On December 22nd our father went flying with a friend, which was one of his favorite things to do.  After experiencing engine trouble, they were forced to land their small airplane on the beach in Santa Monica, but it hit hard on the sand and flipped. Our dad was 95 and the trauma of the crash took his life. Our mom, Doris, left us in May of 2022.  Dad was very lonely without his best friend and wife of 76 years, so we are hopeful they are again together.  

Rex was born on September 21, 1927 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He moved to California with his mother, Fern and his stepfather Thomas Hicks in 1941.  He met our mother, Doris Weldon, at Santa Monica High School in the summer of 1944 and became instant sweethearts.  They eloped on September 10, 1945 when Rex was due to be shipped overseas by the USMC (he was only 17!)  On his way to Tsingtao, China, he was dropped off at Pearl Harbor, and Doris was able to join him in March of 1946.  They then enjoyed 18 months of a belated honeymoon.  The two returned to Santa Monica in 1949 upon Rex's separation from the Marines with a child and many dreams.

Rex went to college and law school at Loyola.  He started a law practice in the old Bay Cities building in downtown Santa Monica where our mom was often his secretary.  By 1955, he was a member of the Santa Monica City Council, and he served as Mayor of Santa Monica from 1963-1967.  He was a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica.

Rex served as a LA Superior Court Commissioner from 1968-1971, at which time he was selected by Governor Ronald Reagan to serve as a judge of the Santa Monica Municipal Court.  He served in that capacity until January 2000.  He became a Superior Court judge when the municipal and superior courts were consolidated.  After his retirement in 2000, Rex served as an assigned judge throughout California until his complete retirement in 2012.  

Both Rex and Doris were avid aviators since 1948.  They owned many planes over the years and both became certified airplane mechanics after attending school together.   They renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary in 1995 at St. Monica's church surrounded by their children and eight grandchildren which made my mom extremely happy.

Rex is survived by his three children, Christie Thobe, a recently retired teacher from Santa Monica; Laurie McGinnity, a recently retired director of a medical scribe program in the Portland, Oregon area; and Thomas Minter, M.D, an emergency medicine physician in Tacoma, Washington; as well as eight grandchildren and 5 greatgrandchildren.

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