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50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Tom McNeal writes:

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This is what I remember: Walking toward school along Flower Street in the early morning with a bunch of books under my arm hoping that Phil Lynch would pass by and let me hop in the back of his MG Midget.  This seems a long, long time ago.  It also seems testament to my own stupidity—I had a perfectly good Schwinn Continental at home and I’m pretty sure somebody had invented backpacks by then.

I still have that Continental, by the way, and our older son, Sam, 17, rides it to high school.  We live now near San Diego in Coronado, a city we chose both because of the good public schools and the fact that you can walk or ride your Schwinn to school, the library, the baseball field, the grocery store, or the beach.

My life has been a pretty quiet one, which is the way I like it.  After high school, I graduated from Berkeley; dropped out of Boalt School of Law; got a teaching credential; taught junior high school in Orange; married Cathy Van Riper, whom I’d met in journalism class at SAHS; moved to Nebraska; was awarded a Stegner Fellowship and then hired as a Jones Lecturer in creative writing at Stanford; and helped start a general contracting and property management business with my brother, Fred, and brother-in-law, Jack Duckworth (the little brother of Willard’s Mr. Duckworth).

But, mid-life, there were still a few big things I wanted to do before cashing it all in, namely:

  1. Have kids;
  2. build my own house; and
  3. finish and publish a novel.

By age 45, I was still 0 for 3, and divorced. In 1993, I married a tall, funny, writerly type named Laura,

Laura and Tom McNeal, June 2015
Laura and Tom McNeal, June 2015

and we began building a house overlooking an orange grove in Fallbrook (my brother, Fred, was the job superintendent).

Fred McNeal and Tom McNeal at a wedding in approximately 1970
Fred McNeal and Tom McNeal at a wedding in approximately 1970

We had two sons, first Sam, then Hank (and Cathy and her new husband became their godparents).  And at long last, I finished a novel, Goodnight, Nebraska, which Random House brought out.

Tom’s and Laura’s sons Sam (17) and Hank (15) playing #1 doubles together on their high school tennis team
Tom’s and Laura’s sons Sam (17) and Hank (15) playing #1 doubles together on their high school tennis team

Since then, things have gone as smoothly as real life can (which is to say, semi-smoothly).  Our boys are both in high school, work hard at their studies, and are doubles partners on the varsity tennis team (which means they like each other after wins and otherwise say withering things to each other that are mostly inaudible to spectators).  Laura and I have collaborated on four books for young adults, all published by Knopf (the first of these, Crooked, borrows liberally from life at Willard Jr. High).  She published one on her own—Dark Water, nominated for the National Book Award in 2010—and has another coming out this year.  I’ve published a couple more books on my own, one for adults, To Be Sung Underwater, and one for younger (and, I hope, older) readers, Far Far Away, which was nominated for the National Book Award in 2013.  (If you’d like a copy of this or any of our books, just let me know at themcneals@san.rr.com and I’ll bring one gratis to the reunion.)  And we built one more house, the one we’re in now in Coronado.

One last thing.  Our older son, Sam, is coming along with Laura and me to the reunion.  Not sure what his perverse reasons are, but he won’t be talked out of it.  Probably he just wants a glimpse of what it’s like to be in a big room full of curmudgeons who used to look and feel just like he does now—young, grinsome, and on the runway ready for takeoff.  Like us, in other words, fifty years ago.

Tom McNeal

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Karen Bachmann Crogan writes:

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  1.  Did you marry an SAHS’r? – No, first husband was from Costa Mesa HS
  2. 2.  What is the furthest distance from SAHS that you have lived? after graduation – I currently live about 1300 miles away in Helena, Montana – as a kid I lived in Machias, Maine, almost to New Brunswick, Canada   Karen-Bachmann
    3.  Kids?  Grandkids?  Good decision?  Why? None of either – great decision …  I’m not good parent material
    4.  What happened to your hair? Long and still blonde although a bit darker, and turning silver
    5.  What did you do, are you doing to earn a living? I’ve been a fitness instructor, waitress, bar tender, merchant seaman, technical writer/editor, computer programmer, software analyst, system tester, golf shop staff, data analyst, NOW Retired
    6.  What did you/ do you do to have fun? Hiking, biking, walking, XC skiing, snowshoeing, golf, reading, cooking/eating
    7.  What other continents have you been to and why? Europe in 1965 – got to stay in Athens with Julie Theoharidou 1964 foreign exchange student.. with the USGS, I did get to Midway Island, but that’s not a continent.
    8.  What other Class of 1965’rs do you stay in touch with and why? F2F – Gwen Hollowell Ferguson and Pati Butler Clark .. email – Charlie Ferris (class of ’64), Sharon Kinney, Leslie Carl Coleman … don’t need reason to stay in touch
    9.  We’ve all made many mistakes but what is the best lesson you’ve learned and will you share it? One big one was to ditch my “Generators” but I had to reduce my belongings to one suitcase.
    10.  Favorite SAHS memory? Being hallway monitor and getting to try chocolate covered ants (French class) and listening to the
    11.  Favorite book, movie, place, person, sport, color, astrological sign?  Why? I’ve read too many for a favorite, don’t see too many movies, the Dalai Lama is an inspiration, I watch and play golf, USA!!! Women’s Soccer Team!!!, Scorpio – of course … two or more in one place is a ‘power enclave’….  WHY ask WHY?  Just ‘cuz.

karen
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.

Karen Ann Bachmann  /  Karen Bachmann Crogan 

Personal Information:
Married to Steve McKelvy 1969-1976 married to Mike Crogan 1984-present
No children two cats (Seamus and Hobbs)

Education:

Santa Ana Senior High School, Santa Ana, California (1962-1965)
University of California, Irvine (1965-4/5/67) – Classics major / no degree
Shoreline Community College, Seattle, Washington (1973-1976) – two degrees
AAS in Oceanography Technology and AA in General Education
Mueller College of Holistic Studies, San Diego, California (1985-1992) – Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), 1000-hour bodywork/massage certification
Helena College of Technology, Helena, Montana (1997-2000) – work-related courses

Occupations (career/professional):
Babysitting
Publishing Assistant, Latin Professor, Irvine, CA(1966-67)
Retail Sales, boutique, Los Gatos, CA (1968-69)
Fitness Instructor, ladies’ gym, Bremerton, WA (1970-71)
Waitress/Prep Cook, La Casa de Oro, Bremerton, WA (1971-72)
Intern/Ocean Lab Assistant, UW Department of Oceanography, Seattle, WA (1974-75)
Geological Field Assistant, US Geological Survey, Seattle, WA (1975-76)
Scientific staff, USGS, Redwood City, CA (1976-77)
Merchant Seaman, UW, Seattle, WA (1977)
Retail Sales, Shrimp Peddler, San Diego, CA (1978)
Lab Assistant, Marine Ecological Consultants, Solana Beach, CA (1978-79)
Technical Writer/Editor, System Development Corporation, San Diego, CA (1979)
Computer Operator, SDC, San Diego, CA (1980)
Computer Programmer, SDC/Burroughs, San Diego, CA (1981-82)
Configuration Control/Document Security, Unisys, San Diego, CA (1982-83)
Systems Analyst, Unisys, San Diego, CA (1984-85)
Computer Programmer/Analyst, Unisys, CA (1985-1992)
Massage Therapist (1992-1994)
Computer Programmer/Analyst, BDM Technologies, Helena, MT (1994-97)
Systems Tester, TRW Information Systems, Helena, MT (1997-2002)
Shop Assistant, Fox Ridge Golf Course, Helena, MT (1998-2003)
USGA Boatwright Intern, MT State Golf Association, Helena, MT (2003-06)
Pro Shop Staff, Green Meadow Country Club, Helena, MT (2003-2006)
Administrative Assistant, MT Office of Public Instruction, Helena, MT (2006-07)
Data Control Specialist, OPI/Accreditation, Helena, MT (2007-2009)
Operations Data Analyst, OPI/Special Education, Helena, MT (2009-12)
Retired, November, 2012

Summary:

As the resume shows, I’ve moved around a lot, but have pretty much settled down in Montana.  Karen-Bachmann-yard

Although it is a bit too far from the beach, we live on 10 wooded acres almost 1000-feet above the Helena Valley. It’s beautiful, scary during fire season, and can be challenging during the winter. However, a traffic jam consists of waiting for a couple traffic lights or for a herd of cattle to be moved across the road from one pasture to the next. Thanks to email and cell phones, we can stay in touch with everyone – or not.

My “Generators” were abandoned in Seattle back in 1975 when I had to pare down my belongings to a single suitcase and a box. So many memories have been  lost and, yes, forgotten.

I hadn’t planned to come to the reunion. Summers in Montana are precious as winter can last over six months – and Santa Ana in August is NOT my favorite time of year. But I recently lost a dear friend to cancer; she was 53. So I decided to come down and see what’s up with those folks who come.

I seriously hope to see some old HS friends, but they’re on the ‘missing’ list:  Diana Sisk, Michael Ball, Bill & Betty Coon (I did communicate with them a few years back by email:  Betty was in San Francisco and Bill at Washington University, St. Louis, MO); they’ve since gone missing again), Kathy Gade (my co-singer with the Transvaal Trekkers at the Baccalaureate Breakfast), Susan Tamura, .

Some of my friends have died: Sandi Carr, John Eddy, and others I don’t know about. But we are all alive and kicking. Let’s see what the next few years bring besides more aches and pains. Peace, love, joy.

Karen Ann Bachmann

(photo:  my front yard – December, 2014)

POST REUNION UPDATE:

Résumé

Name:                         Karen Bachmann Crogan

Spouse:            Michael A Crogan

Email:              kbcrogan@3riversdbs.net

Retired:           November, 2012

Interests:          Golf, gourmet cooking, fitness walking, XC skiing, snowshoeing, reading

 

1965-1985

Summer of ’65 brought a trip to Europe where I got to spend almost a month with Julie Theoharidou in Athens (SAHS foreign exchange student in 1964). I came home to attend UCI. My freshman year I joined Young Democrats and helped pick the Anteater (ZOT!) as our mascot. My memory is fuzzy (it was the 60s after all), but that freshman class included other Saints: Pati Butler, Phil Pearlman, Steve Cohee, Dave Ault, and Angie Bidwell. I met future first husband, Steve McKelvy. My sophomore year I changed majors from chemical engineering to Classics before dropping out on 4-5-67 and heading to the Haight-Ashbury.

 

Steve and I did our best imitation of a yo-yo, moving from the City to Lake Tahoe, back to the City, and then to Los Gatos. Steve was a draftsman working in Sunnyvale and I helped run a boutique. The first of the Silicon Valley tech crashes sent us to Washington State. I earned an Applied Associate of Science Degree in Oceanography Technology as well as an Associates’ Degree in General Education. I enrolled at the University of Washington in the Geology Department, but dropped out within 2 months when I divorced. I worked for both the UW Department of Oceanography and the US Geological Survey. I worked shipboard cruises performing oil/gas exploration in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. I got my Merchant Mariners’ document (Z-card) and left as an Ordinary Seaman.

 

In 1976 I moved to San Diego, California. I started working at a fish market before being hired at a marine ecological consulting firm to count phytoplankton from the waters off San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations (SONGS). I met my current husband, Mike, at a dojo in Ocean Beach, where he taught tai chi and Kenpo. After a 3-month trip to Hawaii, I left plankton to work for a defense contractor as a technical writer/editor I’ve been a Dodger fan since Brooklyn, but we were married in 1984 on the day the Padres won the National League Pennant – in San Diego. While we were taking our honeymoon trip backpacking across Zion National Park, they lost the Series to Detroit. Oh well.

I attended the 20-year reunion in 1985. At that time Mike was a letter carrier with the US Postal Service. I worked as a computer programmer for Unisys from 1979-1992 working on defense projects for the US Navy. In 1989 I graduated from Mueller College as a Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), a 1000-hour massage therapy certification.

In 1992 I took the opportunity to request a voluntary lay-off from Unisys.  Mike transferred to the Helena, Montana, post office in January, 1994. Going from the nation’s most perfect weather in San Diego to Montana was an adjustment. Studded snow tires and 4-WD vehicles (we had two when we moved) are essential. The wildlife abounds: moose, elk, deer, bear, cougar – and lots of birds.  The meadowlark’s song rather than the robin is one of the harbingers of spring, as are mountain bluebirds.

I went to work as a computer programmer for BDM Technologies in 1994. I worked on several mainframe-based systems for the Department of Health and Human Services:  welfare, child care, child & protective services.

Strangely enough, I took up golf in Montana as a way to meet other women.  My usual obsessive nature took over.  I not only played golf as often as possible, but also got into the details:  handicaps and rules. I started working in the pro shop on weekends so I could play for free.  Depending on weather, our golf season is April – November. We have played every month of the year and every holiday including Christmas and New Years. Those were exceptions; some years you barely get out before May.

On the work front, BDM was acquired by TRW, and then TRW was acquired by Northrop Grumman.  In 2002, just before that was finalized, I was laid off – just two days after my 55th birthday. I applied for jobs right and left, but didn’t get any interviews.  Was it my age, I wondered?

At this time, I was awarded an internship with the United States Golf Association and worked with our state golf association. It was while working at one of the state tournaments that I was offered a job running the pro shop at the country club. I jumped at the chance, and ended up working there for almost four years.  This was a seasonal job – I collected unemployment every winter – and didn’t pay much.  Finally the need to put money in my retirement savings forced me to consider returning to the traditional workforce.

I came to the Office of Public Instruction (OPI), our state education agency, as an administrative assistant in December, 2006. Six months later I took a position as a data specialist in Accreditation. Two years later I made the move to Special Education as a data analyst. Until my layoff in 2002, retirement was on track for 2010. Obviously that didn’t pan out. Mike retired in October, 2011, and I worked until I turned 65 (2012). We’ll see what the real estate market is like (we have a house on 10 treed acres) and try to sell. We have no firm plans for moving elsewhere –  yet – but we’re starting to look – maybe Oregon.

Hope to see you at another reunion.

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

David Palomino writes:

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My graduation gift was a one way ticket to Hawaii. Bummed around there for six months.

Came back to Santa Ana and joined the Navy to see the world.  Right out of boot camp got orders to Danang Vietnam. vet-david-palomino-2Prior to that went to survival  school Coronado then counter insurgency training Whidbey Island Wa. In Danang I was assigned to the Naval support Activity aboard a small water craft. After 13 months in country got orders to Oklahoma City CLG-5 LigDavid-Palomino-1ht Guided Missile cruiser. Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Cruised the South China Sea. Crossed the equator twice. Am a Shellback.

In 1968 met my future wife Nancy in Portland Or. During Rose Festival. Honorable discharge from the Navy in 1970. Married Nancy in 1972. Moved to Portland Or. Hired on to the Portland Fire Bureau in 1974. Have two sons David and Tony. Two grandkids

Felix & Lola and another girl on the way. Grandkids are the best…

Retired from Fire Dept. in 2004 after 30 years. I still sing and enjoy music playing ukulele. I enjoy drawing mainly charcoal.

Looking forward to seeing all the old people  at the reunion. I’ll fill in the blanks when I see you.

David Palomino

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Jeri Brandt Welty writes:

3 Comments

I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend the 50th Reunion. My sentiments are that miss the olden days of growing up in Santa Ana, and I am proud to have met so many remarkable people from S.A. High School, Junior High (Willard), and Grammar School (Jefferson). After high school, I attended Chapman University for about a year and a half. I did see Virginia Null there—I remember how beautifully she played the cello at Jefferson Grammar School talent shows. I almost attended the “floating college,” where I would have seen Nancy Herron—coincidentally, we had the same orthodontist in high school when we both wore braces. I couldn’t cut it in college.

In 1967, I married a “Welty” guy, (no known relation to Barbara Welty), ex-Navy Seal- type who was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He was a couple years older than me, and he had attended Garden Grove H.S. I do regret getting married so soon. I was married for seven years, had three beautiful kids, and got divorced, and raised the kids mostly on my own while living and working in Santa Ana and Irvine. I never remarried, but I had my heyday in earlier years.Jeri Brandt

It’s funny where life takes us, due to choices we make—because I could have ended up working for my dad, a physician in Santa Ana on N. Broadway, as his front-office person. (Some of my classmates may have had my dad as their family doctor, and some of you may remember he was elected as O.C. Coroner for a couple terms in the late 50s and early 60s.) Who knows where working for him might have led, but I was headstrong and chose to enter into the corporate world. As luck would have it, I worked for such notable places as The Irvine Company, The Koll Company, Blue Shield, and the County of Riverside. I’ve been involved with administrative and secretarial duties in the areas of Internal Audit; property management; bookkeeping; working with insurance and sales; and in my last job, dealing with the public in matters of elder abuse.Jeri-Brandt-2015

I’ve lived in Murrieta, Riverside County, since 2001, to take care of my mom, who passed away in 2010. I’m so happy to have been able to retire in March 2013. I enjoy staying busy at home with various projects done on the computer. To contribute to not-so-random acts of kindness, and to break away from the monotony of computer work, occasionally I bake cookies for a residential care for the elderly home that formerly took care of my mom. I have six cute grandchildren, and all three of my kids remain happily married.

Jeri Brandt Welty

PS

I had a change of plans & I’m going to attend the dinner at Prego after all,  I will be attending the activity on 8-22-2015.  My bio begins with saying I won’t be going. You know things have changed.  Roz Harrison’s power of persuasion is what did it…
Many thanks, in advance.  I look forward to our gathering.
Jeri
50th SAHS Reunion, Meet Up, Whassup?!

What to Wear to the Reunion?

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Walt Sherrow asks:
What type of dress for the dinner?

SAHS 50th Reunion Fashion Consultant replies:
Dress Suggestions For Our 50th Reunion Celebration

Ladies– This is an occasion to dress up if  you like!  We call it dressy casual.  Wear that cute short dress you have.  A long skirt is apropos too.  If you have a dressy pants outfit, by all means wear it.  If you want to wear heels, go for it— but I think more of us will be in sandals.  Comfort is the key word.

Men– We would like to see our men in collared sport shirts–long sleeve or short sleeve.  If you want to wear a sport coat that will be welcome too. If you are most comfortable in your suit, that also works. If you really feel festive, dig out that tux from the back of your closet.

Please no T-shirts or jeans.  (But we do admire “creative license”!)

It will be very warm in August in Southern California so dress accordingly.  We want you to be comfortable too!

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Jeri Brandt Welty writes:

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I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend the 50th Reunion. My sentiments are that miss the olden days of growing up in Santa Ana, and I am proud to have met so many remarkable people from S.A. High School, Junior High (Willard), and Grammar School (Jefferson). After high school, I attended Chapman University for about a year and a half. I did see Virginia Null there—I remember how beautifully she played the cello at Jefferson Grammar School talent shows. I almost attended the “floating college,” where I would have seen Nancy Herron—coincidentally, we had the same orthodontist in high school when we both wore braces. I couldn’t cut it in college.

In 1967, I married a “Welty” guy, (no known relation to Barbara Welty), ex-Navy Seal- type who was born in Youngstown, Ohio. He was a couple years older than me, and he had attended Garden Grove H.S. I do regret getting married so soon. I was married for seven years, had three beautiful kids, and got divorced, and raised the kids mostly on my own while living and working in Santa Ana and Irvine. I never remarried, but I had my heyday in earlier years.Jeri Brandt

It’s funny where life takes us, due to choices we make—because I could have ended up working for my dad, a physician in Santa Ana on N. Broadway, as his front-office person. (Some of my classmates may have had my dad as their family doctor, and some of you may remember he was elected as O.C. Coroner for a couple terms in the late 50s and early 60s.) Who knows where working for him might have led, but I was headstrong and chose to enter into the corporate world. As luck would have it, I worked for such notable places as The Irvine Company, The Koll Company, Blue Shield, and the County of Riverside. I’ve been involved with administrative and secretarial duties in the areas of Internal Audit; property management; bookkeeping; working with insurance and sales; and in my last job, dealing with the public in matters of elder abuse.Jeri-Brandt-2015

I’ve lived in Murrieta, Riverside County, since 2001, to take care of my mom, who passed away in 2010. I’m so happy to have been able to retire in March 2013. I enjoy staying busy at home with various projects done on the computer. To contribute to not-so-random acts of kindness, and to break away from the monotony of computer work, occasionally I bake cookies for a residential care for the elderly home that formerly took care of my mom. I have six cute grandchildren, and all three of my kids remain happily married.

Submitted Jeri Brandt (Welty)

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Robbie Edney Jefferson writes:

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After reading what many of you have written, my life sounds boring although I didn’t think so while living it.

I left Santa Ana not long after graduation and moved in with my sister in Ontario, CA. I met my husband there and we have continued to live in Ontario. We had two sons and four beautiful grand-daughters. My oldest son was killed in a traffic accident and I raised his daughter who was born on Valentine’s Day two months after he died. My youngest son married, had three daughters and then divorced.
I worked as a Personal Assistant to a Psychiatrist for years until he “burned me out.” I then began working in mental health managing offices. I retired when I turned 62 thinking I was down for the long run.  A doctor I had worked for years ago contacted me and said he was opening a new office. So, back to work I went. I actually enjoy it as I’m only working part-time.
Robbie-Edney
When I was in high school my boyfriend was “older” so while I did have friends at school, I didn’t socialize much when school wasn’t in session. I am still friends with Tedi (Tedi/Theo Christenson). Friends then, friends now. Some things never change.
I know I will remember some of you, but not all. Please forgive me for that and let me know who you are so hugs can be exchanged with huge smiles! Fifty years? Where did the time go?
Robbie (Edney) Jefferson
50th SAHS Reunion

John Terry writes:

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Life’s been good. After graduation I attended Santa Ana College for a 1½ years. At that time, still not knowing what I wanted to do in life, I enlisted in the Army.

John Terry (center) Vietnam
John Terry (center) Vietnam

After returning from Vietnam, life took me on what became a 40+ year career in the insurance industry.

That career started with the Hartford Insurance Group and my moving to Dallas, TX in an accelerated operational management position. Next, a transfer to their office in San Francisco and then to the home office in Hartford, CT. Being a Southern California boy and interested in American History, I was amazed by the history that was there. My office was across the street from Mark Twain’s home, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s home was just a couple of blocks away and numerous other well-known Colonial landmarks were but a short distance from where I lived and worked.

Looking to return to Southern California, I accepted a position with a regional office of an international insurance brokerage firm. Part of my responsibilities included management of offices in Hawaii. Just imagine, in your 30’s, single, a very  generous expense account and having to commute to Hawaii.

I married Jean, a single mother with a daughter, Lori; instant family. We divorced after 4-years. Since the divorce, daughter Lori has elected to maintain a relationship and calls my current wife and me her “bonus” parents. Lori has two children, Ava and Colin, who call us grandpa and grandma.

Leaving the management side of insurance, I got my brokers license and started the last phase of my career on the commercial-retail side of the industry.

In 1988 I married Karen. Although it took some time, she finally asked me. We had previously worked together at an insurance agency in Glendale, CA. As she likes to say – having our incomes from the same industry “made for boring pillow talk and strong computer passwords”.   John-Karen-Terry

We spent approximately 25-years living in Redlands, CA where we were both active within the community. I was a founding board member and officer of the Redlands Conservancy and was on the board of the Family Service Association of Redlands. Then on July 4, 2012, to my surprise, I decided to retire; went cold turkey without any plans other than to see what life would bring next. What it brought was our returning to Orange County and purchasing a home in San Clemente.

During our marriage we have had numerous opportunities to travel starting with a honeymoon in Greece and the Geek Isles, we watched Boris Yeltsin demonstrate in the old USSR, we have been to England, Italy, Germany, Austria and other European Countries plus have taken photography excursions to the Galapagos and Sea of Cortez with National Geographic, not to mention extensive travel throughout the US.

As hobbyists, we have trained protection dogs (German Sheppard’s and Belgian Malinois’s). I have traced my family’s genealogy to the early 1500’s in England and in the colonies; I found some great stories (and “black sheep”) in the old family line. I have taken up photography and now have a camera wherever we go.

Currently, we are both enjoying retirement with family and friends. We are planning on additional travel, sampling the many restaurants found in Orange County and I continue to take photos.  Life’s is indeed good!

John & Karen Terry
catymarko@cox.net

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Melvin C. Welch & Michele Smith Welch write:

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Mel-MichelleMarried 7/1/67 Santa Ana, California

After graduation and enrolling at Santa Ana Junior College, I started working at Disneyland in 1965.  Like most of the guys in our class, I was drafted in 1968, not once, but twice.  The first time my orders were postponed “until further notice” and the second time, it was found that I had some serious damage to my knee and that caused me to flunk my physical.  It was determined that my basketball and baseball playing in high school was probably the cause, but it did keep me in the good old USA.

I was transferred with Disney to Florida to help open Walt Disney World in 1971.  That move kept me with the company for 12 years before I resigned and started my own consulting business, Total Design Consortium, in 1980.  My expertise after working with Disney for so many years seemed to fall into the food service design aspect for restaurants, schools, theme parks and hotels.  I now have a contract with the military to help redesign the school cafeterias on military bases throughout the world.  I’ve continued to be a one man operation which definitely has its ups and downs, but overall, the company has been around for quite a while and is letting us do a lot of the things we want to do.  Michele has been a great source of encouragement with all her expertise in the business as well.  Although she had a full time job at Disney, she has worked with the business over the past 35 years and has been my support.

Michele and I have been fortunate to spend some time in Puerto Rico, Italy and Germany because of my work with the military.  Mel_Michelle-VenLooks like within the next 6-12 months we’ll be spending a little time in the UK and Ireland as well.  I just refuse to retire.

I spent twelve years as chairman of the Osceola County Planning Commission and sat on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce, Education Foundation, Boys & Girls Club and the Business Advisory Board for the School District.   All in all, I stay very busy.

Michele is the level headed one in the family.  After graduation she worked for a local law firm as a legal secretary until 1971 when we moved to Florida.  She also went to work at Walt Disney World and ended up staying for 43 years.  She started out working because she was bored staying at home and found a new home at Disney.  She told me that she had to keep working there so that we had the benefits package since my leaving Disney was done on the spur of the moment without too much thought being givMel-Michelle_40en to insurance and a regular paycheck. Michele retired from Disney on 12/31/13 and deserves and has enjoyed her retirement completely.  While Michele says that her years at Disney weren’t anything super special, she loved all the different jobs she held while she was there.

California still holds a little piece of our hearts even though we’ve been gone so long.  Michele has family there, so we visit often.  We even spent a little time walking around SAHS a couple years ago when we were there.  Some things don’t change much, do they?

 

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Dave Ault writes:

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After graduation from SAHS I attended UC Irvine.  Played basketball my freshman year, but soon found out that my future in basketball was very limited.  Started working part-time at Disneyland on the weekends to help pay for school.  To my surprise, I was offered a management job in theme park operations and was part of the opening management team in both Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland.  Along the way Uncle Sam called and I served six years in an army reserve MASH unit.  It was almost as crazy as the TV show.

In 1977 after moving to Newport Beach, I married Tina Coombe.  We were both avid tennis players.  The marriage lasted only seven years.  I was traveling too much and she was playing way too much mixed doubles without me!

In 1985 I made two major life changes.  After 17 very enjoyable years with Disney, I accepted a management position with Taormina Industries, a small family business located in Anaheim.  Later that year I was very fortunate to meet and marry a wonderful lady, Diane Driver Chappell (and her two children).  It’s been a great marriage – we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this November.  By 1989 Taormina Industries had grown from $3 million to over $150 million in annual revenue.  I had been promoted to President and CEO of the company.  In 2001 Taormina merged with Republic Services to form the second largest solid waste company in America.  I stayed on with the new company as Executive Director of Municipal Relations for Southern California.

Dave & Diane at Coeur d'Alene Summer 2014
Dave & Diane at Coeur d’Alene Summer 2014

2013 was another major change in my life.  After splitting time in both Newport Beach and La Quinta for almost 30 years, we decided it was time to move full-time to our desert home and retire!  Our desert home is on the Citrus County Club, which is perfect, since both of us love golfing and the friendships we have made with fellow members.  Our other love is traveling (getting out of the desert in the summers).

Looking back, I can’t believe it’s been 50 years since we graduated from SAHS.  We all had some great times as “Saints”.  Looking forward to seeing many of you at the reunion.

Dave Ault

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Wanda Mason Lopez writes:

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As some of our 1965 Classmates might remember, I was married during our Senior year on March 27th.   So not only are we celebrating our 50th reunion, my husband AL and I just had our 50th wedding anniversary.
We were married on a Saturday and he left Sunday morning back to base in Sacramento and I returned to SAHS to finish my Sr. Year. We didn’t actually make a home together or start our family for almost 3 years, as he was sent overseas and I was a married 18 year old and alone. But here were are 50 years later, after so many wonderful times and great family losses we are blessed with our 3 beautiful children and 4 amazing grandchildren.
I have spent the last 25 years in Real Estate, but have recently retired to reinvent myself yet again and finish writing my book (I’m 1/2 way there)  and take more time for my photography. We have traveled quite a lot in the US but not international, however I am planning a trip to Ireland and Scotland, the home of my mothers family.
Although I have lost 2 of my closest friends from high school, Yvonne Rivera and Scott Walling, I am looking forward to seeing more old friends and hopefully getting reacquainted with many new friends.
Wanda Mason & Al Lopez 1965
Wanda Mason & Al Lopez 1965
Wanda Mason & Al Lopez 2015
Wanda Mason & Al Lopez 2015
I appreciate all of the hard work the committee has put into this and all of our reunions and can’t wait to see everyone. I am staying at the hotel Friday and Saturday so maybe I will see some of you then.
See you soon,
Wanda Mason Lopez
50th SAHS Reunion

Robert Currie writes:

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I guess my last post got lost in cyberspace, so I’ll try again.

After graduating SAHS, I attended Santa Ana College and Long Beach State, majoring in Microbiology. I have worked in sewage my whole life – first at the Orange County Sanitation District (Mike Mendez, who some of you may know, worked there as well), then the City of Lompoc, CA, and finally at SKF CSD in Kingsburg, CA, where I retired as Lab Director in 2008.

In the early 70s I started what became a lifelong passion passion for air sports, including skydiving, hang gliding, and eventually owning and flying my own aerobatic airplane. Now, in my old age, I just putter around the Central Valley in my ultralight. I also ski at China Peak (whenever there’s snow!), and go for long walks and ride my bike around town. I was a dedicated backpacker until just a few years ago, and did a solo John Muir Trail trip in 1990. I also standup paddle board regularly in Morro Bay (where I hope to live before too long), and may even try surfing, but I really think I’m too old for that.
I married fairly late in life, and my wife and I now live in Clovis, CA. She is a supervising nurse at St. Agnes Medical Center, and I enjoy my favorite job ever – retiree.

I haven’t kept in touch with anybody from SAHS. The last time I remember seeing anybody from SAHS was when I talked to Bob Francis shortly after John Hunt was killed in Vietnam. Bob and I were neighbors and we saw each other regularly while wresting at Santa Ana College. I was drafted shortly after, in 1969, but got out early with a medical discharge.
Some of you may remember my (step)sister, Judy Currie, who also graduated in ’65. Sadly, she passed away in 2003 from cancer. She was always strong and positive until the end, despite many tough times in life.

I guess my main memories from SAHS were the Kennedy assassination (I’m sure we’ll all remember that day), and also Mr. Bouchard constantly picking on Claudia Cohrt in French class (maybe my memories are flawed, but that’s what I remember, and I could never figure out why).

That’s about it. I hope the rest of you graduates from ’65 are happy and doing well.

Bob Currie

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Dave Cearley writes:

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I’m in awe reading what some of the other grads have done in the last 49 1/3 years! I guess we knew what we doing when we elected John Watters and Rick Whitacker our senior class officers.
Compared to their “Whassups”, mine reads like “The Road Less Traveled”. Yes, I did get a B.A. degree (in journalism of all things!) — and got 1/2 of a M.A. when I just got too busy to finish. Instead of going into the news biz, went into public relations (later advertising too).
Frankly, one of my goals in life was to get out of Orange County. And I accomplished that in 1972 and haven’t been back except to visit since. I’ve lived the last 32 years in Rancho Mirage (next door to Palm Desert and two cities down from Palm Springs). I say I’m retired, except I work a full-time job plus I’ve worked part-time for the Humana Challenge (formerly the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic) since 1989.
Now, here’s the Road Less Traveled part. I’ve never been married (almost two times) and have no kids (and never wanted them). I’ve been shamelessly cohabitating with the same person for nearly 15 years, however.
On the up side, to celebrate my 40th birthday, I played golf in England and Scotland for a whole month! I’ve visited Paris a couple of times and definitely want to go back. And in my later years, I’ve become a big fan of cruising — am planning next year’s cruise as I write.

Partner of 15 years but no kids or grand kids. Still play golf occasionally but love travel. Spent a whole week in a condo in downtown Vancouver last September — what a fantastic place to visit!

Warning: I’m going after the prize for the best male hair. I have a full head of silver hair — I’ve had strangers (both female and male, if you can believe it) want to run their fingers through it!

Dave Cearley

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Cheryl Brady Chandler writes:

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Well left SAHS and never slowed down, what a great ride it has been.  I lived and worked in Orange County first house in Lake Forest when it was El Toro and it cost $42K,  good laugh.  From there moved to Anaheim Hills and still worked at the beach. Cheryl-Brady-Chandler

One day while putting the clutch in and letting it out I said to myself I am pretty tired of this.  Sold the house, sold the Porsche and bought a pickup truck and took what I needed and left for Colorado.

No I did not know anyone but drove until it was pretty and ended up in Breckenridge in 1978, I did not ski I had no idea it was a ski area but I did learn about both.  While living there and have a really great time a blue eyed cowboy walked through the wrong door and I was behind that door.

Cut to the chase I stalked him until 3 years later he finally broke down and married me, the proposal was if you want to get married we are living on the Western Slope.  We have had more darn fun, I have learned to brand, castrate, vaccinate cattle.  Ride in the hills and gather them up and to ship them off to auction.  And while we were doing that I worked for Union Oil Company in Purchasing then when the oil shale project shut down I stayed on and liquidated the project.

I had a Real Estate license from 1981 and they had some land to sell and asked me to update my license and then it started I worked for some independent companies and when they would franchise I moved on.  As life rolled on a listing I had seemed to fit the bill for a Real Estate office so we purchased the building and started our own company made it easy Cheryl&Co. then we added  property management and just purchased another property management company.

This is called retirement.

We do travel quite a bit and try to spend a part of each winter in Hawaii, the time changes makes it hard for people to call me.  Look forward to seeing everyone am going to miss some of the friends that are not with us, but we can celebrate them.

Cheryl Brady Chandler

 

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Nanci Herron Rowe writes:

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Sailing around the world aboard the Seven Seas was a highlight on my freshman year in college.  It was a floating campus sponsored by Chapman College. Cathy Alleman was also on the trip. It was four months of eye-opening and life-changing experiences.  From there I transferred to USC where I earned my B.S. in Dental Hygiene.  I practiced for 30 years and retired in 2000.

In 1975 I married Tom Rowe.  His career in the lumber business took us to Atlanta, GA, Saginaw, MI, Portland, OR and back to Orange County.  We lived in Laguna Hills for 30 years and in 2008 weDahlias & MeVancouver Island 2014relocated to Olympia, WA.  We moved there to be near our three grandkids who are now 11, 12 and 13!   What fun!

We danced on an exhibition clogging team for 11 years.  We were opening acts for Sammy Davis Jr., Bill Monroe and Freddy Fender.  Entertaining was exciting!  We are now avid square dancers and have enjoyed that leisure pursuit for 22 years.

Traveling to Alaska in our RV was the trip of a lifetime. We have also traveled all the way across Canada arriving in Nova Scotia. On that trip we even stopped in Boston where our own Barbara Thornton gave us a deluxe tour of her city.  Our RV travels have taken us to over 40 states and we aren’t done yet!

Nanci Herron Rowe

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Marilyn Lamb Cooper writes:

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“Hello Again” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “I’m So Excited” it is almost time for “The Saints To Go Marching In”. Will we “Rock Around The Clock” or just “Yakety Yak” like “The Way It Was”? In ten years I have a “Ruby Tuesday” who is 6 and a “Rocketman” 3, almost “Born On The 4th Of July”. Sometimes they “Wipeout” their Nana. Marilyn-Lamb CooperI said ” Good Riddance” to work and retired in 2008. No “Rockin Chair” for me! I still love my “Old Time Rock And Roll” with a “Red
Solo Cup” which creates a few “Blurred Lines”. “Its Just A Matter Of Time” when “I’ll Be There” as “This Used To Be My Playground” from kindergarten to high school. We will be “Blown Away” with “Emotion” and we might visit “All Night Long” reflecting on “All Those Years”.
“That’s What Friends Are For”.

See you in August!

Sent from my
iPad. Mothers Day with daughter Heather.

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Cathy Alleman Packard writes:

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From 1965 SAHS Graduation straight to UCLA.

Worked summers in a Hot Dog Stand or my Dad’s Insurance Agency until I graduated to “Disneyland Tour Guide”, a job that I loved!
Took a semester off to travel around the world with Chapman College 7 Seas program (with Nanci Herron).
Came back to UCLA with a cowboy boyfriend (shipboard romance) I thought I would marry, but decided “no”.
Met the man I would eventually marry while working on a homecoming float . . . he was watching, I was working.
Graduated in 4 years with a Lifetime California Teaching Credential, a job in the Los Angeles School District and a husband.
Moved back to Orange County after 2 years and lived in my Grandmother’s Beach Cottage (rent free-we were extraordinarily poor).
Bought our 1st little house in Irvine ($29,500.00) and proceeded to produce 3 children moving into increasingly bigger houses as we could afford it.
Relocated to Denver in 1977 and have mostly stay here and loved it ever since.
Never worked as a teacher again, but stayed involved in education as a volunteer or aide for 20 years.
Children grew up and became quite extraordinary, capable adults and provided me with 7 fabulous grandchildren.
My focus has changed from education and youth to working with seniors though my church and the community.
New chapter in my life:
Became an unexpected widow in 2009.
“Sold” my big house to my youngest son (you all know how those sales work).California Veterans' Memorial
Bought a smaller fixer upper ranch.
Fixed it up (major remodel) and added a dog.
Have been working on our Class of ’65 High School Reunion for 2 years with a wonderful group of talented classmates.
Hope to see you there.
Cathy Alleman Packard
50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Tom Gibbons writes:

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I am married and living in Tustin for the past 40 years.  I have 3 successful children (1 son and 2 daughters) and 5 grandchildren.  I retired a few years back as a local operations manager.
Questions (from Whassup?!):
  1. 5,441 miles (England)
  1. Balding grey
  1. Demo/rebuilding our home
  2. Europe/Asia during the Viet Nam War
10. SAHS football games
11. Bible
Tom Gibbons (courtesy of his wife, Janell)
50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Chuck Patrick writes:

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Greetings from the Quileute Reservation, La Push, WA.

Doesn’t seem like (50) years since graduation. Anyway, after SAHS, I went to the senior, senior high, Santa Ana College, though I spent more time surfing and motorcycling than in class.

Uncle Sam took notice of my adventuresome spirit and offered me an all expense paid vacation to that garden spot, Vietnam. So, while you stateside college students were dodging bullets on campuses like Kent State, I was sipping Mai Ti’s in that tropical paradise, Cambodia.

When Uncle Sam tired of financing my play, he sent me back to school on the GI Bill. (4) years later, 1975, I graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in engineering. Armed with my degree, I became “Oilfield Trash” and spent the next (39) years chasing “Black Gold.”

If you’re “Oilfield Trash,” sooner or later you end up in Houston, which I did in 1979, and met my beautiful “Aggie” wife of (31) years, Suzanne Coody (I’m pretty sure she married me so she could change her last name. Her friends still call her “Cooty Bug,” remember the game?)

We raised (3) Texans in various Texas towns, (2) sons, Sean and  Scott, and our “surprise” beautiful daughter, Stephanie.  Sean, like mom, is an “Aggie.” A sound engineer, he’s traveled with several

groups like Randy Rogers Band, Flyleaf, and Eli Young Band. Scott graduated from Sam Houston State and is an Orchestra Director in a Texas school district. Stephanie is our Razorback, graduating from University of Arkansas, having spent a semester studying in Japan.

Suz and I have our separate hobbies, she’s a Physical Anthropologist and still loves to dig in the dirt. We just spent (2) months in Silver City NM, where she helped curate the Indian artifacts she helped excavate (30) years ago.

I like to punch holes in paper at (200) yards with high powered rifles. I made my goal last year of competing in the (4) CMP National Events, Oklahoma City, Butner NC, Camp Perry OH, and Phoenix AZ. Wish I could say I’d won something.

Suz and I enjoy one activity together, Ballroom Dancing, watch out Dancing with the Stars, haha.

(3) years ago we started planning for retirement and bought our Retirement Castle in the Ozark Mountains, south of Branson, MO. Then, March 2014, we pulled the plug. I retired from Schlumberger and Suz retired as Adjunct Professor of Anthropology (a fancy title meaning low pay, no benefits) from Lone Star College. We bought a small travel trailer and hit the road. Been traveling for (15) months. After Washington, our next stop is Alaska.

We’ll make it back in time for the reunion.

Hope to see y’all then, if not, hope to meet you on the road sometime in the next (50) years!

Chuck Patrick

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Need Addresses!

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We still need addresses, email and snail mail, for these 258 classmates.  If you can help, please send info to SAHSReunion@gmail.com.

FIRST LASTNAME/ MAIDEN NAME MARRIED NAME
JEAN ABANG
GILBERT ACUNA
TERESA ALARCON
CHARLES ALDRIDGE
PAUL ALVAREZ
SHIRLEY ANGERMILLER WHITE
KATHRYN ANGLEY
CHERYL ARDUINO
LINDA ARGAO
STEVEN ASHBURN
DANNY BAIER
GERALD BAILEY
RICHARD BALTY
STEVEN BASCO
DIANNE BLACKWELL
JEANNE BORDEAUX
KATHLEEN BRANDT
CHRISTINE BRIDGE CHARLTON
CHRISTI ANN BROWN
DORIS BROWN
LAUREL BRUNNER
LINDA BURCHAK
LINDA BURKHALTER
CHRISTINE BURNS PERKINS
LEROY CABRERA
MARY CALKINS BICKNELL
GEORGE CAPERON
DONNA CARLISLE CORDON
THOMAS CARMAN
CHRISTINE CARR
TIMOTHY CATTRON
LAURA CHEFFER HUNT
SHERELYN CLARK WILSON
STEVEN COLE
CAROL COLLINS
WILLIAM COON
OWEN CORWIN
GEORGE COSTA
RONALD COX
SUSAN CRAIG
MARILYN CUFF
LINDA CURRAN PRATT
JUDITH CURRIE
ROBERT CURRIE
PATRICIA DAVIS
BRUCE DAWSON
STANLEY DEAN
ERNEST DEL RIO
RAUL DIAZ
KATHLEEN DOLAN
LELA DOVER
DEANNA DOWN
SUSAN EAGLOSKI
SUSAN EITZER
VERA ESPINOSA
DALE FAWCETT
TAMASONE FILIPO
GEORGE FISHER
EDWARD FLOHRA
RAY FORD
JOYCE FORTUNE
DONALD FOX
RONALD FRIEDMAN
ROBERT FULLMER
KATHLEEN GADE KLATT
DANNY GARCIA
ELEANOR GARCIA
OLGA GARCIA
LAMOND GARDNER
RONALD GATES
PAM GEARY
MADELEINE GIBSON
MIKE GLASS
ELOISA GOMEZ
ELEANOR GONZALES
NORMA JEAN GONZALES
CARLOS GONZALEZ
LYNN GOODOIEN
BARBARA GOODWIN
RICHARD GRIFFIF
ALFRED GRIJALVA
DENNIS GRINDLE
RONALD GRUBBS
SALLY GUERIN SCHRADER
JANE HAGUE
LES HAGUE
SUSIE HANNEMAN
RICK HANSAN HANSEN?
PATRICIA HASTINGS
JOHN HAYNES
JAMES HAZEN
NEVIN HEAN
MICHAEL HENRY
DENNIS HIBLER
DARRELL HICKMAN
SHERON HIGGINS ELLIS
KATHLEEN HILLIGASS MOORE
LYNDA HOFHEINS BROWN
BETTY HOLGUIN
JOHN HOLGUIN
RONALD HOLLOWAY
NELDON HOYUM
CARLTON HUGHES
DIANE HUGHES COUGHENOUR
RUTH IBARRA
DAVID JENKINS
VERNON JENKINS
DAVID JOHNSON
LARRY JOHNSTON
GWENDOLYN JONES FLICKINGER
MICHAEL JONES
SANDY JORDAN
MARGARET JUAREZ
RICHARD JUDD
CRAIG JURATSCH
DANIEL KAMINISKI
COLLEEN KENNEDY
PATRICIA KENT
EARL KILLINGSWORTH
TERRENCE KLINGENBERG
PAMELA KOSTE
CHARLES KRUEGER
HELEN KUCHERA
DOUG KUTYLOWSKI
TIM LAIRSON
BARRY LANDER
KEEN LANE
WILMA LANE
GLORIA LARA
SUSANNE LAVERS MC QUISTON
NICOLE LEBLANC
SUSANNE LEBLANC
DENNIS LIEN
MATEO LOPEZ
GRACE MADRID NAVARRETTE
DAVID MANN
VIRGINIA MARR SHAFER
DENNIS L MARSHALL
PARTICIA MARTIN
MAURO MAURI
RICHARD MCBRIDE
SUZANNE MCCARTY
MICHAEL MCCORD
BARRY MCKENNA
DANIEL MCMICHAEL
TOM MEDINA
STEPHEN MEIER
HARVEY MENDEZ
CHARLES MERRILEES
PAULETTE MICHEL
RAY MILITELLO
EDWARD MILLER
CANDY MILLINGS WRENSCH
GILDA MIRANDA NEWHOUSE
HARRY MOORE
ADRIENE MORRIS DEBNER
SANDRA MORRISON
PATRICIA MURRAY
RONALD NEIBLAS
MARVIN NICHOLS
KARON NIMMO THELEMIER
DELBERT NOBLE
MICHAEL NOLAN
JANE OLDENBURG
MARIE ORTIZ
STEPHEN OTTO
PATRICIA PALM SCIOTTI
GAIL PARKE
EDWARD PATINO
PHIL PEARLMAN
EDMUNDO PERALES
LUPE PEREZ GOMEZ
ROSA PEREZ
DANNY PEREZ
PIXY PERKINS GROSSMAN
PAUYLINE PINEDO
TIMOTHY PODELL
LUTHER POINTER
ALYCE POTTER JOHNSON
JOHN POUK JR
GORDON PRICE
MELREE PRITCHETT BROCK
CHRISTINE PUGH
KAREN PYKOR
JOE RAMIREZ
JEANNE RAYMOND
EDDIE REYES
MARY RHYNE
RONALD RIMKE
LINDA ROBERTS MARCELLUS
WILHEMINIA ROBINSON
RANDEE ROBISON TAYLOR
JOHN ROCKWELL
HELEN RODRIGUEZ
WILLIAM ROGERS
DARBY ROGERS
SHIRLEY ROLES
ELEANOR ROMERO GALECIA
PETER ROMERO
ANNA ROSENCRANS ROBARGE
DANIEL ROSS
VERA RUIZ
CLIFF RYONO
WILLIAM SALDANA
DEBBIE SAMPSON
EMILY SANCHEZ
JAMES SANNES
ROSIE SARIANA
WILLIE SCANLAN
DAVID SCHERER
LORNA SCHISLER
DONALD SCHMIDT
MARGUERITE SCHUMACHER
LINDA SCHWARTZ HARRINGTON
RICHARD SEEBER
JOHN SEPULVEDA
KATHERINE SEXTON
ROLLIN SHEELLY
JOHN SHERICK
MARIA SINIAKIEWICZ
JAMES SKEITH
PAMELA SMITH
JOHN SNYDER
DAVID SOLIS
KATHY SOOP
REGGIE SOTO
FLOYD SPANGLER JR
BEVERLEY SPARKS
SHARON STEPHENSON
MARY TATUM GLASSMACHER
NANCY TEMPLETON
LINDA TERRY ALDINGER
ELIZABETH THIGPEN
KATHRYN THOMPSON FOX
CATHI TOELLE PATTERSON
DAVID TRUJILLO
AUSTON TYLER
JOHN TYLER
RUDY URESTI
JAMES VALENCIA
VIRGINIA VALENCIA
BRENDA VAN KIRK
DIRK VAN TATENHOVE
DANIEL VIELE
FRANCIS VIGIL
VEONA VOSIKA
LARRY WARD
HUGH WELCEL
JANET WEST
PATSY WILSON
WOODROW WILSON
ROBERT WITH
JUNE WOLF GETCHELL
JAMES WOLFE
CAROL WOODRUFF JENSEN
KAREN WRIGHT
CAROLE YATES
ELOISE YORBA
50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Richard Peralta writes:

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My name is Richard Peralta Class of 65.  Went to the 10 Year but have not kept in contact.  Married, live in Prescott Valley, Arizona going on ten years now. Retired after 35 years with the Southern California Gas Company worked mostly in Central CA. (Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo).  In 1967 went to Vietnam and lost my mind and many good buddies. Many of our Class mates lost their lives there. I have four children (47, 45, 39 & 36) and 9 grandchildren. 50 years is a long time.  Would like all the info possible.  Would like to get a hold of Ed Velasquez.
Hope to see you all soon.

Richard Peralta

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Ed Velasquez writes:

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I put together project teams for public or private sector entities. This type work is in part, an outgrowth of what we learned while playing football and other sports. I was a starter on a US Navy Championship football team at NAS Miramar, of  “Top Gun,” movie fame. This was my primary base from which we deployed to Vietnam more than once.   See if you can find me in the attached photo. (VFP-63). All the guys on the team deployed to Vietnam in 1968 and again later.Team_Flag Football -EdV

Antonov-P2550 June 11 2005 062 Antonov-P2550 June 11 2005 076breda2 rail car on test track Antonov-P2550 June 11 2005 019Fast forward to recent time, I have attached a few of photos of the success that one of my Integrated Project Teams pulled off on an international public transportation project for Los Angeles County Metro. First ever delivery of a commuter rail vehicle to from Pisa, Italy to Los Angeles, CA by a jumbo Russian heavy lift airplane.

Personal:
My beautiful wife Kerry and I are in our 37th year of marriage. EdV Kerry and daughter RebeccaTogether we have two children, both whom are professionals. They each have their own
families and we are blessed with two lovely grand babies. We are fortunate that they live close by and we get together regularly.

Ed Velasquez, son Chris, USS Midway

Kerry and I have lasting memories of our lovely Caribbean cruises and our interesting cruise to the Mexican Rivera. I have circumnavigated the globe twice on board military vessels, but it’s truly more fun when your at sea voyage is blessed by being in the company of a beautiful woman.

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Jennifer McClanahan Dicks writes:

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Wow!  What a bunch.  Howdy Saints!
I will attempt to fill you in on the last 50 years, but I doubt that too many are interested because not too many of you knew me personally.  I was not involved in many school activities and certainly not in the “in crowd” but I hope to reaquaint with many of you at the reunion.  I did make the Honor Roll.  My brother, Tom McClanahan (1966 grad) was more involved and some of you probably remember him.  My Dad was a Marine officer/pilot stationed at El Toro where we (all 8 of us) transfered to in my Sophomore year when I joined the Santa Ana Saints. Late comer.

MOST MEMORABLE EVENT AT  SAHA: Had to be the announcement of the assasination of President Kennedy a few months after we started school at SAHS in 1963.  It was the day my brother was to get his driver’s license, Nov 20, his 16th birthday. We had just moved from Springfield, VA where DC was our backyard playground.  Everything was free.  I visisted Jackie Kennedy’s whitehouse  and all the monuments and museums  on a regular basis. What a shock and loss it was for our nation that day when the announcement came over the loud speaker.

About me:  After graduation I attended SA College and then married a Valley High grad, Ron King, in 1967 – 1985.  We raised 3 boys and attended many soccer and baseball games in the Tustin area.  Today the boys are very successful, still in Southern California, and have given us 9 grandchildren.  Family was always and is still my prioity but education ranked second. When the boys were  old enough I returned to school and completed a BA in Liberal Studies and an MA in American Studies at Cal State Fullerton.

As is the case with many in our age group, we divorced.  I later married  Dennis Dicks, a native LA guy who added a son and daughter to our family.  They have since given us 5 more grandsons.  Dennis and I relocated to the Sacramento area for several years where I did some teaching.  Coming from a family of educators I felt compelled to fall in line but did not enjoy the gig.  I returned to school and became a hairdresser (FYI – 1600 hrs + licensing) and then opened a small salon in El Dorado.  Sideline:  It was next to an infamous bar in the gold country on the 49er trail called Poor Red’s where they invented a drink called The Gold Cadilac which made them the largest consumer of Galliano in the world.  Some of you may be familiar with it.  Now closed but fun while it lasted.

As I stated, family is my strongest pull.  Besides a wonderful 3 week tour of  Europe in 1969 when the Iron Curtin still stood tall,  I have travel Route 66 (now I-40) over and over to visit parents in Indiana and 3 sisters and a brother in Charlotte, NC, where my folks recently moved and celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversay.  We are blessed. I still have places to go and people to meet.

When the grandkids started arriving, we relocated closer to OC and stared a moving business in the Fresno area.  I hit the road south about once a month to hold those babies, watch more baseball games, soccer games and dance competitions (finally – some girls)! I have put the pedal to the medal since the first grandchild arrived -15 years ago.  Hot-rod  Grammy.  Ha!

Today Dennis and I are settled in Oakhurst (16mi from Yosemite) and have been married 26 years with 5 kids between us and 14 grandchildren (10 boys and 4 girls – including one set of twins).  Can anyone beat that record? Maybe. Please contact us if you head this way to beautiful Yosemite.  We’ve got space.
Jenny

ADVICE:  It is always more helpful to see the glass half full!
And how about some more baseball!

 

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Ginny Null Morgan writes:

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Running a organization:  Maui Harp Music (http://www.mauiharpmusic.com/) she provides romantic music for Maui weddings.  The website says: A graduate of the Chapman School of Music in Orange Coutny, CA, she has played in over a dozen orchestras worldwide . Ginny is the artistic director of Early Music Maui and the Producer of the  celebrated Maui Festival of Harps. Harp, Cello, and Viola da Gamba are favorites among the many  instruments Ginny plays.  In “Pluck: The Tales of a Wedding Harpist in Maui, Hawaii,” she dishes on the good, the bad and the truly embarrassing culled from nearly twenty-years of resort-side ceremonies. From Butterfly releases gone horribly wrong to vow-forgetting husbands to libidinous ministers, Morgan observes it all in amid endless repeats of Pachelbel’s “Canon” as she rises from an under-appreciated wedding vendor to a successful and in-demand businesswoman.

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Joyce Lister Brown writes:

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I am pretty  sure no one would remember me , Joyce Lister Brown.  My Husband & I own 20 acres outside of Bozeman going towards Big Sky Ski resort. We don’t ski.
We have Horses. Cutting Horses.  We are down to 3 horses now which making it easier to enjoy our place.
Bozeman is growing fast. Lots of California people here.
If you are ever in the area call & come by.
Joyce Lister Brown
50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Linda Filson Woodbury writes:

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From successfully dealing with total blindness in a sighted world to adapting to life after an accident in 2002, that left her nearly speechless and immobile for a year, and now, 18 months following a diagnosis of a fast-moving Parkinson’s, Linda Woodbury continues to spend her lifetime adapting to change and offering that incredible challenge to others.

 After receiving her Masters Degree in Speech Communication at California State University Fullerton, Ms Woodbury worked as a Speech Consultant to the President of Yamaha and as a University Instructor with California and Texas higher education facilities.  Later, as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, Linda Woodbury improved the morale and productivity of their personnel.  She also helped recently disabled people and those who had experienced the stress of a corporate merger or downsizing re-enter the workforce with renewed purpose and vigor. While working for three other businesses, she set sales records and surpassed all expectations.  Later she opened “dining in the Dark” Restaurant in Scottsdale.

Linda became a nationally recognized keynote speaker throughout the U. S. for companies such as Coca Cola, IBM, 3M, Abbott Labs, Unum Provident Insurance, the American Bar Association and the Industry Labor Counsel.

With compelling commentary, humorous stories, and fast paced video clips, Linda shares with audiences how she renewed every part of her being by swimming with dolphins and winning sailing regattas as a totally blind sailor.  She often shows her sky diving or Air Combat USA videos to drive home the point that “anyone can stand on their own two feet no matter what the game”.

She says her most prized activity has been as a mother and now grandmother to her family in TX.  She resides In San Diego and spends time writing her book “Just Because I’m Blind, Why’d They Take Away My Drivers’ License?” as well as catching up on a lifetime of spiritual quest with God as her partner in fully living each day.

Open your eyes to all your senses, options for meeting challenges and to the contributions of others.  The result is an enhanced ability to listen, focus, trust, plan, innovate, and ‘See Farther’ than ever before”!  And, never trade a happy day for an unhappy one.

Keynotes, General or Concurrent Sessions National or International:  Contact Linda Woodbury at 858-229-1921 or email lwoodbury@san.rr.com

 

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

David Ruch writes:

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Retired world history and band/orchestra teacher.  Still playing violin in church every other Sunday, guitar in BIBLE Study.  Took up woodworking when I retired and especially like Intarsia and fretwork.  Remarried after my first wife of 36 years passed away to Barbara, whose husband passed away a couple of months after my wife.  We met at church a couple of years later.  I have a 36 year old son Joshua.

David

Whassup?!

Carl Mattson writes:

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My present wife and I have been together for 28 years, 25 married and 3 preparing for a good relationship, we have 0 children together, but I have 3 sons with my first wife, Michael is 48, working with Intel as a supervisor, Steven is 45, working in construction and Bill is 43, working as a supervisor in wholesale cable Internet services.
I have 7 grandchildren that I know of, 2 of which I’ve never met, and probably won’t meet due to circumstances I have no control over.
I own my own construction company, I’m a remodel specialist but have built many homes from the ground up.
I do EVERYTHING in construction, that is when I do a project, I perform all trade work, I don’t need to bring in sub contractors for the most part.
My hobbies include building hot rods, gardening in our greenhouse, and radio controlled cars.
I have attached a relatively recent picture of myself and my bride.Carl Mattson & wife

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Rick Whitaker writes:

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A month after graduating as a Saint (and what an odd choice of mascot that looks like now), I entered West Point and instantly understood Dorothy’s comment that “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Rick-Whitaker-Copenhagen-1000x

 

After four rigorous years of education and training I graduated in 1969 with a basketful of value: a BS in Engineering, a commission as a second lieutenant, an appreciation for the Jersey Sound and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and friendships which have lasted a lifetime.

Since that event I’ve been in combat in Vietnam and served on the Frontiers of Freedom in then-West Germany. I’ve been to Harvard Business School in the years between George Bush and Jeff Skilling. I’ve been married, and raised two wonderful sons, Max and Alexander, who are good people.

Rick Whitaker (second from right) with West Point classmates in Vietnam, 25th Infantry Division, March 1971Rick Whitaker (second from right) with West Point classmates in Vietnam, 25th Infantry Division, March 1971

I’ve learned and then forgotten how to speak Czech, Japanese, German, Bahasa Indonesia, Russian, French, Spanish, and the language of love, which I most regret. I’ve visited 6 continents, and lived and worked in New Canaan, Singapore, Boston, Heidelberg, Tokyo, Menlo Park, Kabul, Houston, Monrovia, the Bay Area, Baghdad, and Dubai. I’ve been rocketed and ambushed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thrown out of my own club in Washington DC.

I’ve had intestinal discomfort in almost every place I’ve visited.

I’ve introduced fuel cell power plants to the world, established Bain & Co.’s consulting business in Japan, survived the demise of Enron, and resurrected the Liberia Electricity Corporation.

I’ve lost my friend and brother-in-law, Steve Cohee, to heart attack on a High Sierra fishing trip. My sister Gail and I still visit the spot.

I’ve completed marathons (including New York in a tropical rainstorm) and triathlons, and several 1-mile open water swims, although I still don’t like dark water. I’ve fished tiny little streams in the New Jersey highlands, the ocean off West Africa, rivers in Montana, and mangrove shorelines in Florida. I’ve caught every type of trout except Golden; blue marlin, smallmouth bass, tuna, snook, redfish, and tarpon; and some unidentified sea creatures that made me nauseous just to look at.

I’ve converted to Catholicism, and been inside more churches and temples and shrines and sacred caves than I can name. I’ve been to the Vatican where I was blessed by the Pope, along with 5,500 other people. But he was looking right at me.

Incredibly enough, I’ve done all this with only one medical mishap, falling off my bike in Katy, TX, and breaking my collarbone.

So what have I learned from all these doings, these comings and goings, and activities and diversions? That you don’t have to use your frontal lobes all the time; often it is better to just let intuition and instincts flow.

Words to live by? “Seemed like a good idea at the time” pretty well sums it up.

Rick Whitaker

50th SAHS Reunion, Whassup?!

Dan Fisher writes:

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I’m not used to talking about myself but I’ll do my best.#1-I did not marry anyone from SAHS
#2- what is the distance to Japan, I don’t know but i lived there for 2 years while stationed there with the US Navy, Hospital Corp.
#3- 4 children ( 2 boys 2 girls ) ; 6 grandchildren ; sometimes good decision sometimes not a good decision.
#4- I still have hair but Grey.
#5- I spent 41 years in law enforcement and retired with the Federal Protective Service, Department of Homeland Security. I retired November 30 2013. I did work all over he U.S.
#6- I spent a lot of time at the shooting range, mostly instructing firearms. I belong to a Cowboy Action Shooting group. We dress as if we just stepped into 1870, attempting to be as realistic as possible.
#7- Asia.
#8- I have not seen or spoke with anyone in the class other than at a reunion.
#9- Love many, Trust few but always paddle your own canoe. In other words Be your person.
#10- I have no favorite SAHS memories.
#11- Movies-a western called “lonesome Dove”, ; Huntington Beach where I live.This is most I’ve talked about myself in a long time.Dan Fisher

Update on Veteran’s status:

I spent 4.5 yrs in the navy. I was stationed in California,  Texas  and Japan.  I was a hospital  Corpsman and took care of wounded Marines.
After I was discharged I worked for Continental Airlines  then as a police officer with the city of Anaheim. I spent my remaining yrs with the Federal Government  as a police officer and retired from Homeland Security in 2013.
I now work for a national guard company as a corporate trainer.
Married with four children and six grandchildren.
I live in Huntington Beach, walking distance to beach.

Dan

Whassup?!

Tedi Christensen writes:

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DALE  DECKERT IS THE FATHER OF OUR 3 GIRLS AND YES, WE WERE MARRIED.   WE ARE BEST OF FRIENDS AND ENJOY OUR 7 GRANDCHILDREN.

OUR DAUGHTER, CHRISTINA IS A DOCTOR, OUR DAUGHTER KAREN IS A LAWYER AND OUR DAUGHTER JULIE HAS ALWAYS HAD A CAREER IN  THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY.  WE RAISED OUR GIRLS TOGETHER.  DIVORCED, AND WE BOTH REMARRIED.    I AM A WIDOW AND DALE IS MARRIED.

I HAVE USED THE NAME OF “TEDI” FOR OVER 35 YEARS– MY GIVEN NAME IS THEODORA, BUT KNOWN AS ‘THEO’ DURING MY SCHOOL DAYS.

I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT UPCOMING ‘SCHOOL’  EVENTS.  i HAVE ATTENDED THE “ALL CLASS” REUNIONS AT IRVINE PARK, HOWEVER THIS YEAR i WAS TRAVELING AND NOT ABLE TO GET BACK TO SO CAL IN TIME.

AS  TIME PASSES AND WE BECOME FEWER IN NUMBER, I FIND IT MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO TRY AND CONNECT WITH THOSE OF OUR PAST.

HOPING ALL IS WELL WITH YOU AND YOURS.
HAPPY TRAILS,     TEDI

Whassup?!

Michael Wilde writes:

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We (wife Shaun and two daughters) are currently living in Los Osos, CA on Morro Bay.  My twin daughters just turned 16 and are thriving with a distance learning curriculum.Michael Wilde-Shaun-daughters
I’ve been a full-time dad for the whole stretch and enjoying every moment.
Retired from UC Berkeley/Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory as manager of research communications for the Energy & Environment Division.   Shaun is a global marketing consultant to high tech clients.

Lived in Berkeley, Eugene, Oregon, Salt Spring Island, BC Canada, and now San Luis Obispo County. In between we’ve traveled the world. Education: MA Architecture & Urban Planning, UCLA;
BS Journalisim, University of Oregon.

Whassup?!

Marcia Lemon Sanserino writes:

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 Marcia Lemon Sanserino writes:
I quit working 2 years ago, final tally – 21 jobs.  I’ve gone from camp counselor, tour guide at Disneyland, airline stewardess (not flight attendant!), babe in the snack cart at the golf course, snack bar owner, and on to some more professional work in education.

I married Gary after UCLA in 1972, and between my erratic job history and his career in baseball, we have both gotten around a lot!  He played minor league ball so we traveled around the country and got to live in such desirable places as Omaha and Charleston, West Virginia. We actually moved 12 times in 3 years to give you an idea of our vagabond life.

I guess as years go on, we have become boringly stable.  We ended up not so far from Santa Ana, we live in Laguna Beach.

At the moment we have 3 kids, 2 daughter-in-laws and 4.5 grandchildren.  These numbers might be different by the reunion!

We still have some vagabond left in us however, we enjoy traveling and have spent a lot of time in Paris.  We went to Israel and Jordon in May and will be in Norway shortly before the reunion.
I look forward to seeing everyone and catching up on your journeys!