Memorial Service for Randy California

A memorial service for Randy California, lead guitarist and founder of the rock group Spirit, will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in Ventura.

California’s family has organized a special gathering that will be held on the beach at the end of San Jon Road, between the state beach and the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Members of Spirit will perform acoustic music, including a new song that Matt Andes wrote for California.

The 46-year-old Ojai resident was missing and presumed dead after a swimming accident off the Hawaiian island of Molokai, where he was visiting his mother. California was swimming with his 12-year-old son, Quinn, when they were caught in a riptide, said Debbie Pollard, his personal assistant.

California shoved his son into a wave that propelled the boy to shore.

“He saved his son’s life,” Pollard said. “Quinn made it to shore, but Randy was nowhere in sight.”

After searching for two days, authorities called off the search due to bad weather. The Coast Guard and several local residents in small planes resumed the search the next day. It was officially called off last weekend when they still had no sign of California.

“It’s very tragic,” Pollard said. “Besides his being as gifted a musician as he was, he was one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. Everyone has been telling me that, even the postman.”

California is survived by his son, his father, Robert Wolfe, his mother, Bernice Pearl, and three sisters.

More information about California can be found at Spirit’s Web site at https://kspace.com/spirit