|
|
|
Home RAGE Volleyball League Winning Seasons Elementary/Jr. High Tournament Domino's Pizza USA Volleyball Tournament Mason Mustangs '66 Reunion Tacoma Athletic Commission Shanaman Sports Museum Tacoma-Pierce County Baseball-Softball Oldtimers Assoc. State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame Sports Related Links |
Mason Mustangs '66 Reunion: Classmate Bios
GREG ADAMS I live in West Seattle with my wife of 32 years (exactly, as of today), Anne Thompson Adams, whom I met in college. We have been in Seattle since 1974. I am a partner in the Seattle office of the law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine, where I began my law practice in 1978, focusing primarily in the area of corporate governance and business transactions, and am luckier than I deserve in having a wide core group of clients I respect and enjoy who provide me with substantial amounts of challenging work. Anne is a social services agency executive. We have two daughters, both of whom graduated this year--Elizabeth from Williams College in Massachusetts and Katie from high school here in Seattle. Elizabeth has entered the Teach for America program, volunteering to teach junior high school math for the next two years in Oakland, California. Katie will enter Northwestern University near Chicago in September, planning to major in Theatre. The road to where we are now was relatively short and direct. After graduation from Wilson in 1969, I went to Pomona College, graduating in 1973. I spent a year in Volunteers In Service To America, working at a legal aid office and coaching at a local high school in the San Fernando Valley in California, before entering law school at the University of Washington in 1974. After completing law school in 1977 and a year working for the state, I started my legal career in Seattle with the forerunner of my current firm. All the while, I maintained active participation in distance running, and I remain a semi-regular and semi-serious participant in road races up to and including the marathon. In sum, I clearly cannot match the interesting reports of the remarkable personal, geographical, and career journeys and experiences that have been reported by so many of our classmates--with my city of residence, marriage, and employment circumstances all at or near three decades without change, my biographical description will register remarkably low on the fascination meter in comparison with most. I look forward to getting additional detail about our classmates' more remarkable histories on the 16th. Last year's informal 39th reunion was much more fun than I imagined it could be, so I hope those still "on the fence" will decide to join us. JIM ADAMS Hello--I am anxious to see all of you July 16. A great deal of my fondest memories and closest friends were made at Mason. I still have the memories and hope I can remake the friends that I lost through no fault of their making. I am a small town attorney and a lousy typist. I have been single for the last six years. I practice in the areas of real estate, small business, land use and water law. I graduated from the U of W in 1973, Economics, worked a year, and went to Willamete University, College of Law, graduating in 1977. I married Sally Soper (Aquinas '70) in 1975. She was and is a talented kindergarten teacher in Selah. We raised three children on a small hobby farm in Selah complete with horse, dogs, cats and rabbits. Lani, 28, is a pharmacist (WSU) and married to Ryan (WSU), a high school football and basketball coach. Nick will graduate from WSU in December and Courtney will be a junior at, where else, WSU. Tough for a Husky. Coached a lot of soccer, baseball, and basketball. Worked with the homeless and transitional housing. Proudly helped run an air show for 15 years and even skydived some (wasn't very good, but no crashes). I really can't wait until July 16. JOHN ANDERSON ('67) I'm John Anderson, and while I was really in the class of '67, I attended the last reunion because I knew so many people in the class and am friends with Kathleen (Knowlen) Ward. In giving credit to so many of the teachers we had: Mrs. Proudfoot, Mrs. Pullen, Mr. St.Clair, Mr. Cannell and so many others, we should also thank Mr. Lloyd and Mrs. Birkeland and I believe Mr. Wright for the music they gave us. The Tacoma School District had the best instrumental program in the state and we were there at the perfect time. My story is simple: after Mason and Stadium High, I piddled about for 2 years until I was caught up in the draft. I auditioned for the Air Force and was in a field band doing parades and high school concerts, and ended up for 3 years was in Germany with the Air Force Band of Europe. We toured practically every country in Europe, including behind the Iron Curtain. After the best all expenses paid vacation of Europe anyone could have, I was discharged there and went to Scandinavia on my own for a while. I returned to Seattle, and graduated with a degree in Biology and Chemistry and worked through college in a lab at Swedish Hospital where I met my wife of 25 years, Mary Lou Hatcher who was starting Med School at the U of W. After med school, residency and finally a practice at the Everett Clinic, we have lived in Marysville and raised 2 children, Brian who is now a physics major at the U of W, and Kathryn, who will be a senior at Kamiak H.S. in Mukilteo. I earned a teaching credential in science while in California and taught in a Catholic H.S. in Bakersfield for 3 years while my wife was in residency. I stayed at home with the kids for 15 years, and have returned to teaching at Kamiak H.S. in the Mukilteo district. I probably will have to teach until I'm 80 to make up for the lost time. I'll end up looking like Mr. Naubert (How many get the idea there [raise hand] Good, good.) when I'm finished. I still play the flute in a small ensemble that does weddings, and enjoy doing Celtic music and jazz. A note to the Benedettis: after the Air Force, I first returned to Tacoma Community College where I took intro biology from Mr. Muse, a legendary Stadium teacher. He would often talk of Rob's older brother (Tom?) who when Mr. Muse was talking about starches and the reaction with amylase, said "is that why patients are often given potato soup when they're recovering, to get glucose into the blood system without having to have an I.V.?" Mr Muse added, "Now, that's thinking! And now he's a doctor!" I also remember Rob as a mean clarinet player, and a devoted supporter of Bobby Kennedy. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this time, as I will be in Bar Harbor, Maine taking intensive Forensic Science classes in preparation for a new program I'm adding to the Mukilteo District for next year. Tally Ho, Mustangs! STEVE ANDERSON I attended the first Mason Jr. High reunion last summer - what a treat. I have stayed very close to Greg Witt and we have talked for years about how we wanted to crash the Wilson reunions to see our old friends. But a Mason reunion was what we really wanted. Witt may have planted the seed at a Stadium reunion that I didn't attend (because all the people I wanted to see were either dead or behind bars), but it was Marc that gave birth to the whole thing. I hope Marc picks a date each year and sends it out as soon as the current one is over so we can all make our summer plans around the next one. I am soooo bummed I won't make this one. My lovely wife and I will be in Hawaii for our 25th anniversary. So far, I have enjoyed Coy's bio the best - here is mine - I graduated from WSU with a Bach. of Fine Arts in Painting, didn't get in to grad. school - dad said it was time to go to work, which seemed pretty frightening - so instead I went to Western, got certified to teach and will start my 32nd year at Sumner High teaching painting and drawing. I put out a good product - my kids win all kinds of awards. I have a lot of fun doing it but I've spent 31 years 7 hours a day with 15 to 19 year olds some of which are put in art because there is no other place they can put them. I may lack the maturity of the rest of you who have been interacting with adults all this time. In '78 I bought 5 acres on the Carbon River outside Orting and lived in a barn while we built a 3200 sq. ft. house 75 feet from the river. It was an incredible adventure that lasted 20 years. We had horses, cows, and Laurie had a herd of 19 pygmie goats. We had an annual party that is much like this reunion, every year someone new would be found, invited and show up. It would be a mixture of Wilson, Stadium and Bellarmine grads - with a few GED's. This little reunion may be just the thing to take it's place. I know people 1 and 2 years behind us and 1 or 2 years before us who would love to attend. My dad died at 68 in '86. His goal when he retired was to play the best 100 golf courses in the world. I hope he's watching, because I have been knocking them off one at a time for the past few years. Next summer - Scotland. We sold the river place 7 years ago and live at High Cedars Golf course - #7 of the exec. course. OK - enough of all that - we all experienced the big earthquake and JFK's being shot (I was in the annex in the church). One of the coolest moments I had last year was upon leaving. I was trying to see if the place we tried out our homemade skate boards was still there - nothing looked the same, then I found myself about to cross the street, looking down, watching my step, I went back in time. I was standing under the street lamp that we all stood under while we waited in the dark for the weekly ski bus up to Paradise, and the pavement I swear is the same. So does anyone remember health with Mr. Naubert (he would have you raise your hand in response to "got that" or he would stop and ask Cvitanich or whoever if they didn't). We dealt with some sensitive issues in that health class and I remember the girl's health was right across the hall. The bell would ring, we would empty into the hall, both girls and boys and I couldn't help but wonder if the girls were dealing with the same material. I must mention the trauma some of us experienced. I had good friends at Lowell elementary school (Tom Pinkne was the king of soccer, and do any of you guys that played marbles remember when Tom and Jim Yates showed up with steelies 4"s in diameter? Their dad got the large ball bearings and gave them to the boys. If you remember the game we played then was dropsies (if you hit another guy's marble). Jim would drop this thing on you're favorite peerie bouldie and turn the thing to dust. Anyway the real trauma was having to leave some of our best friends and go to Mason to become a bunch of turtle neck, chord, wing tip wearing preppies rather going to Jason Lee and becoming a bunch of Beatle boot wearing hoods. But the separation after all the things we shared at Mason was really tough. Oh, sure it was cool to hook up with our old friends whom became hoods at Jason Lee, but things were never the same. We missed the day to day contact with those Wilson preppies. Do you guys remember PE at Mason it really was Lord of the Flies. We had boxing and I found myself in the ring with the infamous Jim Braman. I ran like hell. We did stuff that has long since been banned, like in gymnastics you could get 100 points if you climbed the rope without using your feet. Guys would wear themselves out trying to do this and find themselves slipping all the way down and have no skin left on their palms. You could get extra points if you mastered the flip on the trampoline (no way you could do this in gym class today). Andy Friedline thought he needed some extra points to raise his grade and when he tried his flip he traveled a little too far and came down with his feet through the springs. I don't think he walked for a couple days. I will miss seeing Jim Adams. In Mrs. Pullens' Algebra and Geometry classes, if Jim didn't know the answer to a problem I noticed he would set his pencil down, put his hands under his desk and start cracking his knuckles. It seemed to work for him - he got good grades - I soon was doing the same and it worked. Mrs. Pullen would yell at us to say what we meant and to mean what we say. (referring to the proofs in Geometry). But then Benedetti would raise his hand and say he got the same answer in a different way and Pullen would have the golden boy explain how he arrived at his answer. We really were lucky to have her. That's it - I miss you all - Pete Wonders can't make it this year either - but this thing doesn't cost anything, Marc just needs to give us a date and each year the thing will grow - and let's think about inviting classmates a few years before and after. Now let's take it to the next level - Marc, what I would like to see is an all city dance like Bellarmine used to put on at UPS. Years '67 through '71. You would need proof of attendance to some Tacoma High School during that time. Maybe you could get the Yardbirds. I will miss you all. DAVE BEAN (2005 VERSION) I was attending the U of Colo when I had an opportunity to be an FM DJ. So I ran away from college and joined the entertainment industry, starting in Carmel, California in 1971. I have traveled the world on behalf of music and movies between then and now. I told Greg Witt that one of my biggest memories of junior high in Tacoma is The Sonics playing at the school auditorium. My first wife died in a terrible accident when she was pregnant with our first child in 1982. I was married a second time in 1990, which only lasted 2 years, but I have a 14-year old son from that marriage who spends half his time with me in Big Sur and half with his mom in Carmel. I married a woman from Tennessee in 2001, but she had a 14-yr old daughter living with an ex-husband in Mississippi and she took a job as an art professor at the U of Mississippi to be near her daughter and to get out of California. I could not live in Oxford, Mississippi, home of the college, and came back to California. The divorce was final last summer. My Dad passed away in the 80's and my mom died in the late 90's. My 3 brothers and 1 sister are mostly still in the northwest. I work out of my home and get up early and go to bed early, often by 10PM. My home is a small farm on the ocean south of Carmel, near Big Sur, where I have lived for over 30-years, though I have also had apartments in New York and LA. I will attach a photo of my son Alex at the Grammies with me this year. ROB BENEDETTI I am inspired by so many stories that I feel compelled to add to the love fest. and to learn that there are so many Spokane, North Idaho connections. anyway here goes, I'm curious as hell to see what has become of our gym field. It doesn't seem that a true Mason Mustang experience is possible without running the 440 on a dirt field with a wobbly chalk line outlining the track. and how does the football team get into shape without walking a mile to Kandel field through the local neighborhood, or where does the football coach get his willow switches to whip the linemen on the butts? or dancing to Wooly Bully with Gabby Ramos, or, or,.... where do I stop? I've been in Spokane for 20 years, where I'm now the Medical Director at Rockwood Clinic, a 110 doctor medical group practice. I still practice Nephrology (kidney diseases) 25% of the time, but mostly I have sort of a grown up version of the 7th grade judge position that I had in 1964. After Stadium, I went to Stanford, graduating in 1973 and, having a draft lottery number of 71, I went immediately to medical school at UW. From there I went to Denver for 7 years where I did my internship and residency at St. Lukes Hospitial and my specialty training in Nephrology at the University of Colorado. while in Denver, I met and married Maria Yurasek, a Jersey girl, who was my boss for two months. As they said at the sex paraphernalia shower that our friends held for us, "I got stuck on Maria's rotation". We had our first daughter, Christine there in 1982. After 15 years of non stop school and training, I took my first real job at the lowest paying medical school teaching job in the USA(my wife said I did it on pupose to pay homage to Che or some other hopelessly left wing ideal), the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, where I had a great job, but felt too far from home, especially when my mom,(remember Norma, anyone?) died very unexpectedly after major surgery for melanoma. My dad remarried Lisa Drost's mom a couple of years later and they are both still going strong.they live in Tacoma, at Oakbrook and They make a real cute couple. Lisa and I laugh about how strange life can be....So, I moved to Spokane in 1986 and have been happy here ever since. Christine is now living in Aspen, CO writing for a daily newspaper, and Francesca our second daughter has realized her educational goals of being a hippie, having just finished her second year at UC Santa Cruz. Go Banana Slugs! Maria has had many different jobs as a doctor, but mostly loves world travel, which she doesn't mind doing without me as I pretty much like the routine ebb and flow of my daily existence. For fun, I've concentrated mostly on mountain climbing when unmarried and kid less, running and cycling when needing less life endangering activities, and recently have been killing a lot of my empty nest time playing golf. Some of my proudest accomplishments come from my the inherited Italian (Calabrese, really) trait of my "testa dura", or hard head. I've been too stubborn to let go of Tacoma friendships and Greg Witt and I rendezvous with high school pals in Sun Valley for Super Bowl weekend, and I've been able to grow and harvest figs from an outdoor tree in my Spokane backyard, making me at least the fourth if not more, generation of Benedettis to grow figs. what a long, strange trip it's been, and I'm really looking forward to reconnecting with all of the creative writers who have inspired me to stay up late and add my two cents to this blog-like outpouring! I just hope that somebody is collecting all of these bios and is going to take the time to preserve them is some way. MARC BLAU After graduating from the UW in May of 1973 with a degree in Recreation Management I started working on June 1 for the Pierce County Parks & Recreation Department. 31+ years later I retired on July 31, 2005. Retirement was grandiose but a month later I started working parttime selling apparel to businesses, schools, sports teams, etc. I am the resident sports nut and being the family genealogist and historian got me going with a project to establish a local sports museum. We opened it in 1994 at the Tacoma Dome and I serve as President. I also have been a co-chair of the local baseball-softball oldtimers association and I serve as Assistant Executive Director for the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame. All of this got me interested in doing a book on local sports and so I coordinated and co-authored the publication of "Playgrounds to the Pros: An Illustrated History of Sports in Tacoma-Pierce County" which was published in May of 2005. We unveiled it at a banquet at the Tacoma Dome which was the largest all-sports banquet ever to be held in Tacoma history with over 2000 people in attendance. A second banquet was held this past June with 900+ sports fans celebrating our sports history. I am a baseball memorabilia collector with a passion for Tacoma, Seattle and San Francisco items although my personal collection spans all sports. I also seem to have a knack for finding myself in the middle of reunions. I have co-chaired all of our Stadium HS reunions and have organized reunions covering the history of hockey, figure skating and baseball in the community that covered the 1930s to the present. We can give credit to Darrin Krewson, Kathi Scott and Laura Chadwick for the idea of a Junior High reunion. Darrin kept crashing the Stadium HS reunions to see old faces and pretty soon Kathi and Laura were talking up the idea. Following a Stadium HS 35th year reunion a bunch of us met at Katie Downs and said, "enough talk, let's just do it", and that is how our first Mason reunion was born. Thanks to all of you, we are still "doing it!" I've been married for 28 1/2 years and my wife works four days a week supporting me in retirement (gosh that sounds good even if it isn't true) as an x-ray tech for over 30 years. Our 24 year-old daughter graduated from Western Washington Univ. in December and just finished her first teaching job in the third grade in the Auburn School District. Next year she will take over the all-day kindergarten class. Our 22-year old son is the jock of the family. He started out at Western Oregon University near Salem but transferred to Pacific Lutheran University and was the starting defensive end during the 2005 season. They have moved him to middle linebacker for the upcoming season which is his natural position. Once he gets through with PLU (5 year plan) I think retirement will finally kick in. His major is Exercise Science and Coaching with plans to become a Strength and Conditioning coach at the college or professional level. He loves to work out and is a rock solid 6', 225 lbs mean hitting machine. I've been playing slowpitch softball and coaching a team for the past 33 years. My only other hobby is volleyball officiating at the HS and college level and assigning officials for 38 high schools, 83 jr. highs, and seven colleges. Been doing that for 30+ years as well. STEVE BLACK--posted 6/15/08 (as written to classmate Scott Jones) Hey Scott, You still breathing? Really strange, I was sitting here in Pakistan (don't ask) cruising the net and ran across this Mason Jr. High reunion page. What a hoot! And from there, the PNW bands page, thanks to your link. So I thought I would write and say hello. What a flood of memories. But why no honorable mention of my (short) appearance with the Daze? And what was the name of that guy who started singing with us, the one who got us all the gigs at Ft. Lewis? You ever see Mark H. or Mark Watson? Last time I saw Watson was at the Wilson ten year reunion. Well, I won't bore you with a bunch of old memories. You look good in the reunion photos. I see Darrin Krewson still looks good, and that Cvitanich looks exactly the same. What's he drinking! Anyway, just wanted to say hello, since you put your email on the reunion page. I live in Burien when I'm in the states. Still play the solo to "Light My Fire" whenever I get fingers on a keyboard. I don't know if there will ever be another reunion, but it would be fun to have a drink and laugh about the Mommies. PETE BRADY Hey everyone,, Pete Brady here. I saw my name come up a few times, and I am completely Innocent... well after high school, I went to T.C.C.. and said what the hell am I doing here, so I went to Clover Park Technical College and became a Mechanic/welder. At the end of the 2 years, I was picked to represent the school in a Plymouth Chrysler trouble shooting contest against 130 other trade colleges and won the written and the practical application hands on tests. From there I was hired by Hamilton Jet to trouble shoot fishing boats on the water and build engines, fabricate things for boats and such. From there I opened my own business Pete's Foreign Auto Repair for 25 years. Now I am a Welding Contractor doing mobile welding and repair. I purchased my current home in 1975, It is a farm in south Tacoma, and it is 6 acres is size, and I run my business there . Ran BMX races for 10 years in my back yard, and the city council and Joe Sinnitt, who represented me for almost, well almost nothing, and we moved the track to the city dump perimeter. I also had a race team that traveled from Canada to California racing, in 1985 the world body for racing contacted me to build the world BMX championship at Whistler Mountain, so I was there for months and got to be the starter and on ESPN,, then the city bulldozed the whole project I paid for and in one day and it was gone. Oh Yeah,, I also raced motocross for 10 years. Lets see what else can I put in this run on sentence.....OH yeah,, I still play an A club band called Mindzeye,, we were the house band at Leslies 1 and 2 for the 90's and many other clubs like Emerald Queen upper deck, too many places. Now I race Nascar, in the Northwest Pro 4 Truck Tour. I have been doing this for 11 years now. Doing real well now. I never married, Janice Skinner was always going to be my wife..well long ago,, but she was taken..so I never married, I have had 11 foster children. Well I don't want to bore you so I'll let you go for now... later...ooops..the winskill wine was kinda tart... P.S. what about the worst performance in memory? The Henchmen-Brent Lund, Marc Harkness, Frank Ferguson RIP, Randy HANSON, and myself, WE PLAYED TEEN TIME AND WE PLAYED GLORIA LIKE 13 TIMES,, HOW FUN, YOU GUYS NEVER LET US FORGET IT. I also was a substitute teacher at Clover Park Technical College for 9 years in the automotive classes. I loved to go out in the sound on my boat, just sit and veg. I also still ski, a lot of you said that, so I figured I'd add that. I also Want to talk to Alfred Camp at the reunion. There are some things I need to vent, See you there..(Editor's note: check your chains at the doors, boys!)... ROLAND BRECEK (2005 VERSION) My wife, Penny, and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary (we met at the University of Washington), and we will be off on a photo safari at that time. We are taking two weeks off and we will be traveling to Kenya and Tanzania. Life has been good for me as well. After Wilson High, I got a BA at the UW and a Masters at Western. A couple of years later, I moved to Northern California and have been there ever since (El Dorado Hills, a suburb of Sacramento). Penny and I have two daughters, one girl is aged 26 (Roxanne) and the other (Rochelle) is 20. I own a financial planning company, and I plan to retire in the next four years. Even though I won't be able to attend, I hope the reunion is a lot of fun. Should you ever plan another, please let me know. Sincerely, Roland Brecek DOUG BREWSTER (1/7/09) After Mason, it took several years to recover from Mrs. Hawley's H.A. English class. "Predicate conjunction; adverb clause," still rang in my ears as I graduated from Wilson and hung around TCC for a year...attending classes for much less than that. There, I met my wife, Leanna (Weaver: Franklin Pierce, 1969). Peter Charuhaus helped me get a job at Woolworth's, where I worked part- time for the next year or so. In the meantime, I enrolled at Bates and did a few months in the radio broadcasting school. Quit after I found out you needed to get a "2nd Class license" that involved math and homework (see #3 below). ). Went to a lot of parties during that time where I heard through slurred lips, "You don't drink? Wow! I wish I didn't drink." I may have been the original designated driver. Don't worry; now, I do have a drink occasionally...but am still available for designated driving. After a short relationship, I stopped dating Leanna because she was "too nice a girl to get involved with me." The meaning of this: I was supposed to be faithful to someone else, and wasn't. Anyway, we became friends. I brought other girlfriends to her house to visit. Several months later, I discovered I was in love with her (and still am). We married April 24th, 1971. For those who attended one too many parties in the 60's and are unable to do the math, we were 19 and that was almost 38 years ago. Advice: marry a friend; it's working for us. I joined the Air Force in order to afford to get married and served for 7 years as a medic. Worked in the ICU, Cardiopulmonary Lab, ran a Pediatric Clinic, and then worked the Emergency Room. We lived in Wichita Falls, TX where my kids were born (and I became an unreformable Dallas Cowboys fan. Go Jerry Jones!... and take TO and Pacman with you), then in Mountain Home, Idaho (where I took a few classes from Boise State). Would have liked to settle in Boise, but needed some help to get started and most of our family members were in Tacoma. I got out, went to PLU and graduated in 1982 with a nursing degree -BSN (Make up your own joke here). The day after graduation, I went to work at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, and have been there since. I live in the same humble home in Tacoma that we bought in 1984. We have been quite involved in the church where we were married (1st Presbyterian, across from Wright's Park). Leanna works in the office there as support staff and is the director of Women's Ministries. We had 2 girls, who are currently 35 and 36. They both married/graduated from college. We have 1 grandson (9) living in Miami, and a granddaughter living in Lewiston, Idaho ("Safe Haven" baby who was abandoned in a hospital emergency room and adopted by my daughter. She was our "lost-and-found" granddaughter). We also have a "rent-to-own" granddaughter living in Lewiston, who has been fostered by my daughter since March of 2007 -the adoption process has been ongoing, with lots of twists and turns. Eventually she'll be our granddaughter. All this is quite dull compared to many others, but I'm happy and wouldn't trade it for anything... unless I could have made money playing blues guitar. Probably due to being away for 7 years, I haven't kept in good touch with "Masonites." Memories stuck in my mind from Mason, or "In the Days of My Pubes": 1) Mr. Brisbois teaching class drunk. This is not all I can remember, but just things that ALWAYS pass through my mind when I think about Mason. I was sorry to see it torn down. The new structure is attractive, but more industrial (meaning Prison) in appearance. I go by often, on the way to the Pacific Northwest Shop or Metropolitan Market. There are names I left out and some were people I was close to. Unfortunately, most of my memories of them are clouded by High School and I wasn't sure whether certain things happened then or at Mason. All those mentioned, were definitely at Mason. Glad to have been in there with all of you. It really was an exciting transition point. AL CAMP Hi everyone. Well, I whittled down the bio and so here it is. I felt guilty reading about everyone else and not joining in the fun. Since leaving Mason I've lived what has come to pass and wondered what might have been. My dreams of working in the sciences (accepted at UPS, UW) took a huge detour my senior year of high school when my parents divorced. My alcoholic dad left and my workaholic mother said there was no room at the inn after graduation. She needed to take care of my younger brother and sister. Next thing I knew I'd enlisted, served as a crypto operator in the Air Force at Neah Bay, two tours in Southeast Asia (8TFW, Ubon, Thailand), and in Georgia, though I was seldom there because I was playing war games. Once freed, I attended Tacoma Community College until getting a couple associate degrees, then headed over the mountains to Washington State University. There I roomed with another Mason Mustang, Russ Frye, for about a year until tragedy sent Russ home for a time. (After graduation, Russ enlisted and become an electronic warfare officer on B52s. He and his wife are godparents for my son.) I bummed around a couple years, sleeping in the back of my station wagon when not living in a closet, attic or any place costing less than $100 a month. I got pretty good at dumpster diving and floating checks. Eventually I met Dee and got married in a snowstorm between semesters. Between her and my counselor, they managed to get me graduated with a degree in cinematography in 1979 (10 years out of high school). An ad in the Spokane newspaper landed her a reporter's job in Omak. I tagged along and eventually got work in the darkroom/production area. Since then, I've managed to finish a physical science degree from WSU, helped raise a boy (he's 17, loves to skateboard, is a terrific musician and just graduated from high school) and learned how to use large-format cameras (www.seeinglight.com). Dee rose to her current position of editor. I write the sports and courts (winners and losers in both), take pictures and work on the paper's Internet site - www.omakchronicle.com. Working on a newspaper certainly fills the bill of underpaid, overworked, and under-appreciated. But you get front row seats at sporting events and meet a lot of interesting people. For fun, I like to play softball and act on stage. Just finished "Bye Bye Birdie" (mayor) in Omak. This fall I will be Patrick Martin in "Little Shop of Horrors" in Chelan. My wife is a terrific cook, even better mom and works harder than anyone I've ever met. Alas, I will miss the reunion. I will be working that Sunday. Keep those bios coming for those of us who have no idea where anyone else landed out there. Save kind words for Marc and everyone else making such unique event happen. BECKY BROWN CRIST Hi from Becky Brown Crist. After graduating from Wilson, I began my tour of Washington colleges. I have credits from TCC, WSU, UW, CityU, Seattle Pacific, PLU, Lewis & Clark, UWT, and Walden U. Finally graduated at age 45 (slow-learner). In the meantime I waited tables at the Doric Hotel (now condos) and the Cliff House. I then had my own Daycare. Later, I worked with troubled kids in elementary schools. I now teach 5th grade at Wainwright Elementary. I'll be beginning my seventh year of teaching and love it. I've been married to Bob, a scientific-illustrator for the USGS (draws maps), for 30 years. We have Austin, best steak cook at the Keg in James Center, and Abby, soon to graduate from UWT. We also have 2 pugs Puck & Milo. So here I am, still kickin' it in Tacoma. PETER CHARUHAS Hi Everyone: Hope you're all doing well. It is amazing to think that 40 years have past so quickly. After graduating from Wilson, I attended Western Washington University where I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Audiology. Not a bad place to be during the late 60's and early 70's. It was there that I met my wife Sally. We've been happily married for 33 years and continue to find new interests and adventures in our lives. After graduating from Western, our first adventure was to move to Prince George, British Columbia to work for about year. It was an interesting experience, but we were glad to get out of the 50 below zero winter temperatures. Luckily, we had an opportunity to move to Vancouver, B.C. for about 2 ˝ years. It was a wonderful place to live and work, but it was on the wrong side of the line. Eventually, we expatriated Americans made it to Portland, OR in 1978. I've practiced audiology in a number of clinical settings and taught at a couple of universities in the area. Currently, I am employed by Sonus as a clinical manager and area administrator. Sally is the Assistant Director of Special Education for Portland Public Schools. We have two children. Adam, 24 (UO class of 2005) who is a financial planner with Waddell and Reed in Portland. His passions are building people's nest eggs, while attempting to build is own body. His goals: To make all of his clients wealthy and to become the most "buffed" financial planner in Portland. Our other son Daniel 22, currently enrolled at Portland State University, is an international studies major. He is on his second study abroad in Greece, continuing to learn the language and plotting with his Greek girlfriend a way to stay there permanently. Kids!!! My free time is spent remodeling yet another older home, hiking through the Columbia Gorge, traveling to Greece and Europe as often as possible, cheering on the Oregon Ducks (it's kind of a law when you move here) and looking for that perfect glass of pinot noir. I also play music in a garage (actually it's more like a basement) band. The stipulation for membership is that your have to be over 50. When we remember the chords, we really don't sound half bad. Some of my fondest memories growing up in Tacoma are my years at Mason. Looking forward to seeing all of you in July. CHRISTINE CLARK PRENTICE I enjoyed reading the bios. Here's a little bit of info on my life since the Mason years. I was a stay at home Mom from 1972 until I had all three of my sons in school and I returned to work full time in 1986. I worked in the huma resources field in hospitals until I left the healthcare industry and my job as employment manager at Swedish Medical Center in January of 1999. I am now the human resources director for an international property management company based in Seattle. My husband (Darrel Prentice, a Bellarmine boy) and I moved from Tacoma to Seattle in 1998. Two years ago we bought the home of my dreams on one and a half acres east of Redmond. Darrel is a high school math teacher planning to retire after one more year of teaching. We have twin grandsons who are 9 years old, sons of our oldest son, Adam. Patrick and Ryan have girlfriends but no plans. Life is good. Knock on wood. MARY ANN CONKLIN CROSSMAN I have been teaching the past 15 years for the Vancouver School District. Presently, I am working with a program that takes students on a daily basis to the VA Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. My job entails placing students in training sites and keeping tabs on the critters. I am enjoying this job since it takes me out of a classroom setting, which can be somewhat challenging with high schoolers in this day and age. I have been single for the past 6 years and am living la vida loca!! Not really, but believe me, dating has certainly changed since the 60's. My three children are independent and on their own. Maggie (31) is married to Ben. She teaches elementary school in the Highline School District. Ben will work as a school psych in the same district next year. They have one very special little boy, Henry who is 14 months and the apple of grandma's eye. Ryan (29) lives in Edmonds and is in home construction. Andrea (27) is presently in Spain teaching English. As you can tell I am quite proud of them all. I visit Tacoma on a regular basis, since my folks are still entrenched there. At 82, they are both doing well. My brothers and sister still reside in Tacoma, also. I am enjoying this phase of my life and looking forward to seeing old friends at the reunion. Please forgive me if I don't remember or recognize you. Being a 55 year old female has affected my memory. Ladies you all know what I mean. The good news is (or so I hear) the memory comes back. CATHY CURRY KILGORE After finishing 9th grade at Mason and then one quarter at Stadium, we moved to Spokane where I finished HS at Central Valley High. Spokane was a terrible shock ... someone in every block owned cows and/or chickens and the kids at school were into things like Future Farmers of America. It took a long time to adjust! After HS I attended EWU for awhile and eventually found myself in nursing. I worked for 20+ years at Sacred Heart Medical Center .... where Dr. Rob has also worked for years. I have done many kinds of nursing and am currently working in home nursing waiting for a new Hospice House to be built so I can work there. My husband is Mike and he owns his own architectural products business. We have a 33 yr-old daughter, Sara; sadly, we lost our son, Eli, in 1997 (he was 23); David is 20; and Annie is 18. Annie is headed to Tacoma soon to study music at PLU! We have 3 grandchildren and they are so much fun! Mike and I both enjoy mission trips ... I have gone to Africa twice to do medical work, Jamaica twice to work with kids and Mike goes often to Mexico to build houses. Annie usually goes, too. I have loved reading the stories that you all have written ... especially Dennis Whalen's about the dummy in the road (he seems to have forgotten that I was in on that). And the adventures at the gulch ... most people don't even know what a gulch is! I look forward to coming to the reunion next time .... will it be next year? Please keep me on the email list. Thanks! Cathy DICK CVITANICH & DIANE MICHELSON Here are two people for the price of one. What a bargain. Diane and I have been happily married for 30 years. Diane graduated from the UW and has been a dental hygienist for 32 years! I graduated from the UW in 1973, tried finding myself for a year by living on a farm, and then returned to school to earn a teaching certificate. Since that time we have lived in the San Juan Islands, Bremerton, and Sequim. For the last 24 years we have lived on Vashon Island. We have three sons. Oldest, John, is an HR executive for a company in Kent. Middle son, Paul, will be a senior at Whitman College, majoring in geo-chemistry. Youngest son, Andy, graduates this year from Vashon High and will be a freshman at Santa Clara University. Currently, I am Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Puyallup School District. Since all the kids will be out of the house, Diane and I decided to shake things up a bit before weddings and grandkids arrive. I have just accepted a job in the Lake Pend Oreille School District as Superintendent of Schools. It has been a dream for us to live in a ski town and so with skiing 20 minutes away, we are thinking this looks like a great adventure. It is a beautiful recreational and arts area and we hope folks will stop by. Hopefully, our names will be in the phone book instead of the papers. Diane will retire and is thinking about what might be next. I am saying Coldwater Creek needs a middle aged model! She is thinking volunteering her time might make more sense. Stay tuned. Life long democrats living in a state that went big for W makes us a little nervous. We are still thinking we can change the world. Cheers GERRI FOREMAN-GIRK I have been thoroughly enjoying all your bio's especially Coy's - I'm still laughing about that one! Stacey Simon............ Your mom was always special to me because I would come to your house in the a.m. before school and she would feed me breakfast! I always hoped in some way to pay her back for her kindness and I did ! Do you know that I should have my own parking spot at your parents business because of the money I spent there?? My life since school hasn't been as colorful as many of you but its been full and busy. I am single and I have four children. Rachel is 29, Chris is 28, Sarah is 21, and Meriah is 18. I have three beautiful and precious granddaughters - Shayla Faith is 9, Lily Anne is 4, and Ireland Makayla Joy is 10 months. They are so awesome cause at that age they think Grandma walks on water! I chose the work route directly after Wilson. Weyerhaeuser Company hired me where I worked for fifteen years. Since leaving there, I have been a foster parent to 27 (Sarah and Rachel are adopted), worked for Peoples/Cascade School District for eight years, University Place Schools for five years and now Franklin Pierce School District for five years. In 1997, I got a mid life crisis and decided to attend college - I wanted to show my children that anyone in any situation could attend school even without money. Without a dime, I applied for every grant and scholarship around and paid my way through school with enough to live on as I went and no student loans. I carried a 4.0 the entire way (people like to fund you when you work hard - hahaha). I was born a volunteer and inherited my father's servant's heart and have been very involved in the community with low income, homeless, food banks, street kids, pregnant teen mentoring, etc. most of my adult life. One of my favorite projects for the past thirteen years has been being on the Board of Directors for Global Family Alliance - we bring children for the summer out of Chernobyl for a health respite from the radiation. This year almost 100 came. It is so awesome to see the effects of rebooting their immune system. they are beautiful children in a situation they were born into and have no control of. So like I said before.........my life may not be as glorious as some but its been full of variety. I thank God each day for my health, family, awesome church and friends. Thank you Stacy Simon for breakfast each day, thank you Sharon Harmon and Gail Berto for doing so much of my homework that your names should be on my diploma, and thank you Grace Kehl for being the greatest friend in school. Thank you Teri Mattingly and Pete Wonders for picking me up off the ground during the earthquake!! Oh and Mr. Nelson..........I just wanted you to know that my constant perfect attendance had NOTHING to do with my working in the attendance office! See you at the reunion !!! RUSS FRYE After Stadium I spent several years working and attending TCC full time, part time, whatever I could afford. I finished the last two years at WSU and then joined the Air Force. I went through training in San Antonio, Sacramento, and Atwater (or Merced) California. My first assignment was to Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane (join the military - see the world - and they send me right back to my home state). It was there I met my wife Sandy 26 years ago. From Spokane it was back to Castle AFB near Atwater as an instructor and finally here to Offutt AFB just south of Omaha Nebraska. I retired from the military in 1995 and worked for a local plumbing outfit for a few years before going back to work for the military as a civilian. Sandy's mother had a stroke in 2001 so we moved her from Spokane to Plattsmouth to be nearer to us. She recovered enough from the stroke we decided to move her out of assisted living into our home. I "retired" completely and now take care of her, the house, the dogs and the yard. We own a little acreage just outside the small town of Plattsmouth so there is always something to do around the homestead. We have plenty of room for gardens, a small orchard, and for our three rescue greyhounds to run. Sandy will retire in 2013 and, as long as we stay healthy, the plans are to remain here and take care of our 'Green Acres'. Betty, Sandy's mother, is disabled enough to require daily care not to mention Doctor appointments, hospital visits, dental appointments, the hairdresser, and of course the weekly over 80 walker handicapped demolition derby - she is a fierce competitor as both the dogs and I will attest to. The point is it is difficult for me to get away from home duties without severely affecting Sandy's work, travel, vacation and sick leave time. I am afraid I will have to pass on the reunion (unless we win the lottery between now and then). Hope you all have a wonderful time with lots of fond memories....russ KURT GEPKE Well, I was going to start from the beginning when the Earth cooled and then the dinosaurs roamed around, but I thought you'd all be more interested in whatever happened to me since our days together at Mason. I attended Wilson for my sophomore year and at the start of my junior year, I was suspended for fist fighting with a teacher in the lunchroom. After a heated argument between my dad and Mr. Beer, my parents moved me to Stadium. Things weren't working out well at home or school and in December of 1968, I dropped out and joined the U.S. Marine Corps and never returned to Tacoma as a resident. (What the hell was I thinking at 17 years old? ) I have been "on my own" ever since. My four year hitch with Uncle Sam took me on a trek from San Diego to Hawaii and then to various assignments throughout Southeast Asia. The training and experiences have proven to be quite valuable to this day. After my honorable discharge from the Marines, I went to work for the telephone company in San Diego installing business telephone equipment and later helped usher in the era of data communications. After seventeen years with Ma Bell, I opted to move into the private sector and went to work for a cabling contractor as Operations Manager. I eventually took the plunge into the world of self employment, but my business failed due to a lack of funding in 2002. Bored and still feeling the need for adventure, I packed my trash and moved to Las Vegas. I thought the grass would be greener on the other side of the hill, but it wasn't. In fact it was brown and dusty and freakin' HOT! I stayed in Las Vegas working as a pre sales engineer for a small company that sold and serviced Toshiba telephone systems. March of 2006 brought me an incredible offer for employment as a project manager and senior consultant with the database giant Oracle back here in San Diego. So, pack the trash and back to San Diego I go and that is where I am now. Throughout my life, I've never been content with living what most would consider a normal life. I've always tried to turn my hobbies and interests into profitable ventures. Hence, I spent 23 years as a semi professional musician, playing keyboards and guitar in cover bands in San Diego. I retired from that in 1995 due to an acute hearing loss. My hearing is so impaired that I have a service animal (10 lb Mini Dachshund named Digit) who accompanies me almost everywhere I go. She is trained to assist me around the home with all the devices emitting high frequencies, which I no longer hear such as the oven and microwave timers and the ringing of my cell phones. I also tried standup comedy during open mike nights at a few clubs in Las Vegas. I guess that wasn't too successful, otherwise you'd be watching my HBO special. Hey, I gave it a shot. I gave a lot of things a shot. While in Nevada, I started my own business as a firearms and home defense instructor and consultant. I still run the business from California and make regular trips to Las Vegas to conduct classes teaching rifle, pistol, shotgun and submachine gun courses as well as home defense techniques and the safe handling and storage of firearms. I am also an authorized instructor for obtaining concealed firearms permits. Some of my clients are pretty high profile celebrities and would be instantly recognizable by name but must remain confidential for obvious reasons. This is definitely a passion and a labor of love for me. Here's a link for more information; www.teamdigit.com. I have been married and divorced three times (You math whizzes can deduce the common denominator...LOL) with no children of my own. I have a girlfriend of 12 years (Linda) and her daughter just had a newborn boy in February, so I guess I have to settle for the parenting experience vicariously. To be honest, I have very few memories of school days and so I will rely on you guys to fill in the blanks, good or bad. Just seeing some of the names of folks planning to attend prompted me to make this journey. I do remember having a terrible crush on Jane Kolar and I bought her a 45rpm copy of "Sugar Shack", which I gave to her at a Teen Time dance. Remember those? So, Jane.....if you still have that record, I'd still like the dance I was to shy to ask for in the 60's. I also remember Coy Robbins beating the living crap out of someone in the street next to the library across from Washington Elementary. Coy, I 'am' still on the good guy list, right? I have too many varied interests to list here, but that will give us something to talk about next Sunday. See you all then! KAREN GROSS SHERMAN After 9th grade at Mason, I went to high school at Annie Wright. After high school graduation, I attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY for two years. (Yes, where the racetrack is among other things.) At the end of my sophomore year, I transferred to the University of Southern California to be with my fiancé, Mike Sherman, Mason class of 1965. We both graduated USC in June 1973 and were married that same month. (This year was our 33rd wedding anniversary, my oldest's 10 year high school reunion, and then I find out our junior high reunion is year 40! Do I feel old or what?!?) After getting married in Tacoma in 1973, we moved to Portland, Oregon where we have been ever since. We've lived in various areas of Portland, but for the last 25 years we've lived in Lake Oswego, a suburb, in the same house with several remodels along the way. I've worked for an insurance company, a private school, and a very short stint helping Mike set up his own CPA practice. I was primarily a stay-at-home mom while my two children were being raised. Patrick, an employment attorney, lives in the Bay area, and Tracy, our daughter, works on Capitol Hill currently for Congresswoman Shelley Berkley who represents the Las Vegas area. Our two-year old, very spoiled labradoodle, Sydney, completes our family and serves as our substitute grandchild until we actually have some someday. My mother is still living in Tacoma and Mike has many relatives in the Tacoma/Seattle area so we travel the I-5 corridor on a regular basis. Mike and I enjoy traveling and are doing more since becoming empty nesters. Last year we spent three weeks in Copenhagen and Russia, and we leave in a few weeks for a river cruise from Budapest to Prague. Next year we hope to travel to China and would welcome anyone who would like to join our group. I also serve on the League of Women Voters of Clackamas County's board and enjoy reading and gardening. It was fantastic seeing so many of you at the reunion, and those who weren't there really missed a great time. Be sure to come to the next one! KAREN HANSON STEWARD It's been wonderful reading all about everyones exciting lives over the past 40 years. They say better late than never, so I'm squeezing mine in in the last few days. After I graduated from Wilson in 1969, I headed for WSU (Go Cougs), where I met and fell in love with Cougar basketball star, Dan Steward. Guess you could say I got the Mrs. degree. We left Pullman in 1972, and Dan took over the teaching position of the famous Mr. James Gaylord at Wilson High School. From there we moved to Montesano, Wa. for 1 year, and then to Hoquiam, Wa. where Dan taught at Hoquiam High School. He also was the varsity basketball coach for 15 years. While Dan was chasing high schoolers, I discovered the dental profession and have continued to work in a dental office all these years. I've worked as a Dental Assistant for 32 years and have just recently started traveling to several third world countries to do humanitarian dental missions. I have traveled to Bolivia twice, to work in the orphanages, and to Jamaica last November, to work in a community clinic to serve the people in need of dental care. Most of our patients had never been to a dentist before. I currently have two trips planned. I will be going back to work in the Appalachian mountains (between Virginia and Kentucky) just two weeks after our reunion. And then, will be returning to work in Jamaica in Sept. and Oct. for 3 weeks. I work with Dr. Sherwin Shinn of International Smile Power. It is a non-profit organization that so far travels to four countries. I have been invited to work with him in Africa (Uganda) next year, and would love to if I can fit it in to my schedule. I currently work in a general practice in Centralia, Wa. My husband just recently retired from the Chehalis School Dist. as Assistant Superintendant, with a total of 33 years working for the schools. He held that position for 7 years. We have lived in Chehalis for 16 years. Next year, he will take an interim position as a principal for the Onalaska School District. We have two children, and two grandchildren. Our daughter Michelle Economou (that's Greek) lives in Woodinville, Wa. and has two beautiful children. We had the Big Fat Greek wedding even before the movie came out. Aly is 5 years old and Evan is 2 1/2. Michelle is a WSU grad with a teaching degree--not currently teaching. Our son Scott, is a graduate of a Luthiery School in Arizona (that's building handmade custom guitars), a musician and a contractor. He is currently working on a craftsman house, in the historic district of Chehalis. I'm looking forward to seeing you all on the 16th. SHARON HARMON ASMUSSEN Definitely the teacher all the girls had a crush on was Mr. St. Clair, right? Saw him at my graduation from PLU--he was getting his MA degree, and handsome as ever. Spanish class--THE earthquake. And also the announcement that Kennedy had been shot. All the dances were a highlight. And playing a main part in "The Christmas Carol." As far as bio, where do you begin?! I got my BA (and later my MA) from PLU--in education. I got married to John Paulson before my last year of my BA, taught in Tacoma for 2 years then lived in Longview for 9 years, raising our 4 beautiful children. (John and I were divorced after he went to law school and 3 years later I married Jim Asmussen, a Puyallup school teacher.) Currently I am "Instructional Coach" at Kapowsin Elementary, way out in the boonies in Bethel School District--only 4 miles from my house. We have a mini-farm (Jim raises beef cattle) and a 24 foot boat which we enjoy the heck out of. We are very involved in our church--I play piano and keyboard, and I'm the "head" of the "Salt and Pepper" (50+) group. We do lots of hiking, biking, walking, crosscountry skiing,etc. and I go to Curves several times a week as well. (Too bad I eat so much; otherwise I could look as good as Darren Krewson...no, never did and never will!) My daughters and I are climbing Mt. Adams in August; I'm really looking forward to that! I take groups of 5th and 6th graders and adults to Washington, D.C., Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and Monticello. It's a wonderful trip. I take around 60 people every year or two! Jim and I do quite a bit of traveling--to Denmark for his son's wedding, 3 cruises (we're organizing a Western Carribean Cruise for next April--anyone interested?) and Florida, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Arizona--quite a few of the states. My oldest son, Nate, lives in New York and is getting married at the end of this month in Grand Teton National Park! My other son, Isaac, and his wife just moved to downtown Tacoma, and my daughter, Joy, and her husband live in Bonney Lake. My youngest daughter is living at home, paying off school loans before she heads to Bible school in Canada in September. I very much enjoyed seeing everyone last summer, and I am looking forward to this Sunday afternoon. It has been fun reading the bios and the memories. Nobody can believe that we have a junior high reunion! Thanks, Marc and Laura! MARY HAUSE Hi Y'all! I'm looking out at the garden from my gram's apartment where I now live as my mom snoozes away the early morning hours in the main house at 4118 North 26th. If school was in session I'd hear Mason students talking and laughing their blurry eyed ways to class, some lugging along a band instrument as I did. In 1969 I drove my VW Bug to Ellensburg and said good-bye to Tacoma for 35 years, but here I am having come "full circle" as the saying goes. The Proctor Neighborhood has become home again and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital my professional place where I'm a nurse among an extraordinary staff caring for brilliant child stars. In Ellensburg I was scared off my barstool at The Ugly Bear Tavern to the tune of "Delta Dawn, what's that flower you have on? Could it be a faded rose of days gone by?", and turned in my poolstick for The Peace Corps in Morocco....and so began my love for foreign cultures, languages and travel. I advanced so far past "Where is the library?", in Arabic, that I later landed work in Oman, Yemen and Chad, as well as a brief stay in Sierra Leone. Montana, Ohio and Oregon have also been home to me and in all these places are friends. If I was Queen For A Day I'd wish for the chance to get them all together to meet, just as Marc has done for us again this year. See you on the 16th! SUE HIATT PIKE Wow! These bios have been fascinating! I am impressed at the scope of successes and triumphs and at the resiliency of our class! Props go to Marc and Laura for the hours devoted on behalf of our reconnections! My passions following junior high school have encompassed travel and languages, predominantly French! (ŕ la Johnny Depp). I learned early that traveling was the best teacher, and I sought ways to share the excitement of connecting with kids. Stays in Hong Kong, Japan, The Philippines, and most of the European countries were catalysts for my studies and, whetted my appetite for international endeavors. After graduation from UW, and spending the summer in Europe in the "bon-vivant" frame of mind, I began a teaching career. At present, I am in the Arts Academy at Foster High School in Beautiful Tukwila. Thanks to a series of grants for technology, my students are immersed in international diplomacy, and I continue to be involved in the revolution, traveling to France, Italy and England with high school groups, hosting, as well as taking virtual voyages, most notably to Senegal. It is with this African connection that my students and I have orchestrated 6 French Video-Conferences at the Museum of Flight with their peers in Dakar, established a Sister School in the bush and raised over $5,000 for world hunger and health in the last 2 years. This fall will bring a historic meeting with my Senegalese partners! The money is not as significant as the fact that most of my students come from immigrant families who know what it is like to "go without" and came together to make a difference. Highlights for me include working with the World Affairs Council of Seattle, University of Michigan, sharing the podium with Bill Gates Sr. and enjoying some coverage on this project by NPR and the local media. Most rewarding is the opportunity to teach tolerance and appreciate diversity in the global community, in hopes that our planet will remain in tact! I have been married 31 years. My husband, Bob, works for a steel fabrication firm as their Quality Control Manager. (John Pike -for whom the infamous street and the market are named--are related, and there is even a tool around used to build the first UW campus.) We have 2 girls, Jennifer and Lauren. Jennifer graduated from Willamette University and is in law school at the UW. Lauren will be a senior at Mt. Rainier High School and is working on her International Baccalaureate Diploma. Both girls are swimmers-- club, summer league, high school and college. (Little did I know, Dick Hannula's influence would reach our family!) If anyone wants directions to *any* pool around, just ask. Last fall, I was diagnosed with breast cancer-the "one" in "one in eight women", living in the state with the highest incidences of bc in the nation! Once again, I am grateful for technology. This turn of events came on the heels of my parents dying within one day of each other (the first week of school!) and my role as Executrix for their estate. Like others who have shared health challenges, this is a journey you'd rather not take, but there are lessons along the way-among them--appreciating all of you in the health care field and all of you who have addressed health issues and ultimately triumphed! Redefining happiness happens quite naturally! Seeing you all after so many years promises to be a summer highlight! Can't wait! Sue JON HURST Mason Classmates, I have been encouraged by some to submit my bio but unless read at bedtime, it may be a bit sedating after Wilson. I, like a number of our Mason classmates, ended up at Pomona College where I had the honor to be on a 440-yard relay team with Joe "Speedy" Sinnitt. That was yards, not meters. That is how ancient that history was! I left for the UW, becoming a frat bro with Brian "The Judge" Tollefson. I awoke often enough from the required weekend hangovers to go to the UW Med School with Rob Benedetti and Joy Baisinger, and trained in LA for five years in medicine and gastroenterology. I know you are all over 50-get your colonoscopies!!! For reasons unbeknownst to me, I ended up in Puyallup, starting a four-person group and merging with Digestive Health Specialists to become a 20-doctor group. I was married for five plus years to the widow of a brother of one of our Mason classmates. My wife's daughters were so great so no kids of my own were needed. Alas, divorce happens, but I fortunately remain in contact with both girls. Jessica just graduated from Northwestern and after a year off she should be at the UW Med School. Tara, a soph at Arizona in child psych, loves the heat. I enjoy golf, slowpitch and traveling. I have fond memories of Mason-hanging with Laura, Kathy and Kathy, riding the crappy city ski bus to Ski Acres, and Harold Naubert's chattering teeth and the musical fiddle he would play if anyone had an excuse. I hope to meet again in a year for more memories. LINDA JOHNSON After attending Wilson, I enrolled at UW where I met my husband. I graduated in 1973 and we were married in 1975. His career took us to Nebraska where I earned a Master's. Our next move was to Madison where I completed a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and he earned tenure at the University of Wisconsin. I did career counseling at the University and also worked as the Director of Career Planning and Placement at a liberal arts college. Although we enjoyed living in Madison, we decided to move to Vancouver eleven years ago when a position in my husband's specialty became available at the University of British Columbia. I provide counseling for employees from a variety of companies and organizations through an employee and family assistance program and am also in private practice. We have been fortunate in being able to travel widely and like living in British Columbia. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on July 16th NANCY JONES FOOTE Greetings classmates. After graduating from Stadium I went to WWU and graduated in 1973 with an Education degree. I later received a masters degree from UPS. I started teaching in the Tacoma School District in 1974 and taught elementary school at various schools (most recently at Point Defiance). By the way, I taught several students over the years who were children(or relatives) of former classmates - most notably, Stadium classmates. Kind of fun! After 31 years of that I decided to retire and did so in June of 05. I do not miss it at all!! I married my husband, Tom 21 years ago after knowing each other for 8 years. He is also a retired teacher. We both work part time now, he is a parts salesman at the Harley Shop in Tacoma and I work as a receptionist at a retirement/assisted living community not far from our home in Puyallup (South Hill). My mother in law lives there and since we were there a lot I decided I might as well get paid! We both work the same three days a week and have the rest of the week to go off on our Harley, putter around the house, go bike riding or cross country skiing - or just relax. We have no children except four furry ones (our cats). We are looking forward to moving away within the next 3-5 years. Our first choice is the Bend/Sisters area, but we also like Wenatchee, SW Washington, or the Willamette Valley. We just want to go someplace a little less crowded (Puyallup is HORRIBLE!). Who knows where we will end up. On the whole, life is good. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again. SCOTT JONES: WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN! After Mason of course I went to Wilson where I spent my first two years playing in the rock band Daze of the Week. At the end of the summer of 1968 the band was playing 5 nights a week and so I took my leave of that adventure. The Daze later morphed into Crackers who had a very long history of providing music on the Tacoma scene. I spent my first year of college at the University of Montana in Missoula. I was preparing to return to Missoula after a summer of Purple Bummer, Tacoma's Easy Rider, and the 65 Chev wagon with the door that would fall off if it weren't locked. In the late afternoon of Sept 1st, I was in an accident while riding my motorcycle. It resulted in my spending a month in the hospital and then the next 2-3 years in recovery and minor repair. During that time I briefly attended TCC, Evergreen State College and UPS in Tacoma. After my recovery was complete, the idea of which is still a mystery to some of my oldest friends, and despite the lingering rumors of brain damage, I went to work for my father in his construction business. In the early 80's I made the decision to leave that work and went back to UPS to earn my undergrad degree. I had sworn off motorcycle's but on a whim began riding a mountain bike and soon there after began having bicycling adventures. To make a long story short, I will say only that I have traveled extensively throughout Asia, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Eastern Europe as well as numerous bike tours in the Pacific Northwest and California. The one line I can't leave out is, 'Several times I have wandered through the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing seeking the hiding places of the Emperor's concubines, but alas none remained to satisfy my fantasy'. Last year in four days I climbed the long steep trail to Machu Pichu in Peru. And in so doing crossed over Dead Woman Pass, altitude 13680'. I have been extraordinarily lucky with my numerous opportunities to travel. Along the way I have taken thousands of photographs and won many awards with some of them. I had my own show in 1997 in a gallery in Tacoma. Mixed in with all the travel was working as a Customer Service Agent for United Airlines and also as a Juvenile Rehabilitation Counselor for Washington State. Later after earning my MA from Antioch in Seattle I worked as a family therapist in Pierce County. In 2001 I began buying and remodeling homes in the north end of Tacoma. Now I am a landlord as well as a Tobacco Cessation Counselor for the country's most efficient 'Quiting' company. I work from home doing cessation interventions over the phone. I live in Five Views with a view to the East and the West. I have been married, but am no longer and I have no children. I ride a Carbon Fiber frame, sometimes ride over mountain passes, still do the Five Mile Drive on a regular basis, make my own beer and play music with some my (very) old friends, the former members of the Daze of the Week. At present I live with a beautiful young female blonde who never fails to give me affection as long as I feed her at least twice a day and who has four legs. On my return from Peru last year I was diagnosed with Abdominal Aortic Aneurisms and I recently had bypass surgery performed from which I am still recovering. Its as likely as anything that they were caused by blunt trauma, so in that sense I am still haunted by the motorcycle. I do remain dedicated to the revival of the Grotesque Mommies or perhaps the renewal of the New Crusty Nostrils. If that proves to be unattainable then I am doing what I can to insure that all surviving and available members do attend the upcoming reunion. I finally got a message through to Pat O Day and even though he won't be attending the reunion I think he knows that his picture is included on the Website of the Mommies. We are still planning for that benefit concert to he held on Commencement Bay as soon as the bay freezes over (Steve Taylor). SCOTT JONES (2005 VERSION) I attended several of the reunion planning sessions and was going to attend but in the meantime I began a new job where I was working weekends so I was unable to get out of work that day. Anyone who wants a good laugh or fun memory about rock and roll from our time in the early years take a look at both of these addresses, they are fun to look through. Who remembers? http://pnwbands.com/dazeoftheweek.html http://pnwbands.com/grotesquemommies.html Have fun! Any comments I can be reached at Sjones@Harbornet.com LAURIE KALLSEN WILSON VAN CLEVE GEORGE Lets see... I didn't 'graduate' from Mason because my parents decided after I didn't improve from summer school to send me to Annie wright... I didn't learn any better grammer there but my creative writing improved. Formal education was always a challenge, I distinctly remember loving the first month of first grade and then getting very bored. I have the same problem with my two genetic children... one at 19 has a great job with Arri camera systems in LA (he hasn't graduated yet) and the other is threatening to graduate with a D+ average despite his exceptional IQ. I'm talking high school. These people make me crazy. My step kids are no better... the oldest has a chart topping IQ and after flunking all high school classes except economics which interested him enough to get the third highest score on the Calif state exam... he has a good job as a lighting tech in LA. the next one was fantastic in high school and could have scholarshipped anywhere but rebelled and now works as an air conditioning installer. back to Annie Wright..After I decided I wanted a normal high school experience I graduated from Stadium as a tourist... and that has been my life ever since. This is a wonderful world and we should book as many tours as we can. I was accepted at Central and ran off to California with a physics proffessor after a couple of years. (wilson) We set up house as farmers in Yucaipa. We owned 9 horses and 14 racing siberian huskies. (thats another story) iI graduated in art from San bernardino State. When that affilliation disolved I returned to Washington and went to Vocational school for television. I met and married a cute rock musicain (Van Cleve) and went to work in media , first for the university of WA , then at channel nine. When that disolved I went to LA and worked as a visual effects video editor for 7 years. I married an LA visual effects guy (george) and proceeded to raise his and ours kids. We had nothing but boys except , as the yougest said... I do have a sister, the dog is a girl. ( talk to your dad about that) Life was fun and very fast. My last gig after a series of adventures with film, ILM, Cinesite, Dreamworks etc, was as visual effects supervisor for the old Xfiles. We moved to washington and that affiliation disolved... i am currently single (but attached) under-employed and living in a wonderfull spot in Southwworth wa. Any day now I anticipate growing up and getting a job. In the mean time I do visual effects via the internet, teach at the local Community College and putter in the garden. I also chase the 17 year old about his school work and try to keep up my 100 year old home. I'm looking forward to seeing people from the old days...has anyone heard from Peggy Allerdings? I think she is in the Spokane area. KATHY KELLY MARTIN Hello All. I am really looking forward to seeing all of you at the 40th class reunion this July. The time has gone by so fast. After graduation I went to TCC for a while then took a little time off. I returned to Bates Voc Tech in the LPN program. After graduation I worked at St Joe's Hospital in Tacoma until I received a phone call and the Director of Surgery ask she me to come work for her at Tacoma General Hospital in the operating room. I said sure. I received on the job training along with formal education at Bates Voc Tech for Surgical Technician. I once again returned to school in the nursing program and began my career as an RN. I continued to work in the operating room until 1984 when Clover Park Technical collage hire me for the instructor of the Surgical Technical Program. I worked there until 1994 when Tacoma General ask me to work for them as a charge nurse in the operating room. I was promoted to evening supervisor. I later transferred to Allenmore Hospital and was promoted to acting Director of the operating room. Tired of politics and the stress I went to work for St. Clare Hospital were I am employed currently as a staff OR RN. Its a very nice place to work. In the mean time my 2nd daughter a I have started a business "Alternative Care Works". Currently we are providing biofeedback therapy and massage. It's amazing how this helps people. I met my husband Dennis of 33 years in my senior year of high school. We have 4 children, Machelle 27, who is a firefighter, Adrienne 25 who is License Massage Therapist, Naomi 24 works in bike shop and Denny 16 who just completed 10th grade. Dennis is a business owner Martin Floor Finishing in which, you guessed it I manage the accounting for him. In my spare time I am also a Fire Commissioner PCFD # 17. This has been an interesting experience for me. We also own a mobile home park off Waller Rd in which I also manage. Like most we have traveled all over the world. But our passion is off road racing. Our entire family races. We have 2 race jeeps. When racing season is finished we head to our property in Coos Bay, OR where we have property off the dunes. We all ride ATVs (Banshees) or dirt bikes. We also have property in Yuma close to more dunes. We are starting to talk about retirement and down sizing. When Denny graduates we plan to sell our dream home that Dennis built for us 1992. Not sure where we moving to, but we are talking Arizona. For those of you who knew my sister Karen, she will be retiring from the Tacoma Police Dept this Sept. My parents are alive and doing well. They live in our modular home park. Hope to see you at the reunion. ERIC KERRIN Greetings Mustangs! It's an inferno here in Arizona this time of the year, so it's been quite "refreshing" reading the bio's on everyone. Reminds me of the old "This Is Your Life" series. Hats off to Marc for making all this happen. I figure its my turn now, so here goes (blue agave-based margarita in hand). After Mason, I was fortunate to be part of the "blessed flock" that ascended into the hallowed sanctum of Stadium. From there, I chose the party circuit to WSU. Undoubtedly, many would concur that Wilson and UW ended up for-the-better on that move. I've been in touch with a few classmates over the years; with all due respect to their reputations, I won't reveal their identities. It's been quite a journey for all since our days at Mason: man on the moon, Woodstock era, Morrison and Hendrix bite the dust, Nixon resigns, Viet Nam era ends, St. Helens blows, birth of the personal computer, scourge of AIDS, "snail-mail"/fax/internet evolution, presidential "relations" with Monica, new millennium, cyber-blogo phenomenon, nine-eleven, Katrina, and the country now being run by a crazy imbecile. Amazing.........hardly even scratches the surface. Always one to prefer the path of least of least resistance, things have turned out remarkably well. I've been away from T-Town for a number of years. After graduating WSU, I entered the ad business in '74 and lived in New York City until '80 (Upper East Side and West Side). From there, it was back to the West Coast. After a couple of years in Seattle during the early 80's, I lived in the Los Angeles area (Hollywood Hills-just off of Mulholland, and Toluca Lake) until moving to Arizona. Having lived in Phoenix (Ahwatukee) since '87, Puget Sound country sure beckons this time of the year. Notable memories: climbing Mount Rainier shortly after college, experiencing life in Manhattan and living amongst the paparazzi [ initially quite a culture shock: lived the first year in a studio apartment next to a funeral parlor just up the street from Rodney Dangerfield's Comedy Club - quite a contrast ]; resided the last few years in an eclectic West Side Side neighborhood next to Central Park across from the historic Dakota (John Lennon, Gilda Radner, Lauren Bacall, John Madden), attending the original Saturday Night Live shows, World Series games at Yankee Stadium, Broadway Theatre, Madison Square Garden, great concerts, co-managing United Way drive back in Seattle with Bill Gates Sr. (in '81---didn't know about "Junior" at the time), adapting to southern California, para-sailing in the Caribbean, "mandatory" trips to Kapalua & Mauna Kea HI overseeing ad productions, enjoying life in the Grand Canyon State, Sedona Jazz Festivals, plus overseas adventures, exploring Morocco and its Kasbahs (actually took the train to Marrakech), etc., etc. A side note for the guys: working in the same building where Penthouse Magazine was headquartered made it easier to go to work, just for the elevator rides. Really enjoyed the whole East Coast and New York experience and learning the difference between a schlemiel, a schlimazel, and a schmuck: 'a schlemiel is the klutz at the party who spills the drink; a schlimazel is the unlucky one that gets the drink spilt on him; and a schmuck is the obnoxious idiot who can't appreciate the situation. Kapiesch?' Now, for the home front. This is an area in which I've been relegated to "in-house legal supervision" for the last 22 years. I am quite fortunate that my wife, Najia (a New Yorker---rhymes with Maria), a partner in a national law firm, agreed to keep in line all this time. Both of our careers kept us busy during the early years, so we didn't start a family until later in life. Today, we are the proud parents of three sons: Christopher (H.S. sophomore), Jordan (H.S. freshman), and Elliot (fourth grade). They're each active in sports, which keeps me busy as well. Najia continually claims she has "four boys"---I'm not even considered the most responsible or mature of the bunch. As a family, we enjoy vacationing in Jamaica and Mexico, and ski trips to Utah and Lake Tahoe. Needless to say, as many of you are already enjoying your empty-nester and retirement years, I'll have to be working my butt off for quite some time. Hopefully later-age parenting will keep us young at heart. On the business front, most of my career has been in the corporate world in marketing management, though I've also spent time as an entrepreneur. I've been primarily involved in developing brands and customer relationships. I spent several years working for Madison Avenue-based advertising agencies managing media campaigns for national and global accounts we were contracted with (America West Airlines, Westin Hotels, Wells Fargo, Colgate Palmolive, Gillette, Kraft, etc.). After leaving the agency business, I took an ownership stake in a healthcare publishing venture for a couple years (eventually sold to investment group), thereafter joining the SkyMall catalog firm as vice president during their formative, pre-IPO years. I transitioned into the outsourcing industry in the mid 90's, heading up business development for a national service provider of marketing and customer management services to major corporations. I continue to work in this industry, enjoying the last few years as a "hired gun" for emerging businesses in managing their client development and sales functions. Aside from today's political climate, life is good and we're healthy (except for the convenient pulled hamstring trying to avoid household chores, playing ball with the boys, or now trying to out-step father time). And the journey continues. I'm really hoping to get out of this heat and make it to the 40th. If not, I'll be there in spirit and plan to mark my calendar for the 50th in '16.............or the 41st in '07 :-) My Best to All! DEBBIE KLARICH VAUGHN I'm looking forward to attending the 40th, how could I miss the chance to meet up with all the wonderful characters that have sent in their bios and hopefully many more? So, in the spirit of sharing, here goes.... After struggling to graduate from Wilson I took the next year off from school, managed a book store in downtown Tacoma and met my first husband. Things started out ok and I was able to get two years in at TCC before the marriage and life took me on an unexpected ride. We were divorced after five years and I was able to restart my own life again. After two years working at Puget Power in Puyallup I changed direction and took a job in sales in the office products industry. My first sales job was for a wholesale broker, Vaughan and Assoc., where I met my husband of 29 years, Bill. After our daughter, Valerie, was born I tried being a "stay at home mom" and ended up starting my own small business which I sold after three years and went back to work in sales, this time for L'Oreal Cosmetics then Johnson & Johnson. During this time I wore my blue business suit by day, my mom's apron in the evening and an artist smock on the weekends. I've been lucky to have a wonderful, supportive husband at my side and together we raised a beautiful and intelligent daughter (cheer leader and academic top10 in high school, Dean's List and double major at the U of W, married another U of W grad two years ago). I discovered an artistic side about 20 years ago and with Bill's support and encouragement I began showing my work. I'm proud to say that I've had shows in Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton and Kirkland and was invited to have a piece on display for the opening of the new art museum built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city of Kure, Japan. J & J "down sized" me about two years ago and I've be working at a variety of jobs, waiting for retirement in about five years when Bill and I can move to our Shangri-la on Hood Canal where we can garden in the summer and follow our artistic muse in the winter. Looking forward to July KATHLEEN KNOWLEN WARD Mason Mustangs, you are my friends of those crucial years when we are finding out who we will become. Here is who I have become: a Wilson grad, a Fairhaven College grad, a special education teacher in the Shoreline School district (for the last 33 years), a wife, a step-mother, a home owner, a mother of a daughter who is now 24, an aunt to 6 Tacomans, a Southworth landowner, a widow, an orphan, a Shoreline teacher of the year, a step-grandmother, an active Episcopalian, a volunteer supporting people living with AIDS in memory of friends who are no longer living, and a friend to many. I have moved 40 miles north from the City of Destiny to the Center of the Universe. I look forward to seeing you all at our second Mason reunion. Thanks to Marc and the group that is making it happen. Yeh Mustangs! DARRIN KREWSON JAYNE After Wilson I attended the UW and still live in Seattle. I graduated in '73 and began a 19 year retailing career. The last 14 years were at The Bon Marche. I was the buyer of Women's Better Priced and Designer Sportswear. It allowed me to travel extensively to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, the Far East, and Europe. I was married (the first time) from 1975 - 1988 and have a 23 yr. old daughter, Whitney. She has been living in San Francisco the past three years - working, going to school, and just trying to figure life out. It is a great city and we always have a good time when we visit her. I have been married since 1992 to Don Jayne. He is a cosmetic dentist with a practice in Downtown Seattle. I traded-in the buying job (all that traveling does get old) for a desk job. I do our Accounts Payable, Bookkeeping and Payroll from home. It's nice having the flexibility to make my own daily schedule. We are avid skiers in the Winter, spend time at our lake place in Idaho during the Summer, and enjoy exercise and fitness. The past five years we have been traveling to Europe - Italy twice, Spain, and France. Next April we are going to Africa on Safari with a group of friends. The two Mustangs I've stayed in touch with throughout the years are Marcia Pearson & Robyn Williamson. We took a 50th Birthday trip together in 2001 to Maui (sans husbands). It was fun to celebrate the occasion with two of my oldest friends. Last year's 39th Reunion was so much fun - I would encourage everyone who can make it, to come to Tacoma and re-kindle some of those childhood friendships. I reconnected with Mary Hause (my first grade friend) and we've gotten together several times since. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again. The relic I am bringing to share (besides my Cheerleading sweater) is our "9th Grade Hall of Fame". Do you remember who was voted Funniest Boy & Girl? Sunniest Smiles? or Best Dancers? Come to the Reunion and find out! GABE LANDRY Reading the Bios has been fun. I amazed at the diversity of directions our class has gone. Apparently, travel, adventure, accomplishment and having fun are just a normal part of growing up. From Mason I went to Stadium and then to Western Washington State, (now Dub, Dub U). I majored in parties. I met a woman and her 5 year old son. We traveled across Canada, and Alaska, before settling in Bellingham and marriage. I worked as a laborer, fry cook, retail sales and did photography on the side. We bought a small house in the Lake Patten area. I eventually went back to school at Skagit Valley College where I got my associates degree in electronics and then worked in that industry for a few years. My only birth child, a beautiful girl was born during that time. Then we adopted another girl. I kept taking pictures during that time. Then I got accepted into school in Rochester NY where we all moved to for three years for me to get my bachelor in fine arts degree in photography. We traveled around the country for a short time before settling in Portland, Oregon where I worked for KATU-TV, the ABC affiliate there. We eventually bought a house in the Hollywood district of Northeast Portland. The marriage ended. I got laid off from my job at the TV station. Then, I got a job in Yanbu Al Sin Ya, Saudi Arabia. It did a documentary about Yanbu that was really a propaganda piece to entice Saudi people from Saudi to move to Yanbu. When that was over I moved back to Tacoma to start over again. There had been another layoff at the network level so video was not a good option for employment. I was doing odd jobs some sales, and volunteer work with the Puyallup Tribe. That led me politics where I got elected to the Puyallup Tribal Council. During this time I met a woman and though we never got married I eventually adopted her son, so we could share joint parenthood, (that makes 4 kids). We are no longer together, but are good friends and I help with raising a child who will always need me as his father. At the end of my term I went to work with the Washington State, Department of Social and Health Services as the Managing Coordinator of the Indian Policy and Support Services program. I worked with all Native American social services program in the state. I eventually left that and came to the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority where I am the Human Resources Director where I am today. I look forward to seeing all of you. TED LIND I have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences, life is an adventure. When I was 10 years old my sister married the boy that lived across the street from us on North Cedar Street. Fred Mullan was the son of Andy Mullan, who skippered salmon boats in Alaska and Puget Sound. In my Junior High summers I spent June helping the crew get the boat and nets ready for the summer salmon season. I enjoyed working around the Port docks, on the boat, and with the fishermen. In return I got to go up on the boat in the San Juan Islands for a week or two when fishing started, it was a good experience. I went on to Stadium after Mason and in my high school summers I was old enough to get a fishing job myself. I worked on a 30' gillnetter one year, a two man crew, and then on a 65' purse seiner. Both seasons were in the San Juan Islands. During off days I would bomb around Tacoma on my Honda 90. I did something foolish the spring of my senior year at Stadium. I took a full time job at Puget Sound Plywood on the tideflats. I worked the graveyard shift, then went to school in the day, and slept in the afternoon. There was very little time left over for homework. My income went up, but my grades went down. I continued this schedule for about two years while I attended TCC. I didn't have any direction, but I now knew I didn't want to be a factory worker. I quit school and the job. I went back fishing. Anyone remember Matt Vodanovich, Mason class of 1965? His dad was a purse seine skipper and they had a beautiful 65' boat named LaTouche. I worked for the Vodanovich family for four seasons. We went to Southeast Alaska in the early summer, returned to the San Juans in late summer, then Puget Sound in the fall. The Vodanovich's were good fishermen, highliners; fishing jargon for those fishermen who consistently are the best producers in the fleet. We always came in as one of the high boats when we unloaded at night. In the off season my brother-in-law Fred would hire me to help him. He was Engineer on a king crab boat that worked in the Bering Sea, a 110-footer. I helped him with maintenance on the boat between their seasons. The big money in fishing was now being made on King Crab up North and Fred was having good seasons. I got a job myself on a 120-foot crabber named Viking in 1975. The skipper told me he needed a crewman who could cook also, so naturally I told him I could cook. - not completely true. For the next 4-5 weeks before leaving for Alaska, my sister and brother-in-law gave me cooking lessons. I cooked a different meal each night for them and their three children. Everyone survived Uncle Ted's cooking lessons and we left for the Bering Sea in May. We fished the Pribilof Islands north of the Aleutian chain. We worked 16-20 hours a day for 7-9 days, then ran south 20 hours to unload in Dutch Harbor. Crab fishing is working long hours in all kinds of weather, the pots weigh about 500 pounds, and it can be dangerous. We were setting gear one day when one of our guys got caught in the lines of a pot we had just launched. The boat was going full speed ahead, the pot was sinking to the ocean floor, and Vince was dragged across the deck with the outgoing lines. You can go from a five man crew to a four man crew just that fast. We got him out in time but this incident made me reassess my fishing career. I finished that season and came home. I got my real estate license and went to work for C. Gordon Fors Realtors, a Century 21 office on Sixth Avenue near Stevens. I enjoyed dressing nice, working with people and learning about Real Estate. I sold eight or nine houses in my about 15 month career, but Real Estate just wasn't my bag. I read a book called "What Color is my Parachute?," a career change book. It taught me to look at my past history and strengths to determine what I should do for a career in the future. I had a lot of marine experience with some recent sales background, what should I be doing? . . maybe selling some sort of marine equipment. I interviewed with a company in Ballard called Mathers Controls Inc. Mathers manufactured control systems for fishing boats, tugs, ferries, and yachts - we had Mathers on the Viking. They wanted someone who knew boats, the waterfront, and could talk to fishermen. We clicked and they hired me. I spent a year and a half in on the job training. I was then set loose to sell control systems, sea trial boats, and troubleshoot control problems. It is what I have done the last 29 years, Teddy finally found his way. I have worked on boats all over the country but have also been to places like Guam, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. I married at the tender age of thirty seven and my wife and I live north of Seattle in a community named Brier by Lake Forest Park. Jeanne works for Safeco Insurance Company and our kids have been the four-legged type, we love cats. We have a 32' powerboat we keep in Everett and enjoy cruising in the summer and fall. I get down to Tacoma at least every other weekend to see my 92- year old mother. She still lives on 19th and Cedar and whips me at cribbage most of the time. This has been a little long, but I hope interesting. I look forward to seeing you all in July. JOHN LISICICH Sounds like I'm going to miss a GREAT time! Unfortunately, I must be out town on business in Austin, Texas. Duty calls, and I have one of those really tough jobs where I need to listen to music all day. Hey, someone's has to do it! It's great to see so many of the names again. Gabe Landry, Ted Lind, and I walked to school at Stadium high every morning. Gabe and Ted were GREAT to my parents long after we graduated from High School. Gabe used to bring my parents a wreath every Christmas that his aunt made. They were beautiful. Ted was around alot too and helped my Dad with a few projects. Thanks to both of you! Gabe and Ted, my Dad talks of you two often. Here's a quick 40 year update. Wow!! A lot goes on in 40 years! After Mason I attended Stadium High and graduated in 1969, like many other classmates. In 1970 I met Sharon Newcomb (a Wilson Chick) fell madly in love and we were married in 1974. She is truly the most awesome and wonderful lady in the whole wide world, and my best buddy too! We built the house of our dreams and still love it as much as the day we built it. We never had kids and live vicariously through the neighborhood kids as well as our nieces and nephews, and those at The Salvation Army. My career has always been in the electronics business. I started off in a local stereo store and went on to hold positions at Marantz,TERK , and Bose. What a blast! Then in 2001, Sharon, my awesome and wonderful wife and best buddy in the whole world, let me take a few years off to do lots of volunteer work. It was great! When a neighbor girl needed help we went out and did fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis, then were involved with fundraising for Breast Cancer Research as well. In the middle of all this is The Salvation Army, where we are still very active, today. Our volunteer work with The Salvation Army has allowed us to do fun really fun stuff with local events like Relay for Life, and my favorite, ringing bells at the Salvation Army Kettle. Many of you have probably put money in my kettle. Thanks, we really appreciate it. Currently, I am working with a group at The Salvation Army on a major capitol campaign ($10 million) to build a new transitional shelter for the local newly homeless with families. So, if any of you win the lotto and want to something really great for your heart and your local community, please don't hesitate to contact me. Right after 9/11 a friend and I wanted to learn more about what was in the hearts, minds, and souls of people around the world. So, in 2001 we compiled a book called, "If You Could Ask God..." Look for it in a book store near you, maybe next year. Publishers move slow. We are also active with the US Tennis Association and get to attend some pretty cool tennis events and meet the tennis greats! Sharon is the player, I just go along. Now, back to the story. So, I finally rejoined the work force, to keep us off The Salvation Army care list, and am the Director of the coolest headphone company in the whole world, Skullcandy! We make awesome headphones that are youth oriented, or if you want to just feel younger, just put on a set of our headphones and you will feel like a teenager! The position takes me all over North America and is truly a blast! The company is located in Park City, Utah, (how tough is that?), although I am the only remote employee and live here in Gig Harbor. Check us out at www.skullcandy.com and, 50% off all headphones for Mason Mustangs! Sharon and I are truly blessed and still have our parents. Her parents are in their mid 80's and still play tennis daily, my Dad is celebrating 91 this year and is probably still chasing my Mom around. We invest most of our spare time traveling and spend lots of time in Hawaii playing the ukulele, snorkeling and soaking up the sun. I switched from collecting sports cars and player pianos to ukuleles. Although, we still have a 1965 Sunbeam Tiger and a 1947 classic Fairliner Torpedo wooden runabout (in restoration). We both play the Uke and have a great time with our parents singing the songs from the 20's and 30's. I carry a ukulele with me where ever we go. Sharon plays too and is working on her hula. This is way too long. All the best to everyone at the Mason Jr. High reunion. Sorry I will not be able to attend. May God continue to Bless you all!! Make it the best day of your life today!! John. SPIRO MANTHOU OK, OK, OK. All this pressure wanting our bios. I could use the excuse I haven't had the time to sit down and send you one, or I am not that great with the computer, or the last 40 years have been one big blur and I am still trying to figure out where I've been, and more importantly, where am I going. But the fact is I've been too lazy to do it, but here goes. From Mason on to Wilson, to TCC, to Western Washington University. As I look back I realize I never did understand why I was in college. Having a good time definitely was more important than getting an education. After school I came back to Tacoma and started working in a local bank and then on to management positions with a couple of businesses in town. I then went to work for the City of Tacoma for about 9 years in their Finance Department. And for the last 15 years I have been an administrator at Bates Technical College. Ironic how important I believe education is now. I met Sandy, my wife, in 1975. We got married in 1979, had our first son in 1980, another son in 1984, and a daughter in 1989. We live in the West end of Tacoma. Sandy is an Instructor in our Home and Family Life Department here at Bates, My oldest son lives and works in downtown Seattle, and my other two kids live with us while still attending school. My spare time is taken up by a second career I embarked on a couple of years ago. I got interested in local politics and decided to run for office. I was fortunate to be successful and got elected to the Tacoma City Council where I am currently serving in my 3rd year. If you would of asked me 40 years ago about the Tacoma City Council, I am sure I would have answered "Tacoma what?". One of the greatest things about living in Tacoma and serving on the Council and being involved in the community is that I get to run across a lot of you around town. Looking forward to the 16th TERRIE MATTINGLY HANSEN After graduating from Stadium I went to UPS for a semester and got married to my Mt. Tahoma boyfriend. We were gone a year in North Carolina while he was in the Marines and have no interest in traveling to the South again. Worked at Walker Chevrolet until 1984 and during that time the marriage dissolved and in 1980 was divorced. Met and married my sweetheart Steve and have been married for 23 years. No children just my precious animal friends. Finally finished my degree in 1990 and decided that a masters was not as important to me a quality of life. It was a long journey and it is nice to end it. I have been with Boeing for 22 years in Facilities and am contemplating retiring so I can work closer to home. I'm not ready to retire fully, just not commute. Have lived in Gig Harbor for the past 20 years, and have mixed feelings about the bridge. After two bouts of cancer, enjoying everyday and minute is very important to me. As many of you have so eloquently found, we have all learned many things along the way, and things that were paramount then are not even in our worlds today. It will be so nice to see you all soon so we can renew old friendships. See you soon. SALLY MIDDLETON JAMES Hi everyone -- I have really enjoyed reading your biographies and am looking forward to seeing you all at the reunion. Following graduation from Wilson, I attended WSU. Go Cougs!! Dental Assisting School was my next stop and I have worked in dentistry in many capacities off and on ever since. While working at the UW Dental School, I met and married Chris James, who was a dental student. We recently celebrated our 28th anniversary. We live just north of Bremerton in the Silverdale area where we raised two wonderful sons. Matthew 21, attended Hillsdale College in Michigan, is working in Nantucket, Mass. this summer, and hopefully returning to college in the near future. Brian 19, is finishing his freshman year at the UW, where he competed on the men's gymnastic team. They took 1st place at the Collegiate Nationals this year. I still help out at Chris' dental office when needed, and we are adjusting to an empty nest. I love to garden and our extensive yard keeps me busy. I'm in Tacoma at least once or twice a week to see my mom. She is doing great --- I help her take care of her two homes -- Tacoma condo and Hood Canal home. There is always something that needs to be done.I am looking forward to reconnecting with old friends. See you in July. LEONA MILLER DOLAN Last February I retired (yeah!!) from my position as Director of Administrative Services for Antioch University Seattle where I had worked for 16 years. My husband, Dan, (who retired a year before me) and I had worked for a long time towards a goal of early retirement and were both really excited to achieve it last year. Recently we have spent a lot of time on our condominium association business and helping take care of Dan's father. Dan's dad loves cruising and has taken us on numerous cruises over the last couple years, hence the recent Mexico cruises. Dan and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary last fall (we met in a dorm at U.of W.)with a trip to Maui since Hawaii is one of our favorite travel destinations. I never left Seattle after graduating from college and have lived in downtown Seattle for 21 years, moving here long before the area was even called Belltown. We love where we live and walk almost everywhere. For recreation we like to dance (mostly East Coast Swing), in-line skate, hike, work in our condo gardens, take long walks, and travel. Now that we're retired, we plan to start doing some volunteer work although we haven't figured out what kind yet.My parents are both still healthy and live in North Tacoma near Wilson so I am in Tacoma a couple times a month to visit them. JEANNE MUIR What a life in Tacoma. Just two weeks ago a cadre of the kids from the Prospect neighborhood came together again, all reminiscing how glorious it was to live in a city neighborhood just awash with kids. My sister married one of the kids she met at Washington Elementary so our families melded. You all might remember the oh-so-lovely back brace I donned at Mason in ninth grade, which was to stay with me for four years, 24/7. As well as straightening my back, it taught me firsthand the value of looking inside people. Some of the kids I emulated shunned me once I had the brace, probably fearing it, while more often the hidden kids, the quiet or rebellious ones, made sure I knew they saw me inside it. What a life lesson. Thank you, everyone of you who saw through it. After Mason I attended Wilson and then to Whitman for a liberal arts degree in Psychology. While there I turned into a back-to-the-lander, living far out in the hills, and refurbished and lived in four lovely old farmhouses outside Walla Walla. I fell in love with the graceful hills, the farming and mountains, and the slow-lifestyle. I grew my own food, cooked on a wood cook-stove, canned-really went subsistence, all during college. It was so much fun, partly because it totally freaked out my parents. Once graduated from Whitman I stayed in Walla Walla for years, living in the country. I co-owned Earthlight Bookstore, and worked in the Walla Walla valley in agriculture, managing farm crews on huge farms, and learning farm operations on over 100,000 acres of farm land. Turns out I can drive anything. Once my interest in business was ignited I returned to graduate school and took an MBA in Finance and Marketing, and went to work for Paccar for twelve years-- financing, manufacturing, and selling heavy-duty Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. Even got to drive a few. What fun. I worked for them all over the United States, with long stints in Dallas and San Francisco. Got married, got divorced. Long period, short story. Faced with a transfer to Chicago I decamped and eventually started my own communications firm in 1992. Once called Muir Public Relations (original huh?) it is now recently renamed Urban Relations. We work in urban neighborhoods facing change, typically from development or major transportation improvements. We work with the neighborhoods to turn potentially adversarial relationships into productive conversations about the changes. It is intense, rewarding, very personal. I married my long-time love two years ago, Art Brochet, with whom I have been raising his son. We live in the Greenlake neighborhood of Seattle, and work in Fremont. We are intensely involved in the civic life of Seattle, and we spend a lot of time with family and friends of thirty-plus years from Whitman. So strange, to sum up a life in a few paragraphs. There have been friends and deaths, loves lost and found, the joy of raising a child. As inadequate as these short stories about each other may be, it is just great to hear these snapshots of so many lives. Thank you to Marc for organizing the reunion and the mementos. BRIAN PAYNE So many bios and memories being dragged up - almost too much for some of us. Thank you all for the time you've put in and the photos and bios. After graduating Wilson in '69, I went to Highline CC, got married, went to the U for three years, graduated in education. Substitute taught for a couple years, then up to Alaska for a year (third daughter born in Skagway), started in the tax preparation business and am still with that. Two more kids (boys) and now 4 grandkids (pictures available on request, or only just hinted at). Just made the last tuition payment after 15 years of college for the kids. Memories of Mustangdom: Mr. Gilmore's Earth Science class adjacent to the kitchen with the bottle of mercury on the desk Mr. Naubert constantly asking, "How many get the idea of that?" Getting a "C" on my poker in Mr Moffat's metal shop Picking up Darren and Darci Krewson every Sunday for Sunday School "Teen Time" and playing basketball while the rest of you were dancing Mr. Martelli's gym class in the church building across the street The earthquake (Mr. Sinclair's class) Mr. Feuchter transferring to Mason after being my 6th grade teacher at Washington Dick Cvitanich running for class president Tom Clough taking a voluntary "hack" from Mr. Brisbois Mr. Angelel and our new gym Lunch in the auditorium with the World Series on TV Buying the carton of milk for 4 cents Am still married after nearly 35 years, and enjoying that immensely (Tove did go to Lowell for one year). I may not be able to make the dinner, but wish you all well. Keep those pictures coming. KP - KATHY PEARSON OLIVER Hi everyone! Last year's event was so relaxing and nice that I am making a return appearance and looking forward to it. Didn't like going gray a few years back so began making the gray blond and it got out of hand---blonds really do have more fun! I told my family--three grown children 24(Mark-film student at Montana State),23 Shannon-graduate of U of Redlands and getting married July 1st moving to Phoenix for fiancé's Flight School in Oct.), 22(Kristen-Junior at SPU, Art Major)--ten years ago that by 55 I would be blond so deal with it and they are doing OK. I like the change. Busy with wedding plans for Shannon and end of the year teaching 1st grade. Al is working as a fundraising consultant and travels every week--he left the full time ministry 6 years ago and really enjoys his work. That means we get to travel now and then which is nice. After Stadium I graduated from UW--go Huskies--and married Al Oliver--we have stuck it out now for 32 years. We have been living in the beautiful Wood River Valley (known for the famous Sun Valley ski resort) for over 20 years now--before that we were in Wenatchee for 81/2 years and in LA for two. Sun Valley area is home. However...this winter was looooooooong and grueling and left alone to plow and tend the driveway on my own I was longing for the Florida sun (or Palm Springs, Palm Desert, sunny southern CA or WHEREVER!!!!!!) I WANTED OUT!!!!! We'll see how I feel when the white stuff falls this coming year. It seemed to go on forever and when it snowed, hailed AND rained over Memorial Day this year I didn't know what to think! So...looking forward to throwing back a few, sharing some stories...although I must admit that my memory is not as sharp as Mr. Nelson's....and having more time with Mary Hause since I had to ditch early last time! So...until then...go Mustangs! MARCIA PEARSON VAUGHAN Well, I have been having a hoot reading everyone's bio's so I'll throw mine into the mix. After graduating from Stadium in 69 (best year ever!) I went to WSU and roomed with Diane Sitts - can't remember if we did more studying or partying, it's all a blur. I transferred to Central the nest year and loved Ellensburg, still do. Although I wasn't at the Ugly Bear Tavern when Mary Hause got her epiphany to join the Peace Corp, I do remember it as the best tavern in town. After my hippie-cowgirl-student days I lassoed a job as elementary school librarian on Bainbridge Island. It was a great school. The staff went out for champagne breakfast several times each year. Did I fit in, or what? And I loved the job, reading fantastic books to kids all day. I had a habit of changing the stories to "make them better". If they were too long, I'd take the boring bits out. If they were too short, I'd make up new parts. One day, I was right in the middle of a book called Tikki Tikki Tembo, when a I had one of those life-changing moments. Clear as a bell I heard a voice in my head say, "Marcia, stop changing other peoples' books and write your own." As I'd never heard a voice like that before I thought it would be a good idea to listen. Shortly thereafter my boyfriend-and-soon-to-be-husband-, Richard, and I took off to travel the South Pacific. We spent 6 months in the Cook Islands, a month in New Zealand and then on to Australia. We got jobs in the Sydney airport while waiting for our luggage to come down the shoot. We met the stunt coordinator for a movie who gave us jobs as extras. We went up to Queensland and spent the next 2 months working for $50 a day on a movie ( and a really bad one, at that) called Turkey Shoot starring Olivia Hussey (gag) and Steve Railsback (great guy). We made all kinds of Aussie friends. We moved down to Sydney, got a flat right across from the opera house and stayed for nearly 10 years. It was during that time I started writing children's books and I'm still at it.( You can find them on Amazon.com). Other than ice-cream taster I can't imagine a better job in the world. Our son Sam, now 20 and a student at WWU, was born in 1986. After our Aussie experience we moved to Vashon Island. I see Dick and Diane C. now and then, and if it weren't for these bio's I would not have known they were leaving the "rock" and moving to Idaho. I still get together often with my-best-friend-since-fourth-grade, Darrin. As a matter of fact, today is hot and sunny so she may be coming out to Vashon, where we relive our glory days as beach-babes down on the sand. Only now instead of using baby oil laced with iodine we use SPF 50. As far as memories from Mason I remember cowering under my desk during the big earthquake, being in Miss Webster's math class when they told us JFK had been shot, and Mr. Lloyd telling us band students that we couldn't go up on the ski bus one weekend because we had to come and practice for the upcoming band contest - yeah right. I look forward to seeing everyone on the 16th! MARK PIERCE Might as well add my bio to the mix. OK college! When that was over I went to a Broadcast Voc School in Seattle, landed a radio job in Yakima, spent six months there and the rest of my 25 years in the business in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett metro market. Worked morning drive with some very talented people mostly as a News Director-Journalist. Please don't label me there's a lot of reporting I don't like either. Won several awards in News Reporting including the first in depth expose' on Agent Orange and the Vietnam Vet. First place for Journalistic excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists. OK, big deal but a nice piece of paper to hang on the wall. Eventually I hooked up with my last partner - 13 years doing mornings together with a show consistently ranked among the top five in the tri county ratings. The perks were great. Did our show from a fishing boat in Alaska, Sea World, San Diego 3 times, Aboard 3 different cruise ships, Disney Land several times, and 9 straight years of "Fan Fair" the largest gathering of musicians and artists in the country each June in wonderfully humid Nashville, Tenn. Only 4 stations in the country are allowed to do their shows there and we were fortunate enough to be chosen 9 years in a row. The not so good news is I was forced into retirement due to health reasons. Chrones Disease, Severe back problems, Osteoarthritis in both knees, Pancreatitis due to over medication and a neurological disorder that causes, well, let's just say "problems." Uncle Sam wouldn't consider retraining me because I was too "old." But, I still manage to hit the gym 5 days a week and do my own therapy and workout program. Despite all this nonsense I still feel lucky to be alive and encourage those who care to do the same. See ya all at the "Party" and Dick C, you didn't stick around Puyallup long, my news guy nose is twitching.........Love to all and bless you all. (Oh, I've been with my wife Gayle since 1979 with 3 great kids and 2 grandkids that are usually great) They're the best part of my life so don't ask me why they're at the bottom. I know, save the best for last. MARK PIERCE (2005 Version) Sorry but I won't be able to make the reunion on the 17th due to my health. I have Chrones Disease not to mention Pancreatitus, austioarithis, severe lower back problems among other health problems. Right now my Chrones is acting up something fierce making it almost impossible to get out of the house. I hate to miss all you guys, the foundation of my life so to speak, but I have to address this nasty part of my life first. Give my most sincerely and best to all of you great people who generated a beginning that will forever be a part of me. I think of you often (all of you I can remember) (not alzheimers but perhaps a touch of dementia?) Well, it's a good start anyway. Take care everyone, love to all and a smile everyday is just one road to keeping your health and happiness. Bless you guys for putting all the effort into this wonderful occasion. Take care all of you, maybe we'll meet again. Love to you all! Mark Pierce JEFF RACE Mustangs--Since I left Mason and graduated from Stadium, I went to jr. college for a couple of years and played football. I worked at Fick Foundry for 15 years. After they went belly up I went to Boeing. I worked there for 15 years. I was laid off four years ago and just last week got a call back notice. I will quit my truck driving job at Medline Industries and go back to the lazy b. I am married and together we have five kids (mine, hers and ours) ages 35, 32, 30, 29 and 14. The 14 year old keeps us young. We also have two grandsons, ages 11 and 2. I love working in the yard and playing golf with my son. We like to camping when we can get away. I am looking forward to coming to the reunion and catching up with friends. COY ROBBINS Hmm.... a bio? I moved to Tacoma when I was in 6th grade, after a childhood of moving every two years. Went to Washington school then Mason for 7th grade then moved to Yelm for 8th then back to Mason for 9th. I think that I only was in the yearbook when I was in 7th grade, for some reason I decided that it wasn't "cool" to sit for a picture in the 9th grade. On to Wilson, the first day at Wilson would set the stage for my high school career. After school, ten or so of us Mason alums, decided that it would be a wonderful idea to return to the Mason campus while school was still in session. While out-running Mr. Nelson to get the hell out of there, one still unnamed delinquent (initials RG), managed to set fire to a book and leave it burning in the breezeway. We made what seemed like a clean get away, too dumb to realize that Mr. Nelson knew all of our names. Wilson, day two, ten Mason alums are called into Mr. Beer's conference room. WHO BURNED THE BOOK?? Blank stares around the table, the question is asked again, same result. Mr. Beer tells us that we can all go but reminds us that he has a very long memory and that he will not forget any of us. I don't believe one of us finished the three years at Wilson, to the boy, we were thrown out on one trumped up charge or another. I was thrown out for licking a bare ice cream stick while standing, not sitting, in the lunch room. Strictly against the rules! Most of us spent all or most of our last year at Lincoln Night School. One of the first karmic lessons in life for me. Married in May 1969, first of two daughters was born in Dec. 1969, making me probably the youngest father of our Mason class? By 1972 I had two children, a mortgage, car payments and was going to TCC at night, but was making pretty good money during the day working union construction. I decided the immediate financial burden of college on my family out-weighed the long term return of a college education, so construction it was. In 1977 I was dispatched from the union to work for the Tacoma Public Schools and over the last 29 years I have operated loaders, backhoes and trucks for them. I will retire in 2008 with pensions from two construction unions and the state and will have more income retired than I do now working. Take that Mr. Beer. :~) Divorced in 1984 :~( and raised my oldest daughter through high school. Married again after an 18 year solo career, to my wife Teri. I have 5, count em, 5 grand kids, 3 Papillon dogs, a cat and 10 Koi fish in my pond.(Koi not coy) For hobbies: I was part of a race-car team for 25 years, setting dozens of national records and driving nearly half a million miles, crisscrossing North America. I raced sailboats in the Puget Sound for years with Mark Jones and Bruce Jeglum. We won the South Sound Racing Series, to the consternation of the more professional types that we raced against. I remember the muted applause from the doctors and lawyers when the trophy was handed to three hippies that raced a boat called "We Be Jammin'" If any of you have ever raced sailboats, you know that the most stressful part of the race is the start. Boats coming at all angles towards an imaginary starting line. Concentration is high, keeping track of speed and time and other boats. To gain a mental advantage we would wait until two minutes before the starting gun and then push in our Deep Purple cassette tape and turn "Smoke on the Water" up to 10 on the on deck speakers. By the time our opponents blood pressure and concentration returned to normal we would be twenty-five yards past the starting line. We did not appear to be well healed or gentlemanly enough to be accepted at the yacht clubs but they had no choice. I love working with wood and have a well appointed woodshop and have remodeled and put additions on several of the houses I have owned. Picked up a guitar around 1983 and decided to see if I could master it. Conclusion: no, but I can play well enough and jam with friends and have been on stage a few times. I finally retired from slow-pitch last year, the knees just couldn't take a 36th year. Funny how that works, them there knees are only 55 years old, they should be just like new. Not. And then there are motorcycles. I have had at least one at all times since high school. I currently have three of that brand made in Milwaukee, including one that I found and restored after a garage burned down on top of it. It's a 1970 XR-750 flattrack racer and is one of only 100 to come out of the factory. It's my grandson's college fund. I still keep in touch with the likes of Dan Cormany, Bob Winskill, John Oman, Chris Hill and others...... slight attack of CRS, (can't remember shit) but I know there are others from Mason. Chris is planning on coming, will see if I can get Dan (probably) and John (doubtful) to attend. Went to the reunion last year and hope to attend again next month. KATHI "KAT" SCOTT WILLARD My husband, Chris, and I just celebrated our 28th. We have two grown kids, Meghann, 23, and Colin, 21, that both went to Mason as well. In fact, Colin's best friend is Laura Chadwick's son, Matt. Small world. I left Tacoma in high school... actually graduated from Ellensburg High. Went to Western for a year - got married (too young ~ that one didn't last) went to California and then ended up in Lincoln City for a few years. Went to Portland where I met Chris (actually re-met as I knew him when I was 8). We moved back to Tacoma in 1980 as he landed a Bio-medical Photography job at St. Joseph's Hospital. I have been working in the School District as a speech therapist. STACEY SIMON BRODY Okay, okay, I guess I will have to rescue my bio from my younger cousin Marc. Soooooooo.....I graduated from U of W with an Art Ed degree and immediately hopped a plane to Europe for the summer. When I landed back in Seattle it was a little too late to find a teaching job and so spent the next few years wending my way through a variety of fun jobs including, Scrimshander (engraving on ivory), Art Director at a couple of community centers and work at the University Bookstore. In 1977 I met and married Tom, a California import. My dad invited Tom to work in our family business, Simon's Tack 'n Togs, out on South Tacoma Way and I elected to be a mom, chauffeur, head cook and bottle washer, and big time volunteer as our two daughters were growing up. Our oldest, Leslie, is now 26 and working toward her PHD in Social Justice at Emory University in Altanta, and our youngest, Jenna, completed two years at University of Rhode Island before she decided to head home. She now lives and works in the Fremont area. About 8 years ago, Tom decided he had had enough of retail and sold the store. But for those of you still wearing cowboy boots, it's still a Western store. A friend invited Tom to try out the Insurance business and they have been partners ever since. Tom's office is near downtown Bellevue so he is much happier about the commute and is relieved not to ever again have to hire and fire salespeople. When the girls hit high school I decided the time was ripe to find myself a career, so I began to sub in the Renton School District. When I subbed in a library for two months I knew I had found my calling. I had a little flash back to college days while I was taking classes at the U of W for teachers who want to become librarians and immediately snagged a job as Library Media Specialist at Sunset Elementary in the Bellevue School District, around the corner from Factoria, and just 10 minutes from our home in Newport Hills. I'll be going into my 8th year at the school and it is still a lot of fun!! Elementary kids are wonderful, they still like their teachers, are pretty funny, and what could be better than talking with kids about their favorite books and then suggesting new ones?? When I was hired, our school had classes in English for the neighborhood kids and half Spanish Immersion (classes for students who want to learn Spanish). Because the Spanish program is so successful, this year we became Puesta del Sol, completely Spanish Immersion. Ah, Mr. Macias (Wilson Spanish teacher) why didn't I pay more attention in your class??????? My pathetic Spanish helps me a little but fortunately for me the students still read plenty of books in English. Everyone at the school is terrific, parents, teachers and students, and I just can't believe I fell into this wonderful career!!! For those of you "Bucket Buddies" who went to Mason, then Wilson, we still own our beach house on Fox Island, the scene of many drinking parties. Now our kids are probably doing the same thing out there, I just don't want to know about it!!! I still love to ski and have many memories, some not so fond, of riding the rotten old city buses up to Snoqualmie Pass in Junior High. How could they send us up to the Pass in those crummy buses????!!! One season of little or no snow I recollect a bunch of us walking (in our ski boots) from Ski Acres over to Alpental, which had just opened. Were we nuts???!!! I'm afraid I don't have too many great memories from Junior High, although now that someone has mentioned Mrs. Anderson and her Drama and Speech classes, I do recall having a good time being in a couple of plays. All these great bios are stirring awake a few little memories. What I really want to know is HOW DID THE TIME GO BY SO QUICKLY??? Although I can't make the reunion, I sure would like to make a date to meet at George and Jane Hancock's Brewery in Seattle sometime. If you're interested in a future get together there, let me know; e-mail - brody4@comcast.net. Have fun, and I'll be looking forward to seeing the reunion pictures and hearing the details. DIANA (DEE) SHIRLEY (in Clinton, WA on Whidbey) I studied art in college, traveled in Europe a bit, and later graduated in human services from western, moved to the country-back to the land, hippy style, married, raised a son and daughter-best job I ever had, built a house on 10 acres, have lived on Whidbey Island for 29 years. My son, Nick just had a son so I'm a grandparent now. Kept my name, Diana Shirley (some call me Dee but not Dee Bop as was my nick-name at Mason) My husband's last name is Merrill. I gardened a lot, got involved in the peace movement, worked at a pottery studio, played in a marimba band for 5 years, traveled a bit in Mexico and did some volunteer work there as well, taught puppet and mask classes, have visited Japan and Greece. Ran a Japanese exchange program for a bit and have hosted Japanese students and one Spanish student. I now work as a program coordinator at Langley Middle School, do a bit of art, and serve on a board of directors for Friends of Friends, a medical support safety net and am wondering what's next now that kids are gone. That is in a nutshell. Life has been good. I remember talking with Scott Jones for hours on the phone but then not talking much at all in person. Becky Bertness was a friend of mine.I was sorry to read that she passed on. Funny. Life speeds by, doesn't it? Thanks for the photos of the storm over Tacoma. I go there every few weeks as my dad is still there and needs lots of attention. He is still in the house that I grew up in, on 35th & Ferdinand,. My siblings are all still in Tacoma as well. Thanks again for putting me in the loop, JOE SINNITT (2005 Version) Patricia Kloehn and I just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. We have one son, Brent, who lives in Federal Way and works for a credit union in Seattle. Patricia manages our business. I am a trial lawyer, representing people injured in accidents, and also representing people insured by Pemco Ins Co. Our son and I are partners on a Porsche that we both drive on track day road racing on various tracks in the N.W. We also enjoy snowboarding and waterskiing or wakeboarding. Best wishes to my compadres. Joe Sinnitt DIANE SITTS BAHR Well I finally put my pen to work. Here is my life-the short and sweet of it. Mason to Stadium-GO TIGERS-to WSU-GO COUGS-(Marcia Pearson was a great and innovative roommate) Graduated in '73 with a teaching degree in Home Ec-thank you Mrs. Wiseman. In '72 I married my college sweetheart, Bob, a farm boy from Wilbur. Yep, that makes 34 yrs. of wedded bliss--well maybe not all wedded bliss! We met skiing during semester break at Squaw Valley with WSU's Outing Club .I did a spread-eagle on top of a mogul on the back side of the mountain-anyway, apparently, did some permanent damage to my body and haven't ski since. Being the stupid college student, if I had gone to the dr. like the ski patrol told me to do I would probably have gotten better. We were invincible back in those days. I could get anywhere on campus on my crutches in the snow!! Marrying Bob meant moving to this very small farming community of 1000. Wilbur is located 65 miles west of Spokane---out in the middle of nowhere!! I did grow to love the area and the lifestyle. FYI Wilbur is home of the famous Billy Burger and Wild Goose Bill Days. I taught school for about 5 years in the area before starting our family. I never taught in my major, but discovered my love for the primary grades and special education. In '78 I became a stay at home Mom. It was the best decision I ever made. Wilbur was a terrific place to raise our 2 kids and our multitude of animals. Our son, Michael, 28, a Coug-naturally, lives in Spokane, is single and is starting his own Mortgage company. Now, his Dad works for him. I say turnabout is fair play. When Bob isn't helping Michael on his new home, they love to hit the golf courses. Our daughter, Kristen, 24, a Coug-naturally, an education major , lives and teaches in the Spokane area. Like her Mom, she too married her college sweetheart, John, in 2004. He is a great guy. We are truly blessed having our grown kids near by. Let's face it--raising kids is hard work-now we can just enjoy them and offer advice only when asked. Sure, my life has had its ups and downs, but I think that's pretty normal . I have been sliced, diced and whittled on, but so far no bionic parts. Growing old is not for sissies--but it is a fun adventure. We are busy--love to travel-favorite place is still Kauai , camping in our old camper, trying to golf, volunteer in our community and enjoying our family and friends .We have decided that we need to always stay together because now it takes 2 of us to do what used to only take 1.A good example of this togetherness is , I love to garden, but now when I say I need to plant 50 tulip bulbs we know who is really going to get down on his knees to plant those ------bulbs. They say in marriage "And two shall become One"-they weren't kidding!! On a final note----My kids say that I have really mellowed over the years and according to them I am having alot more fun enjoying life. We had fun raising our kids, but I was a pretty tough Mom. Wait til they have kids---then they will understand!!. As of now , we have no Grandchildren, only a Grand-kitty, thanks to our daughter and son-in-law. Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday . A Mason memory---who remembers getting their stinky PE uniforms out of their lockers on Monday morning and ironing them in Mrs. Wiseman's room, trying to pass them off as nice and clean? What were we thinking? JANIS SKINNER ADAMS I have been married to John Adams (a Bellermine/Stadium grad) for 36 years. We have two children Jodee 32 years old and Josh who is 27. Both of our children are married and so far we have two grandchildren Kallee 11 and Kaleb 8 years old. I am not working right now and not looking for work so I guess you could say that I am retired and enjoying it!! We live in Grayland ( that's on the coast) so if any of you are planning trip to the ocean let me know. My email address will be changing soon but I will let you know when it happens STEVE TAYLOR Some of the early stuff is a little fuzzy, but I seem to remember the very night of the last day of ninth grade at Mason, some of us stayed all night at Pete Brady's house. Sleeping bags in the yard. The group may have also included Pete W., Wally H., maybe one of the Winskils, and probably C. Tollefson, and some others I don't remember. Also, something about a 6-pack of beer and some of that Winskill wine. Anyway, made it through that night and through the next three years at Wilson. "Good times, bad times, you know I had my share." Early in the summer of '69, I was introduced to Gretchen Zukowski. At the time she was Joe Tschida's girlfriend. Anyway, a couple of day later she called me and asked if I wanted to go swimming at her house? Was Joe going to be there? No. He left on vacation with his family. Gulp Got directions to her house in Ruston, and showed up in my trunks. Out by the pool were Gretchen and her two sisters, both 19 or 20. All three of them were in bikinis. Wow, dream city. Well, things started to happen and I had to get into the pool real quick. Man, tent city. Anyway, we got married in the fall of ' 70, after I tried TCC, while working nights at TG, and then joined the Army. (don't ask) Ft. Lewis, Ft. Knox and then Germany. "Gutten Tag Herr Gredzens." Did my hitch, came home and took commercial art at Clover Park. Ran into Mark Pierce at some point, and he pointed me in the direction of The Ron Bailie School of Broadcast in Seattle. Went there for a year, became a DJ and went to work for a radio station in John Day, Oregon for a couple of years , then back to Tacoma where Mark got me a job at KLAY. I loved getting paid to play records. That lasted for a while, then I got let go. Went to work for a building contractor. Then an opening opened up in the maintenance dept. in the Town of Ruston. Gretchen and I were living in Ruston in the house her grandfather built in 1918. It is right across the alley from the "swimming pool house" where her parents still lived. I hired on with Ruston in May of "77 and just finished my 29th year. I am still living in the same house, but with Cindy, my third and final wife. Gretchen passed away in 1980 from complications from diabetes. I got married again too soon after, so things went south after a year or so. Then I met Cindy. She was raised on a farm out across the bridge. Went to Peninsula. Growing up she had to help raise animals. She has been raising me for over 20 years. I have no children of my own, but Cindy has a son who lives in Alaska. We also mentor 3 of her nephews, who are all now in their 20's. Sometime along the way, Dave Garland got me into hiking and climbing. I have been up Rainier, Baker, Adams, Stuart (Go Dave), and St. Helens. In '96 went to Mt. McKinley with RMI. The view from the top was great. I have gotten away from that stuff lately, and now spend time drumming. Hand drums. Congas, djembes, bells, shakers. Anything to make noise. Was out on Vashon Island last weekend making noise in the Strawberry Festival parade with a dance and drum group. Cindy and I will be going back to Disney World in the fall for vacation. Our 4th trip. I love that place. We will also visit Steve Wilson, a "68 Wilson grad. He lives on the Gulf side by St. Pete. Not counting having Mono when I went into the Service, I have yet to spend the night in a hospital. We haven't bought a cell phone. I had collected about 1000 record albums before I started to downsize the pile. Still have a couple that I bought from White Front for $2.50. I have walked or rode my bike the 2 and 1/2 blocks to work for the last 29 years. Oh, I guess I better mention Scott Jones or when he read this he will call up and say, "Hey, what about the time....?" Okay Scott, there is your mention. Anyway, there is the condensed (ha) version. I had to leave out some stuff to protect the guilty. And please excuse the spelling and grammar and stuff, because if I go back over this, even with spell check, I will start changing things and it will get turned in late. Thanks, and see you at the Reunion Steve ps. If I have things right, I think both of my secret crushes from 9th grade will be there. Oh boy, livin' the dream. PIERRE VENTUR I always figured I'd end up in music, academia or business. And not being a jock myself, unlike many of my classmates at Mason and Stadium, I never saw myself involved in athletics. But as things turned out I ended up doing all these in one form or another. Music was my true passion for years and years; I played violin from grade school clear through college, and I took one of my fiddles along to Guatemala and really enjoyed playing with the locals there (more on that shortly). Unfortunately, grad school took such a heavy toll on time and energy that it just became too difficult to keep up with regular playing I do still enjoy listening to music, and going to concerts occasionally, but I've only played in a couple of pickup groups over the last few years. The most exciting thing to happen to me on the music scene was authenticating one of my old high-school instruments; turns out it was made in Florence, Italy almost 300 years ago! I got interested lin geography at Mason (thank you, Mr. Walker!), and, later, languages: German and Spanish, in high school, and then Amerindian languages in college, first at UPS, then the UW, and finally at Yale where I did my graduate work in anthropology and linguistics. I spent about four years doing fieldwork all over southwestern Mexico (Chiapas), Yucatan, British Honduras (now Belize) and north-central Guatemala, eventually settling in to study two of the thirty-some modern Mayan languages, called Mopan and Itza. After coming back from the field I did a fair amount of academic research and publishing, and got interested along the way in the cross-cultural study of games and sports. The pinnacle of that little foray was developing a class on the Anthropology of Play for Yale's undergrad seminar program--and having adjoining classrooms with Howard Cosell, who was teaching a course on the Olympics at the time (1980). That was pretty neat! Of everything I've published, my favorite piece is a paper on Mayan dice games. Because there was such a vast overflow of grad students avoiding serving in 'Nam, it was just about impossible for up-and-comers in my field to find a regular academic position. And with a young kid to raise, continuing to subsist on low-paying, part-time teaching jobs was simply out of the question. I'd been serious about stocks since high school and by early 1984 had put together a respectable-enough trading record to get an entry-level investment job with a small Connecticut trust department. From there I just forged ahead without ever looking back. Along the way I worked for progressively bigger banks in New England and the Midwest, eventually becoming a partner in a private investment-advisory firm here in Massachusetts called The Boston Family Office. For the record, I am most definitely NOT a stock-broker!!! I mainly do active hands-on portfolio management, along with equity research (primarily technology, aerospace and defense stocks). I'm now remarried to a really nice lady from Cincinnati named Bobbie; she's extremely talented and does beautiful quilting and needlework. While I wish I'd met her earlier, the good news is that at least I ended up with the right person. By coincidence, she has a daughter living in Puyallup who was a music teacher just like my dad. My own son, Conrad Marcellus, is a free-lance fashion photographer; he got a professional degree at RIT in Rochester, then worked in New York City for several years before heading off to England for more schooling. I've been coming out to Tacoma regularly since my mom passed away in 2004. My dad's been at The Weatherly Inn out on Pearl St. since early last year; he's doing OK considering that he's going on 97! I've not been able to reconnect with old friends as much as I'd like because I've been so preoccupied dealing with the family homestead on N. 30th St. (two houses down the block from the Winskills). But with a little luck and an accomodating stock market, I may well end up back home again before too long. It will be really interesting seeing people again. For my part, as my personal door-prize offering I'll throw in a free, confidential, transferrable, full-blown, no-strings-attached investment review. If you win and this isn't something you can use, want or need, then feel free to pass it along to a friend or family member. See y'all on the 16th! DENNIS WAHLEN Just to confirm that I will be there. I have delayed overseas trip to make it. It has been enjoyable reading the bio's, so I have compelled myself to respond. Most of them have hit a common note or remembrance of our childhood experiences. First off, how did we get to be 55 so fast! I start to stutter when I say 55. Thoughts of Mason start in seventh grade Gym class with Mr. Martelli. As Steve Anderson mentioned, we wouldn't let our student's box today and I know why. The only boxing experience and partner I had was made up of arms and legs taller than I was and with one punch knocked me cold. Found out early that I have a glass jay. My partner was Greg Witt! I remember Pete Wonders and myself ( not during school time) making a dummy by stuffing old clothes full of newspapers, covering it with ketchup, and throwing in front of cars on 30th. Street ( right in front of Kathy Scott's old house). Cars were skidding and sliding followed up by a police car doing the same. Pete and I ran for our lives and climbed up a monkey tree to hide ( in front of parson's old house) and having the cops standing underneath us and for some reason not flashing there lights up at to wide eyed dummies who were in the process of wetting their pants. I remember when it snowed and using Pierre's Ventures house as a staging area for Wonders, me, John Winskill, Bill Lunke to chuck snow balls at cars and again running from the police. I remember the Proctor Theater and not a dry eye in the house when the movie Shenandoah played with Jimmy Stewart. I remember all the guys hanging out on Proctor Street on Saturday night harassing the bejeezus out of the poor old guy who owned the theater. I remember doing an overnight at anybody's house and ( Wonders, Me, Lunke, Eric Kerrin, et. ) would get a knife, cut somebody's garden hose and then sneak into the Winskills basement where John and Bob's dad had a huge oak casket of homemade wine and siphon it out into Coke bottles. Our teeth would be stained, we would be picking red wine residue out of our teeth for days, and it tasted like crap. But we were just plane normal stupid kids. All hormones and no brains. I believe to this day that Mr. Winskill knew about it and is still laughing about us drinking that rot gut and thinking we got away with it undetected. It should have been declared "TOXIC WASTE". I remember band and in the eighth grade getting braces. Mr. Lloyd's first year. What ability I did have to play an instrument went down the tube and lasted the next five years with Mr. Lloyd as we transferred to Stadium. I don't know why he kept me in band? Ironically I ended up as Concert Band president and couldn't play a note! I remember Friday night Teen Time in the auditorium. Bands playing, people dancing, and John Winskill, Bill Lunke, Eric Kerrin and I to shy to ask a girl to dance. Then have Jeff Race invite us all to his house for a make out party. Coool, but if you can't dance, no romance, eeehhh? I don't think Bill Lunke and I showing up at Jeff's invite holding hands would have been a pretty sight. I remember the ball tag games we had in our neighborhood on 31 st streets and having 20-30 juveniles absolutely taking over the neighborhood. I remember how we would jump from roof top to trees in Marion Hills yard and Mr. Hill politely asking us not to. I remember getting my butt chewed out by Mr. Hill and calling me a little #$#@ because somebody did go into their yard and damaged some tree's despite me telling them not to ( Wonders). Can you imagine Mr. Hill swearing? This is for Coy Robbins, and I also enjoyed your bio immensely. But I must make one exception to your statement about the re-make of Wilson turning it into the ugliest school in town. Coy, having gone to the architectural delight known as Stadium High School, Wilson was, and has always been an architectural disaster. And to think that someone from our school could be responsible for the bell,hmmm. Now here is a mystery question, does anybody remember the disappearance of the round wooden Black Angus sign on I-90 on the north side between Cle-Elum and Ellensburg on or around December 12, of 1972? Rob Benedetti mentions that he was motivated to further his college education because of his draft number. Yea I know what you mean. Mine was # 15. After three years of TCC and Central and three inductment physicals, and trashy grades I finally volunteered to go, let's get it over with. I put my car on blocks, said goodbye to my mom, kissed my girl friend goodbye and left for Seattle. Viet Nam here I come. Next day I'm on the bus back to Tacoma with a 4-F medical discharge ( migraine headaches, not ADD) and I'm not sure who was more disappointed in seeing me come back, my mom, or my very soon to be ex-girlfriend. As mentioned before, I live in Southern Ca. in the mountains outside of San Diego. I started traveling internationally for business around 1998, a late starter compared to a lot of people. I regularly travel the US, Hawaii, Japan, and Australia. I devote my spare time to enjoying my little ranch in Ca. and seeing if my dogs and horses still love me. I purchased a cattle ranch near McCall Idaho last year to make sure that Burger King wouldn't run short on beef. I love the outdoors and have traveled to New Zealand, Australia, and Africa ( twice) on Safaris. I will be back in Africa again next year on Safaris and in 2008 plans are being finalized to travel to Tajikistan. Riding Mongolian ponies at 15,000 feet in the shadows of the Himalayas sounds like an adventure. I am currently recovering from a quad wreck from two years ago ( manufacture's defect) which makes the sixth time in my life I should have severely maimed or killed myself( 2 car wrecks, 1 motorcycle wreck, 2 horse wrecks, and the quad). God must have a reason to keep me around but I am tired of getting whacked. My definition of getting old is when the scar tissue of the new wound intersects the scar tissue of the old wound. Enjoy life , and live everyday to its fullest. I do not have a death wish, but I do have and epitaph for my gravestone, "DENNIS ALWAYS LAUGHED AT THE DEVIL, BUT NEVER MET OR KNEW HIM" Last, I am editing a video from my Mothers archives of my birthday parties from first grade on thru sixth grade. So I hope to have basic movie shots of the likes of Pete Wonders, John Winskill, Marion Hill, Rob Benedetti, Laura Chadwick, and not least Roger Price as rug rats. And yes to your question, Roger's family did move to Ellensburg. Roger and I met in a food stamp line and shared a couple of years of beerology and chasing young damsels at the Ugly Bear, The Tav, Goofy's, and The Ranch Tavern's. I know not of where he is today. See You There, Respectfully, Dennis PS.- Ted Lind asked if anybody remembered Matt Vodonovich and his purse seiner the LaTouche? Yea, I fished summer of 68 between Junior and senior years, and two years afterward with him. I then fished another two years for a boat out of Gig harbor named the Sierra Madre for Nick Jerkovich. This is how I funded my education and beer habit furthering my education. Graduated from Central in 1974 with a BA in Business, specializing in marketing and statistics. PSS- Attached you will find a little jewel that I found in my bathroom sink this morning. I safely caught it and let it go on my neighbors property who nobody likes. BOB WENDT Hi everyone! It was wonderful seeing you all at the 40th Reunion! I have been trying to figure out how to make my bio as interesting as all of yours... I guess earning an A in English still doesn't qualify a person as a creative storyteller. I guess you are stuck with just the facts. After Mason I went to Wilson and then on to WSU. My original ambition was to study Chemistry and Computer Science but at that time these two departments at WSU didn't have much to do with each other. I did discover that most Computer Science courses were cross-listed with the Math Department. Consequently, instead of following in the footsteps of Neil Hansen (Wilson Chemistry teacher) I followed the path of Carl Moore (Math & Computers teacher). While at WSU I met Donna, my wife. We shared many late nights at the computer center frantically trying to get just one more run of our homework programs!! Oh, the good old days of punched cards and perforated tape. While we were there she got me into skiing. The first day out with her and her family I broke my leg. I think they all felt responsible and were willing to overlook all of my other faults if I stuck around. After graduating I got a job in Puyallup teaching Math. I spent nine years at Kalles Jr. High and then 21 years at Rogers High School. During this time I coached a number of different sports. At Kalles I did nine years of Track & Field, nine years of Wrestling and eight years of girls gymnastics. (Hint: If a gymnastics coach ever tells you she just needs a little help moving mats and equipment - DON'T believe her.) Somehow Jackie (the gymnastics coach) decided having kids would be good for her but coaching would no longer be possible. Even moving to the high school didn't get me out of this situation. I was the head coach at Rogers for 14 more years. At Rogers I also coached Golf (boys and girls) for 15 years. I finally retired from teaching after 30 great years in 2003. During this time I spent 21 years on the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol. Donna patrolled for 10 of these years until our daughter, Kristin, came along. Kristin started "stomping snow snakes" at one and a half years old. We still enjoy skiing together when we can. While at Mason I started competing in target rifle competition. I am still involved in the shooting sports and have participated in the national championships (13 years). Currently I shoot in a rifle league, run the matches at Paul Bunyan Rifle & Sportsman's Club and serve as the PB treasurer. I served several terms as President of the Washington State Rifle & Pistol Association and currently serve as Secretary. My latest hobby involves kite making and flying. My greatest interest is sport or stunt kite flying. I turned my head once and got elected as President of the Pierce County Kiteflyers Association. This past weekend we had our annual festival at the Orting Lion's Club field. The Washington State International Kites Festival will happen Aug 21-27 in Long Beach, WA. I will be sharing time announcing for this event as well as entering some of my handiwork in the kite-making competitions (Novice category) Finally, retirement didn't last. I now work for my own company doing computer work, mostly GIS and 3-D simulations. I have contracts with Tacoma and Fife at this time. The page is full... I must be done. Thank you all for visiting with Donna and me at the reunion. Good times and good memories!!! Thank you Marc and crew for making the event possible!! ROBYN WILLIAMSON I have finally been forced out of cyber-hiding to set the record straight. Darrin's Hall of Fame has forced me to come forward to rectify a 40-year-old wrong. Unless the category was in fact 'The girl with the most Sarcastic Smile', a serious typo was committed. Diane Michelson was, and probably still is, 'The Girl with the Sunniest Smile.' Let's skip the boring background information (for details contact my evil twin) and move to the present. I live a quiet, private life with my husband on 15 acres somewhere in the Skagit Valley. This could be a direct result of the security checkpoint requiring a retinal scan and DNA sample or the bi-lingual dogs patrolling the perimeter. (what was the word for bunny in German ?) For exercise we engage in 'Extreme" Gardening' which involves lots of whacking, watering, planting, clipping, mowing, excavating, spraying, clearing, hauling, burning, and chain-sawing....to be repeated when necessary. We are seeing results after 5 years, but there are always wild blackberries waiting in the wings to make their move if we let our guard down. As a small business owner,( 2 mail-order businesses, 3 retail stores and a workshop business) my 'traveling' has been reduced to a rather uneventful commute...highlighted by the occasional coyote or another opossum taking a nap in the middle of the road. On a personal note, I will simply say that I have really good hair, weigh 30 lbs. more than I did in junior high, can still get on my horse with out assistance and have learned to embrace my OCDisms. So what if the bath mat has to be perfectly straight before I get in the tub, I get a Hell of a lot done in a day. In conclusion, I would like to thank John Winskill for my first kiss at the Proctor theater (sorry, but I can't remember the movie) and Terry Estvold for my second. After 40 years of practice I would now be able to return the favor without trembling lips. My best to you all and a round of applause to Marc for creating an event, that has taken on a life of its own and provided me with some of the best summer reading in years. Sorry I can not attend. JOHN WINSKILL Over a period of about 14 years I spent 11.5 years attending WSU, PLU, TCC, UPS and UW and finally, in spite of myself, managed to end up with a degree in dentistry in '83. I've been practicing in Tacoma since. I met Jan North in '75 at PLU and we were married in '77 (which makes 29 years). Remarkable. My hobbies have run the gamut but have, by-and-large, revolved around the water. In 1989 our son Christopher was born. Christopher is medically fragile and has spent virtually his whole life at home on life-support with around-the-clock nursing. A wonderfully sweet kid whom we love dearly. We were blessed (very, very unexpectedly) in '98 with the birth of Matthew who is now 8. I've beat cancer three times in the last twenty-five years and so have garnered a little wisdom as the years have gone by. Basically it is this: Love God and set the bar low. GREG WITT I was fortunate to attend last year's gathering of the Mustangs...and I eagerly look forward to doing so again this July. I look forward to seeing still more of my former classmates. If any of you are on the fence about this event I would urge you to come - the last one was memorable! After I left Mason I attended & graduated from Stadium High. Then I went to California (Pomona College) for college. In a brilliant (??) move I took a leave of absence (ostensibly to get a job to earn $$ so that I could enroll in a summer school program in Italy along with Steve Anderson). The one thing I overlooked was that Boeing was just laying of their 60,000th worker and work was VERY hard to come by. In an interesting twist I moved out to 55 acre spread near Orting where me & my pals (among them, Peter Wonders) got a lot closer to the earth. I lived there for about 4 years with one year in the middle where I traveled Europe and Western & Central Asia. Eventually I migrated to Seattle where I attended art school & worked in the newspaper business. My road has had many twists and turns - never a straight line. In the ensuing years I... - Worked in Alaska in the fish business - Moved to Sun Valley, ID where I ski-bummed for a year - Returned to Tacoma and had a contracting business with one of my ski pals - In 1981 I returned to college (better late than never!) at PLU and graduated with a BA in Communications in 1983...I refer to my college experience as "the 14 year plan". - Worked for a number of years in the Interior Design trade doing sales and sales management. - Re-connected with an old college friend from CA and joined he & his partner in a printing enterprise in Hong Kong. I worked with them for 15 years as we grew a small printing company of 300 in Hong Kong to a major printer, binder, and paper products manufacturer in China with over 13,000 workers and major clients around the U.S. and internationally. - Last year I jumped off the frequent flier fast track and took a year off. I'm currently involved in sales again, but at a local level with a more manageable pace. I feel my life is blessed in many ways; - I still am in good health (I ski in Sun Valley every winter with a group that includes Rob Benedetti). - I have been married for 19 years to my wife, Patty. We have a 15 year old freshman @ Newport High (Bellevue). - My sisters, Colleen (Kauai) & Janet (Ballard) are well and I enjoy every minute I can have with them. - My parents are both still with us and are doing well also. - I still enjoy travel, sports, my family & friends, and a good belly laugh as often as humanly possible. Good fortune has allowed for many of our paths to cross over the years...and I look forward to making further connections with more of you next month. Web site produced by: Recre8 Sports Productions Copyright © 2004 Recre8 Sports Productions. Puyallup, Washington, all rights reserved. 06/15/2005 - Best viewed in Internet Explorer! |