Foothills Sentry August 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 15 August 2021 Howard Philip Kirschner 1942-2021 Howard Philip Kirschner was surrounded by love as he left, on July 2nd, at the age of 78. We’ll do our best to follow his example, living life to the fullest. Born on Dec. 25, 1942 to Martin and Sadie Kirschner in Los Angeles, Howard made his younger siblings -- Jeff and Judy -- laugh, taught them how to iron his shirts, and gave them the hon- or of washing his car. He began his greatest adventure on July 20, 1963, marrying Bar- bara Lee Molter, his friend from the age of 13 and high school sweetheart. With Barbara, How- ard built a life from the ground up, and crafted it into something steady, beautiful and full. How- ard and Barb grew together, with commitment and understanding and passion and deep, beautiful love. He steered is life skillfully and with intention. He graduated from Lakewood High School in 1960, and earned his bachelor’s degree at Califor- nia State University, Long Beach in 1965. Howard dedicated 19 years to Xerox, then went on to work in home loans. In recent years, he was semi-retired in the reverse mortgage business, teaching and leading professional round tables. A resident of Villa Park for 41 years, in 2016, he ran for Villa Park City Council. Howard was a natural leader, with charisma off the charts. He was a lover of all sports and cars and cool clothes, and an avid golfer. Little things brought How- ard big joy -- tending his gardens, listening to James Taylor, and squeezing fresh orange juice with his grandkids. The Kirschners’ home in Villa Park is a beautiful, blooming, liv- ing portrait painted by Howard for his love Barbara, a place for them to send the grandkids out to find berries, avocados, citrus, peaches, even a first pluot. His memory is cherished by his two children, Trevor and Stacey, his children-in-law Dionne and JJ, and his greatest prides -- his grandchildren Olivia, Ryan, Jake and Jonah. Howard couldn’t have left a deeper mark on this place. He is embedded in everyone he met and his family will carry him everywhere, always. Expressions of sympathy can be made to St. Jude Children’s Re- search Hospital, stjude.org/donate. Jean Audré Balsamo 1935-2021 Jean Audré Balsamo passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, five dogs, and two kittens, on July 11. She was born July 2, 1935 to Gerald (d. 1942) and Ger- trude (d. 1985) Ratelle in Holy- oke, Massachusetts. During high school, her family moved to Tor- rington, Connecticut, where she graduated from Torrington High School in 1953. Audré was an animal lover, and often brought home stray dogs. One such “stray dog” turned out to be Audré’s Prince Charming, August Balsamo. Audré and Au- gie married in April 1955 and headed to Southern California for their honeymoon. They went on to have five daughters: Audeen, Amy, Alaine, Annette and Alyssa. Audré was involved in her children’s school community, choreographing dances, planning events, and making costumes. As her girls got older, Audré went to work at a medical office, where she worked for 23 years, making many friends along the way. She loved traveling, but her fa- vorite spot was the family beach house in Newport Beach. She loved music, dancing, crafting, painting, writing, but most of all, her 13 grandchildren, who re- ferred to her lovingly as Memère. Audré is survived by her broth- er and sister-in-law Jerry and Hel- en Ratelle; daughters and sons-in- law Audeen Balsamo, Amy and Guy Hugaert, Alaine Balsamo and Alec Gillis, Annette and Mat- thew Lilly, and Alyssa and Tim O’Hara; grandchildren Jessica (Lilly) and Paul Guzman, Camille Balsamo-Gillis and Reid Col- lums, Blair (Hugaert) and Jorge Ramos, Sofia Lilly, Blake and Ni- cole Hugaert, Devon (Balsamo- Gillis) and Gabriel Gault, Sea- mus O’Hara, Dominic O’Hara, Grace Balsamo-Gillis, Levi Lilly, Isabella Balsamo-Gillis, Sawyer O’Hara and Luke O’Hara; great- grandchildren Gianna, Carmen, Arthur and August; many nieces, nephews and her little dog too, Liebchen. She was predeceased by her husband, Augie Balsamo (d. 1997), her two sisters Suzanne Ratelle (d. 1939) and Clarisse Cizeski (d. 2019), and her first grandson, Denver August Lilly (d. 1990). Having been a “high roller” at several casinos, it is fitting that she cashed in her chips on 7-11- 21. There will be an Open House Celebration of Life on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the home of Alyssa and Tim O’Hara, 1450 E. Concord Ave. in Orange. Consensus reached on cemetery site The proposed veterans cem- etery in Gypsum Canyon inched a step closer to reality, with a bi- partisan agreement on its location announced by Supervisor Don Wagner, July 1. The county-owned 280 acres near Route 91 and the SR241 at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim Hills is envisioned as OC’s fu- ture veterans cemetery site once Sacramento allocates funding to survey the land. Elected officials from the coun- ty, Anaheim, Irvine and a coali- tion of Army, Navy and Marine Corps veterans agree that the site is an acceptable location, now that plans for a cemetery at the Great Park site in Irvine fell through. “I picture Arlington Cemetery and that hallowed ground when I look at our hill,” Wagner said. “At this site, we can echo Arling- ton and thank our veterans for the service they’ve given to the Unit- ed States and the entire world. The men and women who serve deserve a dignified spot to be bur- ied. The Gypsum Canyon site is that spot. “ Don Wagner BACHELOR’S DEGREE Classes Start August 23 Start your first two years at SCC and get priority admissions into a CSU, UC, or other university to complete your bachelor’s degree ! sccollege.edu/goSCC 100% ONLINE CHOOSE EITHER AN ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION or in COMPUTER SCIENCE.