CLASS NOTES:

**For privacy the Class Directory is now password protected. If you need the password, please contact Nancy Montgomery Gilmour: ntgilmour@aol.com.

December 2011

Alice Bishop Kennedy sent in a financial contribution and joins the list of Website Angels. Thank you, Alice! The complete ‘angels’ list is on the Home Page.

Congratulations to Dick Leach and his wife, Sandy (Swanson ’59)! This past July they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on a 12-day cruise to Alaska. In August, Dick was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel. “We love living in Laguna Beach with all its cool breezes. I take my yellow lab puppy to the beach every morning in my golf cart and let her play with all the other dogs. Life is special.”

Also, further congratulations to Joyce Mark Goodman who has opened a wellness center, an extension of her exercise program for all ages using stability balls (October 2010). She is now integrated with a holistic chiropractor and is giving wellness seminars. She was named the Active Aging Spokesperson for FitBallUSA and is attending an Active Aging convention in Orlando, FL this month. Joyce is helping people live their dream of healthy aging. If you live in the Orange County area, you may want to contact her and try one of her programs: www.harmonyforlife.me.

Sad news: Gay Ellen DeGero joins the ranks of mothers in our class who have lost their sons. (Classnotes: Marian Blake Rowe, July ‘09, June ’07; Barry Busby French, April ’09, Marilyn Tumilty Reames).

Gay’s son, Wayne, was 45. In recent years he suffered with a very rare condition that affected his brainstem; however his death on October 5, 2011 was sudden and unexpected. Although he had gradually grown more physically impaired, Wayne remained mentally bright and sharp and continued to live independently with his loving companion cat, Miss Vela. Wayne graduated Valedictorian from Rio Hondo Community College and Fullerton State College. He earned his MSW at USC, graduating with honors, and became a licensed clinical social worker. For 15 years he worked in a variety of programs with the Veterans Administration, caring for our many war veterans. Wayne was loved, admired and appreciated by those who knew him for the caring, laughing, loving, loyal, generous person he was. He is survived and will be deeply missed by his devoted mom, Gay; her partner, Mary; his loving sister, brother-in-law, father, stepmother, and many friends and co-workers. Gay, we extend to you our deepest sympathy.

October 2011

There are some new (and old) additions to the list of Website Angels, classmates who support this site financially and recently sent contributions to the website redesign: John Albi, Jim Allison, Ralph Butcher, Dick Croxall and Tupper Pettit. Many thanks to you all! The complete list is on the Home Page.

Are you interested in a casual 55th reunion in 2012 somewhere in So. CA? If so, please reread the Class Notes for Sept. 2010 (below) and contact one of the classmates listed.

Roger Willis and wife, Blanca, are settled in their new home in Buckeye, AZ. Current address and email are in the Directory. They recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary.

Marian Blake Rowe is almost as good as new after a near death experience in Paraguay last July (see Aug. 2011). She hopes to be reinstated in the Peace Corps to finish her work in Paraguay. If not, “I will find some place warm for the winter.” (Her home is presently rented out.) She is appreciative of all the notes and expressions of support. “Hope you are all warm and content and living each day as if the last. I found out firsthand that any day COULD be the last.”

Many of you remember Jean Alley Ekerson. Jean attended Arcadia schools beginning in kindergarten and left during her sophomore year at AHS. She and husband, Art, are living in the same retirement community in OR as Bill Jacobs (see Aug 2011). Jean writes: “We recently sold the farm. We used to raise llamas (and lots of other critters) and now we boat in the Bahamas during the winter. We have a blended family of five with ten grandkids and one great. Yikes, how did that happen so quickly? I have been married for 40 years to Art Ekerson. He had a ski shop for 30 years. I remember so clearly when Barbara Horn and her family took me skiing for the first time. Julie Albi, I still have horses! Thank you for all the great Arcadia memories.” Jean’s email and address is in the Class Directory.

From Barbi Knopp Wesser: “Marylee Grant Goyan, husband Don (’60) and I had dinner recently with Bill Eldredge and wife, Molly (Sinkule ’59), at their new home in La Jolla, CA. They have moved back to San Diego after 20+ years in ID; are happy to be back in the land of lots of culture and sports activities and to be near their grandchildren. Bill still has the ’55 T-Bird that his dad bought new—it’s in perfect condition! Bill and Molly are fun, down-to-earth and interesting people.”

In addition to her new exercise program (see Oct 2010), Joyce Mark Goodman has been given the opportunity to open a wellness center—Harmony for Life—offering exercise and much more. “I am working with ages 1 – 101! So many people will be getting healthy and it keeps me healthy too!

August 2011

Introducing the newly designed AHS Class of 1957 website! A college friend and roommate of Marylee Grant Goyan graciously agreed to share her professional expertise at a very fair price. Thank you Marsha Eaton! Marsha is owner/web designer of Aloha Marketing, Honolulu, Hawaii. www.alohamarketing.com.

Thanks for remembering to send us your current email and address. Please check the Class Directory and let us know if there are changes.

Are you interested in a casual 55th reunion in 2012 somewhere in So. CA? If so, please reread the Class Notes for Sept. 2010 (below) and contact one of these people.

Janet Reeve Jacobson and husband Ty, welcomed grandson, Phillip John, born August 5. He joins sister, Emma, 2 years, and parents Erik and Jen Jacobson. “Big sister, Emma, doesn’t quite know what to do with him yet!”

Julie Albi Laul is now Julie Albi Shelley. After losing her dear husband, Virgil, to cancer two years ago, she has happily found love again with Donald Shelley, widower and friend of a mutual friend. They married in Carmel, May 18, and are enjoying traveling, golf, good friends, and presently are decorating their new desert home in Borrego Springs.

“Cords vibrate pleasantly when I read familiar old names,” writes Penny Havens Deley. “I’m on kidney dialysis now, a pain in one sense, but I see it as nine hours a week of guilt-free reading. At present I’m captivated by Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone. Does anyone have current information on Nancy Ford Truher? We connected at the 50th and emailed after that, but lately I’ve heard nothing.”

Susan Cramer Peters and Marylee Grant Goyan recently returned from a road trip to OR and No. CA. On their way home they stopped to visit Margaret Ann ‘Maggie’ Spencer Carey. She and her partner of many years, Joe Collins, have owned and operated Briceland Winery in Redway, CA, since 1976. The winery is known for its Pinot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Brut Sparkling Wine, and can be purchased online. Maggie’s son, Andrew, now runs the day to day operation. As Susan says, “Redway is RURAL!” Maggie and Joe live largely off the land and are building their retirement home in Shelter Cove, a short distance from the winery, on the No. CA coast.

Bill Jacobs sent new contact information. “Last year Carol and I moved from our home of many years to Rogue Valley Manor, a large continuing care retirement community in Medford, OR. This is one of the largest of its kind in the US, offering diverse living opportunities, several levels of care and life care contracts. AHS’57 classmates should consider it as a marvelous place to live in active retirement.” www.retirement.org/rvm

Marian Blake Rowe sent an address update. “I’ve been in Twin Falls Rehab Care Center (ID) for six weeks after being life-flighted out of Paraguay on July 4. Doing well now after many things went haywire; was septic and all organs shut down. Due to fast action from the Peace Corps and great doctors, I made it through. Staying close to daughter, Diana; former husband and good friend, James; and three of my six grandkids. Hope to fully recover. I want to return to Paraguay in Dec. to finish my service. One happy sidelight is that my 19 year-old grandson came down and joined me 9/10-6/11 and had a unique and wonderful experience.”

From Harvey Herr: “My family and I are well here in Nairobi, Kenya. I have an upcoming assignment in Vietnam, having returned from Yemen earlier in the year. All the best.”

March 2011

Dave Pratt sent the sad news that his wife, Marilyn, passed away on February 24 after a four-year battle with ovarian cancer. “Thanks to great care at Stanford, she was active with her family, non-profit boards and organizations until just three weeks before her passing. She was on the board of the San Francisco Symphony, the Tech Museum in San Jose and That Man May See at UCSF at the time of her passing.” Over the years Marilyn served on many non-profit boards, including The Junior League, Children’s Health Council and the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Belated condolences, Dave. We hope you are receiving comfort from your family and friends.

Bill Eldredge and Molly (Sinkule ’59) “have left the wilds of Idaho after 22 years and are headed for civilization (grandkids/no snow).” See the Class Directory for their current address.

February 2011

Arnie Green sends greetings from 11 time zones to the East. He and Lani are serving as volunteers for an archiving/digitizing project of the King Faisal Foundation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They have a unique perspective on the political and cultural transformation occurring in the Middle East. (See Class Notes, July 2010.)

October 2010

Joyce Mark Goodman realized a 30-year dream this month by launching a new exercise DVD. Her program is called Harmony for Life and provides all the benefits of trampoline exercise in a low-impact, fun and unique way using stability balls. You can learn more about it at www.harmonyforlife.me. Joyce first developed the program for herself years ago to help counteract the stress of caring for her terminally ill son. Today she writes, “I am proud to be 71 and still strong, energetic and creative. God has truly blessed me and I know that my program will help lots of folks. There is something in this program for everyone, and I combine the exercises with great info on nutrition and supplements.”

September 2010

Quite a few have expressed interest in a casual 55th (2012) or 60th (2017) reunion, with particular focus on a mini car show in Arcadia or somewhere in the So. CA area. Dick Croxall, Dick Carl Martin, Bill Hamilton, Dick Leach, Myron Reichert, Wayne Callaway, Larry Cooke, John Albi, Ross Heale, Bill Eldredge, and Ron Cummings, among others, might be willing to help organize/participate. If you have any thoughts or interest, please contact Dick, Nancy or David Gilmour, or one of the others on this list.

Thanks to all who remember to send us your change of email and address. If you don’t do this…WE WILL LOSE YOU...and you will join others on the ‘Lost’ list.

August 2010

Betty Beaudette’s daughter, Lori, emailed with news of her mom. “A few things have happened in Mom’s life the last couple of years. My brother set up a date for her with the gentleman across the street from him. They have been neighbors for at least 20 years. Long story short: Mom married David! [Last name is Kirk.] She moved into his home in Burbank, so she is a lot closer to Arcadia now. They have been married three years this November, and she is the happiest I have ever seen her. They are both like teenagers again!” Congratulations Betty Beaudette Kirk! (New address for Betty in the class list.)

Lynne Lindsay Rhodes attended Alhambra her first two years of high school and then came to AHS and graduated with the Class of ’57. She has been married to her husband, Kenneth, for 51 years. She has stayed in touch with Patricia ‘Tricia’ Keith-Spiegel who told her about this Web site and how to get on the ‘Found list.’ Good to find you Lynne! We now have her current address in the class list below.

There is also new address information for Cecile Bowler Driskill who moved in January of this year.

Binnie Busby Beaumont writes, “My mother was a great one. She sent me to college and graduate school at Stanford and paid my tuition!” Binnie taught for many years until she retired to spend more time with her family.

Betsy Barclay Jordan has joined the WEBSITE ANGELS. Thank you Betsy!

July 2010

Pam Boller Pingle is staying home this summer and enjoying friends, family and pool. But she still travels: a cruise in Feb. that took her through the Panama Canal, Fiji in March and cross country for five weeks in April and May. Her last trip was complicated. While away, her dog sitter had emergency surgery, the pool leaked, a family member died of cancer, and her best friend had a stroke. Pam continues to enjoy her Christian Women’s Club, the OR Retired Educators’ Assn., Red Hats, and plays bridge. “My days are VERY full! I just got a new-to-me car, so [for now] can’t afford to go anywhere….”

Faith Moody Fults enjoyed the class reunion poem and thanks Linda Stewart Little for sharing it. Faith and her husband, Bill, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day, 2010. “Praise God!” She was delighted that Dianne Evans Atkins was able to attend. Dianne was one of Faith’s bridesmaids. Faith and Bill visited their oldest son and family in KY, and oldest daughter and family in FL this month. “Soon we will travel with another son and his wife to Hawaii. We were so flattered to be invited to join them that we decided to take two vacations this summer.”

John Cowdell, our AFS exchange student from New Zealand who lived with Susie Cumins Newell and her family, died on July 5 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. (See Obituary Notes )  

Pat Schenck Kirklighter lives in Walnut, CA and sent us a 50-year update. She married a West Point graduate in ‘59 and worked for the Army and Air Force as a contract negotiator on major weapons systems for 22+ years, spending most of her time at Norton AFB. Since then, she has held several diverse positions in food marketing, processing and packaging, and is currently employed as office manager for a heavy duty truck dismantler. “I have a wonderful daughter, a super son-in-law and two very bright and ambitious grandchildren, currently in college. Remember Rod Philips? [He and his wife attended the 50th.] He owns a business across the street from where I work and after 12 years, realized we both attended Arcadia. Small world! He and Penny Pearson Labourdette are about the only classmates I’ve run across in all these years.”

Susan Cramer Peters, Marylee Grant Goyan and Nancy Montgomery Gilmour are traveling to Silverton, OR this summer to visit Susie Cumins Newell. Thanks largely to the 50th Reunion, we have renewed and continue to enjoy old AHS friendships.

Dick (Carl) Martin attended the 40th in… “my wife’s ’31 Ford roadster, along with Bill Hamilton in his ’40 Ford. I’m a stone hot rodder having written for Rod & Custom, The Rodders Journal and many other hot rod magazines for the past 15 years. I spent many years at 3M Co. in direct sales, finally as VP of Turbo Master, Inc., a South African turbocharger company. I raced a Corvette in school and continue to race. I’ll be running at Bonneville again this year during Speed Weeks in August.”

Dick and others wonder if any more reunions are planned. What about the idea some of you had of meeting in a casual location (Arcadia Park?) with the old cars some of you collect. Anyone interested in putting something like that together?

Arnold (Arnie) Green stumbled across the AHS 1957 class page and discovered himself listed as ‘lost’. He sent us this update: “I married Lanigene Handy (attended AHS until 1964) in 1965; MA at BYU, 1967; PhD UCLA in Near Eastern History/Arabic, 1973 (after 1 ½ years of research in Tunisia). Visiting professor 1972-73 at University of Miami; Fulbright post-doc North Yemen (1973-74); taught Mid-East History at American University, Cairo (Egypt) 1974-85; then at BYU 1985-2009. List of publications respectably long, but boring. Last visited Arcadia to bury my mother (96) at Rose Hills in Sept. 2008. Regards to anyone who may remember me and/or Lani. Please move me to the ‘found’ category. Cheers.” His current email address: arniegreen@q.com

More address/email changes or additions: Penny Pearson Labourdette, Pat Schenck Kirklighter, Betsy Barclay Jordan, Dick Martin. (See class list .)

Send me your news if you have some you’d like to share! Nancy Montgomery ntgilmour@aol.com

February 2010

It has been a long time between updates. Happy New Year and Happy Valentine’s to all! Some good news for the new year is that we found Penny Pearson Labourdette, who, as it turns out, is living in Novato, CA, a short distance from Susan Cramer Peters, David Gilmour and Nancy Montgomery Gilmour. Penny has lived in the Bay Area since the late ‘60’s when her husband, Al, retired from his Army career. She moved to Germany early in their marriage and was ‘lost’ after that until, by chance, Barbi Knopp Wesser found her on Classmates.com. Penny and Al have been married almost 49 years and have four grown children and five grandchildren. They are both retired and enjoy volunteering for their church and non-profits. Penny has stayed in touch with Pat Schenck Kirklighter. David and I enjoyed having dinner with Penny and Al recently, and getting reacquainted.

Click here for prior class notes

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