George Daniel Kleist, BHS 1944

George Daniel Kleist, BHS 1944

Tribune, The (San Luis Obispo, CA) - January 31, 2003

George Daniel Kleist, 76, of Arroyo Grande, died Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003.

George was born Thursday, May 13, 1926, in Muscatine, Iowa, the second of two children. His family moved to California in 1941. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1944 and joined the U.S. Navy the same year. While in the Navy, he attended USC and Arizona State University.

On August 14, 1948, he married Evelyn Louise Warnock. They raised four boys and had several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They moved from their home in Burbank to Arroyo Grande in 1970. While raising their children, he was active in Indian Guides (where he was known as "Full Moon"); Cub Scouts; Boy Scouts; and Explorer Scouts, for which he was Scout Master, something he enjoyed very much.

His occupations included union pipe fitter for Myers Bros. Construction, superintendent of Construction for Fred Fiedler and Associates, owner of George D. Kleist Construction, founder of Five Cities Construction, Inc., superintendent for Vick Pace Construction, and director of construction for People's Self-Help Housing. He retired in 1991, at age 65.

He lost his precious wife of 51 years, truly his soul mate, to cancer on May 30, 1999. Since he was only 76 when he died of a sudden heart attack, his family strongly believes he left to meet up with his one-and-only true love.

He taught his family about integrity, honesty and great work ethics. Never the procrastinator, they could always depend on "his word" and his timeliness. It was a privilege to merely know George Kleist and so special to have him as a father, role model, teacher and friend. George approached each task life set in front of him with great purpose. He would begin to pursue each task through completion without hesitation or regard for its size or difficulty. He led the way and all followed. His word was his bond.

He was loved and will be greatly missed. He gave his stories, love and good "rules to live by." He will never be forgotten and will live on in the hearts of his family forever.

He is survived by his loving sister Dee Tansey; children and their families, Rupert and Joyce Johnson; Alan and Arleen Johnson, Dani Kleist and Diane Tumas, Ken and Debi Kleist; nine grandchildren and their families; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Charles Lamont Rough, Sr., BHS 1938

Charles Rough, Sr., BHS 1938

Charles Lamont Rough, Sr., 92, of Paradise, California, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2012. Charles, who was the surviving sibling of six brothers and a sister, was born in Long Beach, California, on January 23, 1920, to Robert and Hazel Rough.

Raised in Burbank, California, he graduated from Burbank High School in 1938, and attended Santa Barbara College for two years where he earned an Associate of Arts Degree. He married Eddys Lee Beasley, his high school sweetheart, also from Burbank, in Montecito, California, in 1942.

While his wife worked at Walt Disney Studios, he worked for his father's custom wood & cabinetry shop, and then as the war began took over as a production supervisor for several companies producing training planes for the Army Air Force.

Drafted into the army, in 1944, he served in the infantry in the Diamond Division of General Patton's 3rd Army, in Europe, where he led a mortar squad. He saw considerable action fighting in three battle campaigns, including the horrific Battle of the Bulge, and earned a Purple Heart. His cartoon drawings that he did of the exploits and experiences of GI's during the war are at the Eisenhower Museum and the US Army Museum. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

Returning home from the war he became a custom home designer and builder with two of his brothers. Later he went into the California aerospace industry where he became a highly valued and completely self-taught mechanical and production systems engineer. During his career, he worked in the aerospace and marine systems divisions of various corporations in Southern California and out-of-state.

A few of the major projects that he played a key role in was the first Viking landing on Mars, the Athena test program for multi-warheads, launched from Green River, Utah to White Sands, New Mexico, the development and building of Riverine Patrol boats used in the Vietnam War, and the Septar Program, a 55 ft target torpedo boat for all US Naval fleets.

An inveterate inventor, one of his inventions led to his starting Pak-Craft Corporation, a recreational boat design and manufacturing company based in Pasadena, California, during the early sixties. With this company, he was granted various patents, both US and foreign.

He was a uniquely gifted and courageous man with a sharp intellect, wry wit and sense of humor, who was imbued with considerable God-given talent, and who lived life to its fullest.

In other words, he was a man for all seasons, who during his lifetime was a pilot, builder, inventor, designer, engineer, business entrepreneur, artist, painter, writer, author, avid reader, wine lover, fearless cook, and hopeless romantic, but most importantly, he was a deeply spiritual man with a kind, loving, gentle, and wise soul.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he has left his family with a wonderful legacy and example of how to live and die with dignity, courage and grace.

He is survived by his wife of seventy years, Eddys Lee Rough; his two sons, Charles Jr. and Richard; daughter-in-Law, Patty Rough; his six grandsons, James, Jon, Sean, Chris, Charles III, and Alex; step-granddaughter, Kameron Davis, granddaughter-in-laws, Kendall, Ginger and Kaitlin and five great grandchildren (with one more on the way) Lucia, Ainsley, Scott, Elsa, and step-great grandson, Brayden.

His celebratory memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 11:00 am at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home.

The family is requesting that donations be made in Charles Rough, Sr.'s memory to the Paradise Hospice, in care of Newton Bracewell Funeral Homes, 680 Camellia Way, Chico, CA 95926.

July 11, 2012

Carmen M. Edwards Meyer, BHS 1942

Carmen M Meyer, 87 passed away peacefully August 10, 2012 with her loving husband, Ted CP Meyer & son, Richard C Meyer, & daughters Lynne C Retmier & Sharon A Adams at her side with Elizabeth Hospice.

Carmen was born December 17th, 1924 in Blodgett, Missouri to Jewell Boyd Edwards & Della Gertrude Holifield. By 15 she & family moved to Burbank, Calif. where she completed HS. She worked at Lockheed, lived at home with her parents who rented rooms. My dad saw this redhead at work & then a picture in the house he was renting a room from & asked about her. This was in November, 1942. The romance started & they were married December 31, 1942. They both decided that was a good day because there was “always a party to go to”! This year is their 70th year together.

Carmen was a meticulous homemaker & fulltime mother in the So Ca, when the children were small. After that she worked at Farmer's as an underwriter & made that her career until retirement. In 1994 Carmen & Ted moved to Oceanside, California.

Carmen was preceded in death by her parents, her three brothers, & one sister. She is survived by her husband Ted, son Rick, daughters Lynne & Sharon, their spouses, five grandchildren, their spouses, fourteen great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, & two nephews.

You will be dearly missed & I love you mom!

Lee Frederic Boebel, Jr., BHS 1948

Lee Frederic Boebel, Jr., BHS 1948

Lee Frederic Boebel, Jr., 69, died December 19, 1989 in Glendale, California. Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, he lived in La Crescenta for 26 years. He was a member of the Jewel City Masonic Lodge and owner of California Metric. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1948 and served in the United States Navy.

Mr. Boebel is survived by his wife, Donna; son, Michael of Canyon Country; daughters, Shelley Wilson and Carrie Charles, both of Glendale; sister, Joyce Kaminski of Burbank; brother, Donald; two grandchildren.

Services were held December 22 in the Chapel of the Oaks, Eternal Valley Mortuary with burial following.

Troy E. Moffett, BHS 1981

Troy E. Moffett, BHS 1981

Burbank motorcyclist killed in freeway accident

Los Angeles – a 34-year-old Burbank resident was killed after losing control of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and getting run over by a tractor-trailer on the Golden State (5) Freeway near Arleta, authorities said.

Troy Moffett was crushed to death by the left rear wheels of a tanker truck Sunday afternoon on the northbound side of the freeway at Osborne Street, said California Highway Patrol Officer Gretchen Jacobs. He was riding between lanes to pass the truck when he lost control of his motorcycle and fell.

He was pronounced dead at 5:02 p.m. at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. The driver of the truck was not cited.

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Burbank Leader, April 15, 1998

Troy E. Moffett, 34, died April 12, 1998. Mr. Moffett was born in Iowa. He was a longtime Burbank resident. He was employed as an electrician by Andy Klein Electric. He is survived by his parents, Gene and Karen, and brother, Tony.

Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 at the Valley Funeral Home. The Valley Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Burbank Leader, April 18-19, 1998

William W. "Wick" Dixon, BHS 1949

William W. "Wick" Dixon, BHS 1949

 William W. "Wick" Dixon, 80, of Lafayette, passed away at 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at his home. Born October 18, 1931 in Terre Haute, IN, he was the son of the late Charles S. and Marjory Matson Dixon. He was a graduate of Burbank High School in Burbank, CA and attended UCLA for 2 years. Wick served in the US Marines from 1951 until he was honorably discharged in 1954.

Wick married Betty Etter on January 24, 1976 in Lafayette and she survives. He worked in the Tube Mill at Alcoa Aluminum for 27 years, retiring in 1993. He currently owned and operated Wick's Woodchips Sharpening Service. He was a member of Congress St. United Methodist Church, Mason Lodge 123, where he was Past Master, York and Scottish Rite, Murat Temple, VFW, American Legion Post 11, former member of the Tippecanoe Shrine Club and past President of the Lafayette Bowling Association (King and Local Merchants Leagues). He started the Summer Junior Bowling Program for Children. Coached several youth athletic teams, was the co-chairman for the Vinton Neighborhood Association, and a member of the Lafayette Housing Authority.

Surviving with his wife are two sons, Bruce Dixon (wife, Alice) of Arden, NC and Matt Dixon (wife, Donna) of Moniter, IN and two daughters, Sherry Denton (husband, Tim) of Bowling Green, KY and Debbie Anderson-Keyes (husband, Don) of Lafayette. Also surviving are 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 5-8 p.m., Thursday, at Hippensteel Funeral Home with Masonic service at 7 p.m. Funeral service will be Friday, 1:00 p.m., at the funeral home with Rev. Clarinda Crawford officiating.

Burial will follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lafayette Bowling Association Junior Bowling Program or Congress Street United Methodist Church. Hippensteel Funeral Home entrusted with care. Share memories and condolences online at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com

Published in the Journal & Courier from July 25 to July 26, 2012

Thomas Evan "Tom" Branca, BHS 1961

I am sad to report that a fellow 1961 BHS alumni, Tom Branca, passed away suddenly on July 26, 2012. Tom, and his lovely wife, Mira, were residents of Henderson, NV, who recently enjoyed our graduating class' Fiftieth Reunion this past October. We will miss his jolly good humor and his love of all things nostalgic relating to our era.

The service will be next Monday, August 6, at 11:00 am, at Saint Francis of Assisi, 2300 Sunridge Heights Pky, Henderson 89052. Phone # 702-914-2175. There will be a reception following the service at Tom and Mira's home, 1465 Bonner Springs Dr., Henderson, 89052.

Lynne (Spitza) Michels, Las Vegas, BHS 1961

UPDATE:
Just letting you know that I heard from Tom Branca's daughter, Chrissy Lingua. There will be another memorial service for Tom in Burbank, on Sunday, August 26, at 1:00. It will be held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church on the corner of Clark and Buena Vista. There will also be a reception at Chrissy's afterwards, at 702 N. Naomi, just about a block away from the church. Chrissy's phone # is 818-563-1710.

Linda Jean Warrick de Clercq, BHS 1967

Linda Jean Warrick DeClercq, BHS 1967

Linda was born on December 27, 1948 in Los Angeles County, California. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1967. She graduated with a bachelors degree from UC San Luis Obispo. There she met her husband, Denis DeClercq. Linda and Denis were married on 23 Mar 1974 in Santa Clara, Calfornia.

They chose to settle close by in Cambria, California., bought a house and started their family. They have three children Matt, Corey and KC. Matt is married and Linda was able to attend his wedding about six months before her death on September 20, 2007. They now have one grandson.

She worked at the local high school while her children were growing up. And her husband was the principal (and a volunteer fireman). She later work as a secretary for the fire chief. Her hobby was photography.

Denis and Linda were married for 33 years. Linda passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. She was 58. Denis and her children were with her, lovingly caring for her.