Don Rand, 71, passed
away on March 12 , 2016 at home in Waldoboro, Maine where he was residing at
the time. Don was born August 14, 1944 in Glendale, California to Elmer F. Rand
and Gwendolyn Y. Dunn. Don grew up in California and graduated from Burbank high in 1962 where he
was on the Ceralbus Yearbook Staff where he and another fellow student did all
the artwork for the yearbook.
Don was predeceased by
his father and brother Gary Rand. Don is survivied by his mother Gwendolyn Rand
of Cooper Mills, one Aunt, one nephew and many close friends. No services will
be held at this time.
In his BHS Reunion
profile page he wrote the falling:
After graduation from
BHS he attended the Chouinard Art Institute graduating in 1966 and majored in film
animation. Chouinard merged with the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music in his
last year and the new school name is one that most of you know, California
Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts), now in Valencia, California.
After Chouinard he
worked for a while at a little independent film studio over in Hollywood known
as Graphic Films. They did a lot of films for the goveerment, including one of
the moon landing. He was eventually laid off for several months and Don went back
to making some money restoring and
selling player pianos, a hobby with him since he was a kid.
Funny how life can
be!!!! In 1968 a friend of mine and I
opened a mechanical music store on Broardway in Glendale, California. We sold
player pianos, nickelodeons and all the old Edison and Victor phonographs, plus
the memorabilia that went with them. We had a great time and met many
interesting people including President Nixon.
In 1976 Ed and I
purchased the carousel in Griffith Park from the Davis family who placed it in
the park in 1935. We made a lot of improvements and it was a great business for
us but after ten years of a grinding, grueling schedule we had to bow out and
sell it.
In 1986 I moved to Maine
and Ed , my partner in the music business moved to New Hampshire, so we still
keep in touch and we both love New England!!!
For the past twenty
years my business has been manufacturing music rolls for all the collectors
over the U.S., who own nickelodeons, which by the way were Americia 's first
Juke Boxes and both J.P. Seeburg and Rudolph Wurlitzer got started this way.
Occasionaily I have down
some art work since living in Maine, including work for the Merle Norman Museum
out in Sylmar, California. So when people ask about my art career I usually
state that both art and music have been in my life for a long time, long time
and have enjoyed my involvement in each!!!
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