Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 16, 2021

Mountain View News Saturday, October 16, 2021 

THE LASTING MEMORIAL TO 
EDDIE VAN HALEN 

By Catherine Adde 

On Monday, October 11th, the City of 
Pasadena’s officials unveiled a plaque memorializing 
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen 
at the Pasadena Civic auditorium, the venue 
where he, along with his band Van 
Halen, performed at least fourteen times 
during the 1970s. 

Van Halen, who many consider was the 
greatest, most innovative rock guitarist of 
all time, grew up in Pasadena, and with 
his brother Alex, attended Pasadena schools 
after immigrating from Holland. 

Eddie’s passing just over a year ago on 
October 6th, 2020, was devastating for his 
family, but also sent shock waves around 
the world to his millions of followers. 

Two such fans are Pasadena residents 
Randa Schmalfeld and Julie Kimber - who 
thought he should be properly remembered 
for his contributions to Pasadena as 
a world renowned resident, outstanding 
musician, inventor and song writer. Schmalfeld 
and Kimber formed the Pasadena4VanHalen 
Facebook page, and a Go-
FundMe page, which raised money from 
fans around the world. The funds paid for 
this plaque and will also go toward commissioning 
an Artist for a mural at Pasadena 
High School and other citywide projects 
which they hope will transpire. 

As a classmate of Eddie’s at Pasadena high, I 
felt nostalgic attending this unveiling – memories 
from school days flooded back. The 
shy but kind boy in class, the impish grin 
I’d see on his face while he shuffled by, head 
down, murmuring ‘Hello, Cathy’. 

English was not his first language, it was 
discovered later than he and Alex were bullied 
– possibly for their accents or maybe due 
to their mixed race heritage. 

Back then friends and I attended parties in 
garages and homes in the area where his 
fledgling (and very loud) band was playing. 
They were called Mammoth with Eddie, his 
brother Alex the drummer and our classmate 
Mark Stone on bass. Later they were joined 
by David Lee Roth, also from Pasadena, 
as well as Michael Anthony, and the band 
exploded on the rock scene; changing its 
name to Van Halen. 

Stories of the band’s wild antics at 
those parties and their meteoric 
rise to fame abound - lots of them 
are recounted in Greg Renoff ’s 
book: Van Halen Rising. Some of 
my friends kept in touch with Eddie 
through his years of fame, though 
I did not. And a few even attended 
his wedding to the actress Valerie 
Bertinelli in April of 1981. 

Little did we know that in 2015 
Edward Van Halen would play his 
last concert – this time with his son 
Wolfgang on bass and David Lee 
Roth, who reunited with them as 
their original frontman – replacing 
Sammy Hagar’s term with the band. 
A group of us from Eddie’s class of 
‘73 bought tickets for this show at 
the Hollywood Bowl, enjoying a 
picnic and mini-reunion until the 
concert began. 

We were in awe that Eddie, in his 
60s then, enthralled everyone with 
his energy, tapping away at that 
Guitar, erupting with ‘Eruption’and all of their big hits of the 1970s 
and 80s. The audience couldn’t get 
enough! 

A few days after that concert, Greg 
Renoff, Educator and Author, drew 
a standing room only crowd at Vroman’s 
bookstore for a presentation 
and book signing of Van Halen 
Rising. The band’s celebrated producer, 
Ted Templeton, was also 
there along with fans and Pasadena 
High School Alumni. We were 
overjoyed when Mark Stone joined 
us that evening. Ironically Mark 
passed away from cancer, just a 
week before Eddie in 2020. 

Back to the plaque: 

The unveiling was conducted by 


Councilwoman Felicia Williams and organizer 
Randa Schmalfeld 


Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and council 
members Tyrone Hampton, Andy Wilson, 
Gene Masuda and Felicia Williams, along 
with the press i.e. media– it was not open to 
the public due to coronavirus restrictions. 
Wolfgang, Alex and Eddie’s widow: Janie 
Van Halen could not attend either due to 
scheduling conflicts. 

I thought it was timely that it is during Mayor 
Gordo’s term in office to unveil this plaque as 
he remarked that he too is a fan of the band 
and also attended Pasadena High School. 

I love that Felicia Williams as well as Randa 
Schamlfeld are both from District Two 
in Pasadena, where the Van Halens used to 
live. As Williams said: "This event brings together 
history and community to celebrate a 
world-renowned artist. " 

It's not just the history of Eddie as a guitar 
legend, but also the challenges he faced 
growing up mixed race in Pasadena, which 
always spoke to me. And the community 
support and initiative to make this happen 
is inspiring. 

Thank you to everyone." 

October 3, 2021 to October 9, 2021 During this period 
the Sierra Madre Police Department responde to 179 
calls for service. 

Trespassing 

At 3:00AM on 10-3-21 officers responded to the 
00 block of Carter Ave. for a report of a male 
and female that were seen trespassing on private 
property. The male and female were both cited 
and released in the field for trespassing. Case 
forwarded to the DA’s office 

Public Intoxication 

On 10-4-21 officers were called to the 00 block 
of W. Sierra Madre Blvd for a call of a disturbance. 
Once the person was located, he was 
arrested for public intoxication and for being in 
possession of drug paraphernalia. Case to DA 

Theft 

On 10-4-21 at 9:16PM a report was filed at 
the station of a stolen backpack. The victim 
stated he left his backpack at a business in the 

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER 


Deja Vu 
Med Spa & Salon 

300 block of W. Sierra Madre Blvd. on 10-3-21 
at 12:35PM, when he returned at 4:00PM the 
backpack containing his computer and other 
personal items were missing. Case to DA 

Attempted Burglary

Sometime between 10-4-21 at noon and 10-5-21 
at 9:00AM, in the 500 block of W. Highland Ave. 
unknown suspect(s) smashed the front and rear 
driver side windows of victim's vehicle. No property 
was taken and it is unknown if suspect(s) 
made entry into the vehicle. Suspect(s) fled in 
an unknown direction by unknown means. Case 
to Detectives 

D.U.I. 

On 10-9-21 at 11:50PM a traffic stop of a vehicle 
was conducted where the driver of the vehicle 
was found to be driving while under the 
influence of an alcoholic beverage and unable 
to safely operate a motor vehicle. The driver was 
arrested & later transported to Pasadena jail 
where she was booked. Case to DA 


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