Owen and Glenda Walls were teenagers when they first met in Long Beach over 70 years ago. They quickly fell in love and married. Devoted to each other, only the war separated them for a brief period of time but, the days that followed World War II were spent together. Today they have been married for over 67 years.
Owen and Glenda have called their house on Monlaco Rd in Long Beach home for the last 53 years. Early on, they owned their own local plumbing business - Lakewood Plumbing Company. They kept the business for about 15 years, and ran it, while they raised their four children. Glenda ran the office of their plumbing company with one hand and ran the business of family with the other. Owen and Glenda eventually sold the family business and Owen became a Plumbing Inspector for the City of Long Beach where he worked until he retired.
With the support of Owen, Glenda stayed involved with her children and active in the local community. She served as a leader for Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and was President of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). When her children became adults she became active in other local Long Beach clubs, serving as President of a Writing Club and the President of the Women's Association of Plumber's Wives.
Later, Glenda became a very active and nationally recognized member of the Long Beach Emblem Club #106, a charitable foundation that raises money for Children's Charities. Glenda helped raise funds for local organizations such as the Long Beach Tichners Dental clinic, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, The Austistic Society, as well as The Long Beach Police Department. With the support of Owen, she was able to hold the office of President four separate times.
Owen is now 88 and Glenda is 86. Over the years Owen and Glenda's four children grew into a dynasty of 56 family members. The totals to date are four children and their three spouses, twenty-one grandchildren, and twenty eight great grandchildren.
Among the many things Owen and Glenda handed down to the newer generations was their passion for travel. On December 21 to 24, 2009, they took a 3-day Christmas cruise out of Long Beach with 13 family members from all of the four generations. The Great Grandchildren, now spanning in age from 14 to 20 years old, forewent tangible Christmas presents to take the cruise with "Nana and Papa" (AKA Owen and Glenda). Everyone believed that spending time with them as a family was the greatest gift that could be given during this season. As testimony to that spirit, all family members attended a Karaoke session on the Carnival Paradise. There the six attending Great Grand Children got up on stage while wearing Santa hats and sang "All I Want for Christmas is You". They dedicated the song to their watching Great Grand Parents (Nana and Papa) - our family's heroes.
Owen and Glenda have called their house on Monlaco Rd in Long Beach home for the last 53 years. Early on, they owned their own local plumbing business - Lakewood Plumbing Company. They kept the business for about 15 years, and ran it, while they raised their four children. Glenda ran the office of their plumbing company with one hand and ran the business of family with the other. Owen and Glenda eventually sold the family business and Owen became a Plumbing Inspector for the City of Long Beach where he worked until he retired.
With the support of Owen, Glenda stayed involved with her children and active in the local community. She served as a leader for Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and was President of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). When her children became adults she became active in other local Long Beach clubs, serving as President of a Writing Club and the President of the Women's Association of Plumber's Wives.
Later, Glenda became a very active and nationally recognized member of the Long Beach Emblem Club #106, a charitable foundation that raises money for Children's Charities. Glenda helped raise funds for local organizations such as the Long Beach Tichners Dental clinic, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, The Austistic Society, as well as The Long Beach Police Department. With the support of Owen, she was able to hold the office of President four separate times.
Owen is now 88 and Glenda is 86. Over the years Owen and Glenda's four children grew into a dynasty of 56 family members. The totals to date are four children and their three spouses, twenty-one grandchildren, and twenty eight great grandchildren.
Among the many things Owen and Glenda handed down to the newer generations was their passion for travel. On December 21 to 24, 2009, they took a 3-day Christmas cruise out of Long Beach with 13 family members from all of the four generations. The Great Grandchildren, now spanning in age from 14 to 20 years old, forewent tangible Christmas presents to take the cruise with "Nana and Papa" (AKA Owen and Glenda). Everyone believed that spending time with them as a family was the greatest gift that could be given during this season. As testimony to that spirit, all family members attended a Karaoke session on the Carnival Paradise. There the six attending Great Grand Children got up on stage while wearing Santa hats and sang "All I Want for Christmas is You". They dedicated the song to their watching Great Grand Parents (Nana and Papa) - our family's heroes.
Submitted by The Walls Family
Here are pictures from "Jump for the Record." On Monday, February 1, at exactly 9 a.m., Lowell School joined approximately 80,000 children throughout the State of California in a mass attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the, Most People Jumping/Skipping Rope at the Same Time.
From 9 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. on the Lowell playground, our students skipped rope along with other schools to break the existing Guinness World Record of 59,000 people, held by Australia. Our participants were among 80,000 Californians to jump over the record from down under. This event was a great and fun reminder that it doesn't require a great deal of money or expensive equipment to be healthy, fit and fight childhood obesity. All it requires is perhaps a good pair of shoes and a jump rope. Since this was a joint effort with the American Heart Association, donations were also collected for the American Heart Association.
From 9 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. on the Lowell playground, our students skipped rope along with other schools to break the existing Guinness World Record of 59,000 people, held by Australia. Our participants were among 80,000 Californians to jump over the record from down under. This event was a great and fun reminder that it doesn't require a great deal of money or expensive equipment to be healthy, fit and fight childhood obesity. All it requires is perhaps a good pair of shoes and a jump rope. Since this was a joint effort with the American Heart Association, donations were also collected for the American Heart Association.
Submitted by Laurie Murrin
Principal
Lowell Elementary School
Long Beach
Our school, Grace Christian Schools of Long Beach recently collected shoes from our school families for the Soles for Souls program through Sports Chalet. Here are some of our 6th graders with the shoes they collected for the people of Haiti.
The same week the cold mornings were felt, I read in the Parkcrest Church bulletin the high school department was having a jacket drive. I contacted the high school director, Rachel Oblon and inquired if the McKinley students could benefit from the jacket drive. She told me one of the high school students, Katie Kelly, was coordinating the drive and then she generously offered to dedicate the entire jacket drive to our school.
We sent a flyer out to parents telling them they could come to our school cafeteria on a specific Saturday with their student and pick out a jacket. Rachel and Katie brought a team of dedicated Parkcrest volunteers down to McKinley with 430 jackets early on that Saturday morning. The line of parents and students stretched down the block. Our community along with Parkcrest Church, really came through for our kids and beautiful jackets were handed out to the students and their families.
It takes a village.
Submitted by Barbara Davis
Grace Christian Schools
Early Wednesday mornings finds my colleague, Jill Hoover and I on playground duty. At the beginning of the school year the mornings are very pleasant. However, when the cold frosty mornings began, it was evident by the lack of jackets that our students were not prepared for the cold. Some students were even staying home because of the lack of warm clothing.The same week the cold mornings were felt, I read in the Parkcrest Church bulletin the high school department was having a jacket drive. I contacted the high school director, Rachel Oblon and inquired if the McKinley students could benefit from the jacket drive. She told me one of the high school students, Katie Kelly, was coordinating the drive and then she generously offered to dedicate the entire jacket drive to our school.
We sent a flyer out to parents telling them they could come to our school cafeteria on a specific Saturday with their student and pick out a jacket. Rachel and Katie brought a team of dedicated Parkcrest volunteers down to McKinley with 430 jackets early on that Saturday morning. The line of parents and students stretched down the block. Our community along with Parkcrest Church, really came through for our kids and beautiful jackets were handed out to the students and their families.
It takes a village.
Submitted by Christy Cleveland
Counselor
McKinley Elementary
Counselor
McKinley Elementary
Marilyn Christensen, of Norwalk, took this picture of her friends; Jean Proost, Phyllis Crofford, Jan Long, Donna Glendinning and Elaine Putman while visiting the Hard Rock Cafe on Beal Street, Downtown Memphis, TN. in June 2009.
Eddie Claunch, formerly of Long Beach standing in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A, Cape Canaveral, Fla. with the August 10, 2009 Press-Telegram. Claunch grew up in Long Beach and attended Millikan High. He now lives in Cocoa Beach.
Submitted by Marilyn Christensen
Eddie Claunch, formerly of Long Beach standing in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A, Cape Canaveral, Fla. with the August 10, 2009 Press-Telegram. Claunch grew up in Long Beach and attended Millikan High. He now lives in Cocoa Beach.Tara, Jessica Lou, Gabrielle and Eliza Doty in August 2009 at the Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Submitted by Steve Doty
Long Beach natives Fred Dunn and his daughter, Janine traveled to China for 16 days as part of a delegation of World War II Veterans who served in the CBI (China/Burma/India Theater). After visiting The Flying Tiger Memorial and Zhi Jiang Air Force Base, where the Japanese Emperor surrendered, and other historic WWII locations, we visited Hong Kong. We are pictured here, with our Press Telegram, on the "Avenue of the Stars" in Hong Kong Harbor with the Bruce Lee statue.
Submitted by Janine Ransom
Here's a picture of the recent flooding taken from my front porch on Canton Street in East Long Beach. Taken by Mary Tyler
This is at Willow Street off of the Terminal Island Freeway. Look closely, there is a big rig truck underwater. Taken by Tracy Tucker from Long Beach
Here's a picture of the bus stop on Spring Street near Palo Verde Avenue.Taken by Diana Lejins
Spring St flooding near Woodruff Avenue.Taken by Diana Lejins
This one was taken near 7th Street and Cherry Avenue. There were mailboxes and giant boulders scattered in the streets! The water was up really high here, everyone was trying to drive very cautiously. You can even see how far up the water is to the parked cars! Long Beach had pretty much turned into a river that day.
Taken by Megan Munoz
I had rolled down the car window to take this one going east toward the Traffic Circle on Los Coyotes Diagonal. The water had flooded the entire street, and if a car went by too fast, the water would spray up OVER our car!Taken by Megan Munoz
This photo was taken by Rosie Bauman from her front porch on the 6400 block of Nixon Street.
My favorite photo: My two children, Carter, 4, and Kira, 6, enjoying a break in the rain and cheering for a rainbow! Taken by Annie Ybarra
This is from the recent storm. The girls are all 13 years-old and are great friends! They are Bridget Starr, Kelsea Styron and Allie Goodwin.Tanya Styron took the photo in Los Altos area of Long Beach, CA
Danielle and Haley Thompson (Age 4) splashing in the puddles after the big storm on Friday, January 22. Taken by Amy Thompson 
I took this photo from my front porch in Lakewood on Friday afternoon January 22.Taken by Joan Bergeron
Rainbow over the Huntington Beach Pier.Taken by Bob Blount
Buonos Pizza at Chestnut Avenue and Willow Street in Long Beach. The water was all the way to the door.Taken by Tracy from Long Beach
The loading dock behind the Promenade between Fourth and Fifth streetsTaken by Charles Rick Roche
Evelyn Robertson attended her Sunday School Beach Party and was swept off her feet by Royce Ehle. Today they still hold hands, are still very much in love and are celebrating 70 years of marriage.The First Pentecostal Church at 10th St. and California Avenue, in Long Beach was having a beach party, Royce spotted a beautiful young lady trying to get sand off her feet, so he swept her off her feet, and carried her down to the water and back. The rest is music.
Evelyn graduated from Poly High School Jan 25, 1940. Two days later she and Royce were married by Brother Jeffery "behind Hansen's Market" in her aunt and uncle's home, Ruth and Ellis Robertson.
Royce worked for Frank Bros. Furniture on 4th Street delivering furniture making $16 a week.
They celebrated Sunday January 24.
Their original cake top will again adorn their anniversary cake, surrounded by family and many friends. One friend Marshall Julian, a former city manger of Lakewood, went to kindergarten with Royce. Gene Miller, a comedian, formerly of Long Beach, will give a toast and entertain in his usually jocular style. Their daughter Sharon will be singing their special song: Irving Berlins' "Always."
Royce and Evelyn say always "talking things over" is the key to a happy marriage. They have lived in Long Beach their entire married life.
Lathe is wearing his new neck warmer designed by Jane Hamilton. Lathe can be found at Visionary Artware on Broadway in the Heights. He often visits while customers are shopping in this unique store. Mina, the shop owner, gives Mosaic classes and he keeps us company while we are making our projects. He is a delight to be around even if I am allergic to cats!!
Submitted by Joyce Levinson
My 3-year-old Sultan Woods at Poly football practice. He keeps running on the field. He wants to play football - after he finishes his fruit snacks.Submitted by Mark Woods
Our dad, Daniel Lock, is a wonderful and loving father. He took a day off from work to go on a field trip to the La Brea Tar Pits. He drove all the way into Los Angeles all by himself while I was on the yellow school bus from Long Beach. He did that just for me. My teacher, Mr. King at Burcham K- 8 School was very happy that my dad drove all that way to help us. My dad made a super treasure chest for my sister Khaileen's kindergarten teacher last year. He is an adoring man that loves his family very much. My dad came to my school for the talent show and dance performance after a long day at work.
Submitted by Sharolyna Lock, 8, 3rd grade
On October 29, 2009 the Fire Dragon troop of Camp Fire Long Beach Area Council came to Comprehensive Child Development with dozens of books for the preschool children at the Pacific Avenue Child Development Center. They are a troop of 10 boys who are all in 2nd grade at Longfellow Elementary School, in their third year together. The troop began when the boys were in Kindergarten. The book drive was part of the "Kiniya" service project. The boys are: Casey, Ben, Jacob, Willem, Raphael, Nathan, Jack, Aidan, Owen and Gabriel. The troop leaders are Cynthia DeCure and Nora Mueller. The boys collected then delivered the books and then divided up and went to all four classrooms and each troop member read a book to the children, who sat in rapt attention in a circle at their feet.Comprehensive Child Development, Inc. (CCD) is a nonprofit organization providing high quality early childhood education for the preschool children of low-income working parents in the greater Long Beach area. Being primarily state funded, there is always a need to find ways to supplement classroom supplies and materials because of the gap in funding between state contracts and the actual cost of early childhood education. Many of these families have no money to buy books to read with their children. The reading experience is very important for future success as they enter into the school system. The families of CCD are very grateful to the boys of the Fire Dragon Troop. They are going to be great future leaders. For more information about CCD, go to www.ccdlb.org.
Submitted by Louise Cunningham, Development Director
