December 30, 2021

 

Did you see this picture in the news?  That's not snow and it's not sand.  It's a little house on La Palma, in the Canary Islands, almost totally covered in lava dust from a volcanic eruption.  There are Christmas Lights glowing on what little of the house that's not buried.  Click HERE to read the article and see the photo enlarged.

Here's a photo from Facebook this week that's 60 years old.  The Presidio Museum should let you know that this was where Highway 80 begins its eastward path across America.  I think the overpass is Highway 101.  Click HERE for an enlargement.

Speaking of autos from the '60s, perhaps it's time to take another look at the Cars We Drove To School Page.  Click HERE to take a gander.

Larry Wahlgren '62 sends word of the possible passing of three of his classmates.

He thinks Bill Adragna passed away early in 2020.

He knows his pal Al McBride died September 24, 2021 in North Carolina, where he relocated years ago when he joined the Penske Racing Team.

Bob Peyton may have passed in 2019 from Pancreatic Cancer.

December 24, 2021

Winter's here and it's pouring rain -- but at least the days are going to be getting longer.  Here's a nice shot of Crystal Pier taken by UT photographer Nelvin Cepeda.

And that goes for the apple pies at Oscar's as well!!

Did you see the little snippet on the history of See's Candies on CBS Sunday Morning last weekend?  Click HERE if you'd like to watch it.

Here's an aerial of Crawford taken September 30, 1957 -- the week that it opened.  Click HERE to see it and two other aerials enlarged.  

Robert Lein ’59 died November 22, 2021.  Bob had decided by the age of seven that he would become a police officer like his father Roy, who was a San Diego County Sheriff Deputy.   In December of 1965, Bob graduated from the police academy and became a rookie patrol officer on the El Cajon Police Department.  He served a thirty-year distinguished career. Bob rose to the rank of Lieutenant, was a Watch Commander, and ultimately became Chief of the Detective Division.  Bob was an avid ocean fisherman as well as an expert stream and trout fisherman. He owned his dream boat, a 28 ft. Skipjack. He enjoyed fishing the Coronado Islands and south of San Diego to the Cortez Banks of Mexico. He hiked and fished for trout throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.  He is survived by, among others, his sister Virginia Lein Northcutt ’60.  (I couldn’t find a photo of Bob in the 1959 Centaur)

Jeff Schriebman '63 passed away December 20th. My brother was a well known and respected optician and a talented self-taught musician.  He was the lead guitarist for the popular San Diego band  The Royalites who made several recordings featured on 1960s San Diego radio stations -- Bob Schriebman ’60

Dennis Kretch ’64, of Dewey, Arizona, died on December 12, 2021

Thomas Spirz ’67 passed away on December 1, 2021

December 17, 2021

Lulu Anaya Summers thought I'd enjoy this Bizarro cartoon from 2009.  She was right.

If you liked Eric Watkins Horace Mann Bus Pass, you'll love his Quill and Scroll certificate from 1964.  Click HERE to see and enlargement and read a little note from Eric.

 

Let's take another look at some '61 Colts when they attended the Campus Lab School.  Click HERE for the names.  This 1954 photo must have been one of the earliest taken by Bob Richardson.

We've seen it before, but let's see it again.  It's an aerial of Horace Mann, sent in by Owen Western, that was featured on the cover of the 1959 Cougar.  I never realized how close Don's Hamburgers was to the junior high.  Click HERE to check it out for yourself.

Click HERE to peruse all four pages of the December 17, 1971 Pacer.  It's worth it just for the ads.

December 10, 2021

Doesn't look good for The Big Bad Wolf

Two vintage photos of  El Cajon Boulevard
businesses appeared on Facebook this week

Click HERE to see an enlargement of this postcard of the La Cresta Motor Court, 4980 El Cajon Blvd., from the 1940s -- and a 2021 Google view of the same corner.  The motor court is now a motel and the palm tree has grown.

And HERE to take a look at Lloyd's Furniture at 4275 El Cajon and what is there now.

The Pacers from 60 and 55 years
ago are both 6-page issues

Click HERE to read the issue published on December 15, 1961

And HERE to read the December 15, 1966 paper

Obituaries

Julia Lewis Thompson '65 died November 25, 2021 according to the Crawford Foundation web site.  That's all I know.

Steve Norman ’65 passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones at his home in Mission Beach on November 30, 2021. Steve grew up in the San Diego State neighborhood and attended Montezuma Elementary and Lewis Junior High School. While at Crawford he was a varsity swimmer on the CIF championship team and enjoyed being the head cheerleader.  Steve went on to graduate from SDSU with a business degree, and subsequently entered the mortgage banking business where he founded Cal Coast Mortgage Corporation in 1974. He retired in 1984 and began investing and managing several apartments across San Diego, which he continued to do until his passing.  In 1981, he moved to Mission Beach, where he continued with his athletic endeavors.  He ran over 100 marathons, including San Diego Rock and Roll, Boston, New York, and the Great Wall of China, and also competed in many triathlons including the World Championship Ironman in Kona, HI in 1997. He was truly an Ironman, and fought pancreatic cancer relentlessly and with determination, in the same manner as he ran marathons and triathlons. Steve was a founding member of the Crawford Alumni Athletic Foundation, a member of the Torrey Pines Men's Club, and attended Clairemont Emmanuel Baptist Church.

All are invited to join a celebration of life on December 18, 2021, from 1 - 3 PM at Clairemont Emmanuel Baptist Church, 2610 Galveston St #2399, San Diego, CA 92110. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Team Crawford Alumni Athletic Foundation found here: P.O. Box 2716 La Mesa, California, 91943. 

Keith Miles ’74 died November 13, 2021, according to the Crawford Foundation web page.

December 3, 2021

Nancy Miljas submits this drawing from her files.  Perfect timing!!

Not to be outdone by Jim Krauss' library pass, Eric Watkins shares his Horace Mann bus pass.  Click HERE for a larger image and a little more info.

 

The Colt Clipping of Barbara Addkison I shared earlier in the week prompted me to again show the photo I took of her at the 1962 Toyland Parade.

Some of you were wondering if the Toyland Parade was still being held.  Apparently it is, and the 2021 edition kicks off tomorrow at 11 AM at 30th and University. 

I would have bet big money that the 1962 Centaur -- my year -- had no color photos.  I would have lost that bet.  I received a request for a homecoming photo from a high school pal of Suzanne Knoll and was stunned to open my annual and find the photo above.  Click HERE to see it enlarged, along with a nice photo of the Homecoming Court.  You'll notice all these photos are autographed.  The girls couldn't resist a card-carrying member of the Slide Rule Club.

Donald Weim ’63, who had been impaired with Alzheimers since 2015, passed away from  Covid 19 on November 12, 2021.  Don's youth was spent as a typical boy in the ‘50s and ‘60s: Boy and Cub Scouts, delivering papers for the then twice daily delivery of Union and Daily Tribune.  He graduated with a BA from SDSU.  In the early ‘70s he began his career in the insurance industry as a claims adjuster.  Throughout his career, he always kept his black roller pen in his left shirt pocket. He was widely known for his Weim-isms: "I'm working half days now -- 6 to 6".   His main love of life was rebuilding Ford hot rods. He was a member of San Diego Prowlers.  His claim to fame was painting a Porsche for George Bullington of Bully’s Restaurants.  His final project, which took 32 years to complete, was a 1954 Ford F100.  He was most comfortable with a cigar in his mouth and wearing Hawaiian shirts.

Memorial Service: Saturday, December 4th at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1370 Euclid Ave, #5495, San Diego, CA 92105 at 11 AM. A Celebration of Life luncheon to immediately follow.

Bring your hot rods, casual attire encouraged and please bring one of your favorite Weim-isms to share. 

November 26, 2021

It's Turkey Day!!

Courtesy of Gary Schulte

Click HERE to take another look at the Little League photos shared by Bill Ross a few years ago.   

Jim Kraus somehow saved his pass to the library from 1964.  Click HERE to see it enlarged.

The November 24, 1971 Pacer -- published 50 years ago -- is a 6-page special.  Click HERE to peruse each one.

November 19, 2021

 

I can never resist a Stranded on a Desert Isle cartoon

Ernie Cowan waxes rhapsodic about two birds that stop in San Diego this time of the year.  Click HERE to read all about them.

Click HERE to peruse the program from the November 20, 1959 football game against San Diego.  Somehow 7Up elbowed out CocaCola as an advertiser. 

Susan Wilkerson McCasland '71 shares a pep ribbon from the 1969 Homecoming game against San Diego.  Click HERE to took at the pep ribbons shared by Ruth Ann Palovchik Yurgelon in 2017.

Click HERE to read the November 22, 1961 Pacer

Click HERE to read the November 23, 1966 Pacer

November 12, 2021

Last week's joke about Grandpa forgetting Grandma's name reminded me of the story of the two couples that got together of an evening.  The ladies went in the kitchen and the men repaired to the living room.  The male guest said, "We went to a great Chinese restaurant last week."  "Oh, really," replied the homeowner, "What was the name of it?"  The fellow furrowed his brow and said, "What's that flower that smells so good and has thorns on its stem?"  "A rose?" "That's it!" exclaimed the man, then shouted into the kitchen, "Rose! What was the name of that Chinese restaurant we went to last week?"

Barbara Whilldin '67 checks in with some Ozzie's Band memories.  Click HERE to take another look at the Ozzie's Band page.

Click HERE to peruse the program from the Crawford vs St Augustine football game from November 13, 1959.

Click HERE to check out the November 9, 1961 Pacer

And HERE for the Pacer from November 11, 1966

Cheri DeBusk Grippo '63 died October 7, 2021.  She was born in San Diego and worked for San Diego Gas and Electric for 31 years.  She met her husband Bill in 1988 and they married in 1991.  She had a wonderful life with Bill for over 30 years. They retired and moved to Yuma, AZ in 2005 and traveled in their motor home all across U.S. and Canada. Cheri loved spending time with her family and friends. She was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.  She is survived by her brother Richard DeBusk ’61

Alex Caravajal ’67 passed away at his residence in Scottsdale, AZ on October 31, 2021.  He earned a BS in Physics and Mathematics from San Diego State University and an MBA from University of California, Los Angeles.  Alex began his professional life as a sales representative for Hewlett Packard in San Diego.  He had a successful and active career which included the Director of Sales and Business Development for Intergraph, Business Development Manager for Siemens EDA, and Marketing and Business Development Manager at Mentor Graphics.  He enjoyed snow skiing, golfing, traveling, and photography.  Alex was a HAM radio operator, KJ7OFM, and volunteered for the Emergency Response Team of the American Red Cross.  He is survived by his, Ginny and sisters Belinda Caravajal Rushton and Helena Caravajal.

My sister Marianne Montello ’67 passed away on October 26, 2021 after decades suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and subsequent bouts of breast cancer -- Becky Montello Larsen ’75

BELATED PASSINGS

Philip Sommerfeld ’65 died October 16, 2020.  He grew up in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey before moving to San Diego.  He graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio with a degree in Communication Arts.  Phil spent the majority of his career working for Roofers’ Supplies and Atlantic Building Supply, where he acted as the Secretary-Treasurer.  Phil’s passion for all things audio-video led him to create his own consulting company, Brown Dog Studios.