The Rojo Family Trip
to the Gene Autry Friends Fan Club Convention
in Los Angeles, August 2007
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Aug.-7 Open Day:
This was the day Maxine had planned to take the gang to Hollywood to tour the downtown area seeing Gene's stars, The Mann Theater and then to the Museum's Wells Fargo Theater for a Melody Ranch type radio show with dinner at the museum. We passed on all this with us seeing it all before.
We started our day with breakfast at the Sportsman's getting Gene's and Monty's booth this time but forgot to have our picture taken with just taking pictures of there display there. Boots, spurs, hats of Gene's on one side above us and the same of Monte's on the other side with posters all around.
We went back to the museum since we didn't get much shopping time in and to spend more time reviewing the Autry displays in more detail and to see if there were any new changes to the regular displays that we didn't see before. We found that the gift of the museum subscription worked getting us in for free and having 20 % off on the items we purchased.
We then went to Forest Lawn to see if we could locate Gene's and Ina's grave site with information of the location I got off the net. The gal at the entrance gave us a map and couldn't tell us the location since that was their rule and my net information didn't help since the numbers didn't match the map. After trying to locate the site to no avail I returned to the entrance gal using my charm and getting her to look on her computer for the location. It worked! The site location had a view of the entrance on a slopping hill and the markers had flowers laying around the edges that it seemed someone just put down. We took a few pictures gave our respects and left.
Took a drive over to Burbank a few miles away to see if Packy Smith was home and luck having it he was not. Left a cell phone message stating we were there.
Back to the motel for a rest before dinner and movie with a note to say that the night before I woke up screaming around 3 AM. Waking all with a major cramp in my bad leg that must have been due to all the standing and walking the day at the museum. Had a glass of wine and a short nap then checked to see what was going on poolside other then the gals sun bathing.
I saw Jimmy Glover, his wife Faye and Doug Altizer helping a couple out of a car and sitting at a poolside table so decided to visit them. Much to my surprise I found out it was Fred Martin (last survivor of the Cass County Boys) his wife Margie and daughter Lenora who was now their caregiver with Fred now being 91. She moved back from Utah where she is a teacher and now a part-time teacher in North ridge while taking care of her parents and living with them there. She never married and is there only child. What a time we had with me getting some old photo books from our room I had with me to share. Got Fred to sign my book as Neila also did with hers and took pictures of all there. The gals had a wonderful time as did Fred looking over my old photo books and trying to figure who and when were in the pictures. Jimmy got Fred to tell a few stories with one about a song that Fred said he never did with Jimmy proving him wrong and much to our surprise Fred started singing it and at 91 he carry it very well. Their visit lasted around 45 minutes with Fred getting tired and we helped them to their car and thanked them for the visit. What a wonderful perk added to our trip.
We then hit the Sportsman again for dinner but not getting Gene's booth. What happened next was different with me asking the gal waiter how long she's been working there and with her saying 16 years I just had to ask her if she did lots of waiting on Gene and Monte and she gave us an ear full on how Monte was the good guy keeping the others from hitting on her and how the guys were bad tippers with staying 3 to 4 hours at their table cutting down on her tips. I gave her an extra big tip telling her thats to help make up for them that got a smile on her face. After dinner we went to a movie Jerry wanted to see with Neila staying at the room for some time alone and being tired.