In Appreciation of Bernardo Yorba

* We were saddened to hear of the passing of Bernardo Yorba (June 16).

We never had the pleasure of meeting Yorba. However, the few times we saw him at the local shopping center or being interviewed on TV, or read an interview of this marvelous man in the newspaper, he struck us as a quiet, unassuming, unpretentious, down-to-earth individual.

This was a man who never flaunted his illustrious background. He was of the land and his down-to-earth demeanor reflected this. He was a credit to his family and his heritage. Yorba’s home on Santa Ana Canyon Road speaks volumes about the man and his family.

The house is majestic, with its front columns, red tile roof and adobe stucco. From this vantage point, he had a breathtaking view of the Santa Ana River valley and the land for which he held so deep a love. The splendor of this Santa Ana River valley panorama, with the majestic rolling hills of Brea and Yorba Linda in the background, must have had a tremendous impact on young Bernardo Yorba.

Yorba may be physically gone from this land that he loved, but his spirit lives on. He will be remembered each time we drive down Avenida Bernardo to Santa Ana Canyon and past the picturesque home of this unforgettable man.

RICHARD and SHERRY BAME

Anaheim Hills