Obituary : * Mary Baalas; Political Activist

Mary Baalas, who was prominent in Republican politics in Ventura County for decades, died Wednesday at her home in Port Hueneme after a long illness. She was 77.

Baalas became involved in Republican politics in 1971 when she attended Ronald Reagan’s gubernatorial inauguration with her husband, Al Baalas, just a few days after they were married.

That year, Baalas left a long career as a telephone company operator and supervisor to devote time to Republican activism and outdoor sports. She was a charter member of the Marina Republican Women’s Club and a past president of Ventura County Republican Women.

She also played baseball and enjoyed surfing and scuba diving, friends and family members said. At the age of 50, she water-skied from Santa Barbara to Carpinteria.

“She was many characters rolled into one,” said Gwen Tillemans, a close friend of Baalas. “She could be very serious, but she also had a creative humor to her. She was always just a pleasure to be with.”

A memorial service for Baalas will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Conrad-Carroll Mortuary, 401 W. Channel Islands Blvd. in Oxnard.

Ventura County obituaries are published free of charge as a public service to readers. Obituaries are based on information provided by mortuaries.