Archives for September 2013

AUHS Class of 1941 Celebrates 72nd Reunion

September 30, 2013 by

America entered World War II six months after the Class of 1941 graduated Anaheim Union High School. From innocent youths who drove Model T’s through the rural community of Anaheim with a population under 10,000, the Class of ’41 Colonists were thrown into battle overseas and on the home front, their lives forever changed.

But it’s not the war years they talk about when 18 members of AUHS Class of ’41 met Sept. 21 for their 72nd reunion. Instead the group relived the idyllic days of their childhood by sharing memories of high school pranks, dances, favorite teachers and other stories from their years attending school together, some since elementary days. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Reunions

VIRGINIA MAE (DINKLER) WILBUR -1922-2013

September 25, 2013 by

Anaheim Union High School Class of 1940 graduate Virginia Mae (Dinkler) Wilbur passed away on Sept. 19, 2013, in Fullerton. She was born in Anaheim on May 23, 1922, to Reinhold and Jennie Dinkler. Virginia is survived by her son, John; daughter, Susan; sister, Marian; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A viewing will be held Oct. 1, 2013 from 9 – 10 a.m.; followed by a service at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary, Fullerton.Virginia Mae (Dinkler) Wilbur 1940

Filed Under: In Memory Tagged With: ,

George Dena – Class of 1956

September 23, 2013 by

George Dena class of 1956 football photo

Class of 1956 Colonist George Dena, whose high school football career in Orange County spanned six decades, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 22, due to cancer. He was 75 years old.

Growing up in Anaheim, Dena was an All-Sunset League quarterback for the legendary Colonists football teams under coach Clare Van Hoorebeke. After playing on the junior college level, Dena entered the coaching ranks at the newly-founded Servite High School in Anaheim. He was an assistant on the Friars coaching staff in its first season of varsity football in 1960, as Servite went 8-2-2 and earned a share of the CIF-Southern Section Small Schools championship. For the next 11 seasons, Dena served as Servite’s head coach and earned three CIF-Southern Section playoff appearances and two Angelus League titles in 1964 and 1967.

 In addition to his success on the field, he was also the originator of one of Orange County football’s most memorable traditions: the Servite Hut Drill, which has been performed by Friars players after every game ever since Dena introduced it in the early 1960s.

 In 1972, he returned to his alma mater, and was an assistant on Van Hoorebeke’s final Anaheim team. He continued coaching continuously as a varsity level offensive coordinator at Anaheim (1972-1980, 1987-1988, 2000-2001), Brea Olinda (1989-1991, 1994-1999), Foothill (1981-1986), and Servite (1992-1993) before retiring from coaching in 2001. During his 42-year coaching career, Dena’s teams made the CIF-Southern Section playoffs 29 times and dozens of his offensive players earned all-league, all-county or All-CIF honors.

 He is survived by his wife Eileen, and his daughters Darcie and Kelly and sons Ron, Dan and Kenny.

Filed Under: In Memory Tagged With: , , ,