Category: Classmate Connection

We joined the “modern world” last month and finally got internet. I’m still learning how to use it. Kim and I are still married. We moved back to Trojan country 4 winters ago with our 3 daughters. We are elated to be here. Our oldest daughter, Janey(14),just started at our old alma mater. Gwen (12) just started NW and Claire(9) is stuck all alone at the elementary school with no big sisters around. She got over that in 20 seconds. We bought a house on the same street where I spent many years growing up. Arnie and Julie, we live next door to the former O’Neill house.

During the last reunion I was working for some ritzy private school in Indiana as Food Service Director. Well boy does the pendulum swing… I have been working for almost 3 years now at a huge prison where I am an Inmate Work Supervisor in the Dietary Department. Talk about cultural immersion! I love my job and feel very protected wherever I go. Inside the walls, there are some great Correctional Officers and Staff who take security issues very seriously. It takes them less than 1 minute to get to the kitchen to help us if we need it. On the outside I have family members and friends who watch out for me. And if all else fails, God is on my side, too.

Kim is happy as a lark since he flushed his PhD plans down the toilet several years ago. He is teaching Math at a small town High School about 40 miles away from here. He did his student teaching at a boarding school in Kayenta, Arizona, on a huge Navajo Reservation. The Navajos have some beautiful concepts regarding time, respect, community.

This decade I am totally involved in community. I am always looking for ways to have more Coralville Pride. Pat Vaughn, this last summer I had the honor of sitting next to your sister on a “25th reunion” float for the Centennial Beauty Pageant a bunch of us Coralville girls were in long ago. It was very fun. We weren’t very good at throwing the candy at first. A couple of little boys got beaned in the head good by us. I got to have coffee at Bonnie Tappan Weldon’s house a few days ago. It was the high point of my week. She is like our class historian and it was so fun to reminisce with her. I hope she’ll let me do it again.

I hope our class can get it together to have a 30th reunion. I’ll help if you need me. I’ve seen other “old faces” around town that I have been very happy to run into. There are a few faces I am still looking for, but I’m afraid I don’t know what you look like anymore. It’s been like old home week since we’ve moved back. That’s all I have to say except, thank you David Gerlits for all of your hard work in setting up this fun web site.

Deb

This week has been horrible. We had a tornado come through and we got hit very badly. We received a lot of property damage (patio, fence, 22 trees, barn, sheds) that were blown away. My moms house next door is unlivable. My brother on the other side of me lost his garage, camper, kitchen and rec room. It was incredible.

Deb Rogers also lost her place, livestock and barn. Since we both live on family farms, we are emotionally upset too. After four days of no water or electric, mine came on last night. YEA!! I also cut my knee cap open to the bone and now have many stitches in it. I ran into a rusty plow while surveying damage. It is a mess.

Thought you might want to post this….if anyone in the IC area would like to help Deb, let me know. I am now off to the store as I can buy food. We lost all our food after the third day. Mother nature can be incredibly cruel. Talk to you soon.

Thanks.

BON

Bonnie Tappan Weldon and I are volunteering to plan a reunion. I have just sent Dave Gerlits some information for planning a 26th reunion. He will post it on our home page and I would like to urge everyone to provide us with feedback. We’re willing to get a committee together, but would like to establish the level of interest.

Now for my family update. I recently (Fall of 97) quit my job at the University to go into real estate. I am still concerned about having a job with no paycheck and no benefits, but am confident I will achieve SUCCESS! So far this year I have sold eleven houses, several are yet to close so I guess technically, they aren’t sold. If you remember Mike Paul (72), he recently joined Coldwell Banker in January as well. We have lots of fun at work.

My husband, Jim Bradley (City High 73) is very supportive. He constantly has to hold down the home front, now that I am rarely at home. Son, Adam, is entering the 8th grade. He’s 13, what more can I say, he’s trying to establish himself as his own boss. He’s very lovable. Jessica is 17 and a senior at City High. We just said goodbye to her this morning for two weeks. She left for a two week tour of Europe with the City High Orchestra.

Don’t forget to read all about the class reunion, and keep visiting the site for updates!

Brenda

Hey everybody! Happy New Year!!!!

Still in Iowa City and keeping very busy. I am still married to Larry almost 24 years this Feb. E-mail anytime. I would be glad to hear from anybody from “73.

Just thought some of you might be interested in knowing how West is doing. We now have a wonderful lighted football field as of two years ago. It is very nice to finally have our own field. I get to see many of our teachers still at West as our youngest son is a senior there. We have spent a lot of time at West over the last few years. Our oldest son graduated four years ago from West too. We had a wonderful football year with a 9-0 record until the playoffs. We lost the first game of the year and unfortunately did not get to go to state. My son was player of the year and on first team all state. We were very proud of him and all the guys on the team. They did a great job. Thank god for Deb Barnes Rogers. We got through the season (and last five years of football) half way sane. There is also a new auditorium. It is really nice.

So, West has changed quite a bit. Somehow, you walk through the halls and it comes right back to you. I will keep you updated as we go. My husband and I have a business which we started up five years ago and it is going very well. We do customer service work for business owners and evaluate their employees to give them feedback on how we were treated as customers (mystery shopping). So, we work 7 days a week. It is worth it though in the end. I see Brenda Schrock, Steve Riggan and Karen Villhauer a lot. I also ran into Nancy Masbruch and Sue Davison last week. It is always nice to see people you haven’t seen for awhile.

See ya later.