James Day II - BHS 1941 In Memoriam

James Francis Day II

Senior Photo

Burbank High School, Burbank, California

Lake Almanor basin resident James Francis Day II passed from this life peacefully, with his wife at his side at his residence in Chester, from a recently diagnosed heart condition on Wednesday morning, Feb. 11, 2009.Born 84 years ago in Chicago, Ill. to the late Leo and Marie (LaDue) Day on March 6, 1924, he and his family moved west when he was two to settle in Southern California.Jim was educated in Southern California where he graduated from Burbank High School as a member of the Class of 1941.Shortly following his graduation he was inducted in to the armed forces where Sgt. James Francis Day II served his country honorably as a member of the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater as an aircraft mechanic. He was awarded two bronze stars for his valor.Upon Jim's discharge he returned to school where he graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in accounting. While attending college he met a pretty young coed named Mary L. Schwab and as their love for one another blossomed, they were united in matrimony on June 14, 1952, in Sherman Oaks. To this union one son and four daughters were born.As a CPA for over 23 years, Jim went to work for an accounting firm out of college before entering practice for himself in 1963. He retired due to health concerns in 1985.Jim and his wife purchased a home on the Lake Almanor Peninsula in 1983, later moving to Chester. Prior to residing in the Lake Almanor Basin, Jim and his wife had been longtime San Diego residents.Jim enjoyed working with wood as well as collecting stamps and coins.In passing Jim leaves his loving wife of over 56 years, Mary of Chester; son, James III of Chester; daughters, Mary Gronholt and husband John of Anacortes, Wash., Debra Day and husband Neil White of San Diego, and Teresa Miucci and husband Luigi of San Diego along with his grandchildren, Jennifer and Sean Gronholt and Kathleen Miucci.A Roman Catholic graveside blessing service, along with Military Honors, was held in the Chester District Cemetery Monday, Feb. 16.

George Rankin 1929 - 2009

George Rankin BHS 1948

George Rankin, 79, life service March 7
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Hillsboro Argus-Oregon

VERNONIA - George W. Rankin, 79, Vernonia, died Feb. 13, 2009, at his home.
A life celebration will be 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1350 E. Knott St., Vernonia.
Mr. Rankin was born Aug. 13, 1929, in Blackwell, Okla., a son of William P. and Pansy Rankin. He grew up in Blackwell. When he was 12 his family moved to Los Angeles and he graduated from Burbank High School in 1948.
He married Juanita Ann O'Conner, Dec. 10, 1952, in Seattle. He lived in Seattle until 2005.
He was a cabinet builder and worked as a master carpenter building cabinets for homes in the Seattle area. After he retired, he worked for the Sunset Bowling Alley in Ballard, Wash.
He moved to Vernonia in 2005 to be near his daughter and, an avid bowler, enjoyed spending his free time at the bowling alley.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita, in 2002; his son, Douglas E. Rankin, in 2008; and by six brothers and two sisters.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and David Naillon; a brother, Bob Rankin; and two grandsons and four great-grandchildren.
Remembrances: American Cancer Society, 0330 SW Curry St., Portland, OR 97201.
Arrangements: Tualatin Valley Funeral Alternatives, Hillsboro.

Doris Roten Carter Passes Away

Doris Roten Carter

BHS 1943

Doris Roten Carter, 83, passed away on February 24th, 2009 after a brief illness with her family by her bedside. Her husband of 56 years, Jim Carter, predeceased her by ten years.
Doris was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, and moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was two years old. Five years later they moved to Burbank where she attended schools. It was at Burbank High School where she met Jim and they were married after graduation. They established their home in Burbank where their three children were born. Jim and Doris Carter were involved in many business and real estate ventures in Burbank during their lifetimes.
She leaves her children; son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Joan Carter of Burbank, two daughters, Candy Bartholomew of Bozeman, Montana, and Connie Mangas of Belgrade, Montana. She also leaves 5 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, two sisters, Mary Bogard and Roberta Moody and a brother, Allen Roten, and her best friend Paul Briggs. Services are pending.

Richard F. Wilkinson 1931-2009

Dick Wilkinson BHS 1950

Richard F. "Dick" Wilkinson
July 22, 1931 – February 14, 2009
Richard F. "Dick" Wilkinson passed away peacefully on February 14th at Silverado Senior Living in San Juan Capistrano surrounded by family.
A Burbank resident for 63 years, he attended St. Robert Bellarmine Elementary School, John Muir Jr. High and Burbank High School graduating with the Class of 1950. Dick was a member of the 1st Pacific Drum and Bugle Corps during the Korean War and was honorable discharged from the Marines. He owned his own business, R.F. Wilkinson’s Furniture Finishing in West Hollywood for 41 years. Dick retired to Laguna Beach in 1994.
Predeceased by his wife of 49 years, Marion, he is survived by his children (and spouse) Susan Miller (Mark), Judy Dvoracek (Joe) and Tom Wilkinson (Mona); 8 grandchildren; 2 step-granddaughters and his sister, Moria Hansen. Donations may be made in Richard’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Dr. Robert Leland Passes away

Former Burbank High Principal Dr. Robert Leland

When Bob Leland retired as the principal of Burbank High School, he continued his lifelong dedication to youth by acting as a child advocate in the courts. No one who knew Dr. Leland was surprised.Few people worked harder at their jobs than Bob Leland. He presided over Burbank High School and its then new continuation school throughout the 1960s. He watched his staff form a chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, his students become fans of the Beatles, an ever-increasing list of Burbank graduates fall in Vietnam, and the kids of Burbank reject small town conservatism to become flower children. Somehow through his sincerity and sense of fair play, Bob Leland kept his school afloat. Dr. Leland died on the 22nd of December 2008. He was proceeded in death by his wife Pearl Leland, retired professor of nursing from Los Angeles Valley College. Bob was a good man.

Obit from the Desert Sun

Robert Deyo Leland was born June 30, 1919 in Albion, Mich. He served in the Army's horse mounted 7th Calvary. He also trained at Camp Young in the Southern California desert with General George Patton. He was in the service from 1941 to 1945 and was injured in battle in the Pacific. While stationed in San Luis Obispo at Camp Roberts in 1942, he met Pearl Macomber and married her two months later. They were married for 65 years until Pearl's death. They had three children, Scott Leland, Barbara Bradham and Linda Edgar; five grandchildren, Rena, Kristin, Erin, Shannon and Wesley and five great grandchildren, Tait, Tomas, Katherine, John and Kai. After his life changing experience during the war, he saw that the future of our country would depend on Education. He devoted his working life to the education of young people. He started his career as a Teacher with the Burbank Unified School District and retired in 1981 as the Principal of Burbank High School. He earned his BA and Masters degrees at UCLA and his PHD at USC. He was Burbank Young Man of the Year and was very involved with the YMCA. He was president of the Burbank Rotary. He was foreman of the Los Angeles Grand Jury, 1988-1989. He loved the ocean and they purchased a home in San Clemente, Calif. They moved to Palm Desert in 1992. He volunteered at the College of the Desert Library and the Coachella Valley Historical Society. He died at the age of 89, Dec. 22, 2008 from the complications of Parkinson's disease with loving family all around him. He loved life and would not let anything get in the way of living life large. His outlook on life was positive, progressive, happy and full of interest in others and the whole world around him. A celebration of his life will be held on Sat., Feb. 28, 2009 in Palm Desert.

Coach Steps Aside

Ted Amorosi will not be returning next year as Football Coach.

FOOTBALL: Ted Amorosi, who led Burbank for two seasons, left the program after being told there would be no teaching position for him.
By Jeff Tully
Published: Burbank Leader, Friday, February 27, 2009

BURBANK HIGH — Ted Amorosi, the Burbank High head football coach who guided the team to its first postseason victory in 81 years, said Thursday that he has left the program. Amorosi, whose Bulldogs went 9-13 (6-8 in the Pacific League) during his two-year tenure, said he stepped down after being told by school administrators that the classes he taught at the school wouldn’t be offered to him next fall. “Basically, it was because of the budget and the whole economic downturn,” said Amorosi, whose team placed fourth in league last season after finishing sixth in 2007. “My teaching job wasn’t going to be there, and that was a big part of it It’s just a very sad situation. ”He teaches keyboarding — what used to be called typing — at the school.

Amorosi said he was informed about his situation at the school a week ago. He said he had to step aside not only to give himself an opportunity to seek out another job, but to give Burbank time as well to hire another head football coach. “I have already applied at a couple of places and I have my feelers out,” Amorosi said. “I have to get a job so I can support my family. That is the most important thing for me now, to provide for my family.

”It appears Amorosi will leave Burbank on good terms. School Principal Bruce Osgood said the coach did a fine job running the Bulldogs program.“He helped us build up the program,” Osgood said. “I know it’s tough for the kids because he did lot for them.“We wish Ted the best and we appreciate all that he’s done for the program.”Amorosi said one of the hardest things he had to do was break the news to his players that we wasn’t coming back. He added that he enjoyed his time at Burbank and he was hoping he was going to be able to be at the school for years to come.

“Before a week ago, everything looked great,” he said. “We have nine players coming back next year on offense and seven on defense. I had almost all of my coaches in place and everything. “My plan was to be here for a long time, and maybe spend the next 15 years coaching at Burbank High. But now that’s gone. The only word I can come up with is sad.

”Last season, Burbank (6-6) placed fourth in the Pacific League and pulled off a major upset in the first round of the Southeast Division playoffs, defeating No. 2 Santa Fe, 20-14. It was the Bulldogs first CIF win since 1927.The Bulldogs fell in the second round to West Covina, 49-28. The Bulldogs failed to make the postseason in 2007.

Amorosi came to Burbank after coaching at Glendale High, where he compiled a 3-17 record in a two-year stint. He resigned after the 2005 season in which Glendale went 2-8 and 1-4 in the Pacific League. Amorosi’s hiring at Burbank in May 2007 came nearly six weeks after the school rescinded an offer just hours after hiring Bill Coan to take over the Bulldogs program. After an exhaustive search process to find a coach, the school thought it had its man in Coan. Coan was introduced to the Burbank players as their new coach on March 23, 2007 , and even met with a group of booster club parents on campus. Only hours after embracing Coan as the new Bulldogs coach, the Burbank Unified School District and the school’s administration did an about-face. Something questionable in the coach’s background prompted the district to rescind the job offer. That decision was followed shortly by the official word that Coan would not be hired as the Burbank football coach.The decision was a surprise to many, who thought that Coan had already taken his place at Burbank. Coan’s initial hiring came just 55 days after the school fired coach Greg Sobiech. In his five years, Sobiech compiled a 22-30 record and his teams qualified for the CIF playoffs twice.

In Memoriam

Monte Smith BHS 1946 - passed away on November 6, 2008 in Burbank.

Charlotte Torrelli Wheaton BHS 1946 - passed away on December 3, 2008.

Dorothy Casper Maxham BHS 1933 - passed away in Bend, OR, No Details.

Mary Gonzales Pineda BHS 1944 - passed away on January 2, 2009.

Louise Santoyo Evans BHS 1941 - passed away January 17, 2009 in Torrance, CA.

Gordon Behrens BHS 1942 - passed away. No Details

Patty Elizabeth Dodson BHS 1968 - passed away of cancer on January 17, 2009 in Henderson, NV.