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Helen Lucille Spurgeon Bixler passed away on January 31, 2010 in Malibu California having lived the good life throughout her 88 years. She was a realist who could bring out the best in every circumstance. Wise and dignified Helen kept it simple reflecting the common sense, integrity and excellence of her Great Generation.
On December 26, 1921 in Wayland Missouri Helen was brought to the world, born into a farming family that epitomized traditional Midwest Americana. Strong positive values and strength of character were instilled by her parents Elma and Howard Spurgeon and carried on by her loving step-father Joseph Moehn after her father's untimely death when she was just a child of 7 years. Already at this tender age Helen experienced life's school of hard knocks with the loss of her father and later living through the Great Depression. These experiences etched an imprint of tenacity as an integral part of her character. During challenging times Helen would declare, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
And get going the family did after the Depression as Helen, her mother, step-father and sister Eunice moved out West from the Heartland to Fresno, the heart of California. Here she graduated from Fresno High School in 1939 and there she met her life partner LeBert Bixler, a creative character with true character. These high school sweethearts married on February 15, 1942 and they celebrated Fifty-Five years of marriage prior to LeBert preceding Helen in passing. After fulfilling wartime service Helen and LeBert started a family. They had two sons- Bill Bixler and Jim Bixler- founding partners of Fresno's finest, the Wild Blue Yonder Band and former Tower District Nightclub the infamous Wild Blue. Through the Wild Blue Club Helen expanded her extended family.
In addition to her role as a devoted wife and mother Helen was also a role model as an independent woman of her time. She graduated from Fresno City College with an AA Degree in Business and went on to enjoy a successful career as an Administrative Assistant with Fresno Unified School District at Powers Elementary School and Cooper Middle School. During the course of her Sterling 25-Year Career, Helen could always be counted on - in good humor - to get the job well done. At the time of her retirement in 1980, Helen was honored by the staff and faculty at Cooper for the merit of her service. As loyalty and dedication were primary attributes of Helen's character, she continued in her retirement years to provide mentoring and administrative assistance to the School District.
Although she was a consummate professional Helen was not all work and no play. She was a patron of the arts and hip to the avant-garde. Helen appreciated the best life has to offer- good food (especially chocolate), good fun, good music, and good company! A list of Helen's favorites would include: shopping in her Fig Garden neighborhood; family boating excursions; adventures with LeBert traveling both in the States and Abroad along with getaways to their cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains; outings to the ball field to cheer on the SF Giants; a front row seat at the Warnors Theatre to be serenaded by the Isley Brothers Band; luncheon with fellow members of her Park West Club; and the companionship of collie dogs like Xmas puppy Domino who showed back Christmas Eve after a few days on the town and mini-collie Jessica, faithful sidekick of Helen's later years.
Best of all Helen enjoyed a night out in the Tower at the Wild Blue with LeBert by her side groovin' with a mother's pride as her sons performed with the Wild Blue Yonder Band. Helen and LeBert also celebrated one of life's major milestones at the Wild Blue-their 50th Wedding Anniversary, accentuated with a swingin' Big Band of local musicians.
As an avid journal writer Helen recorded the milestones of her life and her family was always #1 in her book. Undoubtedly highlights of her memoir would have included a collection of treasured anecdotes and reflections of memorable experiences with her daughter-in-law Leslie Letvin Bixler; grandsons Hud, Solon and Robben; granddaughters Shannon and Chenoah; granddaughter-in-law Kathy; and her seven great grandchildren! Helen's life story was enriched beyond measure by this strong cast.
Lastly but not least, the leading men of Helen's twilight years-sons Bill and Jim- assured that she was well loved and well cared for, in Santa Cruz with Jim for some time and in Malibu with Bill at the time of her passing. To evoke another of Helen's favorites from a 60's classic, "Those were the days my friend, I thought they would never end."
The Bixler Family will host a tribute to Helen, in honor of her memory and as a celebration of her life on Saturday, February 27th @ 2:00 pm at San Joaquin Suites (the Garden Conservatory) 1309 West Shaw Avenue in Fresno. Helen's legacy will play-on as remembrances are sent to the Cooper Middle School Music Department Fund.
Also on Sunday, February 28th @ time at Tokyo Garden 1711 Fulton Street in Fresno, the Wild Blue Yonder Band will reunite and perform one of Helen's all time favorite songs "A Satisfied Place" written by Jim Bixler and arranged by Bill Bixler
"We will meet again at the sweeter end in a satisfied place."
The Wild Blue Yonder - A dubious historical accounting. PART I In the 1970s, a pack of Camels cost 35¢, the neo-fascist national corporate terror state was well underway, Bush was flunking out of Yale, Miles Davis had gone electric, the network pundits had begun the long arduous spin cycle and begrudged apology for Vietnam, interest rates were double-digit due to the cost of war, and peace never had or was given a chance. In the Big Ugly (Fresno, California) -- the city that never wakes, home of blatant political corruption, toxic agri-business and diesel fuel sunsets -- life was stagnant, severe, and under the shade of a cowboy hat. PART II In 1972, back in the mythological mists of the 20th century, a band of marginalized progressive musicians calling themselves the "Wild Blue Yonder" were working low paying gigs in Fresno and on the central coast. Resolute in their unanimous refusal to don the straitjacket of commercial acquiescence, the Wild Blue offered a unique conceptual summation of kick-ass rock & roll to a small but growing audience. The band included a stellar lineup of accomplished musicians: Phil Wimer - lead guitar and vocals; Tad Wadhams - fretless bass and vocals; Dave Stewart - drums; the late Judy Bixler - vocals and keyboards; Jim Bixler - rhythm guitar and vocals; Bill Bixler - flute, saxophones, keyboards and vocals. As stated earlier in this rambling historical narrative, jobs were low-paying and frequently out of town. The summer of love had been "Manson-ized", Disco was a 24/7 nightmare.... the band's future survival was in doubt. During this bleak period of collective rumination, a quiet shift in consciousness occurred. Utilizing an old maxim by the industrialist Howard Hughes -- to be successful in business, you should "own what you use" -- the band arrived at the audacious notion of forming a partnership and creating a performance space dedicated to original music and thought. Hence, the founding in 1974 of the Wild Blue Yonder nightclub. Construction of the club was the essence of a collaborative effort. Many "hats" were worn by all and sundry: plumber, electrician, carpenter, hod carrier, janitor, etc. The organizing principal behind this ceaseless activity was Lauren Lamkin, an equal partner and the first manager of the club Wild Blue. She was a woman who took on city hall over parking restrictions placed on the club and won, a stalwart individual, tough as a boiled owl, Lauren's pragmatic and sometimes ferocious approach to the appearance of insoluble problems gave added credence to her title as manager. After repeated nonsensical bureaucratic delays, the club's opening was a rousing success. It was packed nightly to capacity by thirsty crowds of well wishers. After achieving the goal of establishing a permanent venue for performance, the focus turned inward to the band itself. A seventh member was added - percussionist, Jeff Bowman. Tardy, but much appreciated, Jeff's musicianship, humor, wit and horrid taste in Hawaiian shirts made him a valued member of the group's eccentric dynamic. PART III For two decades, the Wild Blue Yonder became the standard of unfettered polymorphic musical outpourings. Club Wild Blue, the church of the pagan dirt Buddha, gave largess to not only local and regional musicians, but also became a forum for poets, painters, sculptors, belly dancers, playwrights, and performance artists. The Blue was a circle of light, opulent with drink, smoke, mirth, and communion. A house of burning ardor, filled with the zeal of sex, squalor, and the occasional fistfight. The Wild Blue Yonder was our hearth, our commons, our bedrock for twenty years.
Wild Blue Yonder in concert PART IV
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