Daniel Aldon Dugger passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, at the age of 59 at his home in Sage, Calif., of a heart attack. Danny was born Dec. 28, 1953 in Bakersfield. In his lifetime, he touched so many people’s lives with his generous heart, twinkling eyes and warm handshake. Dan graduated from Laguna [...]
A longtime resident of Laguna Beach, Pauline Shubel Buzan passed away peacefully on Jan. 30, 2013, at the age of 92. Pauline (Pauli) was born Oct. 22, 1920 in New York, the day after her parents immigrated from Slovenia. She grew up in a cultural milieu and was active in her Slovenian-American community in [...]
Martin Miller passed away peacefully on Feb. 2, 2013, at his home in Laguna Beach. He was 87. Martin was born in Seattle, Wash., on July 19, 1925, the oldest son of Martin J. Miller and Teresa E. Miller. A life-long Catholic, he attended St. Alphonsus Grade School and O’Dea High School graduating in 1943. [...]
George (Red) Witt, a longtime Laguna Beach resident, died Jan. 30, 2013 after battling cancer with bravery, good humor and grace. Witt enlisted in the Marines during the Korean War, and about that time his great pitching arm was discovered, leading him ultimately to pitch for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they won the 1960 World Series. Witt [...]
Devin Lowell Aitken Hands passed on to his next adventure on Jan. 19, 2013. He was surrounded by his immediate family. He would have been 23 years old on Jan. 28. He was born Jan. 28, 1990, in Laguna Beach, where he lived his entire life. He was a kid and a young man . [...]
Mary Louise Ferguson of Laguna Beach passed away peacefully at her home on Dec. 31, 2012 after 94 years of vibrant living. She had a smile on her face until the very end. Born in Detroit, Mich., Mary Louise spent her young years in Glendale and raised a family in Whittier and Newport Beach. She [...]
Ben Gaudreault, a homeless man in his 30s believed to be from Colorado, was discovered dead in the Heisler Park gazebo about 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, Laguna Beach police said. Overnight temperatures that night dipped into the low 40s locally, according to Accuweather.com. The same day, the bodies of two other people were [...]
Julie O’Donovan Ireland passed away Nov. 3, 2012. Born March 8, 1919 in Los Angeles, a first generation American and longtime resident of Laguna Beach, Ireland was employed by the Los Angeles Police Department and was a “founder” and retiree of Calif. State University, Fullerton. She is survived by daughters, Kathy Ireland Davis and Mary [...]
Janie Cowlin, 1944-2013, beloved friend, artist and protector of the earth, left this planet on Sunday, Jan. 6, one week shy of her 69th birthday. She was born and raised in Glendale, Calif., and spent summers with her parents at the beach. She moved to Laguna in 1963. She attended Orange Coast College and was [...]
Neal Amsden was born on Nov. 14, 1927 to Clifford N. and Mabel H. Amsden in Los Angeles. He attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles and went on to USC as an undergraduate and graduated from USC’s Keck School of Medicine in 1953. Amsden was issued a California medical license on June 30, 1953. [...]
By Billy Fried, Special to the Independent Laguna lost a treasure when Dennis Morin died Dec. 31 after a vigorous battle with cancer. He was only 66; too young for a man with such an appetite and energy for life. Morin was a bon vivant, a raconteur, a connoisseur, and other French words. He founded [...]
A graveside service was held Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 in the Temple Israel Cemetery in Gotha, Fla., for Edith R. Helman (nee Zak), who died Jan. 1, 2013. Arrangements were by Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel. Edith (Edie) Ruth Helman was born Nov. 3, 1926, in Lodz, Poland. When very young, she and her family moved [...]
Former Laguna Beach Fire Capt. Ronald Rowe passed away peacefully on Dec. 17, 2012, due to complications from leukemia with his family by his side. The eldest son of Hal and Dorothy Rowe, Ron was born in Glendale, Calif., in 1941 and grew up in Surfside, Calif. He graduated from Huntington Beach High School in [...]
Maridel Francis Commagère, 95, of Laguna Beach, passed away suddenly of natural causes on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012. Known as “Mamie” to her family, she was a fixture of Laguna Beach for 54 years and could often be seen waving from her beachfront balcony or displaying one of her American flags. Born on Feb. 24, [...]
After a brief yet brave battle with cancer, Ulli Ceniceros-Sperry succumbed to this disease on Dec. 16, 2012. Ulli was 4 years old and a fixture in the Laguna Beach downtown area. A regular at the Laguna Beach Dog Park, this 180-pound gentle giant won many people’s hearts with her affectionate and friendly demeanor. Ulli [...]
Police Use Taser to Subdue Assault Suspect
An assault involving three men escalated into a struggle with Laguna Beach police, who ultimately deployed a taser twice to subdue the younger combative suspect in the 300 block of Cozumel around 1:15 a.m. Friday, May 10, police said. Police ultimately arrested Laguna Beach resident Sergio Gabriel Borgognone, 51, for allegedly resisting arrest and his [...]
