OBITUARY: Giant La Mirada Community Member and Original La Mirada Business Owner
OBITUARY: GERALD PEEBLER
La Mirada lost a giant in the community last Monday as Gerald Peebler, owner of Olive Lawn Memorial Park passed away this past Monday at the age of 96.
 |
| Gerald Peebler at the La Mirada Blog Fest August 21, 2012 where he was honored as a "La Mirada Legend." |
He was a member of La Mirada Kiwanis, a former president of the La Mirada Chamber of Commerce and long-time community servant.
He was the lore of La Mirada in every sense of the word.
He was born September 20, 1918 in Canada and first arrived in La Mirada in 1928 when his dad Byron Peebler and a partner eventually took over an abandoned cemetery at Luitwieler (LM Blvd) and Alicante (at that time an extension of Rosecrans). The cemetery original opened in 1924.
His first memory of La Mirada was as a a fourteen year-old kid in 1932, saying in 2012, “There were solid olive tree groves across the street (today’s Biola University), scary groves, dark groves.”
The cemetery formerly known as Graceland, was renamed Olive Lawn-named after those many trees nearby from the McNally Ranch.
While they were helping run Olive Lawn part-time, the Peebler kids including Gerald, helped their parents Byron and Ethel, run the Coachella Valley’s first successful laundry business in Indio from 1927-47.
In 1947, Byron Peebler and Ethel moved to La Mirada full-time to run Olive Lawn as they took over full ownership of the cemetery.
In 1946, Gerald and his wife Harriet opened and operated the “first drive-through cleaners in the country” in Santa Ana until 1972.
Gerald and Harriet were married in in 1941 after meeting in 1939 when Harriet was a sophomore at a high school in Indio.
Gerald and Harriet took over full operation of Olive Lawn Memorial Park in 1977 until recently as their son Scott has now taken over operation and ownership.
In 2011 to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, Gerald, 93, and Harriet, 90, traveled across the country alone in their automobile to visit relatives in Connecticut and places in-between with Gerald driving all 9,000+ miles himself over the 50-day trip.
 |
| Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Peebler at their home at Olive Lawn being interviewed for the the La Mirada history book, "Reflections from McNally's Mirror" -June 21, 2012. |
Mr. Gerald Peebler is survived by his wife of 73 years, Harriet; Sister Betty Mitchell, Mountain View, AK; Son Scott, La Mirada; Daughter Jan Delmonte, CT; Granddaughter Heather & her husband Andy Bevilacqua, Millford, CT; Granddaughter Kayse & her husband Jon Pratt, Elkgrove, CA; Grandson Seth, La Mirada; Great Grandchildren, Emily, Nathaniel, Jennifer, Jeff, Jillian, and Joseph.
GERALD PEEBLER MEMORIAL SERVICES:
Tuesday Nov. 4, 2014
Chapel of Memories, 12626 Woods Avenue, Norwalk.
1:00-2:00 p.m. Viewing
2:30-3:30 p.m. Memorial Service
4:00-6:00 p.m. Reception-La Mirada Activity Center
League Title Game Moved to Goodman Stadium
La Mirada~One game will decide the 2014 Suburban League Football Championship and it has been moved to Goodman Stadium at La Mirada High.
The La Mirada Matadores (5-0, 8-1) will play the Norwalk Lancers (5-0, 7-2) this Friday November 7th with both teams undefeated in league and a title on the line.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Excelsior Stadium (Norwalk’s home field), but it was likely moved because La Mirada features a better turf and facilities.
The Matadores will be on the visitors side of the field. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
OBITUARY: Former Manager of Chamber of Commerce and Active Community Member
OBITUARY: EVELYN LEONARD
She was office manager for the Greater La Mirada Chamber of Commerce when it was considered one of the most prestigious in all of Southern California
Evelyn R. Leonard was born on August 4, 1925, in Wilmington, California, to George and Ruth (Smith) Hendrickson. She passed away last month on October 10, 2014 in Whittier, California at the age of 89. She was a second generation "native" and was raised in Inglewood, California.
Evelyn graduated from Inglewood High School and Los Angeles City College, with a major in International Relations.
She met and married, Robert “Bob” Leonard, who also is another second generation “native.”
She is also survived by her two sons, Paul and Matthew, who were born before the 1960 move to the present home in La Mirada.
 |
| The history of La Mirada caught Leonard's eye as seen in this 1965 drawing. |
Evelyn was involved in the activities of their new community, La Mirada, an involvement that has been shared by the couple during their 54 year residence in La Mirada.
She was the first director of the La Mirada Youth Employment Service in 1968, and two years later, the office manager of La Mirada Chamber of Commerce.
Evelyn and Bob are also Life Members of the Friends of the La Mirada Library. She was very active with the library and actually spent nights at the library watching the books that were on sale at the annual book sales back when the events were held outside the building.
Mrs. Leonard was also very active in helping with the preservation of La Mirada’s history.
She left the Chamber in 1984 to become a "full time" volunteer, enjoy her family, travel and take care of a home that was always open to international guests.
FREE: Electricity Safety Story Time for Kids/Adults at LM Library
La Mirada~Join the La Mirada Library for a special story time with a Southern California Edison Lineman this Saturday November 1st from 2:00-3:00 PM.
You can hear stories and learn about the importance of electrical safety. This program is ideal for school-aged children and their families.
No pre-registration required and coloring books and safety kits will be available for attendees.
For more information call (562) 943-0277 or visit www.colapublib.org
New Bike Trail Connection in La Mirada Opens
 |
| Mayor Larry Mowles and OCTA Officials at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Coyote Creek Trail segment of the OC Loop. |
Another option for La Mirada bicyclists and pedestrians as they can now travel from Imperial Highway to La Mirada Boulevard via the trail which includes an entrance at Behringer Park.
La Mirada~The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) officials recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony at La Mirada Behringer Athletic Facility. The ceremony marked the completion of a two-mile segment of the OC Loop, a path for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel throughout the county.
OCTA Chairman Shawn Nelson and CEO Darrell Johnson led the ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Coyote Creek Trail segment that runs near Beach Boulevard, between the Cities of La Mirada and Buena Park. La Mirada Mayor Larry Mowles and other City, OCTA, and OC Parks representatives were also in attendance at the ceremony.
OCTA is working with transportation officials in cities along the OC Loop to create 66 miles of bikeway and pedestrian connections across Orange County.
The OC Loop provides a convenient pathway for residents to bike, walk and connect to some of California’s most scenic beaches and inland reaches. The OC Loop also provides commuters with connections to many bus stops and three Metrolink stations, as well as major employment centers.
The loop is about 70 percent complete. The County of Orange, through a Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) grant, is working with cities along the OC Loop on a feasibility study to close the remaining gaps. The study will provide cities with grant-ready information on their segments including design concepts and costs. Nearly 46 miles of the loop already in place are off-street trails along the San Gabriel River, Coyote Creek, Santa Ana River and the Coastal Beach Trail. 
When completed, bikers will be able to travel the 66-mile loop from La Mirada, south to Seal Beach, southeast to Costa Mesa, north to Carbon Canyon and back to La Mirada.
Another option for La Mirada bicyclists is the North Fork Coyote Creek.The trail head is on Foster Road just east of Marquardt Avenue in Santa Fe Springs just up the street from Frontier Park in La Mirada. That trail meets up with the San Gabriel River trail downstream and ends at Seal Beach-about a 13 mile ride declining slightly for most of the ride as the river leads to the ocean. Check it out here.
For more information on the OC Loop, visit www.octa.net/OCLoop.
Enjoy La Mirada’s Halloweenfest at the Neff Estate
La Mirada~The City of La Mirada invites families to enjoy a festive time at the City’s annual Halloweenfest on Friday, October 31 from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the historic Neff Estate.
The free event will feature a haunted maze, a Jack-O-Lantern contest, games and crafts, and food booths. House tours of the historic Neff Estate will also be offered. This family-oriented event is perfect for all ages.
A costume contest for participants and their pets will take place throughout the evening. Arrive early to enter and win! The costume contest categories and start times are as follows: Pets, 5:00 pm; Children 2 and under-5:20 pm; 3 to 5-5:50 pm; 6 to 8-6:20 pm; 9 to 12-6:50 pm and kids 13 and up-7:20 pm.
For more information, call the City’s Community Services Department at (562) 943-7277.
La Mirada Theatre Receives 17 Ovation Award Nominations
La Mirada~The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment recently received 17 Ovation Award nominations from the LA Stage Alliance for their 2013-14 season. The La Mirada Theatre received the second most nominations for a theatre in the greater Los Angeles area.
The LA Stage Alliance announced the nominees at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. La Mirada Theatre award nominations include those for Best Season, Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre), Acting Ensemble of a Musical, Music Direction, and several individual performers nominated for Best Lead Actor/Actress in a Musical.
Brian Kite, Producing Artistic Director for the La Mirada Theatre, is nominated for Best Director of a Musical for Les Misérables.
“We are honored and excited to be nominated among an incredible group of artists and theatres. We are proud of our 17 nominations and hope that they reflect the Theatre’s work in providing high quality programs to audiences throughout the Southern California region,” says Kite. “We look forward to the awards ceremony in November.”
Norwalk-La Mirada Schools to Celebrate Red Ribbon Week
The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified schools will hold a series of activities October 27th-31st to celebrate Red Ribbon Week’s anti-drug message.
On Tuesday, Oct. 28, Corvallis Middle School students will write positive statements about themselves or another person and place the notes on a banner to share them and at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, a SWAT team will visit Gardenhill Elementary in La Mirada.
The La Mirada High School band, color guard and cheer team will perform Wednesday at Benton Middle School in La Mirada, followed by a presentation by La Mirada Public Safety Education Officer Mary Cipres. On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Norwalk High School band will perform during lunch at Los Alisos Middle School in Norwalk. M
Free Health Services and Information Highlight La Mirada Senior Fair
 |
| A Biola Nursing student assisting a senior with her cholesterol and glucose screening. |
The City of La Mirada recently held its 2014 La Mirada Senior Health and Wellness Fair. Nearly 40 organizations including nurses, healthcare providers, and local businesses, participated in the health fair, offering everything from free blood pressure testing to derma scan screening.
“We were happy with the turnout this year,” said Community Services Supervisor Lisa Montoya. “The City provides a great mixture of free health services, information booths, and community groups that provide a one-stop health and information experience for seniors.
Inside the Activity Center, attendees grabbed a hot coffee and a slice of pie, compliments of Polly’s Pies, before meeting with local vendors providing information on the upcoming flu season, senior support groups and counseling services, and public transportation options in their area.
SCAN Health Plan set up an RV outside and offered free stroke screenings to participants, Biola University’s Nursing Department provided free cholesterol and glucose screenings, while CareMore Medical Group provided free spa manicures. Family Dental Works was also in attendance and offered free dental screenings.
The La Mirada Activity Center provides information on local health services for seniors year round. Call (562) 902-3160 for more information.
Free Health Services and Information Highlight La Mirada Senior Fair
The City of La Mirada recently held its 2014 La Mirada Senior Health and Wellness Fair. Nearly 40 organizations including nurses, healthcare providers, and local businesses, participated in the health fair, offering everything from free blood pressure testing to derma scan screening.
“We were happy with the turnout this year,” said Community Services Supervisor Lisa Montoya. “The City provides a great mixture of free health services, information booths, and community groups that provide a one-stop health and information experience for seniors.
Inside the Activity Center, attendees grabbed a hot coffee and a slice of pie, compliments of Polly’s Pies, before meeting with local vendors providing information on the upcoming flu season, senior support groups and counseling services, and public transportation options in their area.
SCAN Health Plan set up an RV outside and offered free stroke screenings to participants, Biola University’s Nursing Department provided free cholesterol and glucose screenings, while CareMore Medical Group provided free spa manicures. Family Dental Works was also in attendance and offered free dental screenings.
The La Mirada Activity Center provides information on local health services for seniors year round. Call (562) 902-3160 for more information.
Recent posts
Feds Increase IRA Contribution Amount
Fatal shooting near the VFW La Mirada
Turkey Bites November 2024
