Gary Metcalf, BHS '66, Passed Away May 15, 2015

Sorry to share this sad news just received from Guy Gingell, BHS '66:

"Gary Metcalf died of a heart attack yesterday. He was living in Nampa, ID and is survived by his daughter, Summer Metcalf, son Rory Metcalf, grandchildren Evan 7 and Emma 3. After a long career as an engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad, he settled in ID and raised his daughter. 

"Gary was one of my very best friends growing up in Burbank, CA. We surfed Ventura County Line together for years, cruised Hollywood Blvd & Van Nuys Blvd picking up girls whenever we had the chance. I have many great stories about Gary rolling around in my head at the moment and can't help but laugh at all the things we used to do. Throwing eggs at cars was his specialty along with "borrowing" one of the cars his Dad was working on at his shop (of course before he had a license). Gary Metcalf got me in a lot of trouble over the years and I wouldn't change a thing. What is weird about the timing of his death is that I was going to call him yesterday to invite him to visit Walla Walla. I am really pissed that I didn't make that call.
Don't YOU make the same mistake---make the call you 've been putting off TODAY!"

Photo from Facebook


Apparently Gary had had a stroke a while ago and then a couple heart attacks. 

Gary's brother, Ron Metcalf, BHS '67, passed away in 2013. http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2013/07/ronald-roy-metcalf-bhs-67-1949-2013.html

May the Lord God comfort the family and their friends we pray.

FEBRUARY 4, 2016 UPDATE

OBITUARY
Gary Edgar Metcalf March 27, 1948 - May 15, 2015

Gary Metcalf, 67, of Nampa, ID passed away May 15, 2015 at home with his daughter, Summer and girlfriend, Debbie by his side. Gary was born March 27, 1948 in Los Angeles, CA to Edgar G. Metcalf and Hazel Young Metcalf. He was the first born of two sons and had a younger brother named Ron. Gary graduated from Burbank High School in CA in 1966. While attending Burbank High, Gary became a member of the swim team and that year they won the SCIF finals! When Gary wasn't in school he was at the beach surfing any chance he could get.

In 1968 Gary was drafted into the Army, they sent him over to Vietnam where he was a Communication Center Specialist. In 1970, after being discharged from the Army, Gary was hired on at Union Pacific Railroad. Gary worked there for the next 35 years until he was forced to take a medical retirement in 2006 because of heart problems.

Gary was married to Colleen Metcalf in 1987, they had 2 children together, a son named Rory and a daughter, Summer who was the apple of his eye. They were divorced in 1995 where Gary had full custody of children and loved being a full time dad. Gary has been blessed with 2 beautiful grandchildren through daughter, Summer, Evan 7 and Emma 3.

Gary was a professed atheist most of his life. He was an empirical thinker who believed in the power of reason and rationality and wasn't afraid to share his opinion on politics and religion. When asked what he would like to be remembered for, he said "if I've been able to make people laugh and help them have a good time, then I feel like I have done something worthwhile." All who know Gary would say that is exactly what he did. Laugh out loud any chance he got. Gary had an open door policy at his home, where any friend was welcome anytime. Gary was a good friend to all who knew him and his smile would light up the room.

Gary met his girlfriend, Debbie in 1999. Gary spent his last few months at home with Debbie taking care of him and visits from his daughter, summer, his ex wife Colleen and many of his wonderful lifelong friends. Gary was loved by many and will be remembered by all who knew him as an all around good guy who knew how to have fun.

Per his request there will be no services but we are having a Celebration of Life at the "Monkey Bizness" Bar downtown Nampa on Saturday May 30th at 2 pm. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bowmanfuneral.com.

Funeral Home
Bowman Funeral Parlor
10254 W Carlton Bay Dr
Garden City, ID 83714

Published in Idaho Press Tribune on May 23, 2015
(208) 853-3131
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/idahopress/obituary.aspx?pid=174917587#sthash.qtTjLm1U.dpuf

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/idahopress/obituary.aspx?pid=174917587

Rick Martin, BHS '76, Passed Away April 2015

Our deepest condolences to the Martin family... 

From Waneen Cormier Post-Marks on Facebook: 

I am sorry to report that RICK MARTIN, BHS 1976, passed away this week. He is brother to Val Martin Class of 1974 and cousin and best friend to Mark Mancinelli Class of 1976. Please keep his wife Lisa, his daughter Jessica, his son Ryan, granddaughter Kaylee & Grandson Dylan in your thoughts & prayers. Along with his siblings. Rick was loved by many and will be greatly missed. RIP

Lon Simmons, BHS 1940 (1923-2015)

Our condolences to the family and friends of Lon Simmons. He certainly had a wonderful career!

Bay Area’s Preeminent Broadcaster, Lon Simmons, Passes Away

Posted by Tim Livingston on Apr 6, 2015 16:21

Lon Simmons, the man with the seminal voice that created one of baseball’s greatest broadcasting duos with Russ Hodges and went on to serve as one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s preeminent broadcasters for the better part of four decades, passed away on Sunday at the age of 91.

Born in Vancouver, Washington on July 19, 1923, Simmons served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II after achieving great success as a pitcher at Burbank High School and later on at Glendale College in Southern California. He served his country en lieu of a scholarship opportunity given to him by USC during World War II. When he returned from active duty, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and pitched in their minor league system in 1947, but injured himself only a few games into his pro career and decided to call it quits.

He then turned to radio a few years later, and his new career started in Elko, Nevada in 1952, working for the city’s public station, KNPR. He would move down to Fresno, California in 1954 and broadcast for Fresno State University, a time where he announced basketball games when a young guard named Jerry Tarkanian played for the team.

After three years in Fresno, he went to broadcast for KSFO in San Francisco in 1957 and became a color commentator for the 49ers, beginning one of the most memorable stints for any broadcaster to ever come through the San Francisco Bay Area. When the Giants arrived in 1958, Lon Simmons took the helm as the team’s play-by-play broadcaster and formed an incredible team with fellow Hall of Famer Russ Hodges, who had followed the team in the move from New York.

For the next 14 years, the two men painted beautiful audio tapestries during a prosperous time for the Giants, as Simmons’ own illustrious career began to peak with the ascension of Willie Mays and Willie McCovey to Hall of Fame status. His incredible wit and dry personality fit the game perfectly, and his deep baritone became one of the most memorable voices associated with a game filled with them. Fellow Hall of Fame broadcaster Jon Miller has credited both Simmons and Hodges as the catalyst behind his desire to get into broadcasting when he grew up in the Bay Area during this time, connecting three of the greatest broadcasters baseball has ever known.

It was indeed an embarrassment of riches at this time in the young career of Simmons. Just as he was starting his pro baseball broadcasting tenure, a young man named Vin Scully had moved west with the Dodgers just like Hodges had with the Giants. Simmons’ addition gave the historic rivalry yet another historic voice to tell countless memorable stories, this time on the west coast. His famous “Tell it good-bye!” home run call still rings true amongst baseball fans, a call he crafted after Hodges’ own inimitable call, “Bye-bye, baby!”

But football ended up being where many sports fans heard some of his best work. During a 1964 49ers game against the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco quarterback Billy Kilmer was playing wide receiver and caught a pass before fumbling it. Minnesota defensive end Jim Marshall picked up the ball and excitedly took it the distance…to the wrong endzone.
 
That would not be his only memorable call for the 49ers. After his initial 24-year stint as the radio voice of the team ended in 1980, he returned in 1987 and was the man in the booth in 1988 when Steve Young made one of the most spectacular plays in NFL playoff history:

And soon after at Super Bowl XXIII, Simmons had the radio call during the incredible game-winning drive for the 49ers that was punctuated by Joe Montana’s touchdown pass to John Taylor.

He was also the broadcaster for the U.S. Men’s Hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, an event that Simmons calls one of the proudest in his career. From an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle back in 2013:

“Aside from his achievements in baseball and football, he has a special place in his heart for the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley. Doing a ‘pool broadcast,’ which was carried around the world, Simmons called the U.S. hockey team’s stunning defeat of the Russians and Czechs, which clinched the gold.
‘The most exciting event I ever did in my life,’ he said. ‘The tension was unbelievable. It was the first time the U.S. beat the Russians, and you never hear about it. All the talk is about the 1980 team. If I were on that ’60 team, I’d be madder than hell.’”

After over two decades working for the Giants, Simmons started doing broadcasts for the Oakland A’s in 1981, working with the legendary Bill King. In 1989, when the A’s and Giants faced each other in the World Series, King came down with laryngitis over the last two games of the series, and it was Simmons who had the mike when his new team beat his old one in a clean four game sweep.

In 1995, Simmons made the decision to step away from the broadcasting booth full time. He would return to do spot broadcasts for the Giants in 1996 and stopped broadcasting for good in 2002, returning only to visit his old haunt and add color to some broadcasts in his final years. He even threw out the first pitch on his 90th birthday at AT&T Park in 2013.



His crowning achievement came in 2004, when the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame gave Simmons its highest broadcasting honor: The Ford C. Frick Award. He became the second Giants broadcaster to be honored, following his long-time partner Hodges’ induction in 1980. He remains the only broadcaster in the history of the Oakland A’s franchise to win the award. He also was reluctant to receive the honor, as he himself said he didn’t rate with guys like Hodges, Scully or Ernie Harwell. Again from the San Francisco Chronicle, this the piece following his passing:

“He was enshrined in the broadcasters’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, an honor he treasured — albeit reluctantly.
Simmons had gone so far as to quash attempts by Giants officials and the likes of Joe Morgan and Vin Scully to push his candidacy.
‘I had felt, and still feel, I don’t rate up there with people like Scully, Harwell and Russ Hodges,’ Simmons said shortly after his election. ‘People can tell you things and make statements about how you do your job, and that’s gratifying’
‘But I’d finish broadcasts and be driving home and be really upset with myself because of something I didn’t say or some mistake I made … I never thought of myself as being a polished announcer.'”

As many tend to do, media members took to Twitter to express their condolences:
Giants radio play-by-play broadcaster Dave Flemming:

"I have been thinking about Lon since hearing the news this morning. Man, we are really, really going to miss him."

Long-time San Francisco Chronicle writer and current Comcast SportsNet Bay Area contributor Ray Ratto:
"Lon Simmons is the one broadcaster nobody ever tried to imitate, for the obvious reason that it couldn’t be done."

San Jose Mercury News columnist Tim Kawakami:
"Lon Simmons calling Giants games in the '70s is maybe my clearest childhood sports memory, and some of the best ones. Such a gracious man."

Longtime Giants beat writer Andrew Baggerly:
"Lon Simmons has passed away, the Giants say. The brightness of opening day dims a bit. The game has lost an iconic voice and true gentleman."

Lon Simmons spent over 40 years of his life as one of the best broadcasters in the history of sports and will be missed dearly by fans and colleagues alike. May he rest in peace.

http://awfulannouncing.com/2015/bay-areas-pre-eminent-broadcaster-lon-simmons-passes-away.html

Joyce Carlson Glenn, BHS '57 (1939-2015)

Our deepest condolences to Joyce's family...

My husband is Larry Carlson of the class of 1964. His sister just passed away on Friday, March 13th and she was BHS class of 1957. Her names was Joyce Carlson at BHS. Her name at the last reunion she attended just a few years ago was Joyce Carlson Glenn.

Thanks, Joy Carlson

OBITUARY

Joyce Carlson/Maddox/Glenn passed away due to complications from diabetes on March 13, 2015, at the age of 75, in the care of the Irvine Kaiser-Permanente Hospital. She is survived by her ex-husband Don Maddox, husband Tom Glenn, brother and sister-in-law Larry and Joy Carlson, the family of her first daughter Becky Brewer, the family of her second daughter Jennifer Maddox and the family of her son Tim Maddox.

Joyce was born on December 26th, 1939 in Burbank, California, to Marie Louise Carlson and Everett Carlson. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1957 and went on to successfully pursue a nursing degree from Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. Joyce was a Critical Care Nurse at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California, for over 20 years and retired as a hospice nurse in 2013.

Joyce is remembered as a vivacious and spirited soul, known for her strong will and compassionate care. In her later years, Joyce traveled to Israel and Africa on medical missions, extending the experience of her years of service to the most needy in the world. She also loved to dote on her grandchildren and spend long days relaxing at the beach.

A memorial service is planned for later this year.

Please send any cards or remembrances to:

The Brewer Family
17800 Santa Anita Circle
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Val Totten, BHS '64, Passed Away March 1, 2015

Sad news for the Class of '64...

Senior Photo

Valarie Eve "Val" Totten Smith

November 17, 1946 - March 1, 2015

FIND A GRAVE Link

Hi all,

It seems you only hear from me when I am relaying sad news...Here we go again. We just learned that our BHS '64 Classmate, Val Totten, passed away on March 1, 2015 after spending a month in the hospital battling a disease that would finally take her life.

Val was a very loving and caring person who will be missed by many.

May God Bless Her.

Pam Zipfel Kirkwood BHS '64


11th Grade Photo

BHS '64 2014 Memory Books

Email from Pam Kirkwood:

GOING, GOING.........................GONE...

That's right...we have a handful...(count 'em)...left...IF you are from BHS '64 and did not order a Memory Book from our 50th Reunion...this is "Last Chance Gulch"...(even if you are from another class and have friends or siblings in our class, this is a limited chance to have a piece of "nostalgia" for your own...) Just $25...Email Tammy Stepanow Klinger at 1@tammyklinger.com ASAP...When they are gone...there is nothing more we can do...

Kay Stephens Judge, BHS '53 (1935-2014)

We send our deepest condolences to Tony and the Judge family...


Kay and Tony Judge (source)

Kay (Stephens) Judge (1935-2014)

Posted: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 9:19 am

Kay (Stephens) Judge passed away on Dec. 1, 2014. She succumbed to a year and a half fight with cancer. Kay was born June 17, 1935, in San Antonio, Texas. She moved, with her family, to Burbank when she was 4. Kay graduated from Burbank High in 1953. Kay worked for more than a decade for Bob's Big Boy at various locations in the San Fernando Valley. She enjoyed a 20 year career in Aerospace retiring from Rocketdyne DeSoto in 1992.

Kay is survived by her husband of 40 years, Tony Judge of California City; her son Blayn (Sherri} Corwin of Provo, Utah; sisters, June Biggs of Surprise, Ariz., Pat (Bill) Gahnberg of Northridge, Calif., brother Terry (Jackie) Stephens of Holly Springs, N.C.; and by granddaughters, grandsons, great-granddaughters, great-grandsons, and nieces and nephews too numerous to include here.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Pauline Stephens.

Kay requested no memorial service. She will be sorely missed by all.

Source: http://www.albianews.com/obituaries/article_14cae196-8600-11e4-bde2-d7ed17805dc2.html

Kathleen Pape, BHS '64, Passed Away Feb 23, 2015

Kathleen Ellen Pape
Photo from 1963 Ceralbus yearbook

We are so sorry to have to deliver the sad news of another Burbank High Class of 1964 Classmate's passing. This morning we lost Kathy Pape after a many year battle with cancer. Kathy was a very sweet person and a good friend to many. She had lived in Burbank since her coming here as an infant with her family.

Thanks to Kay Soat Martyn for letting us know of Kathy's passing.

May God Bless Her and her family.

Pam Zipfel Kirkwood '64