Memorial Service to Be Held for La Puente Councilman

Memorial services will be held Friday for longtime La Puente Councilman Charles H. Storing, who died Sunday. He was 71.

Storing had been a councilman for 31 years. He suffered from lung cancer and other illnesses. He was perhaps best known as the booming emcee of the annual three-day fiesta at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which he hosted each May even though he wasn’t a member of the congregation--and wasn’t even Catholic.

For blocks, people could hear Storing’s voice exhorting festival-goers to eat up, ride the rides and play the raffle.

Storing’s trademark “hubba, hubba, hubba,” could be heard throughout the neighborhoods surrounding the church.

“I live just two blocks from the church. It’s going to be sad not to hear that,” said Councilwoman Sally Ann Holguin-Fallon. “It’s a really, really sad day.”

In one of the few dark moments in his public life, Storing, who came to be known as “Mr. La Puente” for his many civic works, was arrested in October on suspicion of driving under the influence. Storing pleaded no contest and was sentenced to community service.

A month after his arrest, Storing underwent surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor, said his son, Royell Storing. Storing’s health declined steadily after the surgery.

“Everyone forgave him for that because he just gave and gave,” Holguin-Fallon said. “He was a gruff man and he could be very coarse but he was a wonderful ally. He was a mentor to me.”

Council members appeared divided on how to fill Storing’s council seat. His term was due to expire in March, 1997.

Holguin-Fallon said the seat should be left vacant until November and that a special election should be called. Councilman Louis Perez, however, said an election would cost about $40,000. He favors appointing a new council member, although he said it will be difficult to replace Storing.

“Day and night, he was out in the city driving around seeing what was going on. If anybody could help you Charlie could,” Perez said.

Storing was born in Newport Beach in 1922. He attended Newport High School and received a degree in theology from Whittier College in 1950. Storing moved to La Puente in 1954. He worked 28 years as the manager of an auto parts manufacturer in Santa Ana.

The memorial service for Storing will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Rose Hills Memorial Chapel in Whittier.

Storing is survived by his wife of 43 years, Lola; sons Royell, 41, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Lynn, 39, a county deputy public defender, of Yorba Linda; daughter Charlee Ann Martin, 35, also of Yorba Linda, and eight grandchildren.