Notable passings of 2010

Some of Laguna’s most revered and influential residents — and one of the city’s best-known characters — died in 2010.

Two memorial services were held the weekend of Jan. 15, 2010, for Charles Reginald “Cowboy” Conwell, who died Jan. 10 after being run over on Laguna Canyon Road. One service was for the homeless population, of which Conwell was a long-standing member. The other was for Conwell’s family and more conventional folks.

Laguna’s arts community lost two of its own in February.

The life and antics of Frank Interlandi were celebrated at a jam-packed Marine Room Tavern. The internationally known cartoonist died Feb. 4. He was 85.

Iris Adam, who was known for painting the flower for which she was named, died Feb. 5. She was 91. The long-time arts commissioner was the caretaker of the city’s holiday palettes. A celebration of her life was held at Tivoli Too, located at the back of Art-A-Fair grounds, which she bought to ensure the festival would not be ousted in favor of development.

Stan Scholl died March 2. His ashes were scattered off the coast of Laguna, where he had lived for 36 years and served as director of the Public Works Department from 1973 to 1977. During his career with the city, Scholl contributed to the construction of Main Beach Park, the conversion of Forest Avenue to a one-way street from South Coast Highway to Glenneyre Street, and the first undergrounding of utilities in town.

George Woods will be remembered as an actor, a raconteur and Patriots Day Parade commentator. He was 75 when he died July 3.

Architect Don Williamson died July 23. He was 96. His Laguna legacy includes Tivoli Terrace, with its dramatic parabolic roof, the Festival Forum Theatre and El Morro Elementary School. He served on the boards of the Laguna Playhouse and the Festival of Arts, and directed the Pageant of the Masters from 1964 to 1978.

Laguna Presbyterian Church was filled past capacity to hear family and friends tell stories about Claes Andersen‘s life and how it affected them. The hotelier and humanitarian died Aug. 11. He was 63.

Educator, author and environmentalist Edward Fry died Sept. 2 at his Laguna Beach home. He was 85. He was one of the original Laguna Greenbelt Red Hat docents, a major contributor to the Laguna Canyon Foundation, an active member of Village Laguna, a regular at the Laguna Canyon Conservancy monthly dinners and a member of the Laguna Beach Democratic Club.

October took a heavy toll in Laguna.

Gertrude “Kit” Drollenger was just two days shy of her 84th birthday when she died Oct. 9. She was known for her dedication to the environment and social justice.

Glenetta Betty Farrell died Oct. 10 in her South Laguna home. She was 79. She was an advocate for social justice who loved art, cooking, music and traveling.

The life of the long-time Laguna resident and construction firm owner Stanley Lewis Berney was celebrated Oct. 22 at the Aliso Creek Inn. He died Oct. 16 at age 72.