Garrett Hildebrand

Faculty member from LCHS (Patricia Biermann) passed away in 2016. See obit here.

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

I too was/am so sorry for the entire Brown family. Losing a family member is painful for them and for the rest of anyone who knew Rndy, their entire family were all kind and considerate to everyoe. 

-Patricia Humes Hendricks

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

My typing is horrible, the days of being able to type and write have left my body.

I want to comment on our next reunion, ---the big one, our 50th! I think for anyone having to travel, the Pasadena was a good venue and their prices were reasonable.I think having a social cocktail party on Friday evening is enjoyable and having a dinner on Saturday night is practical. Hopefully we can keep the prices down. I remember that Brett DeLawter had said he wanted to be the chairman, but I also heard he moved out of state.If anyone wants to help, it lessens the amount of work for the chairman. If everyone can help trying to locate classmates, maybe we can have a good turn out. I think having the reunion in Pasadena allows everyone the ability to drive around La Canada, see our high school. So, those are my thoughts. I'm looking forward to seeing as many of our classmates as possible.

Patricia Humes Hendricks

Garrett Hildebrand

A new update from Randy and Debbie Brown's daughter, Christine (posted 19 hours ago on Charity Bridge):

Garrett

Dearest friends and family,

My heart is heavy as I write these words to you. After my dad was put on hospice care last week, he took quite a turn for the worse. He has been so gentle and sweet with his minimal words of, " I love you" or "kiss me". I went for a 5 day work trip last week and got a call from my dad 2 days before I was supposed to come back to Oklahoma and he said to me, "It's time to come home". I got home as soon as I could and couldn't believe how much sicker my dad was in less than 5 days. Heartbreaking. He was still able to say a few words and was able to open his eyes and smile at us as he told us how much he loves us over and over. Heartwarming. 

As of last night he mostly stopped responding and has been somewhat comatose for the last 24 hours. We still talk to him, tell him we love him, read him his favorite scriptures, and play his favorite music because we know he feels it and loves it. He is comfortable and peaceful in his home with his family. It brings comfort to us to know he is not in pain anymore and that he is finding his peace to let go and be with his heavenly father.

The hospice nurse told us this morning that our father will most likely not make it through the weekend. We are cherishing these final moments with him. We love him so so much as I know you all do as well. I want to give you an opportunity to write any words of love, memories, prayers, and goodbyes to our sweet father/husband. I will read everything to him as he peacefully finds his place with his lord.

You can comment on here or if you would rather a private comment you can send an email to Christinetravels@gmail.com

We love you and hope you can find some peace knowing that my father fought hard, and lived an amazing, fulfilling life dedicated to his family and his God. Cancer sucks but my dad is amazing always and forever. Nothing will ever take that from him. Nothing will ever take the memories we share with our sweet, loving, righteous daddy.

Please send your love, prayers and positive energy to our family and my father in this difficult time.

With so much love,

The Brown family

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

To  the Randy Brown family, I have been praying for  him to be in no more pain and suffering --I believe he will be with God soon. I am so sad to hear that he was ill, he will always be greatly missed !!!! My memories of him is that he was always a nice, kind gentleman. He will be missed by all of us at the 50th reunion -- I hope Brad can comes with his wife.

Was so sad to hear of what he had to endure!

My prayers for the entire Brown family

Patricia Humes Hendricks

Jill Fleming (Grant)

I did not know Randy well when I was a student at LCHS, not having many classes with him. However, I just got to know what an incredibly wonderful human being and father he was thanks to you Christine. What a tribute you are. Randy spoke through you. Please know that I am and will be thinking of you, your mom, family, and friends as you grieve your loss. Thank you for thinking about all of us. Your dad, well, I imagine he couldn't be more proud of his daughter.    Prayers and love,  Jill Grant

Garrett Hildebrand

Jill, I relayed your message to Christine.

Everybody, I'm sorry to say that Randy has passed away, but glad he is free from his pain, and with his Lord. Thanks everyone for your prayers, and that thanks comes from Brad as (he just texted me with the news and the thanks).

Garrett

Liz Merritt (Lord)

So sorry to hear of Randy's passing.  I didn't have many classes with him but I do remember his sense of humor.  He was always such a nice guy and always had a smile on his face, mischievous at times, but so nice.  Will keep you in my prayers Christine and family.  As Jill said, thank you for keeping us informed of what was going on and sharing all your thoughts and some of your memories.  Also thank Brad for his beautiful words.  So sad God must have needed another angel.

Margaux Shaw (Shaw)

Terry Ashoff (Johnson)

Everyone's messages to the Brown family have been so poignant.

Jill your words especially resonated with me. I too did not know Randy well in HS but through Christine's heart felt posts feel I do know something about the man he became. To give a child the gift to become the woman Christine is, is an amazing accomplishment. Randy's was certainly a life well lived. Like everyone else I will hold his family in my prayers as they learn to life without his daily presence in their lives but his presence in their hearts forever. Losing a parent is never easy no matter how old one is and it is especially difficult when the parent is in such pain. May the Peace of the Lord be with us all. Terry

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

I am really sorry about the passing of Randy Brown he ws such a nice young man in school.

He was never mean at school to anyone!!!!!

MY grief goes out to the family and I'm really sad for the family!

Christine you have done a really good job taking care of your family, we are all very sorry for your loss,it  is a very sad loss fo our classmates!

Patricia Hendricks

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

Hello classmates, just some thoughts at the early hour of 3am in the morning. Since the majority of us lived our childhood in La Canada, then we all met up in 6th grade, then spending the next 6 years going ro school together, it is difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that we have lost several of our friends; at the age of 18, did we ever think of losing our classates?

Now we are 3 years from our 50th reunion, I hope as many people who can, make it to our next reunion. It's fun to meet up with long ago friends.

I wanted to share a memory during our senior year. Scott Abell originally posted it. I remember how funny the situaion was. Wendy Mason's mom and a senior boy were side by each other before school started to race against each other in front of the administration building. They began a race and Wendy's mom's car lost control and ended up in the medium, having stranded herself in the middle. Mr. Gross came running out to berate the sudent, then was instantly surprised it was a mother; his reaction turned to "would you like me to call for a tow truck?" Scott Abell came in to senior English laughing and within a few hours, everyone knew about it. One funny memory of our senior year. For the most part, we did have some good times together. Those were some good years we all shared together.

Just sharing one memory of many I remember.

Paticia Humes Hendricks 

Bradford "Brad" Brown (Brown)

I am responding here, not to a prior forum message, but more about my signing into the website yesterday.Not being familiar with the site...  I had added comments there - I guess it is my profile page - about the love and outreach to my brother by our class. Please go there to read it as the amount of lover, prayer, and thoughts was so great.and wonderful. As I said in my profile "overwhelming" outreach of love from so many. Thank you!! 

I also added a comment about the after prom party our junior year at our house (that was destroyed), the comments I still get about that party - the latest from Brett DeLawter last month, and a sort of "the Rest of The Story" comment on that party.   I Think maybe Brett got "lucky" that night with his date and that may be the reason he recalls it so vividly. You may or may not be surprised to hear I still get comments about that party and hear the rest of the story to find out what happened when my parents returned from Europe.

[Annotation by Garrett Hildebrand]

You will find Brad's profile here: http://www.lchs70.com/class_profile.cfm?member_id=3009671 or by just clicking on his name at the top of this message (which is true for anyone's message in this forum).

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

I agree with you Liz, so sad to have lost our classmate!

Patricia Humes Hendricks

Gary Williams

Got this in a forwarded email and, obviously, it had to be shared.  -Gary

Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, surely I can’t look that old?  You’ll love this one.

My name is Alice, and I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist.  I noticed his DDS diploma on the wall, which bore his full name.

Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class many years ago.  Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such notion.  This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate.

After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended Morgan Park High School.

“Yes. Yes, I did. I’m a Mustang,” he gleamed with pride.

“When did you graduate?” I asked.

“In 1970” he answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You were in my class!” I exclaimed.

He looked at me closely.  And then that ugly, old, bald, wrinkled faced, fat-assed, gray-haired, decrepit son-of-a-bitch asked, “What did you teach?”

Debi Moore (Larsson)

Gary,

I can't believe there haven't been any responses to this!?!  I thought it was hysterical and definitely related to it.

Thanks for the great laugh!!!

Debi

Gary States

Gary and Debi,

I was interupted before I could post a response.

But I read it out loud to my wife and we both laughed pretty hard.

Thanks for sharing.  Or should I thank you for humbling perspective?

States

Patricia Humes (Hendricks)

Garrett Hildebrand

I have a 68-year-old friend who went in for a colonoscopy a couple of months ago. When the doctor reviewed the video he called my friend (Jim) and asked him to come in for another one. The doctor diagnosed him with colon cancer, and within a week Jim was on the operating table. The doctor removed over a foot of his colon. Very scary for Jim and for all of his friends and family. The good news is that the doctor got it before it had spread outside of the colon, so there is no chemo or radiation required. He is now considered to be in remission.

What a shock after all that to hear that our classmate Craig Kennedy passed away Tuesday 11/7/2017-- from colon cancer.

I'd like you to take a moment to read why it is so important to have a colonoscopy at our age. Please read this:

Why Should I Get a Colonoscopy? 

Gary Williams

Thanks for the reminder Garrett.  And let's not forget with the holidays coming up, they make a great Christmas gift!

I'm certain our Henchman will RIP, and presumably connect with his piano hero (back when I knew Craig), Art Tatum.

Bette Jameson (Moreno)

LCHS 50th reunion. - location

Morning news.  Not happy about the location.  How did we end up here when the poll clearly indicates Pasadena as the front winner.  Believe it is really disrespectful to those who participated in the survey.  Why ask if the committee decided.  Anyone else disappointed.  Take into consideration traveling.  Weekend event would be worth the effort to attend.  Pasadena for the 45th was great.  Why one evening, reuniting with classmates and getting to know each other again was perfect.  Can you show the survey results where people voted for this location.  I’ve heard from others, I’m not the only one.  Can asking for financial help be a little more discreet.  

Not happy

Debi Moore (Larsson)

Hi Bette,

We are so sorry you are disappointed but here are the facts from over 2 years of research done by your committee.  You will find that the committee did not do as we pleased and did, in fact, follow the wishes of our classmates.

There are 11 of us that have been working on this phase of the reunion - Gary States, John Marshall, Garrett Hildebrand, Currie Fite (Weed), Wendy Gribble (Mason), Penny Erickson (Simon), Kennette Molway (Beashore), Melanie Scherzer (Kaech), Sally Graham (Barber), Margaux Shaw, and myself.  None of us has (or had) the intent to do anything more than follow the desires of the majority of our classmates in choosing the location, venue, and date for the next reunion.

Of the 382 people registered on our class website, 87 people filled out the reunion survey.  Because this was only 23% of  those registered, we did not think this was a clear representation of what we should do.  We took the time and effort to personally contact every classmate on the site that had not responded to the survey.  In addition, we have spent countless hours tracking down and contacting people who were not connected on the website.  When this was completed, we compiled the results.  This resulted in a count that was so tight, we declared it a tie between having it in Pasadena/La canada versus Orange County.  We then looked into other factors from the survey such as time of year, cost of the reunion, visiting LCHS vs visiting each other and, of course, lodging.  We also took into consideration the demographics of where people are located.  These are approximate but we have:
89 people living in LA, Ventura, Antelope Valley, & various other places south of Fresno
75 people live in Orange County, Long Beach, San Diego & Riverside County
120 people live out of state and the country
The remaining live in Northern California.
As you can see, only 23% live relatively close to La Canada and, looking strictly at the 'raw' results of the survey, (roughly) 13% of our registered classmates (who took the survey) wanted the reunion in the La Canada/Pasadena area.

It was overwhelming that the reunion be held in either September or October.  This presents a problem with lodging in Pasadena as it is football season; Pasadena has relatively few hotels making it difficult to reserve rooms for everyone and less competitive pricing for those rooms.  Newport Beach offers more competition with lodging thus lower room rates.  Plus, it is off season making the rates even more competitive.  The most important thing stated by most was for people to talk, see old friends, and renew old friendships with classmates they haven't seen in a long time.  Only 17 people stated that they had interest in visiting LCHS.  There should be plenty of time on the day of the reunion for people to go up to La Canada to see the HS.  

Betty, the reunion is not only one night.  This 'Save the Date' was intended to only do just that.  We clearly stated that there would be more details to come.  We have plenty of time to plan as  many additional events as the class would like.

As for the financial help being 'discreet', the committee feels that being discreet applies to the individuals needing  assitance.  The only way to let people know this is available is to publicize it's availability.  It is a truely generous gift that our fellow classmates are donating this funding so that everyone has the opportunity to attend.  We thank them for their generosity!  An individual classmate will handle all aspects of this fund in order to maintain total privacy of all scholarship recipients.  

Our hopes are that we can go forward as fellow classmates and friends to make this a celebration to remember!

All the best,                                                                                                                                                        Debi

Bette Jameson (Moreno)

Deb. The financial assistance was my suggestion given to Margeux.  I didn’t mean write it on the save the date invite.  It should be on the rsvp card.  If people would like to help others, donate $10, check the box.  

Debi Moore (Larsson)

Bette, I am not sure I am understanding you.  We took the time to poll everyone signed up on our website instead of just going with the 23% of those that bothered to take the survey.  It was in addition to this, that we have contacted (& many of these are now signed up) those that were not connected to the website.  The reason we contacted people who did not choose to belong to the web site is that many did not want their contact info out there. Which we respect. Many people were contacted via Facebook and responded that way. There were over 100 people on the missing list and it’s down to about 30. We have cared about locating everyone we can. 

If at least 50% of those registered on the website would have taken the survey, that would have been enough to leave it alone.  This did NOT happen and the 23% was just too low. Most of us lead very busy lives and we either don't have the time to take the survey or, in some cases, people did not see the survey.            

Thank you for your suggestions.  They are appreciated - We are just volunteering our time and welcome it!

Bette Jameson (Moreno)

Deb I understand your busy life.  Guess what, I have one too.  I’m taking this time, my whole day, to try and make sense of what you are explaining.  If, if, if, you had a bigger pool of people to survey the results would have been different.  You could of told the participants that the sampling of poll results was not adequate therefore put it back out there to classmates so maybe we could encourage our friends to participate.  That way the poll results don’t look fixed.  Part of a good survey is participation maybe we could of helped.  I. don’t really know how you could contact each non participating when they didn’t have contact info to share.   It’s just not done honestly.  Fellow classmates, our personal friends could of helped making your job easier.  Instead of black and white results reading the outcome of the survey.  We just need to take your undocumented word.  Th Let’s just agree to disagree.  This is what happens when you change the rules while in process.  I’ve talked to several people.  It’s all in question.  You didn’t respond. Is this a weekend event .