Bob joined Escondido Rotary in 1984, “on a wing and a prayer”. Tom Tomlinson talked Bob into piloting his plane on Rotary fly-ins. From there it was a quick flight into Rotary membership. Arlene joined Escondido Rotary in 1994, at the invitation of “Mr. Happy and Enthusiastic”, Doyle Dannenberg. Early on, she became, and still is, the club’s invocation chairperson.

Please join with us in celebrating these wonderful “unsung heroes” from Escondido. Just a small portion of their heartwarming story follows.

Arlene was born in Escondido. Her German immigrant grandfather moved his family here in 1911 when Arlene’s father, Oscar Knappe, was two years old. The family owned a tailor shop and dry cleaners at Grand Avenue and Ivy. Arlene’s mother’s ancestry dates back to the Mayflower.

Bob traces his ancestry back to the Cherokees. He was born in 1933 in Arkansas City, Kansas. Because his mother passed away only two weeks after his birth, Bob and his four siblings were divided between family and friends. Bob was adopted by his grandmother, but when Bob was just nine he was sent to a boys’ farm in Missouri because of hard times. Bob’s grandmother finally was able to sell her farm and reclaim Bob when he was thirteen. In 1948, the two joined her sister in Escondido.

Bob and Arlene Shuster became acquainted during a high school speech class in 1951. For all of those years, although their lives took different paths, they were always connected in some way.

Arlene was on the fast path to graduating from high school in 3 years and holding down her after school job at Gailey’s Photo Supply. Bob worked before school delivering the LA Times and after school as a printer’s devil at the Times Advocate. And he was “going steady” with Marjorie Fish.

Bob was drafted into the United States Army a year after he graduated from high school. He married Marjorie before shipping out to Korea. Marjorie lived with her parents, and bore their first son, Bill. While Bob was gone, Marjorie became the full-time organist at Grace Lutheran Church. Bob says he went over seas in 1953 a Congregationalist and came home a Lutheran.

Arlene’s grandparents were founders of Grace Lutheran Church, where she and her family still attend. The back row of church was reserved for families with small children, and that row is where Arlene and Bob reconnected and became friends, as did their children.

After the service, Bob worked for his father-in-law, eventually buying the business and changing the name to Shuster Oil. He was the sole driver, delivering fuel all over North County. Marjorie took phone orders at home. They added Richard and Cheryl to their family.

Meanwhile, Arlene graduated from Palomar College, distinguishing herself as President of the Associated Women’s Students, and nationally in speech and debate. She married, and once her family was complete with three children, Alan, Ayse, and Jon, she taught middle school in Poway for several years. She “retired” after selling her first magazine article. More than 300 magazine articles and eight published books followed.

Arlene founded Scribbler’s, a local writers group, taught “writing for the marketplace” as part of UCSD’s extension and through Poway’s Adult Education programs. Her dabbling in genealogy brought her to membership in the DAR. Arlene shared her interest in the stock market by forming ten ladies NAIC investment clubs in the 1960’s. Arlene admits to answering to “stock market junkie’.

In 1969, Bob’s business had grown to the point of keeping office hours. Arlene joined Shuster Oil as its office manager, retiring 35 years later. She continues to manage their rental properties.

In 1993, following the 40th radio broadcast on her latest book, she decided that an autograph party at Barnes and Noble was more fun than being stuck behind a computer. She lived alone for several years. She sought more social interaction by joining Mary Kay. She recently “retired” from her Mary Kay directorship. She cherishes the lasting friendships she’s made with clients and sister Christian directors.

Bob’s wife, Marjorie, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1986 at the early age of 50. She passed away in 2003.

Bob thrives on church and community involvement. He has been a Grace Lutheran School Board member, Escondido Chamber of Commerce director, president of California Independent Oil Marketers, chairman of the Pacific Oil Conference, and on the board of the San Diego Farm Bureau and North County Bank. He also served on First Night Escondido and PPH Foundation boards. Bob is a pilot member and strong supporter of Angel Flight. Since 1989, Bob has served as chairman of the County of San Diego Environmental Health Advisory Board.

Bob and Arlene were married in 2005. While on their Mexican Riviera honeymoon, Bob suggested they take their families on a cruise instead of hosting a wedding reception. It became a reality in July 2005, when 25 family members – all six of their children and spouses, plus all eleven grandchildren, sailed for Alaska. The party hasn’t ended yet!

Bob’s personal passions are flying his Cessna T-210, an annual elk/deer hunting trip to Colorado, fishing and traveling, often to their Utah condo. Arlene relishes the fishing and traveling part and their card games with friends. She also enjoys helping Bob with his famous barbecues.

Bob and Arlene have joined in a commitment of sharing their faith in Jesus Christ, loving their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to success, and caring for others. These, as well as each other, are the things that make them happiest.

Please join with the Escondido Rotary Club in celebrating this wonderful Escondido couple and their family on March 8, 2009.

COEUR DE CUISINE ™ 2008

Vintage 2008

Will Celebrate and Honor the Wohlford Family – an Escondido Family with a Heart for the Community

I wonder if you always thought Lake Wohlford was named after the owners of the property on which it was located?  Guess what!  I learned that is not the case.  Lake Wohlford was named after the engineer who laid the plans in the late 1800’s and created an intricate system of flues designed to provide water for agriculture from Lake Henshaw clear to Lake Hodges .  That engineer was a fellow named Alvin W. Wohlford and he was the grandfather of Escondido Rotary’s own Burnet (Tig) Wohlford. 

It is a remarkable family.  In addition to engineering Lake Wohlford , Alvin was a founder of the Bank of Escondido that stood in what is now known as the Crone building.  His wife, Sally, was one of the founders of the Escondido Women’s Club.  In the 1920’s Alvin and his son, Burnet F. Coleman (“Wully”) Wohlford started planting citrus groves. 

“Wully”  founded Escondido Mutual Water Company, to provide irrigation for the growing agricultural community of North County .  In the 1930’s the lemon packing house was established.  In the 1950’s avocado groves were added to the Citrus groves. 

Throughout the decades the Wohlford family has continued to be active in the North County Community.  In addition to carrying on the family’s consistent championing of agriculture in North San Diego County, Tig and Elizabeth have contributed their time and resources to the Boys and Girls Club, Wild Animal Park, and United Cerebral Palsy- and, Rotary. 

The family’s latest venture, Eureka Springs, is a residential community which strives to honor and merge the rural traditions of North County with the needs of our current and future residents.   

Eighty years ago, in 1928, Wully Wohlford was president of this Escondido Rotary Club.  It seems only fitting that this family is honored at Coeur de Cuisine 2008.  

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COEUR DE CUISINE ™ 2006

Edna Sahm

COEUR DE CUISINE ™ 2005

The Baker Family

For four generations, The Baker Family has been a consistent and supportive contributor, in both hands-on and financial ways, to the Escondido community. Mark Baker, a member of the Escondido Rotary Club since 1980, and his family serve well the Rotary theme of “Service Above Self.”

It is our privilege to honor The Baker Family, beginning with the “first generation”, LeRoy and Constance Baker, who came to Escondido in 1937and opened a modest electric shop at 121 West Grand Avenue. Their son, Neville and his wife, Helen, and their one son, Kent, moved here in 1941 from Shreveport, Louisiana, where Neville had been working in the construction of oil wells for a variety of companies. Neville took charge of the business. Two more sons, Jerry and Mark, came along in, respectively 1944 and 1946. The third generation of Bakers all attended Orange Glen Elementary School, then a K-8 school.

Subsequently all graduated from Escondido High School. All are active in the family business.

COEUR DE CUISINE ™ 2004

Bill Brecht

1939-2003

Friends and associates described Brecht as the most important advocate for BMW in the county, a passionate enthusiast at his Brecht BMW dealership during weekdays and also on weekends ----- racing BMWs.

"He was Mr. BMW in the San Diego market," said Jim Ryan, who retired last year as senior vice president for BMW of North America. "Bill was instrumental in starting BMW of San Diego in the early 1970s."

Brecht came to North County in 1985 and opened Brecht BMW in Escondido. Over the years, the dealership became the largest BMW retailer in the county. Last year he opened Brecht MINI in Escondido as the county's exclusive MINI Cooper retailer.

Brecht's service to BMW extended beyond selling, said Scott Swenson, Southwest regional sales manager for BMW of North America. Brecht was a member of an advisory group that helped BMW deal with technical and other product issues.

In the community, Brecht was active in numerous groups, including the Escondido Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park. He was a founding member of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Brecht also served on the boards of the Escondido Automobile Dealers Association, the Escondido Rotary Club, First Night Escondido, the Redwood Foundation and the Escondido Corps of The Salvation Army.

Last year, the Escondido chamber honored Brecht's dealership as its "Business of the Year."

On a personal level, Brecht radiated optimism and a love for people, starting first with his family. This served him well both in friendships and in business.

"He had the ability to make each and every person around him feel special,"  "He could sit down with a person and home in on the conversation until that person felt he was the most important person in the room."

While that kind of a personality is helpful in selling and in motivating employees, Swenson said Brecht wasn't putting on an act.

"He was a true people person and it was totally sincere," Swenson said. "I know of his service in the community ... and his family was certainly his number one priority."

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