Good & Welfare

We deeply regret having to report th

We regret having to inform our membership of the passing of Brother James Haws on March 15th, 2025 at the age of 66. 

Brother Haws was initiated into Local 728 on September 19^th, 1998 and was a member of Local 728 for 26 years. James retired in 2007.

We regret having to inform our membership of the passing of Brother Shane Crowl on March 4th, 2025 at the age of 49. Brother Crowl was initiated into Local 728 on March 9th, 2013 and was a member of Local 728 for 12 years. Shane worked as a rigger and lamp operator on television and film productions. He worked on shows such as Masked Singer, Dancing with The Stars, American Idol, The Talk and many more. Shane also worked on tour with musical performance artists.

We regret having to inform our membership of the passing of Brother Jeff Butters on March 4^th, 2025 at the age of 76. Brother Butters was initiated into Local 728 on December 11^th1976 and was a member of Local 728 for 48 years. He retired in May of 2013. Jeff worked his way up from rigging and lamp operating to gaffing on television and film productions.

We regret having to inform the membership of the passing of Brother Robert Horton on March 1st, 2025 at the age of 87. Bob Horton was initiated into Local 728 on March 14th, 1960 and was a member of Local 728 for 65 years. Brother Horton worked his way up the studio system from rigger to lamp operator on television and film productions. Eventually his expertise and management skills lead him to working in the Warner Brothers (then called The Burbank Studios) set lighting department, first as assistant set lighting department head and then as the department head.

A Celebration of Life for William Russell will be held on Saturday March 15th at 1PM.

Location: Founder's Hall at Shepherd of the Valley Church, 23838 Kittridge St., West Hills, CA 91307

If you would like to share a picture, please send to: [email protected] 

We regret having to inform the membership of the passing of Brother Robby Redner on January 1st, 2025 at the age of 54.

Robert Redner was initiated into Local 728 on February 24th, 1997 and was a member of Local 728 for 27 years.

The hall is currently closed for the New Year Holiday and will resume normal business hours on Thursday, January 2nd.

We regret having to inform the membership of the passing of Brother Calvin “Cal” Maehl on December 28^th, 2024 at the age of 78.

Brother Cal Maehl was initiated into Local 728 on September 1^st, 1995 and was a member of Local 728 for 29 years.

We regret having to inform the membership of the passing of Brother Robert Grower on December 27^th, 2024 at the age of 45.
Brother Grower was initiated into Local 728 on January 19^th, 2013 and was a member of Local 728 for 11 years.

Brother Grower worked primarily on production as a lamp operator on television and film productions. In recent years he worked on Station 19, Tiny, Beautiful Things, American Gigolo, Hell’s Kitchen.