Anita Marie Warfel

Anita peacefully passed away on February 7th, 2017, in Newport Beach, California. She was 94-years-old. Anita Fischer was born in Chicago, Illinois to Carl Fischer, a salesman, and Rose, a homemaker. She was the oldest of three children; her beloved siblings being Carl and Elizabeth. The family often vacationed at the family cabin in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Mom had wonderful memories of those days on the shores of Lake Michigan. After the Depression hit, the Fischers briefly moved to New Jersey where her dad, in an effort to make ends meet, made bath-tub gin. Beverly Hills came next; and Anita attended El Rodeo Elementary School until the 8th grade. She then attended Beverly Hills High School where she was a member of the horseback riding club (“could ride a horse from the beaches to Glendale then”) and the Thespians, where she honed her skills as an artist painting backdrops for school plays. After high school, she went to work at the UCLA student store while taking night classes. In 1943, she joined the United States Marine Corps (“they had the best looking uniforms”) as a communications specialist. She was stationed in North Carolina and Washington DC. After the war, she moved to Reno, Nevada where she dealt roulette and blackjack. The money was great, but it was “too cold for me - I almost froze there.” She returned to Los Angeles and married LA Times Sportswriter Norman Sper in 1951. She worked in television with Sper (he had a weekly show titled “Football this Week”) until his death in 1955. In 1957, she married Everett Dunn, a soundman in the television and movie industry, who was working for Glen Glenn sound at the time. They had two sons, Ken and Bill. While living in the San Fernando Valley, Anita was a member of the Foresters, a local group who alternately fought to save Encino’s Oak Trees and rid the valley of Go-Go Bars. After divorce, Anita had a successful career working on the Westside in executive search (she called herself a “headhunter”). Anita later married David Warfel, a childhood friend and small business owner, whom she stayed with until his death in 2005. Anita was a life-long game player (“Do I hear a Bingo!”), animal lover (some favorite pets: Gretchen, Boobi, Kate and Mrs. Robertson), jazz enthusiast and purveyor of cool, clean vodka gimlets. Anita is survived by son Ken and his wife Dawn, son Bill, step-daughter Jade and her husband Ron, grand-daughters Haley and Kelsey, and nieces Karen, Paula, and Susie (Jeff), and nephew Cliff (Gail). She is also, sadly, preceded by two days into the next life by her younger sister, Elizabeth. We love you, and we will all miss you Mom! Services will be at McAulay & Wallace Mortuary, Fullerton on Friday, Feb. 17 at 1030 AM. The family asks that donations in her honor be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Los Angeles in lieu of flowers.