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Jamey L Franklin (Camerer)

wish it was corvair moved down to prius

Robert L Fritz

Diana,

Cute image idea.  You've spent a great deal of effort to promote the reunion.  It is greatly appreciated by all of us. 

John E Isom

I too appreciate the effort that has been put forth for this reunion.  Right now I am in limbo for my attendance on Saturday.  My wifes uncle has been ill, and only given days to live.  So I may have a funeral to attend on Saturday.

I am looking forward to playing golf Saturday morning, and seeing everyone else on Saturday night.  If that should not happen know that you all are in my thoughts, and God willing we meet up again five years down the road.

Please keep Uncle Bob in your thoughts, and prayers.  He is a very nice man, has always been good to me, always enjoyed the time I spent with him.  The only regret I have know is that I never bought a bottle of Walkers Deluxe to have that last drink with him before he got into the state that he is in now.

If I see you all Saturday geat!  If not, until next time.  Peace unto you all.

John E. Isom

Gary D Barton

John,

You probably do not remember this short meeting we had on the football practice field in 1968, our sophmore year.  You have been one of my favorite stories over the years.  I was 5' 4' and weighed probably 110 lbs.  I was special kickoff team on the defense that particular day and you were on the offense.  Why I dare ran your direction to get through the line was my mistake.  Next thing I knew I was flat on my back seeing stars.  As you follow my football career in the tatler, you will see I never signed up after that year.  Thanks for the quick lesson/solution to ending that career.  Hope to see you at the reunion.  Gary

George D Depper

To all those who attending the golf outing....sorry for the rain, rain, rain and more rain! But it gave us all time to sit in the clubhouse and kind of dry out! A lot of stories were told (mostly by Dr. Fischer and John Cox) and I'm sure there were more as we left. There were 22 golfers in all and the lead group made it to #11! Doc had all the money when I left so I hope he dished it out to those who won! For me, I donated to the winners. Upon leaving someone screamed out, 2020 at "The Rock"! If I'm still here, that's where we'll play! Again, thanks to those who played, thanks to Doc Fischer for heading up the "money game" and thanks to all who were part of the organizing the event. Couldn't make it to the actual reunion but I'll be there in five years! Oh by the way, ask John Fischer and John Cox to perform their rendition of "One" by Three Dog Nnight! It's a killer! No photos that I know of as many of those golfing claimed to be a part of the Governments "Witness Protection Program"!

George Dennis Depper

Sandra L Lagemann (Gottlob)

What a wonderful reunion weekend this has been!  The 12 of us that made it to the winery avoided the rain by the lenghth of a bus ride.  We got to reconnect with "old" friends and get acquainted with classmates we hadn't known in school.  We were a very happy bunch and mixed well  We had a great time! 

Debbie Bayley and Frank

Sandy Lagemann & Jack Gottlob

Susan Kaar & Bob

Mike Ivester & Joan

Jennifer White

Chris Coppley

Margo Parks and Ursula

 I will upload a picture to the album page. I can't get it to rotate here.

Thank you so much Diana, for spearheading all of this!  You really provided a great canvas for us to all draw our individual portraits. And all your helpers, Susie, Barry, both Ed's, Clyde, Debbie, and all the others that I have not named, but without who the reunion weekend would not have been so flawless.

Many Many Thanks, 

Sandy and Jack Gottlob

Sandra L Lagemann (Gottlob)

And thanks to Ruth Bell and Lois!  How could I have left you off the list!  

John W Fischer

45th Reunion Golf Outing Results

Shortened to 9 holes; back 9 at Bon Air was inconclusive!

Event:

1.    Low Gross:  1) John Cox(39), 2) Bob Bushnell(41)
2.    Low Net:  1 Tie); Tom DeMond & Alan Cruthis(25)
3.    Birdies: #3 Bob Bushnell, #3 Mark Jehle, #5 Steve Doerr, #7 John Isom
4.    Greenies:  #5 Randy Hard, #8 John Fischer

Rain checks were distributed for $19.00 with a 1 year expiration.  Golfers might want to post rain check availability, if not returning in a year to Alton, on this forum.

 Was that a comma splice or just a common slice?

I heard some discussion about a 50th Reunion Scramble.  We'll try that format next time but it'll have to be a true blind draw(except spouses who want to play with their own spouse).  It's a little late in the game to stack teams!

Submitted by John Fischer

Ruth E Mitchell (Bell)

Feb. 25, 2016 -

Yes, this is the Ronald Smith from our AHS class of 1970 according to his ex-wife Sherri Smith. So that is the answer to my earlier question below.  -- Ruth E. Mitchell Bell

Dear Class,

http://advantagenews.com/obituaries/ronald-c-smith/

http://www.pitchfordfuneralhome.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=633435#/obituaryInfo

Ronald C. Smith died; he was 63 and born 1952. The obituaries do not mention school.

There is a Ron Smith in our Tatler with no middle initial. I did not know him in HS. There are no clubs or sports under his Tatler photo.

His name is in our classmates list here on our website, but there is no middle initial. He never made a profile.

He is listed in the AHS 2014 Directory in our 1970 class list in the back as Ronald W. Smith, but there is no directory listing for his name.

The photo in the obituary kind of resembles the Tatler photo.

Is the Ronald C. Smith who just died in our HS class?

Thanks,

Ruth E. Mitchell Bell

Feb. 25, 2016 - Yes, this is the Ronald Smith from our AHS class of 1970 according to his ex-wife Sherri Smith. So that is the answer to my earlier question.

Randy E Bouillon

Marsha J Sands (Harmon)

It does sound really cool Diana! It should be a lot of fun to use! Thanks Clyde!

Tom Horsley

Hello everyone, First post on the site. Question for those in my class at McKinley-Delmar.  Am I hallucinating or did either of these happen? A country western dance performance at  possibly West Jr High? A trick on our 6thgrade teacher where two teachers were called down to the office and we switched classrooms while they were gone?  I would also be interested in any other reminisces of our time at MD. Thanks, Tom Horsley

Walter W "Kip" Shewmaker

Tom...........It seems as though I recall a country western dance performance at West, but I can't recall which year.  My memory says that our 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Burt, was big into square dancing.  As for switching classes, I don't recall that.  I had Mrs. Hussong for 6th grade.  Kip

Michael Drake

Tom, I was in your class from 2nd grade on, I do remember square dancing at McKinley, don't recall grade, and think I recall an evening "exhibition" to show off all the slick moves we learned. Memories? Will never forget Mrs. Hussong breaking the news to us that our president had just been assassinated.

Susan M Kaar (Trainor)

Hi Tom!  Good to hear from you.  And Kip and Mike!  I too remember dancing. I had forgotten the square dancing, but all your posts have brought that back.  I do think it was Mrs. Burt, but I'm picturing it in our all-purpose room.  My stronger dancing memory is doing a Maypole (!); I know that was Mrs. Burt. (At least, I think I know.). I had forgotten about the class-switching, but now that you mention it, it also brings back a faint memory.  I also remember learning of Kennedy's assassination, but I'm picturing Mrs. Wilson suddenly appearing inside the classroom, as if she had "apparated" there Harry Potter style, and saying very directly, "Boys and girls, the president has been assassinated, the gasps that came from all of us, and fearing that the Communists were going to take over. Other memories:  Our unit on Current Events with Mrs. Burt.  I hated it (still do!), but I've never forgotten that Dean Rusk was Kennedy's Secretary State!  I'm lucky if I remember our current Secretary of State, but I've never forgotten Dean Rusk.  And remember the Walter Kronkite series, "You Were There"?  "It's [whatever the historical  date being featured] and YOU    WERE      THERE."  Loved those!  A unit on other cultures where we all had to bring in a food item from another culture/country, and we had a type of fair where we all went around tasting the foods.  Mrs. Hussong's store she had us set up, with empty food cans/boxes we had all brought from home.  Exercising to "Go you chicken fat, go away" in PE class, and dodge ball, and kick ball.  Maury Kennedy's top hat Halloween costume; still the coolest Halloween costume ever.  Lunch on the playground at Delmar and our girls' "squished banana club."  Spending a recess in the basement because it was raining (boring!). SRA reading classes in the basement, and those pretty red books!  The 6th grade girls chorus singing a rendition of Silent Night that is still the nicest arrangement I've ever heard.  Getting stung by a bee in reading circle in 2nd grade.  Tornado drills, fire drills, and air raid drills.  Funny what we remember!  More coming back, but too vague to explain   Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Scott R Adams

Tom Horsley

Thanks for th emessage, Scott. The performance I am remembering was in about 5th grade. My mother taught first grade at Gilson Brown for many years.

Tom Horsley

Thanks to the McKinley-Delmar classmates for your responses. Some wonderful times there. How innocent we were, and how much has changed. I know my classmates have gone on to do many wonderful things with their lives. Our teachers were indeed very good. My education there has stood me in very good stead. In fact, going to school seems to be what I have been best at. Advanced Calculus didn't even scare me. My entrance paper for the Math Honor Society at Illinois State was on the minimax theorem from Advanced(or 3 dimensional) Calculus. I think I even got my fellow honorees to understand what it was all about.  So many times and people to recall fondly. God bless you all, Tom

Nancy J Summers (Meeusen)

I, too, have enjoyed reading the responses, memories. Susan Kaar, where are you? Squished Banana Club - 4th grade at Delmar......  I hated every day of 5th grade. Years later, Mrs. Burt happened to be attending a Retired Teachers's Chirstmas party at a restaurant my dad owned and when she discovered that I was there, helping out while home from The University of Michigan during the holidays, asked to see me. Told me how proud she was of me because "Women can be more than nurses". Okay. So I was just about to finish a doctorate - in music. I just didn't know what to say. If you are an educator reading this, I hope you realize that every critical word, every short, dismissive response to a student's question, every time you ignore a child with his or her hand up, you make an extraordinary impression.

Perhaps on a more pleasant note, I love reading things from our class members on Facebook, the everyday kinds of things. If you are there, send me a friend request. The December before my mother died, she gifted me with all of my report cards and class photos from McKinley School. Every time I look at them, I call your names and think of our long-ago, but not forgotten, childhood together. May you be in a good place, content in your lives, moving forward into our "golden years" with grace and beauty. Namaste.

Tom Horsley

Heloo Namcy, Thanks for your thoughtful post. I remember little about our elementary teachers except that at least one had a reputation for being very tough. My mother also made me a book of all my childhood activities. About once a year I like to go through and look at class pictures, YMCA awards, letters from sports, report cards(apparently I was deficient in handwriting) and so on. I have a picture of me in nursery school(Jack and Jill) with Marty Medhurst. He is an author now, so I hope his handwriting is beter than mine.

Terry R Bridges

Does anyone know if the obituary a few days ago for Milton Johnson Jr. Was the Milton Johnson who graduated in 1970?

George D Depper

I was wondering the same.  I know he lived in Springfield, il.  He and his wife golfed with us in the reunion golf e ent.  His son, who was an administrator at Alton high, lived in town a few years back.  I think he may of had some medical issues.

Allen K Schroeder

I think you're correct. The age is right, and he was a Jr. Maybe Clyde can do a little diggin and find out. Glad to see both of you are sitll kickin!

George D Depper

Scratching and fighting, too!

Clyde W Fones

I've sent a message to Cathy Williams Funeral home to try to get a copy of Milton's obit. If they respond I'll post it for all to see. What kind of funeral home doesn't have a web site these days??? If anyone local can stop by there and pick up a copy, send it to me and I'll post it. Take are all.