DEDICATED TO OUR FRIENDS
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Linda was a joyous, giving person who died unexpectedly in October 2003, leaving behind many people who dearly loved her, including myself, her stepson Michael, and her large and loving family. She was always very proud of being a Trojan, even after going on to study at SDSU, and I could see true joy when she connected with someone else who turned out to be a castle park graduate. But she was gifted in connecting with people anyway, and lifted up almost anyone who knew her. Over the years, she added sparkle to Scripps Mercy Chula Vista Hospital, later to my medical office, the office of Greg Weiner, MD, and later the real estate office of Eally and Faye Vanderbilt. James Santiago Grisolia, MD |
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Mike was a great athlete, artist and was meticulous. He loved playing football, rugby, and wrestling. In his senior year, he was all metro tackle. Mike was also sensitive and funny. Mike played football at Southwestern and USD. His rugby team competed in Austrailia. He was also in the Army for a short period of time. Mike has two grown sons, Judd and Colin. Judd played college football and Judd is now in his 16th year of teaching at Chula Vista High School and in his 4th year as Head Football Coach. (Go Spartans?!) Colin also played football in college. Mike passed away on October 17, 1986. |
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Mable Grajeda was the happiest, most courageous and inspiring person I have ever known. I am blessed to say we were best friends from 8th grade until her death, at the age of 29. Being friends with Mable changed my entire life. We were in band and French club together. She played the flute in high school and at Southwestern College. I decided to learn the flute just so I could sit next to her in the college orchestra, and I still play. She was my maid of honor at my wedding.
In about 1973, she married Larry Newlin, also from Castle Park, of the class of 1971, I think. Larry was in the Army and Mable went with him to live in Alaska and later to Panama. Unfortunately, they did not have any children, but were godparents to my youngest child, Jennifer, born in 1977.
It was in Panama that Mable was diagnosed with bone and lung cancer, though she had never smoked in her life. It was a rare type of cancer and none of the treatments helped. She was given 6 mos. to 2 yrs. to live but lived 4+ years. Mable was strong-willed, determined to live and never complained about her illness. Her philosophy in life was to live each day to the fullest, and this she did, even when bedridden. Her faith and trust in God was unwavering. When the doctor told us she would probably not live through the night, she asked to watch home movies so she could see herself skiing in Alaska and scuba diving in Panama. The happiest times of her life were spent at the beach, and having a July 16th birthday, we always had beach parties for her at the Silver Strand. The last year or two, Larry and Mable were stationed at Ft. Ord, CA. We took her to see fireworks in a gurney for her last 4th of July. We celebrated her last Christmas and New Years together and we had a wonderful time. Her love of life never diminished! Her body gave out on Jan. 5, 1981, but her joyful, loving spirit lives on.
Sarah McTimmonds |
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Donna married Larry Whitaker (CP Class of '67) and moved to Paradise, California in a beautiful home they built. Both Donna and Larry worked for the telephone company and had two children. Donna passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. |
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"Don was my brother and my best-friend. He was a great athlete and a great person. He had such a kind heart. I know he had fond memories of his time at CPHS. He died in June, 1992 from a heart attack. He has 3 wonderful sons that still live in the Chula Vista area; Donald, Michael and Jordan. We miss him every day." Mary Hardin
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It was just like Paula to go into Speech in college and as a career! She was bubbly and her hands were also as expressive as Paula was! She was a great songleader! After high school Paula went to San Diego State. Paula ventured to Germany where she taught English and this is where Paula met her husband. Paula leaves behind two grown children. Paula passed away from a rare type of cancer. |
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Bruce passed away due to his lifelong battle with diabetes. He was living and working in Sacramento at an accounting firm. His sister said Bruce had many wonderful memories of his years at Castle Park. |
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I believe the statutes of limitations has run out on some of our escapades. I knew Dennis starting at CPJHS where we would go to the laundramat and try to tumble each other in the industrial clothes dryers. Over the flollowing years we surfed, worked on our cars, worked together and partied quite a bit. He was always a friend who had your back and was there for you when you needed him. Dennis had that heart of gold with just enough larceny in it to make life interesting. One of my favorite times was the summer of 69, we worked at the Big Apple gas station with Gene Crumley, Bobby Parker and Jack Wood. We worked a swing shift and would leave after work, drive to a cul de sac just North of the Scripps pier in La Jolla. We would hike down the canyon with our surfboards and sleeping bags, sleep-then the next morning surf the beach breaks all the way to Blacks Beach. Then we would head back to the apartment and shower for work. Truly a great summer. Perhaps the best way to define Dennis to me is this story. The same summer of 69, he, I think Gene and I (guys if I left someone out-am I bad) went to K-42 and Ensanada in Dennis' fat fender Ford F-150. When we got to Ensenada it was lunch time. One of the street kids was selling Chiclets. Dennis bought the whole box in exchange for the kid watching the truck, our boards and gear. He then gave the kid the box of Chiclets back and bought him lunch. The story doesn't stop there we were tooling around Ensenada and met three women from back East who needed to get to the San Diego airport that day. Unknown to me Dennis said no problem, I was pissed because there was more waves to catch. Ultimately Dennis out argued me and they arrived at the airport in time to catch their plane. Though we got into trouble from time to time, sometimes we stopped to do the right thing or Dennis showed me the right way. Miss you Bud. Steve Reay |
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See the story below about Kathy's class ring. |
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Dana, Patty G., Patty Fox, Jessica, and many others. It's been a million years... She was a character and she would have loved seeing so many of you. Merrilee Vuscovich |
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Kathy Crover Just ask Steve Crover of Chula Vista. Or Derith Mason of Normal Heights. Their paths crossed a couple of weeks ago, but fate designed their meeting 13 years ago, Patrick Higgins, was digging up his backyard to re-landscape. It was dark, and he was working with one small clamp light. "I clunked on something, so I sifted through the dirt and there was this ring." It read Castle Park High School, Class of 1969. Inside were the initials K.A.C. Patrick called the school, but no one could help him. He called the previous owners of the home, but they couldn't help. "I couldn't sell it or pawn it. It wasn't mine," he says. "And I couldn't throw it away." He put the ring in a drawer. His wife said, "I knew it was a woman's ring and I know how women feel about their jewelry," she says, laughing. Besides, she has a class ring and, though she doesn't wear it anymore, she kept it and believed the woman who owned this one probably wanted hers, too. So she got to work, went on the Castle Park alumni Web site and contacted the webmaster with details of the ring. "I never heard anything," she remembers. That was nine years ago. Then an odd thing happened a few weeks back. A couple of Steve Crover's classmates -- one of his co-workers and a friend in Phoenix -- told him they had seen the information about the ring on the Web site and thought it might be his twin sister Kathy's. Steve, who had never been to the Web site, had no idea what they were talking about. Meantime, a third alum found Derith on Facebook and contacted her about the ring. "At first, I thought, `Gosh, who is this freak?' but he sounded kind of genuine," she says. "He had my name. He wanted to verify I still had the ring, and we e-mailed back and forth." Somebody suggested she mail the ring to the Phoenix buddy, who would get it back to Steve. "No way," Derith remembers saying. "I didn't hang onto this ring for nine years to mail it off to someone I don't even know." Eventually, the buddies put Steve and Derith in touch with each other. Derith was sad to hear Kathy had died, hit and killed while crossing the street in front of Pier 39 on a rainy San Francisco night in 1998. That made returning the ring even more significant to Derith. When she gave Steve her Normal Heights address, it sounded vaguely familiar. "I went and got out some pictures my dad had given me and found one of my Aunt Ann," he remembers. He flipped it over and saw his dad had written "Aunt Ann in her living room" and included the street name. The same street name Derith had given him. When he pulled up in front of the house, he didn't recognize it. "It's completely different now," Patrick says. He and his wife have completely remodeled the charming bungalow inside and out. But once inside the living room, it all came back to Steve. This was his aunt's house. He pulled out the picture to prove it to himself, and Derith. He also had brought along his 1969 high school yearbook and showed them Kathy's picture. Derith showed him the ring. "I purchased both the rings, for my sister and myself," he explains. "Our family didn't have much money and I had a side job ... " His voice trails off. "I don't have much from Kathy," he says. "It means a lot to me to have something." He's still amazed at Derith's persistence to find the ring's owner. "Most people would not go to that much trouble. I was shocked," he says.
"It wasn't ours," she says. "It was a mission to find the owner. I'm so glad I could give it back to him. It was nice closure for us, too." |
