Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 24, 2012

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 24, 2012 

REMEMBRANCE

ARSON AND INSURANCE FRAUD FILED ON TWO 
SIERRA MADRE RESIDENTS

October of 2011 two suspicious fires occurred at a residence in the 200 block of West 
Mariposa Avenue. Through the diligent work of Sierra Madre Police Officers and members 
of the Sierra Madre Fire Department Michael and Suanne Ellis were identified as being 
responsible for those fires.

Police Chief Giannone said, “The teamwork of both Police and Fire Department Investigators 
led to the identification of property owners Michael and Suanne Ellis, who started the fires 
on their own property and then collected money from their insurance company for the 
damages.”

This was a very tedious year-long investigation. Sergeant Joe Ortiz, Detective Lorena 
Gonzales, and Fire Captain Rich Snyder are to be commended for their persistence in this 
case. Giannone said, “They presented a very strong case to the District Attorney’s Office 
who ultimately filed two felony counts each on the Ellis’.”

Michael and Suanne Ellis were taken into custody at their home, without incident, and 
were booked at the Pasadena Jail. They both remain in custody and are being held on fifty 
thousand dollar bail each.


LOYAL AMERICA CAMACHO

Loyal America Camacho went to be with our 
Lord, . on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, in 
Pasadena, Calfornia at the age of 94 years. She 
enjoyed living a very active and healthy life until 
becoming ill earlier this year and being diagnosed 
with Lung Cancer. Loyal was a fighter up until 
the end, an independent, “free-spirited” strong 
woman, and according to the nurses her heart 
just stopped peacefully. 

 Born Loyal America Brown in Butte Montana, 
on January 31st, 1918, approx. 2 hours after the 
birth of her twin sister, Gloria LaFrance Brown, 
to Clarence Roy Brown (Father) and Grace 
Muenz (Mother). Loyal resided in Sierra Madre, 
California, from 1984 until the time of her 
passing.

During the 1930’s Loyal took a trip to Hawaii on 
vacation and enjoyed it so much she lived there 
for over 50 years, until 1984 when she moved 
to Sierra Madre to stay with her sister, Gloria 
L. Hinshaw, who was the children’s librarian in 
Sierra Madre. 

While in Hawaii Loyal worked for Stewart’s 
Pharmacy for several years until the store closed, 
at which time she went into the sales business 
at a local Center of Commerce. Loyal was also 
employed by the United States Air Force as a 
Civilian Aircraft Hydraulic Specialist pre-World 
War II and during the war. She was a Pearl 
Harbor survivor - she survived the bombing and 
had to act as a nurse in treating the wounded. 
She received a Medal from the War Department 
for “Meritorious Civilian Service Overseas” for 
her invention of a piston-pulling tool now used 
on all air-craft. She has told the story of how she 
was given a $100 award by then U.S. President 
Franklin D. Roosevelt, and how he asked if she 
was going to use it to buy “U.S. Savings Bonds,” 
as the government was trying to convince the 
American public to purchase bonds at the time, 
and she answered, “No, I’m going to pay some 
bills!” She recalled the look of shock on the 
President’s face and laughs, with a huge smirk on 
her face. Loyal also authored the gossip column 
“Prop Wash” in military newspapers and flew 
a piper cub aircraft as a captain of the “Flying 
Squadronettes.” 

In Hawaii she had married and had a son, Vann 
Christi Camacho, and enjoyed living a very active 
life raising her son, working for the Air Force, 
venturing into the sales business, and she even 
made time to raise and train 31 Siamese show 
cats which she took to Cat shows and earned top 
marks every year. 

Towards the end of her Hawaii years, Loyal 
retired and spent several years helping raise and 
take care of her grandson, before moving to stay 
with her sister in California.

Since moving to Sierra Madre, California, Loyal 
still led a very active and interesting life, serving 
the City and Residents of Sierra Madre in many 
capacities. When she first moved to Sierra Madre, 
Loyal began volunteering at the Sierra Madre 
Public Library where her sister, Gloria worked 
as the children’s librarian. Her friends in Sierra 
Madre knew her as the “Ground Hog of Sierra 
Madre” through her many years spent in service 
to others and the community as a volunteer. 
Loyal has volunteered at the Sierra Madre Senior 
Center for many, many years, and for the last 
several years she has called the “Bingo” games 
Tuesdays and Saturdays at the Senior Center. She 
also volunteered 5 days a week helping with the 
Intervale Senior Lunch Program at the Senior 
Center, helping prepare food for 35 senior citizens 
and feeding 10 to 20 participants attending the 
CAPS Program at the Trinity Presbyterian Church 
in Pasadena. She also helped run operations in 
the kitchen for “Meals on Wheels.” 

Loyal received the Blue Triangle Award from the 
YWCA and Intervale Program of the San Gabriel 
Valley in October, 2004, for her numerous hours 
of volunteerism. In 2005, she was named Sierra 
Madre’s Older American of the year, where her 
countless hours of volunteerism and service to 
others and the community was recognized by the 
Senior Community Commission. In addition, she 
has served as a volunteer, servicing the Library 
at the British Home every other week, and is a 
member of the “Green Team” at the Sierra Madre 
Women’s Club, tending to the care of their 
beautiful garden. 

Throughout the course of her entire life, Loyal 
has been a very hard worker, being of service to 
others and the communities in which she has 
resided, and for a period spanning over 20 years, 
she tirelessly volunteered her time, energy, and 
services here in Sierra Madre, up until this past 
May (at the age of 94) when she first became ill. 
In fact, the year prior to her becoming admittedly 
and terminally ill; there were several occasions 
where she would pass out while calling “Bingo” or 
during her volunteer work, and she was so strong-
willed and independent that she would insist that 
she hadn’t and that she was fine and she would 
keep on going. On November 14th, 2012, Loyal 
finally quit fighting with our Lord as He called 
her home to eternal peace and rest, and allowed 
Him to give her long needed rest and peace.

Loyals geneology can be traced back to Wales, 
in the United Kingdom, to 1831 where her great 
grandfather John Yarwith Edwards was born, and 
England, in the United Kingdom, to 1820 where 
her great grandmother Charlotte Adelia Stevens 
was born. Loyal was preceded in death by her 
parents, Clarence Roy Brown and Grace Muenz. 
She is survived by her twin sister, Gloria LaFrance 
Hinshaw (born Gloria LaFrance Brown). and 
brother in law Roger A. Munn of Sierra Madre,her 
loving son, Vann Christi Camacho, daughter-
in-law, Dolores Pumelani “Angel” Camacho 
of Pearl City, Hawaii; granddaughter Sherilee 
Camacho-Fuentes and grandson-in-law Mario 
Fuentes of Mililani, Hawaii; grandson Curtis 
Christi Kelii Camacho also of Pearl City and 
great granddaughter Chrisjynn Not Afraid and 
great grandson, Kamuela Jordan “Kaliiwaiwaiole” 
Camacho-Fuentes.

A Celebration of Loyal’s life is in the planning 
stage and will be announced early next week. 
All those who knew Loyal are invited to attend 
a Celebration of her life with family and friends, 
which will be held in either the Sierra Madre 
Senior Center or the Sierra Madre Women’s Club. 
The details are still being worked out concerning 
the exact day, time and location.

Please contact Frank Licher at (626) 226-3448 
or via email at: lifelonghealthmonrovia@yahoo.
com early next week to obtain the date, time, and 
location of the service.

Condolences and Cards can be sent to:

The Camacho Family

38 S. Sunnyside Ave

Sierra Madre, California 91024.

Any donations can be made out to the “Pasadena 
Humane Society.” Loyal greatly loved animals and 
especially cats and she would love to continue 
supporting the care of these precious animals. 
Submitted by the family

Sierra Madre Police Blotter

November 10-18, 2012

Saturday November 10, 2012

At 7pm, a resident of the 600 block of west Orange Grove Avenue was inside her home when she 
observed a person looking into her kitchen window. The individual quickly moved away from the 
window and was gone before police units arrived. The resident could not provide a description as 
she saw only portions of the suspect’s torso. An examination of the area failed to locate any evidence. 

Monday November 12, 2012

In the early afternoon, an unknown suspect broke the side window of a vehicle parked in the Bailey 
Canyon Parking Lot. The suspect removed a purse that had been placed under the front seat and fled 
without being seen. While investigating this crime, the officers discovered that a second vehicle in the 
lot had been broken into in the same fashion. A purse was taken from the second vehicle. This is the 
third vehicle burglary in the Baily Canyon Parking Lot this month. In each of the crimes the suspect 
smashed a side window and took property that was easily reachable. 

Wednesday November 14, 2012

At 5:30pm, officers were dispatched to Santa Anita Canyon Road at the Lannan Debris Basin to 
investigate a report of a fire. On arrival they detained a male transient who had ignited a large 
trash fire to keep himself warm. The fire was quickly extinguished and the transient was arrested for 
starting an unlawful outside fire. 

Photo courtesy Terry Miller


FLORAL ARRANGING WORKSHOP

The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association (SMRFA) will be holding 
a Floral Arranging Workshop at the Rose Float Barn on Wednesday, 
December 5th at 1 pm. 

Attendees will learn how to copy an arrangement, from soaking floral foam to installing 
the arrangement on the float. There are approximately 70 arrangements on the float and 
SMRFA will need additional help to get these all done on time. The class will cost $15.00, to 
help defray costs, and you get to take your flowers home. If you are interested, please contact 
Kay Sappington at 626-379-0272 or email her at KDSappington@sbcglobal.net. Deadline 
to sign up is December 3rd.