Local high school alumni reunite

Event committee members, from left, Pam Kirkwood, Trudie Hentze, Linda Damarjian and Patti Hallowes welcome former Bulldogs and Indians to Johnny Carson Park for Saturday's reunion.

By DAVID LAURELL
Published: Burbank Leader, Tuesday, June 23, 2009

While the gloom of June brought gray skies, Johnny Carson Park was transformed into a bright sea of vivid blue and red as proud Burbank and John Burroughs High School alumni gathered at the venue Saturday for the ninth annual All Class Reunion Picnic and Car Show. Welcomed by reunion committee members Linda Damarjian, Trudi Hentze, Patti Hallowes and Pam Kirkwood, the event was officially kicked off with “The Star-Spangled Banner” sung by vocalist Mallory Maisner, a junior at Burbank High School, who has been chosen to audition for next season’s “American Idol.”

Among the hundreds of former Burbank Bulldogs and Burroughs Indians who braved the intermittent drizzle to catch up with old friends, enjoy a picnic lunch and admire the classic cars on display were Burbank Mayor Gary Bric, Councilman David Gordon, Denny Grossman, Lou and Judy Bartoletti, Bill Hormuth, Gerald Gaughen, Darrell and Nancy Golnick, Bud and Joyce Nelson, Ashley Lopez, Stan Lynch, Natalie Villalpando, Nancy Ward, Karl and Marianne Grossman, Sally Geraci, Ed and Charmaine Sandors, A.J. and Dee Dee Culotta, Dick Benno, Bob and Virginia Wirffel, John and Mary Jo Hjelmstrom, and Diane and Harry Campbell.Also caught mingling throughout the day were Ron and Jane Cooper, Tom Treloggen, William and Amanda Kaufmann, Brian Church, Charlotte McCaskey, Jerry Crimeni, Mark Vargas, Steve Ceniceros, Adriana DeMattia, Darlene Kroah, Jorge de los Reyes, Kevin Hobson, Carole Collins, Leigh Hilt, Larry O’Brien, John and Cathy Coyle, Linda Mustion, Tom Branca, Carol Schmidt and Jan Williams.

Others in attendance were Mary Flavin, Bob Bauman, John and Marilyn Peterson, Joe Baldino, Eddie Levitt, Don Ray, Skip Higgins, David Ingram Symonds, Dean Chetkovich, Bill Murray, Jim Peet, Jerry Carson, Paula Roth, Janet Goldwater, Gerald Gaughen, George Damarjian, Lenore Stein, Mike Mendoza, Jon Walters, Lonnie Melton, Janet Knight, Ted Bregman, Larry Beck, Mary Nay, Frank McGuire, Cliff Slike, Irene Sandoval, Tim and Sue Norwalk,and Marci Brewer.

Opened in 1908, Burbank High School marked its centennial celebration this past year. Across town, 1928 saw the opening of John Burroughs as a junior high school before it made the transition to a high school in 1948. Among the well-known names who owe their high school educations to either Burbank or Burroughs are Mayor Gary Bric, former Mayors Bob Kramer and Marsha Ramos, Councilman Jess Talamantes, actors Clint Howard, Rene Russo, Anson Williams, Debbie Reynolds and Dan Haggerty, Golden Globe-winning director Tim Burton, and Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard.

This annual reunion that welcomes all alumni of the two high schools has become a Burbank tradition over the past decade. As Saturday’s picnic drifted into the history books, event Chairwoman Linda Damarjian commented that the attendance for this year’s reunion was down slightly from previous years. “The turnout was a little lower than in the past,” said Linda Damarjian said. “But it was a very good time, and the alumni classic car show was a big hit as usual. Having the mayor and a City Council member here was a nice addition, and people truly enjoyed themselves — many remarking that Burbank was such a wonderful place to grow up.”