Class of 1950 Colonist Harry Edman Sexton, a retired U.S. Marine Corp Colonel, passed away Feb. 15, 2023, at age 90.
Born in Anaheim on Dec. 20, 1932, Sexton was an active AUHS student. He was a varsity yell leader, played football, and served as secretary of the Future “A” Club.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine two years after graduating from Anaheim, and married Ann Goodrich in 1958. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 26 years, from August 1952 to January 1978.
A man of integrity and character, Colonel Sexton flew more than 400 combat missions during two tours of Vietnam. During his first tour, he commanded the only Marine F-8 Crusader Fighter Squadron to deploy from Navy Carrier USS Oriskany.
On his second tour, he commanded a squadron of HMLA-367 “Scarface” Cobra Helicopters, providing offensive air support, utility support and armed escort and airborne support, day or night, under all weather conditions, to Marine ground combat units.
Col. Sexton was awarded the Navy Cross, our country’s second-highest award for bravery, for heroism during Operation Tailwind as he and his fellow “Scarface” Cobra Gunships engaged the enemy to provide cover for the extraction of a nearly overwhelmed force of U.S. Army Special Operators out of Laos. Click here to read more about his mission.
He was also awarded two Legion of Merits with Combat “V”, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and 44 Air Medals/Strike Flight Awards, and was inducted into the Golden Eagles for his distinguished career as an aviator. More on his career can be read here.
His adventures continued after retiring from the military at age 45 when he turned his attention from flying the skies to riding the roads on a Harley Davidson.
His wife, Ann, son, Harry Jr., and daughter Stacie will remember him as a husband and father who lived for others, giving freely of his time, skill, and love to all who were fortunate enough to have known him. He is also survived by four grandchildren; and a great grandson.
Class of ’38 Colonist Lawrence “Larry” Macaray, an artist, teacher, art collector and author, passed away July 18, 2019, at age 98.
Roger J. Tapson, who lived in Scranton since June 2014, died in the comfort of his home on Sept. 28, 2017. Roger, born in Chicago on Aug. 8, 1950, was a lifelong resident of Southern California and a 1968 graduate of Anaheim High School. Although he missed the Pacific Ocean and watching the sun set over it, Roger loved learning about Pa. and the four seasons on the East Coast, which was new to him. His knowledge of music, literature and film was astonishing, and he was delighted and happy every day to learn and appreciate the music, art and talents of the people in Scranton. He felt every human being was important and should be told they were. You could not stop Roger from communicating with anyone and everyone he met in a positive, complimentary and respectful way.
Bob Wines, whose life spanned from July 21, 1946 to Oct. 21, 2017, passed away peacefully at his home in San Marino in the loving arms of his family at age 71. In May 2017, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor.
His memory will live forever in the hearts of those who were touched by his love and friendship. Bob’s peaceful passing was a perfect ending to a beautiful life. At his request there was a private family service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob’s honor to the charity of your choice or show an act of kindness in Bob’s memory.
Carey Lord Gibbs passed away Monday evening October 9, 2017, following a noble fight against a cancer diagnosis received shortly after celebrating his 85th birthday with family and friends.
Carey was the choir director and taught reading at Anaheim High School from 1959 to 1996. During those 37 years, he was known affectionately as Mr. Gibbs by students who loved and appreciated him so much. He left an indelible impression on so many of his students. Throughout the years, he and his wife would encounter so many of his former students along life’s way and often hear so much expression as to what a difference and influence Carey had made in their lives.
Legendary hot rodder and custom car builder, Stan Betz from Class of ’46, passed away today (Sept. 28). An AHS Hall of Famer, Stan had recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
A 1946 grad, Betz confesses to having spent most of days at Anaheim High in the machine shop working on hot rods. He owned a Model-A roadster with a V-8 engine that was shoe-horned in during welding shop. Three years later he built a track T that he raced on local outlaw tracks when he wasn’t working the night shift at a gas station.
Back in the ‘50s, when hot rodding and car clubs were in high gear, Stan’s shop (a single car garage he rented for five bucks a month located in the alley behind the police station) was the meeting spot for The Street Sweepers, a car club he founded, named and sponsored.
Along with holding their meetings, the Sweepers would punch louvers, which are vents located in strategic positions on a car’s body to allow hot air to escape. Betz and his team were stamping louvers in hot rods, racecar hoods, deck lids, fenders, or anything a custom-car owner wanted punched. Guys came from miles around to get ventilated.
One of his award-winning vehicles was a roadster he named “2032,” a completely custom-crafted candy raspberry red highboy pickup with Lincoln Mark VIII running gear.
Anaheim High has lost Class of 1944 graduate Reggie (Reynolds) Massey. Her birth name was Mary Jane but this spunky lady chose to be known as Reggie. She was nearing her 91st birthday when she passed away peacefully with her family at her side.
