Obituaries - Departed Sheiks

[SUSAN J. SILVESTRI]

This section is for adding obituaries about departed Hollywood High School alumni.

[Ariana Bruck Fulginiti]

I regretfully announce the sudden and unexpected passing of my beloved brother, Darrow Bruck (Class of 1972) who was lost to us on August 27th several weeks following a car accident, though it is too soon to understand whether there was any direct causal effect from that accident leading to his passing. Student Body President during his senior year at HHS (1971-1972), Darrow was a much admired, well-liked and trusted friend and one of the rare individuals who held on to friends for life. His absence in our family's life -- especially among his ardent fans counting two nieces and one nephew -- will be profoundly difficult to bear for quite some time. You may comment or post your condolences on this site or I can direct you, for that purpose, to the special website at legacy.com to glance at the eulogy and the obituary (which I created within the Memory Book section and somewhere now near the bottom 3-5 entries since so many people have already weighed in. I have sponsored that site for one year and refer interested parties to: www.memorialwebsites.legacy.com/DHB-Memorial-Tributes/Homepage. Thanks for sharing your special memories of Darrow at that site or here on this site, either within the Obits section or in the Blogs (HHS Community Page).

Ariana Bruck Fulginiti (Class of 1970)

[Wallace H. Graner]

Class of 1939--Passing of Jesse Blaine Graner (known all his life as just "JB") passed away March 20, 2017.  He was a graduate of Cal-Tech, MIT and finally USC, Master in Petroleum Engineering.  He served as a Lt. in the U.S. Navy, from 1942 through 1946 on board the USS Intrepid, an Essex class aircraft carrier in the Pacific Campaign.  Returning from WWII, he rejoined his wife, Mary Bardeen, HHS class of 1942 and raised his family of three, Rob, Christine and Steve Graner. He operated Graner Oil Company, first of Venice and finally of Signal Hill and retired from business about 2004 and traveled extensively.  

[Rosalie Huntington]

Jerry L. Patterson, Ph.D.   March 4, 1934 - June 20, 2018

Retired Hollywood High School Teacher

Born and raised in Littlerock, AK, Jerry attended Harvard, and graduated from Vanderbilt in the 1950s. Later in life, as an educator, he made a special connection with his students at Hollywood High. He was a world traveler, writer of short novels and poetry, Veteran of the Korean War, he volunteered as a Minister at the Peter Pitchess Detention Center for many years and most recently at hospitals for senior citizens. "JP" supported LACMA, The Music Center, The Opera Associates, and The Zachary Foundation. He leaves behind his beloved wife, retired Hollywood High Spanish teacher, Virginia Gagan-Patterson, and 5 grandchildren, Duncan, Max, Nathaniel, Noah, and Jared. Jerry was a consummate gentleman and his manners and good nature always will be remembered!

The above obituary is at  https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifest... 

[Rosalie Huntington]

Dr. Paul Richard YATES  August 22, 1951 - June 22, 2018 

Dr. Paul Richard Yates, beloved husband of Jacqueline and father of Alexandra, died peacefully after a short battle with cancer on June 22, 2018. Paul was born in Los Angeles in 1951 to Morton and Rose (Kaplan) Yates and was predeceased by his mother, and sister Laura. (Rosalie's Note: Laura Yates attended Le Conte and Hollywood. She graduated Hollywood in June 1967.) Paul Yates grew up in Hollywood, exploring the hills behind his house and racing down the steep streets by Nichols Canyon on his skateboard. Recently he tried to instill a love of skateboarding in his border collie, Cleo, but she has yet to reveal any hidden proficiency for the activity. Paul received his Doctorate in Psychology from USC where he also met his wife Jackie. As an adult, Paul was a dedicated psychologist, avid guitar and tennis player, a skilled cook, and a pretty fantastic t-ball coach. His family and friends will miss his keen sense of humor, ability to guess the end of every movie, and above all, his kindness.
Published in the Los Angeles Times from July 10 to July 15, 2018    https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?pid=189508350

[Rosalie Huntington]

Vicky Valentine: I assume Paul Yates was in your class at both Le Conte (1966) and Hollywood (1969). He most likely was in the summer (June graduation) classes. The family lived in Nichols Canyon. Kids there went to Gardner Street Elementary. Paul's older sister, Laura, was in my class. Paul's obit shocked me in two ways: with his death and to learn that Laura previously had passed away. It turns out Laura died January 15, 2018. Just last November, 2017 Hollywood High's Classes of 1967 had their 50-Year Reunion and we were unable to reach Laura, even though we had her address. Now we know why. It was because she was ill. What pain the Yates family must be feeling, to lose both sister Laura and brother Paul within months of each other.

Vicky Valentine said:

Was Paul in my class of 1969. I went to Cheremoya elementary 6th grade, Le Conte jr high class of 1966 and HHS class of 1969. Vicky Valentine

Rosalie Huntington said:

Dr. Paul Richard YATES  August 22, 1951 - June 22, 2018 

Dr. Paul Richard Yates, beloved husband of Jacqueline and father of Alexandra, died peacefully after a short battle with cancer on June 22, 2018. Paul was born in Los Angeles in 1951 to Morton and Rose (Kaplan) Yates and was predeceased by his mother, and sister Laura. (Rosalie's Note: Laura Yates attended Le Conte and Hollywood. She graduated Hollywood in June 1967.) Paul Yates grew up in Hollywood, exploring the hills behind his house and racing down the steep streets by Nichols Canyon on his skateboard. Recently he tried to instill a love of skateboarding in his border collie, Cleo, but she has yet to reveal any hidden proficiency for the activity. Paul received his Doctorate in Psychology from USC where he also met his wife Jackie. As an adult, Paul was a dedicated psychologist, avid guitar and tennis player, a skilled cook, and a pretty fantastic t-ball coach. His family and friends will miss his keen sense of humor, ability to guess the end of every movie, and above all, his kindness.
Published in the Los Angeles Times from July 10 to July 15, 2018    https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?pid=189508350

[Rosalie Huntington]

Vicky Valentine

A minor addition. Some kids in the Nichols Canyon area went to Valley View Elementary. That could be where Paul and Laura Yates went because their house was near Mulholland. But I truly do not know. 

Rosalie Huntington said:

Vicky Valentine: I assume Paul Yates was in your class at both Le Conte (1966) and Hollywood (1969). He most likely was in the summer (June graduation) classes. The family lived in Nichols Canyon. Kids there often went to Gardner Street Elementary. Paul's older sister, Laura, was in my class. Paul's obit shocked me in two ways: with his death and to learn that Laura previously had passed away. It turns out Laura died January 15, 2018. Just last November, 2017 Hollywood High's Classes of 1967 had their 50-Year Reunion and we were unable to reach Laura, even though we had her address. Now we know why. It was because she was ill. What pain the Yates family must be feeling, to lose both sister Laura and brother Paul within months of each other.

Vicky Valentine said:

Was Paul in my class of 1969. I went to Cheremoya elementary 6th grade, Le Conte jr high class of 1966 and HHS class of 1969. Vicky Valentine

Rosalie Huntington said:

Dr. Paul Richard YATES  August 22, 1951 - June 22, 2018 

Dr. Paul Richard Yates, beloved husband of Jacqueline and father of Alexandra, died peacefully after a short battle with cancer on June 22, 2018. Paul was born in Los Angeles in 1951 to Morton and Rose (Kaplan) Yates and was predeceased by his mother, and sister Laura. (Rosalie's Note: Laura Yates attended Le Conte and Hollywood. She graduated Hollywood in June 1967.) Paul Yates grew up in Hollywood, exploring the hills behind his house and racing down the steep streets by Nichols Canyon on his skateboard. Recently he tried to instill a love of skateboarding in his border collie, Cleo, but she has yet to reveal any hidden proficiency for the activity. Paul received his Doctorate in Psychology from USC where he also met his wife Jackie. As an adult, Paul was a dedicated psychologist, avid guitar and tennis player, a skilled cook, and a pretty fantastic t-ball coach. His family and friends will miss his keen sense of humor, ability to guess the end of every movie, and above all, his kindness.
Published in the Los Angeles Times from July 10 to July 15, 2018    https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?pid=189508350

[Kenneth Mitchell Nelson]

Ninetta "Nina" M. Lane, Class of 1946, passed in her sleep at home 27 April 2017, in Santa Maria, California. She was predeceased by her husband, Bill "Wolfman" Nelson, also in the Class of 1946, in January 1986, in Yorba Linda, California. 

She is survived by all of her three children, Ken, Gene, and Janet, and  many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, but not many of the Class of 1946. 

She didn't follow the lives of most of her class members, but she had fond memories of a classman one year ahead of her : Billy Barty, who was an inspiration to so many. 

Ken Nelson

[Dwight Everett]

Wow....haven't been over to this site in quite some time but it saddened me to see Darrow passed away. We were not all that close in High School but would have considered him a Friend. I was Class of '72 and my brother Doug was in your Class of '70.  So sad....

Ariana Bruck Fulginiti said:

Yes, I was shocked to read this as I prepared my own obituary of my brother, Darrow H. Bruck just now, who did go to school with her. I was in her older sister, Kim York's class (Class of 1970) and wonder what ever happened to her. Our families lived in the Beachwood Drive & northerly directions within this area of Hollywood and it is sad to hear about anyone who passes away so young and from an incident like a car accident -- ironically enough, my brother passed away three weeks after a car accident he had, though his passing may not have been directly caused by that.  Ariana Bruck Fulginiti (Class of 1970).  

[roderick ramos]

peter Thorn, class of 70, passed away a few years ago. He was on the varsity basketball team.

[Dwight Everett]

Pistol Pete Thorn was a very good friend of our whole family. My brother Doug was a class mate of Pete's at Hollywood High along with Randy Adler, Gregor Hartounian and myself, a couple years behind. We were all saddened to hear of Pete's passing! I have many fine memories of the situations we all use to get involved in and the fun we had. 

RIP Pete!!!!

roderick ramos said:

peter Thorn, class of 70, passed away a few years ago. He was on the varsity basketball team.