October 5, 2013

Family dynasty

Steve Raine, 1968

Steve Raine, 1968

You may recall from a previous post that I was looking for our BHS’68 classmates that had been married for forty years or more, and I heard from Steve Raine, who has been married to Mary aka “Beauty,” for 41 years. He writes: Beauty & I were married July 15, 1972, in her parents’ backyard in Encino. Beautiful ceremony on a killer hot day! Her dress was stunning. 

201694_1717780460522_2575681_oSteve and Mary are both second-career ordained Presbyterian pastors.  She is 2013 Moderator of San Joaquin Presbytery (California Central Valley), and pastor at Coalinga First Presbyterian Church. Steve formerly pastored Easterby Presbyterian in Fresno, and is currently involved with their presbytery.  Additionally (in Coalinga), Steve is Vice Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board, Vice President of the Imaginarium Institute of Fine Arts Board, and facilitator of the Ministerial Association. They both continue on the California WEE KIRK (Presbyterian small church) planning team.

They have four daughters and a foster son, all graduates of Burbank High School:

Kristen was in the first 9th grade class at BHS.  She and husband Steve Frost (JBHS) live in Burbank.  Kristen is a Disney ‘aficionado’, and her favorite sports are racing (Jimmy Johnson), and pro hockey.

Amy scored the first-ever BHS Girl’s Varsity Soccer Team goal in the Foothill League (vs Canyon), and was All-League, Second Team.  She also ran cross-country and track.  Amy & husband Ken Anderson (JBHS), both teachers, live in Rancho Cucamonga with their “grands”, Evan & Katelyn.

Molly was a four-year starter on the BHS Girl’s Varsity Soccer squad, and All-League First Team.  In 10th grade, she was Foothill League Varsity Track double-champion in the 100m & 300m hurdles.  She played four years of soccer at the University of Redlands, where she met husband Damon Morris.  They reside in Washington State, with our three ‘northern grand daughters’, Ella, Reese and Harper.

** Thank you again, for those of you who have been praying for Molly & Damon’s Reesie, almost three, who just completed chemo and has been declared cancer-free!  Thanks be to God! —Steve

Darcy played BHS basketball and ran track.  A quick basketball story: Darcy hit so many ‘crunch time’ free throws leading BHS to victory over Burroughs that when she fouled out, the JBHS coach walked out onto the court to shake her hand. On the Advanced Placement Calculus Exam, she scored a maximum “5”.  Darcy & husband Gabe Romero (JBHS & BHS) reside in Santa Clarita.

J. J. Gagnon (son) and wife April reside in Burbank, with Steve and Mary’s grandson, Jack.  J. J. played BHS football and Track.

You can view a short video of the Raine kids here:

Steve says that his uncle, Glenn Raine, is on the BHS Memorial Wall as he was killed at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He joined the army right out of Burbank High, and was an 82nd Airborne medic in a glider squadron.

Say, are there any other family dynasties at Burbank High? This is a call for all you Class of 1968 graduates — how many of your children also are BHS grads? Please tell us using the “Contact Us” tab above.

Posted by on October 5, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

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October 3, 2013

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

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 is a serious hobby!

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 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!

 

Posted by on October 3, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , .

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October 1, 2013

Groovy Grandma!

Louise Good

Louise Good

More than a year ago, when Jim Ranshaw asked me to be the Class Blogger, my goal was to attempt to make contact with every BHS’68 grad and “tell your story.” My recent post about discovering Susan Parker Easley and learning that she celebrated 44 years of marriage created quite a buzz!

Another one of our Class of ’68 also celebrated 44 years of marriage — Louise Good married Gene Hernandez (Class of ’67) in July 1969. Louise writes: Kathy, I had no idea there were so many classmates who married within five years of graduation.  Your curiosity and discovery of our classmate, Susan Parker, is a perfect example of social media at its finest. Thank you for all you do to keep us connected. I am sharing the last 44 years, in hopes that others will do the same.

My story probably isn’t unique from others.  After graduation, the bonds of high school friendships, that back then seemed so critical to our survival, were fractured.  Only the strongest bonds withstood the split. (Thank you, Jan Wahler, for our continued friendship.)  And yet, I would assume/hope that an extremely high percentage of us never looked back and have lead moral and ethical lives, with a personal mission statement to “leave this world better than we found it.”

Wedding day, July 5, 1969.

Wedding day, July 5, 1969.

Gene Hernandez is a 1967 BHS graduate.  On July 5, 1969, we said, “I do” and began our lives together.  That promise, 44 years ago, catapulted us from Burbank to around the world.  Gene’s career choice of law enforcement, with a degree in Administration of Criminal Justice, resulted in a planned move to San Jose in September of 1969, where he attended San Jose State.  Three children and four grandchildren later, we have spent the bulk of our marriage in Yorba Linda, CA.  For 35 years, Gene worked his way up from a patrolman to Chief of Police for the City of Chino.  During that time, I had a career in the medical field, retiring in 2005 as a sole proprietor of a medical transcribing, home-based business, specializing in the field of Radiology. 

Louise Good Hernandez, and her husband, Gene, have been married for 44 years.

Louise Good Hernandez, and her husband, Gene, have been married for 44 years.

Our oldest daughter, Nikki, was born in 1970 and our son, Paul, was born in 1972.  Fast-forward to 1985 and our youngest daughter, Elissa, was born.  When Elissa was one-year-old, Gene joined a local Rotary Club.  This involvement changed our lives.  Over the last 27 years, we have attended many Rotary International Conventions. These conventions have been as close as Salt Lake City and as far away as Bangkok, Thailand.  Giving back to our community and the world through Rotary and other local service organizations is what occupies most of our time in retirement.  Our first priority is always our children and grandchildren.  We’re fortunate that all live within four miles of us.  Since Gene is a newly elected Yorba Linda City Councilman, we’re seeing our city in ways we never noticed before and enjoying all the friendships created through the campaign and subsequent election. We ran into my classmate, John Todora, at a Chamber of Commerce event!  I had no idea he lived in Yorba Linda.

Our 15-year-old granddaughter is a sophomore in high school.  Lately, I’ve been listening to her stories of drama with friends.  I’d like to tell her that this time of her life is just a blip on the radar screen.  It’s three years out of possibly an 80-year or more life span.  I wish I could tell her to enjoy every day because, before she knows it, she’ll be celebrating her 45th high school reunion.  I’ll keep these messages to myself.  She might think I’m weird. I don’t want to spoil my reputation as a “groovy” grandma.  OMG!  Why did that word pop into my head?  It’s been fun reminiscing.  Looking forward to other stories and seeing everyone at the reunion. 

Louise's family

Louise’s family

 

Posted by on October 1, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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September 30, 2013

Geez—look how young we were!

Jackie Hayes

Jackie Hayes

Geez— look how young we were! That was the comment on Jackie Hayes’ wedding photo when I asked her to send it. My post about Susan Parker Easley and about the people in our class who have been married 40 years or more brought forth this message from Jackie:

Jackie Hayes and her husband, Steve Steen, on their wedding day.

Jackie Hayes and her husband, Steve Steen, on their wedding day.

Thanks for the note about Susie Parker.  I knew her in high school and actually attended her wedding all those years ago!  I also have been married 40+ years (41 to be exact).  My husband Steve and I met at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and were married 2 weeks after graduation in 1972.  We raised 3 children (2 boys and a girl in the middle).  We have 6 grandchildren (3 boys and 3 girls).  Those 6 grandchildren arrived at the rate of 1 each year; the oldest is 7 and the youngest is turning 1 this week.  They are the delight of our lives and the best of times are when we can all be together.

We have always lived in the East San Francisco Bay area. I worked 11 years for Jack in the Box restaurants after my youngest child was in high school.  It was a great job with a terrific company, but when they offered early retirement, I jumped at the chance!  I am enjoying my retirement by spending more time with my grandchildren and my family, traveling with my husband and volunteering at my church and at the Adult Literacy program through our county library.

I’m looking forward to the 45th reunion in a few weeks.  Hard to believe it has been that long!

Steve and Jackie Hayes Steen and their grandchildren.

Steve and Jackie Hayes Steen and their grandchildren.

Posted by on September 30, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , , .

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September 29, 2013

Meet me at Bob’s Big Boy

Bob's Big BoyIs there any other iconic restaurant in Burbank than Bob’s Big Boy? It was one of my favorite restaurants when I was growing up — remember the double-decker hamburgers and the cherry cokes?

Well, the Reunion Committee decided that if anyone wants to do any pre-reunion socializing, that we can all meet at Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake (4211 Riverside Drive) from 11:30 to 2:00 on Saturday, October 12th.

I was surprised to find a Wikipedia entry for Bob’s Big Boy and learned that the restaurant chain was founded by Bob Wian in 1936. In fact the oldest remaining Bob’s Big Boy is the one in Toluca Lake. It was built in 1949 and designed by Los Angeles architect Wayne McAllister, who was credited with creating the restaurant’s drive-through design. I learned also that this restaurant has been named a California Point of Historical Interest and offers car-hop service on the weekends.

The double-decker hamburger.

The double-decker hamburger.

Apparently the Toluca Lake location has been patronized by Bob Hope and many movie personalities such as Mickey Rooney, Debbie Reynolds, Jonathan Winters, Dana Andrews, Martha Raye, Alexis Smith and Craig Stevens. Even the Beatles visited the Burbank location during their 1965 U. S. Tour.

Hope to see YOU there!

 

Posted by on September 29, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , .

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September 29, 2013

Married for life

Susan Parker Easley

Susan Parker

Some of you may know that I’ve recently released a CD and a DVD of two all-Bach concerts I presented in August. I announced the availability of the recordings on my FaceBook page, and lo! and behold, yesterday I got an order from someone in Florida.

The Easleys just celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.

The Easleys just celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.

I was not familiar with the name, Sue Easley, so I tried to find her on FaceBook only to discover we had a mutual friend, Chris Cullen Bartlett from Burbank High. I got really excited when I learned Sue also graduated from Burbank High. A little more digging, and it was Susan Parker Easley, from the Class of ’68!

She accepted my FaceBook friend request, and on Friday, announced it was her 44th wedding anniversary. That means she and husband John Easley were married in September 1969, making them one of the longest-married couples from our class. Here’s what she wrote about herself:

Susan Parker Easley and husband, John.

Susan Parker Easley and husband, John.

John and I have been married for 44 years. As the wife of a career Navy man ( he did 30 years) our family has lived in Puerto Rico, Okinawa, Japan and a couple of years in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. In between overseas tours the Navy kept sending us back to the Pensacola, Florida area so when it came time to retire we stayed. Our three children, two sons and one daughter, have located nearby so we are able to see them often. We also have three grand-daughters ages 11, 8 & 6. And for the pet lovers we have 12 grand-cats and 2 grand-dogs, when we need a pet fix we go visit the kids. I retired this summer after 17 years in the college bookstore business. I worked for Follett, and was manager of the bookstore at the Milton campus of Pensacola State College. I really enjoyed my time there but am looking forward to being home and getting back into sewing and quilting. You will probably laugh when i tell you this, but every time I see pink gingham fabric I remember 8th grade and our matching dresses, that is real friendship. Our retirement has taken a twist as John has developed Parkinsonism and is slowing down rapidly. We aren’t traveling as much as we used to, but there is always another cruise to take somewhere.

Another couple who was married in the same month and year was Sallie Shelton Thomas, who with husband John, would also have celebrated 44 years together. Sadly, John passed away on June 4th earlier this year. (Click here for his obituary in the Burbank Leader.)

I asked Steve Raine how many years he’s been married to Mary aka “Beauty”, and he said 41, with number 42 coming up next July 15th! What a coincidence! My husband and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary also on July 15th!

Say, all you Burbank High grads who have been married 40 years or more, please raise your hands! and tell us how you’ve done it.

P.S. If you would like to take a look at my CD and DVD, you can click here.

Posted by on September 29, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , .

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September 9, 2013

It’s not too late, and not too early!

The new look of Burbank High School.

The new look of Burbank High School.

It’s not too late . . . to send in your check for the 45th Reunion of Burbank High’s Class of 1968, to be held on Sunday, October 13th at 6:30 pm at the Castaway Restaurant, Mountain View Room. Cost is $60. Send your check (payable to BHS Class of ’68) to:

BHS Class of ’68
c/o  Jim Ranshaw
1017 E. Fairmount Road
Burbank, CA  91501

You can check out the guest list by clicking here. Now’s your chance to find out “Whatever happened to (fill in the blank)?” and who has the lucky circumstance to be “Retired and loving it,” and how many grandchildren So-and-So has!

The view from the Castaway.

The view from the Castaway.

Some people were complaining that the reunion is being held on a Sunday, rather than a Saturday, and I myself was prepared to get a substitute for Monday, October 14th since I’m flying in from Hawaii. But guess what! I found out it’s a holiday! It’s Columbus Day on the mainland, and Discoverers’ Day in Hawaii (since they also celebrate Capt. James Cook stumbling upon the Hawaiian islands, which he called The Sandwich Islands.) Hey, anyone else coming from Hawaii?

And it’s not too early . . . to be thinking of the big 50th Reunion of Burbank High’s Class of 1968. Yes, it’s just five years away, and we want to make sure you are informed about the date and place in plenty of time. (It will be held on a Saturday!) Now is the time to make sure that we have your contact information. In fact, why don’t you take a moment to make sure we have the correct data for you? You can use the form below: (FYI, we keep your personal information confidential — we will maintain these records only for the purpose of contacting you about future reunions.)

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Thank you for your response. ✨

If you cannot make it to the 45th Reunion, perhaps you can send us your news through the form above.

Posted by on September 9, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , .

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August 16, 2013

Speaking from the grave

20130816-174149.jpg

Our Burbank High Class of 1968 classmate, Laura Ziskin, is in the news again, even though she died in June 2011. My sister saw an article in the Los Angeles Times on the opening of the movie, The Butler, which apparently would not have come to life had it not been for Laura. The movie details the life of Eric Gaines, a butler who served in the White House under eight Presidents, and revisits major events such as the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war. Starring are Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, and John Cusack. it seems especially timely in the current national dialogue on race relations and the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin verdict.

Laura Ziskin 1950-2011

Laura Ziskin 1950-2011

Read the entire story in the Times by clicking here. Laura left money in her will to bankroll the $30 million project, which came to her attention before she died of breast cancer. Look closely at the poster and you’ll see that Laura Ziskin Productions are listed in the credits.If you recall, Laura was also the producer of Pretty Woman, and the Spider-Man movies.

I hope to catch The Butler soon, which is now playing in movie theaters nationwide.

Posted by on August 16, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , .

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August 4, 2013

Retirement and grandchildren

Here I am, bedecked in leis, last December 2012.

Here I am, bedecked in leis, last December 2012.

Wow! Retirement and grandchildren! Isn’t that the goal that many of us are aiming for?! Those of you who follow me on FaceBook read about my retirement from being a church organist last December, and subsequent celebration in April of this year. However, I’m still working at my remaining three jobs, and am in fact, going to play two solo recitals in a couple of weeks. So I’m still continuing the play the organ and teach students.

As for grandchildren, I’m still waiting!

Dave Campbell and his grandchild, Diego.

Dave Campbell and his grandchild, Diego.

As for the grandchildren part, though, our classmate, David Campbell, recently sent this picture of himself and his first grandson, Diego. He is presently single and living in Costa Mesa, CA. His first grandson, Diego, was born in March 2013, and is the child of his daughter, Heather and son-in-law, Bernardo. Heather graduated from the University of California at Irvine with a master’s degree and is now teaching at California State University at Channel Islands.

Dave Campbell, 1968

Dave Campbell, 1968

Dave’s son, David Jr., married Lauren last October in Cabo. David Jr. graduated from the UCLA and is a paramedic in San Diego.

John and Donna Wray are both retired. Shown here with their two daughters,

John and Donna Wray are both retired. Shown here with their two daughters,

Two of our Burbank High Class of 1968 grads who are now retired and enjoying the good life are John Wray and his wife, Donna Canzoneri Wray. They posted this picture of their youngest daughter, Karleen,

And the newest grandmother is Lark Ziegler Rilling! You may recall from a previous post (“It’s a small world after all”) that Lark and I connected after many years and it turned out that she was my nephew’s preschool teacher. She writes that her daughter Jenny gave birth to her first son on July 26, 2013, at 6 a.m. weighing 8 ½ pounds with grayish eyes and a good deal of dark hair. Son-in-law James is taking the week off, and Lark’s husband, Art, will help with housecleaning, dog care, yard work, cooking, laundry, baby care, or whatever they might need.  Lark says, “Thank you for your prayers for this dear little boy, for Jenny and James as new parents, and for us as new grandparents.”

If you want to read a great blog post, click here to read “On becoming a grandmother,” by Elizabeth Lesser. Here is an excerpt:

When my children were born I feared they would remain infants eternally and that I would never sleep through the night, would always feel slightly stupid, and would permanently smell like sour milk and poopy diapers. But now I know that life with children defies logic: the days are unbearably long, but the years fly by. One moment your little guy is teething and then suddenly, he’s graduating from college. That kind of perspective would have been so helpful to have as a parent. Instead, mothers and fathers are lost in what seems like a vast wilderness, while grandparents see a straight line through the woods.

Lark Ziegler and grandson

Lark Ziegler and grandson

A friend asked me if becoming a grandmother made me feel old. I didn’t know what to say. It’s not that it makes me feel young. Rather, it makes me know what matters; it wakes me up; it enlivens me. Joseph Campbell said that people are mistaken looking for life’s purpose in concrete and noteworthy ways. The only purpose there is, he said, is to feel “the rapture of being alive.” That’s what I feel as a grandmother. I am hooked up to a mainline of rapture in the form of a baby.

Here’s another plea to all you Class of 1968 grads to send in your pictures of celebration, be they retirement, grandchildren, landmark vacations or whatever!

And don’t forget about our 45th Reunion on Sunday, October 13th at the Castaway Restaurant. It’s certainly not too late to send in your reservations to:

BHS Class of ’68
c/o Jim Ranshaw
1017 E. Fairmount Road
Burbank, CA  91501

Cost is $60 — make checks payable to BHS Class of ’68.

Posted by on August 4, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , .

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August 1, 2013

The Colorado Bunch

L-R: Jodi Tillotson Huddleston, John Lockwood '60, Mary Ogle '67, Bonnie Sjostrand, Kathy Swedberg Wootton '66 and Jan DeJaegher

L-R: Jodi Tillotson Huddleston, John Lockwood ’60, Mary Ogle ’67, Bonnie Sjostrand, Kathy Swedberg Wootton ’66 and Jan DeJaegher

Here is the report from the Colorado Mini-Reunion on June 29th:
“We had our wonderful get together on Saturday June 29th in Arvada, CO at a local restaurant.There were eleven Colorado Burbank High School Graduates.  Some had their spouses or companions with them so we had a total of 16. We ate, and laughed, and reminisced, and talked and talked and talked !!!! 

In addition to the Class of ’68, Burbank High was also represented by John Kirkpatrick ’48, Hal Haynes ’49, Dona Creswell ’49, Betty Kesling Costa ’49, Lorene Foreman Branson ’49, and Joel Strickland ’79.

The directory of the last reunion (our 40th), shows Class of ’68 grads living not only in Colorado, but also Arizona, Washington, North Carolina, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, Texas, and Nevada. Anytime someone wants to host a regional mini-reunion, contact us and perhaps we can help you round up folks in your area.

Posted by on August 1, 2013 in Burbank High School and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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