El Camino Memorial Park facts for kids

Sorrento Valley, San Diego, CA, USA - panoramio

El Camino Memorial Park is a large cemetery located in the Sorrento Valley neighborhood of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1960 and covers about 220 acres (which is roughly 1 square kilometer). This memorial park is the final resting place for many well-known people. These include Jonas Salk, who created the polio vaccine, and several members of the Kroc family. The Kroc family is famous for their charity work and for Ray Kroc being the CEO of McDonald's. They also used to own the San Diego Padres baseball team. Many other important citizens from the San Diego and Los Angeles areas are also buried here.

Famous People Buried Here

This section lists some of the notable individuals who have been laid to rest at El Camino Memorial Park.

Scientists and Innovators

• Jonas Salk (1914–1995): A medical researcher who discovered the polio vaccine. This vaccine helped save many lives around the world.
• Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1906–1972): A physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize. She was recognized for her work on the structure of atomic nuclei.
• William Nierenberg (1919–2000): A scientist who was part of the Manhattan Project. This project developed the first atomic bombs during World War II.

Sports Figures

• Ray Ceresino (1929–2015): A professional ice hockey player.
• Cedric Montgomery Durst (1896–1971): A professional baseball player.
• Pete Rozelle (1926–1996): He was the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) from 1960 to 1989. He helped make the NFL very popular.

Entertainers and Artists

• Billy Daniels (1915–1988): A popular singer.
• Preston Foster (1900–1970): A songwriter, guitarist, and actor who was nominated for an Emmy Award.
• Dorothy Kelly (1894–1966): An actress from the early days of film.
• Violet La Plante (1908–1984): An actress, and the sister of another actress, Laura La Plante.
• Patti Page (1927–2013): A famous singer and actress.
• Milburn Stone (1904–1980): An Emmy award-winning film and television actor.
• Barbara Werle (1928–2013): An actress.

Business Leaders and Others

• Joseph Coors Sr. (1917–2003): He was a top executive at the Coors Brewing Company. He also advised President Ronald Reagan.
• Ray Kroc (1902–1984): He was a key partner in building McDonald's into a global fast-food chain. He also owned the San Diego Padres baseball team.
• Joan Kroc (1928–2003): The wife of Ray Kroc. She was known for her humanitarian work and giving to many charities.
• Todd Loren (1960–1992): His real name was Stuart Shapiro. He was a comic book publisher and started Revolutionary Comics.
• Charles Alan Pownall (1887–1979): A Naval Admiral during World War II. He was also the last military governor of Guam.
• Allard Roen (1921–2008): He managed casinos and resorts in places like Las Vegas, Nevada and Carlsbad, California.
• Lee Shippey (1884–1969): An author and journalist.
• Paul Trousdale (1915–1990): A real estate developer.