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Community volunteer, dancer
Twila Jean (Chewning) Birdsall of San Dimas died on January 15, 2008 of complications from heart failure. She died in her sleep at Citrus Valley Hospice in Covina, holding the hand of her husband of 59 years. She was 76 years of age.
Ms. Birdsall was born in Illinois on February 4, 1931, the middle daughter of Herville P. and Ester Bonita Chewning. Though a homemaker most of her life, she was always actively involved in the community. In the 60s, she was a Camp Fire Girl leader for the Valinda School District and a volunteer for the National Democratic Party, campaigning for John F. Kennedy, working at poll booths and counting votes by hand at local Democratic precincts. After her children were grown, she spent her summers working at Meade‚s Air Comfort. She also played an active roll in the raising and development of her 3 grandchildren.
"With her nurturing personality she was a mother to many," wrote her granddaughter, Mary House, in a remembrance.
Later in life, Ms. Birdsall became highly involved in senior citizen programs in San Dimas, Claremont, Pomona, La Verne and other local communities. Along with her husband, she frequently cooked Thursday breakfast at Lonehill Manor in San Dimas. She enjoyed shopping, water aerobics, yoga and, most of all, dancing. Her dance repertoire included jazz, tap, hula, ballroom and line dancing. As a member of dance groups such as Doug Miranda’s Senior Dance group of La Verne, she performed at various locations in Claremont such as the Claremont Manor and the Joslyn Senior Center. Ms. Birdsall and her fellow dancers were also seen at many locations in La Verne and San Dimas and won several awards at Pismo Beach dance competitions.
Ms. Birdsall was also a member of several organizations over the years including the Cabernet Chapter of the Red Hat Society.
Over the years, Ms. Birdsall traveled to 46 of the 50 states across America and to places such as the Caribbean, Canada, Hawaii, Mexico and several places in Europe. She often enjoyed traveling in cruise line luxury.
Thoughts about Ms. Birdsall expressed at her celebration of life attested to how highly regarded she was among friends and family. Among the comments were, “She had a lot of friends,” spoken by her son-in-law John Rensch.
“There will never be another like Twila,” said many of her friends.
And, her cousin David Beckner, from Springfield, Illinois, said, “She brought us together as family, she will be missed.”
“She will be remembered for her feisty personality, popularity amongst friends and her timeless beauty,” wrote her granddaughter, Jenelle Rensch, in a remembrance.
On Ms. Birdsall’s wedding day, the officiating minister gave bibles to her and her husband. Recently, the family retrieved a scrap of newsprint that fell out of her bible, and on it was a poem that, according to her family, seemed to capture Ms. Birdsall’s perspective on entering hospice care.
Miss Me
But Let Me Go
When I come to the end of the road,
and the sun has set on me.
I want no rites in a gloom filled room.
Miss me a little…but not too long,
and not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love we once shared;
Miss me – But let me go.
For this is a journey
we all must take
and each must take it alone.
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan.
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick at heart,
go to the friends we know
and bury your sorrows in doing good deeds…
MISS ME – BUT LET ME GO.
—Robyn Rancman
Ms. Birdsall is survived by her husband and childhood sweetheart, Clifton L. Birdsall of San Dimas; by her son and daughter-in-law, James and Sherry Birdsall of Sacramento; by her son, Jerry Birdsall, also of Sacramento; by her daughter and son-in-law, Vicki and John Rensch of Glendora; by her grandchildren, Mary House, Daniel Birdsall and Jenelle Rensch; and by her great-grandchildren, Jayson, Tamara and Tristen House. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Estella Ann Mettler and Patsy Joan Settles,
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Sonrise Christian School, 1220 E. Ruddock St., Covina, CA 91724.
