadena Rose Parade, and she always enjoyed reconnecting with their fellow ‘Bears’ at class reunions.While a student at San Jose State University, Muriel met Miles “Mike” Sharkey, who was studying at nearby Santa Clara University. They married after graduation, and eventually relocated to Southern California. Muriel worked as an elementary school teacher before dedicating herself to raising their children: Theresa, Miles, and Robert.In 1976 the family moved to Ojai, CA where Muriel was soon elected to the Ojai Unified School District board, on which she served for more than 20 years, including several terms as president. After she and Mike divorced, she began a long career as a real estate broker. On a river rafting trip down the Grand Canyon in the late 1980’s, she met her second husband, historian and writer David Lavender. Their years together, which included many road trips around the Southwest for David’s research, were among her happiest and most fulfilling.In her late 50’s Muriel decided to continue her education and earned a Master of Dispute Resolution degree from Pepperdine University’s School of Law in 1998. She remained active in the Ojai community into her 80’s, and throughout her life built many deep and long-lasting friendships. She was an avid reader, loved meeting with her book club and golf group, sewing her own clothing, gardening, entertaining, and spending time with friends and family.Muriel is survived by her brother Don Straney; sister Marilyn Lyon; children: Theresa (Chuck); Miles III (Angelica) and their son Jack; and Robert (Tomoko). She is also survived by step-grandchildren David III (Karen); Martha (Brian); and Sarah (Morgan); and all of their children, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews, and their families. She was preceded in death by her husband David; his son David II and his wife Val; and her brother Wayne Leonard.The family would like to express our sincere gratitude for the kind, compassionate, and professional care she received from the wonderful staff at The Artesian of Ojai. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.