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Brain Tumor
Facts
Read about facts and statistics of brain tumor.
In Memory of...
This page is dedicated to the memory of those loved ones that have fought the good fight and to those of us left behind who miss them.
For easier navigation, please choose a person below:
- Rick Lunsford
- William Leonard Johnson
- Leonard Paul Jaber
- Lynn Moore
- Dennis Campbell
- Kimberlee Caledonia
- Danny Riley
- Bonnie Budd
- Charlie Davis
- Betty Colborn
Rick Lunsford
10/13/1964 - 8/1/2010
Ricky gained so many titles over the course of his life. He was a wonderful coach, a passionate actor, a fantastic son, brother, uncle, and friend. He was also a great husband and an amazing father. He was known to be an extremely hard worker who was tremendously dedicated and determined.
He was friendly to everyone, often sparking conversations with strangers, and his sense of humor stayed with him until the end. He was truly a child of God and I know he has touched so many lives. He will forever grace our memories and reside in a special place in our hearts. Robert Wayne Lunsford, rest in peace. Rick is survived by his wife Jan and two daughters Ashley and Samantha.
William Leonard Johnson
1942-2009
William Leonard Johnson,
67, of Carlsbad, died on Sunday,
October 4th 2009. William (Bill)
passed away peacefully at home
surrounded by his immediate
family. Born to William Richard
and Doris Green Johnson in
Santa Monica, California, the
family moved to Vista in 1947.
Bill attended Vista High School
and the Army and Naval Academy
in Carlsbad. He received an
honorable discharge from the
United States Navy on February
26, 1965. Bill attended Palomar
College and in 1968 received a
Bachelor of Science degree in
Business from San Diego State
University. Bill enjoyed his profession
as a General Contractor
in San Diego County for over 31
years, working with his son,
Michael, who now manages the
family business.
Bill enjoyed fishing and
camping with family and friends
on annual outings to Yosemite,
Mammoth, and the beaches of
California. An amusing jokester
known for making people laugh,
all who knew Bill’s hearty character
were awed with his neverwavering
positive attitude,
strong work ethic, lively spirit
and most of all his monumental
love for family.
Survivors include his wife of
43 years, Vicki O’Donoghue
Johnson; daughter, Lisa
Michele; son, Michael William
(Jennifer) Johnson; two grandchildren,
Samantha Claire and
Preston William Johnson;
mother, Doris Ahlrich; brother,
Richard (Carolyn) Johnson; sister,
Ann (Richard) Wright; and
an abundance of nephews,
nieces and great-nieces and
nephews who enjoyed Uncle
Bill’s incredible story-telling and
amusing antics.
A private burial at sea will be
followed by a Celebration of Life
on Saturday, October 24th at
2:00 p.m. Arrangements by
Accu–Care Cremation Center –
Carlsbad.
For those who would like to
attend the Celebration of Bill’s
life, please contact 619/884-
3168 for further information. In
lieu of flowers, donations may
be made to the San Diego Brain
Tumor Foundation at
www.sdbtf.org in memory of
William L. Johnson.
In honoring Bill, please find
many moments in your life to
share with your loved ones
and most of all…laugh with
them!
Please sign the guest book
online at www.legacy.com/obituaries/powaynewschieftain
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Leonard Paul Jaber
April 2, 1947-September 16, 2008
Leonard was his daughter Jenifer’s best friend and mentor in her whole life. They had a special bond as father and daughter. He worked with non-profit organizations and was tireless in his efforts to raise money. He died too young but was an inspiration in his death and his life to the end. They both are so grateful to the foundation for their support.. Jenifer appreciates how much the foundation did for them in their time of need.
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Lynn Moore
Lynn Moore married to Gil Moore for 27 years and the mother of three is deeply missed. Lynn’s smile, laugh and love brought much joy to many people’s lives. She worked for SAIC for 15 years before her passing on April 9, 2006 of a GBM brain tumor. During her two year fight, Lynn continued to seek different treatments and trials at UCSD, Cedar’s Sinai and UCLA in the hope that it would save her life or someone else’s. She also continued to live life to the fullest despite her diagnoses and often enjoyed camping in her RV or going to the beach with her family. Darrin Clark continues to be active with the brain tumor support group. Lynn had 7 grand children that miss her very much. She was a big part of their life and will be missed by her family.
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Dennis Campbell
Dennis Campbell was born in Coronado to Hugh and Sue Campbell on January 12, 1946. He has a brother Tim and a sister Chris. Dennis spent seven years in the Navy during Vietnam. After the Navy, Dennis attended San Diego State University where he earned a degree with distinction in Marketing. Dennis’ greatest blessings were his two sons, Peter and Christopher, whom he loved dearly. They were his strength and his best friends. Connie and Dennis shared their love for 14 years. During that time she was his friend, his love, his wife and his spirited and unselfish caregiver. Dennis worked for the Centre City Development Corporation where he put to use his passion for restoring and reclaiming San Diego’s downtown treasures. With his generous spirit, he embraced life, his friends and his family with unconditional love. His courageous struggle was a testimony to his strength of character. To the end, he embraced each day as a new miracle and did what he could to impart his love and gratitude to all.
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Kimberlee Caledonia
June 7, 1962 - March 19, 2008
CALEDONIA, KIMBERLEE - We celebrate the life of Kimberlee Caledonia, born June 7, 1962, who passed away on March 19, 2008, after courageously battling brain cancer for over two years. Kimberlee was an elite athlete, photographer, teacher, friend, lover of languages and lover of life. Her athletic career was varied and exceptional. In the 1980s, she pioneered mountain bike racing, gaining national stature as a top-three competitor in the U.S. In addition, she raced road bikes and was invited to the U.S. Olympic Training Center on numerous occasions for training. At home, Kimberlee could be found riding San Diego County roads most weekends putting in thousands of miles a year. Cycling 100 miles on a Saturday or Sunday became a normal occurrence for Kimberlee.
"I remember one particularly long ride we did together," says Del Mar resident, Richard Bryne. "I was not as fit as she was, and she was just motoring. For the first half of the ride, we were chatting side-by-side. Then later, we were still side-by-side but she was doing most of the talking. I remember I was just hanging on and hoping I wouldn't get dropped."
In 2003, she competed in double centuries (200 mile rides in one day) and posted a 12 hour 11 minute time at the Hemet Double Century which gained her top woman and youngest female finisher. She also accomplished a California Triple Crown that year, completing three different double century rides. Another riding companion, Escondido's Greg Finch says, "I began riding with Kimberlee once a month or so in 2000 as I started my Ironman quest and from 2001 through 2004 we rode at least once a week together. She weighs about 110 lbs. (maybe) but could hammer on a bike. I can honestly say she was a main ingredient in my Ironman resume."
Kimberlee not only bicycled for fun and exercise, but she also wrote about her favorite San Diego rides and had them published as "Kimberlee's Courses" in Bicycling San Diego magazine. A couple of long-time friends met Kimberlee through her BSD writings. When Kimberlee wasn't bicycling she was running, competing in numerous short-distance races as well as four Boston Marathons which she ran with her brother, Dana. In 1996, she posted a career best marathon time of 3:08:24 in Houston.
In addition to athletics, Kimberlee traveled the world (including Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, and China) and with her husband, Dan Gindling, made photos for his travel stories. For 15 years her photographs appeared with his stories in national publications - like Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines -- and numerous newspapers (including the Union-Tribune). She graduated summa cum laude with distinction from San Diego State University in 1995 and taught Spanish at Santana H.S. and West Hills H.S. in Santee. She learned French as well as Spanish and studied Chinese to prepare for a 2007 trip. In 2000, she won that year's Spanish Embassy Grant and spent four weeks in Spain studying the language she loved.
When her cancer was diagnosed in December, 2005, Kimberlee didn't slow down -- she sped up. She bicycled more, ran, surfed, hiked, met with friends, threw parties and continued to travel. During one five-day chemo cycle she hiked to the 14,505 foot peak of Mount Whitney besting everyone in her group by over an hour. Her zest for life, especially when she became ill, inspired everyone she met and many people she never knew but knew about her through her "Kimberlee Updates." The e-mail Updates became weekly scribes of her life dealing with brain cancer underlining Kimberlee's wit, charm, compassion, courage and especially humor. The Updates will be assembled into a book that will be available soon.
She became closer to her family after cancer struck. Her sister, Laurie, took her on excursions every week - to the beach, the movies, museums, or just to the local coffee bar to talk of life -- which Kimberlee looked forward to and cherished for every minute. Her mom and dad, Marie and Al Caledonia, treated her to lunch, sat with her in the sun, or just talked while she rested. Her brother Dana, a Houston dentist, visited on numerous occasions as did her sister, Lisa, from Massachusetts. Both kept in constant contact with Kimberlee via phone and e-mail. Her brother Greg, who lives in San Diego, offered moral support. And her husband Dan kept Kimberlee pursuing her passion: the bicycle. They started on a standard tandem, then a recumbent tandem and finally a Trailer Trike which allowed Kimberlee to continue to enjoy cycling with Dan doing the steering and braking.
Their last ride together came under a cloudless, sunny day which brought extreme joy to them both. "Kimberlee's Bikes for Kids," a non-profit charity, is being established whose goal will be to supply needy San Diego children with new bicycles so that they can enjoy bicycling as much as Kimberlee did.
To find out more or to contribute, contact Dan Gindling at dannyg@zet.com. Everyone who was touched by Kimberlee Caledonia will never forget her. She was caring and funny, athletic and courageous. We will all miss her and love her, and carry on her love affair with the bicycle. Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 3/30/2008.
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Family, Friends To Memorialize Life of UCSB Student
Second-Year Danny Riley Dies From Rare Brain Tumor; Family Sets Up Fund
By Aria Miran / Staff Writer
Published Monday, November 5, 2007
UCSB Daily Nexus
Issue 30 / Volume 88
Danny Riley rode his bicycle to class for the last time on Oct. 11.
Just 20 days later, the second-year English major passed away of a rare brain tumor. According to Catherine Omalev, her boyfriend wasn’t about to let cancer make him swear off classes.
“Danny wasn’t ‘cancer boy,’” second-year environmental studies major Omalev said. “We look at it as he did beat the cancer. For a lot of people in the weeks leading up to the end, they’re like, ‘Where’s the miracle?’ For his family and I, Danny is the miracle.”
Riley was diagnosed with the rare illness known as Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma in 2004. The 19-year-old UCSB student fought the disease, which is generally benign, with several surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy that slowed the aggressive cancer. He passed away on Oct. 31 at about 3 a.m. A memorial service will take place on Nov. 17 in San Diego at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Riley’s family requests that attendees contribute to the Danny Riley Celebration of Life Fund, which will help children learn to live with cancer through music.
According to Riley’s mother, Margaret Baker, when her son grew too ill to stay at school, his friends and family surrounded him, playing music and spending time in his company.
“There were 20 or 25 people [with him] each night trying to make sure Danny was really comfortable and the house was full of laughter and music and love,” Baker said.
Baker said her son liked to express himself by writing music and singing along to the guitar he taught himself to play in high school.
“That guitar and his own signing voice was where he sounded best,” Baker said. “He had a gift. In his short life he wrote a lot of nice songs.”
Riley shared his passion for music with his cousin, UCSB alumnus Jack Johnson. Baker said her son sang a harmony for one of Johnson’s upcoming songs, and chatted with musician Ben Harper about life and music. Omalev said her boyfriend was a gifted musician.
“Danny is a born writer and a born poet,” Omalev said. “He would just write and formulate his own tunes in his head.”
Omalev said that when Riley’s health failed to improve after a recent operation, she and his family focused on spending their remaining time doing what he loved - enjoying life.
“He had a surgery over summer and it really was a life or death situation for him,” Omalev said. “We knew he wasn’t cured, but they also told us at the same time that he would have a couple months. For me it wasn’t ‘He’s going to die, he’s going to die,’ it was more like ‘Let’s live.’”
Riley’s roommate, second-year psychology major Mike Bosetti, said he admired his friend’s drive to continue with his daily life in the face of his illness.
“Danny never got down on himself or blamed the cancer for anything,” Bosetti said. “He threw up in a couple of classes. He just opened his backpack, threw up and stayed the rest of the class. He was such a fighter.”
Brain tumors have the potential to alter one’s personality as they grow. According to his mother, Riley’s family and friends were happy that his particular case stayed on the periphery of his brain, leaving his nature untouched.
“[Cancer] never affected his personality,” Baker said. “He was lucid to within 12 hours of dying. It was wonderful. He did a lot of good things in the end and was able to communicate his needs.”
Baker said that before he died, Riley wrote on his computer that he did not want to be remembered for his accomplishments, but for those he loved.
“The last thing he did was to point to his LIVESTRONG Lance Armstrong bracelet,” Baker said. “Somebody once asked him how he dealt with this, and he said, ‘Life.’ He just really embodied love.”
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Bonnie Louise Bud
May 11, 1962 – September 4, 2004
Bonnie Louise Budd, 42, passed away in her mother’s home in Pacific Beach on Saturday, September 4, 2004. This was a three-generation family home with her mother, Peggy Budd and grandmother, Alice O. Barnes, a longtime activist in San Diego.
A self-reliant, resourceful and independent woman; Bonnie courageously won and lost battles with brain tumors for almost five years. Bonnie stated on her resume that her life goal was “to positively affect people’s lives.” And so she did. A deeply caring healer, she touched the lives of many with her motivating and energetic presence, her healing hands and her generous, open heart.
Bonnie was an exuberant dancer, a competitive swimmer, a tireless cheerleader, a creative artist, an accomplished certified fitness instructor/trainer and successful massage therapist. She loved running on the beach, socializing with her many friends and playing her beloved dog, Isis. Bonnie, adopted Isis from Operation Greyhound of El Cajon.
A devoted daughter, granddaughter, godmother and friend, Bonnie Budd’s generosity, creativity, resourcefulness, and great vitality and zest for life will be greatly missed by all who shared her life.
Born May 11, 1962 in Queens, NY, Bonnie attended Kate Sessions Elementary, Pacific Beach Junior High and Mission Bay High School, where she graduated in 1980. She continued her studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR and at San Diego State University. She received certification from Mueller College of Holistic Massage Therapy and taught classes there. Bonnie worked at health clubs throughout San Diego County, as well as, her private practice. She volunteered many hours at her church, the American Lung Association and the Point Loma YMCA. She was also a member of the IDEA (International Dance and Exercise Association).
Diagnosed with a brain tumor in November 1999, she was part of the Brain Tumor Support group provided by the Wellness Community. In March of 2003, she received a phone call from TWC saying they were closing their doors and that the support groups would no longer function. The Support Group met in Bonnie’s home next month. Then a room was provided by the Kaiser facility in Point Loma for ongoing sessions, which still continue with the guidance from the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation and the Caring Community for People Living with Cancer. San Diego is an “underserved” area for brain tumor patients and this Support Group has been absolutely essential as a place for patients and families to share hopes, fears, successes, experiences, and knowledge. This was a place for assistance in healing the body, mind and spirit. Bonnie Budd’s verve for living, was, and is, an inspiration to all members of the Support Group.
Donations would be welcome at:
San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation
852 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
Operation Greyhound
273 Chicory Lane
El Cajon, CA 92021
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Charles W. Davis
Though he sometimes used his formal name of Charles, most of us knew Charles W. Davis as Charlie. A little more than three years ago, Charlie began his fight against brain cancer. He fought bravely and with such energy that few who didn’t know him well would ever have known of his battle. It was a battle he eventually lost on August 11, 2005.
Charlie was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and wound up in San Diego the same way a lot of us did…he joined the Navy. Between 1980 and 1984, he served aboard the USS Okinawa and USS Cushing. Then, from 1987-1990, he served aboard the USS Vincennes. He was a signalman of the highest caliber and well respected by his peers, the officers he served under, and those who worked for him. He took a lot of pride in that.
Charlie began dating the love of his life in 1983. He and Jean met through friends, at first dating slowly, then more frequently, getting married in 1985 and settling in Chula Vista. He sometimes said she was too good for him, but Jean will tell you that just isn’t true. Their home was filled with love, their doors were always open, and their couch was always ready for the unexpected sleepover guest. From their love soon came a baby girl, Danielle, and they became a family. Charlie was scared about being a father, but he turned out to be a very good one.
Over the years, Charlie worked as a bartender in Seaport Village, drove a cab, and even tested out the merchant marines. Eventually, he found himself in the radiology department at Kaiser Permanente hospital on Zion. He worked as an MRI tech aide there for 10 years, but the Navy never left his blood. A member of the Navy Reserves for most of his civilian life, he returned to active duty in 2001, this time serving as an intelligence specialist at Commander, Third Fleet.
The Davis’ are members of Chula Vista’s Hilltop Baptist Church, where Charlie would help with Sunday school and usher duties, and enjoying hearing his wife and daughter sing in the choir. They shared a love for Jesus Christ, and through this love they grew closer.
No matter where Charlie worked or prated, he always made friends, and most became friends for life. He had an innate belief in people and what they could achieve, and that faith always shined through. Charlie always had big dreams himself. He’d wanted his own deli, his own business of some type. But as he grew older, and especially after his tumor diagnosis, he came to realize that he’d already achieved greater dreams than he had imagined: family, friends, love, and a lifetime of memories.
Charlie will be incredibly missed.
Charlie is survived by wife, Jean, and daughter, Danielle Davis; his mother, Laura Paskoski; brother, Jimmie Davis, Jr.; sister, Sherry Schwartz; brothers in law Randy Guzman and Fil Guzman Jr; sister in law, Leah Bubel, and numerous nieces, nephews, and close friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations instead be made to:
Hilltop Baptist Church
619-422-7246
San Diego Hospice
www.sdhospice.org
San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation
852 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor
San Diego, Ca 92101
Attn: Connie Reeves Campbell.
A tribute memorial is also being created at www.mem.com where you can share your memories of Charlie and condolences with others who knew and loved him.
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Betty Kay Colborn
July 23, 1950 - March 29, 2004
God rest her spirit, Betty Kay Colborn passed from this life to the next Monday, March 29, 2004, peacefully, in the bright light of morning with family and friends around her.
Born on July 23, 1950 in Denver Colorado; Betty was the third of five children of Jogn and Ruth Hodgskiss. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960’s and early 1970’s, influenced by the activism and idealism of the time.
With honors, Betty graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1974, earning Bachelor degrees in both Mathematics and Urban Planning.
Most of her adult life she worked as a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Defense. She was a computer systems analyst for 19 years at the Alameda Naval Air Station and for the last ten years in San Diego at North Island Naval Air Station.
Betty was creative, adventurous and assertive; pioneering many of our family’s most memorable events. Early on, she loved dancing, music and children. Her first job was at a children’s daycare center; later she cared for children in the Church nursery.
Betty is survived by her father, two sisters, brother, six nephews and nieces, her former husband Rodney and her two sons, Corey and Glen. Corey, 22, attends Palomar Junior College. Glen is 18, finished high school, and is ready for Palomar this summer and fall.
We mourn her passing but celebrate her life and know she is with God, carried gently in the hands of grace. We thank all who sent gifts, cards and prayers.
Special thanks to the loving hearts and hands of her immediate caregivers and her church family at Penasquitos Lutheran Church.