Wallace Ohles, known by everyone as “Wally,” was a beloved career school teacher and a dedicated and respected local historian. He lived in Paso Robles, California, and loved the history of California’s Central Coast, especially that of Paso Robles and San Miguel. He was born in 1938 in Chilopuin, Oregon to Lawrence Vincent Ohles and Ione Estel Ohles. He had a sister, Janice Lenora Ohles, who was one year his senior. His father worked as an Indian Affairs agent with the Klamath Modoc and Yahooskin Band Of Snake Indians when Wally was a boy, and they lived on the Klamath Indian Reservation . He moved with his family to Anderson. He attended Cascade Elementary School and Anderson High School. He started teaching in 1960 in a seventh-grade classroom in Crescent City, Oregon. He moved to Paso Robles in 1966 where he taught driver’s education and coached water polo at Paso Robles High School. He retired in 1992 after a devastating heart attack almost killed him, but continued to teach part time and volunteer with local historical groups. He was a lifelong bachelor. Wally was a member of the board of directors for Friends of the Adobes, and would tell ghost stories at the annual Halloween event at the historic Rios_Caledonia Adobe in San Miguel. He was a volunteer at the Paso Robles Historical Society, and also a longtime member of the local Lions Club. He had an uplifting and generous spirit and brought cheer to everyone he met. When passed on in 2012 he was survived by his sister Laureen Ohles. The research library at the historic Rios-Caledonia Adobe in San Miguel, which is run by the Friends of the Adobes, was named in his honor, and his many history volumes and papers, bequeathed by his family, form the nucleus of the library.
Following is an article that appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, May 12, 2012 issue:
“Dozens of Paso Roblans, many wearing Bearcats clothing from the high school, gathered along Spring Street on Friday morning to pay tribute to longtime teacher Wally Ohles.
A horse-drawn carriage carried Ohles, who died April 30 at age 73, to War Memorial Stadium at Flamson Middle School, where residents gathered around the hearse, participated in a moment of silence and sang the school song. Ohles, who began teaching at the high school in 1967, was an avid supporter of Bearcat athletics.
Ohles was born in 1938 as part of the Klamath River Indian Nation in Northern California, according to his obituary. He grew up in Northern California and eventually graduated from Portland University. After a stint in the Army, he embarked on a long career in teaching.
In addition to teaching social studies and driver’s education, Ohles coached water polo. A local historian, he wrote extensively about the area and was the author of the book ‘The Lands of Mission San Miguel.’”
A group of supporters led a drive to have a building at Paso Robles High School named after him. The school board approved it, and the dedication was held the following year.
The following was written by San Luis Obispo Tribune columnist Phil Dirxx:
“Wally Ohles died Monday at age 73. I’m too late now to properly thank him.
He wrote the book “The Lands of Mission San Miguel,” and in it I found lots of information for my columns. But, I can’t remember ever giving him credit.
I bought a copy of that book soon after it was published in 1997. It’s about the size of a phone book. Sticking out of my copy are many sheets of paper, bookmarks, paper napkins and whatnot. They mark pages where I found information.
I feel worse about failing to credit him because he mentioned me on that book’s acknowledgements page. He thanked me for telling him, in 1969, “where El Paso de Robles Adobe had been located.”
I don’t even remember doing that. I was probably just showing off, being pedantic. But, he mentioned me along with all those other people who actually helped with the book or provided historical records. Wally was generous.
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded in 1797. It started with 3,000 square miles of open space. Wally’s book tells in detail how those mission lands morphed within 100 years into a collection of surveyed, privately owned ranches, farms and towns.
Mission San Miguel prospered at first. In 21 years, it celebrated the construction of its big church building. But just 24 years later, it had deteriorating buildings, no priest and only 30 Indians.
The book explains that the California missions didn’t own their lands. Spanish law said mission lands had to be returned some day to the Indians. But when Mexico became independent, Mexican officials sold the land or gave it away. The book then follows the story of those former mission lands until the early 20th century.
Wallace V. Ohles was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He came to Paso Robles High School in 1967 to teach world history. In 1968, he also became swimming coach and, in 1970, he restarted the water polo team, although he’d never played the sport.
My son Mike played on that team and warmly remembers Mr. Ohles. Mike said he was approachable and understanding and even the freshmen felt they could relate to him. Mike said Mr. Ohles was sort of a kid himself.
Mike remembered a few nights when Mr. Ohles packed several boys into his Camaro to look for ghosts. He would stop on a back road near a barn. They watched for blue lights but never saw any.
Wally Ohles, however, did find many long dead characters in the history of Mission San Miguel.”
The following article is from a May 2013 issue of the Paso Robles Daily News:
“Wally Ohles Building Dedicated May 22”
'Paso Robles High School is pleased to announce that the newest building on campus will be dedicated in honor of Wally Ohles, former social studies teacher at PRHS from 1966 to 1992.
Wally was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He was born November 19, 1938, and passed away April 30, 2012. Wally started teaching at PRHS in 1966. His first assignment was world history, and he also taught English. In 1968, he started coaching swimming. In 1970, Wally restarted the water polo program as the coach.
After retiring in 1993, Mr. Ohles continued to teach driver’s education and driver’s training at the high school until 2011. In his retirement, Wally authored the book: The Lands of Mission San Miguel.
The dedication ceremony for Mr. Ohles will take place at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, in front of the new 1000 building located in the center of campus. The ceremony will be part of Paso Robles High School’s Open House festivities that same evening, which are scheduled to take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The community is cordially invited to attend both the dedication ceremony and Open House festivities."
Following is an article that appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, May 12, 2012 issue:
“Dozens of Paso Roblans, many wearing Bearcats clothing from the high school, gathered along Spring Street on Friday morning to pay tribute to longtime teacher Wally Ohles.
A horse-drawn carriage carried Ohles, who died April 30 at age 73, to War Memorial Stadium at Flamson Middle School, where residents gathered around the hearse, participated in a moment of silence and sang the school song. Ohles, who began teaching at the high school in 1967, was an avid supporter of Bearcat athletics.
Ohles was born in 1938 as part of the Klamath River Indian Nation in Northern California, according to his obituary. He grew up in Northern California and eventually graduated from Portland University. After a stint in the Army, he embarked on a long career in teaching.
In addition to teaching social studies and driver’s education, Ohles coached water polo. A local historian, he wrote extensively about the area and was the author of the book ‘The Lands of Mission San Miguel.’”
A group of supporters led a drive to have a building at Paso Robles High School named after him. The school board approved it, and the dedication was held the following year.
The following was written by San Luis Obispo Tribune columnist Phil Dirxx:
“Wally Ohles died Monday at age 73. I’m too late now to properly thank him.
He wrote the book “The Lands of Mission San Miguel,” and in it I found lots of information for my columns. But, I can’t remember ever giving him credit.
I bought a copy of that book soon after it was published in 1997. It’s about the size of a phone book. Sticking out of my copy are many sheets of paper, bookmarks, paper napkins and whatnot. They mark pages where I found information.
I feel worse about failing to credit him because he mentioned me on that book’s acknowledgements page. He thanked me for telling him, in 1969, “where El Paso de Robles Adobe had been located.”
I don’t even remember doing that. I was probably just showing off, being pedantic. But, he mentioned me along with all those other people who actually helped with the book or provided historical records. Wally was generous.
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded in 1797. It started with 3,000 square miles of open space. Wally’s book tells in detail how those mission lands morphed within 100 years into a collection of surveyed, privately owned ranches, farms and towns.
Mission San Miguel prospered at first. In 21 years, it celebrated the construction of its big church building. But just 24 years later, it had deteriorating buildings, no priest and only 30 Indians.
The book explains that the California missions didn’t own their lands. Spanish law said mission lands had to be returned some day to the Indians. But when Mexico became independent, Mexican officials sold the land or gave it away. The book then follows the story of those former mission lands until the early 20th century.
Wallace V. Ohles was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He came to Paso Robles High School in 1967 to teach world history. In 1968, he also became swimming coach and, in 1970, he restarted the water polo team, although he’d never played the sport.
My son Mike played on that team and warmly remembers Mr. Ohles. Mike said he was approachable and understanding and even the freshmen felt they could relate to him. Mike said Mr. Ohles was sort of a kid himself.
Mike remembered a few nights when Mr. Ohles packed several boys into his Camaro to look for ghosts. He would stop on a back road near a barn. They watched for blue lights but never saw any.
Wally Ohles, however, did find many long dead characters in the history of Mission San Miguel.”
The following article is from a May 2013 issue of the Paso Robles Daily News:
“Wally Ohles Building Dedicated May 22”
'Paso Robles High School is pleased to announce that the newest building on campus will be dedicated in honor of Wally Ohles, former social studies teacher at PRHS from 1966 to 1992.
Wally was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He was born November 19, 1938, and passed away April 30, 2012. Wally started teaching at PRHS in 1966. His first assignment was world history, and he also taught English. In 1968, he started coaching swimming. In 1970, Wally restarted the water polo program as the coach.
After retiring in 1993, Mr. Ohles continued to teach driver’s education and driver’s training at the high school until 2011. In his retirement, Wally authored the book: The Lands of Mission San Miguel.
The dedication ceremony for Mr. Ohles will take place at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, in front of the new 1000 building located in the center of campus. The ceremony will be part of Paso Robles High School’s Open House festivities that same evening, which are scheduled to take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The community is cordially invited to attend both the dedication ceremony and Open House festivities."
Wallace Ohles, known by everyone as “Wally,” was a beloved career school teacher and a dedicated and respected local historian. He lived in Paso Robles, California, and loved the history of California’s Central Coast, especially that of Paso Robles and San Miguel. He was born in 1938 in Chilopuin, Oregon to Lawrence Vincent Ohles and Ione Estel Ohles. He had a sister, Janice Lenora Ohles, who was one year his senior. His father worked as an Indian Affairs agent with the Klamath Modoc and Yahooskin Band Of Snake Indians when Wally was a boy, and they lived on the Klamath Indian Reservation . He moved with his family to Anderson. He attended Cascade Elementary School and Anderson High School. He started teaching in 1960 in a seventh-grade classroom in Crescent City, Oregon. He moved to Paso Robles in 1966 where he taught driver’s education and coached water polo at Paso Robles High School. He retired in 1992 after a devastating heart attack almost killed him, but continued to teach part time and volunteer with local historical groups. He was a lifelong bachelor. Wally was a member of the board of directors for Friends of the Adobes, and would tell ghost stories at the annual Halloween event at the historic Rios_Caledonia Adobe in San Miguel. He was a volunteer at the Paso Robles Historical Society, and also a longtime member of the local Lions Club. He had an uplifting and generous spirit and brought cheer to everyone he met. When passed on in 2012 he was survived by his sister Laureen Ohles. The research library at the historic Rios-Caledonia Adobe in San Miguel, which is run by the Friends of the Adobes, was named in his honor, and his many history volumes and papers, bequeathed by his family, form the nucleus of the library.
Following is an article that appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, May 12, 2012 issue:
“Dozens of Paso Roblans, many wearing Bearcats clothing from the high school, gathered along Spring Street on Friday morning to pay tribute to longtime teacher Wally Ohles.
A horse-drawn carriage carried Ohles, who died April 30 at age 73, to War Memorial Stadium at Flamson Middle School, where residents gathered around the hearse, participated in a moment of silence and sang the school song. Ohles, who began teaching at the high school in 1967, was an avid supporter of Bearcat athletics.
Ohles was born in 1938 as part of the Klamath River Indian Nation in Northern California, according to his obituary. He grew up in Northern California and eventually graduated from Portland University. After a stint in the Army, he embarked on a long career in teaching.
In addition to teaching social studies and driver’s education, Ohles coached water polo. A local historian, he wrote extensively about the area and was the author of the book ‘The Lands of Mission San Miguel.’”
A group of supporters led a drive to have a building at Paso Robles High School named after him. The school board approved it, and the dedication was held the following year.
The following was written by San Luis Obispo Tribune columnist Phil Dirxx:
“Wally Ohles died Monday at age 73. I’m too late now to properly thank him.
He wrote the book “The Lands of Mission San Miguel,” and in it I found lots of information for my columns. But, I can’t remember ever giving him credit.
I bought a copy of that book soon after it was published in 1997. It’s about the size of a phone book. Sticking out of my copy are many sheets of paper, bookmarks, paper napkins and whatnot. They mark pages where I found information.
I feel worse about failing to credit him because he mentioned me on that book’s acknowledgements page. He thanked me for telling him, in 1969, “where El Paso de Robles Adobe had been located.”
I don’t even remember doing that. I was probably just showing off, being pedantic. But, he mentioned me along with all those other people who actually helped with the book or provided historical records. Wally was generous.
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded in 1797. It started with 3,000 square miles of open space. Wally’s book tells in detail how those mission lands morphed within 100 years into a collection of surveyed, privately owned ranches, farms and towns.
Mission San Miguel prospered at first. In 21 years, it celebrated the construction of its big church building. But just 24 years later, it had deteriorating buildings, no priest and only 30 Indians.
The book explains that the California missions didn’t own their lands. Spanish law said mission lands had to be returned some day to the Indians. But when Mexico became independent, Mexican officials sold the land or gave it away. The book then follows the story of those former mission lands until the early 20th century.
Wallace V. Ohles was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He came to Paso Robles High School in 1967 to teach world history. In 1968, he also became swimming coach and, in 1970, he restarted the water polo team, although he’d never played the sport.
My son Mike played on that team and warmly remembers Mr. Ohles. Mike said he was approachable and understanding and even the freshmen felt they could relate to him. Mike said Mr. Ohles was sort of a kid himself.
Mike remembered a few nights when Mr. Ohles packed several boys into his Camaro to look for ghosts. He would stop on a back road near a barn. They watched for blue lights but never saw any.
Wally Ohles, however, did find many long dead characters in the history of Mission San Miguel.”
The following article is from a May 2013 issue of the Paso Robles Daily News:
“Wally Ohles Building Dedicated May 22”
'Paso Robles High School is pleased to announce that the newest building on campus will be dedicated in honor of Wally Ohles, former social studies teacher at PRHS from 1966 to 1992.
Wally was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He was born November 19, 1938, and passed away April 30, 2012. Wally started teaching at PRHS in 1966. His first assignment was world history, and he also taught English. In 1968, he started coaching swimming. In 1970, Wally restarted the water polo program as the coach.
After retiring in 1993, Mr. Ohles continued to teach driver’s education and driver’s training at the high school until 2011. In his retirement, Wally authored the book: The Lands of Mission San Miguel.
The dedication ceremony for Mr. Ohles will take place at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, in front of the new 1000 building located in the center of campus. The ceremony will be part of Paso Robles High School’s Open House festivities that same evening, which are scheduled to take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The community is cordially invited to attend both the dedication ceremony and Open House festivities."
Following is an article that appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, May 12, 2012 issue:
“Dozens of Paso Roblans, many wearing Bearcats clothing from the high school, gathered along Spring Street on Friday morning to pay tribute to longtime teacher Wally Ohles.
A horse-drawn carriage carried Ohles, who died April 30 at age 73, to War Memorial Stadium at Flamson Middle School, where residents gathered around the hearse, participated in a moment of silence and sang the school song. Ohles, who began teaching at the high school in 1967, was an avid supporter of Bearcat athletics.
Ohles was born in 1938 as part of the Klamath River Indian Nation in Northern California, according to his obituary. He grew up in Northern California and eventually graduated from Portland University. After a stint in the Army, he embarked on a long career in teaching.
In addition to teaching social studies and driver’s education, Ohles coached water polo. A local historian, he wrote extensively about the area and was the author of the book ‘The Lands of Mission San Miguel.’”
A group of supporters led a drive to have a building at Paso Robles High School named after him. The school board approved it, and the dedication was held the following year.
The following was written by San Luis Obispo Tribune columnist Phil Dirxx:
“Wally Ohles died Monday at age 73. I’m too late now to properly thank him.
He wrote the book “The Lands of Mission San Miguel,” and in it I found lots of information for my columns. But, I can’t remember ever giving him credit.
I bought a copy of that book soon after it was published in 1997. It’s about the size of a phone book. Sticking out of my copy are many sheets of paper, bookmarks, paper napkins and whatnot. They mark pages where I found information.
I feel worse about failing to credit him because he mentioned me on that book’s acknowledgements page. He thanked me for telling him, in 1969, “where El Paso de Robles Adobe had been located.”
I don’t even remember doing that. I was probably just showing off, being pedantic. But, he mentioned me along with all those other people who actually helped with the book or provided historical records. Wally was generous.
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded in 1797. It started with 3,000 square miles of open space. Wally’s book tells in detail how those mission lands morphed within 100 years into a collection of surveyed, privately owned ranches, farms and towns.
Mission San Miguel prospered at first. In 21 years, it celebrated the construction of its big church building. But just 24 years later, it had deteriorating buildings, no priest and only 30 Indians.
The book explains that the California missions didn’t own their lands. Spanish law said mission lands had to be returned some day to the Indians. But when Mexico became independent, Mexican officials sold the land or gave it away. The book then follows the story of those former mission lands until the early 20th century.
Wallace V. Ohles was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He came to Paso Robles High School in 1967 to teach world history. In 1968, he also became swimming coach and, in 1970, he restarted the water polo team, although he’d never played the sport.
My son Mike played on that team and warmly remembers Mr. Ohles. Mike said he was approachable and understanding and even the freshmen felt they could relate to him. Mike said Mr. Ohles was sort of a kid himself.
Mike remembered a few nights when Mr. Ohles packed several boys into his Camaro to look for ghosts. He would stop on a back road near a barn. They watched for blue lights but never saw any.
Wally Ohles, however, did find many long dead characters in the history of Mission San Miguel.”
The following article is from a May 2013 issue of the Paso Robles Daily News:
“Wally Ohles Building Dedicated May 22”
'Paso Robles High School is pleased to announce that the newest building on campus will be dedicated in honor of Wally Ohles, former social studies teacher at PRHS from 1966 to 1992.
Wally was born on the Klamath Indian Reservation in Oregon. He was born November 19, 1938, and passed away April 30, 2012. Wally started teaching at PRHS in 1966. His first assignment was world history, and he also taught English. In 1968, he started coaching swimming. In 1970, Wally restarted the water polo program as the coach.
After retiring in 1993, Mr. Ohles continued to teach driver’s education and driver’s training at the high school until 2011. In his retirement, Wally authored the book: The Lands of Mission San Miguel.
The dedication ceremony for Mr. Ohles will take place at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, in front of the new 1000 building located in the center of campus. The ceremony will be part of Paso Robles High School’s Open House festivities that same evening, which are scheduled to take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The community is cordially invited to attend both the dedication ceremony and Open House festivities."
