Comments:
I moved to Florida immediately out of high school. I worked in upper management for a restaurant chain for nearly 18 years. Then I had my own restaurants for 13 years. I went to college at age 45, while still operating a restaurant, and then taught high school math for 18 years, retiring in 2007. Judy and I married in 1980 after meeting again at the '79 reunion.
For those of you who tried to find me in the '59 yearbook and couldn't, let me explain. I didn't have a picture taken because I knew I wasn't going to be able to graduate with the rest of you. Vivian Greenhoe kicked me out of her class two years in a row. Also, I had left home and was living with another family so I couldn't afford the pictures. First semester Senior year, Principal Brennan said there was nothing they could do about getting a schedule change for me because of a conflict with another required course, so I wasn't able to switch teachers. Then in the second semester I got into Mr. Stanley's class. I aced that semester, and even though I had two extra credits, I still lacked the first semester Jr. English credit so I couldn't graduate with the rest of you. I asked Mr. Brennan if I could just do a term paper and take Greenhoe's final exam, but he said they couldn't set that kind of a precedent. Many years later I contacted Mr. Lippert, who was at that time, the MHS Principal. Since I couldn't work towards a four year college degree without having graduated from high school, Mr. Lippert arranged for me to receive high school credit for a college English course which I had taken, and I finally became a Manistee High School graduate (with diploma) in 1985. Many thanks to Mr. Lippert. I still consider myself a proud alumnus of the class of '59.
Judy and I have been retired 12 years now and are enjoying it. It's a good thing too, with all the doctors' appointments we wouldn't have time to work.
