Dr. Helen Price, Former Vice-Principal

Dr. Helen Price, Former Vice-Principal

The Superintendent's Office was informed that Dr. Helen Price passed away today, December 18, 2009.

Dr. Helen Price was hired for the 1940-41 school year as a teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School. She worked in Division of Elementary Education as a special education teacher beginning in 1944 and then as the acting supervisor for the Nursery School and Child Care Program from 1946 through 1947.

She went on a leave of absence for two years and resigned in May 1949.

Dr. Price was re-employed in September 1954 as a teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School. She became the VP and Dean of Girls in 1956 through 1967. At that time she transferred to BHS as an AP where she continued through June 1982 until she retired in July 1982.

Services will be held in January. As soon as that information is received, it will be sent out via E-News.

Lawrence "Larry" Ray Lowers, BHS 1973

Larry R. Lowers, BHS 1973

Larry R. Lowers, 44, died Jan. 17, 2000, in Ventura County.

Mr. Lowers was born in Glendale and lived in Burbank his entire life. He was a senior communications technician with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department for 20 years. He was an Eagle Scout and Assistant Scout Master of Boy Scout Troop 210.

Mr. Lowers is survived by his wife, Janice; son, Brian; daughter, Kelli, all of Burbank; father, Herman; and brother, Gary.

Memorial services were held Friday at First Christian Church of Burbank. Memorial contributions for the Lowers children can be sent to: BurbankCity Employees Federal Credit Union, 1800 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank 91506.

Burbank Leader, January 22, 2000

Ronald Eric Redberg, BHS 1961

Ronald Eric Redberg, BHS 1961

Friday, Jul 15th, 2011, Atascadero News Staff

Ronald Eric Redberg, 68, of Paso Robles died unexpectedly on July 3, 2011, after a massive cerebral hemorrhage on June 26 during an RV trip to Pozo, where he was attending a Willie Nelson concert with some of his closest friends.

Ron was born in March 1943 in Burbank. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1961. After spending 25 years as an employee of Texaco Inc. in San Ardo, he spent 10 years as general manager of Paso Robles Compost until his retirement in 2010. Ron’s hobbies included building houses, working on his automobiles, landscaping, photography, RVing, and especially “enjoying life” with his wife, Suzanne, his sons and daughter, his 16 grandchildren, his many friends, and mostly his 17-year-old dog, Sarah.

Ron is survived by his wife of 18 years, Suzanne; his parents, Clarence and Lucille Redberg of Laguna Woods; son, Randy Redberg (Melinda) of Paso Robles; son, Eric Redberg (Marshella) of Escalon; daughter, Kristen Huffman (Brian) of Paso Robles; his sister, Jeanne Blair of La Dera Ranch; niece, Stephanie Blair Pedersen (Trent) of Eagle Point, Ore.; great-niece, Reece Pedersen; his uncle, Bud Knoch; his aunt, Janet Way; step-daughters, Keira Kim and Krista Ardantz; nine grandchildren, Lauren, Katherine, Caraline (children of Randy), Ashton, Josie, and Camille (children of Eric); Tyler, Braden and McKinley (children of Kristen); seven step-grandchildren, Emily, Sarah and Amanda (children of Krista), Joshua, Caleb, Noah and Jonah (children of Keira).

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Paso Robles at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 9. The service will be followed by a celebration of life at Ronnie’s Barn at 3640 Remington Court, Paso Robles.

In lieu of flowers, Suzanne requesed that memorial contributions be made to the Paso Robles Loaves & Fishes. Contact Jackie Sebro at 238-4743 or online contributions can be made at http://loavesandfishespaso.org.

Joy Jack Kastner, BHS 1946

Joy Jack Kastner, BHS 1946

Joy Jack Kastner - Loving Husband & Father Born in Nebraska City, NB Born June 12, 1928 Departed on Jan. 2, 2011 and resided in Olean, NY

Joy Jack Kastner of 119 North 12th Street, passed away Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 in the Olean General Hospital following an illness.

Mr. Kastner was born on June 12, 1928 in Nebraska City, NB and was the son of Joy and Jenny Louise Morris Kastner. On July 19, 1986, in Olean, he married Janet L. John, who survives.
Jack served in the US Navy in the Southwest Pacific during WWII from 1946-1948. He was a production manager for San Diego Union News in Jaholla, CA for 25 years before working for AVX in California. Jack was transferred by AVX to Olean in 1977 and continued with AVX until the early 1980's. He then worked at Shawley's Office Equipment in Olean for about 10 years retiring in 1990.
Mr. Kastner was affiliated with the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Church in Olean. He was a member of the Olean Eagles Club and enjoyed enjoying golf, fishing and gardening.

In addition to his wife of almost 34 years, Mr. Kastner is survived by two daughters, Carol (Tom) Bruegge, and Joy Kastner both of California; a stepdaughter, Kathleen M. Alexander of Northeast, MD; seven grandchildren; and a close friend, Jalala "Jay" Ramadhan of Olean.

Friends will be received in the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc. #646 E. State Street, Olean on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011 from 9:30 am to 11:00 at which time Funeral and Committal Services will be held. The Bishop of the Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Bonaventure Cemetery in Allegany, NY, with full military honors accorded by the Allegany American Legion.

Memorials may be made to the Olean General Hospital Foundation, 515 Main Street, Olean, NY 14760.

Thomas Alan Danks, BHS 1977

Thomas Alan Danks, BHS 1977 

Burbank Review, Saturday, August 27, 1977 

Burbanker Dies from Injuries 

A Burbank youth died Thursday after breaking an arm while playing football on a local beach. Thomas Alan Danks, 17, of E. Cypress Ave, died when complications arose during an operation for the injury at St. Joseph's Medical Center. 

Danks was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Edward R. Danks of Darten, CT. The Rev. Danks, served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank for 14 years. The Rev. and Mrs. Danks left Burbank in February when he was appointed pastor of a church in Darten. Thomas stayed in Burbank with friends of the family in order to complete his senior year at Burbank High School. He graduated in June and was perparing to enter an Eastern college in September. He had decided to spend the remainder of the summer in Burbank in order to be with his friends here, a friend of the family said. 

Thomas was born in Inglewood, California. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank and a member of the Madrigal Choir while at Burbank High School. 

He is survived by his parents; a brother, Edward R. Danks of Burbank; a sister, Debra L. Danks of Darten; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Danks of Thomas River, New Jersey and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bean, SR. of West Concord, MA.

Memorial services will be held Sunday, August 28, 3 P.M. at the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank, Fifith and Olive. Interment will be priviate. Eckerman-Heisman Funeral Service, Burbank Directors.

Dale A. Eichar, BHS 1939

Dale A. Eichar, BHS 1939

Dale A. Eichar (Aug. 12, 1921 – May 29, 2011)

June 13, 2011 The Daily Triplicate

Dale A. Eichar of Crescent City, passed away on May 29, 2011, in Yuma, Ariz., less than three months shy of his 90th birthday.

Dale was born in Burbank, Calif., on August 12, 1921. He served in the Army and was stationed in the South Pacific for four years during World War II. Shortly after being honorably discharged from the Army, he moved with his wife, Dorothy, to Northern California. In 1963 he and his family moved from Eureka to Crescent City where Dale was employed as superintendent of the Miller Rellim Redwood sawmill for 25 years.

Dale was involved in track, football and basketball teams in high school and held a track record at Burbank High School for nearly 50 years. Dale was an avid fisherman and loved the outdoors. Upon his retirement in 1986 he and Dorothy summered in British Columbia, where their sons resided, and wintered in Yuma, Ariz., for 25 years.

Dale is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Eichar, children Patti Kremer, Dale Eichar Jr., Larry Eichar, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held later this summer. No flowers by request. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Senior Center – Del Norte.

Clifford Travis Bean, BHS 1965

Clifford Travis Bean, BHS 1965

Travis Bean dies at 63; innovative guitar-maker

Jerry Garcia and the Rolling Stones are among the fans of Travis Bean's electric guitars, made with a solid aluminum neck and headstock. He came up with the design in a Burbank shop in the 1970s and quit making them after five years rather than compromise quality.

By Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times
July 16, 2011, Burbank Leader

In a Burbank shop in the 1970s, Travis Bean reinvented the electric guitar.To enhance string vibration, he suggested making the instrument's neck and headstock out of solid aluminum instead of wood. The resulting guitars, manufactured for only five years, remain prized for their unique tone and durability. Among the famous who have strummed them are Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead – whose Travis Bean guitar was auctioned for $312,000 in 2007 – and many of the Rolling Stones.

Bean died Sunday in Burbank after a long battle with cancer, his family announced. He was 63. "He came along when there was not much of anything in terms of fresh ideas when it came to making guitars," Jim Washburn, a music writer who has curated guitar exhibits, told The Times. "Then he revolutionized things a bit. He made a pretty good mark for making them for such a short period of time." Guitar Player magazine has compared Bean to maverick automaker John DeLorean because both "pushed the envelope by doing something radically different with a familiar product."Other guitar makers had tried using aluminum to improve neck stability and vibration but Bean and his two partners – Marc McElwee and Gary Kramer – "took the concept to prime time," the magazine said in 2005.

Kramer later founded his own company that made aluminum-necked guitars. Manufactured from 1974 to 1979, Travis Bean guitars were also known for their exotic hardwood bodies and a high-end price tag that could top $1,000. When company investors called for prices to be lowered, Bean decided to stop production instead of compromising quality, according to the magazine.

He was born Aug. 21, 1947, in San Fernando and was adopted by Raymond and Betty Bean, who named their only child Clifford Travis Bean. His father worked for Shell Oil Co. A 1965 graduate of Burbank High, Bean was a woodworker with a penchant for redesigning objects when he turned toward the guitar. When employees and guests at the guitar shop would jam in a back room, "there was always a ton of guitarists and bass players but never any drummers," so Bean took up the drums, said his friend Philip Culp. "That was the essence of Travis," Culp said. "He could teach himself how to do anything."

Bean is survived by his wife, Rita; son Darren Miller; daughter Dawn Norvel; and four grandchildren.

Gretchen Lambert Johnsonbaugh, BHS 1959

Gretchen Lambert Johnsonbaugh, BHS 1959
Gretchen Johnsonbaugh - Resident of Lafayette, April 29, 1942 - July 2, 2011

Gretchen Johnsonbaugh passed away peacefully under Hospice care at the Bruns House facility in Alamo after a 14 month battle with a rare and not fully diagnosed abdominal condition. She was born in Ashland, Kentucky, and moved to Burbank, California as a 7 year old. She attended Burbank High School, and then attended UCLA, where she graduated from the nursing school as a Registered Nurse.

She met Bruce Johnsonbaugh at UCLA. They married in 1965, and had two daughters, Jody and Jennifer while they lived in Maryland and Virginia as Bruce served 4 years as an Army JAG officer. They settled happily in Lafayette in March, 1971 and have loved their same house, same neighborhood, same friends and Lafayette these past 40 years.

They have been dog lovers, raising Golden Retrievers and one Bernese Mountain dog. Gretchen's great passion in her working career was as a preschool teacher in Lafayette, and later in Alamo. In 1981 she co-founded Merriewood Children's Center in Lafayette with Diane Kisner. Gretchen and Diane worked together with Moyra Smith to found First Street Childrens' Center (now known as CATS), in Lafayette.

From 1999 to 2011 Gretchen was the Director of Meadowlark Children's Center, a preschool at the Mauzy School in Alamo. Gretchen loved seeing the typical children in the preschool interact with the special needs children of the Mauzy School. She became quite skilled in dealing with autistic children. One of her great rewards was helping to "bring back" children from early autism so they could return to mainstream classrooms. She had the patience of a saint with the 3-5 year olds and loved them all. For a number of years, she served as a Mentor to aspiring preschool directors and teachers.

She was absolutely devoted to her two daughters, Jody and Jenny, and to her 5 grandchildren, all of whom live close by in Lafayette. She is survived by Bruce, her devoted husband of 45 years, her daughters Jody Harris and Jennifer Davis, grandchildren Jack Davis, Phoebe Davis, Cooper Davis, Shane Harris, Austin Harris and brother Mike Lambert.

She is also proudly survived by hundreds of local youngsters whose lives she has touched at her preschools. A celebration of her life will be held at the new Veterans Memorial Building at 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette on Sunday, July 17, 2011 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Gretchen's family requests donations be made in her name to Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, P.O. Box 249, San Mateo, California 94401.

Published in Contra Costa Times from July 10 to July 12, 2011

Paul Elwood Raine, BHS 1941

Paul Elwood Raine, BHS 1941

Paul Elwood Raine, 58, died August 22, 1982 at his Burbank home. Born in Lancaster, California, he was a Burbank resident for 57 years.

He is survived by sons, Steve, David and Mark; brother, Harold; sisters, Dorothy McNeil, Elaine Hocker and three grandchildren.

He was a school counselor for 32 years for Burbank Unified School District, a member of the California Teachers Association, past president of Burbank Schools Credit Union, member of the First Pres. Church of Burbank.

Memorial services was at 10 a.m. today at the First Pers. Church of Burbank. Eckerman - Heisman is in charge of arrangements.

Published in the Burbank Daily Review, Wednesday, August 25, 1982

Lester Oliver Ross Jr., BHS 1947

Lester Oliver Ross Jr., BHS 1947

LESTER OLIVER ROSS, JR. Age 78, of Camarillo, California, much loved husband and brother, died September 6, 2007, at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital, in Camarillo. Les fought a valiant six-month battle with esophageal cancer, with quiet dignity and courage.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Alice, and a younger brother, Bruce. Les is survived by his wife of 29 years, Nelva; sister, Marilyn Patterson and her partner Richard McKee of Van Nuys; sisters and brothers-in-law, Ed and Wanda Costello of Camarillo and Lucian and Judy Bartoletti of Burbank. Les and Nelva have 12 nieces and nephews and nine great nieces and nephews.

Les was a native Californian born in San Diego and raised in Burbank. A 1947 graduate of Burbank Senior High School, he was drafted into the Army and served two years in the Korean conflict.

Les was an employee of Pacific Telephone and Telegraph for 38 years and retired as a PBX installation manager in 1982. He was asked by PT&T to return as a consultant, which he did for two years. He was an avid fisherman and rarely missed opening day at Lake Crowley.

However, his passion was deep sea fishing. A picture of Les and his 450-pound black sea bass hung at Cisco's Landing in Ventura for years with scores of those of other happy fishermen. He was one of the original members of the Valencia Men's Golf Club and later enjoyed a week-day membership at the Valencia Golf Country Club.

Les and Nelva lived over 20 years in the Santa Clarita area before moving to Camarillo in 1998. Nelva and her family wish to express their sincere thanks to all the friends, relatives and wonderful Las Casitas neighbors for their prayers.
A memorial will be held at a later dates. Arrangements for cremation will be under the direction of Conejo Mountain Funeral Home.

Published in Los Angeles Daily News on September 30, 2007

Wesley W. Eaton, BHS 1941

Wesley W. Eaton, BHS 1941

Burbank Review, Tuesday, May 19, 1959

Services for Wesley W. Eaton, 36, of 1135 North Maple Street, Burbank will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in Eckerman Mortuary Chapel.

Mr. Eaton died Sunday, May 17, 1959 in a Burbank hospital. He had lived in Burbank for 32 years. He was graduated from Burbank High School in 1941. He was a member of Glaziers Union 636 and of LERC Pistel and Rifle Club. He was a veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his widow, Edythe M.; son Boyd; daughter, Marianne; brother, Richard Crabtree of Granada Hills; and sister, Pauline Konapka of Reseda.

William R. "Bill" Burton, BHS 1948

William R. "Bill" Burton, BHS 1948

Burbank Leader, August 09, 2000

William R. "Bill" Burton, 70, died Aug. 2, 2000, in Truckee, Calif.

Mr. Burton was born in Los Angeles and moved to Burbank in 1932 where he attended Washington and Lincoln Elementary schools and Burbank High School. He played professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals organization for six years. He worked with the Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Department for 33 years. He retired in 1990 and later moved to Incline Village, Nev.

An avid softball player, he helped form the Burbank Bluebirds in 1983, a men's Senior Softball team. The team he started won its 500th game last month.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Rae "Rickie"; sons, Timothy and Daniel; sister, Evelyn; brothers Russell and Ervin; as well as nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Bill Burton Field, #2, at George Izay Park.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wiley Animal Rescue Foundation, P.O. Box 5364, Incline Village, Nev. 89450.

Lynda Carolyn Mabe Keck, BHS 1958

Lynda Carolyn Mabe Keck, BHS 1958

February 5th, 1940 - June 29th, 2011, From: Alton, MO

Funeral: 2:00pm SaturdayJuly 2, 2011Oak Hill ChurchAlton, MO.
Lynda Carolyn Mabe, beloved mother, wife and friend, was born in High Point, North Carolina, on Feb. 5, 1940, to James Mabe and Irene Norman Mabe. Her ancestors had lived in the Piedmont of North Carolina since it was a British colony and she was deeply proud of her Southern ancestry.

Lynda grew up in High Point, a furniture manufacturing center, and was baptized at Green Street Baptist Church. Some of her relatives still attend services there and one of her sons was later baptized in the same church. Lynda learned the value of hard work at an early age. She worked in the tobacco fields during summer vacations and watching her grandfather run his car parts business in Mount Airy.

Lynda moved with her family to Siloam Springs, Arkansas, for a year, then to Burbank, California, when she was 13. She attended Burbank High School and spent summer weekends with school friends in the San Bernardino Mountains town of Big Bear. It was on one of those trips with a friend’s family that Lynda met a young Marine on leave riding horseback named John Keck. They were married on Feb. 9, 1957.

Rarely were they apart over their 52-year marriage, enduring tragedies and celebrating triumphs together. After the loss of their young son, Johnny, they wrapped their lives around raising their next two boys, David and Eric, in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Never setting aside her work ethic, Lynda involved herself in the PTA at her boys’ elementary school.

She became a top bowler, worked part time at a bakery, studied to be a nurse, and showed champion Old English Sheepdogs. She helped to organize the Old English Sheepdog Club of Southern California. She learned to love camping and hiking, spending time with John and the boys in the Sierra Nevada. She loved to bake and never flinched at heading to the kitchen to cook up something new. Lynda had a passion for life, her family and for everyone around her. Nothing intimidated her.

After raising her boys, Lynda and John moved to Acton, California in the mid-1980s. She worked at banks and in the advertising department of a department store before retiring. John and Lynda climbed into a motor home and traveled the country for several years before settling down in the Many Springs area outside of Alton, where her late father had purchased property.

Again Lynda relied on her work ethic. She bought the Sweetheart Bakery in Alton and ran it successfully with John and Eric until 2009, when illness took her from it. Despite undergoing major surgery in January 2010, she fought on for 18 months, until she quietly slipped away to be with John in Heaven on the morning of June 29.

Lynda loved Alton and the people here. She couldn’t wait to chat with everyone who came into the bakery every morning and with those at Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church. She enjoyed living in the country and cherished the opportunity to save stray dogs, feed wild birds and raise catfish in a pond. If she had a regret it would be that she was not able to spend more time with the wonderful people here.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one toddler, two infant sons, and her beloved husband, John. She is survived by sons David, of Wrightwood, California, Eric of Alton, and David’s wife, Lori, and grand-daughter Stephanie Keck or Aurora, Colorado. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. July 2, 2010at the Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church, with Brother Edward Casey officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Clary Funeral Home of Alton, Missouri.

NOTE: Do not know if Lynda actually graduated from BHS as she was married in her junior year and I do not have a 1958 yearbook to see if ther is a senior photo of her.

Luella Proctor, BHS 1927

Luella Proctor, BHS 1927

LUELLA PROCTOR

Burbank Leader, May 26, 2001

Luella Proctor, 91, died May 19, 2001, in a Glendale hospital.

Ms. Proctor was born in Freeport, Ill., and lived in Burbank for 89 years. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1927. She was a homemaker.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marlan Proctor, a well-known attorney in Burbank for 60 years.

Ms. Proctor is survived by her son, Marlan A. Proctor Jr.; daughter Linda Lou Tabanao; sister Margaret Concolino; and four grandchildren. Private services were arranged by Eckerman-Heisman Funeral Service.

Gary Rhodes Elder, BHS 1957

Gary Rhodes Elder, BHS 1957

Gary Rhodes Elder, 61, died May 7, 2001, at his vacation home on the Colorado River in Earp, Calif.

Mr. Elder was born and raised in Burbank. After graduating from Burbank High School in 1957, he attended Glendale College and later the University of San Francisco.

Mr. Elder was in management with the Bank of America in the electronic data processing center for many years. After retiring from the company, he became self-employed and moved to Claremont.

He served in the National Guard and was a member of the Upland Chamber of Commerce and the Elks Club of Ontario. One of his interests was golf, and he loved anything to do with cars and boats.

Mr. Elder was preceded in death by his parents, Rhodes and Portia Elder, and by a nephew, Devin Moore.

He is survived by his wife of eight years, Teri Elder; daughters Elissa Aga and Mariana Elder; son Michael Elder; stepdaughters Lisa Brooks and Monica Viola; niece Demery Matthews; sister Elaine Moore; and three grandchildren.

A celebration of his life was held May 16, 2001, at Padua Hills Theatre in Claremont, with Pastor Douglas Husan presiding. Remembrances may be made to the American Diabetes Assn. or the American Heart Assn.

John Charles Tamulonis, BHS 1972

John Charles Tamulonis, BHS 1972

John Charles Tamulonis, 45, died March 26, 2000.

Mr. Tamulonis was born and raised in Burbank. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1972 and went on to work for NBC Studios. He invested in Burbank real estate for 30 years.

Mr. Tamulonis is survived by his mother, Carolyn; brother, Paul; and sister, Francis Nace. A private wake will be held Saturday.

Burbank Leader, March 29, 2000