Martin (Butch) Pentland is the best man I know, and last Thursday (April 21) he turned 70! My dad was born in 1941, the year that Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. He was a teenager during the 1950s, and to this day, one of his favorite cars is the ’57 Chevy Bel Air. He actually had a black one up until a few years ago. He used to drive it in my high school parade on homecoming day.
Here we are together on Easter Sunday 1992. I was 6 years old in this photo. And I’m loving my big bow!
Here we are a few years later getting ready to leave for the Father/Daughter Banquet my school held every year. And as you can see, another big bow. Thanks, Mom!
This was before the Father/Daughter Banquet when I was in 6th grade (1997). My dad battled colorectal cancer this year and couldn’t take me to the banquet, so my good friend’s dad, Jeff Brown, took me with them. That was a scary year for us. My dad was in the hospital for several weeks, and I had to stay with different friends for months at a time. But thank the Lord, he pulled through, and his cancer has been in remission for 14 years.
And he was there to take me to the banquet the next year. 🙂
My dad became a contractor at the age of 16, and I don’t think there is anything about construction that he doesn’t know. He has been very helpful whenever Steve and I have questions about our rental rehab. He built the house that I grew up in, and still does some jobs for friends. Construction is what he knows and what he loves, and I’ve never met someone that was better at it than him.
Here he is with my mom, wearing the sweatshirts I bought them when I visited last year.
My dad had helped build a beach house for some friends, and we went to see it that day, but it was SUPER windy, and sand was blowing everywhere. I braved the elements for this picture but most of the time we all looked like my dad.
See?
I love you, Daddy! And I hope you had a wonderful birthday! You’re an amazing man, and I’m so proud to have you as a father. I can’t wait to have you walk me down the aisle in less than 3 months!
Love your daughter,
Joanna XOXO
This was precious! What a loving tribute, Joanna! Love you! 🙂
Love you too!
What a sweet post for your daddy 😀 I loved looking through all your pictures. Happy (belated) birthday to your dad!
Thanks!
Hello,
This sounds like the Butch Pentland I knew in California. As I recall he even had a Black ’57 Chev in ’57. I didn’d know him well but I think he went to Canoga High where I graduated in ’59. Could this be the same Butch ? I now live in Winter Springs, Fl.
regards,
Jan Smed
Yep! That’s my dad!! He had that black ’57 Chevy the whole time I was growing up, and only sold it maybe about 5 years ago! Such a small world! Would he remember you if I mentioned your name to him?
I would be surprised if he would remember me but you might give it a try. We were both car guys so we were friends in that context. We had a mutual friend, Wally Glover, and I may have last seen Butch at his house maybe in the early ’60’s. At any rate say hello to Butch.
Regards,
Jan Smed
Winter Springs, Fl
And yes, he did go to Canoga High. 🙂
Hi Joanna,
Your Dad taught me how to drive on the black ’57 Chevy. It had red interior, I thought it was so cool. He was friends with my brother, Julius Colangelo and also my cousin Jerry Fonzino. He and Jerry worked together. After I was married and your Dad married, we would play cards together. He also knew Carol and Kenton McCallum. I would love to have contact with him, does he use facebook or any other social media. If not, please give him my message, I sure hope he is doing well . Oh yes one thing that I will never forget is when he came to the front door and I answered it, he would say “Is your bother here” all in a loud burp. That should make him laugh. So many memories. Of Woodland Hills and all my friends and family. You guys can look at my page on facebook. Look under Joy Colangelo, my maiden name. I still use it. My married name is Goyette. My brother would love to hear from him too. I will let my bro know that I found this on the internet. One more thing, where those pictures on the beach in Oxnard or Ventura, looks like Oxnard. My cousin Jerry and I lived on Silverstrand Beach for years.
Love to you and your family,
Joy
ps Your mother is lovely. You look a lot like her.
Hi Joy,
Wow! What a small world! 🙂 He isn’t on any social media, but I’ll pass along your message to him! He and my mom still live in Woodland Hills, and those pictures on the beach are in Oxnard at their friends’ beach house.
Lived @ the corner of Ave San Luis & Topanga, just down the street from “Butch” & the Barbers. Worked @ Walt Starr’s 76 @ Topanga & Ventura (seemed like all my life) with Bob Hogan (Model T ) until I moved to Arizona in 1964. My mother bought us case of beer and Butch & I put a new clutch in my Olds powered 40 Ford
Hello Ken,
I ran across your name by accident and we probably never met but I did live in Woodland Hills and knew Bob Hogan and Bill H for that matter. Bob and I did do our share of cruising around the valley, he in his “T” and me in my Olds powered ’34. Do you have any contact with Hogan ? I have not lived In calif since ’68 and have had little contact with any of my old bubbles.
Regards
Jan Smed
Winter Springs, Fl