Marilyn Millet (Smith)

Tom,  Bruce and I are sorry to hear that you won't be at the reunion.  We were looking forward to seeing you after all these years.  We understand that family comes first though.  We went through the time of taking care of our parents a number of years ago--you are fortunate to still have your father with you.  We'll be thinking of you on September 5th.  Maybe you could post some pictures of you and your family on your profile page.  Take care, Marilyn                 

Kirk O'Keefe

Tom, great to hear that your Dad is still around. You are lucky! Great memories from camping with your family and your Dad coaching us in softball. Tell your Dad Hi and thanks for the memories. 

Paul H. Warner

Although no one challenged me to post my 25 things almost nobody knows about me, I SO enjoyed reading others' postings on these pages so much that I began to think about sharing my 25.  I just decided to come be with you at Crooked Creek and Golden Glow on the 4th and 5th of September.  Anyway, here goes my list perhaps in no particular chronological order:

1. My transition to junior high (North) was embarrassing for me.  I came to the 7th grade on crutches.  I had been running along the beach at Chippewa Lake (near Big Rapids) and leaped across a marshy inlet only to land on a buried coffee can just under the surface.  13 stitches (one internal) on my left foot instep.  Ouch!

2. I met Carolyn Coats in Mr. Hayes English class (7th grade).  We liked each other and I gave her a friendship ring on a Friday.  On Monday she had to give it back to me because her dad wouldn't let her go steady with me.  Hey, my dad wouldn't let me meet her at the movies; we were only 13 at the time.

3. Speaking of my dad, he was quite the engineer, although not professionally.  I used to help him in his shop in the basement.  In restoring a small sloop (the first family yacht) we found the planking attached to the ribs with brass screws.  He offered me a penny per screw; I think I made $11 removing those planks.  I helped him set forms for the seawall he created for our lakefront at Chippewa Lake.  Poured concrete from the mixer over rebar.  That seawall is probably still there.  One winter he designed a diving platform.  We went out on the ice to drive piles, and in the spring floated the platform over the steel pilings, attached the diving board, and enjoyed some fabulous times there in the summer.

4.  I delivered the Detroit Free Press every morning before school from the 9th through 12th grades.  I always preferred to use my bicycle weather permitting.  I had to learn to layer in the winter and remember having to flex my fingers to keep them from freezing when it was cold.

5.  In my AHHS days I played in four symphony orchestras.  Arthur Hill, Germania Club, Saginaw Symphony, and Saginaw Youth Symphony.  Mr. Clark directed the school orchestra and band and played in the Saginaw Symphony.  When he needed to take time off from school he had me direct the orchestra period.  Occasionally Mr. Giesecke would come by to see if I had everything under control.

6.  Bob Griffore accompanied me one year on the piano at Solo and Ensemble festival.  At the same festival he played a saxophone solo and I played piano for him.  I took piano lessons from age 7 on through my first two years at Peabody.

7. We heard the announcement in Mr. Fetting's chemistry class when President Kennedy was murdered.  Our country lost much hope and glory at that time in November 1963.

8.  I trained my brother to deliver my papers so I could ride my bicycle to Sault Ste. Marie after the 1964 school year.  I think I did it on less than $40, had to be escorted across the Mackinac Bridge and the bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.  There's a whole book's worth of adventures from that one week in my life.

9.  I took Pat Genske to the senior prom.  Not long after I had asked Pat to the prom,  Sherry Burns asked me to a Sadie Hawkins dance.  My social life had sprouted!  Sherry played flute in the AH orchestra.  Carolyn Coats directed the senior play, Bret Harte's "Ingenue of the Sierras"  Bill Ford was judged best actor.  Jackie Berlin was the ingenue.  I played Yuba Bill, learned to do my own makeup, and learned all my lines!

10.  Before I went to the Peabody Conservatory of Music I attended Smith College in Northampton, MA.  Peabody is in Baltimore.  Robert Gerle, violin, Walter Hautzig, piano, and my teacher Paul Olefsky, cello, held a Peabody chamber music summer session at Smith.  I've always been fond of saying I went to Smith College.  One summer at Smith I rode my bicycle from Northampton to Tanglewood (about 70 miles each way) on a Saturday to hear the Boston Symphony with Van Cliburn.

11.  Of course I am proud to have received a full scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music thanks to my Professor Paul Olefsky whose dynamic generosity brought a number of us cellists to Baltimore from Michigan.  John Catchings was a graduate of Douglas MacArthur High School in 1965.  Meeting him enhanced my competitive nature and we had parallel careers at Peabody.  I remember traveling with him and his grandparents to that first session at Smith in their Ford Falcon.  Four people and two cellos and luggage.....how did we all fit?!

12. My only solo performance with a full symphony orchestra was in early 1965.  Dr. Samuel Jones was the conductor of the Saginaw Symphony Orchestra; I had won the Young Artist Competition and was rewarded with that performance.  About a week before that performance I slipped on ice in front of my house carrying my cello in its bag.  The neck broke; I had to borrow a cello and get used to it by the time of the concert which was held on the stage of Arthur Hill's auditorium.

13. Following graduation from Peabody I answered an ad in The Baltimore Sun for a job with Merit Protective Service.  The ad had a hook in it something to do with 007.  James Bond movies were all the rage, I was intrigued, so I went to interview for the job.  I agreed to take a polygraph test, got to name my salary, and started work immediately as an undercover agent.  No license to kill, however.  I worked in various retail establishments around Baltimore, a surplus store, a drug warehouse, a supermarket, etc., in order to observe and report on the employees.  Relying on my memory I would write reports and file them weekly.  Let's just say I gave up espionage for music.

14.  I won my first audition for a professional job.  During the year after graduating from Peabody I played in a part time gig.  Our group was called The Rococo Company; violin,cello,flute,harpsichord, and soprano.  That worked pretty well around my spy schedule, but when I heard about an opening in the Toronto Symphony I borrowed a better cello from a generous manager of the Baltimore Symphony.  They liked me in Toronto.  They asked if I could stay the week, play with them, and play a final audition at the end of the week.  Well I went back to Baltimore to spy, got bad advice from a member of the Baltimore Symphony, and returned to Toronto for the final.  They offered me the job on the spot.  The personnel manager asked me what the number of the local in Baltimore was.  I didn't know!  You see the bad advice bit me.  I needed to be a member of the American Federation of Musicians in order for my audition to be valid.

15.  Along comes spring in 1970.  I got a call from Peabody saying there's a couple of people from the Atlanta Symphony; would you like to come and play for them?  Well I went down there, played my cello for them, and that evening the personnel manager called me and said, "We'd like you to come to Atlanta to play with us."  I joined the ASO in September of 1970.  I begin my 46th season next month.  

16.  About my second or third year I bought my first motorcycle, a Yamaha 350.  Actually, my first car was a short school bus (there's a whole book of stories about that in itself) that I removed all but one seat from and fitted out with a ramp for the motorcycle.  I took some trips that way generally staying off the freeways since the bus had a top speed of about 60

17.  In 1974 I got a new Honda 750 Supersport.  I rode that up to Michigan, crossed Canada, down the west coast to San Francisco and back, and when I got home I traded that for a brand new Gold Wing; you motorcyclists will remember the GL 1000.  I took that on some grand tours........another book.

18.  Back in the 70s the orchestra used to tour a lot more than now.  I would ride the bus and bring my bicycle underneath.  One year we had a residency in Florence, SC with a day off in the middle of the week; I rode my bicycle to Myrtle Beach (about 70 miles), stayed overnight and rode back the next day.  Not quite as flat as the Saginaw Valley but piedmont.

19.  My father "the engineer" and my step mother, English teacher at MacArthur retired to the house they built on Orcas Island.  While they lived in Washington that was a favorite destination on my big motorcycle rides.  About 1985 my dad told me he was going to build an airplane.  That reawakened my competitive urges and realized I'd like to fly his airplane.  My principal flight instructor played clarinet in the ASO so our schedules meshed pretty well.  I got my private and multi-engine ratings with him as my instructor.  We flew a New England ASO tour landing in Northampton for one date, and Teterboro, NJ for our NY dates.  I got my instrument rating a few years later.

20.  I have been married 3 times.  They all ended in divorce, but all of us are still alive and speaking.  Ex #3 would say that I snore.  We have been apart since 2006 but I will see her this evening breaking bread with family and friends.

21.  A colleague in the ASO has had the longest career of any professional symphony musician.  She plays bass and has been in the orchestra since its inception 70 years ago.  She says she may retire this coming season.

22.  Became a runner and quit smoking in the late 70s.  Ran in 28 consecutive July 4th Peachtree Road Races.  I don't run anymore, but I still bicycle several times a week.

23.  I plan to retire in 2018 but haven't announced it yet except here.

24.  Mostly due to our fabulous ASO Chorus we have been invited to Carnegie Hall scores of times.  I think I've been there at least 30 times.  Next CH date is April 30, 2016.

25.  I will try to bring my name tag in case some of you don't recognize me.  

Thomas Schrems

25 Items you probably didn't know about me!

1) I had to repeat the 6th grade at St. Andrew's School.

2) I was asked to leave St. Andrew's School in the 8th grade and I transfered to North School.

3) When I graduated from AHHS, and turned in my cap and gown, and received my last report card, Mr. Scharrer told me my GPA was a 1.71.   It was better than I thought!

4) I enlisted in the Marine Corp in Oct. of 1965.  However, I was turned down after my physical, because I was color blind.  This I considered a divine intervention.  The Marines caught hell in Viet Nam.

5) However, in May of 1966, I was drafted into the US Army.  I asked about the color blindness, and the Sgt. stated, "color blind my ass, your in the army now".

6) Did a one year tour in Viet Nam with the 9th Inf. Div.  Walking point is no fun.

7) After the Army, I attended Delta College for a year with a GPA of 1.32.  The school told me to come back when I was serious.

8) In 1973-1976 I became very serious. I graduated from Saginaw Valley State University with an Accounting Degree with honors (cum laudee)  My GPA (I know you were wondering) was 3.45.

9) Received my MBA from SVSU in 1989.  Majored in Mgt. and Econ.

10) Worked 35 years at General Motors/Delphi Corp. Wore many hats while I was there. Acctg-Mfg-Quality.

11) Married Cindy in Oct. 1970.  45 yrs this Oct.

12) I have three married and employed daughters.  The 3 daughters and son-in-laws blessed Cindy and I with seven grandchildren.

13) Cindy and I now live on Lake Huron, eight miles north of AuGres.  It was our summer home, however, we tore that down and put up a retirement home.

14) Retired from Delphi/GM in March of 2008.

15) so far during retirement, Cindy and I have taken a Seabourn Cruise to Italy, a Viking river cruise down the Danube River, from Budapest to Passcal Germany.  Also a Globus tour to the United Kingdom.

16) Cindy and I have already booked a Viking Cruise to the Russia, Denmark, and other Scandinavian countries for 2016.

17) I taught as an Adjunct Prof. at Delta College, SVSU, and Alpena Comm. College.  Subject were Accounting, and Prod. Mgt.

18) Cindy and I winter in Arizona.

19) I volunteer at the VA's in Saginaw every Tuesday.

20) I practice Yoga twice per week-Beginners!

21) I bicycle every chance I get. I have a Giant bike here at home and a Elect.  Townie in Arizona.

22) Cindy and I sing in the church choir.  My grandkids call me the singing Papa.

23) Right out of high school, I worked at Sunshine Biscuit with Bob Andrezejewski.  I lived a block away from Sunshine, so after work Andy and I would play cork baseball in the parking lot next to my house.  He beat my ass every time.

24) I still get a kick out of watching the Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello

25) I have read just about every John Grishem Book.  "The Associate" so far is my favorite.

Well I guess I'll tag Bill Charlton, and Garry Klopf, John Geiger, Janis Sedwick, and John Knipple.

Carolyn Coats (Medendorp)

Paul Warner, I'm thrilled that you remembered our "romance."  I had SUCH a major crush on you!  I wonder why we never dated in high school.  I hope we see one another at the reunion.  We won't be rekindling anything, though.  I've been married for 49 years and most of the time I actually like my husband.  LOL

Robert J. (Cap) Fry

25 (more or less) Things about Cap Fry

1.  I shouldn’t get credit for this one because Mark Fischer already used it, but yes, Mark and I were each other’s best man.

2.  I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MSU, thanks largely subjects like English, Latin, Economics, and American History.  I also have an MSA degree from CMU.  I didn’t get the masters until the early 1990’s when I was working and living in an apartment in the Detroit area during the week.  Going to school at night seemed a safer option than the alternative forms of evening entertainment.

3.  I originally went to UM to become an Orthopedic Surgeon.  Among the myriad of hurdles I encountered: I couldn’t pass chemistry and I couldn’t stand the sight of blood.  How I got to be a Mechanical Engineer is convoluted.  How I got to MSU is simple – my mother told me to get serious, get my fanny down there, and not to come back until I’d found a wife.

4.  After retirement, and after a 32 year hiatus, I decided to take up golf again so that I didn’t become a nuisance around the house.

Sensing that getting to 25 may be challenging:

5.  I have never been anywhere on the ground in Idaho or South Dakota.

6.  I have never been anywhere on the ground in Arkansas or Missouri.

7.  I have never been anywhere on the ground in New Mexico or Delaware.

8.  I’m a really slow reader.  I’d like to finish “Wealth of Nations,” but after a year and a half I was only on page 79 - only 1016 more to go.  I settled for P. J. O’Rourke’s synopsis instead.

9.  I suspect I’ve been on the ground in West Virginia, but I don’t remember for sure.

10.  I have never been anywhere on the ground in Alaska.

11.  Since April 12, I have played 1,405 holes of golf this year.  I won’t explain how I know since I don’t figure anyone wants to argue.

12.  I have never been anywhere on the ground in Vermont or New Hampshire. 

13.   I have never been anywhere on the ground in Hawaii.

14.  I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.  I suspect that explains how I know you shouldn’t be living or wandering around on a volcano.

15.  Right out of college I worked for the Navy Dept. for four years.  We had to go to San Diego a lot, so it obviously stands to reason that I’ve been on the ground in Tijuana a couple times.  I never bought a watch nor did I see the … oh, never mind.

 16.  I think I’d really like to go to Bermuda someday, but I guess there really isn’t much to do in Bermuda other than relax and drink.  I’m not as young as I used to be so maybe I’ll just keep wearing their shorts instead.

17.  While on a road trip to Madison, WI with Doug Wilson, I met Oscar Meyer.  So, if I shake your hand at the reunion, and tell you you’re shaking the hand that shook the hand of Oscar Meyer, you’ll know why.  (With tidbits like that, I’m beginning to smell 25).

18.  I ultimately I did find a wife at MSU.  I still have that same wife.  We have a son, two daughters, three granddaughters, and two grandsons.  My wife’s name is Jane, which is merely coincidental to the fact that Johnny Weissmuller actually swam in the pool my maternal grandparents had on their farm in Frankenmuth.

19.  When our youngest daughter was married, the church organ was under restoration.  All the pipes were in crates.  I figured I knew where we could get some pipes.  We had bagpipes.  I got to choose all the music, instrumentation, and choreograph things.  Harpsichord, piano, cello, and bagpipes; what a combination.

20.  From 1981 through 1985 I raced an old Lola formula Ford - a great way to go broke.  I got so serious one year that I actually took up jogging to increase my endurance on hot summer days.  Anyway, now all I have is an attic full of pewter mugs that I figure cost me about $1250 a piece.  Crazy – probably that’s why it appealed to me.

21.  I’ve never in my life touched a snake.  Back in 5^th grade someone brought one to show and tell.  The teacher wanted everyone to touch it.  Brenda (Collins) and I were the last two holdouts.  Brenda finally relented; I never did.

22.  North School had like cork floors in the classrooms.  In first grade you had to sit on the floor in a little reading circle.  For amusement I liked to reach between my folded legs and use my fingernails to dig little mini-craters in the floor.  Once, the teacher asked me if I had to go to the bathroom.  To be clear, I have never held myself in that particular place for that particular purpose.

23.  I no longer bite horses.  Once I was saddling a horse and he bit me.  My hands were busy tugging on the girth, so I had no recourse other than to bite him back.  During the ensuing acceleration, the irritated animal stomped on my right foot and nearly pulled my front teeth from my head.  As an aside, I once stuck one of my grandmother’s hairpins into an electrical outlet.  I don’t do that anymore either.

24.  Twice, Jane and I have gone to visit Mark and Nancy Fischer on their spread in Montana.  The girls like to go into town and shop at the trading post.  Mark and I just sit in these two matching comfy chairs in front of the TV.  We sip cocktails and practice remembering things (for when we get really old).  Practice makes perfect – unless you’re talking golf.

 25.  Last fall, getting tests done for clearance to have back surgery, I found out I had lung cancer.  So, December through March I had bunches of radiation and chemotherapy.  I guess I tolerated it better than most, but come April I really couldn’t walk far enough for golf.  So, I forked over the money for the unlimited cart usage “Deal.”  Obviously, I needed to keep records of how much I golfed to see if I broke even on the “Deal.”  Now you know how I know how many holes I’ve played this year.

TA-DAAAH!

26.  So, if I just golf, golf, golf in the summer, what do I do in winter?  I hibernate, gain 15 or more pounds, and sometimes work on freshening up a room in the house.

27.  We hardly ever go to a movie.  I’m exceedingly proud of my inability to name or recognize any movie personalities.

28.  I detest flying.

29.  I’d rather fly than take one bite of calves’ liver.

30.  I’m really bad at remembering names.  Now I have this dumb job to merge together everyone’s yearbook photo with their name so the computer will print out finished name tags.  Go figure.

31.  It took just less than 5 months of marriage before all my checkbook privileges were rescinded.  I’m not allowed near it.  I guess that’s punishment for depositing paychecks and not writing the amount in the register.  Now I have this dumb job of being the treasurer for the reunion.  Go figure some more.

32.  If I never get to go to Bermuda, I think I’d like to learn to play the bagpipes instead.

33.  I don’t recall ever reading a fictional book since they made us read them in school.  I am a serious and totally humorless individual.  Well, I don’t mean to say I’m as humorless as like a physicist or, heaven forbid, an accountant.  I probably just mean plain, everyday, run-of-the-mill, normal humorless.

Paul H. Warner

Carolyn,  I am pretty sure we never dated in high school because I was just too busy.  Remember when we had to memorize Hamlet's soliloquy for English class?  I really hammed it up, you did a great job, but it was your boyfriend who had such a hard time speaking in front of the class.  I remember being in love with Elizabeth Bohnhoff who I sat next to in orchestra.  When I met up with her at Interlochen she gave me my first kiss at the date gate.  I fantasized about that for a very long time.  I used to walk with her between classes until one day she told me that she just didn't like me any more.  I was so devastated that that experience turned my personality around and I had to jump out of the shy, dull person I had been.  My life has been anything but dull ever since!  Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Bob Wohlfeil

Aug. 14

I have been stewing over  these 25 for some months now. Don't know that I can make it but will try.

1. My first girlfriend was Marti Edwards in Kindergarden. The romance lasted until she wet her pants in class one day. I just knew I couldn't stay with an 5 year old incontenent girl. That could have turned out to be high maintenance, but it didn't. We are still close today, both living in Grand Rapids

2.My three favorite friends from all time are still friends. Dan Jones, Gary Bauer and Dick Dice

3.My educational career was cut short by the administration of Delta College. They didn't appear to lilke my sense of humor. Next up was the US Army, they didn't like my hijinks of tippping over jeeps etc. Didn't last real long there. But I was honorably discharged

4. My career was much more fun and rewarding. I spent 14 years in the radio business, selling time in Saginaw and moving to Grand Rapids, managing two radio stations. Became weary of rock and roll and left for the hospitality business. Became Director of Sales and Marketing for: Marriott, Onmi Intl. and Days Inn. Moved back to Grand Rapids and entered the Senior Living business. Not for me, but I managed congregate living facilities Over a period of 20 years, I had the pleasure of meeting and taking care of some very special people. This was an experience not to be missed

5.Thru the above years, my personal life was pretty much a shambles, but in 1976, I discoverd sports car facing and spent three seasons having more fun than any white guy should have. My car was a1969 Datsun 240z that I had driven 140plus thousand miles on the road. I was able to enjoy race venues like, Road America, Mid Ohio, Grattan, Road Atlanta, Black Hawk Farms, etc. This was the absolute best time of my life. I met my daughters mother, had a choice of keeping her or, getting rid of my race car. Not being real brilliant, ever, I got rid of the race car. Biggest mistake of my life. With the exception of gaining two wonderful daughters,

6Besides my daughters, I have also been the recipient of 5 delightful, and smart grand children

7.With my various career positions, I have been able to travel most of the country.

8.Until Dec. 5, 2007, I skiied all over the west and mid west.. Why Dec.5, ?? I did a horrendous face plant while skiing at Park City,Utah.Up until then, I was also able to work on the ski patrol at various Mich. resorts

9. I have always enjoyed volunteer life. I served in the Jaycees, Chamber of Commerces, Senior commission, East Lansing, Senior Drivers, Texas City Texas, Downttown business commission, Detroit And several others that proved to be worthwhile and uplifting

10. Contrary to some opinions, I was not beaten as a child, I have turned out this way, all by myself.

      Life goes on and I am sure that the rest of my 25 have not yet been written. I am going to miss you all in Sept. but know that I willl be thinking of you and the evening. Have fun and please have a "see thru" for me.

Bob

Tom Mills

 Looking back brought some memories out of mothballs(are they even around anymore) or repressed thoughts that have been jilted by all this reminiscing.  Here are some events that occurred during the school years.

Remember when drinking was a GIQ.  What about the grassers?  How about being told in Choir it would be best for you and everyone else if you were to lip sync.  The races after JV Basketball practice that used all the hot water.  Remembering that Mr. Case(Biology quizes matching always spelled a word).  The fishing with friends and yes the biggest event of the year Barnyard Basketball.   Yes and I believe watching some young lady run over one of those driver ed barrels.  It could only happen in high school.  Here are some things that happened to me after graduation.

Went to Michigan State.. finally graduated from MSU (5 year plan)

Got married.  Took a teaching job in Grayling MI and stayed there for 31 years

During that time frame I taught Middle School math, Special Ed. EMI, EI, LD (i know labels have changed) Gifted and Talented, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and the last several years before retriement Director of Technology and AP Psychology.  you get to do all that stuff when you are in college as long as I was

Had three wonderful children ...Brandon, Kris and Miggon..Got divorced

Worked with two former AHHS graduates Mary and Jan (hi)

Got married again had two wonderful children  Erin and Samantha.  Got divorced (seems to be a pattern)

During that time frame I coached at different times and at the same time both Boys and Girls Varisity Basketball, Boys and Girls Varsity Tennis.

Retired and moved to Saginaw to be an educational consultant for the Internet Safety Program CybearSurfer

Found my next wife on-line...what a wonderful woman and life I had for 10 glorious years before she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.. we lived on Gun Lake near Grand Rapids and we were truly happy. 

I now live in Florida...God's waiting room.  Found another wonderful woman( i do not know what i did to deserve this) and am enjoying life taking care of my pops.

Looking back at the time we grew up in...I feel so very fortunate.  It is great hearing from those of you that shared times and memories together.

Mud

Marlene Melcher

I was just looking through my Legenda... and realized that all the teachers I thought were soooo old when I was there were younger than I am now... they just seemed old!!   L O L  I think it would be fun to now list some memories we had of our teachers...  

I remember thinking how scandalous it was for Miss Yates to paint her finger and toe nails bright red (lips too!)  ... and wear peep toe shoes!!  Oooo la la!!   

Remember  how precise Miss Bacon made us be with our drawings... the "dots" could have no tails... press the pencil point down, twist, and lift!!  We lost points on our grade if there were 'tails'... I wish I still had the drawings of my frog skeleton.

I think a lot of the fellas thought Miss Busaid was "hot"!!!     I know we did not think she was old!! L O L

from Miss Busaid's obituary from 2013.... "she returned to Saginaw in 1962 to teach at both Arthur Hill (her alma mater '57) and Douglas McArthur... I did not know she went to AHHS!!  That would have made her about 23 or 24 in 1963 when I had her for homeroom !

In typing class, I guess Mr. Kleekamp figured I didn't need to practice typing with the others, so he had me rough draft the book he was writing.  I just got bits and pieces... I asked him if I could read the whole thing and he said "NO"... guess it had some pretty risque parts...   I'd love to read it now... and see just HOW risque it would be in this day and age!!

Wellll... I started this off... I hope others will add fond memories..... I know some of  you have some humorous things to add. . ..

Carolyn Coats (Medendorp)

My two favorite teachers were Mr. Case for biology and my senior English teacher, Mrs. Cappell.  Mr. Case gave me an A- for a marking period along with the comment "capable of doing better."  My mother was outraged feeling that an A- was pretty darned good.  I was flattered beyond belief that he believed in me and my intellectual abilities.  Nobody had ever believed in me before but Mr. Case did!  Mrs. Cappell was so incredibly gentle and kind.  I don't remember much of the class itself but I remember feeling safe and happy in her class.

Robert (Bob) Hogg

Tied for my favorite teacher in high school are, in alphabetical order: Miss Bacon, Mrs. Engle and Mr. Hooper. All science teachers.

Edit: Oh, I forgot about Mr. McPhee and Mrs Herm, also favorites of mine. Both Math teachers. Funny no English teachers stick too much in my mind except perhaps for Mrs. Hunter. Something must have stuck, though, I can write and spell pretty well.

Gary Alan Klopf

Garry A. Klopf

1. After graduaution from AHHS, attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI in Michigan's upper peninsula.

2. While in college, met my wonderful wife of almost 49 years (Deborah Morford), she was AHHS class of 1967.

3.We have 9 children; 5 girls and 4 boys

4. 26 grandchildren, 27th here any day

5. Worked in our family business for over 40 years (Klopf Floor Covering)

6. Our oldest and youngest sons now operate our business

7. I love fishing and hunting

8. Love going to grandchildren's birthday parties. Several every month.

9. Most of our children live in Michigan. 2 daughters live in Pennsylvania, our oldest and youngest daughters, and one son in California

10. I like going to car cruises.

11. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for 45 years.

12. I like trucks, have had many, mostly 4x4s.

13. I enjoy sports. Watching my children and grandchildren play football, basketball, track, wrestling, rugby, soccer, baseball, and volleyball.

14. I participated in a World Wrestling Tournament at the Pontiac Silver Dome a few years ago with my son, son-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter. I won a gold medal and my granddaughter Kirsten won a gold medal.

15. I enjoy traveling to Pennsylvania almost every summer to visit my daughter Virginia and her family and my youngest daughter Amanda.

16. Our daughter Virginia's son, Aaron, is a heavyweight (285) wrestling state champion in Pennsylvania. He has recieved a full scholarship to attend the University of Iowa.

17. I have 4 great-grandchildren. They live in Utah and New Mexico.

18. We have cottage north of Au Gres where we spend time with family in the summer.

19. I have seen many of the 50 states just by visiting my children as they move around with different employers.

20. I live in Freeland where I own 10 acres along the Tittabawassee River and enjoy the outdoors.

21. My father passed away in 2011.

22. My mother passed away in 2014.

23. I do miss both of them , but someday we will be reunited in Heaven is my prayer.

24. I love working on my geneology/family history.

25. I love my family, my wife, and my redeemer Jesus Christ.

Don Ruppel

I liked Mr. Hooper also, he was relaxed and funny.  Back in 1979 when I moved into my house in Shields, I discovered one day that he was my neighbor !  It was a reunion neighborhood, a guy that I had worked with lived next door to me and on the other side of him was Mr. Hooper.  Across the road from my former coworker was my 8th grade Gym teacher !

Paul H. Warner

I got along well with Mr. Clark.  I was intrigued by Mr. Grueber whose enthusiasm for the Schutz? Hotel may have been inappropriate for his student audience; maybe I just assumed he went there for beer and peanuts.  Something about the peanut shell strewn floor there had a great attraction for him.  I forget why I had known Mr. Grueber; he may have helped coach the production of Bye Bye Birdie?  I just liked his speaking ability.

My favorite teacher was Mrs. Hamlin whose sunny disposition was an inspiration.  I think she retired the same year we graduated.

Then there was Mr. Fetting.  There's a picture of me buying something from him at the concession stand in the 1965 Legenda.  Many years later I was visiting Saginaw and went out with my mother to Bob Evans where we ran into Mr. Fetting.  I surprised myself remembering his name; perhaps the memory is indelible when you remember where you were when JFK was assassinated.

Then there's the Legenda itself, the cover of which has "Centennial" emblazoned across "1965".  When I looked up the history of AHHS it says our school was established in 1903.  Where is the official historical record?  

Carolyn Coats (Medendorp)

Paul, I think it was Mrs. Hamlin I had for senior English, not Mrs. Cappell.  So it was Mrs. Hamlin I loved.  (I've had two strokes so my memory isn't as good as it once was.)  I also got a kick out of Mr. Hooper.

Alan A. Schulz

Ms. Bacon and Ms. Engle

Barb J. Bean (Geary)

My favorite teachers were Mr. McPhee because he was so patient with me in Algebra III,  (however he did suggest that I make that my last math class) along with Mr. Petzko and Mrs. Cappell. Mrs. Cappell played a major partin my decision to major in English in college. She lives in Alma near her daughter in an assisted living facility.

Gloria Schauman (Nentwig)

My favorite teachers: Mr. Petzko, American History. (He reminded me of my favorite Uncle)

Mrs.Louise Herm. She gave  me a passing grade in Geometry even thou I never did get it. I tried, really tried, but just couldn't get it.

And Mr Chisholm. Loved Office Training. His family lived nearyby for a while, so I got to see him occassionly.

Kirk O'Keefe

Mr. Petzko called Kay Meyer and me the Autohaus twins.  I had a VW bug! He was my favorite.

Lynn B. Wright (Kurzhals)

My favorite teacher was Mrs. Hamlin.  Between her and Miss Roetke at South, I loved to diagram sentences.  I remember we did the pllay OUR TOWN in class.  I can't remember who it was, but, one of my classmaterd had to read the word "hoar," and everybody giggled.

I was in Mrs. Hamlin's English class when the shooting of President Kennedy was announced over the PA.

Tom Heidtke

I was tagged by my cousin Marlene Melcher a few weeks ago, shortly before I headed off to Canada on a couple of fishing trips. I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this done. I also apologize for its length.

1. My greatest fear in both junior high and high school was public speaking. If I knew I had to give a book report or a speech in front of my classmates, I had trouble sleeping for days in advance. When I stood to give my report, my hands would tremble and I had trouble breathing for the first few minutes. Thankfully the anxiety would eventually fade as I was speaking.

 2. When I headed off to Ann Arbor in the fall of 1965 to begin my freshman year at Michigan, I wasn’t prepared for the sudden freedom and independence that awaited me. I lacked the self-discipline and maturity to be a responsible student. I was still a kid. I wasn’t organized. I wasn’t motivated academically, at least not like so many other students around me. I didn’t understand the importance of preparation and commitment for achieving academic success. It almost cost me.

3. After spending two years behaving like a young, untrained Labrador Retriever chasing Frisbees by a busy expressway, I got married in August 1968 and finally began to take school seriously. Although we were divorced 10 years later, I owe my first wife so much. She brought stability into my life at a time when I could have failed academically. Her love and support turned things around for me.

4.  Ann Arbor has been my home for the last 50 years. I finished my B.S.E. in Industrial Engineering at The University of Michigan in 1970, my M.S.E. in Civil Engineering (Water Resources Engineering) in 1972, and my PhD in Civil Engineering (Water Resources Engineering) in 1976. It seemed like I was in school forever.

5. Why would someone who had such an intense dread of public speaking choose to pursue a career in academia? It had a lot to do with two of my professors at Michigan. I was far from the smartest student in my classes. I frequently struggled to learn material that others seemed to grasp with little difficulty. However, two or three of my profs always made the lights go on. They knew how to clarify complex topics … as if I had given them a set of questions in advance of their lectures. They inspired me. If they could help someone like me achieve an understanding of the material, then perhaps I could find a career doing the same for others. At that moment I knew I wanted to be a teacher. My anxiety and fear of speaking in front of a group of people became less of an obstacle after that.

6. After finishing my PhD, I began working at the Great Lakes Basin Commission in Ann Arbor while teaching in the Civil Engineering Department at The University of Michigan as an adjunct assistant professor. Five years later … in August of 1981 … I accepted a position as an associate professor of civil engineering at Wayne State University. I retired 29 years later at the age of 63. Back surgery, combined with the grueling daily commute between Ann Arbor and Detroit, was just too much.

7. I won’t get into specifics of my career at Wayne State except for one which relates to something I mentioned earlier. I received 13 Teaching Excellence Awards while I was there, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. That award is given annually to 4 of the more than 1500 faculty members within the University. If you’re interested, you can access an article about my retirement by clicking on the following link:

      http://engineering.wayne.edu/news.php?id=9028&date=2011-06

8.  I’ve been married to my second wife for 28 years. Her name is Jo and she’s an incredible woman. She underwent a kidney transplant in 1990. Twenty-five years later she’s living an almost normal life. She must take immuno-suppressant medications daily to prevent rejection of the kidney, but that’s about it. Her younger sister donated the kidney that is keeping my wife alive today. Those two sisters were almost a perfect genetic match, which is probably why things have gone so well for so long. Jo still works 3 days a week as a certified hand therapist at Chelsea Hospital. She loves her job and doesn’t want to retire until she reaches age 66, which is 4 ½ years away.

9. Back in 1987, after Jo’s progressive kidney failure was diagnosed and we knew she would eventually require either dialysis or a transplant to survive, her doctors made it clear she could never have children. We could still consider adoption at a later time, but she would never be able to withstand a normal pregnancy. We had no children at that point but were planning to have at least one within the next few years. Jo’s illness apparently changed all that.      

10. I accepted what the doctors told us. Jo did not. She wanted a second opinion. So we found another doctor, someone who came highly recommended by several close friends. He was much older than any of Jo’s previous doctors. Before we met with him, he carefully reviewed the details of her medical history. After a 30-minute discussion among the three of us, he looked directly at Jo and said “You will be a great mom. If you can get pregnant within the next 4 months, I promise it will all turn out okay”. KABOOM! Everything turned upside-down in those 30 minutes. Suddenly it seemed there was still a chance. Jo was deliriously happy. I was happy but not deliriously happy. To be truthful, I wasn’t sure I was hearing good news or bad. Was this new doctor just a natural-born optimist who was overlooking the risk of a pregnancy to my wife’s health? Was he exhibiting signs of early-stage alzheimer’s disease? Or was he an exceptional doctor who was giving us one final opportunity to have our own child? It didn’t matter. When he spoke those few words to us, I looked at my wife’s face and immediately knew the game plan. It was non-negotiable. In spite of her weakened state, Jo was ready for the challenge. For the first time in a long time we both felt some honest optimism about the future. It was March 1988 when we walked out of that doctor’s appointment.

11. Alex Heidtke was born two-months premature in January 1989. His lungs weren’t quite ready and he struggled for the first week, but then he was fine.

12. Jo had her kidney transplant in November 1990. I swear she looked like a different person one day after the transplant surgery … happy, full of energy, normal color in her face replacing the look of a ghost, a new mom, ready to enjoy the rest of her life. Fast forward almost 25 years and she is doing exactly that.

 13. I’ve been driving either a Chevrolet Caprice wagon or a Buick Roadmaster wagon for the last 3 decades. My son and all his friends always loved my Roadmaster wagons. At one point I had three of them parked in my driveway. The neighbors always starred when they drove past our house. They probably thought I was a little … off. After all, who would have 3 old woody wagons parked in his driveway? This guy, that’s who. Today I’m still driving a 1996 Roadmaster wagon.

14. During almost 30 years of commuting between Ann Arbor and Detroit, I never had a single accident. I never touched another car with mine. All those cold winter nights leaving campus after an evening class and then driving home on I-94 or I-96, the icy, slippery expressways, the massive trucks driving past at excessive speeds and spraying gallons of slush on my windshield, the long delays waiting for an accident to be cleared … I never hit another vehicle. Nobody ever hit me. It was blind luck. I’m glad it’s over.

15. I was stopped just once while driving to work. A State Police officer pulled me over on I-94 near Dearborn. He politely pointed out that I was driving too slow for the rest of the traffic. If I couldn’t maintain a speed of at least 60-65 mph, he proposed I take some side roads the rest of the way. I explained I was breaking in my brand new Roadmaster and the owner’s manual specified I should keep my speed under 50 mph for the first 100 miles. I was already exceeding that limit by driving 60 mph. He chuckled and told me to pick up the pace or get off the expressway. I decided to pick up the pace.

16. I had only one sibling … my sister Patty. She was 9 years younger than me. Patty died unexpectedly in 2012. I still can’t believe she’s gone.

17. My Dad passed away in 2005. My Mom passed in 2011. My sister died a year later. My dog, who made it to 17, died in 2009. I know my story isn’t unique, but it seemed like so many important faces and voices left my life in a relatively short period of time.

18. Excluding my wife and son, I have one living relative remaining from my side of the family. Marlene Melcher, fellow AHHS ’65 classmate and member of the 50^th class reunion planning committee, is my cousin. She is a terrific person and I’m lucky to have her as my cousin. Hi Marlene!!! Thank you for always remembering my birthday … July 4^th. KABOOM!

19. I met two of my closest friends during my sophomore year at Michigan. We all loved to fish. We lost touch for a few years but finally crossed paths at a Michigan football game in 1971. Before we went our separate ways that day, we decided to take a week-long fishing trip to Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota the following summer. We had so much fun we did it again the following year. Earlier this month I returned from my 42^nd fishing trip with those same two guys. We’ve only missed going on that annual trip twice in 44 years.

20. My Dad never went to college but he was a raging lunatic when it came to sports, especially UM and MSU sports. He liked the teams of both schools. My heart was always in Ann Arbor from the moment I first saw the winged helmets, which pretty much tells you what a shallow person I am. My aunt Helen, who was the only member of our family to attend college before me, took me to my first college football game in Ann Arbor when I was 10 years old. When I walked into The Big House that day to watch Michigan play Navy, I was hopelessly hooked. I knew I wanted to come to Ann Arbor, live my life there, and go to as many Michigan football games as possible. I kept that to myself.

21. I’m much like my Dad when it comes to sports. Although I’m a Michigan fan first and foremost, I never developed a dislike for Michigan State. I don’t resent their success. When I arrived in Ann Arbor in the fall of 1965, Michigan football was on a downward trend. Michigan State was a powerhouse program along with Notre Dame and Ohio State. I actually drove to East Lansing in the fall of 1966 to watch the famous 10-10 tie between Notre Dame and Michigan State. There were so many great players on the field that day along with two legendary college coaches, Duffy Daugherty and Ara Parsegian.

22. I won’t say anything more about sports with one exception. There was only one team, college or professional, we despised at my house when I was growing up. We hated Ohio State. I still feel that way, but now it’s much worse. Which is why my most memorable moment following Michigan football came in November 1969. I was in the stadium that day. Ohio State was #1 in the country and the defending national champs. Many experts considered them to be the best college team of all-time. I expected to see a brutal, one-sided game and that’s exactly what happened. I just had the winner and loser mixed up. Bo Schembechler brought Michigan back to college football’s elite on that afternoon. It began a long run of winning seasons, bowl games, and great expectations every fall.

23. I smoked 2 or 3 good cigars every day for nearly 30 years. I gave up tobacco altogether 3 years ago. I still miss those cigars.

24. I used to unwind from the stress of my job by running 5 days a week. The combination of arthritis and spinal stenosis brought my running days to a halt in my late 50s. I finally underwent back surgery in 2007. Now I exercise for about an hour a day at a local wellness center. I spend 40 minutes on an elliptical, 15 minutes walking, and 10-15 minutes shooting baskets if the court is open. Exercise helps control my back pain better than any medication I’ve ever taken. Without it, I would be miserable.

25. When I was a young boy, I always wanted to be done with school. When I was finally done with school, I wanted to be done with work. I always looked forward to the day I would retire at age 55, when I would surely have enough time and money to go fishing on every cool, cloudy day. That didn’t happen. When my Dad would hear me saying these things, he would look at me with a smile on his face and say “Tom, don’t wish your life away.” I dismissed those words back then, but he was right. I think I wished too much of my life away.

Marlene Melcher

Hi Tom... so glad I did tag you... what a wonderful list of 25... many things I did not know!!  Hope you'll be at the reunion...  will write more later... bedtime  L O L  9:34pm!!!

Susan Trier (Hanson)

Since I’ve now been tagged twice, and time is running out before the reunion, I guess it’s time to buckle down and do it. 

1. I grew up about 4 blocks away from Provenzano’s, Tony’s and Parker Dairy.  We walked to all those places frequently for french fries, banana splits, donuts and ice cream.

2. My children and granddaughter find it incomprehensible that I was in the drama club in high school and got up on stage before an audience.  The thought of public speaking now turns me to mush.

3. I have two favorite teachers from high school:  Miss Hamlin because I liked her and English was  my favorite class; and Mrs. Engel, who tried valiantly to help me succeed in chemistry, though it wasn’t my strength, and who actually helped me find my first job after high school.

4. Since my father didn’t believe that girls needed to go to college and I had two younger brothers, I stayed local after high school and went to Delta College on a scholarship to earn an Associates Degree in Business.  While in school, I was in the co-op program; went to class in the mornings and worked afternoons for a law firm in Saginaw.  After graduation, I went to work for them full-time and stayed until our daughter was born.

5. I married Jim Hanson (also ’65) in 1968.  Our 47^th anniversary is coming up.  We’ve spent most of those years in Midland.

6. We have a daughter, born in 1971, and a son, born in 1980.  Our daughter lives in Canton, MI, with her husband and their daughter, our only grandchild, who is now 17 and wants to go into neuroscience, preferably at Northwestern.   Our son lives in Frederick, Maryland, and is married-no children.  They are DINKs.  Our daughter is an Associate HR Director at KPMG.  Our son is the PACS System Administration (in-house IT guy) for a medical imaging facility in Virginia.  (As opposed to being IT, I’m a TI a/k/a Technological Idiot).

7. Our granddaughter is an only child and the only grandchild on both sides.  She is spoiled rotten by all.  We believe she is just the most beautiful and the smartest, most terrific kid on the planet.  Her main outside interest is figure skating, which she started at about 9 years old.  We believe that figure skating judges are blind to her gracefulness and ability when they place her 4^th and we know she should be at least 2nd.  That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

8. When our daughter was 1, Jim started law school at the University of Detroit, where I worked for a downtown law firm.  It was a different downtown back then.  We bought a house on the far east side of Detroit in what was then a great little neighborhood.  I was too young and stupid to realize that the house was a Craftsman bungalow; it had leaded glass doors and stained glass windows and built-in bookcases and window seats. I don’t even have a picture of the exterior. Our daughter would ride up and down the sidewalk on her Big Wheel and hope the Belgian couple who lived two doors down would offer her home-baked cookies.  They were her surrogate grandparents.

9. We moved to Midland after Jim graduated from law school, where he worked for Dow Chemical in the Legal Department for 23 years. 

10. While I was always interested in taking pictures growing up, I took up photography while our daughter was in high school and really enjoyed it.  Took several classes and even did a couple of weddings and senior pictures for family and friends.  Several shots ended up in my daughter’s senior year yearbook, so I can claim that I’ve been published.  Since I now have to walk with a cane, I'm far less mobile and can't I bounce up and down for a good angle.  But I still appreciate a good picture and still take plenty of them sitting down or leaning on something.  Took hundreds and hundreds while my granddaughter was young.  I’m already thinking about how to best present her with an album when she graduates next year.

11. I was very slow to make the change from a 35-mm film camera to digital but now wonder what took me so long.  The ability to just keep hitting the shutter and not wonder how much the processing will cost is just astounding. 

12. Walking with a cane became necessary for me a few years ago.  A benign tumor was removed from my spine in 1982 and again in 1986, and the doctors recommended radiation therapy.  All was fine for 20 years until I began to limp for no apparent reason.  Turns out the radiation causes long-term neurological damage and, thus, muscle weakness in the legs and loss of feeling in the feet.  My sense of balance is shot—no dancing for me.

13. I had cataract surgery in both eyes a few years ago and STILL need glasses, plus reading glasses for computer work.  That really frosts me--I’d hoped for better results.  Been wearing glasses since 5^th grade, except for a few years with contacts, which don’t work well in bifocal.

14. We lived in Washington, D.C. for a while, where Jim worked in Dow’s D.C. office.  Absolutely loved it!  Went to Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural, watched the parade from a hotel suite with a lovely lunch buffet and drinks; and then attended an inaugural ball at the American History Museum.  I  remember the warning from the hotel not to open any windows while Reagan passed by during the parade.  Secret Service snipers on the roof of the building across the street (who were quite visible standing there with weapons at the ready) would shoot first and ask questions later.  Ironically, it was only a couple of months later when Reagan actually was shot.

15. If you haven’t seen fireworks exploding at the tip of the Washington Monument while standing on the National Mall, you should.  It’s awesome.

16. While neither of us attended MSU, our daughter and our money did.  We are, therefore, Spartans at heart.  We had football season tickets for the 4 years she was there.  There’s no better place to be on a beautiful autumn Saturday afternoon than at a college football game; in November, not so much.  Go Green!

17. Until about 3 years ago, we’ve always had a cat or cats and/or a dog.  When the last one died about 3 years ago, known as Crabby Abby the Tabby, we decided that was it.  A nicely-framed picture of her hangs in the kitchen.

18. We’ve lived in the same house for the last 34 years.  Remember the George Carlin routine about the accumulation of “stuff”?  We’re guilty—we have too much stuff.

19. We watch a lot of sports on TV.  I’m partial to college football and basketball.  Being married to a car guy who will watch anything on four wheels that races, I’ve developed an appreciation for Indy Car racing and NASCAR  We went to several Indy 500s and Indy car races at Michigan International Speedway.  The last time we went, 3 people in the stands were killed by a flying tire.  It was sobering to think attending a race could be life-threatening.

20. I look forward all winter to planting flowers in the spring and then spend all summer whining about having to haul watering cans all over the place.

21. I love to read and pick up books everywhere.  The library has a used-book sale a couple times each year, as does the AAUW.  Yard sales and thrift stores are always good sources.  When I have a pile of completed books, I donate them back to charity.

22. Thanks to our children, we went on a Caribbean cruise and had an anniversary trip to the Rivera Maya in Cancun.

23. I’ve become interested in the family genealogy the last couple of years.  My parents are both gone and I wanted to do a family tree for the kids.  After finding out enough things to get excited about finding more, I’ve reached a point where I don’t know how to find anything more.  Ancestry.com is  NOT as easy as they claim.

24. Other than a few years after my son was born, I’ve always worked for a law firm.  Spent 27 years as a paralegal with Currie & Kendall here in Midland and the last two with Chalgian & Tripp.  I’m currently still working 3 days a week.  I also have a part-time job as the Administrative Assistant for the Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council.  I’ve been forced to become more familiar with technology than I would have thought possible.

25. We haven’t traveled much.  Our trip-of-a-lifetime came in 2000, when we went to Tokyo and Kyoto.  I remember sitting in the airport in Detroit waiting for our plane to board, watching the Bush/Gore election coverage from the night before and thinking, “I wish they’d announce the winner before we leave.”  Watching international CNN coverage of it in Tokyo was a horse of a different color.  The U.S. sounded pretty disorganized and looked pretty silly to the rest of the world.  Jim’s brother was living in Tokyo and working for GM and we stayed with them.  Having someone who knows their way around is the way to go.  We packed in a lot of activity in the time we were there.  I went through about 15 rolls of film.

Since my old friend, Carolyn Coats Medendorp, has released her facts, and my old friend, Vija Danilaus Markovs, has dished up hers, I guess I’d like to tag and hear from my old friend, Emily Caughey Celino. 

We’ve missed the last two reunions and are looking forward to attending this one.  It will be fun to see everyone again and catch up.

Rick Yokuty

Small world Sue. I have 2 daughters that live in Canton. They are both out in Cherry Hill Village.

See you at the Reunion,

Rick Yokuty