It doesn’t seem like it’s been a year since our reunion – time flies! I meant to get this letter out a few weeks ago, but got side-tracked. The ’54 class needed some help with the last of their “missing” for their reunion in October. Then the ’55 class called. I helped them 10 years ago, so I had a lot of the old records. After all this my 8 year old grandson came home and said “Grandma, I have to be a turtle for the class play.” So, first things first.

   The reunion was a success. Some classmates came that haven’t attended before. Betty Richert, Delano Ford, Dick Bradley, Pearl Brown, Jim Fanning, Don Forte, Jim Gibson, Barbara Kent, Hortensia Menchaca, Pat Osborn, Phyllis Paul, Connie Phillips, Mary and Hugh Piper, Bob Reed, Evelyn Ross, Ida Smith, Alice Thacker, Thelma Williams, Joe Zuccaro, Al Schafer ’52, Joanne Napoli ’54, Vonda Baustain ’52, Carol Regh ’55, and most of the regulars from the last reunions.

   There were 100 grads, 50 spouses and 7 guests attending. Bob Hurlburt came all the way from Costa Rica. Many stayed at the hotel and we had breakfast together the next morning.

   Charline Kenney had 2 “Laker” (diamond) championship rings with her. Since she worked for Jerry Buss for so many years – she earned them. She didn’t even have to “dribble” or “free throw” to get them – pretty good. On the following

   Monday we left for a 4 day Mexican cruise. Nineteen classmates and 4 spouses, Al Schafer and Joanne Napoli also joined us. It was a lot of fun reliving memories of our youth. We had a special cocktail party to celebrate Lois Finn’s 49th wedding anniversary. Sandi (Kalinsky) Lott worked so hard to arrange all this for us.

   The Old Broads Luncheon was held in September at Celina Bacon’s house. Barbara Green and Nancy Layton joined us as 1st timers. We always have such a good time. I wish more of you would attend. This year it will be at Toni Wilson’s on September 18th at 11:00 PM. Toni lives in Orange. She wants people to bring salads and she will supply the main course. Let me know if you want to attend. She also wants you to send in your “bios.”

   Speaking of Toni she had a double Mastectomy on May 26th. They caught it in the first stages. She’s doing well as I write this. If she’s not up to hosting, we can move it, kind of like a “floating crap game.”

   Next year, May 21, 2005, we are planning a party at Mike Peak’s house. The last one we had in 1999 was a great success. Lots of room and you get to hear Mike’s band. I will try to get the Newsletter out next April with all the details. It’s an all day thing – come as you are, and have great fun!

   Moved:
Beverly Marble moved to Iowa from Santa Maria, CA to be closer to her kids.
Gwen Luck moved from Lompoc to Santa Maria, CA, 1203 Via Hielo, (805) 739-5361.
Clara McCraw has moved to Pomona CA.
Victor Salcido moved to Sunnyvale, CA.
Julian Smith now lives in Washoe Valley, NV.
Ben Yamomoto moved to Torrance, CA.

   We have some newlyweds! Jack Sayre married Judi Ellis’ sister Nanci ’55 last May. They were at the reunion. Jack looked so happy. They live on a farm in Utah.

   Robin Allen got married in July. She sent me a picture. What a great (big) family. Robin has 4 children and her new husband, Norm Sorensen has eleven, all grown of course. Everyone was in the picture. She still has a home in Fallbrook, CA. He is from Utah, so she goes back and forth, comes to California about once a month to visit family.

   I got an E-mail telling me MacCameron Jones passed away in October at age 91. He had been a print shop teacher and basketball coach. He was the founding Commodore at the Santa Monica Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, and requested burial at sea. I think he was the last surviving teach we had.

   Heard From: Dolly Kimmel sent a letter. She left Venice and finished at Uni Hi. Dolly still works as a contract coordinator for American Title Co. in Yorba Linda, CA. Her work phone is (800) 721-5558. Of course now she’s Carol Jones. Her brother Tommy ’52 and her younger sister and brother have all passed away. She has 3 sons and a daughter. She has a PHD in religion and has a prison ministry that keeps her busy when she isn’t working.

   Tom Blair calls every so often. He was working in Santa Barbara last year, doing heavy equipment work – moving sand. He really enjoyed being outside. I don’t think it would take much for him to leave Hawaii and move back to CA.

   Bill Taylor called. He’s retired from the post office and just taking it easy.

   Don Weldon lives in Maine and has a Bed and Breakfast Inn. We were trying to arrange our schedules when he came out a few months ago but it didn’t work out. He sent a picture – looks great!

   I’ve heard from Wanda Nizinski a few times, she just moved to Henderson, NV.

   Pat Osborn is a realtor there and helped her in house hunting.

   Lou Cicco sent me a picture by a sign “Running for School Board”. I don’t know if he won though. We have an E-mail group that sends stuff daily – you should join us, there is a large group – lots of jokes!

   Vonnie Warsco lives near by, and called. She’s still in real estate.

   Olga Jimenez called – she still travels a lot.

   Harry Graves keeps in touch almost daily with Ronnie Bauers in Texas and Jim Dombroski in Florida. E-mail is wonderful.

   Jerry Rettela is very active in racket ball. He won a medal at the Palm Springs Sr. Games – February 2004. Next he’s going to the Games in Wisconsin, representing USA at the International Senior Masters Invitational in July 2004. He was going to visit

   Jack Barber. Jack moved from Montana during all the fires and just got settled in Big Bear, when the fires hit there last fall. Luckily the fire stopped just short of Big Bear.

   Barbara Green has a motel there also and she told me what an experience evacuating to the high school (no way – she said) and finally found a hotel until the all clear came and they could go back.

   Nancy Ozaki sent her biography. She told of how in 1941 persons of Japanese ancestry were regarded as alien enemies. They were sent to an assembly center, leaving all worldly possessions, taking only the bare necessities. She and her family were sent to temporary quarters at the Santa Anita horse stables for 4-6 months and later assigned to a relocation center in Arkansas – a very remote desolate place with barracks, central mess hall and communal washroom, toilets and laundry facilities. Her father died there in 1943 at age 39. Her mother and 3 siblings left the camp in 1945 for Utah where her mother had a job as a cook for a group of turkey farmer employees. They moved to Venice in 1946. Nancy is a breast cancer survivor 1984 and volunteers for the American Cancer Society. Since retirement from real estate, she and her husband do a lot of traveling. Looking back at her “war years” its hard to imagine. The biggest thing I can remember was “no bubble gum.”

   The ’55 class has a Web Site: VHS55.tripod.com/index.htm. There is a story about Myrna Loy and a history of the statue, which is now boxed up in storage. .They hope to replace it someday.

   The deceased, that I know of are Diane Balsz, 6-2003, Edwina Nelson, 11-2003, Frank Brunning, 3-2003 and his sister Marietta Brunning, 11-2001.

   Let me know if you can attend the Old Broads luncheon in September. I’ll send you a map, and keep May 2005 open for Mike’s party. Till then – Take care and keep in touch.

Sharon Sharon (Massey) Goodner
15231 Lafayette St., Westminster, CA 92683
(714) 897-5653 E-Mail: SharonVHS53@socal.rr.com