Dorothy Jewel McDeid; Girl Scout Secretary, Apartment Manager

Longtime Ventura County resident Dorothy Jewel McDeid, a retired apartment manager and Girl Scout secretary, died Thursday. She was 79.

Born Dorothy Jewel Harris in Brawley on Jan. 24, 1919, she was one of eight children.

She married R.O. McElmurray and moved to Trona, Calif., where her husband worked as a chemist. The couple had a daughter, Mona.

After McElmurray died in a car accident, mother and child moved to Ojai to be closer to her family. She married Bernard McDeid, and later the family moved to Ventura.

Dorothy McDeid worked as a secretary at Girl Scout headquarters in Ventura for 10 years. She then managed apartments for 15 years at Casa de Ventura on Channel Drive.

“She always had food for those who didn’t and an understanding ear for those who needed it,” said daughter Mona Killion of Ventura.

McDeid looked forward to her morning cup of coffee and curling up with a good novel or poetry, Killion said.

In addition to Killion, McDeid is survived by her sisters, Lucille Hunt of Ojai and Bernice Raymond of Yuma, Ariz., brother Eugene Harris of Riverside, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, 5400 Valentine Road, Ventura. Arrangements are being handled by Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura.