Carol Turner Tolin with her son Steve and husband Jim. Carol is a teacher at
Honey Creek High School. Their son, Steve is about to enter law school.
John Adkerson (left), and his son: John Scott Adkerson (right).
When I thought I’d found our classmate John Adkerson on facebook, I posted the photo and announced he had moved back to Terre Haute from Freland, Nebraska. Here is the email I received from our ‘67’ classmate, John: “Randy: The picture on the August edition is John Scott Adkerson. Here is a picture of me, John F. Adkerson. I do claim John Scott… he is my son.” Sorry for the mix up John, but we're glad to have discovered a photo of your son... as well as you. Our John is still living in Freland, Nebraska.
Becky Melvin and Jim Jeffries were high school sweethearts from the class of ‘67’. They were married after graduation and now live in Estill Springs, Tennessee. Becky just joined our facebook group this month. She has made her career in education while Jim is employed as Mgr. Engineer and Maintenance at Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.
Patti Doyle Mitchell with her husband Mark and granddaughter Olivia. Olivia is holding her “Mayor’s Character Trait Award.” The honor comes from Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett’s office on behalf of the Vigo County School Corporation.
Sharon Dunfee Debney met her husband Jim in 1967 and just celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary. They live in West Terre Haute, have two daughters and four grandchildren
Susan Freed Lonergan, (center) daughter Molly (left) and friend Jen.(right).
Susie now lives in Olathe, KS. She is principal at Liberty View Elementary School. She has two sons and two daughters
Skip Morton and his wife Susan.
(Right corner): Skip and Susan with Linda and Randy Andrew.
Skip’s father Les and my (Randy Andrew) mother Rosemary were married in 1966 and moved to California in 1971. Our parents are now residing at an assisted living apartment complex where Skip and Susan stayed during their visit to California. After four days of seeing our folks and coming over to our house, they headed for Phoenix to see Skip’s grandson…. where he and his wife are expecting Skip’s GREAT Grandson in July… God we’re getting old!!!
Pam Jones Berrisford…
Still trying to figure out what she wants to do when she grows up.
Pam wasn’t sure what she wanted to do “when she grew up,” so she didn’t attend college. Her first job began on the Monday right after our graduation day in 1967. She worked for three different businesses during her time in the work force and in June of 2008, she retired from Eli Lilly after twenty years.
Pam tells us:“I've been married more than once but found the love of my life (David) eighteen years ago. I have one child, a son named Joel who has blessed me with two grandsons. Tanner is fourteen and Chase is nine. They are my reward for not "killing" Joel when he was in the, I know more than you stage of life (age 15-18)."
Pam and David like to travel on cruise ships and are also planning a trip to Las Vegas. Since her retirement, Pam has become a member of the Rockville Women’s Club and the Covered Bridge Garden Club. She also makes greeting cards and sells them at a local flower shop. They now live in Parke County close to the West Union Covered Bridge on land that David’s family has owned for many years. “I was born in the city but love living in the country.” I think Pam has finally decided what she wants to do, now that she’s almost… grown up.
Thomas Vire
Tom (yellow shirt) with his wife Willa,
two of his sons, daughter-in-law and one grandchild.
Tom is recently retired from Wayne Farms LLC in Oakwood, Georgia. He and his college (Indiana State 1977) sweetheart, Willa have been married for thirty seven years and are now living in Martin, Georgia. They have three boys and six grandchildren. Tom spends his time boating, fishing, golfing and enjoying his family.grandchildren. Tom spends his time boating, fishing, golfing and enjoying his family.
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Also...
Cathy Brentlinger Hogan and family
Tim Skinner & the Grand kids
Janet Runner Schleier's open letter, Our new home
E.J.Bozarth moves back to Terre Haute
Skip Morton and wife visit California
Sharon and John Vesotko's Dog Story
Jim Berry on vacation
Marsha Lawson and Granddaughter
Tim Catterson goes to the dogs
Tom Torrens, city honor
Babs Beavers first grandbaby
Brenda Runkle visits ghosts
and
Roberta Savage story... after graduation
Melvin Carpenter
Mel Carpenter is retiring this summer as band director of Fairfield Jr. Sr. High School, in Goshen, Indiana. In 1992, Mel and his wife Carol (Garfield class of ‘68’) moved to Centerville, Indiana and resided there for ten years. In 2002 he received a call from the principal of Fairfield High School with an offer to join their faculty. After eight years at the helm as band director, he is now looking for a job with less pressure. Mel explained, “The band director's job really takes a toll on you, especially at the high school level.” He is now seeking relaxation and more time to enjoy his family. Their daughter Dana lives in South Bend with her husband and three girls. Mel’s son Michael is following in Dad’s footsteps and is now the band director at Fishers High School in Fishers, Indiana.
A Royal Purple gossip moment>>>
C.B.H.’s dad is dating R.V.A.’s aunt.
In other words, Cathy Brentlinger Hogan’s father David Brentlinger is seeing Randall Vincent Andrew’s aunt Jane Woelfle. David and Jane are seated at the top right of the above picture. Cathy and her hubby are on the far left. Her family gathered for this Brentlinger Thanksgiving dinner photo in 2009.
Cathleen has worked as an art teacher with the Vigo County School Corporation since 1988. Cathy’s quote:
"I’m a slave to 700 students a week, but love every minute of it.”
Here’s another photo Cathy and her husband have posted on facebook.
Best I can figure is Gene Simmons of the rock group "KISS" must be another distant relative.
Grandpa and Senator Tim Skinner with his granddaughter and grandsons Jace, Timothy and Brock Skinner
Janet Runner Schleier and hubby Tom.--- their son Dusty and American Idol's Larry Platt
Dusty attended the Grammy Award Ceremony in January and met the guy who auditioned for American Idol. Larry was the contestant who sang "Pants on the ground." Janet said, "Of all the big names at the Grammys, he gets a photo with this guy?"
Janet's update from their new home:
None of us would want a crystal ball to tell us what path our life might take. If someone had told us that we would be moving from southern Calif. to Trumbull, Ct. we would have said, "no way, we are desert rats." However, we are thankful for Tom's job in the same flight management field and it most certainly is better than being homeless by a long shot. Although we both are originally from Indiana/Wisconsin in our youth, our bodies do better in warm dry climates. It is the first time Tom has had snow tires since 1965 and the first time I have owned a coat since 1970 (a real one with lining and everything). I think the hardest part was a winter move and losing our precious little doggie shortly before our move. Tom is enjoying his work and I am unpacking boxes, slowly but surely. We got snow tires the first week here, but people look at our mustang and laugh, saying it won't be long before we exchange that for an SUV. We are eyeing the SUVs with much longing and maybe by next winter season we will change vehicles.
Tom's motorcycle was damaged in transit (yes, a 2nd childhood for sure) and transported BACK to Calif. for repairs so we are patiently waiting for that to appear one of these days. Not that he can drive it to/from work in ice and snow but it needs to be in OUR garage. Tom drove across country while I flew. He had interesting weather but angels were behind him and ahead of him en route. He stopped to spend some time with Larry and Janie Gallagher and their very fun doggie, Maggie. It made his trip to have this visit with them in Crawfordsville.
We look forward to a whole new world here on the east coast and we will put on a happy face and be thankful for this new phase of our lives. Please write me for address, phone number if you are going to be on the east coast. I came into JFK and I believe it was less than an hour and I know Hartford is about an hour. Ct. is a small state and it doesn't take long to go into all surrounding states. We hope to further our education and be able to take train into N.Y. and see some shows and learn about the local history.
We do extend this invitation to stay with us and are sincere in wanting you to come visit! So far, I know the trash man and have caught a glimpse of the postman through my window of snow. I'll update you as my social life upgrades. Take care and here's to spring coming soon.
Stay healthy and happy. Janet
Janet and Tom's going away dinner party at Linda and Randy Andrew's home
E. J. Bozarth
Errett Bozarth has moved back to Terre Haute after living in Texas since 1982. E.J. has accepted a position as adjunct professor in the aviation technology department
at I. S. U. He graduated from the United States Navel Academy in 1971, served in the Marine Corp from 1971 – 1978 and the Indiana National Guard from 1978 – 1989. In 1978 he began flying for American Airlines and left in 1990 following a serious automobile accident. Unable to continue flying he went on to work for AT&T in the IT department as a Senior Technical Architect. He will continue working for AT&T as well as his recent position. His new job has brought him back to what he loves most, the aviation world and back to his hometown.
Sharon and John Vesotko with their sister Darcy and Lulu.
We had one set of twins in our class… John and Sharon Verostko. But it was little Lulu that caused the family so much worry in the summer of 2009. John and Sharon’s younger sister Darcy was on her way to visit Sharon in Borden, Indiana. As she came down the road and turned into Sharon’s driveway, little Lulu ran in front of her car and was run over. Darcy, of course was devastated… as was Sharon. They rushed the dog to the veterinarian and it wasn’t good news. Lulu spent several days in the hospital and it was touch and go. Sharon spent every day praying for Lulu and her sister Marcy, who felt so bad about what had happened. But the prayers were answered and Lulu came home for Sharon to nurse her back to health. By Christmas she did what we all do to our pets....
She dressed her in a Santa Claus outfit.
on a recent vacation to Hawaii.
Jim lives in Dixon, Illinois where he became pastor of the Foursquare Church in October of 1979. His wife Glenda is known around the area as “The puppet lady”. For 32 years she has made puppets at the Son Shine Puppet Company in Rockford, IL. Jim and Glenda have raised four children and now enjoy their grandkids as well as their many church and community friends.
Marsha Lawson Underwood now lives in Daytona Beach, FL. Here's a photo of her new Granddaughter:
Meredith Wagoner Underwood
Roberta Savage Santilli
After graduation Roberta Savage spent 3 years searching for the right job, became a mother, married the love of her life but sadly lost him to cancer in 2001.
For the past 15 years she has worked for the Vigo County School Coroporation.
Roberta Savage Santilli
After being a single parent for 9 years, I met and married Tony Santilli, who adopted my daughter and she couldn’t have had a better father if she had been the one to pick him. You can just ask her and she will tell you. She and her husband presented me with a beautiful little granddaughter who is the apple of my eye. She was born in December 2005. My daughter teaches her in Vigo County. Tony and I raised an extended family member for 5 years after the death of her grandmother which was my first cousin. She has two boys one in middle school, the other in grade school..
Tony and I were married almost 25 years. He was diagnosed with cancer on October 31, 2000 and even with treatment and hospitalization, he passed on January 27, 2001. Three months isn’t a lot of time to prepare yourself for something so life changing, but you manage somehow to get through it. It was a good life, (no we weren’t perfect June and Ward Cleaver), however, neither of us were ready to let it go. I know he looks down every so often when I have done one of those things he would have rolled his eyes at and would be thinking only you Roberta and laugh. Tony was pretty much laid back and I always wanted everything yesterday. I still haven’t changed that much, only have learned in the past 8 years sometimes I have to wait until tomorrow.
After high school I knew I didn’t want to go to college, so I got a job, matter of fact within 3 years I worked 4 places, none of them were right for me.
In June of 1970, I started to work for the Sheet Metal Workers and worked at the local union as their only office secretary for 24 years. It was a great place to work and the people were like extended family during office hours. Tony and I owned Bohannon’s East here in town, which we sold in December 2000 after he was diagnosed. During the last few years at the Sheet Metal Workers, my hours were cut to part time, with full insurance benefits, so it was wonderful. My Mom had a stroke in 1991 and was in a nursing home until her death in 1999, she was feisty until the end. The stroke put her in the home, but I was able to bring her home on Wednesday and Saturday and all holidays until the last year when she just didn’t feel like it, she had gotten lung cancer and she preferred most of the time to stay there. So there is a period of time in our lives when we exchange roles with our parents and we do our best to take care of them. Trust me, we put a phone in her room and told her to call anytime, at 3:00 am, the phone would ring and the nurse hadn’t answered her light, so thank goodness for call waiting, you then called the nursing home and tell them you’ll stay on the phone with her until they get there. It was one of the things that kept the two of us happy knowing she was getting the best of care. During this time, my Dad passed, he also had cancer cured and then it came back about 1 ½ years later. Now you have heard about the death of 3 of the 5 most important people in my life, but life has been good to me. I loved and miss them, but we must go on. I’ll be 60 in December and the possibility of finding a mate the second time around is a pretty unsure thing. I tell friends, it easy you go home after work and wait for someone to knock on your door, but if that knock never comes, it’s ok. I’m ok with life as it is today. You do find out quickly that you have to be a person that likes yourselves to live alone after over 50 years of having someone in the house, with you, it isn’t all bad, especially if you don’t like to cook.
I now work at the Vigo County School Corporation Administration Building, I started there in 1995. There are a lot of our classmates that ended up at the Corporation, almost enough for us to have a mini reunion here in Terre Haute. I love my job and my co-workers are great. I have been blessed in my life. I have a great daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, plus extended family and friends.
Several of the girls in the class of ‘67’ kept a Bunco Club going to keep in touch for about 30 years after graduation. We had stayed close to Terre Haute or in Terre Haute, which will always be home to me. Viviane O’Dell, Linda Stott, Janie Walsh, Carol Huddock, Barbara Johnson, Nancy Compton, Janice Haynes (class of ‘68’), Chris Price were the originals, others joined when others had to leave for a while. Some have now moved away, but at least 5 of us still get together for dinner or an afternoon movie to “stay in touch”. We meet at least every couple of months, some more often than that.
As far as my life story, this just touches the surface. It’s been a good life since we all parted ways in 1967, my hope is for all of you to live each day as it was your last!!! (Didn’t someone else say that?) To those that know me, you will be able to read between the lines… the untold story and to those of you who don’t remember me, I was just one of you waiting to finish my term at GHS and start living life. Also working on our 40th reunion, allowed me to renew some acquaintance I hadn’t kept in contact with since high school. It was a fun time and a good weekend. The lunch with the girls at Garfield’s, some I barely knew in high school was certainly enjoyable renewing old friendships and having a houseguest from Texas was a nice touch too.
Anyone coming through town , I’m in the phonebook or you can reach me at the School Corporation Central Office.
My best to all of you—hope to see you at our next reunion.
Roberta Savage Santilli
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Tim Catterson
has gone to the Dogs
Tim Catterson and one of his K-9s
to whom he awarded top honors.
_______________________________
dog breeder of Greyhounds and a highly respected dog show judge.
When he graduated from Garfield, Tim joined the Navy
and after serving his military duty he became involved
breeding dogs. Always an animal lover he found he had a
knack for evaluating dogs. |He began judging at small dog shows
and soon became a professional judge.
Today he travels over the country and around the world
a couple times a month judging dog shows.
Tim now lives in New Castle, Indiana with his long time partner
and fellow dog show judge Chuck. Although they are
both judges, they seldom travel to the same shows and often
journey in different directions but always end up
back in Indiana to raise their Greyhounds.
Tim, a feathered friend and Tim's partner Chuck
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Tom Torrens
Honored by city
"Ringing In The Salmon"
A work by Tom Torrens and Ben Isitt that will be permanently placed at Donkey Creek Park
as part of the City's Public Art Program. The work was chosen by the Arts Commission
last year. The installation will be Wednesday, August 12th, and the Ribbon Cutting event
will be the following day at 6pm.Since 1972, the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen's Club
has incubated salmon eggs at Donkey Creek, releasing over 1 million fry into
Gig Harbor Bay each year. Every fall, mature salmon find their way from the open
sea back to Austin Estuary; fighting their way up the culvert into Donkey Creek to spawn.
The "Ringing In The Salmon" sculpture celebrates this annual cycle and, through art,
promotes the preservation of our salmon and watersheds.The images below show
the Mayor, members of the Arts Commission and the artist at Donkey Creek Park to
discuss the final placement of the sculpture.
To see more of the many works of Tom, click here:
http://tomtorrens.com
Tom Torrens is honored in Gig Harbor, Washington.
Tom Torrens (left in red)
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Babs Beavers Coy
New grandson
Babs Beavers Coy becomes a proud grandmother...
for the first time!
from Babs:
"My mother, Jean, myself and grandson Jackson, my son Ryan who is the new dad, and my daughter
Ashley. Rest of my small family is coming in this weekend to see Jackson. Cleaning like a mad women.
We have four large dogs who seem to never stop shedding in this heat. Love them to death but wow!
I take them swimming everyday. I guess I'm bored after giving up showing the horses and running my
own horse barn. Got to hard on this old gal. It was a back breaking job, but I loved it. I have just two
children. Ryan and Ashleyand now one grandson. We have lived in Florida since 1984. My two sisters
are coming this weekend along with their children".
______________________________________________________________
Brenda Runkle Tuttle
Visits a Psychic
Brenda recently visited her sister Cindy in New York.
They traveled to Lilydale, New York and discovered a city with paranormal activity
as well as psychics and mediums. While they were there...,
the SyFy channel was taping an episode of "Ghost Hunters".
She met the stars of the show: Jason and Grant.
Brenda:
"Yes I got to talk to a medium, and WOW, never believed before, but now I am wondering.
It is a small community with gorgeous little houses and a lot of mediums".Brenda and her husband Harry now live in Farmersburg, Indiana.
Brenda Runkle Tuttle
Brenda (Runkle) Tuttle and her sister take a trip to Lilydale, Indiana to visit a Psychic..