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Bill Blagborne
1944-2014
Bill Blagborne passed away on July 10, 2014. One day in 1968, I was driving to San Francisco State and I briefly spoke with Bill at the corner of MacArthur and Harrison, waiting for the light. It made my day.
Jon Dunn recalls his friendship with Bill. "He and I became close friends right from his arrival at Havens in the fifth grade. We were in Mr. Holmes' class; we loved to annoy him, it was so easy. I remember vividly the times we rode our Flexies like madmen on the paths in Piedmont Park. Then we grew into things automotive. I'll never forget the personal tour we got of the Peterbilt plant in East Oakland. They took us for our first ride in an 18 wheeler.
"As we grew older we both gravitated towards hot rods. He and I had great fun when, in the eighth grade, I bought a '33 Plymouth coupe and started the process of installing a Chevy engine.
Our friendship remained strong until the end of our sophomore year when we went separate ways. My parents sold our Piedmont home and we moved, I chose to transfer to Oakland High and Bill went to Oakland Tech.
"After high school we continued as friends but never as close, our lives went in different directions. It was at our 30th Reunion that our friendship resumed. We spoke regularly and got together a few times a year, usually to attend racing events at Sears Point Raceway. He will remain in my memory as my closest childhood friend. I am saddened by his passing."
His sister Isabel shared this story. "Most of us ran around the cemetery as kids doing all kinds of things. Our mother, grandparents and great grandparents are all there, and Bill is joining them now." We will all miss Bill.
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Jerry Matkin
Miss Thurston, Mrs. Arbogast, Mr. Holmes, and Mr. Belgum were my teachers at Havens Elementary School. My family had moved from Montclair to Piedmont. Because Montclair had 'half-termers" do to the plethora of WWII babies, so I was put back 1/2 year and started 3rd Grade in Miss Thurston's class. I met Jon Dunn that first year. I met Bill Blagborne when he joined our 5th grade class with Mr. Holmes. "I*m Going To Leave Ol' Texas Now" was apparently Mr. Holmes' favorite song; he taught it to the whole class. The three of us continued on together in the 6th Grade in Mr. Belgum's class. Our class grew by six students. It is uncanny. I can remember the names of all but perhaps one or two of our classmates in or class pictures.
I was a somewhat distracted youth during elementary school. I had pleasant things I liked to think about (like our ranch in the Sierras near Long Barn). At the close of 6th Grade, I found myself in Mr. Brown's office. I was not alone: Bill Blagborne and Jon Dunn were in there too. If I remember correctly, Mr. Brown said this to the three of us: "You three are the ones that I am thinking of not graduating!" It was a real show stopper for all three of us. I knew why I was in there. Perhaps they were there for the same reason. I went on to Junior High School and got 4 A's and 2 B's for 3 years. On at least one occasion I took my report card to Mr. Brown to show him that I was doing better. He said, "I knew you were capable of doing better work." The session at Mr. Brown's office was probably an annual thing for motivating certain 6th Graders as they went on to Junior High.
Having read Jon's remarks, I just wish that I had been part of their friendship during the next four years. I had a keen interest in similar mechanical things and bought my first car (a 1929 Model A Ford I kept at the ranch) when I was 13. I think I would have enjoyed the racing focus and surely would have enjoyed Jon's coupe!.
Jon, if you read this and want to say hello, you can email me at "gem" followed by a single underscore "_" then "sites" followed by @yahoo.com. I wrote it that way so that it would not light up in blue because the blue image with the underline makes it so that you can't see the underscore.
I am in Deming, NM. You can call me at 546-3341 (the area code is 575). I hope this submission doesn't sound like it is all about me. Bill was a friend at Havens. Jon, I'm glad he was your local friend until you moved and then your life-long friend.
I was also part of a Flexi excursion into the Park behind the High School. We went clear down to the Wildwood playground. We were late at getting back to Havens School after lunch and were properly reprimanded. Perhaps you (Jon) and Bill were the one's I was with. My memory does not serve me with complete recall of all things.
Jon Dunn
From Harry Tanovitz, younger brother of our classmate Jim Tanovitz:
Jon Dunn
From Lucille Lang Day