by WILLIAM F. KIMES and THELMA C. HARWOOD,
coordinators of the book.
Bringing a deserted air base, with tumbleweeds piled high in front of the Administration building, to the well-established confidently growing Orange Coast College of today, has not been without some sorrow and loss.
The first person we were to lose was Ray Washam, a young instructor in business education. Ray died in March of 1957. He hadn't been feeling well and went to his doctor for a check-up. Ray learned that he had leukemia, and was sent to the UCLA Medical Center for treatment.
Several times after he asked to be relieved of his duties he visited campus, cheerful and good table company to the end.
The students remembered him in the 1956-57 yearbook by dedicating the publication to him.
A fine young instructor in the field of Life Science was Richard Martin. By the time Dick learned that he had a serious kidney infection he was beyond medical relief. He passed away in December, 1958. It was a long time before the faculty and staff accustomed themselves to not hearing the cheerful whistling of Dick Martin.
The Science Department held a memorial tree planting service one warm spring Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Dick. A tree planted opposite the room where he taught stands to his memory.
In the spring of 1961 we lost a third instructor. Samuel McNeal had been a very active member of the Faculty Association, serving one year as president. He not only had strong convictions, but the courage to express them.
In addition to being a leader in faculty matters he was a dedicated instructor in electronics. His hobby of short wave radio made for a strong tie between "Mac" and his students and after his death the station's call numbers were officially changed to what had been his personal call identification.
Mr. McNeal survived one surgery for an intestinal malignancy and was able to return to work for a few months, but there came a day when he was no longer able to meet his classes. A tree was also planted in his memory, a few feet from the Martin one.
Monett Metcalf was a maintenance man. In March, 1958 he and Jim Brown were constructing the concrete brick planter west of the Administration building. There was considerable joshing about whether the holes bored would line up for the bolts. Monett and Jim were perfectly confident, the business manager wasn't so confident. The holes did line up— the bench was completed and Monett went home Friday evening. He was buried the next Friday. His death was caused by a severe coronary.
Robert Lewis, night custodial supervisor, did not meet his crew one night. Knowing that he had been despondent because of ill health several of the men started searching for him. His body was found over on the west bluff of Costa Mesa. He had taken his life with a firearm.
Manuel Loya was a member of our custodial staff and a man with a great deal of courage. Although suffering extreme pain he returned to work after major malignant growth surgeries. No man ever tried harder to "work one more day." Many a night the men covered for Manuel so he could stay on, and sometimes he could work along with the rest. Then came a day when we heard requiem-mass read for Manuel. He left a charming young wife and three lovely children.
Dewey Gonser had been off work for some time with a heart condition. He finally convinced his doctor that he was able to return to his custodian job. He had been working for several months when one night as he was sweeping a room he suddenly called for help. Help came and he was rushed to the hospital, but died three days later without regaining consciousness.
For another of our men, William "Bill" Clark, the end came suddenly and without warning. Along with several other men he was working on the second story roof during the demolition of one of the former men's dormitories. During the process a tie beam that extended from one end of the building was pulled loose. The end of the building where Bill was working fell, pinning him partially under it. When the fallen wall was removed from him he was still conscious, but passed away on the operating table while a team of surgeons were trying to save him. Some of us never walk past the cork oak tree where the dormitory was wrecked without remembering Bill.
Among the several building inspectors who have been on the campus since 1949, starting with Cliff Huber, was Birger Gjennestad. Bergie was a fine Norseman born in Christiana (Oslo). He was a competent inspector and a fascinating talker. After the completion of the Science building and Technology building additions in 1960 he had what appeared to be an attack of pneumonia—finally ending in surgery for a malignant lung. Marian Perrin, secretary in the business office, looked after Bergie's welfare, missed hardly a day visiting him in the hospital, and was called when he passed away. It was she who sent the sad announcement to his sons and sister.
One of the hardest of all campus partings to bear was when Janet Albers passed away. Janet was the six year old daughter of Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Francis Albers. She had lived on campus most of her life and was not only loved by her family and neighbors, but counted as her friends the entire staff and student body. She was a cheerful little girl, with a ready smile.
All of us were saddened when her father reported that brain surgery had indicated a malignant condition. She made a brief recovery —which we knew was only temporary.
Everyone took part in making her last weeks happy ones. As school activities came to a close in the spring of 195S, the students elected Janet Queen of Pirates Day, to reign over the festivities of that traditional gala occasion. Then there were campus movies and children's parties. There was a pony and buggy, with a drive about the campus every evening. Happiness mingled with sorrow as the weeks slipped by.
Remembering these friends we recall Emerson's simple words: "We are loathe to part with our friends. We do not wish to see our angels go."
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