Destined to be friends

Mike Sciacca, Independent

A passion for community service has forged a lasting friendship for

four Huntington Beach couples.

More than 25 years ago, the paths of George and Donna Cross, Bob and

Pat Davis, Dale and Ellen Dunn and Don and Marilyn MacAllister crossed

when all eight were involved in civic organizations and activities. In

2001, they spent Christmas Eve together and two days after Christmas,

gathered again, this time with some 30 other friends at the Cross

household for Donna Cross’ annual Peanut Butter Soup Night.

“Yes, peanut butter soup,” Donna Cross said the day of the event.

“It’s just a nice time for friends to gather during the holidays.”

As the four families got to know one another, they discovered that the

similarities were quite striking.

Each couple has three daughters and no sons, and together have a total

of 18 grandchildren. All are active in some capacity of community service

and all serve on the support group of the Huntington Beach Community

Clinic that stages the annual “Duck-a-thon” fund-raiser at Pier Plaza.

The drive, where little rubber ducks were sold for $10 and corporate ducks for $100, raised more than $90,000 for the clinic last year.

The eight also are active with the Chamber of Commerce, Conference and

Visitors Bureau, Council on Aging, Huntington Beach Seniors, Soroptimist

and Rotary clubs, Project Self-sufficiency, Academy for Performing Arts

and the High School Education Foundation.

“I took over duties as president of the Huntington Beach Chamber of

Commerce from Bob Davis back in the mid-1970s,” Dale Dunn said. “We

couples got along well right off the bat.”

It was only fitting that the couples would use a time share in Las

Vegas to celebrate their combined 193 years of marriage, which they did

in October. Three of the couples have been married nearly 50 years. The

Dunns have been married for 52 years.

“We’re just best friends and have a great time together,” Dale Dunn

said. “I like the Ogden Nash quote that goes, ‘when you’re wrong admit it

and when you’re right, shut up!”’

Don and Marilyn MacAllister moved to Huntington Beach from the Bahamas

in 1967. Marilyn is retired from the Ocean View School District. Don is a

former city council member and mayor, retired from the electronics

industry and presently is doing consulting work.

Dale and Ellen Dunn arrived in Huntington Beach from Oregon in 1967.

Ellen has worked for the city in the department of development services

for the past 32 years and Dale is still involved in various community

activities.

George and Donna Cross traded beaches, Manhattan for Huntington, in

1963. Donna is an active community volunteer and George is a retired cost

analysis manager for Rockwell.

Bob and Pat Davis came to Huntington Beach in 1975 from Minnesota. Pat

works as a consultant in Huntington Beach and has been a volunteer for

Huntington Beach seniors for the past 25 years, and Bob is retired from

insurance management.

Another unique link between the eight is that one spouse from each

couple has been named “Outstanding Citizen” of Huntington Beach by the

Chamber of Commerce beginning with Donna Cross in 1990. Dale Dunn earned

the honor in 1994 and Don MacAllister followed Dunn in 1995. Pat Davis

earned the distinction in 2000.

Pat Davis also was the first recipient of the Athena Award for

outstanding women in business back in 1991.

* MIKE SCIACCA is the education and sports reporter. He can be reached

at (714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.