The *WeCaTon* - West Carrollton (Ohio) H.S. Alumni News (unofficial)
Thursday, July 15, 2004
WECATON NEWS REPORT!! - 08 July 2004
---No, it's not time for another bulletin, but here I am, nevertheless. It's storming, once again, so I do hope I don't have another power outage before I complete this one. There have been so many e-mails, since the last one, I've got to clear them out, so I'm happy about the responses.
Several calls have come in and I don't want to miss any of those, either. SHIRLEY J. TUDOR, Class of 1960, and I had a great conversation last night, solving all the world's problems, as always. We just can't figure out why no one will LISTEN to us! Oh, well---.
Also checking in by telephone were two more 1960s folks, NINA F. KNISLEY & DEVONA S. TAYLOR. We'll have more on that later, along with other news. I'll start with the stunning news from PATRICIA LYNNETTE GARRETT, Class of 1961, who writes that she and her spouse are building a brand-new home in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it will be completed in January of 2005. I wish you the very best, Lynn, of course. But I'm fearful this means I won't get to see you, when I come up there. I do so hope you're planning on returning to Ohio each October, as it just wouldn't be the same without you!
More reports are rolling in about the miraculous recovery of 1958's LEONARD F. KUHN, after his heart surgery. We sure do hope you're going to be there in October, Lennie. You're one of our most sought-after alumnus, in terms of numbers of queries.
Speaking of that, I have fantastic news about a guy whose presence many of you have requested. I had a long and windy conversation the other night with 1960's CHARLES A HIGH, JR. He says he'll be there this year, come hell or high water. Among those whom he'd love to see are TOM FEE, the HAWKINS brothers, CURTIS A. KEMP, GARY RICHARDS, DONNIE RICHARDS, JERRY FULLER, MIKE WEST, EDDIE KELLY, JIM RICHARDSON, and any of the guys with whom Charlie played football. Of course, like everyone else in WC, Charlie is greatly anticipating a visit with the lovely and gracious EULA FAYE BAILEY, too. I know we'll all be thrilled to see Charlie this year. He says he'll also be at the Frisch's Frolic on the previous evening. Great! That was a TERRRIFIC little gig last year.
Both myself and WILLIAM R. HOWARD, Class of 1958, are wondering where you are, CAROLYN E. "TOOTIE" PENCE, Class of 1959. We haven't heard a word from you in way too long, even though my machine tells me you are getting all my e-mails. Please let us hear from you, Tootie, even if only to say you're okay and that we'll get to see you, come October. Does anyone out there have any info on Tootie? I'm given to understand she sold her home in Florida in early 2004 and returned to Ohio.
Before I go further, I must tell you about "my new best friend" and fellow alumnus, PAMELA K. SHIPLEY, Class of 1971. Her last name is Harris now and we found out that we share a positively staggering wealth of people whom we mutually know, in spite of the huge age gap. Pam and I have also solved all the world's problems, much the same as Shirley and me. We've never met, but we sure are going to do that, and I can't wait!
Pam is married and she has one son, who is 29 years old. We welcome Pam aboard and I'm also happy to report that Pam got reconnected with one of her own classmates, RODNEY N. GABBARD, who has also assured me he'll be at the alumni gig in October. Oh, this all so exciting! I can scarcely wait, can you?
Remember the last bulletin, where I told you about 1940's HOWARD MCELWEE, who joined our list? Well, I was very thrilled about that, as you may recall, and this just keeps getting better and better. Listen to this one! We now have ROBERT EUGENE HALLER, Class of 1967, his wife, MARY J. CONDON, Class of 1965, Mary's mom, PAULINE GRESSBACH, Class of 1935!!! WOW, 1935!! I always get such a charge out of being able to attract the folks from the earlier and the more recent classes. It's always a thrill. I have no 2000s folks yet, and I'd like to work on the 1990s folks, too. We're getting quite a number of 1950s and 1960s and now, 1970s, so this thing has really taken off! Welcome to all the Haller family and by the way, we already had ROBERT NED HALLER, Class of 1990, and son of Robert and Mary.
We always have a few folks who don't send personal messages, but they do check in with blanket e-mails, jokes, political items, or just "stuff." In that group for this bulletin are DAVID A BLAIR, Class of 1960, SALLY L. GILLETTE, Class of 1961, SANDRA L. BARSALOU, Class of 1958, RONALD D. "TOM" FEE, Class of 1958, CAROLYN SUE MCCLOUD, Class of 1960, and JOHN L. MONTGOMERY, Class of 1961. I've also just made an embarrassing discovery. JUDY JAMES, Class of 1962, is the spouse of John, and Judy, I just NEVER mention YOU, do I? I've just noticed that terrible goof and I offer you my sincerest apology with a promise to try and do much better in the future. Please forgive me. When you try to stay current with as many alumni as I do, it's bound to happen. Maybe I'm working beyond my capabilities, but I'll just keep on keepin' on and take my lumps as they come, such as this time, I guess. A number of you also sent good wishes for the 4th of July holiday, for which I thank you very much.
We have a couple more sign-ons, both of whom I wish to recognize. There is KARL R. BURRUS, Class of 1964, and there is also ROBERT DARRELL CHRISTOPHER, Class of 1968, so I heartily welcome both of you aboard and I surely look forward to meeting both of you at our annual "crown jewel event," the alumni gathering which will occur on October 9. Make SURE you're there! On my next one, I need a bit of help from all of you. Does any -one know the grad year of TOM MELZONI? Tom has asked to be added to the bulletin list. Naturally, that's great, but I've just GOT to know his grad year! I wrote back and asked him, but he did not respond as of yet.
At this writing, I'm still putting together my rendezvous with LINDA L. MCAFEE and DARELL L. TOBIAS, both 1958, for tomorrow. It's looking like it's all systems go, but we're getting monster rainstorms here every day and Darell and I were more or less planning on riding our Harley-David- sons, so I do hope it all works out. I'll keep you all posted, of course.
From my dear friend, BRUCE E. CHENOWETH, Class of 1958, came a wonderful report on this 4th of July weekend activities, as well as a real memory-jogging photo on e-Bay of the wonderful old car in which we all used to ride in high school. Oh, if only I had one nickel for every mile I rode in Bruce's car, as we all wound our way down to the Lebanon sockhop every Saturday night, not to mention all the other places. Hey, do kids still even USE the term, "Sockhop," anymore? Do they even know what it is (was?) I wonder. I can tell you this much, though, my 17-year-old grandson has an item hanging from his rearview mirror in his car and it's---you guessed it---fuzzy dice! Now, that's just about as 1950s as it gets, isn't it? When I told him that, he didn't even believe me. He thought HIS generation came up with the fuzzy dice. But I guess not everything changes, does it?
Bruce's weekend was filled with all things WC, that's for sure. He went to Kentucky and spent time with my dear classmate, GERALD A. FULLER, class of 1960, and his wife, Becky. He also spent time with two other of my classmates, DEVONA S. TAYLOR and the recently-found NINA F. KNISLEY. Dee was in the company of her spouse of 44 years (almost) EUGENE COUCH. I guess the six of them had quite a time and everyone looks very much forward to our October weekend, which is not to be missed, of course. If you're reading this, then you need to be there, hear? Bruce took photos and sent them and I told him to be sure to send them to our "computer guru WC photo expert," NANCY J. ERTEL, Class of 1961, who will post them on the web for everyone. We all sure do appreciate you, Nancy! Dee called me, this very morning and she and I talked about the great, holiday weekend, too.
Listen everyone, KAREN L. THROCKMORTON, Class of 1969, has a different e-mail address than I originally had, so if you need to contact her, let me know, okay?
Also checking in were WALLACE W. ROBBINS and his significant other, JUDY LINDSEY. He has confirmed that they will both be at our WC weekend.
Our travelers, WILLIAM O. WALKER, Class of 1960, and his spouse, KAREN MURPHY, an honorary 1960 class member (and I'm the one who conferred that honor upon her), are on the road again, they report. They've finished up with the Kansas storms and are going to Oklahoma to visit their son and to Ohio to visit lEONARD F. KUHN, amongst many others, I'm sure. We hold out high hopes of seeing the Walkers this year.
Another great travel report came in from the travelin'est lady I know, EDNA L. GRAY, Class of 1961. Edna has just finished another trip, with sister BRENDA (1964, I think). They took in Savannah, Georgia, Maggie Valley, North Carolina, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It's hard to beat a trip like that. Edna talked about all the plentiful scrumptious food items in each area. Edna is also a fan of WC's own, published writer, CAROL A. MUMMA, Class of 1961, whose current and writing name is Guy. I also got a wonderful e-mail from Carol, in which she thanked me for putting her bulletin in for her book. Carol listed quite a few people who appeared for her book signing at the West Carrollton Ice Cream Festival which was held on the 4th. Her co-author, she mentioned, is LINDA JOHNSON ZIMMER, Class of 1965. People she was there were ROBERT W. BRANE, DOROTHY J. WILLMAN, VINCENT E. BRODBECK, GARY E. BARNES (with wife Pat), THOMAS L. WOLFE, JR., WILLIAM COLEMAN, and apparently there were others, too numerous to mention. So it was nice to read about that and to know that Carol and Linda also sold some books, while there.
As he usually does, WILLIAM R. HOWARD Class of 1958, has checked in, too. We frequently solve all the world's problems. Like Bruce and me, and like Shirley and me, we just don't know why people don't listen. On another note, BEVERLY J. HAAS, Class of 1960, put in great efforts to get a chat page going for us. But the truth is, I truly AM somewhat technologically challenged and I don't have time to do the chatting, so it didn't work for ME, but I'll bet it worked out great for some of you, and I just wanted to thank her for that.
That winds it up for this time, folks. Let's review, though, just so that everyone knows what is when. On Friday, October 8, the Frisch's Frolic will be at the same time, same place (6pm-ish, at the Moraine City Frisch's) BTW, does anyone really call it 'Moraine City any more? -ed) and on Saturday, October 9, our annual alumni gig will be held at the big ballroom of the Holiday Inn beside the Dayton Mall in Miamisburg. There is no doubt but what many groups will break off and get together on Sunday, October 10, for brunches all over town, before everyone returns home to await next year's festivities. Remember, ALL grad years are always welcome and encouraged, at ALL functions. I leave you with my usual wish for glowing health, great happiness, peaceful serenity, and boundless prosperity. Ciao!
---And there you have it! More at 11--- Bonnie