Bonnie
Barwick
Bonnie is a native of
California
, born in Los Angles and a resident of
Long Beach
since 1950. She met Ed (the love of her life) while in high school when
she joined the Long Beach Junior Concert Band as a majorette; they have
been married 46 years. They have three adult children and two
grandchildren. She attended
Long Beach
City
College
and graduated with an AS degree. She has traveled extensively and
has visited over 30 countries. In addition, she lived in
Egypt
for two years (where her job was sightseeing and shopping) and Trinidad
& Tobago for two years. While living in
Trinidad
she worked as a visa processor for the U.S. Embassy. Prior to
moving overseas she worked as a nurse for a podiatry office.
Bonnie likes golfing and enjoys cooking. She participates in the
annual Lions BBQ preparing the tri-tips and creates the theme banner for
the Eyemobile in the Belmont Shore Christmas parade.
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Ed
Barwick
Ed was raised in
Long Beach
and served seven years in the Navy as an electrician aboard nuclear
submarines during the cold war. After the Navy he and his wife Lion
Bonnie returned to
Long Beach
where Ed worked at Douglas Aircraft and then moved to the Naval
Shipyard. During this time he earned both his BA and MA degrees in
Economics from CSULB.
Ed worked for over 25
years with the U.S. Customs Service and served in many management
positions here in the
Long Beach
area and as a foreign advisor. Ed has managed multi-million dollar
budgets and worked with the Ministers of Finance in both
Egypt
and Trinidad & Tobago where he improved revenue collections without
any increase in customs duties.
Ed was President of this
Club in 2007-08. An active member, he has run the Harlem Ambassadors
fund raiser for the last two years, is now the BBQ Committee chair and
is always ready to help with whatever needs fixing.
He has worked with many other local service groups and is active
in his church. Not long ago, Ed served on Mayor O'Neil's Ethics Review
Task Force has been a candidate for the Long Beach City Council in the
5th District.
Ed and Bonnie have been
married over 40 years and have 3 adult children and two grandsons. They
met while members of the LB Junior Concert Band.
Ed and Bonnie enjoy golf and traveling.
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Sherwin
(Skip) Basil
Born and raised in Chicago, SKIP
earned his US degree at Northern Illinois University. After
migrating westward he completed his MA at CSULB in 1974. He has
since completed various postgraduate training in the field of
audiology including being board certified by the American Board
of Audiology. He is also a member of the American and
California Speech and Hearing Associations and the Deafness
Research Foundation, SKIP is a fellow with the American Academy
of Audiology end is a CCS paneled audiologist/speech
pathologist. SKIP has earned a AAA “Scholar” award, been
recipient of the ASHA “ACE” award
and was a recipient of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary
scholarship. He was awarded a VA traineeship and a scholarship
to the Kresge Hearing Research Laboratory by the Lions Eye
Foundation of Louisiana.
SKIP is a member of this club, has been past president of the
Hearing Foundation which he currently serves as a consultant, is
active in the Civil Air Patrol and was active for many
years in scouting. SKIP is married to Susan, they live in Long
Beach and have four children, two boys and two girls. Both girls
were Lions exchange students. There is one grandchild on the
way.
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Angie
Beeks
ANGIE was born in Allentown, PA, where she attended
Dieruff High School. She moved to Long Beach in 1976 and
graduated from (CSULB, majoring in business and art, an unlikely
combination
While
still at Cat State she worked for a veterinarian, expressing her
passion for animal care. The pay scale induced her to take a
spin at being a Bail Agent.
Seeing crime up close and personal led ANGIE to s third
career, real estate sales, which she pursued until her first
child was born.
Hoping to induce her mom to move closer, ANGIE
started ABC School and Party Shop in Bixby Knolls in 1997.
She is a member of the Bixby Knolls Improvement
Association and is the current Vice-President. She is also
President of the Long Beach Center for the Arts.
Angie has been recognized as the Supporter of the
Year in 2000 by the Improvement Association and has received s
Leadership and Dedication Special Recognition Award from the
City of Long Beach.
Her special interests as a Lion are the Children's
Christmas Party, face painting at the BBQ and the Peace Poster
Contest.
Angie
is married to Gary a lawyer specializing in family law, will and
probate. They have two children, Nichole, 14, and Kristopher,
11, Nichole excels at
ballet, while Kris enjoys acting and his Yu Gi Oh cards.
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Marilyn Bittle
President
MARILYN is a career educator and teacher advocate. For 15 years,
she was the Executive Director of the Teachers Association of
Long Beach as well as past President of the Bellflower and
California Teachers Associations and a candidate for the LBUSD
School Board
MARILYN graduated from Compton High School, Compton
Community College and CSULB. She taught in Bellflower for over
30 years,
MARILYN has served as President of the South Coast
Ecumenical Council where she was awarded Lay Person of the Year;
on State Senator Gary Hart's Advisory Board for Teacher
Proficiency Testing; as a member of the State Board of
Education's Reform in Secondary Education Implementation
Committee and as a member of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
choir (where her outstanding singing voice makes her a star),
the church's council (past President) and as a consultant to
teachers.
MARILYN has been a Lion since 1997 and, in addition
to being President is chief BBQ floor and bottle washer and one
terrific “do anything asked" person.
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Loren Brown
Loren Brown, aboard the heavy cruiser USS
Northampton CA26, saw
Long Beach
for the first time just after the 1933 earthquake. On his
first shore eave, he knew that this town would be his future
home. He married his wife, Gale, while still in the Navy.
They bought a home on
Park Ave.
in 1945 and have lived there ever since.
After leaving the Navy in1965, Loren became a
Realtor. He was
elected President of the Realty Board in 1980. In
1983 he became the regional vice president of the
California
association. He has served on many Commissions in the
City, including the economic development commission,
armed service commission and the city charter commission. Loren
has chaired the Downtown Redevelopment Agency, the DLBA for two
years and the Downtown Developer Selection Committee among
others. Loren retired in 1997 and is relaxing and enjoying
life.
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Theresa Brunella
Theresa Brunella
is a native Californian, growing up in the
South
Bay
and a graduate of CSULB. She
has made Long Beach her home for the last 16 years.
She is currently the
D
irector of Community Outreach and Volunteers for the Greater
Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross, a position that
she has enjoyed for over 18 years.
Theresa was
president of the
D
owntown Long Beach Lions Club (1997-98) when they made the
decision to raise $206,000 for the privilege to name the City of
Long Beach‘s lighthouse the Lion’s Lighthouse for Sight. The
Lions are very proud of the lighthouse and what is
represents—serving as an icon of the importance of preventing
and eliminating blindness.
Theresa is
an avid Raiders fan married to Al an avid Steelers fan which
makes football season even more fun! Theresa
is commissioner of their fantasy football. Yes,
we are always ready for some football!
Al and Theresa love to travel, entertain, watch sports,
taste wine and enjoy life!
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Les Bryant
Les, a Downtown
Lions Club Member for over 50 years, has served as a Director of
the Lions-owned Harbor Area Drag Strip Corporation for 25 years.
He served two terms as president.
The Downtown Lions recently liquidated their interest in
that organization at a substantial profit.
Born in the
backwoods of Kentucky, Les has enjoyed many interesting
occupations including paperboy, restaurant worker, Arthur Murray
dance instructor, GI squad leader in Korea, dance studio
operator and was an interested stock investor before becoming an
investment advisor for a NYSE firm. He has remained with that
firm for over 36 years. That firm is now UBS Financial Services,
Inc.
Along the way, Les ventured into wildcatting for
oil and thoroughbred horse racing as exciting diversions. He now
rates those ventures as being LOTS OF FUN but "very
speculative indeed".
These days,
monitoring investment portfolios, making toys for kids, good
bridge games and grandkid parties offer plenty of excitement for
this old Lion.
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Andy
Choy
Andy is a native
of
Long Beach
and
Community
Hospital
. He was educated at Burnett
elementary school and Hughes Jr. High.
He is a graduate of THE HIGH SCHOOL in
Long Beach
, LB Poly. It was on to
Stanford
University
in biology and then USC School of Medicine.
Internship was at
Big
County
(LA County General). He
spent 5 years in
Manhattan
doing his ophthalmology residency and subspecialty training in
pediatrics and oculoplastic at NYU and
Columbia
. In full circle, he returned to
Long Beach
in 1976.
In
that year, he started the pediatric eye clinic Long Beach Memorial that
has become the Lions Pediatric Eye Clinic.
In the early 80's he served as Medical Director of the Lions Eye
Foundation of Southern California. Andy has been secretary of the
Memorial Medical Center Foundation Board, treasurer for The Childrens
Clinic, and is a Trustee of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He and
his partners continue to staff the Lions Pediatric Eye Clinic in
addition to teaching at UCLA and running their practice.
Andy appears at Friday meetings whenever possible.
He also sees various members on the pool deck at the Belmont
Olympic Pool.
Jim Crawford
After
a long and distinguished career in metallurgy, Jim founded James
Crawford Investments and Insurance, an independent financial
advisory service, in 1997. Prior to that he operated an overhead
door contracting company for 8 years and prior to that
spent 25 yeas as a metallurgical engineer, rising to Director of
Business Development. He holds four patents and was chair of the
LA chapter of the American Society for Metals.
Born in
Detroit
,
MI
, Jim lived there,
San Francisco
and
Ann Arbor
. He graduated from
Michigan
with a degree in chemistry, from Wayne State U as a
metallurgical engineer and earned an MBA from the Taj Mahal
on the knoll in Westwood.
Jim loves to fish, grow rare fruits, travel, read
and play chess. He and Esther, his mate since 1958, have four
children and four grandchildren. Esther is a retired RN. Jim is
president of the LB Livewires Toastmaster club and
co-director of the Orange County Rare Fruit Growers.
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Cindy Costello
Cindy was born in Los Angeles making her a bit of a rarity, a
native Californian. She
spent her
formative years
in Hawthorne and moved to Long Beach in 1985, thereby, a new
comer. CINDY attended El Camino College and earned a BA in
History from the University of Denver. Unlike most History
majors, CINDY opted neither to teach nor go to law school but
enlisted with Pacific Bell (are they now Cingular or is your
editor confused?). She retired from the position of Marketing
Manager with Pac Bell in 1996, Today CINDY keeps herself busy as
the Chair for Community Relations for the LB Symphony and the
Assistance League of LB Orthodontic Center. She was also the
Chair of your Lions Club's Special Olympics 2002 Committee.
CINDY loves to golf, travel, knit, and all kinds of music. She
is married to John, a CPA who specializes in
"forensic" accounting. This is similar to
"archeological” accounting or finding out where the
evidence is buried.
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Nino Cristiano
"NINO" CRISTIANO
Born in Grumo Nevano, near Naples, VINCENZO CRISTIANO met and
married Inge Reuschling in Germany. Shortly thereafter they
moved to Canada to be near Inge's sister, Anneliese. Finding the
cold and opportunities not much to their liking, NINO sent Inge
and their first born (also Nino) back to Germany white he went
on to Bogota, Columbia. There he opened his first and then
second restaurants. While successful, the political situation
was unsettling, so NINO and Inge sold everything and relocated
to Long Beach in May of 1957.
Since neither spoke English, opportunities were
limited but they were able to find work in the restaurant
business, opening Nino's on Atlantic Blvd. on July 31,
1958. Initially they had one dining room with several booths and
tables, Inge ran the dining room, NINO ran the kitchen and there
was another room for the kids to play and study. The restaurant
has now grown to three buildings with a main dining room, a
private fireplace room, a full bar, banquet room, catering
kitchen, warehouse and parking lot. NINO and Inge's have been in business at the same location in Long
Beach for over 45
years.
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John Cronin
Dr. Cronin was born
and raised in New York receiving his BA degree from Notre Dame
University and his medical degree from University College, Cork,
Ireland, which "make me think, this lad is very
Irish!" He began his medical residency at the VA hospital
in Long Beach and completed his last year at Long Beach
Memorial.
He began his solo practice in
internal medicine in Long Beach when Memorial Medical Group
expanded in 1988 and was instrumental in bringing the first
female physician into the group. He was also involved with the
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center at Long Beach Memorial.
Dr. Cronin retired from
practice in 1999, but continues to be involved with the Memorial
Medical Group known as Health Care Partners Medical Group. He
also has served on the Children's Clinic Advisory Board at LBMMC
for the past five years.
Dr. Cronin has been
a member of the Downtown Long Beach Lions Club for the past 21
years and has served as club President and Zone Chairman in
4-L2. John has done a great job acquiring guest speakers,
organizing St. Patrick's Day events, planning annual Night at
the Races and organizing the Lions Children's Christmas party.
For the past seven years, Dr. Cronin
has been a member of the Board of the Long Beach American Red
Cross and a generous supporter of the Steel Magnolias.
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Kirk
Davis
KIRK was born and raised in Long Beach. He attended Sutter
Elementary, Franklin Jr High where he received the Downtown Lions Club
music award in 1976, and Millikan High at a time when Poly was having a
few down years in football. Millikan won two CIF championships in three
years.(GO RAMS !) He has recently been attending Compton College to
earn a certificate in Real Estate and prepare for the real estate
license exam. His favorite sport is all of them, but
volleyball is #1 as he made the team at LBCC in two
different years and he also played two tournaments in Hawaii for a
Hawaiian club team.
KIRK has worked as a pest control technician, a home
insulation installer, a video arcade manager, and has spent the last 21
years working at GJ Property Services as a maintenance man and building
engineer. Five years ago he started a successful contracting
business called Moonco Improvements which specializes in commercial
tenant improvements and medical office remodeling
KIRK is married to Lion HILDA GAYTAN whom he lovingly acknowledges as
the real key to his success and happiness. He has four children Leon,
Alissa, Jake and Emily. Jake and Emily were born with congenital
cataracts and the Downtown Lions sponsored them for all of their
surgeries and eye care. KIRK will be eternally grateful to the
Downtown Lions Club for the help his family received and hopes
to show his thanks through his service in this club.
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Raquel Delgado
Raquel is a
California
girl, born and raised in
Norwalk
. She comes from a traditional Mexican household with six brothers and
sisters. Her parents were farm laborers and all of her siblings are
first generation college graduates. While working for the Disneyland
Resort, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation at the best
university only known as “The Beach” (
Long Beach
State
). is currently the
Membership Director for the YMCA of Greater Long Beach-Downtown
Community Development branch. She started the organization in May of
2007 as an after school site director at
Roosevelt
Elementary School
. is an After School
University Trainer/Speaker, emphasizing recreation programming. In 2008,
she led a workshop at the National BOOST conference in
Palm Springs
for over 2,000 participants. She has been the Recreation Coordinator at
the Carmelitos Housing Development in
North Long Beach
, working with at-risk youth and developed a teen leadership program
called “Youth Leaders.” After months of nail-biting, eye-twitching,
hair-pulling wedding planning, is happily married for 2 years with her
husband Raul and they live in Downtown Los Angeles.
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Sam Dimas
Sam was
All-City and All-League when playing for Poly High. He's in the
Poly Hall of Fame, having been team captain and MVP and named to
the All-CIF team. He went on to play for LBCC, earning places on
the All-Southern California and All-Western Division Junior
College Football Teams and was again his team's captain and MVP.
But at
City
College
, Sam also shone beyond the football field. He was student body
president and earned the Viking Award, the highest honor given
to an LBCC student. In
1988, he was inducted into the college's Hall of Fame.
Sam was also in the first class of inductees to the Poly
High Football Hall of Fame.
His community activities include serving on the
boards of LBCC's Alumni Association, Athletic Associates, and
Hall of Champions. In Lions, Sam has served on the board of
directors and been an active member of the barbecue and golf
committees as well as working at White Cane Day, Stand Down, and
the 50/50 table. He's also a past member of the Long Beach Human
Relations Commission. Many of us have been fascinated by Sam's
recounting of his WW Il service, which earned him a host of
medals, including the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
A retired teacher and coach, Sam likes working in
the yard and anything to do with sports, including golfing,
attending high school and City College football games, and
working out at the gym. He
most enjoys spending time with his four sons and their families.
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Victor
Dominguez
VICTOR
is a native Californian, born and raised in
Whittier
. While working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fullerton he earned a
B.S. degree in both Child & Adolescent Studies and Sociology from
California
State
University
,
Fullerton
. VICTOR is currently The Executive Director for the YMCA of Greater
Long Beach-Fairfield Family YMCA Branch. He was previously the Senior
Director for the Downtown Long Beach YMCA. He has been a National
trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, training adolescents in
the country how to become leaders in their communities and about drug
and alcohol prevention. Some of his personal achievements include being
named the City of
Fullerton Success Story
of the year (2003) and a certificate of Appreciation for the work done
in the community by the City of
La Habra Mayor Rosa Espinosa
and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Most recently he was one of three
YMCA professionals in the
United States
to be given the Andrew Young award for celebrating diversity in the
workplace (2006).
VICTOR is a member of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce,
the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Long Beach Lions
Club (Board Member), Long Beach Diabetes Collaborative, and many other
city wide collaborative.
He
has been married for 1 year and is expecting his first child in July
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Dennis
Drag
A vice-president of
Moffatt & Nichol, with over thirty nine years of project
management experience, DENNIS has managed many one-of-a-kind
projects though out his career. These have included working on
the Saturn II launch Vehicle for the Apollo Program, the
development and design of a standard nuclear power for the TVA,
the John Wayne Airport and numerous projects that have changed
the downtown area and Port of Long Beach.
DENNIS
received his BSCE from Purdue University and a Masters, PhD and
business degree from UCLA. He and his wife Leslie reside in
Rancho Palos Verdes and have two sons. Oldest son Darren is a
Doctor of Medical Dentistry and is the Director of the
residency program
at Tufts Dental School in Boston. Devin is a senior at Chapman
University where he is a starting pitcher on the baseball
team. In
addition to being active in the Downtown Lions Club of Long
Beach, DENNIS is a District Administrator for Little League
Baseball, serves as Chairmen of a Dean’s Committee responsible
for reviewing curriculum at Purdue University and is currently
the chairman of the UCLA Chancellor’s Associates South Bay
Region.
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Doug Drummond
DOUG has retired after a career in
law-enforcement, eight years as an elected official and over
twenty years of part-time university teaching.
DOUG joined the LBPD in 1959 and retired on the last day of 1988 as a
Commander. During that time Doug graduated from USC's
Delinquency Control Institute and the
FBI
National
Academy
. He also received a BA from CSULB. an MPA and completed the
course work for a DPA at USC and a Doctorate in Criminology from
Vollmer University,
DOUG was elected as the Third District
representative of LB City Council in 1990. While a council
member, he represented LB as a board member of the Southern
California Association of Governments and was the first Chair of
the newly formed Gateway Cities Council of Governments
representing 27 cities in Southeast LA County. He was also Vice
Mayor from 1994 to 96.
DOUG’s community work includes past
service as President of Downtown Lions Club. President of the
Boy's and Girl's Club, Chair of the LB Chapter of the Red Cross,
President of LB Youth Home, President of the Historical Society
of LB, Chair of the LB Area Republican Party, and Los Angeles
County Fish & Game Commissioner.
DOUG resides in LB with wife Linda (a retired
school administrator). They have two grown children, Marianne,
who teaches math and science at Wilson High and Rob, an
Assistant DA in
Austin
,
Texas
.
DOUG has written two novels: Cyclone
Racer (2003) and What
Goes Around Comes Around (2005).
He also co-authored a collectors book: Dr.
William H. Elliot’s Remington Double Deringer (2008).
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Mike
Dupree
A recent addition to the club, MIKE became a Downtown Lion on June 17,
2005. He is
an investment
advisor
associated with Edward Jones Investments, and is located at
375 Redondo Avenue, Suite 247
, Long Beech.
MIKE is a former resident of
Raleigh
,
North Carolina
and earned a Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degree at
Penn
State
University
. His university studies provided him with a rather comprehensive
background as they included political science, public administration,
Russian studies, anthropology and human genetics. Associated previously
with UCLA in the Department of Genetics, Mike has been recognized for
his outstanding post-graduate research and by the National Institute of
Health for outstanding graduate research.
MIKE’s hobby interests include language, Buddhism
ethic, eastern religion, hiking and reading.
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Harvina
Essex
A Lions since 2001, Harvina and her husband Harold are
associated with Pre-Paid Legal Service, a NY stock exchange company
providing legal service plans for families. Before embarking on
her current venture in 1993, Harvina was employed by Pacific Bell and
Century 21 Real Estate.
A graduate of Compton College, Harvina's hobbies include
swimming, bowling, dog training and playing the organ and piano.
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Bill Evans
Bill Evans is a product of Pennsylvania, having
grown up there and earned his B A in sociology at Penn State.
Having moved to Long Beach in 1978, he gained his J,D. from
Pepperdine that year, following up with two years' post graduate
work at USC, He's been with his own law firm here in L.B. since
1985, having previously been associated with Ackerman, Ling, and
Russell.
BILL serves on the Boards of the LB. Bar
Association and the Intl City Theatre, is V.P. of the Lincoln
Club, and coaches Pop Warner football. His avocational interest
is horseracing,
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Harold Essex, Sr.
Harold graduated from Compton High in 1962. While there he
played football and was All CIF. After high school he attended
Compton College majoring in business. He was an elementary and high
school friend of Lion Jake Wallace. He was drafted into the US
Army in 1963. After his discharge he went to work for ARCO Oil Co.
as a maintenance supervisor.
Harold has been married to Lion Harvina for 43 years.
They have two sons and enjoy fishing and traveling. They started
their
own business, Pre-Paid Legal Services, and love helping people with their
legal needs.
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Sandy Facon
Sandy Facon retired from her
Aerospace career in 2005 to become a Lion and pursue her passion for
travel. To that end, she has become a partner in Touch of Travel,
specializing in Cruises and tours. Working from her home
office, she has the ability to work her own schedule and provide
personalized service, whatever the time, to her clients. She has
earned a number of cruise line certifications, including Master Cruise
Counselor accreditation from CLIA, the Cruise Line Industries
Association, organized by and for the major cruise lines.
Sandy is a native Californian, born in San Francisco and
came to Long Beach as a Navy bride in the late 1960s. While working in
aerospace for McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman, she earned a B.S.
degree in Business and a Master's Degree in Management from the
University of Redlands. She also hold a Certificate in Technical
Management from Cal Tech.
When not traveling or at Lions meetings, Sandy volunteers
at two other organizations: The Assistance League of Long Beach and as a
Board member of the Friends of Long Beach Animals.
Sandy and her husband, Gerry, have three grown sons and two
grandchildren.
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Cal Farmer
"This guy is
everywhere!" That's a frequently heard comment about Dr.
CAL FARMER and no wonder. His vita sheet lists current or past
membership in over forty organizations, in most of which he's
held office, more often than not that of president or executive
director.
Some
of CAL's activities closest to his heart right now are his work
with the Employment Development Department's Homeless Veterans
Stand Down Foundation and the Veterans Committee of the
California Employer Council, his involvement in the Greater Los
Angeles World Trade Center Association, his continuing service
on the board of directors of the Industry Education Council of
California, participation in the L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce
and its Port Ambassadors, his life memberships in the Grand Prix
Association Committee of 300 as well as the Navy League of the
U.S., and his ongoing presidency of the National Past President'
Club.
But ask CAL to elaborate and he waxes most
enthusiastic about his work with students through DECA
(Distributive Education Clubs of America) and SIR: (Students in
Free Enterprise), whose teams he's led to national recognition.
No wonder he was the year 2000 recipient of the Friend of
Education award presented by the Teachers Association of Long
Beach in recognition of community service to teachers and
students, a perfect bookend to his 1971 honor from the Long
Beach City Council as "Lobbyist for Youth."
After more than forty years of service, CAL is now
semi-retired from his employment in job placement at Long Beach
City College.
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Felix Franklin
Felix!
Felix! Felix! That's what Lions heard as Felix Franklin took bow after
bow at the end of the club's Western Barbecue. Felix was has been the
"Master Chef" of this event for 14 years and only a slowed
step kept him from doing it for another 14 years.
No stranger to the kitchen, Felix graduated from three
culinary programs before he was "picked from a lineup" by the
Long Beach Police Department to become their Food Service Administrator.
As a city employee and on a first-name basis with the upper echelon in
the department, Felix believed it was as good as it got. Now
retired, one might ask him: Which is better?
A former Navy man, Felix found his niche in the service as
a boxer. His skills in this area enabled him to represent the
US
as a member of the American boxing team in the 1952 Olympic games that
were held in
Helsinki
,
Finland
.
In addition to the BBQ, Felix has been a director and
vice-president of this club and one of those people you can count on to
support the club at almost every meeting event and visitation.
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Gloria
Folkens
Lion
Gloria has recently returned to the Long Beach area and GJ Properties
after a brief sojourn in rural San Diego County.
We welcome her smiling countenance back to our club and to the
podium as COD.
Born in Puerto Rico, Gloria emigrated to the mainland US
and Southern California in the 60s.
While still in Puerto Rico she attended an exclusive private high
school where she was trained as a fully qualified cost accountant.
Her first jobs in SoCal were as an accountant in the oil industry.
She eventually joined GJ Properties, to which she has returned as
well.
Gloria has been a Lion since 1988, is a Melvin Jones
Fellow, won the Golden Lion award in 1992 and is always fun to be
around.
Gloria has two children, two adopted grandchildren (thanks
to Lion Tracy Moreno Grant) and two great grandchildren.
Gloria loves the theatre and never comes late.
She serves on the board of the Musical Theatre West Footlighters.
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Charles
Gale
CHARLES GALE, a Downtown Lion since 1999,
is the Deputy City Attorney for the City of
Long Beach
. He has worked in the City Attorney’s Office for more than five
years. His major responsibility involves legal matters for the Harbor Department end the Alameda
Corridor Transportation Authority. Before joining the City Attorneys
staff, CHARLES was a partner in the law office of Cameron, Pearlson and
Gale.
Born in
St. Paul
,
Minnesota
, and living in
Indianapolis
,
Indiana
during his youth, CHARLES earned a Bachelor’s degree at
Indiana
University
. His Doctor of Jurisprudence degree was awarded him by Stanford
University School of Law.
Charles is married and lives in
Fountain Valley
. He and his wife, Irene, are the parents of three boys.
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Jim
Harden
JIM has been an active,
hard-working Lion for almost all of the 31 years that he has been a
member of the club. Jim served as president ot the Downtown Lions Club
in 1977-1978 and with his ability to lighten things up while at the
microphone he was an extremely successful leader during that year. Two
of the club activities in which he has made important contributions have
been in the Lions Youth Exchange Program and the Program Committee.
Retired from an active role in the broadcasting business in
1981, Jim had spent the previous 12 years as president and general
manager of KNAC-FM in
Long Beach
. Following this role as a broadcast executive, he served for a period
of years as a consultant in the industry.
Jim has Bachelor and Master degrees in journalism
from
Northwestern
University
. His interest in the field of journalism continues and currently he is
serving as the president of the Northwestern Alumni Association, Medill
School of Journalism in
Southern California
.
Jim is a model train and train travel enthusiast. He
also operates a family farm near
Findley
,
Illinois
. He and Claudia have four children.
Jim and Claudia have
taken wildlife tours by train all over the
United States
, including
Alaska
, and
Canada
. They have enjoyed trains
in
Australia
and
Western Europe
. They even learned how to
run a diesel locomotive.
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Robin Hawkins
Robin’s father
was a retired Army veteran and her mother a homemaker.
She was their ninth child.
She was born and raised in
Boston
,
Massachusetts
. She relocated to
Southern California
to continue her education and also to explore possible career
choices.
She attended
Long Beach
City
College
,
Chapman
University
, earning a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and
Cal
State
Long Beach
, earning a Master’s Degree in Emergency Services.
For the last twenty-five years, the Long Beach
Police Department has been an intimate part of her professional
and personal development. Assignments
throughout the Patrol Bureau provided opportunities to respond
to and effectively manage emergency situations while working in
a team environment. Other
assignments within the Investigations Bureau have been Fraud,
Managing Criminal Investigations and Domestic Violence.
Robin was selected to attend the Delinquency
Control Institute at USC and the California Public Safety
Leadership & Ethics Institute sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa
Leadership Development.
She has been married for twenty-five years and has
three adult daughters who are currently attending college to
pursue careers within the fields of teaching, law enforcement
and physical therapy.
Her
hobbies are traveling, bowling and exercising.
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Warren
Heistand
Born on a farm
in northeastern Missouri, Warren Heistand rode a Shetland pony
to grade school. After high school graduation, he was drafted
and served in the Air Force in Puerto Rico from 1943 to
1945. Upon his discharge, Warren followed his family to Long
Beach, where his father worked at the naval shipyard during WWll.
He enrolled at Compton Junior College and continued his
education at USC, where he received a B.S. degree in accounting
in 1950. He went directly to work for the city of Long Beach
while continuing his education at night, earning his Master's
degree in business from Cal State Long Beach.
Warren served the city in various financial
capacities including Chief of the Budget and Research Division,
Director of Financial Management and City Treasurer until his
retirement in 1986. Along the way he met and married Lion Gwen
Green Heistand. They have two children and three grandchildren.
Warren received the Golden Lion Award for
1994-95, is a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation and a life
member of Downtown Lions, and has been secretary and president of
the Long Beach Coin Club. He is a frequent contributor to The
Numismatist magazine.
Warren passed away in October, 2008.
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Dan
Hernandez
Major General Daniel
J. Hernandez (retired), former board member of this club, left the California Army National Guard in
1993. During Dan's 44-year career in the National Guard, he
advanced to the position of Commanding General, 4th Infantry
Division (Mechanized). During his period of service he received
many awards and decorations, included among them were the Legion
of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf
Clusters.
Dan earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University
of the State of New York. He also attended the Army War College
and Medical Field Service School.
In addition to his post-retirement activities with the
California and U.S. Army associations, Dan serves as President
of the California Military Academy Alumni Association. He is
also on the Boards of the Long Beach Area Red Cross and the CASA
Youth Shelter.
Dan is an avid golfer and also enjoys fishing
and hiking. He and his wife, Dorothy, are the parents of five
boys: Michael, Matthew, Mark, Daniel, and Richard.
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Coy
Herring
A 100% president in 1996-97 Cod
Coy Herring is a life member of both the Lions Eye Foundation
and the Eye Institute. He's been an active Lion for 20 years,
chairing the club's membership committee and working for the
annual barbecue.
A native Texan, Coy came to California as a
teenager and attended Fresno State College. In 1956 he moved to
southern California and attended Pierce College and UCLA. He
holds an A.A. degree in real estate, a field he entered in 1961,
serving with several companies before a tenure with Lytton
Savings and Loan beginning in 1965 launched his professional
management career. From 1969 to 1977 he administered the
real estate portfolio of the Bixby Ranch Co. as Real Estate
Operations Manager.
In 1977, Coy established his own professional management
company, Western Property Services, Inc, of which he is owner
and president. As part of his continuing education, he studied
shopping center management and development at the University of
Notre Dame. He's received numerous honors in his field,
including having been named manager of the year in both Los
Angeles and Orange County.
Coy is a past president of the Apartment
Association of California's Southern Cities and the Los Angeles
Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate management and has been
regional vice-president ot the institute of Real Estate
Management, California-Hawaii. He's served on the Greater long
Beach Board of Realtors since 1970 and has been an instructor
and lecturer at Cypress College, LBCC, and the University of
California at Irvine.
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Maycie
Herrington
MAYCIE was born and raised in
Raleigh
,
North Carolina
. At that time there were no public schools in
Raleigh
for Negro families. She started school at
Saint Augustine
's. In
the 4th grade she transferred to a public school.
Upon completing high school, she returned to
Saint Augustine
's, then a four year college. She worked her way through college.
She attended her 65th class reunion in May, 2005.
At the college she met AARON. They were married in August,
1942. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corp and was sent to
Tuskegee
,
Alabama
. MAYCIE joined him there and their daughter, Ann, was born in the base
hospital. AARON graduated as a 2nd Lt. however he crashed and did not go
overseas.
After
his discharge they moved to
Long Beach
. MAYCIE went to work as a social worker. She was a social worker, a
social services supervisor and Resource Coordinator. She received a
Certificate of Social Work in 1968 from UCLA. In her 32 years with LA
County that she served in numerous in community organizations including
the first Board for the
Regional
Center
founded at
Harbor
Hospital
. She
was honored in January, 2005 at the First Congregational Church for her
service on the Beach-Wood Board of Directors. She has been a member of
the Altrusa Club since1973.
As Resource Coordinator she went to CSULB Home Economics
class each Thursday where the students worked with needy families. The
students taught families how to select the best food for their money and
how to create a budget.
She retired after 32 years of service on January, 1981.
After retirement she taught a course at LBCC Pacific Coast Campus called
"Survival Services for Seniors". The
following year she was selected to serve on the LA County Grand Jury.
She is an active member of the LA County Grand Jurors
Association.
MAYCIE has been honored with the Hannah G. Solomon Award
from the LB Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, the
"Women Helping Women Award” from the Soroptimist Club of LB, the
Rick Racker Woman of the Year Award and "Outstanding Community
Services Award” by the NCCJ.
She has been an active member of the LA Chapter of the
Tuskegee Airmen since 1996. She was elected secretary in 1998 and still
serves in that capacity. Since she was a civilian she is classified as
an original Tuskegee Airmen.
She is enrolled in the CSULB Senior program in a memoir
writing class. Her goal is to write a biography.
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Karen
T Hilburn
As a staff member of Long Beach Unified School District Student
Support Service K-12, Karen has been involved in education
as a teacher, high school principal ,and district level
administrator. Her career began with LBUSD as a junior high
school English teacher. She is now an executive level director
responsible for all student support services for the district.
In the 90's, Karen started her school site
administrative career at the district's flagship school,
Polytechnic. After two years as assistant principal, she was
selected as co-principal in charge of student support services
The co-principal structure as the first to its kind in
California. Since then all high schools have co-principals.
While at Poly, Karen was responsible for campus climate, student
safety, student discipline, student activities and athletics.
She initiated a school/police safety partnership as well as a
college aide on-campus safety program. Both programs were
featured in a National Educator Association special which was
aired Nationally in the late 90s.
As Director of Student Support Services K12,
Karen co-ordinates the training and supervision of all school
psychologists, nurses, counselors and truancy staff. She is also
the director of all alternative programs which includes
Education Partnership High school , Renaissance Career Academy,
continuation and retention high schools and Guidance Opportunity
Classes, created for students who have been removed from
comprehensive schools.
Most notably, Karen was responsible for
designing and implementing the district's first Crisis Response
Team and violence management program. Acting as school district
liaison to the LBPD, she designed what now has become a
nationally recognized partnership on crisis response. She
coordinated the LB Model of Critical Incident Response and early
notification protocol.
Karen loves New York where she owns an
apartment. She also loves thoroughbred horses - but does she own
one?
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Ryan Hirota
Ryan is an attorney and
principal at Berger Kahn Attorney. He focuses his practice
on business litigation with an emphasis on real estate matters.
He also represents developers, landowners, contractors, auto
dealerships, and other small to mid-size companies.
Ryan has tried or arbitrated dozens of cases, and
has obtained judgments or awards for his clients in cases
involving multi-party disputes involving real estate, commercial
lease agreements, tax deferred exchanges, construction practices
and contamination of real property.
In his auto dealership practice, Ryan represents
owners and dealers on a wide variety of issues, including lemon
law cases, false advertising, unfair competition, warning
obligations under Proposition 65, franchise law, and
collections. He also handles a variety of transactional matters,
focusing on sales and leasing matters, real property contracts,
CC&Rs and easement access rights.
Prior to joining Berger Kahn, Ryan was a name
partner at Weiss Hirota & Associates in Long Beach.
Ryan has presided as a Judge Pro Tem for the Long
Beach Municipal Court since 1987. He is a former member of the
Board of Governors of the Long Beach Bar Association and a
past-president of that Association. He is also past president of
Women Lawyers of Long Beach, the first male ever to preside over
that organization. In 2004, Women Lawyers of Long Beach voted
Ryan "Lawyer of the Year." Ryan also is a past
president of the Downtown Lions Club of Long Beach, a chapter of
the national service organization.
Ryan donates his time to many pro bono causes
including the Homeless Organizing Committee (HOC) that recently
challenged the legality of sweeps against the homeless in Long
Beach. Ryan was co-counsel with the Legal Aid Foundation and
successfully obtained restitution for seven homeless
individuals.
Ryan received his B.S. from the University of
California at Irvine in 1974 and his J.D. from Western State
University College of Law in 1981.
He lives in Huntington Beach with his wife and
three children.
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Paul Hogu
PAUL
was born in
Brooklyn
,
NY
, but spent his formative years in
Chestnut Hill
,
MA
(second grade through high school).
After graduation, PAUL worked at the Christian Science
Center in
Boston
,
MA
, from 1984 through 1990. In
1991, he moved to
Long Beach
,
CA
, where he started attending
California
State
University
,
Long Beach
in the fall of '91. He
graduated from CSULB in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science.
Since his arrival in
Long Beach
, PAUL has worked at the Holiday Inn (now the Marriott where the Lions
once met), the
Long Beach
Convention Center
, the Westin Hotel, and is currently working at First Church of Christ,
Scientist,
Long Beach
.
PAUL is also working towards a career in the Cash Flow
Industry. The Cash Flow
Industry is the buying, selling, and brokering (the part PAUL will do)
of privately held debt instruments (such as invoices, delinquent debt,
real estate notes) over a secondary market.
His hobbies include reading, sudoku, and scrabble.
PAUL will have been a Lions for 6 years this October.
He was the Barbecue Committee Chairman for 2006 through 2009.
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Gene
Johnson
Few
have done as much for this club or community as PP Gene. A Golden Lion
recipient in 2000, 2003 and 2005, he's accumulated a long list of
dedicated service to Lionism including holding the posts of 100% Club
President in '91-92, current and past club treasurer, past Bay Region
Zone A chair, past 4-L2 convention co-chair and budget and audit
Committee member and was, for years, the district bowling chair. He's
received the International President's Award and is a life member of the
Lions Eye Foundation and Lions Eye Institute as well as a Melvin Jones
Fellow with five diamonds. He
has been elected to the Investment Committee of the newly formed Sight
and Hearing Foundation.
For those with great memories, all of the above may
be old news, but how many knew that in 1948 Gene was on
Tacoma
,
Washington
’s Stadium High relay team that took the gold medal at the state
championships and set a new record? After high school graduation, Gene
served two years with the U.S. Navy, then worked for Weyerhaeuser and
General America Corp. in
Tacoma
,
Everett
, and
Seattle
before joining William Walters Co. in
L.A.
in 1976 as a Certified Property Manager. Gene later founded G.J.
Property Services here in
Long Beach
, where he remains chairman and owner today. He received the Apartment
Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for 2000.
A highly active member of our community, Gene
currently serves as board emeritus of the Boys and Girls Club board and
on the advisory board of the Children's Clinic. He was formerly on
the board of the International City Theater and was president of the
board of the Civic Light Opera. He is currently on the Audit
Committee of Musical Theatre West. He
is a member of the LB Kids Connection, raising funds for local care
groups.
Married to LeAnn for "55 happy years," he's
the father of four and grandfather of ten. Besides family, his interests
include golf, theater and travel, thirty countries so far.
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LeAnn Johnson
LeAnn was born in
Red
Lake
Falls
. Her family moved
to
Tacoma
,
Washington
when LeAnn was eight. LeAnn
is the oldest of four brothers and a sister. Her dad was a
carpenter and they moved often as he followed the jobs. She
attended five different grade schools and three high schools.
She went to work as an accounting clerk for Weyerhouser Timber
Company the summer she graduated from high school. There she met
Gene: He was her
first boss! They married in 1954 and moved to
California
in 1964. They have four children and ten grand children.
LeAnn was a stay at home mom until the children
were grown and they started their own business in 1977.
She then went to work at their new company. She
now watches the company’s money and enjoys the time they spend
together. LeAnn also enjoys working at the Assistance League
Thrift Shop, reading, traveling and time with family and
friends.
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Rabbi
David Kane
Rabbi-Hazzan
David was born
in
Bedzin
,
Poland
in 1928. He is a
survivor of the Nazi Holocaust, where he was sent to various
concentration camps including Auschwitz, Majdanek and
Buchenwald
. The American Army
liberated him from
Buchenwald
in April of 1945. He
came to the
US
in May of 1949.
In the
US
, David served in the US Army during
the Korean Action in the chaplain’s corps, in
Fort
Ord
from 1950-52. He
graduated from LA City College and Cal State University LA with
a BS degree. He also
attended
Chapman
College
, taking advanced courses in psychology and family counseling.
He completed the Pastoral counseling studies at
Memorial
Hospital
in
Long Beach
under the supervision of Dr. Broadbent who was Psychiatrist in
Charge of the
counseling department.
David pursued Rabbinical and
Cantorial Studies in LA at the
University
of
Judaism
and studied privately with well-known rabbis and cantors.
He received his ordination in 1957 from the Rabbinical
Court of LA. He
studied voice with various coaches and continues to sing today
as a prominent cantor in
Southern California
.
David is Hazzan-Emeritus of
Temple Beth Shalom of LB, where he served for twenty-seven
years. He also
served as the Rabbi and Hazzan of Congregation B’nai Chaim in
Murrieta and previously at the
Alhambra
Synagogue
Center
. He has traveled extensively as the Rabbi and Cantor for
Princess Cruise Line as well as other lines.
He served as the Jewish Chaplain for the El Cerritos and
LB General Hospital, as well as Harbor General in
Torrance
. He was volunteer
Chaplain at
Memorial
Hospital
.
David has been married to
Yetta for almost 54 years. They
have three children and six grandchildren.
His eldest is the well-known dermatologist Dr. Bryna Kane
of LB.
David is well known for his
great sense of humor. He
has always been proud to line in this country and to have become
a citizen of the
US
.
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John
Kashiwabara
Though
retired from his private practice of medicine since 1990, Dr.
John has been tremendously busy with his involvement in
community organizations. Foremost
he has been an active member of the Downtown Lions Club since
1961 with 47 years of “perfect” attendance.
He is also a life member of the Lions Eye Foundation as
well as the Lions Eye Institute and is working on his 3rd
Melvin Jones Fellow diamond.
Though a
charter and emeritus member of the Board of Governors of the
Long Beach City College Foundation, he continues his support of
their many activities for the benefit of students.
He was the honoree of the LBCC Foundation Golf Tournament
in 1991 and inducted into the LBCC “Hall of Champions” in
2006.
Much of John’s
time is taken up by the activities of the Long Beach Century
Club, now in its 52nd year, promoting amateur
athletics in the City. He
himself has been honored by many awards for his services and
inducted into its “Hall of Fame” in 1995.
John was
appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees
in 1986 and is currently a trustee emeritus.
He continues to serve CSULB and was inducted into its
“Hall of Fame” in 2004.
For the past 45
years, John has been active on an international level on the
“sister city” program with the City of Yokkaichi, Japan,
whose mission to promote historical, cultural, educational and
social ties between the two cities. He was conferred with an
“Honorary Citizens Award” in 1998.
John passed away in January of 2010.
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Jackie
Kell
A 1998
addition to the Long Beach City Council from the Fifth District,
JACKIE KELL is the wife of former Long Beach mayor and Downtown
Lion Ernie Kell. Prior to her entry into the realm of city
government, and before her retirement from the Long Beach
Unified School District in June, 1998, JACKIE was an English and
political science teacher at Millikan High School.
While serving on the Council,
JACKIE's responsibilities included serving as Chairman of the
Housing and Neighborhoods Committee, Vice Chair of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a member of the
Charter Amendment Committee, and a member of the State
Legislation and Environmental Affairs Commission.
JACKIE earned a Master’s degree at the University
of Michigan and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the
Western State University of Law.
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Ray
Kelso
Ray
was a nineteen year old student at the University of
Hawaii on December 7, 1941.
That day, and the events surrounding it and his
experiences in Hawaii prior
to the Declaration of War on
Japan and entrance of the United States into World War II
are
etched forever in his memory.
RAY’s educational plans during that period
led him from Long Beach City College to the University of Hawaii
and back to LBCC. These
experiences were followed by the earning of a Bachelor of Arts
degree and M.D. degree at USC.
RAY is a very
special person in the club for
he is a second generation Downtown Lion. Ray’s father, Ray
Kelso, Sr., also a physician, was a longtime member of this
club.
Retiring in 1993 as an internist, RAY and
his wife, Eleanor, have enjoyed a variety of worldwide travel
experiences including Elderhostelling in this country.
RAY and Eleanor have three sons.
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Thom
Knight
Thom,
unlike certain other members, has only been to 25 countries and about
half of the
United States
. Thom is an Air Force brat and lived six years in
Germany
, two years in
Holland
and six years in
Japan
. Thom's first exposure to
America
came in 1969 when he won financial aid for three years and
attended the
Phillips
Exeter
Academy
, a private boarding school, in
New England
.
Thom is a political
science/economics graduate of
American University
,
Washington
, D.C. and began his career in the Peace Corps specializing in
irrigation techniques. After a stint in
Niger
, West Africa, he returned to the
United States
to work in the overseas shipping industry for Maersk Steamship Lines.
Thom was hired away by the Virginia Port Authority Board, where he was
an executive responsible for marketing the port's international trade
program in eight western
United States
and
Vancouver
,
British Columbia
. Most recently, Thom helped to complete the successful capital
campaign for the Miller Children's Hospital expansion project. Thom
speaks five languages...French, Hausa, Slang, Ghetto and some English.
Thom
met the love of his life, Rebecca, two weeks before he left for the
Peace Corp. Rebecca wrote him 84 times while he was gone and often
enticed him to come home with packages of Koolaid in the envelopes.
Apparently it worked. Rebecca and Thom's have been married for 28
years. Speaking of love.......Thom is currently loving his
temporary retirement studying the stock market about four hours a day,
cooking, riding his bike and sailing.
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Myra
Kremen
A Downtown Lion since March of 1996, MYRA
is the Dean of
Students at
South Gate
High School
in the
Los Angeles
Unified
School District
.
Born in
Brooklyn
,
New York
,
MYRA
spent the early years of her life in
New York
and
Seattle
,
Washington
. Before moving from the northwestern area of the country, she attended
Western
Washington
University
in
Bellingham
. At WWU she earned a Bachelor’s degree in education and history, and
after arriving in Southern California she attended
Pepperdine
University
in
Malibu
and received a Master’s degree in urban education.
MYRA
moved to
Long Beach
in 1986 and joined the Downtown Lions Club in 1996. Among other members
of the club, she is an enthusiastic fan of the Long Beach Ice Dogs.
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Roger
Kroll
Roger Kroll is
not only a native Californian but also a Long Beach native, born
and raised here and a graduate of Wilson High. He earned his
B.A. in sociology and history at USC and his MBA in management,
marketing and finance at CSULB. He's owned Orchid Graphics, a
freelance graphic design business since 1990. Prior to that he
was owner/manager of Orchid Cleaners for 15 years, selling the
business in 1989 to make a career change.
To further his career in graphics, he's taken
specialized training at LBCC and Coastline Community College.
He's also been an instructor in the field not only out of his
own business but also at Cal State Dominquez Hills, Brooks
College, and Platt College.
Roger became a Regional Occupational Program instructor with the
Long Beach Unified School District in 2004 and has taught
graphic design courses at Poly High and Brooks College. This
fall semester, Roger will also be teaching a Virtual Enterprise
class at Wilson High.
Always staying on the cutting edge in technology,
Roger has owned Apple computers, Macintosh Computers, iPods,
Nikon digital cameras, Canon and Sony Camcorders, Treo
smartphones and just purchased an iPhone on June 29 when the
revolutionary device was released
. Roger joined Downtown Lions in 1975, has served on the
board of directors and is a life member of the Lions Eye
Foundation. He is also now or has been a member of the boards of
the L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce, the West Orange County
Macintosh User Group, the Committee of 300 Press Committee, and
the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Roger
has been recognized as Business Person of the Month, Outstanding
Small Business, and Ambassador of the Year by the L.B.
Chamber.
He and wife
Bonnie have two adult children.
07-03-2007
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Val Lerch
Val was elected to the LB City Council in 2002 and
re-elected in 2006. He represents the 9th Council District, the
most northerly part of the City. His colleagues elected him
unanimously as Vice Mayor in 2008.
Val was born on February 23, 1952 in
Fort Ord
,
California
and raised in Northern California in the
Stockton
and
Sacramento
area.
Val graduated from adult night school (
Wilson
High School
in
Long Beach
) in 1973. He
graduated from UWLA in 1982 with three certificates: Legal
Assistant, Litigation Specialist and Corporations Specialist.
Val served in the US Coast Guard from June 23, 1969
through March 1993. He spent 12 years on active duty and another
12 years in the reserves.
Val is a Property Supervisor – managing multiple
family housing since 1984. Currently he owns his own property
management consulting firm.
Val
has been married since 1971 to Janet. They raised two children
in
North Long Beach
, a daughter, Vicki Ann and a son Anthony (Tony) Lee. They have
one granddaughter, ToriAnn.
Val is active in North Long Beach Redevelopment
Project Area Committee (Vice-Chair); North Long Beach
Neighborhood Association Deforest Park Chapter (Vice-President);
North Long Beach Business Association (Board Member); North Long
Beach Community Action Group (Vice President); Citizen Police
Complaint Commission (Commissioner); Long Beach Strategic Plan
Task Force (Community Safety); Long Beach Veterans Day Parade
Committee (Logistic Chair, Committee Chair); Academic Uprise
Education Board (Board Member); U.S. Veterans of Cabrillo
(Board Member)
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Steve
Lewis
A native of
Riverside, California, Steve Lewis opened his law office in Long
Beach in 1983, having completed his undergraduate work in social
sciences at UC Riverside and earned his J.D. at Loyola Law
School.
He specializes in tax and real estate law and
estate planning. He's also taught courses at Northrop University
in the areas of business taxation and the taxation of real
estate transactions.
A member of Downtown Lions since 1987, Steve
is a Melvin Jones Fellow with two diamonds. He's a member
and past president of the Estate Planning and Trust Council of
Long Beach
He is a boating and scuba enthusiast and
enjoys the game of chess. He and wife Josie live in Downey.
Recently, Steve opted to leave the practice of law
and pursue his opportunities in property management.
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Mike
Lieppman
Personable
and compassionate, always concerned with the welfare of his
patients, associates and friends, Mike Lieppman is one of the
most caring persons with whom the majority of us have contact. A
devoted family man with a lovely wife and talented children,
Mike dedicated himself for many months to the care of his ailing
mother in
Texas
.
An ophthalmologist who specializes in
cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal diseases Mike is one of the
truly outstanding members of his profession. A product of
Tulane University and the University of Texas, he has been on
the international charity scene for over 20 years and continues
to perform free eye surgery for those in need and without the
resources to obtain it. He is a major contributor of ophthalmic
services at the
Lions
Pediatric
Eye
Center
in the Children's Clinic.,
Long Beach
Memorial
Medical
Center
. A wine connoisseur, gourmet cook and perfect party host, Mike
enjoys fishing, boating and numerous outdoor activities with his
family.
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Len
Lovett
Len Lovett is a
graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago with a business
degree. He spent 1947 in Italy, compliments of Uncle Sam.
In 1967, Len founded Lovett and Associates, a
gourmet food brokerage company, which he ran for 32 years. He
was the only person ever to be re-elected for a second two-year
term as president of the National Association of Specialty Food
and Confection Brokers. (Len claims the members said they would
keep re-electing him until he got it right).
Since Lovett & Associates was very
food distributor-oriented, Len was the only food broker ever to
be elected president of a food distributor organization - the
Illinois Food Distributors Association.
Because of the specialty nature of the food
products Lovett & Associates represented, most of them were
imported. As a result, Len was often called upon by the foreign
consulates in Chicago to address incoming food groups and
explain the marketing of imported foods in the United States.
Now retired, Len joined Downtown Lions on his
birthday in 1999 and immediately became active. He was in charge
of invocations that year, was a director for the years 2000-4
and was Director of Membership. Len has brought several
new members into our club.
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Ed
Macias
After a lengthy and
illustrious career with the Cal State University System, rising
to Principal Business Officer, ED has been an active Lion,
seldom missing a Friday meeting. He has served two terms on the
Board, been a vice-president and been active on the BBQ
committee and frequently gives the invocation.
Several years ago, ED served for one year on the
Orange County Grand Jury. Much of that year was spent
investigating the juvenile justice system and making numerous
recommendations to improve the then current system.
A native of Texas, ED grew up in Los Angeles and
attended school there. He earned a degree in accounting from
CSULA and has done graduate-level work at UCLA.
ED also managed Little League teams for 16
years.
Retirement has given ED and wife Greta the
opportunity to travel extensively. In addition, ED enjoys
bowling, golf, bridge, reading and is a choir member.
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Marvin
Marker
"Mr.
Music Man," purveyor of those musical sounds that inspire,
entertain, place us in a special mood and influence us in
so many ways in our daily lives this is Marvin Marker,
Director/Manager of the Long Beach Junior Concert Band. Marv has
been associated with the band for almost 50 years and during
that time the band has been judged the winner of 11 consecutive
Grand Sweepstake Trophies for marching bands - what a record.
The LBJCB is featured annually as the lead-in band for the
Hollywood Christmas Parade. Nearly three years ago the band
provided the welcoming entertainment at the 35th anniversary of
the Long Beach/Yokkaichi Sister City association in Japan. This
however, is only the tip of the iceberg for the band is busy
most of the ttime filling many musical needs in the community,
and that includes Lions Club functions.
Marv is also a frequent guest lecturer on
Alaskan cruise ships and has completed 15 seasons as a lecturer.
Last summer he lectured on the 2,000-passenger Vision of the
Sea. Guess that's the way it is. Someone has to do it.
Marvin passes away in December of 2009.
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Tom
Maxwell
As many
of the Sea Lion’s
readers get to know him, club members will learn of TOM’s
outstanding professional background as a surgeon. TOM has been
associated with several universities, including the
University
of
British Columbia
,
University
of
Washington
,
University
of
San Francisco
and UCLA,
as well
as major hospitals near those schools.
TOM was born in
Glasgow
,
Scotland
, spent his youth in
Canada
, received his M.D. degree at
McGill
University
in
Montreal
,
Canada
, and came to
Long Beach
in 1997. From 1997 to 2005 he was associated with
Long Beach
Memorial
Hospital
and Board Certified as a general surgeon, vascular surgeon and
trauma surgeon. He
served as Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery, at Long Beach
Memorial in 2004.
Enjoying physical activities, TOM’s avocational
interests include cycling, running in marathons, ultra marathons
and golf. TOM has a son in
Germany
where he serves as Professor of Philosophy at
Munster
University
and a daughter in
Vancouver
,
Canada
, where she is employed as a school administrator.
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Linda
McCarley
Now here is one way to get members to attend
meetings: Make them COD. Yet another California native, LINDA
was born in Huntington Park and grew up in Lynwood. After
graduating from Lynwood Hi, she attended CSULB, majoring in
Econ.
After Cal State, LINDA worked almost fifteen years
for LA County as an appraiser, before opening Second Street
Interiors, from which she has now retired.
LINDA’s civic activities have centered primarily
around the Assistance League of Long Beach where she has been
the Finance Chair, in charge of Strategic Planning and the
Operation School Bell Chair. As a Lion, LINDA has chaired
White Cane Day, the Chinese Auction, the Adult Christmas Party
and served on the Charities and BBQ Committees and other special
events. LINDA was responsible for the lovely decorations we had
at the last Oktoberfest.
When not otherwise occupied, LINDA likes the
theater, cooking, reading, quilting and travel.
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George
Miller
George
is a native Mississippian who moved to
Long Beach
in 1966. He holds a B.S. in police science from Cal State L.A. and a
Master's in public administration from USC.
From August of 1966 through December of 1995, GEORGE
was a member of the LBPD, retiring as lieutenant. Prior to joining the
civilian police force he was a sergeant in the military police of the
U.S. Army.
In the LBPD, GEORGE worked on patrol and in the
juvenile, drug intervention, training, internal affairs, community
relations, gang communications and administrative security sectors.
During that time, he received a fitness Challenge Award from the
FBI
Academy
. He's a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, the Southern
California Juvenile Officers Association, the Delinquency Control
Institute Alumni Association, and the Alumni Council of Leadership
Long Beach.
In Downtown Lions, GEORGE has been 1st and 3rd
Vice-President and a volunteer with the BBQ and charities committees as
well as a regular at the mic for invocations.
He was Golden Lion 2003-4, is a Melvin Jones Fellow, a 10 Year
Monarch and most recently organized the White Cane Day appeal.
His interests include basketball and real estate investments.
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Mel Nutter
MEL
has been an attorney in private practice in
Long Beach
since 1965. He is an expert on California Coastal Land Use Law and his
general practice also includes estate planning, trust, probate, and real
estate law. MEL's land-use
planning and environmental background is extensive. He was a member of
the California Coastal Commission, 1980-1985 and served as its Chairman
from '82 to '85. He was a member of the South Coast Regional Commission
(
Los Angeles
and
Orange
Counties
) from 1977 to 1981. He also
served on the California Coastal Conservancy and chaired the City of
Long Beach Citizens Advisory Environmental Committee
and the local Sierra Club Group. Currently,
MEL serves as Chairman of the League for Coastal
Protection, Chairman of the Organization of Coastal Activists
(ORCA), and is a Board Member and past Chairman of the Los Angeles
League of Conservation Voters (LALCV). MEL was the 1992-93 president of
this club.
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Lincoln
Odell
Past President
LINCOLN is a genuine son of
Long Beach
, born and raised here and graduating from Wilson High and LBCC.
He went on to earn his B.S. degree in engineering at UCLA.
For thirty eight years LINC
worked as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas, retiring in June of
1994. He's been a member of the club since 1987 and has served
on the Board of Directors and as Lion Tamer and program
chairman. For the past several years he's been a member of
the BBQ committee and with a major assist from wife Pat, has put
together a well-organized and impressive array of drawing
prizes.
LINCOLN
was president of this club in 2002-3 and a winner of the
"Golden Lion" for 2005-6.
LINCOLN
has also been a regular at White Cane Day, but his acknowledged
favorite pastime with Lions is the tennis "team" with
Ray Kelso and Al Weingartner..
LINCOLN
's other avocational interest is real estate investments. He and
Pat have four children and five grand children.
They are expecting their sixth
grandchild on Feb. 2, 2010.
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Harold
Omel
Harold Omel retired as Fire Chief of the Long Beach department
in 1998 after serving the community for 34 years.
He was born in Long Beach and attended public
school here, graduating from Millikan High. Harold also
graduated from City College with an Associate Degree in Fire
Science. He has done course work in Fire Science at Cal State
Long Beach and Los Angeles.
Starting in 1984, he was a Fire Fighter, Fire
Engineer Captain and Battalion Chief and finally Chief. He has
served as the Fire Chief of both Signal Hill and Inglewood. He
has also served the community as a Police and Fire Board member,
as past Chair and current board member of the Red Cross, and
President of the Long Beach Area Council of Camp Fire USA.
Harold was appointed by Governors Deukmejian
and Davis to the State Board of Fire Services. He also serves on
the Underground Pipeline Safety Committee.
He has been honored with a Meritorious Award
from the LB Fire Department for saving two lives in 1982. He
won the Los Angeles Community Protector's Award in 1985, was the
California Professional Firefighter Secretary/Treasure Emeritus
in 1994, Red Cross Volunteer of the year in 2000and has received
the Gulick Honor Award from Camp Fire.
Harold and Patti have been married forty
years, have two daughters, Robyn, who lives in Washington and
Suzi who lives in Long Beach. They have five terrific
grandchildren.
They love to travel, camp, golf, water sports
and videography ( a long word meaning "here comes grandpa
with the camcorder again.")
Harold has been a Downtown Lion since 1995.
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Ron Petke
When called upon
to serve, Ron has been the COD for St. Patrick’s Day and
chaired the Chinese(/Italian) auction. He has been
gracious enough to allow your editor just a bit of tasteless
humor (but then we have to sit through his jokes, don’t we?).
We did like the one about the… well, enough of that.
Born in the windy city of Chicago, RON relocated to
California and attended California State University Long Beach
where he majored in Radio/TV. RON is now the production manager
at Charter Communications, Channel 3 in Long Beach.
RON has also served on the Executive Board for the Long Beach
Chapter of the American Red Cross, is a past president of the
Historical Society of Long Beach and is a retired Grand Sheik of
the Sons of the Desert. His wife Mary is a graduate of Poly High
in Long Beach and their daughter is currently enrolled at Poly
High.
RON loves nostalgia
and enjoys player pianos and old records. Someday he plans to
retire to a remote island of Hawaii and run a bed and
breakfast.
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Brade
Phillips
Brade’s
career in the military began with his acceptance of a nomination
to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, where he graduated and was commissioned an ensign in the U.S.
Navy. Following
Naval flight training, he was designated a Naval Aviator. Over
the next twenty years, he served in a number of aviation
squadrons, in command both ashore and afloat.
As a specialist in
antisubmarine warfare, he amassed over 5000 flight hours and 500
aircraft carrier landings. Brade attended the Naval Postgraduate
School in Monterey in the mid-seventies, earning an M.S. degree in financial
management. He subsequently worked in
Washington, D.C., on Navy budget matters with the Office of the Navy Comptroller
and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on Capitol
Hill.
In 1989, Captain Phillips was selected to command a deep
draft ship and was assigned the amphibious ship U.S.S. Ogden,
home-ported in Long Beach . Under his command, the Ogden, with its crew of 300 and nearly 800 embarked Marines, was
deployed in the Persian Gulf
for 301 days in support of Operation Desert Storm. After
assignments as Commander of an amphibious squadron of four ships
and 2000 Marines and as Chief of Staff to the San Diego Regional
Commander, Brade retired in 1995.
Following his military career, Brade joined the staff of the City of
Long Beach and became the Administrative Chief of the Police Department in
2001.
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Garth Phillips
Garth
was born and raised in northern New York State, moved to North
Carolina while in high school and then to Ohio where he
graduated from Kent State University with a BS in BA in 1960. Upon
graduation, he joined the Navy and attended OCS. The
intention was to complete a 3 year obligation and take up
some civilian job. Turns out he spent the next 20
years in the Navy as a Supply Officer, retiring in 1980 as
a Commander.
Upon his first retirement he went to work for
Hughes Aircraft Co. in Procurement Management. It was
during this time he got a MS in Systems Management from USC.
Garth subsequently spent three years as a Mortgage Broker and
than as Vice President of Operations for a start up company
engaged in providing historical security pricing primarily for
probate purposes. He retired again in 2003.
Garth joined Lions in 2004 and has become a very
active member. He has been a director, President-elect and
now President. He
will become Bay Region Zone A chair and IPP on July 1st,
2010.
Garth lives in
Cypress
with wife Vicki. They have 5 grown children and 9
grandchildren. He is active in church affairs as a
member of the Finance Committee and the Finance
representative on the Church Foundation Board. He is also
on the Finance Committee of the Tanglewood North Home Owners Association.
His interests include reading, swimming and
computer toys.
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Vicki Phillips
Vicki
Lucachick was born and raised in
International Falls
,
Minnesota
. You will often hear about it on the news as the coldest spot
in the Nation. Just recently the low temperature for the
day was -33 Degrees F.
Vicki attended St. Cloud State College with an
emphasis in music. She decided to move to
California
in the fall of 1973, where she went to work for the RDA -- a
highly classified Defense Nuclear Regular Agency (DNA).
After 15 years or so she started taking acting
classes and did end up acting...for actual money.
Even though she says she could not make a living at it
she did manage to land a few good parts, as in "Nothing in
Common" with Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason, Murder She
Wrote, a recurring roll on a TV show called A Year in the Life
and several soap operas.
Unfortunately,
her eyes went very bad.
She couldn't read cue cards even with glasses. The
doctors at USC told her she needed cornea transplants. She
has had six, three in each eye.
That introduced her to the Lions Club and what they do.
In 1985 she spoke at a Lions gathering thanking them for all
they do.
She says she can see we have kept up the good work.
Vicki and Garth met in 1990 and five years later
they were married.
Vicki became
a step-mom to six children and currently nine grandchildren.
Garth purchased a townhouse in
Cypress
which led them to meet Ed Macias and the Downtown Long Beach
Lions Club.
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Barbara
Haller-Poland
Born in Long Beach Barbara relocated with her parents to
the San Gabriel Valley following her father's retirement from
the Long Beach Fire Department After completing her
education, marrying, divorcing and raising her three children,
she returned "Home" to Long Beach.
As a Public information Officer for the
Greater Long Beach Chapter, Red Cross Agency Relations Associate
for United Way and Administrator of the Children's Clinic and
The Harbor-UCLA Family Health Center, she fulfilled a life long
dream of public service.
A "wedding in paradise" made her
Mrs Haller-Poland in 1989. In the early 90s she joined GJ
Property Services as a temporary employee and soon found her
niche. She became a permanent part of the firm and serves as an
Administrative Assistant working primarily with the vice
president of the firm in condominium management.
Barbara served four terms on the Lions Board
of Directors, four terms as a Vice President and is a long term
member of the Charities and BBQ committees. She is a 15 year
Monarch and a Melvin Jones Fellow.
She loves cooking, reading, her cats, her
husband Phillip, their three children and three grandchildren.
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Roger
Powell:
Roger
has been an active Downtown Lion since transferring to this club
from the Belmont Shore Lions Club in 1995. For two years,
1997-1999, he was the club's Director of Membership. After
serving a year as First Vice President, he was elected President
for 2001-2002. Roger was our District Governor for 2005-6
and was the Multiple District Cabinet Chair 2006-2007. He
is currently the spouse of the Immediate Past District Governor,
Judy, as well as Cabinet Advisor to same, the District’s
Parliamentarian/Protocol Officer, a member of the Constitution
and By-Laws committee and President of the Lions Eye Foundation
of So.
Cal
. Roger has assumed
the mantle of President of Loins Floats Inc, responsible for
funding that portion of the float that is not supplied by LCI.
He was also recently awarded the prestigious,
once-in-a-lifetime MD4 Excellence Award for his long record of
outstanding service. Prior
to transferring from the Belmont Shore Lions Club, he served as
president of that club. Roger
is a Melvin Jones Fellow with two diamonds,
Roger taught in the
Long Beach
Unified
School District
for 29 years and after retirement served as Executive Director
of the Long Beach Literary Council. He has also been
president and treasurer of the Naples Improvement Association
and a board member of the Long Beach Historical Society.
Roger is a past President of the Teachers Association of Long
Beach and he served from 1992-1994 as Chief of Staff for
California Assemblyman Betty Karnett.
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Judy Olmstead Powell
Judy
was president of this club in 2004-5. Did we have fun?
Yep, and we danced - a couple of times.
Judy graduated from Blue Island Community Hi (BICHS)
in
Illinois
and matriculated at the
University
of
Illinois
where she was one of the 2% of non-music majors to make the
band. Sensing brighter horizons she relocated to
Long Beach
, earning a masters degree from CSULB. She then taught until
retirement in LBUSD.
Judy served for six years on the Cal. St. Teachers
Retirement System Board of Trustees, is active in the Assistance
League and the Naples Neighborhood Improvement Association.
She has been recognized by this club and the community many
times for her service to both. She was elected to two terms
on the Long Beach City College Board of Trustees.
As of the May District 4-L2 convention (Garth
Phillips gave her seconding speech) she is the
District Governor-Elect & will be sworn in in July at
the International
Convention in Bangkok.
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Susy Ray
SUSY was born in
Collingswood
,
New Jersey
and lived in
Flushing
,
New York
before moving to
Long Beach
. Once here, she
attended
Poly
High School
and
Long Beach
City
College
. SUSY was the
Executive Secretary for the Downtown Lions Club from April
1982 to November 2002.
A Lion
Member since 1995, she is a 10 year Monarch.
Her sponsor was PDG Gene Carter.
She was the Golden Lion in 1995.
In addition to being an Active member in Lakewood Lions
Club, she is an Associate member with our club.
She has also been Secretary for the Lions Hearing
Foundation since 2003.
SUSY is the
Treasurer for the Long Beach GOP Republican Women Federated, a
member of Friends of the Lakewood Libraries and “attends a
great church: SeaCoast Grace in
Cypress
.”
She has one
sister, a son and daughter and two granddaughters, ages 11 and
12.
Her “avocations” are reading, movies, crossword
puzzles, museums, scrapbooking, Scrabble and keeping in touch
with old friends.
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Jim Russell
Dad, granddad, scuba diver, tennis buff,
gardener -- these are a few different ways one might identify
Jim Russell, 1985-86 Club President and ever-popular COD. Jim's
list of civic and professional associations and activities is
long and distinguished, including his present service as
Chairman-Elect of the Board of the Long Beach Red Cross
Those who've read these bios before or who've
heard Jim introduced at Club meetings know that he's a partner
in the law firm of Pray, Price, Williams and Russell and that he
earned degrees from Long Beach City College, Cal State
University Long Beach, and USC. Some may even remember that he's
a Wilson High grad, but how many knew that he put himself
through school as a Long Beach lifeguard under the Legendary
"Dutch" Miller? Or that he spent three years as
a deputy Long Beach city prosecutor? Or that during his military
service in the 50's he was stationed in England? A final tidbit:
an Oklahoman by birth, Jim has lived in long Beach since he was
seven.
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Pat Sabol
A member of one of the three man-and-wife teams in
the Downtown Lions Club, PAT SABOL joined the club and became
a Lion on April 8, 2004.
PAT, as most of you know, is the wife of BOB SABOL, a
Downtown Lion for the past 20 years.
Active in Lions activities for several years, PAT
has worked with BOB in the American Diabetes Association and in
diabetes activities closely associated with the Downtown Lions
Club, She has been co-chairman of the Lions District 4-L2
Diabetes Awareness Committee since 1991.
She is also a member of the Long Beach Center Guild of
Ability First-Formally Crippled Children’s Society, the
Altrusa Club of Long Beach, the Dramatic Allied Arts Guild, Fine
Arts Affiliates, Musical Theatre West and MTW Guild. She is a
Eucharist Minister at St. Bartholomew Church
Born in Maryland, Pat lived in several cities before
marrying BOB and making Long Beach her home. PAT and BOB have
two adult daughters. She considers theatre, drama and musicals
among her avocational interests — and, of course, hockey
games.
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Eunice Sato
Born
in
Livingston
,
California
, Eunice taught for three years in Alpha,
Michigan
, before becoming a missionary to Japan in 1948. Prior to
that she had earned her A.A. at
Modesto
Junior College
, her B.A. at
University of Northern
Colorado
and her M.A. at
Columbia
University
. She came to
Long Beach
in 1956.
Most of us know of Eunice as a former mayor
of our city (1980-82) and former City Councilperson (1975-86),
but her many activities here and subsequent awards and
recognitions defy summary in just one column, so here's an
abbreviated list:
Eunice is or has been a member of:
*the board of Governors,
Leadership Long Beach:
*the South Coast Interfaith
Council's (nee South Coast Ecumenical Council) 50th Anniversary
Blue Ribbon Committee (and a past president of the SCEC as well
as a past recipient of its "Outstanding Lay Woman"
award);
*St. Mary Medical Center's Board
of Trustees (for "a couple of decades" and currently)
*the Long Beach Public Library's
Gutenberg Society;
*the Salvation Army Fundraising
Committee; and
*the Executive Board, Long Beach
Industry Education Council ( a past president of this, too).
She is also a board member of the California IEC and
president of the Southern California Consortium of IEC.
*She's been the chair (1996-2000)
of the Leisure World Community Church Administrative Board.
Eunice is:
*Chairperson 1996-2000 of
the Nikkei Parent’s Day Festival of the Greater LA Area.
*Member of the
Strategic Planning Committee of the Grace First Presbyterian
Church which raised
over a million dollars for victims on
Louisiana
and
Mississippi
of the Katrina disaster.
*Vice-president
of the
Yokkaichi Sister
City
Association.
A few of the awards and recognitions she's
received include: L.B. Area Republican Party "Republican of
the Year" for 2001, Soroptimist Int'l of L.B.'s Woman of
Distinction Award" for 2001, L.B. Area Chamber of Commerce
Dewey Smith Community Service Award for 2000, L.B. City College
Senior Studies program "Senior of the Year" Award for
1999, the Japanese government's Kunsho Award -- the Order of the
Sacred Treasure, and American Red Cross "Volunteer of the
Year" for 1995. She's also a past president to the National
Conference of Community and Justice and its 1992
"Humanitarian of the Year." Wait! There's more...
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Darryl
Sexton
Darryl
has been a Lion member since 1984, when he was sponsored by Lion
Aaron Herrington to join Downtown (Host) Lions Club of Long
Beach. He is retired from the City of
Long Beach
after nearly 27 years of service (1981-2007). As a
managing physician, he served the first 10 ˝ years as the
Occupational Health Services Officer and the last 16 years as
City Health Officer. As Health Officer for the City’s
Department of Health and Human Services, he was responsible for
ensuring the delivery of public health and environmental health
services to the nearly half-million residents of Long Beach,
enforcing all public health orders/regulations and laws, and
assuring preparation, coordination and readiness of local public
health’s first responder role in citywide all-hazards
emergency response, including bioterrorism.
After working over 35 years in medicine, Darryl still
works part-time in public health and occupational medicine
helping to improve
Long Beach
residents' and workers' health.
Darryl grew up in
Lawnside
,
NJ
, is married to his wife Alice 38 years and has one son.
Alice
has taught 26 years in the
Long Beach
Unified
School District
, is bilingual in Spanish and works with parents to enhance
students' education. Darryl
has a B.S. Chemistry degree from
Saint Paul
's College,
Lawrenceville
,
VA
, and worked for IBM (N.Y.) as a quality control chemist and
computer analyst before entering into his medical training.
He received his MD degree from
Jefferson
Medical
College
,
Thomas
Jefferson
University
,
Philadelphia
,
PA
(1975). He completed an internal medicine residency at
Mercy
Catholic
Medical
Center
,
Philadelphia
,
PA
(1978). He completed additional medical specialty training
in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UCSF (Feb. 1990).
Darryl
worked as an Internist for 2 ˝ years with a private multi-disciplinary
medical group servicing
Oakland
and
Berkeley
,
CA
, prior to coming to the Long Beach Health Department in 1981. As
Occupational Health Services Officer, he treated and worked to prevent
occupational injuries of City of
Long Beach
employees. He has served as Health Officer from 1991-2007.
Darryl has been an active leader in public health, through
his work in the California Conference of Local Health Officers (CCLHO),
Health Officers Association of California (HOAC), and collaboration on
several statewide public health committees for the California Department
of Health Services. In 1994 he completed training in the National
Public Health Leadership Institute and is a scholar in the Public Health
Leadership Society.
Darryl has been a board member of numerous public health
and medical organizations, including the Long Beach Medical Association,
Long Beach Roundtable (health consortium), LA Care Health Plan medical
policy committee, Miller’s Children’s Hospital Advisory Board, and
the Children’s Dental Clinic Advisory Committee. He has been an
active volunteer and board member other local and regional non-profit
health and service agencies, including the American Cancer Society,
American Diabetes Association, Family Services of Long Beach, Long Beach
Community Improvement League, Sarcoidosis Network Foundation, and
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Health
Committee Chair for 10 years). He has been an active participant
in many programs sponsored by the
Long Beach
Unified
School District
, including a science project reviewer of students’ science exhibits
in the LBUSD Annual Science Fair for over ten years. Darryl
also has been a member of the Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF)
corporate Board of Directors since 1998. RHF is a large national
non-profit affordable senior housing and services agency, headquartered
in
Long Beach
, providing residential, medical and support services through over 156
facilities in 24
US
states,
Washington
,
DC
, Puerto Rico, and the
Virgin Islands
.
Darryl has received several awards and recognitions from
medical and service agencies and organizations, including AMA Physician
Recognition Awards, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Mary
McLeod Bethune Award for Science (1994) and Health, and the Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority (AKA) Pearl Award for Health (1999). He continues
to provide support and leadership to improve the quality of health and
life for all disproportionately at-risk persons and age groups,
especially at the local and regional level.
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Carol
Shaw
Carol Shaw
spent her childhood in Inglewood, California, but was also a
frequent visitor to Long Beach because her aunt and uncle lived
here. She made the move here in 1985.
Carol earned her B.S. with honors in business
and accounting from UCLA, and went on to an M.B.A. there, specializing
in real estate and marketing. In 1988, she completed her J.D. at
Southwestern U. School of Law. Since 1990, she's been a deputy
city attorney in L.B.
Prior to that, she was a research attorney
with the L.A. County Superior Court. She's a past board member
of the L.B. Bar Association, past treasurer of Women Lawyers of
L.B., and past president of the L.B. City Attorneys Association.
She's also a member of the Joseph A. Ball/Clarence Hunt Inn of
Court.
Carol never served in the military but did
almost marry a sailor once. She's single with three dogs and two
cats instead of children but doesn't lack for family time since
she spends lots of time with her brothers, sisters, nephews, and
nieces.
Her hobbies include bicycling, dancing, and
collecting elephants (not real ones). A licensed real estate
broker before she went to law school, she's kept her license
active and still owns several rental properties in Long Beach.
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Bob
Sobel
Bob Sobel is
founder and president of Oxford HealthCare, the oldest home
nursing in Southern California. He graduated from Kent State
University and was a PFC in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer
"on a few different occasions."
Bob has been a member of Downtown Lions since
1975 and has been the club Santa Claus for over 20 years. Once
upon a time, he was one of the leaders of the club's notorious
"Patriotic Society". Now that patriotism is back in
fashion, members might want to ask him about the Society.
In recent times Bob has settled down and become almost
respectable. Just ask wife Donna, with whom he's done a lot of
international traveling lately. Then again, here's part of what
he wrote for this bio.
"The last time that Bob served as
chairman of the day was in 1987 when the featured speaker was an
LCSW and her topic was how to please your mate sexually. It took
this period of time to get over the embarrassment that he
suffered. Hopefully the subject of hypnotism will not have the
same effect on his psyche today."
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Bonnie Sharp Stoeppelman
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Bonnie Sharp
Stoeppelman started in the mountainous area made famous by the
TV Series, “Northern Exposure” which was filmed in the
Rosyln/Cle Elum area. Here Bonnie was able to ski, fish,
hike, hunt, photograph, and
climb Mt. Rainier. Leaving a town of 300 and class
of 60, she obtained her undergraduate degree at Central
Washington, then migrated to Prescott, AZ.
There she taught jr. high, high school and part time at
Yavapai Community College. She obtained her Masters Degree
at Northern Arizona U. and did extensive hiking in Arizona,
including the Grand Canyon. She then decided to get some
city life and eventually moved to the Long Beach area where she
met her husband Bill. When replying if he backpacked while
asking for a date, he told her that his idea of backpacking was
“staying at a Holiday Inn.” Therefore, she became
involved in golf and has had the privilege of beating her
husband gross a “couple of times” and has shot a few high
“80’s.”
Bonnie
started her own business, Sharp HOA Management, Inc. in 1990
which manages HOA’s. In addition to being on the Board
of Lions and former Secretary, she is currently on the Board of
Yokkaichi (Long Beach Japanese Sister City). Her
recreational time is spent with photography, travel, tailgating
at USC games, golf (some of the time), concerts, gardening,
cooking, and reading. She enjoys visiting her stepdaughter
and family in St. Louis, MO and Dad, sister and brother (with
mates and kids) who stayed in the Pacific Northwest. She
is also actively researching her family tree which has been as
fascinating as it has been scary.
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Jim Sullos
Managing Partner of Windes and McC!aughry for 11 years, JIM gave up full-time
activities with the firm in 2001. He joined the accounting firm
initially in 1962, became a partner in 1969 and Chairman of the Auditing
Department in 1980. In his partial retirement JIM continues to act as a
trustee for some of his clients. In
addition to being a CPA, he is qualified as a Certified Financial Planner.
In 1984, JIM was appointed by
California
’s governor to a four-year term on the State Board of Accountancy. He
was elected in both 1985 and 1988 to serve as Board President and was
appointed to a second term on the Board in 1988.
JIM’S civic activities include Past Chairman of the
Governing Board of the City of
Long Beach
/
County
of
Los Angeles Civic Center Authority
.
He also served as the Chairman of the Long Beach Area Chamber of
Commerce. Currently he is a member of the Board of the Long Beach
Community College Foundation and the Long Beach Community Foundation. He
also serves as Chairman of the Board of International City Bank and on
the Board of a private corporation that owns and markets internationally
recognized copyrights and trademarks. JIM was President of the Downtown
Lions Club in 1967-68.
Jim and his wife Vickie have two adult
children: Gina, a
veterinarian in
Laguna Hills
, and Jim, a TV producer and director in
Hollywood
.
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Grant Uba
Dr. Grant UBA is a cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
graduate of UC Irvine with a B.S. in biology, Grant earned his
M.D. at USC and completed his residency at Long Beach Memorial
Hospital.
After that three-year family practice period,
he joined Lion Dr John Kashiwabara in partnership until
John's retirement in 1990, when Grant took over his practice.
Subsequently he joined the Memorial Medical Group.
In Lions, he's been a member of Downtown's
board and a frequent chairman of the yearly children's Christmas
party, though he freely credits wife Debbie as "the real
chairperson" for the event in those years.
He's a board member of the Boys and Girls
Clubs of L.B. and team physician for LBCC and was M.D. for the
L.B. Civic Light Opera from 1991-96.
Grant claims he learned how to barbecue while
assisting Felix Franklin for four years at the club's annual
fundraiser.
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Bernie Vaaler
Bernie was born
in
Long Beach
at
Community
Hospital
. His parents,
Bern
and Eileen, came to
California
looking for work.
Bern
soon found work in the shipyards and they lived in a small
apartment on the west side before moving to
Belmont
Shore
. He attended Lowell
Elementary until moving to
Los Altos
. He then went to
Gant Elementary, Stanford Junior High and graduated from
Millikan High in 1960.
During high school and college he worked for
several local grocery chains:
Iowa Pork Shop, Hirams, Coles and McCoys Markets.
Bernie met his future wife Rebecca Lyche at
Christ
Lutheran
Church
. They were married in 1963, and then moved to
Blair
,
Nebraska
, to attend
Dana
College
. He graduated with a BS in Business Admin.
His first job out of college was at J.C. Penney
in
Santa Monica
before moving to Certified Grocers of California, working in
Accounting, Sales, Purchasing and Administration. He
retired in 2000.
Bernie
has three children, Erik, Lars and Kristen and five
grandchildren, Jonah, Kyle, Soren, Gunnar and Sophia.
Rebecca and he were married for 42 years.
She passed away in 2005.
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Jake Wallace
Born
in
Mississippi
, was a resident of
Compton
before moving to
Long Beach
in 1965. Prior to his retirement in 1999, he had been associated
with the Long Beach Police Department for over 29 years. During
that period he received several police awards for his services.
Before being employed by the Long Beach Police Department Jake
worked for Mc Donnell Douglas.
Jake graduated from
Compton
High School
and earned an Associate of Arts degree in Police Science at
Compton
Junior College
. His pre-Long Beach employment included five years of service
in the United States Navy.
A member of the Downtown Lion's Club since
July 1997 Jake was elected to a two-year term on the Board of
Directors in 1988, served as the club's Lion Tamer and was
President from 2003-4. He
has served the club as Director of Membership and Visitation
Coordinator since. Jake
is able and willing to drive the Eyemobile when called on.
He has participated in the Ventura County Veterans
Standdown for several years. JAKE has been a Guiding Lion
since 2004, assisting new clubs in getting organized.
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Kathy
Wallace
Kathy
Wallace was born in
Sterling
,
Illinois
and migrated with her family to
Wilmington
California
at the age of five.
The part of
Wilmington
she lived in was later incorporated into
Carson
and Kathy attended Carson High.
Lion Jake is her second husband. She is very proud
to be married to a law enforcement officer. Her
favorite hobbies are her Dachshund puppy and watching Court TV.
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Glenn Warrick
Introduced to Lionism by the head
basketball coach at Western Washington University in April 1949,
Glenn Warrick became a 55-year Lion this past year. A transfer
member to the Downtown Lions Club on November 2 1951. Glenn has
been a member of the club longer than any current member.
Beginning his career in education as a secondary
school teacher in Long Beach and moving later to a college-level
teaching position, Glenn returned to Long Beach in 1951 when
former Superintendent of Schools Douglas Newcomb asked him to become
the top administrator in the 100-teacher-industrial Education
program. Superintendent Newcomb taught Glenn a lesson by sharing
his leadership philosophy with him: "The most effective
type of leadership is to lead from behind," i.e. help
others reach their potential. This important bit of wisdom has
influenced your Sea Lion editor as he writes the "Chairman
of the Day" column - promote and enhance the image of the
person serving as Chairman of the Day.
Glenn, a member of the Long Beach Unified
School District for over 30 years, was offered this bit of
advice by Coach Wooden, the speaker at Glenn's retirement
banquet in 1982, when he received accolades and gifts from his
teachers. Coach Wooden said "Don't let it go to your head,
Glenn," and it hasn't.
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Bill Watson
Our
new Lion Bill Watson joined us in late 2007.
He is a Real Estate broker with four decades experience in the
industry and has seen many fluctuations in the market in all these
years. He began his career
in
Newport Beach
and
Laguna Beach
and has been practicing here in
Long Beach
for the past 27 years. Bill
is a graduate of UCLA and served in the U.S. Navy for many years on
medical staff aboard ship. He
also was on staff at St. Mary Medical Center here in
Long Beach
for 20 years and retired from there in 2003 and continues to be very
busy in real estate and senior care management.
He has been in music all his life and he has sung for many
years with Cypress Masterworks Chorale, as well as with William Hall
Chorale and Pacific Chorale, and participated in concerts abroad.
He wears many hats in the community, and he has been a
member of the Board of Directors of Allied Healthcare Federal Credit
Union with branches in
Memorial
Hospital
, St. Mary Medical Center,
Hoag
Hospital
, and St. Francis hospital and travels often to Federal events across
the country. He also is
owner of an internet based personal franchise business that is
exploding, and his specialized focus is in good health and personal
care.
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Al Weingartner
Born in
Mansfield
,
Ohio
,
Al
spent most of his youth in
San Gabriel
, migrating to
Long Beach
in 1981. He attended
Pasadena City College
,
Cal
State
L.A.
and earned his B.A. from UCLA.
Now “almost” fully retired,
Al
was a computer consultant, owning his own firm, NPG Systems, for almost
ten years. Prior to that he worked for Minolta Imaging Systems and
the L.B. Chamber of Commerce. In
1990-91, he owned Town and Country Suzuki in
Fullerton
. He quit riding motorcycles on the advice of that side of the brain
that says, “Holy crap, knock that off!”
He was employed at IBM in various positions from 1965 to 1990.
While with IBM, he spent two years working in
Stuttgart
,
Germany
. He has also written for the Signal newspaper. He owns
several apartment buildings and does much of the maintenance himself.
Al
is the president of the board of "For the Child" located in
Bixby Knolls, dedicated to treating and preventing child abuse.
He is also a Port Ambassador. He is the Sea Lion editor and
printer, is currently 4L2 cabinet secretary, and was President of this
club in 2005-6.
He has three grown sons and six grandchildren.
Al
lives in
Long Beach
and married Linda last Sep. 12 in Ojai.
His hobbies include auto racing, swimming, reading,
writing, skiing, fishing and now, computers. He is also a member
of the undefeated and internationally known Lions Tennis Club.
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Linda
Weingartner
Linda
was born in
Mississippi
and the family moved to
Evanston
,
IL
, when she was 13. She attended
Evanston
Township
High School
and received a degree in English from
Roosevelt
University
. She has two brothers, two sisters, two sons, two
grandsons and a granddaughter due in May. The family information
she most likes to share is the many laughs she shares with her 97 year
old Mother. They can't end a telephone conversation until they have
found something to laugh about - usually themselves.
Linda taught school in
Chicago
for a short time before marrying and moving to
California
. She left the workforce to care for her two sons until they
entered school. She then went to work at General Electric followed
by General Dynamics, Northern Telecom and Northrop Grumman. All
positions were in either telecommunications or network design. She was manager
at Northrop Grumman's Corporate Office and with Northrop Grumman's Information
Services Division. Linda's greatest memory while at Northrop
Grumman was working at the B-2 Division. During her time
there, she frequently visited Air Force Bases and came to
appreciate the intensity of their mission. When Northrop won
a Collier Award for the B-2 design, Linda was asked to participate
in an acceptance tape. This tape was shown during the acceptance
ceremony in
Washington
,
D.C.
Linda loves her new life in
Long Beach
and loves being a Lion. Her hobbies are reading, fishing,
dancing, gardening and her families, hers and Al’s.
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Myrna Wigod
Although she was born in Brooklyn and
spent her childhood in Newport News, Virginia, Myrna is
virtually a Long Beach native. She graduated from Wilson High,
Long Beach C.C. and earned a B.A. from CSULB. She's been a
reading specialist at Tincher, Burnett and Roosevelt elementary
schools. She also lived in Yokuska, Japan, with her husband Dr.
Richard where she taught at the base schools and also taught
English at a Japanese high school.
Sponsored by Vito Romans, Myrna was one of
the first women to join Downtown Lions in 1987. She has also
been a charter member of the Long Beach Cancer League; member of
the Assistance League; served on the boards of the American
Heart Association Auxiliary and the Grand Prix Association;
chaired the Community Hospital Foundation and was President of
the L.B. Civic Light Opera Women's Guild.
She was the 1982 Rickracker Woman of the Year
and received the Humanitarian Award from the NCCJ in 2000. She
has won the same award from the Long Association and has been
inducted onto the City College Hall of Fame. She predicts her
epitaph will read "Clubbed to Death".
Highly sought after for her humor and
successful fundraising style. Myrna has served in that role for
the Musical Theatre West, the I.C.T., the Paralysis Project and
the Salvation Army's Sage Award dinner.
Myrna and Richard have two children. Daughter
Jane, married to Long Beach native and attorney Mark Orenstain,
lives in Seattle. Son Robert a C.I.F. Commissioner, is married
to Kelly, also an L.B. native.
Myrna lists as her avocational interests
"travel, theatre, dieting, and her grandchildren, Halley
and Kate Wigod and Aaron and Andrew Orenstein"
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Bill Williams
If you ever wondered why our bios are often
lengthy, you've never seen the info on many of our
members. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there! Take BILL
WILLIAMS, for example.
He's past
president of our club (83-84) as well as of the Bixby Hill
Community Association, The Neptune Masonic Temple Association,
the El Bekal Greeters, the Boys & Girls Clubs of L.B., the
Downtown Parking & Improvement Commission, the L.B. Bar
Association , the City College Foundation, and the L.B. Board of
Water Commissioners. He's also chaired the boards of the
Salvation Army and the L.B. Community Hospital Foundation.
Born at
Seaside Hospital here in Long Beach, Bill went to Edison and
Lincoln elementary schools, Hamilton Junior High and Poly High
School. From Poly, he entered the navy during WWll.
Thereafter, he continued his studies at City
College, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, USC, Cal Tech and
Southwestern U., gaining his J.D. from the last in 1953.
He's practiced law in Long Beach since 1954, first for the firm
of Pray & Price, then in 1959 the firm of Pray, Price &
Williams, and since 1959 the firm of Pray, Price, Williams,
& Russell, as in JIM RUSSELL.
Bill's not the only native of Long Beach in
his family. His mom was born here, as was his wife Eleanor and
of course, their two children.
The many recognitions of service he's
received include the Elks Citizen of the Year in 1982, the L.B.
Bar Association Lawyer of the year in 1988, and, with Eleanor,
the Family Life Award in 1989 from L.B. Family Services.
Bill once told editor Glenn Warrick that his
favorite pastime is "waking up in the morning to discover
I'm still alive." Besides that, he enjoys travel, tennis,
and fishing.
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