The Memorial Wall

Donald Kroll Donald Kroll, born April 23, 1944, to Elizabeth and Ferdinand Kroll, died April 19, 2006, at Alamitos Belmont Rehabilitation Hospital in Long Beach. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Sandra; daughter, Katie Kroll; sister, Carol Kerr; and nieces, nephews, an aunt, uncles, and cousins.

Don grew up in Los Angeles, Downey, and Garden Grove, graduated from Rancho Alamitos High School, completed a Bachelor's degree at California State University Long Beach and a Master's at San Diego State University. From 1966 to 1999 he was employed by the Long Beach Unified School District as a teacher aide, teacher, librarian, and library-media specialist at Tincher and Edison Elementary Schools, Stevens Junior High School, and Millikan and Wilson High Schools.

During his career Don was a member of several professional organizations, including the English Council of Long Beach and Long Beach School Librarians Association, both of which he served as president; and the American Federation of Teachers and Teachers Association of Long Beach. He was also active in Friends of the Long Beach Public Library, serving on the Blanche Collins Forum. As a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach (UUCLB), he served on various committees, taught Sunday school, and assisted in many of the programs. With his daughter, he was involved in Indian Princesses at the YMCA for a number of years. 

His enjoyment of music was a recurring theme in Don's life. One of his great joys was leading groups of adults and children in song on his cherished Martin guitar. He spent countless hours listening to his extensive record collection and many evenings in concert halls, enjoying a variety of musical styles, from heavy symphonic music and opera to rock'n'roll and folk. Don took great pleasure in performing in front of a group, and found venues around campfires, at his church and church camp, and in schools. For several years he belonged to his church's choir, participating with them in the Mozart Festival Choir, and he sang with the choir at his church's General Assembly. Don enjoyed other performance opportunities in addition to singing. Many of his friends remember his hilarious performance as "Trudy the Bag Lady," a Lily Tomlin invention. For that, he was billed as "Don Kroll in drag." Don loved spending time outdoors, whether it was in the backyard or on camping trips with family and friends. With his family, he enjoyed extensive U.S. travel including more than one cross-country road trip, as well as travel to Europe, Canada, and Mexico.

He treasured his home and enjoyed handiwork and small repairs, which gave him a sense of satisfaction. He had a strong interest in film and photography. He was a generous person and loved to share whatever he had with other people - whether it was a piece of pie, a Randy Newman CD, or something larger, such as his home or his talent. He was easy-going and mellow, always eager to honor others' wishes rather than impose his own agenda. His kind wit and welcoming smile will be dearly missed by his many friends who remember him as both a gentleman and a very "gentleman."

Don's family requests that donations go to Friends of the Library, 101 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802; or to UUCLB: Music Special Fund, 5450 Atherton Street, Long Beach, CA 90815; or to Parkinson's Resource Organization (Donald Kroll Memorial Fund), 74-090 El Paseo, Suite 102, Palm Desert, CA 92260-4135.

Born August 7, 1939 to James Vincent Smith and Esther (Pjerrou) Smith in South Gate, California, he passed peacefully on October 10, 2019 from complications of Parkinson's, a disease he valiantly fought for 23 years.Don was a native Californian and a lifelong resident. Born and raised in South Gate where he attended Junipero Serra High (class of 57), after which he moved to Hermosa Beach and graduated from Cal State University, Los Angeles. He taught at Junipero Serra High School before moving to San Francisco to hang out with the beat poets and write. He returned to Hermosa and started work at the Los Angeles City Housing Authority.

Over the next 30 plus years he worked at both the Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County Housing Authorities. He retired as the Executive Director of the Los Angeles City Housing Authority. Don was an advocate for the underserved and a leader many respected for his commitment to helping people get the resources they needed and deserved. For the last 25 years, he and his wife Julia, have called Monterey Park home.Don was a voracious reader who could speak and debate on any topic, a prolific writer of the short story and Haiku, a music aficionado with a collection and sound system envied by many, a talented athlete who lettered in four sports in high school, was drafted into minor league baseball, played tennis in college and ran his first marathon at 40.

He loved to watch sports, especially the Lakers, Dodgers, Golf and Tennis. Later in his life he was a practicing Vajrayana Buddhist, and in his earlier years he was in the seminary for a year. Don was an eclectic, fascinating and funny man who will be so missed by his family and friends.Don was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his beautiful and loving wife Julia, his daughter Cara Peck (Jeffrey), son Michael Smith, and step-son Rene Lopez Sr. (Sueann), grandchildren Ella Smith, Rene Lopez Jr., Ava Peck and Mattea Peck. Don was the oldest of five children and is survived by his three brothers, Vince Smith (Annette), Trayce Pjerrou and David Smith (Theresa), and one sister, Martha Morrow (Glen).

He is also survived by his best friend of 60 years, George Schmeltzer.There will be a celebration of life at 11:00 am with a lunch following on Saturday, November 16th at Luminarias, 3500 W Ramona Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754.

Donald Howard (Fairbanks) Bodel, born January 25, 1938 passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior February 22. 2019 at home in Palm Desert, CA due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. He is survived by his loving wife Joan of nearly 55 years, and their three sons - Ken (wife Julie & children Kayla, Justin & Jenny), David (wife Karen & children Kate & Alex), John (wife Jessie & son Trevor) and two brothers, Peter (deceased) and James living in Paris. Don was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and moved to Winnetka, IL in 1978. He was held in high regard throughout his career in the commercial real estate investment sector. He served on numerous Boards, developed senior living facilities, cared for the elderly and served the Church in multiple leadership capacities. He also loved to play golf. He was a kind and Godly man in every way. A service was held in Palm Desert with family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:30pm on April 5, 2019 at the Harvest Bible Chapel in Deerfield, IL. Donations can be made to the Parkinson's Resource Organization (www.parkinsonsresource.org).

Published in a Chicago Tribune Media Group Publication on Mar. 20, 2019

Venetia Stevenson, a model, actress and daughter of Hollywood luminaries who appeared in films including Darby’s Rangers, Island of Lost Women and Horror Hotel after being labeled “the most photogenic girl in the world,” has died. She was 84.

Stevenson died Monday at a health care facility in Atlanta after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, her brother, actor and photographer Jeffrey Byron, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Stevenson’s parents were Robert Stevenson, the Oscar-nominated director of Mary Poppins who earlier helmed King Solomon’s Mines and Jane Eyre, and Anna Lee, who starred in How Green Was My Valley and portrayed the matriarch Lila Quartermaine for a quarter-century on General Hospital.

The screen siren was married to actor Russ Tamblyn from Valentine’s Day 1956 until their divorce in April 1957 and to Don Everly of The Everly Brothers from 1962-70 and was romantically linked to Elvis Presley, Audie Murphy — her co-star in 1960’s Seven Ways From Sundown — Tab Hunter and Anthony Perkins.

She also was Axl Rose’s mother-in-law for about a year; her daughter, Erin Everly, was married to the Guns N’ Roses frontman from April 1990 until their marriage was annulled in January 1991.

In Warner Bros.’ Darby’s Rangers (1958), directed by William Wellman and starring James Garner, Stevenson portrayed Peggy McTavish, one of the Scottish women who wind up being paired with American soldiers (in her case, Peter Brown‘s Rollo Burns) during a World War II training mission.

She, Diane Jergens and June Blair played daughters of a nuclear scientist (Alan Napier) in Island of Lost Women (1959), and in Horror Hotel (1960), starring Christopher Lee, she was a student who heads to a spooky town to do research for a school paper about witchcraft.

Joanna Venetia Invicta Stevenson was born in London on March 10, 1938. Soon after, her dad signed a contract with producer David O. Selznick, and the family was off to Hollywood. 

When she was 14, Stevenson was spotted on a beach in Malibu by photographer Peter Gowland, who was famous for his pin-up pictures. She posed for Gowland and his wife and wound up on lots of magazine covers, including one for Esquire.

“I started getting recognized after my pictures started coming out in magazines,” she said in a 2016 interview. “It was a strange feeling. Somebody would run up to you and say, ‘Can I have your autograph?’ I’d want to say, ‘Why would you want my autograph? I haven’t done anything.'”

An agent at Famous Artists agency signed her, leading to a contract at RKO Radio Pictures in 1956 as she and Ursula Andress took tap-dancing and fencing lessons together.

Represented by powerful agent Dick Clayton, Stevenson signed next at Warner Bros. and would appear for the studio on episodes of Cheyenne, Colt .45, 77 Sunset Strip, Sugarfoot and Lawman.

Nineteen months after marrying Tamblyn at the Wayfarers Chapel in Palos Verdes — she was 17, he was 21 — Popular Photography magazine named her “the most photogenic girl in the world” out of 4,000 contestants in its September 1957 issue.

Stevenson accepted her award on CBS’ The Ed Sullivan Show, where the newly divorced model first met Everly, who was there to perform with his brother, Phil. The next year, when Darby’s Rangers hit theaters, her face appeared on cans and bottles of Sweetheart Stout, made in Scotland.

(Stevenson also was discovered on the cover of Oh LàLà magazine by Marty McFly in 1989’s Back to the Future Part II.)

Her big-screen résumé also included two films with her mom, Jet Over the Atlantic (1959) and The Big Night (1960); Day of the Outlaw (1959), starring Robert Ryan and Tina Louise; Studs Lonigan (1960), featuring Jack Nicholson; and The Sergeant Was a Lady (1961). She quit acting after marrying Everly.

Later, Stevenson served as a script reader for Burt Reynolds’ production company (they appeared together on a 1960 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents); as a vice president at the production company Cinema Group; and as a manager who represented the likes of director Renny Harlan.

In the 2015 documentary Tab Hunter Confidential, Stevenson said that she served as “a beard” when she was photographed around town with Hunter and Perkins.

“She lived a glamourous and busy life,” her brother said.

In addition to Byron and her daughter — Erin was the inspiration for the Guns N’ Roses song “Sweet Child o’ Mine” — survivors include another daughter, Stacy, and a son, Edan; her sister, Caroline; brother Steve; and four grandchildren.

“I’ve never really known anything but Hollywood,” she once said. “I don’t think I could relate to a physician or an accountant. What would we talk about? I guess, when I really stop and think about it, I have lived a very narrow existence, because movies are all I know.”

Palm Springs - Donald C. Cavanaugh, owner of the Blue Coyote Grill in Palm Springs, passed away at his home on February 23, 2019 due to complications of Parkinson's disease. 

He was a beautiful man inside and out and lived his life to the fullest and on his own terms. 

Don was born in November 1944 to Dolores and Van Cavanaugh. He grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and made lifelong friendships that exist even today. He launched his restaurant career in 1966 with Jack-in-the-Box and later managed several full-service restaurants in Chicago, Madison, and Denver along with dabbling in real estate. In 1992 he moved to Palm Springs and opened the Blue Coyote Grill on North Palm Canyon. Blue Coyote Grill was an instant success and has been voted one of the top restaurants, famous for its Wild Coyote Margarita, beautiful patio and atmosphere. 

Don loved Palm Springs, the year-round weather, playing golf, and the casual life style. He was popular and enjoyed meeting customers, and entertaining friends and family. He often commented that living and owning a restaurant in Palm Springs was beyond his wildest dreams. 

He is survived by his loving daughters Kelle (Mike) Baker and Shayne (Troy) Alloway, five grandchildren, twin brother Dave and girlfriend Kami French. He leaves behind an incredible restaurant, a loyal and dedicated staff and family and friends that will love and miss him forever. 

A Celebration of Life is being held on March 11, 2019 from 1-4 at Indian Canyon Country Club at 1100 E. Murray Canyon in Palm Springs, all are invited. A private service will be held at a family gravesite at the East Cemetery in Dodgeville Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers consider donating in his memory to Parkinson's Resource Organization in Palm Desert (parkinsonsresource.org).