Anna Marie Lasala Baworouski, BHS 1952

Anna Marie Lasala Baworouski, BHS 1952

Anna Marie (Lasala) Baworouski grew up in Chicago with her parents Vincent and Maria Lasala. Her family moved to California when she was thirteen, where she went to Burbank High School. Anne Marie married had four beautiful children.

She painted using paint by numbers of oil pictures, did needlework, got custom frames to display her artwork in her house and was so proud when she got compliments. When her kids needed help in school, she took the new math class or arranged for a tutor for them and spent countless hours helping with reading, spelling, and teaching her kids the importance of having excellent handwriting. She was appalled to hear cursive is not taught anymore! She volunteered at the kids’ schools. Anna had a servant heart as she was very involved at St. Paschal’s Parish working in the church store, the rummage sale, catechism classes, church festival, the church guilds, and taught her kids the value of giving to others, food for the poor and the sick. She was a campfire leader and always looking for cute and innovative crafts. She would encourage her kids to make homemade gifts for family and teachers.

She was on a women’s bowling league as a good bowler. When she got divorced it was her priority to still give her kids vacations, so she sat in the sun reading and watching us swim at the Horizon View Club or planned day trips to California missions from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, and yes … Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Hawaiian Gardens, Marine Land and San Diego Zoo plus all the museums.

For her kids to go to summer camp she drove us around to different neighborhoods to sell or sat at Dupars while we took turns asking for sales of 400 boxes of campfire candy each! She was the Saturday soccer mom as well.

To give her kids Catholic school education and provide the best life possible she worked at the bowling alley in childcare, JJ Newburys in the yardage department, and took soldering classes to be an inspector in the microwave circuit boards working at Burroughs, Bowmer, Tandan. When that industry dwindled, she became a playground Assistant at Hollow Hills School in Simi Valley controlling drop off traffic and watching kids at lunch recess she loved the kids and would participate in school programs to cheer on the kids and worked at TJ Max in Simi Valley in the fitting room and had many great stories of stopping shoplifting!

She lived in Simi and volunteered at Simi Valley Adventist hospital for over 25 years she loved working in stores sorting and labeling supplies and developed many friendships and was even the volunteer for the year she loved attending the yearly volunteer banquets and dressing up with the themes western Hawaiian 50’s.

At 70 her kids sent her to Hawaii with Lora, and that was the trip to the Hawaiian cultural center the Arizona memorial Luaus and adventures walking and sightseeing. She lived at Sorento Villas and enjoyed her friends and weekly bingo games. She was so excited when she won money or prizes.

Her grandkids brought her so much joy and enjoyed traveling to visit them and playing dress up putting on shows and attending their activities she was so very proud of their accomplishments Kevin’s movies graduating Chapman college in film and now his desire to return to grad school and become a teacher. Gillian graduated from Harvard went on to Cambridge and is now doing her PhD at Princeton.

Anna Marie lived with her daughter, Lora, had a lot of wonderful caregivers and they became her extended family attending their events celebrating birthdays and holidays. She loved reading and when her eyes were failing than we read to her. She always wants to know what was going on in the world, and it was so important vote!

Anna Marie “DASH of Life” is filled with love and the people who loved and cared for her. She could disarm the serious with a wink or mischievous expression, and Anna had a knack for making anyone she encountered smile. She elicited easy laughter with her wit or an “ooh la la.” In her later life, Anna emphasized unconditional love.

She had no illusions about life’s struggles. Yet her quiet awareness of this reality meant she focused on other messages in her interactions with her children, grandchildren, and those with whom she spent time. She articulated that simply belonging to one another was itself a joy and a gift.

Anna also had a lot of fun. She adored oysters, sports, and Frank Sinatra. She slipped Italian words into conversation and approached mundane moments with playful banter. She always had room for gelato.

Anna passed away on June 30, 2021 at the age of 87.

She is survived by her children—Lora, Elisa (and Earl), Kori, and Vince; her grandchildren, Kevin and Gillian; and her dear extended family—Doreen, Darren (Barbara, Thomas, and Abigail), and Tracey (Sam).    

Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ventura, California                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Paul Dwight Thomas, BHS 1952

Paul Dwight Thomas, BHS 1952

August 27, 1934 – February 22, 2020

When Paul was 5 years old, his family relocated from Missouri Valley, Iowa to Southern California. The family settled in Burbank and bought houses to fix up and sell. It was from this that he learned his sense for working hard. 

He attended Emerson Elementary, John Muir Junior High, and Burbank High. After graduation, he toured the USA in his 1932 Roadster before enlisting in the Army and serving on a troop ship in Germany. Through the G.I. Bill, he was able to attend Glendale College, and where he met his wife-to-be Elaine Dickes in 1956. They were married in 1958, finished college together (at what is now CSUN), and had two children, Kevin and Karen. 

Paul started his career as an insurance adjuster, then launched his own business as a handyman. He had a special gift for providing comedy relief, and was always friendly to everyone. Paul and Elaine were married for nearly 62 years.

Jack Estes, BHS 1952

Jack Estes, BHS 1952

Los Angeles Times, January 13, 1998

Jack Estes long time Burbank resident, passed away Friday, January 9, 1998 after a long illness. Born in Altadena, California on December 12, 1934, he moved to Burbank in 1940.

He is survived by his mother, Naomi Estes; wife of 43 years, Sally; sons, Ben and Don Estes; daughter, Shannon Donathan and seven grandchildren: Shelby Estes, Robin, Kevin and Matthew Estes, Michael, Gregory and Robert Donathan and his sister, Bernice Olson.

Raised in Burbank, he attended Burbank schools and graduated from Burbank High School in June, 1952 where he was an outstanding athlete. Jack worked for Accratronics Seals as a Purchasing Agent at the time of his illness.

Memorial services for Jack will be held at the Methodist Church in Burbank, 700 N. Glen Oaks, on Friday, January 16 at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Alzheimer Association would be appreciated by Jack's family.

Joan Aldrich White Taylor, BHS 1952

TENDER FAREWELL TO LIFE, LOVE
Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) - Thursday, January 20, 2000.

Joan Taylor's story certainly isn't an ordinary one. It's about a magic lady who stayed strong up until the end. Even in her final days, when she was in the hospital and her body was so frail she could hardly move, Taylor motioned to have a pencil placed in her hand so she could scrawl love notes to her husband. ''I love you, Jack,'' they would say. Then, in the gentlest way, he touched her hand and looked into her sparkling eyes, wondering what it would be like to live without her. He loved her beyond belief.

Every day, her health spiraled downward. But every day, Jack was with her. Sometimes, he'd sit by her bed from the wee hours of the morning to deep into the night, tears streaming down his face - remembering all those times they shared traveling the globe, seeing Joan as beautiful as the day they met. And when Joan, 65, died of ovarian cancer Saturday evening at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, after a four-month hospital stay, Jack called family friend Blanche Brewster Cannady: ''Our angel has gone,'' he said.

A longtime Long Beach elementary school principal, Joan was born in Burbank on July 21, 1934. She attended Burbank High School, where she graduated as class valedictorian in 1952. Soon after, she married her high school sweetheart, Barry Judson White, and gave birth to Debra Joan White, now a psychologist and professor in Sonoma County. Divorcing White about a year later, Joan went on to earn a degree in education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master's in education administration from Cal State Long Beach. She raised Debra practically alone. ''We had a very unique and special relationship,'' Debra says. ''We're so close in age, we always used to kid around that we'd grow old together. Now we can't do that anymore.''

In 1956, when Debra was 5, the two moved to Long Beach and Joan began a teaching career in the Long Beach Unified School District. She taught at Burcham Elementary for seven years, then was promoted to vice principal in 1963. Over the next eight years, Joan worked her way up the ranks to principal at Kettering Elementary, then served the same role at Cubberly, Barton, and Twain elementary schools. ''She had courage of her convictions -- and when she did anything in her job,'' Cannady says. ''She did what she felt was best for the children.'' Soon after landing her job as principal, she met Jack when she went to have her teeth cleaned by a dental colleague of his. They were married Sept. 25, 1976.

Joan loved children so much that after her retirement from the district, in June 1992, she joined the Assistance League of Long Beach, a volunteer group with several programs dedicated to young people. Five years later, in August 1998, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Strong and confident, Joan took her illness head on and went into surgery to have the cancer removed. Afterward, she went through chemotherapy. About a year later, doctors thought the cancer had gone into remission. And for a short while, at least, they were right. But around the end of September, after taking over as league president on May 1, Joan started experiencing pains in her abdomen and was admitted into the hospital.

Extremely sick, she tried to hang on, even having Jack bring her work from the Assistance League. But her ailment began to take over, and she couldn't keep up with the work she loved so much. The league was forced to appoint Joyce Krauss as its acting president. ''She was going to lick it, and that's all there was to it,'' says Joan's good friend and former secretary, Vera Knight. ''Frankly, I'm surprised she didn't.''

Now Knight recounts the wonderful memories she has of her friend - the string cheese Joan always used to bring her from district meetings, the flowers Joan once sent her just to show her appreciation, the way she loved her sheltie dogs, Miss Bonnie Bell and Mr. Beau Dacious, and the monthly ballroom dancing with their husbands at the Toppers Dance Club. Knight pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath. ''She could pretty much dance with any fella if he was a halfway good leader,'' she says. ''I think she was good at everything she did.''

Joan is survived by her husband, Dr. Jack Taylor; parents, Helen and Russell Aldrich, of Burbank; daughter, Dr. Debra White, of Santa Rosa; stepsons, Robert H. Taylor and family, of Highland; and John K. Taylor and family, of Escondido. Memorial services will be Jan. 28 at 1:30 p.m. at the Church of Our Fathers, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 4471 Lincoln Ave., Cypress. In lieu of flowers, Joan's family requests that donations be sent to the Joan L. Taylor Scholarship Fund, Assistance League of Long Beach, 386 Roswell Ave., Long Beach, CA 90814.

Patsy L. Nelson Burton, BHS 1952

From the Senior Bulldogs Newsletter, submitted by her husband, Russ Burton (BHS 47)

Patsy L. Nelson Burton, BHS 1952, passed away May 29, 2017 from congestive heart failure, after fighting Parkinson's and diabetes for the last twenty years. 

Patsy was a loving wife for 65 years.I met her when she was a senior at BHS ( I already knew her brother, Jack "Basher" Nelson, 50). Patsy and I married in 1953, and raised six children together (five boys and a girl). 

After 30 years as a full-time wife and mother, she returned to work, training herself to become a Word Processor. Starting at First Interstate Bank, she ultimately moved to Beecher and Carlson Ins., where she was well-loved. After a 15-year career, she retired. 

Patsy was generous and openhearted, and kept in touch with a few BHS graduates. She welcomed each of her children's spouses with open arms, and especially loved her grandchildren, turning every Christmas into a boundless display of giving and love. In addition to her children and 22 grandchildren, she left behind 28 great-grandchildren. We miss her dearly.

Dorothy Erskine Johansen, BHS 1952

Dorothy Johansen, passed away peacefully November 17 2017 at her home in Riverton, Utah. Born February 14, 1934 to Aldred and Frances Erskine. She married William Johansen May 22 1952 in Burbank, California. 

Dorothy is survived by her husband William, five children, their spouses, 24 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild; and one brother, Gene Erskine. She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Steven Johansen; and brother, Melvin Erskine. 

While in high school, Dorothy was chosen as prom queen, with attendants Ruth Anderson (Winstead) and MaryLou Parks (Whipple), whom the three ladies were still the closest of friends today.  

Bill and Dorothy served three missions together for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. two missions at the Martin’s Cove Visitors Center in Wyoming and one mission at the LDS Employment Center in Riverton, Utah. Dorothy's entire life was filled with service to her family, friends, neighbors, and everyone she had an opportunity to work with. 

Dorothy always sought ways to stay in touch with family and friends. A phone call, a letter, a card, a personal visit, a meal, or a gift was her way of keeping family ties strong. She worked on her genealogy for more than sixty years and left a legacy of family history stories for each of her descendants. 

Dorothy never let a moment go by without working on a project for someone. Many of her quilts draped the pew backs in honor of her years of service. The crochet dresses made for granddaughters and great-granddaughters, the teddy bear baby blankets, doll dresses, any many more gifts she made for family and friends filled her heart with joy and leaves her family with a lasting legacy and reminder of her service. 

One simple thing that brought great joy to Dorothy was a butterfly. Years ago, she had nursed an injured butterfly back to health. When the butterfly was ready to return to nature, the last moment was spent flying in circles around Mom. Her husband told her that the butterfly was telling her “thank you” for being so kind. That’s our mother, the kindest person we’ve ever known.

Janet Jeanine Bailey Gowdy, BHS 1952

Jan. 5, 1934 — July 25, 2016

Janet Jeanine Gowdy passed away of natural causes July 25, 2016, after a short illness. She was surrounded by friends and family in those last days. She had suffered with dementia for the last several years, while still living at home and enjoying her family and beloved dog, Missy, who followed her everywhere.

Janet was born in South Dakota on Jan. 5, 1934. She moved to Burbank, Calif., when she was just a child. Her childhood was filled with involvement in every activity under the sun. She excelled in everything she did; she taught herself to twirl the baton and in high school marched in the Rose Bowl parade.

Janet was married for 64 years to Gene Gowdy. She is survived by her husband, Gene; daughters, Paula Conetta, Rhonda Breech and Gloria Fajardo; son, Guy Gowdy; and several family members, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her love and kindness touched everyone she met and she will be dearly missed by everyone.

Memorial services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 3, at Oak Hills Church in Folsom, Calif, at 1 p.m.

Mountain Democrat, Placerville, California, August 3, 2016

John S. Lara, BHS 1952

John Subia Lara, 81, of Apple Valley, passed away on Saturday, June 6th, 2015.

John was born to the late Santos and Josefa Lara, March 30, 1934, in Burbank, California. John graduated from Burbank High School in 1952. He served in the United States Air Force from 1952-1956.

John worked for the City of Burbank, Public Works for 32 years. He retired in 1989 and moved to Bullhead City, Arizona in 1990, where he resided for 15 years. In June of 2005 he moved to Apple Valley, California.

John is survived by his wife Stephanie of 57 years. Also survived by six children, Edward, Edna, Steve, Alfred, Albert and John and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. John is also survived by his older brother Art and sister Armida. John also has many extended families and good friends. A funeral Mass and service was held at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Burbank on June 12, 2015.

From the Senior Bulldog Newsletter.

Garry Kar Johnson, BHS 1952

Burbank Dailey Review, January 25, 1984

Garry Kar Johnson, 50, died on January 15, 1984 in Al Kahobar, Saudi Arabia. He was born in Burbank and had lived here all his life.

He is survived by his wife, Pojana of Bangkok, Thailand; a son, Scott Johnson; his mother, Grace Judd; and a brother, Ron Johnson. He was employed for six years by an international engineering firm.

Memorial services will be Saturday at the Burbank United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Bangkok, Thailand.

Edwin Lyle McDonald, BHS 1952

Edwin Lyle McDonald
1933-2016

Edwin Lyle McDonald, age 83, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 29, 2016.

He was born on March 13, 1933 in Madison, WI to Lyle and Ella May McDonald. His family eventually moved to Burbank, California where he attended school at Burbank High School. As a “Burbank Bulldog”, he was a two year All-American in football. He graduated high school in 1952 and in 1953 he joined the Navy as an Electrician’s Mate. He honorably served his country for 4 years in the Navy aboard an LST.

Edwin worked at the Hanford Nuclear Site, in Washington State, for over 25 years. He loved to hunt and fish. He especially loved the fishing trips that he and his wife, Jackie, took to Vancouver, Canada. He cared deeply for his family and was a much loved husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Edwin is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jackie; daughter, Susan (McDonald) Fiely (husband Scott and daughter Madison); son, Rick McDonald (wife Julie, son Kyle, and daughter Ally); and sister, Gayle Amato.

Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at Matthews Funeral Home.

Betty Jane Cord Vreeken, BHS 1952

Betty Jane (Cord) Vreeken, born in Des Moines, Iowa September 18, 1934, passed away peacefully in her sleep early in the morning of Thursday, June 26, 2014 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

From the age of 4 to 18 she lived with her family in Los Angeles, then Sun Valley, California. At the age of 17 she graduated from Burbank High School in 1952 and was married in Sun Valley, California on June 21, 1953 to Roland A. Vreeken. They lived in the San Fernando Valley until 1987, when they moved to Renton, Washington.

Her most important life's work was being a wife and mother of four children. Along the way, she had many career opportunities. She worked in retail furniture sales before marriage. When her youngest child was a teenager, she opened a floral business called the Posy People. After her partner passed away, she became a wedding coordinator at a nearby Protestant Church. Later, she and her sister, Carol, and their sister-in-law, Karen, began a manufacturing business known as the Three Sisters, producing Friendly dolls that sold in national department stores. Next she worked at her son Mark's printing shop, (Mark IV Printing), as bookkeeper and office manager. Finally, in Renton, she worked in the office of her son David's wholesale food distribution company (Pop's EZ Popcorn and Supply) until retirement in 2003.

Betty loved to serve and help others. She exhibited this as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in a variety of assignments. She served as the president of the Young Women's organization (12-18 yr. olds) for many years, as an active leader of a Young Single Adult congregation (18-30 yr. olds) in the women's organization, and as President of the Relief Society (the adult women's organization) in her local ward. During most of those years she was a member of the ward choir. She also taught many classes for women and children throughout the years.

While raising her children, she and Roland also had a foster daughter (Charlene DeClay) for three years who was of Apache descent. She came from the reservation during the school year and went home to her family in Arizona during the summer with the hope of receiving a better education than was available on the reservation at that time. Charlene is still in contact with the family all these years later.

Among her hobbies, Betty loved to sew, read, cook, and make floral arrangements. Although she was not an athlete or camper, she loved picnics, and loved to attend girls camp and youth conferences with the young women to help them learn more of faith and womanhood, and to have good clean fun. She also loved musical plays and orchestrated family theatrical presentations at Christmas or Thanksgiving to provide all the children with an appreciation for the arts.

Betty was pre-deceased by her father, Carl Victor Cord, and mother, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Lambert, her younger brother Gerald Raymond Cord, and his son Christopher Cord.

She is survived by her husband, Roland A. Vreeken; her younger sister Carol Diane Walder and her two children and three grandchildren; her brother's widow, Karen Cord and one child. She is also survived by her four children (Laura Mattson, David Vreeken, Mark Vreeken, and Steven Vreeken) and their spouses; 18 grandchildren (11 of whom are married); and 25 great-grandchildren.

On June 21st, Betty and her husband celebrated their 61st anniversary of marriage. She was respected by all who knew her as a kind, considerate, loving, sharing and caring person. She was always ready to help, serve and support others

Penny Irene Johnson Flanagan, BHS 1952?

Penny Irene Johnson Flanagan, BHS 1952?                 

Penny Irene (Johnson) Flanagan Thousand Oaks, CA

 

Penny 81, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2015 at home in Thousand Oaks after a lengthy illness of vertigo and aggressive lung cancer. Her husband, Bob, and the family and friends were with her as she went through the stages of both diseases. Special help was given Penny and Bob by her son Richard Jack, their granddaughter Cheri Enos, and her sister Frances Atkins.

 

Penny was born in Oroville, CA to Luther Cara Johnson and Marian Frances Johnson. The young family of three relocated to Burbank, CA. When Penny was two she found herself with two little sisters and the responsibility of being the 'big sister helper' to them. The sisters were Frances Karen and Wilma Maxine Johnson. Penny lived with her family in the Burbank area through her school years.

 

She was a trained singer and found joy in singing the lead parts in many school musical productions. After Penny graduated from Burbank High School she enlisted in the Air Force and trained as a Communication Center Specialist. She also sang in the canteens on base entertaining the serviceman and women wherever she was stationed. After the service Penny spent many years working in data entry and computer operations.

 

Penny was blessed with four children, a son, Richard and a daughter, Cheryl. Cheryl was adopted out but re-established contact after her 18th birthday. Penny married Bernard (Berney) Jack. A few years later they welcomed another son Kevin Patrick and a daughter Bridget Renae. Their marriage ended in divorce and the family kept going separately with Penny and Berney remaining friends.

 

While working at Bunker Ramo Corporation in Thousand Oaks, Penny met the 'Love of Her Life' Robert (Bob) Flanagan. They married in 1979 and found a home that was perfect for them, where they lived ever since. They were together forty-three wonderful and busy years. During those years, Penny earned a AA degree and also an AS in Laser Electro-Optic Technology from Moorpark College.

 

Penny had a love of gardening and plants and created the "Flanagan's Nursery" business which specialized in annual garden flowers. The couple took an interest in real estate. Penny got a real estate sales license and worked for Century Twenty-One. Over the years the happy couple enjoyed their many family members and friends and the adventures of traveling and with travel trailer camping. They went on cruises to Alaska, the Mediterranean and the Baltic and made six vacation trips to Hawaii. Penny's passions included pets (especially cats and chickens), sewing, and all manner of plants. But most of all was her love for Bob.

 

There was a gathering of family and friends on December 19, 2015 at Bob and Penny's home to celebrate Penny's life. They looked back fondly of her life with a slide show of many special pictures and told wonderful stories of our Penny. She is survived by her husband Bob Flanagan, her children Richard, Kevin, and Bridget, her many grandchildren, and her two sisters Frances Atkins and Wilma Johnson. Per her request, Penny's final resting place will be in a special spot in Hawaii.

Ventura County Star (CA) - Sunday, January 10, 2016

Charles Husted Pomeroy, III, BHS 1952

Charles Husted Pomeroy, III (Chuck) was born in Burbank California to Flora May Fox Pomeroy and Charles Housted Pomeroy, Jr on July 31, 1933.

He was the youngest of their four children: Flora May Pomeroy Hanger; Mildred Margaret Pomeroy Deen; and Carolyn Pomeroy (died in infancy). Chuck attended Burbank High School and participated in track and football. He graduated in 1952. After high school he served in the Army and, after training at Camp San Luis Obispo, was stationed in Germany - USAEUR, 7774th Signal Battalion, Hammonds Barracks, Seckenheim.

He came home to work at Lockheed in Burbank, California, where he met Nancy Jane "Nan" Davis. They were married in Las Vegas Nevada on April 6, 1957. They had three children: Charles Husted Pomeroy IV, Vance Davis Pomeroy, and Margaret Marie Pomeroy.

Chuck and Nan celebrated forty years of marriage together until her passing in 1998. Chuck worked for Standard Oil/Chevron for most of his working years as an Assistant Manager and Manager of stations in the San Fernando Valley before purchasing a franchise of his own.

He spent his free time working on his Packards and muscle cars. Charles H. Pomeroy, III passed away on December 7, 2015 at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank CA.

A memorial service will be held on December 19, 2015 at Valley Funeral Home in Burbank, CA. His remains will be laid to rest at Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale, California, with his wife, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. He is survived by his three children and five grandchildren.

Dorothy Mae Chamness Henry, BHS 1952

Dorothy Mae Chamness Henry, BHS 1952
July 10, 1934 - March 30, 2014

Dorothy Mae (Chamness) Henry passed away on March 30, 2014 after a long 8 year battle with Demetria / Alzheimer’s. She was born on July 10, 1934 to Raymond and Olive Chamness and raised in Burbank, California with her late older sister Marcia (Chamness) Fochler.

Dorothy attended Burbank schools, including Miller Elementary, John Muir Jr. High, and Burbank High School where she graduated in 1952. She went on to Glendale Jr. College and then Cal State LA to earn a teaching degree. She began her 41 year Burbank teaching career at Central (Disney) Elementary in September of 1958. She worked there until 1963 when she moved to Roosevelt. She took a pause from teaching in 1966 following maternity leave, but returned in 1968 to Jefferson Elementary where she continued to teach Kindergarten and First Grade until her retirement in June 2001. During her career, she received many awards, accolades, and honors, including teacher of the year from the Burbank Kiwanis Club.

A life-long student of early childhood education, Dorothy was an active volunteer in several organizations dedicated to advancing the education of young children. During her career, Dorothy was proud to have personally touched the lives and shaped the future of over 1,300 kindergarten/1st grade students. She was also a leader and member of her local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

She is survived by her two children Denise Henry Colvey of Atlanta, GA and Darrell Henry of Arlington, VA, and grandchildren Drake and Olivia Henry.

Published in the La Canada Valley Sun, April 14, 2014.

Russell R. Koehler Jr., BHS 1952

Russell R. Koehler Jr., BHS 1952

A longtime resident of Burbank, CA passed away suddenly on December 23, 2012. Born in Chicago, IL in 1935, Russ moved to Burbank as a young boy with his parents, Thelma and Russell Koehler, Sr. and his sister Susan. After graduating from Burbank High School in 1952 he proudly served his country in the US Navy. Russ enjoyed a long and successful career in the insurance industry retiring in 1995. Russ had a lifelong passion for travel having visited countries on every continent.

He is survived by his partner of 32 years, Albert Saccocia; and his daughter and son in law, Janice and Jeffrey Glosup.

A private memorial is planned for later this month. In lieu of flowers a memorial donation can be made to the American Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals at www.aspca.org.


Published in Los Angeles Daily News on February 8, 2013

Jo Ann Spaulding Kinion, BHS 1952

Jo Ann Kinion, BHS 1952
October 14, 1934 - January 27, 2013
Petaluma, California

Passed away in San Rafael on January 27, 2013 at the age of 78 years. Devoted wife of Tim Kinion of Petaluma. Loving mother of Kelly Lombardi (Peter) of Santa Rosa, Kathy Kinion of Cotati, and Glen Kinion (Jennifer) of San Rafael.

She grew up in the San Fernando Valley, graduating from Burbank High School in 1952. Shortly thereafter she met Tim, on a blind date. They were married after his army service during the Korean War. They chose to move their family to Petaluma from Los Angeles in 1969. She and her husband were founding members and remained active in the Velo Club Miwok bicycle club since its inception in 1976. Ever since her retirement she enjoyed meeting with former coworkers in a monthly sewing circle. She loved to travel with her husband. Among her favorite places were Carmel, CA and Wengen, a village in the Swiss Alps.

Until her retirement in 1992 Jo Ann was the school secretary at McKinley Elementary School for 18 years and worked at several other Petaluma schools before that.

Jo Ann was not afraid to voice her opinions. Her easy laughter and warmth will be remembered fondly.

As per her request there will not be a service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sutter Medical Center Foundation (SMCF), memo: The Sharing Place, 2800 L. Street, Suite #620, Sacramento, CA 95816.