Remembering John Woolley
1952 – 1999

Honoring avid golfer and geologist John Jefferson Woolley II, the Coast Geological Society and co-sponsor Venoco Inc. are proud to hold the Annual John J. Woolley Memorial Golf Tournament. This event allows the Coast Geological Society to provide scholarships to geology students and monetary awards to assist geology teachers. Since the tournaments inception in 1999, the Coast Geological Society scholarships have increased in number and value due to the success of the event. Each year, we hope to increase the scholarship fund and celebrate John's love of the game, which knew no bounds.

John, a southern California native and a resident of Ventura for many years, was an enthusiastic geologist who enjoyed investigating and teaching about the wonders of our physical world. He enjoyed sharing his vast knowledge of California's geology with colleagues, students and friends. John worked in oil and gas exploration Sun, Venoco, and others and also taught introductory geology at Oxnard Community College. He was also a respected authority on the history and geology of Santa Rosa Island where his family had ranched for generations. John led many an expedition to study the island and share its incredible beauty. In a career milestone, John mapped the island with Tom Dibblee and Helmut Ehrenspeck for the Dibblee Geological Foundation’s 1998 geologic map publication.

His geologic expertise was matched by his ability to read a golf course and negotiate a little ball around it. He was a sought after partner and could always be relied upon for both sage advice and a critical shot. John had a pure swing that did justice to his uncomplicated approach to life. He could remember every hole, every shot, every score, every game that he played as well as the scores of his foursome, which frequently included his wife, Margie, son James, and daughter Kate. For 21 years he hosted friends and family at the Satchel Paige Invitational Golf Tournament in Pacific Grove, CA. In 2002, Satchel Paige Invitational participants celebrated the tournament’s 25th Anniversary.

John was a good, honest man, a kind, gentle and loving husband, a wonderful father, son and brother. His friends were very important to him, as he considered them to be an integral part of his life.