Sunday, March 31, 2019

Christine JoAnne Walsh Ramirez, BHS 1970

Christine JoAnne Walsh Ramirez, Class of BHS 1970, passed away May 25th, 1991 at the age of 39. 

She was survived by her two children, Becky 10 and Nate 7. 

She survived breast cancer at age 29 only to succumb from reconstructive surgery at age 39. Christine was born on April 23, 1952. Burial was in Saint Michaels Cemetery in Livermore, California.

No other details at this time.


Thursday, March 28, 2019

Kathryn Laws Thompson, BHS 1955

Kathy Thompson 7-3-1937 to 2-4-2019

Kathryn, “Kathy” Laws Thompson was born on July 3, 1937 to Emily and Curtis Laws.  She was born and raised in Burbank, California and was a proud Burbank “Bulldog” in high school.  Kathy attended the University of California Los Angeles, (UCLA) and obtained her Elementary Education degree.  She lived and taught in Burbank until a “blind” fishing” date with John Thompson, swept her off her feet.  They were engaged within three months and married 57 years.  John was indeed the love of her life and their dedication to each other was remarkable.

Marriage to John moved Kathy to Santa Barbara, California for nearly 20 years.  They had three daughters, Susan, Diane ‘Dede” and Linda. They camped, fished, enjoyed the beaches until John’s company moved them to Salt Lake City, Utah.  Kathy never did love the snow in Utah, but she did learn to live in it.  In Utah, she was able to fulfill her dream to become a librarian.  She worked her way up and eventually became the school librarian at Edgemont Elementary school in Sandy, Utah, until she retired.

After retirement in the mid-1990’s, Kathy and John became a part of the Montrose, Colorado community.  In Colorado, they discovered all the outdoor play ground that she loved.  She and John particularly fell in love with the Grand Mesa National Forest, establishing many wonderful memories with each other, friends, and family on their various adventures to this special place. Kathy also found an amazing circle of friends through her church, the Montrose Methodist church, bridge groups, PEO, AAUW, and volunteering at the Montrose Memorial Hospital.  Her illness did not deter her from her activities until just the last months of her life.  She loved people and learning their stories and was noted to provide sage advice to her hospice providers.

Kathy died at home on February 4, 2019 with the love and support of her family, Hopewest Hospice and People Care Home Health.  She is survived by her husband, John, their daughters, Susan Thompson, Diane Hakes, Linda Long and five grandchildren, Jeremy Loeppke, Ben Hakes, Courtney Hakes, Michael Long and Matthew Long.

A celebration of life, memorial service will be held at the Montrose Methodist Church on 3/30/19 at 4:30 PM.  All who knew and loved Kathy or John are invited.

Kathy strongly supported the National MS Society, in lieu of flowers or for any memorial donations, please consider supporting their organization.

Published Crippen Funeral Home, Montrose, Colorado

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Aleta Dorothy Day Smith, BHS 1945

Aleta Dorothy Day Smith
July 25, 1927 - Feb 4, 2019 

Aleta Dorothy Day Smith was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 25, 1927 to Lowell and Edith Day. At age five the family moved to California, where Aleta spent the rest of her life. She attended John Burroughs Jr. High and Burbank High School in Burbank and earned an AA from UCLA. In her early teens she began to attend Burbank First Presbyterian Church, where she heard the gospel and committed her life to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom she served faithfully all her life. There she also met Martin “Jiggs” Smith, her lifelong partner. They married in 1949. They subsequently moved to La Puente, where they raised their children: Carolyn, Lowell, and Rhonda. The family attended St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church together, where Aleta served as a deacon, an elder, and a Sunday school teacher. She influenced many young people to become faithful in their walk with Christ.

Aleta worked as a teacher’s aide in special education at the junior high level in the Hacienda-La Puente Unified School District until retirement. In 2009 Martin and Aleta moved back to Burbank when Martin and rejoined Burbank First Pres. Together Jiggs and Aleta enjoyed square dancing, first with the Funsters in West Covina and later with the Western Weavers here in Burbank. They traveled to several conventions and always encouraged new dancers. They also enjoyed traveling to many interesting places during retirement, such as Alaska, Cache Creek, Oklahoma, and Death Valley. In late 2010 Martin passed on to Glory. Aleta continued to be active, serving as a deacon from 2012 to December 2018. She continued to square dance also until three weeks before her home going. She was very friendly and always reached out to newcomers.

Aleta had other talents, too. She sewed clothes for her children and their dolls and Christmas ornaments. She also did beautiful cake decorating to the delight of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was an amazing cook and taught her family about good nutrition and the virtues of homemade fare.

Aleta is survived by her children, Carolyn, Lowell, and Rhonda and their spouses. She also leaves seven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.

We will all miss Aleta’s smile and her kind ways, but we are sure she is having a wonderful time with Our Lord Jesus and all her friends and family who preceded her, and we dare to believe that she and Jiggs are once again dancing together in heaven. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 AM, Mar 30th at First Presbyterian Church of Burbank, 521 E. Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91501. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the USO, Burbank First Presbyterian Church, or your favorite charity.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Mildred F. Overton Clint, BHS 1924

Mildred F. Clint

Burbank Leader, Wednesday, July 29, 1987

Mildred F. Clint, 81, died Monday, July 20, 1987, in Glendale, California. Born in Glendale, she lived in Burbank for seventy years. She was a piano-organ music teacher for fifty years; charter member of the Burbank Community Concert Association; Past President of Zonta and a member of the Glendale Music Teachers Association.

Mrs. Clint is survived by a daughter, Carole Steen of Burbank; sister, Virginia Short of Castaic; brother, John Overton of Lynnwood, Washington; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services were held Friday, July 24, at the First United Methodist Church of Burbank. Burial was at Grand View Memorial Park, Glendale, California. The Eckerman-Heisman Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.


Monday, March 18, 2019

Denise D. Arredondo Ghezzi, BHS 1969

OBITUARY

Denise D. Ghezzi
April 30, 1951 - January 9, 2019

Denise Ghezzi, nee Arredondo, passed away, peacefully, at City of Hope Hospital January 9, 2019 at the age of 67. Denise is survived by her mother, Irene Arredondo, son, Jim, Jr., his wife, Amanda and their two daughters, her daughter, Dani, brother, Michael, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is reunited with her husband of 43 years, Jim, Sr.

Services will be held at Sts. Felicitas Perpetua Catholic Church, Saturday, March 9 at 10:30a. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Denise's memory to City of Hope to further the research of Dr. Mihaela Cristea. Online donations can be made at www.cityofhope.org/donate. Please sign the guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/pasadenastarnews.

Published in Pasadena Star-News on Feb. 7, 2019 

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Gerald "Jerry" Collins, BHS 1964

Gerald Collins
28 Jul 1946 - 18 Apr 2008

Jerry Collins went to be with our Lord. He was 61 years old.

He was born in Burbank, California, the second child of Harriet and Chester Collins. 

He is survived by his loving wife Midge; a sister, Joan Johnson and her husband Wally; a daughter, Julie Mendoza and her husband Charlie; a son, Bart Collins and his wife Gretchen; and two beautiful grandchildren, Brian and Kayla Mendoza. 

A Memorial Service will be held at the Methodist Church in Visalia on Saturday, May 3, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. 

NEPTUNE SOCIETY Of Central California 1154 West Shaw Avenue Fresno, California. (559)222-7764 

Published in the Fresno Bee on 4/24/2008.






Monday, March 4, 2019

James Nicol Millar, BHS 1972

James Nicol Millar
January 18, 1954 – February 7, 2019

OBITUARY
James Nicol Millar was born on January 18, 1954 and passed away on February 7, 2019. His parents Archie and Margaret were from Scotland and James grew up in Burbank. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1972 and will be missed by many. He died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

IN THE CARE OF Pierce Brothers Valhalla, North Hollywood, CA, 818-763-9121