January 27, 2023

Thank you for all the kind words about my Recognition Award.  Comments ranged from, Look forward to Fry Days, to Don't know what I'd do without my Fry Day email, to Who's gonna take over when you die?  As far as the last one, I'm happy to train anyone who's interested.  This has come up before and there haven't been any volunteers.  Carry on.

Pam Brooks Lawrence '67 shares some more of the funny signs outside Colorado's Indian Hills Community Center.  I haven't figured out a way to put them on the web site without going to a lot of work.  I can forward Pam's email to you on request.

Don Anderson '64 was invited to show his very rare Radical RXC 500 R at the recent San Diego International Auto Show.  Click HERE for enlargements and details.

The Weitzen brothers -- Larry ’73, Skip ’72, and Steve ’71 -- hadn’t played golf together for 40 short years, so they got together recently at Morgan Run in Del Mar.    Larry and Steve played on the golf team at Crawford, while Skip was a diver on the CIF championship swim teams.  Larry and Skip each shot 84, while Steve scored an 88.

Henry Clay was one of four elementary schools attended by Eric Watkins '65.  Click HERE to take a look at the class photos from all of them.

Bill Lee ’66 passed away Monday January 16, 2023 at his home in Santee California.  After graduation he went into the Navy, serving on the USS Coral Sea.  After an honorable discharge, he worked in the landscaping division of the San Diego School District for 35 years  --  Janet Lee Brack ’69

January 20, 2023

 

The surprise delivered in person to my house by Paul Dean and Ernie Dronenburg last Friday turned out to be a lovely Recognition Award.  I don't know if it is a coincidence that it was dated on my birthday in 2022.  Click HERE to see the plaque enlarged, plus a lovely water-color note by Paul Dean

Bob Lutz, Jeff Grossman, and Kent Jonas, all Class of '64, met for drinks and dinner at Kent's house on Saturday, January 7.  It was the first time the three of them had been together since Crawford days.

Marcia MacDonald ’62 passed away on October 16, 2022 in New York City after an acute asthma attack.  Her sparkle will be missed by all those who knew and loved her.  More information will be forthcoming from her family at a later date.

Zeller Waymire ’63 passed away in Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia on January 10, 2023.  Zeller served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Australia. He always said it was the best two years of his life. Zeller returned to Australia after his mission and worked for Alcoa Australia before becoming a pilot for the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service.  To do this he had to become a nurse.  Zeller loved to fly and was John Wayne’s personnel  pilot. He also shuttled planes for the U. S. government to Vietnam during the Vietnam War -- Maureen Waymire

January 13, 2023

I'm hoping it's my Lucky Day.  Paul Dean and Ernie Dronenburg are coming to visit this afternoon.  Paul says they have a surprise for me.  I've got my fingers crossed that it's Sharon Mass.  Failing that, I'll accept a pony or a fire truck.

Two Ernies -- No Waiting!!  After the recent posting of a Spotted Skunk named after Ernie Cowan, Charles Hansen sent me a photograph he took in the '80s for one of Ernie Dronenburg's political campaigns.  Possibly an Ernie mixup, but we still get a nice photo -- and just in time for today's visit.

My longtime school buddy Gary Bonwell called this week.  We hadn't chatted in a year or so.  He was following up on a rumor that I was dead.  Probably a typo.  The correct answer is deaf.

Another Cartoon for Intellectuals

The headline above from Monday's U-T caught my eye.  Turns out Bent was born in Estonia, where you probably didn't get beat up for having such a name.  I'm sure it's pronounced Kotch or Coke, but it reminded me of the travails of Johnny Cash's Boy Named Sue.  

Classmates James Daigh (formerly known as Weetman) and Ron Morse (formerly known as Morse) reunited at Jim’s Carlsbad home after 59 years. Endless history and stories were shared, along with good grub. Reconnection made, and more visits to follow, whenever Ron is visiting from his home in Vancouver, Washington.   Jim took me for a ride in his 2008 Porsche 911 convertible. We cruised from Oceanside to Leucadia on PCH.  As we entered a straightaway, Jim said hold on. Next thing I knew we were doing 103 on 101 -- Ron Morse '64

Click HERE to take another look at how Jim's photo of JFK ended up on the west side of Rudford's Restaurant.

Roy Mountain '68 shares a snapshot of the Cleveland Elementary kids at the 2013 Crawford Reunion.  Click HERE for names, plus Roy's 1st and 4th Grade class photos.

January 6, 2023

 

Another Cartoon for Intellectuals

Chuck Rainey '72 says the hole-in-one he scored at Colina on December 22 almost made up for the no-hitter he lost in the 9th inning on August 24, 1983 while pitching for the Chicago Cubs.  Click HERE for more details on Chuck's professional baseball career.  AND you can watch a video of that last, painful inning.

I thought we'd passed this message on before, but perhaps not.  Judy Aminoff '63, who lives in far off Gay Paree, is interested in hearing from classmates that attended Hardy and Montezuma Elementary Schools.  Her email address is jga75@orange.fr

I think we've seen this photo before, but it was reposted this week on the Vintage San Diego Facebook page and I figured you'd enjoy another look.  Click HERE to see an even bigger enlargement than previously posted.

I chanced upon the fact that Carol Sue Blankenship '61 died last year on March 10, in Mobile, Alabama. Carol went to the Campus Lab School from Kindergarten on, then Horace Mann, then Crawford. The family lived near the corner of College and Montezuma.  From the several CLS reunions I organized I learned a bit about her. She was born in San Diego and married Daniel Bradford soon after graduation, on August 24, 1961.  At some point they moved to Grand Bay, Alabama, where for years she ran Carol's Crispy Chicken Shack.   Daniel died in 2007 and she sold the business soon after.  It seems to be a seafood shack now.  She and sister Julia '59 attended a CLS reunion in 2008, the first time I'd seen her since Crawford days.   The color photo above was taken by me at that event -- Bob Richardson ’61