Dr. Al Waner

Dr. Al Waner passed away at Plymouth Village on Wednesday July 9th

He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1934 to Alfred and Elsie Viola Waner and moved to Compton in the early 1940s. He enjoyed sports, especially basketball, where he played at the Long Beach YMCA, junior high, and then at Compton High School where in 1952 his team went 32-0 to win the CIF championship. He then played at Pepperdine University.

In 1948 he fell in love with his lifelong sweetheart and partner, JoAnne Scott. They dated through school and married in 1955. This August 5th would have marked their 70th wedding anniversary.

Al graduated in 1956 from Pepperdine with a major in Religion and was ordained as a minister at the Florence Avenue Church of Christ in Los Angeles. In 1956 he and JoAnne moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he was youth minister at the East 38th Street Christian church and a student at Butler University. In 1960 their first son, Scott, was born. From Butler University he received a B.D. degree and Masters degree in Marriage and Family Counselling. The three moved back to Compton in 1961 when he took the job of youth minister at Crenshaw Christian Church. Their second son, Neal, was born in 1962.

Soon after Neal's birth Al accepted a teaching position at Big Bear High school and for the next 30 years would serve students at Bear Valley Unified school district as a teacher, coach, counselor, principal of several schools and finally assistant superintendent. Prior to retirement he started teaching at Azusa and Cal State San Bernardino and continued that until 2006 when he fully retired.

His multiple post graduate degrees culminated in his Ed.D in Educational Administration from USC in 1975. He remained a proud, and outspoken, Trojan fan the rest of his life.

Regarding public office, he served on the San Bernardino County School board of education for seven years starting in 2001 and served four years on the school board for the Bear Valley Unified District starting in 2010.

In 2000 Al and JoAnne purchased a second home in Redlands which allowed them to spend half the year in Big Bear with Scott's family, and half the year in Redlands with Neal's family. In both communities Al was deeply involved with the local churches, schools, and many non-profits. After his faith, he loved most his wife, family, and enjoying activities with his kids, grandkids and great grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, JoAnne, sons Scott Waner (Lisa), Neal Waner (Joyce), seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

In recognition of his respect for the YMCA which now extends down two more generations, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the YMCA of the East Valley, 500 East Citrus Ave., Redlands, CA 92373.

Memorial services will be held at the First Congregational Church of Redlands, Friday August 22nd at 11:00 AM. A zoom link will be provided for those that wish to attend virtually.