A Personal Message From The Motor City Morbid One!

Before you get started soaking up the information, in this article. I’d just like to say a few words. As the “2012 L.A. Gravecation” was coming to an end. I came to the surreal understanding that I had two days left to wrap things up. In the city I’ve come to love during the cross-country voyages, I’ve made to The City of Angels, over the past two years.

While I was in Los Angeles, immersing myself in the sites, the museums, & the cemeteries. I’ve had the opportunity on many occasions to “break bread,” and checkout the cemeteries with grave hunters I’d correspond with online. To be insanely honest I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be associated with. The friends I’ve come to know in and around Los Angeles, & Orange County. Are truly some of the friendliest people I’m delighted to consider close personal friends of mine. With that being said, to close out the “2012 L.A. Gravecation” series of articles. This final article covering days twelve & thirteen, of the “2012 L.A. Gravecation” is dedicated to them, the people I’ve had the delightful honor of meeting during the 2011, and 2012 L.A. Gravecations. You know who you are. So without further adieu let’s get started with the “2012 L.A. Gravecation Day 12-13” article. Enjoy!

On Saturday October 13th, I felt there was a desired need to wrap up the Orange County segment of the “2012 L.A. Gravecation” So I decided to checkout two cemeteries in the OC region, which I’ve never had the opportunity to visit. The two cemeteries I strolled around on day twelve of my second Southern California gravecation, were El Toro Memorial Park, and Ascension Catholic Cemetery. Both of these beautiful cemeteries are in Lake Forest, California, along Trabuco Rd.

The History: El Toro Memorial Park

El Toro Memorial Park, which was originally known as El Toro Cemetery, was founded in 1896, as an enterprise of the El Toro Land & Water Co. The inclusion of the cemetery its self was a muse of sorts to attract prospective stockholders to purchase stock in the El Toro Land & Water Co. In return the land & water co would sell plots in the cemetery for a hugely deflated price of $1 per shareholder. Moving along in 1926 the cemetery was incorporated into the Orange County Cemetery District. In 1985 the name was changed from El Toro Cemetery to El Toro Memorial Park. The cemetery its self sits on roughly twenty-five acres with paved inter winding roads, rolling hills, and has the ambiance of what a memorial park should be like.

The Tour: El Toro Memorial Park

As I arrived through the beautiful iron gates at the entrance of El Toro Memorial Park. I made my way to the office to get a cemetery map. Much to my utter dismay I soon found that the office was closed on weekends. Before realizing I’d be cruising around the cemetery with no map, I noticed some literature off to the side of where the door to the office was located. Upon further review I noticed one of the literature packets had a map. So I was pretty much saved.

After getting back into my “Gravecation Mobile” I then b-lined it for the Los Alisos lawn area. In this section are two famous people in particular. Upon my arrival in the Los Alisos section, which is highlighted by a beautiful rose garden. I found the graveside marker of Florence Griffith-Joyner. Joyner was a track & field Olympics medalist who was known for her lighting fast speed. While in college at UCLA she won the 1980 NCAA 200- and 400-meter titles. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles in the 200-meter race she was awarded the silver medal. If you’re interested in reading her biography, feel free to visit Wikipedia when you get a chance.

After paying my respects, and photographing the graveside of Florence Joyner. I then strolled several yards to the graveside of Brigadier General Leonard Earl Fribourg. Fribourg spent a lifetime in the Marine Corps. Enlisting in 1942, he was a veteran of three wars (WWII, Korea, & Vietnam). For service during the battles of Guam, and Okinawa, he was awarded the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.

In the late 1940s Fribourg tried his luck in Hollywood when he was hired as the technical adviser for the epic WWII film The Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). To give the actors a general dose of what its like to be in the Marine Corps, so they’d get a feel for the action they were recreating. Fribourg put the actors through a condensed version of Marine Corps boot camp at Camp Pendleton. In 1969 after dabbling in Hollywood filmmaking, Fribourg was promoted to Brigadier General, and thus named commander of the Marine Corp Reserve. His last military assignment came as the commanding officer of Camp Pendleton. In August 1993 Fribourg lost his life after complications from kidney failure.

After photographing the graveside of Brigadier General Fribourg, I then strolled over to the graveside of George “Catfish” Metkovich. Metkovich was a professional baseball player, who competed with several teams. Most notably the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates among other professional teams. Metkovich would eventually make the transition into motion pictures. Some of the films he appeared in as an actor include The Stratton Story (1949), Three Little Words (1950), Love is Better Than Ever (1952), and finally The Winning Team (1952). In 1995 while residing in Costa Mesa, California Metkovich passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Continuing on with the tour of El Toro Memorial Park. The next graveside I visited was that of Warren B. Foster, who was a writer, cartoon animator, and composer for Warner Bros, and then later in life Hanna-Barbera. Foster’s prolific career began in 1938, as a writer on the Porky Pig short “Porky in Wackyland.” His successful career at Warner Brothers came to an end in 1958 after working on the Tweety Pie short “Tweet Dreams.” Foster was also the composer for Tweety’s theme song “I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat.” In 1959 Foster’s career took a leap when he went to work for another animation powerhouse Hanna-Barbera. While at Hanna-Barbera, Foster was one of the writers for the animated series “The Huckleberry Hound Show” meanwhile, he contributed to the comedy, plot and character development on other Hanna-Barbera produced animated television shows which included “The Yogi Bear Show,” “Loop De Loop” among others. In December, 1971 while residing in San Clemente, California Foster passed away from unknown causes.

After photographing, and paying my respects at the graveside of animator Warren Foster, I then strolled over to the graveside of Ralph Reed Freeto. Freeto was a child actor who appeared in the films Since You Went Away (1944), High Noon (1952), Saginaw Trail (1953), Not of This Earth (1957), North by Northwest (1959) and A Ticklish Affair (1963). Freeto who was a Korean War vet, retired from acting in the mid 1960s, and pretty much lived out his days in relative obscurity. He passed away in January of 1997 from unknown causes.

One interesting thing I’d like to point out about finding the graveside of Freeto. Is that while I was looking for his final resting place a woman (whose name I never did get) was tending to her loved ones graveside. She noticed what I was doing and was kind enough to offer to help me look for the gravesite I was searching for. After she helped me, and we found the graveside I kindly thanked her for the help and went about my business.

Continuing on, rounding out the tour at El Toro Memorial Park. The final graveside I visited was that of prolific character actor Gordon Jump. Jump is best known as station manager Arthur Carlson, in the 1970s television sitcom WKRP In Cincinnati. Jump also portrayed the role as Chief of Police Tinkler in the late 70s television sitcom Soap. Later on in life he portrayed the Maytag Repairman in the Maytag commercials from 1989, until his retirement from the role shortly before his death. In September 2003, while residing in Coto de Caza, California, Jump succumbed to pulmonary fibrosis which is a scarring of the lungs that pretty much causes heart or respiratory failure.

The History: Ascension Catholic Cemetery

After leaving El Toro Memorial Park, I then cruised over to Ascension Catholic Cemetery. Ascension is located a few miles down the road from El Toro. Founded in 1965, Ascension Catholic Cemetery, encompasses fifteen acres of tranquil grounds, with a multitude of tree and shrub varietals. The area that shadows this small Catholic burial ground is comprised of a residential subdivision.

The Tour: Ascension Catholic Cemetery

Upon my arrival at the cemetery, I cruised over to the area behind The Guardian Angel Mausoleum building. Located in lawn A behind the mausoleum is murder victim Nicole Brown-Simpson. To make a long story short, Simpson was the ex-wife of football legend, O.J. Simpson. The two had a rocky relationship from the get-go, which thus ended in divorce. Things got heated to the point where Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman were murdered. Allegedly but never proven at the hands of O.J. Simpson. So that’s pretty much a condensed version of the story. If you’re not familiar with the Brown-Simpson/Goldman murder you definitely should Google the case.

After I finished photographing the graveside of Nicole Brown-Simpson, and paying my respects to someone who lost their life way too soon. I then strolled about a dozen or so feet away over to the graveside of William Hanna. Hanna was an animated cartoon mogul, who began his career in 1930 with Harman-Ishing Studios as a lyricist and composer for Looney Tunes, and the Merry Melodies animated cartoon series. Later on in the late 1930s he moved to the studios of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he’d eventually meet Joseph Barbera. While at MGM, Hanna & Barbera would team up to create the Tom and Jerry series of animated cartoons.

In 1957 the animation powerhouse of Hanna-Barbera left MGM to form their own production company. They were innovators from the start who were among the first to implement the use of inexpensive animation techniques. To their credit Hanna-Barbera, produced over 3,000 animated cartoons, and in the process developed some of the most famous, if not beloved cartoon characters of all time. The cartoon characters they were responsible for creating included: Huckleberry Hound, Casper The Friendly Ghost, Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, among others. As time went on and Hanna-Barbera were gaining prominence as a production powerhouse. To their credit they’ve gone on to win eight Emmy Awards for their animated cartoon creations. In 2001 while residing in Woodland Hills, California William Hanna passed away from unknown causes at the ripe old age of ninety.

After I finished photographing the graveside of animator William Hanna, I then hopped back into my “Gravecation Mobile” and then cruised a short distance over to where Gail Da Corsi-Johnson rests. Johnson was a singer, actress, and television personality. During the 1960s she got her showbiz start by appearing on several episodes of the television series Mr. Ed (1963-65). During the Vietnam War, Johnson appeared alongside Bob Hope entertaining the troops with the USO. In the late 1960s her musical ambitions exploded when she replaced Kim Carnes as lead vocalist of the musical group “The New Christy Minstrels“. Two years later she formed her own group “New Kick”

After her life as a musician came to an end, Johnson took on a new career role, by taking a job as a news anchor at the Orange County public television station KDOC. During this time she also appeared on a compilation of episodes of the daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives, as the ongoing character Mimi Grosset (1979-80). In 1999 while residing in Mission Viejo, California, Johnson passed away due to complications of lymphoma which she had battled for the previous twelve years. After finishing at El Toro Memorial Park, and Ascension Catholic Ceemtery, I cruised back to where I was staying in the Anaheim Hills and called it a day.

The research and biographical data I’ve compiled in relation to the gravesites I found in El Toro Memorial Park, and Ascension Catholic Cemetery. Were gathered from the book “Final Resting Places: Orange County’s Dead and Famous” by Michael Thomas Barry. As mentioned in previous articles, on The Gravecast Blog. This book is a highly informative narrative about the famous, and notable personalities who rest in the cemeteries, and memorial parks in Orange County, California.

On Sunday October 14th, which was my last day in town before heading home Monday afternoon. I was invited to tag along for an outing to Valhalla Memorial Park, in North Hollywood. With a small close-nit group known as “The Traveling Taphophiles.” Before I get started with the history & tour of this cemetery, I’d just like to say it was a true honor to be invited to join The Traveling Taphophiles, as they toured Valhalla Memorial Park.

The History: Valhalla Memorial Park

Valhalla Memorial Park is at 10621 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood. Founded in 1923 by two Los Angeles financiers John R. Osborne and C. C. Fitzpatrick. Valhalla, encompasses sixty-three acres of inter-winding roads, an overabundance of tree, and shrub varietals, among other landscaped creations. Some of the key architectural highlights and points of interest you should definitely checkout if you visit this beautiful cemetery include but is not limited to: the beautifully designed water fountain and pond in the center of the memorial park.

Another key point of interest is the rotunda. Located near the old entrance to Valhalla Memorial Park. On December 17th 1953 which was the 50th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wrights’ 12-second powered hop at Kitty Hawk. The architecturally beautiful rotunda was rededicated as “The Portal of the Folded Wings, Shrine to Aviation.” The area under the domed rotunda shrine, and around the nearby lawn area. Include about a dozen or so gravesites and cenotaph memorials dedicated to personalities who were instrumental in the founding of aviation.

The ambiance of Valhalla Memorial Park, with the inclusion of the flowing fountain centerpiece, and The Portal of the Folded Wings, which is a beautiful architectural wonder in its self. Are what a Southern California memorial park should live up to be. If you’re interested in reading more about this beautiful memorial park, or learning about the celebrities and other personalities buried there, besides what I’m about to provide. Feel free to cruise over to the Valhalla Memorial Park page on Wikipedia, or Find A Grave.

The Tour: Valhalla Memorial Park

I arrived at Valhalla Memorial Park around 9:30am. I had some time to kill before the members of “The Traveling Taphophiles” would gradually show up around 10:30am. The Traveling Taphophiles is a Los Angeles based group of grave hunters. The group was founded a few years ago by Louis Mata. On a monthly bases The Traveling Taphohiles get together at a local cemetery, then they rendezvous at a nearby restaurant that has historic value to the  geographic area. The restaurant that was decided before hand to rendezvous at after the Valhalla trek, was the Burbank landmark Tally Rand Restaurant. Which has been in business for over 50 years.

Moving along while I was sitting near the beautiful water fountain, I decided to fire up the cigar I brought along to smoke while I was waiting for the others to arrive. As I was sitting near the fountain, puffing on the cigar. I called my good friend Steve Goldstein, as he’d be joining in on the fun-filled insane day, to let him know I was at the cemetery.

As 10am was inching closer, Steve Goldstein arrived. So while we were killing time waiting for the others to arrive, Steve gave me a condensed mini tour, of who we’d be visiting that day. The first grave we visited was that of comedic actor Oliver Hardy. Hardy is best known as the second half of the comedic twosome team of Laurel & Hardy. To make a long story short, Hardy got his start in showbiz with his sidekick Stan Laurel during the Silent Era. The team would go on to make an insane amount of comedy shorts, and motion pictures lasting just about thirty years. If you’re interested in reading a more detailed biography on Oliver Hardy you should definitely read his biography on Wikipedia. As 1954 was pushing along, Hardy’s health began to deteriorate. Meanwhile between 1954 and 1957 Hardy suffered a series of horrendous strokes, and was bedridden a majority of that time. Things took a turn for the worse when on August 7th 1957 Hardy passed from cerebral thrombosis which in layman’s terms is a blood clot. His cremated remains are interred in the Garden of Hope cremation garden at Valhalla.

After we were done visiting, and photographing the graveside cremains niche of Oliver Hardy. Steve, and I then strolled several yards over to the graveside of comedian & actor Joe DeRita. DeRita is best known as “Curly” Joe DeRita, who was the sixth member of The Three Stooges comedy troupe. Because of his bald shaved head, DeRita was the second comedian to portray “Curly.” If you’re interested in reading his complete biography you should visit his Wikipedia page. Moving along, in 1993 while living out the remainder of his days at The Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, DeRita succumbed to complications from pneumonia. His beautiful grave marker which depicts a portrait of DeRita, lists him as “The Last Stooge.”

After Steve, and I paid our respects, and photographed the graveside of “The Last Stooge” Joe DeRita, we then casually strolled over to the graveside of Rudd Weatherwax. Weatherwax was an actor, and animal trainer. He’s best known as the trainer of Pal the Collie, who was chosen to be the first in a line of Collies to portray Lassie in the motion picture Lassie Comes Home (1943), and the ensuing television series. If you’re interested in reading a concise biography on Weatherwax you should definitely read his Wikipedia biography. In 1985 Weatherwax passed away from unknown causes. The intriguing thing about Weatherwax, and Pal, the Collie he trained, is that from what I’ve been told Pal’s cremated remains are buried inside the coffin with Weatherwax.

After Steve, and I visited, and photographed the graveside of Rudd Weatherwax. We then made our ascent over to The Portal of the Folded Wings (which I’ve discussed above in the “History” section of the Valhalla part of this article). Meanwhile we ran into fellow grave hunter, blogger, and another member of “The Traveling Taphophiles” Brian Aldrich. Brian is the blogger who maintains the highly informative website L.A. Morgue Files. Brian’s blog L.A. Morgue Files, chronicles the lives, and deaths of dead celebrities. Very interesting reading material on his blog, so it’s definitely worth a visit when you get a chance.

After Steve, and I met up with Brian, and his wife. The four of us checked out, and graciously admired the architectural wonder in front of our eyes. After admiring this great work of architectural art. Steve and I then hopped in Brian’s vehicle, and cruised over to the water fountain, where we’d be meeting up with the other gravers in our motley group.

As the others began to arrive, and we assembled our game plan. It was announced that one of the attendees on our tour (I forget who) was celebrating a birthday. To help get the impromptu birthday celebration underway before the tour started. My friend Debra Mobley-Burns, (who I met during the 2011 Gravecation at Forest Lawn-Glendale) bought a few dozen of these delectable cupcake treat things, from a local Burbank bakery. I forget what they’re called, but apparently they are a Burbank, staple among the masses indulging in sugary sweet treats. Needless to say I devoured three of them, and take it from me they were outstanding. Another thing I’d like to point out is that before we all began strolling around the cemetery, Steve was presented with a beautiful ring with a cross on it. The ring symbolized his membership in The Traveling Taphophiles.

As the tour got started, we visited the gravesites of Joe DeRita (mentioned above), and Oliver Hardy (also mentioned above). Continuing on next we checked out the graveside crypt of Bea Benaderet. Benaderet was a highly prolific actress, who was active in both television, and motion pictures. Some of her most notable television roles included on-going appearances on Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, and The Beverly Hillbillies.Benaderet was also the voice actor for the cartoon character Betty Rubble during the first four seasons of The Flintstones animated cartoon series. If you’re interested in reading a detailed biography on Benaderet’s life you should visit her Wikipedia biography. On October 13th 1968 Benaderet succumbed to complications from lung cancer, and pneumonia.

After paying our respects, and photographing the graveside of actress Bea Benaderet. The next graveside we checked out, was that of Charles Criswell King. Criswell, was a television psychic who was the host of “Criswell Predicts” and is best known for making outrageous & highly inaccurate predictions. The Criswell Predicts psychic television show morphed into its own incarnation, after Criswell bought infomercial time on a local Los Angeles television network to sell his “Criswell Family Vitamins.” To help fill up the time slot he started doing the Criswell Predicts segment on the infomercial. The inclusion of the segment, led Criswell to become this miniscule, off the wall celebrity of sorts in the Hollywood region.

The psychic adventure also led Criswell to become friends, with many of the has-been stars of old Hollywood. The friendship he had with noted director Ed Wood, would eventually lead to Criswell to appear as himself, in a multitude of Wood’s motion pictures. The sudden burst in fame, led him to appear on The Jack Paar Show. Along with publishing a few books related to his outrageous predictions.  If you’re interested in reading more about Charles Criswell King, feel free to visit my friend Scott’s website Find A Death. On October 4th 1982 Criswell, passed away due to complications from cardiac arrest.

Continuing on with the Valhalla Memorial Park tour, the next graveside we visited to pay our respects at, and photograph was that of professional wrestler George Raymond Wagner who better known by his ring name “Gorgeous George.” Wagner plied his skills, during the 1940s-1950s which according to some was the first golden age of professional wrestling. During this time Wagner gained a tremendous amount of popularity among wrestling fans, and thus became one of the biggest wrestling stars of the era. One of the key points of his popularity among the massive amount of raging wrestling fans. Was due in part because of Wagners flamboyant style, and charismatic attitude. Needless to say due to his esteemed popularity Wagner was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002, in 2010 he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. If you’re interested in reading an interesting biographical overview on Wagner’s life you should definitely read his Wikipedia biography. On December 24th 1963 Wagner suffered a heart attack, two days later he passed away from complications of the heart attack.

Strolling through Valhalla the next graveside we visited to pay our respects at, and photograph was that of Enos Edward Canutt. Better known by his screen name Yakima Canutt. Canutt was a world champion rodeo star, actor, stuntman, & director. In the 1920s, the silent era Canutt catapulted into the motion picture industry as a stuntman. As the end of the silent era was on the horizon, Canutt gained short-lived success as a B-movie actor. When talkies became the name of the game, his voice was deemed inadequate for motion pictures. So Canutt returned to his roles as a stuntman. Canutt doubled for some of the biggest stars of the golden age of motion pictures. Which included John Wayne, Clark Gable, and a host of others. In the 1940s Canutt, worked as a Second Unit Director, for the action sequences in motion pictures. During his career which lasted a lifetime, Canutt was responsible for developing various safety devises to help prevent stunt actors, from serious injury.  If you’re interested in checking out a biography on Canutt’s life feel free to visit Wikipedia, or if you’d like you can checkout his film credits on the IMDb website. In 1986, while residing in North Hollywood, Canutt passed away from natural causes.

The next graveside we visited was that of actress June Knight. Knight was an actress on Broadway, and motion pictures. Some of the Broadway productions Knight appeared in included the last Ziegfield Follies production Hot Cha! (1932), Take A Chance (1932), Jubilee (1935),  The Would-Be Gentleman (1946) and Sweethearts (1947). Knight, also appeared in about a dozen motion pictures between 1930 and 1940. Out of the dozen or so motion pictures Knight appeared in was Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935). If you’re interested in checking out her full filmography listing, and biography. Feel free to visit the IMDb website. In 1987 at the age of 74 Knight passed away from complications of a stroke.

Moving along the next graveside we visited was that of mechanic Charles Taylor. Taylor was a highly skilled mechanic, whose vital skills. Were an integral asset to the planning, building and deployment of the engines used in many of the Wright Brothers early flight apparatuses.  The FAA Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is named in his honor. If you’re interested in learning more about the interesting life of Charles Taylor feel free to visit Wikipedia. In January 1956 Taylor passed away while residing in a private hospital. It’s unknown to me how he passed away, but he did have a heart attack in 1945 which caused him to quit working. So I’m thinking he had another heart attack which ultimately ended his life.

Rounding out the tour at Valhalla Memorial Park. The last and final graveside I visited was that of prolific silent film actress Mae Murray. Meanwhile as things were winding down for the tour at Valhalla before lunch. Joining me to help find Murray’s graveside was my good friend Steve Goldstein.

Continuing on Murray who was known as “The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips” & “The Gardenia of the Screen” began her showbiz career as a Ziegfield Follies girl. As time went on, and her name was becoming more prominent as a chorus girl. Some of her dance partners included Clifton Webb, Rudolph Valentino, and John Gilbert. One of Murray’s most famous roles was in the Erich von Stroheim motion picture The Merry Widow (1925). If  you’re interested in reading an online biography on Murray’s life feel free to visit Wikipedia. As her health and financial situation began to deteriorate Murray moved into the Motion Picture & Television Country House in Woodland Hills, CA. In 1965, at the age of 75 Murray pased away from unknown causes.

After myself, and The Traveling Taphophiles, were done with our self guided tour of Valhalla Memorial Park. I then met up with the other taphophiles, at The Tally Rand Restaurant for lunch. The Tally Rand has been serving the residents of Burbank, and the surrounding area for over fifty years and is steeped in local history. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of this restaurant, please visit this website. While we were chowing down on the delicious food at the restaurant. Some of the people who were in attendance at Valhalla were asking me how my trip was going, how I liked L.A. yada yada. I forget my exact words, but I had positive replies, and insanely good things to say, about my second trip to L.A..

After we were done eating, I decided to part ways with the group as they were on their way to tour the sites of some notable murder scenes in the area, and I wanted to hit up some more cemeteries. Namely San Fernando Mission Cemetery in the San Fernando Valley. So before leaving I gave a few people hugs, and went on my way.

The History: San Fernando Mission Cemetery

The San Fernando Mission Cemetery, is adjacent to the historic San Fernando Mission, and across the street from Eden Memorial Park. The Mission was founded in 1797. The cemetery its self wasn’t built until about 1800. If you’re interested in learning the condensed version of the history of the San Fernando Mission feel free to visit Wikipedia. The purpose of the old burial ground was intended for “Christianized Indians” the first burial took place in 1800. Also buried in the old graveyard are early European settlers and several priests. The last burial at the old cemetery took place in 1852.

The new San Fernando Mission Cemetery was opened in 1952 roughly 100 years to the day when the old cemetery met its capacity. The new San Fernando Mission cemetery is owned, and maintained by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and is just one of about eleven or so Catholic cemeteries in Los Angeles County. The cemetery encompasses roughly eighty-six acres of prime burial real estate. Included on the grounds among the palm tree’s, are Spanish style architectural buildings, among other highlights. If you’re interested in checking out what this historic cemetery has to offer, and who’s buried there. Feel free to visit the San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Wikipedia page, or Find A Grave.

The Tour: San Fernando Mission Cemetery:

When I arrived at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, after eating lunch with The Traveling Taphophiles. I didn’t have much time to see everything at the cemetery. Being that I made plans to meet up with my friend Lia to attend a Sunday night church service where she worships the big guy in the sky. Then we planned to have dinner at this wonderful Thai restaurant. So with that being said I only managed to find two people while I was there.

First on the list was noted Mexican-American musician Ritchie Valens. To make a long story short Valens was a pioneer of Chicano Rock, and Latin Rock. During his short life, he had a multitude of hits which included La Bamba, among others. If you’re interested in reading his biography feel free to visit Wikipedia. Valens career only lasted about eight months before he was killed in a plane crash in North Dakota. His legacy, influence, and style in musicians of Mexican ancestry lives on.

The last and final graveside I visited during the “2012 L.A. Gravecation” before heading home the next day. Was the graveside of actor Edward Arnold. Arnold who was born on the lower east side of New York City, got his start in showbiz appearing in the silent film The Misleading Lady (1916). During his career in motion pictures he appeared in over 150 films. The last film he appeared in was Miami Expose (1956). If you’re interested in reading his biography, or checking out a full review of his film credits please visit Wikipedia (biography), and IMDb (film credits). In 1956 at the age of 66, Arnold passed away at his Encino, CA home from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage which was associated with an atrial fibrillation.

So that concludes this article. If you’re interested feel free to checkout the photo slideshow below. Of the graveside photographs I took during the last two days of the “2012 L.A. Gravecation.” I really hope you enjoyed my chronicle of articles as much as I enjoyed sharing with you my adventurous gravecation.

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