Villis G. Randall

Randall, Villis G.
Villis Gumbiner Randall, a woman of many diverse talents, died peacefully on March 12, 2003 with her daughters at her side. She was born in Los Angeles in 1913 and used to talk often about riding her horse along the Sunset Boulevard bridle path. She entered the University of California, Berkeley at the young age of 15. She was the daughter of Bertha and H.L. Gumbiner. Her father was a pioneer in the movie theater business in Los Angeles who built the Los Angeles Theater on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles and held the world premiere of both Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" and "The Jazz Singer". He also owned and operated the Tower and Cameo theaters. After his death, Mrs. Randall took over the operations of the Tower and Cameo theaters and restored the Tower to its original splendor as a first-run movie house. In 1934 she married Morton H. Randall, M.D., and they lived in Denver for the first several years of their sixty-eight year marriage. Dr. Randall predeceased her in 2002, but during their lifetime together, they were very adventurous travelers and took many trips to unusual places. She was also a championship golfer and was the runner up for the state championship of Colorado at age 19; golf remained an important part of the rest of her life. She is survived by her daughters, Mrs. Thomas A. Freiberg of Los Angeles and Mrs. Anthony P. Meier of Atherton, California and, by her four grandchildren, Anthony P. Meier, Jr. of San Francisco, Eric. R. Meier of Bellevue, Washington, Mrs. John Fisher of San Francisco and Mrs. Katherine Moss of Los Angeles, as well as by her nine great grandchildren and her brother, S. William Gumbiner. She will be remembered by all as a dynamic and unusual woman who left her family a rich legacy. Services will be private. Donations in her memory may be made to the Jewish Free Loan Association, 6505 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 715, Los Angeles, California 90048.