Lloyd G. Corliss

Longtime resident of Santa Barbara who influenced many young people during his thirty- three years of teaching at Santa Barbara High School, passed away peacefully at Mission Terrace. He was 86 years old. Born in San Jose, Lloyd moved to Southwest Los Angeles in his early school years. When quite young, he tinkered with an abandoned miniature golf cart and an old car in the backyard. He took off every nut and bolt. His dad was delighted because he wanted those nuts and bolts and could see Lloyd's early interest in mechanical things. Lloyd's dad worked at the airport for Southwest Airlines, but the airport moved so his father started a machine shop in Los Angeles. It was there that Lloyd learned about engines when he was in junior high school. Lloyd continued to work there until graduation from George Washington High School in 1942. On his sixteenth birthday Lloyd immediately got his driver's license. In high school, Lloyd had two different cars. The first one was a 1928 Model A Phaeton. His dad had it, then his mother drove it until she gave it to Lloyd. Lloyd had that Model A until he found a 1936 Ford with a blown-out motor. He rebuilt the engine with his Dad's help. He attend one year at Los Angeles City College after high school and then decided to go on a road trip to Chicago with Jerry Warren. They had many adventures and stayed over eight months before Lloyd had to sell his 1936 Ford and return home by bus. Jerry's sister June was upset over the ordeal but her feelings would change and she would later play an integral part in Lloyd's life and become his endearing wife of fifty-one years. In 1943 Lloyd was drafted into the Army and sent to New Orleans to work on the Higgins Air-Sea rescue boats. Eventually he landed in Le Havre, France, to work on tug boat engines. After a time in Mulhouse, France, he came home in the spring of 1946 when he enrolled at Compton City College where Lloyd continued his interest in cars. Lloyd started paying more attention to Jerry's older sister, June, and they were married in 1948 while Lloyd was working on his teaching credential at UCSB. Upon completion of college, Lloyd began teaching at Santa Barbara High School, primarily in Industrial Arts. However, it was for his auto shop that he became most noted. He changed the lives of many of his students and some have said that Lloyd was the primary reason that they completed high school. Over the years Lloyd built many speed boats which he used during his vacations with friends, family and former students at Bass Lake and later at the Delta. He and June also enjoyed skiing at Mammoth and camping at the desert with friends where they would ride dirt bikes. They traveled extensively. Some of their favorite haunts were Aspen, Colorado, and Lake Tahoe. When Lloyd retired from teaching in 1984, he continued his interest in cars by working for Golden State Pickup Parts for many years. He not only restored automobile parts, but he reconstructed them. He would then sell these parts and other items at Swap meets. This allowed June and Lloyd to travel in their motor home which they loved to do. They not only met friends all over the country, but Lloyd got to work for a former student and friend, Seth Doulton. Lloyd retired from this labor of love shortly before June's death in 2000. Lloyd's final years were primarily spent in his garage at home or on his computer which allowed him to explore his many interests. He was an inspiration and mentor to many and he will be missed. Lloyd is survived by his sister, Mae Powell and her two children Tom and Carol Pike, by his son Bill Corliss and his daughter-in-law Mary Corliss, his grandchildren Jim Corliss and Heather Bohman and seven great grandchildren. If you wish to honor his memory, you may make a donation to Community Home Health, 360 South Hope Avenue, Suite C200, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.