Owen Roy “Nugget” Aylesworth, a Santa Barbara resident for 90 years, and member of the Santa Barbara Fire Department for nearly 30 years, celebrated his 100th birthday on Jan. 21, 2026, surrounded by family.

Aylesworth was also a teacher at SBCC; active with the Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association; an exhibitor in the Santa Barbara Arts & Craft Show; an avid genealogist; and devoted father.

Aylesworth was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ten years later his parents Frederick and Adeline packed up their four children and followed other family members west to Santa Barbara.

Owen brought along his zither to help pass the hours, buy by the time the family hit the Mohave Desert, Owen’s dad Fred had had enough of his musical son and warned that if he heard one more note out of that zither Owen would be put out of the car to brave the elements on his own.

Sure enough, there was soon one more note (Owen claims his foot hit it by mistake). The car screeched to a halt, the door was flung open, and he was ordered out.

The automobile, a 1930 Hudson Super-8, sped out of sight as Owen stood alone in the middle of a burning desert.

After what must have seemed like an eternity, a car approached from the distance — it was the family Hudson. It pulled over in front of Owen, and without a word he jumped inside.

At that moment Owen probably thought his Dad had taught him a valuable lesson about playing the zither, but in later years the subconscious lesson learned would prove to be a hallmark of his character — always be a man of your word.

After completing his secondary education in Santa Barbara, Owen joined the war effort early on; first as a civilian overhauling aircraft engines for the Army, then as an enlisted man with the Navy.

As an aviation electrician’s mate 3/C he served aboard the USS Bering Strait & USS Antietam during engagements in Okinawa, Saipan and Iwo Jima; the occupation forces at Sasebo, Japan; and the independence of the Philippines. Honorably discharged in 1947, Owen returned home to Santa Barbara and started a family.

After a three-year stint as a mechanic for Sears Roebuck, Owen received an appointment to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. Over the next 29½ years he moved up the ranks from hose man through fire alarm operator, engineer and captain to training officer and acting battalion chief.

During this time, he returned to school and earned an AS in Fire Science, along with a Community College Teaching Credential. While still on the Fire Department he served as program coordinator and instructor for the Fire Science Program at SBCC.

He also served as member and officer of the Santa Barbara City Employee’s Association, Santa Barbara Fireman’s Relief Association, the Radiological Defense Officer’s Association, and other vocational groups.

Aylesworth retired from the Fire Department in 1979, but continued his work in 1980, developing the Firefighting Academy for female firefighters to augment the Recruit Training Course he had developed some years earlier.

He has been honored with life memberships in the California Fire Chief’s Association – Training Officer’s Section, California State Fireman’s Association, and Santa Barbara Firefighter’ s Association.

The lure of the South Pacific implanted in him during the war drew him back on numerous occasions to explore more than 18 island nations. In addition to his South Sea travels Aylesworth has ventured to 12 North American countries, two in Asia, 47 of the United States, and 12 countries in Europe.

Still active in community work, he has been an active member of the SBHS Alumni Association since its inception, serving as a member of the board and treasurer, and now as director emeritus.

For the several decades he participated in the weekly Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show, both as an exhibitor and advisory committee chairman.

An avid genealogy researcher, Aylesworth has published several books that are in the Library of Congress. Even at 100 years old, he continues to manage the genealogy website Aylesworth.net.

Aylesworth raised a daughter and two sons, mostly by himself, during a time when that was rare.

His family knows him as a man of intelligence, humor, honesty and compassion. He’s quick to lend a helping hand; demanding the best from others because that is what he gives of himself.

For his 100th birthday, he was surrounded by family in a five-day celebration of this amazing accomplishment.

By the way, Owen still has the zither. Thankfully, his Dad came back for him in time.