Category Archives: Whassup?!

What have you been up to for the last 50 years?!

Jill Shuler Taylor writes:

I’m so jealous of all of you who got together to celebrate the 50 year reunion.  Shouts out to Barbara Welty, Jane Lindsey, Ruth Ryland and oh so many wonderful Saints!

Jill Shuler Taylor here.  I wish I could tell you all how many conversations we had in our house about whether or not I could possibly get to the reunion for our 50TH. My husband of 45 years, Howard Taylor felt guilty making me go to his in September without trying to make sure I got to mine in August. But even if I wasn’t able to be there, I have loved catching up with you all via your posts on WhatsUp!

I left SAHS with no plans to attend college, but Harlan Anderson took me directly to UC Irvine to enroll in the first class of Ant Eaters! When my parents were going through a divorce, I took a detour my senior year and landed at Taylor University—just for a year, and just long enough to meet my future husband. I came back to UC Irvine to graduate, got married and moved to Long Island where I taught Jr. High School—English, Music and Drama!  Wildly crazy.  In four years we were moving to Indiana where Howard took a position at Taylor University in Administration. Our first born, Kari Ann, is a Hoosier!  The only paid job I had in Upland, IN was an Activities Director for a retirement home in our backyard—brand new with 7 residents!

While in IN we added a son, our only CA child, who was born in Whittier and blessedly placed in our home by a precious birth mother. Just 19 months after Douglas came Kathleen (Katie) Audre Taylor.  In 1981 we moved to Diamond Bar, CA where Howard worked for Fuller Seminary and I got my Masters at Claremont. Off to teaching for 17 years in Pomona Unified Schools, working my way aaaaaallll the way down to Kindergarten.  During our years in CA Howard and I got to attend a high school reunion or two before moving back to Ohio in 1999 where we observed YK2 with people who had cellars and gardens to fill them!

Ohio provided Howard a position at Malone University as Vice President for Advancement with a few days a month to continue consulting.  For the first year I continued to work with McGraw Hill presenting their elementary music program in CA, so flights back and forth.  During those years I was blessed to be with both parents for visits…making up for opportunities lost in the days after the divorce.

16 years in OH have given us a place to drop our California boat in the water at Salt Fork State Park lake. Water-skiing is something I love doing.  Ohio also afforded me a career change—jumping into a position of Executive Director at Pregnancy Support Center (PSC) of Stark County.  For 15+ years in Ohio I have had the opportunity to share love and compassion with so many young girls facing unplanned pregnancies.  Our greatest joy is to provide options for LIFE choices, but also to be there for women who have had abortion as a part of their past—and seek reconciliation and healing.

Well, that’s a wrap.  Our years have been full of joy and some surprises along the way.  Our third child, Katie, started a Film School non-profit in South Africa…with one huge bonus of two additional daughters from South Africa—Nangamso and Lusanda.  Both have gone through USA high school and college and as of this December both will have married.  Lots of fun getting to have another round of kids!

Howard is back to full time consulting for faith-based non-profits while I continue to serve at PSC. We worship at the Akron Chapel, the Green campus where we hear incredible sermons from a NASA Engineer, once an atheist, who trusted God with his life and has served as our pastor!  The science lessons are AMAZING.  I wish for you all the best this world has to offer, knowing that the world that follows is where the real deal begins!

Jill (Shuler) Taylor

Gale Grall Moore writes:

I was so surprised to see so much info about so many people.  I had no idea.  Now I’m a bit late but will add my two cents.

Gale Grall Moore
Gale Grall Moore
I married in 1972 to a great guy I met at Western Airlines in Los Angeles.  We moved to Seattle and had two wonderful girls.  Our lives revolved around our girls and 4H.  Their dad and I would take our vacations to coincide with the King County Fair and all the 4H activities.  It was a great way to raise kids.
But, alas the marriage didn’t last.  Western Airlines became Delta Airlines and in 1993 closed the Seattle office.  The oldest girl headed off to college and mom and youngest daughter headed for Salt Lake City to follow the paycheck.  I’d thought I’d gone to the ends of the earth. Little did I know what a beautiful place this is.  I live 13 miles from Snowbird and Alta, 5 minutes from wonderful hiking canyons.  I have turned into a National Park junkie.   Between international travel with Delta and living here… I’ve had a wonderful life.
Florinda Islas Bailey is my tether to Orange County.  Louann (old habits die hard) and I are very different people now, but we can pick up our silliness and camaraderie in just a few minutes of being together.  I’m also very close to my brother who lives in Orange.  Between visiting both of them I have been able to keep up with the changes of our childhood stomping ground… and what changes !!!
And I see Jefferson has been mentioned.  I’m anxious to see Jane, Mary, and Wanda.. and everyone else.  I used to play football with the boys at Willard… Tommy McNeal, Doug Nalle, Dave Ault..and ??  I think we were 8 or 9.  I was a ruff and tumble girl !
I retired from Delta in 2005 but got restless.  I went to work at an in-house travel department for locum tenens.  I’m now down to 3 days a week and with a big house… am kept busy.  When not working I’m playing pickleball, or in the mountains.
Well, time to lose 10 pounds in the next 4 days !..haha ..Can’t wait to see everyone.
Gale Grall Moore

Sara Meeker writes:

Still feel and act younger. Guess I’ll always be 18. Ha!

I married and left California in 1967, lived in North Dakota and Minnesota and had 2 children. Timmy is now 39 and Natalie is 37. Divorced my husband and started over again. Had 2 more children, Joe who is 29 and Melody who is 27. I have 9 grandchildren, all boys except for 1 beautiful granddaughter. Most live here in Utah, but have 2 in California. I’m married for the last time to a very sweet and wonderful man. He has 5 children so I inherited more kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Its never a dull moment around here.
Sara Meeker
Sara Meeker
I work at our local hospital as a registration clerk and love my job. I was a pharmacy tech for 4 years but it was just too stressful. All those pretty colored pills (just kidding). I gave up most of my bad habits 16 years ago but just couldn’t kick the food thing. Getting weight off isn’t as easy as putting it on. I’m not giving up tho. I live in the north-east corner of Utah where the dinosaurs roamed and its very beautiful here. I’ve lived here for the better part of 30 years, with a brief stay in Burbank for 5 years. If you are ever in Utah, this is the place to visit. You’ll find me at the local hospital behind door #2 ( I know it sounds like a game show ) and I will be so happy to see an old friend.
I’m still a talker, love life, full of the dickens and still feel young on the inside. My hair is long, its silver now, I’m a little heavier than I’d like(damn those hormones) but life is good. You know I think we were really the lucky ones to have grown up in Santa Ana when it was still small. I miss everyone and hope some of you will want to let me hear all your news.
I cherish memories of our days at Santa Ana High, especially the dances with the best band around the “Chantays” with drummer Bob Welch, (sorry fella’s, can’t remember the rest of your names). So many wonderful memories, some sad ones too. The loss of our dear friend Jerry Hartsock. I miss him so much. President Kennedy being shot. We had to deal with alot when we were young.
How about some of the happier times? All the cokes and fry’s at El Don’s. The Friday or Saturday night dances at The Rendevous. Lemon Heights (parking and necking).  Yep, those were the good ole’ days… Hope to hear from anyone that cares to remember those times.
Hugz,
Sara Meeker
Vernal, Utah

Barbara Welty Nelson writes:

I am very excited about our upcoming reunion, as I have not been able to attend many in the past. Still find it hard to believe it has been 50 years since we graduated.

Following graduation, I attended Santa Ana College and in Spring ’67, the Semester at Sea. I then went to UCLA, where Sharon Storm and I were roommates on pledge porch of the Kappa Alpha Theta house!

I received my teaching credential in Elementary Education and taught 3rd and 4th grade in Oakland, CA.  After 4 years, I decided to take a 2-year leave from teaching. I wanted to  experience living in Norway, as my Grandma Welty had immigrated from there.  I worked as a secretary and became active in the American Lutheran Church,  where I met my husband, Dean, from Decorah, Iowa. When he heard I was from Santa Ana, California, Dean asked if I knew Bryn Henderson, a Luther College classmate and friend!!! Small world!!! Dean and I became engaged in Oslo, and when we were deciding where to begin our married life, Dean said he had always wanted to live in California and I was his ticket!

Rather than returning to my teaching job in Oakland, Dean and I chose Santa Barbara, and I taught at the Christian School of Santa Barbara until our son Tobin was born in 1980, when I became a stay-at-home mom. With job changes for Dean, we continued to move south. Our daughter Megan was born in Huntington Beach in 1983, and in 1997, we did something we said we would never do … we moved from San Diego to Decorah, population 8500, and home of Luther College, where Dean worked until retiring. With our kids being 14 and 17 at the time, we did pray about this move, and they said let’s do it. Decorah has definitely become home for me, although I no longer want to be here during the winter months!

Barbara Welty Nelson family
Barbara Welty Nelson family

In 1988 I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, and although it isn’t something I would have chosen, there have been many blessings from it. I am now 28 years cancer-free.

I am very thankful that I am finally a grandma to 2 precious grandkids, 3 and 2 ½ years. Because they live a distance away – Istanbul, Turkey and North Carolina – I am always happy when we get to travel to spend some extended time with them. (As our son is with the State Department, they relocate every few years.

We do love to travel … but I wish we lived closer to our kids/grandkids.) Our family photo was taken in July 2014.

I love to quilt, which I have been doing since 1970, and I am very involved in our church, Bible study, and Moms in Prayer.

It will be wonderful to reconnect with our classmates! Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Barbara Welty Nelson
nelsondb47@gmail.com

Susan Frederickson Gibson Heins writes:

Just sent Sandy my check. My email address is susan@heins.com. I was Susan Frederickson.  I married Chris Gibson from our class. We divorced but had two amazing sons and 6 grandchildren . He moved to Oregon and had twin boys at 50 with his present wife.  He had back surgery yesterday so don’t look for him.

Susan Frederickson Gibson Heins
Susan Frederickson Gibson Heins

My husband Ed of 18 years will be attending.  We live in Huntington Beach. I still do hair in northern SA on Fridays and volunteer for the Assistance League in HB. I haven’t kept in touch with anyone from high school so will be looking over the Ariel to refresh my memory.

I plan to drop by SAHS Friday after work for the tour. Please send me any new info.

Susan Heins

Dan McMichael writes:

I worked summers throughout SAHS teaching children and adults tennis for Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Dept.  After high school I studied at Monmouth College (Illinois), Santa Ana Junior College (AA degree) and the University of Utah (BS degree) playing competitive tennis at each stop.

 I came back to Santa Ana after my studying days were over but job opportunities were slim in So. California.  With two friends we drove to Dallas, Texas to vacation and look for employment.  With my tennis experience, I caught a job with Dallas Parks & Recreation where I learned there were 500 tennis courts and 45 recreation centers.  It was the perfect marriage for my tennis and sports experience.  Twenty eight and a half years later, I retired and moved to Forest Grove, Oregon to be close to family members.
Dan McMichael
Dan McMichael

I enjoy sports of all kinds, movies, and going to concerts.

In 1997 my father and I went to Germany where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge earning a bronze star.  He was hoping to find his foxhole.  We enjoyed a trip up the Rhine River and Octoberfest in Munich.  Dad passed away in 2003 but I have many fond memories of that trip.
Favorite SAHS memory:  Co-captain of varsity tennis team that went undefeated in Sunset League play.  This team reached the finals of CIF State Tournament losing only to Santa Monica High School.
Present:  Single, no children, RATS!
Look forward to seeing classmates of SAHS class of ’65 at reunion!
See you at reunion later this month!
Dan McMichael
P.S.  Dan is still living in the ’60’s; has no computer or email.  His sister Mary Whiteley (SAHS class of 1969) is using her computer to send this.

Florinda (Louanne) Islas Bailey writes:

Florinda (Louanne) Islas Bailey writes:

Everyone’s post is so interesting.  What an amazing, talented class of 1965.
After high school I worked for the Postal Service for 44 years (only suppose to be for the summer while i went to school).  I had an office in San Bruno, Washington DC and Santa Ana while working as the Director of Marketing.
Florinda Islas Bailey, husband
Florinda Islas Bailey, husband

I have two grown children and 2 grandchildren.  My husband and I just celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. We raised our family in Huntington Beach and I’m fortunate to have my children close by.

Since I’ve been retired I’ve spent time traveling throughout the world. Love it!  Just returned from Machu Picchu and Galapagos.  Never was one for physical activity in High School but now enjoy many outdoor sports/activities.
Dennis Velarde, Gale Grall, Bobby Bunch, Ronnie Cardiel & Florinda Islas
Dennis Velarde, Gale Grall, Bobby Bunch, Ronnie Cardiel & Florinda Islas
I have kept in touch with Gale Grall Moore and Rosalynda Ortiz Harrison, Ronnie Cardiel and until he passed away Bobby Bunch. One of my dear friends in HS who I would like to see is Pam Crozier.
While I don’t like to share my personal life on social media I am on Facebook and have been fortunate to connect with several of our classmates.  I’m Blessed to have had such a wonderful healthy life and look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!
Florinda Islas Bailey

Lou Baron writes:

Start the conversation … I like that theme!  I’ll start with a little about my journey from 1965 Orange County (I now recognize what a sheltered, halcyon time it was to grow up) to 2015 Sacramento, and conclude with what I’m about today.

Lou Baron, x_Gail Lehman, Mike McCord
Lou Baron, x_Gail Lehman, Mike McCord

 

Graduated with a BS in biochem and a BA in psych from Cal State Fullerton in 1975 … on and off it took me seven schools and 10 years.  During that period my father died and I, as the eldest, suddenly became responsible for handling his business interests.

After college I got my start in the corporate world working at Beckman Instruments in a science based job that I loved; during that time I shared an apartment with Bob Fainbarg in nearby Park Newport on the Back Bay – if I remember our theme back then was work hard and play hard.

Eventually, work took me to Sacramento, where I later married and settled down to raise two girls and a boy. My oldest, Michelle, is a professor at Hobart and William Smith in New York; the next, Pamela graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and is an up-and-coming illustrator living in Oakland (pamelabaron.com); and my youngest, Matt, is still at Sac State studying nutrition.  This past May my granddaughter, Ellie, was born in New York and suddenly I’m holding babies again … they are great.

Lou Baron, Family
Lou Baron, Family

After 17 years of marriage I divorced.  Committed to mitigating the effect on the children, I focused on their best interests and today my ex and I are good friends and occasionally even go on vacation with the children and their companions.  For the past eight years I’ve been dating a woman I met online. She is an attorney with a penchant for travel, adventure, knitting, and me.

I still live in Sacramento; my home is across the street from the American River and almost daily I enjoy a run or a bike ride on the beautiful, tree lined river bike trail.

My business life had been somewhat diverse; after Beckman I worked in loan underwriting, real estate appraisal, retail sales (I owned a One Hour MotoPhoto store), and stock and futures trading (unfortunately a disaster).  The last 20 years, though, I’ve been a full time real estate investor (primarily in small commercial and multi-family properties) in partnership with my younger brother, Mike.

Over the years I’ve had the good fortune to travel to some interesting places, for instance the Pyramids, Machu Picchu, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Istanbul.  I continue to travel and I’m planning a trip to Costa Rica later this year and to Cuba in early 2016.

Aside from children, the most gratifying investment I have ever made, in terms of time and effort, has been learning to swing dance.  The Lindy Hop community is worldwide and I can usually find a place to dance no matter where I travel.  I’ve danced in Chicago, New York, San Diego, and Orange County (at the Atomic Ballroom).  If you’re a follow and like swing dancing, find me; I’d love to dance with you at the reunion!

My other passions today revolve around real estate and finance, exercise, nutrition, longevity research, and giving back to society (wonderful to see various classmates who have done so in a significant way, kudos to you).

I remained friends with Craig Juratsch, Bob Fainbarg, and Mike McCord and we see each other periodically.  I’ve also visited with Don Baker, who I had for chemistry.  I couldn’t resist including the following “then” photo; you should recognize three of us from our class.
But there were so many more classmates who provided tons of entertainment, encouragement, and competition in the classroom, at lunch time, in sports teams, and outside of school; and I really look forward to seeing many of them again.

If the varied and interesting “Here’s Wassup!!” bios are any indication, it should be an interesting, memorable, and fun reunion. 50 years! Wow!  See you soon!

Lou Baron

Phyllis Aldrich Hallstrom writes:

Wow I can’t believe it’s been 50 years! Seems like yesterday! So happy I can still remember those fun and carefree days of skipping lunch and driving to the original In’N’Out on Cubbon & Main, sneaking a smoke in the girl’s bathroom and waiting for Mr. Rollo Beck to round us all up from our cars before school started.  So many fond memories of good friends and fun times.

I married my high school sweetheart right after graduation on July 3, 1965.

Phyllis Aldrich Duane Hallstrom wedding 1965
Phyllis Aldrich Duane Hallstrom wedding 1965

We had two boys Joel and Jason. We were married nearly 40 years until Duane lost his battle with cancer in April of 2004.  I worked for the Orange Unified School District and retired in 1989 to stay home and spoil the first grandson, who is now 25 years old and in the Navy, stationed at Coronado San Diego, not a bad place to be!

 

Phyllis A granddaughter
Phyllis A granddaughter
Phyllis Aldrich sons & grand daughter
Phyllis Aldrich sons & grand daughter

One more grandson and two lovely granddaughters followed.

 

Duane and I stayed in the neighborhood purchasing a home in Park Santiago on Poinsettia Street. Our neighbors included many SAINTS the likes of Dennis Hill, David Scott and Kathy Mobley DeFord were just a few.

I am looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new memories see you all soon!

Phyllis Aldrich Hallstrom

Sharon Bartosh Kinney writes:

Geesh….50 years…I can hardly remember that far back!!

I taught school for 34 years and now have my dream job working as a vet tech for my vet of 30 years. Our son was born in 1980 and married a wonderful Ohio girl just three years ago. I’m definitely anxious to be a grandmother.

In ’99, I defeated breast cancer. I’m pleased to see every birthday.

For 43 years, I have raised, bred, shown, hunted and judged champion salukis (hounds).

SharonBartosh Kinney+Buster+Callie - champion salukis (hounds)
SharonBartosh Kinney+Buster+Callie – champion salukis (hounds)

I’ve judged hounds throughout the USA and Europe (England, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Australia) in the past 25 years. My pinnacle assignment was in ’03 judging 257 salukis in Lexington, Kentucky. I’m loving training my Aussie in agility.

Sharon Bartosh Kinney 2003
Sharon Bartosh Kinney 2003

I married in 1970 and still retain the original model.  Jim is an architect and built our dream home in east Orange.

Sharon Bartosh Kinney Family
Sharon Bartosh Kinney Family

My USMC Dad lived until 91 and we are blessed to still have both Moms kicking @ 92 and 96. I play duplicate bridge to keep my mind active and working. We are inaugural season ticket holders for the Anaheim DUCKS (hockey) and love to follow the boys throughout the playoffs.

Traveling is my biggest passion (must be ingrained from my Dad) and East Africa and Israel were our finest trips. I doubt that I will ever stop teaching and presently teach 4 year olds in Sunday school for my LDS church. I am blessed every day of my life!!

See you on the 22nd!!

Sharon Bartosh Kinney

 

Steven Johnson writes:

Steven Miles Johnson……US AIR FORCE VIETNAM 70-71…….I plan on attending the veterans meet up Aug-22.. Attended Hoover,Willard,Santa Ana High, special thanks to Dennis Hill for getting up our third grade photo.  Miss Bigelows class..top row third  pic class. John Hunt very close friend..Cub Scouts Pack-124….his mom was our den mother. I was in Vietnam May 70-71..notified by letter from parents on John Hunts KIA. I worked in transportation,was a heavy duty maintenance mechanic (motor pool).  I am currently still working in automotive business Subaru/GM parts in Orange County

Steven Johnson in Motor Pool, Vietnam  US Air Force 1970-71

Steven Johnson in Motor Pool, Vietnam US Air Force 1970-71

Family members deceased–Father Mother Sister. I am not married.
Still living in Santa Ana. I am still working full time.  Not much traveling due to work.  I bicycle to work each day to Fullerton 32 miles round trip.  I rode the 100 mile mammoth  century 100 miles in 2010.  Bucket list is to ride down PCH coast San Francisco to Los Angeles in the future.
On my physical appearance hair loss  Ha Ha!! I shave my head every other day!  I have hearing aids eye glasses through the VA.  Other  than these 2 issues I think I am in fairly good shape for a 68 year old.
I do have some pics from military service could try to scan or bring to meetup?? Steven-Johnson-1 Steven-Johnson--2 Steven-Johnson-5 Steven-Johnson-6
As for the reunion possibly consider going but
hearing issue is kind of holding me back.  Hearing aids help but noise in rooms with lots for people is sometimes a challenge.  The name I go by is Steven.

Steven Johnson
Steven Johnson
See you soon.
Steven Johnson

Sharon Condon Curry writes:

After I graduated, I worked at The Paulo Drive in, State Farm Ins when it was on 17th St. in Santa Ana. Also attended Orange Coast JC.  During this time I met my future husband.  He was in Marines.  We relocated to Petaluma for a couple of years while he attended Santa Rosa JC.  I worked part time for Petaluma Realty handling rentals.  The other part of the day I had short, temp jobs.  One was as a “chicken sexer” at on hatchery.  Yes.  It’s a job.  Someone has to determine the male from the female just after they are a few hours old.

In 1972, we moved on to Humboldt County.  In particular Arcata CA and Humboldt State University.  He continued school and I worked for ten years at HSU in the Theatre and Film Department as the Department Secretary. I got involved in plays and was a major.   Somewhere in there we divorced.

I decided to take a leave of absence for a year to see what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  I travelled for two months across Europe with a girlfriend.

Upon my return I met up with my brother at the Houston Astrodome as he was Marvin Gaye’s Tour Manager for awhile.  That experience was the change in my career direction.  I knew I wanted to work in the entertainment business somehow.

I quit HSU.  I worked for the Marvin Gaye production company for awhile.  Then I found a job on a television game show that was just starting:  Face The Music with Ron Ely (one of the Tarzans!).   Within that production company, I was  a production assistant, script supervisor then Assistant Director supervising post production with the Director.  I met tons of people and it is all about who you know and if you are good they refer you.  I was referred to work the 1983 US Festival in Devore CA, there I met an HBO Tech Manager who hired me to work in his company- NEP.  I moved to Pittsburg and worked for a television mobile unit (TV trucks that do sports, concerts, etc).   I was loaned out to MTV to work on their 1st Annual MTV VMA’s at Radio City.  This because of my experience with the US Festival…. lots of cameras, editing, etc.  I worked the 2nd and 3rd MTV Video Music Awards as well.

I was referred to the NBC Olympic unit to be a Broadcast Manager in Seoul 1988 Summer Games.  I handled the broadcast studio in Olympic Park working with Bryant Gumbel and Bob Costas.

Sharon Condon Curry Olympics:  Beach Volleyball in Sydney
Sharon Condon Curry Olympics: Beach Volleyball in Sydney

After that experience I went on to do four more Olympics: Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney and one Winter Olympics: 1992 Salt Lake City.  In between the Olympics, I worked at a corporate travel company, Maritz.  I was the Director of Production Operations for 10 years.  I took leaves of absence to do the Olympics.

My boss finally told me I had to choose because it was a hardship for him to lose me for two months. So I became a corporate manager.  I loved my job.  And the Olympics has me on the substitute list to be called if someone gets sick or has to bail for whatever reason.  I chose the corporate career doing business meetings, events, videos, car launches for clients like Nissan, Toyota, and other automotive companys.  Also Taco Bell, Oracle, Apple, etc.  Supervising about 150 production and creative people on tons of projects.

In 2008, the financial crash brought the demise of my production business unit at Maritz.  150 of us were let go.  I now am a freelance contractor still producing events, meetings, training for mostly automotive clients.   I work a little less because I want more down time…semi-retired?!   I now work golf tournaments.  Such a life!!   As I write this summary of my career which I’ve not done before, I realize how lucky I have been to have had these jobs.  I am very thankful.

I never remarried nor did I have children.   Pets have come and gone.  I have a cat right now.  I live in downtown Fullerton and love it.  I owned a home in Anaheim for 12 years.  Sold it 2 years ago, made lots of $$ and downsized.  I am enjoying “less stuff.”

I loved my time at SAHS.  I hung out with Patty Davis and Susan Eagloski.  We have lost touch.  I am hoping they might go to the reunion.

I look forward to seeing the other 1965ers that I know and, of course, who may remember me.

Sharon Condon Curry

Doug Nalle writes:

He is in the middle of the wine bottling from the 2014 crop and that’s pretty much 24/7.  He will finish Friday, Aug. 21, get in his car with wife Lee and drive like a maniac to make it to the Reunion!

Doug Nalle takes a good look at his Nalle Vineyard operations!
Doug Nalle takes a good look at his Nalle Vineyard operations!

 We will be so glad to see him!  In the meantime, his website http://www.nallewinery.com/ and years of marketing have yielded some text and photos, as follows:

Nalle Winery is about as “family” as it gets. Son Andrew runs the joint,  Doug Lee Andrew Nalle while father and mother Doug and Lee Nalle give wisdom from 31 years of winery experience. Younger son Sam, a scientist in San Francisco, gives encouragement and support. Doug Nalle 85FamilyCrestSquirrels pdf (2)Doug nalle 2 (2)Doug Nalle 3Doug Nalle 4Doug Nalle 5Then there’s our bevy of friends who magically appear at the right moment to lend a hand. Steve Edgar, from Arizona, still shows up for crush, and has, since 1991.

Doug Nalle
Doug Nalle

Our winery and home rest on land that has been in Lee’s family, the Henderlongs, since 1927. Her cousins, the Saini family, run the vineyard. In addition to the estate Zinfandel, Carignane, Cabernet and Merlot vineyard, two other local growers, Bernier Farms and Hopkins River Ranch, provide Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a smile and a handshake.

Doug Nalle

Jane Lindley Ransford writes:

Hello Classmates!

What a rollercoaster ride!  (You will all agree, I’m sure.)
After graduating from San Jose State where Ruth Ryland and I were freshman roommates and attending Chapman’s 7 Seas Semester in Fall “67 with Gail Lehman, I returned to Santa Ana where I completed my teaching credential at Chapman College.  That 1st summer home I saw John Eddy at a party and we began dating.  Both of us were teaching the next year and he was applying to Medical Schools after graduating from Yale on a full scholarship, doubling his major to Philosophy and Physics and still graduating Phi Beta Kappa!
We married in March of ’71 and went up to UC Davis where John was in medical school and I substitute taught and did a Masters in Theatre.  John gave the medical school graduation speech along with special guest Dr Spock.  Moved down to Palo Alto that summer where John was 1 of 9 interns accepted for Stanford’s Internal Medicine Intern program.  It was intense and stressful but he continued on with a Neurology Residency.  Half-way through that year he fell into a deep depression, doubting himself, his intellect and skills.  Sadly, he refused professional help and took his own life at the age of 28.  We had a 6-month year old son Gabriel.
I moved back down to Irvine where I had family nearby.  It was a difficult time for me but I made good friends and Gabe enjoyed growing up there.  After a couple of years I went to Cal State Fullerton to get my degree in Accounting to become a CPA.  There I met my future husband, Tony Ransford, who was my Business Law teacher.  Two years later we were married, I passed the CPA exam and Gabe was in Kindergarten.
I ended up working in Tony’s law office in Laguna Hills, doing taxes and accountings for his clients’ estates.  We were married for 31 wonderful years and lived in Hawaii (Kona) for 5 years after retirement in 2002.  Tony died after a short illness in 2012.
Gabe and I moved around a bit and have finally settled in San Luis Obispo.  He has his own place but is still single.  I have remained close friends with many from Willard and SAHS including Barbara Blackwood, Dee Dee Whiteaker, Ruth Ryland and Pat Briggs.  We have had several “mini” reunions over the years.  Often we comment how lucky we all were to have grown up in beautiful Orange County, near orange groves and beaches, with so many wonderfully nice, simple people.
My brother , Robert (Bob) Lindley also lives nearby and, just a note, I recently found a picture while moving of my dad in his SAHS basketball uniform from about 1930!  (Both of my parents graduated from SAHS.)
Barbara Blackwood and I are sharing a room at the Marriott and are looking forward to fun weekend and seeing everyone!
Jane Lindley Ransford

Gayle Neiman Inbody writes:

Hello Saints,

It is hard to believe that I am old enough to have graduated 50 years ago. I have lived in Orange County for most of the past 50 years. As far as I know I have not run into anyone from high school. Currently I live in Lake Forest on the lake. I have been here about 3 years and love it.

So here is my update, will try to keep it brief.

After graduation I went off to Cal State Northridge. Got married and I had 2 daughters. Was a stay at home Mom for a few years and then my parents bought Ashly Jewelers that was on 4th Street in Santa Ana. As that business grew and had more location I started working in the business and I became the human resource manager for the stores.

After 20 years of marriage got a divorce and a few years later got remarried to a wonderful man. He owned an engineering company and I ended up running his office. We traveled all over the world going to places that I had never imagined that I would ever get to see.  Sadly after spending 21 years together he died this past year.

I have lots of family close by, wonderful friends, 5 grandchildren and one on the way.

Grandma Gayle Neiman & Marissa
Grandma Gayle Neiman & Marissa

So I am happy to say I keep very busy. Recently I took up lawn bowling so I am an official member of the Newport Harbor Lawn Bowling Club in Newport Beach. It is a lot of fun and if I have any extra time I spend it bowling.

The enclosed picture is me with one of my granddaughter Marissa.

Happy 50th!

Gayle Neiman Inbody

Carolyn Cronin writes:

Aloha from Kauai!

As I write this note, I am spending 3 weeks on Kauai with my husband of 3 weeks, David Saulibio, who was born and raised on Kauai.  We met on Maui 42 years ago and went separate ways, and reunited one year ago via LinkedIn.
I retired 5 years ago from SAUSD as a school nurse of 12 years, and have enjoyed 5 years as a substitute nurse for the preschool program.  I even had the Adult Transition kids who are based at SAHS.  A lot of memories when I would walk through the halls of the original high school we attended.
I have moved to Spokane, Washington and will be helping Dave raise his 3 grandsons.
Ed Robinson, a fellow classmate of ours, and my first husband, have a 35 year old daughter who is going to be teaching third grade this year in Portland, OR.  She graduated in 2013 from Columbia University and just recently moved to Portland.  No grandchildren from her yet, but who knows, perhaps next year.
Life has been great and it just keeps getting better.  Dave and I will not be attending the reunion, as we had already rented a lake front home on Diamond Lake in the Spokane area during the time of the reunion.  But I will be thinking of you all and wishing you a wonderful visit.  I could say a lot more, but it would be boring anyway.
Love to you all,
Carolyn Cronin
(P.S.  This time I am keeping my maiden name.)

Dale Tilton writes:

Bio from Dale K. Tilton

            6817 Pippin Way
            Citrus Heights, Ca 95621
            916 727 9177
Santa Ana Jr C 6-5-67
Joined USAF 6-7-71
Stationed    Greenland
                  Taiwan
                  Sacramento
                  McClellan AFB
American River Jr College AA Degree Math 72
U S Post Office
1973-2006
Married 1971
Divorced 1999
Two daughters
Two grandsons 5 & 16
Now retired
    Camping with family
    Kayaking  with family
    Fishing with family
    Hiking with family
(Dale reports his computer has been broken for 1 year now. )
Dale Tilton

Arline Radillo Greene writes:

In 1965 I vowed I would never marry or have children.  Today, I’m thrilled to report that we have 5 children, 4 daughter-in-laws, 1 son-in-law and 12 grandchildren and I have been married for 38 years.  Okay, so I only bore two of these children, but I consider them all mine.

Radillo-Greene-Family

(Since this photo was taken we’ve added a daughter-in-law and 2 more grandchildren

After graduating from Cal State Long Beach, I returned to Santa Ana and taught 2nd grade at John Adams elementary.  I was one of the few bilingual teachers in the district.  After two years I convinced the school district to take a chance on a bilingual educational television program.  Educational T.V. was in its infancy.  They agreed and “The Number Shop” or “El Mercado de los Numeros” was born.  I wrote and hosted this math program.  We sold the program to KCET, the Los Angeles PBS station, where the program was distributed throughout Southern California.  Then I accepted a job with another station working on two programs: a live entertainment series following summer happenings in Orange County, and as a segment reporter on a biweekly news program.  Lots of fun.  I rode an elephant from the train station to the convention center, covered the surfing competition (while trying to learn to surf), covered the national offshore powerboat competition, the square dance convention, and was hypnotized on-air.  I looked like an idiot the entire time.

I then married a divorced man with four children.  Many were not happy with my decision, and when we returned from our honeymoon he was fired from his job. That meant I was now supporting his four children.  I was advised (unsolicited) to annul the marriage, which I refused to do.  He went on to start the biotech industry in San Diego which included pioneering the first PSA tests.  Later he started a company to develop a new hormone for controlling diabetes.  Life with Ted has not been boring.

We have put all our children through college.  They are all married and have children that love sailing, chicken and noodles, and popcorn.  A must if you’re going to live in this family.

We’ve been to 6 continents with Antarctica as our next destination in February.  We’ve crossed the equator:  I was read my list of felony charges by King Neptune when I successfully converted from a pollywog to a shellback.

I’ve been served monkey brain soup in China, something “unrecognizable” in Kenya (it was still wiggling), and Grasshoppers in Thailand.  None of which I could eat.

Ted, Arline Radillo-Greene in Portugal
Ted, Arline Radillo-Greene in Portugal  May, 2015

We still have our home in San Diego, but have retired to Northern Michigan with the deer, wild turkeys and abundance of birds that hover at the kitchen window when the bird feeders are empty.  In the summer all our kids arrive.  They wouldn’t want to miss our annual watermelon seed spitting contest.

In 2001 I started a scholarship fund at Santa Ana College in honor of my father.  These scholarships are awarded to Hispanic kids majoring in Engineering, Biology, or Chemistry and who are transferring to a 4-year college.

Arline SACC 2015 Scholarship winners
Arline SACC 2015 Scholarship winners

Help is given for tuition and books.  Do this day I still interview all candidates.
Looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up.  Bring pictures!

Arline Radillo Greene

Sandy Beatty Brummett writes:

I had a wonderful time at Santa Ana High School.  I met Earl in my Junior year.   He was in the Army and went to Vietnam in 1966. I got a job at Disneyland and had a great summer with my friends.  In  1967 we  married we  went to Germany for a year.  It was a wonderful year, we traveled, shopped, lived in our own apt near the Army base. Great experience!!

I worked for Bank of America for 26 years. I  went out on LTD in 1989 with major bladder problems.

We started our family in 1972, with a beautiful  little girl.  We had a lot of good years.  Then divorced in 1981.

Sandy Beatty Brummett,  Gary Brummett
Sandy Beatty Brummett, Gary Brummett
Sandy Beatty''s twin grand daughter cheerleaders.
Sandy Beatty”s twin grand daughter cheerleaders.
Gina, Kaci are Sandy Beatty Brummett's two beautiful 15 year old grand daughters
Gina, Kaci are Sandy Beatty Brummett’s two beautiful 15 year old grand daughters

I was single for 5 years then found Gary Brummett, from Orange.  He went to Orange High School  and graduated in 1960.  We have done lots of traveling in the 29 years we have been married. We love to cruise.  He is a wonderful person.

I do a lot of volunteer work  for Hospice and Dialysis work for at St Elizabeth St Joseph in Orange.

I also belong to Orange Emblem Club in Orange.  We are affiliated with Orange Elk’s Lodge. Our Club supports 19 Charities every year.  I’ve been a member for 16 years.  I’ve been Treasurer for 7 years for the club.

UPDATE:
I went to a concert at GG Elks Lodge recently and I ran into the Chantay’s.  Bob Welch was sitting watching the show 4 Chantays band members were upstage playing R & R songs from high school days “pipeline”  It was fantastic.  I got up my nerve and asked Bob’s wife if she’d take my picture with Bob.

Sandy Beatty & Bob Marley (class of '93 & Chantays) re-connect
Sandy Beatty & Bob Welch (class of ’93 & Chantays) re-connect

She did, I explained I knew Bob from High school he was class of 63, I was from class of 65.  I told Bob we were having our 50th class reunion next month and I wanted a picture of him to show my classmates.  So my daughter posted it for me on facebook.  I was on cloud nine all day!!

Then they had the new version of Beach Boys that played a lot of songs, my friends and I sung our hearts out.  I got some pic of the Chantay’s playing and Beach Boys singing. Chantays- Beach BoysChantays_Beach Boys

They were great!!

I’ll send the one by phone you can post on my bio page.

Sandy Beatty Brummett

Carl Cullings writes:

After graduation from SAHS in 1965 I spent a week in Hawaii, on Oahu, and a month in Japan traveling with a former junior high school teacher.

We were in Tokyo for one week and then traveled to a number of other places including Kyoto, Nara, Mt. Fuji, and Hiroshima.  I was amazed at how friendly the Japanese people were to Americans.  The exchange rate was 400 yen to the dollar. Today it is about 123 yen to the dollar.    1964

College:
I entered a journalism scholarship contest sponsored by the Los Angeles Herald Examiner.  They offered me a 4-year scholarship to Pepperdine University to pursue a major in Journalism (with the expectation that I would work for them after graduation).  However, I exceled at math and science and wanted to follow a different career path so I declined their generous offer.

I enrolled at and attended UC Irvine in the Charter Class.  I took classes in Math, Social Science, French, and Physics.  My major was in Physics.  UC Irvine used the quarter system (3 quarters per school year instead of two semesters).  As a junior I enrolled in a 5-quarter physics class taught by Dr. Forrester.  During an important final exam 70% of the class got very low grades and hence, many of the 100 plus students in this class ended up changing their majors, including me.  I changed my major to Electrical Engineering.  It turns out that I liked that field and graduated in 1969 with a BS in Electrical Engineering.  I subsequently enrolled at USC and attended night classes working towards an MSEE.

Work:
After graduating from UCI in 1969 I was hired at Aeronutronic in Newport Beach (just over the hill from UCI).  Aeronutronic was a defense and space related division of Ford Motor Company.

In 1961 Ford purchased Philco and merged the two companies in 1963 and called the company Philco-Ford and later Ford Aerospace.  Some employees called the company Ford Aeroneurotic.  I worked on the Chaparral Missile system, which was a missile, launched from a tracked vehicle with 4 missile rails.  These missiles used an IR (infra red) seeker in the nose and were very effective in downing enemy planes and helicopters. After two years with Aeronutronic, massive layoffs occurred, and I interviewed at many companies over a 3-month period and received an attractive job offer from Hughes Aircraft Company in Fullerton, CA where I started working in 1971.  I worked in the Receiver/Exciter Department for about 6 years, spending the first 6 months working graveyard shift on the SLQ-17 electronic countermeasure system. This system was deployed on all of our aircraft carriers to protect them against enemy missile attacks.  I then transferred to the Signal Processing Department, in the Beam Steering Group, where I spent another 6 years.  I did design work on a number of ground based radars, including the TPQ-37 Artillery Locating Radar System (which could back plot an enemy’s mortar or artillery round and direct our artillery to fire back before the enemy shell hit the ground).   This radar used electronic scanning to sweep the sky in azimuth and elevation and could track many targets simultaneously.  The radar was large and expensive but very effective and is still being built today.  I then transferred to the Antenna Department where I spent another 6 years working on a number of radar projects including a few classified radars.  Then I transferred to the Component Engineering Department where I spent another 6 years working with many RF and microwave components used in a number of different systems.

General Motors purchased Hughes in 1985 and merged Hughes Aircraft with its Delco Electronics unit to form Hughes Electronics Corporation.  Then GM sold their assets to Raytheon in 1997.   Most of the buildings in Fullerton were sold for commercial development and the majority of employees, including myself, had to transfer to El Segundo.  The commute from Orange to El Segundo was a lengthy one taking about 3 hours of round trip travel time per day.  Raytheon has a number of buildings in the El Segundo area (near LAX), as does Boeing.  I worked at the El Segundo South site in Building E1.  I worked on a variety of different programs involving radars (for Army, Navy, & Air Force), electronic countermeasures, communications systems, and satellite systems.  At one point Boeing Defense Systems needed additional help so my department agreed to loan them about 8 people (myself included).  We spent 20 hours a week working for Raytheon and 20 hours a week working for Boeing.  Raytheon acquired a number of other companies across the US and they created technology teams to try to integrate the various companies.  I was chosen as the leader for the RF/Microwave Tech Team which was comprised of about a dozen people from locations in El Segundo, Santa Barbara, Tucson, Dallas, Sudbury, MA, Tewksbury, MA, Fort Wayne, IN, St. Petersburg, FL, and several other sites.  I did a lot of traveling around country to visit other Raytheon facilities and visiting with suppliers, and potential suppliers.  I worked on generating a list of Raytheon standard suppliers and a list of Raytheon standard parts (to be used by all the sites).  I helped generate an RF/Microwave Handbook for design engineers to use.  I retired from Raytheon at the end of 2006 as a Principal Electrical Engineer.

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Family:

I have one 5 year older brother, John, who along with his wife Diane has been living in Laguna Beach for 45 years.  John also attended and graduated from Santa Ana High School.  I met my wife, Cathy, in 1972 while roller-skating at the Skate Ranch in north Santa Ana (now known as the Discovery Science Center).  She was a graduate from Orange High School.  We got married a few months later and lived briefly in an apartment in Yorba Linda, then moved to an older home in North Orange where we have been for the last 43 years.  We have three children, ages 42, 39, & 28 and 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 13 to 19.

Travels:

Cathy and I have gone on a number of one and two week train trips led by an excellent tour director (Roland Graham) from Irvine whose travel agency is called Mountain-Outin.   He specializes in train/motor coach tours with about 50 people per tour.  We have traveled around the US and across Canada with some of his tour groups.  We also make periodic trips to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Prescott, and Alabama.

Pets:

We have one dog (Siberian Husky) and one cat (long haired calico).  They are both getting up in years but then so are we.  2015

Hobbies:
Photography, computers, travels, people watching.

Memories from High School:

  1. Riding my Honda 55cc trail bike to school on a rainy day, leaving home wearing white corduroy pants and arriving at school with black corduroy pants.
  1. I loved the school cafeteria where you could request a larger helping and many times receive it. The spaghetti was my favorite.  But then in a cost cutting measure they eliminated the cafeteria and replaced it with vending machines with food put in paper containers with plastic wrap on top.  The spaghetti was slimy and awful.  Someone probably got a raise for this cost cutting measure.
  1. I remember having to say the Pledge of Allegiance in French in Mr. Bouchard’s French class. I can still recite it, in French, today.
  1. During open house, some students, taking chemistry class from Mr. Ashbaugh, would make a pasty mixture of potassium tri-iodide and spread it on spots on the sidewalk. When someone walked over the spots they would feel little explosions under their shoes.
  1. I took lots of pictures for the school newspaper. Digital cameras didn’t exist yet so we were using film cameras.  My father helped me build a darkroom in our garage at home so I could develop the film, and make prints with an enlarger.  This was a very time consuming task and required working with three different chemical baths.
  1. I had Mr. Petri for Physics class. I learned a lot from his class, which led me to pursuing a major in Physics at college later on.  There were no scientific calculators yet so we did many math computations on a slide rule.
  1. I enjoyed being on the Track team and competed in the 100-yard, 220-yard, 440-yard dashes as well as many relay races and I competed in the high jump. Some of the relay teams I was on made it to the state finals.
  1. During Easter break thousands of students would travel to Newport Beach (for Bal Week) and enjoy the surf and sand and cruising up and down the Balboa Peninsula. It was a lot of fun until the police started setting up check points to discourage the out-of-towners.

I am looking forward to meeting my SAHS classmates at the reunion.

Carl Cullings

Theodora M. Christensen writes:

Wow, can’t believe 50 years have slipped past. Amazing!  Having read the “bios” posted already, we certainly cannot be turning 60 something !!

You all sound so full of ‘get up and go’ and have filled these years in so many different ways !!

O.k. then, I will fill in a few of my years since graduation:
Having worked at Deckert Surgical for my 6th period work experience class under the guidance of Mr. Riordon. — Moved to Texas for awhile and then came back and started working at “Deckert’s” again.  John Roqumore and Dennis Hill worked there as well at that time.  Dale and I married and have 3 great daughters.  Christina is a  Partner Dr. for Kaiser Orange County,  Karen is an attorney in Las Vegas and Julie works for Famous Daves BBQue.  We have  7 grandchildren.  I opened and ran a branch store of  “Deckert’s” in Diamond Bar, Ca. where the girls grew up.

Somewhere along the way-we took a turn that led to seperate lives.  We are great friends and have always shared in parenting our girls.  I worked and help run a plastics reprocessing co. in Santa Ana learning all there was to know about thermoplastics and how it becomes plastic pipe–(a huge leap from medical supplies)–  Besides being a business partner I became Co-Owner and a new marriage was born  as well as a new company.  Allegis Pipe, Inc. was begun in 1994 and built it’s manufacturing plant in Las Vegas, Nv.  Allegis Pipe became the 3rd largest ABS DWV pipe manufacturing co. in the western United States.

We sold Allegis Pipe in 2000 and basically retired.  My next new love was found in Wild Mustang Horses.  I became involved with a wild horse group in Las Vegas that managed the Red Rock Canyon herd.  I adopted 2 wild mares–one with a 3 day old filly and the other foaling 1 month  later.  What an experience to train wild horses.  I was 55 then and thought all I would have to do was ‘love’ them.  Fooled me–since I had NEVER trained a horse, none the less, a WILD horse!   Mustangs are the greatest.  My 4 “girls”  all became gymkhana horses, which was quite a success story.  In 2007, we moved to Leona Valley, Ca. (No. Los Angeles Co.)  Bought a 10 acre horse breeding/boarding ranch and I still live there today.  It was here I  learned to raise chickens and sell organic brown and blue eggs. Besides the horses and chickens, the ranch had rabbits, goats, feral cats and a dog. I also made and sold apple butter, apricot and plum jam from the orchard trees.

Unexpectedly, I became a widow in 2009.

Always looking for new adventures, I became involved in Disaster Relief.  I am a member of ‘CSBDRM’/California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Ministries: a non–profit group that voluntarily goes to help in any disaster for which they are called to deploy.  There is a call out right now for Nepal and also upcoming to the Denver area. Last year I worked an “ash out” in Twisp, Wa.  Very rewarding work, mostly for folks who have no homeowners insurance and truly need this help. I became FEMA certified as well as CERT trained, and continue to take any trainings that are beneficial to deployments.

For FUN, I enjoy traveling ie: camping, hiking (recently was in Moab, Utah at Arches), wine tasting, western dancing and so on— If there are any of you who would like to participate in any of the above adventures–let me know!

Besides Dale (Dusty), I stay in contact with Wanda Mason Lopez and Robbie Edney Jefferson.

As the song goes, “all my bags are packed and I’m ready to go”.  Recently, I have had several SUPER phone conversations with our hard working reunion classmate Sandy Beatty!! What a delight.  With all the hard work and efforts on the part of the reunion team, this should be a fantastic 50th!!
Until then,   Happy Trails to you,

Tedi–(theo) Christensen

my email address is: sevenwildwomen@yahoo.com   ph# 661 270-9533 — I would warmly welcome hearing from you!
oh yes–sevenwildwomen –hmmm-I was going to tell you, but maybe I will just wait and see if anyone asks!!

Tom McNeal writes:

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 stupidityI 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

Karen Bachmann Crogan writes:

  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.

David Palomino writes:

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

Jeri Brandt Welty writes:

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

What to Wear to the Reunion?

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!

Jeri Brandt Welty writes:

 

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)

Robbie Edney Jefferson writes:

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

Melvin C. Welch & Michele Smith Welch write:

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?

 

Dave Ault writes:

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

Wanda Mason Lopez writes:

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

Dave Cearley writes:

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