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IN MEMORIAM ~ HIGHLIGHTS
H-O
SHIRLEY HADDOCK – sent by
her sister, Julie. Shirley passed suddenly on May 14, 2009, from an undiagnosed heart condition. She was a great big sister
-- kind, generous, willing to share her experiences. At the time of her death, she was residing in Garden Grove with her husband,
Fred Beck.
She was working in the cosmetology department of Golden
West College and looked forward to retiring soon. She enjoyed inspiring the students. She said they reminded her of herself
at their age and brought back some great memories. For most of her life, she worked as a hairdresser with a group of very
loyal clients. Shirley was creative and collaborative in her work. I watched her patiently helping clients with their greatest
"hair" concerns and listening to their everyday troubles (as a good hairdresser always does) during their appointments.
She pursued singing as an amateur, sitting in with friends who played in bands. She enjoyed knitting and various domestic
craft hobbies.
My Mom and I want to extend a sincere "Thank you" to her Wilson friends who contacted us to share their memories
of Shirley. Deeply missed, Shirley left us too soon but with some wonderful memories of loving experiences. I hope she did
the same for you..... Julie
ROBERT HAMBY – Bob’s only child, Dena Hamby Hammond, supplied the following information about
his life. Bob married young and spent
a few years in the Army Reserves before going into law enforcement. He loved being a Long Beach police officer. Later he went
into business with his brothers, and owned a few bars. Although he lived for a time in New York and also Alaska, most of his
life he remained in the Long Beach area. Dena recalled that for a year, he drove trucks to earn money for her to begin her
college education.
Later on he lived in an apartment and had a couple of cats he spoiled. He enjoyed building elaborate “labyrinth”
structures for them. He was always a good cook (a skill he learned from his mom.) He also had a love of motorcycles. In his
early 60s his health began to deteriorate, and he died at the age of 63 in 2008 in Lakewood. Besides his daughter, he leaves
a grandson, Jackson. Dena summarized her father as a very honest and real person who wanted to prepare her for whatever might
come her way. She states “he always did the best he could with what he had.”
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| Bob Hamby with Dena and Jackson |
CAROL
HANSTED – memories submitted by Sara (Erskine) Shoenfelder and Sue (Watts) Ertl - After graduation from Wilson, Carol
attended Long Beach City College and studied dental assisting. She was a member of Ramayana sorority. Her first job was assisting
Dr. Tuey, a dentist practicing in Belmont Shore and then for Dr. Green, another dentist who had an office in Naples.
Carol was introduced to Barrett LaTorrette by Joyce (Dixon) and Mark Dawson
(who were married at the time) and who lived across the street from Barrett. He was a sales rep for a family business and
his dimples stole her heart. Carol and Barrett were married on June 22, 1968. She always pictured her dream family as five
children…all boys. Luckily, she had three lovely daughters instead, Tracey, Laurie, and Kristy. She got her boys when
her grandsons Brody and Jett were born and two granddaughters, Kimberley and Kailey, added to her growing family. Before her
death on December 3, 2001, babysitting her grandchildren filled her with much joy.
Carol worked
in the dental industry for many years. She was Office Manager for South Coast Dental Labs. In addition, she worked part time
at the Elizabeth Howard Dinner Theater in Tustin. She loved meeting new people and her position as Assistant Manager provided
opportunities to meet and greet on a regular basis.
Carol’s daughters remember visiting the theater often
and good memories abound. Due to declining health, Carol retired in (or around) 2000 and concentrated on spending quality
time with her family. Carol’s daughter, Laurie, shares that her mother
always made little outings and surprises special and memorable for her daughters. When they were young and Carol planned a
trip to Lion Country Safari, she told the girls they were going to visit “Mr. Lionhead.” What a surprise their
final destination was and the event has left a lasting memory. Holidays, too, were always special. Carol hand-made Christmas
stockings and unique Easter baskets…items that are treasured by her family today. One of Carol’s greatest gifts
was the ability to laugh at herself and at any situation in general. She was a dear and loyal friend and she will always be
remembered for her sense of humor and her positive outlook at life.
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| Carol (R) with forever friends Sue, Sara & Joyce |
GREGG HENNESSEY - Thank you
to his wife, Melinda. Gregg R. Hennessey died on November 25, 2012, after a nine-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
He married Melinda in 1975. Gregg attended the community college in Long Beach after graduating from Woodrow Wilson High,
moved to San Diego and received a B.A. and M.A. in history from San Diego State University. While attending SDSU, for several
years he ran the San Diego office of U.S. Senator Alan Cranston. Soon after his marriage, Gregg moved to the Bay Area and
received an M.L.S. from UC Berkeley.
Gregg and Melinda moved back to San Diego, where Gregg began working as an archivist at the San
Diego Historical Society. He later became Director of the Society’s Research Archives, as well as editor of the Journal
of San Diego History.
Gregg had no children but considered his
two nephews, Andy McKenzie and Michael Meek, as excellent substitutes. He loved hiking, movies, reading, a good beer, and
spending times with close family and friends.
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| Gregg Hennessey in Yosemite, 1987 |
CANDICE HEPLER – This information
was sent by Phyllis Hepler, Candy’s stepmother. After graduation, Candy worked for Douglas Aircraft for a few years.
In 1966 she had saved enough money to purchase a VW Bug from Germany. Soon after it arrived, she left Long Beach for Sausalito.
She lived and worked there for several years. It was here that she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
After extensive surgery and chemo treatment, she felt well again. She visited and swam with her Dad in the bay, played
paddle tennis and felt great. She moved to Las Vegas; worked in a bookstore and shared a home with three roommates –
two from Hawaii. In 1995, she again became ill. Her friends rented a hospital bed and cared for her around the clock until
she lost her battle with cancer and passed away on January 9, 1996 at the age of 50. Her roommates had Hawaiian leis for all
at her service; her father Bill gave the eulogy for his only daughter whom he loved so much.
Candy’s cousin Karel Ossen Axtell added: When I was 5 and Candy 7, Candy and I moved into a big brown house on
E. Fourth with our beloved grandmother “Mern” and our mothers, Betty and Bobbie and brothers – Stephen Hepler
and Bob and Dennis Ossen. My dad had passed away and Aunt Bobbie was battling MS. Stephen passed away at the age of 36, my
brothers lived to be 16 and 38, and our mothers are also gone. Grandma Mern outlived them all, living into her nineties. I
am the last living member of that big brown house filled with so many happy memories.
My beloved Candy was always my hero. She was in my opinion the coolest of cool, my dearest friend
and in our later years, the keeper of my memories, a devoted family member who loved and played with all of her cousins’
children. For a long time, her sidekick was her little dog Tootsie, (Toots for short), a whippet who went everywhere with
her. She had the best sense of humor, always on the verge of laughter (we all loved her laugh.) She was strong, loyal, and
wonderful. The cancer diagnosis broke our hearts, but the then-experimental drug Taxol greatly extended and enhanced the quality
of her life. Along with other family members, I too visited Candy in Las Vegas at the very end, and saw the love that surrounded
her. I know when my life is over, Candy will be waiting to greet me with open arms, along with everyone else who lived
and loved in that big 2-story house on Fourth Street.
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| Candy with Bill & Phyllis, date unknown |
ANDREA HILLER – Andrea Hiller
Landis passed away in Tamarac, FL on July 24 of 2012. Several attempts to reach family members have been unsuccessful. Andrea had been communicating thru Facebook with classmates
in the recent past and word of her death came as sad news. She was extremely proud of her family, including 3 grandkids, and
had fun reconnecting with childhood friends.
RICHARD HINDMAN –
Thanks to his former wife Janeen Anderson for helping me with this story. Richard (or as he was affectionately known at Jefferson
Jr. High, “Hiney”) passed away in Tacoma, Washington in February 2010 at the age of 64.
After Wilson,
Rich became a barber, and opened his first shop on 10th by Park Nursery, then worked at Olde Clippings on Willow. For years,
he cut the hair of many friends and their kids (including mine, Jeri), and owned shops in North Long Beach and Belmont Shore.
He was an excellent hair cutter, and once entered a show at the Long Beach Hair Stylist Convention on the Queen Mary. His marriage to Janeen Long (‘64) brought a daughter, Kerri and son,
Jim, of whom he was very proud. His friends will remember always his huge smile, his wicked laugh, his kind heart, and his
incredibly sharp and detailed memories of the happy days of his youth.
At his memorial, his family described him:
Friendly,
funny, enthusiastic, creative, loving, caring, honest, athletic, passionate, outgoing. Rich, you will be remembered for all
the smiles you put on our faces thru your fantastic hair cuts, funny jokes, juggling acts, and wonderful smile.
LYNN HOODECHECK – From son,
Colby Brown. Lynn Hoodecheck Brown graduated from Louisiana Tech with a degree in Microbiology,
eventually working her way up to Head of the Virology lab at Florida Hospital. She married Robert Brown in 1968 and spent
most of her married life in the Orlando area. She faithfully served her family and her community well. She and Robert had
two sons, Colby and Darby, and 11 grandchildren. Colby is a Civil Engineer living in FL and has seven children. Darby is a
Lieutenant in the Coast Guard and has four children.
Sadly, Lynn passed away March 15, 2007 after a nine-month
battle with cancer. She is deeply missed by her family and friends. Lynn was a devoted mother and grandmother, who poured
her life into her children and grandchildren. She was the glue that held the family together. She is survived by husband Robert,
sons Colby and Darby, sister Dawn and a nephew and niece.
BARBARA HOUSE –
the following tribute was written by our classmate Deborah Schwach Johnson: After graduating from Wilson High, Barbara attended
the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, and completed her bachelor's degree in sociology. She attended California State
University, Sacramento, and earned her master's degree in social work. In service to her community, Barbara dedicated her
professional life to health care. She worked for the California State Department of Health and, later in her career, worked
in the area of home health.
Barbara was married to Ken Nitta for 26 years. They had
two daughters, Brooke and Lindsey Nitta. Barbara and I remained close friends and traveled together for spa weekends with
other friends. She was a joy as a friend, witty, smart and very caring and nurturing of friends and her loving family. I watched
the Beatles for the first time on Ed Sullivan, with Barbara. Just one of many wonderful memories.
LINDA SUE HUNTER - Although
I had found very limited information that a Linda Sue Hunter had died at the age of 51 in December of 1995, in Alameda, no
other information was available. When working on this project last fall, I was unable to find family or verify that
it was the right person. More recently, however, Renee Norrblom Montgelas did offer a little more info. She
noted that they had attended Whittier College together, and Renee had been saddened to hear through mutual friends that Linda had
passed away.
DAVID JANKEN – Younger brother
Bennett was able to provide this info. David was a Sales Manager for Lowery/Lipton for over 25 years,
and was very good at his job. When that job ended, he moved to Mexico where he spent the last years of
his life, and did not remain in contact with his family. He died in Mexico at the age of 56 in 2002.
GARY JOHNSON – Brother Mark
shared the following information. Gary attended Cal State Long Beach, and was a founding member of Delta Chi fraternity. While
there he married, and had a daughter, Camille. After college he moved to Chico for a few years, and played piano in a steakhouse
there, but soon returned to the Long Beach area. For the last 20-some years of his life he lived at the landmark Lafayette
Hotel in Downtown Long
Beach, which had
been converted to condos.
From early childhood he was a gifted musician. He became a concert pianist, and appeared at
the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and other high-profile venues. Music was his life. He passed away in 2009 of heart failure. His brother proudly states
“he was a genius.”
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| Gary Johnson, 1980s in Long Beach |
JOY
JOHNSON – Joy passed away at the age of 58 in November of 2003. No family remained available to contact. Fortunately
her closest friend Ellen Blanford Farmer, as well as Donna Halladay Roberts, were able to provide the following information.
Joy spent her whole life in the Long Beach area. She graduated from CSULB, where she got her teaching credential. Her fluent
Spanish came in handy when she began her elementary education career in Buena Park.
Joy’s very existence was possible due to a fascinating twist of fate. Her father
was 14 when he left Sweden and headed for America ... on the Titanic. As the ship went down and women and children were being
saved, he might have easily been left behind (he was tall and looked mature, and was in steerage, thus not allowed on deck.)
But a woman with 4 small children was being put in a lifeboat, and an official quickly recruited him to go with her and help
her out. Mr. Johnson often shared his Titanic experiences with friends and neighbors. Later in life, he was routinely invited
to the reunions of Titanic survivors at the Queen Mary, and after his death, Joy was invited as his representative.
Ellen stated that after Joy’s father passed away
in 1981, she moved back to be with her mother (still next door to the Blanford residence). “My mom and Joy were in close
contact and she often helped my mother. Mom would care for my kids on Saturday while I worked and they would sometimes bring
homework with them. Mom tried to help them, but when all else failed, she would call Joy and the homework was done. My youngest
son thought she was pretty, and that she was. Inside and out! Her mother, soon after she moved in, was diagnosed
with leukemia. Joy worked and took care of her mother until her death in 1990. She remained in her childhood home.”
Having attended a Titanic survivor
reunion in Sweden had sparked her interest in finding out about her heritage. She enjoyed visiting Sweden
and connecting up with some of her relatives. She continued to visit them every year after, and they visited her in Long Beach
a couple of times. They took her to her grandmother’s burial site, which she said was interesting. The person is buried
for 100 years in a plot and then the site is given to someone else. This is because of a lack of space. Each year her relatives
would take her to different sites in Europe. They spoke at least 6 languages, because of the proximity of countries to one
another. Joy was becoming proficient in Swedish, and was proud of it! She sent a cookie and napkin one year during Christmas
with the words “God Jul” written on them, which means Merry Christmas.
Shortly after her mom passed away, Joy herself was diagnosed with leukemia.
She retired from her teaching position and started a new phase in life. Joy had a very rich and fulfilled life. She had a difficult time near the end, but the night she
passed she was at peace. Ellen was able to be with her the night she died. This brought full circle a lifelong friendship
so close that as young girls, they went together to get their Social Security cards, and were assigned numbers just one digit
apart.
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| Joy Johnson, date unknown |
LLOYD JONES – thanks to Judy
Wilson Jones. Gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. Lloyd died peacefully at
his home on March 20, 2006. He had been suffering from complications due to severe head trauma caused by
a car accident on April 13, 2005. Extremely strong-willed and tenacious in everything he pursued, death
was not “a given.” Lloyd fought hard for eleven months to come back to his family, friends,
and life he loved so much.
Lloyd was born in Bell, grew up in Long Beach, and attended Rogers and Wilson. While attending
night school at LBCC in the late sixties, he was hired at a manufacturing company in Paramount. While at
Carlton Forge, working for John Carlton’s dad, he learned the forging industry from the ground up and in 1988 opened
his own company, Valley Forge in Azusa. The love of horses was a big part of Lloyd’s life. He was a member of the Long Beach Mounted
Police for 28 years, as well as many other organizations including the Huntington Beach Masonic Lodge, Santa Ana Scottish
Rite, El Bekal Shrine Temple, The Royal Order of Jesters (where he was a director in 2001), a lifetime
member of the Desert Jesters of Palm Springs, the Chuck Wagon Trail Riders of New Mexico, and more. He
leaves Judy, daughter Jennifer, son Michael, granddaughter Madison, and extended family. He is missed tremendously
by family and friends.
BARBARA JORDAN – Thanks to her brother Ken for the following: Barbara Jordan
Nengel died in Hawaii in 2003 at the age of 56. Barbara was diagnosed at an early age with Juvenile Diabetes, and was dependent
on insulin in her early years. She bore this burden cheerfully and bravely, and her doctors in the 50’s learned much
from her experiences with the disease.
An early marriage brought a son, Beorn, who she lost when their car was
hit by a drunk driver. He was just 3 years old. Barbara‘s marriage to Don Nengel brought a daughter, Marama, and a son,
Tane. Her brothers Ken & Bob and Bob’s son flew to
Hawaii for her memorial. Ken states, “I knew she was well -known and liked but was still surprised at the large number
of friends who came and how many spoke. She touched the lives of a lot of people. For several years she managed a health food
store and everyone knew they could turn to her for advice. We miss her!!” In addition
to her husband, daughter, son and brothers, Barbara had three beautiful grandchildren – TJ, Rosie and Dylan. Part of
her ashes and Beorn’s were scattered at sea, and the rest were placed at the base of the banyan tree on their property.
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| Barbara Jordan Nengel and Family |
WILLIAM “MICHAEL” KELLY
– passed away in December of 1992 at the age of 47, in Long Beach. Unable to find any relatives to get further information,
but Bill Bixby added that he would be remembered by classmates as Mike.
LAURIE KINLEY – From best friend, Sally Deal Edith: I remember Laurie Kinley
as a fun and loyal friend. She always had a ready hand to help, and a smile. She was
also very intelligent, and had a bright future. She was the light of her father’s life.
She graduated from WWHS and went to Mills Girls’ School. I visited her there, and she was
well-liked.
In March of 1969, she had enrolled in Graduate
School at UC Berkeley. She died tragically in a sailing accident on a first date she had recently met. She was just
23 years old. She is survived by a three years older brother, Bill Kinley, Jr. I remember her every day of my
life -– she was that kind of person and friend. Another childhood friend, Jerry Dominguez, remembers Laurie as a sweet, athletic girl
who loved to dance.
STEVE KUNAU – thanks to his son, Joshua, for helping
to put this together. After high school graduation, Steve continued his education and earned a degree in
Engineering. He followed in his own father’s footsteps, entering the petroleum industry.
His love of travel and spirit of adventure took him to far corners of the world. He moved
to Malaysia in the mid-80s and spent most of his time overseas. His work as a “Directional Oil Driller”
took him to many countries, including Borneo, Scotland, and Siberia. In 2005,
he had returned to Malaysia and was working in the oilfields for Halliburton in spite of some medical issues that had kept
him from being cleared for certain duties. In late September of that year, he was conducting a difficult
disaster drill in a tunnel; when he emerged, he collapsed on a platform and died of a massive and sudden heart attack.
His only child remembers Steve as “larger than life”, a real character … He loved the
beach, he liked to garden, he was good to his cats. Sort of an ‘old hippie’ who could definitely spin a tall tale.
He is missed. (Several of his female classmates from Bryant, Jefferson and Wilson remember him as
a “sandbox buddy” who taught them how to flirt / dance / kiss!) There were not many dull moments around Steve
Kunau.
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| Steve and son, Joshua - Date Unknown |
DICK LANG –
sent by his sister, Judy Trossen. Dick was born in Evanston IL and passed away in April of 1976 at the
age of 30 – way too young. Kind, fun, a dynamic personality. He wasn’t afraid
to step up to the microphone, as he was a great singer and had the honor of singing with the Carpenters at a party where they
performed. Dick -- and my brothers Steve and Paul -- did a lot of water skiing at Marine Stadium in the
wood Chris Craft boat; the bow of the boat had the bleached two-toned pattern that was so popular at that time.
Sister Judy (that’s me) went along as crew, and had the responsibility of pulling in the line. By
the time they were done skiing, I was offered a chance to ski when it was freezing cold. I guess they never
heard of “ladies first" !
Dick was a member of Aces at Wilson, and SAE at Long Beach State. With his outgoing personality, he found himself as one of the
two varsity yell leaders. After graduation he enlisted in the Army and served in the military headquarters for General
Davidson. He was hospitalized with malaria, and it was during this hospitalization that the hospital was
bombed. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Oak Leaf Cluster for helping bring out hospital patients.
Dick was married to his wife, Lee Ann, in 1971, five years before his death. They had no children.
GEOFFREY LEON – Geoff died at the
age of 45 in New York City, 1990. Shared by classmate Bonnie Gallup: Geoffrey Leon was my best friend.
A lot of who I am today, and the fact that I'm still here, am in a loving relationship with my man for 17 years, healthy,
happy and acting and teaching -- belongs to him. We supported each other when dysfunction was reigning.
More than an actor, Geoffrey Leon was a singer
and composer. He produced several well received reviews while in New York, as well as did singing gigs himself of others'
and his own work. His export-import business also took him out of the country a few months a year, chiefly to Rio de Janeiro,
a city he also counted as home. He will always
be my oldest friend, and I send him my love everyday..... Bonnie
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| Promo for a performance in NYC, date unknown |
JIM LEONHARDT
- Excerpts from obituary in The Union: James Harold Leonhardt, follower of the Lord
Jesus Christ, loving husband, father, brother and friend, died Jan. 8, 2013, peacefully at home in Grass Valley surrounded
by his loving family. He was 67.
Jim was born April 23, 1945,
in Newcastle Pa., to Grace and Harold Leonhardt. He spent his early years in Newcastle with fond memories of his many cousins
on their family farm. His family relocated to Long Beach, and he attended Wilson High School. He loved playing football and
sketching.
In 1966, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was wounded in Vietnam. He received a Purple Heart. Jim graduated from
UOP Dental School in 1974 and practiced for 34 years in Yuba City. He married Janine McGill in 1981 and raised their family
in Grass Valley. Jim loved painting watercolors and his paintings are treasured gifts. He will be dearly missed by his wife,
Janine; children, Jimmy, Karlie, Skyler, and extended family.
Our classmate Pat Shelley Gray added: “Jim
and I were married from 1969 to 1976. He was a kind, smart, and delightful man.”
CATHY LEWIS – Thanks to her
husband, Hank Weedn. Cathy arrived at Wilson midway through her junior year. In 1964, she took a train trip to Grand Junction,
CO along with two girlfriends, Kitty Clark ('63) and Sara Bergland ('64). It was in Aspen that she met her husband,
Hank. They were married in 1966 and bought a home in Capistrano Beach, where their three children were born. In 1969 Hank shifted careers
and became a full-time abalone diver, moving in 1973 to Summerland near Santa Barbara. In 1981 they moved north to Marin County,
living in Inverness and along with Hank’s brother, had a thermal die-cutting and glass etching business in Petaluma.
Cathy’s passion was art – and crafts, including macramé.
She and Hank enjoyed travel as well, and were able to visit Mexico frequently, and spent 3-4 months in Spain. She passed along
her artistic abilities to her daughter Roselle, who has her own studio and is presently working on the Liquidity Festival
in Lake Cachuma. Her older son, Hootley, is a master electrician supporting the TV and movie industry, and has worked on many
interesting sets including Mission Impossible, Hangover 3, Iron Man ... and presently is working on Mad Men for TV. Younger
son Roy is a contractor in Central Valley, and has four daughters.
Sadly, Cathy died in a traffic accident in Marin County
in October of 1982 at the age of 36. Hank summarized his wife as “a wonderful woman – very special.”
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| Cathy Lewis Weedn, date unknown |
MICHAEL JOHN LOONEY - (Unverified) - Someone
by the exact name and age died in Foley, AL in February of 2000. Wrote to family but have had no response; cannot say for
a fact that he was our classmate.
ROBERT
LOVE – by his wife, Kathy. After graduating high school, in
1963, Bob enlisted in the Air Force, hoping to acquire an electronics background. His enlistment officer had promised that
he would not be sent to Viet Nam. We did not realize that you can also be injured on American soil. In 1965, in Little Rock,
AR, Bob’s roommate accidently shot him. The bullet just missed his spine, heart and lung. He did, however, lose his
left kidney. He was a lucky man. After a brief recovery, he returned to Long Beach and received a medical retirement from
the Air Force. We were married that May.
Bob then went to work for, what was then, McDonnell-Douglas. He was not
happy there, so he went to work for a private company located at George AFB, in Apple Valley, CA. We were only there about
six months when he found out they wanted him to go to Viet Nam to work. That was not an option. We then moved to Anaheim,
and he went to work for North American Rockwell. His electronic background was taking him where he wanted to be. The Kennedy
space program was in full swing. Bob started doing electronic inspections on the command modules that the astronauts would
sit in. He was very proud of his work there; unfortunately, layoffs were a large part of this line of work.
After five different layoffs, Bob decided he needed to
have a career that was more stable. He became interested in medicine. My brother, Russell, was an x-ray technologist at the
time and he thought that sounded like something he wanted to do. He went back to school for two years and a year’s internship
at St. Jude Hospital, in Fullerton, CA. He worked for several different hospitals in the OC area and settled in at Western
Medical in Anaheim, CA. One day a week, Bob would go to Irvine Park and be the engineer on the train ride. He loved that so
much, he wanted to do it every day!
We were blessed with a daughter,
Tamar, in 1970. We settled in to a house in Orange, CA in 1975 (I’m still there!). Bob continued his work as an emergency
x-ray technologist at Western Med until 2004. He started having back trouble with a lot of pain. I took him to the hospital
on Easter 2004. They put him in the ICU immediately and kept him there for 10 days. After 8 days, we found out he had pancreatic
cancer. He died two days later. It was all very unexpected. Bob had told me, about two months earlier, that he had no regrets
in life. He had been able to do every thing he had wanted to do. I find that comforting. He really loved his work, and we
were so lucky to find each other so early in life. I just wish it had all lasted awhile longer.
PATRICIA MALEK – It was not until
our first reunion mailing was returned that I learned that Pat Malek Schmock had passed away. I reached Leslie Schmock in
Lincoln City, OR and was able to learn the following. After high school, Pat married Leslie’s brother, Edward, and they
were together for 50 years. Until the late 1990s, they lived in Southern California where she was a supervisor at Beckman
Instruments in Orange County. They raised a son, Edward, and a daughter, Justine – and eventually were blessed with
several grandchildren. Sadly, Justine’s daughter Audriana died in a car accident, and left a baby daughter of her own.
In the 1990s, Pat & Edward moved to Oregon, following their older
brother and his wife. Pat was not only Leslie’s sister-in-law, but best friend. The two families lived just two doors
down from each other on the river. It was only natural that Pat and Leslie would become a couple after the death of both spouses.
They had many happy times camping and fishing in the lovely Pacific Northwest, and she enjoyed her job in the “Winner
Circle“ of the local casino. Leslie shared that although she had never attended a Wilson reunion before, he did talk
her into going to the “Pacific Northwest” mini-reunion in Portland in August of 2009, which she enjoyed very much.
She was planning to start drawing her pension from Beckman, and to leave the casino, when she suddenly became ill during
a vacation in Washington. She fought lung cancer for 7 months, dying just short of her 66th birthday in February of 2011.
Leslie added that if she were here, they would most likely come to Long Beach in September for more reconnecting.
Pat’s grandson, Felix, added that he loved his grandmother so very much,
and that passion they shared was “mud drag racing” – with him at the wheel, and Pat as co-pilot.
PATTY MARKHAM – thanks to her sister, Linda Jeppson. Patricia Mae Markham was born
on August 24, 1945, in Long Beach, California, to Don and Helen Miner Markham. In 1966, she married Terrell Butler in the
L.D.S. Los Angeles Temple. She bore five children, all of whom survive her: Mark, Darren, Brian, Ruth and Audrey. She was
also survived by her father and four siblings: Linda Jeppson, Bruce Wride, Don Markham, and Mel Markham. She was preceded
in death by her mother and her sister, Sherry Scholes.
Patty
graduated as salutatorian of Wilson High School in 1963 with an All Southern California award and scholarship for business.
Having subsequently received her Bachelor's Degree in Childhood Development, with Honors, from Brigham Young University,
she returned to B.Y.U. later in life to earn a Masters of Organizational Behavior, with a graduate G.P.A. of 3.99. She was
an excellent student, evidenced by a scholarship from the Department of Organizational Behavior, and a Dean's Award from the
Graduate School of Management. At the U.V.S.C. Women's Conference in fall, 1995, she was honored as the outstandingly successful
single mother of the year, for Utah County. Working at the Center for Personal and Career Development at U.V.S.C., she dedicated
herself to teaching interpersonal, career, and basic life skills, through classroom instruction and one-on-one consulting.
She developed close personal relationships, provided individually tailored counsel and guidance, and shared her clients' problems.
Patricia Mae Markham Butler passed away at age 51 on November 11, 1996, having given peace
to and received comfort from each of her children. She died after a short period of hospitalization, in the presence of family.
In August of 1995, she had been diagnosed as having breast cancer in an advanced stage, but was able to remain active and
productive for more than a year, until a few days before her death. Her life was dedicated
firstly to her children, and secondly to teaching, helping, and serving others. She spent her last energies teaching her children
of their infinite worth and of the infinite worth of every individual.
KAREN MASHBURN - shared by her sister, Kathy and her brother,
Jerry. After graduation, Karen briefly went to Long Beach City College, and then she transferred to Whittier State College.
She received a degree in Business and Humanities and traveled to Europe after. Karen discovered she loved flying and traveling,
and subsequently joined T.A.A. (Trans American Airlines) so she would be able to travel extensively. She spent most summers
away visiting interesting places and meeting people from all over the world. Karen studied some Computer Science and worked
in Publications throughout her career. She worked at the East-West Center in Honolulu, HI. When she first joined the airlines, she lived up in the Bay area, where
T.A.A. was based. She later bought a house in Belmont Shore, and lived there for a number of years. It was a real fixer-upper
and was redone with a lot of work and love. It was there she discovered her love of gardening and growing fresh vegetables
and flowers. Karen loved being a hostess for family and friends and had many happy and enjoyable holidays and dinners there.
She moved to Los Angeles; then in the early 1980s, she moved to Oahu, Hawaii where she lived for about 5 years. She returned
to Long Beach and lived in Naples -- with her family close -- for about one year before she died. Karen loved the tropics and being on the ocean, sailing, body-surfing
and swimming along with sitting in the sun. She was able to sail in Mexico and Hawaii along with Long Beach and the California
coast. She played and studied classical piano all through school, but she was very uncomfortable playing for others. She continued
to love classical music and enjoyed going to shows of different venues -- pop, soft rock and soft jazz. One of her favorites
was Kenny G. I would be very remiss if I did not include how much going
to the (Mid-Sixties/25th) Wilson Reunion meant to Karen, or for not thanking Carol Ivey Ski for making it happen. Karen
had such a good time reminiscing and seeing old friends; she stayed up all night. She died in grace at Kaiser, San Pedro at
the age of 42 in 1988, shortly after the reunion. I think it was a good send-off and a way of saying goodbye. I miss Karen’s
friendship and the special bond sisters have with one another. Most of all, I miss being able to share laughs and experiences
with her. I love thinking about her doing the things she loved and I was so glad to have the time with her before her death.
Sometimes I can see Karen body-surfing or coming out of the ocean with a big grin on her face, or sometimes enjoying the thrill
of sailing, or quietly gardening at her house.
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| Karen Mashburn, late 1970's in Hollywood |
BOB MATLOCK – thanks to his brothers Bill and Dick for this information.
After Wilson High, Bob attended the University of Utah, where he majored in Accounting. He pledged Phi Kappa Alpha, and was
once chosen “ Most Active of the Year” in recognition of his involvement in the fraternity. After graduation,
he traveled through Europe, and particularly enjoyed a prolonged stay in Greece. When he returned to the States, he worked
a few years in Williams, AZ, before settling in Salt Lake City where he was employed as an accountant at several large corporations.
Besides travel, Bob’s favorite
pastimes included visiting family, golf, volleyball, bridge, backgammon, cribbage, and “partying!” He was
also a good cook and loved to eat. He had a quick wit and marvelous sense of humor, and it was always a joy spending time
with him.
For a long time, Bob struggled with his sexual orientation, but when he finally learned to accept himself, he
was able to enter into a very positive and loving long-term relationship. He and his partner, Richard, loved to travel
... being a Southern California boy at heart, Bob preferred beaches, warm weather, and tropical surroundings. But he
always returned to Utah. Sadly, Richard, died of AIDS in 1988, and Bob died
four years later of the same disease. He was very open and honest, and he was embraced and supported by his family. During
his illness he was able to remain in his home in Salt Lake City, and his parents and siblings participated in caring for and
helping him. He and Richard are buried in Utah next to each other, as was their wish. If Bob could be there he would love
to celebrate with his high school friends and toast to the continuing success and happiness for the Wilson class of 1963.
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| Bob Matlock, early 1990's |
MERIDA “BUD” MAXWELL – his brother Bob in Colorado was able to share this:
Bud passed away in 2000 in Mission Viejo. His wife, Vickie, predeceased him by five years, and they had no children. After
Wilson, he graduated from CSULB with a degree in Criminology, then went on to a career as a Civil Engineer. He worked on projects
all the way from the San Francisco Bay area, down to Southern Orange County. He was, in fact, the Project Engineer for the
development of Mission Viejo properties, a job lasting about 10 years. His greatest pleasure was fishing on his boat out of
Newport.
At the time he died, childhood friend John Graham of our class remembered: “ Bud was more than a
classmate, he was a Scoutmate in Cub and Boy Scouts, Pack 14, Fremont Elementary. His family was a major support to the pack.
Bud was a really nice guy then and I am sure he remained that way.”
RICHARD MC KENNEY - Brother Martin and sister Diane contributed this.
After high school, Richard joined the Army, where he attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. When he completed basic training, Dick went to Jump School
and began training to become a Green Beret. After accomplishing that, he was off to Viet Nam.
After his return, he lost his left leg in a car accident,
and received a medical discharge. He then completed law school, passed the bar, and was working for an attorney in Orange
County when he died at the age of 45 of a heart attack in 1990. Richard was single and had no children.
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| Green Beret Richard McKenney |
BILL “RUSTY” MC WHORTER
– memories shared by his brother, Robert and sister, Karen. Rusty, so-called because of his curly dark auburn hair –-
which never grayed or receded -- would answer to that nickname throughout his life. (When in fact his mother addressed him
as William Keith, that was never a good thing.) After graduating from Wilson, he attended college and studied Business/Accounting,
which prepared him for a career which included about 20 years at the Wilmington Cab Company, and 7 years as a manager of LA
Cab Company, responsible for all accounting and banking.
He married Irene Smith, (who has also passed away) and
though they had no children of their own, he raised her two granddaughters – Crystal Marie Ballentine and Jamie Rene
Ballentine. He and Irene loved their dogs, and shared a passion for cooking. After retirement, they moved to the South Bay
area. Bill passed away in 2008, at the age of 63. He was always a hard worker, highly regarded by his employer and co-workers.
The notes to Irene after he passed spoke of “kind and caring” and “will always be missed.”
Karen adds, “For me -- Rusty was my big
brother, a people-person, a devoted husband and grandpa. Underneath the grownup exterior was a very fun character. I still
remember the first time I ever got a ride on a motorcycle (1963). He was sooooo persuasive that it would be totally okay.
Then when we were in traffic going 50 mph through a tunnel (I think it was called the Carson Street tunnel...not sure) he
sings a falsetto "Wipe Out" by the Beach Boys...scared the pants off me. Yes, I still smile when I remember that.“
BRUCE
MELTZER – Thanks to his brother Steven for this: Bruce passed away in 1997 at the age of 51, drowning
off of Catalina Island. Bruce was a wanna-be Jimmy Buffet. He was a dentist in White Plains, NY for about 20 years, then got the sailing bug.
He ended up divorcing his wife, left two children for Tortola VBI, where he ran a charter business featuring scuba diving
around Tortola.
After about two years, homesickness took over and he came back to the US. In April of 1997 he came
home to Long Beach with new girlfriend and his two children to celebrate Passover with our parents, Lou and Sylvia. They then
all took the trip to nowhere out of San Pedro to Ensenada. The ship docked in Catalina first night; the next day he went scuba
diving with his girlfriend. He got separated from the group and something went wrong, we still don’t know what really
happened.
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| Bruce doing what he loved |
DONALD MENZIMER – Thanks to
his sister Patti Sloan. Don was a great guy, had 2 children (Jason and Wendy) and 2 grandchildren. He had a passion for flying
and was a Bush pilot in Alaska. He also loved to cook and had several jobs doing just that. Don was the youngest of 3 and had two older sisters, Patti & Karen. He
had a huge love of dogs and a great sense of humor -- always joking and having fun.
He died in Prescott, AZ in
January of 2006, at the age of 62. He is sorely missed by family and all his great friends. After missing many reunions, “Munzie” finally
attended the 40th in 2003 and had the time of his life. Here he is seen with his closest friends.
L to R, Jim Brun, Richard King, Fred King, Don, Richard Fagin, and Lloyd Jones in front.
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| "Munzie" with his Thadus brothers, 2003 |
WILLIAM MERCER – Passed away in LA County in 1997 at the age of 53.
Unable to reach family members but did learn he was a Sergeant in the Air Force and was buried with military honors.
BRUCE MILLER – by his son Jeffery: Bruce Miller
died in October of 1994, and was survived by his only son, his parents and two brothers. Dad spent years working with his
dad and co-owned an automotive wrecking yard in Riverside. As many knew, he was into cars...I still have his first car (1932
Rockne). He and Grandpa (at the end) were restoring a 1931 Cadillac together, with me helping/learning. After the wrecking
yard, he ended up working as a general contractor and electrician. He bought an apartment complex that I grew up in, in Lakewood,
and which I now own. I grew up at the airport, Meadowlark in HB to be specific. Dad was an avid private pilot. Some of my
best memories were either at the airport, car shows/swap meets, hanging around the garage with Dad and Grandpa, or going on
jobs with Dad. I spent my youth surrounded with aviation and the car scene, which formed me today...I can turn a wrench under
the hood and I am an Air Force officer/aviator.
Dad's
last years were working for LA County as a county electrician. He spent an enormous amount of time making sure I did my best
in school (not that I was a deviant or anything). He always volunteered at school, as well as making visits to my teachers
to make sure I was the best. He did all he could to make sure I grew up educated and had my mind in the game for college to
make a better life for myself.
Along the lines of helping, Dad was a complete family man.
We spent a lot of time at his parents house; they were integral to him. On at least a weekly basis we had family dinners with
his parents/brothers. If anybody, family or friend needed help, he was right there to help. I can't remember how many times
he went over to a house to fix something or do a remodel for someone.
Oh, and Dad was a comedian. He always had the knack to
make people laugh, whether funny anecdotes, stories or jokes. Everybody always loved being around him. I guess, in short, he was a father, family man, aviator, car guy. I wish that he would
have been around to finish raising me, to teach me even more!
KATHY MONTGOMERY - thanks to her sister, Brigid de Jong for the following: Kathy married soon
after high school and had two children. That marriage did not last, and she entered nursing school where she became an
LVN. For many years, she worked at Long Beach Community Hospital, first on the orthopedic floor and then in oncology. She
learned to play guitar and enjoyed singing and playing folk songs. A second marriage also ended in divorce.
Kathy did eventually marry again to a kind, gentle man
who loved her very much. They moved north to the Central Coast area. Life was difficult for them, but she never lost her crazy
sense of humor and her love of music. She died in 2007. She was much loved, and is missed. She is survived by one sister,
her two children and many grandchildren.
RANDY MORICH - Although
I have not yet been able to reach family, it is known that Randy died at the age of 57 in July of 2002. It
was also learned that he was a founding pastor of Calvary Chapel in Indianapolis, but according to staff there, moved away
prior to his death.
JUDY OMOHUNDRO – Judy passed away in 1998 at Loma Linda University Hospital after a brief fight
with cancer. The following was written by her sons Scott and Chris. After high school, Judy married Jeff Neble and had her first son,
Michael Neble. She later divorced and married Jim McGregor with whom she had twin boys, Chris and Scott McGregor. Judy and
Jim moved the family from Orange County to rural Canyon Lake where they could spread out and the kids could safely roam the
countryside, go fishing, ride bikes, swim, and enjoy a slower pace of life. The family later moved to Temecula where Judy
was an accountant for a school. She developed many life-long friends who were the better for knowing her.
She loved living in the country, but missed being close to her sister Sharon King, niece Sue Goble,
and best friends Pat Gray and Jeri Livingstone. She cherished the special occasions when she got to see them. Her special
cheesy potatoes were considered a mandatory part of any family get-togethers and people still reminisce about them to this
day. Judy lived for her family and friends. She was the best mother in the world. Her sons Michael, Scott, and Chris were
at the center of her life and she spent every day doing her best to make their lives better. I was going through some of her
mementos and found one of her old report cards. Mr. Clemens, her 8th grade teacher, wrote on the post card, “
Judy needs to decide if her social life is the most important part of her existence.” I laughed when I read the report
card, because everyone who knew my mom knows what she decided.
We’ll always remember our mom wearing her red Scottie dog sweater. She
started collecting Scottie dogs in the early nineties, and once people found out, there was no stopping the Scottie dog-adorned
gifts she began receiving. She eventually had pillows, stuffed animals, earrings, figurines, plates, and even salt-and-pepper
shakers with Scottie dogs on them. Judy taught herself how to quilt, and soon every one of my friends and family had a quilt
– some with Scottie dogs. One of our favorite memories of our mom was from a Christmas when she cried tears of joy when
she saw the sewing machine that we (my dad) had bought her. She had seen it at the LA Fair, and really loved it, but didn’t
think we could afford it. She put that sewing machine to good use over the next few years.
Her favorite movies were the Thorn Birds and Gone With the Wind. She loved reading Danielle Steele
and James Herriott novels. Her celebrity crush was Richard Chamberlain. Her favorite meal was chicken-fried-steak with white
gravy. She was the mom waiting at Toys-R-Us at six in the morning to get the best Star Wars or GI-JOE action figures for her
boys for Christmas. She was a friend that you could count on, and we are so thankful for the time we got to spend with her.
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| The Family McGregor, 1976 |
MICHAEL OWEN – from his sister,
Bonnie. After high school, Mike joined the Navy Reserves Submarine Service. I'm not sure of the sequence
of events but in 1967, he married Renee' Marshall in a double wedding with her cousin. They moved together
to Humboldt County where he worked as a mechanic for the county. He hated having dirty fingernails all the time so he attended
Humboldt State University for about 3 yrs. He loved living close to the ocean and mountains. He loved to ski and raft down
the many rivers in the area.
He was devastated when the marriage to Renee didn't work out. He then tried his hand at being a fisherman.
He moved to Oregon, and when things didn't work out there he moved back to Humboldt County. He was depressed for about a year
and when he was thirty years old he felt that he should have been farther in life than he was. He was very down on himself
and finally took his life. It was such a shame as he was a great guy and had a lot to offer. He just didn't realize his worth.
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In Memoriam ~ Intro to Highlights
In Memoriam ~ Highlights A-G
In Memoriam ~ Highlights P-Z
In Memoriam
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