Pat Taylor, 76, passed away at her home in Burbank, California, on June 18, 2020. She was born on May 27, 1944, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the late Donald Callahan and Gloria Smith. Pat was the oldest of three, now survived by her brother Larry and her sister Vicki.
Pat graduated in 1962 from John Muir High School in Pasadena, California. Shortly after, Pat turned her passion for vintage clothing into a career, and became the sole proprietor of Hubba Hubba! located on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank for 35 years. Pat was highly admired by her eye for her vintage clothing and her unique way with people. Besides her successful business, Pat supported her local theater community by attending several plays a month and enjoyed writing her weekly reviews as a columnist in the Tolucan Times.
Pat will be dearly missed by her daughter Dana and her son Jeffrey, as well as her grandchildren; Keegan, Kassidy and Kye and her two great-grandchildren.
Pat left a long-lasting impression and will be remembered fondly by her community, friends and family. We are hoping to have a Celebration of Her Life held in the near future.
Earl Anderson passed away on May 22, 2020. He was a longtime Burbank resident. He was born Dec. 21st, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, of Swedish immigrant parents. When he was nine years old the family moved from Chicago to Burbank, which remained his hometown for the rest of his life. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1944. In January of 1945 he joined the Army and retired from the Army as a photographer.
His career included working at Librascope, also at an advertising company and then as a photographer for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department where he retired after more than twenty-five years. He married his wife Joy in 1970 in Pasadena, California. They enjoyed extensive traveling throughout the United States including many train and bus excursions.
He is survived by his sister Donna Anderson Carlson and brother-in-law Jerry Carlson of Shady Cove, Oregon, niece Kristi Carlson of Playa del Rey, California, nephew Greg Carlson of Germantown, Wisconsin, and niece Donette Carr of Spanish Fork, Utah. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Joy and his brother Robert.
Sheri Bradsher née Stellburg, of Los Angeles, California, passed away at home, peacefully, surrounded by the love and presence of her “family,” on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Despite a four-year battle with cancer, Sheri truly had a zest for life, and lived her life full of joy, with laughter, and she brought light and love to everyone she met.
Sheri was born February 27, 1957, in Bellflower, California, to Ray Stellburg and Sharon Shannon. She married the love of her life and best friend, Dr. Julia E. Bradsher, two times in their 13 years together. They had a spiritual wedding before God, friends, and family in Novato, California, on March 7, 2009. Then, 4 years later, they were able to legally marry in Palm Springs, California, on November 3, 2013.
Sheri is survived by her wife, Julia; her brother Rick (Diane) Hahn, of Long Beach, California; brother Gary (Bridgette) Stellburg, of Earlsboro, Oklahoma; sister Darci (Mike) Sargent, of Sun City West, Arizona; nieces Lea Hahn, Nicole Sargent, Riana Stellburg, and nephew Joshua Sargent. She is equally survived by numerous friends who loved her dearly and were part of her “family.” Sheri will be deeply missed by her fur babies, Cali and Zorro.
Sheri held numerous job roles and positions throughout her life. She had a great entrepreneurial spirit. At the young age of 12 years old, she placed handwritten note cards in mailboxes surrounding her childhood home where she advertised doing odd jobs such as a dog walker, babysitter, and housecleaner. All of this to be able to pay for her horseback riding. She had a 20-year career in the medical field, primarily as a nurse’s aide and surgical instrument technician. She was also a Senior Airman in the Air Force Reserves and served as a medic. Her career culminated as an insurance advisor as she had a great passion for helping people with life planning.
Sheri was a passionate world traveler and loved to go dancing, attend theater, and Broadway musicals. Sheri and Julia visited almost every continent and had several “Broadway Week” trips to New York. Sheri loved the Lord and displayed it in her everyday life. Sheri and Julia are members of the San Marino Community Church.
A private service was held with “framily” on Saturday, June 13, 2020. A dance party and celebration of Sheri’s life will be held on a future date in the Fall.
The family has established The Sheri Bradsher Memorial Fund, established at Huntington Medical Research Institutes in Pasadena, California, to support scientific, community, and employee education. Donations can be made to HMRI at 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 https://hmri.org/give-now/
Sheri’s life is best summarized by a quote from Wayne Dyer, “When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.”
Virgil H. Culler passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 14, at the Meadows in Prescott Valley, Arizona, at age 98.
The son of Forrest and Emma (Shilder) Culler, Virgil grew up in Alliance, Ohio, graduating from Alliance High School. He met and married Anna C. “Ann” (Schorsten) Culler, the love of his life for 59 years.
Moving to Southern California in 1956, Virgil went to work for the Caltech-Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the research of liquid propellant for the space industry.
Virgil enjoyed building and flying model airplanes in the Mojave Desert.
He and Ann loved traveling twice a year to the Navajo reservations in Arizona to deliver clothes they had collected during that year. Virgil always lovingly spoke of the Navajo people as his favorite. It was an honor for him to be invited along with Ann to the Navajos’ sacred Yei-be-chei dance, being the only white people in attendance.
He acquired a 10-man raft and took family and friends on many trips down the San Juan River before it completely flowed into Lake Powell.
For 32 years, another highlight of his life was camping out on the “blue line” along Colorado Boulevard for the annual New Year’s Day Pasadena Rose Parade, going there the night before and saving seating spots for his family and friends to view the parade.
His brother, Kenneth E. Culler of Henderson, Nevada; cousin, Betty Brunner of McCrea Manor; and numerous nieces and nephews survive Virgil. His parents and his wife Anna “Ann” preceded him in death.
A graveside service will be held at the Freeburg Church of the Brethren with Pastor Zellers officiating on Wednesday, June 24, at 11 a.m. The service will be livestreamed; please see the bottom of Virgil’s obituary located at ctcfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Navajo Water Project Dig Deep 501(c)(3), info@digdeep.org, or the Freeburg Church of the Brethren, 4470 Beachwood Ave. NE, Paris, Ohio 44669.
Arrangements are by Cassaday-Turkle Funeral Home, Alliance, Ohio. Friends may register online at ctcfuneral.com.
On Friday, June 12, 2020, Thomas Saliamonas (known by all who loved him as Tommy) passed away at the young age of 18.
Tommy was born on March 16, 2002, at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California, to Stephanie Lynn Wiley and Vitautas John Saliamonas.
Tommy was a kind, compassionate, “always rooting for the underdog” person. He had an undeniable sense of adventure and enjoyed snowboarding, skateboarding, hiking, biking and spending time with friends. He had a true gift of making people feel important, loved and included. He would do anything to make people smile and was quick to strike up a conversation.
Family was so important to Tommy; he was especially close to his four grandparents and would spend hours listening to their childhood stories, helping them out around the house, and most importantly spending quality time together. Continue reading “Obituary- Thomas Saliamonas”
Angus Duncan McRonald was born on July 23, 1928, in Peterculter, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, and died of natural causes at his home in La Cañada Flintridge on June 5. His parents were Alexander Kelly McRonald and Mary Jane (Shepherd) McRonald, and he was one of seven children.
Angus excelled at school, earning high marks and scholarships. Still at school when World War II broke out, he did five years’ service in the U.K. RAF Volunteer Reserve as a student pilot, learning to fly before he could drive. Continue reading “Obituary- Angus Duncan McRonald”
Ruth Mary Turpin was born in 1935 to Ruth and George Bless of Pasadena. She lived the majority of her youth on Rubio Drive, Altadena, at the base of Mount Wilson, with her two brothers George Bless Jr. of Cincinnati and Craig Bless of Ontario. She was also very close to her Bay Area family — the Beltons and Wardens, with whom she spent countless summers and holidays.
Ruth attended Pasadena High School and graduated from Blair High before attending UC Berkeley as an English major.
Ruth was very social at Cal, joining Gamma Phi Beta sorority, a group of women with whom she remained friends her entire life. Her sorority sisters remember her as possessing incredible confidence, wit and a keen intuition understanding other people, her friends and family. Ruth possessed a natural charisma that established trust with anyone she met, and with her sparkling turquoise eyes, gorgeous smile and jet-black hair, it was impossible to not share your life story with her. She was a wonderful listener and offered great advice on life.
The combination of her innate people skills and compassion proved too much for a recent Cal graduate, Miles Turpin, who had returned to Cal while on leave in 1955 to visit his fraternity brothers. It would be a love story that crossed six decades and four boys. The two fell in love, with Ruth choosing to forgo her junior year to marry her dashing second lieutenant.
After being stationed briefly in Fort Lewis in Washington, the couple returned to South Pasadena and eventually to San Marino, where the family lived from 1960 through 1990, raising their four sons and engaging in many community-based activities. They were married for more than 63 years.
Ruth Turpin was a serial entrepreneur and an iconoclast at a time when women were expected to speak softly and subordinate themselves to their families. She ran a flexible and loving ship, applying her skills and interests to ensuring that her sons achieved academic success and that they remained open to a range of ideas, religions and philosophies of living that, at times, was questioned by more orthodox acquaintances who held more rigid views of rearing children in a time of major social change. Continue reading “Obituary | Ruth Mary Turpin”
Pearl Marie Riedel, 93, of Selma, California, passed away on May 13 after complications from pneumonia. Jack, 96, her husband was by her side.
She was born in Minneapolis, on May 16, 1926, and raised by her parents, George and Doris Rooney. At age 20, they moved to Pasadena, near extended family. She worked as a telephone operator during World War II, when she was introduced to Air Force pilot Jack Riedel. They were married in 1946 in Pasadena and raised their family in South Pasadena until moving to Selma in 1974.
Pearl and Jack raised six boys, Bob, Rich, Tom, Will, Ron and John. She is survived by her husband, Jack, of 74 years of marriage; her six sons; 16 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren with more on the way; and her sister, Pat Nagel of Huntington Beach.
Pearl was immensely proud of her family and loved all the daughters-in-law and all the children and leaves behind nothing but beautiful memories. Being involved with the boys’ schools, Cub Scouts, church functions and being with all her friends she had made over the many years were some of her most cherished memories. With her kindness and devotion to her family and friends, she touched each one of us and will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.
An intimate funeral took place on May 26 in Selma.
A celebration of her life will be scheduled after the current COVID-19 issues subside.
Domenic “Eddie” Saraceno passed away in Burbank at the age 92 after a brief illness. He was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1928 to Joseph and Rose Saraceno of Sicily.
Dad always recalled his early childhood as exciting, filled with “life’s little lessons.” Along with his pals (“The Brickyard Gang”) they forged lifelong friendships. “Friends to the end!”
Domenic attended Classical High and got his first part-time job working for the Thom McAn shoe company. As his career started to grow, it would soon be interrupted by the Korean conflict.
In 1950, Domenic was drafted into the U.S. Army (17th Infantry). He served with distinction, earning a Bronze Star Medal for valor and heroic achievement. Afterward, he returned to Thom McAn and helped expand the company to California. Continue reading “Domenic “Eddie” Saraceno – Obituary”
In Loving Memory of Christopher Daniel Berta September 23, 1988 – May 11, 2020
Christopher Daniel Berta
Our beloved son has gone home to be with the Lord. After many months of suffering, Christopher passed away from natural causes.
He is preceded in death by his father, Robert W. Berta, Jr. Christopher is survived by his loving mother, Susan Berta, and his brother, Alexander Berta of Pasadena, CA. Also survived by many uncles, aunts and cousins. Steve and Nancy Lidle, Hinesberg, Vermont; Charles and Valorie Berta, The Woodlands, Texas; Gene, Judy, Clay and Blake Matsuda, Palos Verdes Estates, CA; Erich, Mandy and Charlie Camping, Rochester, N.Y.
He enjoyed growing up in La Cañada. Christopher had a kind heart and caring soul and had many friends. As a member of St. Luke’s Anglican Church, he served as an Acolyte, served in Children’s Ministry, and was active in many youth groups.
His education included La Cañada schools, Mt. Bachelor Academy, Oregon, and graduated from Island View Academy, Utah. Upon graduation, he taught disabled children and also pursued a career in sales. Much like his father, he was a history buff and was an avid reader.
As a member of the Los Angeles Yacht Club, Christopher grew up sailing offshore and to Catalina Island on his family’s sailboat.
His pride and joy was his 14-foot Lazer which he sailed in the Port of L.A.
Because of Christopher’s love of the ocean, his wishes were to be joined with his father at sea.
During this uncertain time, there will be an intimate family memorial service.
The family wishes that in lieu of flowers, to please consider making a contribution to St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Building Fund at 2416 Montrose Avenue, Montrose, CA 91020.
