Larry Hamilton

Diane,  yes we do look awfully young .  If you look closely the photo is labeled six grade.

Leida Barrios (Dempsey)

Leida Barrios (Dempsey)

Larry Hamilton

Leida and Diane, I was only at Napa Junction for two grades 5th and 6th.  I definetly remember Mr. Pinter as my 5th grade teacher, and there I am next to your photo in the Ms Whitney photo = 6th grade. Maybe Leida had Ms. Whitney for 3rd and 6th? I also remember Ms. Whitney chewing out some of the 6th grade girls for hanging out with a few boys at the back of the playground....she could be a scary lady.

Leida, I sent you a friend request a few months ago.  I don't think you responded.  I was able to review all your posts, I just couldn't comment.  Didn't see it. Is it still there?

Larry Hamilton

So Leida I rechecked the site and sure enough it isn't showing all your posts. I sent another friend request. 

Larry Hamilton

L

Napa Junction 5th Grade Photo curtesy of Margo!  Four of the kids I don't recognize at all. The girl in the top left corner, the boy 4th from the top left, the girl just right of my photo, and the boy next to chip fosket.  Leida or Margo do you know who they were?  Is there anyone else that you don't recognize?  L.H.

Lynne Brooks (Lindahl)

Leida and Larry,

I am so impressed with your memory Larry!  I see a few familiar faces in the 4th grade class but I don't think I was there then, not sure.  I see Leida, Pat Craker and Margo but I have hard time recognizing the boys.  I was in Mr. Pinter's class in 5th and Mrs. Whitney in 6th.  The photos are priceless, I don't have any of grammar school.

In and around close to my house was Barbara Ryan, Van Clouse, Margie and Clifford Hartle, Diane Gallagher and a few others that I can't remember, but once you stretch out of the original Los Altos area, there are so many more!  I always admired Kenny Owen, so polite and nice.  Wish I could remember full names, but ...

there was Pam, Janet, Karen Rippey, Pat Craker, and lots of boys including you Larry, the Buckner brothers and so many more.

My mother used to send us to the store regularly when I could remember 12 items with no problem, not I have to write down two!!

So good to hear from you all.

Margo Lanpheir (Holland)

GRADE 5.... Mr. Pinter

NAPA JUNCTION...

The girl in the corner is Shanon Smith,

the boy next to Chip is Kenny  (Ken)Strong.

Kenneth Owen

Amazing to see these pictures. I'm not sure why I am not included. I should have been there during that time. I still remember the Rancho gang walking to school each morning, adding more to our entourage as we got closer to school.

Larry Hamilton

Hi Ken: There were actually two 5th grade and 6th grade classes.  You, Richard Doran, and Clarence Harris were in Mr. Schiller's class when I was in Mr. Pinter's. I think you had Schiller again for 6th grade but I'm not sure.  That is why you are not in our class photos.

Lynn: I remember that Van Clouse, Barbara Ryan, and Cliff Harloff all lived on Los Altos. Where was your house Lynn?  Pat Craker lived further up the hill on Los Altos, just past my street which was Joan Drive.  The Fleming brothers lived at the top of Joan Drive, I think Margo and her brother lived on a court off of Joan drive (or Los Altos..I can't remember which). I Iived further down the hill on Joan, and my backyard backed to that of the Buckners and we had a few broken windows from their ball playing (which Bill Buckner later apologized to my mom for, at a celebrity golf tourney he was playing in Napa ha). Gerald Miller was across the street from me, and Ron Smith was two doors down.  Continuing down Joan drive was Pam Keith (funniest girl I ever knew), and Art Elite.  Ken Owen was a couple of blocks away to the south as was Janet Lewis.  I think that both Rick White and John Chapdelain lived in McKnight acres.  My best friend John Darst lived in the newer homes up on West Carolyn about two blocks from me.  We lived next door to our mailman Jim Daley, and I knew his son Jim who was a year older than us. Mail delivery was no problem for us :)  Karen Rippy lived in the newer homes on Rio Del Mar, a block from John Darst. 

Does anybody remember the party the school threw for us at the end of 6th grade? We were then on our way to Ridgeview.

Kenneth Owen

Larry, what an amazing memory you have. You definitely bring up a lot of memories regarding people I would have never remembered. Thanks.

I also recall that on some days when walking home from school, a few of us would stop at Lynne Brooks' house and hang for a while. Since Lynne was the first girl I ever had a crush on, I was never in a hurry to get home.

Lynne Brooks (Lindahl)

Hi Larry, Ken and Leida,

Larry, I think your memory rivals all others!!  Yes, it was Pam Keith but the Janet I knew had a different last name; her father worked with mine.  All of the other kids mentioned I recognize now that you have cleared the blearyiness (is that a word Ken?).  Are you still in town Larry?  I got a little confused, having missed a lot of the messages here and there.

Isn't it funny the things you learn 60 years down the road?  I too, had a crush on Ken Owen for a long time.  We really had such a good group of friends back then and I remember we spent a lot of time together, riding our bikes around the area.  Speaking of the freedom of riding bikes with no threats, I also remember that Halloween was real easy and we were allowed out on our own.  My sister and I picked up fresh popped pop corn, freshly baked cookies and fruit along the candy trail, so different from now.

I also remember John Chapdelain and some of the other boys, and you are right, Margie and Clifford's last name was Harloff (I knew it started with an H).  What a great group of kids in the Rancho area, including all the kids across the highway.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Lynne

Larry Hamilton

Lynne: I checked on Janet's name and it was Lewis.  However, several of my friends changed last names due to divorced parents, so you could be right. I left out Stefanie Stevenson who also lived on Los Altos near the top. I think Jan Nealy lived one street over from there. 

I do live locally. I had a new manufactured home built and installed out at "Napa Valley".  It's a 55yr+ community located off Orchard Avenue at the northernmost border of the City Limits. I think we are closer to Yountville than Napa.  Some of our classmates live there such as Margo and Sandy Sweringen. The Vine Bike trail runs right in front of the place, which I love.

I was always crushing on older girls ha ha. Usually my sister's friends, who were two years older than us.  I thought Claudette Edmonds was drop dead beautiful (and I was correct). She was my sister's best friend. I think I was in 8th grade, when one day on the bus, she sat down next to me and told me she wasn't feeling well and wanted to rest her head on my shoulder. I was so shy that I told her no : /  What a bonehead!!

However.....I did have one night of redemption.  I had an older sister who was one of the best dancers at Ridgeview, and everday she would use me for a dance partner when American Bandstand was on. I went to my first dance at Ridgeview when I was a 7th grader. My sister dragged me out on the dance floor, and when her friends saw that I could dance, they didn't care how little I was, one by one they all asked me to dance with them. 9th grade girls! I was in heaven. I guess boys who could actually dance were a rare commodity back then. Sorry to digress, but I loved having an older sister LOL.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Kenneth Owen

Lynne: I am humbled and honored to know that you felt that way. I wonder what would have happened had we known then... Hmmm. Merry Christmas.  

Larry: Merry Christmas. And never stop dancing.

Leida Barrios (Dempsey)

Larry Hamilton

Leida:  John Darst and I used to sit on the concrete half-wall at the back of the playground, during recess, watch the tether ball being played, and talk about girls.  He had a crush on you as well. So there it is ha ha. 

Leida and Lynne: The school is still called "Napa Junction" as far as I know.  There is a  middle school and high school there and both are called "American Canyon". The grade school now has a mascot...the eagles.  One of our classmates, Susie Hearst, taught there for awhile and then moved to the newer grade school Donaldson Way. I think her last name was Mullet at that time. She taught both my kids there. 

I walked those hallowed halls a few months ago, and it brought back memories of waiting in line for lunch in the multipurpose room.  I remember that I pulled lunch duty once, where we assisted the cafeteria staff in passing out the food.  Our pay was as much of our favorite treat as we could carry out.  Mine was the dutch apple dessert (loaded with cheddar cheese) mmmm.

Thanks Ken ;) 

Leida Barrios (Dempsey)

Larry Hamilton

Leida, YES apple crisp.

Leida Barrios (Dempsey)

Larry Hamilton

Hope you have a great New Year Leida.  Happy New Year everyone!

Bill Forsythe

Bill Forsythe  Happy Birthday, Don McConnell, and have a great new year as well!!

Larry Hamilton

My granddaughter has clearly mastered the Hamilton stank eye. I am so proud

Leszek Szmidt

Anyone know how to get tickets for the 60's luncheon??

les szmidt

Debbie German (Hammond)

Just looked at all 112 photos of the last reunion at the Elks. What a huge crowd! The decorations looked fabulous. Sorry I couldn't attend. Some may know that my dear son has terminal cancer and I was with him. Every moment is precious.

Bill Forsythe

it has been ten years since Carol's passing. I still see her smile, and miss her today.