Irene Fenn Herman, BHS 1925

Irene Fenn Herman, BHS 1925

Burbank Daily Evening Review, Burbank, California, Wednesday, February 29, 1928

Mrs. Irene Fenn Herman, wife of Henry Herman, passed away at 2:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon at Glendale hospital.

Besides her husband and infant daughter, Irene Mae, born Sunday afternoon, the deceased leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fenn, 818 East Tenth Street, this city, and two brothers, Lloyd and Hugh Fenn, of the same address.

The funeral will be held at the Little Church of the Flowers in the Forest Lawn cemetery at Glendale Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock with A. C. Fillbach in charge. The interment will be in Forest Lawn cemetery.

Mrs. Herman was born at Salem, Iowa, April 9, 1906, and had lived in Burbank for the past five years. She was a graduate of the Burbank high school in class of 1925. She was married to Mr. Herman October 7, 1926. She was a member of the local chapter of Eastern Star.

NOTE: Newspaper listed her burial at Forest Lawn, but she is buried at Glen Haven.

Ralph Lewis Zink aka Donald Woods, BHS 1925, Actor

Ralph Lewis Zink aka Donald Woods, BHS 1925, Actor

Los Angeles Times, April 25, 1998

Donald Woods; Prolific Actor in Movies and TV Shows

Donald Woods, 91, a prolific actor who referred to himself as the “king of the Bs.” Born Ralph L. Zink in Manitoba, Canada, he legally switched to his professional name of Donald Woods in 1945. After growing up in Burbank, California and attending UC Berkeley, Woods started out as a radio and stage actor. 

In the 40-year span of his entertainment career, he appeared in 98 plays, 150 television shows and 75 motion pictures – some B movies, some higher rated – from “Sweet Adeline” in 1934 and “A Tale of Two Cities” in 1935 to “True Grit” in 1969. He hosted two 1950s television series, “The Orchid Award” and “Hotel Cosmopolitan,” and was a series regular on “Tammy” in 1965.  

Adept particularly in whodunits and westerns, Woods was a popular guest star on television’s “Wagon Train” and “The Wild Wild West.” After he left Hollywood, Woods became a real estate agent in Palm Springs. On March 5, 1998 in Palm Springs Woods passed away of cardiopulmonary failure.

Robert Christie Wellington, BHS 1925

R.C. Wellington Rites Tomorrow

Published June 1956

Funeral services for Robert Christie Wellington, 49, a Burbank resident for 44 years and employe of the Burbank Park and Recreation Department for nine years, will be conducted at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Fillbach Mortuary with interment to follow at San Fernando Mission Cemetery. 

He died Wednesday June 13, 1956. He was a 1925 graduate of Burbank High School where he served as the first editor of "High Life," the school's student newspaper.

He leaves his widow, Dolores, 123 S. Parrish Place, Burbank; a son. Robert Edwin; a brother, Ted Wellington, of Burbank, and two sisters.

Lola Mae Richard Anderson Phillips, BHS 1925?

Lola Mae Richard Anderson Phillips, BHS 1925?

The Cupertino Courier, May 25, 2005

Former Cupertino resident Lola R. Anderson Phillips died in Houston, Texas, of heart failure. She was 97.

Phillips was born in Oklahoma on May 29, 1907. She and her first husband, Lincoln Anderson, moved to Los Altos, and lived there until his death in 1966.

Phillips then moved to Sunnyvale, where she worked for Lockheed Martin until 1971. After retiring, she took up ballroom dancing and received her California real estate license. Phillips also traveled to Europe, Asia, South America and Australia by herself.

In 1978, she moved to Houston to be close to her son, Dick Anderson. To her family's surprise, she married longtime friend and Cupertino resident Hugh Phillips at the age of 80 and moved to Cupertino to live with him. She remained there until his death in 1999.

Phillips is survived by son Richard Anderson and his wife Michelle, of Houston; grandson David Anderson and his wife Pellie, of San Rafael; granddaughter Karen Anderson of Houston; and three great-grandchildren.

Phillips is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles. A celebration of her life will take place Saturday June 4, at 11 a.m. at Union Church of Cupertino, 20900 Stevens Creek Blvd.

Donations can be made to the Senior Bulldogs Foundation of Burbank High School, care of Bill Magee, P.O. BOX 3216, Grandad Hills, CA. 91394 or to the Dixie Children's Fund, P.O. BOX 6182, San Rafael, CA, 94903.

Josephine Robins Bailey, BHS 1925

Josephine Robins Bailey, BHS 1925

Burbank Leader, June 2009

Josephine (Robins) Bailey passed away at home Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

A native Californian, she was born December 13, 1907, in Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. In 1920, after having lived for a time in Bishop, CA, the family moved to Burbank, and in 1925 she graduated from Burbank High School and began working for the Burbank Public Library. She married Robert L. Bailey, a designer and advertising executive, in 1936. He passed away in 1982. They had one daughter, Carolyn.

Jo's passion for travel, bridge, reading and her family filled her life. She was a member of Chapter U, P.E.O., La Providencia Guild of the Children's Hospital, Zonta, the Burbank Historical Society, Burbank Friends of the Library, and the Burbank Senior Bulldogs. She also was involved in supporting the Burbank Sister City Committee and the Burbank YMCA as well as PTA and Girl Scouts. Many of the Robins/Bailey artifacts reside at the Burbank Historical Society where she was a docent. Last fall she was honored as the Grand Marshall of the Burbank High School Centennial Parade.

Jo (or "Nana" as she was known to many the past 30 years) balanced work, motherhood, family, and community service with grace. She filled her life with interesting activities and wonderful people who kept her vital and happy for over a century. She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Grogan; granddaughter Tracey (Martin) Grogan-Collazos and great-grandson Liam; grandson Christopher (Karen Escalante) Grogan; niece Mary (Robert) Taddeo and their daughter Taryn; and other cousins and family. Her siblings, Don and Tom Robins and Carolyn (Robins) Donnet preceded her in death.

A gathering in her honor will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, July 11 at the Holiday Inn Carousel room, 150 Angelino Ave., Burbank, CA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Burbank Historical Society, Senior Bulldogs, La Providencia Guild of the Children's Hospital or Friends of the Burbank Library.

Eilleen Marie Lewis Bowen, BHS 1925

Eilleen Marie Lewis Bowen, BHS 1925

Eilleen Marie Lewis Bowen, 92, formerly of Los Osos, died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, at Ingleside Assisted Living in Atascadero. She was born in 1917 in Ipswich, S.D., the only child of Cora Liggett Lewis and Elmer David Lewis. She moved with her family to Burbank, Calif., in 1925, where she graduated from Burbank High School. An honors graduate from UCLA, Eilleen was a teacher for more than 25 years in Redlands, Santa Maria and Pasadena, Calif.

From the late 1950s until 1974, she taught in the Pasadena public school system. She was a member of Pi Lambda Theta and Delta Kappa Gamma. She also was an active member of the California Teachers Association and the National Education Association. Following her retirement in 1974, she and her husband, Charles Gordon Bowen, spent the rest of their lives on the Central Coast. Los Osos was her home until she moved into an assisted living facility in Atascadero in 2008.

Eilleen was a member of the first group of docents at the Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History, where she later served as President of the Docent Council and as Chairman of the Natural History Association. She volunteered over 7500 hours and the Learning Center at the museum was named in her honor. She organized the museum library and served as the docent librarian for over 25 years. Additionally, she was one of the founding members of the Friends of the Estuary at Morro Bay, and was a member of the Morro Coast Audubon Society. In 1997, she was honored by Cuesta College as a "Woman of Distinction," and received the Community and Public Service Volunteer award.

Surviving are her two sons, J. Thomas Bowen (Sandra) of Lafayette, Calif., and Gordon Lewis Bowen (Linda) of Staunton, Va.; four granddaughters Rebecca Bowen Jamil of Fremont, Calif., Jennifer Bowen Wieland of Shawnee, Kan., Susanne Eilleen Bowen of Lafayette, Calif., and Lisa Bowen Heymann of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; and five great-grandchildren Maya Sandra Jamil, Benjamin Bowen Wieland, Margaret Rose Wieland, Zachary Cyrus Wieland, and Noah Bowen Heymann. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Charles, in 1996.

A family memorial service will be held at a later date. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, State Park Road, Morro Bay, CA 93442. Benedict-Rettey 772-7382 Morro BayPublished in San Luis Obispo Tribune on September 26, 2010

Cecil B. Short, BHS 1925

Cecil B. Short, BHS 1925

Cecil B. Short; Retired Machinist

August 09, 1990, Los Angeles Times

Cecil B. Short, a longtime resident of Southern California, has died in Granada Hills. He was 84.

Short, a resident of Castaic, died Aug. 2 of cancer, said his niece, Dorothy Riegel.

He was born in Somerville, Tenn., and came to Burbank as a child. He graduated from Burbank High School in the early 1920s.

He worked as a machinist for Bendix Corp. from the mid-1940s to the early 1970s. He will be remembered for his excellent cabinetmaking, an early profession of his that later turned into a hobby, Riegel said.

Short was also a member of the Burbank Elks Lodge and Church of the Open Bible in Tujunga.

He is survived by a son, John Roger Short of Sunland; one granddaughter; and one grandson.

Visitation is scheduled from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by a funeral at 2 p.m., both at Eckerman-Heisman Funeral Service, 333 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, which is handling the arrangements.

Burial will be private. Donations can be made in Short's name to the American Cancer Society.

Faith Pomeroy Sands, BHS 1925

Faith Pomeroy Sands, BHS 1925

July 16, 1908 April 14, 2002

Faith P. Sands was born July 16, 1908 in Burbank, California and passed away peacefully on April 14, 2002. At the age of 16 she sang on KHJ radio in L.A. and later worked in Wardrobe at Warner Brothers Studio. She married F.M. Jack Sands in 1929 and began her career as a homemaker. She was famous for her baking, candy making, and generosity of spirit. She always maintained her sense of humor and wit. She was a charter member of the Oildale OES, and a member of the Grange.

Faith was preceded in death by her six siblings and husband of 56 years. She is survived by her daughters, Frances Denison and husband, Jack, and Hope Donovan, both of Bakersfield; and son, Jack and wife, Pam of Cypress, Texas. Grandchildren, Kirk and Tod Denison (Beryl) of Bakersfield, Kerry Denison (Karen) of Arvada, Colorado, Jennifer Sands of Austin, Texas and Lauren Sands of Cypress, Texas; and 7 great- grandchildren; also numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association, Hospice, or SPCA. Special thanks to Serrill and Marguerite Brooks who have always been there for our family. At her request, there will be no services.
Published in the Bakersfield Californian, April 2002

Glenn Tipps, BHS 1925

Glenn Tipps, BHS 1925

From the Burbank Review, Monday, August 24, 1942

The passing of a Burbank High School graduate, class of 1925, is being mourned by friends and relatives today. Thirty-five-year-old Glenn Tipps of Monrovia passed away yesterday at the home of his sister, Mrs. Herman Nelson, 532 S. Mariposa Street.

An accomplished pianist, Tipps was well-known to Burbank dancers. He played over local radio stations as well as making extensive appearances with orchestras in the southern states.

Tipps was born in Durham, Oklahoma. He leaves his widow, Mrs. Blanche Tipps of Monrovia, and his mother, Mrs. Lucy Flora of Altadena. Tipps also leaves three sisters, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Edith Wilcoxson of North Hollywood and Mrs. Cleo Barton of Texas. One brother, Otis Tipps, lives at 321 N. Fred

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 pm Wednesday at the W.B. Temple Mortuary in Monrovia.