Jan Graves remembered
Jan Graves, the Foothill High institution known as “Mama Foothill,” was remembered fondly by Park Stockdale residents. Jan died at the age of 84 earlier this month after suffering a fall.
She taught math and coached swimming for more than 40 years, as well as coaching volleyball, basketball and tennis.
Jan also served as a Park Stockdale Civic Association board member and was a swim instructor here.
PSCA board member Susan Tuttle recalled that Jan was an original owner when the subdivision was built in the 1960s. “She gave lifeguard training and had swim lessons during the summer at her house. When her children were old enough to qualify, they became lifeguards and were on the Park Stockdale swim team that she started. They went on to the West High swim team.
“Safety was very important to her, and she had children show that they could swim across the pool to earn a badge to swim without a parent present at the pool. The pool was very active all summer, like a country club during those years. She helped to build community around the pool!”
PSCA board member Eli Hamm remembered, “Jan was my swim coach and friend. She was stern to many but I was only shown the greatest of love. My favorite memory is of Jan driving a station wagon full of swimmers out to dinner in Fresno at the Valley Championships. We were all doing our best to embarrass her by acting as weird as possible to other cars on the road. We were awful.
“I’ll always remember her characteristic “yello” every time she said hello. There was another funny story. I finally figured out how to move my hips in butterfly and thought I had stumbled on to a way to cheat. I asked her about it and she said, “That’s how you’re supposed to do it, you dummy.” Tough love.
“Finally, I didn’t take part but she always drove a white (VW) bug. One day the kids picked up the car and put it in the flowerbed. I think I helped her get it out. Everyone thought it was funny.”
Eli learned his lessons well. He has been the Bakersfield High varsity swim coach for the past 10 years.
Jan also served as a Kern High School District trustee from 2018-2022.
Tom Bell celebrated
In 10 days, Harrington Park will come alive with the joy of dozens of young children coming together to experience the teamwork and unbridled fun of T-ball. For most, this will be their first chance to experience organized sports. And this has been designed to be a positive adventure focusing on fun as much as fundamentals.
Today, the life of the man that made it possible was celebrated there. Tom Bell and his wife of 50 years, Kay, started the program for four- to eight-year-olds 45 years ago. And she is continuing it.
Many of those in attendance wore their playing jerseys in honor of the man who made it possible. In a program with this longevity, some players had grown up to coach. Or coaches who taught their children, also coached their grandchildren.
Tom, as everyone knew him, would have been delighted by the turnout of more than 100 and casualness of the affair. Photographs of Tom’s life from his days as a high school basketball player to adult tennis player and golfer to a father of four and then a grandfather of six mingled with photos of T-ballers around the periphery of the pavilion.
His friend Ken Frech was the first to speak, followed by Tom’s son, Tim, and others. They cited Tom’s generous spirit, donating thousands of hours to his community as president of the Park Stockdale Civic Association board of directors for decades; the man who kept the diamonds alive in the spring and the swimming pools operating throughout the summers.
Besides the T-ball paraphernalia, friends brought a potluck to the hamburger and hot dog barbecue. They sat and shared stories of a man who turned a neighborhood into a community, who created spaces for neighbors to create memories that last a lifetime.
A celebration of Tom Bell’s life
Tom and Kay Bell in 2024
A celebration of life will be held for Tom Bell at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14 at the Harrington Park pavilion.
Resident Ken Frech will lead the service.
The public, including T-ball players and parents, are welcome to share their stories of Tom.
The beloved and longstanding pillar of the Park Stockdale community, passed away on Feb. 6 after a brief illness. He was 88.
Tom served on the Park Stockdale Civic Association Board of Directors for decades, including many years as president. A dedicated volunteer, he was deeply committed to keeping costs down and ensuring the neighborhood amenities were well maintained.
He was the go-to expert on the community swimming pools and saved the association countless dollars by personally maintaining and keeping them operational year after year.
Along with his wife, Kay, Tom may be best known for founding the Park Stockdale T-ball program nearly 50 years ago and running it continuously ever since. Through his leadership of both the pool and the T-ball program, Tom brought joy, connection, and lasting memories to generations of children in the neighborhood and in the T-ball league.
Remembering Ted Murphy
By PSCA President Jim Carnal
Longtime resident and former board member Ted Murphy, 89, passed away peacefully surrounded by friends and family on Sunday, reported his friend and neighbor John Prince Sr.
Murphy was best known publicly as a founding member of CALM, the California Living Museum, and the founder and director of FACT, the Facility for Animal Care and Treatment, at California State University, Bakersfield. Now defunct, the facility located in an oasis in the southeast corner of the campus, treated injured animals and birds, particularly raptors. Healed animals were released back into the wild. Others often ended up at CALM. Built from scratch in 1975, FACT was famous for its public tours and annual barbecue.
I remember Ted as a friend, mentor and neighbor. He was soft spoken and kind with a giant intellect that contrasted his diminutive size. He was a steady voice of reason on the Park Stockdale Civic Association board of directors, as I’m sure he was at CSUB, where he was a popular biology professor. He was the kind of teacher who students stayed in touch with decades later.
On his last day, Murphy “had a great afternoon at home,” Prince said. “He had been begging to go home (from the hospital) for a week. When he got home, he had a lot of friends that came over. He was very happy. Someone gave him a taste of Crown Royal. He gave hugs and kisses. It was a good day for him and everyone.”
I remember our breakfasts that he would initiate to get a peek into each other’s world back when I was a reporter at The Bakersfield Californian. But the memory that is imprinted on me is the last time I saw him on March 22.
It was nine weeks ago at a celebration of life for the love of his life, his wife of 61 years, his North Carolina high school sweetheart, Peggy Sue, 86.
It was a beautiful event at the First Congregation Church where he was surrounded by their friends and family. Ted led a saunter down Memory Lane. He told love stories and family stories and work stories, a family life anchored by a love of animals and filled with outdoor adventures that seemed larger than life. He included everyone by asking them to take the microphone and share their memories. The event lasted for hours and Ted seemingly never wanted it to end. It was a culmination of his wife’s life. And of his.
Sixty-four days later they reunited.
Ted and Peggy are survived by their son, Martin Brooks Murphy.
Ted with his wife and their son.
Services set for PSCA director
Robert “Bill” Zobel, 67, a long-time director on the Park Stockdale Civic Association board, passed away Tuesday morning in his home.
A memorial service to honor his life and memory will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 30, at Rock Harbor Church, 3633 Rosedale Highway.
Family and friends will pay tribute to him by celebrating his life and sharing their memories of him.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Becky, and four sons: Michael, Matthew, Mark and John.