THE TALK OF THE TOWN - WATER!....Pg. B1


SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2013

VOLUME 7 NO. 25

Inside this week: 

COUNCIL HAS ANOTHER FULL 
AGENDA TUESDAY

FAREWELL TO A GRAND LADY

SIERRA MADRE

Calendar Page 2

Sierra Madre News Page 3


In April when the Sierra Madre City Council reorganized, the first few meetings 
thereafter were, while productive, rather uneventful. For a few meetings not 
even a dozen residents showed up to participate.

 However, that has changed and the as Mayor Walsh and the council can look 
forward to increased public participation as the agenda items of later are of great 
concern to the community. After the last regularly scheduled meeting, a special 
meeting on water conservation was held. The special meeting brought seemed 
to address some of the community concerns, however, issues such as a moratorium 
on new development that had been requested by several speakers, di d not 
happen. (See related story on page B1) 

 This week at the regular council meeting, In addition to the issue of Mandatory 
Water Conservation, which attracted little interest until the notice was sent to 
residents, the agenda has two other matters that have been of great concern to 
the public. The first is the issue of public facilities impact fees and the second 
is the Public Safety Master Plan.

 The council meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 6:30 pm in the 
council chambers at City Hall.

PASADENA/ALTADENA

Pg. 4

GELSON’S CLOSES

AROUND SGV Pg. 5

THE DUARTE LIBRARY

NYERGES: GARY KNOWLTON

ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 

AFD FILLS THE BOOT

MONROVIA/DUARTE 

 Pg. 7

CITY OF SIERRA MADRE FREE CONCERT IN 
THE PARK SERIES PRESENTED BY 

KENSINGTON ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY

New Crop of Future 
Leaders

EDUCATION & YOUTH

 Pg. 8

Join the City of Sierra Madre this summer 
for the Concerts in the Park, beginning 
Sunday, June 23, 2013 and occurring every 
Sunday through August 11, 2013. The 
concerts are FREE thanks to the support 
of Kensington Assisted Living Facility, 
along with numerous community hosts. 
Concerts begin at 6:00pm and run through 
8:00pm. All concerts will be held at the 
Memorial Park Bandshell, 222 W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd. next to City Hall. Seating is 
on the green so remember to bring blankets 
and lawn chairs. Alcohol is prohibited. 
Spectators are encouraged to support local 
organizations that may provide refreshments. 
For additional information please 
contact the Community Services Department 
626-355-5278.

 

Concerts in the Park Schedule: 

June 23 – Cowbop (Cowboy Jazz/Western 
Bebop), sponsored by the Sierra Madre 
Civic Club 

• Surfer Taco Food Truck

June 30 –Hard Days Night (Beatles Tribute 
Band) sponsored by the Sierra Madre 
Volunteer Firefighters Association • Slummin’ 
Gourmet Food Truck

July 7 – Luke Mulholland Band (Blues), 
sponsored by the Sierra Madre Issei Memorial 
Foundation

• Meet N Potatoes Food Truck

July 14 – Decades of Rock (Classic Rock) 
sponsored by the Spero Foundation • 
Juan’s Tacos: tacos, burritos, chips and 
salsa

July 21 – Elvis (Elvis Tribute), hosted by 
the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre

• Rounds Burger Food Truck & The Ice 
Princess 

July 28 – Jane Fuller (Pop) sponsored by 
Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club and Friends of 
the Sierra Madre Library • Corfu Restaurant 
and Kiwanis Birtyday Cake

August 4 – Undercover Girls (Rock and 
Roll) sponsored by L.A. County Supervisor 
Michael D. Antonovich • Meet N Potatoes 
Food Truck

August 11 – Gem City Jazz Cats (Big 
Band) sponsored by the Senior Community 
Commission • FREE popsicles!!

ALVERNO 
GRADUATES

On Friday, as many as 200 people 
filled the Sierra Madre Room at the 
Recreation Center to celebrate the life 
of Marjorie “Mama Pete” Peterson 
who passed away just shy of her 97th 
birthday. 

 Survived by her son Dan and daughter 
Muriel, five grandchildren and a 
host of great grandchildren, those in 
attendance shared their stories of how 
this remarkable woman touched their 
lives.

 Rev. Jim Walden of Temple City’s 
First Baptist Church led the services 
and Mayor Nancy Walsh, Phyllis 
Chapman, Ann Tyler and Jan Reed 
all spoke of Mama Pete’s magnificence 
and extraordinary commitment to 
children and the community.

 Two of her great grandsons rendered 
musical selections and the inspirational 
poem, “Dash” was read by Jerry 
Marbie.

 A video made for her 90th birthday 
celebration and narrated by her 
daughter Muriel at the time was 
shown sharing photos of her life 
from the time she was an infant and 
through her 90th year.

 Two of the children that attended the 
school, a young man about 5 and another 
young lady who appeared to be 
about 10, also came to the mike in her 
honor.

 One of the most moving tributes 
came from local resident Katrelya Angus, 
who met Mama Pete when she 
was 6. In her honor, Katreyla wore a 
red, white and blue ensemble, symbolic 
of Mama Pete’s attire every year 
at the 4th of July Parade.

 Everywhere you looked you could 
see Teddy Bears, Mama Pete’s trademark 
favorite stuffed animal.

 Refreshments were prepared and 
served by the Sierra Madre Civic Club 
and Woman’s Club. The Sierra Madre 
Kiwanis Club assisted with reception 
and ushering of guests.

 

BEST FRIENDS Pg. 9

Charlie Brown Canine Clown

FOOD & DRINK

Pg. 10

Tips & Trifle

THE WORLD AROUND US

Pg. 10

LOOKING UP -

THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 11

Savvy Senior

Senior Happenings

SPORTS Pg. 12

SECTION B

 THE TALK OF THE TOWN:

 WATER

BUSINESS Pg. B2

There must be something in the water 
there at the British Home in Sierra 
Madre. Or maybe it’s the excellent care 
they take of their residents, but at the 
moment, there are two centenarians in 
residence, both of them active and mobile. 
And one of them, Sophie (Koenig) 
Hules, celebrated her 104th birthday 
last Saturday, with family and friends 
coming from as far away as North Carolina 
to be with her.

 

Sophie Koenig was born in Yugoslavia 
on June 14, 1909. Her parents had traveled 
from their home in New York for a 
family gathering, but found themselves 
unable to return to the United States 
due to a combination of civil unrest, 
military conflict, and ultimately, the 
onset of WWI.

 

It wasn’t until 1920, at the age of eleven, 
that Sophie was able to return to 
the U.S., which she and her family did 
aboard a steam ship originally built in 
1912, named The President Wilsone, 
after Woodrow Wilson, the American 
president during WWI. Her father 
Josef, mother Gertrude, sisters Rose 
and Louise, and two brothers, Josef 
and William left the farm they lived on 
to sail on the Presidente Wilson’s first 
trip to America after the war. They re-
entered the U.S. like millions of immigrants, 
through Ellis Island, ultimately 
settling in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Sophie and her younger sister by four 
years, Louise, also born on June 14th, 
attended school together to learn English, 
and after six years of schooling, 
Sophie got a job, working as a Long 
Distance telephone operator. Yes, 
young’uns, phone calls used to be 
categorized by the distance between 
the two parties talking. Sophie met a 
florist seven years her senior named 
James Hules, and six days shy of her 
20th birthday, the couple were married. 
Nine years later, they set off for 
California, where Sophie worked the 
night shift as an operator for Pacific 
Telephone and Telegraph Company. 
James found work during WWII working 
for the government as a painting 
contractor, painting black out windows 
to prevent the enemy from seeing the 
lights in the houses, should they attack 
from the air.

 

Sophie and Jim bought a house in South 
Pasadena, and raised three children 
there, Carol, Jim and Susan. All three 
children were in attendance Saturday to 
celebrate with her. Her siblings have all 
passed away, but her nephew Will was 
able to be there. Sophie also has five 
grandchildren, six grandchildren and a 
great, great grandchild, several of who 
were also there to celebrate with her on 
Saturday.

 

Sophie continued to work as a telephone 
operator, first taking the Red 
Line to work, eventually learning to 
drive herself to work. She also enjoyed 
driving to the beach, and regularly 
spent her vacation at Balboa Island or 
on Catalina. Last year, a group from 
the British Home took a day trip to 
Balboa, and Sophie was thrilled at the 
memories it brought back for her. She 
retired from the phone company in 
1966, (yes, she’s been retired nearly 50 
years), though she continued to drive 
until the age of 94!

 

After retiring, Sophie became active in 
Senior Citizen’s groups, and did a lot 
of traveling. Jim eventually became ill, 
and Sophie tended to his needs until 
his passing in 1983. She continued to 
travel, including trips to Hawaii, Paris, 
and the South of France. She lived in 
the house she and Jim had shared in 
South Pasadena, tending to their gardens, 
until after the age of 100, but she 
moved into the British Home a couple 
years back. Today, she still gets up and 
sweeps the sidewalk and patio area 
around her “unit” and looks back on a 
life well-lived.

 

With dozens of friends and relatives on 
hand Saturday to enjoy a breakfast that 
featured waffles, eggs benedict, fruit 
and much more, Sophie had a smile on 
her face throughout the celebration. It’s 
been a tradition each year on her birthday 
for Sophie to tell British Home administrator 
Marlene Rainen “See you 
next year!” I’ll look forward to seeing 
you next year, Sophie, as we celebrate 
105! Happy birthday!

HAPPY 104th BIRTHDAY SOPHIE! Photo and story by Bill Coburn


HEALTHY LIVING 

Pg. B3

ARTS / ENTERTAINMENT 

 Pg. B4

LEFT/RIGHT Pg. B5

OPINION Pg. B5

LEGAL NOTICES 

 B6-B9

FYI Pg. B10


@mtnviewsnews


www.facebook.com/
mountainviewsnews 

HAVE LUNCH WITH SIERRA 
MADRE’S FIRE CHIEF 

The Sierra Madre Volunteer Fire Department's Chief Steve Heydorff and his 
Battalion Chiefs will be joining our Kiwanis meeting at noon on Tuesday, June 
25. 

They will be giving a brief overview of the Department's staffing, training 
hours, calls made per year, cost saving to the City and additional pertinent 
information. All are welcome to attend this meeting at The Lodge to hear their 
remarks, ask questions and enjoy a delicious lunch for only $10.

For reservations call 626-355-0728


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com