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.