Sandi Thompson (Philips)

You know if really helps when people read all the information available.  Please disregard my last message. 

Everyone, have a great week!

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Looking fwd to seeing you Sandi, and everybody else. Hope we have a great turnout......

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

So sorry to say we lost a Jackson classmate we had just found. Jerry Knauss passed away Feb. 26th. in Burlington, IA. Brad Keester bowled w/him and invited him to our reunion. He was excited to be included and was looking fwd. to reconnecting w/everyone again. We are disapponited not to be able to see him in the fall. Makes you realize how short life is. We never know when we won't see a best friend or classmate or family member again. Enjoy your life to the fullest while you are able. We are on the down hill side of our lives, but we have great memories to recall and reflect on.  Thanks to Brad for finding Jerry.........Linda

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Happy birthday to Jack Moore, I guess we are all getting older. But guess what.....we all look pretty good for our age....but I stay away from all the mirrors in the house, or maybe it's just that I don't clean them anymore!!!

Linda

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Jack & Jan are going to see Rascal Flatts in concert in QC....nice birthday present!!!

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

I feel technology and I have become more compatible.........I finally managed to post a picture of Bill and myself on my profile page.  Goes to show that "Old dogs can learn new tricks !"  Looking forward to fall and getting back to Iowa for the Class of '61 50th Reunion !!!

Sandy (Buckley) Matthews

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Great pictures of you both....I haven't quite learned those new tricks YET, I still struggle!!!

Looking fwd to seeing you both..."see you in September"...........

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Today is Linda Johnson's birthday and I hope she celebrates real big.

Enjoy yourself!!!

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Great reunion committee mtg. last night. Lots of new ideas and donations, made some final decisions, and even collected some $$$. Great job people....thanks!!!

Linda 

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

We just made our Comfort Inn Reservations today for the Reunion.  The hotel informed me they have FOUR other classes from FMHS booked that weekend also, so would advise everyone to get busy before the block of rooms for Class of '61 is filled.  Side note - Mike Hellenthal called Bill a few days ago...........Mike is in western North Carolina, retired a second time....this one from the public school system of North Carolina (already has one pension from Illinois Public Schools.)  Mike plans to be in Keokuk this spring for his Dad's 100th birthday celebration, but Bill didn't remember the exact date.  His dad has been in a Nursing Care Center for several years in Keokuk.  If you are a "March Madness" basketball fan, then check out Long Beach State University (California), where the Assistant Coach is Mike's son !!!  I believe they will make the starting field this year.  Are you all aware that when Mike taught and coached at Quincy, IL, he took his varsity team to the Illinois State Championship and WON !!!!!Mike sounded pretty positive about attending the class reunion, health permitting.  Our "golden years" are not necessarily so golden for all of us. 

Later, Sandy Matthews

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Hey Sandy and Bill keep talking to MIke. WE woud love to see him at the reunion. Encourage others to write in this forum. It is fun to see what everyone is doing. Do you guys know where David Kutcher is these days. Check out our missing list and see if you know where any of them are.

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Have been gone for 10 days....to TN. We went to a decorative concrete show there, and visited our youngest daughter. Went downtown on Broadway, a Predators game, and of course, SHOPPED!!! Then on to Memphis to see a granddaughter, Graceland, and Grizzlies game,  saw Larry Bird. Great trip, good to be home & back to work...planning the next get away!!!

Wish everyone would use this space to keep up w/friends and classmates, it's great!!!

Susie Peacock (Vacilek)

Linda, sounds like had a great time. Glad to read about things everyone has been doing.

I'm guessing this is the site I am to write on! Not thinking that I will make the reuion, would like to talk with other classmates if they want to respond though. E-mail me suzie1942@hotmail.com

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Had another great "girls luncheon" today w/classmates. Surprised we could eat, w/all the chatting and catching up that was going on!!! About 16-17 were there. We went to the Parthenon this month, next month we're going to Vel's Amigo's, April 15th. at noon. If you happen to be in town, we'd love to have you join us.....we always have fun!!!

Linda Lu

Don Leach

Hi, All -

Sharon - great idea for the Message Forum.  Nice to catch up.  We'll be in Fort Madison around the first of May.  Think that will give us enough time to get ready for the reunion?

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Just spent a few hours visiting Patsy & Bob VanPelt in MN. Always great to see them. We have sooo much fun together. We talked a lot about Connie Lou and how much we miss her. They are looking fwd to coming to the reunion in the fall, but hoping they'll come down for a visit before then. There's still big piles of snow up here. We drove thru a blizzard yesterday in WI. Great getting away for a long wk-end. Did the Mall of America...really crowded!!!

Linda

Jack Sears

 Hi All,

Does anyone have names/contact info for the Exchange students from Scandinavia? One was, darker hair, from Linkoping Sweden as I recall, and was really not happy when she got beat by an idiot local (me) in a chess game. The other, lighter hair, provided amusement with an off-color pronunciation of "peanut butter". 

Cheers

Jack

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Jack

The only foreign exchange student from Finland, that I remember, was Pam Korte, she lived w/Diane Schneider. That was our junior year. Went to last yrs.' reunion and she was there. She was tall, thin and had short blond hair. Not sure who the other one you described is. Our freshman yr., Lena, a girl from Indonesia, stayed w/the Pfautz family, sophomore yr. dark hair, Lydia, from Argentina, stayed w/the Sally Montgomery family, then Pam, and then our senior yr., Meiling, from the Phillipines, stayed w/Qualls.

Not sure if that's any help or not for you. I even got our my yearbooks to check to make sure I was correct. I always thought Pam was fromn Sweden, but the yearbook said Finland.

Linda

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Jack: To add to what Linda said there was an exchange student by the name of Lotta Breising and her host family was the Willard Lowenberg family. I know Karen Lowenberg lives in Des Moines and might have some information about her if she is the one you are thinking of. Otherwise I think Linda covered all the exchange students.

Later alligator,

Sharon

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Mom's Wk-End was Sat. at U of I in Chambana, and I went w/our daughter, to visit our 6'6" grandson, Caleb. He's a sophomore and having a great experience. Had a great day and did manage to get in some shopping!!!

Linda

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Jack....adding to what Sharon wrote about the exchange student that stayed W/Lowenburgs, she was from somewhere in the East Indies, IF I remember correctly, and I beleive that she died while she was here. As I recall, she was ill, in the hosp. and her religion prohibited her from receiving meds. for cure. Am also thinking she was ill before coming to the USA, but got a Dr. there to sign, saying she was ok. Hope I'm not just dreaming it or have it mixed up w/another student.

Linda

Jack Sears

 thanks you guys for the exchange student replies - now I have no clue where I came up with the Linkoping Sweden student memories - ship me to the home LOL

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Jack....you're just fine, we're all in the same boat.

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Had another reunion mtg. this eve. I was late again, didn't plan for a flat tire!!! Even had a surprise classmate show up....Mike Helenthal. Great to see him, he looks real good. Things are coming together and lots of people are working and helping on committees. Sharon is doing a great job being our leader and keeping us on track. We are easily distracted and visit a lot. It's fun working w/each other and remembering things about the "good ole days". It's going to be a fabulous reunion....can't wait for fall!!!  

Jack Sears

 anyone have pix of the exchange students? - refusing to give up just yet on the Linkoping theory