Burbank Civic Pride Committee crowns senior king and queen

Stephen Marchese and Lee Paysinger were both born outside of California, but there is only one city they will always call home — Burbank.

The Burbank Civic Pride Committee named Marchese, 96, and Paysinger, 81, as the city’s first senior king and queen for their impact on and love for the community.

NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with what’s going on in your community>>

“The two most worthy people won this contest,” said Rob Vincent, committee chairman, in a statement. “Both Stephen and Lee have exhibited the definition of civic pride during their many years here, and we cannot wait to honor them.”

They were driven down Olive Avenue during the city’s annual parade at 11 a.m. Saturday before thousands of Burbankers.

Marchese and his wife of almost 76 years, Rose, moved from Batavia, N.Y. to Burbank in 1959 and have lived in their house on Groton Drive since moving from the East Coast.

Many people in their neighborhood know Stephen Marchese for his personable attitude, playful humor and homemade pizzelle — an Italian waffle cookie — which he passes out to children and new neighbors, and, on one occasion, gave them to multiple passengers during a plane flight.

“You can’t find a place better than Burbank,” he said. “I know everybody on this street, which no other person on this street can say. When they move in, I go and introduce myself and we talk and become friends.”

The Civic Pride Committee received dozens of applications from residents for the senior king and queen contest. Marchese entered the competition, hoping that he and his wife would be chosen to be in the city’s royal court.

Stephen Marchese said he was very happy to hear that he was named senior king. However, when he was told by city officials that the application was only for himself and that his wife needed to enter the contest herself to be named senior queen.

Stephen Marchese said he was more than willing to not accept the crown if his wife was not with him.

“I told the city that my wife’s got to be with me,” he said. “We’ve been married for 75 years and we don’t part each other.”

Follow us on Facebook >>

But after talking with Stephen Marchese’s daughter-in-law, the city allowed Rose Marchese to ride in the car with her husband and Paysinger.

Stephen Marchese said he cannot think of a better place for them to live nor would he ever consider selling their house and moving out of town.

“You can move heaven and earth, and I wouldn’t move out of Burbank,” he said.

Paysinger, who has lived in Burbank since 1942, shares Marchese’s sentiment about the city. However, she was somewhat afraid about moving out to California.

She said she was only 7 years old when she moved to Burbank from Oklahoma. Paysinger said she was scared about being in California after seeing a billboard near Bakersfield.

“I was scared to death because there was a sign on the side of the road that said, ‘If you’re from Oklahoma, turn around and go back. We don’t need Okies here,’” she said. “So for years, I told everybody that I was from Missouri.”

But when Paysinger made it to Burbank, she quickly learned how friendly the people were and fell in love with the city. She attended Bret Harte and Edison elementary schools, Luther Burbank Middle School and Burbank High School.

For several years, Paysinger was a waitress at Bob’s Big Boy and even helped the local burger joint open multiple franchises in neighboring states.

Paysinger was also heavily involved with the city and wanted to make it better. She founded the Burbank chapter of the Boys and Girls Club and helped revitalize Burbank on Parade. She also served on the Library Board for 24 years.

It is still a shock to Paysinger that she was named senior queen. She said that the city has her confused with someone else. But, she said as the days pass, she realizes more and more that she deserves the crown.

--

Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio

--

ALSO:

Bob Hope Airport reports more foot traffic in February

Costs, revenue fly higher than Bob Hope Airport’s projections