Barbara Christiansen, Catherine Haycox, Andrea Karlsen, Alison Richter, Vonnie Schlomer

Barbara Christiansen

Barbara Christiansen, born in Harvey, Ill. on Feb. 3, 1932, died Sept. 12.

She moved to California at the age of 6 and had been a La Cañada resident for more than 60 years.

Barbara was a very active student at John Muir High school and Junior College. She started early with service to others being a big part of her life. In fact, she was selected and tapped for the Order of Distinguished Service. She majored in dental assisting in college and worked in that profession for 10 years.

Barbara married Gene Christiansen, a college sweetheart. Gene was a marine pilot serving kin Korea with the First Marin Air Wing as a member of ta close air support squadron. After Gene’s discharge they lived in Altadena and Pasadena while she finished college and he began his practice as a certified public accountant. They couple moved to La Cañada in 1960.

Barbara and Gene raised two children, Scott and Susan, both graduates of La Cañada High School. Barbara was also a very loving and proud grandparent.

She also loved her garden. She found time each day to prune, pinch, feed or water her family of plants and flowers.

She was known to many in La Cañada as the “Scottie Lady” because she always raised Scottish terriers.

Barbara was active in the PTA at Oak Grove Elementary, and then at Paradise Canyon Elementary, after Oak Grove was closed. She served on the board of directors of Florence Crittenton Home for five years. She was a member of Los Altos Auxiliary for more than 40 years, serving in almost all of the officer positions, including two terms as president. She was a member of Assistance League of Flintridge for more than 30 years, holding many offices.

For five years, Barbara was the executive director of the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce. She was the inspiration of the “Shop La Cañada” program with her Scottie dog mascot, Molly. In accepting her position with the Chamber, Barbara had to resign from Assistance League, but in turn joined the Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of the Assistance League of Flintridge, becoming president shortly thereafter.

Barbara was active on the La Cañada Flintridge Coordinating Council, serving two terms as president as well as vice president, secretary and calendar coordinator; a member of the board of La Cañada Valley Beautiful; on the advisory committee of Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation; member of La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn.; member of the Scottish Terrier Club of Southern California; member of The Braille Institute of Pasadena and of La Cañada Kiwanis-AM.

Just being a member of an organization was not enough for Barbara. She had to be an active participant. She thrive on the challenges that being active gave her.

A memorial service will be held at noon Sept. 22 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the charity of your choice.

Catherine Haycox

Catherine Stoepel Haycox, a resident of La Cañada Flintridge since the 1940s, died Sept. 9 at the age of 84, after suffering a stroke.

Catherine was born in Santa Monica and grew up in Beverly Hills.

She graduated from the Marlborough School and attended UCLA, where she met and married Allyn Haycox, her husband of 60 years. Allyn passed away in 2003.

Following World War II, Catherine and Allyn lived on Palm Drive and then Commonwealth Avenue, where they raised their three daughters: Jennifer Heiss of Eugene, Ore.; Hillary McMahon and Kim Kinder, both of La Cañada Flintridge.

Catherine was very active up to the day she fell ill, golfing, swimming, playing bridge, participating in the Delta Gamma alumni group, the La Cañada Thursday Club and many other organizations. She had a lifelong love for the ocean.

She was also a lifelong volunteer, for the Girl Scouts, the Lions Club, the Foothill Center for the Blind and the Dragon Thrift Shop.

Catherine was a kind and generous friends, and a wonderful cook who was constantly planning her next party menu and delivering homemade cookies and meals and homegrown tomatoes to her friends and family.

Catherine is survived by her daughters and six grandchildren: Jason Heiss of Altadena; Janet Heiss Arms of Bozeman, Mont.; Jeff McMahon of Chicago, Ill.; Christine McMahon of La Cañada Flintridge; Scott and Claire Kinder of La Cañada Flintridge; and her great-grandson, Jackson Heiss.

A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Sept. 23 at the La Cañada Thursday Club, 4440 Woodleigh Ave., La Cañada. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Blind Children’s Center, 4120 Marathon St., Los Angeles, CA 90029-3584, or to Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA 91011.

Andrea Karlsen

Andrea Karlsen, an internationally acclaimed ballerina with Les Grands Ballets du Marquis de Cuevas and a beloved Southland teacher passed away Sept. 10, 2007.

Born in 1929, Karlsen began her dance studies in New Zealand with Estelle Berre. Upon her return to Los Angeles, prior to World War II, she was accepted as a student by Bronislava Nijinska. Madame Nijinska nurtured Karlsen’s talent, musicality ad sense of drama. In 1947 Nijinska brought her to France to join Les Grand Ballets du Marquis de Cuevas.

Karlsen, who continued to be coached by Nijinska and French teacher, Paul Gouge, rose through the ranks and in 1953 attained principal dancer status. She was a frequent partner of George Zoritch, Paul Maure (who became her husband) and George Skibine. She was known for her musicality and dramatic interpretations, notably in “Spectre de la Rose, Serge Lifar’s “Romeo and Juliet” and John Taras’ “Dessins Pour Les Six.” She remained with the company until 1955, touring throughout Europe and South America.

Returning to La Cañada, Karlsen and Maure opened their studio in 1957 and formed their own company, Ballet des Arts, which toured throughout the Southland. They appeared as guest artists with the Oukhtomsky Ballet Classique, touring under the auspices of Community Concerts and were frequent guest artists with the Santa Monica Civic Ballet, directed by former Ballet Russe principal, Andre Tremaine.

Karlsen taught throughout the Southland for many years. Her classes continued the teaching traditions of the Nijinska technique along with styles she had absorbed in post-war Europe. Her choreography was lyrical and technically demanding and her students benefited from the opportunity to learn ballets not often seen or performed in the United States.

Karlsen is survived by her former husband and partner, Paul Maure; their daughter, Gabriella and grandson, Elijziah Maure; a son, Paul Maure, Jr. her half-sister, Julia Karson and half-brother, Paul Goudsmit.

Alison R. Richter

Alison R. Richter, 44, died at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek on Sept. 14.

Born April 5, 1963 in Pasadena, she was the daughter of Larry and Nancy Stone of La Cañada Flintridge. She had lived in Pasadena, Walnut Creek and Danville, Calif.

Alison graduated cum laude from the University of California at Berkeley and was the former owner of Manufacturing Modes. She was a member of North Creek Church in Walnut Creek.

She is survived by her husband, David Richter of Walnut Creek; children Kevin and Lauren Richter; brothers Bruce Stone of La Cañada Flintridge and J.J. Stone of Pasadena; sisters Debbie Underwood of Altadena and Diane Graham of Spokane, Wash.; and by her parents.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at North Creek Church, 2303 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Memorial contributions may be made to Young America’s Foundation, 217 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Vonnie Schlomer

Vonnie Schlomer, a past president of the La Cañada Thursday Club who served in that capacity from June 1997 to May 1998, passed away following a lengthy illness on Sept. 11.

Her real name was Margaret, but she was known to all as “Vonnie.” She had a 26-year career teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School district. She and her late husband, Jack, lived in La Cañada for 30 years and, as car collectors, were very active in the Packard Motor Car Club. They also loved the mountains and spent nearly every weekend at their home in Lake Arrowhead.

Vonnie and Jack had one son, Glen, who passed away in 2004.

A Funeral Mass was held Tuesday at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church in La Cañada. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the La Cañada Thursday Club Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 282, La Cañada, CA 91012.