August 13, 2021

 

I read three newspapers each day -- the Union-Tribune, LA Times and New York Times.  It doesn't take very long, because I skip the bad news.  Wednesday's Bizarro hinted at that.

Ernie Cowan's Outdoor column in last Saturday's Union-Tribune talks about A Horse With No Name that has lived in California's White Mountains for more than two decades.  Turns out it HAS a name.  Click HERE to read the article.  Ernie took the above photo, by the way.

Cathy Rule Varney '61 is looking for a home for her 1961 Centaur.  If you're interested contact her at cathrynvarney@yahoo.com   If you'd like to pick it up in person you may have to drive to New Mexico.  Road Trip!!!

The Vintage San Diego Facebook page posted this 1949 photo of the Fine Arts Museum this week.  I've added a rare Autochrome color shot of the museum taken around 1926 by Roland Schneider, grandfather of Linda Schneider Crawford '75 -- and thrown in a 2020 Google photo to boot.  Click HERE to see all three photos.

Ernie Azhocar '61 died last year on September 17th.  He was born in San Bernardino on August 27, 1943.  That's all I know.

Mary Anne -- or Maryanne -- Lewis Duckworth '61 has passed.  I think.  Her daughter Marsha shut down Maryanne's Facebook page in May 2020, so Maryanne may have died in April.  

August 6, 2021

 

This 1996 Bizarro cartoon was posted on Facebook by Jana Glasgow Ditmars '81

The Team Crawford Athletic Foundation (TCAF) is hosting its first Golf Tournament and Banquet fundraiser at The Country Club of Rancho Bernardo on 23 August 2021.  All Crawford alumni and friends are invited join in on the fun…. The Golf Tournament is capped at 22 Foursomes (so hurry!), but the Alumni Fundraising Banquet is open to 200+ lucky Colts. 
Please check the teamcrawfordathleticfoundation.org webpage and click on the Golf and Banquet tab for all the details and to sign-up.  Golf is $125.00 per player, for all the events, including banquet.  The cost for alumni and friends who prefer to attend only the banquet — and catch-up with all your Colt friends -- is only $55.00 per person.     Please join us in the fun and help support Crawford's student athletics.

Bill Gore '65 announced this week that he will not be running for re-election as the Sheriff of San Diego County.  Click HERE to read the Union-Tribune article with all the details.

Jim Kermott '66 taught science in Encinitas for 35 years.  In retirement he can devote all his time to sculpting hunting dogs.  Linda Boone Kermott '67 says she and her husband met in Mrs. Del Principe's Spanish class at Crawford and, I assume, have been together ever since.  An article last week in the UT talks all about Jim's affinity for hunting dogs and sculpting.  Click HERE to check it out.

Valerie Ziegenfuss '67 is the gift that keeps on giving, thanks to Bob Richardson '61.  He shares  some photos taken in the '50s of the back yard of the long demolished Richardson home at 5707 Hardy Avenue.  Click HERE and enjoy!!

I've tried to spiff up three very old snapshots sent in by Gary Juleen '64.  They show some of the folks in Why I Am A Bachelor, a one-night one-act play in which he performed in the Spring of 1964.  Click HERE to see all three, along with some captions.

I was going through the 1965 Centaur and came across a full-page color photograph of the 1965 Nominating Convention.  It looks like the fellow in the front row in a dark suit is checking his cell phone.  Probably not.  Click HERE to see an enlargement.  Let me know if you spot Bill Gore.

Judith Leonard Kanne ’60 died July 28, 2021 of Lewy Body Dementia at her metro Atlanta home.  A daughter of Polish immigrants, Judi was born and raised in San Diego. She married Barry Kanne, in 1962, and they celebrated 59 years together on St. Patrick’s Day.  Barry’s career at Motorola took them around the country.  In 1970, they moved to the Chicago area, where they raised two daughters.  There, Judi enrolled at a community college where she received an associate degree in nursing, and then worked at hospitals around suburban Chicago.  In 1981, Judi and family moved to Dunwoody, outside Atlanta.  Still interested in furthering her education, Judi enrolled at Georgia State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1992. She then focused on medical writing, working primarily for the CDC as a contracted communications specialist.

Elaine Worrell Chachére ’65 passed away July 31, 2021 according to her sister Jan Worrell Manietta ’63

July 30, 2021

I think 15 Across, in yesterday's crossword puzzle, was THE popular song when I graduated in '62.

The Classes of ‘62-‘63 will hold a joint 60-YEAR REUNION on September 22, 2022.  The event will be a Hawaiian Buffet Luncheon at the Historic Bali Hai Restaurant, Hawaiian Village.  If you plan to attend please send your name and class year to Lynn Routt Swanson’62 swansong@cox.net .  More information will be announced as it becomes available.  For now,  SAVE THE DATE!

Ervin Somogyi is a Luthier?  I always thought he was Presbyterian.  If you didn't know, Ervin ended up being a craftsman of very high end guitars. I don't see anything below about wanting to be a guitar maker.  He wondered what I thought of the above photo as a marketing ploy.   I have my doubts, especially after checking out the gorgeous instruments on his web site.  Click HERE and decide for yourself.

The Class of ’64 Dennstedt Village Gang got together July 21st at BJ’s in Mission Valley to celebrate the birthday two days earlier of Kim Beavers Shannon.  Left to right, Anita McDonald Perry, Shirley Jackson Peterson, Mary Hansen Herrmann, Kim the Birthday Girl, and Nancy (Bino) Gibbons Potts.  All of the girls, save Anita, have known each other since Oak Park Elementary.

Last week's piece about Valerie Ziegenfuss being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame brought a suggestion from Bob Richardson that we revisit the page featuring photos of a bunch of Colts celebrating Christmas in 1953.  That's Valerie above singing How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?  Click HERE and enjoy.  (By the way, just a reminder that the Fry Day emails are archived on the Colt Corral blog, if you want to go back and look at something.  AND it has a search feature.  Click HERE to take a look)

John Hine Mazda, shown here as John Hine Pontiac around 1965, announced it will be closing its doors on September 2nd.  Click HERE to see the photo enlarged AND another photo of what might be taking its place.

July 23, 2021

Here's a Bizarro cartoon from earlier this week

 

Paula Kincaid has forwarded a lengthy list, entitled Pearls of Wisdom.  I'll share them a few at a time:

My doctor asked if anyone in my family suffered from mental illness. 

I said, "No, we all seem to enjoy it."

I thought growing old would take longer.

 

My bucket list:  keep breathing.

Rick Cohen '66 sends word that Valerie Ziegenfuss '67 (second from left) was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame this past Saturday as one of the Original 9 founders of the Women's Tennis Association.  Click HERE to read all about it.

1964 Mt Miguel grad Jan Hastings shares a 1960 Horace Mann snapshot that includes her husband David.  Jim Cassie and Butch Higgins are also named.  Maybe you know the others and/or what's really going on here.  What's with the 3E?  Are these guys champions of something?  Click HERE for an enlargement.

I've dipped into the grab bag for another look at the Ozzie's Marching Band page.  Click HERE to check it out again.

A Belated Passing:  Ken Henderson ’65 passed away in Fort Meyers, Florida on May 25, 2011 -- 10 years ago.  He played Baseball and enjoyed his friends at Crawford. It was fun having a older brother and meeting his buddies! After Crawford Ken served in the Army. His siblings, John, Bob,  Ronnie, Bonnie and Debby have great memories of our family growing up in San Diego. Kenny worked at SDG&E and lived in Bonita.  He later moved to Jacksonville Florida, and started his own business.  He was living in Fort Meyers, Florida when he died -- Bonnie Henderson Larson

July 16, 2021

Courtesy of my '62 classmate Richard Lidbom

Ernie Cowan, also a classmate, writes about mockingbirds in his most recent Outdoors column.  It reminded me of the Big Bang Theory episode in which Sheldon comes unglued over a mockingbird's incessant verbal assault.  "He's MOCKING me!," screamed Sheldon in frustration.  Click HERE to read Ernie's column

Turns out the Kitaen family owned and operated the 7-Seas Locker Club downtown.  Susan Kitaen Rhea is Class of '66 and Marc is Class of '72.  Marc has a nice web site that displays his artwork.  Click HERE to check it out.

I'm a sucker for cool cars, hot babes and 1950s Kodachrome color.  Greg May posted this shot of La Verne at Borrego in 1952 on his Vintage San Diego web page.  I set it up on my site so you could view an enlargement, then he added more photos taken in Mission Hills.  Click HERE to see them all.

My old teaching assistant John Durant posted this photo, circa 1920, looking south to Torrey Pines Beach.  I've added it to the appropriate page on my web site.  Click HERE to take a look.

I had two requests in one day that sent me to the 1964 Centaur.  While I had the yearbook out I scanned and tried to blend together the two-page color shot of the Homecoming Queen and Princesses.  Click HERE to see it enlarged.

Dan Burton '66, his future wife Kerry, and Patrick Pope '75.  Pat passed away June 25th

July 9, 2021

Saw this on Facebook, courtesy of Sandie Robbins Knox '61.  The first comment was I'm not changing THAT diaper.

Nooooo!!  I'm watching some creaky geezer on TV advertising a foot massager or something and realize it's Jerry Mathers!  The Beav'!!  It's a little like Frank Sinatra's biography when he saw one of his former lovers, June Allyson, pitching adult diapers.  Old age ain't for sissies, but it apparently beats the alternative.  

Janice Ricca Hom drove by Crawford last week and snapped the photo above.  I didn't think it would tell you much and hoped to snag an older photo of the same location.  I got the photo below off of Google Street View.  It doesn't help much.  You're on Colt Way (which may have had a different name when I was there) looking north.  I think I see the outline of Blessed Sacrament Church on El Cajon Blvd. in the distance at the left.  If you squint you can pretend that the main office and auditorium are still there at right center.

Remember Locker Clubs?  Sailors were not allowed to come back aboard ship in their civvies (not to be confused with skivvies.  I learned that one the hard way.  They had to rent a locker and change out of their uniforms and into civilian attire.  I have it in my head that the 7 Seas was owned by the family of a Crawford student.  Anybody know? 

Members of the Class of '62 -- and one imposter -- gathered on the steps leading up to the gym on September 3, 1997 -- the 35th year after graduation.  Click HERE to see THREE photos, all of them enlarged.

I took this picture of Tuna Harbor, next to the Fish Market, on the day after Christmas 1992.  Our family used to dine at Tom Lai's Restaurant at this location in the 1950s.  I expect a lot of new buildings have been added since I made this photo -- and one big deletion.  The Naval Supply building on the left was recently demolished to make way for a hotel.  I forget what the Navy got in return.

Robert Harrison ’62 passed away June 9, 2021.  He served a four-year term in the Air Force after high school, then worked in construction and with mechanical and electrical equipment. He married for a short time in the early 1970s and had two daughters. In July of 1979 he married the love of his life Sharyl, and became the instant father of four children.  Bob loved working on his classic cars, piddling in his shop, fixing up the house, fishing and boating on the Colorado River. His positive outlook and one-of-a-kind humor will surely be missed by all who treasured him.  He is survived by, among others, his sister Sandra Harrison Barlau ’60

Ramon Villon

June 22, 1954 - May 20, 2021

July 2, 2021

 

As a senior at CHS, I often stayed after for activities and missed my bus. At The bus stop at 56th & El Cajon there was a used car lot. There was my first sight of a Willys Jeepster -- the only car I ever really lusted after.  And it was yellow.  I finally got one for my 75th birthday! Hoorah!!   Maggie Down Hart ‘64

Richard Bertain was my 11th Grade English Teacher.  I think he was also in charge of the Pacer.  When I made some snide remark about the school paper he opined that maybe I should sign up if I thought I could do better.  I did, but he left for Harvard University, to do graduate work I assume, and Mr. Rieker became the Pacer advisor.  I credit Mr. Bertain for getting me involved in journalism.  In May of 1992 I was in Washington DC doing research in the National Archives and Mr. Bertain was working in some capacity as part of the George H. W. Bush administration.  I gave him a call and he took me to lunch.

I spruced up the Class of '61 Senior Awards Day page.  Click HERE to check it out.

From Greg May's Vintage San Diego page this week

Another pastoral view of Mission Valley in the 1940s taken from the Presidio.  Click HERE for enlargements of this and two other Mission Valley shots -- plus a bonus view of vintage cars parked at the Serra Museum

Who cares about the San Diego Skyline.  Check out the '58 Chevy wagon and the out-of-uniform sailor.  Click HERE for a big, fat enlargement.

I'm going through some old photos.  Here's one I took at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center on October 9, 1991.  Yikes, that's pretty close to 30 years ago.