John Boettner
Teachers in Santa Barbara and communities all across the nation will be in the spotlight on Tuesday, May 6, as students, parents, school administrators and the general public celebrate what a difference teachers make in the lives of children.
Sadly, a well-known Santa Barbara student, athlete, teacher, administrator and friend, John Boettner, passed away on Friday, April 25th. Fittingly, his memorial service will be held on National Teacher Day, Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Our Lady of Sorrows, on Anacapa and Sola Streets at 10:00 a.m. A graveside service with United States Military Honors will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Tributes and a celebration of his life and times will follow at Harry's Plaza Cafe beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Many educators and students will attend John's services. His legacy in the local school system will be an integral part of the services, just as in his life.
"Mr. Boettner" was a product of the Santa Barbara School Districts. He attended Harding Elementary School, La Cumbre Junior High School, and then Santa Barbara High School. The former Don football quarterback also played basketball, participated in ROTC, and was class president. He graduated in 1944, and then joined the Navy. He returned to Santa Barbara after his tour on the U.S.S. Ranger to attend Santa Barbara College and ultimately serve the same school district where he was educated. He student taught under Santa Barbara High's Jack Richards and then joined the district in 1951. John taught at La Cumbre Junior High and then served as assistant principal at San Marcos High before becoming principal there in 1960. John also continued his own lifelong learning path, receiving his Master of Education degree from the University of California at Los Angeles. After San Marcos he served as principal of Wilson, Lincoln, and then Franklin elementary schools. His retirement was in 1986 but was short-lived, as he continued serving local schools and children for twenty-one more years until 2007.
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