Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 9, 2015

VAUGHAN 

(cont. from pg. 1)

entirely by hand. Later he 
constructed a work shop in the 
backyard of his home, where 
he fabricated bookcases and 
cabinets, kitchen chairs and 
benches, sets of building blocks 
for the kids, and, in the last 
year of his life, a lazy-Susan 
as a Christmas gift for each of 
his children. He could repair 
almost anything. He had 
been an accomplished amateur 
pianist, and enjoyed classical 
music and theater, as well as 
traveling. He also enjoyed 
sailing and flying, obtaining a 
private pilot’s license when in 
his 50’s. Always curious about 
everything, he was constantly 
amiable and gracious, and ever 
interested in learning.

His major post-retirement 
activity became the non-profit 
Mount Wilson Institute, which 
he co-founded with Robert 
Ferguson in 1986. The Institute 
operates the CThe Mt. Wilson 
Observatory. He was founding 
director and then a trustee of 
the Mount Wilson Institute 
until his death. This effort 
preserved this historic facility, 
which remains in use today. 

 He was pre-deceased by 
his parents, and by an older 
sister, Frances. He is mourned 
by her children, as well as by 
his younger sister Charlotte 
Davis. He is also survived by 
his wife of almost 40 years, the 
former Anne Montgomery, a 
friend since their kindergarten 
days in Salem. His loving 
family also include his son 
Erik Brewster Vaughan, of 
Phoenix, AZ, from his first 
marriage to the former Audrey 
Judd; as well as step-children 
William Anthony Morrison 
(Heather), Christopher Allen 
Morrison (Lori), and Elizabeth 
Morrison Walters (Jon), all 
of Sierra Madre. He loved 
being “Papa” to grandchildren 
Claire Morrison, Margaret and 
Ava Walters, Rachel Gurich-
Vaughan, and Duncan and 
Wylie Morrison.

 In lieu of flowers, the family 
has asked that donations in his 
name be made to the Mount 
Wilson Institute, P. O. Box 
94146, Pasadena CA 91109 

3


Mountain View News Saturday, May 9, 2015 

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side by Deanne Davis

REMEMBRANCE...

“Victor Espinoza, who rode American 
Pharoah to victory in Saturday’s 141st 
Kentucky Derby, became the seventh jockey 
with three Derby victories and the sixth 
to post two consecutive wins (California 
Chrome in 2015 and he won on War Emblem 
in 2002)” - 

Los Angeles Times May 3, 2015

 What a weekend, friends and neighbors! 
First our own Victor Espinoza wins his 
second consecutive Kentucky Derby on a 
horse that has been referred to as “lightly 
raced” and “sort of a problem child!” 
Trainer, Bob Baffert, “gave Espinoza simple 
instructions, ‘Man, I don’t know, just go 
ride your race!’ Espinoza recalled, laughing. 
“Good idea, Bob!” he said. That’s our guy, an 
amazing jockey and a hero to young cancer 
patients at City of Hope. If you happen to 
see Victor around town, give him a high 
five! Coming up: The Belmont and the 
Preakness…maybe Victor and American 
Pharoah will take the Triple Crown this year. 
Fingers crossed!

 Then we had the Art Fair, which was the 
nicest one ever, we think…of course we say 
that every year and you probably do, too! 
First of all, we stopped at Lew Watanabe’s 
Weeping Wall Memorial and took a moment 
to read the plaque once again:

“Dedicated to all the armed forces veterans 
of Sierra Madre…

Who served our country in peace and war…

Who helped to preserve peace and freedom 
for our city, country and the world.

The wall weeps…not with sorrow, but with 
pride.

God bless them all.

April 1999”

 And there was something we hadn’t 
noticed before, though it’s probably been 
there all along; a directory of the location of 
each veteran’s picture on the Sierra Madre 
Memorial Wall. Nice.

 Here are a few of the things we especially 
liked: John Wortham’s photography. He 
calls himself a photographer of the world 
and his landscapes and animal photographs 
are some of the best we’ve ever seen. My Art 
Fair companion and favorite pilot, John, 
liked some renderings of various airplanes, especially some very nice 
Cessnas (his plane of choice). Kay Taylor’s jewelry, featuring some 
gorgeous turquoise and silver pieces was busy, as was Marva’s Quilts 
and the beautiful bonsai by featured artist 
Frank Yee. One in particular, a tiny cypress 
forest with a little man seated in a meditation 
pose was unusually lovely.

 The Creative Arts Group had a wonderful 
project for kids featuring boxes, lots and lots 
of glue, buttons and all sorts of accessories 
to create your own robot. Susan Henderson, 
Editor of Mountain Views News, was 
holding a balloon animal and waiting for her 
robot to dry when we wandered by.

 The Celtic Music group, Luck Penny, 
who were at the Art Fair last year were back 
with some sprightly tunes and a nice group 
of folks sitting in the shade enjoying their 
playing. The Garden Club were selling some 
lovely iris at very reasonable prices. I have no 
luck at all with iris, which is disappointing 
as I really like them. Ours look healthy and 
put out new spears every year but they never 
seem to make any iris! Dutch Iris does OK 
with us, but regular iris, which I see all over 
town, not so much.

 We chatted a while with the Sierra Madre 
Library group and heard about the Mary 
Tumilty Endowment Fund. What a splendid 
woman she was! Witty, acerbic, and she let 
our twelve year old daughter, Leah, pick out 
books in the adult section (Perry Mason 
mysteries) when she outgrew the children’s 
library, which was pretty much unheard of at 
the time! Mary made a trip to the library an 
adventure. Check out her endowment fund 
next time you stop by the library. 

 As we were walking Sierra Madre this 
morning, we commented on how blessed we 
are to live here where so many wonderful 
things happen…really, think about it! Our 
own Rose float, the Art Fair, the Huck Finn 
Fishing Derby, the Halloween festivities and 
scarecrow contest, the Wistaria Festival, the 
Mt. Wilson Trail Race, which is coming up 
in just a couple of weeks, our July 4th Parade, 
concerts in the park. Don’t you love it here!

 Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out 
there and if you haven’t bought your mom a 
card yet, get on it! It’s Sunday, May 10th! Have 
a great week and watch the jacarandas…
they’re working overtime this year!

 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Blog: www.authordeanne.com “Tablespoon of Love, Tablespoon of 
Laughter” is available there… 


GRETCHEN L. KELLY


KELLY, Gretchen Louise. Born 
June 7, 1931, Detroit, Michigan; 
died March 5, 2015, Sierra 
Madre, California. Survived 
by son Terry and daughter-
in-law Alison, grandsons Ian, 
Conor, Morgan and Colin, 
brother-in-law, sisters-in 
law, and numerous nieces, 
nephews, grandnieces and 
grandnephews. Predeceased by 
husband Donald M. Kelly.

Gretchen treasured her family 
and friendships, retaining 
close friends from childhood 
in Michigan through the rest 
of her life, and seemingly knew 
everyone in town. She was 
upbeat, optimistic, diligent, 
and strong in adversity. She 
actively supported a number 
of community organizations 
and activities, most recently 
as a dedicated member with 
the Women’s Committee 
of the Pasadena Symphony 
Association for over 20 years. 
She loved the mountains. 
Every day she made a point 
of looking at them, whether 
the San Gabriel Mountains 
she enjoyed from her porch, 
or the Eastern Sierra Nevada 
Mountains where she camped, 
hiked and explored with family 
and friends for over 50 years. 

She and Don married in 1951 
and moved from Detroit to 
Riverside, California in 1952 
where she worked for Pacific 
Tel & Tel. They moved to Sierra 
Madre in 1964 and she initially 
focused on raising her son 
and supporting his school and 
sport activities as well as “every 
women’s organization in town”. 
When Don later commenced 
a second career as a lawyer 
she became a secretary and 
eventually office manager in the 
law practice in downtown Los 
Angeles and then Pasadena. 
She then started a career as a 
realtor at age 57, working first 
for Allison Realty and then 
Coldwell Banker until retiring 
at age 78. She loved her job 
because she valued the chance 
to help people find their home, 
and she had folders of letters 
from happy clients attesting 
to her diligence and hardwork 
in making that happen. After 
retirement, she enjoyed 
traveling throughout the United 
States with her high school 
friends and visiting her relatives 
in Europe, as well as spending 
time with her grandsons. She 
also enjoyed having a project, 
or two or three, around her 
house which were seemingly 
always underway. 

A celebration of life and 
reception will be held on 
Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 3:00 
p.m. in Sierra Madre. All are 
welcome; please email her son 
Terry at tmk9876@gmail.com 
for information and to RSVP. 

In lieu of flowers, donations 
may be made to the Friends 
of the Sierra Madre Public 
Library, P.O. Box 334, Sierra 
Madre, CA 91025, the Mono 
Lake Committee, P.O. Box 
29, Lee Vining, CA 93541, 
or the Pasadena Symphony 
Association, 2 North Lake 
Avenue, Suite 1080, Pasadena, 
CA 91011.

JULY 4TH PARADE 
REGISTRATION

 The Sierra Madre 4th of July Parade is an annual tradition that is 
an integral part of the Sierra Madre community! This hometown 
parade features community members, organizations, classic 
cars, a marching band, kids on their decorated bikes and so 
much more. Join us for the 2015 parade on Saturday, July 4, from 
10:00am – 12:00 pm. The parade route will begin at the corner 
of Sierra Madre Blvd. and Sunnyside Avenue, and will travel the 
length of Sierra Madre Blvd. to Sierra Vista Park.

 Parade participation is open to all; young, young-at-heart, and 
everything in between. There is NO FEE to participate in the 
parade this year thanks to a sponsorship from the The Kensington. 
If you are interested in participating in the 4th of July parade, 
please visit the 4th of July Website for online registration. 

https://sierramadre4thofjuly.wordpress.com/parade/

 Parade registration opens Friday, May 1st and all applications 
must be submitted by Monday, June 1st. Due to staging concerns, 
no late entries will be accepted. Please make sure to fill out all 
fields and hit the submit button!

 For questions regarding parade registration please contact the 
4th of July Committee at 4thofjulysierramadre@gmail.com or the 
Community Services Department at 626.355.7135

FIRE DEPARTMENT BRUSH 
INSPECTIONS

The Sierra Madre Fire Department will begin annual Brush 
Inspections on June 1st, 2015 for homes populating the Wildland 
Urban Interface (WUI). These areas are at high risk for wildfires, 
and as such, require mandatory Brush Clearance measures 
instated by State and Local Codes to protect homeowners from 
the risk of wildfire.

The following list of Brush Clearance requirements can help 
protect your home and community:

· Maintain the first 30 feet around any structure free of 
native brush and hazardous vegetation.

· Aggressively thin and trim the vegetation 30 to 100 feet 
around any structure.

· Remove dead branches from trees and keep all branches 
6 feet off the ground.

· Clear vegetation 10 feet from roadways.

· Remove tree limbs that are within 10 feet of a chimney 
outlet.

· Maintain 5 feet of vertical clearance between your roof 
and overhanging vegetation.

· Keep all roof surfaces clear of dead leaves and twigs.

· Post your street number on your house so it is visible 
from the street. 

COMMUNITY YARD SALE

The City of Sierra Madre Senior Community Commission is hosting 
the 5th Annual Community Yard Sale on Saturday, June 6, 2015 
from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. located in the Sierra Vista Park (611 
E. Sierra Madre Blvd). Community organizations and members are 
invited to come together with their neighbors to participate in a 
community yard sale. The fee for a selling space is $30.00 and a yard 
sale permit does not need to be purchased; proceeds will benefit 
senior programs and activities. If you would like to participate in 
the Community Yard Sale, you must register in person at the City 
Hall, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.. The Community Yard Sale will 
encompass the west parking lot and basketball court in Sierra Vista 
Park. The deadline to register is Thursday, May 28 or until spaces 
are filled. Spots are filled on a first come, first serve basis. For more 
information please call the Community Services Department at 
(626) 355-7135.


SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER

During the week of Sunday, April 26th, to Sunday, May 3rd, the 
Sierra Madre Police Department responded to approximately 370 
calls for service.

Monday, April 27th

 At 3:46 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to the station 
lobby regarding the use of another person’s identity. The victim 
informed Officers that they had recently noticed unauthorized 
transactions from their credit card. The victim determined 
that an unknown person used their personal information and 
credit card information to access various accounts and change 
passwords, which included their phone service, travel accounts, 
online payment accounts and other personal accounts. The 
affected accounts were closed and the victim did not lose any 
money. This case has been forwarded to the Detective Bureau. 

Tuesday, April 28th

At 5:36 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to the 100 Block 
of East Highland Avenue regarding a report of vandalism to a 
vehicle. The victim informed Officers that earlier in the day he 
had parked his vehicle in the carport. Later that evening he came 
out to discover his rear passenger window had been smashed. The 
victim did not report anything as missing or disturbed within 
the vehicle. This case has been forwarded to the Detective Bureau. 

Thursday, April 30th

At 8:58 am, Sierra Madre Police responded to the 100 Block of 
South Lima after several reports of the smell of natural gas in 
the area. Shortly after arriving on scene and trying to determine 
the source of the smell, Officers were approached by a man who 
resided nearby and were informed that three days prior, he had 
poured an old bottle of chemical he had discovered in his shed 
onto the ground on his backyard. According to the resident the 
chemical had been banned because it was considered toxic. LAFD 
Hazmat responded to the location and facilitated Sierra Madre 
Fire Department in neutralizing the chemical. The resident was 
cited and fined for his use of a banned chemical. 

 At 8:30 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to the station lobby 
after a woman entered the station stating she needed to talk to 
an Officer about trouble she had been having in her life. While 
Officers talked to the woman, they noticed she was very agitated. 
The woman informed Officers she needed chemotherapy and she 
was recently at the hospital but left because the nurses would not 
help her while she suffered from cancer. She informed Officers 
that she wanted them to test a syringe in her purse to see if the 
nurses had infected her. Upon searching the purse, Officers 
discovered several syringes and the woman confessed to using 
heroine earlier that day. Officers also found a social security card 
belong to another person. The woman stated she had found it in a 
friend’s vehicle and kept it. Due to her requests for medical help, 
Sierra Madre Fire Department ultimately transported the woman 
to a local hospital for further medical treatment and evaluation. 
The woman was cited for the possession of the syringes and stolen 
property. Charges were filed with Pasadena Superior Court.

Sunday, May 3rd

At 5:40 am, Sierra Madre Police responded to the 70 Block of East 
Sierra Madre regarding a report of damaged mailboxes. Upon 
arrival Officers were informed by the reporting resident that he 
discovered the apartment mailboxes had been damaged and mail 
may have been taken. The man stated he arrived home at 2:30 
am and took his mail out of his box before entering the complex 
and did not notice any damage at the time. A few hours later he 
discovered the mailboxes open and empty. This case has been 
forwarded to the Detective Bureau. 

SIERRA MADRE PUBLIC 
TRANSPORTATION CHANGES

 Changes to the Sierra Madre Dial-A-Ride and fixed route Gateway 
Coach services take effect June 1. 2015. Dial-A-Ride services in 
Sierra Madre will operate Monday through Friday from 8:00am – 
10:30am and 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Dial-A-Ride services are available 
to Sierra Madre residents that are 62 years of age or older, or have 
a signed form by a physician attesting to a disability that hinders 
mobility. The cost of a one-way fare is $2.00. Dial-A-Ride travels 
up to 2 miles outside the City, however on Tuesdays one can travel 
as far east as Duarte’s City of Hope andon Thursdays one can 
travel as far west as Huntington Memorial Hospital. Dial-A-Ride 
users must submit an application prior to using the service for the 
first time.

 The Gateway Coach fixed route services operates Monday 
through Friday from 11:00am – 2:00pm. The Gateway Coach is 
free for anyone to use and does not require an application. The 
Gateway Coach stops at various points throughout the City 
including City parks, the library, City Hall, Senior Center, and 
schools. In addition the Gateway Coach stops in Hastings Ranch. 

 To download a copy of the Sierra Madre Public Transportation 
Map, please visit www.cityofsierramadre.com/transportation. 
For additional information contact the Community Services 
Department at 626-355-7135.