Sixty years after graduation, fond memories remain
Susan Laielli
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
Chairman Larry Warick, the Pride of Iowa Housing Chairman says, " The group took 7th out of 16 choruses for the Central States Fall Contest." Sadly, Burbank could not sing with them.
Some people enjoy being busy, however Burbank thrives on it. Following graduation from Grand View in 1950, Burbank went to work for American Family Insurance, and moved to State Farm in 1967, eventually with his agency at 48th & University. After retirement, and in between travels to the Holy Land, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, Florida and Texas, Burbank made time to volunteer at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, where an ironic situation presented itself.
He recalls, "I was working one day, and a fellow began to tell me all about…me." He continues, "It was Professor Wilber Williamson, who taught me at Grand View some 46 years earlier. He remembered every activity I ever did. How many big schools can make that claim?"
After Burbank's wife Bobbi passed away in 2001, he was involved with a mall walkers group, where a familiar face turned up in the group. The face belonged to Vona Ann Larson, remarkably a classmate from East High's 1948 class. They married in 2004, and in true energetic Burbank style, interrupted their honeymoon to fly back to Iowa from Hawaii, as to not miss the graduation of one of his grandchildren.
He said, "Nobody knew we were coming back. After the ceremony, we flew back to Hawaii."
The 60th anniversary as a Grand View graduate may come and go quietly for Wendell Burbank. It is so infrequent that people of his charm and character cross our path, it feels only right to honor him in some small way. A cake just doesn't seem to cut it.
Some people enjoy being busy, however Burbank thrives on it. Following graduation from Grand View in 1950, Burbank went to work for American Family Insurance, and moved to State Farm in 1967, eventually with his agency at 48th & University. After retirement, and in between travels to the Holy Land, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, Florida and Texas, Burbank made time to volunteer at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, where an ironic situation presented itself.
He recalls, "I was working one day, and a fellow began to tell me all about…me." He continues, "It was Professor Wilber Williamson, who taught me at Grand View some 46 years earlier. He remembered every activity I ever did. How many big schools can make that claim?"
After Burbank's wife Bobbi passed away in 2001, he was involved with a mall walkers group, where a familiar face turned up in the group. The face belonged to Vona Ann Larson, remarkably a classmate from East High's 1948 class. They married in 2004, and in true energetic Burbank style, interrupted their honeymoon to fly back to Iowa from Hawaii, as to not miss the graduation of one of his grandchildren.
He said, "Nobody knew we were coming back. After the ceremony, we flew back to Hawaii."
The 60th anniversary as a Grand View graduate may come and go quietly for Wendell Burbank. It is so infrequent that people of his charm and character cross our path, it feels only right to honor him in some small way. A cake just doesn't seem to cut it.
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