St. Brendan’s
St. Brendan’s
St. Brendan’s Church was built in 1929 at the top of Laguna Honda Boulevard, nestled at the foot of Mount Davidson. The California Mission style “Gem of Miraloma” designed by Edward Eames for a final cost of construction of $40,000, is seen here under a foggy shroud, with a 1938 Chrysler awaiting the wartime newlyweds. With the postwar boom to the economy, the grammar school was added in 1947. (Courtesy Margie Brown Whitnah)
Gallery
Falling in love at first sight when he moved in across the street from her in Ingleside Terraces, William “Bill” Brown marries Esperanza “Espie” Puente at St. Brendan’s on December 13, 1942. They settled west of Twin Peaks to provide a home for their two children, Steve and Margie, in Mount Davidson Manor. (Courtesy Margie Brown Whitnah.)
Mrs. Burke’s Kindergarten 1956: Front row, Dave Bisho, third from the right, Margaret Schweifler,second from the left; Third row, Mike Lunny, second from the right, future part owner of the ‘Dubliner’ bar on West Portal (which used to be TK’s and The Road to Mandalay); Mike Harrington (future owner of Harrington’s Bar on Front Street) in front of Mrs. Burke. In front of him is Paul Conroy, future resident of Ingleside Terraces and President of West of Twin Peaks Central Council. (Courtesy Dave Bisho.)
First Communion 1958, top row: Paul Conroy, second child from the left, Mike Harrington, fourth child from the right. Next row: Mike Lunny, sixth boy over from the right (when you include the two boys with the tunics on), Dave Bisho, fourth boy from the left. Brother Rod Bisho also has a tunic on, second boy from the left, bottom row. Miraloma Park resident, David Holdener, also pictured. Mount Davidson Cross is in the background.(Courtesy Dave Bisho.)
7th Grade boys’ basketball team 1962: Dave Bisho, future President of Westwood Highlands Homeowner Association and co-founder of the Friends of Mount Davidson Conservancy, on the bottom left and Mike Harrington is second from the left on top. Bottom right is Mike Lunny. (Courtesy Dave Bisho.)
St. Brendan’s classmates since kindergarten, Rick Combs, Dave Bisho, and twin brothers Lloyd and Rick Bryan, formed a lifelong friendship and band called The Ridge Runners in 7th grade. (Courtesy Dave Bisho.)
Still together and playing 20 years later, in 1984.