Obituaries – Laguna Beach Local News

Bassist Roger Shew

The public is welcome to join a celebration of the life of musician and educator Roger Shew at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, in the Campus Theatre at Fullerton College, 321 E. Chapman Ave., in Fullerton.

Born Dec. 26, 1974, Shew is survived by a son, Simon, and his wife, Jamie, with whom he often shared the stage.

He is also survived by his parents, Dick and Kay Shew of Pullman, Wash.; brothers Eric of Bellingham, Wash., and Keith of Rosemount, Minn., and their respective spouses, Becca and Mandy; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

As an accomplished jazz musician, Shew played upright bass throughout southern California and around the world. He also taught at Fullerton College, Mt. San Antonio College and in Laguna Beach at the high school and middle school.

An account has been set up for the family, accessible by searching “Roger Shew” at gofundme.com<http://gofundme.com>.

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Ann Webster

Festival of Arts board member Ann Webster passed away on Friday, Sept. 16, at her home in Laguna Beach with her family by her side.

Ann was born in York, Penn., on Feb. 22, 1925. She earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in art history from George Washington University.

In 1946, she married her first husband Lewis Street, a marine pilot, with whom she had three children, Kathy, John and Nancy. She raised their children while stationed in several locations, Tustin, Calif., Annendale, Va., and Honolulu, Hawaii. As a marine aviator’s wife, she received a special medal because her husband served in three wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

She married her second husband, Roland C. Webster, in 1971. They lived on a yacht and traveled to many tropical islands.

In 1975, they settled in Laguna Beach and Webster fell in love with the Pageant of the Masters. She was affiliated with the Pageant for 40 years, including 28 years as makeup supervisor, 15 years as an elected Festival of Arts board member and 14 years on its scholarship committee.

Recognizing and awarding students art scholarships brought her great joy.

Webster continued to travel and on her journeys would research artwork that could possibly be re-created in the Pageant.

Webster was also a member of the Pacific Symphony League.

Webster is survived by her daughter Nancy James; grandchildren Becky Gates, Annika James, Genevieve Buegel, Jaime Blickenstaff, Wendy Boslet, Brandy Jefferson, Jack Boslet and Campbell Boslet; and great grandchildren Kenneth Showe, Amelie Hart, Luther Buegel, Samantha and Tatum Jefferson, and Abigail and Natalie Gates.

Webster was preceded in death by her husbands and her children Kathy and John.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Laguna Presbyterian Church, 415 Forest Ave.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Glenn E. Vedder Scholarship Fund at the Festival of Arts.

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Aug. 13, 1942 – Sept. 29, 2016

Terry Smith

For over 35 years, Terry Smith was a devoted resident of Laguna Beach and a long time benefactor and trustee of Laguna College of Arts & Design. He served as development committee chair, Collectors Choice committee chair, and was instrumental in funding many special projects, and the LCAD Scholarship Fund.

Knowledge was always a quest, and a gift for Smith to give. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Pomona College, and a masters from Claremont Graduate School. After 23 years, he retired from Balboa Life and Casualty after holding a series of positions from programmer analyst to regional office manager.

Smith also worked for Sisters of St. Joseph Data Center, Pacific Life, and as a math teacher at La Canada High School. He also taught an information technology course at Irvine Valley College for 14 years.

As a committed volunteer, Smith was active in Laguna Beach City Council, served on the Laguna Beach Arts Commission, and volunteered for friends of the Library and the Laguna Police Department. His generous spirit and legacy is an example of the positive way in which one individual’s efforts can impact the community, champion culture and the arts, and enrich the lives of others in countless ways.

In addition to the arts, Smith liked fine cuisine, classical music, watched PBS loyally and baked a gourmet pumpkin pie and pecan pie every year for his dual Thanksgivings at the Bickel’s and the Crehan’s homes for over 25 years. We will eat our pie and think of Terry.

Smith bravely battled cancer, but succumbed to health complications due to a sudden critical infection. He passed away unexpectedly on the morning of Sept. 29 at Mission Hospital, MV. He is survived by his partner, Wayne Peterson, and the families of cousins Lori Thompson Bickel and Allen Thompson, and Wayne’s niece and nephews, Christy, Paul and Mark Allen.

A service will be held in Smith’s honor at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave., in Laguna Beach. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Terry Smith Memorial Fund at Laguna College of Art and Design at www.lcad.edu.

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Constance Hilburn, a longtime South Laguna and Dana Point resident, passed away Sept. 28.

She is survived by a son, Michael Hilburn; daughter, Laura Ashley Hilburn: grandchildren Maxwell and Samuel Hilburn and Holly Lee; and three great grandsons.

A celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at The Fountains, 25411 Sea Bluff Dr. in Dana Point.

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Lynda Nicholson

Lynda W. Nicholson, of Laguna Beach, passed away quietly at her home in late January 2016 at the age of 81. A free spirit with a passion for life and art, their beauty and complexity, their mysteries and chaos, she will be missed dearly by family, friends and the community.

Nicholson moved to Laguna in 1976 to pursue her interest in ceramics and her love of the ocean. Responding to the artistic atmosphere, she began taking pottery classes at the Laguna Beach School of Art. And for the next 20 years, participated in the Sawdust Festival (ca 1977-1989) and Festival of Arts (1986-1996) for her ceramics. Her work was also commissioned for a local hotel and represented in the gift shops of the Laguna Beach and Newport Harbor Museums.

A life-long learner and adventurer, Nicholson was always traveling and taking classes in art (printmaking, silk painting, watercolor, plein air, figure drawing, collage, jewelry-making, and ceramics). At age 62, she was chosen as a ship’s mate to journey 18 days on a 65 foot racing skiff, the Alaska Eagle, from Tonga to Fiji. A “dream come true,” she announced, beaming.

Perhaps as a foretelling of the artist she was to become, at 17 (1951) she wrote a composition titled “Watercolor,” a description of a foggy morning by the ocean where “the opposite shore was blotted out by the fog, making the sea climb right up into the sky,” and “the sun seemed to slide through these elements,” “transforming” the scene into a continuous, vertical “glowing brilliance” of yellow and “tints of the lightest blue.” The finale of the composition read, “It was a freshly painted watercolor that should have been hanging in a yellow room.”

Nicholson was the youngest child of two, born to Ken and Marcella Nicholson in Robinson, Ill. She grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and graduated from Huntington High in 1952. In 1956 she graduated from Bucknell University, and later that year, age 22, she married Terrance H. Tennant and moved to Claremont, Calif., to raise a family.

At the time of her passing, Nicholson was survived by her three children, Katy Brian (Mark) of Park City, Utah, Tracy Tennant (Chuck) of Riverside, and Alex Tennant (Taryn) of Dana Point; grandchildren Krissy Brian, Jacky Brian and Riley Tennant.

Please consider making a donation in Nicholson’s name to the Laguna College of Art and

Design: http://www.lcad.edu/give/, or other art-inspired institution. Messages of celebration of Nicholson’s life may be sent to: lwnicholson34@gmail.com or by post in care of Tracy Tennant, 5758 Eugene Street, Riverside, Ca., 92506.

A favorite poem: “If I Wanted a Boat”, by Mary Oliver in “Blue Horses,” 2014 Penguin Press.

Dear One, “Fly towards a secret sky. It’s time to take your first step without feet.” -Inspired by Rumi.

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Jack Meehan

Jack Meehan, 31, of Laguna Beach, died in a tragic bicycle accident in the early evening of Oct. 26, 2016, in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Jack was born Oct. 15, 1985, and grew up in Laguna, attending El Morro Elementary and Thurston Middle School. An accomplished athlete at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, he was captain of the football team and set several records including the school’s all-time record for most tackles in a career. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish from San Francisco State University and went on to also complete a bachelor of science degree in marine transportation at the California Maritime Academy.

During his school years, Jack worked at the Laguna restaurant La Sirena, where he was a local favorite and eventually became a manager. After completing his degree and licensing at Cal Maritime, Meehan began a promising career as a professional mariner working for the Alaska Tanker Company. Motivated and disciplined, Meehan was on an accelerated career path with the company, achieving the rank of second mate of the Alaskan Frontier early, and was on track to soon become chief mate.

Meehan’s larger than life spirit would fill a room whenever he walked in. His lust for life led him to many great adventures, from surfing big waves at Mavericks, to snowboarding mountains around the world, to running with the bulls in Pamplona. An avid surfer and accomplished waterman, his love of the ocean cultivated a life long respect for the environment; the water was his sanctuary.

A true gentleman, Meehan’s kindness was inclusive of everyone he met, and he was always fast to make a friend. A loving son, brother, brother-in-law, and friend, he lived an incredible life in the short time he was with us. He will be remembered for his smile, his wit, his loyalty and his passion for life.

Meehan is survived by his parents, Kevin and Betsy; his siblings, Camron, Joe and Erin; his brother-in-law, Brandon; his large extended family; and his many friends. Following a private family ceremony, a paddle out will be held at Three Arch Bay on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Jack Meehan Scholarship Fund, at the Cal Maritime Academy Foundation, 200 Maritime Academy Drive, Vallejo, Calif., 94590; or the Jack Meehan Football Scholarship at Santa Margarita Catholic High School,

22062 Antonio Pkwy, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., 92688; the Jack Meehan Memorial Fund at the Surfing Heritage Foundation, 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente, Calif., 92672.

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Jack Meehan

Jack Meehan, 31, of Laguna Beach, died in a tragic bicycle accident in the early evening of Oct. 26, 2016, in Santa Cruz, Calif.

22062 Antonio Pkwy, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., 92688; the Jack Meehan Memorial Fund at the Surfing Heritage Foundation, 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente, Calif., 92672.

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Jan. 24, 1948 – Oct. 28, 2016

Gary Brauer

Gary Edward Brauer “GB” was born in Petoskey, Mich. At a very early age Gary, his father Fred, and mother Bertha, packed up all of their belongings and drove west to start their new life in Laguna Beach in the early 1950s.

Gary has been a lifelong Laguna Beach resident, going to Aliso Elementary School, Thurston Middle School (when it was located where the current high school pool is now located), and he graduated from Laguna Beach High School. As a boy, Gary was involved in a number of youth sports and played baseball, basketball, and tennis. As an adult, he coached his children’s baseball, basketball, and softball teams through the Recreation Department and Boy’s Club of Laguna Beach.

Brauer’s true passions were his love of the ocean and his love of music. At an early age, he picked up the accordion and became proficient enough to play a number of youth talent shows. If there was ever a dull moment at a party or event you could always count on him to pull out the accordion to liven things up and let someone pick the song of their choice.

As he progressed through to his teens his musical tastes began to change and he gravitated towards the electric guitar. Brauer played numerous gigs, concerts, and events all over California throughout his life and he continued to write, record, and play music with his friends until his passing.

Brauer’s motto, “have guitar will travel,” was on many of his letters, correspondence, and business cards and he always had both an instrument and swimsuit in his car just in case of an “emergency.”

Brauer was a charter member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (located in Bluebird Canyon) until the church’s closing. He was also baptized at the Church of Latter-day Saints (LDS) located on Park Avenue.

Brauer’s enthusiastic personality and “aloha” spirit will be sorely missed by his friends and family.

He is survived by his son, Aaron Brauer of Los Angeles, his daughter Erica Jones of Laguna Beach, and his two grandchildren, Cameron Jones and Carter Jones.

The band upstairs just got another amazing musician. We love you and miss you…ALOHA!!!

A celebration of Brauer’s life will be held at the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann’s Dr., on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 3-6 p.m.

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Oct. 2, 1922 – Nov. 9, 2016

Alice Newton Pyle

Alice Newton Pyle passed away peacefully at her Laguna Beach home surrounded by family and loved ones following a stroke. She was 94.

Alley- as she was referred to by all her friends- was the youngest of three children and the only girl. She was born and raised in Corona, Calif., and graduated from UC Santa Barbara. As a young girl, Alley’s parents built the first family vacation home in Newport Beach, the beginning of her life long love for the beach. Unfortunately, her mother passed away a few years later and the house was sold.

Although Pyle raised her sons in Arcadia and was determined that they would finish school there, her love affair continued in Laguna at a new family beach house her father built in the ‘60s. The family spent every weekend, holiday and summer there and upon her boys’ graduation in 1969, the family moved full time to Laguna Beach.

Over the next 40 years, Pyle was a fixture at Woods Cove where she had her favorite place to set her towel and chair until it became too difficult for her to navigate the steps down to the beach. She lived an independent and active life. An avid walker, Pyle was still walking and keeping an eye on her neighborhood until recently. She also loved to play bridge, work in her yard and sit in her sunny living room or patio.

Pyle will be remembered by those who hold her dear for her enduring love for the beach and her family and friends, her sharp mind, strong will and stubbornness. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend and is survived by her two sons, Gordon and Don; her daughters-in-law Kathleen and Judy; three grand children, Marisa, Taylor (her husband Kevin), and Ryland (his wife Amanda); and three great grandchildren, Ayla, Kaylen and Bryn.

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Audrey Barbara Capobianco

Audrey Barbara Capobianco, a longtime resident of Laguna Beach, passed away July 12, 2016. She passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

Audrey was born, Audrey Barbara Cotter, June 24, 1934, in Yonkers, N.Y. Having lost her father at a very young age, Audrey was an only child and was raised by her mother, Minerva.

Audrey moved to California in her early 20s and married her high school sweetheart, Joseph Capobianco, on Feb. 25, 1961. They were married in Laguna Beach at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church. Prior to having her children, Capobianco traveled the world as a stewardess for the highly regarded Pan American Airlines.

Joe and Audrey immersed themselves in the coastal culture spending many evenings at Woods Cove in the early 1960s when abalone and kelp forests were plentiful. Joe’s job took the family oversees, where they spent time in Liege, Belgium, and Milan, Italy. After several years abroad, the young family returned to the United States to their permanent home in Emerald Bay. While enjoying tennis in her spare time, Capobianco’s main devotion was to her sons and involvement in all of their school and sports activities. She will be remembered as a beautiful, loving mother and grandmother, “Grammy,” who was rooted in strong traditions that she instilled in her family.

Capobianco is survived by her three sons, Scott (Erin), Bill (Diane) and Rob (Stacie); and six grandchildren, Courtney, Lauren, Taylor, Lucas, Caden and Joey.

A private family service was held on July 20 at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church. Capobianco was laid to rest with her beloved husband, Joe, at Pacific View Cemetery in Newport Beach.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation in Audrey’s memory be made to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, 20612 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, Calif., 92651 (www.pacificmmc.org). Capobianco loved visiting the center with her grandchildren over the years.

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Lyn Chevil

With a conservative East Coast upbringing, Lyn Chevli was born as Marilyn Keith in New Haven, Conn. Growing up in Milford, she enjoyed boating in a small rowboat her father, Arthur Reginald Keith had built and christened The ARK, for his initials. She lived with her father, mother Betty, and brother Al Keith.

A 1954 graduate of Skidmore College, she embarked on a European tour, hitchhiking through Europe with a girlfriend, unheard of at the time.

Upon her return, she married, but was ill-suited to life as a housewife so she and her mother left the East Coast for a cross-country trek with her two daughters, Neela and Shanta. Her mother had vacationed in Laguna Beach so they headed there in 1961. Lyn Chevli embraced Laguna Beach as her town and never looked back. She was proud to be a long-time resident of Laguna and died peacefully on Oct. 8. She would have been 85 on Christmas Eve.

Chevli was the original owner of Fahrenheit 451 and a silver jewelry exhibitor at the Festival of Arts and Sawdust Festival. She was a sculptor, welding on the balcony of her Park Ave apartment in a bikini; a community activist; underground cartoonist; and single parent. She was always doing something interesting. At the time of her death, she had finished two memoirs about her underground comics experience and her time living in India.

In the 1970s, she entertained foreign writers and others in the arts at the request of the U.S. State Department. She mingled and worked with members of the gay community, demonstrated for peace on Main Beach and created the birth control and problem pregnancy wing at the Laguna Beach Free Clinic, where she was also a counselor for many years. In her early 70s, she picketed with Albertson’s employees when they were locked out.

She romped in the surf with feminist Kate Millet, entertained cartoonist Sergio Aragones, partied with underground cartoonists Gilbert Shelton, R. Crumb, S. Cay Wilson, and Harvey Kurtzman among others. She was a good friend to Ronnie Gilbert of The Weavers and let a piece of her sculpture, “The Jabberwocky,” go on tour with the writer Arch Obler. It had its own seat on the airplane.

She and Joyce Farmer partnered to write and publish the first feminist underground comics, another first which would secure her as a feminist icon.

She lived most of her last years at Aliso Viejo, across from the Montage in South Laguna. There she set up a giant workbench and a bookcase that was made by local artist Andy Wing. She made intricate sculptures using mixed media, mostly bones, of different species of animals.

As a long-time secular feminist, realist, humanist, she wanted no funeral service. As a passionate recycler, she donated her body to UCI Medical School. As a determined feminist, she wishes the men of the world more humility. Those wishing to honor her memory are requested to commit an act of kindness or creativity and live lightly on the planet.

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Irene Juenthner

Irene Frederike Juenthner was born on Aug. 5, 1931, and passed away peacefully on Dec. 11, 2016, at the age of 85 in Laguna Beach.

She is survived by her sister, Trude of Ludwigsburg, Germany; grandchildren, Andrea and Derek Reigel; daughter, Kristine and Rick Reigel (husband); son: Kirk Jeunthner and (girlfriend) Diane; and her husband, Heinz Juenthner, all of Laguna Beach.

Irene was born in Ludwigsburg, Germany, to her parents, Frieda and Albert Gscheidle. In December 1956 she took a big chance to follow her childhood friend Heinz to America. They were married the following January in Buffalo, N.Y. They moved to California in 1959 to start a family. After living in Bellflower and various other locations of Orange County, the family moved back to Germany, where they lived from 1966 to 1972, to allow Mr. Juenthner to pursue his business.

In 1972 the family moved back to California, settling in Laguna Beach. They lived in Bluebird Canyon for a year while building their dream home on the hills of North Laguna.

In her early years, Juenthner excelled at swimming and had many accomplishments at the German national level. She loved cooking and entertaining with family and friends and enjoyed traveling the world. Juenthner loved the beaches in town and later became an avid golfer, spending many days at Mesa Verde Country Club. She adored her children and grandchildren and will be sorely missed by her friends and family.

There will be a private celebration of her life on Dec. 18, 2016. Per Juenthner’s wishes, her ashes will be scattered in a place she loved, the Pacific Ocean off Laguna Beach.

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Marty Gray

Marty Gray’s “Yellow Flag Evening” was featured in the city’s 2010 community services guide.

Marty Scott Gray, an internationally collected artist and avid surfer, died on New Year’s Day after a battle with dementia. All friends are invited to attend a memorial paddle out for him scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point.

Gray’s impressionistic tropical landscapes captured his love and wonder for nature’s beauty. His work hangs in private and corporate collections internationally and he has exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and Japan and the local Sawdust Art Festival.

His enthusiasm for surfing, his artistic abilities and his loving generosity towards his friends and family will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Deborah Brazeal Gray; his sister, Lisa Ice; his brother Bruce Gray; and his father, Gerry Gray.

Warren Goff

Warren Goff

Warren Anthony Goff, age 84, died Jan. 2.

Born July 17, 1931, he was raised and frolicked in Southern California, including over 40 years in the beach cities of Dana Point, San Clemente, and Laguna Beach.

He was a founder of numerous entrepreneurial enterprises, including a Los Angeles hot dog stand, Laguna Custom Shutters, and commercial abalone diving. Goff was an avid competitive dirt biker. He was always the life of the party and maintained close relationships with all of his friends.

He is survived by his wife Linda; son Brian and daughter-in-law Karen; grandchildren Logan and Nathan; and felines Benny and Jet.

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Virginia L. (“Virgie”) Hunt succumbed Jan. 15 to lung cancer at the age of 91. Hunt was a local Laguna Beach business owner for 61 years and a prominent community volunteer.

Born Nov. 15, 1925, in Hollywood, Virgie grew up in Sunland, a rural area of the San Fernando Valley. She graduated from Verdugo Hills High School with a class of 16 students. Virgie was quite an athlete and was recruited for the All Girls Professional Baseball League (featured in the 1992 film, “A League of their Own.”)Hunt worked at Haskell Engineering during the 1950’s and rose to become the first woman purchasing manager in Los Angeles County. She met Larry Hunt at a gas station in 1953 and they married later that year. Together they opened their first Mobile gas station in Laguna Beach in 1955, expanding to two Texaco stations, a tire shop and finally Larry Hunt Auto Center on Laguna Canyon Road.

Hunt was the president of the Ebell Club. She and Larry were also co-presidents of Little League Baseball in Laguna Beach.

In addition to her husband of 63 years, Hunt is survived by two children, Carole and Gary, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Hunt’s name to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice. In addition, they appreciate the loving care given to Virginia by her caregivers and Salus Hospice.

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Marty Scott Gray

Marty Scott Gray, an internationally collected artist, avid surfer, and 33-year resident of Laguna Beach, transitioned on New Year’s Day after a battle with fronto-temporal dementia. A memorial paddle-out was held Saturday, Jan. 7, at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point. The “aloha” ceremony was officiated by Mike Garrett and Pastor Jay Grant. Hans and Janine Sylstra and Greg “Tama” Portages provided the aloha music. Aloha Ke Aku means “Love is God.” Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. Its deep meaning starts by teaching us first to love ourselves and then to share that love with others. When you live the Spirit of Aloha, you create positive feelings and thoughts, which are always present. This was the essence of the ceremony and the philosophy by which Gray lived.

Born in Seattle in 1954, Marty moved to Southern California the following year. Growing up near the uncrowded California beaches of the 1960’s, Gray became a passionate and devoted surfer. He explored the California coast from Santa Cruz to Mexico and was one of the earliest visitors to Indonesia’s G-land. During one such visit, he suffered a bad wipe-out, hitting the coral reef face-first. (An article on G-Land in Surfer’s Journal described it as the worst wipe-out the author had ever seen.) Back home in Orange County, Gray was a regular in the line-up at Salt Creek for over 39 years, fearlessly challenging even the biggest waves.

Gray’s surfing adventures took him all over the world, but it was the years he spent living on the north shore of Kaua’i in the early 1970’s that was to change his life forever. Part of this time he spent living in a tree house community, Taylor Camp, near the spectacular Na Pali Coast. He remarked, “The amazing scenery of the island just blew me away. Sometimes it felt like I was in a dream. I know that my experiences at that time planted a seed for my love of dramatic light and color. Decades later I remain humbled by the beauty I was blessed to see.”

Always artistically creative, Gray spent many years as a songwriter and musician. He owned a recording studio and was pursuing his passion for music when he received a paint set from a friend. From the moment the brush first touched the canvas he was hooked. He sold all of his music equipment and began a lifetime love affair with painting. In his words, “I discovered that creating a good painting was a lot like writing a song: both need an underlying rhythm and harmony, and both must have a balance of intensity and space. The dynamics are very similar.” Gray’s work hangs in private and corporate collections internationally and was displayed in galleries in the western U.S., Hawaii, and Japan. He also exhibited at the Laguna Beach Sawdust Art Festival for seven summers.

On a personal note, Gray was a man of utmost integrity who displayed unending generosity to his friends and family. His spiritual path was one of inner reflection and he was a lifelong devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda. Gray began practicing yoga at the Yoga Center in Costa Mesa at age 18, where he is still known as “Kabir” by his yoga brothers and sisters. Gray was an extraordinary man of great influence and inspiration to the surfing and art communities as well as to his friends and family. He loved the Lord, teaching me that life here is short and that heaven will be another great adventure. He always said to me, “See you on the other side.”

Gray’s enthusiasm for surfing, his artistic abilities, and his loving generosity towards his friends and family will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Deborah Brazeal Gray; his sister, Lisa Ice, her husband, David and her daughter, Jenna Mitchell; his brother Bruce Gray and his wife Sue; his father, Gerry Gray and his wife Mary; his stepbrothers, Mark Fitzgerald and his wife Shirley, Mike Fitzgerald and his wife Terri; Nicholas Fitzgerald and his wife, Lydia; his cousins, Jill Simon Martin, Steve Simon and his wife Lori, and Jeri Rowars and her husband Chuck; as well as many friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Barbara. Aloha Marty. We all love you. See you on the other side.

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Claire Etheridge, PhD, at her Wood’s Cove home in the 1970s. Photo by Douglas Miller.

Claire Ellen Etheridge, Ph.D., 85, of Sacramento, passed away peacefully on Jan. 21, 2017, surrounded by family.

Claire is survived by her beloved partner Elizabeth Edgington of Sacramento; son Randall Glen Riley; daughter Rene Ellen Riley; sisters Joyce Bayne and Elaine Deatherage; and brother Richard Deatherage.

Claire lived in Laguna Beach from 1969 to 1997. Randall and Rene are graduates of Laguna Beach High School.

Claire was born Clara Mae Deatherage in Kilgore, Texas, on July 27, 1931. In 1952, Claire married Glyndon D. Riley; they divorced in 1968.

Claire graduated from George Pepperdine College with a bachelor’s degree in 1953; she earned her master’s degree in 1955. In 1963, she received her doctorate in psychology from Florida State University-Tallahassee with an emphasis in early childhood education.

After Claire graduated, she moved with her family to Inglewood, Calif., where she taught at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles and pioneered the Delta Sigma Theta Head Start Preschool program. In 1967, she published “Head Start in Action” with co-author Francis Epps.

In 1969, Claire—known then as Clara M. Riley—moved with her children to the Wood’s Cove area of Laguna Beach. She opened a private clinical-psychology practice on Coast Highway in South Laguna and was an adjunct professor at the University of California Irvine.

Claire held a diplomate in both clinical psychology and clinical hypnosis. In 1984, she served as president of the Orange County Psychological Association.

In the 1980s, Claire became president and founder of the Institute for Advanced Studies, a nonprofit, continuing education organization focused on healing, enlightenment, and spirituality. With her spiritual director, the late Rev. Robert L. Cornelison of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Claire founded a nonprofit religious organization, An Order of Healers, leading workshops and retreats, and giving spiritual direction.

In 2000, Claire published “Right Rhythmic Living, A Path to Healing.” In 2001, she published “Old Testament as Sacred Literature.”

A memorial service will be held on Feb. 2, at Sierra Arden United Church of Christ, Sacramento. Donations given in memoriam may be sent to the National Head Start Association, www.nhsa.org.

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Richard Wallace McManus, age 87, was born June 5, 1929, and died Jan. 27, 2017.

Richard McManus

Richard was born in Seattle, Wash., to Floyd John and Jean Spicer McManus. Richard was raised in Willmar, Minn., on the family farm until the age of 13 when the family relocated to Laguna Beach. Richard attended Laguna Beach High School then enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in the Korean conflict receiving two Purple Hearts.

Following his service he returned to Laguna Beach beginning a long career in construction and building custom homes.

Through those years he met and married Martha Ann Welge on Feb. 6, 1958, and along the way raised two sons, Bill and Mike McManus.

McManus always enjoyed the outdoors from his early days on the farm, many camping trips in the Sierra and Baja, the numerous hunting and fishing trips and later in his life spending his summers in Idaho. He was always known for his beautiful roses and raising a bountiful garden, which he enjoyed sharing with others.

McManus is survived by his wife, Martha; his brother, Mark McManus; sister, Mary Woodward; son Bill (Janine) McManus; son Mike (Vicky) McManus; grandchildren Shaun, Melissa and Nicole; and two great grandchildren.

McManus was preceded in death by his parents, brother Bruce and sister Jean.

A gathering to celebrate his life will be announced at a later date.

Donations can be made in McManus’s name to Wounded Warriors, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kan., 66675-8517; and Paws 4 Hope Animal Rescue, P.O. 545, Rupert, Idaho, 83350.

Thank you to all for the many calls and visits.

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Fred Gould

Fred Scott Gould, 47, passed away Jan. 3, 2017, in Temecula, after a long battle with medical problems. Gould was a runner, former collegiate rugby player and avid movie fan.

Born on Nov. 25, 1969, to Zenith M. Gould (later Zenith M. Rocco) and raised from age 9 by his stepfather, Mark E. Rocco.

Fred was enamored with coins and numbers from an early age. It is no surprise he became a very talented financial analyst for several Fortune 500 companies. He lived and worked in Atlanta, Ga., Allentown, Pa., and Princeton, N.J., before he landed in Laguna Beach to be with Mark and Zenith. He moved to Temecula for a brief period for work.

Fred was born in Portland, Maine, and raised in Atlanta. Gould attended Boston University and Auburn University in Alabama graduating with a finance degree.

Gould could make you laugh by using movie sound bites to answer questions. He especially loved Laguna Beach. He loved the people, beach, surf and sunsets.

Gould’s body was cremated. His ashes were spread in a place he and his mother loved in a private service.

Gould is survived by his mother, stepfather and uncles Michael and Robert Schmerbeck of Pennsylvania. He was deeply loved and will be missed!

The post Fred Scott Gould Jr. appeared first on Laguna Beach Local News.

Michael Sagar passed away Dec. 20, 2016, with his family, fresh cookies and chocolate ice cream by his side. He was 84.

Sagar lived his ideal life surfing, skiing, windsurfing and mountain biking with a little layering of jazz trumpet thrown in.

A lure of the ocean and dream of being a small town lawyer brought the Sagar family to Laguna Beach. A favorite day for Sagar was court in the morning, surfing in the afternoon, and conversation with family and friends around the fireside with abalone in the evening.

Sagar was active in the community; he was a Big Brother, Laguna Little League coach, lawyer, mediator, school board member, judge pro-tem, mentor and mediator between attorneys in the Los Angeles Courts. He was asked to run for Congress but his wife said no to politics. He worked pro bono to save Salt Creek Beach for the public.

As an undergrad at USC, Sagar’s band won the Light House Jazz Festival, and he was asked to tour with bands, but he chose law school instead. In retirement, the jazz man came out to play while in Maui. He appeared at 505, Merrman’s, Longhi’s, and Cool Cats. Band mates became special lifetime friends.

In Laguna Beach, Sagar’s regular gig was at Laguna Coffee Company where they celebrated wonderful memories, great music, singers, friends, regulars, jokes, and groupies. He will be dearly missed.

The post Michael Sager appeared first on Laguna Beach Local News.

January 7, 1931 – February 17, 2017

Jeanne Marie Stodder (née Anderson) a 33-year resident of Dana Point, left this world suddenly on Feb. 17, 2017. She was surrounded by her seven children and four of their spouses when she left them behind and passed through those fabled gates. She was 86 years old.

Her independence of mind, moral imperative, and creative spirit continue to live on with her children. Her resourcefulness and inner strength are traits that they continue to aspire to. Jeanne asked for little of life, but gave more than can be imagined. Her self-reliance buoyed her through the perils of life, and although she chose not to make waves, she suffered no fools. Unlike Teddy Roosevelt, she did not carry a big stick, but without intention, led by example.

Jeanne was born in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 7, 1931, to Gustave and Caroline Anderson. She quit college her junior year to marry her best friend’s brother in 1950. She became a homemaker and proud mother of seven. After raising her children, she returned to college and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of California, Irvine, in 1974 and her master’s degree in library science from California State University, Fullerton, in 1977.

Stodder had strong interests in math, music, art, architecture and travel. She learned to play the piano and enjoyed playing classical music at home. Her interest in architecture was compelling enough to push her to design the family home in Laguna Beach even though she had no formal training. The family lived in that home for 23 years.

Stodder was preceded in death by her ex-husband David James Stodder. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Eric and Rita Stodder of Laguna Beach; David Stodder of Maui, Hawaii; Sam and Lorrie Stodder of Carlsbad; Mark and Brook Stodder of Dana Point; Fred Stodder of San Juan Capistrano; Monica and Doug Spindler of Irvine; Karin and John Matta of Manhattan, Kan.; her 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and dozens of nieces and nephews.

In recognition of her vast progeny, Stodder authored a self-published book, “Cousins by the Dozens.” Stodder had a driving passion for her family genealogy and persistently researched and ferreted out the details of the lives of those who came before. She has now joined those ranks. The shoes she left behind shall not be easy to fill. She was the core of her family and will live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew her. She will be dearly missed.

There will be a private family celebration of life on April 1, 2017, and per Jeanne’s wishes, her ashes will be buried in the Anderson family plot in Chicago, Ill., later this year. A memorial donation in Stodder’s honor may be sent in support of research to the National Psoriasis Foundation, 6600 SW 92^nd Ave., Suite 300, Portland, Ore., 97223, https://www.psoriasis.org/ways-to-give/support-research.