Los Angeles County
Biographies
CHARLES
W. VARNEY, JR.
Briskly
capable, with lots of energy and a fine mind, Charles W. Varney, Jr.,
Alhambra’s wartime mayor, serving as a city commissioner from 1941 to 1945, was
president of the Alhambra City commission from 1942 to 1944, headed the
Alhambra “Story Book Parade” in 1939, and during World War II worked with the
Red Cross, civil defense, ration board, housing projects, the Community Chest,
and other similar agencies. As manager
and owner of the Alhambra Business Men’s Association since 1935, Mr. Varney’s
name is well-known in the community. He has since expanded his business to
include the Covina Credit Bureau, opened in 1943, and the El Monte Credit
Bureau, opened in 1946 and presently owns all three.
Born
on June 20, 1900, in Anaconda, Montana, Mr. Varney is the son of Charles W. and
Mary (Morse) Varney. His father was a
native of South Berwick, Maine; his mother was from California, Missouri. The junior Mr. Varney attended school for
eight years in Anaconda, graduating from elementary school in San Diego in
1913, from San Diego High School in 1917, and from the California Institute of
Technology in 1922 with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and economics. He was a member of the Students’ Army Training
Corps at Cal Tech from October of 1918 to January of 1919, and a second
lieutenant in the United States Engineers Officers reserve Corps from 1922 to
1927. Mr. Varney was awarded the
California Institute of Technology service honor key in 1921-1922, was a member
of the Gnome Club, and is a past president of the Cal Tech Alumni Association.
After
completing his education Mr. Varney was employed by the Southern California
Edison Company from 1922 to 1935, at which time he established the Alhambra
Business Men’s Association, becoming personnel manager at the Alhambra Foundry
from 1943 through 1945, while still owning his own business.
A
member of the Alhambra Kiwanis Club, Mr. Varney served as its president from
1954 to 1955, and was president of the Alhambra Toastmasters in 1939. His religious affiliation is with the Baptist
Church.
At
the Church of the Angels in Annandale, California, on April 22, 1927, Charles
Varney was married to the former Miss Nenetzen Scullin of Los Angeles, who was educated in Alhambra. Mrs. Varney was active in Red Cross work and
was a teacher in the Alhambra school system for fifteen years. She taught art and woodcarving in Alhambra
Adult education. Also active in Girl Scout
and Parent-Teachers’ Association work, Mrs. Varney was president of the Emery
Park Parent-Teachers’ Association in 1938.
A daughter and a son were born the Varney’s: Virginia Lee, born August 24, 1936, is now
Mrs. Richard Hirsch and the mother of two young sons, Gerald and Jeffrey;
William Gerald Varney, born on November 28, 1940, is now in college. The Varney’s daughter, Ginny, won two state
championships in horsemanship and equitation at Stockton in 1951.
Now
a resident of West Covina, Mr. Varney has channeled his energies into the West
Covina Beautiful movement and is past president of that organization. Outside of his business and civic activities
his special interests are his home and family.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Historical Volume &
Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel &
Temple City, by Robert P. Studer, Pages 421-422,
Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California.
1962.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
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