Family’s roots felt all over LA
New Bishop Elshoff: Family’s roots felt all over LA
Cal Elshoff made a promise to his wife, Irene, in the summer of 1965.
Accepting a transfer as an architect with U.S. Gypsum and moving the family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Southern California meant he would find a good Catholic parish that could take all five of their children into its school on Day One.
As the story goes, Cal pulled the station wagon in front of the original mission-style St. Bede the Venerable Church in La Cañada Flintridge, cranked down the window, and called out to someone standing on the steps: “Hey, is this a good church?”
After getting a firm yes, Cal went inside, talked to one of the sisters at the school, and all was good.
Matt, the oldest, was about to turn 10 and start fourth grade. He and the three sisters after him — Cindy, Heather, and Jennifer — were all born in Cincinnati. Drew, just 2 at the time, was born in the short time they lived in Grand Rapids.