Category: In Memoriam

ERIC W. MARTENS
February 23, 1940 – April 12, 2021

We regret to inform the membership of the recent passing of Eric Martens, a many-year member of the Orange County Wine Society.

Eric can be remembered by his willingness and enthusiasm to work The Courtyard every year serving wine, managing, and acting as Wine Steward. He was also an avid member of the Cooks’ Caucus, where he delighted in cooking delicious meals for our members during many of our events.

In his life outside the OCWS, Eric was a prominent attorney who practiced law in both Orange and Los Angeles County. Additionally, as an avid patriot and historian, Eric was a professional officer in the California State Guard, recently retiring as a full colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

Eric’s wife, Barbara, preceded him in passing. He is survived by his daughters, Erin and Elise, as well as four stepchildren, Zane, Zach, Zale, and Kim, and many grandchildren.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

– John Goodnight, OCWS President Emeritus

The OCWS has lost one of its most significant members, Dennis Esslinger, due to cancer and unrelated to the COVID pandemic. In 2017 during the Annual Business Meeting, Jim Beard, then President, awarded Dennis the highest award an OCWS President can bestow, the President Emeritus Award. Past President, Fran Gitsham, eloquently stated in 2017 that the President Emeritus title “denotes the perpetual status of an individual who has helped move the organization to new heights as a former key member on the Board of Directors. In this case, as President an unprecedented four terms (2000-01, 2002-03, 2008-09, 2013-14), with none of those terms consecutive . . . Dennis Esslinger joined the ranks of just a few who have garnered the President Emeritus title. He joins a small, elite group of past Presidents who not only gave their time and effort over a number of years, but continues to do so.”

As a recipient of the highest level year end awards, along with his wife Carol who worked with him side by side, Dennis passed away Monday, July 6, at his home.

Dennis was a longtime employee of Hughes Corporation, then Raytheon in Fullerton, working as a Project Manager until he retired. These skills served him well in various organizational and administrative capacities with the OCWS. He served on the Commercial Wine Competition Committee for well over 20 years working with others in developing the format for cataloging wines. He then took over as Chairman of the Competition and then Chairman of Judges for 10 years before turning that position over to Kevin Coy.

Dennis was very highly regarded by winemakers and winery owners which showed in the respect they have for the Commercial Wine Competition and their desire to appear for our winery tasting programs for which Dennis was in charge for a few years.

Dennis traveled the world with Carol and their children for many years in his position with Hughes. The traveling never stopped once he became active with the OCWS as he embarked upon a number of wine trips with friends to wineries, wine tastings at ZAP, and meeting with family winemakers as a member of the Commercial Wine Competition. He maintained a close circle of OCWS friends throughout the years who enjoyed his kindness, generosity, and reverence.

Raised in Kansas and a graduate of Kansas State, his work ethic and skills were valued in the OC Fair Courtyard where he and Carol put in many hours in preparing The Courtyard, setting up the wine cellar, maintaining, stewarding, managing and teaching about wine. His calm demeanor allowed him to deal with honesty and humor any time problems or disagreements arose in the OCWS or during the OC Fair. Dennis’ activities preparing for and working the Annual Wine Auction allowed this event to be our biggest single revenue producer outside The Courtyard during the OC Fair.

It would be impossible to say just how many accolades Dennis received from the OCWS, Judges, friends and co-workers. What he has contributed to the OCWS will be evident once the pandemic is under control and we return to normal activities with the OCWS.

We ask you to raise a glass of wine for Dennis and in support of Carol and the family who will need all our good thoughts and prayers.

Dennis, we will miss you terribly.

– Sam Puzzo

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Rich Veague, OCWS long-time member and home winemaker. Sadly, Rich passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on August 31 at the age of 78. Rich joined the OCWS in the early ‘90s and started Dark Side Winery with his partner, Bryan Skelly, in 2000. Together they consistently won medals in the OCWS Home Wine Competition, including Gold Medal and Double-Gold Medal designations in this year’s competition. Rich also served as a judge and Best of Show judge for many years in the OCWS Home Wine Competition.

Rich served in the Army at White Sands Missile Range in the early ‘60s before being stationed on the DMZ in South Korea. He had a very successful career in high tech that culminated with his retirement from Intel in 2002. He loved beach volleyball, cross-country skiing, golf, camping and hiking, music and attending Burning Man Festivals and UFO conferences. Rich is survived by his wife, Virginia, his brother and sister, and countless friends from around the world.

Rich’s special gift was that he made friends easily, using a self-deprecating and somewhat dry humor that will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

– Bryan Skelly

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of one of the OCWS’s long-time members, Robert Trout, who passed away on the evening of June 26, 2019 at age 88. Bob was many things for the OCWS: a Board Member, President, recipient of the President’s Award, and Commercial Wine Competition Committee member for many years, along with his wife, Marjorie. The Trouts helped develop the Label Competition, and Bob served as Assistant Chairman of Judges under Dennis Esslinger. Ultimately, due to his tremendous dedication and service, he was awarded the designation of President Emeritus. In recent years, many of us knew Bob to be an exceptional opener of the cans of olives to be served to the Commercial Wine Competition judges.

Bob came to the OCWS in what seemed like “eons” ago as a home winemaker. After learning on his own, as many of us have, it also took guidance to make good home wines. The OCWS gave him that guidance which began the road to the many years Bob and Marjorie had with the OCWS.

Bob used his design skills as a Professor of Industrial Technology at California State University at Long Beach to develop and create a special award featuring a very large actual grapevine for our Zinfandel Competition during the 25^th Anniversary Commercial Competition. Bob was highly respected by our judges due to his many years with the OCWS and his time working with the judges during the Commercial Wine Competition, including obtaining wines for the Judges Dinner.

An avid bicycle rider, Bob travelled the length of California stopping in many wine regions. Those who knew him well will miss his subtle sense of humor, his friendship, intellect, and love of fine wines which he was always willing to share with people he met along the way.

For Marjorie, his daughter Shannon and her husband, and his grandchildren, he will never truly be gone.

– The OCWS Board of Directors

Patricia L. Wells, a long-time member of the Orange County Wine Society and a frequent supporter and scorekeeper of the Commercial Wine Competitions, passed away in Anaheim on November 4 at the age of 66.

Patty was a native of Los Angeles and grew up in the LA and Orange County areas.

Patty generously shared her knowledge of fine wine – and her collection – with family and friends. She loved most a fine red wine and favored several wines from the Temecula wine region, particularly those from Weins, Lorenzi, and Hart Wineries. Patty could be found nearly every Friday afternoon with her close friends at the Seal Beach Winery.

In addition to wine, Patty loved horses and was an active board member of the California Equine Retirement Foundation since 1986.

The Wine Society extends its heartfelt condolences to Patty’s family and friends.

The OCWS mourns the loss of OCWS member, Paul Peal, the recipient of the 2015 President’s Award. Paul’s extraordinary volunteerism, warm and gentle demeanor, and tireless efforts spoke volumes regarding his devotion to the success of the Wine Society.

Paul, a longtime member along with his wife, Janet Owen Peal, will be remembered for his huge heart and amazing ability to build and repair anything and everything imaginable. His handiwork can be seen in every physical aspect of the organization from the OCWS office to The Courtyard and well beyond.

The family requests that any donations in his memory be made by helping a veteran, supporting a student, or donating to the OCWS scholarship fund.

Paul will be sorely missed by all who had the great fortune to have crossed paths with him in life. Cheers, our friend!