We are honored to recognize the following deceased members and volunteers for their dedication to the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library. They will live forever in our hearts and memories…
Mike Volz
Like other book-loving volunteers, Mike was a frequent purchaser when some of his favorites were donated. He had a fondness for 50’s car books, motorcycle books, crime books, drive-in theater books, and gas station books.
In his working life, Mike was a graphic artist for Hughes Research. Mike frequently would create signage and flyers for the Friends’ book sales team and bookshops.
Mike got his first Thousand Oaks Library card in 1999. He and his wife, Marina, enjoyed many adventurous motorcycle rides. He had tales about his many bikes and was a great storyteller about many topics.
We were very fortunate to have Mike on the book sales team. He will always be loved for his wit and wisdom along with his dedication and expertise.
Dan Ruth
Dan first joined the Friends in the early 2000s when he answered an ad in the Thousand Oaks Acorn. At the time, he was a senior acquisitions editor at Sage Publications, but still managed to attend FTOL board meetings and volunteer doing other tasks during his lunch hour. When he retired, he spent more time on-site at the Grant Brimhall Library.
Dan was a man of wide and varied interests. He belonged to many singing groups, including the Los Robles Master Chorale and the choir at the Church of the Epiphany in Oak Park. He was also an enthusiastic performer with the local Gilbert and Sullivan Repertoire Company. Hiking was another of Dan’s passions; with friends and the family dog Ludo, he explored many Conejo Valley trails. He read widely, especially history and biography, and was an avid Dodgers fan. His fellow volunteers remembered especially how much Dan loved learning, saying he never left the library without a handful of books to read, and he always had a list of university lectures to listen to.
Always willing to help, Dan was a valued colleague, well-loved because of his gentle nature and good humor. Following Dan’s passing, the words most often used to describe him were “a true gentleman.” Invariably kind and courteous, he was always ready with a good story, but equally ready to be a generous listener.
Eileen Kessler
Eileen also worked as a book sorter at the Grant R. Brimhall Library. In her later years, she took on the responsibility of contacting new Friends and renewing members. She called to welcome and thank them as well as to answer any questions they had.
In 2023 at age 86, Eileen was interviewed for Focus after she donated roughly 1,000 Beanie Babies to FTOL, a group she said she loved getting to know. “I wasn’t much of a book reader, but I enjoyed people, and I discovered people who like books are really nice people,” she said at the time.
Her lifelong collection of Beanie Babies and owl replicas of all kinds were lovingly displayed throughout her home.
Eileen was proud of her role as a devoted Friends volunteer.
“It makes me happy to see the library getting bigger and better and know that you had something to do with it,” she said.
Sue Soy
Sue’s impact on our board was immeasurable. When both FTOL library bookshops were forced to close during Covid and FTOL faced a financial crisis, Sue’s grant writing ability helped secure funding to keep the financial commitment to the library. Sue always entered board meetings with a smile and her prepared reports dazzled us all.
In addition to her passion for the library, Sue had a variety of interests. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, Jack, and always anticipated their next adventure. She described her favorite activity being glass paperweight collecting and she enjoyed being a member of Paperweight Collectors Association and Conejo Valley Gem and Mineral Club. Her sister, Joyce, captured the essence of Sue, “She was a truly interesting, dynamic woman with friends scattered across the U.S. from all of the different places that she lived.” We were fortunate to have Sue on the FTOL board and in our lives, as she enriched us with her depth, vision and devoted service to Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library.
Mel Weiner
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Mel was 14 years old when his family relocated to Los Angeles. After attending Dorsey High, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War where he served for two years. After his discharge, Mel returned to Los Angeles and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Cal State Los Angeles.
During this time, Mel met the love of his life, Carol Schwartz. They married in 1959 and welcomed two children, Susie and Jerry, and settled in Torrance. He worked in magazine marketing and sales. In 1997, they moved to Thousand Oaks to be closer to family. Mel’s passions included reading, writing, movies, travel, and watching sports and “Jeopardy” on TV.
Mel spent countless hours volunteering as a Friend, according to his family. He worked at the Newbury Park Library Bookshop and, together with Carol, ran the very popular cultural bus tours program. Thanks to them, the Friends were able to visit museums and major exhibits held all over Los Angeles.
He will be remembered as a kind, compassionate and selfless soul. He’s survived by his wife of 64 years, Carol; two children; four grandchildren and a
great-grandson.
Sue Driver
Sue and her late husband Jim Neilson served both on the FTOL Board and as volunteers, tirelessly supporting the library through their efforts. Sue was also a member of the Ronald Reagan Library and enjoyed visiting the museum and attending special events; she was also a wholehearted animal lover and spent her free time with her dogs, Mya and Kodiak.
Sue was the initiator and leader of the Friends’ online sales team, which maximized the value of donated books by selling them online, on eBay and Amazon. Within a year of beginning the program, Sue’s online sales team was meeting and then exceeding the funds raised by the FTOL daily sales, essentially doubling the amount of monies raised for the library. Many of the programs, materials, and technology that the Friends sponsor are made possible by Sue’s vision and tireless efforts.
Sue will be remembered by family, friends, and colleagues for her gentle spirit and willingness to mentor; she will also be remembered by the Friends for her cheerful, tireless work ethic and her dedication to the library. The Friends will ensure that Sue’s program, and her legacy of innovation and dedication, will remain robust and continue to serve the library.
Jim Neilson
Jim is often described by those who knew him as a Renaissance man. He entered the FBI as a special agent in 1970, and spent the majority of his career at the LA Field Office. He truly loved being an FBI agent, and when he retired in 1999, he put that same dedication, zest for life and service directly into his volunteer work and hobbies. He coached high school basketball, taught part-time at the Criminal Justice Program at Ventura Community College and at the Ventura County Police & Sheriff’s Reserve Officer Academy, and was an avid reader. He was a hardworking docent at the Reagan Library, logging over 5500 hours over his volunteer career. In his spare time he played the piano and the accordion, worked with stained glass and woodworking, and with his wife Sue, was a busy, dedicated Friend of the Library, both as a Board member and as a volunteer.
Bettie Rae Hall remembers Jim’s larger-than-life personality, saying “Jim was the greatest storyteller ever. He provided great entertainment while we were working—we never paid attention to the time, because he was so funny and kept us all so entertained.” Jim also utilized his storytelling flair in his presentations on presidents and their First Ladies—turning hours and hours of research into productions which were popular throughout the Conejo Valley.
A team of Friends’ members and library staff led by Ruth Dods, conceived the idea of acquiring a special fish for the aquarium in Jim’s honor; the team raised the funds to make the purchase possible, and acquired a Purple Tang, one of the most prized specimens of all saltwater fish due to their color. The fish was dubbed “Hoover,” in memory of Jim’s FBI service, and resides in the library aquarium today.
Jim is remembered by the Friends for his dedication to the Friends and his vivid, joyous personality, which warmed the hearts of everyone who met him. He is greatly missed, but his memory lives on, not only in the colorful presence of the Purple Tang named in his honor, but also in the stories still told about him with great affection today. Jim and Sue’s work and dedication left a lasting mark on the Friends, and we are pleased to honor their memories here.