Bios (A – K)

Angel, Bob – Davis, CA  (Attending reunion)

I started college after high school, attending UCLA (University of Compton Left at Alameda). Later, I went on to the real UCLA, with some help from Sears, and ended up retiring there after 40 years. I was married for 36 great years to a girl from Downey and have two kids, a boy and a girl. Due to unexpected cancer, I’m widowed now.  The kids are working and living in the Sacramento area. I live in Davis, a suburb of Sacramento but I’m looking at moving to Lake Havasu. So… Life is good.   I enjoy shooting, fishing, golf, riding my Harley and having fun with my eight-year-old grandson.
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Arnold, Robert – Mesa, AZ  (Attending reunion)

I worked for the City of Lynwood Recreation Department during high school and one year after graduation, and married Margaret Buchmann, a 1963 graduate. We had two children, Rob and Stacy. I became a Police officer for the City of Costa Mesa from 1964 to 1969. I worked patrol, undercover Vice, Narcotics, and Traffic Division. I moved to Central California and worked for the City of Dinuba Police Department as a Sergeant working in Youth Development. I lived in the country and farmed, raised cattle, horses and kids. I was promoted three times from Sergeant to Lieutenant to Captain and Chief of Police over my 18 years of service. I then became the Director of Parks and Recreation and the City Purchasing Agent. My marriage ended in 1981. Both of my children attended Fresno State University as did I, and all graduated with honors. I now have two grandchildren; Katie who attends the University of Santa Barbara, and Justin, who is now a Fireman in the state of Oregon. After serving as Chief of Police, I retired from law enforcement and as a single man, I moved to Northern California and served as a General Manager of a golf course for a year. After that I returned to the Fresno area and became a special assistant to the Chief of Police of the City of Fresno. I developed the Swat Unit and Gang Taskforce for the city and served as Officer for Internal Affairs. I married during this time, retired again in 2006 and moved to Bullhead City Arizona. This marriage ended in 2011. While living in Arizona I was contacted about the 50-year class reunion to be held in 2012. I began to research for old classmates and came across Judi (Buchanan) Gerstenfeld of Mesa, Arizona. We met in January of 2012 and struck up a relationship. We plan on attending the Reunion as a couple!….thanks to the 1962 Lynwood Class Reunion.

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Arseneau, Kathy Hundorf – Cerritos, CA (Attending reunion)

Since graduation I moved around quite a bit, landing back in California in October 1968.  I raised two daughters as a single parent, and I have three beautiful granddaughters and two grand-dogs that are pretty cute too. Like many folks, 2011 was a pretty tough year for me for a variety of reasons.  I lost my “mister “of 26 years in February.  I miss him, but know he is no longer in pain and in a better place.  I am determined 2012 will be better for all my family and friends. Most of my working career was spent in warehousing and transportation. I logged 32 years for a total of five different companies.  Since 2008 I have been working as an Office Manager for a family-owned Security Company, and I have to say it is the best job I ever had.  I have also been volunteering at the Presbyterian Hospital in Whittier on Saturday nights since 2008. It is good to give back. I hope to connect with old friends at the reunion.

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Augusta, Frank – San Clemente CA  (Attending reunion)

Life since Lynwood has been a trip. My first summer after graduation, I wanted to recapture the glory of Lynwood B football (Coast League Champions). I loved playing football sooo much I tried to play at LB State. That was a joke. At 125 pounds and no talent other than ankle biting, my career was over. Wait! Not yet! I wanted to play so bad, I made up a phony name and address and went to Dominguez High and played during their summer “Hell Week”. Jack Armstrong creatively constructed all my paperwork. Good work Jack! I was made defensive Captain and starting middle linebacker. The weekend before school started and our first game, Fred Holder, Ron Atkins and John Frost kidnapped me. They saw the insanity of my actions and dragged me off to Laguna Beach for a surfing trip. The legendary Fred Schwartz from Ohio (aka me) was never heard from again. With that over, I went to LB State for one semester. That was too intense, so off to Compton JC with all my friends. Three years for a two-year degree? Yeah, but I had a lot of fun!! Then the fun was over and off to USC. I worked at Disneyland when I wasn’t studying. I would have paid them to work there! I graduated from USC in 1968 and I missed my Vietnam tour because of my instant family: lovely Kim and two wonderful children: Allen, now 47 married and one grandson Allen Jr. (He is sooo handsome) living in Northern CA.; my daughter, Andrea Rose now 44 living in Murrieta CA with her God-fearing husband Scott and two of the finest grand-children ever: Colin and Cailen. (We can compare notes on whose grandkids are best.) I am most happy and proud that both families are born-again Christians. Not an easy task in today’s society. IBM sales was my first job out of USC. I was among the pioneers of “Word Processing. I moved on to spend 15 years with the Savin Corp. where I served in numerous positions including National Sales Instructor and National Director of Major and GSA accounts. It was here that I met my current wife of 32 years, the indomitable Maxine. Ask me about how we started dating. Maxine and I moved to Irvine, CA and we had two boys: Adam (now 29 and a Pilot for Sky West) and Garret (now 23 and just graduated from Cal-Poly SLO with a BS in BS). Chip off the Ol’ Block. Ask me about the Immaculate Conception! Shortly after Maxine and I were married, I started my own business in the burgeoning field of micrographics. With the advent of digital imaging, rather than adapt or die, I sold out! I took my money and ran to my next adventure as the Western Regional Manager for Pro-Net Tracking Systems. We assisted the FBI and local law enforcement to track and apprehend bank robbers through our advanced micro-electronic devices. After selling the system to every major city in the Western USA, I essentially worked myself out of a job, unless I wanted to move to the East coast. That made my decision clear… time to move on. I decided to enter the insurance industry and became an independent AFLAC duck in about 1997. Today, I continue to be an AFLAC duck, selling group supplement insurance to small businesses in Southern CA. In 2009, I began to specialize in “Medicare Insurance” as an independent consultant (meaning unemployed) to assist us elder folks in figuring out their best Medicare and Rx plan. Three out of five seniors do not have the lowest cost, optimal plan for their circumstances. (A little advertising here? My service is free!). Today, Maxine and I live and play in San Clemente, CA. With our son Adam being a pilot, we get to fly anywhere for free… so we do! We continue to enjoy traveling, boating, visiting friends and …La Dolce Vita! Included photo is Maxine and I chilling on our patio.
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Bahling, Kathleen Marshall – Rogue River, OR

Leroy and I have been married over 48 years.We have a son and a daughter and two grandchildren. My husband retired in 2006.I love making quilts and crafting.We like to travel, but also enjoy staying at home and being with family and friends.We moved to Oregon in 1973 and love it here.
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Barnes, David – Medford, OR  (Attending reunion)

My father raised me from age five, but in summer I visited my mother in Reno where she owned a boarding house. When I graduated I had a small scholarship and was accepted in the School of Mines at U of N in Reno. I lived at the boarding house and my interest in singing and playing ukulele grew into an obsession and I formed a trio that was popular in the local Reno scene. By the third semester I quit college. I met a folk group called the SF Town Criers (the lead singer was Marty Balin who later formed the Jefferson Airplaine) and he offered our group a gig in the North Beach beat scene. After six months one of the guys went home and the other singer and I played duo for another year. When he left I settled in the Haight-Ashbury district until the end of ’64 when I “rode my thumb” to New York. I met musicians that I’d known on the west coast. I played music with the Loving Spoonful guys, Steven Stills, David Crosby, and shared the stage and back rooms with David Jones, Peter Tork, and some even greater talents who didn’t “make it big”.  I went back home to Reno and a few weeks later moved to the Haight where I lived the rest of the decade. I taught guitar and played all the clubs in the bay area. My fellow instructors were Sam Reynolds from Big Brother and The Holding Company before they picked up Janis Joplin. There were wonderful times but, as the old saying goes, if you can remember the sixties in San Francisco, you weren’t really there. I met a woman and we married in Kalamazoo, Michigan and had our first son. I followed a recording contract offer to LA where we conceived my second son. In 1971 I took a course in nursing and got my LPN license in ’72 and worked the emergency room at Saint Francis Hospital. While I was in school I played music and started a “commune” with Jim Otey and a bunch of people from Lynwood. After the house disbanded many of them moved to Ashland, Oregon. Eventually I moved up here and played music for the next 25 – 30 years. I met my wife when my two sons were 4 and 5 yrs old. I had recently divorced their mother and had custody of them. She was an outdoor enthusiast with a Master’s in environmental education, a member of the Sierra Club Board, and an avid bicyclist. She had a custom built Trek touring bike when we met and she gave me her old bike and for our honeymoon we rode 350+ miles (from along the Umqua River to the Oregon coast and down 101 to Crescent City then to Grants Pass). I couldn’t go without taking a guitar, mandolin, and harps which meant some creative bike packing since we had our tent, bags, and cooking gear, too. The weather was perfect all the way and we stayed in the campgrounds with lots of other bikers and the guitar was very popular with the nightly impromptu camp fires; It’s one of the highlights of our 34 years together and I’ll never forget it. We still measure the fun things that happen to us against the experiences of that trip. My sons grew and left home and now live in the Bay area as musicians. I now perform in our area – mainly folk and pop music, but also some jazz. No 21st century stuff; I’m a 20th century guy.
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Beavers, Pat Patelson – Menifee  (Attending reunion)

After graduating from Lynwood, I went to Cosmetology school. I subsequently got married and started raising two sons. I was a stay-at-home mom for 13 years. Once the boys were in school I attended Fullerton Community College,  coached my sons soccer teams and worked in the PTA. I started a 25-year career in the Financial Services industry , working as a Financial  Consultant for the major brokerage firms and banks.  My current husband, Sid, and I  worked together in  real estate in Laguna Niguel and Temecula.  We have recently moved to a large Senior Community in Menifee. I no longer sell real estate, but I am not ready to retire and play every day. To keep busy I help seniors with their Medicare Insurance. I believe that every day provides new and wonderful opportunities in all areas of life. I am truly the happiest I have ever been, thanks, in large part, to my husband Sid. I am looking forward to seeing everyone.
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Bidwell, JimAngels Camp, CA  (Attending reunion)

After graduation, I kicked around for several years and worked different jobs. In 1969, I went to work for Jorgensen Steel in Lynwood as a warehouse employee and after one year transferred to inside sale trainee. I moved to Northern California in 1972, still working for Jorgensen until 1975. I got married and I have a son, Jason, who now lives in San Jose, and a grandson named Jordan who is a sophomore at Chico State. I remarried 20 years ago to my lovely wife Jana. We worked together for many years in the metals industry and retired six years ago to a small town in Northern California named Angels Camp. We enjoy playing golf and Jana rides a horse every Wednesday. I have started to restore another Model A Ford that my Dad had in Lynwood. SEE YOU ALL IN OCTOBER!
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Birtch, Gloria Fitzgerald – Pasco, Washington  (Attending reunion)

It’s been so many years, but it would be good to see everyone in October. We will just be returning late August from a trip to Ireland and certainly, if there’s money left over, we plan on flying down from Washington to at least be part of the dinner. The info on the LHS website is good and we do hope to be with you. Confirmation of our visit will come shortly.

After enjoying office work and earning my own income, my husband and I met and were married three years following graduation. We lived and worked in the L.A. area while beginning our married life and enjoying the birth of our daughter and son. My husband came from Washington State and we wanted to get away from what then seemed a very busy, smoggy area.  So we became established in 1973 here in Eastern Washington. All has gone well for us and I am especially thankful for my brain!  An undiagnosed small left-brain tumor causing petit mal epilepsy the majority of my life was finally diagnosed in the early 90’s!  A brilliant surgeon here at University of Washington took that tumor out, and after many years of not driving, I was thrilled to get my driver’s license and buy things and go places on my own. Although enjoying many summer vacations with family, my husband and I are beginning retirement and have enjoyed going and doing whatever/whenever we please. We’re thrilled with all we’ve learned, are blessed with four grandboys now, and look forward to many new places to visit, especially in our own United States of America!
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Blair, Thomas – Southern MD

I am currently living in Southern Maryland. My wife and I are both retired military and civil service. We had planned to retire in the Reno area, but the housing market here in the Washington D.C. local collapsed.  I was looking forward to the 50th reunion, but unfortunately will not be able to attend. Wish everyone the best and maybe someday I will be able to see some familiar faces
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Blakely, Kandice – Paris, France

See “Voices from the Class of ’62” to see Kandice’s story.
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Bonaventura, Mike – Cheyenne, WY and full-time RV’er   (Attending reunion)

My thanks to the committee for the work you put in and the great job on the website, lost list, in memoriam, attendees, bio’s etc. I have read and enjoyed all you have published. Sadness from the list of those who have passed on. 50 years since graduation – wow – hard to believe. Before I begin my bio since graduation, I have some earlier memories to share: EIGHTH GRADE: hot dog eating contest – me and Roger Foster at his house – I ate 5 hot dogs and drank a quart of milk – then promptly threw up. Roger won that one. His mother was always so nice and understanding. Looking forward to seeing you Roger. Me and Andy Cottrill as beatniks walking around town with our berets, smoking tea in our pipes and drinking a bottle of wine hidden in a paper bag. Yes Andy, I remember. Wish you could have made it to this reunion. NINTH AND TENTH GRADE: Hawaiian Day – riding down Bullis Rd. as the passenger in Jim Bidwell’s Model A waving at the girls – Jim was looking and waving too (using his only eye that worked). Well, we ran into the stopped car in front of us and my face went into the metal dash causing me to lose 3 front teeth. Just in case the cops were on the way, I took the 6 pack of beer from the floorboard and hid it in the bushes (to be retrieved later). Remember Jim? Do you still have the model A and are my teeth marks still in the dash? Looking forward to seeing you Jim. Cross Country – Remember smog? Team workout after school = run one lap, jog one lap, total 20 laps or 5 miles – breathe deep – chest hurts – eyes water. Nevertheless, a great experience. Regalmen Car Club meetings: The Road Runner and Wiley Coyote cartoons – 35 cent dues so we could buy a keg for our parties – the finger Glenn McConnell lost when the transmission slipped as he was taking it out on his driveway – the big picnic at 76 Park in Brea. ELEVENTH GRADE: I visited Food Giant and Alpha Beta every day after school to try to land a job as a box boy. After a week of this, I landed the job at Alpha Beta on the recommendation of Dave McCormack who was working at that location, and that began my Supermarket career. Wish you could have made it to the 50th Dave. SENIOR YEAR: Anxious to move on to Compton JC while trying to make opportunities happen at Alpha Beta. I finally saw the light and started settling down. —-

SINCE GRADUATION—- I attended Compton JC for one semester and during that time was given opportunities and more responsibility at Alpha Beta. When offered a 6 nite 48 hour week stocking job, I accepted, quit school, and never looked back. Leighton Mc Dougall and I stocked almost all of the aisles in that store. I married in 1965 and divorced in 1985. I have 2 kids and 4 grandkids. Worked for Alpha Beta for 31 years, Food 4 Less 2 years and Ralphs for 1 year. Managed stores for 27 years until retirement in 1996. Spent 4 years sprucing up my rental properties including roofing and exterior paint on both places by myself ( what an experience!) I had a heart attack in 2002. Surgeon put a stent in and everything has been fine since. I thought I was a goner. I always wanted to travel and camp so I bought a used 5th wheel and towed it up to Thousand Trails Campground near Idyllwild for what I thought would be a couple of weeks. That was great in the summer. They needed some help so I became a Park Ranger part time and was able to stay the rest of the season. Come fall, Thousand Trails Palm Desert needed some help so I towed my trailer down and worked the next several months at that location. That was great in the winter. I started leasing out my small condo in Palm Springs and worked for Thousand Trails the next few years in the desert and the mountains. I had learned the camping lifestyle and liked it. I sold my Orange County rentals in 2007 and met my partner Jo Ann Conyers while in the desert (very fortunate on both counts). Within a year we started tent camping and living in the 5th wheel sometimes. I eventually quit the Ranger job at Thousand Trails so we could start traveling. I bought a motorhome in 2008 and we have been full time RVing since. This experience has been great! We have been to all 17 states in the western half of the country. We visited all 21 of the California Missions, many National Parks and Monuments, countless county and local museums, very cool small towns, and visited relatives numerous times in several states. We enjoy hiking, biking, bowling, sightseeing, lake kayaking (no more rivers – turned over in the Truckee River) and learning? golf. Our plan is to visit the other half of the U.S. a couple years from now. That trip will be 2-3 years long. We will continue this lifestyle as long as we are physically able. Looking forward to seeing you all and BEST REGARDS to all my classmates.
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Bower, Cheryl Crouse – Lewiston, ID  (Attending reunion)

Well, here we go.  After leaving high school, I attended Compton College but in my infinite wisdom (not), I dropped out and headed for Lake Tahoe where my grandparents lived.  I went to work at Harrah’s club where I met Fred Glemser who was from Germany.  He was a pit boss and dealer.  We were married and proceeded to build a house at South Lake Tahoe.  My first son Jeff was born there. In 1968 we moved to Council Idaho where we had purchased a ranch.  For the next 11 years we raised cattle, horses, hogs and chickens.  We also had a ranch supply store.  My youngest son Dwayne was born there.  We attended many rodeos each year since our sons rodeoed and I managed a riding drill team.  After 15 years of marriage, we split the sheets.  I got the boys and he got the ranch. To raise my boys, I worked as a bartender and carpenter until I went to work as a miner for Silver King mines where we mined and processed silver, copper and gold. I was determined to not marry again but God had other ideas.  Into my life walked a tall gorgeous hunk, Steve.  I did not want to marry him mainly because he was younger than me.  After being asked to marry him every day for five months, I finally gave in when he returned from two weeks of National Guard.  Sure missed that guy.  I said the only thing I would regret was not being asked to marry so he continued to ask me every day for the rest of our marriage. We moved to Lewiston Idaho where he worked as a roofing foreman and I got a job with Curtis Industries which sold supplies to farms, mines and loggers.  Wanting to get off the roads, I went into selling copiers.  I then became a financial planner for Pru-Bache where I sold insurance and securities.  In 1987 Steve and I started a copier/printer/fax dealership.  We became the authorized dealer for Konica Minolta and Sharp. During our marriage we were able to travel to Hawaii, Italy, Austria and Hungary.  We particularly loved Italy. Shortly after celebrating our 25th anniversary 2005, my loving husband suddenly died.  Sure miss the big guy.  I continue to run the company and have kept our home in the country.  My sons are doing fine.  Jeff and his wife are cops in Eugene and Springfield OR.  His daughter is in nursing and his son is stationed in Naples Italy as a Navy corpsman.  He was wounded in Iraq but is fine.  And now I have another 2-year-old grandson.  My other son Dwayne is a manager for Les Schwab tires in Martinez CA and has a son and daughter. So my current days are full with work, caring for 4 horses, 2 goats, 1 miniature mule, 4 cats and a 19-year-old dog.  Any extra time, I like to camp, fish, hunt, shoot, ride horses, ATVs and snowmobiles. Amazing how 50 years can fit into a few paragraphs.
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Breeze, Kathy Roah – Long Beach, CA  (Attending reunion)

Probably the only thing that anybody really needs to know about me is that I had a first date with Joe Roah in 1959 and I never looked back; in January 2014 we’ll celebrate 50 years of marriage. We have three sons who all married a month apart in 1998 and since then have given us seven grand children to love. Like most families, we’ve had our challenges over the years, but we wake up every morning feeling grateful that life is so good. I went to Compton J.C. for only one year before we got married, but, even though I spent my high school years acting stupid, I always planned to get a degree. I went back to college when my boys were little and graduated from Cal State Long Beach. I majored in Sociology and Political Science and to my staunch Republican parents’ dismay, I completely switched sides  (dare I use the L word?) I mention this only because if you come from Lynwood, people who don’t really know you feel free to assume you agree with the political emails they send you.  No worries, I’m harmless and just delete them and don’t answer back. I assume that lots of us are still rabid Dodger fans and that’s harmony enough!  I retired six years ago as a Marketing Analyst for ARCO and don’t miss it. (I worked to live, not the other way around.) Retirement has given me time to follow the passion I’ve always had for writing. A year ago I finished a first draft of an historical novel based on my grandmother’s life. I joined a writer’s critique group and polished up the first four chapters, but have put my manuscript aside. I hope to take it up again after the reunion. As far as classmates, Joy Burlison Arnswald and I have been close friends for over 63 years and I love her like a sister. Last year I re-connected with Diana Cross Nolan. She makes me laugh more than any person I’ve known in my whole entire life. I always try not to take myself too seriously but with dear friends around that know you too well, that isn’t possible anyway. These days, I’m just trying to stay relevant! I’m so looking forward to seeing my childhood friends – especially my old Lugo buddies!

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Bridwell, Mark – Fountain Valley, CA  (Attending reunion)

Writing this finds me at the beginning of my coursework for drug and alcohol abuse counseling certification at Cypress College. When I enrolled at Compton College, summer session right after high school, I didn’t have a clue what might be a likely career for me. This time I’ve got a much clearer idea. My college days were interrupted helping the U.S. Navy with the effort in Viet Nam by spending three years plus in Florida. The squadron I was with was the East Coast’s carrier-fighter training unit. The young chief who was my manager for about a year was Gordon Bethune, the wonder-CEO that rescued Continental Airlines in the mid-nineties–a great supervisor and very inspiring guy. In retrospect that time was more a vacation than a military obligation. Upon returning “home” I finished college at Cal State Los Angeles and worked for 17 years as a piping designer for civil / sanitary consultants: Brown and Caldwell, and Corollo Engineers; did drafting for manufacturing companies and steel fabricators. I also taught drafting, practically all I needed to know for this I learned in Mr. Mogan’s drawing classes at LHS. In 2007 I left the drafting rooms and entered K-12 classrooms working as a substitute teacher in Orange County and Colton. That was a quite a change, and a challenge for me . . . I thought I liked kids. After three years I realized that was not a real post-career career for me. Lately I feel like I’m resting on my laurels, but spending ten hours a week in the classroom is going to count for something. I’m doing a lot of reading, walking, and guitar “practice”.  I’m the perennial jazz groupie and recently had another opportunity to see and chat with guitar great, Kenny Burrell, at Catalina’s in Hollywood. The most valuable thing I’ve learned especially in the last 30 plus years is this: The practice of contentment (Heb 13:5). God assures in that verse that no matter what we pursue, and attain, we can be content knowing he will not leave us. Well mates, I’ll see y’all October 13th. TTNA.
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Buchanan, Judith (Judi) Kaye Gard Gerstenfeld – Mesa, AZ  (Attending reunion)

I left Lynwood a few months after graduation and got married in Las Vegas on my 18th birthday, September 22, 1962 to Frank Gard…the first ‘love of my life’. I got my first real job shortly after we married, at a car dealership on Western Avenue…Wesson Buick. That was the beginning of my 40-year career in the car business.  During the years that we were married we lived in San Francisco (twice…pre-Haight/Ashbury), Hollywood and Long Beach. That marriage lasted ten years and I don’t regret a moment of it. He was a sweetie, but twenty-one years older than me and we just grew apart. In 1974 I met Steven Gerstenfeld on a blind date. It was ‘love at first sight” and we were married two months later. We lived in the city of Orange until 1978 and moved to Arizona, bought a new house in Mesa and I still live here…33 years, wow! Steven and I had a great life and a lot of fun as you can see in my Albums on Facebook. We rode dirt bikes in the California desert, went to Alaska twice, drove a new Volvo S80 on the test track in Sweden, had a boat in a slip at Lake Powell for over 20 years living the “good life”.  Steven passed away in January of 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer of the esophagus. Shortly thereafter I lost my job of 28 years as the Controller at Powell Volvo in Scottsdale, Arizona. The economy forced my boss to sell to a big corporate dealer and they had no place for this old lady….the best thing that ever happened to me. Although I went through a few months of total despair, I am doing very well now, thanks to my family, friends and Facebook, where I have connected and re-connected to my ‘friends’ in Lynwood. First of all, my good friend Christine Delaby Anderson who has been a source of comfort and support and some new ‘friends’ who have helped and advised me well. I love them all. But the best thing to come out of this all is the ‘third’ love of my life Robert “Bob” Arnold, a fellow 1962 graduate who I reconnected with on Facebook. We have corresponded since October when I offered to help him edit his book. In January we met in person, for the first time in over 50 years. We will be attending the reunion together and you can hear the whole story then

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Burke, Pam Fetters – Yuba City, CA  (Attending reunion)

I actually graduated from the Downey High School Class of ‘62, but I went from kindergarten to my junior year in Lynwood and do not consider myself anything but a Lynwood High Knight; I have always attended Lynwood’s class reunion. After graduation I attended Cerritos Jr. College for cosmetology school. I received my license in 1964 and worked for a while in a shop, but it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. I married in August 1965 during the Watts Riots; boy that should have told me something. We were married for 13 years and then divorced. I have two wonderful children out of that marriage. My daughter Melissa, 43, retired from the Air Force about five years ago after serving 20+ years. She is now going to college in Nebraska to become a Special Ed teacher. My son Kevin, 39, spent six years in the Army and is now a stay-at-home dad with his three step-children. Melissa has given me two outstanding grandsons: Wolf, 13, and Zack, 16.  Kevin has given me two more wonderful boys: Tyler, 10 and Cody, 12, and two stepsons and a step-granddaughter. I have worked at many jobs during my life. I was a dental assistant, waitress, and office worker. I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom until the kids started school. After my divorce I moved from Salinas back to Yuba City to where my family was. I had a daycare business for five years in my home, so I could be home with Melissa and Kevin in their early teen years, which I felt was important since I was a single mom. In 1985 I went to work for Sutter County Schools. I worked in Special Ed for 27 yrs, until my retirement on Dec. 30, 2011. I love my work and realized that I had been given a gift and I used it. I had worked almost every program, from the Infant Program (babies birth to 3 that were at risk or had a disability), Severely Handicapped Program with pre-schoolers, and later I worked with older children also. I worked in the ROP Program doing job training with children disabilities. All and all I had a wonderful career and feel so blessed to have had so many children in my life. I also do respite care for the disabled that I have done for 26 years and am continuing to do that. I am now starting a new chapter in my life as of Dec. 17, 2011, as I married the love of my life and true soul mate.   We will be taking a belated honeymoon starting Sept. 3 on a car trip across the U.S. and ending up in Costa Mesa for the Lynwood High School Class of 1962 on Oct 12, 2012. I am really looking forward to seeing old friends and classmates.
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Burlison, Joy Arnswald  – Vista, CA   (Attending reunion)

After gradation I attended Compton JC for two years and majored in business and sorority. Later I applied with United Airlines and was hired in 1966. In those days, stewardesses weren’t allowed to be married, but pilots were. I loved water skiing and fast boats and I met Bill at the Colorado River in 1968 (he had a race boat that went over 100mph). Later that year, United changed the marriage rule and that was it for that 28-year-old bachelor. Bill and I have been married for 41 years and have two beautiful daughters, both RNs (pretty handy for us in our old age). I flew international with UAL and after 37 years, I retired in 2003 when my grandson was diagnosed with brain cancer. We were blessed with six grandchildren. Our oldest grandson is at UC Northern Colorado on a football scholarship and his sister attends UC Santa Cruz. Their brother, Sean, passed away at 13 from a brain cancer and they both plan to enter the medical field. My younger daughter has three children ages 13 to 2. My husband probably wins the prize for the most toys. We have a motor home, a boat, three jeeps, two cement mixers, and one airplane that (thank God) is parked at the airport. Bill has totally remodeled the home with acreage (for the toys) we bought in Vista, CA. We like to camp in our motor home at Lake Alamo and Lake Millerton and doing whatever comes up that sounds fun. We also take separate vacations sometimes. He flies down to Loreto, Mexico to fish and I shop in Beijing, China with my friends and visit Sydney, Australia to see my Aussie “sister”. I took a ukelele class and we bought a karaoke machine. Now we enjoy karaoke night at Vista Elks Lodge and also karaoke in our family room, motor home and patio–we love having parties! In high school Mike Murphy was my main boyfriend (class of ’61). My dearest and oldest gal friend is Kathy Breeze. I still keep in contact with Pat Bevers, Nancy Werner, Sandy Broome, Cheryl Braden, and Carol Hancock. I’m hoping to see Janet DeLaby, Jan Goldsworthy, Suzy Bruce, and Pat Baldivia at the reunion, and hope to locate my old next-door neighbor, Ronnie Snow. Does anyone keep in touch with him?  Dennis Saldana and Danny Boniti lived on my street (Cornish) and it would be a kick to see them there. A memory from grammar school: Mrs. Bengal at Lugo having Dennis Slocomb and me practice “I Believe”. (I sang and Dennis played his horn.) I always tell my kids, if I kick the bucket tomorrow, remember…I had a good life. (Oh God! please not yet, I’m having too much fun!

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Burrachio, Rosalie Wilson – Irvine, CA  (Attending reunion)

If someone would have asked me on the night of graduation, “What do you think you’ll be doing for the next 50 years?” I wouldn’t even have been close. My plan was go to school in New York (I had applied at Julliard), become a stage actor and eventually become a director.  Unfortunately my Father had a different idea.  I was only 17 when I graduated, so he didn’t want me to go to New York.  Being the obedient daughter, I enrolled at Compton College, which I hated.  That didn’t last long, so I went to work at a finance company, which fed my aptitude for numbers and started a life-long career in the world of numbers. I married John Frazier (another classmate) in summer of 1963 while he was in the Navy.  While planning our wedding I inadvertently found my acceptance to Julliard buried in the bottom of my Mother’s dresser. When I confronted my mother with the evidence, she told me that my father had forbidden her to tell me I had been accepted as John and I were engaged and he didn’t want me to go to New York.  The wedding was just a few months away, and not wanting to upset everyone, I just let it go (much to my sorrow).  Once married, I was on my own, since John was stationed on a ship and spent most of the time traveling the ocean. When he was discharged we lived in Lynwood for a while and even bought a house.  We had two sons and I got to stay at home with the boys for about five years.  It was during this time that my Father got very ill and I became his primary care giver during the week.  It was a rough time, taking care of two little ones and my Dad but I wouldn’t exchange those memories for anything in the world.  John got a promotion and moved to a new location, so we moved to Buena Park.  My dad passed away and I suddenly was at a loss to occupy my time, so I went back to school.  I started working at a bookkeeping office during income tax season to off-set the cost of trying to get my accounting degree.  I learned a lot and when we moved to Irvine was able to get a job as an assistant controller for a Pension Administration firm, and within 6 months became the Controller.  I later became the Vice President and General Manger of this firm, which started my career path. John and I were married 18 years and even though we had a good marriage, he suddenly needed to be on his own.  That left me with two boys to raise (8 & 11), a mortgage to pay, and a nervous breakdown.  But as they say, God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, so with that to guide me, I prevailed.  Having been in the pension administration industry for about 10 years, I decided to start my own pension business.  So here I was with two boys, now 12 & 15 to raise, a house to pay for and a new business to run.  I look back and wonder; how in the world did I do that?? I met my second husband Derrral, who was also in the pension industry and we were married in 1991.  This enlarged our family to four boys.  Even though they were pretty well grown at the time, we still thought of them as our boys.  He too had a pension firm so we became husband and wife and competitors all at the same time.  We were smart enough not to combine our companies as he didn’t want me for a boss and I didn’t want him for one, but we did house them together. I became very active in a National Pension Organization and helped to start a local chapter.  This gave me the opportunity to learn how to put together and run workshops and major national conferences.   I became president of the local chapter and remained so for about 10 years.  In 1997 I had two major blows, my Mother had a major stroke and Derral was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Talk about a double whammy!!  So here I was again, this time running two pension firms, a chapter of a national pension organization and becoming care giver to both my Mom and my husband.  I can’t say it was always easy or that I didn’t get stress out on occasion, but when you are in the middle of these kinds of situations, you don’t think about them; you just handle them. Prior to Derral’s death, we sold both businesses and I retired for the first time.  He died just a few months after we retired.  For the first time in longer than I could remember I had nothing to do and loved it.  I played some golf, and did some traveling.  I went to Europe to visit my youngest son who was going to school in Spain for his Masters and then met my sister in Roma for a trip through Italy. Upon returning I had a couple of prior colleges approach me to come and work for their firms? They were having some major management issues and thought that I could help.   I really didn’t want to go back to work, so I told them I would help them out, on a temporary bases.  I would work a few days a week and ascertain their problems, offer solutions and be done.  Their biggest problem was client retention, so I proposed developing a “Client Services” department that would be responsible for client satisfaction.  It worked but it took me another six years before I finally retired again. Several years later, these same colleges approached me again to help in a different capacity.  They had been bought by a larger firm and were now responsible for implementing a revised version of their data base system company wide.  They needed someone to travel to all of their 17 offices to instruct their employees on how to use the system.  So once again I came out of retirement and went to work in yet another field.  I have to say the traveling was fun, but it gave me a whole new respect for instructors.  The best part was I finally got to go to New York.    When walking around New York, I truly felt like I had come home.  I wonder what my life would have been like had I gone there all those years ago. Anyway that part is over and now I am retired again, hopefully for the last time.  I look back over the last 50 years and think, I didn’t set the world on fire, but I think I did okay.  Now I spend time with wonderful and talented grandchildren and enjoy their accomplishments.

Clark, Bonnie Dissmore – Norwalk, CA  (Attending reunion)

I was born on February 14, 1945 in Pomona, California and moved to Lynwood at six months old in August, 1945.  I attended George Washington Elementary, Hosler Junior High, and, of course, Lynwood High.  I added one more year of education at Compton J.C..  I worked for a short period of time at Los Angeles City Hall and then decided that being a wife and mother was what I wanted to be.  I was married 14 years at which time we called it quits and I became a single mom with two daughters, Michele Renee and Tracy Lynn.  We had moved to Norwalk before the split and I still live there 38 years later.  I went to work as an Administrative Secretary for Paramount Unified School District.  I retired from there after 21 years and did some part-time work as a traveling Notary and then settled down as a homemaker and grandmother.  I have three beautiful granddaughters ages 22, 20, and 17; one handsome grandson age 9 and my two precious great-grandsons ages 2 and 3-1/2.  It has been a busy, full and joyful life. I am looking forward to seeing all of you in October.  My daughter, Michele will be attending with me.
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I earned my undergraduate degree from California State University, Dominquez Hills, and my Master’s of Science in Reading at Pepperdine University. I went on to teach Reading at all levels both in public and private schools, and retired after 43 years of teaching. I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I wrote the  book My Neighbor in Bethany that you can find on Amazon.com. I am married to Richard Oldenburg who is retired and writes children’s books: How The Quail Earned His Topknot and the Musical Dragon are also on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. I am the Grandmother of eight and I hand weave Southwestern hangings.

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Cottril, Drew – Statesboro, GA

438,000 hours ago we all left Lynwood High School. That’s 18,250 days. It’s a lifetime. So how do we write our autobiographies? I have been boiling it all down for a while, so here goes.  I entered Chouinard Art Institute / Cal Art after graduation but the money ran out after the first semester, so off to Compton JC for one year and then I joined the National Guard. After boot camp and helicopter school it was back to Compton where I met and fell in love with my beautiful Natalie (we celebrated or 45th this past July).  I returned to Chouinard and in 1968 was well into my junior year when my National Guard Unit was called to two years of active duty after the TET offensive. I am told I missed the best part of the whole hippy thing, more lost years. Back at Chouinard, I graduated in 1971. Somehow it took me nine years to get out of college. I never figured out if it was a conscious decision to delay the inevitable “WORK” thing or was it just fate. I spent ten years in the advertising design world in L.A., Vancouver British Columbia and San Diego. San Diego is where we settled in, spending 30 wonderful years living in the little town of Encinitas. I switched from the ad business to printing, a damn fine decision too; the ad business would have killed me. Nat and I are blessed with a wonderful daughter Shannon and two beautiful grandchildren, Savannah Grace (9) and Andrew (16). During all these years I have continued painting and have galleries in Rome, Italy and Atlanta representing me. We retired in 2008, sold the house and headed to Georgia, no home, and no job. What fun. Ok, so you’re asking: Georgia? You know the answer, family; our daughter has been living in Georgia for some 15 years. We have no more family in California so what the hell, off we went. Found a nice little home outside a small farm town just west of Savannah, lots of room, forest on two sides, abundant critters and a few varmints just to keep it interesting. Built a little studio behind the house on the edge of the woods, great place to paint and that way I keep out of Nat’s way. Right now, just to keep busy I am starting my second year of Graduate school at Georgia Southern University. They have a very good Masters of Fine Arts program. It keeps me busy and at times kicks my butt, but it’s great learning about this insane Postmodernists world. As I re-read this I am amazed that one can cram 50 years into a few lines of type, there is so much more for all of us to say of ourselves–the hard times, joys, loss, good days, wild crazy days, days of boredom, days that just evaporated into thin air. I’m thankful to Al Martin for sending me the 50th year reunion notice. Remembering Lynwood High it is so easy to see how we were all blessed to grow up in that time frame, that town, it gave us time to be kids, time to laugh. I don’t think I will make to the reunion, unless school will give me a week off. Ya’ll enjoy, Let the good times roll.
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Cowens, Frances Riley  – Wildomar, CA   (Attending reunion)

Wow, 50 years! In many ways it doesn’t seem that long. I want to say congratulations to those of us who made it this long, and to those who didn’t, we’ll see you eventually! Since graduation I have worked at Cole of California and Western Iron & Metal, both in Vernon. I married in 1966 to a wonderful, patient man, Ron. We have two children and three grandchildren. In 2001 I was reunited with my daughter and gained another son-in-law and grandson. We stayed close to Lynwood most of our married life (Downey). In 1997 we moved to Wildomar after I retired from the Downey School District where I worked as a Special Education Assistant for 20 years. Since moving to Wildomar, my husband has retired and we fill our time with showing his 1961 un-restored, original Chevy Impala at car shows where we have won many trophies and met some of the most friendly and interesting people. I mostly stay close to home, do gardening, read and mess with the computer. I have kept in contact with my “long time” friends Diana, Jackie and Linda; I don’t know what I’d do without them. Life has been an on-going learning experience (good and not so good). I have learned a lot and expect I will continue to do so, but I am content and feel very blessed.
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Cross, Diana Nolan – Buena Park, CA  (Attending reunion)

My husband, Larry, and I will be celebrating 49 years of marriage this August. We are blessed with two wonderful sons. Our son Lawrence lives in Costa Rica, and our son Jeff lives in Paso Robles. He gave us our two little treasures, our beautiful granddaughter Emily who is 16 and our grandson Connor who is 13. He is our sports nut and we enjoy going to watch him play baseball and football. They both bring us much joy. It took me awhile to write my bio as when  I read some of the others I thought wow now what do I write? Then I realized that we all have made a difference in this life as we know it, so I then decided to write mine. My husband was a fireman for the city of Anaheim for 28 years and I was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom until our sons were in school. I worked for the school district for 28 years, a very rewarding job. I loved working with the kids. Larry retired at the age of 55 and I waited a little longer and then we set off in our motor home and traveled for about 8 years and now we have sold the motor home but still are blessed to be able to travel. We both really enjoy it and enjoy spending time together. I have stayed in close contact with Jackie (Leichty) Donohue and Fran (Cowens) Riley and we get to see Linda (Spaur) Franklin about once a year. I have always remained friends with Kathy (Breeze) Roah but these reunion meetings have brought us even closer. It is my joy to see how much she and Joe love each other as I was the one that introduced them to one another. Good job if I do say so myself. I have wonderful memories of our little city and our high school days; what a wonderful time that was, even if we didn’t realize it at the time. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends at the reunion, how many people get the chance to go to their fifty year reunion? I am very blessed –  life is good!
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Curry, Karen Curry  – Everson, WA

(Taken from classmates.com profile.) I married in 1966 and lived in Lynwood for two years and then moved to Hays, KS where my husband is from. We lived there for five years and then moved to Bellingham, WA. I grew up in WA from the age of 2 to 10 and came back on vacations with my family. I have always loved the Pacific NW.  Ron and I purchased five acres to raise our family. We have two sons and four grandchildren with a new addition arriving in Jan 2012. It was a great life for our family. We raised cattle, pigs and chickens. Our youngest son was in 4-H and now his children are showing animals in MN where they live. Wish they were not so far away. Our oldest son lives near us and has one child. After leaving Kansas I was able to be a stay at home Mom and tend our little farm. Time has gone by so fast. In September 2010 I retired after 19 years working for a non-profit organization. Ron and I were able to take a seven-week trip to visit family and friends pulling our little 23 ft home behind our truck. Just did an upgrade to a 30ft fifth wheel. We are looking forward to traveling again in 2012. The rest of the time we camp once a month with our Good Sam Group. We are too old to sleep on the ground and we get a lot of rain in our area. I keep busy with my gardens and crafting. I sell my crafts at Christmas Bazaar’s and have meet the nicest people. My life is pretty simple but I would not have it any other way.
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DeLaby, Christine Anderson – Whittier, CA   (Attending reunion)

Two days after graduation my Mother (Vera) and I journeyed to her homeland, Norway, and visited Sweden, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Spain.  Born in Norway, she and her parents emigrated to Chicago when she was 4 years old and had not seen any of her Norwegian family since 1926.  It was a beautiful two-month trip.  Upon returning I went to work for an Eng-Const Co. in L.A., Ralph M. Parsons, for 5 months.  In December of 1962 I moved to Strømmen, Norway to live with my Norwegian cousin and her family 9 miles outside Oslo for 18 months.  The overseas move was not my idea, but that story is too long (and it was not due to a baby :)). I went to work for Norsk A/S Philips Co., a Dutch company.  I loved Norway, but not enough to stay there to live.  I missed the U.S. and returned to the States in June of 1964.  I attended PCC for 3 mos., but couldn’t keep my mind off the working world.  I applied for a job at Ralph M. Parsons again, no openings, so they sent me to Holmes and Narver, Inc., another Eng-Const Co on the same day, a Friday.  After the interview, the phone was ringing when I returned home, I got the job!  In 1968 I had my first child, Michael.  Michael’s dad asked me to marry him, but I didn’t feel I was ready to get married then.  Over the years I moved and worked at various jobs while the children were growing up.  In 1970 I married my now ex-husband, Jim, who adopted Michael.  We had 3 children over the next 11 years, Nancy, Gary and Jennifer.  Michael did get to know his real father, Louis, and his side of family, and it turned out well.   Michael-43 is in Sales with Dunn-Edwards Paint Corp.  Nancy-40 works for Yamaha, is married to Jeff, and has 2 children, Alyssa-18 and Emily-6.  Gary-35 is the Regional Manager for Collector’s Universe, and has a lovely girlfriend, Claribell, and she has a child, Karla-7.  Jennifer-31 is on temporary hiatus from working and is a very busy stay-at-home-mommy and student, getting married again in May to David, and has 2 children, Kyrsten-11 and Alina-6.  Jim and I divorced in 1984, and I was a single Mom again for 10 years.  I met my current husband, Andy, the love of my life, in 1993.  Andy works for ARS in Whittier.  He has accepted the children and grandchildren wholeheartedly. We were married on May 1, 1994 in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel.  My favorite movie has always been “Ocean’s 11”, released in 1960, when we were all still in high school, starring the original Rat Pack,  Since then I always wanted to get married at one of the hotels in the movie, the Sahara, Riviera, Desert Inn, Sands and the Flamingo.  So I decided we needed to have fun and bring a touch of Hollywood into our lives, thereby taking a break from our rigid lifestyle all those years, and my way-too-stern ex-husband.  In March we planned a Celebration with most of our family and friends.  It was a 97th Birthday for Dad, 90th Birthday for Mom, 81st Birthday for Delores, Dad’s sister, and 70th Wedding Anniversary for Mom and Dad.  We are really looking forward to our 50-Year Reunion in October and seeing everyone again.

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Dennis, Ron – Midlothian,TX  (Attending reunion)

I have enjoyed reading everyone’s bios.  Here’s a little bit about myself after I left LHS.  I got a degree in Zoology at Cal State Long Beach.  It was while at Cal State I married Lynn Royce (LHS ’65).  We had decided that we wanted to serve as Bible translators for a minority people group, so after I graduated from Cal State, we did Biblical Studies at Multnomah University, Portland OR.  From there it was on to linguistic studies at the University of Oklahoma. Since then we have been involved in Bible translation with the Wycliffe Bible Translators.  From 1971 until 1993 we lived among a primitive, indigenous group in a remote part of Honduras (the Tolpan people), serving these folks in a number of ways: linguistic analysis, literacy development, Bible translation into their language (Tol), medical assistance, etc.  It was a very rewarding experience, and we saw some wonderful things happen. From 1993 to 2001 we lived in Guatemala and served in administrative roles with Wycliffe Bible Translators.  Currently we serve in administrative roles at our international office in Dallas, TX. We have two children and five grandchildren.  Our son, Scott, and his family live in Escondido, CA, and have an engineering design and manufacturing business in San Diego.  Our daughter, Sharon, and her three children live near us here in Texas.  She works for a division of Cigna Insurance. We are anxiously looking forward to October.  It’ll be my first class reunion.  Can’t wait to see you all!
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Drake, Wilma Jean Irvine – Los Angeles, CA  (Attending reunion)

I was born January 15, 1945 in Long Beach and at age two moved from Willowbrook to Cedar Avenue in Lynwood. I attended Lindberg Elementary, Hosler Jr. High, and Lynwood High. I married in 1965 and happily divorced 25 years later. We have one son, Tracy, who works in the movie industry; both he and my ex-husband still live with me in West Los Angeles. My favorite roommate is my miniature dachshund, Ruckus, and if I get drunk enough at the reunion, I will show you the tattoo picture I have of him on my leg. Before leaving Lynwood High, I was fortunate to be put in the “work experience” program at Robertshaw Controls Co. in Long Beach and continued there after graduation and while I went to Compton Jr. College. In 1975 we moved to the West Los Angeles area. I suppose I was destined to get into medicine as I worked both at Hosler and Lynwood High in the nurses office. I started as receptionist and office manager and biller in Beverly Hills for a psychiatrist and neurologist, then to neurosurgery, then on to Plastic/Reconstructive surgery. I worked 17 years in Beverly Hills for a doctor who does testing for nerve-related diseases and injuries. I retired in 2011 for a couple of weeks, didn’t much care for it and went back to work for the Plastic Surgery Center in Santa Monica. I am currently heading up a program at the surgery center for the USC 6th-year residents to do surgery in their final year before their graduation into the big world of Plastic Surgery. AND NO, I am not planning on a face lift and lipo suction before the reunion (although the thought had crossed my mind)! Usually in October I go to Lone Pine California for the Film Festival.  It is to honor all the film stars who have made movies in the Alabama Hills just south of Mammoth.  When it started about 18 years ago, it was the Roy Rogers, and John Wayne movies and all the attendees dressed in cowboy clothes (especially the men) and as it has progressed it takes in so many more.  People spend the entire years walking all over those mountains and comparing it to old film, and putting out plaques and still pictures of movies made there.  You can look at the sign, and look up at the rocks and know that was the exact spot that film was made.  I won’t be going this year as I will be at the reunion. Happy Trails. I enjoy my friends and family and particularly like going to the casino. Bingo is by far my favorite, but those penny slots keep me entertained. I went on one big traveling adventure four years ago to China; first time I ever had a passport. Have been on many cruises down to Mexico and the Caribbean, but never so far from home; it is really on the other side of the planet. I have really enjoyed working on the committee for our reunion and can hardly wait to see every one again. I want to talk to every attendee, make up stories if we really didn’t know each other then, dance with everyone and I can’t dance (that is a dilemma but I will try), and just generally have a great time.  It is the one opportunity we will have to all be together and share the experience that we all were so, so fortunate to live in that magical time and place together.
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Freedman, Helene Rosen – Agoura Hills, CA  (Attending reunion)

Although I did not graduate with you, I very much feel part of the class. I went to school in Lynwood all the way until the middle of 10th grade when my family moved to Los Angeles. I was so upset about having to leave so close to graduation, but in the end, I made friends and was happy in my new school. After high school, I went to Berkeley for my first two years of college but ended up graduating from UCLA. I then got a job with the County of Los Angeles where I stayed for 15 years.  I worked in Data Processing, design and implementing computer systems for the law enforcement community. I was happy enough to leave there however when I married and had my children.  The marriage didn’t last but my three boys are reward enough. They have given me so much pleasure. Lee is the oldest. After graduating from the Univ. of Arizona, he worked for Citibank for a number of years. He has just gone back to school full time at UC Irvine to get an MBA. He has a steady girlfriend and I’ve got my fingers crossed. Craig attended Arizona State, worked for Raytheon, and then became a full time student, receiving his MBA from USC in May.  He now works for Beats by Dr Dre and is enjoying his new job a lot. My youngest is Jay. He graduated from San Diego State and now works for a real estate development company in San Diego.  He married his high school sweetheart in August.  I was so pleased that Sylvia Marcinko Chai flew in from Florida to attend the wedding. And now they just learned that their offer has been accepted for their first home. As for me, I still work part time. My hobbies are playing mah jongg with friends, doing my genealogy (I am vice president of a local genealogy society), photography, traveling, reading, walking my dog, and just being with friends and family. I’m looking forward to being with everyone at the reunion!____________________________________________________
Freeman, Kitty Forman  – Joshua Tree, CA   (Attending Reunion)

The last fifty years has been filled with excitement. The changes have been constant, including a few heartbreaks. I cannot wait to see what adventures the next fifty years will provide. Like many of you, my higher education started in Compton, but not at the college. My business career started at Pacific Telephone & Telegram in Huntington Park. After PT&T converted from a manual billing process to a computerized system, in 1966 I found employment with the United States Post Office in Compton. The problem was, in those days the job description was “Clerk/Carrier,” which basically translated into being a carrier full time. I soon learned that door-to-door delivery in the area of 151st Street, Wilmington, and Central could be hazardous to one’s health. Someday I am going to write a book about the sights I have seen during those door-to-door adventures and the situations I encountered. Some were real “eye openers”. Once realizing that I had higher career goals, I joined Southern California Edison’s Accounting Department in 1968. We purchased our first home in 1972, just a few doors east of Susan Schenk’s family abode on Cortland. Our next move was to La Mirada in 1977. I divorced in 1983 and I remained in La Mirada until December 2005. In the mean time, Edison offered earlier retirements to many employees in May 1996 (SCE downsized from 21,000 to 12,000 employees in six weeks). Luckily, I had been there 27 plus years and my current position was being eliminated, so I took the offer and ran, skipping out of the office a very happy camper on June 30th. Shortly thereafter, life took a big turn on Thanksgiving weekend 1996 when I stopped to water trees at my Joshua Tree property, following a weekend in Laughlin. The area was experiencing high winds at the time (up to 65 MPH). The old outhouse (yard decoration) fell over, hitting me on top of the head and neck. Next thing I knew, I woke up inside the outhouse (fortunately the door was off). It was dark, cold, and with poisonous snakes slithering about the area. Knowing no one would hear me with those howling winds, and no one would probably look inside of a downed outhouse, I managed to free myself thanks to a couple of 4×4’ pieces of wood that caused the structure to tilt slightly. The end result was a fractured neck and ruptured discs. It definitely slowed me down a bit. However, over time I’m back to gardening, doing some target shooting, but I gave up the motorcycle riding for a quad and a diesel tractor to maintain my ten acres that I have in Joshua Tree. December 2005, found me permanently residing in amongst the beautiful Joshua Trees in the majestic desert. After the renovation of the existing JT cabin, I joined the student body at Copper Mountain Community College, majoring in Criminal Justice. Besides planting trees and playing in the pool, I enjoy researching my genealogy. In ten years, I’ve found many interesting monkeys in my tree, including two Presidents and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. However, I’m still looking for that Prince. ________________________________________________________________________________
Foster, Roger and Janet Delaby Foster – Crescent City, CA
  (Attending reunion)

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Roger accepted a job in marketing with Republic Steel, declining an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles due to injuries he suffered while at Cal. He eventually started Royal Construction Specialties, worked in marketing for Ford Motor Company, co-owned Tillamook Motor Company, co-owned and was a real estate broker for Northern California Properties and finally, worked as a correctional peace officer at Pelican  Bay State Prison.  Janet worked as a secretary with UC Berkeley administration, personnel  staff with Santa Clara County then, a full-time mother for 15 years. After her hiatus as a mom, she worked as a medical staff secretary at Feather River Hospital while attending college, and then was a secretary for the Warden at Pelican Bay State Prison. Roger and Janet have moved fourteen times since high school graduation, but have finally settled in Crescent City, CA and retired at age 65. They love the weather there as it allows them to golf year round and enjoy the ocean, redwoods, hot tubbing and watching elk, deer, bears and foxes wander through their property. They have been married for 49 years and have three children: two sons (41 and 39), a daughter (31) and two granddaughters. Favorite hobbies include tracking tortoises with their daughter (a biologist with the park service) and traveling in their RV to visit children in Chico, Reno, and Joshua Tree, and traveling all over the country.

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Fry, Roberta McNaught – Corona, CA  (Attending reunion)

I’ve procrastinated long enough and it’s time I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and get this bio written. My problem has been trying to figure out how to put 50 years of life into a reasonable amount of printed space. My story begins right after graduation. I was fortunate to get a really good job at Atlas Lighting in Wilmington. Thinking that at 18 years old and working at a great job, I was mature enough and ready to get married, in October of ’62 I married Dave Miller. We were married for 15 years and had two children, Dava, now 48 and Greg, now 43. It didn’t take too many years after marrying so young to figure out that I wasn’t quite as smart as I thought I was and that I probably hadn’t made the right choice in a life partner. In December of ’78 I married the true love of my life, David McNaught and his two children, Melissa, now 43 and Neil, now 39. Now almost 34 years later we have 12 grandkids and 2 great grandkids, with another due this December. We live in Corona and have been really blessed with a very loving family who all really like each other and love to do family things. We make quite a crew when we are all together. Our whole family has been very involved in sports and athletics. We owned a condo in Mammoth Lakes for 30 years and all the kids learned to ski and snow board. Bowling has been a big part of my life. I was President of the Long Beach Women’s Bowling Association for 12 years. I have been inducted into two Halls of Fame:  the LBWBA Hall of Fame and the So. Cal. Bowling Writers’ Hall of Fame. I have one 300 game to my credit and my team took 1st place in the Women’s International Bowling Congress Championships. My husband David also bowls and has had a 290 game to his credit. We sold our condo in Mammoth and now have turned our interest to boating and wave runners. We own three homes in Bullhead City Arizona and spend as much time as we can on the Colorado River and the lakes in the area. In 2011 David had to sell his Accounting Firm because he was diagnosed with Merkel Cell Carcinoma which is a very rare and aggressive cancer. We weren’t given any great outlook but because of prayers from all over the country he is still here and we thank our Lord and Savior for this. We love to travel and cruise. In the later part of  August, we are taking a week’s cruise to Alaska, which will be the 48th state we have visited. We hope to make the last two, which are Delaware and West Virginia, this fall. One of our favorite ways to travel is in our convertible with the top down and on the back roads of our beautiful US of A. Life has been good and we have truly been blessed with a fabulous family and many great friends. If it’s the Good Lord’s Will, David and I will see you all at the reunion.
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Gordon, Barbara Van Houten – Folsom, CA  (Attending reunion)

As I look back 50 years to our graduation, I remember feeling a great deal of sadness having to leave familiar surroundings and friends and move on to other adventures. One week after graduation I began working. I have worked as an Administrative Assistant for engineers, real estate brokers, pastors, attorneys, CPAs and an insurance provider for vision care. I finally retired in 2007 only to be called back after nine months to help get them back on track. For 48 years I have been married to Leonard Van Houten, class of ’61. We moved to San Jose in 1968 when Len accepted a teaching job in San Jose Unified School District where he taught music in the secondary schools. That is where we raised our three wonderful children, Timothy, 45; Cynthia, 43 and Jennifer, 42. We have also been blessed with five beautiful grandchildren ranging in age from 22 to 13. We moved to Folsom, CA in 1999 to be closer to our daughters, but that meant Len would have to commute once a week for three years until he retired in 2002. It was worth the sacrifice to be closer to family. Since our son served as an air traffic controller in the Air Force for 20 years, we couldn’t follow him all over. He is now in Colorado and is a full-time college student. Traveling is our passion, especially cruising. We have ten cruises down and a few more to go on our bucket list. In April and May of this year we traveled throughout the southern states and just returned from a wonderful two weeks visiting Canada and a few friends along the way. We also like to travel with our grandchildren when the opportunity presents itself. However, after their first cruise with us they have all decided that cruising is the only way to travel. I like taking lots of photos and make DVDs, printed books and scrapbooks of our adventures. When not traveling, I am trying to learn how to quilt and sometimes I manage to get in a little bit of sewing. We are both active in the First Covenant Church of Sacramento where we enjoy serving in various capacities. We are looking forward to seeing everyone and wish you all many years of blessings while enjoying retirement.
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Hancock, Brian – Ashland, OR  (Attending reunion)

I have lived in Ashland Oregon since leaving Lynwood in 1967. My parents and I opened the local KOA Kampground here. I met my wife, Jackie, that year on the 4th of July and we were married that August 26th. We have two sons and now eight grandchildren. I am retired from Butler Automotive Group where I served as Director of Parts and Service. Overall, I have been in the car biz since 1975 with two dealers, BMW and Acura. Our family is very involved in boating with a houseboat on Shasta Lake. Between our two sons and us, we own six boats plus the usual toys. We were very involved with little league and later the high school Booster Club as our sons went through Ashland schools playing football, basketball and baseball. Now we watch Pop Warner and school football and lacrosse with four grandsons at different ages. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in October.
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Hancock, Carol Jackson – Green Valley, AZ  (Attending reunion)

Derrill and I moved to Green Valley, AZ  six years ago.  We live in Quail Creek , which is an active adult community and they aren’t kidding.  We have made alot of new friends and are very involved in all the activities, golf, cards, dances, etc. We have 9 grandkids, ages 2 to 30 and 8 great grandkids, ages 2 to 10.  We are really enjoying our retirement.  Look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.
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Hazelwood, Sharon Pereira – Alta Loma, CA  (Still “thinking” about attending reunion)

After walking off the graduation field on that wonderful Thursday evening and surviving the all-night party, I took a three-day rest and started my first full-time job at Pacific Bell Telephone Company on the following Monday morning.  I met my first husband there and for the first five years of married life we lived in Compton.  After the birth of our second son, I changed jobs and went to work for Southern California Gas Company and we moved to the then new housing area of Cerritos.  Although we did manage another five years, we divorced on a somewhat friendly basis.  I stayed single for about a year, but then met the love of my life, Dan, while out dancing with the girlfriends at the Saddleback in Norwalk.  Dan came with a son that he had custody of so it became us and our three sons. We bought a motorhome and a boat and spent the next few years of our non-working hours camping, water skiing, and ocean fishing.  The boys were all in Little League baseball and it seemed we spent seven days a week at the ballpark for quite a few summers, but it was fun.  In 1979 we decided Cerritos was getting crowded, and we moved to a new home in Alta Loma aka Rancho Cucamonga on about an acre of land where we still live today.  We are in the foothills and have some wildlife (Redtail  Hawks, Coyotes, Cottontail Rabbits) running through our yard. Ten years ago Dan and I both decided we had worked long enough, so after almost forty years with the Gas Company, I retired. Since then we have traveled a lot, mostly in the western states.  Our favorite jaunt is heading to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and then Yellowstone to watch for moose, wolf, and bear.  We spend time each year in South Dakota feeding the begging burros in Custer State Park, checking out Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, with side trips to Deadwood and Sturgis.  We have crossed the Rio Grande River numerous times, eaten prime beef in Dodge City, Kansas,  followed the Santa Fe Trail into Colorado, and driven the “million dollar highway”. We’ve traveled in the east from Maine to Virginia and we spend time each January watching the big Elephant Seals near Cambria.  Beautiful country we have here and we love the wildlife.  When at home, we enjoy the calmer wildlife in our own backyard and have play-dates at the local casino’s. We have five grandsons and one granddaughter who make us feel old at every opportunity.  Other than traveling with our adorable, and often photographed mini Pomeranian, Lola, Dan enjoys his deep sea fishing and I research our family trees on an ancestry website.  Found out I was related to, among others, Jesse James, First Lady Dolly Madison, Daniel Boone, and the Kellogg Cornflakes family. What great memories I have of growing up in Lynwood.  I remember such fun times at Lynwood High School and some good friends.   Over the years I have wondered what some of my classmates were doing.  I am hoping I get to attend the reunion and ask them myself.
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Hobensack, Forrest – Washougal, WA

I have been living in Washington since 64/65, married, 2 kids, 1 grandson and one on the way.
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Holt, Susan Couture – Irvine, CA  (Attending reunion)

I have really enjoyed reading my classmates bios.  So here goes mine – thankfully it’s pretty much   a snooze.  After graduating from LHS I attended Long Beach State for a year and alas, aside from accounting classes, I have never finished my degree. Then in 1963 I married Bob Beat a boy from Downey.  We had two wonderful children, a son now 44 and a daughter now 43. I was a “stay at home mom” for more than ten years and loved it. It took me 15 years to figure out that the marriage wasn’t working (call me a slow learner). We divorced in 1979 and at that time I went to work full time for a corporation in Anaheim.  I worked there as an accountant for 30 years and retired in 2009. I met my second husband there and we have been happily married for 25 years. We put our two families together in 1986.  Since my husband also had custody of his two boys it was quite an adventure for all of us. Our kids were 19, 18, 17 and 14 when we married and put the two families together. Who in there right mind does that? Duh! It was comedy and tragedy from one minute to the next, but we give ourselves a B+ as we are still happily married and our kids are all still talking to us and each other. Our daughter is the only one of our children that is married and we have 2 grandchildren, a boy 11 and a girl 8, and of course they are the fairest in the land. Our three sons are doing fine in various endeavors, but the economy continues to plague them and worry us. Things I love; cooking, gardening, sewing, reading, dancing, playing games and traveling.  In 1989 my love of sewing inspired me and my husband Rob to start a dress design business. We actually sold an order to Nordstrom. It was very exciting. They wanted us to return the following season but with four kids still in college, the financial risk was too great. To this day we’re grateful to have had the experience and even more grateful to have passed up the risk!  One of my favorite things at LHS was being in drill team. I loved to dance so much that I tapped danced with a women’s group for 10 years – great exercise and great fun for us and the poor captive audience!  Rob and I live a quiet life in OC and enjoy it!  I am ever grateful for the wonderful childhood I had in our beautiful little town in the 50’s and 60’s.   am looking so forward to reconnecting with my girlhood friends at our 50th reunion!
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Humphries, Karen LindseyKailua-Kona, HI   (Attending reunion)

After graduating, I attended Compton J.C. for three semesters, majored in music and business and joined Delta Kappa Phi. I met my first husband, George, on the beach in Hermosa, married him in 1962 (one of my first big mistakes in life), and divorced him in 1967.  I had worked as a dental assistant in Lynwood for five years and after my divorce for another five years in Belmont Shore. After visiting Hawaii about four times in one year I moved with a girlfriend to Honolulu, where I met my husband of 37 years (Lindsay Lindsey). He was a Hawaiian entertainer performing in the heart of Waikiki at all the big hotels, and because I sang too, we formed a duo. After two years we moved back to Belmont Shore, married in 1974, and started our family (two boys and a girl). Eight years later we moved back to the islands, ending up on the Big Island (Hawaii).  When we first moved to Kona I worked in the Special Education Dept. at the local Junior High School and started and directed the dancing drill team, “The Hawketts”. We wanted our children to learn their Hawaiian culture and they all play music, dance hula and sing.  Our oldest son, Lindsay Jr. sings in downtown Kona and at the Four Seasons Hualala and is also an electrician. His wife Swany is an estate caretaker and they have four boys (they all play instruments). Our son Steven is one of the Director managers at the Four Seasons Hualalai. He plays ukulele and sings with my husband and me at the Four Seasons. His wife Tiffany was a Radio City Rockette for eight years and now is a stay-at-home mommy for their four boys. Our daughter Summer is a Resort Concierge at the Four Seasons and her husband Grayden is also a Hawaiian entertainer. They have three children: (one boy and our only two granddaughters out of eleven grandchildren). All of our family lives here on the Big Island and we have lots of fun parties! My husband and I sing in downtown Kona and at private parties and weddings (I play ukulele and he plays guitar). My husband also manages vacation rentals here in Kona. I love gardening, sewing, cooking, dancing the hula, playing with our grandchildren, but mostly playing music and singing with all my family.  I retired in 2004 to move my Mom to Hawaii to live with us.  She was with us a little over four years, until she went to be with our heavenly father at the age of almost 95 in 2008.  We sure miss her! I am so looking forward to seeing everyone at the Reunion next year; it’s going to be our biggest and best one ever!
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Imhoff, Barbara BruceCoto de Caza, CA

I’m not old enough to be going to a 50th high school reunion; who are you people anyway???? Ok, so, yes, I confess to being old enough to be eligible for a 50th reunion; I certainly have packed these last 50 years with a lot of stuff, but I have to admit it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long – it’s been a great 50 years – warts and all. After graduating I tried my hand at Long Beach State College (as it was once known,) only to find that it was best to work on my Associate of Sciences in medical assistance at Long Beach City College where I graduated and went to work as a medical assistant to a local Internist.  During all that time I remained attached at the hip of my best friend, Jim Bruce, and we married, February 26, 1965 after a five-year courtship. I have been in love with this man forever, it seems, and we have three beautiful daughters; Bon, the eldest, and the twins, Cindy and Wendy. I’ve left off their ages for decorum’s sake. Our girls have blessed us with four wonderful grandchildren and we continue to play the roles of parent and grandparent to this day; parenting never stops does it? After my medical assistant stint and a suitable period of working as a “stay-at-home” mom I returned to the working world serving in various departments of Mazda Pacific Region. Upon reaching my 10th year anniversary with them, and visiting Japan through a Mazda opportunity, I left to work with Hill & Knowlton, the international public relations firm. I also left with a healthy appetite for travel that has been with me ever since. We bought a trailer for the family and never looked back. You would think that working in the medical field, the car business and public relations would be enough for any one person but I guess not; after three years I left Hill & Knowlton to work with a financial advisory newsletter and ultimately left with the newsletter’s VP to start up a new financial advisory firm, Global Trends Investments. What a ride that was; starting out in a closet in the office of the owner’s home to opening his office near Newport Beach. But, finally, it was time to retire and put my dreams of travel to the test. Jim and I have been fortunate to spend time in other countries where we enjoyed learning about other cultures and that people everywhere have the same basic needs and cares that we do.  Our most recent adventures, since Jim’s own retirement, center on travel in our 36ft Monaco Cayman, a class-A RV with all the comforts of home but the magical quality of putting you in a new setting every day if you wish. With this lifestyle we can travel while sharing it with our grandchildren, family and friends any time we like. So, life has been good to us. Oh, there have been the usual ups-n-downs we all have to deal with but when looking back we see that those trials have only made us stronger.  I’m not sure I will make it to the reunion (yet again,) as we’ll no doubt be on the road, but know I think fondly of my friends from LHS and hope that you will feel free to contact me through the reunion committee when you can.
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Jensen, Rocky – Keeau, HI

Rocky didn’t provide us with his bio, so we are posting part of an article from tikitv.com. To read more, paste the link below into your internet browser. In fact if you Google Rocky, you will find many stories and photos of his art.

Rocky Ka’iouliokahihikolo’Ehu Jensen is a fine arts artist, master carver, writer, illustrator, culturalist and wood sculptor. He was chosen as Living Treasure by the Hongwangi in the year 2000 and is credited with promoting and perpetuating Native Hawaiian art and culture throughout the world. He is the founder of Hale Naua III, Society of Maoli Arts, the first Native Hawaiian art organization to have opened the door for contemporary indigenous art and artists. Upon his recent return from doing shows in New Mexico and New York, he agreed to meet with me for this interview. I learned that he embodies restorative life, ola hou, having the ability to revive the feeling of passion to his people so that they can recover their kumupa’a, spiritual source, on the road to restoring their culture.

http://tikitv.com/rocky.html
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Johnson, Judy Krulic – Redondo Beach, CA  (Attending reunion)

Judy has written a thought-provoking article for our “Voices from the Class of ‘62” series, and since she was reticent to write about her achievements, we decided to post her professional bio directly from the website of The Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching:  Judy Johnson, Ed.D, is Executive Director, Cotsen Family Foundation. Dr. Johnson has an extensive background in education as a public school teacher, researcher, consultant to businesses and non-profits, and vice president of a large public education fund. In her work, she helped to create a nationally-recognized design for comprehensive school reform, engaged teacher leaders in the development of education policy, initiated some of the nation’s first and most successful teacher networks, and established a professional development school in collaboration with university and district partners. Dr. Johnson earned a doctorate degree in educational psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.  To see a video of Judy explaining more about the Art of Teaching  program, go to http://cotsen.org/judy-johnsons-thoughts-on-the-art-of-teaching/

Judy did share a bit of personal information with us, however. “When it comes to Tony and me…we reconnected at the 1996 reunion where the class of 1961 and 1962 joined together.  He was living in Pomfret, Connecticut and I was in Redondo Beach.  I traveled a lot then to the east coast, so we got to see each other again in the next few months.  We spent the next several years traveling back and forth between the east and west coasts until December 2001 when we got married and Tony moved here to Redondo.  So…you never know what surprises and joys a reunion might bring you!  And to think, that I was considering not going to that reunion in 1996.  That would have been a big mistake!”
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Kelly, Terry – Murrieta, CA    (Attending reunion)

Wow!  Where did all the time go? I feel old just writing this bio and blessed to still be here. After leaving Lynwood High, like many of us I attended Compton J.C. and then graduated from Cal State Los Angeles with a B.S. Degree in business. After settling in as a manager in the insurance business, I then horrified my parents and dropped all that business stuff and decided to pursue a career in aviation. I joined United Air Lines in 1969 and enjoyed a great 30-year flying career, retiring in January of 1999.  Knowing how much friends can influence you, and change your life direction, my good friend talked me into going back into business and we ended up in the oil patch, drilling oil wells all over Texas. We then decided to spread our risk and go into the food business, and that started another career change. It went from food to the coffee business to the franchise business. What a ride!!! I ended up where I still am today in real estate. I tried to retire three times but that didn’t work out for me. I am married (yes to a flight attendant) whom I also made my business partner and we have two children and three grand children. After traveling for many years, our favorite spot is still Maui where we have spent our vacations for the last 30 years.
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Kewish, Kathy McDevitt – Lake San Marcos, CA  (Attending reunion)

After graduation I moved to Newport Beach and attended Orange Coast College for two years before transferring to San Jose State where I earned my K-12 life credential in 1966.  After my first year of teaching in Fountain Valley, I treated myself to a trip to Europe. That did it!! I fell in love with travel and International cultures. In February of 1968 I moved to Rome Italy. While waiting for a long term teaching assignment to open, I landed a secretarial job with an International Immigration group that processed refugees from the Eastern bloc countries into Canada, the US and Australia.  It was a definite eye-opening experience into the human condition and sacrifices made for freedom from oppression. I finally moved into a teaching spot at The Over Seas School of Rome and from there went to Marymount International where I taught for seven years. With Rome as my home base I was able to travel throughout Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. Most of my travels were road trips with a close- knit group of Italian friends. Yes I am fluent in Italian, and I cook it well too! I returned to the US in 1978. I stayed in my Grandmother’s home in Lynwood for a while and worked as a substitute teacher at Lynwood Unified. Incredibly enough, I accepted a long-term substitute assignment (4 months) at my old elementary school, Roosevelt!  It was definitely déjà vu, as the classroom location was my very same old sixth grade classroom! Those of you who were there will remember it as Mrs. Martin’s room! I then moved to Dana Point and worked in Laguna Beach where I met my husband Tom. We were married and settled in San Clemente. In 1984 we decided to invest in our own businesses. We moved to Lake San Marcos in north San Diego County. We first purchased a floral shop, Lakeview Florist. A few years later we bought a local used bookstore, Cassidy’s Books. I operated the floral shop for 20 years. During that period I was active in Soroptimist International, The San Marcos Educational Foundation, and numerous other community based volunteer groups. In 2004 I sold the floral shop and tried retirement.  However, I found that I needed to remain actively engaged in working with others. So when I was asked to teach floriculture classes at San Marcos High School, I was delighted. In my few years there I became involved with many aspects of the local Ag program and FFA. We prepped the students for district and statewide competitions in horticulture and animal husbandry and assisted in the overall setup for the annual San Diego County Fair FFA livestock auction. Even though I have moved out of classroom education, I still serve on the Ag advisory board and very much involved with the student’s activities. For the past five years I have worked full time for Ricoh USA, formerly lkon Document Services.  We provide services to The Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager) Companies in Escondido. Blanchard is a global operation primarily focused on leadership training and development.  I work in the communications department in a supervisory capacity. Tom and I still live happily at Lake San Marcos. The bookstore (new, used, and rare books) continues to thrive regardless of the recent recession and the advent of electronic readers. We have many hobbies and affiliations which keep us quite busy and fulfilled. LIFE IS GOOD!
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Kopp, Diana McDonough – Sonoma, CA   (Attending reunion)

After Hosler Jr.  High, where I felt I was a social dud, my best friend Judy Johnson took me in hand and started coaching me on how to be a popular person. She told me it wasn’t based on whether you had dyed-to-match outfits and a beautiful figure. Really? It was also related to whether you were nice to people and whether you were interested in them. What??!  OK.  So I set about trying to be nice in high school, working my way out of the friendship doldrums and finally getting picked to be in the Ducettes – my life-long (then) ambition. In Senior year I made it to Student Council as one of the reps–I was actually elected–so I felt as if I had done Judy proud. After High School I got a scholarship to go to Smith College, an all-women’s school in Massachusetts. I arrived on a Greyhound bus and enjoyed four wonderful academic but male-deprived years. Wanting to find men and confused about my future, I went to Cal and got a Masters in history, found a husband, and then got a secondary teaching credential.  Teaching high schoolers when I was 24 was difficult and I was always confused about what the social studies subjects really were; it was the sixties, after all. Some taught history, some taught geography, some what was wrong with the Viet Nam war, and others the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. When my husband suggested I should go to law school, I decided that was a good idea. Along the way, I had also had two darling girls, Indira and Valerie. I turned out spending about 30 years as a lawyer representing California public school districts. I did collective bargaining on behalf of school boards, fired bad teachers, advised principals on whether they should discipline kids and how to do it if they should. I worked with districts in disputes with parents on the type of special education program a student should have. This was varied and interesting work–and almost always I felt it was useful and rewarding–and most school boards were well-motivated and talented and it was fun to assist them. Along the way I met my second husband, Pat McDonough, who was superintendent of a school district in northern California.  We were married for 19 years until he died in July of cancer. I miss him a lot. He kept me in touch with the lighter side of life and made every day fun. I still have my two great daughters, and now I have a son-in-law, two granddaughters, three stepchildren and six additional grandchildren from those kids. I’ve started a non-profit, Global Grandmothers, whose members take a pledge to give to children in need when they give to their own grandchildren, www.globalgrandmothers.com.  I look forward to some more wonderful years.

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