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Lars Oberg: A man who made Tehachapi proud
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments The Tehachapi community lost a very good man last week. A man known for his intelligence, insight, unfailing courtesy and rock-solid dependability, Lars Oberg was a son of Tehachapi who grew up here (Tehachapi High School, Class of 1953), made a career in the valley, raised his beloved family here and was enjoying his well-deserved retirement.

Lars was killed on Oct. 16 in a multi-vehicle collision during a blinding sandstorm in the Antelope Valley. He had recently turned a youthful 72 and was working on his second career with the Honda testing facility when he and fellow employee Jack Crawford were caught up in a devastating highway pile-up that cost them their lives and injured 10 others.

Lars came to Tehachapi in the 1930s when he was just a toddler. His father, Bertil “Bert” Oberg was a plant manager at the Monolith Portland Cement Company. Lars loved Tehachapi and formed lifelong friendships with John Squires,   Curtis Madding, and other old-school Tehachapi residents like himself.

Lars was handsome and athletic, but he was no stereotypical dumb jock — he was also respectful of his elders, well-mannered and well-read. He earned a sterling reputation that has lasted his whole life and will long remain among the many who have known and loved him.

After service in the U.S. Army, Lars returned to Tehachapi and followed in his father’s footsteps at Monolith. Through hard work and competence, he rose from the labor gang to finally becoming a plant manager himself and worked for 39 years until his retirement in 1993.

Lars married Barbara Krause in 1962 and they raised four Tehachapi children: Lori, Erik, Krista and Bret. Lars was a total family man whose life revolved around his children and later his grandchildren.

Erik Oberg and I started kindergarten together that first morning at Wells Elementary School, we were friends the afternoon we graduated from THS and we’re still friends today, so I’ve known the Oberg family for nearly 40 years and I can say that Lars was the favorite parent among my classmates — the boys looked up to and admired him, the girls wanted to grow up and marry someone like him.

I’ve talked to Lars when he was wearing work clothes and a hard hat at the plant, wearing a Warriors booster jacket and cap at ballgames, or relaxing at home in a warm-up suit and he was always the same man: well-spoken, considerate and charming in a low-key way.

When someone’s life has ended it is typical to eulogize them in a positive way, to accent their good qualities and admirable traits, even if these attributes weren’t so obvious in life. This is natural, but in the case of Lars Oberg no posthumous improvements are needed. Those who knew Lars will immediately recognize the man I’m describing.

I’ve tried for three days but I couldn’t think of any man more widely respected in Tehachapi than Lars Oberg. There are others who might be equally well-liked and admired, such as Mike Ricker, the late Lige Morris, Harry Cowan, the late Jerome Warner and others, but none more than Lars. He was a homegrown talent whose politeness and intelligence endeared him to Tehachapi pioneers and young people alike.

A Tehachapi athlete himself, Lars was a great fan of Tehachapi athletics who spent countless hours watching his children compete. Oldest daughter Lori was a THS songleader, both of Lars’s quarterback sons led Warrior football teams to championships and daughter Krista was All-League in both basketball and volleyball and competed in China. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Tehachapi Warrior Boosters Club.

Lars is survived by Barbara, his wife of 45 years; Lori Oberg of Laguna Beach; Erik Oberg of Tehachapi; Krista and husband Tim Kenehan of Huntington Beach and their children Jack and Jeanne; and Bret Oberg and his wife Angela of Bakersfield and their daughters Claire and Ryan (with another baby due in November).

You made the people of your hometown proud of you, Lars Oberg, and you set a high standard your entire life. Thank you for everything.
Have a good week. 











 
    
   

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