CHUCK JONES The man behind the...

CHUCK JONES

The man behind the pen that co-created Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and

countless others died at 89 of congestive heart failure in his Corona

del Mar home in February. The animator began his career in the early

1930s working for former Disney animator Ub Iwerks. In 1938, he

directed his first animated film, “The Night Watchman.” He would go

on to co-create the rabbit best known for asking “What’s up, Doc?”

and several of Bugs’ pals for Warner Bros. Jones’ character creations

continued in the early 1960s, when he developed the “Tom & Jerry”

cartoons for MGM. In 1962, he founded his own company and teamed a

few years later with Dr. Seuss to bring the Grinch to life. Jones had

lived in Newport since the early 1980s.

GARY GRANVILLE

The county clerk and former Daily Pilot reporter died at 72 of a

heart attack in late February. His former colleagues at the Pilot

called Granville “humble” and “one of the best reporters” they had

ever known. Before that, he had worked in the business sector, but he

really made a name for himself in Orange County journalism as an

investigative reporter. He later earned an appointment as county

clerk and served in the position for 17 years.

DOUG ORR

The voice of the Corona del Mar Sea Kings died at 50 of heart

failure in Corona del Mar in early March. Orr, who was one of the

first babies born at Hoag Hospital in 1952, graduated from the high

school in 1970 and was a lifelong Corona del Mar resident. By no

means did Orr possess the skills and athleticism of Michael Jordan,

but he worked hard and it paid off. At Corona del Mar, he took an

adaptive physical education class for those who couldn’t compete with

other students. The football coach taught the class and was so taken

with Orr that he invited him onto the football team. In his one game,

he blocked a pass in the final moments. He later became the announcer

at the school.

IRENE WORTH

The three-time Tony Award winner who died of a stroke at 85 in

March was known as Harriet Adams when she attended Newport Harbor

High in the early 1930s. The 1933 graduate gained celebrity status

over the years with top-notch stage performances all over the world.

She won her Tonys for roles in “Tiny Alice,” “Sweet Bird of Youth”

and “Lost in Yonkers.” When her father, a school superintendent, took

a job for Newport-Mesa’s school district in 1931, Worth landed in

Costa Mesa. She served as president of Newport Harbor’s glee club and

appeared in “The Mikado” in her senior year.

PETER BIEHL

The former Newport Beach resident who spent his time helping the

downtrodden in South Africa -- where his daughter was killed at age

26 in 1993 -- died at 59 from complications arising from colon

surgery in early April. His wife, Linda, remembered him as a

“confident person, great speaker and a caring gentleman.” After their

daughter Amy’s notorious death, the Biehls traveled all over the

world continuing their daughter’s work. Amy, a Fulbright scholar and

Stanford University student, was registering people to vote in South

Africa when she was stoned and stabbed to death just days before she

was to return home to Newport. Peter and Linda eventually forgave

their daughter’s four killers.

MILT SHEDD

The co-founder of Sea World Inc. and an acclaimed marine

enthusiast died of cancer at 79 in his Newport Beach home in May.

Family and the ocean were Shedd’s two loves. In 1964, he helped open

the first Sea World in San Diego, and he chaired the board for Sea

World Inc. for 20 years. He also secured $4.8 million in funding for

a marine fish hatchery, established the UCLA Marine Science Center

and remained active in marine conservation efforts across the globe.

Shedd also gave a lot to the Newport community, where he lived for 47

years. He served on the city’s park and recreation committee for four

years and funded the weight room at Newport Harbor High after his

sons had graduated.

BOB FISHER

The man who played an active role in planning and conserving open

space in the coastal areas of Orange County died at 65 of cancer in

early April. Fisher grew up on Balboa Island and was appointed the

county’s first open space coordinator. He also served as the county’s

director of planning and as director of Orange County Harbor, Beaches

and Parks. He helped obtain funding for Fairview Park improvements

and helped plan the 1,600-acre Bolsa Chica coastal area.

DONALD WAYNE MOSES

The man more commonly known as Mr. Balboa to customers of his

Balboa Peninsula barbershop died at 68 in June. The barber with many

stories to tell had chopped locks for 43 years. His father, also a

barber, opened the shop in the 1959. The younger Moses became known

for his smile and making others smile -- and, of course, for the Reyn

Spooner reversible Hawaiian-print shirt that he wore.

PATI TAMBELLINI

The founder of the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse died at 78 of cancer

complications in late June. The Huntington Beach resident ran the

playhouse for 23 years before her death. Tambellini founded the

playhouse in 1965 on the Orange County Fairgrounds. In 1984, it moved

to its current site at 611 Hamilton St., a location that allows more

room for creativity and ingenuity. A “total character,” she also

starred in and produced some of the shows.

CHARLIE EATON

Newport Beach’s “father of tennis” died at 85 of cancer in July.

Eaton, a Lido Isle resident, co-founded the Adoption Guild Tennis

Tournament in Newport Beach and gave lessons in the early years of

the Balboa Bay Club. He also started what has long been considered

one of the oldest and largest charity doubles tournaments in the

nation.

ROBERT FRANCY

The former interim Newport-Mesa Unified superintendent and

Estancia High School principal died of cancer at 67 in September.

Francy took his first teaching job at Costa Mesa High in 1960 and

helped open Corona del Mar High in 1962 as a part-time math teacher

and part-time counselor. He began working at Estancia in 1966 -- the

school’s second year of existence -- as the head counselor and,

later, assistant principal. In all, he spent 29 years with the school

district.

PEARL THE SWAN

The black swan whose mate was Rupert, the Balboa Peninsula’s

unofficial mascot, died in early October in the hospital where she

was being treated for an infection. No one was sure how Pearl

suffered a wound to her leg, though it was assumed to be a dog bite.

Pearl and Rupert had made several visits to the Wetlands and Wildlife

Care Center for other life-threatening ailments, such as being

covered in petroleum oil and getting caught up with hooks. Pearl’s

age was unknown. She first appeared sometime in 1999.

STEVEN WEBSTER

The former Newport Beach resident and surfer was among at least

188 people killed by a suspected terrorist car bomb while he

vacationed in Bali in mid-October. Webster, a Huntington Beach

resident since this year, traveled to Bali with a couple of friends

to celebrate his 41st birthday. “Webbie,” as friends called him, was

killed a day before reaching it while in a nightclub on the island.

Friends later held a paddle-out off West Newport Beach.

ANNE SPINN

The former Daily Pilot librarian and history columnist died at 71

of heart failure in November. A former school teacher, Spinn was

known for her wit, sense of humor and dedication to the paper that

she served for 14 years. She retired in 1996. The former Corona del

Mar resident’s son Mark was also a basketball star at Corona del Mar

High.

WILLIAM LANGSDORF

The founding president of Cal State Fullerton died at 93 of cancer

in November. The Corona del Mar resident saw enrollment leap from 452

students to more than 15,000 during his tenure from 1959 to 1970.

Langsdorf focused on providing a liberal arts education for

prospective teachers rather than dispensing the education degrees

that were commonplace at the time. Today, the school’s largest

building, which hosts the College of Business and Economics -- as

well as the Office of the President -- is named Langsdorf Hall.

WILLIAM DUNN

Costa Mesa’s first planner, who had a hand in developing about

half of the city, died at 79 in early December. During his 27 years,

Dunn oversaw the transformation of bean fields into a thriving

shopping and suburban community. The city originally hired Dunn as a

planning technician in 1955, but he quickly worked his way up the

ladder. He would later help plan South Coast Plaza, TeWinkle Park,

the Costa Mesa Golf Course, Fairview Park and the Harbor Boulevard of

Cars. He retired in 1982.

-- Compiled by James Meier