RODNEY LOSBERGER
A wonderful individual who put development of youth above wins and losses.His friendship will be lost forever; never to be replaced; but committed to memory. Rod, you left a whole group of successful people out here, who, were it not for you, would be worse off. You will be missed. No place can we go and smell the unique aroma of those cigars, admire the sleek older cars you kept in perfect condition, and smile at your dapper ways and positive behavior patterns you instilled in all who worked along side side of you and had you for a teacher : no, more of a parent. You were there to fill the gaps in our lives when our own parents were not. You taught fairness and acceptance of outcomes. Who can we look to to see those cardigan sweaters, clear blue eyes, and wonderful sense of humor. It is a rarity that someone with all of your attributes could be there in tiny Daly City. Generosity, understanding, and friendliness do not even begin to tell the loss we now feel.
Barbara, we are so sorry for you in your loss. Please accept our sense of loss and sadness of Rodney as our attempt to tell you how much we envy you for being able to spend time as a dear part of his life.
I feel a chunk of my life is gone. Tony, Pete, Byron, Rodney...never will there will there be a partnership in schools to duplicate your dynamics.
Rod, I, and all to whom I have spoken , miss you, love you, and you will forever remain in our hearts.
Marc Mallinger
Westmoor High School
Class of 1964
*********************
Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Losberger family. "Coach" was a role model to many of us at Westmoor High School and his "smile" was infectious. While short on words, his wit always made us think and his humor always made us smile. There was no ego with Coach Losberger, just sincere and true concern for his students and players. You will be missed. Our hope is that you knew the impact you had on so many of us over the years and the legacy you have left behind.
Gary and Cheryl Mendoza
May 3, 2008
Rocklin, CA
*********************
Thanks, Rodney, for teaching me more than baseball. Thanks for teaching me that I can't always be the best, but I am still part of a team and play my part in the wins and losses. Many more life's lessons than I expected to get on a foggy hillside baseball field in Daly City, California.
Bob Hansen
May 9, 2008
Forestville, CA
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Alumni found living in Sweden
I am sort of a late reactor. A very late reactor ... here goes.
I was in the class of '64 at Westmoor High School but never graduated with my class. I was so involved with music that I neglected my studies. (One year I got 3 A's and 3 F's - A good C-average but that didn't impress my folks.) I was very active in the music at Westmoor High School. Maybe you remember that piano player (I even started playing the clarinet and saxophone) - but that was many years ago.
In the mean time I continued persuing music. So much that when I was drafted into the military, I went there to inlist! I was thinking: "If I'm drafted, they can do with me what they want; if I inlist, I'm in the drivers seat." I went to the Oakland Army Terminal and auditioned for one of the clarinet chairs. (I went there as a pianist, but was told there was no piano player MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) in the Army. But there was one for clarinet and since they needed a clarinetist I was there man. I had to go to Norfolk, Virginia (Navy) for further studies on the clarinet. On the first day of theory class, the commanding officer asked the class: "Do we have any piano player MOS's?" I was surprised that a number of students raised their hands. I mentioned that I was told there wasn't such an animal but they explained to me that because the Oakland Army Terminal needed a clarinetist they told me that. To make a long story short I recieved a secondary MOS on piano.
Since the Military likes to play with their soldiers, after one year at the Oakland Army Terminal I was sent to Europe to be stationed at Stuttgart, Germany. (I was reminded that it was a one-year guarantee at the place of my choice. That year was up!) During my stay at Stuttgart I became acquainted with many other musician-soldiers, one of which was a trumpet player I gigged with in Oakland. He was stationed in Heidelberg which was the headquarters for the military band. This trumpet player informed me that they had a piano player but a real song-and-dance man and they really needed someone of my caliber. But, because my primary MOS was clarinet, there was nothing that could be done. I travelled to Heidelberg to talk to and play with the other guys since I was told only the best musicians get chosen for that gig. After playing (auditioning) I was asked into the commanding officer's office and was praised for my talent. I was once again told there was little that could be done at that time. But, one of the clarinet chairs would soon be vacant and that I could come as a clarinet player. And since the piano player would also soon leave I could change my primary MOS to piano and clarinet would become my secondary MOS.
Well, it turned out that my stay at Heidelberg proved successfull. I became famous, so to speak. There was one professional musician that would come to the military base and pick out musicians he needed. One day he walzes in and says he needs a piano player. So I started gigging with him.
The rule of the United States Military is that if you are stationed in a foreign country, you can stay in that country for up to one year and the United States would still pay for your trip back to the States. I took advantage of that one year and it became 20 years. I was gigging so much that I had jobs all over Europe. At the end I had my own band and we gigged in Finland. One evening a Swedish agent heard the group and asked us if we wanted to play at Luleå (å=o) Sweden. I met my wife and sent the musicians back home to Germany.
Now it's been about 25 years and I have become an accomplished musician here in Sweden. I started off this letter with how much I was a sort of late reactor. I have been following the reunions of the class of '64 realizing that I live so far away there wasn't much that could be done. It's not like hopping on a bus for a visit! During the years I got in touch with Mel Ellison one of the saxophonists at Westmoor High School. We have been corresponding on and off for awhile and he has sent me one of his original compositions. I am planning to send him some recordings I have made here. You see, when I was at Westmoor High School I wasn't much of an improvisor in music, wasn't into jazz that much. 45 years have passed and I have excelled in almost any form of music there is - even becoming a composer and arranger. (I have lead the local Big Band here in Luleå and written nearly 200 arrangements for them.) I suddenly had this urge to meet with Mel once again and show him how much I've developed. I have been listening to some of his works on the internet and was very impressed. I had the memory of his saxophone playing still ringing in my ears after all of this time. Now I wanted to show him what I've been up to. He invited me to come over to his house in South San Francisco - but, once again, it's not like just taking a bus - but who knows what time will tell.
I still have the yearbooks and occassionally browse through them - especially when I hear of a certain achievement from one of the alumni.
Carl Thomas John Jacobson
I was in the class of '64 at Westmoor High School but never graduated with my class. I was so involved with music that I neglected my studies. (One year I got 3 A's and 3 F's - A good C-average but that didn't impress my folks.) I was very active in the music at Westmoor High School. Maybe you remember that piano player (I even started playing the clarinet and saxophone) - but that was many years ago.
In the mean time I continued persuing music. So much that when I was drafted into the military, I went there to inlist! I was thinking: "If I'm drafted, they can do with me what they want; if I inlist, I'm in the drivers seat." I went to the Oakland Army Terminal and auditioned for one of the clarinet chairs. (I went there as a pianist, but was told there was no piano player MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) in the Army. But there was one for clarinet and since they needed a clarinetist I was there man. I had to go to Norfolk, Virginia (Navy) for further studies on the clarinet. On the first day of theory class, the commanding officer asked the class: "Do we have any piano player MOS's?" I was surprised that a number of students raised their hands. I mentioned that I was told there wasn't such an animal but they explained to me that because the Oakland Army Terminal needed a clarinetist they told me that. To make a long story short I recieved a secondary MOS on piano.
Since the Military likes to play with their soldiers, after one year at the Oakland Army Terminal I was sent to Europe to be stationed at Stuttgart, Germany. (I was reminded that it was a one-year guarantee at the place of my choice. That year was up!) During my stay at Stuttgart I became acquainted with many other musician-soldiers, one of which was a trumpet player I gigged with in Oakland. He was stationed in Heidelberg which was the headquarters for the military band. This trumpet player informed me that they had a piano player but a real song-and-dance man and they really needed someone of my caliber. But, because my primary MOS was clarinet, there was nothing that could be done. I travelled to Heidelberg to talk to and play with the other guys since I was told only the best musicians get chosen for that gig. After playing (auditioning) I was asked into the commanding officer's office and was praised for my talent. I was once again told there was little that could be done at that time. But, one of the clarinet chairs would soon be vacant and that I could come as a clarinet player. And since the piano player would also soon leave I could change my primary MOS to piano and clarinet would become my secondary MOS.
Well, it turned out that my stay at Heidelberg proved successfull. I became famous, so to speak. There was one professional musician that would come to the military base and pick out musicians he needed. One day he walzes in and says he needs a piano player. So I started gigging with him.
The rule of the United States Military is that if you are stationed in a foreign country, you can stay in that country for up to one year and the United States would still pay for your trip back to the States. I took advantage of that one year and it became 20 years. I was gigging so much that I had jobs all over Europe. At the end I had my own band and we gigged in Finland. One evening a Swedish agent heard the group and asked us if we wanted to play at Luleå (å=o) Sweden. I met my wife and sent the musicians back home to Germany.
Now it's been about 25 years and I have become an accomplished musician here in Sweden. I started off this letter with how much I was a sort of late reactor. I have been following the reunions of the class of '64 realizing that I live so far away there wasn't much that could be done. It's not like hopping on a bus for a visit! During the years I got in touch with Mel Ellison one of the saxophonists at Westmoor High School. We have been corresponding on and off for awhile and he has sent me one of his original compositions. I am planning to send him some recordings I have made here. You see, when I was at Westmoor High School I wasn't much of an improvisor in music, wasn't into jazz that much. 45 years have passed and I have excelled in almost any form of music there is - even becoming a composer and arranger. (I have lead the local Big Band here in Luleå and written nearly 200 arrangements for them.) I suddenly had this urge to meet with Mel once again and show him how much I've developed. I have been listening to some of his works on the internet and was very impressed. I had the memory of his saxophone playing still ringing in my ears after all of this time. Now I wanted to show him what I've been up to. He invited me to come over to his house in South San Francisco - but, once again, it's not like just taking a bus - but who knows what time will tell.
I still have the yearbooks and occassionally browse through them - especially when I hear of a certain achievement from one of the alumni.
Carl Thomas John Jacobson
Coach Rodney Losberger Memorial Service
Rodney C. Losberger
Born in WI on Jul. 2, 1926
Departed on Apr. 15, 2008 and resided in , CA.
Memorial Service: Saturday, May 10, 2008
ROD LOSBERGER, born on July 2nd 1926 in Monroe, Wisconsin passed away peacefully April 15, 2008 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Beloved husband of Mary Ann for 38 years. Rod was the youngest of four boys when he enlisted in the Army Corps at age 17 during WWII He later attended S.F City College for his A.A. and then reenlisted in the Air Force Pilot training program. Rod then graduated from University of California Berkeley class of '54, earning his Masters Degree and Administrative Credential in Secondary Education and a lifetime teaching credential. Rod taught math and coached Varsity Swimming and Freshman Football at Jefferson High School in '55 to '56. Transferred in 1957 with the opening of Westmoor High School where he taught physical education and coached varsity, baseball and for 30 years and assisted Varsity football for 17 years under Pete Matisi. Rod was selected to the Daly City Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.Rod is survived by sisters-in-law Mrs. Annie Losberger and Ms. Susan Hurtado, nephew Robert Losberger Jr. and two nieces Mrs. Linda Stancombe and Mrs. Debbie Ramirez and many great nephews and nieces.
Friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass Saturday May 10, at 12 noon at Westmoor High School Gym, 131 Westmoor Avenue, Daly City.
To view or sign the funeral home guestbook:
Our thanks to Cheryl and Gary Mendoza for letting us know about this.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Westlake Documentary
Thanks to Linda Brewer for sending this in. Rob Keil is the author of a wonder ful book on the history of Westlake, "Little Boxes". I treated myself to a copy for Christmas last year. It's full of the Westlake we knew from the early 50's and 60's . It has great pictures of Westmoor in it and you may even see your house featured on one of it's pages.
Rob, in connection with the History Guild of Daly City/Colma is hosting a half hour documentary at the Doelger Center Main Hall
Hosted by:
Rob Keil
Rob Keil
Location:
Doelger Center Main Hall
101 Lake Merced Boulevard,
Daly City, CA 94015 US
When:
Wednesday, May 21, 7:30PM
Wednesday, May 21, 7:30PM
Phone:
650-992-7880
Note form Rob:
The short (half-hour) version of my Westlake documentary is finally ready to roll. The History Guild of Daly City/Colma will be showing the documentary as the main feature of their meeting and I'll be doing a little question and answer session afterwards. Free admission and snacks, dress casual. Don't sweat it if you can't make it, because someday you'll have a chance to watch the 1-hour version. But it would be nice to see you. Thanks for your support.
The short (half-hour) version of my Westlake documentary is finally ready to roll. The History Guild of Daly City/Colma will be showing the documentary as the main feature of their meeting and I'll be doing a little question and answer session afterwards. Free admission and snacks, dress casual. Don't sweat it if you can't make it, because someday you'll have a chance to watch the 1-hour version. But it would be nice to see you. Thanks for your support.
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