9-28-18 Sec 1 pg 1-9_Edition 9/26/18 3:59 PM Page 5
highlandnews.net n Highland Community News
Obituaries
Darrell “Wally” Wilburn, a
former Highlander before mov-
ing to Clarkdale, Ariz., died at
his home on
Sept. 19, 2018.
He was 81.
Wilburn lived
in Clarkdale for
23 years, but
spent a lot of
Darrell time at his
“Wally” pecan grove in
Wilburn Camp Verde,
Ariz. He loved
golf and en-
joyed teaching others to learn
how to play. He belonged to
Pine Shadows Golf Course for
many years.
Wilburn and his wife of 63
years, Suzie, owned and operat-
ed East Highlands Market.
They were members of Silent
Valley Campground in Banning
for 30 years, where he enjoyed
playing pool and horseshoes
with his friends.
He is survived by his wife;
his brother Ray Wilburn and his
wife Mary of Arizona; his
daughter Shelley Amaya of
Highland and her son Darrell
Joey Paramo and his wife April
of Highland; his son Scott
Wilburn and his wife Rose of
H igHlanD C ommunity n eWs
New chamber members
Robin Campos and her mother Joan Kinkade, middle, owners
of trendsetters salon, are welcomed to the Highland area
Chamber of Commerce by executive Director andrea Deleon
and president stephanie Carnes at a luncheon on tuesday,
sept. 25, at immanuel baptist Church. after 33 years in san
bernardino, the salon moved to a new location in Highland
Crossings, home of lowe's, on greenspot Road.
Social Lites Inc. launch 52nd beautillion season
Social Lites Inc. of San
Bernardino have launched the
52nd Beautillion Scholarship
Season under the leadership of
Tina Darling, beautillion chair-
woman.
Young men seeking scholar-
ship opportunities in addition to
being mentored by leaders in
the community and their par-
ents are encouraged to attend
the upcoming briefings to learn
more about the program.
Briefings will be held from 2
p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7,
and Sunday, Oct. 14, at the Cen-
ter for Youth & Community De-
velopment (formerly Boys and
Girls Club of San Bernardino)
at 1180 W. Ninth St., San
Bernardino.
Montana and Clarkdale with
their children Lindy Lay and
Corey of Stevensville, Mont.,
and Wally Wilburn of Helena,
Mont.; his great-grandchildren
Chance Paramo and Christian
Paramo of California and Tuck-
er Lay, Daisey Lay and Dixie
Reba Lay of Montana; and sev-
eral nieces and nephews.
There will be no services at
his request.
An online guestbook is avail-
able to sign at westcottfuneral-
home.com
Joanne Roberson of Highland
died on June 30, 2018. She was
54.
Born on Oct.
25, 1963, in
Rochester, N.Y.,
to Charlene
Shanholtzer
and Julius
Viana, Rober-
Joanne son is survived
Roberson by her broth-
ers James and
Joseph Viana and her signifi-
cant other, Craig Ramey.
Services will be held from
noon to 3 p..m. Saturday, Sept.
29, at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel,
1299 E Highland Ave.
pHoto by
The program will officially
start on Sunday, Oct. 28, and the
beautillion will be on March 30
at the National Orange Show of
San Bernardino.
For more information, call
(909) 881-5841 or (951) 204-0022.
YOU BELONG HERE
9:00 am
10:15 am
HOLY COMMUNION CELEBRATED EVERY SUNDAY
First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Redlands, ELCA
Pastor Kim Eifert Krogstad • Melanie Hendrickson, administrative assistant
1207 W. Cypress Ave. at San Mateo St., Redlands • 793-2267 • www.firstlutheranredlands.org
HIGHLAND HISTORY Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 5
Attending Highland Junior
High with Brian Montez
Last week, we learned about Brian Montez and
the time he attended Highland Junior High in the
mid-1970s.
Montez recalls how he was
active at the school.
“I was a member of the
dance committee, the coin
club and the chess club,” he
said.
Montez spent a lot of time
at the school throughout the
year.
“I used to hang out with
Paul
the staff and custodian be-
Prado fore and after school. I
helped them in seventh,
eighth and ninth grade, but especially in ninth
grade.
“I knew all the teachers in school. I knew the
PE people. Bob Anderson was the principal. Wes
Harmerlink was the dean of boys. Mrs. Rogers
was the dean of girls.”
Rudy Lanto, Mrs. Jenkins and Mr. Simkins
were some of the teachers that Montez recalls
paul p RaDo p HotogRapHy
from his days at Highland Junior High. brian montez attended Highland Junior High
Montez would arrive at the school an hour be- in the mid-1970s.
fore the teachers got there. He would raise the
letter H, which was the school letter. I also re-
American flag every morning and lower it every
ceived a bunch of certificates for other things
night before he went home.
that I had accomplished.
“For the teachers, I ran errands or did paper-
“Those were my proudest moments, when I
work for them in their classrooms,” said Montez.
could earn something that no one else did,” said
“In the office, I ran all the bulletins to the staff
Montez.
boxes before the teachers came to school in the
Montez worked mostly in the library and the
morning. I used to deliver all kinds of things.”
office during ninth grade.
The office staff learned to trust the young
In his ninth-grade year, 1975, Highland Junior
Montez. At times, he was given the responsibility
High was trying to incorporate the ninth-graders
to check out classroom keys to teachers and sub-
into the high schools, according to Montez.
stitutes at the school.
“I could have either gone to San Gorgonio High
“The secretary would give me her master key
School or I had the option to stay at Highland
to open a door for someone,” said Montez. “I had
Junior High,” said Montez.
shown them that I was a responsible person.”
Montez chose to stay at Highland Junior High.
At his young age, Montez liked what he was do-
Like most teens, Montez had a reoccurring
ing at the school.
nightmare that he would forget the combination
“I really enjoyed helping the school. I was real-
to his locker. To this day, he still has it memo-
ly into it. I always wanted to work for the school
rized.
district, even at 13, 14, 15 years old,” said Mon-
“Two-thirds of us stayed at Highland Junior
tez.
High,” said Montez. “The other one-third of the
“In ninth grade, I used to help the custodian
J ames F olmeR ninth graders went to the high school.”
sweep up the hallways, clean up the classrooms
Montez eventually went to San Gorgonio High
and pick up trash. I used to organize things for
him and put things away.
School and graduated in 1979.
“One summer I was bored,” said Montez. “I
“We were kids, but 99 percent of the time we
asked my mom if I could hang out at the school if
were respectful,” said Montez.
they let me. She didn’t mind.”
“At the junior high, the guys had to take up ei-
Before the year had ended, Montez had asked
ther metal shop and wood shop. They girls had to
the principal and the dean of boys if he could
take home ec and sewing. We don’t have classes
come to the school to help the staff. They gave
like that anymore.”
him permission to be on the campus.
Montez used to visit the teachers and staff at
their homes and do yardwork and other chores to
“I worked there my whole summer,” said Mon-
earn spending money.
tez. “I went up there every day. I was probably
“Back then, people were more liberal. Now,
up there six to eight hours a day doing whatever
people are a little more uptight,” said Montez.
the staff needed me to do.
Read this column next week to find out the fate
“From what I can remember, I was the only
of Highland Junior High — its buildings and
student in the school’s history that received a dis-
yearbooks.
tinguished service award for all the work that I
Do you know anything interesting about High-
had done at the junior high.
land or its history? I would like to hear from you.
“Like a lot of kids, we learned and did things to
You can contact me at (909) 816-0318.
earn a school letter. I earned a certificate and the
Worship & Sunday School
Adult Forum
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