Sunday, October 31, 2010

Fay Wark Burdick-Burn, BHS 1976

Fay Wark Burdick-Burn, BHS 1976 
1958-2009 

Fay Wark Burdick-Burn of Lake View Terrace died Dec. 12, 2009. She was 50. Born Nov. 7, 1958, she attended Emerson Elementary School, John Muir Middle School and Burbank High School. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1976 where she played volleyball. 

She was a member of National Charity League, Burbank Chapter. Burdick-Burn played volleyball and was on the Honor Roll at Los Angeles Valley College. She continued her studies as a business major at Cal State Northridge. 

She is survived by her husband, Jack Burn; her daughter, Kaylee Michelle Burdick; her parents, Ralph and Katy Wark of Burbank, brother-in-law and sister Werner and Allana Schwarz; and their family, Nik, Brett and Katy. 

Her hobbies were family, camping, water-skiing and deep-sea fishing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She walked and ran for breast cancer in the Los Angeles area with friends and her daughter, Kaylee. Her friends walked the last Breast Cancer Marathon wearing jackets bearing her name. She was employed by Western Jett of Van Nuys.
Services are pending.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Henrietta "Hetty" ELizabeth Niers Gaeb, BHS 1965

Henrietta "Hetty" ELizabeth Niers Gaeb, BHS 1965

Published in The Seattle Times from December 17 to December 18, 2009

Hetty E. GAEB August 17, 1947 ~ December13, 2009 In loving memory of a wonderful mother, grandmother & friend. Services are Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Normandy Park United Church of Christ, 19247 1st Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98148.

Selfless act interrupts one life to save another's

By Mary SwiftSeattle P-I COLUMNIST, April 29, 2007

On Friday, SeaTac's Hetty Gaeb walked into her office at the Alaska Airlines Seattle reservations center in Kent with an angel beside her: Federal Way's Carolyn Jenkins. Jenkins smiled shyly, but if you wanted to see sheer delight in being alive, Hetty Gaeb was it. She laughed; she cried. She hugged co-workers, her blue eyes dancing with excitement. She'd turned 60 on April 17. But she already had the best present: Jenkins' left kidney.

Just call that a gift from out of the blue.

The women were co-workers at Alaska, but not really close. Still, employees there are a family. They all knew that Gaeb, who was battling kidney disease, had waited for a kidney transplant for four years and had been on dialysis for three. By last summer, her health was in serious decline and her co-workers knew it. When she wasn't working, she was getting dialysis. She was so drained, whatever spare time she had she spent resting.

"It just seemed like somebody needed to do something," Jenkins said. And so she did. One night Jenkins went to visit Gaeb. "I want to give you a kidney," she said. "I'm being tested." And there the two women stood, fingers crossed, as they waited to see if a transplant was possible. Meanwhile, Jenkins, 55, readied herself for early retirement. One night, co-workers feted her at Poppa's Pub in Kent. That same day, she got the news -- and she broke it to Gaeb at the party: She was "a perfect match."

On March 15, doctors at Swedish Medical Center removed Jenkins' kidney and transplanted it into Gaeb. Three days later, Jenkins left the hospital. Gaeb went home two days after that. But before Jenkins left, Gaeb's two sons paid her a visit. "Thank you for saving our mother's life," they told her.

On Friday, Gaeb announced: "This is my guardian angel. I turned 60 and got a second chance at life. That's all I can say. It's an amazing journey. I feel fabulous." Gaeb, who expects to go back to work in July, said Jenkins' gift frees her from dialysis. That gives her 17 more hours of free time each week, she said, time that she can spend with a grandchild.

What kind of a person voluntarily interrupts her own life to save someone else's? How was it that Jenkins didn't do what so many of us do each day -- get so involved in our own lives, problems and activities that we turn our backs and hope someone else will take action? Maybe it's what makes an angel. Co-workers watching the two women on Friday said that what Jenkins did was perfectly in character. "Everybody was saying this is so much like Carolyn," Linda Wortman said. "It's just the kind of person she is. And the fact she'd just started her retirement and she chose to spend the first few months making this happen is so incredible. And she isn't the kind that would look for attention for doing it."

Normally, Jenkins said, that would be true. In this case, she didn't mind. "It was inconvenient. But it feels so good to give. I want other people to realize they can do it too."

Friday, October 29, 2010

Richard Scott Strickland, BHS 1963

Richard Scott Strickland, BHS 1963

SCOTT STRICKLAND

On Friday, April 22, 2005, Scott Strickland died suddenly of Heart Failure at his home in Santa Clarita, California. Scott was born on March 13th, 1945 in Austin, Texas and soon after ended up in a suburb of Burbank, California. He was a track star in high school, an avid surfer and all around athlete.

Scott joined the Burbank Fire Dept at the age of 21 and rose through the ranks to Battalion Chief. After retirement he worked with his brother as LA Division Manager for his construct ion company and later became Fire Chief at JPL (NASA) - safety officer for a toxic waste Superfund clean up site and became Director of Safety of US operations for Bimbo Bakeries USA after they purchased Mrs. Baird's, his previous employer.

Scott received his masters in Political Science and Governmental Affairs. He was talented, insightful, intelligent, witty, humorous and razor sharp in his approach. He could make you cry with laughter or melt you verbally if you needed to be challenged.

He is survived by his wife Becky who was his ray of sunshine along with their daughter Tia and husband Brett, daughter Shellie and grandchildren Nicole, Brittia, Amy and Beth, parents Don and Betty Wayne, brother Jon (who has lost his hero) and his wife Teresa, sisters Clarity and Diane, nephews Trevor, Tanner, Austin and niece Amanda. Scott also loved his dogs; Chin, Gabby, Minnie, Haley and his bird Wylie.

A man that enjoyed family, surfing trips to San Onofre, his collection of Harley's and old comedy movies. Scott was an extremely loved man that will be dearly missed and left this planet in such a rush that heaven must have had some fires to put out.

A Celebration of Scott's life will be held at the "Castaways Restaurant" in Burbank in the "Mountain View Room", California, at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 3, 2005. Donations should be sent to the "Grossman Burn Center" at Sherman Oaks Hospital, 4929 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 in Memory of Scott Strickland.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Rosa Aguillon, BHS 2006?

Rosa Aguillon, BHS 2006?

Student dies in pool accident

June 18, 2003 Ben Godar, Burbank Leader

Students at Burbank High School on Tuesday continued to mourn the death of a popular 15-year-old freshman who was electrocuted while swimming in a pool over the weekend. Rosa Aguillon was shocked by a malfunctioning swimming pool light at a home in Panorama City about 6:50 p.m. Sunday, according to LAPD Detective Al Aldaz.

Teachers at the high school were notified of Aguillon's death Monday morning, Principal Leslie DeRoos said, adding that many students were upset by the news. "The counseling staff and our school psychologist saw more than 100 kids yesterday," she said Tuesday.

Students erected a memorial to Aguillon along a chain-link fence in the school's courtyard. Dozens wrote messages on long rolls of paper attached to the fence, and several bouquets of flowers were laid on nearby steps. Students put up several items related to SpongeBob SquarePants, and others wrote they were praying for Aguillon and wished they had known her better. "You'll always be in our hearts," wrote one student. "I'll never forget your big smile. I love you." In her memory, school officials played one of Aguillon's favorite songs, "Every Step I Take," by P. Diddy, over the loudspeaker Tuesday, DeRoos said.

Aguillon's death stunned many students at the school, junior Norta Butros said. "Everybody feels sad, even if they didn't know her," she said. "She was so young. She didn't even finish half her life." Bret Harte Elementary School Principal Diane Berger remembered Aguillon as outgoing. "She was a very happy, bubbly girl, full of hopes and dreams for the future," Berger said.

Audrey Brooks, who supervises the child-care program at Bret Harte, had known Aguillon since she was 4, and also knew her two younger sisters. "I didn't know about it until Monday morning," Brooks said. "It was just a real shock. It's just really tough."

People at the home where Aguillon was swimming Sunday performed CPR, but she was unresponsive when paramedics arrived, Aldaz said. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Police have ruled the death accidental, but crews from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety will inspect the pool to try to determine the source of the malfunction. "This is just a tragic death," Aldaz added.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Reverend Paul E. Hamlin, BHS 1934


The Reverend Paul E. HAMLIN (Age 94)

The Reverend Hamlin had a quick, dry wit and twinkling blue eyes. He was as noted for his one-liners as he was for his intuitive comforting words. He was kind, generous and compassionate. Born in 1915 in Chicago, he was the eldest of four. His family moved to California where he was raised in (then rural) Hollywood/Burbank. He came of age during the Great Depression and remembered having his shoes resoled with tire treads, cleaning chicken coops, milking goats, and getting his driving license at age 13, the legal age at the time!

A good student at Burbank High School, he excelled in running track, and set a record 4:39 minute mile which remained unbroken for over thirty years. During these years he became active in Scouting, where he developed his appreciation for hiking in the mountains. He eventually obtained the level of Eagle Scout, climbed Mount Rainier and the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

After high school, he felt Called to the ministry and began memorizing hundreds of scripture verses which he always remembered. He entered UCLA and worked his way through college by driving a school bus and working at the Post Office. He graduated with degrees in History and Philosophy, and then entered Baptist seminary, where he learned to read Greek and earned his Master's in Theology. He was Ordained a Minister and remained so for the rest of his life. In 1940 he married his college sweetheart Bette Hadsell, and five years later they began their family having three children who were born about one year apart.

Paul took his first pastorate at Bremerton Baptist. From there he served a Baptist congregation in Richland which was meeting in a movie theater! He helped them plan and break ground for their church building and then joined the Methodist Conference. He served Methodist churches in LaCrosse, Tekoa/Farmington, Kent, Spokane (Manito) and Tacoma (Asbury). He eventually retired from the active ministry and was hired by the Pierce County Family Court

Commissioners as a Marriage Counselor. During this time he volunteered to serve as Chaplain for McNeill Island Penitentiary, commuting weekly across the water.
During his years of pastoring, he performed numerous marriages, baptisms, and funerals, and for many summers was Director of "Junior Camp" at Twinlow. He continued to grow spiritually attending numerous CFO's (Camps Farthest Out). He and his wife Bette always had a weekly Friday night date to go Square Dancing, for which he "duded-up" in Western attire, and they enjoyed doing this for many years. At one time, Paul even became a Caller! The last group they belonged to was "Hix & Chix." Together, they built homes in Long Beach, and Gig Harbor. They planned to retire on Maui, Hawaii. But alas, after forty years of marriage, Bette passed away and he married Stella Hansen of Tekoa, who also passed. His third marriage to Daisy Grogg ended in divorce. He lived in Cleveland Ohio, continued attending CFO, and then returned to Spokane settling into Rockwood Manor, enjoying happy years of independent living and weekly ballroom dancing at the Senior Center.

Paul always loved to run for recreation as well as competition! He won many trophies and ribbons running everything from 3K's to 25K's, including the Coeur 'd Alene and LA Marathons, Sound-to-Narrows and Bloomsday. He actually ran until his knees gave out in his middle 80's! Always full of adventure, he obtained his pilot's license, enjoyed river-rafting, boating, even Disneyland, and especially cherished the times he spent with his children and grandchildren. He was a member of Central Methodist, Toastmasters, Rotary, Lion's Club, traveled to India, Europe, Australia, and the Holy Land, wrote a newspaper column, a booklet, The Spiritual Jogger, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels. He continued to grow spiritually attending Church Services, Bible Study and praying. He cared deepy for others and touched many lives.

Paul is survived by brother Dr. Daniel Hamlin, daughter Sarah (Sherli) Jensen, son Steven Hamlin, daughter Pauline (Dixon) Hamlin, grandchildren Stephanie (Dixon) Orr, Heather (Jensen) Burtts, Scott Dixon, Betsy (Jensen) Clark and great-grandchildren Zoey Burtts and T. Samuel Burtts. Great-grandbaby Holden James Clark was born five days before Paul passed. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews and great nephews and nieces.

Finally, Paul enjoyed reading the Spokesman Review, particularly the Obituaries! He joked many times, "Well, I just got done reading the obituaries, and my name wasn't there, so I guess I'm still alive & kickin'. " He passed away, peacefully on June 22, 2010. A Celebration of The Reverend Hamlin's life will be held August 1, 2010 at 2:00 pm in the main lounge of Rockwood Retirement South 2903 E 25th Ave, Spokane. The family requests any memorials to be sent to Shalom Ministries, 518 West 3rd Ave. Spokane, WA 99201-4304.

Published in Spokesman-Review from July 25 to July 26, 2010

Monday, October 25, 2010

George W. Rankin, BHS 1948

George W. Rankin, BHS 1948

George Rankin, 79, life service March 7

Tuesday, February 24, 2009, The Hillsboro Argus-Oregon

VERNONIA - George W. Rankin, 79, Vernonia, died Feb. 13, 2009, at his home. A life celebration will be 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1350 E. Knott St., Vernonia.

Mr. Rankin was born Aug. 13, 1929, in Blackwell, Okla., a son of William P. and Pansy Rankin. He grew up in Blackwell. When he was 12 his family moved to Los Angeles and he graduated from Burbank High School in 1948.

He married Juanita Ann O'Conner, Dec. 10, 1952, in Seattle. He lived in Seattle until 2005. He was a cabinet builder and worked as a master carpenter building cabinets for homes in the Seattle area. After he retired, he worked for the Sunset Bowling Alley in Ballard, Wash. He moved to Vernonia in 2005 to be near his daughter and, an avid bowler, enjoyed spending his free time at the bowling alley.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita, in 2002; his son, Douglas E. Rankin, in 2008; and by six brothers and two sisters. Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and David Naillon; a brother, Bob Rankin; and two grandsons and four great grandchildren.

Remembrances: American Cancer Society, 0330 SW Curry St., Portland, OR 97201. Arrangements: Tualatin Valley Funeral Alternatives, Hillsboro.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

June Ellen Minckley Sundmacher, BHS 1943

June Ellen Minckley Sundmacher, BHS 1943

June Ellen Sundmacher, of Burbank, passed away on January 13, 2010.

June leaves behind her loving husband, Herbert Sundmacher, her niece, Joy Lee, and her nephew, Richard. She was a lifetime member of Glendale Eastern Star and Burbank White Shrine. She worked at Burbank Municipal Court for thirty-eight years.

Funeral Services will be held on January 22, 2010 in the Faith Chapel at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Hollywood Hills, CA.
Published in the Los Angeles Times on January 20, 2010.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Rev. David Clemens "Bud" Newquist, BHS 1937

Rev. David Clemens "Bud" Newquist, BHS 1937
November 23,1918 - January 15, 2007

Yakima Herald-Republic, January 21, 2007

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Rev. David Clemens Newquist entered heaven on January 15, 2007. "Bud", as he was affectionately called, was born on November 23, 1918 in Ray, Arizona to Arvid and Hannah Newquist, immigrants from Sweden. Dave grew up in southern California with his three sisters, Clara, Helen, and Evelyn, often helping his father in the construction of homes and the airport hanger for Amelia Earhart's plane.

Dave graduated from Burbank High School and UCLA where he played football. A Christian since six years old, Bud was active in the Mission Covenant Church. While at UCLA, he was active in the college group at Hollywood Presbyterian Church lead by Henrietta Mears (mentor to Rev. Billy Graham and Rev. Bill Bright founder of Campus Crusade for Christ). It was there he answered God's call to ministry.

Dave matriculated at Princeton Theological Seminary for three years and attended William & Mary College Navy Chaplain School. He was stationed as marine chaplain at Camp Lejeune military base in Jacksonville, North Carolina. There he met a charming southern girl, Bettie Ruth Johnson, who played piano for services at the Baptist church where Dave occasionally preached. David and Bettie married on September 4, 1945 in the Mission Covenant Church in Los Angeles. (They celebrated their 61st anniversary in 2006.) Ten days later, Dave was shipped to Japan in the first wave of reconstruction troops after the dropping of the atomic bomb.

On returning to the States and finishing studies at Princeton, Dave and Bettie moved back to California and had two daughters, Carolyn Ruth (husband Jerry Hardebeck), daughter, Cara (husband Chris Curry) and son, Nathan (wife Robin, son Austin) and Sharon Rae (husband Steve Soames) daughter Alicia (husband Daniel McIntosh), son Dylan (wife Jennifer), and son Garrett).

Dave had his first church in Coalinga, California. The family then moved to Edinburgh, Scotland where Dave did doctoral studies at New College University and where son, John David was born (wife Cathy), daughter, Crystal (husband Guy, daughter Caitlyn) and daughter Emerald). Next they moved to Shawnee, Pennsylvania where Dave had two churches. They brought with them a new daughter, Patti Sue (husband Craig Anderson) daughter Rachael).

Then the Newquists moved to West Seattle, Washington and ministered at West Side Presbyterian Church. Beverly Dawn was added to the family (husband Greg Loughnane, daughter Nicole). Dave's next church was Westminster Presbyterian in Yakima, Washington, where he and Bettie returned to celebrate their 60th anniversary in 2005.

Then Dave pastored at First Presbyterian Church in Bakersfield, California and retired from there in 1984. He continued with interim work in Nevada, New Mexico, Sacramento, Centralia, and Gig Harbor. He finished his work as Chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield.

Dave loved and served the Lord all his life. He also loved gardening, golfing, fishing, stamp collecting, telling jokes and laughing, watching TV westerns, and spending time with friends and his family, wife Bettie, six children, eleven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Services are planned for February 3rd, 2007 at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 17th & H, Bakersfield, California. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your favorite youth organization or mission on behalf of Dave.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Betty Yapp Hancock, BHS 1947

Betty Yapp Hancock, BHS 1947

Nevada Appeal, May 25, 2006
A memorial service for Betty Y. Hancock, 76, a five-year Carson City resident, will be 2 p.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Hancock died May 23, 2006, at her home. She was born Sept. 14, 1929 in Camden, N.J., to Lewis J. Yapp and Reba C. Hutchison. She married Thomas W. Hancock on Nov. 20, 1954, in Burbank, Calif. Before moving to Carson City, she lived in Burbank for 43 years. She graduated from Burbank High School and attended Glendale College.

Mrs. Hancock was a homemaker and worked for Lockheed Aircraft. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Carson City. She enjoyed cooking, homemaking and traveling. She was preceded in death by her brother Lewis J. Yapp Jr.
Among her survivors are her husband of Carson City; sons and daughters-in-law Neil L. and Debra of South Lake Tahoe, Jeffrey W. and Holly S. of Ventura, Calif., and Keith A. andJoan V. of Acworth, Ga.; brother Frank H. Yapp of Palm Desert, Calif.; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held in Burbank at a later date. Capitol City Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Dale Bernard Cordier, BHS 1970

Dale Bernard Cordier, BHS 1970


KRLA, Dale broadcast traffic for many years in the Southland, heard on KRLA and USA Radio News. Born July 1, 1952, in Pennsylvania, he graduated from Burbank High School in 1970 and served in the U.S. Army. Dale died August 28, 2001, at the age of 49.

Burbank Leader, September 08, 2001
DALE BERNARD CORDIER
Dale Bernard Cordier, 49, died Aug. 28, 2001, in his Burbank home.Mr. Cordier was born July 1, 1952, in Pennsylvania. He was a longtime Burbank resident. Mr. Cordier was a broadcast news anchor with USA Radio News and also Air Watch on radio's KRLA-AM (870). He graduated from Burbank High School in 1970 and served in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia White Cordier; sons Jonathan C. Cordier and Sean D. Cordier; daughter Aimee M. Cordier; mother Agnes I. Cordier; brothers David A. Cordier and Donald E. Cordier; and sister

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Stacy Rowles, BHS 1973

Stacy Rowles, BHS 1973

Stacy Rowles, 1955 - 2009

L.A. jazz trumpet and fluegelhorn player

November 08, 2009, Los Angeles Times, Keith Thursby

Stacy Rowles, a jazz trumpet and fluegelhorn player and vocalist who was the daughter of pianist and composer Jimmy Rowles, has died. She was 54. Rowles died Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at her home in Burbank of complications after a car accident, said her sister, Stephanie Rowles.
Rowles was a fixture on the L.A. jazz scene. She played with such groups as Maiden Voyage, the Jazz Birds and Jazz Tap Ensemble. She also built a following in Europe, where she regularly toured.

Her recordings included "Looking Back" in 1992 and "Me and the Moon" in 1993, both with her father, and "Tell It Like It Is" in 1984.

Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler in The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999) called Rowles "a respected and creative artist" who played "with the kind of warmth and precision long associated with her father." Jimmy Rowles played in the Benny Goodman, Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey orchestras; accompanied Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and other singers; and performed as a soloist. He died in 1996.

"Dad and I just have this thing about music that is incredible," she told The Times in 1992, before they played together in Huntington Beach. "And it only happens when we play together. It's like an unexplainable understanding of where we're going and what we're going to do. And it's just there. It's like a language, but it's not spoken -- like a communication."

"There were several times when I was a teenager when he would bring people home to show me off. He'd bring Snooky Young and all these trumpet players home in the middle of the night and wake me up and say: 'Come down and play.' And so I'd have to drag myself out of bed, come down and play some march or something which -- being in junior high school or high school at the time -- was all I knew," she said.

Rowles, born Sept. 11, 1955, started playing the piano at 6 but said her father didn't pressure her.

"I didn't really like the piano much and spent a lot of time messing around trying to find my instrument," she said. "When I finally found the trumpet, he was delighted."

In a 2003 review, Don Heckman wrote in The Times that Rowles' fluegelhorn playing, "even more than her trumpet work, combined a warm often sensuous sound with brisk swinging, melodically based improvisations."

In addition to her sister Stephanie, of Cambria, Rowles is survived by her brother, Gary, of Lebanon, Ore. The family is planning a celebration of Rowles' life and music.
 
New York Times, November 7, 2009

Stacy Rowles, Jazz Musician, Is Dead at 54
By Ben Ratliff

Stacy Rowles, a jazz trumpeter, fluegelhorn player and singer who had been active on the Los Angeles jazz scene since the 1980s, died on Oct. 27 at her home in Burbank, Calif. She was 54.
The cause was complications from a car accident on Oct. 13, said her sister, Stephanie Rowles.
The daughter of the jazz pianist and composer Jimmy Rowles, Ms. Rowles was perpetually under-discovered: better known in Europe than in Americia, and much better known on the West Coast than around New York.

She played restful, melodic solos with a warm tone and sang in a wise, honest voice, shy but swinging.

Ms. Rowles made her name partly in the company of her father, with whom she often played until shortly before his death in 1996. The albums they made together included Mr. Rowles’s "I’m Glad There Is You"; "Me and the Moon" and "Looking Back," under the leadership of both Rowleses; and "Tell It Like It Is," her only album as a leader, released in 1984.

For a stretch in the early ’90s, father and daughter shared a weekly gig at Linda’s, a Los Angeles jazz club.

On her own, Ms. Rowles also played regularly in several all-female jazz groups, including the Jazz Birds and Maiden Voyage, in both of which she played alongside the trumpeter Betty O’Hara, and the European band Witchcraft, with which she had toured since 2002.

In addition to her sister, of Cambria, Calif., she is survived by her brother, Gary, of Lebanon, Ore.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Richard "Rick" Charles Nebeker, BHS 1967

Richard Charles Nebeker, BHS 1967
Yesterday, Saturday October 16, 2010 one of the greatest men ever passed away. He was with his family and he was doing what he loved. Rick died of a massive heart attack. He will be missed I am sure by all who knew him.

Thank you to eveyone who has called and given their condolances and I want you to know he loved you all dearly. I will post about a memorial service later. Katie (daughter).


Alpine man collapses at Fremont Park
By Bruce Mehew
Published on October 18, 2010
(SEVIER) – A hiker from Alpine collapsed from an apparent heart attack on a trail Saturday afternoon at the Fremont Indian State Park. A Sevier County Sheriff’s report said that 61-year old Richard Nebeker was hiking with his family when he collapsed at about 3pm Saturday.
Family members told deputies that Nebeker had a history of heart problems prior to collapsing but the exact cause was not known at the time. Sevier County Emergency Personnel responded and transported the man to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Sandra "Sandi" Wilkes Pyne, BHS 1969

Sandra "Sandi" Wilkes Pyne, BHS 1969

Burbank Newspaper, January 27, 1970

Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday for Sandra Pyne, 19, who died Friday, January 23, 1970. Services will be at 10 a.m. at the Little Country Chapel at Pierce Brothers Mortuary, 10621 Victory in North Hollywood. Interment will follow at Valhalla Memorial Park.

She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Wilkes of Burbank; one sister, Mrs. Connie Mills of Arleta; one brother, Jerry Thomas of Charleston, West Virginia, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Field of Charleston, West Virginia, and Mrs. Henrietta Wilkes of Ontario.

NOTE: Sandi was shot and killed by her estranged husband and former Burbank High School english teacher Raymond Pyne. Ray Pyne was found guilty and sent to prison, but has since been parolled and is no longer in prison and is a free man.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Richard Earl Epperson (Bahrman), BHS 1962

Richard Earl Epperson Bahrman, BHS 1962

Los Angeles Times, March 25, 1962

Richard Bahrman, 18, of 2313 North Sparks Street, Burbank, and Edward Emard, 18, of 179 West Valencia Avenue, Burbank, were killed in an auto accident last weekend at Glendale Blvd. and Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, police reported. Officers said the car in which they were riding went out of control on rain-slickened streets.

NOTE: Richard was born Richard Earl Epperson on January 28, 1944 in Saint Paul, MN and died on March 18, 1962 as a senior at Burbank High School. At Burbank High School Richard was known as Richard Bahrman as he was raised by his grandparents.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Jon Seppanen, BHS 1963

Jon Seppanen, BHS 1963

Valley News, Sunday, February 12, 1967

SET SERVICES TOMORROW FOR VICTIM OF AIR CRASH

Funeral services for Jon Seppanen of 810 N. Mariposa Ave, Burbank who died after a plane crash in Lake Powell, Utah, last week, will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the chapel at Glenhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary, 18017 N. Lopez Canyon Road, San Fernando. Interment will follow.

Seppanen, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Seppanen of the same address, apparently drowned after escaping from the single-engine plane he was in which plunged into Lake Powell while attempting to take off.
Kim O'Brien, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. James O'Brien of Hatton place, Reseda, a close friend of Seppanen's also drowned after escaping the plane. The Cessna 172 Skyhawk crashed about 200 yards from shore. Funeral services for O'Brien were held yesterday in St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Reseda. Interment followed in San Fernando Mission Cemetery. Robert Kush of 12960 Dronfield Street, Sylmar, was the sole survivor of the accident. He swam to shore following the crash.
The three men apparently were flying up and down the Colorado River Canyon searching for suitable camping sites. They left Van Nuys Airport Tuesday afternoon, and had been scheduled to return Thursday afternoon.
Seppanen was a graduate of Burbank High School and attended Glendale City College for three years. He had a private pilot's license and was gaining hours on the trip toward his commercial license. Seppanen also held a power plant license, which authorized him to do mechanical work on plane engines. He had joined the 146th Air Wing of the Air National Guard Base in Van Nuys eight weeks before his death.
He is survived by his parents and a sister, Shirley Lentz, of Cottonwood, California.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Carolyn Wilma Stevenson Ludlow, BHS 1926

Carolyn Wilma Stevenson Ludlow, BHS 1926

Ojai Valley News, Friday, March 23, 2007

Carolyn Wilma Ludlow, 95, of Ojai, died Monday, March 19, 2007, at Ojai Valley Community Hospital. She was born July 1, 1908, in Long Beach, California. She and her family lived in Burbank, California, and she graduated from Burbank High School.

She married William "Bill" Ludlow on July 14, 1929, and they lived in Van Nuys and Burbank before moving to Newhall, California in 1945. Mrs. Ludlow worked as a district secretary for the Sulphur Springs School District from 1952 to 1972. Mr. and Mrs. Ludlow retitred in 1972 and moved to Ojai, where they lived at the El Sereno Mobile Home Park. In October 2005, Mrs. Ludlow moved to the Gables of Ojai as a resident in an independent living apartment. She was an active member of the Ojai Presbyterian Church and volunteered at the church office from 1992 to 2006.

Mrs. Ludlow is survived by her two daughters, Joan Biddison, of Spokane, Washington, and Majorie Weston, of Malibu, California; three grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1992 and her parents.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 24, at 11 a.m. at Ojai Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Jeff Holland and Scott Beck officiating. A reception will follow at the church. Private inurnment will be at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California. The family requests that donations be made to a memorial fund at the Ojai Presbyterian Church, 304 N. Foothill Road, Ojai, CA 93023.
Arrangement are under the direction of the Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Zella Brugler Barvitz-Box, BHS 1943

Zella Brugler Barvitz-Box, BHS 1943

Mendocino Beacon, March 2, 2006

Zella Barvitz-Box of Anchor Bay, Calif., passed away on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006 at Mendocino Coast District Hospital after a long illness. She was 80. There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Gualala.

She was born on June 26, 1925 in Sacramento, Calif., to Herbert and Eleanor Brugler. Zella grew up in Folsom, Calif., until the age of 15 years, when she moved with her family to Burbank, Calif. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1943. On March 6, 1945 she married Leonard Barvitz. They lived in Phoenix where their children Michael and Fredericka were born. After moving to the San Fernando Valley, their son Paul was born. In 1964 the family moved to Fort Bragg to operate the Western Auto Store. In 1972 they moved to Burney, Calif., where they also operated a Western Auto Store.

Zella and Leonard helped to raise several foster children. Dot said, "I dont know where I would be today if it were not for them." After Leonards death in 1977, Zella continued to operate the store until moving to Buellton in 1978. In 1983 she married Clifton Box. They lived in Southern California before moving to Anchor Bay in 1989, where they have lived for the past 16 years.
Zella worked most of her adult life retiring in 1998. She will always be remembered for her great love of animals and her passion for cooking and developing new recipes.

She is survived by her husband, Clifton Box; son, Michael Barvitz of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter, Fredericka and husband John Oaklay of Davis, Calif.; son, Paul Barvitz and wife Kate of Fort Bragg; foster daughter, Dot Van Cleave of Cottonwood, Calif.; grandchildren, Zach Barvitz and wife Sachie, Heather Barvitz, Aaron Barvitz and wife Erika, Adelie Oakley, Antonia Oakley, Jason Barvitz, Andrew Barvitz and wife Mandee, William Barvitz, and Katie Van Cleave; great grandchildren Rysa and Kade Barvitz, and Ty Barvitz. She is also survived by her sister, Diana Katz, and niece, Claudia Bigelow.

Memorials may be made to one of her favorite charities: Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, 1312 Peger Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709-5199 or Red Cloud Indian School, 100 Mission Dr., Pine Ridge, SD 57770-2100.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Dallas Langley, BHS 1938

Dallas Langley, BHS 1938

Burbank Daily Review, Tuesday, February 12, 1963

Dallas Langley - Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. for Dallas Landley by Forest Lawn Mortuary in the Church of the Hills, Hollywood Hills, Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The Rev. Charles Link of the Shadow Hills Presbyterian Church will officiate.

Mr. Langley died Saturday, February 9, 1963 in an Flagstaff, Arizona hospital. He was 73 years of age at the time of his death. A Burbank resident for 27 years, he had resided at 130 N. Broadway. Born in Popular Bluff, Missouri, he was a Southern Pacific locomotive engineer, having been a railroad man for 45 years. Mr. Langley was a member of East Gate Lodge 290, F & AM.

He is survived by his widow, IbbieK.; son, O. Edwin of Muskogee, OK, Carol D. of Saratoga, CA, Bill M. of Sunland, CA; daughters, Eveleen Landley of Burbank, Mrs. Katherine Gordon of Flagstaff, AZ, Mrs. Lavere Edwards of Sun Valley, Mrs. Dora Griffin of Kent, WA, Mrs. Virginia Long of Burbank, 16 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Interment will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Dorothy Mae Monson, BHS 1946


Dorothy Mae Monson, BHS 1946
Idaho Falls, Idaho

Dorothy Mae Monson, 77, of Idaho Falls, died December 27, 2005 at Life Care Center. She was under the care of Hospice.
She was born April 2, 1928, in Glendale, California to Stanley Thomas Monson and Verda Marion Ralphs Monson. She grew up in Burbank, California and attended schools there, graduating from Burbank Senior High School.She worked at Martino's Pie Company and then for 33 years as a Telephone Operator for AT & T. She moved to Idaho Falls in 1992, to be near Rockland, Idaho, the birthplace of her mother.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. Her hobbies included sewing and knitting. She loved the beautiful Idaho country and especially enjoyed her pet dogs.
Dorothy is survived by her twin brother, Donald Ralph Monson, of Idaho Falls, Idaho; her nephews, Dwayne Monson of Preston, Idaho, David Monson; nieces, Darlene Horwith, Denise Monson all of Idaho Falls. She was preceded in death by a brother, Reed Stanley Monson.
Funeral Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2005, at Wood Funeral Home with Bishop Fritz Schmutz of Idaho Falls LDS 3rd Ward officiating. Friends and family will meet at 10:30 a.m. prior to services at Wood Funeral Home. Burial will be in Glen Haven Cemetery in Sylmar, California.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Robert Ralph "Bob" Doyle, BHS 1955

Robert Ralph "Bob" Doyle, BHS 1955
Burbank Leader, Weekend, April 19-20, 2008

Robert Ralph "Bob" Doyle, 1937-2008, Oceano resident, Bob Doyle passed peacefully in his sleep at his home on March 22, 2008 after battling aggressive brain cancer for the last eight months.

Bob Doyle was born 1937 in Pontiac, MI and moved to Burbank in 1944 with his parents, Roy and Muriel Doyle. Bob attended Burbank High School, graduating in 1955 and went to work in the aerospace industry. On November 18, 1974 he married Amanda (Mandy) Sneison and moved to Canoga Park, California, where they lived until 1989, when Bob retired from Litton's Aero Products Division as senior buyer after 25 years of service.

During this time, Bob indulged his lifetime love of all things automotive by lovingly restoring and showing his 1967 El Camino, which would garner many awards, including being named "Best In Show" at Super Chevy Sunday in 1989. Also that year, Bob and Mandy moved to the central coast of California and settled in Oceano. It was here that Bob embarked on his second career with Miners Ace Hardware in Arroyo Grande, where with the ability to build or repair almost anything he soon became the "go-to-guy" for many customers.

 
Bob is survived by his wife of 33 years, Mandy Doyle of Oceano; his sons; Dale Doyle, of Vero Beach, Flordia, Stewart Snelson of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Kevin Doyle of San Dimas, California; his daughters; Jody Heidenblut of Orange Park, Floridia, Christine Phillips of Durango, Colorado, and Karen Adelmann of Capitola, California; his sister, JoAnn Coleman of Murrieta, California; and nine grandchildren. Mr. Doyle was preceded in death by his eldest son, Tad Doyle.

As all who knew him will surely understand, Bob, while always quick to help others, never wanted anyone to make a fuss over him. Per his wishes, his body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered by the family at a later date. No funeral service will be held.

The family requests that and memorial donations be made to Hospice Partners, who proved such meaningful support to Bob and Mandy during his illness.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Steven A. Rios, BHS 1944

Steve A. Rios, BHS 1944

January 09, 2002, Burbank Leader

Steve A. Rios, 76, died Jan. 2, 2002, in Burbank. Mr. Rios was born April 25, 1926, in Burbank, and was a lifelong Burbank resident. He worked as a machinist at ITT General Controls for 39 years. Mr. Rios was a longtime member of Senior Bulldogs, and he worked Monday bingo games at various locales.

Mr. Rios is survived by his wife, Darlene Rios; daughter and son-in-law Dixie and Dave Harned of Burbank; son and daughter-in-law John and Shelly Rios of Oceanside; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters Julia Casanova and Virginia Vasqueze; brother Vincent Rios; and 13 nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Valley Funeral Home, 2121 W. Burbank Blvd. Memorial donations can be made to the Senior Bulldogs Foundation, in care of Dixie Harned, 508 E. Dartmouth Road, Burbank, CA 91504.

Friday, October 8, 2010

James "Jim" Brownlee II, BHS 1966

James "Jim" Brownlee II, BHS 1966

Burbank Leader, 2001

James "Jim" Brownlee II, 52, died June 2, 2001, in LaVerne.

Mr. Brownlee was born September 13, 1948 in Glendale, California. He lived in Burbank for 27 years of his life, graduating from Burbank High School in 1966. For more than nine years, he was pastor of Love and Faith World Outreach Church.
Mr. Brownlee is survived by his wife, Judy; children Deborah Brownlee, Donna Hollmann, Laurie Garza, Robin Becerram Yvette Barrett and Dan Wilroy; 16 grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
 
Services will be held today at Love and Faith World Outreach Church, 2211 3rd Street, LaVerne, California. Call (909) 596-7396 for time.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Mark Patrick Wright, BHS 1985

Mark Patrick Wright, BHS 1985

Burbank Leader, Wednesday, September 24, 1986

Mark Patrick Wright died at the age of 18 on Wednesday, September 17, 1986 in Burbank.

He was born in Glendale and lived all his life in Burbank. He was employed at Hughes Market for two years and was a member of the Burbank YMCA and Boy Scouts.

He is survived by his parents, Frank and Sharon Wright, and a brother, Dean Wright.


Graveside services are today at 2 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. Valley Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

NOTE: Mark died in a motorcyle accident on Haven Way.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Richard Michael Romero, BHS 1964

Richard Michael Romero, BHS 1964

Burbank Leader, March 24, 2004

Richard Michael Romero, 57, died March 13, 2004, in Sun Valley. He was born Oct. 22, 1946, in Burbank, and was a lifelong Burbank resident.
He is survived by a daughter, Esther Romero of Los Angeles; and a sister, Yolanda Robortello of La Crescenta.

Services were Monday and Tuesday. He was interred at San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

John William Kunert, BHS 1965

John William Kunert, BHS 1965

John William Kunert was born May 21, 1947 in Burbank and died May 13, 2005 after a six-year battle against thyroid cancer.

John attended St. Francis Xavier Elementry School, Alamany High School and graduated from Burbank High School in 1965. He faithfully served his country in the United States Army from 1968-1970. John retired after 34 years of service from the United States Post Office in Burbank and was a resident of North Hollywood, California for 28 years.

John was a devoted husband, loving father, brother and son. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; daughter, Jennifer; son, Kevin; mother, Rosalie; and brothers, Rod, Bob and Brian. His father, Jerry Kunert, preceded John in death.

A funeral service will be at 3:00pm today, Wednesday, May 18, 2005 at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Stephen Michael Brown, BHS 1957

Stephen Michael Brown, BHS 1957
June 5, 1939 — Aug. 3, 2010

The News-Herald, Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Stephen Michael Brown, 71, passed away at his home in Lake Havasu City on Tuesday. He was born on June 5, 1939, in Burbank, Calif., to Oliver and Evelyn Brown.

Stephen moved to Lake Havasu City 17 years ago, coming from Los Angeles, where he resided for 54 years. He married his beloved wife, Barbara on Jan. 23, 1983, in Carson City, Nev.

Stephen will be deeply missed.

Stephen is survived by his wife of 27 years, Barbara Brown, of Lake Havasu City; children, Debra Meier, Dawn Brown and Tanya Smith; step-children, Deborah Albanese, Larry Cairo and Tom Cairo; grandchildren, Paige, Jordan, Jared, Rachel, Alyssa, Tasheena, Karlie, Michael, Jennifer, Nick, Sarah, Amy and Thomas; great-grandchildren, Ben, Lily, Zachary, Jamie and Joshua.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roscoe and Evelyn Brown; brother, Arnold; daughter, Denise; and granddaughter, Tiffany.Thoughts, memories and, condolences can be sent to the family at http://www.lakehavasumortuary.com/. Arrangements were under the care of Lake Havasu Mortuary and Crematory.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Kip E. Peeler, BHS 1973

Kip E. Peeler, BHS 1973

ACCIDENT CLAIMS SECOND LIFE

Burbank Daily Review, Saturday, November 8, 1975

Kip E. Peeler, 20, died Thursday, November 6, 1975 in a San Diego Hospital resulting from serious injuries he received in a September 19 Burbank car accident that left one other person dead.The accident occurred when the vehicle passed another car driving down Harvard Road from the Castaway restaurant and reportedly went out of control.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, he was a Burbank resident for three and a half years. He worked as a clerk for Ralph's market for two years.

He is survived by his mother, Patti Peeler of Burbank, his father, Charles E. Peeler of Illinois; his grandfather, Carl Lee of Payson, Utah; his grandmother, Mrs. Ted Peeler of Illinois; one brother, Tab Peeler and one sister, Shae, both of Burbank.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, November 10 at Eckerman and Heisman Funeral Service Chapel in Burbank. Interment will follow at Forst Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. Eckerman and Heisman Funeral Service, Burbank Directors.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Kathe Tanous Levenson, BHS 1960?

Kathe Tanous Levenson, Caricaturist BHS 1960

The East Hampton Star, September 27, 2010

Kathe Tanous Levenson, a painter, writer, and cartoonist perhaps best known in East Hampton for her more than 100 caricatures of well-known people on display at Della Femina restaurant in East Hampton, died on Friday at Southampton Hospital. Her husband of nearly 35 years, Bob Levenson, was beside her, "holding her toes."

She was 67 and had had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for the last few years. They lived on Lily Hill Lane in East Hampton.
Friends remembered Ms. Levenson as a talented artist with a big personality, whose sharp sense of humor was often reflected in her work.
"You always knew when she was in the room. She was beyond loud, she was raucous," her husband, Bob Levenson, said this week. "She brought light into every room just by being in it."
Ms. Levenson’s work was shown at the Elaine Benson Gallery, the Arlene Bujese Gallery, and the Wally Findlay Galleries, among others. A number of her oils and acrylics are displayed at Home Sweet Home Moving and Storage in East Hampton. Donna Freeman, whose family owns the business, said that "customers came in, especially in the dead of wintertime," and marveled at the hydrangeas, ocean, and clouds, that were the subjects of her works, "and just magical."
When Jerry Della Femina asked Ms. Levenson to do caricatures for his restaurant, "she went and visited every one of those people . . . and she got to know quite a few luminaries," Mr. Levenson said.
The couple were married on Dec. 31, 1975, "so I wouldn’t forget the date," he said, after having met while working together in California for Doyle, Dane and Bernbach, the advertising agency, where she was an art director.
She was born Oct. 6, 1942, to Henry J. and Helen Smith Tanous in Burbank, Calif., where she grew up and went to high school. She graduated from the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, which later became the California Institute of the Arts, and married a man from Saudi Arabia shortly thereafter. That marriage ended, and she returned to California.
"Like many people on the West Coast, they like to come to New York," Mr. Levenson said. In the 1970s, he "brought her to New York and ultimately gave her a job working as an art director," again at Doyle, Dane and Bernbach.
Also like many people from California, he said, she wasn’t particularly enamored with Manhattan. Without consulting him, she came back from a weekend visiting friends in East Hampton and announced she had rented a house on McGuirk Street in the village.
In 1983, Ms. Levenson published a children’s book called "When I Grow Up and You Grow Down," and for a time, her cartoons ran in The Southampton Press.
"She loved the things that all artists like about the area — light, and mostly the people that were here, not all artists, but local folks," her husband said. "She would just go and sit and make sure the ocean was still there, once a day anyhow. And got her two cents into a lot of things," he said, including the East Hampton Ladies Village Improvement Society.
For many years, the couple had a house on Useppa Island in southwest Florida. A memorial service is planned there at a later date. In East Hampton, friends and family will be invited to a celebration on Oct. 6, which was her birthday. She was cremated and her ashes will be spread here and in Florida.
Two stepsons, Keith Levenson of Westchester and Seth Levenson of Park City, Utah, survive, as do a brother and sister, Ron Tanous of Burbank and Dorothy Tanous, who lives in India.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Charles "Chuck" Vignale, BHS 1968

Charles "Chuck" Vignale, BHS 1968

September 2, 1950 - May 5, 2006
Chuck Vignale, 55, passed away May 5, 2006. He is survived by his wife,Cheryl; his mother Palma; daughter Leasa and son-in-law John Ireland; son Charlie and daughter-in-law, Cara; sons Chris, Paul, and Joey; brothers, Bob, Jim, "SISTER"-in-law Jeanette and Paul; brother-in-law Ed Riggs; grandchildchildren, Masison and Jackson; nieces, Trina, Stephanie, and Christina; nephews, Michael, John, and Jimmy; mother-in-law, Patricia Wilson, and many aunts and uncles and cousins; father-in-law and mother-in-law Doug and Pat Fischer. He was preceded in death by his father, Louis and brother, Joseph.
Chuck was born September 2, 1950 in Pittsburgh, PA.. His parents and brother moved to Burbank, California in 1956. Chuck gradusted from Burbank High School in 1968. He moved to Las Vegas in 1977 and became a poker dealer. He met his soon-to-become wife, Cheryl and they relocated to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 1985.
Chuck loved telling poker stories, boating, softball, and doing odd jobs around the house. He was a creative golfer with his son Charlie. Most of all he loved keeping his family, friends, and co-workers at Thorco, Inc., laughing. He liked to use phrases from movies he watched, " John has a long mustache". "Never The Luck", "Death Cames Unexpectedly" and "How You Doin" and many quoates from his favorite movie "Get Shorty". He was loved and admired by all and will be sorely missed.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. May 10 at English Funeral Chapel, Coeur d'Alene.
For the Love of the game

Before his dad passed away, Chris and Chuck Vignale experienced the Steelers' Super Bowl win together
Desiree Aguirre, The Sentinel Online, North Idaho College
10/9/06
According to Chris Vignale, freshman journalism major, the Pittsburgh Steelers were destined to win the 2006 Super Bowl. And his father, Chuck, a dedicated Pittsburgh fan diagnosed with brain cancer, lived long enough to watch them do just that.

In 2001, during Chris' seventh grade year, his father was first diagnosed. He had surgery immediately and breezed through a speedy recovery, Chris said. They thought he had it licked. But in May, 2005, it came back. After radiation and chemotherapy, however, things were looking good by August.

Unfortunately, the cancer returned in January, and that is when doctors said Chuck had three to five months to live. Chris, a junior at Lake City High School at the time, went outside and cried in the rain when he heard the news."I didn't know what to do, so I went to my friend's house, " Chris said. "I didn't sleep that night. "He stayed in school because he knew his dad wanted him to."It was tough. I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could, " Chris said.

When the Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts in a way no one thought possible, Chris told his dad the Steelers were going to win the Super Bowl. During the game, Chuck got out of his chair and rooted for his team, something that was getting harder to do as time went on.

By early February when the Super Bowl came around, his dad had lost his strength and couldn't get out of his chair. They decorated the house, Steelers-style, in spite of all their Seahawks-fan friends. Pittsburgh went on to win Super Bowl XL."The best thing was, at the end of the game, my brothers and I held him on our shoulders while the Steelers got their trophy, " Chris said. "He had tears in his eyes. I turned around and told him, 'Dad, they won that for you. That was pure destiny, Dad, I love watching sports with you. '"
It was the last Steelers game they would watch together as Chuck died in May."It was my first day of work at Chile's. I remember hitting my hand on a brick wall, kicking my backpack and throwing my shirt. I don't think I can ever forgive myself for not being there with him, " Chris said.

He attended the senior ball the next night with a good friend, and graduated with the rest of his class in June."Everyone was real supportive. I wish my dad could have been there, " he said.

He spent a week with his sister in Los Angeles and went to a few Lakers basketball games thanks to a media pass."That's what got me hooked into journalism, " Chris said.

He takes 13 credits at NIC, while coaching eighth grade boys' basketball at Woodland Middle School and freshman baseball. He started coaching basketball six years ago and does not get paid. He enjoys working with the kids and being a positive male role model."I've learned that anything can come up at anytime, " Chris said. "You only have so much time, and it's best to use it wisely. "Chris continues to watch football and brings out the "Terrible Towel, " a yellow rag that Pittsburgh fans wave during gameday, for his dad every time the Steelers play.