Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 28, 2023

Mountain View News Saturday, January 28, 2023 2 F.Y.I. Mountain View News Saturday, January 28, 2023 2 F.Y.I. 
REMEMBRANCES: 

JUDITH GOLD 

Sierra Madre resident Judith 
(Judy) Gold, passed away on 
Thursday January 19th, 2023 in 
her home with her immediate 
family by her side. Judy was born 
in 1946 to her parents, Dr. Joseph 
& Cleo Thayer on Thanksgiving 
Day November 28th, 1946. 
She grew up in Southern California 
along with her siblings 
Joseph, Joel, and Debra Thayer. 
As a young adult, she had her beloved 
children, Lisa & Andrew 
Thayer. A doting mother, who always 
made sure her children and 
grandchildren were well taken 
care of, she made sure her sense 
of humor touched them as well. 

A hospital Administrator, a 
teacher and principal of an elementary school, she touched the minds of all those she encountered. 
Her students kept in touch regularly and often told her how their education helped them succeed later 
in their lives. 

At the dawn of AOL, she met the light of her life, Barry Gold. Smitten as kittens, they married on the 
hottest day in April Spring of 1999. Their love was eternal and omniscient. Their example of love and 
relationship was reflected by the way they chose to blend their families together. 

Both Judy and Barry shared a passion for Sierra Madre and only wanted to make it prosper and 
bloom. Judy was a member of Preserve Sierra Madre, Sierra Madre Kiwanis, and the Sierra Madre 
Water Patrol! She became enthralled at the inner workings of this city and quite often sat on her back 
porch, looked up at the San Gabriel Mountains and thanked her lucky stars that she was able to live in 
such a beautiful place. She made many friends in this small town and was very proud to call it home. 

Judith is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Barry (2019) and her brother Joel 
(2020). She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Kenn Gold (New York), Lisa Thayer (Sierra 
Madre), Darrin Gold (Azusa), Andrew Thayer (Sierra Madre), Kyle Gold (Las Vegas), Dina Der 
Vartanian (Oklahoma), and Chelsea Gold (New York). She is also survived her brother Joseph (Elaine)
Thayer (Seattle), Sister Debra Thayer (Indio), and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives. 

She was, Whiskey in a teacup. She will be profoundly missed.
A Memorial to honor her memory will be held at a later date. 

Judy and Barry Gold 


ANN GARRISON BIXEL 

Ann Garrison Bixel, 82, of Chandler, AZ, passed away on January 
18, 2023, after a courageous 28+ year battle with cancer and 
lung disease. She was surrounded by family and her cherished 
schnauzer-poo, Molly. 

Ann was born on November 26, 1940 to William and Adelyn 
Garrison, in Detroit, Michigan. After Ann graduated from 
Grand Rapids High School in 1958, she went on to receive a Bachelor 
of Arts, in Elementary Education (with honors), at Michigan 
State University in 1962. She then moved to southern California 
where she completed her master’s degree in Education from the 
University of Southern California and received her bilingual (Spanish/English) teaching certificate. 


After graduating, she was selected for an overseas teaching position in Germany, serving children of 
the military. Upon her return to the U.S., she was awarded an elementary school teaching position 
with LAUSD. She remained a bilingual teacher at Breed Street Elementary for over 30 years. 
In 1971, she had her one and only child, Renee, with her first spouse. In 1986, after a long courtship, 
she married the true love of her life, Paul Lewis Bixel. Ann and Paul enjoyed attending Dixieland 
Jazz events, cooking together, and spending time in San Diego. Paul preceded her in death in 1988, 
after a brief battle with cancer. 

In 1998, Ann retired from teaching and spent much of her time volunteering with multiple local 
civic organizations and her church. Her truest passions, however, were in the arts. She was a talented 
watercolor painter, writer of poetry, musician (Ukulele, piano, and washboard), and enjoyed pottery 
and attending Broadway shows. Later in life, she enjoyed, and eventually began teaching her 
own country western line dancing courses in Sierra Madre, CA and Chandler, AZ, before finding 
another passion in ballroom dance. She was a regular participant in the Granite Reef dance group 
in Scottsdale, AZ as well as several other local ballroom organizations around the valley. In addition 
to her hobbies, she enjoyed time with her daughter and 2 grandchildren, cooking or watching them 
participate in sports. 

Ann was predeceased by her parents, William Homer Garrison and Adelyn Burke Garrison, her husband 
Paul Bixel and her beloved first cousin Charlotte Lockner who passed in 2020. She is survived 
by her older brother William Burke Garrison, her daughter, Renee Johnson, son in law Tim Johnson, 
her grandchildren, Matthew and Lindsey Johnson, her cousin Bill Schofield, nephew Jim Garrison 
and niece Heather Garrison. 

A celebration of life ceremony and ballroom dance will be held on February 10, at the Granite Reef 
senior center in Scottsdale, AZ. 


SENIOR COMMUNITY COMMISSION SEEKING 
“OLDER ‘SIERRA MADRE’ AMERICAN OF THE YEAR” NOMINATIONS

 The City of Sierra Madre Senior Community Commission is seeking nominations for Older ‘Sierra 
Madre’ American of the Year. The honor is a long-standing tradition in Sierra Madre and bestowed upon 
an exceptional Sierra Madrean, age 60 or older, for their outstanding commitment to community service. 
Recommendations are now being accepted for new honorees. Please send nominations to Sierra Madre 
City Hall, c/o Older American Nomination, Community Services Department, 232 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024 by Thursday, March 16, 2023. Forms may be picked up and returned 
to the Hart Park House Senior Center: Hart Park House 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, 
CA 91024 

The Senior Community Commission will discuss the selection of the Older ‘Sierra Madre’ American 
of the Year at their regularly scheduled meeting, open to the public, in City Hall Council Chambers on 
Thursday, April 6th at 3:00 p.m. A reception to honor the 2023 Older ‘Sierra Madre’ American of the 
Year will held on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023. 
For more information, please contact the Hart Park House Senior Center (626) 355-5278 x704; 
or the Community Services Department at (626) 355-5278. 


Join us for a 

Month of 

Programs and 

Events! 

The Sierra Madre 
Public Library has 
announced the 2023 
selection of One Book 
One City; Flying Free: 
my victory over fear 
to become the first 
Latina pilot on the US 
Aerobatic Team by 
Cecilia Aragon. 

One Book One City is 
a community reading 

program that invites 
everyone in Sierra Madre to read and discuss the same book during February 
2023 and participate in exciting programs and events. 

This fabulous community program includes an Author Talk with Cecilia Aragon, 
a tour of the San Gabriel Valley Airport, a kids STEAM Dream Workshop 
with local teacher Dany Richey, a kids paper airplane competition, a movie 
night with the documentary Fly Like a Girl through our new streaming service 
Kanopy, and inspirational presentations on women in flight. 

Aragon’s memoir, Flying Free, shares her own journey of breaking past her own 
fears to become a champion aerobatic pilot. Aragon was a timid child, painfully 
shy and afraid of everything from heights to people. How did she become 
a death-defying daredevil and aerobatic pilot? In her memoir, she bares her life 
even though writing it “scared me more than pointing my single-seat experimental 
plane at the ground and opening the throttle until I was roaring earthward 
at 250 mph”. 

Connect all month long through engaging themed programs that are free and 
fun for the whole family. Call the Library at (626) 355-7186 for more information. 


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