H. Winston Slater

Rick's passing was tough to read, because:

   1) we're not truly that old, are we?  Not fair, not fair. . .

   2) my recollection of Rick is still that of a 14- or 15-year old young man playing and pitching for our summer baseball team that won well enough that we were the team playing the league `all-stars' (for which Rick was selected to be one of the all-star pitchers).

We lost contact after high school, but my memories of him as a good person persist.  My prayers are that his family is comforted, and treasures many fond memories themselves.

   I, too, was a member, along with Dan and Ricky, of to what I refer as Highland Elementary School Class of 1968 (sixth grade).  Mr. Nemeth lived less than five minutes' walk east of the school.  He was the oldest member of our class (by virtue of his birthdate?), and was memorable for his grade-school birthday parties.  He did not grow up in a large house, but each year nearly all of his classmates would attend these parties and overfill its capacity.

   Dan is correct:  I do not believe anyone but him had a perfect grade school attendance, but he did indeed.

   Our school's before-, during-, and [sometimes] after-school softball games were the stuff of legend!  Essentially our entire class would divide itself between one side or the other.  While we each tended to have a 'usual' position on the softball field, I cannot, with certainty, recall Ricky's - I do recall he was a rather fast sprinter on the basepath.

   The class ahead of us was the first to next attend the newly-created Gilbert S. Lance Jr. High, turning our 8-grade elementary school into a 6-grade institution (although I believe they then added kindergarten).

   It is too bad we've not [yet?] had our own "'68 reunion" (all sixteen-or-so of us!).  Help me out, Dan, if I've negligently not listed anyone (sorry!), but said Class consisted of, beside Ricky, Dan and myself:  Mary Anderson, Gary Wolf, Wendy Purnell, Bryon Ruetten, Chris Verbick ('69??), John Gaddy, Chuck Knutter, Doug Mattson, Kathy Neitzel, Tamara Broker, Butch Fellows, and Dale Bruzas.

   It is also too bad that it's taken the passage of Ricky, John and Kathy to suggest this.  Blessed R.I.P., our friends!

   I, too, was a member, along with Dan and Ricky, of to what I refer as Highland Elementary School Class of 1968 (sixth grade).  Mr. Nemeth lived less than five minutes' walk east of the school.  He was the oldest member of our class (by virtue of his birthdate?), and was memorable for his grade-school birthday parties.  He did not grow up in a large house, but each year nearly all of his classmates would attend these parties and overfill its capacity.

   Dan is correct:  I do not believe anyone but him had perfect grade school attendance, but he did indeed.

   Our school's before-, during-, and [sometimes] after-school softball games were the stuff of legend!  Essentially our entire class would divide itself between one side or the other.  While we each tended to have a 'usual' position on the softball field, I cannot, with certainty, recall Ricky's - I do recall he was a rather fast sprinter on the basepath.

   The class ahead of us was the first to next attend the newly-created Gilbert S. Lance Jr. High, turning our 8-grade elementary school into a 6-grade institution (although I believe they then added kindergarten).

   It is too bad we've not [yet?] had our own "'68 reunion" (all sixteen-or-so of us!).  Help me out, Dan, if I've negligently not listed anyone (sorry!), but said Class consisted of, beside Ricky, Dan and myself:  Mary Anderson, Gary Wolf, Wendy Purnell, Bryon Ruetten, Chris Verbick ('69??), John Gaddy, Chuck Knutter, Doug Mattson, Kathy Neitzel, Tamara Broker, Butch Fellows, and Dale Bruzas.

   It is also too bad that it's taken the passage of Ricky, John and Kathy to suggest this.  Blessed R.I.P., our friends!