Grandparents, educators, volunteers, nature enthusiasts

Kenneth Jay Nowels (Kenny), died December 23, 2024 at age 97, joining his beloved wife, Joan Fern Taber Nowels (Jody), who died at 85 on January 7, 2017.

Kenny and Jody Nowels moved with their three children from a friendly neighborhood in Covina to their ranch style dream home in North Claremont in 1967, where they lived happily for the next 50 years.

In those early days there were no homes in their neighborhood beyond the one they purchased, other than those in Claraboya and Padua Hills. Next to the house was a fragrant lemon grove and enormous rock pile filled with “Claremont potatoes.” It was a short walk to the stream trickling down from Mt. Baldy, which was eventually built into the cement wash that exists today. Hiking into the foothills was a breeze and always began with a visit to the torched Boy Scout cabin where the scorched chimney stood as a testament to its past.

Jody was born and raised in Whittier, California. Kenny arrived there from Artesia at age 10. They both attended Whittier High School, though he was four years her senior, so they never met while there. He was a standout in both track and field and on the basketball court, earning numerous accolades. She had an impeccable record as a near straight A student, receiving just one B in four years. She was also active in campus extracurriculars and had many friends with whom she stayed in touch her entire life.

They both attended Whittier College, where they met and fell in love. Prior to that, he had attended San Jose State before enlisting in the U.S. Army. The delay while in the service put him in the same class as his future wife. He continued on the track and field and basketball teams for Whittier while she continued earning As in college, and remaining busy with campus clubs and activities. She was selected for inclusion in “Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges” 1952-53 edition. They both earned teaching credentials at Whittier, with him continuing on to earn a master’s degree in educational administration.

She began her career teaching third grade at Mulberry School in East Whittier, while he worked as a fourth grade teacher in Azusa. They were married in 1954 at First Friends Church in Whittier, with more than 500 friends and family members joining them in celebration. Three children followed along with her early retirement from teaching, and his promotion to assistant principal then principal with the Covina Valley Unified School District.

He was an outdoorsman, and enjoyed fishing and hiking and taking the family on camping trips throughout the West. Utah’s Navajo Lake became a family favorite destination, while in later years Brian Head and trips up the coast to Cambria and Carmel became their respite from daily life. They frequently enjoyed performances at the Candlelight Pavilion and at Citrus College, along with walks through California Botanic Garden. He coached Little League for a time and remained a fan of college sports throughout his life. He retired from the school district at 60, after which he enjoyed working part-time at the storage facility on Base Line Road near their home.

She was an active volunteer throughout her adulthood, starting as room mother in her childrens’ classrooms and Girl Scout Leader for her daughters’ troops. She remained active in Girl Scouts, eventually becoming president of Spanish Trails Girl Scout Council. She was chairwoman of the Girl Scout Councils of California Steering Committee, a legislative body that met in Sacramento. She served for a time on the Claremont Architectural Committee, and on the boards of Claremont Manor and the Volunteer Center of the Greater Pomona Valley. She contributed yearly to her P.E.O. chapter in various capacities including acting as president. She also enjoyed substitute teaching in Claremont elementary schools, most often assigned to Condit Elementary. Staying in touch with all her friends throughout her life was a priority, and she enjoyed monthly gatherings with her “lunch bunch,” bridge club, P.E.O. chapter, and with many others. She was a whiz at crossword puzzles and sudoku.

“Both Kenny and Jody exhibited true integrity throughout their lives, genuinely putting others before themselves while maintaining values of  honesty, generosity, humility, respect, forgiveness, and patience,” their family shared. She had been raised in the Quaker faith and for a while attended the Claremont Methodist Church. He found peace in nature, especially in the foothills above Claremont. He lived in their Claremont home for 18 months following his wife’s 2017 death before moving to Laguna Woods, where he lived independently until his death at 97.

They are survived by daughters Dana Fleming of Pomona, and Lauren Pitkin of Oceanside, and son Todd Nowels of Huntington Beach, along with their spouses Michael Fleming, Gene Pitkin, and Lisa Nowels; and grandchildren Leif Fleming, Jon-Michael Fleming, Zane Fleming, Dane Pitkin, Sachi Pitkin Lucero, Ty Pitkin, Taryn Nowels, and Kendyl Nowels Franzman.

“Kenny and Jody truly enjoyed their life in Claremont,” their family said. “They grew up in a college town and hoped to find in Claremont the similar small town feel and sense of community that a college town provides. Mission accomplished.”