Charles Meacham Flanigan Jr., BHS 1948

Charles Meacham Flanigan Jr.
December 2, 1930  -  April 12, 2015

Charles Meacham Flanigan Jr. “Meach” was born December 2,1930 to parents Charles Meacham Sr. and Shirley Mae Flanigan in Santa Barbara, California.

Meach moved and lived for a time in Ventura, California before moving to Burbank, California where he attended Edison Elementary School, Burroughs Junior High School and finally Burbank High School, graduating in 1948.

At the young age of 13, Meach’s desire for business began in his family garage. He started with a small hand letterpress, hand set type cases, and an entrepreneurial mind. Meach would travel around the surrounding neighborhoods gathering small printing orders such as business cards and invitations. Word spread and the business grew quite impressively.

After high school Charles Sr. kept the business going while Meach attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. During his college career Meach started the printing club “Mat Pica Pi” that still continues to this day. His college days were cut short due to the Korean War.

Meach joined the Navy to avoid the draft into the Army.
After basic training in San Diego, Meach was assigned to the USS Bataan (a smaller aircraft carrier which launched gull winged Corsairs) where he served in the onboard print shop and as anti aircraft ammunitions assistant. Though his tour sent him to the Sea of Japan and the South China Sea, he never faced an enemy engagement. After his one-year combat tour, Meach spent the remainder of his four years in Pearl Harbor where he again was assigned to the Print Shop.

Having been honorably discharged, Meach returned to Burbank, California and with his father Charlie, they began what was to become Flanigan Printers Inc. for the next 45 years.

It was during this time on August 30th, 1956 that Meach met, what was to be the love of his life, Audrey Gwenyth Bergum. The chance encounter happened at his, and her mutual friends wedding.

After a beautiful courtship, Meach and Audrey married on August 20th, 1958. Their marriage filled with love and great adventure, was shared for 57 years.

On July 4th 1960 Meach and Audrey were blessed with the birth of a baby girl, Karen Ann. Karen’s birth coincided with the first of what would be an annual camping trip with many close friends, causing a constant stream of calls from a campground payphone. The “Camping Group” was born. November 15th 1967 Charles Meacham Flanigan III “Charly”, a baby boy with brown hair and dark brown eyes was born. Seven months later, with the desire for a son and Karen’s constant begging, Charly was adopted and the family was complete.

Through the years, hard work and long hours did not keep Meach from family time. Home for dinner every night, even if a trip back to the shop was needed. The family always found time for fun with annual camping trips, snow skiing and frequent trips to the beach, the favorites being Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. Later, Meach and Audrey found fun with each other and friends in the game of golf. Though Audrey stopped playing due to her eyesight, golf remained a joy for Meach the rest of his days.

Meach is survived by wife Audrey Gwenyth Flanigan, daughter Karen Flanigan Stegman, son Charles Meacham Flanigan III “Charly”, grandson Curtis Leon Ayers III, grandson Joseph Branning Flanigan, son-in-law Scott Ford Stegman, and daughter-in-law Gabrielle Jacquet Flanigan.

To know Meach was to have a caring friend.

John Harrison Hollis, BHS 1940

John Harrison Hollis, BHS 1940
December 31, 1921 - February 10, 2017

John, a proud Veteran of World War II, passed away on February 10, 2017 at the age of 95. He was born in Los Angeles to John and Lola Hollis on December 31, 1921. His family moved to Burbank when he was eight years old and he lived in Burbank for the remainder of his life. He attended William McKinley Elementary School, John Burroughs Junior High, and graduated from Burbank High School in 1940.

John married his childhood sweetheart, Fern Lutge, on March 4, 1942. They were looking forward to celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary next month.

He is survived by his loving wife, Fern, and their five children. Daughters Johnianne (Jo) Canada (Ray), Linda Zulager (Bill), Katie Hollis; sons Mark Hollis (Patti), and Mike Hollis (Patti). He is also survived by one sister, Lolarie Grafstrom. He was Papa to nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

One of his greatest joys was spending time with his family - camping and fishing trips, backyard barbeques or traveling across the country in their motor home.Upon graduation from high school he attended Pasadena City College and then went to work for Lockheed. He was later drafted and served in the Army Air Corps as a flight mechanic. He served in the Pacific Theater for three years.

The family would like to thank the loving caregivers who helped care for him these past few years.There will be a celebration of his life on Tuesday, February 21st at 12:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, Church of the Hills. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans.

Published in The Burbank Leader on Feb. 18, 2017.

Norma May ‘Toots’ Drown Stephens, BHS 1958

Norma May ‘Toots’ Stephens

VICTOR – Norma May ‘Toots’ Stephens, 74, of Victor passed away Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 at St. Patrick Hospital. She was born Oct. 17, 1938 in Dillon, the daughter of the late Roscoe H. and Norma (Chatterton) Drown.

Norma grew up in Burbank, Calif., where she often worked alongside her father in Wild West shows. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1958. In the same year, she married Buford W. ‘Ace’ Stephens, a sailor in the U.S. Navy. At the time of her passing, the two had been married for 54 years.
Norma moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 1971 with her family. She worked for many years as a daycare provider, then as a substitute teacher at Victor, Corvallis, and Hamilton schools. She found great joy in spending time with her students and looked forward to opportunities to teach.

Norma is survived by her husband Ace of Victor; daughter Bambi and her partner Rey of Portland, Ore.; son Steve and his wife Nicole of Nashville, Tenn.; sister Linda and her husband Glenn Olbert of Victor, brother Richard and his wife Marilyn of Burbank, Calif.; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 at 4 p.m. at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.


Oct 23, 2012

Franklin Thomas Hovore, BHS 1963

Franklin Thomas Hovore, BHS 1963
August 19, 1945 El Centro, CA - September 22, 2006 Ecuador

Memorial Service Scheduled for Hovore

Services are scheduled for Oct. 7 in honor of Frank Thomas Hovore, 61, who died Friday while conducting research in Ecuador.

Hovore was credited with making the Placerita Canyon Natural Area and Nature Center one of the premier environmental education facilities in Southern California.

He was widely known as the world's authority on beetles, publishing books and dozens of papers on the subject. The service is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Robinson Ranch, located at 27734 Sand Canyon Road.

 

 Signal, The (Santa Clarita, CA) - Thursday, September 28, 2006          

Vicente David Gonzalez, BHS 1994?

Vicente David Gonzalez, BHS 1994?

Burbank Leader, March 1998

21-year-old is Burbank's third homicide of the year

Man killed in fight between rival gangs at Buena Vista Motel. Police hunt for suspects.

Media District North - Burbank police were searching Tuesday for the killer or killers of a 21-year-old Burbank man slain in the city's third homicide in three months.

Vicente Gonzalez who was shot in the head and stomach early Sunday morning at the Buena Vista Motel on Buena Vista Street, following an arguement between rival gang members, said Burbank Police Lt. Don Brown. Gonzalez was taken off life-support at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Monday afternoon and was pronounced dead shortly after, hospital officials confirmed.

No arrests were made as of late Tuesday in the incident, which Brown said involved as many as 100 people, including gang members from Burbank and Los Angeles. Brown would not say whether Gonzalez was a gang member.

The shooting occurred just after midnight Sunday at the motel located at 2255 N Buena Vista Street. The two gangs were holding seperate parties in rented rooms when they became aware of the other's presence and began to argue, Brown said.

The argument quickly escalated to bottle throwing. Then someone fired shots -- but not at random, Brown said. "Witnesses indicate  that the victim was chased down and shot," he said. "It's definitely 'murder one.' "

No one else was injured in the incident. Brown said police did not know how many people were actually involved in the shooting. At the time of the incident there were several other parties -- not gang related -- going on at the motel, Brown said. The gangs, both with as many as 1,000 members from Burbank and Los Angeles, are well known to area law enforcement, Brown said. Police were checking out solid leads in the case, he said.

Police believe party-goers and employees at the motel early Sunday may have seen the crime and may be able to identify the shooter. Brown said police have questioned or interviewed between 30 to 40 people. Phone calls to the motel management were not answered Monday and Tuesday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Burbank Leader, March 1998

Police continue search in third homicide of year

Vincente Gonzalez, 21, is buried. Co-worker says Burbank resident was trying to get out of gang life.

San Fernando - As grieving family and friends of 21-year-old Vincente David Gonzalez laid him to rest Friday in a simple ceremony at San Fernando Mission Chapel, Burbank Police continued the search for his killer or killers.

Gonzalez a lifetime Burbank resident, was gunned down Sunday morning at the Buena Vista Motel following a brawl among dozens of rival gang members who were holding separate parties in rooms there, police said. Gonzalez  apparently was chased down by gamg members and shot in the head and stomach.

Authorities are keeping quiet on how close they are to an arrest in the city's third homicide of the year, saying they don't want to jeopardize their case. Thet do however, say they are working on solid leads.

Gonzalez, a former busboy at Bobby McGee's restaurant, was trying to disassociate himself from gang life according to a friend who identified herself only as a close co-worker. "Vincent was hard-working, he was trying to get out of that whole thing." she said. "He had just been promoted."

She remembered him as caring and funny. Gonzalez was beloved by staff at the restaurant and many employees attended the funeral, she said. "He will be very missed," she said. Police have declined to say whether Gonzalez was a member of a gang.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burbank Leader, March 1998

Mr. Vincente David Gonzalez, 21, died March 2, 1998 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Mr. Gonzalez was born in California. He lived in Burbank all his life. He was an employee of Bobby McGee's restaurant.

Mr. Gonzalez is survived by his mother, Irma Alvarado; brothers, Gilbert and Enrique Gonzalez; and sisters, Elvita Gonzalez, Cynthia Alvarado and Tiffany Navarro.

Funeral services were Friday, March 6 at San Fernando Mission Chapel. Interment followed at San Fernando Mission Cemetery. The Valley Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Note: Do not know if he graduated from BHS. The above photo is from the 1994 yearbook and he was a member of the Tech Club. Do not know if he is a Soph, Junior or Senior in this photo.

Susan Elizabeth Young George, BHS 1971

Susan Elizabeth Young George, BHS 1971

December 9, 1952 - March 23, 2017

After a short battle with cancer, Susan went to be with Jesus while surrounded by her husband, children and grandchildren.

Susan is survived by her husband of 37 years, Bill George; daughters Sarah and Shannon; son Billy; and grandchildren Daniel, Rachel and Amber.

A memorial service will be held at Calvary Chapel, 713 Stocker Road, Big Bear Lake, on April 22 at 1 p.m. by Pastor Mike Fulmer and will be immediately followed by a reception.

Published in the Big Bear Grizzly, March 2017

Joshua Jarrard Harris, BHS 1992

Joshua Jarrard Harris, BHS 1992

 

June 26, 1974 - April 20, 2017

 

Joshua Jarrard Harris, 42, of Burbank, died April 20, 2017. "The best Bopa EVER!!!" as his 11 year old called him. He was selfless, caring, and loving to all. Visitation Saturday May 6th at All Caring Cremation from 12-4 and a celebration in Griffith Park.     

Published in the Los Angeles Times on May 5, 2017

 

Note on Facebook: Josh Harris suffered a heart attack on April 11th from which his brain was unable to recover. Josh was one of the most gentle people and was loved and admired by so, so many people. Please pass this message on to all those who will miss him, and we would all love to see your pictures and hear your memories of this magical, beautiful person. Announcements concerning celebrations of Josh's life and ideas on how to support his family are forthcoming."

 

Josh's father taught at Burbank High in the 60's. Josh is survived by his wife, son, brother and his father.

 

 

Geoffrey Palma, BHS 2000

From Geoffrey's Go Fund Me Page.

As many of you know, Geoffrey Palma has been battling medical issues for quite some time. He is being treated for brain tumors. Geoffrey has shown incredible strength during this difficult time and he's received tremendous support from his friends and family. He now has the opportunity to receive world class medical treatment at UCLA.  We need to get him there quickly and safely. Please contribute what you can so Geoffrey can be transported from Las Vegas to UCLA in an escorted ambulance.

We need $6000, let's make this happen today, this is an urgent need!!

Please donate AND share with your friends!!

UPDATE:
Geoffrey is at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center now, where he is getting the best possible treatment. With your prayers and support, he will pull through this trying times. Our family would like to thank everyone for their continued support. Let us keep praying for his recovery.
 
UPDATE:
Regarding Geoffrey Palma: early this morning April 25, 2017 our fellow Bulldog passed away at UCLA Medical Center. He had developed brain cancer I believe about two years ago and had fought long and hard. He won the battle for 4 years with a constant smile and optimism. Geoffrey can now rest easy in peace with that big beautiful smile
 
Rest In Peace Geoffrey! We will be listening to your guitar strum in the wind today...you will always be remembered! Geoffrey was an RN and studied Molecular and Cell Biology at California State University at Long Beach and graduated from Burbank High School with the class of 2000.

A Memorial Service will be held for Geoffrey on Friday May 5th at 10:00am. The service will be held at Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church at 133 N. 5th Street., Burbank Ca 91501. 

 
Because Geoffrey Palma was loved by so many and often spoke of returning to Las Vegas, the family would like to host a Celebration of Life Party on Sunday May 7th in Las Vegas, NV from 1:00pm-6:00pm for family and close friends. This party will be held at the Flamingo Banquet Hall, 3495 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nv 89121.

Please join our family in celebrating Geoff's life with his two favorite things...Food and Music.

Again, thank you for all the love and support to the Palma family.








 

Don Vettel, BHS 1963

Bakersfield Californian, The (CA) - Friday, May 17, 2013

Don Vettel: Longtime coach of West High speech team inspired many

Don Vettel, an award-winning speech and debate coach at West High School, died on Tuesday. He was 67.

Vettel began teaching at West in 1971 and oversaw the school's speech and debate team from 1973 to 2003 except for a two-year sabbatical from 1985 to 1987.

Under Vettel's leadership, West won the California State Championship sweepstakes trophy in 1982 and 1983, and won the Sierra National Forensic League District tournament sweepstakes plaque 10 times. His 1984 team placed fifth nationally.

Vettel also was a 10-year council member of the California High School Speech Association, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1992, and served as president of the Southern Valley Forensic League for four years.

The longtime coach was born and raised in Burbank and graduated from UC Berkeley in 1966 before going on to graduate at UC Santa Barbara. He taught in Oxnard briefly before joining the staff at West, where he finished out his career.

Many of Vettel's students were inspired to pursue careers in education. Mike Zulfa, Kern High School District assistant superintendent of instruction, is a former team member. So is North High School math teacher Susan Begin, whose mother remembers Vettel fondly.

"His class was probably the most valuable class my daughter took in high school," said Ann Bigler, 74. "He demanded excellence, and he got it. You had to write your own speeches, and he critiqued them, and you wrote it over again 25 times."

Many of Vettel's students also went into careers in law, including prosecutor David Zulfa and civil litigator Bernie Barmann Jr., 46.

"He put in hours before, during and after school that went well beyond what were justified by his salary," Barmann said. "He taught me discipline, the value of hard work, research, persuasion and analytical skills, and the power of preparation.

"Plus, it was a lot of fun."

Vettel was not married and had no children.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 2 at West High School, 1200 New Stine Road.

Paul A. Cox Jr., BHS 1985

PAUL A. COX, JR.

Born September 13, 1966. Passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 29, 2006 in Temecula, California. He is survived by his parents, Ron and Carol Minnick; fiancé, Kristin Hoover; son, Mark Cox; daughter, Ashlee Cox; brother, Eric (Teri) Cox and their children David and Amber; brother, Rick Minnick; and sister, Pam (Jayson) Peterson and their daughter Payton. Services to be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 8, 2007, at Forest Lawn Glendale, Church of the Recessional.

Published in Los Angeles Daily News on Jan. 7, 2007