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

Alvan Irving Beck, BHS 1950

Alvan Irving Beck, BHS 1950

Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, The (CA) - August 5, 2005


Alvan Irving Beck


Alvan Irving Beck died July 5, 2005 at 73. He is survived by his wife, Blanca; sons, Daniel and Luis Marcilla, Dennis and Brent; daughter, Rosi Marcilla; five grandchildren; brother, Larry. Groman

Note: According to Alvan's son Brent his father was a Korean War vet. Alvan also played football at Burbank High where he was the quarterback and captain of the Bee team. Alvan's best friend in high school was Frank Larry Imera, BHS 1951.



Captain Al Beck, Quarterback







Al Beck & Ruth Wright/Beck, Burbank High School









Phyllis S. Yellin Goldenberg, BHS 1961

Phyllis S. Yellin Goldenberg, BHS 1961

From the Las Vegas Review Journal, March 12, 2009

Phyllis Goldenberg, 65, of Las Vegas, passed away very peacefully March 21, 2009 after a battle with cancer.

She is survived by her husband, Marc; son, Evan; daughter Cindy; daughter-in-law, Christie; and two grandchildren, Hanna and Josha. Born October 18, 1943 in Chicigo, Phyllis moved to California and married her high school sweetheart after graduating from Burbank High School in June 1961. They were married in November 1961.

She began her work at Rockwell International/Boeing and retired 27 years later. After 41 years of marriage and raising two wonderful children, Phyllis and Marc retired to their dream home in Henderson, where they met and entertained with dozens and dozens of friends. Her humor, her baking and her love will be missed by all of us.

Services will be at noon, Wednesday, March 25 at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California. Second services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at her home. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or to Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas.

Clifford Ralph Osborn, Sr., BHS 1941

Clifford Ralph Osborn, Sr., BHS 1941

Kern Valley Sun (Lake Isabella, CA) - January 19, 2005

1921-2005

Clifford Ralph Osborn, Sr. was born in Staten Island, N.Y. on May 4, 1921 to Ralph and Anne Osborn. He entered into rest on Jan. 14, 2005 at his home in Kernville at the age of 83.

His family moved from New York to the Burbank/Hollywood area where he graduated from Burbank High School. After high school, he drove "midget" racers at Gilmore Stadium in that area. He then entered the Army Air Corp where he proudly served his country during World War II.

Clifford spent a lot of time in his earlier days at McNally's Lodge, fishing in the river and swapping tales with the old-timers. He built his home in Kernville where he and his wife, Alice moved to in 1980. His favorite pastimes were woodworking and rock work around his home. He made rocking horses for his great-grand daughters and a wooden motorcycle for his greatgrandson. He loved sunbathing, his beer and the great outdoors.

He was a great family man who is survived by two sons, Skip and wife Mishia, and Roy; three granddaughters, Christina, Marlena, and Heather; and four great-grandchildren; Calvin, Erisa, Alice, and Tatum.

Graveside services will be held on Jan. 20, 2005 at 11 a.m. at the Kern River Valley Cemetery in Wofford Heights with Pastor Jack Dilley officiating.

Services entrusted to the care of Lake Isabella Valley Mortuary.

Jeanette Billingham Gold, BHS 1953

Jeanette Billingham Gold, BHS 1953

Jeanette Gold; Retired Burbank Teacher

Los Angeles Times (CA) - December 21, 1991

A longtime Burbank resident, Mrs. Gold died Thursday of cancer, said her daughter, Shelley Mead of Pacific Palisades. Born in Fieldsboro, N.J., she came to California in 1950 and graduated from Burbank High School in 1953. Mrs. Gold earned a bachelor's degree and a teaching credential from UCLA and began her career in the Burbank district in 1958.

She taught several elementary school grade levels, and classes in English as a second language, at Joaquin Miller and Thomas Jefferson elementary schools. During her teaching career, Mrs. Gold earned a master's degree in early childhood education from Pepperdine University and was a mentor teacher from 1985-87. Mrs. Gold retired from Jefferson Elementary School in June. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and the Burbank Teachers Assn.

In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Gold is survived by her son, Robert Smith of Sherman Oaks; mother, Ethel Billingham of Burbank; sister, Belinda Lister of Burbank, and two grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday at the First United Methodist Church of Burbank at 700 N. Glenoaks Blvd. The Valley Funeral Home in Burbank is handling the arrangements. Donations can be to the Jeanette Gold Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of Belinda Lister, 2918 Joaquin Drive, Burbank 91504.

Scholarships will be given to seniors attending high school in Burbank.

Jeanette Gold, who taught in Burbank elementary schools for more than 30 years and was named the Burbank Unified School District's Teacher of the Year in 1989, has died at a Burbank hospital. She was 56.