Theodore Dwight Buettell, a resident of Pacific Palisades since 1957, died of metastatic cancer on July 4 at age 88. Blessed with a great sense of humor, he would have enjoyed knowing he ‘went out with a bang.’ Born at home in a blinding blizzard on February 3, 1922 in Mitchell, South Dakota, Dwight grew up in small-town America where his father was the local dentist. He had one younger brother, Bob. During high school days, Dwight argued against George McGovern on the debate team, then moved to California to study at Caltech. Upon graduating in 1944 with a degree in industrial engineering, he was immediately drafted and trained as a Navy radar technician. On November 25, 1944, Dwight married the love of his life, Marjorie, a UCLA graduate with whom he would spend the next 65 years. After the war, he began work at Douglas Aircraft as part of the post-war aerospace boom, while contributing to the baby boom with Michael in 1946, Christina in 1949 and Heidi in 1953. Dwight attended night classes to earn his MBA at UCLA, began teaching ‘Time and Motion Study’ courses, and learned computer programming on the original room-size computers at UCLA. He usually carried a few ‘tab cards’ in his shirt pocket for handy scratch paper, and eagerly forecast the dawn of the computer age. In 1957, the Buettells moved to Rustic Canyon where Dwight planted a massive, experimental iris garden, taught the family how to use a telescope to map the skies and plotted exotic travels to the South Seas and Tibet. The family began attending the Palisades Presbyterian Church, and in 1972 they moved to the upper Chautauqua neighborhood. Dwight eventually settled at TRW, where he worked for decades as a computer consultant before retiring to his many hobbies, including geneology, rare maps, exotic seashells, travel and the L.A. County Museum of Art’s Far Eastern Art Council, which he served as president. At home, Dwight and Marjorie landscaped and maintained their own Japanese garden, grew several varieties of hibiscus and cymbidiums, and hosted garden tours and annual art sales. In their later years they also participated in the Caltech Century Club and enjoyed two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Dwight’s gentle kindness, sharp mind, eternal optimism and irrepressible good nature will long be cherished. There will be a small, family service at home. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations in Dwight’s name to the UCLA Prostate Cancer Research Program, the Palisades Presbyterian Church or the L.A. County Museum of Art’s Far Eastern Art Council.
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