Most remember Mr. Hastings as a Drivers Ed. Instructor and a coach. To many he is also remembered as a kind and respectful man who would always have a smile on his face. He coached Boys Tennis, and the B football program for many years. These pictures show him as a teacher in 1956 and Bee football coach in the 80's.
Services will be held at St. John Vianney Church, 1345 Turnbull Canyon Road on Monday, October 29, 2018. There will be a viewing at 9 a.m. and a rosary at 9:30, prior to the funeral mass at 10 a.m.
Following the mass, there will be graveside services at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 21615 Fullerton Road, Rowland Heights. A reception will be held following the services at The James A. O’Callaghan Community Center on the church grounds.
The family asks that those attending bring their letterman jackets, even if they don’t fit any more 😁 to adorn the chairs at the reception.
Our deepest condolence to his family and to those who had the fortune of being one of his students.
Obituary for Coach Don Hastings - Diane Renslow (Daughter)
Coach Don Hastings, who spent 38 years teaching and coaching at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, died of Alzheimer’s Disease October 17, 2018, at the age of 89.
Born on July 25, 1929, in Los Angeles, he was the fourth child of Thomas and Gladys Hastings, and attended Manual Arts High School, Occidental College, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. On completing a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education in 1954, he began teaching P.E. at Garfield High in 1955 and coaching as an assistant with the varsity football team.
Eventually, he became the head coach of the “B” team, where he was famous for playing everyone, and winning multiple championships. Simultaneously, he coached the tennis team which also earned championship trophies.
When the L.A. City Schools inaugurated the Driver’s Education Program, Don joined colleague, Don Capp, to co-head the department, and spent many years teaching behind the wheel skills to more than one generation of students.
At Garfield Don met his wife Kay, an English teacher, and they were married August 25, 1962, at St. Alphonsus Church, which happened to be located on Atlantic Boulevard and Hastings Street!
Their wedding reception in Garfield’s Reiterman House, is believed to be the only one held on a Los Angeles High School campus. Don and Kay had five children – Donna, Diane, Steve, Debbie, and Mike.
As a long time member of St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights, he was actively involved in the parish, contributing financially to building a new church, after the original structure was destroyed by arson in 2011. Don served as a Eucharistic Minister, with a special ministry to the sick, and worked with the Food Pantry and the San Gabriel Valley Homeless Shelter programs. For many years, you could find him at the annual fundraiser, Early California Days, working game booths or counting money. He was proud to serve as a sponsor for the RCIA, welcoming new members into the church.
Always interested in the community at large, Don was an advocate for the mentally ill, and served as the social chairman on the Board of the East San Gabriel Valley NAMI(National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) planning events, which included potlucks, picnics, movie outings, and baseball games. He participated in the annual NAMI Walks, raising thousands of dollars for the cause.
Don inspired the love and respect of everyone he knew. He was known especially for his infectious laugh, which could lift the spirits of even the most jaded. He is survived by his wife, Kay, with whom he celebrated 56 years of marriage in August, daughters Donna Zoba, Diane Renslow, and Debra Hastings, sons Steven and Michael Hastings, sons-in-law David Zoba and Timothy Renslow, grandchildren, Kelly, Allison, and Ryan Renslow, and Christopher Zoba, brother Jack Hastings, who lost his wife, Helen, in April, and their sons Tom, Ron, and Dick Hastings, and their wives Janet, Mary, and Debby, niece, Penny Hastings, daughter of deceased brother, Robert Hastings, Pamela Whyte and Melinda Marks, daughters of deceased sister, Marjorie Hastings Prince, and their husbands, Jim Whyte and Bill Marks, and Coralie Prince, wife of deceased nephew, John Prince.
In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to:
The Alzheimer’s Association 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17, Chicago IL 60601 or online at act.alz.org.
East San Gabriel Valley National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Checks made payable to ESGV NAMI and mailed to P.O. Box 1295, West Covina, CA 91793 – Note Don Hastings Memorial on left corner of check.