Bobcat BulletinJune 2001
updated on Sunday, August 06, 2006 09:23 PM
Bobcat Bulletin
June 2001
updated on
Sunday, August 06, 2006 09:23 PM
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
Hope everyone had a happy 4th and got my e-mail wishing well and saying I would be sending out an update over that weekend. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men always face some changes. Mine was volunteering to help a Bobcat buddy in need and going to a Hollywood production. I’ll have more to share about those events later, but first news from some others.
By the way, since so many of you had trouble opening the designed Bobcat Bulletin, I’ve gone back to the hammer ‘n chisel so everyone on these group lists can read. Does anyone know if there is a universal language or format all computers can read? The Bobcat Bulletin with artwork sure looks a lot better than this. Let me know if you have a solution other than a webpage which is in the planning stages.
THIS YA’ GOTTA’ SEE!
Jay Mercer ’66 has immortalized the class of ’64 in cyberspace on his website complete with "vintage" LCHS annuals. He has done a yeoman’s job in putting together an incredible site with much more to come. Check it out at this site:
For those of you who aren’t an illustrious classmate from ’64 you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and see if your annual has been loaded on the site. Thanks to Jay and his web partners for providing fond memories for all of us.
REACHING FOR RETIREMENT.
Two more Bobcats are making the move to retirement. Sally Anderson Sansbury retired from South Carolina state government on June 29th to "get some rest and spend more time with Gail." Gail is Sally’s younger sister (class of ’ 66) who was diagnosed with cancer several months ago and needs help some of the time. Sally also wrote, "in spite of all this she just bought 2 new pieces of property and can’t wait to decorate them. She’s in tremendous spirit when not in a steroid slump." You can help keep Gail’s spirits up by writing her:
Also, since Sally has retired her e-mail address has changed. You can write to her at her home e-mail address:
Another retiree is Randy Blackburn who is also leaving government service in August after 32 years. I’m so jealous because Randy and his wife, Dee, have a month long vacation planned to Ireland once Uncle Sam hands him the marching papers. Send congrats to Randy at his home address:
WORLD & LOCAL TRAVELERS.
Some of our more fortunate CHS family doesn’t need to retire to get over to Europe and other far away places. Da’ godfather Frank Badami and wife, Katie, took a long deserved vacation to Italy and London and never called for bail money! They hooked up with Derek Messecar and Bruce Spilker while in London. However, Bruce wrote a sad tale about drinking the night away with Frank in London – imagine that – and then they repeated the session at Bruce’s home near Oxford! Don’t deny anything, Frank, ace photographer Bruce, going all the way back to the days of "The Saints" in 1964, sent pictures!
No sooner than Frank got back from Italy he headed off to New York to pitch his next television special. Funny how da’ godfather always hits "family" locations for business and pleasure.
And then there’s Jerry Donahue, the other "Saint," who just returned stateside from touring Australia with his band. We hooked up at Jerry’s mother’s house last Saturday to help her move some things out of her home. Little did I know helping would turn into almost hernia! And if Jay Christensen and my son-in-law hadn’t volunteered to help out too, we would be in racked.
We moved an incredibly heavy upright piano to Jerry’s apartment in Hollywood. Not so bad you say since I rented one of those flat piano movers and we had a truck that had a hydraulic lift on the back. However, when we got to Jerry’s place it was quickly surmised the piano wasn’t going to fit in the elevator – that’s right, elevator. Jerry lives on the second floor. It took five of us – four virile, young men in their mid-50’s and my mid-20 year old son-in-law – to hoist the piano, one step at a time, up one flight of stairs. It wouldn’t have been so trying if one of his neighbors told us how we "should have done it" and then offered to buy the piano! If looks could kill, the young lady would have been the next headline in the Los Angeles Times! We did laugh about it though after putting first aid cream on our bangs and bruises.
I mentioned Jay Christensen earlier. He has moved into a new home, a rambling California ranch style house and has become quite a gardener of sorts. Seems he was clearing some brush in front of the house that was blocking their view out of the driveway. And guess what, the shrubs were hiding poison oak! When we saw him last Saturday his arms were wrapped in bandages. Wonder how a highly recognized lawyer explains away bandages peeking out from under dress shirts.
Our own class historian and "comedianne," Dianne Manos Costanzo has been running all up and down the East coast connecting with family and friends. Her youngest son, Andrew, just graduated from high school and will be heading to Holy Cross in the fall. However, he left Florence at the end of June to study for a month in Italy. Older son, Louis, who will soon complete his year of studying in London ventured to Iceland last month and just returned home. Daughter, Dena came home for her birthday just prior to heading off to Boston with her beau – could a wedding be in the Costanzo family future – and Dianne and husband, Lou, took off for a few days to the Greenbriar resort in West Virginia. They had to get away to catch their breath from all the comings and goings. But wait, there’s more. Guess who ’s coming to dinner – Karen Lerner Berman will arrive from Oregon in September! Can you imagine that reunion, Clarks Green, PA, will never be the same!
Kathie Faulkner Jones (class of ’66) and her friend, Alva Jones, stopped by our home in Burbank for a couple of days at the end of their jaunt down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco. While in San Francisco she visited with Sherry Bergman Kettbring, also from the class of ’66, and swapped horror stories about teaching in elementary schools. Seems like the individual states have gotten in the way of teaching with all the red tape. We should set some of our LCHS administrators and teachers of yesteryear on them – that would certainly straighten them out!
While they were here soaking up the Southland sites the four of us managed to get tickets to see the musical "Lion King" at the Pantages theatre in Hollywood. What a performance! The opening act came close to getting a standing ovation because of the costumes and music. If a production makes it to your hometown, or a town near you, go see it. You will be awestruck.
WET ‘N WILD!
For those of you that hadn’t heard, Houston almost washed into the Gulf of Mexico during June and came close to taking our "Shepherd" Ed McIntosh and Sherry Bush Smith with it. Sherry wrote that 14 -18 wheelers, those huge trucks, were completely submerged on top of cars on the interstate highway and the water was up to the bottom of bridges in some places. Ed couldn’t get up to his farm outside Huntsville from his Houston home because there was 20 inches of rain and another interstate highway was underwater for a day and a half. Both wrote later to say all is well except they’ve grown gills and have an urge to avoid Tartar sauce!
CAREER UPDATES!
Remember in the last update I asked if anyone would like to share what he or she have been doing in the last ____ years? I received one response from Kris Osborn Rohr so I don’t have to bore you with details from my past as threatened.
Kris continues to enjoy a career in communications and advertising/PR although she stepped away from her own consulting business for a while to work for a government contractor working with a small government body in Washington. She is their Senior Director of Outreach and Communications dealing with Congressional programs.
Kris lives in Bethesda with her "extremely opinionated Himalayan cat" and has a "pretty groovy life." Since her son is grown, she often visits her brother, Hamish (class of 66), who lives on the Eastern shore of Maryland. His four children are also grown so Kris, Hamish and his wife are enjoying their days as the "older" generation. Those are Kris’ words not mine!
GREAT NEWS ABOUT GRANDBABIES!
Had an e-mail from Ann Gray Rethard who had just returned from a trip to Illinois visiting her newborn granddaughter, Julia Marie Britton. She also wrote that she and Tom (class of ‘65) had attended his 15th Field Artillery reunion at Ft. Sill, OK. Ann also said she had been in touch with Kathy Pearsall, class of ’65, who returned to the States for her senior year. She is going to send Kathy’s e-mail address later for any of you who would like to write, or you can get in touch with Ann now:
And, for those of you that can open the attachment here’s the first computerized picture of my granddaughter, Emily Ann. She will be celebrating her first birthday next week on the 18th.
Don’t forget to check out Jay Mercer’s page for the Bobcat annuals. He’s also offered to scan in missing annuals if you don’t see yours on the website. Small donations to his efforts from you and other classmates would be greatly appreciated I’m sure.
Send me some stuff to cram on these pages!
… THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
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