Helen M Down-Easter a short Biography by Gail
Mama was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor when we were young. She taught in private pools in Los Angeles.
She managed Allen Wertz Candies in Beverly Hills, lived in San Fernando Valley, & Los Felis when she moved to El Serino. She worked at Carson's Ventura Blvd and in the Farmers Market. Always in Candy. She was a very good artist. Took a lot of classes with her two sisters starting in the 60's. She was taking a watercolor class at Ventura College with myself and my brother Darryl just months before she died.. She loved to Garden. THEN she taught Sailing for the YMCA Sail Club for 20 years. got very involved and loved by the younger crowd.. :)
This is the end of her Autobiography she wrote.. She never wrote about the beginning or middle of her life. She wanted to take a writing class but never got around to it. She wrote this and another piece called "I Remember Dad"
THE SAGA OF THE IMPERIAL JUNKANOO
The Story of Her Beginnings
The Imperial Junkanoo was built at Yachtwerf Boatyard
in Antwerp, Holland in 1960. She is a 24 ft. inboard
sloop. She has oak ribs with mahogany planking. Her joints
are all scarfed. her planking is carvel. She is powered by
a Volvo Penta MG 1 diesel motor.
As the story goes, she was purchased by a wealthy
gentleman in the Bahamas for his daughters toy. She
registered her in the British West Indies and named her
The Imperial Junkanoo. She had her name emblazoned on her
transom in handsome gold letters. One day an over zealous
yard worker, in a well intended effort to refinish her
transom, sanded through the beautiful gold letters. From
that day on her transom was bare.
In the early part of 1968 my nephew Bob Beckett and
my brother Frank decided they would like to own a sail
boat. They found the Junkanoo at Newmark's Yacht Centre
in Wilmington, Ca. They went together and bought her for
four thousand dollars. She was in fine condition. She was
a 24 foot inboard sloop. Her deck was Chesapeake blue, her
woodwork was varnished and her hardware was all bright
chrome. Below she had four inch foam hollow core cushions
in the main cabin and quarter births. She had a head,
stove, sink and her wonderful little one cylinder diesel
motor. She was truly a little jewel.
One Sunday afternoon my sister Glad, Bob and I
decided to take her out. We took her into the outer
harbor for the first time. We sailed toward Long Beach.
The only time I had ever sailed was when my dad took me
out on a small boat he barrowed when he had his boat
(Quest) in Long Beach. One lesson is not enough! I
couldn't understand why we got to Long Beach so much
easier than we could get back. It seemed all we could do
was sail back and forth across the harbor. When we
finally got back, I said to Bob, "You Know What? We don't
know how to sail!"
When I got home I called the Red Cross. I had served
in their water safety program for years and expected they
would have sailing classes. They didn't have any program
at that time. I was referred to the Mid Valley YMCA. I was
told they had just started a sailing class. I called the
Y and enrolled in their first class in the summer of 1968.
The class was organized by Jerry Wintermute and Dick
Bansback who had recently taken the Red Cross instructor
training. We used Jerry's sabot, a twelve foot dingy, name
'Melody'and a Penguin, which belonged to a class member.
That was all we had for the basic class. The sailing club
was organized and we bought our first Omega which we were
able to sail before the end of the class. I received my
first Red Cross certificate in basic sailing in August
1968.
Bob and I realized we still had a lot to learn about
sailing and boating in general. We enrolled first in U S
Coast Guard classes and later in U S Power Squadron
classes. I went on to take Power Squadron Seamanship,
Sailing and Weather. I started teaching for the Y in 1969
the year after my basic class. I became a Red Cross
Instructor in 1971 and an Instructor Trainer in 1978. I
did instructor training for two years, training many
instructors who later taught classes for the Mid Valley
YMCA Sailing Club. I participated in teaching for the
Y sailing club until it disbanded in 1989, and two years
for the newly organized Mid Valley Sailing Club.
Mama was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor when we were young. She taught in private pools in Los Angeles.
She managed Allen Wertz Candies in Beverly Hills, lived in San Fernando Valley, & Los Felis when she moved to El Serino. She worked at Carson's Ventura Blvd and in the Farmers Market. Always in Candy. She was a very good artist. Took a lot of classes with her two sisters starting in the 60's. She was taking a watercolor class at Ventura College with myself and my brother Darryl just months before she died.. She loved to Garden. THEN she taught Sailing for the YMCA Sail Club for 20 years. got very involved and loved by the younger crowd.. :)
This is the end of her Autobiography she wrote.. She never wrote about the beginning or middle of her life. She wanted to take a writing class but never got around to it. She wrote this and another piece called "I Remember Dad"
THE SAGA OF THE IMPERIAL JUNKANOO
The Story of Her Beginnings
The Imperial Junkanoo was built at Yachtwerf Boatyard
in Antwerp, Holland in 1960. She is a 24 ft. inboard
sloop. She has oak ribs with mahogany planking. Her joints
are all scarfed. her planking is carvel. She is powered by
a Volvo Penta MG 1 diesel motor.
As the story goes, she was purchased by a wealthy
gentleman in the Bahamas for his daughters toy. She
registered her in the British West Indies and named her
The Imperial Junkanoo. She had her name emblazoned on her
transom in handsome gold letters. One day an over zealous
yard worker, in a well intended effort to refinish her
transom, sanded through the beautiful gold letters. From
that day on her transom was bare.
In the early part of 1968 my nephew Bob Beckett and
my brother Frank decided they would like to own a sail
boat. They found the Junkanoo at Newmark's Yacht Centre
in Wilmington, Ca. They went together and bought her for
four thousand dollars. She was in fine condition. She was
a 24 foot inboard sloop. Her deck was Chesapeake blue, her
woodwork was varnished and her hardware was all bright
chrome. Below she had four inch foam hollow core cushions
in the main cabin and quarter births. She had a head,
stove, sink and her wonderful little one cylinder diesel
motor. She was truly a little jewel.
One Sunday afternoon my sister Glad, Bob and I
decided to take her out. We took her into the outer
harbor for the first time. We sailed toward Long Beach.
The only time I had ever sailed was when my dad took me
out on a small boat he barrowed when he had his boat
(Quest) in Long Beach. One lesson is not enough! I
couldn't understand why we got to Long Beach so much
easier than we could get back. It seemed all we could do
was sail back and forth across the harbor. When we
finally got back, I said to Bob, "You Know What? We don't
know how to sail!"
When I got home I called the Red Cross. I had served
in their water safety program for years and expected they
would have sailing classes. They didn't have any program
at that time. I was referred to the Mid Valley YMCA. I was
told they had just started a sailing class. I called the
Y and enrolled in their first class in the summer of 1968.
The class was organized by Jerry Wintermute and Dick
Bansback who had recently taken the Red Cross instructor
training. We used Jerry's sabot, a twelve foot dingy, name
'Melody'and a Penguin, which belonged to a class member.
That was all we had for the basic class. The sailing club
was organized and we bought our first Omega which we were
able to sail before the end of the class. I received my
first Red Cross certificate in basic sailing in August
1968.
Bob and I realized we still had a lot to learn about
sailing and boating in general. We enrolled first in U S
Coast Guard classes and later in U S Power Squadron
classes. I went on to take Power Squadron Seamanship,
Sailing and Weather. I started teaching for the Y in 1969
the year after my basic class. I became a Red Cross
Instructor in 1971 and an Instructor Trainer in 1978. I
did instructor training for two years, training many
instructors who later taught classes for the Mid Valley
YMCA Sailing Club. I participated in teaching for the
Y sailing club until it disbanded in 1989, and two years
for the newly organized Mid Valley Sailing Club.
Helen M Down-Easter a short Biography by Gail
Mama was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor when we were young. She taught in private pools in Los Angeles.
She managed Allen Wertz Candies in Beverly Hills, lived in San Fernando Valley, & Los Felis when she moved to El Serino. She worked at Carson's Ventura Blvd and in the Farmers Market. Always in Candy. She was a very good artist. Took a lot of classes with her two sisters starting in the 60's. She was taking a watercolor class at Ventura College with myself and my brother Darryl just months before she died.. She loved to Garden. THEN she taught Sailing for the YMCA Sail Club for 20 years. got very involved and loved by the younger crowd.. :)
This is the end of her Autobiography she wrote.. She never wrote about the beginning or middle of her life. She wanted to take a writing class but never got around to it. She wrote this and another piece called "I Remember Dad"
THE SAGA OF THE IMPERIAL JUNKANOO
The Story of Her Beginnings
The Imperial Junkanoo was built at Yachtwerf Boatyard
in Antwerp, Holland in 1960. She is a 24 ft. inboard
sloop. She has oak ribs with mahogany planking. Her joints
are all scarfed. her planking is carvel. She is powered by
a Volvo Penta MG 1 diesel motor.
As the story goes, she was purchased by a wealthy
gentleman in the Bahamas for his daughters toy. She
registered her in the British West Indies and named her
The Imperial Junkanoo. She had her name emblazoned on her
transom in handsome gold letters. One day an over zealous
yard worker, in a well intended effort to refinish her
transom, sanded through the beautiful gold letters. From
that day on her transom was bare.
In the early part of 1968 my nephew Bob Beckett and
my brother Frank decided they would like to own a sail
boat. They found the Junkanoo at Newmark's Yacht Centre
in Wilmington, Ca. They went together and bought her for
four thousand dollars. She was in fine condition. She was
a 24 foot inboard sloop. Her deck was Chesapeake blue, her
woodwork was varnished and her hardware was all bright
chrome. Below she had four inch foam hollow core cushions
in the main cabin and quarter births. She had a head,
stove, sink and her wonderful little one cylinder diesel
motor. She was truly a little jewel.
One Sunday afternoon my sister Glad, Bob and I
decided to take her out. We took her into the outer
harbor for the first time. We sailed toward Long Beach.
The only time I had ever sailed was when my dad took me
out on a small boat he barrowed when he had his boat
(Quest) in Long Beach. One lesson is not enough! I
couldn't understand why we got to Long Beach so much
easier than we could get back. It seemed all we could do
was sail back and forth across the harbor. When we
finally got back, I said to Bob, "You Know What? We don't
know how to sail!"
When I got home I called the Red Cross. I had served
in their water safety program for years and expected they
would have sailing classes. They didn't have any program
at that time. I was referred to the Mid Valley YMCA. I was
told they had just started a sailing class. I called the
Y and enrolled in their first class in the summer of 1968.
The class was organized by Jerry Wintermute and Dick
Bansback who had recently taken the Red Cross instructor
training. We used Jerry's sabot, a twelve foot dingy, name
'Melody'and a Penguin, which belonged to a class member.
That was all we had for the basic class. The sailing club
was organized and we bought our first Omega which we were
able to sail before the end of the class. I received my
first Red Cross certificate in basic sailing in August
1968.
Bob and I realized we still had a lot to learn about
sailing and boating in general. We enrolled first in U S
Coast Guard classes and later in U S Power Squadron
classes. I went on to take Power Squadron Seamanship,
Sailing and Weather. I started teaching for the Y in 1969
the year after my basic class. I became a Red Cross
Instructor in 1971 and an Instructor Trainer in 1978. I
did instructor training for two years, training many
instructors who later taught classes for the Mid Valley
YMCA Sailing Club. I participated in teaching for the
Y sailing club until it disbanded in 1989, and two years
for the newly organized Mid Valley Sailing Club.
Mama was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor when we were young. She taught in private pools in Los Angeles.
She managed Allen Wertz Candies in Beverly Hills, lived in San Fernando Valley, & Los Felis when she moved to El Serino. She worked at Carson's Ventura Blvd and in the Farmers Market. Always in Candy. She was a very good artist. Took a lot of classes with her two sisters starting in the 60's. She was taking a watercolor class at Ventura College with myself and my brother Darryl just months before she died.. She loved to Garden. THEN she taught Sailing for the YMCA Sail Club for 20 years. got very involved and loved by the younger crowd.. :)
This is the end of her Autobiography she wrote.. She never wrote about the beginning or middle of her life. She wanted to take a writing class but never got around to it. She wrote this and another piece called "I Remember Dad"
THE SAGA OF THE IMPERIAL JUNKANOO
The Story of Her Beginnings
The Imperial Junkanoo was built at Yachtwerf Boatyard
in Antwerp, Holland in 1960. She is a 24 ft. inboard
sloop. She has oak ribs with mahogany planking. Her joints
are all scarfed. her planking is carvel. She is powered by
a Volvo Penta MG 1 diesel motor.
As the story goes, she was purchased by a wealthy
gentleman in the Bahamas for his daughters toy. She
registered her in the British West Indies and named her
The Imperial Junkanoo. She had her name emblazoned on her
transom in handsome gold letters. One day an over zealous
yard worker, in a well intended effort to refinish her
transom, sanded through the beautiful gold letters. From
that day on her transom was bare.
In the early part of 1968 my nephew Bob Beckett and
my brother Frank decided they would like to own a sail
boat. They found the Junkanoo at Newmark's Yacht Centre
in Wilmington, Ca. They went together and bought her for
four thousand dollars. She was in fine condition. She was
a 24 foot inboard sloop. Her deck was Chesapeake blue, her
woodwork was varnished and her hardware was all bright
chrome. Below she had four inch foam hollow core cushions
in the main cabin and quarter births. She had a head,
stove, sink and her wonderful little one cylinder diesel
motor. She was truly a little jewel.
One Sunday afternoon my sister Glad, Bob and I
decided to take her out. We took her into the outer
harbor for the first time. We sailed toward Long Beach.
The only time I had ever sailed was when my dad took me
out on a small boat he barrowed when he had his boat
(Quest) in Long Beach. One lesson is not enough! I
couldn't understand why we got to Long Beach so much
easier than we could get back. It seemed all we could do
was sail back and forth across the harbor. When we
finally got back, I said to Bob, "You Know What? We don't
know how to sail!"
When I got home I called the Red Cross. I had served
in their water safety program for years and expected they
would have sailing classes. They didn't have any program
at that time. I was referred to the Mid Valley YMCA. I was
told they had just started a sailing class. I called the
Y and enrolled in their first class in the summer of 1968.
The class was organized by Jerry Wintermute and Dick
Bansback who had recently taken the Red Cross instructor
training. We used Jerry's sabot, a twelve foot dingy, name
'Melody'and a Penguin, which belonged to a class member.
That was all we had for the basic class. The sailing club
was organized and we bought our first Omega which we were
able to sail before the end of the class. I received my
first Red Cross certificate in basic sailing in August
1968.
Bob and I realized we still had a lot to learn about
sailing and boating in general. We enrolled first in U S
Coast Guard classes and later in U S Power Squadron
classes. I went on to take Power Squadron Seamanship,
Sailing and Weather. I started teaching for the Y in 1969
the year after my basic class. I became a Red Cross
Instructor in 1971 and an Instructor Trainer in 1978. I
did instructor training for two years, training many
instructors who later taught classes for the Mid Valley
YMCA Sailing Club. I participated in teaching for the
Y sailing club until it disbanded in 1989, and two years
for the newly organized Mid Valley Sailing Club.
Gravesite Details
The sea is forever clean and beautiful. Not to worry. I love you mama
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