The ‘old man’ at BWP

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to update your information and write notes! You can go to the form listed here so that we can keep in touch with you, especially for the 50th year class reunion.

Larry Marak, 1968

It was because of this form that I found out our classmate, Larry Marak, has had a long career at BWP (Burbank Water and Power). He will be recognized for 35 years of service in a program at City Hall on October 22nd — in fact, he says he is known as ‘old man Marak’ because he’s “outlived everyone else who was working there when he started.” Married for 37 years to BHS graduate Melissa Williams, here’s more of what he wrote:

I’ve spent the last 35 years doing a variety of field positions at Burbank Water and Power, Messenger Bill-Deliverer (back when we delivered our own bills by hand to the customers), mail room supervisor, meter reader, collector (got yelled at and threatened with dogs and guns from time to time) and senior field rep (doing new service connects and disconnects back in the days before smart meters).  The last 4 years I’ve transferred over to the credit section and process payments for transmission to treasury.

Didn’t start out that way, got a Masters from U.C.L.A. in ancient history, and had a teaching position lined up on the east coast when my wife Melissa had a stroke at age 27.  Didn’t have health insurance then and that put us behind the financial 8 ball for 7 years, and so I entered public service.  Got hired with the city because of a mass firing due to a sex scandal at work!!

Larry became interested in construction toys (aka LEGOS) about 8 years ago.

LEGOS are a serious hobby!

Melissa and I got into the construction toy hobby about 8 years ago while looking for bargains to give to a Salvation Army Angel tree.  We’ve supported the Angel trees for many years.  We are lifetime members of Legoland and have done quite a bit of building over the years.  We’re moving Melissa’s sister in with us for her retirement this January, and so had to eliminate the hobby room and so made virtue of a necessity and transferred 10 years of parts to the Fort Erie and Burbank children’s libraries LEGO clubs.  Virtually all you see at the Burbank Central Library, including the cases, came from us. [By the way, Larry will be working at the Burbank Library Centennial event this Saturday, October 5th.]

Larry Marak today.

Larry and his wife have also done a lot of traveling, including seeing a total eclipse in the Amazon, climbing the Great Wall, making it to the top of one of the pyramids in Tikai Guatemala, and attending opening ceremonies of both the Los Angeles (1984) and Calgary (1988) Olympics.

He apparently has been on television occasionally, including an appearance at the L.A. Zoo as a member of the zoo’s musical ensemble, the Zoopremes. Larry says he also appeared as the husband on the most X-rated Dr. Phil show ever broadcast!

Larry remembers that he had once been my lab partner and we “took orders from other kids to pick up food from McDonalds, since we had senior privilege status (being both seniors and CSF members.)

What a memory! See you at the reunion!