Charles James (Jim) Chapman, AUHS Class of 1945, passed away July 18, 2014, of natural causes at his home in Anaheim at the age of 87. Jim was born in Sigourney, Iowa on Jan. 7, 1927. Tired of shoveling snow in Iowa, he moved with his family to Anaheim in 1941.

At age 16, he joined the US Navy where he would spend the next 30 years of his life serving in WW II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. His chosen area of Naval service was a Boatswains Mate, one of the oldest and most distinguished rates in the Navy. This rate, however, kept Jim away from his family much of the time, as it was a shipboard deck position so he worked hard and rose to the rate of Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate, the highest rate in the Navy without being an officer. He was also a Company Commander in San Diego at the Naval Training Center, training young sailors in boot camp and worked as Shore Patrol in Long Beach. After his Naval service and military retirement in 1972, Jim got his real estate and broker’s license and spent the rest of his life in the Orange County area listing and selling property.

In 1948, he married the love of his life Phyllis Ruth (Petey) Hill, also an Anaheim High graduate. They would have been married 66 years on July 21. Jim is survived by his wife, Phyllis; son Mark Chapman of San Clemente and his wife Diane; daughter, Tracie Keough of Yorba Linda and her husband Tom; and his grandson, Mark Keough, also of Yorba Linda. For his last and final deployment, Jim will be buried at sea with full military honors.

RAYMOND GERALD BAKER
July 30, 1918 – June 18, 2014

Gerald Baker, an AUHS Class of ’36 grad, was born to James A. and MaeBelle Baker on their citrus ranch located on West Broadway near Magnolia St. in Anaheim. He attended Magnolia Elementary School (now Maxwell) where Mattie Lou Maxwell was his teacher and coach.

Gerald married Eleanor Becker in 1939 and they celebrated 55 years of marriage before Eleanor’s passing in 1994.

During World War II, Gerald served in the U.S. Navy and was deployed to the Pacific Fleet, serving on a Minesweeper. He was severely wounded when the ship was sunk near Borneo and was presented The Purple Heart.

Gerald worked for most of his adult life on Signal Hill, Long Beach, in various positions with the oil industry. He was a lifelong member of the Anaheim Christian Church where he served on the Board, taught Sunday school and sang in the choir.

A life-long resident of Anaheim, Gerald came from a family of Colonists. His father, James Baker is an Anaheim graduated who taught at Centralia Elementary in Anaheim in 1912, became the first Superintendent of Schools for the La Habra district and served as an Orange County Supervisor.

Gerald’s uncle Arthur was in Anaheim’s second graduating class (1902), and three of Gerald’s siblings graduated from Anaheim, as did his wife, Eleanor Becker (1937), and their sons, John (1958) and Bob (1959).

(Incidentally, Gerald’s mother, Mae Belle Dickenson Baker, who attended but didn’t graduate from AHS, had a sister who married John King, the writer of Anaheim ’s alma mater.)

While at Anaheim High, Gerald served was senior class vice president, ran track, played baseball, acted in school plays and sang in the Mozart Choir and Boys’ Quartet.

Gerald was preceded in death by his wife, Eleanor and son, John Edward. He is survived by son, Robert Paul; daughter-in-law, Charlene; seven grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

Gerald was a kind gentleman, faithful to God, his family and country; he will be greatly missed by all who love him!

Donald Roy Betzsold from AUHS Class of 1943 passed away peacefully at age 88 on May 6, 2014, in Anaheim, where he was born Oct. 28, 1925. Donald lived in Anaheim most of his life except for a brief period in 1938, when he lived in Tacoma, Washington.

While at Anaheim High, Donald was a scholar-athlete, playing baseball and football. In recent years he enjoyed attending the varsity football games with his daughter Robyne Betzsold, a teacher at Anaheim High School.

He met his wife, Ruby Strange, to whom he was married for nearly 70 years, when he was serving in the U.S. Navy in WWII. She died in 2008.

Donald attended Fullerton College and later the University of Southern California, where he received his architectural degree. He worked for Frank Homolka and Associates in Long Beach, designing many Home Savings, as well as buildings at CSU Long Beach and the Belmont Plaza swimming pool for the 1984 Olympics. He also designed several private homes in Orange County.

On a community level, Donald served as president of the Anaheim Historical Society and organized their display at the 100th Anniversary of the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.

Donald was especially proud of his 65 years in the Elks. He joined the Anaheim Elks with his father and brother. When that Elks closed, Donald moved to the Buena Park Elks Lodge 2046, the “Lodge with a Heart.” He held many positions with the Elks and served as Exalted Ruler from 1995 to 1996.

One of his most rewarding accomplishments was raising funds for Buena Park Junior High’s American Heritage Scholarship Program to send students to visit Washington, D.C. One year he traveled with them. In his last years, Donald kept active with the Elks and visited Walnut Village to help patients enjoy Bingo. He was living at Walnut Village at the time of his death.

Don Betzsold’s parents, George and Mary, were owners of Betzsold Studios, a long-time Anaheim business.

Donald is survived by his daughter, Robyne Betzsold; granddaughter, Jennifer Balsiger; and grandson, Austin Lawrence. He was interned at Anaheim Cemetery.