The Warburton/Peddy Award (formerly the Austen D. Warburton Pioneer Award) is given by the Board of Directors from time to time to someone who has exemplified outstanding service to both the Pioneers and the community.
The Pioneer Award, which was the award’s original designation, was established in 1987. Though Austen Warburton, longtime Pioneer member, past president and prominent attorney in San Jose was proposed as the first recipient of the award, he graciously declined and then nominated San Jose Historian, Clyde Arbuckle, as the first recipient. Austen later received the second such honor.
In 1995, the award was renamed the Austen D. Warburton Pioneer Award to honor Austen, who consistently set the standard for service to the community and for service to the Pioneers.
In 2021, the award was again renamed to recognize the tireless and selfless contribution to the Pioneers exemplified by Milt Tim Peddy, longtime Pioneer, friend to all, and outspoken advocate of the organization.
Below is an incomplete list of recipients of the award.
Award Recipient Bios
Rick Helin – 2024
For more than two decades, Rick Helin has been an invaluable member of the California Pioneers of Santa Clara county. He not only served tirelessly on our board for over 15 years, but he also acted as the Pioneers’ representative to the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History. The mission of that organization, located in the Martin Luther King Library, is to illuminate California history through collecting materials and to prepare and disseminate historical scholarships to San Jose State University and the greater community. To underscore the importance of Rick’s position on that board, all we have to say is it was previously filled by Clyde Arbuckle, Laurence E. Bulmore, and Theron Fox, three of the county’s finest historians.
Rick’s research abilities are unmatched, and he is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone looking for information. He is a friend to all, and his ability to retain facts, even about the most obscure subjects, has earned him the nickname “Cliff Calvin,” from his fellow historians who appreciate and love him dearly.
Rick has also served on the Pioneers’ Cemetery Restoration Team and is a founding member of the “In Grave Danger Gang,” which has hunted down and re-installed missing headstones at local cemeteries. However, Rick’s greatest contribution to our organization is the thousands of volunteer hours he has spent digitizing films for our film archive. Without Rick’s selfless efforts, we can safely say there would be no Pioneers Film Archive.
Gayle Frank - 2021
Gayle was born in the 1940’s at San José Hospital to Ethel and Glen Reinegger, both San José natives. She grew up in the Willow Glen/Campbell areas, attending Willow Glen Elementary, Broadway, Campbell Grammar, and Campbell and Camden High Schools. She then attended San José State University, where she joined Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
With a Medical Technology major and a minor in Chemistry, Gayle married her college sweetheart, raised four children (Erin, Kerry, Greg, and Trisha), and pursued an eighteen-year career as a Medical Technologist at Laboratory Services.
After a divorce, Gayle, who is clearly a lifelong learner, returned to San José State University, where she became involved in musical theater as a Theater Arts/Dance major. In 1977, while performing in and choreographing musical productions for community theaters, she married fellow actor/director Rick Frank. In 1988, Gayle returned part-time to SJSU, once again where she received her master’s degree in Biological Science/Toxicology in 1992. After tiring of her work in the medical laboratory, she became a Health and Safety Engineer at Lockheed, Tandem, and then NASA, where she found the wind tunnels and space exploration programs fascinating.
Gayle’s parents had introduced her to Portraits of the Past, an education program that produced historical vignettes. These presentations allowed Gayle to blend her love of theater and local history while she participated in shows wearing beautiful period costumes. During the same period, Gayle gained an appreciation for the importance of historical preservation after touring the historic California Theater in downtown San José. Her husband, Rick, unfortunately passed away in 2001. In 2002, she joined the Board of Directors of the Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC*SJ), where she did an outstanding job as editor of Continuity, PAC*SJ’s newsletter.
Gayle became editor of the Trailblazer, and worked tirelessly alongside Joan Bohnett, Jan Paull, Gettie Klem, Bill Foley, and Jim Zetterquist as they inventoried the Helen and Charles Stevens’ estate.
Gayle’s contributions to the Pioneers continued. She upgraded the Trailblazer, revamping its layout and making it a color publication. She also became membership chair in 2013, co-hosted our Pioneers Tea at the Paulson House, serves as a docent at the Roberto Adobe & Suñol House, and worked at our Pioneer BBQ, along with assisting at many other events.
Ken Machado - 2017
Ken Machado embodies all that is good about Santa Clara County. He was born 64 years ago at San Jose Hospital and attended St. Mary’s Elementary School, and then Bellarmine College Preparatory. He received his undergraduate degree at Santa Clara University and earned a law degree at San Jose’s Lincoln Law School.
Ken, the eldest of seven children, learned how to serve and lead at a young age from his mother Jeanette and his late father, Kenneth, who was awarded the Silver Star Medal in WWII. Ken has always been an active member of our community. In an effort to make this valley the best it can be, Ken ran for San Jose’s City Council in 1988.
Ken and his wife Patty, who, like Ken is a great asset to our community, have four sons and six grandchildren. The Pioneers thank Patty for sharing Ken with us all these years.
Ken served as the Pioneers’ attorney during the sale of our Jackson Ranch property and crafted the Pioneers’ contract with History San Jose to restore and operate the Paulson House At San Jose’s History Park. He also managed the difficult legal process when the Bruzone family generously gifted us the Roberto Adobe and Sunol House. Most recently, Ken oversaw the transfer of the Mary Lou Lyon Library to our organization. Ken has also chaired our financial investment committee, and during his presidency, further guided us while the Roberto Adobe and Sunol House were converted into a museum. Throughout Ken’s two decades of service to the Pioneers he has given his time freely, served as a mentor, and has never charged the Pioneers a single legal fee. We are grateful for Ken’s generous service and leadership.
Milt “Tim” Peddy - 2011
Tim is a descendant of members of the 1775 Anza Expedition and the 1781 Rivera Expedition. He was born in San Jose in 1936, began school soon thereafter, and has been in school ever since – learning just about everything at night schools and in adult education. He has expertise in electronics, business, quality control, web design, photography, writing, astronomy, large equipment repair, office management, radio, navigating the streets of our valley, history, computers, and he can fix just about anything. At the Paulson House Museum, he has fixed everything from the irrigation system to the elevator!
After helping many San Jose nonprofits, he has become a tsunami-like force for the Pioneers. He serves as President of the Board, has been a member of the In Grave Danger Gang, served as 1st Vice President for years, was manager of our Paulson House Museum, and chaired or sat on these committees: Pioneer Luncheons, Hacienda Cemetery, Events, Inventory, Acquisitions, Library, Archives, Bylaws, Publications, Films, School Programs, Budget and Admissions Day Barbecue.
Tim has volunteered at History San Jose, Argonauts, San Jose High School, Woodrow Wilson Jr. High, and the California Historical Society. He has received awards for his stellar efforts. He and his equally awesome wife Barbara established the San Jose High School Heritage Room, raise funds, and chair mega-reunions. Always there to lend a hand, he builds wheelchair ramps for neighbors in need and drives many people to their medical appointments.
Tim collects old maps of San Jose and maintains a website to share his collection with others.
He and Barbara were blessed with six children, many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Tim is thoughtful, has common sense, and is a pleasure to be with. Everything he does, he does right.
David McKinney - 2010
David served on the Pioneers board of directors for nearly 20 years, including six terms as president. He served in other capacities, including vice president, treasurer, and chair of the Publications and Essay Contest committees.
David’s efforts extend beyond the Pioneers. He served the City of Sunnyvale as chair of the Heritage Commission and the Planning Commission, and as a member of the Housing Commission, City Attorney Selection Committee, and Citizen of the Year Selection Committee. He served Santa Clara County as chair of the Historical Heritage Commission. He has also served on the Sourisseau Academy Board of Trustees.
As a seventh-generation Californian, David understandably has a deep appreciation of local heritage. His pioneer ancestors crossed the Sierra in the fateful year of 1846, having passed the Donner Party on the trail. Aquila Glover, husband of David’s ancestor Mary Jane Lemon Glover Gish, led the first relief party to the camp by Donner Lake. His Gish ancestors established a ranch and sunk the first artesian well in Santa Clara County. His ancestors from Cornwall helped to establish mechanized mining at New Almaden. David’s grandfather established the Willow Glen Lumber Company in 1927. David is a product of local schools, including Willow Glen High and San Jose State University. It was due to his personal friendship with the Stevens family that Helen Stevens left her estate to the Pioneers in 2008. He was a friend to Clyde and Helen Arbuckle and Leonard McKay and considered Austin Warburton an inspiration and mentor. David lives in Grass Valley, California, where he also has historic connections.
David traces his heritage back to Pioneer stock. Mary Jane Lemon Glover Gish came across the trail to California by oxcart with her husband Aquilla Glover in 1846. Their trails crossed with the Donner party, but their party reached Sutter’s Fort on October 21, 1846, before the heavy snows. Aquila Glover was one of the leaders of the first relief party to Donner Lake in February 1847. He died of exposure in the mines in 1849. David, however, is descended from the second marriage to David Ellison Gish, who came to Overland in 1849.
He has certainly earned his place of honor. David McKinney has been a member of the Pioneers since 1984. He joined the Board of Directors in 1988-1989. He was First Vice President in 1988, followed by his first term as President in 1988-1989.
He served a second session as 1st VP from 1993-1998, followed by another term as President 1998 to 2002. From 2005 to 2009, he served as Treasurer. During these years, he also served on the Publications Committee and the Essay Committee.
It is because of his close friendship with the Stevens family that Helen Stevens left her entire estate to the Pioneers of Santa Clara County.
Gerald Rosenthal - 2008
Gerald Milton Rosenthal was born in San Jose on January 8, 1923. He attended Lowell Grammar School, Roosevelt Junior High, San Jose High, and Stanford University. Jerry was a member of the Yosemite Winter Club in 1940, the Sun Valley Ski Club before 1940 and the Stanford Ski Team in 1946-47 and 1947-48. He was in Encina Hall at Stanford on December 7, 1941, when the news about Pearl Harbor was broadcast. He went home and told his Dad that he was on his way to Moffett Field to enlist.
Before going overseas in 1944, he was in Basic Training in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1941. Following that, he went to Radio Operators and Mechanics School at Scott Field, Illinois, and became an instructor at Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1942. In 1943, he was an Aviation Cadet, SE Training Command, Class 43-H, then to the B-17 Transition School, Flight Radio Operator, Lockbourne Army Air Base, Ohio, in 1943. In 1944, he was an instructor at the Aerial Gunnery School, Buckingham Field, Fort Meyers, Florida, until he was shipped to Italy in the fall of ‘44.
During World War II, he was a Technical Sergeant, Army Air Corps, 12th Air Force, 340th and 310th Bombardment Groups (M), 488th Bomb Squadron (M) of the 57th Bomb Wing, 1944-46. A Radio Operator/Gunner with decorations that include Air Medal with 4 Oak leaf Clusters, EAME medal with 5 battle stars, American Campaign, and two distinguished Unit Citations. An Occupation (Germany) Medal and WWII Victory Medal. He flew 58 combat missions in a B25 (Mitchell) aircraft from Corsica and Italy over Italy, Austria, and Yugoslavia.
When he was sent home, he expected to be deployed to the Pacific, but the A bomb saved him. He was discharged from the Air Corps in September 1945. He returned to Stanford but only stayed there two years.
His Dad had founded the Workingman’s Store in downtown San Jose in 1924. Jerry took it over and ran it from 1950 to 1985.
After retirement in 1985, Jerry became a writer for the Book of Waterfowl Decoys (Thunder Bay Publishers, New York, 1991), and ghost writer and researcher for The Art Magazine. He was the author of the West Coast Section of the Great Decoy Magazine, Fly Tackle Dealers Magazine, Fly Rod and Reel of the Creel (Blue Heron Publications, Ennis, Montana, 1998). He was also show chairman of the Monterey Decoy Show for three years. His father’s interest in hunting and fishing had been shared with Jerry.
Jerry served as the President of the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County and was on its board for many years. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Madrone Land Company and on the Advisory Committee of the Digital Clubhouse Network, Stories of Service.
He was a Past member of the Board of Directors of the San Jose Merchants Association, the San Jose Museum of Art, the National Antique Decoy Collectors (Chicago), the West Coast Decoy Collectors Association, the Pacific Flyway Decoy Cavers and Collectors Association.
Bob Fisher - 2007
Bob Fisher was descended from a family of very early Californians. Two of his great-grandfathers, William Fisher and Julian Hanks, came from Baja, California, where they had met in 1835. They built a merchant ship and sailed into Monterey Bay to begin lives in Santa Clara Valley. The two operated a gristmill for a time. Hanks continued to operate the ship and mill while Fisher bought land in the south valley. Hanks was on the first Junta of San José and was sent to Monterey as a delegate to help write the constitution of California.
William’s son, Fiacro bought property on the Laguna Seco land grant and built a home, which is now a historical landmark, known locally as the Coyote Ranch.
Fiacro’s son, George, met and married Helen Heple, whose father, Emil, operated the General Store in Coyote. He was also the postmaster of the post office that now resides in History Park, San José. The young couple settled on an apricot orchard in Cupertino and raised their three children, Eldon, Bob, and Marion, there. All attended Cupertino Elementary School and Fremont High School in Sunnyvale.
Bob graduated from San Jose State College in 1940 with a degree in Accounting. While waiting for his “greetings” from Uncle Sam, he worked for Hales Department Store on South First Street. His stint in the Army Air Force lasted some 5 years with 2 ½ of them spent in the China, Burma, and India theater.
Following his discharge, Bob went to work for the Anderson Barngrover Division of Food Machinery Corporation. He later moved to the Central Engineering Laboratories of FMC where he retired as Controller in 1983 after 37 years with the firm.
Bob married Beverly Harisen in 1951, and they had 3 children and 3 grandchildren. All live in the San Jose area.
Bob spent a few years as an advisor to the Junior Achievement program and was also involved with the FMC United Fund drives. For a time, he could be found batting balls for neighborhood Little League.
In retirement, he began working on his family’s genealogy. The genealogy research prompted him to write an essay for the California Pioneers about his early Santa Clara County pioneer ancestors and to join and volunteer with the California Pioneers. He served as President and Treasurer with the new Almaden Cemetery group, registrar at meetings, and, with his wife, on the committee to refurbish the Paulson House in History Park for the Pioneers to use. Bob passed away in 2014 and is sorely missed by his friends in the Pioneers.
Patricia Loomis - 2006
Patricia Loomis, an original member of the San Jose Historical Museum, contributed two membership premium books for the museum: Signposts and Signpost II, a compilation of articles she wrote once a week for the Mercury News from 1971 to 1979. Neither book is now available.
She also wrote A Walk Through the Past, a history of Oak Hill Cemetery and pioneer families buried there, a book on Milpitas, and another on San Jose Airport.
Pat was also an enthusiastic member of two committees of the Museum: the Book Committee, which selected the membership premiums for each year; and the Development Committee, which was involved in needed repairs, restoration of buildings on the grounds, and planned projects to enhance the Museum.
She spearheaded the painting of the interior of the Chiechi House, leading many volunteers from Clyde Arbuckle’s history group, “The Argonauts.” She organized the Argonauts to participate in building a tool shed for garden tools and equipment. She decorated the exterior with antique farming and gardening equipment and named the shed “Taj Jr.” (after Taj Mahal).
Pat is an avid gardener who made sure “heirloom” and “old” varieties grew in the Museum’s garden. For example, she planted an elderberry tree, an old and useful variety. The garden was a big hit with visitors, especially at Halloween when tombstones with weird names and sayings dotted the garden.
During her years in San Jose, Pat was an active member of Santa Clara County Fair Board and enjoyed her involvement with 4-H children. While working with the Mercury News, she wrote a column called “Signposts”, which encompassed historical vignettes detailing the lives of pioneers whose surnames provided the titles to numerous streets in San Jose. These columns were eventually published in book form. She also wrote a book called “A Walk Through the Past,” which highlighted the Overland Pioneers and other San Jose residents. Her love of history gave her reason to join organizations like the Argonauts, who would travel as a group to the Oregon Trail and other routes of the Overland Pioneers. She also belonged to the Oregon-California Trails Association.
Published by San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Jul. 27, 2010.
Eiichi “Ed” Sakauye - 2005
Eiichii was born on January 25, 1912.
His family first lived on North First Street where California Water Works is presently located. Ed’s father was able to purchase the property in 1907, prior to the 1913 Alien Land Law that prevented Japanese from owning land. He subsequently acquired parcels in Gilroy, Sunnyvale and on the San Jose-Alviso Road in San Jose.
Ed began working in the fields as a toddler. During high school, his Dad picked him up from school, he changed his clothing and was in the field until dark. Today, Ed still grows a variety of Asian fruits but takes the most pride in his flowers. He still uses a tractor that he built decades ago, although his farm now sits sandwiched between massive office buildings on the edge of San Jose.
He has been active for many years in numerous organizations and committees, serving on the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission for more than 20 years, the Jefferson School Board of Education in the City of Santa Clara, and, after a school district was created, as a Trustee for the Santa Clara Unified School District for 9 years. In addition, he worked closely with the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the County Agricultural Commission, and he helped found the City of Milpitas Historical Museum in 1975. Planners were looking for the area now known as “The Golden Triangle,” but which was, at that time, mostly farms and orchards. Ed is a life member of the Japanese America Citizen League (JACL). He joined in 1932 and is the only member with such an extensive record. He probably holds a record for membership in the local branch of the California Pioneers as well! In addition, he has always supported the local Santa Clara County Pear Association, as well as the state Association, and the cannery organizations.
Ed published a book about the experiences of the Japanese who were interned during the years of World War II from 1941-1945, at Heart Mountain, Wyoming. These included “all persons of Japanese ancestry,” even 1/16 blood. Although cameras were banned, Ed was given permission to use a camera and photograph life in the camp a year later. Obtaining film and supplies and having film processed was difficult – there were no convenient drug stores at Heart Mountain. A special memory of the camp experience was when a Sister from the Maryknoll order visited and asked what was needed. Ed explained to her that the so-called school had no supplies. The next day, the Sister appeared with an armful of school supplies. He served as a Weather Bureau Observer, Postmaster for blocks 23, 24, and 30, as Assistant Farm Superintendent and a Block Manager.
After his family returned to the valley in 1945, Ed was contacted by Walter Cronkite, who wanted to see his camp film footage. Cronkite told Ed, “Looks like you guys had a good time there.” Ed reminded him that camp life had been very harsh. Definitely not pleasant.
As a result, Ed’s images were used in a documentary called Pride and Shame, which was aired on national television. His book, Heart Mountain, A Photo Essay was published in 2000.
In the 1990’s, Ed owned the historical buildings on the Horn Ranch, then located on North First Street, and was instrumental in having the house and the worker cabins saved and moved. In addition, with the help of a preservation group, the redwoods and the weeping willow in the back were also protected. The house is nicely restored on its present site at BEA Systems on North First and Highway 87. Furthermore, in a magnanimous gesture, Ed purchased the building in which the Japanese-American Museum is now located on North Fifth Street in the 1990s and turned over the deed to the nonprofit organization. He was an important contributor to the Japanese-American Museum in Los Angeles. With two partners, Ed formed a business that was called NKS for Nakamura, Kinno, and Sakauye.
Mary Lou Lyon - 2003
Mary Lou Lyon comes by her interest in history, especially Western history, through her ancestry. Although her ancestors did not come to California until 1941, on her father’s side, her grandfather was a “Sooner” in Oklahoma, acting as a contractor, builder, and mortician. Her father was a pioneer airplane builder in Wichita, Kansas, in the 1920’s. The family traces back to the first ones who came to America from Scotland, via Ireland, in the 1600’s. In her Mother’s family, her great-grandmother was a pioneer in Dakota Territory, her grandparents, in southwestern Kansas, so she heard the western stories all her life, leading to an interest in and an MA in California and the West.
Mary Lou was a bride during World War II when her husband was in the Navy. They moved to Cupertino in 1960, where their sons could finish their high school education locally.
She entered College of San Mateo when she was 30, and her boys went to school all day, finishing both a BA and an MA at San Jose State. She entered four writing contests while in college and won all four.
She taught at Homestead High School for 31 years, mostly history, but periodically, the writing part of English classes. For a number of years, she offered an elective course in California History to the high school students, which included 8 field trips per semester to show the students what they had been studying. She also involved students with local historical groups.
After San Jose Historian Clyde Arbuckle retired from teaching Santa Clara County History to adults, he passed the chalk on to Mary Lou, and she continued teaching those classes for 30 years. Many of her students took the class over and over as the focus changed and they explored new segments of California history.
Mary Lou belonged to at least sixteen historical societies, including our own California Pioneers of Santa Clara County. She was a long-time editor of the Pioneer’s Trailblazer quarterly magazine and also Signals from Telegraph Hill, the newsletter for the San Francisco Corral of Westerners. She won many awards for her historical efforts including the Warburton Award and two Awards of Merit from the California Pioneers, two Coke Wood Awards, first from the Conference of California Historical Societies and then from Westerners International, two President’s Awards from the Conference of California Historical Societies and then from Westerners International, and twice was the winner of the Kirkbride Award for Research in Local History. An avid photographer, she had a one-woman photography show in Cupertino and supplied photographs for a history text.
In addition to writing several self-published historical booklets Captain Elisha Stephens 1804-1887 A True California Pioneer and the Stephens, Murphy, Townsend Party of 1844 (1996), Some Pioneer Women in Santa Clara County California (1966), Some More Pioneer Women of Santa Clara County (1999), and Pioneer Men in Santa Clara County Before 1849 (2004), in 2006 Mary Lou wrote the Arcadia “Images of America” book Early California.
Mary Lou Lyon died on November 8, 2016. In her will, she bequeathed her vast library of books and research material to the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County.
1987 Clyde Arbuckle
1989 Agnes Solari and Margaret Zaro
1990 Frances and Theron Fox
1995 Hank Calloway
1996 Barbara Johnson
1997 Leonard McKay
1998 Ernie Renzel
1999 Connie Perham
2000 Helen Stevens
2001 Helen MacCarthy
2002 Richard Hill
2003 Mary Lou Lyon
2004 Rose Crimi
2005 Eiichi “Ed” Sakauye
2006 Pat Loomis
2007 Bob Fisher
2008 Jerry Rosenthal
2010 David McKinney
2011 Milt (Tim) Peddy
2017 Ken Machado
2021 Gayle Frank
2024 Rick Helin