Now, a reminder of one of this site's purposes. IT is coming--another reunion! 2006 will be our 40th, and Verna's already gearing up for it, so stay tuned. I'll be posting information as I receive it.

Also, more immediate news of note:
I received an email from robinsonty@netzero.net regarding West Valley High School's 50th birthday. Hope you can (or did) make it to at least one of the planned events.

Sounds like Joyce is having a good life, and a full one. I know I'm looking forward to Ron's retirement so we can travel once in a while, but right now just having kids and grandkids close by, knitting and spinning and playing in my band (oops, I joined another one for a few months, too--American Legion--but their schedule was a bit too busy for me). I'm having fun anyway!

I'm so pleased to get this update, and I'm looking forward to visiting with Dan and lots of other 66er's in person when we have our next reunion. Hope you are too!

I hope you're finding ways to stay busy and enjoy life, too. It's better to wear out than rust, right? And at least you won't get bored if you keep looking for interesting things to do and learn. Every day is a gift, so take joy in it.

On a serious note, another of our classmates has completed his life on this earth. My second cousin, Darrell Day, died in Arizona in April after suffering a heart attack. His mother, Helen, had died only a couple of weeks earlier, as had his brother-in-law, my uncle Stan Collier; their family has had a really rough spring. Another classmate, Bruce Richartz, lost his dad, Joe Richartz, this spring also.

I'm sure that many more of us have suffered similar losses as we find our own selves entering the "senior citizen" category. My heart goes out to all of you who are going through the inevitable process of caring about and for aging family members who have health problems. I lost my dad years ago, but I am so lucky that my mother is enjoying life and even took a "dream trip" to Branson, Missouri, last fall to see her favorite Irish singer, Daniel O'Donnell. I hope I'm that active and enthusiastic when I get close to 80!

Our lives are, as usual, different from what we'd expected this year. This past year has seen one daughter move back home from Oklahoma to continue her college education in Olympia; and our oldest daughter, her husband, and their seven (yes 7!) kids have moved into our rental on the 5 acres next door to us. It's really a joy to get to know these kids (they've been in Nevada for 9 years), but it's a whole different life to have all the little ones near. I'm really getting educated in what "grandparenting" is like when they're 100 yards away instead of 1000 miles! I've really been blessed to finally have them near enough to hug.

That's enough chatter about me, I'm sure. Please let me know what news you have, and I'll try to keep the site updated more often.

"Just a brief note to let you know our first grade teacher, Mrs. Havnaer, passed away last Friday at the age of 95. When you consider all of the Richartz's, Days, Hulls and other families with similar numbers of siblings, she did pretty well to live as long as she did! When her husband passed away they had been married for 64 years. A graveside service will be today at Tahoma."
Verna

"Here is the information as it appears in this morning's (Yakima) newspaper:
Mike Wendt passed away 4/11/04. He leaves a son and a daughter, his mother, Hazel Coe, 731 East Parker Heights Road, Wapato, WA 98951, and two sisters. Memorial services will be at Central Lutheran Church, corner of Yakima Ave and 16th Ave, Sat. (April 17) at 11:00. Contributions can be made to the Make A Wish Foundation, 811 First Ave, Suite 520, Seattle 98104 (donations will be matched by Transnation, the company for which he worked), or to the American Heart Association in Mike's name.

Eric is another person I met for the first time in high school, and, at least for our freshman year, he was one of the few people almost as short as I am. He was a bright, quick-thinking, quick-talking young man, a sometimes tousle-headed blond with that "All American kid" look to him. I'm sorry we won't have the opportunity to see him again.

I really appreciate the outdoors right now, because Ron's still remodeling the inside of our house. He's finished the upstairs bathroom and our computer room, and is about 2/3 finished with the downstairs bath. He also got a surprise challenge this week: both the hot water tank and the refrigerator in the mobile home we own next door chose this week to quit working. So Ron got to spend Easter afternoon and evening replacing the water heater, complete with hardware store trips to get necessities for that, as well as ordering a new refrigerator. Surprises aren't always pleasant, are they?

But even with life's bumps, we have much to be thankful for: our health is good, our two younger daughters, away at college, are growing more independent as they learn how to be adults (in fits and starts, with occasional advice requested from us), our older kids and their spouses have given us nine grandchildren (and are starting to give US advice! hehe), and Ron is still cancer free after his surgery 4 years ago. We are blessed, and know it. God always helps us find a way to make good things come, sooner or later, even out of the bad things that happen in life.

Sue (Leonard) Beauchene wrote to let us know she has a new e-mail address (sue.beauchene@verizon.net). Sue also has a "child" in school....her daughter in Longview has gone back to school to get her masters in Education, teaching primary grades. Sue also helped me out in identifying people in our reunion photos by letting me know that she's the one in the black and white polka-dot dress dancing with Bill (and her husband is in the background). Thanks, Sue!

Again, we have more painful news to relay to you. This information came from Verna this morning:

"It is with sadness I tell you about another classmate, Mike Wendt. A week or so ago, he suffered a second heart attack that left him in an irreversable coma. His family has made the decision to remove him from life support, and that will be done either today or tomorrow. I'll let you know further details, but in the meantime, we surely need to pray for him and his family..." (Editor's note, 4-14-04: Mike Wendt passed away after suffering his second heart attack, and his funeral is Saturday, April 17. I will post more information if it becomes available.)

I didn't meet Mike until high school, but I have vivid memories of his bright eyes, shock of dark hair, and big wise-cracky grin. He seemed to have boundless energy in that wiry body of his, and a very quick wit, ready with a quip or remark for every situation. I pray that God will be with him and his family through this time of loss and change.

Thank you for visiting our website, and come back again soon. God bless you all, and please, let met know how things are going in your life!
Looking forward to another reunion,

Meanwhile, I need to update you on what happened in 2003, as far as I have been informed. The absolutely best news is that Verna and Dennis did get married on August 2, 2003. A lot of energy went into planning the wedding, and I'm sure they're both glad to relax together now! They are living at the address we already have for Verna, but do have a new e-mail address: twowizzys@msn.com .

Randy Russell also has a new e-mail address for us. It's handy.randy@verizon.net . That's a great "handle" Randy!

Joyce Washburn has retired and is now enjoying traveling, although she is still doing some substituting when she's home. She's looking forward to coming back to Yakima for our next reunion. She also spent a lot of time with her dad this past year because Alzheimer's has affected him so much. Since retiring, she has a new e-mail address, too, if you'd like to get in touch. It is jaw435u@hotmail.com .

The hardest things for me to write about are these last items. Losses are inevitable, but they still hurt. Verna sent me the information in late summer, and I apologize, but I just didn't have the heart to write about it then.

This information came from Verna in July:

"Here are a couple more names for the "Memorial" chapter, unfortunately. Mr and Mrs Burrill have both passed away, but I don't remember the exact dates, it has been probably 3 or 4 years for him and a few more for her. Mrs. Paschen passed away last year, as did Marsha Grunewald (Broggel). Mrs. Paschen was in her 90's, I was shocked she was that old! Marsha passed away from complications of a car wreck."

I think all of us had a class with either Mr. or Mrs. Burrill, or both, and that their love of teaching touched many people in a positive way. Theirs is a family legacy of caring that everyone would do well to model ourselves after.

I know many of us had classes with Mrs. Paschen. She was one of my favorite teachers, perhaps because she lived up to her name, having such a passion for literature and literacy. I do know that she was the first person in Yakima (besides my family) that I called when I graduated from the University of Puget Sound with my degree in English and Education. She was the teacher who inspired me the most in choosing the goals I did, and I wanted her to know I had finally made it. She never gave up on me, and I treasure her memory. I hope all schoolchildren have at least one teacher like her in their lives!

I was shocked to hear of Marsha Grunewald's death. Although I didn't meet her until we were in high school, I remember her as a kind and caring girl, with a great sense of humor and a delightful, glowing smile. I was lucky to know her and have her befriend me, and am so sorry that her life is over so soon. I'm sorry I didn't get to see her again. I hope that the people whose lives she touched and shared after high school were as enriched by her existence as mine was.

Verna sent this following message in August:

"You've probably heard by now that we have lost another classmate, Al Milton. But, in case you haven't, here's some information for you: On July 30 he was playing golf and suffered an aneurysm. He had also been battling Parkinson's disease for a number of years."

Alfie Milton was one of the most polite, most intelligent, amusing and likable people I have ever met. I can't remember ever hearing him say hurtful things or being mean or rude. After knowing him, and admiring him, all these years--from first grade at Ahtanum and on through high school, it is so hard to believe he's not here anymore. He was so much fun (and funny) at the recent reunion, laughing at himself and enjoying life day by day, not letting his affliction keep him from doing the things he loved most...or being with the people he loved most. He was and always will be way up there on my "Most Admired" list. Our condolences to his lovely family.

Alfie, we'll miss you. May your memory always be an inspiration to us.

God bless you all, and please, keep in touch!
Till we meet again, God willing,

I have good news and sad news at this time. The good (wonderful? marvelous? wow!!!) news is that Verna (Hull) and Dennis Wisner will be getting married next month. I am so happy for them...I always did believe they were meant for each other. If you click on the little radio button beneath their picture, you'll hear the song I chose just for them. Hope they like it!

The sad news is that Dennis Pittman, who has live in Alaska for several years, passed away on May 22 of this year, dying in his sleep from a heart attack. I have many good memories of a smiling Dennis from our earliest grade school years at Ahtanum and on into high school, and am sad that I won't have a chance to meet him again here in this world. Our sympathy goes out to his wife Katie, his children, his twin brother Donald, and the rest of his family.

May God be with you in all you do.

Have a good year, and make the best of every moment. Savor the gift of life each day as you experience it. You can't change the past; you can't guarantee the future--but you can make the present count.

We cheer for those whose compassion and determination are being poured out for our compatriots.

We are committed to righting the terrible wrong that has been done to the world.

We will continue to be one country, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.