Doug Kindron

I am going to miss Dale.We reconnected at the reunion and had been tormenting each other on Facebook since then.Rest in peace Dale.

Tom Lavin

For Dale

THE SONG OF THE RIVER

The snow melts on the mountain.

And the water runs down to the spring,

And the spring in a turbulent fountain,

With a song of youth to sing,

Runs down to the riotous river,

And the river flows to the sea,

And the water again

Goes back in rain

To the hills where it used to be.

And I wonder if life's deep mystery

Isn't much like the rain and the snow

Returning through all eternity

To the places it used to know.

For life was born on the lofty heights

And flows in a laughing stream,

To the river below

Whose onward flow

Ends in a peaceful dream.

And so at last,

When our life has passed

And the river has run its course,

It again goes back,

O'er the selfsame track,

To the mountain which was its source.

So why prize life

Or why fear death,

Or dread what is to be?

The river ran its allotted span

Till it reached the silent sea.

Then the water harked back

To the mountain-top

To begin its course once more.

So we shall run

The course begun

Till we reach the silent shore.

Then revisit earth

In a pure rebirth

From the heart of the virgin snow.

So don't ask why

We live or die,

Or whither, or when we go,

Or wonder about the mysteries

That only God may know.

- W.R. Hearst

Lawrence Kling

Loved seeig Dale at the reunion. I'll miss you Dales,,Good-bye Buddy, Rest in Peace.

Gang, we're losing way too many of our classmates, and have so very much to do.

Pat Gugino (Pepe)

So sorry we lost another of our classmates and friend.  

Ann Coleman (Oelheim)

Tom, that poem for Dale is wonderful.  Thank you!

Carol McClive (Forden)

I just read that Del Maxon died in Forestville, NY.

Pat Gugino (Pepe)

So sorry to hear of another loss.

Ann Coleman (Oelheim)

So sad.  Rest in peace, Del.

Sara Kuehn (Gallagher)

Found this on the web. 

Dick Wightman

Thanks Sara for poviding Del's obituary.

Tony Laughlin

I just heard an ironic story about Dale Bowes from his sister in law.  Dale had talked with her saying the Tonawanda News was ceasing publication soon and he would love to have a copy of the final issue.

I understand Dale's family called in an obituary notice and guess what, it will appear in today's final edition for the newspaper.

Awfully ironic in my mind.   Sure miss my buddy!

Tony

Doug Kindron

In a small way Dale came home.

Lynn Clemens (Wright)

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of both Dale Bowes and Del Maxon.   I had a number of classes with Dale in high school and went to the Senior Prom with Del Maxon.   My thoughts and prayers are with them both and their families.

Dick Wightman

Hopefully, everyone sees the letter from the Kenmore West Alumni Scholarship Foundation regarding the Class of 1964's contribution. It is posted in the toolbar on the left side of our home page. Again, excellent job by the Class of 64! Please consider personal contributions in the future.

Pat Gugino (Pepe)

Dick,  Thanks for the heads up. What a wonderful group the class of '64 is and always was.  

Nancy Bishop (Wittman)

Very nice letter , we should be a proud class , both from 1964 to this day ! We were one hell of a great class, i  have heard that from teachers as well ! We should pat ourselves on the back , we did a damn good to have a scholarship that we presented to the school of that amount , it was do to a lot of hard work and and great friends ! It is just rough that we are losing so many lately , but I guess we are all getting to an age that we just never know ! So we need to take advantage of our time we have and work on the next party ! I look forward to our All Alumni on Friday night this year again ! We might just have to have another picnic that weekend again ! May Od Bless you all with good health and shower you all with many more blessings before our time is done on this earth ! I think of you everyday and wish if only we could turn the clocks back even 40 yrs. that we could spend more time together and just be kids again for a little while and have the fun we had then one more time ! So let's keep in touch any way we can and raise our glass and say here's to you and the great Class of 1964 !!????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Bonnie Kronson (Bavisotto)

Dear Classmates~~Friends~~~Nancy said it all so lovely~~~Remember the movie "Splendor in the Grass" starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty???  Here goes~~~

"What though the radiance which was once so bright

be now forever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass,of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy

which having been must ever be;

In the soothing thoughts that spring out of human suffering;

In the faith that looks through death,

In the years that bring philosophic mind."

************************************************************

You are all an incredible , unique and most caring group I have ever had the pleasure to know~~Let us meet again real soon and celebrate our friendships and lives together~~~Keep your new and old friendships going strong~~I raise my glass to all of you~~~Thank you for being who you are~~and may God Bless You All   Bonnie!!

Dick Wightman

AND, P.S. "Leave your spouses home"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marsha Revzin (Dautch)

Bonnie, I remember that passage so well. I was caught talking in Miss Elson's class and was made to recite the whole Wordsworth poem from the movie in front of the whole class as my punishment. Remember when talking in class was a punishable offense?

Lawrence Kling

Well said Marsha. I find it so interesting these decades later that so many teachers had the foresite in handing out "punishment". Reading the entire poem, thus gaining more insight or spending an hour downstairs with Mr. Stark. Of course, Dick got to know Mr. Stark pretty well, Ha..Ha..

Bonnie Kronson (Bavisotto)

You guys and gals are all so wonderful----every single one of you!!!  I loved "Splendor in the Grass"  and Marsha you remembered that it was Wordsworth----Holy cow,~~~how impressed am I !!!!!!!  XOXOX   BONNIE

Donald Markle

    I've been thinking of all of you who have been writing about Dale Bowes.  Were you all friends in high schooI?  I didn't know Dale, but I regret his death.

    Every generation loses some classmates during high school.  I regret that Barb Veverit died (of an aneurism I believe).  I regret that Tony Lagotti was killed, run over by cars one night.  I regret that John Czerwinski died in a car accident.  I regret that some of us died so young, like Ken Kelly, Lowell Kutner, Cynthia Rice, Harry Kordasiewicz, Judith Liddle, Joanne White, Nancy Carncross, Richard Lupice, and Sharon Wexler.  All of them Died within 10 years of our graduation.  What a terrible loss, to die so young and not to not have had a chance to really live a lifetime.

    In the next few years, more of us will die.  I wish you farewell.  If I'm one of them, I want to say good bye to you all.  I've read all the postings and have felt a part of it all.  I didn't know what to say.  However I have actually lost sleep lately thinking of the postings, so I'm writing this. 

    Don Markle   

Jon L. Wilson

Good to have your thoughts, Don.

Ron Wheeler

While we’re being philosophical, I have something to add. When I retired four years ago I was given a plaque thanking me for my service.  At the bottom were these words. “In the end it’s really not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” I always knew that, but it was suddenly more important seeing it on my retirement gift.

In the last couple of years I have been fortunate enough to have enough time to fly in a WWII B-24, stand on the spot where the Wright brothers flew the first airplane, and find the clearing in Walden Woods where Thoreau built his cabin. This summer, Sandy and I are planning a trip throughout England. I want to find the houses where my father, my mother, Sandy’s grandmother and her grandfather, were born. Most of all I am taking great pleasure in learning from two of my best friends, 4 year old Julia and 2 year old Jackson.

Don Markle, you are correct. Some day there will be no one left from the Kenmore West class of 1964. Death is a part of life. While I’m still able, I’m going to keep a smile on my face and enjoy life as much, and as long, as I can. There are a couple more items on that bucket list I need to get done.  

Ron Wheeler

Classmates,

Please see the invitation from the class of '65 in the links on the left side of our home page.