Norm & Jane (Wilkinson) Fred

Just to fill you in on what's going on with Jane and me.  I have turned in my Dental License and I have traded it for a fishing license.  I also downhill ski around TVC and out west.  Last season I skied at Reno's Mount Rose.  Fantastic!

Jane has retired from being a housewife and enjoys knitting and traveling to Florida and taking care of our first Grand Baby boy, named Jackson for her dad and mine.  We eat out a lot.

We are not getting older nor better.  It's pretty much SOS (same old stuff) for us.
See you at the 50th reunion.  I know it will be a fun night

I retired from the Traverse City Regional Psychiatric Hospital (they closed the hospital) in 1991 after 26 1/2 years. I have been working at the Park Place Hotel here in Traverse City for the last 16 1/2 years.  I just retired from

there Dec. 20, 2007.  I am enjoying retirement very much and am doing what ever I want, when I want.  (Doesn't everyone wish they could do that??)  I spend a lot of time on the computer as you can see.

Marlene is retired from Church Secretary after 41years.  She is enjoying retirement and having fun with our 4 grand children.  She keeps busy with friends, family and volunteer work.  The days seem to fly by.

Bob & Charlotte (Fouch) Graves
I graduated from MSU in 1963 with a degree in Art Education. That same year, I married my husband, Bob Graves - we had met at MSU. Between 1963 and 1983 we lived in several different cities in Michigan including Lansing, Owosso, Okemos and Grand Rapids. During that time we had three children - two girls and a boy.   I worked as a teacher for a few years before having children, and later as a tutor and as an administrative assistant to the director of a Child Abuse Council.

My husband Bob worked as a cost accountant, VP of Finance, and eventually president of several divisions of White Consolidated Industries (now Electrolux). Because of his job, we moved from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Knoxville, Tennessee in 1983. then to Dalton, GA in 1987 and to Augusta, GA, in 1993. Since 2006 we have lived in Peachtree City, GA just outside of Atlanta. One of our daughters lives in Peachtree City with her family. and our other two children live in Dunwoody and Marietta, suburbs of Atlanta.

We are looking forward to the birth of our fourth grandchild in June. Our family and friends, golf, and travel keep us busy and active.

Dick & Sally Sleder

Sally and I are enjoying our "golden years". I continue to work at Mercury Marine as a part time consultant in the Electrical Engineering Department but my work schedule is very flexible and I consider myself to be retired.

We enjoy traveling and are planning a big trip to Alaska next Spring. My hobby is water color painting and

Sally's is quilting.  We also enjoy golf, cribbage and bridge but our favorite thing is spending time with our family. We have 2 children and 6 grandchildren. Our oldest grandchild will be starting college this Fall.

We are also involved in volunteer work for our church and I'm serving as Treasurer of the Fond Du Lac Concert Association. Hope to see you all next Summer at our 50 year reunion.

Adrain & Maureen Coleman
Dear Gary
Class of '59

I see I last wrote to you on 12 June.
I now have a photograph of my wife and myself, so I attach it.   Like everyone else, I am embarrassed to see the wrinkles.

Maureen, my wife, is a retired practice nurse.   We have a forty-two-year-old son who lives in Wellington.   He is a barrister specialising in tax.   We have a daughter aged forty, who is mostly a mother, and a son aged thirty-six who lectures in finance at Oxford University in Britain.   We have three grandsons and a granddaughter.

I wrote to Sheldon Cole.   I told him that I was at my big desk in my new office, which is in the most elegant and most central building of Hastings, a city of about 50,000 souls, serving the farming community around it.   I told him I was an attorney and had been for a long time. 

Sheldon trained as a dentist, but disliked it.   I told him I had just read of an Eastern European dentist who left Russia for the greener pastures of Bulgaria, carrying his tools of trade - stout pliers, a small hammer, and some strong glue.   He re-established his dental practice there.   He was exposed only when a patient nearly died of pain and complained to the Police.   They were astonished that he had two thousand patients on his books.

I told Sheldon that Air New Zealand now flies non-stop from San Francisco to Auckland and that Barbara Sleder had visited and stayed in the smartest hotels.

I don't think I will be able to make the fiftieth reunion.   I travelled in the Yukon and Alaska in July and August last year and I think my wife would make a fuss if I went to North America again so soon.

Has Rita Trager turned up?   If not, you will have to put out a general enquiry.

It is kind of you and Marlene to put in such an effort. 

With kind regards
Adrian Coleman

Leo & Polly Arthur

Hello, Garry and Marlene,
 
Leo Arthur, here in Arizona, reaching out to the great in the great Midwest.
 
I have been enjoying the class of '59 website.  It is good to see pictures of the past and present.

Retirement grabbed you two, is shaking you, and bringing smiles to your faces.  I love it!
 
I am enjoying teaching 7th grade English at Scottsdale Christian Academy in Phoenix and plan to keep it up while I am having fun.  This brings me to a question:  Has the date been set for our 2009 reunion?  If it has, what is that date? I could not find it.  If it has not been set -- two questions:  1)  When will it be set?    2) Is it possible to have it in June or July or the first week of August?  School for teachers starts out here about Aug. 12 and for kids a week later. 
 
Polly and I are planning to come but need to set plans in motion as soon as possible.
 
I do like the website and will come back to it regularly.   Spread a "Hi" around to those I know.
 
Your friend and classmate,
 
Leo Arthur

Lee & Sharon (Sullivan) Oelke

Dear Garry, Thanks.  My short paragraphs are usually much to long! But I'll try.

Lee and I are retired, Lee from the Navy and 40 years at Gehls, a farm equipment company here in West Bend.  I drove Bus for the handicap for 22 years, stopping back in 1998.  Lee's active with VFW, and I have been President of the Auxiliary going on 4 years.  I don't plan to re-up in April elections!  Lee also is

a member of the Korean War Vets. and honor Guard at Funerals.

I started a missionary quilting program at our church for the Orphan Grain Train about 4 years ago.. We usually do over 150 quilts a year, make about 3-10 the mornings we meet. In conjunction with the VFW make heart pillows for hospitalized vets, Men and Women.

We are still active in the Society for Creative Anachronism, thou we don't attend as many events as we used to.  I still make scrolls for them, and for other special events, memorials, weddings, baptisms etc.  Lately I've been painting note cards and helped developed a group we call Independent Artists.  We 8 are all Senior Citizens and meet at each others houses to paint and visit once a week.  We help out at church with ushering etc.  We go to the YMCA on a regular basis, and I try to write up a Zine once a month for a witting group in Milwaukee (MILWAPA).  A special event we got to help with was with the soon to be deployed troops at Fort McCoy.  We helped one day of the two they made picnics for 3500 people/troops. They were so glad to have regular food that wasn't sealed in a bag or however the Mc3's get handed out.  Brots, hamburgers, potatoe salad, beans, chips and soda.   Such a great bunch of young people.

We also travel. We just got back from seeing our daughters in St. Louis. We plan on going out east on a bus tour the end of September, and the 5 of us doing a family cruise in November.  About once a year we get to Michigan for the Empire Anchor Days to meet with the Air Force Vets  from Empire.  There are quite a few from our class that married AF guys. 

Please forgive such a long several paragraphs, feel free to edit as needed.  I may make a copy for my Zine.  We are looking forward to seeing every one who can make the reunion. Hmmm. Hugs, thanks for getting back to me about the pictures.          Sharon

Jon & Patricia Williams

Dear Garry,

Tho't I had better make contact with you, as I had heard that some of my classmates felt I had departed this world.

My wife, Pat, and I will celebrate our 47th anniversary on Feb 18, 2009.  We have 2 children...Robert, aged 44, and Kristi, soon-to-be 40, and 2 grandsons, Zachary-14, and Cameron-12. All are doing well.

Pat has undergone successful chemotherapy for stomach lymphoma, but still has to deal with progressive neuropathy. She has been retired from Nursing (LVN) for the past 6 years.

I spent 6 years on Active Duty, and 4 years in Reserves with the Navy. Received training as a clinical lab specialst. After discharge as E-6, I used the GI Bill to earn a BS in Medical Technology. Have worked in a variety of clinic and hospital labs since.

Am planning on retiring mid-2009, hopefully in plenty of time for the 50th.

Is the 50th on 8/1, or 8/9, 2009? Have heard both dates.  Have thoroughly enjoying viewing pictures of the several people I remember, but have been stunned to learn about the demise of some close acquaintances of yesteryear.

Gilberta Dechow

I became a nurse and at present still working part time.  My father is 92 and lives on Lake Leelanau, Mich. which I visit and help him alot by planting his garden etc. during the summer.   I have lived in Indianapolis, Indiana since the late 1960's.  I have a brother and sister that live in Indiana.

Sharon (Logsdon) Yoder

Marlene and Garry,

You bet I'll be there for the reunion!  Knew it was coming sometime  this summer, so I've been counting on hearing exactly when.

I'm living outside St. Louis now, so will be spending some time  around the actual dinner in Traverse City.

According to your  fabulous website, those of you in Traverse get together often (Don  Jaquish also sent me some photos now and then).  Any chance we could  build in some informal times together for those of us who come from  afar?  Maybe meeting in a park or someone's backyard or lunch  somewhere?  I know that I've wished I had more than the one short  evening to relax and laugh and catch up with others' lives.

Sharon E. (Day) Frazier

I probably won't be able to attend the reunion.  I moved to California the Monday after we graduated in 1959. I met my husband the following Friday, and we were married a year and a half later.  We have been married 48 years. We have a son and a daughter and 5 grandchildren. 

I have visited Michigan several times as I have family in Rapid City, Torch River, Traverse City and Grand Rapids. I'm not sure when we'll make the trip again. 

I really enjoyed checking out the Web page--you've done a great job.  Some of the faces were familiar to me. I was pretty much an unknown at school.  I started mid-semester of the eighth grade.

I was appalled at the number of graduates who have passed away.

Have a great reunion

Karen L. (Smith) Meyer

Dear Garry:
 
Exciting to receive the 50th class reunion!  My husband, Bob Meyer, and I have been married since 1960 with Bob graduating in 1957.
 
We live in Anchorage Alaska and 6 months each year working on our ranch on the island of Maui, HI.

I went into Registered nursing, became a private pilot flying my own plane around Alaska into numerous villages.  Also flew with Lear 35 while Alaskan oil pipline being built.
 
We have two daughters, one an R.N., one a Chemist.  Adopted a nephew who is A&P with Alaska Airline.
 
We love our lives -- Alaska is truly home.
 
Mahalo,

Dear Marlene,

Thank you for sending me the update. I am very impressed with Garry's work on the website. Very well done!

I am sorry to hear about Jim Martin. We started playing little league baseball against each other when we were about 10 or 11 years old. I know he was a good athlete and I am certain he will be missed by many.

I lived and worked in Seattle since 1971 and retired about 7 years ago. My wife (Sally) and I moved to Bend Oregon 15 months ago to leave behind the "big city" and enjoy a smaller community where  running, road and mountain biking, fly fishing, nordic and alpine skiing and dogs are the norm. We both enjoy these outdoor activities so it is a good fit for us. The weather in Oregon's "high dessert" is beautiful and we are very lucky to be living here.

Sally and I have a combined family of 6 children and 14 grandchildren. We try to see all the grandchildren during the summer months when they are out of school. We are in the scheduling stages for this summer so I don't know if I will make it back for the reunion. Please keep me updated so I can make a decision as the time approaches.

Thank you for all the hard work on the class reunion and my best to you and Garry.

Regards,
Jerry

Garry & Marlene,

Thank you again for your great work on the website!

Barbara & I met on a blind date in 1961 and were married a year later in Ann Arbor.  Over the years we have lived in Traverse City, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Newport RI, Rockford IL, Willmar MN, Mankato

MN, Tarpon Springs, Florida, and then Minneapolis since 1985.  Actually, it sounds more glamorous than it is, but college, Navy, work, and retirement caused our relocations.

Following college, we spent thirty or so years in youth ministry, and then the last eleven years in the coffee industry operating a coffee shop in Minneapolis.  We sold the business and retired last July and have been very busy since that time.  In December, we have a small photo studio business appearing as a Victorian Father Christmas.  For what's it worth you can check out our blog at: victorianfatherchristmas.blogspot.com.  During the summer, we do coffee concessions at a few music festivals.

Our four children and families live in Minneapolis, Florida, and Connecticut, so we still get in plenty of travel.

We are looking forward to attending the reunion.

Aaron & Barbara Hardley

P.S. Does anybody know if our performance of "Oklahoma" was ever recorded on audiotape?

Pat (Brown) DuCheney

This is just a little bit about myself. My husband, Ken, passed away June 3, 2008 and we have four wonderful children, two grand children and one great grandchild.
 
I worked for 17 years at World Magnetics and retired from there in 1989.

Since that time I have played so much golf I can't even begin to tell you how much, but a lot. I didn't play after Ken's passing last summer, but played yesterday and that's the beginning of the 2009 golf season!
 
Ken and I had a great, almost 50 years together, and he always planted a big garden and I will be continuing that for awhile, as I feel great comfort in being in his garden space. I hope my veggies are as good as his always were and I'm sure he will be helping me.
 
See you at the reunion.

Ken & Jean (Mannor) Bergman

Ken and I also met at MSU and were married in 1963.  Ken (and I) spent 5 years in the Navy; From there, we moved to St. Paul, MN where Ken flew for Northwest Airlines (international flights).  I kept busy working  various jobs and chasing our 2 sons around.

Now-it's retirement time.  We are snowbirds in Florida (Clearwater/Tampa area) and spend the summers in Mn enjoying our 5 grandchildren---ages 14-9)                        Looking forward to the 50th.

Jim and Ellen (Montague) Morgan (Gertrude)

Hi Class  of "59,

I suppose it would be a waste of time to lie about my age to you!

I live in Madison Wi, Waupaca Wi, and Marco Island Fl.  Depending on the time of year.  My husband,

Larry Sax, died in 1993.  We had three children.  It was a terrible time for us.  Fortunately I had been in women's retail for sometime and had two stores at that time.

Long story short, I have remarried a wonderful man. I have six grandchildren and my husband has five children which give us a total of thirteen grandchildren  We share many interests and hobbies such as tennis and golf.

I am very busy with my painting. My watercolors have taken off which keeps me out of trouble, most of the time.  I am planning on attending the class reunion. And am looking forward to seeing many of you there.

Barbara (Wysong) Lyon

We have 9 grandchildren (the pills aren't working)