2005
Dec 29: December 2005 Ann Arbor gathering: update
Dec 19: George Henry: California Living
Dec 19: Larry Hobbie: Catching up
Dec 19: Marianne Mayer Behler: Greetings and news about my own website
Dec 17: Nancy McArtor: Michigan Real Estate Update
Dec 16: Susan Magid Penton: Happy Holidays Everyone!
Nov 8: Georgiann North: News of Mr. North
Nov 7: Patricia Arnold Carney: It's a very small world
October 18: Sara Stubbins: A trip to Japan
Oct 17: Duane Brown: Road Trip
Oct 15: Robert Berning: The rest of the story
Oct 12: Jim Osterberg: A note from his biographer
Oct 10: Nancy McArtor: Looking for a Michigan lake property to buy
Oct 2: Jane Kenyon: Two new books published
Oct 1: Jim Dunlap: Farewell to two classmates
Oct 1: Loyal Nation: Farewell to two classmates
Oct 1: Jim Datsko: What was the name of that book?
Reunion Committee: Notes from our final meeting (for this time)

October 16: Duane Brown: Another death in the family
Many of you met my partner Larry in 2005 and 2006. We wanted to make it back for 2007 and 2008, but Larry was having mobility problems so we didn't make it back.

Larry died on September 16.

I will miss him forever. I hope those of you who met him enjoyed knowing him.

He was a delightful and loving man.

Duane

October 4: Dale Withers: Great Michigan property for sale
In case any of you are looking for a beautiful home in the Irish Hills of Michigan, my sister is selling hers due to divorce. Here's some information if you or someone you know would like to schedule a tour: http://www.reomich.com/jackson/

Please scroll down to the first listed property, at 12110 Silver Lake Highway, Brooklyn, Michigan, then click View Details to learn more about this lovely home.

Realtor: Chuck Tobias
Real Estate One Of Jackson, Inc.225 Fifth
Michigan Center, MI 49254
Main (517) 764-9500
Fax (517) 764-9907
chucktobias@realestateone.net

September 25: George Malacos: Ann Arbor High School 1965 Michigan State Golf Champion Reunion
Bob Hallock, Pete Fink, Toby Burt and I met in Traverse City, Michigan for another team reunion in September of this year. We all stayed at the Hallock family cottage on Old Mission Peninsula (West Bay). This is the third time we've gotten together since our 40th Class Reunion in 2005. Here are some pictures which were taken during our trip. Sorry that I don't have a good group picture. We have a little tournament between us in honor of our coach Tom Wilson, who past away a couple years ago. This year we played at Belvedere Golf Club. Fortunately, I won this year's competition. The scores were pretty good for some 60+ year old golfers - 75,76,77,77, respectively. Hope to see you in July of 2009.

George

September 22: Sara Stubbins: Family update
Writing from Kansas, where I settled in Garden City for a new job after driving 9,500 miles in my Santa Fe Hyundai from May 29 to July 27! Here's a photo of my girls, Diane on left (28) and married, Debra on right (30) as well as a photo of the 3 of us in Madison, WI. I have also included a photo of my sister Martha and me in Oklahoma City this summer; I know when she attended her reunion many people knew me as well as her, so maybe folks in our class would like to see her, too!

Sara

July 1: Duane Brown: Another West Coast Gathering
In early June, Camille Procassini made another of her occasional trips to the SF Bay Area and we had another gathering of classmates. The gathering was in the form of a dinner party at my apartment again -- I love doing these things, so please let us know when you visit the San Francisco area so I have another excuse. Those attending were Robert Berning, John and Sandy Sharum (Kuhn), Nancy McArtor, Dale Withers Peck and unable to attend (who usually do) were George and Barb Henry and Patricia Arnold Carney.

As usual there were lots of reminiscences and memories shared. We talked especially about Jim Hosler whom we recently lost, and of course Jimmie Wade. We shared lots of memories and looked through Omega again - that is a ritual.

Some of those in attendance spent additional time with Camille to take advantage of her special skills and were very pleased to spend the extra time with her.

On my part, it was another fun evening and I really hope that more of the class will take us up on our offer to visit our beautiful Bay Area, contact us, and give us a chance to catch up and reminisce!

We've had a lot of these get-togethers since we started planning our 40th about 5 years ago, and really want to continue this tradition as well as the summer gatherings in Ann Arbor!

My best to all of my classmates,

Duane Brown

June 30: Martha Pott: My brother, Joel
Many of you knew my brother, Joel Pott, who was in the class above us, '64. Joel died of a sudden and completely unexpected heart attack on December 12, 2007, which was his 62nd birthday. Since we were just a year apart, we were very close growing up and also as adults, and our entire family is still reeling from the loss. He was married to a wonderful woman, Sandra (Groendyke) Pott and they have two grown children and two grandchildren. He loved his family and was so happy to be a grandfather as he adored young children and they adored him. Joel had a very successful career and was on the board of several charitable organizations, including one that funds housing for low-income populations in inner city Detroit. So many friends and neighbors appreciated Joel and we were very touched that Kay Stipe and Tom Huntzicker attended his memorial service (Joel and Tom were close friends growing up, as well as my dear friend, Katie (Doerr) Parker, '66. Joel was remarkably healthy his whole life (a model to all of us) and had been having diffuse chest pains for a week that had been diagnosed as "indigestion," so perhaps we can learn something from this. He was an organ donor and dozens of individuals benefited from them. Many remember Joel's infectious laugh; he laughed often. We were fortunate to have him in our lives for as long as we did, but it is still hard to accept that his time was cut so short.

Martha Pott

June 28: Mary Harper Dake: Katrina
Note from Nancy: After receiving my email to the class on June 28, Mary Harper Dake send a wonderful and warm note to me. However, it included a bitter and vividly written account about their feelings as Katrina survivors. I asked Mary if I could share it with you and she agreed. If you would like write a note to Mary, send me an email and I will forward it. Here is what she wrote:

We are still struggling with Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

We've been in a trailer now for almost 3 years. We hope to have our house done by the first of the year, maybe. My husband and I just hope we live long enough to move into the damn thing. We are working 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

We have no problem with our trailer as FEMA didn't give us one and didn't offer one to us until 10-06. We have spent all our retirement, IRAs, etc. on things like trailers so we could live somewhere. That is one of a very long list of why I am so angry and bitter. I went to a state senate meeting in March, and when the audience was finally allowed to give their grievances, I was cool, calm and collected but spoke sternly and showed all the inadequacies of the protocols that had be written by the state for federal grants. At the end (I was one of the last speakers) I addressed those in charge of the federal money that was (is) supposed to go to homeownersl I said very pointedly that they should be ashamed of themselves, as people are still committing suicide, have no future, etc, and that it was their fault because they were in charge. Then I said, "I'm so angry, I could kill you." Well, in my day you could get away with that, and I got away with it because there were no police officials there. I got applause from the crowd but I figured what difference did it make as to what I said as I felt (feel) I have been raped by the system and I will continue to be aggressive.

The storm has taken a major toll on everyone here. We all have stories but they are just different paragraphs to a long book of horrors done to this area by governments. It is sad. Not just for me but for all who are trying to climb back on the planet but someone always is stepping on our fingers to make us fall back so we can't quite achieve our goals. Yes, I am very bitter and wish the SDS would show up. As a political science major, I will never vote again.

Mary

June 15: Janie Allen Angwin: My New Venture
Hi to all my Ann Arbor friends! I'm really excited to tell all of you about my new business venture. My daughter and I have just opened the first recreational gourmet cooking school here in the Palm Springs area. With the amazing success of the Food Network and people's love of good food, fine wine and entertaining, we felt that the time was perfect to introduce this exciting new concept here, and we are thrilled with the overwhelming response we have had from everyone. We've only been open for three months, and we are already selling out our classes and have been approached to do a local TV show.

Some of you may know that my daughter, Andie, is an extremely talented chef - and she has assembled an impressive group of chefs and wine experts from some of the desert's great restaurants, Country Clubs and resort hotels to come and demonstrate their techniques and teach their signature dishes. We partnered with Wolf and SubZero, American Woodmark and Dupont to design a gorgeous demo kitchen - and we are extremely proud of how it turned out! I'm attaching the commercial that we have running on our local channels right now so that you can see how it looks! Click here for the commercial.

I would like to invite all of my wonderful Ann Arbor friends to come and visit our gorgeous California resort area - and be our guest at Cooking with Class! Be sure to check us out on our website at www.CookingWithClassLaQuinta.com. We promise you'll have the most fun you've ever had in the kitchen!

All the best,
Janie (Allen) Angwin

June 11: Dale Withers: GoogleEarth Maps for Ann Arbor
My son sent me this link to Google maps for Ann Arbor. They now have street views with pictures of houses and landmarks. We both thought it would be cool if Ann Arbor residents who are no longer in the area could see what their favorite haunts now look like. Here's the link: Ann Arbor map.

*Note: if you do not see the houses, click the "Satellite" tab.

May 29: Nancy McArtor: News about Jim Hosler
Jim's wife, Barb, contacted Duane Brown and me today to let us know that Jim passed away on March 23 after being ill for almost two years with ALS. Jim was an athlete all his life, golfing constantly and skiing internationally, so it seems especially cruel that he had to face this particular disease. But Barb said that Jim was one of those all-too-rare people who appreciated all he had while he had it and often talked about how lucky he was to have a wonderful, fulfilling, blessed life. I told Barb how much I had enjoyed exchanging emails with Jim before the big 2005 reunion; he was so enthusiastic about it and that kind of encouragement was music to the ears of the Reunion Committee as we scrambled to get ready for the 40-year Reunion weekend. She wrote back to say "Jim was always a nostalgic guy. He loved to hear, talk about and relive old HS and college stories. He would never miss a class reunion. He was a rare person that absolutely LOVED his school days and could never understand when others would say they hated those years or they would not want to go back. I think he would have in a heartbeat." If Jim can't join us in person for the reunions we will hold in the coming years, I feel sure this is one classmate we can count on to be joining us in spirit. Click here to read Jim's obituary, click here for photos.

April 14: Paul Trynka, Jim Osterberg's biographer: Book signings
I will be doing book signings, for the paperback of Open Up and Bleed, in East Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit, on 26, 28 and 30 April. Jim's biography has been selected as a Michigan Notable Book, 2008. If any of class of '65 do attend, please do come up and say hello!

More details here: http://www.trynka.net/Site/Open_Up_Blog/F304C5F0-9144-4ACB-81E1-1A664ADBF3EA.html

Very best
Paul

April 11: Nancy McArtor: The Great Forgetting
I was reading The New York Times on a flight from Honolulu to San Francisco today and read a David Brooks column on the Op Ed page that made me laugh out loud. Many of you will be able to appreciate this one.

December 30: Duane Brown: Happy holidays to all
It's been a quieter year for me and Larry, we weren't able to make our annual drive to Ann Arbor for the Art Fair gathering this year. Larry is having mobility problems due to neuropathy in his legs and I wasn't up for the drive this year, and we truly missed seeing all of you who were there.

We were fortunate enough to spend time with some classmates this year. As I reported earlier, Camille visited earlier this year and we had a small gathering then. Larry and I spent several lunches/dinners/visits with Nancy and two fun lunches with Nancy and her friend Ken. The first time Nancy and Ken catered lunch for us at our place - it was a wonderful afternoon with a Mediterranean slanted lunch and good wine. It was the first time that we met Ken and we really enjoyed meeting him and like him a lot. The next time was a Thanksgiving leftovers lunch an the weekend after Thanksgiving. We always enjoy our times with Nancy and now Ken, too.

We hope that any of you who visit the San Francisco Bay Area will be in touch so we can see you and have another gathering.

My best to you all for a Happy and Healthy 2008. Duane

December 25: Duane Brown: News of Jimmie Wade
On a sad note -- many of you have heard of Jimmie Wade's passing. He was a good friend to a lot of our class and most certainly a character and supporter of the class. He was instrumental in putting together our early reunions and I know we're all grateful for that. Besides that, he was one of those happy forces of nature. I remember seeing him at our 20th and thinking it's the same Jimmie -- he couldn't have been more funny and full of life. I suspect that many of us remember him mostly for his humor and good nature. I know I do. He will be missed. You can view his obituary here.

September 22: Susan Greenlick
We were very sorry to learn of the loss of another classmate. Susan Greenlick, a great class favorite who is remembered for her laughing ways and her seemingly effortless disregard for conformity, died in Oregon. Click here for obituary.

September 13: Mike Bradley: Reconnecting with the Class - Anyone in Texas?
I have been reading the postings of class members turning 60 with much anticipation and I am wondering how many class members turn 60 in 2008 with me. My wife and I live in Granbury, Texas and would enjoy reconnecting with class members in the area. I retired in January 2006 after 36 years as an air traffic controller. We have been traveling and catching up on home repairs since I retired. Granbury is about 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Up until the last couple of years it was mainly a retirement community. Now most of the people coming in are still working and commuting to Fort worth or Dallas. If anyone wants to visit we have a private airport in our community, Pecan Plantation, across the street and a golf course in our backyard.

Mike Bradley

August 7: Remembering Dawn Airey Link
Lauri Ingber Solomon sent an email tonight to say that her close friend and our classmate, Dawn Airey Link, had died a few hours earlier at her home in Northville. It was a sad ending to a difficult journey that began a year and eight months earlier when she learned she had colon cancer. Dawn was at the 2005 reunion and we will always remember her as being as beautiful and fun as she was then. Click here for obituary and here for photo.

July 10: Bob Carow: Two Ann Arbor Boys -- 42 Years After High School and Still Yakking!!
Check out the top two names on the panel at this compensation models conference!

June 22: Rita Mulholland Yeager: Just back from Michigan
We just got back from our 20-day vacation to Michigan. Had a wonderful time and the weather was perfect (mid-80's and LOW [surprise!!] humidity! We managed to see most of our families and some friends. We went to Olive Garden with David Fox and his wife Becky and had very nice evening with them!! Here's a pic of Ron, myself, David and Becky.

June 10: Take me back to the Sixties
For a real trip down memory lane, check this out. Sent to us by Robert Berning and Dale Withers.
http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm

May 27: Bob Hallock: I made sure that turning 60 didn't hurt much!
We have been getting around during this "big birthday" year. Linda, Cathy and I visited Janie and Ray Angwin on her (their) 60th birthday on April 19th in La Quinta. Janie so appreciates being connected to her Ann Arbor years and friends. I know she really enjoyed hosting the "girls rendezvous" in La Quinta in February. I used to walk Janie home to Iroquois Street from Burns Park. I told her some years ago that I remembered her mother, Helen, always ironing clothes when we arrived and looking out for her little Dutch hound dog. Well, some things don't change. When we attended Andrea's wedding last year, Helen was working away in the kitchen and had a little Dutch hound at her feet.

So the next day, April 20th, we took off to Carmel to celebrate a birthday party - I threw in honor of myself! Knowing our ski friends over the years would go anywhere a good party was planned we had over 30 fun lovers including my brother, sister and spouses enjoying a beautiful weekend in Carmel. Bill & Pam Wood and Jamie & Cheryl Buhr joined in the birthday festivities. We had a lot of fond Ann Arbor memories thrown into the mix of living the past 30 years in California.

My wife, Linda, lived in Sun Valley for three years in her twenties so she could ski big time. Trying to keep up with her has made me a good skier and one more reason why we enjoy our home in McCall, Idaho so much and why we have so many ski friends.

Jamie Buhr and I are helping host a 42nd reunion of our 1965 Madrid, Spain exchange group this summer in Ann Arbor. That memorable group included Michigan and Wisconsin high school students. We have plans to meet on Friday July 20th and 21st. However, I know the '65 AAHS summer gathering is taking place at CUBS on Friday night the 20th. I'll be there - but a bit late with some other amigos from AAHS.

May 22: Another classmate gone: Arnold Black
We learned from Sharon Gingras today that we lost another class member over the weekend, three months short of his 60th birthday. This has been a rough year for the Class of '65.

May 14: Recent west coast gatherings
Classmates,
We've had two recent west coast gatherings! Two weeks ago and two months ago we had gatherings to welcome classmates visiting the San Francisco area. In February, Camille Procassini and a friend of hers from the bay area visited and we had a group of classmates visit for a cocktail buffet at my house. Most of us hadn't seen Camille in a long time and it was fun. The Sharums, John and Sandy, came, as did George and Barb Henry. Nancy McArtor was scheduled to come too, but wasn't feeling well, so she missed the event. Dale Withers Peck was also planning on attending, but her mother passed away and she was in AA. My partner Larry and I hosted and we really enjoyed seeing our friends -- as usual, we spent much of the time reminiscing about our school days! In late April, we had another gathering. Denny Olmsted called and said he would be in SF, which he calls the other SF -- ours is San Francisco, his is Santa Fe! So we got a group together again! It was the same group, but Nancy made it this time - Dale didn't again. She had a back problem. Martha (Payne) Harris and Jamie couldn't make it, but we had a good group. It was great seeing Denny, and we hope that he returns soon. Again, we did a cocktail buffet and truly enjoyed catching up! Paul Trynka, who is an English author, had just had his biography of Iggy published and sent me a copy of the book, which I put out for the group to peruse. We were all interested in what Paul had to say about Jim -- and the photographs are interesting -- Denny has some memorable quotes in the book!! You should buy the book and take a look!!

Please, anyone visiting San Francisco, get in touch with us. We'd love to see you and have another West Coast Gathering!!

Duane.

April 7: News of Karen Bandrofchak McDaniel
We were very sorry to learn of Karen Bandrofchak's death on April 7. She will be remembered not only by high school class members but by Northside Elementary School classmates such as Mim Streiff Poag, Nancy McArtor, John Sharum, Diane Ellis Racano, Stephanie Collins Jones and others who went from Kindergarten to 6th grade together. That class has been heavily hit, losing Greg Peck, Mary Bryant Carter, Donald Hill and Cheryl Maschke. And now - as if we needed another reminder of how fleeting life can be - Karen.
Obituary

April 11: Music Review: Iggy Pop and the Stooges
Here's a nice piece of writing from the New York Times about the seemingly ageless and inexhaustible Jim Osterberg and his more famous alter ego, Iggy Pop. Check out that torso... If any of you gets to one of his concerts, do a Class Posting and tell the rest of us about it!

April 5: Barbara Hill Hardaway: Something life-changing can happen to us at any age
In May of 2000 I attended a conference for women and it was at that conference where I heard the call to ministry through a "Daughters of Destiny" message by Reverend Doctor Cynthia Hale of Decatur, GA. During this message she stated “You have a call on your life” as if she was speaking directly to me even though I was in a room full of women. It was as if she was reading my mind because I would think “I’m too old” and she would say in her message “you think you are too old.” There were many other truths in that message and as soon as I would think of a reason why the call couldn’t apply to me, Dr. Hale would mention it in her message. I wept through the whole message.

Once I said yes to the call, it was two years before I would start the four year process which would stretch into a 5 year journey to becoming an Ordained Elder. I never thought my relationship with God would turn into this kind of service for Him. But I am grateful for the opportunity to serve. My passion is to minister to women. Having been married for 37 years to the same man, I have learned a few things that just might help someone else. And in the last three years I have had one health issue after another, including breast cancer. I hope that when I retire I can work with other cancer survivors and let them know that God is always in control. I have learned to rest in His arms - even when the doctors don’t know, I know He does.

By the way, they no longer take people our age in the program. You now have to start the program before age 50. So I have watched God move me through the system.

I will officiate at my first wedding in June. God is so good and full of surprises!

April 4: Michael Bartus and Nancy McArtor
Here's a photo from a day when we got together for lunch at the end of the year. Friends since we were seatmates in the viola section of the Tappan orchestra, we're back in touch after many years of going in different directions. We've heard lots of stories like this one since the 40-year reunion.

Nancy

March 29: Paul Trynka: Iggy Pop biography hitting the stores
Just a quick note to say that my website, which details many stages on the way to writing Jim's biography, is now online at www.trynka.com. The book was published in the UK on 8 March, and will be out in the US on 10 April. I hugely enjoyed my time in Ann Arbor for the AA High Reunion, as I did exploring all the aspects of your ex-classmate's life. I really appreciate all the help so many people from Carpenter Elementary, Tappan and AA High gave me. The book was a great experience for me, and I hope I've done it justice. If anyone wants to email me about any aspect of it, they're welcome to do so at paul@trynka.com.

Very best
Paul

January 8: Pamela Conn Hyde: Here we go, ready or not!
I'm sure that other classmates have already or are getting ready to hit the BIG 60 but .... I'll bet I'm the first one to turn 60 in 2007!

I turned 60 on January 2nd. Did anyone beat my Mom to the hospital on New Years day in Ann Arbor?

I celebrated my big day in a big way. I had a lens implant on December 28th so I spent 4 days in bed. A lens implant is where they replace the lens of your eye. For those of you that have not had the pleasure...it is very easy and it's great not to wear glasses after 10 years.

Lying in bed, felt just like the old days again.
In fact ... I think John Lennon said it best when he had his '"bed in" and said ... "Give Peace A Chance". I think that should be our slogan for the years to come for our generation. Our generation ... does that sound old or what?

Hope that everyone enjoys celebrating their 60th Birthday and has fun doing it.
Turning 60 actually made me feel young at heart and with my new eyes (the other one was done in July) I'll be able to see what else the world has in store for me. Perhaps another class reunion.

Here's to a Great 2007 for all of us that are lucky enough to still be here.
Pamela CONN Hyde
a/k/a Mrs. Damon Hyde

January 7: Robert Berning: Newly engaged
I am delighted to announce that I am getting married! My fiancee's name is Tan Thi Pham and her daughter, who is 3, is named Linh. They live in Vietnam. I corresponded by email and snail mail for over a year before I was able to find the time to visit. She was one of 4 ladies that I visited, but I think I knew the moment I met her. Two weeks after I arrived I proposed and she accepted! There will be a lot of paperwork involved in getting her over here on a fiancee visa. We will be getting married in the USA because that will make adopting her daughter a whole lot easier. Hopefully, she will be here before the year is out. We are having our engagement party in Saigon on my 59th birthday, which is February 20, 2007. I will try to post some pics when I find the time.
Click here for photos.

January 7: Pete Cooperrider: A new chapter!
As of 8/8/06 I am remarried to a beautiful lady from Beijing and have two fine sons, 7 and 17, the younger of which is styling my hair (what's left) into a sharp point right now! I can recommend this as a great anti-aging treatment for someone about to turn 60 (the marriage, not the hairstyle!)

Dec 7: Rita Mulholland Yeager: Turning 60
I will turn 60 on December 30th . This means I will be able to start receiving my retirement checks from the Michigan Public Schools!

I retired (deferred) from Ann Arbor Public Schools (Employee Fringe Benefits Specialist/Human Resources) in 2000 when I moved to Florida, and I have been waiting for this day for almost 7 years! Who would have ever thought I would be anxious to turn 60!!! Now ... just another 2 or 3 years, and I'll be able to start drawing Social Security! Oh, happy day!

In addition to this, I am enjoying asking for "Senior Discounts"!
It makes me feel good when they ask me for proof! :)

I don't feel like I'm going to be that "old" ... Well ...
I guess I will have to admit that some days, I feel a lot older than 60!
But on the whole, I am well in body and spirit, praise God!

Rita Mulholland Yeager
Haines City, Florida

Dec 7: Faculty Obituaries
Robert Carr
Frank Kline

October 30: Bob Carow: Notes From New York
Dear Classmates -- :

Last week was "Pioneer" week in New York. Walking down lower Fifth Avenue I encountered a life-size poster of Jim Osterberg (aka Iggy Pop) on the side of a bus stop. Iggy was resplendent in a John Varvatos suit and some killer boots (see photos here or at http://www.johnvarvatos.com/). This was quite a change from the last time I saw Iggy -- on stage at Irving Plaza several years ago in jeans and, well, nothing else --rocking the house. It was a great show! Hmmm, those John Varvatos duds are cool -- I wonder if they have a husky section?

I was also treated to a visit by Ann McArtor. She was in town for the launch of a video conferencing product by her company CISCO Systems and looked fabulous! She had a major role in the roll-out of this product which could further shrink the world by bringing distant parties together via video conferences, where the parties feel as if they are in the same room. Amazing technology! I'm looking forward to the home version.

October 17: Barbara Benton: Sad news of Mary Weller Rideout
I'm sorry to report that my childhood friend Mary Weller left us Sunday night, after a long journey with cancer. It seems to me that she did a very good job of handling this; her spirit was strong and positive whenever I spoke to her, and she just kept enjoying activities and family and hanging in there. Here is her obituary and a note from her husband George: One request that Mary made is that we not spend alot of money on a casket and flowers. She would rather see people give to the diesel engine plane project for SIMAIR in Niger, where our sons Ian and Kevin are missionary pilots. You can visit a presentation of the project at http://www.sim.ne/simair/. Donations may be sent to SIM USA, P.O. Box 7900, Charlotte, NC 28241-8819, or SIM Canada, 10 Huntingdale Blvd, Scarborough, ON, M1W 2S5, designated NE97740.

August 12: Sara Stubbins: Made it to Khartoum!
A lot to adjust to but have made it safely! Apartment is fine, dust all the time however! Just got internet in my apartment with dial up so can communicate when internet is working, sometimes it does not work for a week here in Sudan! School begins today, 7am to 2:30 pm. I am 8 hours ahead of USA and will be reading and writing probably in the afternoon or evening. Quite third world and library is a mess so I will be working hard this year to have things in shape for the staff and students! Wish me luck!

I always appreciate any e-mails from you as my friends, get a bit lonely far away as you all know already!

Photos are of a market I went to a few days ago and the other is with my new director as well as the bus driver and his son

Stay in touch -
Sara

August 7: Nancy McArtor: Another class member lost - Rusty Eldridge
Jackie Poszywak Sage sent an email today with sad news about Rusty. He was actually in Ann Arbor when he died, visiting from his home in Florida. I think the obituary says it all - he was a smart, funny, and sweet guy who couldn't get out from under an addictive illness. If you have any remembrances you'd like to share, that's what we're here for! Send them to me at amcartor@cisco.com and we'll do a Class Posting for you.

August 3: Paul Trynka, Jim Osterberg's biographer: Update on Jim's biography
I thought's Jim's classmates might be interested to know that his biography will be published by Random House next spring, February 2007, just in time for his (and of course, many of your) 60th birthday.

I'd like to thank everyone who spoke to me, or emailed me - it's been a huge help and all that information is reflected in the book, which gives a lot of space to his life at Carpenter Elementary, Tappan, and Ann Arbor High. I suspect it will be a surprise to many people who know Iggy's music that he was voted Most Likely To Succeed in his Junior High, or how well he did at the State Model United Nations Assembly. Likewise, I would guess it will be a surprise to many of his schoolmates to discover how harrowing much of his subsequent life has been. I have read, and commissioned, hundreds of life stories of musicians, and his is perhaps the most intriguing, period.

I would love to join you all at another Ann Arbor High Reunion at some point and would of course be fascinated to know what you think of the book when it comes out. I am sure some people will be shocked, but ultimately it's an inspiring story, of someone who underwent many sufferings - a huge proportion of which were self-inflicted - but in the end is vindicated, and finds some kind of peace. I interviewed over 250 people for the book, and besides my visits to Michigan, tracked people down in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt and Berlin, so as you can imagine this was a wonderful journey for me, too.

You can find more news about the book here:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780767923194

I should also tell you that Jim is well, he is going into the studio this fall with his Ann Arbor High bandmates, the Stooges. The planned CD should be out next spring, and has been the focus of worldwide interest; furthermore, there's a film based in his life in the works, which should star that one-time hobbit, Elijah Wood!

Thanks again for all your help, and if anyone wishes to contact me you can reach me on iggybook@trynka.com

July 20: Chris Kyprie: Sorry to miss the reunion!
I'm in Germany, in my former home town, visiting friends before leaving for France tomorrow. On Friday I will play a concert in Saintes, near Bordeaux, then head towards Warsaw and the International Baroque Conference. I'm delivering a paper on the Bach cello suites there, then back to the US, Burlington, Vermont. I'll be delivering another paper at a conference for British music. Whew. My life isn't usually like this, but I'm enjoying being on the move. Please give my regards to everyone--I hope to see you all one of these days.

Chris

July 17: Nancy McArtor: Bill Kirchen rocks!
I'm writing this from Ann Arbor. My sister and I went to a carillon concert on central campus tonight and afterwards we walked over to see what was going on at the Townie Street Party. A band was playing to a very enthusiastic crowd that was really rocking out. No surprise when we realized who the leader of the band was: Bill Kirchen! He put on a great show. The other musicians were also Ann Arbor natives, Rich Dickman on percussion and Sarah Brown on guitar. At one point, they were joking about how long it had been since they were in school in Ann Arbor. As Bill put it, "When I went to high school, teradactyls still darkened the skies." (I have days when that sounds about right.) Afterwards, we ran into Pam and Bill Wood, and then I went up to introduce myself to Bill and to ask if he would play at one of our class reunions. He was extremely gracious and sounds more than willing to do it! If you like the idea, drop him a note and help bolster our case: bkirchen@aol.com. Also check out his very cool website http://billkirchen.com/CrosstownArts/client_music/kirchen/ And if he's playing a concert in your area, don't miss it. (California Bay Area gang, he's going to be in Berkeley on 9/29 - let's go!) Click here to see a great picture of classmate Chris Loken with Bill Kirchen, taken a week after last year's reunion, when she attended one of his concerts in Lowell, MA.

Nancy

July 4: Duane Brown: Road Trip Revisited, and Missing Classmates
Nancy already filled you in on our summer plans. Larry and I had such fun last summer on our drive to Ann Arbor that we're repeating it. My brother lives in Niles MI so we're driving east and that's our first destination -- then on to AA. I'll visit Ron Adam's mother, my stepmother, and some of Larry's Michigan friends, and then on to Erie, PA where there's lot's of family! Two new grand nephews!! Then we'll head back west to arrive in time for Sharon and Dawn's visit. Sharon was here last year before the reunion, but I think Dawn has never been to San Francisco before. It will be fun! I've also been working on updating the database after the postcards were mailed!! We've lost the addresses for 10 classmates! We also heard that one classmate -- Richard Bousley, whom we had listed as deceased, is alive and well and enjoying an occasional beer -- he's now listed as alive, but missing -- if you know where Richard is, tell us! Another 16 moved and didn’t tell us, but the post office did, so we've contacted those people --- please, please, update the website when you move, change your email or your phone number -- as we get to be the older edge of the baby boomers, it's fun to know how to find each other, and a way to do that is through our website.

My best to all of you. Duane.

June 25: Ken Storm and Sheryl Dale Storm: News from Texas
Sheryl is going on half time as a school nurse in the Fall. We are trying to slow down a little and prepare for retirement. I am still working as a junior high principal outside of Austin Texas. I am also serving as a Bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bastrop Texas. Our family has always been our life. We enjoy our thirteen grand children and look forward to their visits at our forest retreat in the Lost Pines. We hope to see you all someday.

June 22: Camille Procassini: Missing the reunion but heading west
I am so sorry I won't be in town for the art fair. My business travels have me gone form July 19-August 9. The great thing is that I will be in San Francisco area from July-19-30 and Hawaii from July 31-August 7. If anyone will be in those areas and has time for a visit contact me at Procas3343@aol.com. This email may change in a few weeks but I will post it again then. All of you have fun and I hope this will be a yearly event!

Camille

June 21: Lynn Umpleby Royster: Recent news
Hi Everyone,
Looking forward to the gathering in July.
I'm working long hours on the Chronic Illness Initiative at DePaul University, which I started a couple of years ago to help people with chronic illnesses (CFS, lupus, epilepsy, heart disease, etc.) get a degree. It's become like chasing a train down a track. We're spending this summer building a stable infrastructure to handle what appears to be an accelerating number of students. I am learning to release the reins and let other people take over some of the work (very difficult since it's my baby!).
The program is on line (as well as on campus) so available worldwide. Please pass the word for me if you find yourselves around someone who could use this kind of assistance. They can contact me at lroyster@depaul.edu. (And, in case this doesn't translate, it's my first initial followed by royster at depaul with the usual .edu at the end.)
Other than drowning in this activity, I'm writing a book which I hope to get to an agent in the next few weeks, and putting in a lot of hours on the board of the CFIDS Association. We're developing a long range strategic plan and launching a nationwide campaign to stress the serious nature of the illness (also known as CFS and ME). I don't know how I ended up with all this activity when these are supposed to be the years when we get to slow down!
Still, we find time for fun, too. Michael and I are planning a trip to the West Coast with my two children right after Art Fair weekend. My daughter is planning to move there (any good thoughts on cheap housing in the San Mateo area - ha ha!), and my son would love to if he can figure out any way to manage it.
I really enjoyed reading all your postings. What an interesting and active group our class is!
Lynn

June 16: Sara Stubbins: On to a new job in Khartoum!
Will finish my 2 years here in China July 1 and fly to Missouri July 5. My daughters will be down in Springfield for 4 days starting July 14, which will be nice for me. Medical appointments the week of July 10, then getting ready for new employment. Have taken a job as librarian at the Khartoum American School. Should be a challenge as their library needs a lot of work. Am waiting for my visa as yet but have my plane tickets for Aug. 3.

While still in China, I have taken a couple more trips, one to Chengdu where there are pandas AND I am holding a red panda which was fun! Also visited Hanzhou south of Shanghai and it was beautiful, learned a lot about tea.......one they are known for is Dragon Well tea.

Say hello to everyone who remembers me at the Alum get together this July!

Sara

Click here for photos

June 16: Jane Kenyon's husband named U.S. Poet Laureate
Click here to read the article published in the Detroit Free Press.

June 13: Nancy McArtor: Summer Plans from all over
I’ve been hearing from classmates about interesting plans for the summer and thought I’d share them: Robert Berning is planning to go to Vietnam sometime in June. He used to be General Manager of a Vietnamese manufacturing company and has some friends and acquaintances to see there. Before he leaves, he hopes to do some cycling with Jamie Datsko when Jamie swings through the Bay Area prior to starting a cycling tour in northern California. Robert and his brother (class of ‘61) will be at the July 21 class reunion, and then will go on to Pennsylvania to visit their sister.…..Duane Brown and his partner, Larry Bemis, had so much fun on their driving trip to last summer’s reunion that they may do it again for the Art Fair Friday Class of ’65 gathering. They’ll definitely be at the reunion, no matter how they get there. They’re also looking forward to hosting Sharon Ralph Gingras and Dawn Cole Kirk for a San Francisco visit in August.….Bob Carow took an early vacation, heading up in May to a fishing lodge in northern Canada that one of his friends co-owns. He’s saving the rest of his vacation for a trip to France in the fall, where he and a group of ten friends have rented a beautiful 10-bedroom chateau in southwest France, an hour south of Toulouse. This will be his first visit to France - what a great way to experience it for the first time!…..Ted Fosdick will be on the West coast to help one of his daughters look for an apartment in the L.A. area, where she’ll start graduate school in the fall, and he plans to get up to the San Francisco Bay Area in early July. He hasn’t been there since 1960, so he should see a few changes! He just treated me to my first-ever visit to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival…. .Martha Payne Harris saw her husband, Jamie, off on Memorial Day weekend on an ocean sail that will take him and two crew members to Hawaii and then to the San Juan Islands before he heads home in August. Martha will fly out to meet him in Hawaii. After Jamie left, she hosted a 4-day visit from her four sisters. At the end of August, Martha and I will go up to San Juan Island for a long weekend; her son Ben, will be performing in a theater production there. To top off a big summer, Martha and Jamie will take a cruise from Athens to Rome in September with Martha’s five siblings and their spouses - a gift from her mother, who will also join them……Mike Robinson is retiring on August 18 after 37 years at the Fingerle Lumber Co. in Ann Arbor. He and Pam Conn Hyde got together for lunch in May when she was in Ann Arbor for a visit and he wrote that the lunch was a direct result of her contacting him through the class website. He’s planning to be at the class gathering in July…….Kay Stipe Huntzicker wrote that the Huntzicker family will have their annual gathering on Old Mission, a little finger of land that divides Grand Traverse Bay. Tom’s mother has a place on the west arm of Old Mission, and it’s a real getaway, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. Kay and Tom (Class of ‘64) will also make a trip or two to Chicago this summer to visit their two children there. Kay’s sister, Margo, will be in Ann Arbor in August for the Class of ’66 40-year reunion. Kay told her how much fun ours had been, so she decided to come from Phoenix for her own…..Mim Streiff Poag is working on getting a new house built in Austin, Texas, where she and her husband, Mark, will be moving after living in Saginaw, Michigan, for many years. Three of their five kids live in Austin…..Please send your own Class Posting to let us know what you’re doing this summer. And I hope to see many of you at Colonial Lanes on July 21!

June 5: Dale Withers: Michigan-bound
I booked my Art Fair Friday trip a long time ago (a 4-day weekend) and it should be fun! I hope to get a chance to talk to other classmates I saw in the photos from last year's event but didn't meet then. I’ll be bringing some of the 1965 Omega DVDs with me in case others want to purchase a copy. ($5.00) My son still plans to scan the yearbooks from our other high school years, as well as the junior high yearbooks if anyone wants to lend their copies. Steve Andres has generously offered the Slauson book for our 7th grade year and the two Forsythe Saga books for 8th and 9th, so I just need the Tappan books for three years, and the Slauson 8th and 9th. (Forsythe was not yet open when we were seventh graders, so there isn't one for that year.) I’ve been making quite a few trips to Michigan this year. I saw my parents for about a week in April, and will go back again for about 10 days in mid-September when my mom turns 88. I feel really fortunate to have both my parents still and I know that these are precious years with them. Hope to see a lot of you in Ann Arbor in July!

June 3: Bob Hallock: Golfing with the team, 41 years later
I just returned several weeks ago from a week in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where the 1965 Ann Arbor High State Championship Golf Team gathered to tee it up again after 41 years. George Malacos hosted us in his beautiful vacation home at Colleton River ( Beaufort ) South Carolina. Pete Fink joined me and George as well as Toby Burt (class of '66) for a great reunion on fabulous courses surrounding his home. It was such a special time we didn't want it to end. We all agreed once again - it was a privilege growing up and being educated in Ann Arbor!

Click here for photo.

June 3: Angel Hemmes (webmaster): Summer plans
My summer is off to a good start. The garden is mostly planted, and the only plans I have made for the next couple of weeks is a short trip to Grand Rapids to see family, June 5-7. I spent 3 days over the Memorial Day weekend helping my mom get her garden planted. We are retiring the above-ground pool from last year in favor of a larger one. I'm looking forward to the 4th of July, as the "Erickson-Bronson clan" always gets together for good food and fireworks. July will be a busy month for celebrating birthdays, including Kristin Bronson Erickson, her husband Dave, her son Daniel, my mom, as well as one of my two brothers in early August. I am also planning a get together of the two families, the Erickson-Bronsons and mine.

June 3: George and Barb Henry: Singing our way to China
We’ll be in Michigan in June. Barb is planning her own 40th class reunion! She’s on the computer or telephone 26 hours/day. That’s in Augusta (near Battle Creek). The following weekend alumni of the former Michigan Youth Chorale will be rehearsing and presenting a concert, conducted by the much-loved Bob Pratt, whom many classmates will remember from our school days. Concert is free, at Hill Auditorium, on Sunday, June 25, at 3:00 p.m. All are welcome. (I was in the ’65 MYC, www.choralealumni.com ) In July we’ll be in China for two weeks where I’ll be singing with the Sacramento Choral Society. We’ll sing in Beijing, Jinan (Sacramento’s sister city), Xi’an, Tianjin, and atop the Great Wall ( www.sacramentochoral.com and http://www.scsochina.com/Sacramento%20Choral%20Society%20China%20Itinerary%20-%20January%202006.doc ). Right now our daughter Jill is in Israel for two weeks visiting boyfriend Dan’s extended family. During a nine-hour layover in London they managed to bop down to Westminster Abbey for Evensong (she and I sang there in 2003 with our Cathedral Choir). They’ve seen Tel Aviv and Haifa so far and are planning a tour of E/W Jerusalem, and three days at the Dead Sea. On the way back they’re spending a week in London and Paris.

June 2: Julie Burnes: Life is good!
We are off to Spain in August to celebrate Lindsay's Exec MBA from Michigan and Peter's graduation from SVSU. With those graduations we are finished. With four kids we have been paying college tuitions since 1989! Our son has never been "across" the pond so he is very much looking forward to the trip with us. We just bought a new home so moving plans are consuming much of the summer...good thing we "are in the business!" Everyone have a great summer...we wait a long time for it!

Click here for photo.

June 1: Francie King: Summer in New England
We're coming down what we hope is the home stretch on the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) $500 million campaign (for a new American Wing, gallery renovations, many other things).. We break ground early this fall ... life for me is at high pitch these days (I am communications director for the campaign). I am thinking that the end of a big campaign like this is rather like the end of shooting a movie. You work your bones for months and months, and then it's suddenly over. Hopefully for us, by 2009! Meanwhile, summer in New England has begun and while I de-weed my small patch of planet, I am remembering why I decided to put down roots here! It's beautiful. We can see and smell the ocean from home. And to top it off, my two daughters are finished with university and living nearby, in their own places. I know it won't last forever -- young people roam! -- but for now, it's the best of all possible worlds. They are 25 and 24, wonderful company, good writers, and great friends. I am back and forth to Ann Arbor these days, caring for my dad who has lung cancer, and I always hope to catch a glimpse of old friends. July is our next gathering? Hope to be there .....

May 27: Jamie Datsko: The best cycling summer ever
This certainly will be the best summer of adventure I've had in a long, long, time. It kind of reminds me of the summer of 1974 when I drove my old Sting Ray out to see Evil Knievel jump the Snake River Canyon, and kept on going to camp and sightsee the Pacific Coast, stopping by to visit Diane Kelley at her horse ranch near Telluride,CO on the way back to MI. The 5 weeks freedom of that summer/fall trip has probably been more fun than any average five years, but I think this summer is going to top it.

Cycling with Bob Berning would be a real treat also if we can fit it in when I'm in California. I don't know if Bob remembers the fun we used to have in the back of Mr. Kettlehut's Chem class creating mini-explosions etc. Bob was about the only thing that helped maintain my sanity through that awful dull and boring class.

• June 3-9 : RV and bike with brother Rob in WY: Snowy Range, Sierra Madre Range, soak in Hobo Hot Springs, and cycle Oregon Trail "rutted" area.
• June 11-16: Travel in RV from Denver to San Jose, CA along US-50 across Nevada on "The loneliest highway in America." But also quite scenic from what I've heard about the OATBRAN Tour that bicycles that route every fall.
• June 17-24: Do the Alameda Club's "Sierra to the Sea" Tour in northern CA. Have dinner in SF Bay Area with Nancy McArtor on June 24.
• June 25-July 1: Cruise the Pacific Coast Highway along northern Calif., Oregon Coast, to Seattle and store RV.
• July 2 approx.: Fly to Detroit and spend night in A2 before driving up north to spend 10 days or so at home and work in the office.
• July 13th approx.: Drive downstate to Ann Arbor to be in position to catch a flight to Seattle to pick up RV and travel to Canada to do the Tour B.C. ride. Also possibly load up a vintage 1967 Honda S90 motorcycle in mint one-owner condition that I purchased there over eBay, with only 1,600 miles on it. It will share the stable with my self-restored 1968 Honda 305 Scrambler which was the king-of-the-bikes back in 1965. In fact, I think Fonzie rode one on "Happy Days".
• July 16th - 22nd : Ride "Tour BC" with Canadian Group
• July 23rd - 29th : Biking and RVing in a yet undetermined location in the Pacific NW, possibly with Chuck or Nick of SEA.
• July 30th - Aug 4th: Ride "Bicycle Idaho" with Chuck of SEA and Sandy Green's excellent group tour.
• Aug 5th - 9th: Park RV at Seattle or Portland airport until next coastal trip and get to Prince Edward Island , Canada. somehow. Aug. 10-17th: Family Reunion near the old homestead on Prince Edward Island.

One more story about Bob Berning: Mr. Kettlehut called Bob and myself up to talk to him after the Chem class dismissal bell had rung. We knew we were in for it because we were such goof-offs, and because we both were headed for a couple of "D"s from him due to our lack of effort to put it mildly. He tried to encourage us to study and apply ourselves a little bit. He said "You guys should be doing a lot better than this ... Bob, if you'd apply yourself you should be getting an 'A', .... and Jim, you could get a 'C'." I've been chuckling over that one for decades.

Apr 18: Rob Ideson: AAHS 50th anniversary
On April 16, the AA News had an article about the 50th anniversary of the opening of Ann Arbor High School. Of particular interest, is commentary about the attitude of the students vis a vis helping with the move. I believe it says much about the feelings/attitudes we see for one another in the class of '65 and for AAHS.

Hope to see many of you this July in Ann Arbor,

Rob

Feb 20: Steve Crosswait: "Hungry Five German Band"
I'm looking for the other 4 members of the "Hungry Five German Band" from High school days. Please contact me. Thanks, Steve Crosswait.

Feb 15: Robert Hallock: A trip to New York
Our trip to New York started on December 19 and ended on the 23rd ( the beginning and ending dates of the New York City Transit Workers strike ). At the 40th reunion Bob Carow and I had a great chat going back to the beginning days at Burns Park. Bob said if I was ever in New York to give him a call and possibly a good dinner could be shared. I called - and Bob made reservations at a neat steakhouse on 52nd St. ( Ben Benson's ) for December 20th at 7:30 PM. My wife, daughter along with two other good friends from California made our way to the restaurant which wasn't that far from our Times Square hotel. A few minutes later Bob appeared with a pretty ruddy look from being outside on that cold winter's night. I asked him how hard was it to hail a cab down on Wall Street during the strike? Bob replied it wasn't easy but New Yorkers are used to walking....Walking! I asked how long it took and Bob said a little over an hour and half. Well, we were impressed. I then asked Bob how he got to work that morning knowing that the subway and buses were shut down and he lived a distance away on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Bob looked up and said "now that was quite a walk this morning - over two hours with 25,000 other New Yorkers coming over the Brooklyn Bridge." Whoa - those New Yorkers are tough!

We had a fun evening of telling tales and catching up. Bob has lived in New York all the way back to 1969 and currently has an executive administrative position with AIG in their corporate headquarters. ( We were encouraging him to write a book about the intrigue and personalities at AIG ) By the way - we found a cab for Bob and he made it home to a brief sleep and another long walk back into Manhattan the next morning.

It was agreed - growing up in Ann Arbor Schools was a privileged education!

Feb 7: Duane Brown: Super Bowl Sunday
On Super Bowl Sunday, Nancy had a lunch party which included Martha Payne Harris, her husband Jamie -- class of '64, John Sharum and Sandy Kuhn Sharum. It was my first time at Nancy's new home which is in Foster City. Foster City is built on bay fill on San Francisco Bay. She has an incredible spot with a water view, big rooms and decorated beautifully. We had a wonderful lunch of salmon, asparagus, a wonderful salad and for dessert an adult dessert of Ice Cream with creme de menthe! We really enjoyed the time.

Jamie is about to embark on a long sailboat trip to Hawaii. But before that he has business in Bali. Then he's spending about 3 months sailing on his boat to Hawaii. After that he and Martha are going on a cruise of the Aegean -- then back to work in October.

John has taken up his love as an artist and has a show in the bay area going on now. We're all planning on going to see his art!

Mim Streiff Poag is going to be in the bay area later this month, and Nancy and I are planning a get together with local classmates while they're here. If any of you are here on February 18, let us know -- you're invited too!

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays, and are enjoying 2006!

Best, Duane Brown

Feb 3: Jim Carpenter - Building Schools in Congo - help! and thanks!
After I left the 40th reunion, I set to work preparing to work on projects in Dem. Rep. of Congo and flew to Africa in September. I got involved in 2002 with helping some local friends, a Congolese man and a returned Peace Corps volunteer woman, who were building a school in a small village near Lubumbashi. They started in 1990 with their own funds and formed a non-profit organization in 1995 to guide and help fund the work.

This year, I upgraded the computer lab that I started in 2002 with 6 laptops we brought in our suitcases. We built another tower for an additional wind powered generator and repaired a large ancient diesel powered generator. We also started a technical school, grades 9 - 12, so that we'll have some skilled labor to build and staff the next school in a couple of years. Two villages down the road are eager to work with us.

We're really proud of the school. There is none like it in Africa, I am sure. The construction methods are low-cost and bio friendly, all the labor and material was local, bricks were made by hand and backed in the sun, gravel crushed by hammer and chisel, water for the concrete was carried on the heads of 70 women from hand dug wells and a nearby creek, .... The school has over 400 students and is now self-supporting while charging only $5/month tuition. Yet, orphans attend free and parents who can't afford the tuition have a work program. The school is governed by an all Congolese board of directors (new this year) and all staff are Congolese. 100% of the students passed the state exams (without bribery) in last year's graduating class.

In a country mainly known for its problems, this kind of success story is rare. "The Congo conflict is the deadliest humanitarian crisis of the last 60 years...Ignorance about its scale and impact is almost universal and international engagement remains completely out of proportion to humanitarian need...Every few months the mortality equivalent of two southeast Asian tsunamis ploughs through its territory." (Reuters report, Jan. 5, 2006, of survey published in Lancet medical journal).

Don't worry, the Congo is huge and our school is in a relatively peaceful corner of the country.

This project has changed my life. I am learning many new skills (accounting, green building, networking, French) and have gained a great repect for these villagers and sympathy for their plight. I have found a mission, unique to me, and an evolving connection to my family, friends, community, the universe, the past, the present, and the future.

Wondering what to do in your retirement? We could use volunteers and donations. There is a lot of work to be done. It could be done at your home or in Africa or anywhere . The possibilities are endless. If you prefer another country, let me know. If you're doing similar work, let's network. It would be great to connect with some of my home town folks.

Check out our web site. http://AbleAndWilling.org (A volunteer web designer would be welcome!)

And last: thanks to Nancy McArtor for enabling links to our past. I feel in our stories how her spirit ripples throughout time and the universe, as each of our spirits do in return. Thanks to all of you for being who you are and the persons you will become.

--Jim Carpenter

Jan 15: Mary Harper Dake: In the aftermath of Katrina
We are basically squatting on our property and if you take a look at the photos, you'll understand why. There's not much left of our home or business. We couldn't even get on our property for the first nine weeks. We've purchased two trailers (our money, not FEMA's) and are trying to make it. Every day we go outside and see the debris. Just imagine everything you ever owned being gone. Sometimes we come across some scrap of something and we know what it was, but we just have to cry because it is no longer that. The electricity finally came on last week, but most other services are still non-existent. The nearest grocery store is 20 miles away, and who knows when there will be mail. These little things start to wear on you. I just try to have one good day out of every seven. We need desperately to get a shop-type building up so that my husband can protect his equipment - I understand the ache he goes through watching his lathes in the rain. I retired from teaching at a community college here on December 30; I knew someone else younger would need that job. Our biggest concern is that the world is forgetting about New Orleans. The tsunami victims are still getting more relief than the people in this area. I would be glad to hear from any of our classmates, although I may be not be able to answer email quickly. I was surprised by the reunion - I'm sorry now I only went on Friday night. I ran into quite a few people there I had connections with going back a lot of years. I enjoyed seeing Sandy Kuhn Sharum, who became my roommate at Michigan, and I may take a break from here and visit her in California.
Mary

Jan 12: Sara Stubbins
Hi, everyone - just returned from my Christmas holiday in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos...whirlwind tour of 3 countries in 2 weeks! Liked Laos the best! Thought you might like to see me on the trip....although I must say the top I was wearing really accentuates my too many curves! Click here for photos.

The photo is taken at sunset at an ancient ruin: Angor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Really an impressive archeological site of an ancient city which stretches for miles; this is the main temple that everyone visits.

The second photo shows Buddhist monks going for alms at 6:00 in the morning. It is taken in Luamprabang, Laos, a beautiful city in the mountains. There are almost 4000 monks in this city. It was quite the experience for me!

Hope you are all well, and the best of everything in the new year!

Sara

Dec 29: Ann Arbor Gathering
It was a small group, but a very fun one, at Colonial Lanes on the 29th. Classmates who showed up included Tom Bloomer, Kris Brier and his wife Margaret, Steve Briggs, Mike Glas, Mary Lu Houston Barth and her husband Bob, Nancy McArtor, Ann Munster, Sharon Ralph Gingras and her husband Don, Alan Stevens, Jimmie Wade, and Pam and Bill Wood. It was great to have a chance for some extended conversations. Nancy received many nice RSVPs from other classmates who couldn't make it because of travel plans or because they were out of the area. We'll do a repeat in July - please see the separate notice about this.

Click here for photos

Dec 19: George Henry: California Living
I would NEVER say that Nancy was “nuts” (to her face). Barbara and I live in Citrus Heights, California—about 100 miles from Nancy’s “Bay Area.” We’ve lived here off and on since 1970; however we spent three years in the late ‘70s in Michigan and Wisconsin. That was the wake-up call that we belong in California. I can tell you in complete honesty that I have NEVER had to shovel the rain out here!

That being said, there’s a lot to love in Michigan—especially the lakes. We know several people who live on a lake and seem to love it. In fact, Barbara’s dad has a place in Manistique, right on Lake Michigan, which is quite primitive but absolutely beautiful. I was absolutely blown away by the stars at night—without ANY lights from the city to obscure them. We’ve discussed buying it if they ever decide to sell. But that would be for summers only!

We would love to participate in the Art Fair weekend reunion but this year will be in China during that time. I sing with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra ( www.sacramentochoral.org ) and we will be touring China for two weeks. (In 2004 we sang in Munich, Prague, Vienna and Budapest.)

We will, however, be in Michigan in June for the bi-annual reunion of the Michigan Youth Chorale—now called “Chorale Alumni.” We’ll be giving a FREE concert at Hill Auditorium on Sunday, June 25, 2006 and welcome all to attend! (www.choralealumni.com ) We’d love to get together some time during that week—June 21, 22, etc. if anyone is interested.

If anyone is ever in the Sacramento area we’d love to see you. We even have a small room to offer.

George Henry

www.sacramentochoral.org
www.trinitycathedral.org

Dec 19: Larry Hobbie: Catching up
Much going on in our lives this past 2-3 years. Val is back in school (you'd think a nursing degree & career would have been enough) in Culinary Arts. God has opened the door to a '150 year old Church' that may end up being a restaurant in Newaygo (shall see how this works out) Work is going along @ a fast pace (have been growing steadily these past few years) Our #2 son is working here & doing well (married 1 yr. & making plans for a family. Moving our daughter (youngest) to Florida (school for crime scene investigation/currently a police officer). Oldest is married & in Santa Fe, NM. Works as metal sculptor, builds movie sets for Sony on location & metal fabrication business when he has time.
Wishing you all the best - Larry

Dec 19: Marianne Mayer Behler: Greetings and news about my own website
Hi All:

Merry Christmas. I emailed a reply to the Ann Arbor Get Together in December to Nancy McArtor and she suggested that I send a link to my website so here goes.

I teach people how organize and preserve their family photos and memories as a Creative Memories consultant and Director. I also help people run successful home-based business doing the same. As boomers we are at the "perfect age" to reflect, and "tell our stories." Please visit my website for information on Creative Memories. http://www.creativememories.com/mbehler If you are local (within 1 hour range to Ann Arbor) I would love to help you personally. If you have relocated go to our "consultant finder" to find a nearby consultant to help you.

Best Wishes for the Holidays and 2006! Looking forward to seeing everyone in July.

Marianne Mayer Behler

Dec 17: Nancy McArtor: Michigan Real Estate Update
Many thanks to everyone who responded after I posted a note about looking for Michigan real estate. I can see that I would be in good company if I lived on one of the lakes around Ann Arbor! The prices were steeper than I was expecting, but are certainly more reasonable than in the San Francisco Bay Area. I did find a wonderful house on Portage Lake, right next door to the place the Swishers had there. Alan Stevens came across the lake from the Stevens’ family home to take a look at it with me and gave it a “thumbs up”. The owners were taking the house off the market for the winter the following week, so that has given me a little extra time to think about it.

Dec 16: Susan Magid Penton: Happy Holidays Everyone!
Happy Holidays Everyone!! So sorry to have missed the reunion. One of the dogs had emergency surgery... Visited family in Ann Arbor the following week anyway. It was so beautiful, I spent 1/2 the time wishing I could move back!! On the other hand, the pansies are thriving during the winter and we have the most glorious sunny days. People are still sailing on the lake... and fishing.

Divorce is final after 34 years, 2 beautiful girls. Mary Alice told me all about the reunion party and I loved the posted photos. I was there with you all in spirit. To all involved in the web site construction and updates: Thank you so much!! Excellent job!! Very professional!! Please drop a line when you have a moment. I would love to hear from one and all. Wishing you all a blessed Holiday Season.

Susan

Nov 8: Georgiann North: News of Mr. North
Cecil North lives at Sunrise, 1901 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. He has Alzheimer's.
If you ask him how he is, he will tell you he thinks he is doing okay. He is 85 and has been in this facility for 4 years, ever since his wife, Dollie died. Georgiann North

Nov 7: Patricia Arnold Carney: It's a very small world
It's a very small world...

Some of you at the reunion already heard this story, since it involved another member of the Class of '65 who was also present... but for the rest of you, here is a little background:

There is a wonderful man, Andrew Nelson, who is also the boyfriend of our daughter, Ann. Andrew's brother Greg and his sister-in-law Janet had been wanting to come down from the Seattle area to visit Andrew and meet Ann. I had been looking forward to meeting them as well, but the weekend they could come was the weekend when I was at the reunion. So while I couldn't meet them, at least I could offer them our home as a place to stay rather than trying to stay with either Ann or Andrew in their small apartments.

So, Friday night, the four of them were cooking dinner in our home in Saratoga, CA. The conversation went something like this:

Janet: "Is your mother back in DC right now?"
Ann: "No, she is actually in Michigan at her high school reunion."
Alaska native Janet: "My parents went to school in Michigan! What town?"
Ann: "Ann Arbor"
Janet: "That's where my parents lived. They went to Slauson Jr. High and Pioneer High."
Ann: "Oh my gosh, I think those were the schools my mom went to! What year did they graduate?"
Janet: (what ever she said, it was a few years earlier....) "But, I have an aunt who was in the class of '65, and her name is..........(the blank is to keep the suspense going a bit longer, this IS fun, isn't it?)

Next morning:
Phone call I answered while touring the school and standing next to the pool, "Mom, did you ever know someone named Margaret House?"

Only since Eberwhite Elementary school! And she remembered Andrew from Janet and Greg's wedding, and told ME what a wonderful guy Andrew is!

Another story:
One of the things I wanted to do while in town was walk around in the old neighborhoods where I lived. 1316 S. 7th (corner of 7th and Stadium) was where I lived until I started high school. The owner was out working in the garden, so I spoke to her, explaining that I grew up in this house years ago and it was so nice to be back in the area and see that it was well loved and maintained. She stood up and said, "I remember you, you were friends of our friends, the Kniffen's, and we had all of you over for dinner years ago, right before you were leaving Michigan." I would never have recognized her, having met her once, more than 30 years ago. But I never forgot the nice dinner we had and the unusual chance to show my husband the inside of the home in which I grew up. What struck me was that this home was clearly their home even though their wonderful care kept the integrity of it's appearance and style, so that it still looked like home to me. They have lived there many years, way over the 26 years my parents owned it. They raised their children there, and they have grandchildren who love the place. It was so neat to see it though, and the POND is still there! The pond that I used to think was so big.

A final comment:
Nancy McArtor, count me as one who thinks you are crazy. However, you'd be welcome to stay at Carney B&B during a future visit back to the bay area :)

October 18: Sara Stubbins: A Trip to Japan
Recently I traveled to Japan on holiday for one week from my current home in Suzhou, China. My first city was Tokyo. Tokyo has 9 sections and the Clarion Hotel was near the Ikebukuro train station. Scott, a friend of one of SSIS music teachers (Carl, an American ) met me in Ikebukuro. It is a small world, because Scott had his master’s degree in choral music from Eastern Michigan Univ. and his professor was Emily Lowe, once my neighbor in Ann Arbor and part of the First United Methodist Church for awhile!

I had arranged for a JR Railpass, which only foreigners are allowed to purchase (for approx.$300) before entering Japan. This was great to have to travel all the JR trains, and included the Shinkanzen bullet train, which can travel up to 300 mph at top speed. Scott treated me to my first Japanese meal of Tonkatsu (deep fried breaded port cutlet) with special sauce along with Miso soup and finely shredded cabbage. Delicious!

Sunday Scott provided a mini tour of Tokyo. We had brunch at the Westin Hotel and then a boat cruise from Hinode Pier up river to Asakusa. You travel under 13 bridges and enjoy the scenery. Asakusa has a well known temple called Senso-ji. It houses a golden image of Kannon, Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Then shopping in Ameya-yokocho Arcade where I was able to find a used kimono for $200, quite reasonable, one can spend thousands on a kimono. Of course, then you have to purchase the obe (belt) to go with it for another $200! We then visited the Transportation Museum as trains are quite important to the Japanese society for travel. Eventually we ended the day at Oriental Bazaar located in Haranjuku and I was delighted to find childrens’ books in English/Japanese. I purchased a traditional tale. I have been collecting books from various countries in other languages with English translations.

Monday I enjoyed walking the city and visited the Shinjuku area where you can go to the two observation towers (45 floors) of Metropolitan Government offices for free. There are views of the entire city and on a good day, Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately for me, it was not a good day.

Tuesday I traveled to Kyoto. After getting a taxi to my Ryokan (traditional Japanese home at Three Sisters Inn , quite famous in Kyoto), which has bed on the floor, shared bathroom facilities, matted floors and paper walls/screens, I attended the Gion Corner and was introduced to traditional cultures at this program. It covered the tea ceremony, koto music, flower arranging, Gagaku (court music), Kyogen (ancient comic play), Kyomai (Kyoto style dance) and the Bunraku (puppet play).

Wednesday I took a day trip to Himeji. This was 1 ½ hours from Kyoto on the Shinkanzen. The Castle Himiji-jo was built in 1580 out of wood and painted white. It is 5 stories high. It has been home to 48 successive lords in past centuries. To walk the entire castle and grounds (including special hari kari for samuri when dishonored) took 2 hours.

Upon returning to Kyoto in the afternoon, I visited the Kyoto Handicraft Center with artisans demonstrating traditional jewelry, doll making, etc. I was delighted to purchase a Japanese doll as well as a Samuri sword with beautiful red lacquer sheath---I shipped to USA as it was 3 ½ feet long and probably I would not be allowed to carry into China!

Thursday I took a day trip to Nara, original capital of Japan and some burial mounds dating back to the 3rd century AD. We visited Todaji Temple, supposedly to house the largest bronze Buddha in the world. Then Gangoji Temple known for its “gyoki-buki” tiles or rounded tiles. Kasuga Grand Shrine is famous for the 3000 stone shrine lanterns with paper insets and very religious revered. Horyuji temple is the oldest wooden structure in the world, founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. A museum with rare treasures was extensive. Yakushiji Temple with its East Pagoda has survived many fires and devastation since 730.

Friday I took a day trip to Hiroshima to visit the Peace Memorial Park. From the train station, I took cable car on main street Aioi-dori to the A-Bomb Dome, formerly known as Industrial Promotion Hall. This hall has been left “as is” after the atomic bomb was dropped at 8:15am on August 6, 1945. It is to be a reminder of the horror of atomic devastation. Farther into the Park, is a cenotaph containing the names of the 350,000 victims and the Flame of Peace. The Children’s Peace Memorial contains a statue of Sadako, a little girl who died of leukemia, holding a crane symbolizing longevity and happiness. The Memorial Museum takes at least 2 hours and when I left the museum an employee at the gate gave me a small origami paper crane. The Bell of Peace in a different part of the Park is rung every morning at 8:15 as a reminder. This was a lovely city and one reflects on nuclear and atomic weapons and the reason they should exist or not exist.

Saturday was my last day. I had pre-arranged at Kyoto Station earlier with the Tourist Information Center for a guide to meet me at 9am. Yumi, sophomore at Kyoto University, was lovely and does this free of charge to meet and speak English. We purchased a daily bus pass for 500 yen ($5.00) and she guided me to 3 different areas of Kyoto which my Japanese friends had told me not to miss while visiting Kyoto. The entire day was spent in a torrential downpour but very enjoyable to see Kyoto temples and speak with a new friend. We visited Kinkaku Garden with the Golden Pavillion built in 1220. Absolutely stunning on an island in the middle of a pond. Then the Ryoanji Temple known for its most famous Zen rock garden……….15 rocks in total. The gardens surrounding this temple were stunning , even in the rain, with flowering trees, yellow and pink lotus ponds, and shrines hidden in the trees. My final temple was Kiyomizu, built in 798. An entirely different feel about this area of the city of Kyoto with small winding streets and a very long walk to the top of a hill where the main temple was.

Sunday returning on a plane which took 2 hours back to China, I felt Japan was a truly unique country with friendly, helpful people, excellent transportation, and a culture worth learning about historically.

Oct 17: Duane Brown: Road Trip
In June, my partner, Larry and I decided that it would be fun to make our trip back to Ann Arbor for the reunion a road trip. Although I have driven the trip a couple of times, and Larry has too, we have never done a cross-country trip together.

We decided that we would make the drive a leisurely one, and only worry about schedule around the handful of events during the summer. We felt that in order to spend a day or two with my brother in Niles, MI and still get to Ann Arbor in time for the reunion, we’d leave on July 15. So, after getting the car serviced and packing, we left on that date for our adventure.

Not being particularly organized, we didn’t leave until around noon on the first day. We also made a pact that we would only drive until cocktail time on any given day. Consequently, we only made it as far as Winnemucca, NV the first day. I had previously stayed at a Red Lion Inn in Winnemucca so we tried it. No luck! Everything in town was booked. We ended up at the Park Motel which closer resembled the Bates Motel. Not a pretty place, but there was a casino across the street. That helped.

The next day we arrived in Little America WY, which is a glorified truck stop with very nice rooms and a good restaurant. A miner who, in the late 19th century, had been stranded in the area during a snowstorm founded the place. He decided that the area needed a warm place for travelers to stay. It’s the only thing there.

On our 4th day, we arrived in Niles. My brother wasn’t there, but my sister-in-law was and we had a great visit with her. While in that area we also saw a former San Francisco neighbor and also a cousin of mine.

After two days in Niles we drove to Ann Arbor and had a delightful time at the reunion events. It was wonderful seeing so many classmates, and I can hardly wait for our next reunion. Those of us on the west coast hope to have another get-together in the near future.

While in Ann Arbor, we also had a gathering of my stepmother’s family. Hazel also happens to be Ron Adam’s mother. So we saw all of that part of the family. We spent an evening with Navy friends of Larry’s and went into Bloomfield Hills and had dinner with another old friend of Larry’s.

Our next destination was Erie, PA. Much of Larry’s family is there including his 90 year old mother. While in Erie there was a Bemis family reunion hosted by Larry’s brother Jim and his wife Barbara. We also stayed with them the more than two weeks we were there. While in Erie, we went to a concert in a park on Lake Erie, a dinner theater presentation and visited the famous resort of Chautauqua, NY where we heard a pops concert.

We spent a night at a 70-acre hunting lodge owned by Larry’s cousin where we had a great visit with the cousin’s family. From there we headed to Louisville, KY. We spent to days exploring Larry’s alma mater and had dinner with fraternity brothers of Larry.

Our next destination was Houston to attend the Bar Mitzvah of Larry’s cousin’s son, but decided that that trip was too far and we wanted to get back to San Francisco in order to see a friend who had arrived from Tulsa, OK and was staying in our apartment. So we headed west.

We took route 70 as far as Denver and then headed north to pick up route 80 again and head home.

All said, we had a great trip. We passed through 16 states, and drove 6400 miles. We were gone for just over 5 weeks. I’d recommend a road trip highly!!

Oct 15: Robert Berning: The rest of the story
As I am sure most of you know, while I was in Ann Arbor for the reunion, my room got broken into while I was inside asleep. This happened Friday night or Saturday morning and it's kinda chilling to think someone would come into my room while I was there. The thieves took my laptop computer, 2 cell phones, my wallet and car keys, then went outside to find my car and took it too. Just before I drove out to Ann Arbor for the reunion I bought a new custom-made bicycle, painted maize and blue, so I could ride it around the streets of my home town. It was locked inside my car, so the thieves got that as well as my digital camera, several audio books and dvds I brought along for the trip as well as $3,000 cash I was foolish enough to leave in the console.

Since this happened the morning of the reunion itself, it took a little effort to get upbeat for the reunion, but, in the end, I decided not to let the thieves take that from me too. I had a wonderful time seeing old friends and making new ones. I am so glad I came. What I lost was only money, what I gained was an invaluable experience that I will cherish always.

So many people have been so nice to me it's hard to mention them all. Seeing John Hansen again after all these years and finding out that he never lost his passion for airplanes, as he is now a pilot. It was so nice to meet his wonderful wife too. How can I thank Pam Ufer Wood enough for all the help and support, even going so far as to help me get a plane ticket home. Thanks Pam, you rock! And James Reach, who was upset enough that this sort of thing could happen that he is taking my case free of charge as we proceed against Comfort Inn for negligence (a broken door that I reported was never fixed and I am convinced it was an inside job.) Dale Withers and Duane Brown have also been wonderful and supportive. You guys are great friends. Nancy McArtor has been great too, wow, so many nice people. Easy to get over a mere financial loss, hard to forget all these wonderful people.

Some of you may remember that I used to date Georgiann North. Well, we reconnected and talked on the phone for almost 2 hours recently.

A little bit about the trip: I had been wanting to drive across country for a long time and it was great to get the chance. On the way out, I took the southern route so I could visit friends and customers along the way. I got to see the Grand Canyon for the first time ever, stopped off in St Louis to see the arch and just, in general, had a great trip out. On the way back, I took the northern route so I could stop off in Yosemite to see my nephew who works there summers. He just recently got his second law degree - environmental law this time, darn tree-hugger :) - so now its study for the bar exam for him. I stopped off to see Mount Rushmore, that was neat, what a carving job! I also took my first ever in my life helicopter ride to tour the area. Having never been in a helicopter I was very nervous, then I met the 75-year-old pilot. God bless septuagenarian aviators! But we didn't crash and it was an amazing experience. Thats two things I can now say I have done so I don't have to do them again (the other is my one venture into sky-diving.) Did some cave exploring too on the way back and, of course, had to stop in Reno to donate to the local economy.

It was nice to see everyone, I hope we can do this again. Thanks to anyone I forgot to mention and sunny skies to you all.

Oct 12: Jim Osterberg: A note from his biographer, Paul Trynka
I was lucky enough to meet dozens of AA High students at July's reunion, and would love to hear from anyone else who has interesting anecdotes or insights about your one-time classmate!

Jim's biography is scheduled to be released at the beginning of 2007, and will be published by Random House in the U.S. and Time Warner in the U.K. Both of these are major publishers, so you WILL see it on a book-shelf near you (as long as I deliver it in time...), and this will be Jim's first full-length biography (some of you might remember he wrote an entertaining but sketchy autobiography back in 1982).

In my quest to find out more about Jim I've so far done 130 interviews with people who touched his life, across the US and in Europe, plus in-depth interviews with Jim himself - as well as attending, and hugely enjoying, the AA High reunion.

Although I've had terrific help from many of Jim's schoolmates, I would particularly like to find out more about his poetry, if anybody remembers it, the character of 'Hyacinth' - who, you might remember, MC'd the Senior Year talent contest with Ricky Hodges - and also more information about his parents, Jim Sr and Louella; I'd love to find anyone who knew them or worked with them.

In case you want to know my background, I was editor of MOJO Magazine for many years and was also editorial director of Q, two of Europe's best-selling music magazines. I have written books on Blues music, jeans, and most recently edited a DK book on The Beatles that came out fall 2004. I've written sleevenotes for many of Iggy's CD reissues, including the recent Funhouse remasters on Rhino Records.

Although I've done a lot of work, there's a lot more to do. If you think you can help in any way, whether it's odd stories, opinions, or suggestions for people you think I should speak to, or even if you have any relevant photos (for which we'd pay reproduction fees), please do email me. Many thanks.

Paul Trynka

Oct 10: Nancy McArtor: Looking for a Michigan lake property to buy
I sold my house in the San Francisco Bay Area last year to cash in on the California real estate insanity and have started looking for a place to buy elsewhere as a possible retirement home. My original search was in the Pacific Northwest – Seattle, Bellingham, Portland – and I haven’t entirely abandoned that idea. The moderate west coast climate is ideal and I’m certainly a Blue Stater. But several people have pointed out that if what I want is to live on a lake near a great university town, I should be looking in Michigan, too! Alan Stevens and Pam Ufer Wood came up with a couple of good realtors and I’m currently exploring the options, but I thought some of you might have a point of view on this. Cavanaugh Lake and North Lake are two of the areas that sound especially promising. I would appreciate any ideas. (And if you’re a West Coaster who thinks I’m nuts to consider ever living in Michigan again, go ahead and say so! I’ve even had some Michigan people tell me that.)

Oct 2: Jane Kenyon: Two new books published
Our classmate, Jane Kenyon, died in 1995, fifteen months after being diagnosed with leukemia. She had achieved rare success as a poet and had many devoted fans, including many of her former classmates. In October, her longtime publisher, Graywolf, released Jane’s Collected Poems, a compilation of her four volumes of poetry, some uncollected work and her outstanding translations of the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. At the same time they published Lasting: Writers on Jane Kenyon, a compendium of 34 remembrances of her life, and critical essays on and short reviews of her work. For a review of these two books from the San Francisco Chronicle by Megan Harlan, click here.

Oct 1: Farewell to two classmates: Jim Dunlap and Loyal Nation
We’re sorry to report that two of our classmates died in September. Their obituaries are posted on the Web site next to their names on the Deceased Classmates list.

Oct 1: Jim Datsko; What was the name of that book?
I'm trying to see if someone's memory is better than mine about recalling the name of a text that we used in 7th grade. We had either a "Unified Studies" class, or a class on "Religions of the World." Whatever it was called, we used a text with the name Religions of the World or something to that effect. (I seem to recall using the text mainly as a cover to hide the real book I was reading from the Tappan Library, which probably explains why I can’t remember the textbook title. The one I was reading was about a young entrepreneur hero who refurbished an old dump truck to try to make a living hauling coal in some southern coal town competing against the big companies. Getting the brakes to work going down the mountains was a little problematic. I'll never know how it turned out, as either our Unified Studies or English teacher noticed my ruse.) Anyway, I'm trying to locate the exact title of the textbook, as it might be helpful for a book project I may work on after retiring in a couple of years. Does anyone have any recollections of this text?
Thanks.

Reunion Committee: Notes from our final meeting (for this time)
The Class of '65 40-Year Reunion Committee had a final meeting on Labor Day and came to several conclusions that we hope will be good news to the rest of you:

- We agreed that the next big reunion should be in five years, in 2010. We'll build on what went well at this year's event and try some new things, such as one or two extra activities on Saturday and Sunday, as many of you have requested.

- We decided that the Art Fair weekend is a good time to hold it, for a variety of reasons.

- In the four years until the next big reunion, we'll hold an informal gathering EVERY YEAR on Art Fair Friday at Colonial Lanes. So if you're in the Ann Arbor area in July, or can get there, this will be a way to stay in touch with a good number of classmates. We'll promote it on the site and via an email to our class list next summer. (Please be sure to keep your email address up to date by using the simple tool on this site to update your profile whenever there are changes.

- And yes, we all enjoyed working on this year's event so much, the entire committee has agreed to stay on for the next one! Angel Hemmes will also continue as our Webmaster and will be working with Nancy to gradually add new features to the site. If you have an idea for one, please contact Nancy at amcartor@cisco.com or Angel at ahemmes24@yahoo.com.