With the new year just days away, we want to take time to remember notable Long Beach people who died in 2025. They left behind a legacy of shaping our humanity and our community by the way they lived their lives. Although not an exhaustive list, here are final tributes and thanks to those who gave so much to the Long Beach community.
Bob Foster
Former Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, 78, was a community leader who guided the city from 2006 to 2014 through its worst economic downtown since the Great Depression, and whose vision led to the creation of the new Civic Center and the Billie Jean King Main Library downtown.
He also made substantial contributions as a clean energy leader for the state, including his time as president of Southern California Edison.
“Bob Foster served Long Beach with steady leadership and a deep love for our community,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “He guided our city through challenging times with honesty, courage and responsibility. Long Beach is stronger because of his service.”
In 2019, the Long Beach City Council named the new Civic Chambers after him.
As mayor, Foster had a tough way of dealing with difficult political and business issues — and some called him “The Bear.” Others, however, called him “Teddy Bear” because of his kindness in helping and caring for people. Nancy, his wife of 57 years, said he had “a heart of gold.”
After he left office, Foster apologized if he unintentionally offended anyone.
“But, you know what, my job was to make this place better,” he said. “In the end, we will be judged by whether we made the road smoother, a little wider or more navigable for those who follow us.”
Skip Keesal
Skip Keesal, 86, was a legendary Long Beach lawyer, community leader and philanthropist who touched the lives of thousands of people.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a former Long Beach mayor, said Keesal supported countless charities and projects throughout the community, “and the impact of his work will never be forgotten.”
At an event a few years ago, then-Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe introduced Keesal as “the most powerful person in Long Beach, powerful, meaning, caring.”
Keesal and his wife, Beth, were honored with keys to the city by Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson in 2024. Long Beach City College’s Lifetime Learning Center named Keesal Senior of the Year in 2022.
Keesal founded the Keesal, Young and Logan law firm in 1970 after serving in the U.S. Army, and graduating from Cal State Long Beach and USC with degrees in business and law. Keesal earned countless accolades for his legal work, including the rare distinction of being named Best Lawyer in America in six different categories.
Keesal regularly hosted nonprofit fundraising events in his famous 14th floor office with the million-dollar view of the ocean, and held the biggest annual party there before the Grand Prix of Long Beach each year. He never bragged or boasted, always giving credit to his staff and community members for their work.
Mayor Bob Foster waves the starting flag for bikers who were given the chance to ride the Grand Prix course Tuesday.
///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: lbr.LBGP-mediaday.0402 – 4/1/14 – BILL ALKOFER, – LONG BEACH REGISTER –
Media day for the Long Beach Grand Prix. Included celebrity drivers and racers. Also featured was opening of the track to public bikers and walkers.
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster gets ready to test drive an all electric Mercedes Benz car. Press conference and tour of the new Mercedes-Benz facility in Long Beach. The million sq. ft. building is a former Boeing shop along Lakewood Blvd. (June 4, 2014 Photo by Brad Graverson/The Press Telegram)
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and his wife Nancy Foster, during the 8th Annual Cambodian New Year Parade, along Anaheim Street. Long Beach Calif., Sunday, April 6, 2014.
(Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)
After the speaker system failed, Former Mayor Bob Foster speaks in front of the Bob Foster Civic Chambers at the grand opening of the new Long Beach Civic Center on Monday, July 29, 2019. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
Rancho Los Alamitos Cottonwood, photo from left:
Skip Keesal, Gloria Cordero, and Representative Robert Garcia (Photo by Shirley Wild, The Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Mayor Rex Richardson, right, presents a Key to the City to Skip Keesal, left, and Beth Keesal during the Long Beach City Council meeting on July 16, 2024. Keesal died last week. (File photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Samuel “Skip” Keesal, founder of law firm Keesal, Young & Logan and philanthropist, has died. (Photo courtesy of KYL).
Brian Gimmillaro, coach of the 1998 women’s volleyball championship team, and CSULB President Bob Maxson celebrate the team’s victory. (Courtesy of Rich Archbold)
Legendary Cal State Long Beach President Bob Maxson, left, with his wife, Sylvia, at Cal State Long Beach in an undated photo. Maxson died last week. He was 89. (Courtesy of Cal State Long Beach)
Legendary Cal State Long Beach President Bob Maxson, center, talks to students on campus in an undated photo. Maxson died last week. He was 89. (Courtesy of Cal State Long Beach)
Gov. Jerry Brown, center, at a Chicano Political Caucus reception in his honor at the home of Ron and Phyllis Arias in 1980, when he was a candidate for U.S. president. Ron Arias is to the left of Brown and the farthest back in a light suit and wearing glasses. Phyllis Arias is in a light suit in the front. Carmen Perez is on the far right. (Photo by John Taboada, courtesy of the Long Beach Historical Society)
Longtime Long Beach Latina activist and leader Carmen Perez.
Original Centro de la Raza members display photos featured in the upcoming Historical Society exhibit, “Centro de la Raza: John A. Taboada Legacy Photo Collection,1970-1985,” on Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024, at the Historical Society of Long Beach. From left, Ron Arias, Carmen Perez, and Armando Vasquez-Ramos. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
L-R Raymond Curry and Bob Shannon former longtime Long Beach city attorney, gather food from the trunk for Meals on Wheels deliveries in Long Beach on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. Curry was once a Meals on Wheels client but now delivers meals and just became a board member of the organization. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)
L-R Ernest James former city employee and Bob Shannon, a former Long Beach city attorney, have become good friends thanks to Meals on Wheels. The two share laughs and even agreed to put on holiday hats at Jame’s apartment in Long Beach on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Bob Shannon. (Courtesy of Shannon family)
Rick Bryson, right, and his son, Trent, take part in pregame activities on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, at Blair Field in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Rick Bryson. (Courtesy of Bryson family)
Long Beach State Hall of Famer Rick Bryson is introduced during a pregame ceremony on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, at Blair Field in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Sylvia Manheim holding up a shirt that reads, “Nevertheless, she persisted. (Courtesy of the Manheim family)
Sylvia Manheim blows out the candles celebrating her 100th birthday. (Photo by Rich Archbold, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach icon Sylvia Manheim at a recent abortion-rights rally in Long Beach. (Photo courtesy of the Manheim family)
This undated headshot shows former Long Beach fire Chief Harold Omel Jr., who died on Feb. 1. He was 82. (Courtesy of the Omel family)
Chantara Nop, who built a new life in Long Beach as a community leader after escaping the brutal Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s, has died. He was 70.(Courtesy of Nop family)
Left to right: Honorees Anthony Gagliardi, Michele Dobson, Steve Keesal, Dr. Sharifa Batts, Katherine Keesal, Braden Phillips, Dr. Bryna Kane, Arline Walter, Lynne Pillsbury, and Kevin Tiber during a reception for the men and women honored by the Ronald McDonald House at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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From left, Dr. James Wells, Shirley Wild, Anthony Gagliardi, Mari Hooper and Karen Wells at a special Steel Magnolias event at the Pinball Land/Pinnacle Entertainment Center in Santa Ana on Sunday, Oct. 13. (Courtesy photo)
Waterman Tom Shadden at his 90th birthday celebration. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
Long Beach yachtsman Tom Shadden, shown here in an undated photo, died on May 31. He was 90. (Courtesy of the Long Beach Yacht Club)
The Queen Mary is now partially reopened for one-hour guided tours on the ship’s Promenade Deck, in Long Beach on Thursday, December 15, 2022. The media was given a tour and historic information from The Queen Mary Commodore, Everette Hoard. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Commodore Everette Hoard talks about the history of the Queen Mary in Long Beach on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
Len Kennett and his wife Marie stand at the end of a footbridge as Lakewood Country Club honored Kennett a local golfing legend in Lakewood, CA. Thursday May 11, 2015. The club dedicated the footbridge on the 3rd hole in his honor, the “LEN KENNETT Walk Bridge”. (Thomas R. Cordova-Daily Breeze/Press-Telegram)
Matthew Schafer, 12, poses for a picture with Len Kennett during the 60th annual Len Kennett Junior Championships at Lakewood Golf & Country Club on Tuesday morning.
Lakewood June 30, 2015. (Photo by Brittany Murray / Daily Breeze)
Captain Dave Hood, from Long Beach, waves after winning his first match during the first day of racing at the Congressional Cup on Wednesday, April 30. (Photo by Scott Smeltzer, Contributing Photographer)
American Dave Hood finished in fourth place in the 60th Congressional Cup on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Author and journalist Dennis McDougal got his start at the Press-Enterprise in the 1970s, the beginning of a half-century career. McDougal, 77, died March 22 after a car accident. (Courtesy McDougal family)
Leadership Long Beach celebrates is 30th year of service with a gathering at Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach, Calif. Aug. 23, 2018. Founding members from 1990 seated from left: Stephen Brunton, Dean Keller, Gayle Clock, Rich Kerlin, Judy Ross and Henry Walker. Current members standing from left: Anne Lattime, Tony Parra, Stephanie Rivera, Aida Honey, Kevin Shin, Troy Bennett, Fern Nueno, Kellie Morris, Lamar Howard and Brian McPhail. (Photo by Leo Jarzomb)
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Mayor Bob Foster waves the starting flag for bikers who were given the chance to ride the Grand Prix course Tuesday.
///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: lbr.LBGP-mediaday.0402 – 4/1/14 – BILL ALKOFER, – LONG BEACH REGISTER –
Media day for the Long Beach Grand Prix. Included celebrity drivers and racers. Also featured was opening of the track to public bikers and walkers.
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Bob Maxson
“Go Beach!” was Bob Maxson’s signature greeting during his time as Cal State Long Beach president from 1994 to 2006, during which he brought CSULB into national prominence. He became the fifth president after Curtis McCray retired in 1994.
Cal State Long Beach will forever be with him as he was buried, at his request, in his favorite black CSULB sweater, with the words “Go Beach!” stitched on it.
When he left Long Beach, he wrote in a statement, “I take The Beach with me wherever I go, in state or out. When I travel, I proudly wear a cap or a shirt that lets people know where I’m from – The Beach. I love this place.”
Jane Conoley, who has just retired after her 11 years as CSULB president, said Maxson was “super-positive about students and the campus and started the trajectory that took the university from a regional university to a national one. He got people to be really proud of the school, and he worked to attract the best of the best students to attend here.”
After leaving Long Beach, he and his wife, Sylvia, moved to the small town of Anacortes in the San Juan Islands in Washington. They were married for 60 years before she died in 2023.
Maxson died at his home in Anacortes. “Go Beach!”
Carmen O. Perez
Carmen O. Perez, 85, was a Long Beach legend who rose from humble beginnings to become an influential civil rights leader and a member of the original Chicano Six.
Perez was a hero to many, breaking barriers in politics and paving the way for Latinos to organize in Long Beach and across the country.
Ron Arias, an original member of the Chicano Six and former Long Beach health director, called Perez “a champion and a warrior.”
“She loved life and lived life to the fullest,” he said. “Her aim was always to improve Long Beach in all of her different capacities.”
Perez was the first Latina on the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. She opened doors for many women in her decades serving on myriad nonprofit boards, including Parents Against Cancer, the American Diabetes Association and the Public Corporation for the Arts, now the Arts Council for Long Beach.
She also joined a group of civil rights activists who led the way for Latino rights in Long Beach five decades ago and became known as the Long Beach Chicano Six.
Years ago, she said, activists made one key decision — that they had to sit at the same table with other decision makers in the city.
“Nothing is easy,” she said. “If you want change, you have to make it happen. No one will do it for you.”
Bob Shannon
Bob Shannon, 83, was a former Long Beach city attorney who represented the city on key issues, including changes to the City Charter and at the Port of Long Beach, in undaunted fashion.
Jim Hankla, former city manager, said Shannon was “utterly fearless” when representing the city, including on such issues as supporting the Queen Mary and fighting what he saw as any misuse of funds for that city icon.
Shannon was a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a difficult-to-join organization coveted by trial attorneys. After serving as a criminal prosecutor and supervising civil litigator in the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, he joined the Long Beach city attorney’s office in 1974. In 1998, he became the elected city attorney of Long Beach, and was reelected in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
In retirement, he continued to serve the city as a water commissioner and member of the Public Utilities Commission. He also became a volunteer for the nonprofit Meals on Wheels, which delivers hot meals to homebound seniors.
Rick Bryson
Rick Bryson, 81, was a Long Beach sports and financial figure recognized for his community philanthropy and for helping kids in need.
He was president and founder of the Bryson Financial Group, one of the largest insurance brokerage firms in the United States. The company’s name sits above the scoreboard at Blair Field, home of the Long Beach State baseball team, the Dirtbags, where Bryson starred.
He was inducted into Long Beach State’s Athletic Hall of Fame in baseball and football. His athletic performance at CSULB led him to All-American recognition in football.
He was also active in community affairs, serving as past president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach and the Pacific Hospital Foundation, as well as serving on other nonprofit boards.
While he was building his financial business and supporting those in need in the community, he was also struggling with cancer in his personal life for more than 50 years. He had more than 10 melanoma surgeries, as well as prostate and bladder cancer.
Despite all that, he remained optimistic. During his last attack – his 11th — he said that, despite his cancer, he was able to achieve many positive things in helping people.
“I’ve had lots of ups and downs in my life,” Bryson said, “but I have won so much in my 81 years.”
Sylvia Manheim
Sylvia Manheim, 100, fought her entire remarkable life to make the world a better place. When she reached the magical milestone of 100 years on Earth — she wanted to keep going.
But fate had other plans and she died two days after her 100th birthday in her summer home in Skamania, Washington, overlooking the beautiful Columbia River. She lived in Belmont Park on Long Beach’s east side for more than 40 years, but she spent her summers in Washington.
Manheim fought all of her life for social justice and to make the world a better one to live in. She liked nothing better than marching and protesting for civil rights, equal rights, equal pay and dozens of other rights. With her husband, Jerry, she led a nomadic existence, moving around the United States to help people.
They finally settled in Long Beach, where he became dean of letters and science at Cal State Long Beach, and she set up a breast self-exam program at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, training more than 25,000 women to examine their bodies during her 20 years there.
After retiring, she decided with friends to start a school where seniors could keep learning. That eventually led to what is now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on the Cal State Long Beach campus.
Camryn Manheim, an Emmy Award-winning actress, called her mother “a force of nature, tireless, passionate and unafraid to stand up for what she believed in.”
Harold Omel Jr.
When he was a little boy, Harold Omel Jr., 82, loved to play “fireman” with grown-up firefighters in Long Beach.
It was easy for him to do because one of those real firefighters was his father, Harold Omel Sr. Omel Jr.followed his dream and became a firefighter — and did something that no one has ever done before or since in the history of the LBFD: He became president of Long Beach Firefighters Union Local 372 and followed that by being appointed by former City Manager James Hankla to the top job as fire chief, the only person to ever have both of those jobs.
In 1985, the city dedicated Fire Station No.1 in Omel Jr.’s honor.
Omel Jr. also spent decades performing community service, including serving on the executive board of the Long Beach chapter of the American Red Cross and working on behalf of Camp Fire Youth programs.
Chantara Nop
Chantara Nop, 70, built a new life in Long Beach as a community leader after escaping the brutal Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia in the 1970s. He was the only male of his family to survive the Khmer Rouge regime.
After resettling in Long Beach, he was a social counselor for the United Cambodian Community, a community health specialist at St. Mary Medical Center and a data manager for the juvenile crime prevention program for the YMCA. He also worked for the city in various roles, including as an emergency translator for the Police Department.
He also was an actor and poet. One of his poems – ”April 17, 2009” — was written to mark the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge’s capture of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and the start of the Killing Fields genocide, which left almost 2 million dead in fewer than four years.
It was vital, Nop said, that young people understand what their forebears endured.
“I saw it, I felt it, I smelled it,” he said. “It’s important to let people know and never forget it.”
Anthony Gagliardi
Anthony Gagliardi, 79, was known as Long Beach’s “Mr. Generosity” for his extraordinary support of charitable organizations with his creative fundraising efforts, wig-making skills and big heart.
Gagliardi helped found Steel Magnolias, the volunteer organization that supports children with developmental issues, with Shirley Wild, longtime social columnist for the Press-Telegram. Gagliardi is credited with naming the nonprofit, which has raised more than $6 million to help children since it was started in 1999.
Gagliardi also was a strong supporter of Musical Theatre West and International City Theatre through his fundraising efforts. He opened his Park Estates home for fundraising events for many organizations and used his skills for decorating and wig design.
Paul Garman, executive director and producer of Musical Theatre West, said he was always amazed at Gagliardi’s extraordinary skills and willingness to do whatever it took to make an event a success.
Tom Shadden
Tom Shadden, 90, was a well-known Long Beach yachtsman who cofounded the Aquatic Capital of America Foundation and also helped establish the United Sailing Center in the city.
Shadden was a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley, but his passion was helping his community–particularly when it came to the water.
He spent years working to fulfill his vision for Long Beach as the Aquatic Capital of America, a well-deserved title considering the city has produced more aquatic Olympians, world record holders and national champions than any other in the country.
Shadden, along with Chuck Korber, also founded the United States Sailing Center in Long Beach which is a training site to help sailors fulfill their Olympic dreams.
He served on philanthropic boards, including a long affiliation with MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center. He was chair of the Congressional Cup, the granddaddy of sailing match racing. He was the Long Beach Yacht Club commodore in 1980 and received the LBYC’s prestigious Richard Loynes Trophy–essentially a yachtsman of the year award–twice.
Everette R. Hoard
Everette R. Hoard, 64, was commodore of the Queen Mary, serving as the British ocean liner’s jovial and authoritative ambassador to the public for four decades.
Hoard was known for his passion, seafaring knowledge and pure joy for the historic ship. He went above and beyond to make guests feel welcome aboard the ship.
Hoard was hired in 1982 at the Queen Mary Toy and Hobby Shop on board, where he honed his knowledge of the ship. Walking the length of the Promenade Deck with Hoard could grow to a half-day event as people were drawn to his smile and iconic uniform.
Hoard also conceived and spearheaded the creation of “The Cunard Room” on the Queen Mary, illustrating both the history and modern story of Cunard Lines and the historic role that the ship played during Cunard’s legacy.
Len Kennett
No matter how hot it was in the summer heat, Len Kenett, 98, would always wear a coat and tie to introduce young golfers at his renowned Junior Golf Championship Tournament. He felt youngsters deserved that kind of respect.
Kennett did his trademark introduction for almost 70 years, welcoming thousands of young golfers at his tournament, including future stars like Tiger Woods, Paul Goydos, John Merrick, Brianna Do, Lilia Vu, Anthony Kim, James Oh and Kevin Na.
The 68th annual Len Kennett Junior Golf Championship took place at the Lakewood Country Club, where Kennett was the golf pro for 22 years. To honor Kennett, a tradition began this year during which every junior golfer got going at the first tee by a starter wearing a coat and tie.
Jamie Mulligan, CEO at the Virginia Country Club, called Kennet “a real icon in the golfing community. The kids loved him. Everyone loved him. He was a very classy guy.”
Kennett’s many professional achievements include induction into the Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame and the Southern California Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Dave Hood
Dave Hood, 67, was a former Long Beach Yacht Club commodore, a retired inventor and businessman who was also a 2025 Congressional Cup semifinalist.
During the LBYC’s Meet the Skippers dinner, on the eve of this year’s Congressional Cup in May, Hood announced that he had Stage 4 kidney cancer. He died on July 3.
After college, Hood spent the first 20 years of his career in the aerospace industry as an engineer and manager working on military programs.
He also launched and grew a profitable medical device start-up firm. He held three medical patents for lifesaving devices for soldiers.
He started a consulting company that coached companies on how to pursue specialized funding.
Then he found a new passion in sailing. He learned how to sail on race boats and went on to be an eight-time club champion at the Long Beach Yacht Club, a two-time LBYC Yachtsman of the Year and a five-time class/national champion in the Catalina 37s. He also served as LBYC’s commodore in 2016.
Dennis McDougal
Dennis McDougal, 77, a former staff writer for the Press-Telegram and Press-Enterprise – and a best-selling true crime author. He was killed in a car crash while traveling with his wife on the westbound 10 Freeway in Desert Center.
He was a well-known journalist and author who devoted much of his career to covering Hollywood, crime and the media. He penned 14 books, ranging from deep dives into infamous true crime cases to stories chronicling the scandalous lives of media history moguls.
McDougal once wrote that his four years working at the Press-Telegram “was the best journalism education I ever got.”
In 1983, he became a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times before becoming a full-time author.
His most recent book, a biography about Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn called “Citizen Wynn: A Sin City Saga of Power, Lust and Blind Ambition,” was published last year.
Gayle Clock
For more than 50 years, Gayle Clock, 88, was a champion of volunteerism and principled leadership to get things done to improve lives in Long Beach. She died at the end of 2024.
A member of the first Leadership Long Beach class in 1989, she helped create the alumni network and shape Leadership Long Beach into a prolific leadership organization.
In many ways, Clock was following in the footsteps of her late mother, Clara Andrews, who had been dubbed Long Beach’s “Queen of Volunteerism.”
Both Gayle Clock and her mother were recipients of the Junior League’s coveted Helen Newcomb Leadership Award in different years.