Wanda “Buddy” Boyce joined the San Diego State University 1984 was taught by Pokey Patty and Dee Gee at San Diego State , 2 nights a week.The graduation was held at Balboa Park near the fountain.
Buddy performed with the San Diego State clown club.There would be 25 or 30 clowns at most of the events.We went to hospitals, nursing homes, parades. Gizmo, Fizgig and Buddy would work parties for disabled children at the beach.
Born Dec 29, 1923 in Lincoln Nebraska.Moved to Santa Ana when she was 4 yrs old.Her Dad worked for the Irvine company.Went to school graduated from Santa Ana high school.worked at Santa Ana army base air corpse.Taught dancing at Arthur Murray at Santa Ana.2 Marines came up from San Diego .She told her sister, Audrey that if he doesn’t ask me to marry him, I am going to ask him to marry me.He gave me my ring the night I was going to ask him, he never did ask to marry.He was a dry humor joker, he handed me the box and he said, oh you don’t have pierced ears.He sold one of his guns to buy the ring. It was a tiny diamond, but it lot a meant to me.His name was Forrest, but he didn’t like it, so everyone called him Boyce, Sarg or Top.She has four children.
Wanda Boyce has many clown characters.Buddy is an auguste clown.L.O.Weez is her flirty girlie clown, that always goes to Veteran’s hospital.Fargo is her hobo clown.Bonkers is the clown she is using most of the time now.Bonkers is a female clown that wears a purple dress, a small amount of makeup and a hat.Bonkers wears a hat she used to wear as a young woman.The hat means a lot to her.
Wanda stopped driving in 2014, by her own choice.She just didn’t feel safe to drive anymore. She will go to every single event, if she has transportation.She has always run circles around all the other clowns.Sometimes she uses a walker now, but that does not hold her back.2015 at the Boo parade there was a reporter who tried to keep up with her to interview her, during the parade.The interviewer was maybe 30 yrs old.She could not keep up with her. Bon Bon was still on her scooter at the time.I spoke with the reporter, told her a little amount Wanda, then gave her a business card. Bon Bon told her you will not keep up with Wanda, she is doing her job as a clown.Later the reporter called me and I gave her Wanda’s contact information. Bon Bon don’t know that an article was ever written.Bon Bon doesn’t doubt that Wanda poo pooed the reporter, diminishing her achievements.
Wanda always carries a small bag of walk arounds.I mean small, just a bit bigger than the size of an index card.She says she can entertain for many hours out of it.Bon Bon has seen it happen, yes she can and does!Wanda refuses to use a computer, period!She also refuses to get an answering machine, or use voice mail, or a cell phone.Yet she expects to be notified of every San Diego All Stars update.She insists we call call call until we speak with her, and let me tell you, we do what Wanda says!Her son lives with her.Her house is a safe haven for all her children, grand children and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.She claims she wishes less people lived with her, but Bon Bon has doubts that is true.Everyone can always depend on Wanda to be at every clown event, if she has transportation.She will never ever say no.She is always the first clown at an event and the last clown to leave an event.She doesn’t just pass out stickers.She insists children and adults alike work for those stickers.If the sticker says I hugged a clown today, you best believe there will be some hugging done before the sticker is awarded.
She is at EL Camino Memorial Park
