Bill Matthews

Thought I would post something to the message forum, since neither of us has been on it for quite awhile.  We are presently in Scottsdale,  AZ to begin a 2 week National Parks Tour......something that has been on our Bucket List.  We had originally booked this for 2014, but my extensive back surgery last October took precedence,  then Bill had his left hip replaced in early April.  Happy to report we are in good travel shape  now, even though I still have to wear a soft brace.  We are looking forward to the  55th Reunion  and catching up with everyone.  A big shout out of  THANKS to Sharon Nabulsi and all the other locals who are doing the planning work!  Hope we have a good turnout!  BLESSINGS TO EVERYONE  and stay well.  Sandy & Bill

H

Nan Nelson (Hays)

So good to  hear from you Sandy.  Do have safe travels and enjoy the parks. I saw the Grand Canyon a few years back. It is just awesome! See you next year.

Hugs, Nancy

Jack Sears

2016 Reunion: my vote Sept 16-17. The Fiesta sounds good too. 

Is that like the week after Rodeo?

Cheers all - 

Jack

Gary St. Clair

Hello Classmates! Hope this response finds you all well! May God bless each and everyone and precious families!

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

GREAT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU!! I AM HOPING THAT YOU ALL START GETTING EXCITED AT THE PROSPECT OF ANOTHER GREAT CLASS REUNION FOR THE CLASS OF 1961.  JACK SEARS, WE ALL ARE ANXIOUS TO SEE YOU SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT THE DATE IN YOUR SCHEDULE. MY COMMITTEE AND I ARE ALL PUMPED UP FOR ANOTHER GREAT TIME. HAVE A GREAT FALL AND WINTER WHEREVER YOU ARE.

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT LAST FRIDAY FOR OUR GIRLS CLASS OF 61 LUNCHEON. WE MET AT AMIGOS AND THERE WERE 13 OF US. BELIEVE IT OUR NOT THE PLACE WAS PRETTY CROWDED SO WE GIRLS COULD NOT OUT TALK OR BE LOUDER THAN THE REST OF THE ROOM. NORMALLY WE ARE THE ONLY ONES IN THE BACK DINING ROOM BUT THIS TIME EVERY DINING ROOM WAS PACKED. THOSE ATTENDING WERE NANCY NELSON, CAROLE NARRIGON, SALLY MORTON, LINDA HARTLEY, SHARON DUNCAN, BETTY MCCLINTHEN, SHARON CROSS, GEORGE O'DONNELL, KARAN KREIGBAUM, LINDA HAYES, MARY JAMES, AND MYSELF. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. NEXT MONTH ON SEPT 25 WE ARE MEETING AT PIZZA HUT AT 11:30 A.M SO ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO JOIN US IS WELCOME. THE MORE THE MERRIER. HAPPY EATING.

ALSO, WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE WRITE SOMETHING ON THE MESSAGE FORUM EVEN IF YOU THINK IT IS INSIGNIFICANT AND UNINTERESTING. WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. LATER.

SHARON

Nan Nelson (Hays)

Thanks Sharon for keeping us up to date on our lunch get togethers. 

I would like to share a big happy blessed event in my life...the wedding of my grandson, Jacob and his beautiful bride Syndi.  It was a very traditional church wedding with over a hundred people in attendance. Everything was perfect!  The banquet was delicious.  So great to connect with family and friends and meet new friends. This was the last of my six grandchildren to be married. All were married over a span of six years. So, I have been having some good times in my life.  

Hope all are well,  Nancy

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

Sharon and all those attending the last luncheon at Amigos - I hope you all ate a taco for ME !!!  When Bill's folks were still alive and we came back to visit, it always included a meal at two places - the Cottage Cafe, so Bill's dad could have a piece of their homemade pie, and Amigos, so we could have authentic tacos !  We got back home the 28th from our trip out west to tour many of our nation's National Parks and my heart and mind are brmming over with the beauty of those mountains and canyons.  We had only been to the Grand Canyon before, back in 1989, when the boys were young, and as glorious as it is, I believe Bryce Canyon is actually my favorite now.  The rock formations are absolutely mesmerizing, both in design and color.  Another amazing adventure was in Salt Lake City, where we had the opportunity to see & hear the Morman Tabernacle Choir in rehearsal at the Conference Center and then attend an organ concert in the Tabernacle.  The organ has almost 12,000 pipes and the sound is magnificent.  Also, we got to spend an hour in their Geneology Computer Labs, looking up ancestors and following our family tree.  I was so darned excited to be able to go back on my mother's side of the family, through her mother (Sarah Noah Faulkner), to her father (my great grandfather, James D. Noah) to HIS mother (Lee Ann Noah, (my great-great grandmother who was born in 1812 in Kentucky) !!!!!  I now have the free website where I will try to investigate more on my grandmother Faulkner's maternal side, because I remember hearing stories that she had Native American Cherokee Indian ancestors from eastern Tennessee.  Anyway, the entire trip fulfilled many sights/experiences on our "bucket list" and we surely were blessed to be able to make this trip finally, after my back surgery and Bill's hip replacement.  WE look forward to next fall 2016 and the 55th Class Reunion to exchange stories with everyone.  Stay well - be happy - and don't forget to pray for our country as we go through this next presidential election - we need a true LEADER who values what America stands for, has moral values and respect for all human lives.  Warm Regards to all of you,  Sandy & Bill Matthews

Nan Nelson (Hays)

Sandy...wonderful hearing about your marvelous trip...thanks for posting...hugs to you and Bill.

Linda Hayes (Meyer)

It was nice to see everyone at the luncheon.  Glad you all could make it.  

My adventures have been few and far between for the last couple of years.  I still do my oil painting and enjoy that very much.  Visit with my children and have a great time with my youngest daughter and her son.  

Look forward to seeing all who can make it to the next lunch

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Good to hear from Nancy and Sandy about your happenings. I wish more people would share.

This message is for Linda Hayes Meyer who says she can't read anything recent on this message forum. This is a test to see if she can read this message. If you are able to read this Linda let me know.

Bye Bye for now!

Linda Kirchner (Schrader)

Sharon...who all was at the luncheon?? It doesn't add up.......Linda Lu

Karan Kreighbaum (Faul)

Linda Lu... Sharon forgot you! You were at the luncheon... remember? lol

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Linda Lu:  I am so sorry I forgot your name on  my list at the luncheon  and Karan and misspelled your last name. OMG! I am losing my marbles. So Sorry!!!

Linda Hayes (Meyer)

Sharon- got your post.  The Mediacom modem was defective.  They brought me a new one so now it works.  Thanks.

Karan Kreighbaum (Faul)

I have no complaints about your spelling of my name Sharon... you do a fantastic job!!!

Linda Hayes (Meyer)

I think you do too,Sharon.  I don't post much cause I don't do much that I think would be interesting to the rest of the class.  I did go the Salem, IA old Settler's Days last Sat.  They had an art exhibit at the library and various things in the park  We had lunch at the Underground which is named that because it was part of the Underground Railroad when the civil war was being fought.  I think that is correct.  Anyway they have great food there so if you are in that area you might give it a try.  

Some of the ladies that go to lunch once a month didnt get the email reminder.  I will post it on here as well as email.  Yahoo and Mediacom seem not to be talking to one another.  

Richard Gaule

Sharon if you are missing marbles I have a lot of spares that haven't been used.

The reunion is on my schedule and I plan to be there.  Would be nice if everyone came.

Dick

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

YES IT WOULD BE VERY NICE IF EVERYONE CAME. I WISH WE COULD FIND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE. DICK GAULE YOU SAVE SOME OF THOSE MARBLES FOR ME. I REALLY MAY NEED THEM AFTER THIS REUNION  IS OVER. BY THE WAY THIS WILL BE THE LAST REUNION THAT I WILL DO. IT'S BEEN FUN BUT TIME TO HANG IT UP. TAKE CARE EVERYONE !!!

Darla Qualls (Dennison)

Sharon, never say never!  We just got home from two wonderful weeks in Hawaii.  We spent the first week on Kauai and the second week on Maui.  Kauai was my favorite but they are both beautiful.  The helicopter ride over Kauai was awesome, the only way to see the whole island as the road doesn't go all the way around and the center of the island is considered the wettest place on earth, so beautiful and green.  We also went to Molokai and saw the Leeper colony.  Those people were really treated horrible.  They just pushed you off the ship wheather you could swim or not.  Anyway we had a great time, just not crazy about the 9 hour plane ride but I figured since I did 20 to Australia two years ago I could do this.  Heading to Kansas in the morning for a friend's surprise birthday party.

Hope to see all of you at the reunion next year.  Keep up the good work Sharon!

Marcia Conley (Davis)

Sharon, I certainly appreciate all the good things you do.  We have to keep the reunion going!

Darla, Kauai has always been my favorite island.  I did the helicopter several years ago.  My friend and I are going for 4 days between Christmas and New Year's just to cathch our breath in the middle of our seminar season.  A very quick trip but very relaxing.  We went to Key Largo the same time last year.

For the first time ever, I was really sick during tax season (February-April) with a bad respiratory infection and a bloodclot on my lung. I actually thought about the possibility I might have to cut back or retire! I got over it.  Can't imagine ever retiring!!  With an adjustment to my medications and dissolving the bloodclot, I am back close to my normal but I did lose 30 pounds.

I am still traveling for the software company doing the tax semianrs but it is getting harder now that I also have psoriatic arthritis in my lower back.   Seminar season picks up again November and goes through January.

GETTING OLD IS A BITCH!!

I am busy with Sept 15 deadlines, followed by October 15 deadline for filing taxes.  Then it is time to regroup and get ready for next tax season.  2016 will be my 50th year in the tax profession and on August 1 I have now owned my tax practice in Costa Mesa for 30 years.

I definitely plan on attending the 55th reunion next year.

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

Marcia,  It doesn't look like you have the time to grow "old" since you are still so busy with your Tax Business.  I guess if you really LOVE what you do, it's hard to retire.  We have a gal here in our community (Bill plays golf with her husband a couple times a week) who refuses to give it up and she will be 70 next June.  She was a teacher for many years here in North Carolina and then became a math specialist for the state, training teachers.  For about the past 15 years she has worked for Pearson Publishing Company, who provides the majority of textbooks to school.  She travels all over the USA (after the sales are made) to again "train" the teachers on how to do the best lesson plans and take advantage of the textbooks.  She is a true educator who loves seeing teachers help students become successful.  Anyway, I'm sorry to hear you had a rough winter with the respiratory infection and blood clot.........that doesn't sound too good !  We are also looking forward to the Reunion - spending some additional time in the midwest to see extended family afterwards.  

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Classmates:  It is with deep regret that I share with you that our classmate Vera Albers Burgus passed away last night. I am friends with her brother on facebook and he just posted this on facebook, "Vera Albers Burgus, my sister, passed away Monday night in Ottumwa due to complications from surgery. She fought very hard for 2 weeks but not she is with God in a much better place with her husband and son.  I love her and miss her."

May you all keep Vera in your prayers. May she rest in Peace.

As ever, Sharon

Jack Sears

God bless all retirees who like to keep working. Ive been retired for 10 years this month & despise alarm clocks. Had some post-retirement opportunities but I turned them all down. But, if I ever need a rocking chair they better bolt me in tight. 

Sad to hear of classmates passing away. May God rest their souls. 

Sharon Tincher (Scholl-Nabulsi)

Jack Sears, it is good to know that you are retired so there will be no excuses next year in September to not come to the reunion. I am counting on you and there is no way that we will have a rocking chair for you. Just keep on going like the Eveready Bunny!!! Thanks for posting on Message Forum. We would all like to hear more about your poker games, etc. Take care and see you in a year!

Sharon