Letter: Former resident John Wayne deserves recognition

Re: “School to honor movie legend,” Jan. 18. It’s about time Glendale pays tribute to Marion Robert Morrison, famously known as John Wayne. If you do not know who he is, the best biography on him is called “Shooting Star” by Maurice Zolotow. It is worth reading.

During the nine years the Duke lived in Glendale the family lived in eight different houses, all of which they rented. They lived in small cottages on Reynolds Street, Louise Street, South Geneva, West Colorado, South Central, South Kenwood, South Orange and West Windsor.

Just as many of us in each generation have been bullied, Duke was no different, according to the biography. At 9 years old he was a shy, withdrawn child given to introspection and subject to spells of terrors. He escaped family bickering over money and the pressures of his schoolmates by reading. He became an excellent student. There’s a whole chapter on his Glendale years and how the Glendale Fire Department helped him.

Today when I think of John Wayne I think of truth, honor, courage and integrity. Maybe we need a statue to the character of this “true American.” Long live John Wayne and what he stood for!

Karen Candyce Christenson
Glendale