Michael O'Dea, BHS '80, Passed Away Dec 24, 2015

Please scroll down for updates


Heartbreaking news...

"It is with a heavy heart I am writing this. December 24, 2015 we lost my brother Michael O'Dea. He leaves behind 3 beautiful kids."
Ellen O'Dea-sportelli‎

Michael is proceeded in death by his wife, Judy, who passed away in 2006.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ladailynews/obituary.aspx?n=judy-odea&pid=19196887

Also the O'Dea family sadly lost older brother, Tim O'Dea, BHS '67, in 2000.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSvcid=41772&GRid=24351473&

JANUARY 18, 2016 UPDATE
"Lost my little brother Christmas eve.......its a tough time for the family and especially for his kids. He was my best friend and a great father!! Mike left no will or life insurance so the kids are going to struggle for a while before they can get their emotional and financial matters under control. If you are so inclined, any help and prayers are welcome." Jim O'Dea (BHS '67)

https://www.gofundme.com/odeafamily


A FEW COMMENTS FROM FACEBOOK

Cathy Palmer
Heartbreaking... I am so sorry to hear, Ellen, and send my deepest condolences to you and all the family.

Mike King
Our prayers go out to you and his family.

Nancy McNamara Zambrana
I'm so very sorry to hear about Mike's passing. My deepest sympathy to the O'Dea family. So sad, so young!

Don Himes
So sorry to hear this Ellen. Many memories of us on Myers street,RIP my old friend.

Linda Silvas
So sorry

Annette Dinolfo Bennett
So sorry! Memories of the Odea family are so close to my heart. Especially all the kids like our family. List my baby sister in 09 she was class of 81. So sad and so young. Prayers and thoughts to the whole family.

Carol Forrand Tallakson
Prayers go out to his family

Rich Morrison
Sorry for your loss.

Dianne Postal-Simmons
Sending prays .. I remember him when we were very young .. A lot of love

Carol Nicholls Lebrecht
Sorry to hear of the loss of your brother Michael. I attended school with Jim and Tim, class of 1967. Sending prayers to the family during this time. I know how hard it is losing a loved one during the Holiday Season. I too just lost my Mother on Dec 15th. Know that your brother will be looking over you all from Heaven.

Nadine Aguirre Lujan
So sorry for your loss.

Mike Fasano
God Bless RIP

Tracy Reed
I am so sorry for your loss! I was Class of '79 (Tracy Blass back then), and I remember your brother.

Sandy Moody
RIP Mike, I too, went to Horace Mann, John Muir and BHS with Mike. He did some work on my Mom's house many years after graduation ( and many years ago ) my best memories are from elementary school though, we were all such close friends back then...

Mary Parker
So sorry for your loss. I remember Mike to be a kind heart. God bless him and comfort his family.

Dee Dee Daugharty Culotta
Sorry for your loss...

Darlene Esquivel
So sorry to hear about your loss. Praying for your family.

Brenda Rossie-soto
Sorry for your lost may he REST in Peace

Stella Hoefflin
so sorry

Cindy McDaniel Herrin
My condolences

Barbara Zelenay Berry
Deeply saddened of Mike' passing. My heart goes out to you, Ellen , Maureen, Jim and Kim.. He will be truly missed but never forgotten.. May he RIP...Love to you all..

Carol Brown Baker
Very sorry for your loss. He is way too young to be gone!

Cathy Nicholls Coyle
So sorry to hear of your brother's passing. May God wrap you in his arms and comfort you and your family.

Jaime Ztinztun
RIP

Lupe Covarrubias
I am very sorry

Bev Peters
Sorry for your loss.

Susan Pena MacCaskey
Sorry for your loss. . . Prayers of comfort for the family!

Laura Carpenter
I'll be keeping all of your family in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Anthy Hellmers
Rest in peace brother Mike

Tony Gentile
Sad news, sorry for the loss your brother. We grew up on Keystone not too far from your house if i remember correctly....always thought mike was a great guy. May God comfort your family.

Heidi Davenport
So sorry Ellen O'Dea-sportelli. Life is so brief.

Belen Whitaker
So sorry for your loss. I know the pain your feeling.

Carrie Diaz-Lathouwers
So sorry for your loss. Sending love, hugs and prayers to you and his whole family.

Vicki Herrin Fields
Rest in Peace.

Leslie Gentile Chamberlain
So sorry

Karen Vereuck
Prayers for comfort & peace to you and your family! heart emoticon

Toni Sarno
My deepest condolences to all of who loved Mike such a great guy. Rest in peace Mike... Gone too soon such a kind loving soul who loved nature...may God's perpetual light shine upon him

Brenda Balogh Leicht
So sorry for your loss

Lisa Votaw Martin
So sorry for your loss. Mike worked for my husband back in the day, he was a great guy. 🏼

Jessica Oei
So sorry for your loss Ellen.

Renee' Buckley York
The sweetest gentle giant, he will never be replaced and forever in our hearts

Lorraine Weil
Very sorry to hear - Mike was so kind to everyone!

Anita Page
So sad to hear. My deepest sympathy for the family.

Dolores Dodds Oergel
RIP. Praying for you and your family.

Lisa Thomas
So very sad, my prayers are with his family.

Teri O'Connor
So sorry to hear this RIP MIke

Kathleen Pirruccello
So sorry for yr loss he was a good guy.

Allana Schwarz
My prayers are with u and his fam

Gary Pyne
Sorry for your loss what a cool person he was.

Nancy Fischer
Sorry to hear, blessing for the family.

Andy Rondon
Years of hanging out at Vollands house with terry and Phil Cullotta , Big surfer and a real nice Bro.

Shirley Grothe Lundquist, BHS '62, Passed Away December 26, 2015

We are very sorry to share that Shirley Grothe Lundquist passed away today.

She is survived by her three children, Scott, Angie, Lori, their families and many other relatives who dearly love and miss her.

Her husband, Gary Lundquist, also a BHS '62 alumni, passed away in 2009.
http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2009/09/gary-arthur-lundquist-1944-2009.html

Please keep Shirley's family in your thoughts and prayers.

Dean Moxness, BHS '61, Passed Away Dec 23, 2015

Today I received this notice from Dean's sister...

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I let you know that my dear brother, Dean, passed away at 6:05 last night. The last couple of weeks were a struggle, so we all consider it a blessing. He went peacefully.

I am so grateful he and his wife were nearby. Despite Dean's illness, they had decided to winter in Florida and had arrived in their RV in mid-November at a campground about 7 miles from me. Their children flew here about a week and a half ago, so he was able to visit with them. He passed knowing how much he was loved by us all.

Andrea

FIND A GRAVE LINK https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183497798/hobart-dean-moxness

Catherine (Katie) Hunter Nicholls, BHS '38 (1920 - 2015)

Catherine (Katie) Hunter Nicholls, 95, born in 1920 in Scotland, passed away December 15, 2015. She resided in Burbank, California, at the time of her passing. Arrangements were under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California and the service was December 22, 2015

Katie is survived by her 5 children: Richard Nicholls, Joan Dempsey, George Nicholls, Carol Lebrecht and Cathy Coyle and their families. She was deeply loved and is greatly missed.






Burbank Parade
"The parade photo was taken at the BHS Centennial in 2008. She and her cousins had a ball riding in the parade!!!" Cathy Coyle

http://forestlawn.tributes.com/obituary/show/Catherine-Nicholls-103113290

JANUARY 29, 2016 UPDATE

Obituary

Catherine Nicholls 1920-2015 and John Nicholls 1915-2007 "Together Again"

Catherine "Katie" Nicholls (95) passed away peacefully in Burbank on December 15, 2015, surrounded by her family. Catherine was an active member of the Burbank Community where she lived for over 83 years.

Catherine was born in Glasgow, Scotland in January 1920 to George and Jeannie Hunter. Her family emigrated, through Ellis Island, to Schenectady, New York when she was just 3 years old. When she was 7, her family moved to Detroit, Michigan and then on to Burbank, California when she was 12 years old.

Catherine graduated from Burbank High School in the Winter class of 1938. She always loved to dance and spent many summers dancing away with the many popular Big Bands of Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, at the Avalon Casino on Catalina Island. She met the love of her life, John "Johnny" Nicholls, when her parents were running a Boarding House. Johnny was born in Mineral, Washington, December 1915, and had come down from Malone, Washington to attend Aeronautical School, which, during World War II, offered him a position at Lockheed Aircraft supervising the production of the P38 Lightning Aircraft.

John and Catherine were married on June 26, 1942. Together, while owning and operating a Motel and Upholstery Shop, they raised five children. They joined the First Lutheran Church and enjoyed being in a Square Dancing Club while the children attended the Church and School. In 1961, they moved into one of the First Electric Medallion Houses in Burbank. Johnny had taken the entire summer off to build the home on a lot that Catherine found, with only a pool on the property. They lived there 13 years while John worked many years for Axvall Instruments, as a Tool and Die Maker and Catherine worked for the Burbank Central Library, as a Library Clerk. John became a 32nd Degree Mason and together they worked as Realtor's and became members of the Burbank Historical Society. Catherine also volunteered with the State Elections for over a decade.

After their five children were raised and married, they enjoyed boating in their 35 foot Chris Craft and then traveling and camping in their 30 foot motor home. They spent many summers visiting John's family in Washington; along with many trips with the Burbank Elks Lodge's Roving Antlers; as well as, many boating trips to Catalina with Catherine's cousins: Jean Sparks & Rena Stumbo Ryde.

Above all, family was one of the most important part of Catherine and Johnny's life. They attended, as well as hosted, many family gatherings where John always told his family how proud he was of each and every one of them. The most famous was the Nicholls Family Christmas party held annually. After Johnny's death on February 9, 2007, Catherine continued on with the tradition of hosting the Annual Family Christmas party each year. She also hosted St. Patrick's Day parties and Thanksgiving Dinner each year.

Catherine will always be remembered for her ageless beauty and boundless energy. She was always ready to go at a moment's notice. She continued dancing away for many years, (well into her early 90's), at the Joslyn Senior Center in Burbank. After singing and gently swaying to her Grandson Steve Dempsey's piano playing, she suffered a massive stroke. She is now dancing her heart out in Heaven, with her beloved, Johnny.

Catherine leaves behind five children: Joan (Don) Dempsey; Richard Nicholls; George (Christie) Nicholls; Carol (Wayne) Lebrecht; and Cathy (John) Coyle; 17 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great, grandchild. Catherine was laid to rest on December 22, 2015, after a beautiful Service at the Old North Church in Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills. A Scottish mist loomed as a backdrop while a lone bagpiper's song filled the air as she was placed in her final resting place, next to her beloved husband.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/catherine-nicholls-obituary?pid=1000000176945653

Larry Wade, BHS '76 (1958-2015)

From Caryn Gold on Facebook, we learned the sad news that Larry Wade passed away from cancer.


Larry Wade
February 16, 1958 - December 11, 2015

Thank you Caryn for this very nice tribute:
http://play.smilebox.com/SpreadMoreHappy/4e444d304d6a59784e4464384d7a55794e5441304f54673d0d0a