REGISTRATION FOR CLASS OF 1963 50th REUNION

The registration packet has been sent and we are eager to hear that you will be attending the reunion.  Please return your registration form no later than August 15, 2013. 

Recapping the activities:

Friday, September 13

• Golf at Peter Yegen Golf Course - 10:00 am and 12:00 pm tee off times.
• Barbecue at Red Door Lounge - 6:00 pm cash bar; 6:30 pm dinner

Saturday, September 14

• Coffee/Brunch at Janice Krings Geiger's home - 10:00 am
• Mass at St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral - 5:00 pm
• Dinner at Hiland's Golf Course - 6:00 pm cash bar; dinner 7:00 pm

A short program will be given on Saturday night, as well as a drawing for door prizes.   A class photo will also be taken on Saturday.  

We  look forward to your attendance at the 50th Class Reunion, a true milestone in our lives.  We are expecting some classmates that have not attended previous reunions, so there will be 50 years of catching up.  See you in September!

BIOGRAPHIES

Jim Schaff

After high school, I worked for Albertson's for a short time before going on active duty for two years in the U.S. Navy, Pacific Fleet.

I worked at Pierce Flooring before going to auto repair school.  I then worked at MacIntyre Motors as a transmission mechanic until I developed sensitivity in my hands to the cleaning solvents.  From there, I went into auto parts sales.

I then went to work at Deaconess Hospital.  I was assigned to work in the Psych Center.  After nine years at the hospital, I went to work for Sears, unpacking freight and stocking the floor displays.  I retired in 2005 due to arthritis and a herniated disk in my lower back.

In February 2012, I became caregiver for my mother until she passed away in September.  Twenty-four hour care giving can be stressful at the end, but I had support from Riverton Hospice personnel.

Georgia Asp Shrader

What's been happening?  I'd say not a lot but thinking back over the last five years.....

Traveled plenty: New York City over Easter break with our daughter and twins.  Wonderful week of fun and memories.  Cabo with all the family; South American cruise (the cruise from hell...got the Niro virus and was confined to my room for 63 hours); and the usual short trips around California and near states.  Our last Montana trip was in January 2011 for my uncle's funeral in Twin Bridges.

Back surgery in 2011...getting older guys (smile).

The very best is family!  Having grandkids makes us feel younger (sometimes very old).  Our grandkids, twin girls, will be graduating eighth grade and going to high school at St. Ignacious in San Francisco.  They were accepted with distinction and honors in honor class.  So very proud of my girls. They are 4.5 students. They'll drive with Dad each day to school from San Jose.  Dad is CFO of St. Ignacious.  

Plus dear friends over all these years who come to visit us in San Jose and Truckee.  My husband, Gary is known at the best tour guide and history buff.  As I type this friends of 47 years will soon be arriving from Holland.

Truckee is still our main "get away"; love those mountains and more.

I do not think we'll attend the reunion; my Gary, all though in great health and handsome as every will be 78 in September.  We like to drive for the beauty but it is hard on the ole bones, mostly mine after surgery.  Sorry I can't be with you but you will be in my heart and spirit.

Blessings to all.


Jim Holzer

The past 50 years:

Married:        Nancy Hambach in 1967
Children:       Jamie (1968), Lisa (1972), Robin  (1976)
Grandchild:   Karen (2002)

Education:    Dartmouth College - BS
                      Suffolk University - MS
                       University of Alabama - PhD

Places Lived:     New Hampshire
                            New Mexico
                            Alabama
                            Massachusetts

Work:               Defense contractors - 1967 to 2007

Current:            Retired

Nancy and I enjoy traveling, gardening, paddle boating and Dobby, our long-hair Chihuahua.



Looking forward to the reunion!







Jim & Nancy Holzer - 1967



Jim & Nancy Holzer



Jim Holzer & Dobby





Jim Holzer

 Paul & Nancy Ferro Staid

(From Nancy):  I graduated from what was then Eastern in secondary education in 1966 and moved to South Bend, Indiana, to teach high school English and French.  Paul got his B.S. in 1967 and his M.S. in 1969 from Notre Dame in aerospace engineering.  We married in 1967 and in 1969 moved to Cincinnati where Paul worked for G.E.'s jet engine group until 1979.  We then relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Paul worked for Exxon until 2005 when he retired.

I finally retired in 2011 after 25 years at St. Aloysius School, a Catholic PreK through 8th grade elementary school, in Baton Rouge.  For the first eleven years, I taught 8th grade English and the last fourteen years was the Curriculum Director.  Paul's loved retirement from the first minute (golf, hunting, fishing, etc.); I like the freedom of retirement, but I miss the day-to-day contact with all my work friends and the students.  I volunteer at St. Aloysius and also at Cancer Services and play bridge

We have two sons, Steve and Mike.  Steve, his wife Jen, and their two daughters, Camille, 12 and Emma, 10, live in Colleyville, Texas (between Dallas and Fort Worth).  Steve worked in London for three years so Paul and I had several great trips to Europe during that time.  Two years ago Steve and his family moved back to the states, so now we visit Texas a lot.  Our other son, Mike, his wife Mollie, and their two daughters, Annabelle, 17, and Amelia,15, live in Greenville, South Carolina.  So we also travel to S.C. a lot too.  Now that we're both retired, we can go see the boys and families whenever we feel like it, and that's been great.

We also make it back to Montana almost every summer.  We spend time in Silvergate and Yellowstone and fishing the Big Horn with my sister Lynn and her husband Dan in their drift boat.  We also enjoy Glacier.  While we love Baton Rouge, we look forward to our time back in Montana every summer.

Paul and I are looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.




Paul & Nancy (Ferro) Staid & family

  LaFawn Lewis Kleinsasser

Wow, 50 years!  Where did the time go?

I attended Eastern and graduated from St. Vincent's School of Radiologic Technology with Elaine Lutgen Hine and Kathy Gainan Miller after having had way too much fun together.  I was then off to San Francisco with my Billings sweetheart, Bill Sipes to follow my dreams.  Bill worked for IBM as a field engineer during the birth of business computers and later in research and development in a think tank.  I found my dream job in a satellite X-ray clinic right in Pacifica where we lived.  Pursued the California dream for four years, experienced the Haight Ashbury Lifestyle (from a distance) and even pretended we were hippies for awhile.  After all that cultural enlightenment and the birth of our baby boy, Bill decided it was time to head home to raise him in Montana so that he could know his grandparents.  We bought his father's partners' share of their service stations and bulk gas distributorship in East Glacier Park, MT, liquidated the homestead and arrived in October.  Yes, that's right, I did think I was in Siberia after having to leave my beautiful little home and garden.  But, oh what a grand experience that was, population 350 in the winter and thousands in the summer.  The long harsh winters were nothing compared to the beauty, serenity and sense of community we experienced there.  We bought a home, had a beautiful baby girl and I started a home day care business after the gas shortages of the mid 70's threatened our livelihood.  Remember the long lines in the cities and west coast to buy gas?  We virtually lost our business and our marriage after struggling through that.

So, I found myself, literally (that's another story), back in Billings working at St. Vincent's as the solo X-ray tech on the night shift.  Boy have times changed in hospitals since then.  Three months later I was lucky enough to be hired by Dr. William Walton, my idol and a saint of a man, in this Orthopedic practice with four other physicians.  In 2010, 33-1/2 years later, I retired from that practice, after wearing numerous hats as x-ray, cast and MRI tech, clinical medical assistant to several different physicians, clinical manager and surgery scheduler.  There was never a dull moment with all the major changes in the health care field that were taking place.  No way could you ever become bored.  I loved it so much I always wondered how I would ever be able to retire.  But age and a 4 by-pass heart surgery with a severe complication that almost took my life quickly changed that.  I decided life was sliding by and I had so much left to do and so little time that I just didn't have time to work anymore.

Along the way, I loved a few and lost a few, but 30 years ago I found my faithful, hardworking, sweetheart of a man, Jerry, who is an ex-Hutterite.  Friends refer to us as the hootie and the hippie.  I guess you can say opposites attract or we compliment each other or just that he has the patience of Job to live with me:)  We've lived in the same house for those 30 years, raising children, grandchildren (his son has two children and are here in Billings), vegetable and flower gardens, the walls as we remodel and continue to build and improve and savoring those memory making moments.  We spend as much time as possible pursuing our loves, visiting family far and wide, camping, fishing, reading and traveling.  We are fortunate to be of those Weird New Nuclear Families that loves and spends time with our exes and their spouses, their children, grandchildren and ex in-laws.  My son, Russell and wife, Jen, live in Belgrade and daughter, Portia and husband, Paul are in Portland.  See them often, but nearly as much as I would like.

I am also learning to be a volunteer Docent at the Yellowstone Art Museum.  I have always had an interest in and dabbled in different art mediums and this is such a great opportunity to learn AND give back.  We mostly work with children teaching them about and how to do Art.  So fun and interesting and keeps the cob webs out of my brain. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone.




Jerry & LaFawn (Lewis) Kleinsasser, October 2012

 

LaFawn & Jerry Kleinsasser - Crab Feast!



LaFawn & Family - New Zealand March 2013

 More Pics



Dan & Kay (Anderson) Shull, daughter Courtney, grandchildren Mason & Bella at Disneyland, 2012

 Shared by Cathy Florek Pasquarello

$5.37!
That's what the kid behind the counter at Taco Bell said to me.
I dug into my pocket and pulled out some lint and two dimes and
something that used to be a Jolly Rancher.
Having already handed the kid a five-spot, I started to head back out
to the truck to grab some change
when the kid with the Elmo hairdo said the hardest thing anyone has
ever said to me.
He said, "It's OK. I'll just give you the senior citizen discount."

I turned to see who he was talking to and then heard the sound of
change hitting the counter in front of me.
"Only $4.68" he said cheerfully.
I stood there stupefied. I am 56, not even 60 yet?
A mere child!
Senior citizen?

I took my burrito and walked out to the truck wondering what was wrong
with Elmo.
Was he blind?
As I sat in the truck, my blood began to boil.
Old? Me?

I'll show him, I thought.
I opened the door and headed back inside. I strode to the counter,
and there he was waiting with a smile.

Before I could say a word, he held up something and jingled it in front of me,
like I could be that easily distracted!
What am I now?
A toddler?

"Dude! Can't get too far without your car keys, eh?"
I stared with utter disdain at the keys.
I began to rationalize in my mind!

"Leaving keys behind hardly makes a man elderly!
It could happen to anyone!"

I turned and headed back to the truck.
I slipped the key into the ignition, but it wouldn't turn.
What now?
I checked my keys and tried another.
Still nothing.

That's when I noticed the purple beads hanging from my rear view mirror.
I had no purple beads hanging from my rear view mirror.

Then, a few other objects came into focus:
The car seat in the back seat.
Happy Meal toys spread all over the floorboard.
A partially eaten doughnut on the dashboard.

Faster than you can say ginkgo biloba, I flew out of the alien vehicle.

Moments later I was speeding out of the parking lot,
relieved to finally be leaving this nightmarish stop in my life.
That is when I felt it, deep in the bowels of my stomach: hunger!
My stomach growled and churned, and I reached to grab my burrito,
only it was nowhere to be found.

I swung the truck around, gathered my courage,
and strode back into the restaurant one final time.
There Elmo stood, draped in youth and black nail polish.
All I could think was, "What is the world coming to?"

All I could say was, "Did I leave my food and drink in here"?
At this point I was ready to ask a Boy Scout to help me back to my vehicle,
and then go straight home and apply for Social Security benefits.

Elmo had no clue.
I walked back out to the truck,
and suddenly a young lad came up and tugged on my jeans to get my attention.
He was holding up a drink and a bag.
His mother explained,
"I think you left this in my truck by mistake."

I took the food and drink from the little boy and sheepishly apologized.

She offered these kind words:
"It's OK. My grandfather does stuff like this all the time."

All of this is to explain how I got a ticket doing 85 in a 40 mph zone.
Yessss, I was racing some punk kid in a Toyota Prius.
And no, I told the officer, I'm not too old to be driving this fast.

As I walked in the front door, my wife met me halfway down the hall.
I handed her a bag of cold food and a $300 speeding ticket.
I promptly sat in my rocking chair and covered up my legs with a blankey.

The good news was that I had successfully found my way home.

Shared by LaFawn Lewis Kleinsasser

Dancing Nana

PAUL MAGERS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Thanks to your generosity, up to this point, we have received donations of $750 to the Paul Magers Scholarship Fund, in memory of our deceased classmates.   We have received the following communication from Kathy Harris, Director of Marketing, Billings Catholic Schools:

     Paul Magers left such a legacy and remains an inspiration to Central students

     yet today.  His funeral was a true blessing from God and an amazing testament

     to him and also to his family and classmates.  I think it's wonderful, too, that you

     have decided to make these donations not only in his honor, but in the honor of

     your deceased classmates.  I don't think it's always appropriately conveyed, but

     the impact these scholarships have on our existing students is overwhelming.  

     Our enrollment is growing every year, and that's in large part because of the scholar-

     ship dollars students now have access to.  It is the most fundamental aspect of our

     mission, to allow access to an exceptional Catholic education for all students,

     regardless of financial means.  It's only because of people like you that we are able
     to continue to fulfill this mission.  Please know how grateful we are, and that every

     dollar given truly impacts a student who may not have otherwise been able to

     experience Billings Central, an experience that for many students is described

     as life changing.  Thank you!

If you would like to donate, please make your check payble to, Paul Magers Scholarship Fund and mail to Cathy Pasquarello, 4203 Avenue D, Billings MT.  59106.  Thank you for your consideration for a very worthy cause.

Biographies

Gary Lorang

After graduating, I went to work for Lovell Clay Products and was there until the company closed.  At that time, I was the yard foreman.  Then I went to barber school and became a barber with shops in Billings and then in Roundup.  A friend of mine got me started with Albertson part-time.  When it became full-time, I sold the shop in Roundup and stayed with Albertson in the bakery department, the last nine years as bakery manager in Shelby, MT.  When I retired from Albertson, I bought a barber shop in Shelby and am still working.  I never married.  I still have the T-Bird and enjoy driving it.



Gary Lorang, August 2010



Lana Pavelis Bittner

Celebrating 50 years seemed a long way off, but after Gerry celebrated his last year from West, here it is! 

After a career in banking, I followed my passion for art and painting to Sandstone Gallery as one of the watercolor artists in 2005.  As one of the principals for the Montana Watercolor Workshops for the State of Montana, involvement with the arts both locally and state has been very enjoyable and rewarding, developing many friendships. 

Gerry and I have been married for 44 years and have been blessed with good health and a great family.  Our travels take us to Colorado to see our son, daughter and families which include four grandchildren who are very active in sports and one "dancing queen".

We go "South" to get our golf fix when the weather turns nasty in Billings.

Thanks to the Reunion Committee for all your hard work, time, and organizing of events.  I look forward to getting reacquanted with the class of '63.



Lana (Pavelis) and Gerry Bittner

Your Biography

September may seem like a long way off, but we really need you to send your bio as soon as possible.  It takes time to type, print and assemble the booklet and we want to insure that you are included.  Please take 30 minutes out of your day and prepare your bio.  It would really help us out.  Don't forget the photos!

Bill McCleary

Bill has agreed to be the Master of Ceremony at the Saturday night dinner.  We look forward to an entertaining evening.  If you have stories, memories, etc. you would like to share,  please let Bill know.  His email is abbysventures@earthlink.net.


Bill McCleary


Door Prizes and Other Contributions

Rickard Ross has generously given several treasures from his world travels and an autographed copy of his published book about his great-grandfather, The Biography of First Sergeant Frederick E. Server.  Rick will also give a short presentation Saturday evening about his book.  Lana Pavelis Bittner has donated some original watercolor paintings that are mounted and framed with easels.  Lana and Linda Pavelis LeBrun have graciously offered to provide floral decorations for the tables on Saturday evening.  We sincerely thank our classmates for their generosity.

More Photos

Terry Taylor

Terry commented, "Here I am Easter morning, standing tall.  It came off December 7, 2012 and went back on Good Friday, March 29, 2013."



Terry Taylor, March 2013



Eileen Taylor, March 2013

Claudia Lewis Brayton



Claudia (Lewis) & Gary Brayton



CLASS UPDATES

The Gonzaga Alumni Office has informed us that our classmate Timothy Blaine Hendricks died in 2009.  No other information was available.

The sister to Marilyn Van Meter advised us that Marilyn passed away on March 20,  2012 of COPD.  She was divorced with three children and five grandchildren.

R.I.P. Tim and Marilyn.  Please remember them in your prayers.

Kathleen Powers Goblirsch lost her husband of 42 years on March 6, 2013.  Our condolences to Kathleen and her sons during this time of sorrow.

We have been unable to locate Joanne Althoff Cavazos, Tim Joyce and Helen Bradley.  We believe Joanne and Helen live in Billings.  Tim's last known address was in
Gresham, OR.  If you have information on their location, please contact Bill LaMeres (wjlmontana@aol.com).  The names of all missing classmates are listed in the January blog.

Do you have a current email address for Julie Klein Prill?  If so, please send to Bill LaMeres.


BIOGRAPHIES

Kay Anderson Shull

I retired from my job as Family Support Specialist, working with special needs children, in January 2012.  Dan and I were enjoying our free time traveling, relaxing and connecting with friends and family when we decided to buy a 1998 BMW convertible.  We were enjoying the ride when we were in an extensive accident in June of last year.  Our car was t-boned by an 18 year old running a red light, which rolled us through the intersection with our top down.  My right wrist was broken and my hand and fingers were crushed, but no head injuries, thank God.  Dan had a back compression fracture and other injuries, so we have been doctoring and going to therapies to heal.  I lost a finger and part of another and had skin grafts on my right hand, but I am so thankful that I am ok.

Our grandchildren, Isabella (12) and Mason (10) still live in Tacoma, WA with our daughter, Courtney (37) who is an RN.  We visit there several times a year and have our grandchildren visit us in the summer in Great Falls.  Our son, Steve, passed away suddenly in his sleep on November 20, 2009; he was 36 years old and lived near Courtney in Washington.  What a shock after losing our oldest son, Patrick, in a car accident in 1996.

My plans for the future are to stay healthy, work on my ancestry, go visit Ireland and spend as much time as we can with our daughter, Courtney and Della and Mason.  I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at our 50th this fall and I appreciate the work that has gone into making it happen.

My favorite memory of Central is being in Sister Elizabeth's government class!



Kay (Anderson) & Dan Shull

 Rickard (Rick) Ross

After I retired in 1993, Jan decided she would like to apply for a foreign assignment with the Department of Justice and asked what I thought about moving overseas.  Having never really been out of Montana, I asked the question, "What if I don't want to go?"  She quickly replied, "Then I'm going without you."  So, in the spring of 1998 we sold our home, left our children in Montana, and moved to Brussels, Belgium with Furstin, our Miniature Schnauzer.  We were in Belgium for six years, moving next to Rabat, Morocco for a five-year tour, and in 2009 we moved to Vienna, Austria for three years.  We returned home to Billings in June 2012, bought a new home, adjusted our retirement dream, and live sixty miles on the outskirts of Red Lodge.  Returning home to Montana, we enjoy being close to our two children, Teresa and Brian and our grandchildren.

During our fifteen year hiatus in Europe and North Africa, we had the opportunity to visit 36 countries (Jan, nine more than I) in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.  My faithful friend Furstin has traveled with us to eight countries and on three continents until she died in 2009.  The wonderful sights we have seen are too numerous to list, but include some of the most beautiful churches in the world, fabulous castles from the Loire Valley to Neuschwanstein; the Leaning Tower of Pisa, ruins of Pompeii and Great Pyramids of Egypt.  We attended Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Peter's in Vatican City, the famous Bavarian Passion Play at Oberammergau in Germany and Christmas markets in Monchau, Germany; Canterbury, England; and Vienna, Austria.  We enjoyed the beauty of the Bluebell Forest outside Brussels, the Black Forest of Germany and a multitude of flowers of every kind and color in the gardens of Kukenhof, NL.  We learned that Belgium is without a doubt home to the world's very best chocolate, that what Americans call French fries actually are Belgium Frites, and the home of the Euro.  Attending St. Anthony's, an Irish Franciscan parish in Brussels, I had the opportunity to help organize a new order of Catholic Knights, the Knights of St. Thomas More.

We have fond memories of our family being involved in German folk dancing Bavarian style with groups in Laurel-Park City and Red Lodge from 1971 until we left for Europe.  While in Europe, we enjoyed watching local folk and musical programs.  However, since our return, we dance a bit slower now.

Jan continues to work for another 3-4 years and I was accepted to work as a volunteer with the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit, reviewing unsolved homicides.  I also continue my involvement as an adult Boy Scouts of American volunteer, working with the Black Otter District in Montana.  While in Europe, I was a BSA volunteer in the Charlemagne, Mediterranean, Horizon and Edelweiss Districts of the Transatlantic Council.  While in Belgium, I taught a few criminal justice courses for the University of Maryland University College, taught family violence awareness courses for the Army Community Services, worked as a clerk at the U.S. Mission to NATO and delighted in editing the newsletter for the U.S. Embassy in Brussels.  Taking a part-time job as financial assistant for the embassy employee's association when we moved to Morocco, I had time to complete a forty-year research project so I could write a historical biography of my great grandfather.  Sergeant Frederick E. Server had been a member of the U.S. Second Cavalry stationed at Fort Ellis and was among the first to find the dead at the battlefield on the Little Horn River in June 1876.  This and his other adventures made a compelling story.



Rick & Jan Ross in Budapest Hungary 2010.



Far Left:  Jan & Rick Ross; Julie (Klein) & Tom Prill
Enzian Schuhplattler Verein Dance Group, Laurel, MT

Terry Taylor

Janice and I couldn't make the 2008 reunion due to her still having radiation and chemotherapy.  In December, we went to Cheyenne, WY for Christmas with our two daughters.  Our eldest son, Brian who lives in Billings came down also.  Gary and family who live in Minnesota couldn't make it.  We had a nice Christmas and went back to Alabama.  Right after the first of 2009, Janice took a turn for the worse and passed away January 31st.  Forty-two year of marriage and I loved it!

Well, one of the widow ladies at church, said to me, "Hey, as long as you are free why not you and me get together?"  So we did!

We married but only after Father Jim made us go for an engagement encounter weekend.  You guessed it - the oldest couple there were 32 years old.  That's right - we were 65!

Eileen and I were married October 10, 2009.  My four kids think she is the second greatest thing that ever happened to their dad, and her two kids think the same about me.

It has been a wild 1-1/2 years with my diabetes but I will soon be getting my new and improved leg.

Eileen and I are looking forward to seeing y'all at the reunion.

Tom O'Donnell

How do you describe 50 years???  (Hell, how do you REMEMBER 50 years).  Well, here goes.

As happened to others in our class, my family was transferred out of Billings the summer of 1962, so I missed all of the fun things that happened in our senior year.  However, the new high school in Tulsa was a real eye opening experience, as our graduating class was over 600.  I didn't feel lost exactly but certainly challenged.

I went to the University of Oklahoma, found out I didn't have any idea of what I wanted to do other than party, so after 2 years I quit.  (Actually, the school insisted that I leave, so who was I to argue with them.)  I went to work for North American Aviation on the Saturn 5/Apollo program and was in heaven.  I had a fantastic job, started to get an education on the job and made pretty good money.

Two years later, as the program was winding down in Tulsa, I left North American and went to work for an outfit called Dynaelectron Corp.  Our job was fixing Army helicopters in Viet Nam and I spent 3-1/2 years of the next five years working in our Southeast Asia paradise.  Learned a lot and finally figured out in June 1972 that it was time to get out and come home. 

The next 18 months saw me working in five different states with Dynalectron, from Arizona to California, to West Virginia, to Rhode Island to.....Great Falls!  I loved being back in Montana and had a great job with the Montana Air Guard working on the F-106s.  I was able to do some hunting and fishing, had a neat apartment and made friends.  What could be better?  (See below.)

My mother asked me to contact some old friends, the Strattons, living in Great Falls.  Virginia Stratton and Mom had gone to grade school (Fratt) together and were very close as young girls.  Being ever the obedient son, I called them and was invited to dinner.  Unbeknownst to me, their daughter, who was teaching at CMR high school, was also invited to dinner.  (I am sure that two old friends had not conspired to get us to meet, but......)  Nine months later, in September 1974, Jindy and I were married at St. Gerard's in Great Falls.

Boy, the preliminary stuff takes a lot of explaining!

We moved to Palmdale, in Southern California, located in the Mojave Desert about 60 miles from LA and 40 miles from Edwards AFB.  Over the next 39 years, Jindy (Virginia) and I were blessed with four wonderful, outstanding, beautiful girls.  They, in turn, have blessed us with six handsome grandsons.

Professionally, I have been able to work on several exciting programs in the aerospace world, holding multiple positions, from mechanic, to manufacturing manager, to senior design engineer, to project manager.  The longest program was the Space Shuttle, which lasted for about 30 years.  I also spent time on the B-1 bomber, the B-2 bomber, the X-51 Waverider and the Airborne Laser program, among others.  What a great ride!  (Just as an aside, the 1959 Holy Rosary Class Prophesy had me and Tom Pendergast as engineers on a space ship.)

Three years ago, both Jindy and I retired:  She from 22 years of teaching high school and me from 35 years at Boeing.  How, you might ask, did two Montana/California desert rats end up in the booming metropolis of Port Angeles, Washington?  Therein lies a story.

I mentioned our four marvelous daughters...Katie, the oldest, went to school in Walla Walla and then on to Eastern Washington in Cheney.  She met her husband, David Arand, in school and they ended up here in Port Angeles.  He is on the PA police force, she in the Sheriff's department.  They have two sons.  Our second daughter, Alison, moved up here with her son about 10 years ago and is an office manager for an electrical contractor.

I, upon retiring, suggested that we move back to Montana and, preferably, Billings.  Absolutely not (emphasize the "not") says the wife,  "There aren't any grandchildren in Billings."  So here we are in Western Washington.

Oh, yes, the other two daughters.....Margaret, our third daughter, after September 11, entered the ROTC program and San Diego State, got her commission as a Missile Launch Officer and is now a Major in the Air Force.  Her husband, Adam Hawkins, is a Captain in the Air Force and is currently on deployment to Djibouti.  He is a Combat Search and Rescue pilot.  The baby, Christine (and I shouldn't call her that) is also in the Air Force as a Tech Sergeant, as is her husband, Jerry Baughman.  She has three sons.  They are currently stationed in Aviano, Italy.  (And yes, we ARE going to visit them next year.)

As I read this, I see how much has not been mentioned, such as church (we belong to Queen of Angeles here in PA), friends, difficulties (there have been a few) and the sad times of loss and discouragement.  You know, I don't find the difficult times as important as the joy of family, the satisfaction of accomplishments, the wonderful memories of youth in Billings and the anticipation of seeing classmates from so long ago.




Tom O'Donnell & family Christmas 2010

Tom McNassar

My wife, Jane and I have been married since 1967.  I worked at Boeing for 31 years, all in the Seattle area except for three years in Houston, TX during the mid '90s.  Jane has worked in several fields over the years including teaching school and pastoral assistant in our parish.  We retired in 2000.  We have two children and two grandchildren.  Son Mark is married with two boys, (11) and (9).  They live in New Jersey so we don't get to see them often enough, usually about twice a year and they trek out to the west coast every other summer.  Daughter Bridget taught middle school close by for ten years, then three years ago, decided on a career change.  She went back to school for a master's degree in forestry and is now managing a start-up nursery, focusing on Washington State native plants.

Since retirement we've remained active with volunteer work (Habitat for Humanity, St. Vincent de Paul, tax preparation for low income and elderly), hiking and gardening (aka yard work).

In 2011, Christie (Gerharz) Gorman and her husband Tom graciously hosted a get-together of a good number of our classmates living in the Pacific NW.  We really had a great time.  Also, last summer the great Jim Griffin stopped by our home for a visit.




Tom McNassar & Family at Yellowstone Park 2012

 Jerry Mayer

My wife Joanne and I moved back to Billings in 2001.  We had lived in the Midwest and more recently in Wyoming and Washington.  We have four daughters and eight grandchildren.  Three daughters and five grandchildren live in Billings.  One grandson is attending college in Boise, ID.  Our youngest daughter and her family live in Chandler, AZ.

We have seen two grandsons graduate from high school and our youngest granddaughter is 8. 

We have been taking care of my dad following the passing of my mom and sister.  We are also assisting with the care of Joanne's mom.

Joanne and I will be married for 47 years in September.

God has been faithful through the good and the hard times.


I hope you have enjoyed the biographies and photos as much as I have.  Looking forward to posting yours. 

Kathy Gainan Miller sent this beautiful video, Starry, Starry Night. 

PAUL MAGERS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

On the occasion of our 50th reunion, it seems appropriate that we, as a class, honor the memory of our deceased classmates.  The most fitting way to do this is through the Paul Magers Scholarship Fund, established in 2010 in memory of Paul. 

1st Lt. Paul G. Magers, U.S. Army, was killed in action in 1971 in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, while flying an AH-1 Cobra.  Missing in action for nearly four decades, Paul's remains were positively identified and returned to his family in August, 2010.   He was buried with full military honors on August 27, 2010.  Many from our class were in attendance to honor our fallen classmate and war hero. 

1st Lt. Paul G. Magers



Paul on left





Burial with full military honors







Paul's Arrival in Billings

 



Along with Paul, the following classmates are also deceased:  Dale Avens, Ray Boespflug, John Breen, Tim Brooks, Frank Burgoyne, Kathy Dietrich Bingaman, Jerry Foote, Sharon Hill Wimberly, Jerry Keating, Leland Kraus, Mary Jo Lent Zimmerman, Greg Magilke, Jay Olson, Barney Schaff, Leon Schillinger, Kathy Sheridan Williams, Jim Spelman, Pat Walsh.

The Paul Magers Scholarship Fund is given yearly to a deserving student attending Billings Central High School in the form of tuition assistance.  Your generous donations will help students for years to come.

Please consider making a donation to the scholarship fund to honor our deceased classmates and friends.  This will be a group donation from the "BCCHS Class of 1963" in memory of our classmates.  You will also be listed as a donor and the contributions are tax deductible. 

Send your check, payable to Paul Magers Scholarship Fund to:  Cathy Pasquarello, 4203 Avenue D, Billings, MT  59106. 

Thank you for any support you can provide. 

BIOGRAPHIES

Tom Kennedy

For the 50th bio book, I submit my 45th bio because nuthin' happened in the last five years except for a week in the Lewis and Clark County Jail proudly served for contempt of court.

After graduating from Central, I spent 4-5 years at MSUB and UofM, enjoying having thrown off the constraints of BCCHS (having to actually go to school and study.)  Those were very good years indeed laced with alcohol, camaraderie, sports and some exposure to academia.  Alas, after the second University imposed sabbatical to reconsider my commitment, Uncle Sam jumped off the poster and grabbed me in 1968.  After two months of basic training in which 45 of my well-marbled pounds deserted me, it was off to Monterey for personnel training and typing class, and a final move to Colorado Springs for the balance of my two years.  I took a two month early out as the UofM welcomed me back into the fold.

About a year before I was drafted, I met a Great Falls girl, Sandra Thorvilson, and we continued the relationship while I was in the Army.  She took the opportunity to spend two years as a stewardess on a charter airlines that flew internationally and made trips to Europe, Asia and Viet Nam.  She sometimes wakes up screaming in the night but I understand that to be more about me than PTSD.

After returning to the halls of academia, I acquired some new credits to go along with the old ones in History, English, Foreign Languages, Philosophy and Anthropology, took a Liberal Arts BA, and pronounced myself a Renaissance man.  All of this I believe was right-brained (except for the Army bit which was no-brained.)  Then, finding the working world's call for Renaissance men constrained, I escaped back to academia, turned on my left-brain and secured a BA in Accounting.

The next ten years were spent in Missoula and Billings working as a CPA in public and private practice.  The exposure to various businesses was interesting and educational but the job lacked a sense of being close to the action, the sale.

Oh, by the way, when I got out of the service, Sandi moved back to Missoula and we were married in 1971.  And from this marriage came two issues, a son 31 interested in music and a daughter 27 interested in art and both now involved in the commercial world.  Sandi was a stay at home mother for about 20 years and has spent most of the last ten years as a childcare professional at Young Families/Early Head Start.

After I slaked my thirst for Accounting, I started a PC retailing and consulting business in 1984 and operated it for 18 years.  The business proved interesting as the computer came out of the glass house and proliferated on business desks and in homes.  More interesting than the swift increase in computing power was the explosion of sophisticated software for PCs.  However, I forgot the law of physics that says everything that goes up must come down and the business succumbed to the lull after Y2K and 2001 dot.com bust.

Since that time, I've been helping Montana consumers to access prescription drugs from Canadian and other international pharmacies in a new business, Canadian Connection.  I can't distinguish the work from retirement and it's rewarding to stick it to the pharmaceutical industry which is sticking it to the American consumer.

Barbara Maronick Sample

Michael and I have been married for 42 years.  He continues to photograph his beloved Montana and I am finally retired from Family Support Network after 20 plus years.  Before that, I taught English both at Billings Central and Eastern.  It was quite an experience to be back at Central on the other side of the desk.

I began FSN as non-profit to assist families who abused and neglected their children.  One of our foster kids was the catalyst for this effort.  She was angry that no one was helping her mom.  So I started an agency to help the parents learn basic parenting skills.  I loved the work, and learned quickly that the only difference between me and the parents I worked with, was my parents who nurtured and supported all nine of their kids.  How lucky a child is to have good parents.

Since retiring, we have traveled to visit our children/grandchildren.  James is a law professor in NYC.  His wife, Joanne, works for the Wall Street Journal.  They have two boys who love to golf.  Kate is an ob/gyn in Madison, Wisconsin.  She and her husband, Mike Murray, have two boys as well, the oldest is just starting school.  John is a physicist and works for NASA through the University of California, Berkeley.  He and his wife, Claire, have three boys, four and under.  Ryan, our youngest, is a teacher (English) in Atlanta.  His wife, Dana, works for Delta and they have two girls under two.  I think the greatest gift our kids have given us is that they are good parents.

So retirement has been wonderful.  I enjoy the freedom to travel to see the family, to work in the community, to exercise and to read.  I am still able to facilitate trainings for the state and other non-profits which work with children in care and truly enjoy it. 

Terry Forgrave McCarthy

 

My favorite quote is from John Lennon:  "Life is what happens to us while we are busy making other plans".  Life did happen and it was good.  As of December 31, 2012, I joined the ranks of the unemployed.  While raising the family, I owned my own business but finally started working for wages and benefits in 1988.  My first career was that of an insurance agent.  Did that for about 6 years and then in 1998 was offered a chance at a different career as a Mortgage Lender.  That was a field that I truly loved.  From first time home buyers to specializing in reverse mortgages for senior homeowners, it was a great run.

Since 2004 I have served on the Board of Directors of Big Sky Senior Services (BSSS), a non-profit that strives to keep seniors safely in their own homes.  One division of BSSS is the Prevention of Elder Abuse (PEA) which is assisted by Partners for Elder Protection (PEP), a community coalition compiled of business leaders, attorneys, law enforcement and non-profit partners.  We work to bring awareness to the problem partially by facilitating public and law enforcement training on elder abuse issues and promotion of new and stiffer penalties for criminals.  We also advocate for funding and changes in the law that will assist in our mission.  It has been very rewarding and I look forward to continuing this work.  After all, now I am working for you and me:)

With Mike working in Ag related businesses all our married lives, we have not had the luxury of summer vacations since that is when he was the busiest.  That will change at the end of this year and then we will be able to sneak away and see more of Montana and visit family across the country from Michigan to California and everywhere in between.

We are blessed to have a wonderful family consisting of 6 children, that  are all successful in their careers, and 16-1/2 grandchildren ranging in age from not yet to 23.  The picture of the family below was at the McCarthy family reunion in 2012 and is missing 6 of us.

Along with Keith and Doris Papka and Mike and Bonnie Thomas, we too will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in 2013.  We are planning a gathering of the clan the summer of 2014 as we have several who are not available this summer.  Then in October 2014, we are planning a trip to Ireland with all of the kids and spouses invited to join us.  Cannot wait!!!

There is a bucket list of things I want to do and am determined to hammer away on them as quickly as possible.  After all, "Life is what happens to us while we are busy making other plans".  We only have this day with no guarantees of a tomorrow.  God's blessing on all.







Terry (Forgrave) & Mike McCarthy

 

McCarthy Family Reunion 2012



 Vernon and Edna (Davis) Luderman

What a ride!!  It hasn't always been smooth, but no one said it would be.  We just try to fill in the pot holes and keep on going.  Vernon is now singing with the Big Sky Chorus and enjoys the Christmas show (at St. Pats in December) and the spring show at Alberta Bair.  It is quite a bit of memory work, but so far he is having fun.  Of course, golfing is his priority over singing, chores, etc.  We continue to attend the grandchildrens volleyball, football, basketball and baseball...oh, I forgot track.  Singing and anything else we can get out of the house to go enjoy.  We hope all of you are having the ride of your life and just remember the pot holes in our lives make us who we are today.




Edna (Davis) & Vernon Luderman

 More Photos


Kathleen & Bill LaMeres


Okay, all you procrastinators out there...please send your bios (hine@bresnan.net) and photos.  I'm out of bios to publish and desperately need more.  Help me out.














50TH REUNION

The Reunion Committee met on February 6 and we are on the fast-track to finalizing reunion activities.  In the next few weeks, you will be receiving registration forms for the dinners and golfing.  We encourage you to return them as soon as possible so we can determine a final head count.  Final day for registration will be September 1, 2013. 

DOOR PRIZES

Classmates that may have items to donate for door prizes are asked to notify Bill LaMeres (WJLmontana@aol.com).  In the past, many individuals have been very generous with gifts, many of which they have made themselves.  We have a lot of talent in our class!

BIO UPDATES

Bill Roscoe

Still practicing law in Sacramento and will continue to do so until I can see the end of need to contribute to college funds to various grandchildren and step grandchildren.  Have one Bachelor's degree, three in process and two more to come after that.  I obtained an Associate of Science degree in Funeral Service Education from American River College in May 2011, and took the examination and obtained a California Funeral Directors License.  That's what I'll be doing after I finish practicing law.  Any questions?

Claudia Lewis Brayton

Graduated from:  Oglala Community High School, Pine Ridge, S.D.; University of S.D. at         
                               Vermillion, BA in elementary education; Arizona State University, Masters in
                               Elementary Education
Spouse, Gary; 6  children;14 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren
Retired 2009 as Executive Director for Assisted Living and Memory Care

Gary and I have enjoyed a very exciting marriage.  We both worked at our respective occupations during the eight hour day, Monday through Friday and six evenings a week we were either teaching dance or taking dance classes.  Most Friday afternoons would see us making a dash to the airport to fly to different dance competitions around the US where we would either compete or judge and then on Sundays catch a red eye flight home to be able to get to work on Monday.  We have judged and taught on three cruise ships, Scotland and England as well as various parts of Canda, Alaska and most of the 48 states (including the Drifter's Lounge in Billings two years in a row as guest instructors.)  We retired from the dancing, juding and deejaying in 1999 when our daughter, Annette, passed away and we were again raising children.  Sara and Michael needed us to attend PTA, basketball games, do homework, Little League, etc and that left no room for dancing.

In 2004, we sold our small farm where we were raising pygmy goats and went into partnership on a 1,400 acre ranch, raising Scottish Highland cattle and living in a historical log home built in 1910.  This was hard work for Gary but he totally enjoyed it.  I would travel down the mountain road to drive 14 miles to work but when I came home he had dinner ready and my toddy waiting for me.

Then his health took a downward turn and it was necessary for us to move back to the city for him to be closer to the Veteran's hospital.  Although we still have our partnership in the ranch, we now live in a Senior Estates on the 16th green in a cozy little cottage.  The greatest thing about the move, is now we are closer to the kids and grandkids as well as my mom who is 91 and, although she is very independent, it is nice for me to be able to help her and visit her more often.

We have a beautiful motor home and try to be on the road for at least four months out of the year.  By doing this, we have reconnected with several of my Billings Central, Holy Rosary and Fratt classmates, as well as classmates from my class of Palm Springs and Pine Ridge.

Our kids have made us proud and are all very successful.  The grandchildren are following suit.  This little cottage bursts at the seams on holidays because even though each of the kids has a home larger than ours, they all want to come home to Mom's cooking.

I am looking forward to this 50th class reunion.  We will see you all there.

Ron Kloster

Hard to believe, but we have now lived in Texas for nearly 25 years.  Three of our four daughters live in Texas, and one lives in Louisiana, so with them and nine grandchildren quite close, we'll never move.  We live about 60 miles north of Houston, near Montgomery, Texas.  I'm now retired, and like other bios I have read, I wonder how I ever had time to work.  Mary's also retired and is playing golf as I write this (January 30) so that tells you we cannot complain about winters in the South.  My hobbies are golfing, fishing and following Montana State in football and basketball.

We remain very active in our small country church, St. Mary's in Plantersville, TX.  I'm active in the Men's Club and Mary's active in the Altar Society; she's a Eucharistic minister and I'm a sacristan, we're both members of the SVdP Society.  This will shock some, but at times I have conducted the Communion service after SVdP meeting, including the homily!  To be brutally honest, I'm not very good at it, but the homilies are very short so the members are happy.  On a sad note, Fr. Steve Tokarski, BCCHS Class of '61 and who I'm sure many of you in Billings knew since he was the pastor at St. Pius X, died last fall.  We were blessed to have him stay with us on two occasions last summer when he came to Houston for his cancer treatments.  It was great to be of some help to him and we'll never forget him.

I still have my folks' house in Red Lodge, with the thought that we might get there summers, but have yet to do that so the house remains rented.

Bill McCleary

Since I now know a lot about your lives, I'll tell you a little about mine.  After BCCHS, I attended the University of Portland along with what seemed like half of our class at Central.  It was a great 4 years and I even learned a few things.  I graduated with a degree in accounting and have never spent one day doing accounting work.

One week after graduation, I got married in Denver to Janet also a student at Portland.  We were happily married for 20 years, I think.  That marriage ended in divorce, my fault, and I was single for about 7 years.  I had a great time.  I was raising my 2 daughters, both living with me and found single life much to my liking.

Yes, during all this time I was working or at least playing at work.  When I left college my wife and I joined the Peace Corp.  We spent 3-1/2 years in Salvador Central America, organizing savings and loan coops.  We also participated in many development projects like building bridges and schools.  Please don't think I actually built these.  My function was to make them happen.

After the years in the Peace Corp, we returned to Portland and imported products from Guatemala for about a year.  During that year, Peace Corp contacted me and I went to work for the federal government.  In the next 3 years, we lived in Portland, moved to Denver and ended up in San Francisco as Western Regional Director for Action, all the federal volunteer programs.

When one is a Regional Director, you have to resign when there is a new administration so after about a year and a half, I was gone.  Not having a clue what I wanted to do, I decided that real estate development sounded like a good idea.  I did that for 19 years in the Bay Area and sometimes even made money.  I bit off one project too many and ended up owing the bank far more than I could pay.  Banks don't like that and thus ended my development career.

Again I didn't have a clue what to do.  I saw that Mexico devalued the peso in 1995, so I thought maybe there would be some great bargains in Mexico.  I spoke Spanish and knew the cuture so what the hell, it was either that or a bordello and my wife didn't go for the bordello idea.  We started buying furniture in Mexico and opened a 5,000 sq. ft. store in Oakland in September 1995.  In January 1996, we expanded to 49,000 sq. ft.  Along with a partner, we opened 7 stores, all large.  It required a full time presence in Mexico so my new wife, Glenda and I moved to Guadalajara, Mexico.

In 2000, we sold the business to my partner and moved to Vancouver Island British Columbia.  We spent three glorious years there.  We made some really bad investments and had to return to the U.S. and go back to work.

We ended up in Las Vegas with three other furniture stores but hated Vegas.  We closed those stores after three years and decided that Sedona would be a nice place to live, so we opened a store selling furniture and art.  I didn't know much about art but neither did most of the people who purchased from us.

In 2009, I saw the perfect business opportunity.  It may not sound like much but it has been incredible.  Since October 2009, we have owned a store in Prescott, Arizona selling olive oil and balsamic vinegars.  In 2011, we opened a second store selling spices.  They both do well.

Oh yes.  My two daughters went to UVA, graduated and are gainfully employed, one in San Francisco and the other in Park City, UT.  The youngest one, 36, is marrried with two dogs, a new home and a three year old and one on the way.  The oldest is 40, owns two olive oil stores in Park City and Salt Lake and spends all her extra time traveling around the world.  I never know where she is.

OK, I'm finished.  I realize that this was far too much information.  Sorry about that.  I hope you all have better things to do than to read this.

See you at the reunion.

A REMINDER:  PLEASE SEND YOUR UPDATED BIOGRAPHY TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  I think we can all agree, they are really fun and interesting to read.  We want to be sure everyone is included.

 PHOTOS

I have been gathering present-day photographs of classmates to post.  Please email me current photgraphs of you, your spouse/children/grandchildren or whomever and I will post them on the blog. 

LaFawn (Lewis) and Jerry Kleinsasser

Ron and Mary Kloster

Jack & Hsiu Sturdivant