FINALLY!! It's grey and drizzly in Pacific Beach.  A good day to stay inside and watch TV -- after a late breakfast at Green Flash, or maybe Good Time Charlie's.

Leilani "Lani" Brugger Berry '61 passed away August 15, 2012 at her home in Howe, Oklahoma.  You can read a bit more, and sign the guest book, on the Class of '61 Obituary Page.

This is the last photo taken of Larry Teter.  He left school after his Junior Year to join the Air Force and a year later, on August 1, 1962, was killed in a roll-over accident in Louisiana.  His sister Nancy Teter Stubbs '62 says Larry was 16 months older than her but, for reasons unknown to her, they started school together and Larry would have graduated with the Class of 1962.  

Tom Christensen '63 says he can't remember anybody from his 1958 Guaranty Chevrolet Pony League team, but I think he's the tall guy in the rear.  Bill Montejano '62 and John Allison '62 might be on the left.  Click HERE to see an enlargement.

Owen Western '63 must have moved from Andrew Jackson after 2nd Grade.  At any rate he's shared his Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade class photos.  Click HERE to check them out.

Wow, I wonder what THAT was like?  Setsuo Tajima's father sent him from Japan to the United States to get an American education.  Must have worked out.  He and his lovely wife Chie recently returned to the 'hood and visited with classmates Bob and Susan Roskos Mardon '64.  Click HERE to see a couple of snapshots.

Peter Thompson '65 shares a couple of snapshots of him practicing guitar at age 17.  Click HERE to check out the photos and learn what he's doing now.

IT'S WARM AND STILL OVERCAST in Pacific Beach.  I've visited Mom three times this week.  She's somehow more confused and, at the same time, a little more verbal.  Go figure.  Looks like Nancy will have the delightful task of running errands with me on this Fry Day.

Marilyn Jameson Schupp '61 has subscribed to the quarterly newsletter.  Did you know that she and her twin sister Carolyn came to Crawford from Fallbrook during their Senior Year?  Perhaps their parents thought they could get a gooder education in the big city.

Victor Perez '71 has sent an explanation about the Blue Mews in last week's photo of his classmates at Petco Park.  Blue Mews is Petco's cat mascot.  Their dog mascot goes by the name of Red Ruff.

My husband just purchased these postcards on eBay. I thought I might share them with you.  He picked them up because he is a "bus fan" and these also share bus station locations in San Diego -- Lynne Earhart Miranda ’72

Looking Up Broadway, San Diego, California:  San Diego "where California Began" is California's third largest city. The city includes the beach resort communities of La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach. San Diego is one of the outstanding Naval operating bases in America.

U. S. Grant, San Diego, California:  This Famed hotel is located in the heart of downtown San Diego and faces Horton Plaza which has been a place of interest since 1870.

(Thanks, Lynne -- Your husband might enjoy the photo Nancy's father took of the first busses arriving at the Adams Avenue car barn as well as the color photos of some of the old San Diego streetcars -- JF)

Ron "Red" Thrash '68 passed away unexpectedly on August 6th.  A memorial service was held at the Yorba Linda Community Center on August 12th.  Click HERE if you'd like to sign the guest book.

IT'S SUNNY and still cool in PB and Nancy's not coming down until this afternoon.  Her daughter Leanne is heading home from a visit to Syracuse, by way of Cincinnati, and is due in at 10 PM on Delta.  That flight landed at 12:30 last night.  My bed time is 10 PM.  Could be a problem on the horizon.

I'm still chuckling over the fellow yesterday who was heading to Del Mar for the races.  "Sure hope I break even," he said, "I could really use the money."

Elaine Robinson Davis '61 has returned from her new home in Missoula, Montana to be the featured artist at Gallery 23, Southwestern Art, Spanish Village in Balboa Park, from August 16th to the 31st.  Gallery hours are 10-4:30.  She hopes old friends will come down and say hello.  While you're there, you might want to ride the carousel or the miniature railroad.  Oh, wait -- maybe they don't allow adults on those rides.  A good excuse, though, to have you CHECK OUT the train photos Bill Ross '65 shared some time back.

Some time ago Doug Kvandal '66 sat with me at The Amigo Spot and told me his heart condition had gotten bad enough that he was going to be admitted to Sharp Hospital and would not be getting out until he had a new heart.  Less than a week later -- on Easter Sunday no less -- word filtered back to me that the deed was done.  Three months later Doug was behind the keyboard for the Live Jazz concerts at The Amigo Spot on Saturday nights.  On September 15th he will be taking part in Heart Walk 2012 in Balboa Park and would like you to join him, or perhaps just purchase one of the cool T-Shirts seen above.  Click HERE to learn more about Doug's story and the 22nd Annual Heart Walk.

Talk about the "Elephant in the Room"!!  Victor Perez '71 forwards snapshot of a few of his classmates gathered this past Tuesday at Petco Park for the Chicago Cubs game.  That's Victor on the left, then Lewis Galpert, the Blue Mews (David Feeley), Phil Piscopo and Robert Leidolf.  I guess I could Google it, but I'm gonna wait for Victor to explain what a Blue Mew is.

Richard Lidbom '62 sends a photo of the Horace Mann Boys' Chorus from the 1956-1957 school year. That's director Alan Frank on the piano bench.  Click HERE for a larger view.

Tom Christensen '63 found a couple of photos from the 1963 CIF Basketball Championships.  Click HERE to check them out in Vista-Vision and to read what Tom has to say. 

Lenny Como '70 shares two photos of Summer League Softball Championship teams chock full of Colts from the late '60s and early '70s.  Click HERE to take a look.

Salvatore Cordileone '74 will be named Arch Bishop of San Francisco tomorrow and will be officially installed on my birthday, October 4th.  It's also the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, which is probably why they chose it.  Classmate Chet Carney points out that, with only two more promotions on Sam's part, the Class of '74 can claim a pope.  Holy Mackerel!!  Click HERE to read the article in the Los Angeles Times forwarded by Anne Wigdahl Subia '63

Kenneth Roberts '69 passed away July 9, 2012, reports his ex-wife Charlene Little Roberts '70.  He is survived by his wife Karen, brother John Roberts '70, plus children and a grandchild.

Cliff Harrison '71 had a heart condition and died in his sleep July 14, 2012 according to Adele Spirz Delgado '71.  She says they knew each other beginning at Webster Elementary.

How the time flies!!  Next Thursday is the First Thursday get together at the Amigo Spot.  I only heard from one person interested in showing off their automobile, so I guess I'll put the car show concept on hold.

Tuesday will mark the 10th Anniversary since Marla Bennett, daughter of Michael and Linda Ackerman Bennett, was the innocent victim of a terrorist bomb.  Marla's legacy was outlined by Diane Bell in yesterday's Union-Tribune.  Click HERE to read her column.

I'd heard about it, but I hadn't seen it.  Apparently you can print your own postage stamps.  At least I think that's what Dave Sleet '61 has done.  Don't even have to use the correct postage either.

Bill Rainey '62 shares a bit of trivia.  The officer in charge of the Rolando Park School Patrol was the brother of English Channel swimmer Florence Chadwick.

Jim Smith '63 was down from Montana for Over-the-Line, so a bunch of his classmates got together for lunch at the La Mesa Brigantine.  Seated: Martin "Tuffy" Stutz, Barry Houck and Jim Smith;  Standing: Ron Kroepel, Bob Kerns, Mike Alexander and Sharon Jarvis Daigle.  

At the request of brother Ken, I have added to the 1963 Obituary Page excerpts from an obituary for Duane Becht '63 published in Southern Utah's The Spectrum newspaper.  I've also added an ON-LINE GUEST BOOK if you'd like to share your memories

Tom Christensen '63 found his copy of the Pirates Little League team and discovered that his mother had put the players' names on the back.  Click HERE to take another look.

Misty Mellett '65 is back in town after 35 years of residence in Santa Barbara.  She's a San Marcos girl now and would like to hear from old friends.  Click HERE to send her an email.

Dennis Robberecht '68 poses with his "new" '37 Ford, powered by a Corvette engine.  That just doesn't sound right.  His wife says they enjoy traveling around their Sacramento neighborhood.

Tim Abbey '71 got so many requests for the Horace Mann LP he's gonna try to convert it to a digital format so it can be shared with more folks.

Steve Gunderson '75 (that's him on the left) appears in The Nightingale, currently showing at La Jolla Playhouse.  I don't get out much, so I didn't know the play is set in China -- and the actors are supposed to be Asian.  Click HERE to read all about it in Monday's Union-Tribune.

Fry Day July 20th

(Words or phrases in RED connect directly to emails or web sites)

You know it's time to clean off your desk when you have instruction manuals for two different cameras, produced 40 years apart, by a company that is going out of business.

Subscribing to the quarterly newsletter were Diane Dowling '61, Pomela Stewart Furtkamp '61 and Janis Irvine Ricards '64.  Thank you ladies.

From Spokane, Washington -- home of the finest San Diego Burritos -- Tim Abbey '71 sends word that his wife discovered a treasure while getting ready for a yard sale.  It's an LP entitled Horace Mann Junior High Advanced Band and Advanced Orchestra, Mr. Carlyle Hume, Director.  Tim's willing to send it to the first interested person, or perhaps to the person with the best story.  Click HERE to email your request.

I am in receipt of Henry F. Bugenhagen, Architect, a gorgeous coffee-table iBook published by his son Bill.  Henry designed many homes and businesses in Pacific Beach and La Jolla, including the condominium complex above for Sandy Shapery '61.

Fry Day July 13th

FRY DAY

July 13, 2012

(Words or phrases in RED connect directly to emails or web sites)

The San Diego Aston Martin advertisement in this week's Union-Tribune only had a web address.  As a matter of fact, the web site didn't list a street address.  It DID have the following statement, however:  Aston Martin San Diego is San Diego's only Authorized Aston Martin dealer.  We've invested heavily in our facility, which features a state-of-the-art showroom and a high-end, comprehensive service department.  The aim is to provide our clients with nothing but the highest quality automobile experience now and in the future.  I'm thinking they're trying to weed out the less-than-enthusiastic buyer. 

I've been using 29 cent postcard stamps and 3 cent stamps to mail postcards, but the 32 cent stamps finally came in.  It looks like the artist was inspired by my clothes closet.

Subscribing to the quarterly newsletter were Margaret Bemis Dennison '59, Shirley Ann Wright Crower '61, Jim '63 and Nancy Ford Mass '64, Ronald Gehlken, '64, Roberta Kleine Fine '64, Bill Paxton '66

Nearly 3000 people graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas last May.  One of them was  Colleen Hulette Bevilacqua '64.  You can read all about it in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Norm Black '68 shares an aerial photo of the Waldo Canyon fire on June 26th as it approaches his house in Colorado Springs.  Click HERE to see the enlarged photo -- and Norm's email

Rolando Park 1956

Safety Patrol 1956

Piggly Wiggly baseball 1958

Richard Lidbom '62 shares three photos:  Rolando Park Elementary Sixth Grade and Safety Patrol 1956, and Piggly Wiggly baseball 1958.

The Class of '62 reunion committee was notified of the passing of Cathy Angelo in January 2012 from lung cancer.   Her neighbor has written a lovely remembrance, which I've posted on the Class of '62 Obituary page.

Greg Reed '64 died July 1, 2012 after a six-year battle with lung cancer.

Chet Carney shares the sad news that Larry Myles '74 lost his battle with cancer on July 9th.

FRY DAY

July 6, 2012

(Words or phrases in RED connect directly to emails or web sites)

It's still overcase at the beach, but I'm betting the weather will be much nicer than the cool mists of July 4th.  Maybe I'll even get a parking spot at the Green Flash for breakfast.

How was YOUR 4th of July?  As usual, Pacific Beach is Ground Zero for Independence Day Fireworks.  I stayed in and read, which is a good thing because I couldn't have left if I wanted.  Cars in the alley were blocking my garage.  When it was time for bed I felt like I was bunking down in the bus station, the crowds outside my window were so close.  It was worth it, though, to hear a large group attempt to sing our national anthem.  I KNEW they weren't going to be able to hit that high note.


I heard on KPBS radio that a new public bathroom -- or comfort station -- has been opened in Ocean Beach.  Like the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling has been adorned with a painting.  Great!!  Now I'll NEVER hit the urinal.

Who is Mike King?  Every week I get a bunch of bounced Fry Day emails.  If the same address bounces two weeks in a row I delete it from my address book.   king-mike@hotmail.com bounces every week.  The problem is, I don't have this email address -- or a Mike King -- in my address book.  Maybe it's a Michelle King -- or your secret email address.

Thank you Brent Heramb, Robert and Sue Roskos Mardon and Alan Osborn -- all Class of '64 -- for subscribing to the quarterly newsletter.  You're keeping me solvent.  Well, almost.

Doug Kvandal '66 and his new organ will be back tomorrow (Saturday) night with Live Jazz at the Amigo Spot.  I'm not talking about his Hammond organ either.  On Easter Sunday, after a very short stay in the hospital, Doug rose from the almost dead with a new heart.  Come by and say hi.  They start at 7 -- and vocalist Lisa Hightower is well worth the visit.

George Sorensen '69 sends proof that San Diego's Best Burritos are in Salem, Oregon as well as Spokane, Washington.  Aiberto's has outlets in San Diego County so I guess you're free to take the taste test.

Here's some folks gathered to celebrate Wayne Zucker's 60th birthday on June 28th. From left, Jeff Lee '66, Debbie Mitton '70, Annette Godels Conway Marxen '71, Butch Hiller '71, Gary Gallerstein '70, Bernie Feldman '70, Wayne Zucker '70, Rob Seidman '70, Scott Silverman '72, Karen Simpson Seidman '69, Steve Hoke '70 with his son McKinley, and Robbi Mintz Campbell '71.  Click HERE to see an 8 x 10 version.

Bob Mardon '64 shares a couple of his Little League photos:  the Pirates (above) and Universal Electric (below).  Click HERE to go to the web site and see larger versions.  Get back to me if you can supply names.

IN MEMORIAM

Duane Becht '63 passed away Sunday morning, July 1st, in the arms of his girlfriend Janey Peters and brother Ken nearby.

FRY DAY

June 29, 2012

(Words or phrases in RED connect directly to emails or web sites)

Thanks to those of you asking about Mom.  Her physical health is good, but her cognitive faculties seem to be slowly fading.  She still manages a little Mona Lisa smile when I visit.  Sadly, Frances, a new patient at the home, has had to be moved to another part of the facility during my visits.  She was enjoying me a lot more than Mom and, somewhere along the way, decided that I was her son.   It would have been a good thing except that she sobbed and clawed at the glass in the front door when I left.  Old age is NOT for sissies!


Remind me to send a Sympathy Card to Attorney General Eric Holder.  I know what it's like to be held in contempt.  I never DID get a date for the Senior Prom

The Los Angeles Zoo has promised a full investigation into the death of a baby chimpanzee, allegedly at the hands of a rival male.  Good luck getting a confession out of a chimpanzee; not to mention empaneling a jury of his peers.


Subscription envelopes for the Classes of '61 and '64 went in the mail this week.  The $30 annual membership helps underwrite the work I do on the web site and blog.  You can also subscribe on line.

NEW BUSINESS

Ron Klein has offered to save two spots at the Big Kids' Table for Nancy and I at the upcoming First Thursday Fiesta on July 5th.  I had to tell him that, while I like to support First Thursday, I prefer to sit away from the crowd.  Doesn't mean I don't enjoy hearing from folks who want to stop and say hello.

That's Jim "Santa Claus" Smith '63 seated in the lawn chair at the left.  He's showing his '31 Ford 2-door with the "all chrome 350" engine at a get together in Kalispell, Montana

Bob Mardon '64 saved his Kindergarten through 6th Grade class photos from Oak Park Elementary and has now shared them with you.  That's Kindergarten above.

Paula Adler Sloan '68 is interested in a History of the El Cerrito neighborhood, especially the background on what she's calling the Castle House, the Farm House, and the Cape Cod style house.  If the house above, at 5602 Adams Avenue, is the "Farm House", I have its history also.  A couple years back Nancy bought a book about the history of the East San Diego Police Department.  It mentioned the home above and told about how it got to its present site from University and Fairmount.  We eventually found the place and, as the owner was on the front porch, I swung in the circular driveway and made Nancy introduce us.  She got a tour of the house and, since Newell Booth, organizes historic tours for classic cars, I was able to provide a custom tour of historic Pacific Beach, while he provided the Hupmobiles and Stanley Steamers.

OLD BUSINESS

At "Boys' Night Out" last Friday I shared the story of my Costco purchase, and got a Thumbs' Down on the Kirkland Bourbon from good buddy Vince.  "It gave me a headache," he said.  On further reflection he allowed that he probably should have drunk it in two sittings.  I had a taste and gave it a Thumbs' Up.  I'm not in Vinnie's league, however.  There's a real good chance I'll still have plenty left when New Year's Eve rolls around.

A whole bunch of you actually submitted stories incorporating the Kirkland Bourbon, 24-pack of AA batteries and Turkey Jerky.  Lynn Routt Swanson '62 abstained, waiting to hear if it had to be a G-rated tale.  She must have read my mind because I really was thinking about an old "Two and A Half Men" episode when I wrote.  It was the one where long-suffering Alan stormed into the house with a woman he met in the produce aisle.  They were doing who knows what in the bedroom for hours when Alan emerged in his BVDs.  "How's it goin'?" asked Charlie.  "GREAT!!", said Alan, "Now I need a step ladder, a rubber chicken, and some chocolate syrup."  


On closer inspection it would appear that I purchased a 40-pack of AA batteries, not 24.  I hope I don't fall victim to the Matt Pupkaris syndrome.  Matt is a friend who bought a giant carton of Q-tips, then wondered what he was going to do with a gazillion of the items.  He started giving away the smaller packs and, a week later, had to go back to Costco.  He was out of Q-tips.  I would have gone to CVS.

I've run into Lee Harris '59 at Good Time Charlie's twice in the past few years.  Interesting, since he lives in Dunwoody, Georgia.  Now he's asked for the name of the Mexican Restaurant advertising San Diego's Best Burrito's.  I've reminded him that it's in Spokane, Washington.  Be on the lookout, Tim Abbey.

IN MEMORIAM

I recently discovered Cathy Moorhead Keyser '62 passed away on February 23, 2002 in Olympia Washington.  Cathy went to Horace Mann and attended Crawford but graduated from a high school in Hawaii. She went on to become a registered nurse -- Donna Ochiuto Rydon

It is with much sadness that I report the death of Karen Anne Sather '63.  She passed away on April 22, 2012.  I do not know the details of her death, but she had been ill with Crohn's Disease for a number of years.  Her sister asked me to share this information with Crawford Colts who knew her -- Joan Sanders Minnick