Bruce Wilson

George posted this obiituary for my friend Jay Hollister, who I've talked about here before, on the 1963 pages.

Jay introduced me to Topsiders and, in my opinion he was too ill to be out body surfing at Boomer's in La Jolla, but he was, quite near the end.

Jim Hawes

Bruce,

I remember FINIS working at Bill Gamble's in South Bay Plaza? Speaking of which how many times did we drive by "Cafe La Maze", back in the day. I've only eaten there one time (decent food) and that was last year!

Also remember Billy Frank and Elmo Bibler? Surfers gone way too soon!

Bruce Wilson

I'm pretty sure that Finis and Jay worked at both stores, CV and National City Plaza.

After getting me into Topsiders, Jay taught me the proper way to fold a sweater.

Funny thing, Mike Hollister got me into Levi's. I can't remember what I wore before.

I'm gonna pin the chalked suede and aligaotr shoes to Bob Gray, but I'm not positive.

Sir Guy? I have no idea. 

I recognize the name Elmo, but not the guy.

Bill Frank, blond kid, who was diabetic right?  If it's the right guy, he popped a few eyeballs down at San Miquel when he took out his syringe to inject his insulin.

March, 2016

Bruce Wilson

Terry had commented on how seemingly idyllic Cee Vee was in the old days. I tend to agree, but there were always some dark undercurrents running through the place.

This is from after I left town,  I hung around in the vicinity of Mr. X and actually with Mr. Y. Neither of  them surfed.

1975

Mr. X, 32, of 3046 Main St., Otay, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He had originally been charged with first-degree murder, robbery and burglary Mr. Y, 31, of 550 Oxford St., Chula Vista, also bargained charges of murder, burglary and possessing drugs' for sale to a guilty plea of involuntary manslaughter. The two . men along with another, believed by police to be Mr. Z, 25, of 147 E. Paisley, Chula Vista, entered Mr. M’s apartment early on July 7 to settle a drug sale dispute.

 

Mr. M was beaten, then shot. In arraignment this week, Mr. Z,. who was picked up last weekend in Tijuana, pleaded innocent to murder, burglary and possessing drugs for sale. He, too, is expected to plea bargain the charges against him. If a bargain is not reached, Mr. Z will be tried before Superior Court Judge Ross Tharp on Oct. 22. He is being held in county jail on $100,000 bail. Sentencing for Mr. Y and Mr. X was set for Sept. 25 by Tharp.  Mr. X could be sentenced to five years to life in state prison. Mr Y could receive up to 15 years in prison. Deputy District Attorney Rupert Linley requested the original charges against.the two men be dropped.

Bruce Wilson

On the flip side, I spoke today with Bob Franklin (CVHS, 1955). Bob was state high school Co-Player of the Year in 1954 and played with (and is still firends with Larry Armbrust).

1954--M: John Hangartner (Hoover of Glendale) qb. L: Bill Cooper (Hawthorne) c and Bob Franklin (Chula Vista) qb.

Terry Lee Maple

There were darker elements lurking. In my neighborhood, two psychos murdered their own families in quiet residential homes. It was hard to accept at the time. I'm blanking on their names but I learned in graduate school about the "over-controlled personality type" that was often associated with this kind of extreme behavior. I undeerstand some of the tough guys we knew became hit men, so the drug culture took a toll in many ways. The most idyllic time for me were the elementary years. We rode our bicycles all over town and enjoyed incredible freedom compared to troday's risky communities. Addie and I felt compelled to manage the lives of our three children with greater vigilence even though we lived in nice neighborhoods. Thanks for mentioning Larry Armbrust, Bruce. He was a great coach and a learned a lot from him. My mother sent me a clipping many years after he stopped coaching boys teams and retired as an administrator. He started coaching girls when their opportunities expanded due to title nine. I think the most important advance in my lifetime has been the extraordinary growth of women's athletic programs, high school, college, and pro. My daughters were very active in soccer, basketball, swimming and, in Sally's case, lacrosse and football (she was a kicker and punter on the varsity team at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, Georgia. When she attended college at Florida Atloantic University, she started playing women's semi-pro tackle football and she starred as a kicker and receiver. She went to Sweden as a membrer of a national team of all-stars and won the first gold medal for women's tackle football. The American team beat up Europe so badly, there many never be another such tournament! It was quite an experience for Sally.

Jim Hawes

Bruce,

Break out the chalk! COSTCO now has retro Blue Suede WIng Tips for sale!

Billy Frank passed early due to his lack of control of his diabetes. Great guy, was a good friend of Donnie Rice.

Elmo Wilson Bibler III was an IB surfer and a glasser for Richard Joly at his production shop near CVHS off "K" St. and 3rd. One funny and fun guys to be around. He joined the Marines (1965?) and was KIA after only a couple of weeks in Nam. Very sad

Ah, you kept the names of the bad guys out of your post! Good idea! I'll have to send you a PM regarding some of your other hoodlum aquaintances.

Again, thanks for stirring the memory banks!

Jim

Bruce Wilson

Sad news about Bill Frank and Elmo. Diabetes is a horrible disease even when you tow the line and war is pretty tough too.

I remember Donnie Rice and Froede (sp), Paul Donaho (sp) and Jay Atkinson as sort of a group..

There is said to be an interesting photo of Armbrust, Tomlinson, and Franklin, which I am trying to wrangle a copy of.

Franklin asked for a few names and I brought up Terry's brother Brian. He remembered him as an athlete and was quite impressed that he is a physicist out at UCSD.

Finally, my neighbor a few doors away told me today that his father built the jetty out at Mission Beach "on rock at a time).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District is overseeing repairs to the outer 250 feet of the middle jetty at Ocean Beach/Mission Bay — work that has been visible to locals all week. 

A $2.289 million stimulus contract was awarded to Connolly-Pacific Co. of Long Beach to undertake the project, which should take about 90 days. 

The company will transport 800 stones weighing up to 24 tons each to fix damage caused by storms.

Read more: San Diego Community News Group - OB Mission Bay jetty gets its fix 

I haven't found any original photos yet, but here's some repair work (2009).

Bruce Wilson

This guy wasn't that great a surfer, but he was funny.

Bruce Wilson

Scientists think there may be a few things you can do to keep dementia at bay: train your brain, keep your blood pressure under control and stay active.

Note to Bruce, whose memory is not what it used to be. You have something to say along the lines.of Terry's comment.

Terry said.

The most idyllic time for me were the elementary years. We rode our bicycles all over town and enjoyed incredible freedom compared to troday's risky communities.

Bruce Wilson

3 M's - Stacks area just south of San Miquel (1963). Not any of our crowd, but is that Gary Busey on the far left?

One of my favoritie days of surfing was there with Lyle Hitchcock and Mike Clark. The locals "washed" our windsield. I cannot recall what the fee was. 

Bruce Wilson

Another of my favorite areas. Newport Beach.  

Who is TJ? Ya got me. Note date 1951.

Bruce Wilson

Mystery mural you will never see, except here maybe.

IMPERIAL BEACH - JUNE 22, 2017

The mural's depiction of trash in the ocean led to complaints and ultimately to its removal from the side of a convenience store at 197 Palm Ave.

"We painted over the mural to create an opportunity to create a new one," said 7-Eleven spokesperson Dea Pennington.

.

Bruce Wilson

This one is a mystery even to me, but it's by the same guy who got brushed off in IB.

Bruce Wilson

This is not a mural, but it is in "OldCeeVee".  Dare I say "lock him up"?

Bruce Wilson

It looks like we missed it.  I probably would have gone.

Lowrider historians will cruise into Third Avenue store Robert Moreno | Sat, Jun 24 2017 12:00 PM

Coauthors Alberto Lopez Pulido and Rigoberto “Rigo” Reyes will discuss their latest book, “San Diego Lowriders: A History of Cars and Cruising,” from 6 to 8 p.m. at the sports novelty store Eazy Toyz at 293 Third Ave.

Bruce Wilson

Hilltop Grammar School - The Annex. The year many of us were busy being born.

Suspenders?  Finis would never have worn them.

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

Just wandering around Chula Vista on early morning walks, I met a much younger HHS grad, class of 1990 whose name is Chris Harmon. She lives nearby and walks her dog Henry. Well Chris seems to know everyone here in Chula Vista and relayed a story about a German immigrant person named Hans Bush who was a test pilot for a fighter jet Me 262 and wrote a book titled The Last of the Few about his experience. He lived on H Street between First Ave and Hilltop. She also said she has lunch with Miss Balsley who was a PE teacher in our day. Chris has been friends with Miss Balsley and said she lives in Escondido. She was Chris' favorite teacher and so she stayed in touch with her. If anyone would like more info about Miss Balsley or would like to make contact with her I could put you in touch with Chris. In spite of the huge population growth Chula Vista we at times seem to have maintained a small town feeling with little connections like this. 

One other thing, about murals. My brother has a big interest in them and has photographed many in the US. I think he has hundreds in his archive from travels around the country. My all time favorite is one in  Cortez Colorado on the back of a building that houses their locat museum. It is of a Ute pueblo and it's three dimensional. If anyone travels to the southwest corner of the state, I would recommend seeing that one. 

Bruce Wilson

Say Karen:

I believe I've seen you out there in the morning when I've been doing my paper route. I wonder if Hans was related to Judy Bush.

Interestingly enough,  Bob Franklin the famous CVHS Football player and fellow resident of Hilltop Circle also was a paperboy. Our experiences were quite similar except my route was much bigger geographically and customers-wise., I never took my dog, and I hung on well into Jr. High. How else you gonna buy those Senor Guy shirts and alligator-suede shoes?

My recollection is that most everybody switched out of those heavy shoes into white tennies by 9th grade.

What a relief. Those horse taps were expensive too.

Bob's notes.

Bruce Wilson

Here's Bob (fifth from viewer's left in top row)

Sixth grade -  Hilltop Grammar School (1948-49).

The dog?  Stubby. 

Bruce Wilson

Does anyone recall a version of this that said "non-particular"?

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

I don't think Hans and Judy were related. Judy Bush's family was from Ohio I think and were family friends of the Nolfi's also from Ohio.

Bruce Wilson

Karen:

Off the top of my head - at least one Nolfi was a teacher, right.?

English?

Your bro should create a website.

Karen Etsuko Tachiki (Savel)

James Nolfi was a teacher for the Sweetwater school district and taught at HHS for at least one year maybe more. After HHS, he taught English at Southwestern College for many years until he retired. He lived to age 96 and really lived a very active life. His first wife Violet Nolfi taught in the Chula Vista Elementary district I think at Sunnyside Elementary or Allen Elementary. She passed away rather young, early 70's. Their daughter and my friend (CVHS grad 1961) Jeri Nolfi Brown taught also for CV Elementary district at different schools, the last of which was Hilltop Drive Elementary in ESL kindergarten. James Nolfi Jr. taught at a small college in Vermont before his very early death at the age of about 40. You might say for the Nolfi family, teaching is a genetic thing, Jeri's daughter teaches English to foreign students.

In regard to murals, so many small towns in the US and Canada are known for their murals. And they often have many on business buildings. One in California is Lompoc and right here in San Diego county Ramona. And there is another one I know of, Chemainus British Columbia. And the murals are remarkably well done. There is one muralist who places hidden items in the mural as challenge for those who have the time to search for them. For the retired, it can be a fun activity.

Bruce Wilson

I think my sister had James Nolfi for English.

The mural a ways back is on E. Street between Second and Third on the side of a Yoga Center.

The more recent two are:

Albuquerque (Indian)

Cortez  (Motorcycle) - Is that an Indian MC? Sure looks like it. Billboard says 1934, this is a 1929.

Cortez (2) and Playa del Carmen