Class of 1959
If you would like to post an obituary of a San Dieguito alumnus, please let us know.
Ronald M. Bissonnette age 52 succumbed to his long battle with cancer on August 9, 2010. He is preceded in death by his mother and grandson. Ronald will be deeply missed by his wife of almost 29 years, Tammy; sons, Michael and his wife Jessica, and Mark, 3 grandchildren, 2 brothers and 1 sister.
Visitation Thursday August 12, 2010 from 5-8 PM at Kiser Funeral Home, 9231 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers. Memorial Service 11:00 AM, Friday August 13, 2010 at McGregor Baptist Church, 3750 Colonial Blvd. Fort Myers, FL
News-Press.com, Fort Myers, FL, 11 August 2010
(January 16, 1941 – June 30, 2008)
Source: Betsy Ash Schreiber. (If you have an obituary for this lady that you’d like to share, please contact us and let us know.)
“But Not In Vain”
by Bruce Dillon
“It’s a long hard haul being away from each other but very well worth the separation to protect what our country has worked so hard to achieve.”
With that quote from one of the last letters she received from her husband, Jan Mitchell would like to have her husband Jim remembered.
Jim Mitchell, a 1959 graduate of San Dieguito High School, had died while on combat patrol near Chu Lai in South Viet Nam.
He was the son of Mrs. Peter A. McDonald of Encinitas and James Mitchell of Orinda, California.
He was the father of Erin Lisa Mitchell, a baby girl just a few weeks old, a baby he had yet not seen.
The 25-year-old Mitchell had been an all-around athlete while at San Dieguito High and had been dubbed the most popular boy of his class. He was also president of the senior class.
After completion of high school, he went to Palomar College where in two years he had become an honor student and all league on the basketball squad.
He then attended San Diego State College where he again became an honor student. He was graduated with a degree in Business Administration.
After college he became a Marine officer and had plans for a career in the Corps.
Just Tuesday Mrs. Mitchell received a letter from an officer who had served with her husband. The officer had this to say: “He inspired all with his attitude and sound judgement. He believed in what he was doing and led his men as few others in the battalion could.”
It’s apparent to Mrs. Mitchell that her husband did not feel that the reason for being in Viet Nam was unsound. Quite the contrary, he believed in what he and all the American fighting men in that far east battle-torn country were doing.
Mitchell had a keen sense of duty and belief in his country’s actions.
His officer friend also said in the letter “It was an honor to serve with him.”
We feel that it is an honor to write about him.
Instead of saying “What a terrible waste,” or that war is useless,” let us say instead that he believed in his country and what he was doing. To that phrase, let there be no doubt.
—Oceanside Blade Tribune, published Sept. 8, 1965, obituary submitted by Al Southworth (’48). Click here to read the Virtual Wall page for James Mitchell.
William Roebuck, 60
firefighter, ‘Mr. Solana Beach’
In more than three decades with the Solana Beach Fire Department, William Roebuck rose through the ranks from volunteer to chief.
Meanwhile, he never stopped volunteering, compiling a record of civic service that led the city’s Chamber of Commerce to anoint him “Mr. Solana Beach.”
Mr. Roebuck, who retired from his firefighting career in 1994, died July 27 at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. He was 60.
The cause of death was apparently respiratory failure, said his wife, Patti.
While heading the 20-member Solana Beach Fire Department in 1993-94, Mr. Roebuck was active in a Trauma Intervention Program that dispatches volunteers to fires, crime scenes and other traumatic events.
He was instrumental in bringing together representatives of North County firefighting agencies to exchange information and coordinate strategies.
“Bill cared a lot about people and knew his job inside and out,” said Dave Holmerud, the department deputy fire chief.
Mr. Roebuck, an Oceanside resident for the past seven years, previously lived and coached Little League in Encinitas.
In 1983, he was elected to the nine-member board of directors of the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce. In that role, he helped stage the annual Fiesta del Sol, a chamber-sponsored event with refreshments and entertainment that kicks off the summer season in North County.
Mr. Roebuck was born in National City and raised in Encinitas, where he became an avid surfer and graduated from San Dieguito High School. He studied recreation at Oceanside-Carlsbad Junior College, the forerunner of MiraCosta College, when it was based at Oceanside High School.
His father had been a volunteer firefighter, and Mr. Roebuck joined the Solana Beach department in 1960. A few years later, he was involved in fighting a major fire at the Solana Lumber Co.
He also took part in containing the 1970 Mount Laguna fire, which raged for eight days and destroyed thousands of acres in East County.
In 1979, he helped fight a fire that destroyed more than a dozen luxury Seascape Chateau condominiums on the bluffs overlooking the ocean, Holmerud recalled.
For the past 18 years, Mr. Roebuck maintained a cabin in southwestern Utah, where he enjoyed fishing and woodworking — especially enjoying making bird houses and flower boxes, his wife said.
He and his wife had been staying there when he became ill, she said.
Throughout his firefighting career, Mr. Roebuck rarely missed a day of work, accumulating two years of available sick leave, Holmerud said.
“When he retired he took trips to Central America for fishing, and he loved golf,” Holmerud added.
In addition to his wife, survivors include his son, Michael of Vienna, Va.; stepdaughter, Becky Lundgren of Chula Vista; stepson, A.J. Lundgren of San Marcos; and stepsisters, Jonell Smith of Oceanside and Phyllis Guyot of Santee.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. Aug. 16 at the Solana Beach Fire Department, 500 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. Donations are suggested to the Solana Beach Firefighters Association and can be mailed to the fire department.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, August 9, 2002
OCEANSIDE – Robert E. Thomas Jr., 64, died of cancer, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at La Paloma Health Care Center.
Born Aug. 5, 1941, in Boston, he lived in Oceanside for 30 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years. He graduated in 1959 from San Dieguito High School and then USC. He was an avid sportsman, and was a member of the Oceanside Surf Club. He started the business, Hobie Cat of Oceanside. Bob was ranked No. 2 in the world in 18-foot Hobie Cat sailing. Bob received the Rehabilitation Recognition Award for South Bay Rehabilitation Center in deep appreciation for 20 years of volunteer service.
Mr. Thomas is survived by his father, Robert E. Thomas Sr. of Tulsa, Okla.; brother Daniel Smith of Encinitas; sisters Barbee Kennedy of Charlotsville, Va., and Carol Ann Smith of Anza.
A private cremation is planned.
Eternal Hills Mortuary in Oceanside is handling arrangements.
—From the North County Times, published January 17, 2006.
(September 28, 1935 – MARCH 22, 2008)
Norma Virginia Corbin, 72, of Cardiff, CA, passed away on March 22, 2008.
She was born in Solana Beach, CA, to Raymond A. and Muriel White in 1935. Norma was a graduate of San Dieguito High School. After graduation, she married John A. Corbin and together they had four children. After 28 years of marriage they divorced, but remained friends until his passing in 1992.
She was well known for her work in the community. She volunteered for many years with Pop Warner Football and Solana Beach Little League. Norma worked for the Solana Beach School District from 1972 until retiring in 2002.
Norma was known by many of her children’s friends as a second mom. Her kindness and loving nature was evident by her ever-present smile. Norma also had a fantastic sense of humor and truly enjoyed a good laugh.
Norma is predeceased by her parents, brother Richard White, and son Charles Edward Corbin. She is survived by sons/daughters: John and Bonnie, James and Wendy, Scott and Tina Corbin, along with her grandchildren Bobby, Danny, Sean, Aaron, Kenzie, Kayla, Scotty, and Ricky Corbin.
Services will be at St. James Church in Solana Beach on Saturday, March 29th, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that a donation be made to Elizabeth Hospice in Escondido.
—From the San Diego Union-Tribune, link no longer online.
