Jose Eloy “Apa” Aragon, BHS 1946

Jose Eloy “Apa” Aragon, BHS 1946

Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA) - October 19, 2006

Aragon, Jose "Apa" E.

Entered life July 10, 1928 in Anton Chico, New Mexico. Passed away Oct. 16, 2006 in Carson, California. Apa moved to Burbank, California at age 17. He graduated from Burbank High School, and then married Pauline Ramos in 1953. They spent the rest of their days together in the South Bay area, 44 years in Carson. He worked at the Unocal 76 refinery for over 30 years.

He is survived by 4 children; 9 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed. Visitation will be Thursday, October 19 from 4 to 8 PM and funeral services will be Friday, October 20 at 11:00 AM at Green Hills Mortuary in Rancho Palos Verdes. Please sign the guest book at www.dailybreeze.com/obits. GREEN HILLS Mortuary 310-831-0311

Andrew John Docker, BHS 1971

Andrew John Docker, BHS 1971

Andrew John Docker was born February 1, 1954 and immigrated from Coventry, England with his parents when he was 10 years old. They settled in Burbank and Andrew graduated from Burbank High with the Class of 1971.

Andrew passed away Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, in the Philippines after suffering a heart attack. He had teaching English, through reading the Bible, to local people.

He was survived by his father, Donald, and his four sons: Jeremy, Bryan, Kyle, and Kevin and Grandchildren.

Louise Rachel Rocke, BHS 1962

Louise Rachel Rocke, BHS 1962

Received word that Louise Rocke passed away on May 25, 2012 after a battle with Lung cancer. She was born December 24, 1944 in Los Angeles County, California.  She will be missed by her family and friends. No other details at this time.

Judson P. Bradshaw, BHS 1930

Judson P. Bradshaw, BHS 1930

Judson Bradshaw, 92; performing arts his passion

By Jack Williams, Staff Writer, U-T San Diego, March 15, 2005

Once he discarded dreams of being an actor, Judson P. Bradshaw found he had the right stuff for a leading role in another field – education. Beginning as a teacher of drama, speech and English, he rose to director of adult and continuing education in the San Diego Community College District. Whether teaching, directing school plays or joining community theater productions, performing arts remained a passion.

In 1993, after moving into a seniors residential community in Spring Valley, Mr. Bradshaw founded and directed a reader's theater program. He died of complications from a stroke March 8, 2005 at Grossmont Hospital. He was 92. "What he liked about education was seeing people grow and expand their abilities," daughter Judith Quiett said. "It always pleased him." "His way to stay in theater was to teach it."


As a young man, Mr. Bradshaw acted in college plays at the University of Redlands and worked as a singing waiter. But his aspirations for an acting career didn't meet with the approval of his parents, who had worked as missionaries in China for several years. Mr. Bradshaw went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Redlands and a master's in speech and drama at the University of Southern California. He also pursued studies at USC toward a doctorate of education.


He taught drama at schools in Coalinga and San Diego before joining the Navy in 1944. Assigned to landing ship transports in the Pacific, he served two years of active duty. In 1950, Mr. Bradshaw was promoted from classroom teaching to administration. As principal of Hoover-Crawford Adult School, he oversaw more than 4,000 students and a curriculum of some 90 courses during the 1950s. The job often entailed reporting to his office at 9 a.m. and tending to administrative duties at various adult education sites until 9:45 p.m. During his tenure in adult education, Mr. Bradshaw held several executive positions locally and statewide. In 1965, he was elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Public School Education.


Mr. Bradshaw served as president of the El Cajon Boulevard Civic Association in 1955 and of the East San Diego Kiwanis Club in 1962. When adult and continuing education in the San Diego Unified School District shifted to the San Diego Community College District in 1970, Mr. Bradshaw was appointed director. In 1973, one year before his retirement, he received the George C. Mann Distinguished Service Award from the California Council for Adult Education.

In retirement, he taught a variety of San Diego State University Extension courses and worked part time at Answers to Travel, a Mission Valley travel agency. As a travel agent, he led three extensive tours to China, his boyhood home. He kept his hand in theater by directing community productions and served from 1977 to 1980 as vice president of San Diego Civic Light Opera. While living in the College Area, Mr. Bradshaw helped develop the College Avenue Adult Center. It provided daylong activities for seniors and featured various speakers.

Born in Malden, Mass., he moved as a child to Szechuan Province, where his parents opened a medical missionary clinic and church. At 8, he returned with his parents to the United States and attended schools in Burbank. His first teaching job, while pursuing a master's at USC, was at Burbank Military Academy in 1938.

Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Shirlee Zoe Bradshaw; daughters, Judith Zoe Quiett of Ashland, Ore., and Peggy Gwen Palm of Alpine; two granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters.

A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Mount Miguel Covenant Village, Bailey Center, 325 Kempton St., Spring Valley. A viewing is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at Featheringill Mortuary, 6322 El Cajon Blvd., followed by an interment service at 1 p.m. at El Camino Memorial Park. Donations are suggested to Grossmont Hospice.

Donna Louise Sharpe German, BHS 1959

Donna Louise Sharpe German, BHS 1959

Born June 6, 1941; and entered into the Joy of Celestial Life on April 19, 2012.

Born in Florida, Donna spent most of her life in or near Burbank, CA. She had two great men in her life. She was married to Lloyd Yabsley in 1959 and had one daughter, Dawn Marie. In 1977 she married Gene German, and his children live in Kansas. After a short illness, Donna passed away from Cancer. She is survived by her daughter; three step children, seven grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and her mother Louise Penn of Burbank.

Her long career started when she was a teenager, where she was an actress in theatre and TV. She went on to be a manager at Sees Candy, a Bank Teller, a records label designer at AMF/Monarch Records and finally spent 24 years at Carnation/Nestlé as a Credit Analyst and then Business Systems Administrator. She retired in 2003. Donna felt lucky to join The Burbank Order of the Eastern Star and she has been an enthusiastic and loved member since 1984.

She loved helping people. She traveled to over 12 countries and 30 states. She loved playing slots and never missed a chance to go to a casino when traveling. She was very proud of training for a year and going to Italy to walk a marathon. Donna wanted her California and Kansas families, as well as her Eastern Star family, to know how much she will miss them.

A memorial service will be held at the Burbank Masonic Lodge, 406 Irving Dr., Burbank, CA 91504, on Sunday April 29, 2012, 3:00 p.m. A Reception will follow. The family requests in lieu of flowers, to donate to www.cancer.org.

Published in Los Angeles Daily News on April 29, 2012

Harold “Hal” Leroy Schilling, BHS 1957

Harold “Hal” Leroy Schilling, BHS 1957

Harold “Hal” Leroy Schilling died Jan. 14, 2012. He was 72.

Mr. Schilling was born June 12, 1939, in Portland to Harold and Glenola Schilling. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1957 and received a master’s degree in city planning from the University of Southern California.

Mr. Schilling married his wife, Laura, in 1965.

Mr. Schilling served in the U.S. Army with the military police. He worked his way through college and then built a career as a city manager in Milwaukie, Chandler, Ariz., Aspen, Colo., Reno, Nev., Lancaster, Calif., Ontario, Ore., and Indio, Calif. He served as interim city manager in Scappoose, Cornelius and Monmouth. He was a valued consultant to municipal governments.

Mr. Schilling enjoyed home remodeling, racquetball, weight lifting and reading.

Survivors include his children, Alisa Faulk, Lake Oswego, Bryan Schillling, Christopher Schilling and Jonathon Schilling; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A funeral mass has been held. The family asked that remembrances be made by helping others, such as by learning CPR, donating blood or becoming an organ donor.

Lake Oswego Review, Jan. 26, 2012

Dr. Bruce L. Varon, D.C., BHS 1975

Dr. Bruce L. Varon, D.C., BHS 1975

Bruce Varon, beloved father, brother, son, and doctor of chiropractic, passed away May 16, 2012 at the age of 55 in his Burbank home.


Bruce grew up in Burbank and for over 25 years he treated countless patients at Varon Chiropractic Center. He cared deeply about his patients and they can testify that Bruce loved to talk and share his wisdom with those around him. With his hands and his heart he helped heal thousands of people.

He loved his role as doctor for the Burbank High School Football team. He rarely missed standing on the sidelines of the Burbank High football field, watching his beloved team play. He especially enjoyed games where Burbank High played against rival Burroughs High. Bruce was a long-standing member of Burbank Kiwanis Club. He was often referred to by his fellow Kiwanis as “Mr. Pancake Breakfast” because of how he enjoyed chairing their annual pancake breakfast fundraiser.

Bruce loved his family and friends. He always tried to instill in his children life lessons that they could live by. He loved sharing what he had learned from his father, Leo Varon, and brother, Greg Varon. Nothing made him happier than riding horses with his daughters and son and riding his Harley Davidson.

Bruce is survived by his daughters, Destina and Lauren; son, Sam; sister, Michele; and mother, Bette. He is predeceased by his father, Leo, and his brother, Gregory Varon.

A service will be held at Mount Sinai Park in the Hollywood Hills, near Burbank, on Tuesday, May 22nd at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to Burbank High School Booster Club or the Burbank Kiwanis Club. Please visit Mt. Sinai Memorial Park’s website at mountsinaiparks.org where you may leave your comments for the family about your memories of Bruce.

May 21, 2012, Burbank Leader

Gerald Gordon Kroll, BHS 1949

Gerald Gordon Kroll, BHS 1949

Gerald Gordon Kroll died of lung cancer Wednesday, March 28, 2012. He was 81.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Mr. Kroll was born July 8, 1930, to Harry and Maude Fredland Kroll in Kansas City, Mo. Due to the Depression and hard times, the Kroll family took Route 66 to Burbank, which Mr. Kroll considered a paradise. He at-tended school reluctantly but managed to graduate from Burbank High in 1949, in spite of his primary interest in cars.

After graduation he worked for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph before joining the Air Force and serving in Korea. He was trained in communications, graduated at the top of his class and attained the rank of staff sergeant. On Feb. 10, 1952, he married Bettijean Ames at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento. His wife and soul mate of 60 years, she was born and raised in Mokelumne Hill and graduated from Calaveras High School.

After leaving the Air Force in 1954, Mr. Kroll returned to PacBell in Sacramento. During his years there, he was loaned to Western Electric to work on the Ballistic Early Warning System in Alaska during the Cold War. When this assignment was complete, he, Bettijean and baby Keenen returned to Sacramento via the Alcan Highway. Mr. Kroll resumed his work as an engineer with PacBell and retired in 1983. His favorite assignment was installing the telephone lines at the Cow Palace for the National Republican Convention in 1964.

In 1992, Mr. Kroll and Bettijean moved to Protem, Mo., which Mr. Kroll considered another paradise. Mr. Kroll had many talents and hobbies. He was a master auto mechanic who also restored antique cars and built several vehicles. He built two ultra-light airplanes, reconstructed his homes and worked on many other projects. Mr. Kroll was interested in many diverse subjects and formed definite opinions on them, which he shared with conviction and gusto.

He is survived by his wife Bettijean; his son Keenen Kroll (Katica) of Turlock; daughters Lisa Hale (Ashley), of Mountain Home, Ark., and Shavonne Giblin (Storm) of Forsyth, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Charles; and a special aunt, Olivia Elleboudt. The family requests that memorials be made to Skaggs Professional Hospice, P.O. Box 650 Branson, MO 65616.

Calaveras Enterprise, April 17, 2012

Alice Gertrude King Merrill, BHS Teacher

Alice Gertrude King Merrill, BHS Teacher

Mar. 26, 1895 - Dec. 14, 1987

Merrill, Alice K., 92, of Thousand Oaks, retired Burbank High School teacher. Visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Griffin Brothers Chapel, Thousand Oaks. Services at 10 a.m. Thursday at Church of the Recessional, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Glendale. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park, Glendale. Griffin Brothers, Thousand Oaks.

Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) - December 16, 1987

Delbert LeMoyne Mainard, BHS 1942

Delbert LeMoyne Mainard, BHS 1942



SPRINGFIELD, Delbert LeMoyne Mainard of Springfield died Dec. 13, 2007 of age-related causes at age 84. Private burial will be in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. A memorial service was held at Briarwood Retirement Center.


He was born Aug. 25, 1923, in Burbank, Calif., to Earl and Pearl Napper Mainard. He married Betty Jean Van Fossen on Oct. 21, 1945, in Burbank.


Mainard graduated from Burbank High School in 1942 and attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. He served in the Army in World War II, including service in Africa and Europe. He was the owner of a plumbing business in Burbank and later worked at Southern Oregon Plywood in Grants Pass. He retired in 1988.


Survivors include his wife; two daughters, S. Yvonne Long of Eugene and Katie Timmerman of Springfield; three sons, Matthew of Milwaukie, Bill of Springfield and Jon of Grants Pass; 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Arrangements by Springfield Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home.


The Register-Guard, OR, December 18, 2007