The goal of the Anaheim High School Alumni Association is to bring Colonist alumni together to show their SPIRIT, PRIDE and TRADITION and once again “fight for Old AU!!!” Enjoy these photos from the various events sponsored by the AHSAA. 
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Event Photo Gallery
AHS On Honor Roll for Contribution to Super Bowl History
February 12, 2023 by
The Super Bowl has become an star-studded event, and among those stars are Anaheim Colonists who have played a role in the epic gridiron match.
Fifty-six years ago, the Anaheim High School Drill Team appeared in the first Super Bowl and three Colonist grads have coached and played in five Super Bowls, placing AHS on the Super Bowl High School Honor Roll.
The Ana-Hi-Steppers carried flags representing all AFL and NFL teams in Super Bowl I. The U.S.A. outline map was created by two university bands. The team also performed in a pre-game show.
The award-winning 1967 Ana-Hi-Steppers Drill Team, wearing traditional blue and gold Colonial costumes complete with white wigs and tri-corner hats, performed along with the Grambling State University Marching Band and the University of Arizona Symphonic Band. Musician Al Hirt was the half-time headliner, along with two rocket men who were propelled over the field by jetpacks.
The Colonist Hi-Steppers shared the field that January day with such greats as Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, and the colorful Hank Stram. The game was watched by 50 million TV viewers and football fans who packed the LA Memorial Coliseum. (Billed as the most watched event in television history, more than 10 million viewers are expected to watch Super Bowl 50, Feb. 7, at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara.)
The Class of 1967 also produced two football greats who are connected to what has become sport’s greatest spectacle. Gerry “Moon” Mullins starred in all four of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first four Super Bowl championships (IX, X, XIII, XIV), and Jim Fassel was named NF
L Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm in New York, when he led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV.
A third Anaheim football star, perhaps the school’s greatest player, Reuben Droughns from Class of 1996, played on special teams for the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
To honor Anaheim High’s contribution to Super Bowl history, the NFL gifted the school with a three commemorative Wilson Golden Football imprinted with the names of Mullins, Fassel and Droughns.
Footage of the half-time show is available at: http://twentytwowords.com/nearly-every-super-bowl-halftime-show-since-1967-37-videos.
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- Vintage drill team costumes were recoved by the AHSAA and are being preserved along with other Colonist memorabilia.
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- The Anaranco documented the important accomplishments of Anaheim High.
Anaheim Loses Lawrence Macaray – Class of 1938
July 19, 2019 by
Class of ’38 Colonist Lawrence “Larry” Macaray, an artist, teacher, art collector and author, passed away July 18, 2019, at age 98.
Like most talented artists, Macaray showed his aptitude as a child and was an accomplished artist by the time he was attending Anaheim Union High School in the 1930s.
He and another AUHS student, Arvin “Bud” Mahoney, were commissioned by the National Youth Administration to create a mural at the high school. Their work, “Youth at Play” was painted on the wall of the school’s art building.
A WWII Army veteran who served as a combat engineer, he married high school sweetheart, Kathleen Vincent (’42), on April 24, 1943, in Ainsworth, Nebraska, where he was stationed for training after enlisting in September 1942.
After the war, Larry attended Whittier College on the G.I. Bill. In 1954, he earned a master’s in art at Long Beach State College. His award-winning art was displayed at many galleries and museums in California and throughout the nation.
Along with working as a professional artist, Larry taught for seven years at Torrance High School and 26 years at El Camino College. He was also the Arts and Travel Editor for the Torrance Press-Herald.
Larry brought arts and culture to his hometown of Anaheim, when he and Kathy opened the City’s first art gallery on April 1, 1964, at 1425-C East 
Lincoln. They represented California artists, as well as national and international artists.
Later they combined their love of art and architecture by purchasing and renovating the historic Southern Plantation house at 1431 E. La Palma Avenue in Anaheim and moving their gallery into the ground floor of the home. Known as The De Sombre House after its first owner, the home is a City of Anaheim designated “Historically Significant Structure.”
The experience inspired Larry to write a history about the home, entitled The De Sombre House – Orange Blossoms Into Art, which was published in 1994. He also published Sketches from an Irish Detour detailing his travels throughout Europe.
Larry’s children, David and Peggy, also graduated from AHS from the classes of 1962 and 1964, respectively.
Truly a renaissance man, Lawrence Macaray will be remembered by his Colonists classmates for his kind, generous nature and his cultural legacy.
Alumni Across Generations Join for 2019 Membership Drive Kick-Off
July 15, 2019 by
A great time was had by all who attended the AHSAA 2019-2020 “Game Night” Membership Drive Kick-Off Party. Along with games, memorabilia, and sharing high school memories, the event was the perfect occasion for awarding scholarships to the 2019 AHSAA Spirit Award winners.
Be A Sport! – Support Anaheim High’s Campaign to Build a 21st Century Athletic Complex!
May 5, 2019 by
The Anaheim High School Alumni Association is launching a campaign to upgrade the school’s athletic facilities to coincide with the grand opening of a new aquatics center in 2019.
While the new swimming pool and upgrades to gym locker rooms are being funded by the Anaheim Unified School District, monies to cover improvements to the athletic fields, gymnasium and a fitness center need to be raised from other sources.
Plans for the athletic fields include new baseball dugouts, synthetic football and soccer fields, a rubber track, lighting, fencing and bleachers to replace the recently demolished Clayes Stadium.
Upgrades to the 80-year-old gymnasium will include a new HVAC system, bleachers, wall art, league title banners, baffles to improve acoustics, interior and exterior paint.
A new fitness center, which will soon be named after the donor and 1967 graduate Jim Fassel, is in need of a new cooling system, windows and other minor improvements. Fassel donated new flooring and fitness equipment valued at approximately $250,000.
A dedicated core of Anaheim High alumni administrators, teachers, staff and are behind the project, including AHS Principal Robert Saldivar ‘96, athletic directors Lanny Booher ’80 and Al Rodriguez ’94, plus numerous alumni coaches, teachers and staff members. The AHSAA will also be working alongside the 3,000-member student body to help improve the sports facilities.
“Anaheim High embraces its past, but we also want to make sure the Colonist community has access to 21st century facilities,” said Principal Saldivar. “Our athletes need to be able to compete on a level playing field. Schools throughout Orange County are training and playing on synthetic fields, which are becoming the standard.”
Saldivar, who played baseball while attending Anaheim, noted that Anaheim High is located in the heart of the Colony District, and the track, athletic fields and new swimming pool will also benefit local residents.
He added that the athletic complex, particularly the gymnasium, serves as a community evacuation site. “It’s not just a matter of aesthetics. We need to make sure we’re in the best position to serve the Anaheim community.
“Our students will be participating in fundraising at some level, and they are counting on the community and all alumni to pull together and support this effort,” said Saldivar.
Corporate donors are being sought and fund raising projects will be introduced throughout 2018 to raise the needed $5 million price tag. One such fundraiser is the sale of chunks of Clayes Stadium for $20 each.
For additional information, email anaheimalumni@yahoo.com or call AHSAA President Janet Brown – 714-726-4372.
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- Current state of athletic fields. The fields require watering at least four days a week, but the sprinkler system needs repairs and is not operating efficiently.
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- The turns, according to several track and field coaches, are closer to 90 degrees and not well rounded. It takes a good 6 hours to prep the dirt and lines for a home track meet.
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- The grass fields need constant maintenance. A synthetic field would reduce costs.
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- AHS teams are competing against schools that are training and playing on synthetic turn and rubber tracks.
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- Our baseball fields are not level, so when the fields are watered, muddy puddles of water form in both home and visitor dugouts.
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- The athletic fields need to be enclosed and laser-leveled to prevent daily puddles of water.
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- The major issue in the 80-year-old gym is acoustics. Sound issues, such as players not being able to hear their coaches, can be improved with hanging baffles.
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- More than 40 local elementary-age students participated in AHS free Saturday basketball camps that included conditioning drills and competitive games with current coaches and players.
Vietnam AHS Veteran George Tallman
April 9, 2019 by
George Tallman attended Anaheim High as a sophomore and part of his junior year. Had he graduated, he would be Class of 1963. Graduate or not, George is a Colonist Fallen Hero and AHS alumnus.
His brother, Bill, provided information and photo of Geroge, who died in Vietnam on April 9, 1967.
- Date of Birth:
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Buried in Huntington Beach
AHS Vietnam Veterans Honored at Campus Ceremony
March 31, 2019 by
AHS Class of ’76 graduate Congressman Lou Correa honored and celebrated Vietnam War-period veterans, as well as several Anaheim High Gold Star Families, at a pinning ceremony presented March 29 on the Colonist Campus The commemorative event included presentations of a Service Lapel Pins and other tributes to publicly thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families on behalf of the nation. The event was supported by the AHSAA, ASB, Band, and other volunteers.
John Alan Frick ’65 – Family Returns to AHS to Honor Brother
March 30, 2019 by
The Frick sisters lost their brother 52 years ago, but still love and cherish the memories of their fresh-faced sibling who went off to the Vietnam War on March 10, 1967. Their 20-year-old brother lost his life less than two months later in the Dinh Tuong Province of South Vietnam.
The sisters of Private First Class John Alan Frick, Mary Schilling, Laura Puialoa and Kathy Ward returned on Friday, March 29, 2019, to Anaheim High, where their brother graduated in 1965, to received a Gold Star Lapel Pin as part of a U.S. Department of Defense Vietnam Commemorative program conducted by Congressman Lou Correa, an AHS Class of 1976 graduate who represents California’s 46th District of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange and Santa Ana. The event was supported by the school’s Alumni Association, the campus NJOTC program, the ASB 
Associated Student Body, Band, and other campus volunteers.
Other AHS K.I.A. families were also honored. More photos from the event may be seen here.
Additional information and photos of John Frick are available below:
John Alan FrickPrivate First Class John Alan Frick – AHS Class of 1965
A CO, 3RD BN, 47TH INFANTRY, 9TH INF DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Anaheim, California
December 14, 1946 to May 02, 1967
Private First Class
PERSONAL DATA
Home of Record: Anaheim, CA
Date of birth: 12/14/1946
MILITARY DATA
Service: Army of the United States
Grade at loss: E3
Rank: Private First Class
ID No: 56686138
MOS: 11B10: Infantryman
Length Service: 00
Unit: A CO, 3RD BN, 47TH INFANTRY, 9TH INF DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA
Start Tour: 03/10/1967
Incident Date: 05/02/1967
Casualty Date: 05/02/1967
Age at Loss: 20
Location: Dinh Tuong Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Gun or small arms fire
Michael Ray McCommons: A Son Lost, A Grandson Found
March 16, 2019 by
Michael McCommons’ name is inscribed on Line 36, of Wall Panel 13 East, on a black granite wall with the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing in Vietnam.
Michael’s son, Glen Mulock, was 16 years old when the Vietnam War Memorial, dubbed “The Wall That Heals,” was dedicated in Washington D.C. on Nov. 13, 1982.
Born Oct. 6, 1966, Glen was put up for adoption after Michael was killed in Vietnam on Dec. 11, 1966. He grew up knowing his father was a soldier who gave his life for his country. Inspired by his father’s service, Glen joined the Marine Corps at age 17. Before going off to boot camp, he met the McCommons family, some of whom were unaware of his existence.
Michael and Glen’s mother, a university student, met at Leeds Shoe Store in the Anaheim Plaza, then an in-door mall that was a first for the city. The couple’s lives were drastically altered when Michael was drafted and left for his tour of duty on Oct. 22, 1965, as a member of the U.S. Army C Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. His Company was ambushed on a route north of Lai Khe, where Michael and 16 others in his company were killed during heavy combat.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Aug. 17, 1943, Michael’s family migrated to Orange County and made their home at 207 Vine Street. Like other youth growing up in Anaheim in the 1950s and ‘60s, Michael watched movies at Fox Theater, played sports, went to the beach, dated and attended school at Anaheim High. After graduating in 1961, Michael and his brother, John, traveled the world.
After his time in the Marines, Glen moved to Southern California and grew even closer to his birth father’s family. “I looked a lot like Mike, and I was able to provide healing to my grandparents and my birth mother. I was proud I could help with any little bit of healing from their loss of Mike.”
Glen said his grandmother is his hero. “My Grandmother (Francis) lost a brother in WWII and a son in Vietnam. Today, at age 99, she is still a strong woman of faith. She volunteered with her church and the Gold Star Mothers for years and brought strength to others.”
Michael, who is buried in the Anaheim Cemetery, is remembered by his sister, Debbie Nance McCommons, an AHS Class of ’77 graduate: “He is missed every day by his family and friends who will never forget his smile, humor, love of life and joy in living. We learn from his example.”
Happy 100th to Colonist Centurion Jeanette VanDelden
December 29, 2018 by
Anaheim grads joined with Jeannie’s family to celebrate her 100th birthday!
Born Dec. 21, 1918, in Shelton, Nebraska, Jeanette (Jennie) Rose Campbell Van Delden’s was 6-years-old when she moved to Anaheim with her family in 1924.
Called Jennie by her family and friends, she attended Citron Elementary School and Fremont Junior High. She graduated in 1936 from Anaheim Union High School.
In 1937, she married Henry Van Delden. They had twin daughters, Bonne Mae and Bette Lou.
One of the many memories she shares about growing up in Anaheim is being rescued by boat, along with her husband and baby daughters, from the roof of their home on Wilhelmina Street during the 1938 flood.
Jeanette and Henry were married for 61 years, until he passed away in 1998.
Jennie worked for Anaheim Laundry from 1947 to 1952. In 1952, she went to work for Northrop Aircraft in Anaheim for 19 years, retiring in 1970.
Her community activities include serving as a volunteer for 26 years with the Friends of Anaheim Library. She retired as the group’s treasurer in 2014. She is also an active member of the Anaheim High School Alumni Association and rarely misses a meeting of the month Alumni Breakfast Club.
Jeanette is an avid card player and often wins games of Rummy against her daughter, Bonne Stevens, and Bonne’s group of friends, who are 1955 Anaheim High graduates. Jeanette also keeps busy by reading novels and regularly playing solitaire on her IPad.
Jeanette said her secret to a long life is having a good sense of humor and a nightly cocktail.
Please join the AHS Alumni Association in toasting to the continued health and long life of this lovely lady, who is the quintessence of grace and elegance. May she continue to touch the lives around her with her kind spirit and gentle manners.
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Jeanette and daughter Bonne Stevens ’55 -
Jeanette with Margret (Hein) Peter ’38 -
Dee (Sagan) Carter ’55, Jeanette and daughter Bonne -
Jeanette with Larry Macaray and Elmer Thill at a 2015 Alumni Breakfast -
Jeanette was honored for her 28 years of service as treasurer for Friends of the Anaheim Library. -
Mother – Daugher Bonne Stevens and Jeanette Van Delden -
Class of ’36 Jeanette Van Delden with Class of 2014 ASB officers -
Jeanette with Jo An Burdick Gottlieb ’51, Geri Kirk Bumpass ’58, and Bonne Van Delden Stevens ’55 -
Jeanette Van Delden ’36 and her daughter Bonne Stevens ’55 enjoy evening of celebrating with fellow grads -
Jeanette with 2007 alumni Brian Agredaro and Katherine Navarrete -
Jeanette with daughter Bonne
