Sherry Madden Neary, BHS 1954

ST. IGNATIUS – Sherry Ann Neary, 80, died at her home Tuesday, July 26, 2016.

Sherry Madden Neary was born in Wenatchee, Washington on Jan. 9th, 1936 to Mack & Lola Madden. The family moved to Los Angeles, California when Sherry was 6 years old due to Sherry's need for a heart operation. Unfortunately the operation was not completely successful and Sherry was physically restricted from doing almost everything until the age of 14 when she had a second operation that was successful, giving her a whole new lease on life.

From 1951 thru 1954 she went on to attend Burbank High School in Burbank California where she joined various clubs, became a song-leader at sporting events and participated in the Schools Christian Club.

After High School Sherry attended Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, California for 3 and 1/2 years. On December 14th, 1957 she and Frank D. Neary eloped in order to be married in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the Mid-1960's in Placenta, California she joined a Catholic Church Group called the Legion of Mary. She and the group went door to door to talk to fallen away and troubled Christians. 

In the 1970's Sherry found her true calling. She advocated for and protected victims of Domestic Violence. She worked with the Prosecution and provided vital Court Testimonies that were able to protect women from any further Domestic Violence. She worked at Safe Shelters for the Homeless and at abused Mother's and Children's Shelters in Jamestown, North Dakota.

In 1998 Sherry and her husband Frank moved to St. Ignatius, Montana where both of them retired. However, Sherry felt she had a calling and a purpose for being here on the Flathead Indian Reservation. During her entire adult life, Sherry had been researching and acquiring all that was available about American Indian Tribes, Culture, Heritage, Traditions and Spirituality. She had a great love and respect for Indian People. Sherry and Frank together went to many Powwows and made many good Native American friends. Sherry and Frank both felt they were blessed by God because they were able to live in such a beautiful Valley with so many of God's beautiful people.

In 2014 Sherry was diagnosed with cancer at the bottom of her tongue. She opted to have a 1/4 of her tongue surgically removed in hopes that all the cancer was isolated there. Unfortunately that was not the case. She chose not to have another surgery, Chemo or Radiation because of the location of her cancer.

Frank wanted to share with the community that Sherry peacefully passed away at home in his arms. Sherry was and will always be the love of his life. She is resting now with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, she is no longer suffering and she is finally free of pain.
 
Survivors of Sherry are: Her husband of 59 years, Frank D. Neary, Son Mark Neary, Son Keith Neary, Daughter Ann Hoggarth and Son John Neary, 16 Grandchildren and 12 Great-grandchildren. She is proceeded in death by her parents Mack & Lola Madden and her Daughter Karen Neary. 

Services for Sherry will begin with the Rosary on Tuesday, August 2nd at 7pm in the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. On Wednesday, August 3rd her Funeral Mass will begin at 11am. 

Bryan Lee Wilkinson III, BHS 1973

February 10, 1954 - October 1, 2016

Bryan Lee Wilkinson III, who was known all of his life as Pete, passed into eternal life on October 1, 2016, in Mojave, California. He was 62 years old. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 11AM, at the Burbank First United Methodist Church in Burbank, California. Pastor Sam B. Kim will officiate.

Pete was born on February 10, 1954 in Santa Monica, California, to Bryan Lee and Ruth Helen (Foster) Wilkinson. Pete enjoyed education an held an associate's degree in accounting, but he was best known for his accomplishments as a musician. He began playing guitar at age 12, and for the past 50 years played professionally, working with many notable rock bands. In addition to being an unmatched guitarist with a following of numerous fans, Pete was also a talented singer.Pete was a kind and spiritual soul, who naturally attracted admirers from around the world, both for his music as well as for his friendliness.

He possessed the great gift of talk, making new friends everywhere he went. If a wall could have talked, he would have certainly held a conversation with it!Though Pete was loved by all who knew him, he often said that the best days of his life were meeting and falling in love with his future wife, Nancy. When he saw Nancy on the day they were married, his response was simply, "Wow!" From that day forth, Pete and Nancy went on to share a bond that lasted a lifetime.

Pete's interests were numerous and varied. In addition to a lifelong love of music, he enjoyed reading, art, photography, and astronomy. He possessed a fondness for silly, bad movies as well - everything from campy 1950s sci-fi to offbeat comedies. Pete also loved to travel, with Arizona being a favorite destination.

Pete is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Nancy Ann Wilkinson of Mojave, California; his sister, Krenn Scott of Las Vegas, Nevada; and his numerous pet birds, whom he considered his children. He is also survived by cousins, numerous nieces, great nieces, and great nephews. Pete was preceded in death by his father, Bryan Lee Wilkinson Jr., and his mother, Ruth Helen Wilkinson, both of Burbank, California. Before moving with Nancy to Mojave in 2010, Pete was a resident of Burbank for 56 years.

Published in The Burbank Leader on Oct. 22, 2016

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.

Norma Jeanee Beckett Johnson, BHS 1945

Norma Jeanee Beckett Johnson
Ventura, CA

Norma was born on January 12, 1927 to Orville Beckett and Marjorie Smithson Beckett in Hollywood, CA. She passed peacefully at home on July 24, 2016. During her long life she was a brilliant student, a beloved teacher, a dedicated friend, and most of all, a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother.

Norma met the love of her life, Bob Johnson, in 7th grade at John Burroughs Junior High School in Burbank. They graduated from Burbank High School in 1945, married in 1948, and enjoyed a loving and close union of over 68 years. Norma and Bob both graduated from Occidental College in 1951; Norma began her teaching career at Culver City Junior High School shortly thereafter. She left teaching after four years to raise her two daughters, Valerie and Vickie, and returned to the classroom in 1971 at Jordan Junior High School in Burbank, where she covered such diverse subjects as English, math, and drama, always inspiring her students and forming lifelong friendships with her colleagues.

Following retirement and a move to Dana Point in 1983, Norma and Bob both taught for several years at St. Margaret's Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano. Norma was an extraordinary mother, and both girls fondly remember a childhood filled with love and laughter. She was involved in PTA and Ponytail softball, as well as being an amazing cook, seamstress, bridge player, Brownie leader, and loyal friend to all who knew her.

Upon the birth of their two grandsons, Norma and Bob relocated to Ventura, and Norma lavished her love on both boys as they grew up. Whether it was celebrating birthdays, cheering them on at countless sporting events, or cuddling up and reading a book together, she adored being their Nana.

Norma is survived by her husband Bob; daughters Valerie Johnson and Victoria Costigan; son-in-law Carl Costigan; and beloved grandsons Robert and Will Costigan. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. A celebration of her life will be held Monday, August 8th at 11:00 am at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road in Ventura.

Norma's family would like to extend special thanks to Livingston Memorial Hospice Care for their loving treatment of Norma in her final days. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to LMVNA, or to a charity of your choice.

Margaret Elizabeth Rundle Hightree, BHS 1964

Margaret Elizabeth (Rundle) Hightree, went to be with her Lord, on October 15, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born to William Weston Rundle and Bethel Virginia (Thomas) Rundle March 19, 1946 in Glendale, California. A graduate of Burbank High School  and Valley College in Los Angeles, California.

She worked for many years in accounts payable and receiving at KFOR as well as channel 43 in same capacity. Margaret enjoyed Red hat ladies, cooking and crafts and was volunteer for SW Hospice. Her greatest joy and passion was spending time with her husband of 43 years, Lyle (Bud) Hightree; son, Allen White and family.

She is survived by her mom, Virginia Rundle; husband, Lyle (Bud) Hightree; son, Allen White and wife, Michele; 4 granddaughters, Danielle, Kaela, Shauna, and Arielle White; sister, Bonnie (Rundle) Arnold and husband, Denny; 1 niece; 2 nephews; and many friends.

She is preceded in death by her father, William Rundle; son, Mark Thomas White. Funeral services will be held 10:00 AM, Monday, October 24, 2016 at First Baptist Church of Moore, Moore, OK. Interment to follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens, Oklahoma City, OK.

From the John M. Ireland Funeral Home and Chapel, Moore, Oklahoma, October 24, 2016

Linda Lee Summers Hairell, BHS 1959

 

1941-2016

On the morning of Thursday, October 13, 2016 Linda Lee (Summers) Hairell passed away at her home in Santa Clarita, CA from her battle with cancer. She was 74. Linda was born in Glendale, CA on October 24, 1941.

She graduated from Burbank High School in 1959. Linda met her husband Michael in 1960 and married him that same year. They resided in Burbank until 1978 when they moved to Placerita Canyon in Newhall, CA.

Linda was a wonderful wife and mother raising a daughter and son. She was instrumental in the running of the family electrical contracting company in Sun Valley before her retirement 2 years ago. She cherished her nearly 40 years of motorhome and boating with the Santa Clarita Valley Boat & RV Club where she was an active member.

She is survived by her loving husband Mike; daughter Deanna and husband Louie Lantieri and granddaughter Katrina. Linda was preceded in death by her son Curtis and grandson Justin.

She always had a zest for life and was an exceptionally beautiful, kind person with a loving heart and warm smile as anyone that knew her would attest to. "Rest In Peace, Lovely Linda"
A Celebration of Life will be held from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91506.

The Signal, October 21, 2016
Sign the Legacy online guestbook at www.signalscv.com

Published on signalscv.com October 21 to October 27, 2016

Cynthia C. Reimers Enright, BHS 1961

Cynthia Enright services held Monday

Issaquah Press, November 8, 1972

Funeral services for Cynthia C. Enright, 28, of Pine Lake were held Monday, November 6, 1972 at Flintoft's Issaquah Funeral Home. She passed away suddenly Friday, November 3 at home. Burial followed at Hillside Cemetery. Rev. Richard Birdsall officiated. 

Mrs. Enright was born on August 2, 1944 in Burbank, California. She was raised in Burbank  and graduated from Burbank High School. She also attended Los Angeles State College. She married Richard J. Enright on December 9, 1961. They moved to Pine Lake in 1966. She was a member of the Twins Club.

She is survived by her husband, Richard; three children, John, David , and Pamela; one brother, William Reimers; and two sisters, Rhonda and Ramela Reimers both of Burbank; and her mother, Carol Hunton of New York; and her step-father, William Reimers.

Janet Pruett Dickes, BHS 1926

Janet Pruett Dickes, 81, died December 16, 1989 in Panorama City. Born in Arkansas, she lived in Burbank for 73 years.

She graduated from Burbank High School and received her bachelor's degree in educational psychology from UCLA. She was a member of the Helen Matthewson Club sorority and remained active in the sorority, serving on scholarship committees.

Mrs. Dickes had been a teacher for the Burbank United School District and a master teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was an active community volunteer, a Sunday school teacher at the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank and a Girl Scout leader.

She was a charter member of the Burbank branch of the American Association of University Women and was recently honored with a $500 fellowship endowment in her name to the AAUW.

Mrs. Dickes is survived by her husband, Harold; daughters, Elaine Thomas of Burbank and Elizabeth Ring of San Rafael; four grandchildren.

Services are 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Old North Church, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Memorial Park, with burial following. Forest Lawn is handling the arrangements. Donations may be made to the AAUW Educational Foundation Program or the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

Burbank Leader Newspaper, December 1989

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

Ruth Ione Kendig Luttge, BHS 1935

July 13, 1916 - October 1, 2016

Ruth Ione Luttge passed away on October 1st, 2016. Daughter of George and Frances Kendig, she was born on July 13th, 1916 and came to Burbank, CA in 1920.

She attended Burbank schools, and graduated from Burbank High School in winter of 1935. Ruth married Andra William Luttge in 1936. They were married for 68 years before Andra passed on October 9th, 2004. Together they had a daughter, Andrea Ruth of Burbank, and son, William Wayne Luttge of Santa Rosa, CA.

Ruth is survived by four grandsons: Craig and Steven Heintz of Northridge, CA; Douglas Luttge of Idaho; and Daniel of Santa Maria, CA. As well as her great grandchildren: Samantha Heintz; Cash Mcoy and Scarlett Luttge; and Briana, Emma, Grace and Doug Luttge.

Ruth will be placed together with Andra in Valhalla Cemetery in a family plot purchased in 1923. All five brothers, their wives and children will rest together.

Published in The Burbank Leader on Oct. 8, 2016

Robert Alan Irey, BHS 1964

Robert  Alan Irey was born on July 7, 1946 and passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2016.

Robert was a resident of Lake Havasu City, Arizona at the time of his passing.

Robert attended Burbank High School and then continued on with his schooling when he entered college and earned his Doctorate degree at Palmer College of Chiropractic.

He was married to Beryl.

A memorial service will be held at Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 2:00PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lake Havasu Humane Society or the Make A Wish Foundation.RR

Iris Lorraine Nelson Simmons, BHS 1945?

Iris Lorraine Nelson Simmons, 91, of Lebanon died Sunday at her home.

Feb 3, 1925 - March 13, 2016

Iris was born in San Francisco, California, to Herman Ira and Mattie Merle (Tipps) Nelson. She was raised in Burbank, California, where she attended Burbank High School.  She met her soul mate and the love of her life, Robert Simmons, and married him in Salome, Arizona, on March 8, 1945. They lived in Garden Grove, California, where they raised their two daughters. Iris later attended California State College, Long Beach where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Vocational Education. She went on to become the head of the department of cosmetology at Fullerton College. She was also awarded the Vocational Teacher of the Year Award for the State of California in 1974. She exceeded in everything she attempted. After retirement she and her husband moved to Lebanon in 1978.

She had numerous hobbies, such as reading, china painting, oil painting, watercolor, sewing, knitting, gardening, and cooking, all of which she made look easy, which is the case with gifted people! Iris belonged to the Pineway Women’s Golf Club and golfed until she was in her 80s. She also belonged to the Women Elks and the Eastern Star.

Her parents and husband preceded her in death.

She is survived by her brother, Don Nelson of South Beach; two daughters, Lorrie Gulaskey and Kathie Houdek, both of Lebanon; and three grandchildren, Gregg Gulaskey of Corvallis, Jamie Stinson of Lebanon and Rob Houdek, also of Lebanon. She had five great-grandchildren, Samone Stinson of Philomath, Amber Fortson of Portland, Jasmine Stinson of Salem, Kyler Gulaskey of Albany and Carson Fortson of Lebanon.

A viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at Huston-Jost Funeral Home. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 18, at Huston-Jost Funeral Home. Burial will be at Providence Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers contributions in her memory may be made to the Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital Auxiliary or a charity of choice and sent in care of Huston-Jost Funeral Home, 86 W. Grant St., Lebanon, OR 97355.