(Hello Fellow RIHS 59-ers! cont.) Page two

This second page of class messages starts with the October 2004 class reunion. There are a few updates that didn't make it in time for the printing done for that event and we hope for more responses to follow. Let's keep in touch! It would be great to hear from ALL of you!

Just send your comments and PHOTOS directly to Vicki at vwazz@hotmail.com in the body of an email. We do the rest, including spell check! If you can't reply by email, send your news to this address:
Vicki Swanson Wassenhove, PO Box 334, Moline, IL 61266

The newest messages are posted at the TOP of the list.

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See In Memoriam page

He says, "Two are newspaper photos my Dad kept from 1956 at Edison School, and the others are pictures he took at our 1959 graduation.  The graduation pictures actually scanned very nicely and you can recognize many faces -- looks like Stan Brown, me, Lloyd Bunning and Betty Burgess in the next-to-last row of the "Graduates" one, with Alan Campbell in the row behind."

Tom has graciously given us higher-res versions of these photos to share with classmates. He notes, the "total file size would be about 4MB for all four--if anyone wants a copy for printing." The large files could be easily sent by email if you have broadband. If interested in one or more, just send a note to vwazz@hotmail.com.

Graduation photos were taken by Tom's father, Roy Buckner.

Have fun at the party. I’ll be in Africa for a month and won't be able to attend.

When asked about her trip, she sent a second note.   We thought the rest of the class might enjoy reading about her adventures:

As for me in Africa? Here is what I'll be doing:

I am going to Uganda with a non-profit foundation called Smile Power that does emergency dental work in third-world countries. I go as an artist to do projects, bring it back, and auction it off at their big fund-raiser to help people improve their lives. This year I will be going to the Bwindi Forest to work with pygmies in a school there. We will be making animals; etc. around the theme, "Life in the Forest". These will be made from African batik fabrics to be made into a quilt. There are Mt. gorillas there as well as many other wildlife, birds; etc. I will be going on a Mt. gorilla trek! Quite exciting.

Last year, after a trip to Bolivia, we had a sellout show of portraits in a gallery here in Seattle. So for being "retired" I am having a lot of fun. Have a great time at the party and my best to everyone there!

Marsha Conn

I keep in touch with Judy Verdegem Bartlett and found the class web site per her.   I am living in Mesa AZ and still working at Wells Fargo Bank in Tempe.  I have 2 children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. I went on a cruise of the Panama Canal at the time of the 2004 class reunion, but I hope to attend the next '59 event.  It was fun seeing the pictures and trying to remember faces on the web site. I am planning a trip back to QC in July of this year to see my daughter and grandchildren. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers me. Karolyn

(Request Karolyn's contact information from Vicki vwazz@hotmail.com )

Just want to say hell-o to my old classmates and sorry I missed the reunion, but God willing, I will be sure to attend the next. Hey, do you all remember when at assembly the cheerleaders shouted "our team needs supporters"? That was one of the funniest moments that I remember. Glen

(Glen still lives in the Q-C area with his wife, Ruth. Most of his career was spent in the trucking industry as rate clerk, billing clerk and fuel tax data entry, and he also worked 5 years at Ralston Purina in traffic department. In his spare time these days, he enjoys riding a motorcycle, easy listening music, and travel. He has an email address, but it isn't listed in the 45th reunion booklet. Ask Vicki (or Larry Stone) for his email contact information.)

We have recently moved (still in Wisconsin) and did not receive anything about the reunion. I would love to hear anything about this year's event.

We are retired...My husband, Ron, worked for Wisconsin's Milwaukee Public Schools for 33 years as a math teacher and track and cross-country coach...I worked for MPS  as a Kindergarten teacher. We enjoy traveling and our five grandchildren. We are enjoying our new condo, and especially not snow shoveling or lawn mowing. I do get back to Rock Island frequently because my mom and brother and sister are still living in the area. You can ask Vicki vwazz@hotmail.com for my new information and email address because it is not correct in the 45th reunion booklet. Diane

I say good morning because I just got yesterday's mail (Chris is out of town and my S.S. check doesn't come until the third Wednesday so why bother, ain't retirement great) and with it came our class book and e-mails.   I'm sitting on the lanai, looking over our lake and watching the resident alligator return from its nightly hunt.  The pontoon boat is in its lift next to the dock, although it seems a little askew.  This perhaps, was caused by my errant docking last night after visiting with friends around the lake. Our lanai faces east and with the lake and lack of trees it affords us with open view toward Cape Canaveral some eighty miles away.  Launch time at the Cape can be seen from here with or without binoculars.  Special treats are the night launches, spectacular.  

I retired in '97 after 37 years with what was Illinois Bell Telephone Co. and moved to Florida soon after.  When we finished building our home, time became too much of a good thing.   After hurricane Andrew, in '92, I volunteered to go to Florida for two weeks and assist Habitat for Humanity by rebuilding homes that were destroyed by the storm.   I looked into Habitat here in Citrus County and found an established affiliate and started by pounding nails and soon became more involved.   Presently I am Chairman of the Building Committee and serve on the Board of Directors.  Time is not my own any more....  But I do enjoy the physical and mental parts of my volunteerism.   One day I'm setting trusses and the next meeting with sub contractors and the next writing the committee's five year plan.  

My wife Chris, is a 1968 graduate of Rocky.   I'm proud to say that she is president of the 130 member Master Gardeners of Citrus County and was just re-elected for her second term.  Each year from February to April she volunteers for AARP as a tax aide.   My two daughters live with hubbies and kids in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Broomfield, Colorado.   Chris and I have set aside time each year for travel.  This year we've gone to Hawaii on a tour and to Las Vegas with a group of thirty friends. Life is good, retirement is great and the class of '59 is the greatest. The best, Terry McMillan

He's traveling here and abroad. Takes fishing, and motorcycling trips. Brad also enjoys computers, photography and family.

We returned to Peoria IL in the Fall of 2003 to retire close to two of our married children and four of our grandchildren. Will be retiring shortly and plan to do lots of traveling, particularly to California to visit our other grandchildren. Larry

I play “old boys” softball 3 or 4 times a week.   I started a new business 5 years ago and that is still keeping me busy and somewhat out of trouble.   (If anyone would have told me I was going to do this at this stage in my life, I would have told them they were craaaazzzzy !!)   But all in all, I’m still having a great time and life is good! Ron