Providence High School Class of 1959: September 2008

THE PIONEERS

THE PIONEERS

We are the Pioneers because we were the first. We started school in tents due to the steel strike in 1955. We were the only class - all freshmen, then in the following years, always the upperclassmen. Because we were such a small class, we all knew one another. We chose the school colors, uniform, and wrote our alma matter. We published the first yearbook and named it "Esprit" for our sense of spirit. And we were the first class to celebrate a 50th reunion - still the Pioneers. How wonderful to reminisce and reconnect with one another!

PHS 50 YEAR SCHOLARSHIP FUND

PHS 50-YEAR CLUB SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Following our 50-year class reunion in March 2009, the class of '59 gifted Providence High School with a special scholarship fund to be used for financially-needy students. This fund is called: PHS 50-Year Club Scholarship Fund. This fund will last in perpetuity as long as we, and other classes as they reach the 50-year anniversary of their graduations, continue to contribute to it. If you are able and willing to contribute to our alma mater, will you please designate "PHS 50-Year Scholarship Fund" as the payee on your check or credit card gift. With our assistance the scholarship will go on forever -- and the Class of 1959 will always be remembered.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Bonny Harvey LaMonica

Hi everyone from class of 1959. Hardly seems possible that 50 years have passed so quickly.

So--- here is my story: After high school I went directly into nurses training at Providence Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon. I graduated after 3 year of study in 1962.
I gladly came home to a dryer climate and began work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank. I even helped as a volunteer at one of the polio vaccine clinic days at the hospital.
In June of 1964 I married Sal LaMonica and then very quickly had four children ( 3 boys , 1 girl). Their ages now are : 43,42,41 and 39. During this hectic time I stayed I was a stay at home Mom but did volunteer nursing at St. Genevieve’s in Panorama City for about 4-5 years. That was when I discovered I liked working with the students but couldn’t get paid unless I had my BS in something.
So----- I returned to college in 1975 at Valley College and proceeded to earn by Bachelors Degree in health science from CSUN in 1980. Then because I fell in love with the educational process and the challenge I continued on until I finished my Masters Degree in Educational Psychology in 1988.
While finishing my education I was also working at various jobs ---- all in nursing but had great experiences, including hospital nursing, first aid nursing at Magic Mountain, Occupational health nursing at Price Pfister (the faucet company) and Micom Systems. I also volunteered for the Red Cross teaching CPR & First Aid and helping during disasters. My final job was with LAUSD as a school nurse.
I am now happily retired and loving every minute of it.
I have 8 grandchildren(5 boys & 3 girls) ages 13 to 4 years of age. My free time is spent daily watching at least 6 of these children after school and driving to their various activities----- dance, soccer, karate, etc. They are the loves of my life and relish watching them grow up.
How do I keep up with all of this you might wonder. Well, I go the gym 3-4 times a week. Exercise consists mostly of yoga which gives me health and spiritual strength. I highly recommend it for everyone.
I hope to see all you at the reunion in March 13-15, 2009. We have some fun things planned. But mostly I would like to see us all gather to remember, laugh, giggle, and share some more of our stories and pictures. Bonny Harvey LaMonica

POSTED BY BONNY HARVEY LA MONICA

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sharon Helmer

Hi, Everybody-

It’s Sharon Helmer. I was honored to attended Providence my senior year and it was my first experience at an all girl’s high school year. I selected Providence because Patty Van Trump and I grew up together and she advised me to go to Providence…better school, more progressive over Corvallis. She was absolutely right. What an experience! What I loved about the school was the sense of community and belonging, not only because of the Sisters of Providence but because of the quality of students at the high school. And we got all that for $13.00 a month, what a bargain!

I had wanted to enter the convent after high school, but I was turned down because of my age(16) and being new to Catholicism, I had only been a Catholic for 3 years. So I attended Junior college and worked at the Bank of America in Toluca Lake. After 2 years of that, I entered the Convent in Dubuque, Iowa with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary( they are at Bell Jeff, Holy Family, St. Charles, etc.) and served for 7 years. When I left, I taught in Catholic Schools for 13 years and earned a Masters of Science Degree in School Counseling. Four of my teaching years were at Providence and it was an honor to work with Sr. Esther, Sr. Rebecca and Sr. Alexis.

I eventually left teaching to venture into the business world and since I didn’t have experience or education in the business world, I chose sales as the best profession for me. I worked for 9 years as a sales associate for a printing broker. In 1989, my sister and I bought a printing company in the San Fernando Valley and were very successful with that business until the year 2000 when we decided to sell. In the meantime, I had joined a networking organization in 1996, called WRS-Worthwhile Referral Service. It’s the largest and oldest (31 years) in southern California. I became heavily involved in the organization and I have achieved the highest awards that the organization has to offer and I am very proud of that.

I earned my real estate license in 2002, was awarded Rookie of the Year for Century 21 and I have been a Multi Million Dollar producer for Century 21. I currently live in Sherman Oaks, love to golf, 13 handicap and have a dog (Chihuahua/Terrier) named Daisy.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.;),

POSTED BY SHARON HELMER

Friday, September 5, 2008

Carol Lex Tanner

After graduating from PHS, 6 of our class entered the Sisters of Charity of Providence’s convent in Seattle, WA. I can best describe the experience as a “spiritual boot camp.” Simultaneously we were enrolled in Seattle University. I opted to leave the novitiate after 2.5 years and, after a few distractions along the way, finally completed my Bachelor’s degree at the age of 42.
Within 2 years of de-frocking, I met and married that good Catholic boy we all learned about in high school. The marriage lasted only 5 years but produced a wonderful daughter, Kelley (now age 43 and married with 4 step-children). Following were 8 years of being a single, working mom who dated some really great guys and eventually married the greatest: my husband of 31 years, Rick Tanner.
From the month I left the convent until retirement in 2006, I experienced a career that started with being a receptionist and topped out as a VP of Human Resources. I loved being in the workplace, which included only four companies (I am disgustingly stable): an international environmental engineering firm, a stock brokerage company, a national commercial real estate company and, lastly, a software development start-up in Santa Monica.
Prompted by both business reasons and personal vacations, I have been fortunate enough to travel to over 50 countries so far, more recently plotting them with tacks on a world map as only retired people have time to do. Though Rick opts to remain gainfully employed full time, we still manage to take a couple of trips a year before we become too decrepit to wheel our luggage.
As much as I enjoyed my professional career, this new phase called “retirement” is rich with choices and fun. I spend many volunteer hours working with K9 Connection (www.k9connection.org), a group which interacts with at-risk teens in alternative high schools and residential facilities by teaching them to obedience-train homeless dogs in order to make them more adoptable. During the programs, the teens grow in confidence, set goals and learn new life skills. We continue to remain in contact with the kids after the programs end. Rick and I also help Westside German Shepherd Rescue by occasionally fostering one of their rescue dogs until it finds a permanent home. Additionally, lemon-martini lunches with friends, weekly yoga/meditation classes, gym workouts, reading, gardening and an occasional college class (I still can’t speak Spanish!) keep me on the move.
Life is filled with lots of family, friends and challenges. I have included a picture of the greatest loves of my life: my daughter and husband.
Let us stay connected so that I can invite you to my 99th birthday party in the years to come.
Enjoy the journey!
Carol Lex Tanner
cdtanner@ca.rr.com

POSTED BY CAROL LEX TANNER

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

A message from Jerry Fecht - Museum of San Fernando Valley & ND class of 1957

Here's the Museum blog posting I just put up re:Providence. I've attached the Simi's ad for your use. I'll also post your blog on the NDHS blog. If you send me your lost women, I'll post them on the ND blog, if you wish. Jerry Fecht

ON THE ND BLOG -

In preparation for the upcoming 50th class reunion of Providence High School Burbank, the "Pioneers" (they were the first class in the school's history) are building a blog. The Museum Community of The Museum ofthe San Fernando Valley is proud to share the history of our community with such an accomplished group of women. Providence High's Class of 1959 blog is:http://phs-59.blogspot.com/

Notre Dame High's Class of 1957 blog is:http://ndhs1957.blogspot.com/

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley's blog is:http://museumsanfernandovalley.blogspot.com/

POSTED BY GERALD FECHT

Barbara Palumbo Poer

After graduation from Providence and, at my father's insistence, I entered Mt. St. Mary's College in the Fall of 1959. This despite my acceptance and my own desire to attend either UC Berkeley or UCLA. The Mount and I were definitely NOT a match made in heaven. I left after completing 2 years of course work and, to my everlasting regret, never went further with my education. At that time, Paula Powell was working in the fashion business in downtown LA and suggested I interview at the same firm. She left shortly thereafter but I stayed for 6 years and met my husband John as a result. We were married in July, 1964. I loved my job and had worked my way up from the mail room to assistant buyer to assistant fashion coordinator when I (finally) became pregnant with our first child, John Anthony, Jr., who was born in 1968. He was closely followed by Alexandra in 1969 and Susannah in 1972. We moved to Pasadena in 1971 and have never left. Three children in 4 years precluded a return to the business world and I happily settled in to a life of children, carpools, volunteering and being a stay-at-home mother. These were truly wonderful and fulfilling years.

In 1984, it dawned on me that my life was going to change dramatically when our children left for college between 1986-90. For several years, John had given me the loving gift of designing a piece of jewelry for myself once a year on our anniversary. It was his suggestion that this might be a real career for me but how to go about it? Within months, a good friend in Pasadena coincidentally suggested I have lunch with her and a college friend from USC who, just happened, to be in the jewelry business. It was like meeting a long-lost twin sister. We have been business partners and close friends for 23 years and our business has continued to grow and flourish. We are "private jewelers", which means we do not have a retail store but deal individually with clients to design, purchase, find, restore or redesign whatever their hearts' desire. The past few years have seen the start of what we call our "second generation" of business where we are now doing engagement rings and anniversary pieces for the sons and daughters of our original clients. I cannot, for the foreseeable future, see either one of us retiring from something we both love.

Apart from my working life, I am also the very proud grandmother of Talulla, age 5, daughter of Alexandra who lives in Pasadena and Lucie, age 3, daughter of Tony who lives in the Napa Valley. Susannah is unmarried and also lives in Pasadena. John and I love to travel and a few years ago, discovered the joys of bicycle vacations. We have a group of friends who also enjoy biking, so every other year, a group of about 14-16 of us have done Prague to Vienna, the Puglia region of southern Italy and the Veneto region of northern Italy. Morocco and Holland are two prospects for the future--both with flatter terrains which are easier on aging bodies!!!

Devi and I have had some hilarious conversations over the past few weeks, reminiscing all the way back to age 11 at St. Charles grammar school. It is going to be wonderful reconnecting with other members of our Providence class and I am very hopeful that we have a fantastic turnout.

POSTED BY BARBARA PALUMBO POER

Monday, September 1, 2008

Geri Golden Arnold

After getting engaged to Bob Souza on graduation night, we married a year later in June of 1960. We were blessed with four sons. Bob Jr.1961, Mike 1962, Ken 1963, and Steve 1965. I was a stay at home mom until Bob started junior high school. I went to work at Safeco insurance company , then became a salesrep for Legg"s pantyhose. In 1975 I went to work for Crown B.B.K. (a large food broker) and worked my way up to an account executive. During these years Bob and I were quite involved with Pop Warner sports as the boys were very good athletes and played football, basketball and track. We also did a great deal of sailing . We spent many weekends at Channel Islands in Ventura. These were fun and very busy years, but in 1984 Bob and I divorced. The boys were off to college and pretty much out on their own.
We sold the house and moved to Huntington Beach. I continued working for the Food Broker and grateful I had a wonderful job. In 1986 I met Lee Arnold, through work. He worked for Kraft Foods and would go on sales calls with me. Lee proposed to me and we married in February of 1987.
As a result, after 12years I resigned at Crown and moved with Lee to the Bay area . We lived in Fremont for approximately five years and then moved to Pleasanton, Ca. I got my real estate license in northern Ca. and worked in real estate until 1997, when Lee and I retired and we moved to Sun City Summerlin in Las Vegas. We love it here. We have made many new friends and are busy playing golf and bowling. Lee and I joke around and wonder how we ever got anything done when we worked. Fifteen months ago we got a shih tzu puppy named Bandit. She has sure changed our lifestyle, but we couldn't imagine our lives without her.
On our 20th anniversary Lee and I had our marriage blessed in the Church. We will celebrate our 22nd anniversary on February 7th. We are blessed with 11 grandchildren. My sons have 5 daughters and 4 sons between them, all living in California. Lee has 2 daughters and 1 granddaughter and1 grandson in Seattle.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion in March. Until then keep safe and God bless.
Wishing all of you the best life has to offer,
Geri

POSTED BY GERI GOLDEN ARNOLD

Katie Pelky Dietrich

After I left Providence I went to work for a Bank in Los Angeles. At 18 I married the boy I was dating in my senior year. We had 3 children, Mike, Denese and Debra. That marriage lasted 11 years and ended in divorce. A few years after that I was working for a Bank in Woodland Hills and met my 2nd husband Jim. We both stayed in Banking for 10 years then we bought a Feed business in Agoura. We worked in that business for 15 years, decided to retire and travel. We sold the business to Denese, my daughter, 9 years ago. Cancer claimed Jim a little over a year ago. Our plans were cut short.

Now I find myself out in the dating world. Who would have thought at 66 I would be dating again. Not me but here I am. I have met a very nice man and think I might be in love again.

I have 3 great children and 4 stepdaughters and 10 grandchildren. I still live in Agoura in the house Jim and I built 32 years ago. I'm healthy and my life is starting to be good again since I lost Jim.

Carol Irsfeld came and visited me before Jim passed. I was glad she got to meet him.

POSTED BY KATIE PELKY DIETRICH

Margarita Acosta

I remember that Margarita was a National Merit Scholarship Winner and I was very impressed when I found out later that she was in the top 1% of tested Seniors.

I also have a funny memory. Margarita convinced me to join a group called THE FIGHTING 69ers. It was for young women who would pledge to uphold the principles of the 6th and 9th commandments. Joiner that I am, I signed on and became a card carrying member until Tom Wright found the card in my wallet and MADE me REMOVE it IMMEDIATELY. I had to wait for the reason why. I don't want to offend anyone, but that is a true story. Does anyone else remember or admit to being a member of that little organization?--- Devi Savitt Bellows

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Margarita was one of six who entered the order of the Sisters of Charity of Providence a few months after high school graduation, and she was the only one who did not eventually leave the order. In 1963, before she finished college, she was called to teach biology, chemistry and Latin at Providence Academy in Vancouver. The following year she returned to Providence Heights College of Sister Formation to finish her BA and obtain grade and high school teacher certification. During the next 10 years she taught at schools in Washington and Burbank, California. In 1975 she chose to explore her writing abilities by joining the Public Relations Office of the Sisters of Providence health care corporations. She eventually became a writer and photographer for the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Seattle, all the while developing a growing interest in health planning and administration. In the early 80s Sr. Margarita received a Master’s degree in public health from Yale University, with a specialty in hospital administration, planning, marketing and finance. She was always interested in current events and the plight of the poor. In the mid '90s Sr. Margarita was diagnosed with leukemia and eventually underwent a stem cell transplant. She passed away about 2 months after the procedure. Her funeral service was at the same facility where she entered the novitiate a few decades before, and her pall bearers were 6 other Sisters of Providence.--- Carol Lex Tanner

Marcia Adams Henry

Marcia was the third of five children in her family. Her brother, Michael, who became a priest, was the only boy. She came to PHS from St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Burbank. After graduation she became a stewardess with United Airlines, based in San Francisco.
Marcia married Hal Urban, who was a basketball star at USF. They had three boys: Daniel, Mark and Michael. After a divorce, she continued to live in the Bay Area and married Larry Henry. She was the Executive Secretary for the Director of the SF Bay Area March of Dimes Foundation. She died on New Year's Eve of a massive coronary while driving a car.

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Marcia's mother's nickname, "Sunny" could easily apply to her, also....the outgoing, friendly manner, often with her cohort, Mary Baedeker.... with twinkly eyes and ready for fun! --- Kathy Thesing Ramdin

Patt Collette Scannell

I am blessed to have had Patt for my close friend for almost 50 years. We met the first day of school at PHS and our friendship continued until she died.
Patt was one of the most positive people I have ever known. She was very smart though she did poorly in school, but she worked hard and never gave up. She used to tell me that she had trouble reading, that things did not make sense to her; she found out many years later that she was dyslexic.
She raised three wonderful children pretty much single-handedly, and suffered poor health for many years. In spite of her hardships, Patt always found the silver lining. When she was going through chemo for her cancer, she told me she looked forward to chemo days, because she met many nice people and it gave her a chance to socialize; she thought maybe she even helped cheer people up sometimes. I am sure she did - MANY times. She was a person of great faith and it never waivered. She smiled far more than she frowned and she loved to laugh. She also loved Providence. Often she told me that her 4 years at PHS were among her happiest memories. How she loved to reminisce!
About 5 months before she died, she called us. We had moved to Alaska by that time. She called to say goodbye. She was very close to my husband, Peter, as well, and she wanted to talk with both of us. She told us that she thought she would not make it through the night and she wanted us to know that she was ready and that it was ok, and that she loved us and we were not supposed to be sad; she was going to a better place and she'd always "be around" watching us. It was very hard to hang up the phone, and of course, we cried.... the next day, we received another phone call. It was Patt. Her opening words "I'm back!" and she was laughing. It seems that there was an insulin problem and she was in fact, dying. Fortunately they discovered what went wrong and brought her back. That gave us an opportunity to see her one more time and talk with her on the phone often; we "heard" the smiles in her voice. I know she will be with us for our reunion; she wouldn't miss it!
These photos reflect her wonderful smile. The last one was taken at our final visit with her, less than four months before she died. We had a wonderful visit, filled with laughter and those reminiscences---Carol Rando Irsfeld

Dianne Dvorak

Dianne Marie Dvorak was born October 21 1941 in Cleveland Ohio. Beginning in grade school, Roller-skating developed into a lifelong passion. Dianne won many competitions and awards figure skating and dancing with a partner. The Dvorak family relocated to Southern California during Dianne's High School years.
After graduation from Providence H.S. Dianne started a family. Always a working mother, she sought out paid work that could be done from home until her children, Cheyenne and Brian reached school age. After twelve years of employment at United Recording Electronics Industries, Dianne moved with her family to Pollock Pines in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of Northern California.
After a divorce and a second marriage, Dianne embraced a rural lifestyle. At one point, using the telephone required driving down an unpaved road and climbing a telephone to get onto a party line ala the television sitcom Green Acres. While helping her husband to run his construction business, she and the family raised pigs on their land.
After a second divorce, Dianne continued to enjoy an outdoor lifestyle when she acquired her own ten acre property. After seeing a flyer advertising a fund raising bike ride for breast cancer, Dianne participated in a ride that sparked a love for cycling. She enjoyed dating, taking weekend road trips and took great pleasure in making many beautiful quilts that she intended to be her loving legacy to her family.
After a mastectomy in 1988, Dianne continued to live with cancer, going into and out of remission until her death in May 1994.

Frances Nairn Hansen

Soon after graduation, Frances married, had a son and moved to Philadelphia. After a short, unhappy time, she divorced and returned to North Hollywood CA, her former home, and worked as a supermarket checker. Her husband, Raymond, tells the following story: After a stint in the Navy, Raymond was hired as a box boy at the same market as Frances. When he was being shown around the store, he saw Frances coming down the stairs. He said to himself: that's the girl for me!.....He found his soul mate. They married, raised three boys and had 37 years together. She developed a brain tumor, battled for a year before the end on November 17, 2003. She will be rememered fondly for her quiet manner and sweet smile.

Janet Opperman Correa

Obituary from Lancaster Eagle Gazette (Ohio)

Janet Esther Opperman Correa, age 74, went home to be with the Lord on December 12, 2016. She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Arthur Correa and grandson, John Joseph. She is survived by her children, Dean, Melanie, Darren, and Terah; grandchildren, Avree, Skylar, Riley, Lucas; and siblings, Jack and Jean. Janet was a lover of genealogy, photography and most importantly her family. She was the greatest wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend who will be deeply missed.