IN MEMORY OF DARLENE PANFILL
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THE EARLY YEARS Darlene Panfill was born on February 5, 1947 at the Glendale Sanitarium, Glendale, CA
to Phyllis and Gerald Bamford. They had five children in all, Darlene, Danny, Dennis, Barbara
and Debbie. As remembered by Danny, the family's first home was in Glendale, CA on Atwater Ave. at Grandma and Grandpa's
house while Dad was away serving in the Korean war. When he returned home, they moved into their own
rental down near the LA River. After that, for the next 7 or 8 years, with Gerald still in the Navy,
the family moved all over the country. That meant changing locations, schools and
friends every year or two. Because of that, Dar and Danny became their own best friends. Stops included Norfolk, VA, New Orleans,
Honolulu and finally Anaheim where they bought their first home.
Shortly thereafter, however, they moved again this time to Lancaster, CA while Dad worked on aircraft test sites as a medic. During this time, the second wave of Bamford children were born: Dennis, Barbara and Debbie. 
SETTLING DOWN But there was one more stop in the hot, dry and dusty town of Henderson Nevada before
the family settled down in beautiful, green La Crescenta, CA. This turned out to be a great place to grow up as they
had lots of friends and no more moving. Dar graduated from CV High School in 1964. She then went to
Cosmetology school where she earned a license that she would never use. HOW THEY MET It was during Dar's senior year in high school in 1964 when Dave went on a blind date to Disneyland with his buddy Eddie DeRoo and Eddie's girlfriend, who brought along a friend. |
Of course, that friend turned out to be Dar, and after a year's worth of dates to the beach
and to the Harmony Park ballroom, the couple married on July 11, 1965 at the Chapel of the Roses in Pasadena. MARRIED LIFE Dave and Dar moved into their first apartment on West Ivy in Glendale for a year.
Then it was on to an apartment on North Louise in Glendale for 4 years and finally, in 1970, to their own home on Peoria St.
in Sun Valley where they lived for the next 44 years. Darlene was involved with the school PTA for decades where she was Secretary, President,
and District President for which she won many recognition awards. She went to National conventions as well
as many other trips with the PTA ladies while visiting such places as the Great Smokey Mountains, Solvang
and even Washington, D.C. She was also in the Music Scholarship program where she loved helping the kids.
The Family circa 1995. The only picture of Dave in a tux known to exist. In addition, Dar valued her time at the Panorama Presbyterian Church. She joined there
in 1972 and volunteered there for the rest of her life. At some point during all this, daughter Tiffany accused her of never working a day
in her life. For a paycheck that may have been true, but listen to the activities she was involved in for over 40
years in Sun Valley area: The PTA, the Church, the Little League, the Woman's Auxillary, the Brownies, Cub Scouts,
Woodcraft Rangers and with all the schools the kids worked their way thru. VACATIONS, ETC. But it was certainly never "all work and no play" as Darlene loved to travel. She and
Dave took cruises to both Alaska and Mexico and one time went to Hawaii so as to accompany Bob and Icy Hagedorn
on their honeymoon. Now THAT'S a true friend. Dave and Dar had 5 kids, Tiffany, Tim, Todd, Courtney and baby Kyle who died as an infant.
And they went on to produce 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. And with all the activities Dar had,
she professed to spending time with her kids, grandkids and great grandkids as the best times of her life. Darlene lived life to the fullest and was loved by
everyone she came in contact with. She will remain in all our hearts forever.
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