Covina : Chamber Honors Ex-Mayor

Former Mayor Larry Straight moved to Northern California in December, but his ties to the city are as strong as ever.

Last week Straight was back in town--for the third time in four months--to receive the Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year award.

“It is a thrill,” Straight said. “It never occurred to me that it would happen. When somebody starts to be committed to a community, you don’t do it with the intent of getting an award.”

Straight, 66, and his wife moved to Lake of the Pines east of Sacramento to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Straight was an active community volunteer and city official for 32 years. He served on the City Council from 1984 to 1988, the last two years as mayor.

A member of the Covina Host Lions Club since 1958, Straight was nominated for the award by the South Hills Kiwanis Club. He retired as assistant superintendent of the Covina Valley Unified School District in 1982.

“He probably epitomizes the volunteer spirit,” said Randy Gordon, executive director of the Covina Chamber of Commerce. “He is an extremely popular individual in this community.”

An avid golfer and multitalented musician, Straight said he has been spending plenty of time at a golf course near his new home. He also returned to Covina two other times this year to play with his dance band, the California Sound. Straight has turned the band over to friends but plans to start another group at Lake of the Pines.

Straight, who is still a member of the Lions Club here, plans to be back in the city this summer for the club’s annual Fourth of July celebration at Covina Park. “I haven’t missed it since 1957,” he said.