Thursday, October 31, 2013

Robert Jaffie, Former BHS Teacher (1922-1973)


Photo from 1955 BHS Ceralbus yearbook



It is always nice to remember those who made a difference in our lives...

Cathy, I am a '55 grad of BHS. I am forwarding this e-mail I received from the daughter of Robert and Margaret Jaffie. Her name is Nancy. Her mother's obit appears on "bhsinmemoriam.blogspot". Until her mother's obit was published no one in my class that I know of has been able to find out what happened to her father who was my English teacher at BHS.

Formerly student body president at UCLA in the 40's, Robert Jaffie was a highly respected and very popular teacher at BHS. His daughter told me that her father and mother were both teachers at BHS when they were married. Apparently the City of Burbank School Administration wouldn't allow a husband and wife to teach at the same school so Nancy's mother transferred to Burroughs and completed her teaching career there.

Anyway, I thought that graduates from the late 40's and early 50's would be interested to learn more about Robert Jaffie and your forum seemed like a good way to do that.

Dick Erickson



Hello Dick:

I found my father's obituary notice as it appeared in the Washington Post in April, 1973. I also scanned a copy of a poem that was composed and read at his memorial service by a close friend of his. It was a very lovely and touching poem and there was not a dry eye in the house when he stepped away from the podium.

Best regards,
Nancy


Here is the Obituary for Nancy's mother...

Thursday, September 1, 2011


Margaret Elizabeth List Jaffie, BHS Teacher

 
Margaret E. Jaffie, BHS Teacher


Margaret E. Jaffie, 88, a retired public affairs officer for the Voice of America who conducted thousands of public tours of the international broadcasting operation during a 20-year tenure, died Feb. 12, 2009 at her home in Sun City Center, Fla., after having a heart attack while swimming.


She was a former resident of the District.Leading five or more tour groups a day through VOA's headquarters at 330 Independence Ave. SW, Mrs. Jaffie explained the broadcast network's mission and operations, answered countless questions and, in her words, "told America's story to the world."Those to whom she gave tours included entertainer Pearl Bailey, an African king, the boxers Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard and U.S. service people who listened to VOA while stationed overseas.


They also included, on one occasion during the Cold War, two heavyset men with Russian accents who said they were from New York. They actually were journalists from Pravda, the official Soviet newspaper."They wrote that they visited the Voice of America and met a feisty old lady, wearing tennis shoes, who was spreading propaganda," Mrs. Jaffie recalled in a 2002 VOA interview. Her tennis shoes were a way to cope with the long, uncarpeted corridors of the VOA building.


She also recalled a young man from Hungary who took her tour. "He said, 'I want you to know my uncle went to jail for listening to the Voice of America. That's why I'm here. I wanted to hear it, too.'"I was thrilled," Mrs. Jaffie said.


In 1989, she received the Congressional Award for Exemplary Service to the Public. The citation read in part: "Mrs. Jaffie's pride and affection for VOA and its people are contagious. Visitors -- be they members of Congress, foreign diplomats or American high school students -- come away from her tours excited by what she has shown and told them."


She was born Margaret Elizabeth List in Scranton, N.D., and received a bachelor's degree in 1941 from St. Cloud State Teachers College (now St. Cloud State University) in Minnesota. After graduating, she moved to California, where she lived with an aunt and taught international relations and English at Burbank High School. (Future film star Debbie Reynolds was one of her students.) She also married a fellow teacher, Robert Jaffie.


A few years later, her husband joined the U.S. Information Agency Foreign Service, and in 1955, the couple began a 16-year odyssey that took them to India, Nepal, Pakistan and China. During their first overseas assignment in Calcutta, Mrs. Jaffie worked as a volunteer with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. She also volunteered teaching American English and American culture to young Indians.


The Jaffies moved back to Washington in 1972 because of Robert Jaffie's failing health. After his death in 1973, Mrs. Jaffie became a State Department escort officer, arranging itineraries and accompanying foreign officials, academics, journalists and other visitors on tours of the United States.


She became a VOA tour guide the next year. At her retirement ceremony 20 years later, her colleagues presented her with a pair of tennis shoes dipped in bronze.In retirement, Ms. Jaffie lived in Falls Church and had a second home in Sun City Center, where she swam daily.


She made frequent trips to Egypt and later Botswana to visit her daughter and also made several trips to New Delhi to visit old friends. Survivors include her daughter, Nancy Jaffie of Springfield; and a sister. 

Monday, October 28, 2013

Thank A Soldier - Nov 2, 2013

This year our goal is to send 1000 packages to our deployed military in Afghanistan for Christmas. Last year we sent 560 packages. Stop by, enjoy the day and help us meet our GOAL !

Hope to see you there !!!

Greg Alaimo, BHS '66

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Dennis Howell, BHS '64 (1945-2013)



So sorry to hear and we send our deepest condolences to the family...

We just received the sad news that our friend and Classmate from Burbank High Class of '64, Dennis Howell, lost his long and hard-fought battle with cancer last Sunday Morning. Even after his diagnosis, Denny "carried on with life", living it to the fullest and sharing every precious moment with his loving wife and also BHS '64 classmate, Mary Lee Belloni Howell. He never complained and he handled his illness with dignity and courage and a strong belief in God.

Dennis grew up in Burbank and many of us knew him at Luther Burbank Jr. High...
He and Mary Lee and their little kitty, enjoyed camping and traveling with their friends who had trailers and RV's.

Denny also loved to sing and was a member of his church choir.

Denny always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. We will miss his gentle spirit and friendship.

There will be a Memorial Service for Dennis this coming Saturday, October 19, 2013 at Denny's and Mary Lee's church at the corner of Grant and Highway 20, in Lebanon, Oregon...The time will be 3PM.

If anyone would like to send a note or a card of condolence to Mary Lee Howell, here is the address:
Mrs. Dennis Howell and Family
661 E. Isabella St.
Lebanon, Oregon 97355

DECEMBER 1, 2013 UPDATE
OBITUARY from the Lebanon Express
October 23, 2013 2:00 am
http://lebanon-express.com/news/local/obituaries/obituary-dennis-george-howell/article_fb883316-3b53-11e3-9c8e-0019bb2963f4.html

Obituary: Dennis George Howell
Feb. 12, 1945 - Oct. 13, 2013

Dennis George Howell, 68, of Lebanon, died at his home on Oct. 13, 2013.

He was born Feb. 12, 1945 in Burbank, California to John Monroe and Florence Marie (La Pask) Howell.

He graduated from Burbank High School and attended junior college in Woodland Hills, California. He worked as parts department manager at various car dealerships in southern California for 42 years.

He married Mary Lee (Belloni) Koontz on Feb. 11, 2006 in Las Vegas and moved to Lebanon that same year.

He worked as a courier for Medicap Pharmacy until retiring earlier this year.

He was a member of the Lebanon First Christian Church where he served as a church elder. He enjoyed county western dancing, gardening, and watching western movies.

He enjoyed singing and was a member of the Burbank Acapella Singers, a barber shop quartet, the Lebanon First Christian Church Choir, the Louis Lehman Christian Chorale, the Lebanon Community Choir, and the Master’s Men’s Choir.

He is survived by his wife Mary Lee Howell, of Lebanon; step-daughter Deborah L. Scroggin, of Ventura, California; step-sons Michael E. R. Koontz and Brandon R. Koontz, both of Santa Clarita, California; three step-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; and cousin Roberta “Bobbie” Orsatti and her three sons, all of Bend.

His parents died before he did.

A memorial service was held at 3 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the Lebanon First Christian Church.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Lebanon First Christian Church sent in care of Huston-Jost Funeral Home, 86 W. Grant St., Lebanon, OR 97355.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Tyler McCauley, BHS '65 (1947-2013)



Received this email today from Trudie Lombard Hentze, BHS '65. Please keep the McCauley family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sorry to have to pass on sad news...

J. Tyler McCauley passed away at his home on September 25th. He was married to our BHS 65 Classmate, Patricia Goldstone.

Tyler worked for Los Angeles County his entire career of 39 years, and served as the Auditor-Controller from 2000 to 2008.

The following is the information on the memorial service for Tyler:

Friday, October 11, 2013 at 10:00 AM
First United Methodist Church (located across from Burbank High School)
700 N. Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502

Lunch Reception to follow at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the following organization of Tyler’s choice:
AWANA Club International
In Memory of J. Tyler McCauley
15877 Collection Center Drive
Chicago, IL 60693-0158

LINK TO FIND A GRAVE