Bill DeWert

Bob Willey...you state that the only hate you see/hear is from the MAGA crowd. The Dems think Trump is a Nazi and that democracy will die from his term's actions. Who thinks that that can and will happen in the USA? I don't think so. How about the immigration and border policies that are draining funds for our legal citizens? Free transition surgery for illegals, for instance. Dems do a lot of virtue signaling also. Gaslighting us about Biden's dementia progression. for instance. Dems (and Repubs!) must look in the mirror and return to the historical style of across-the-aisle cooperation for the good of all.

May our God bless you and the world!

Gregory Swanson

Besides the MAGA hate, which is directed at the vast majority of the population of the planet, MAGA has PROMISED us the end of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Health Care coverage, free public education, government health and safety protections, clean air and safe drinking water and ridiculously stupid economic plans that will cause runaway inflation and interest rates and massive unemployment. The MAGA upside is the Elon "The World's Biggest Douche" Musk will be the actual President, with Rump, the senile old felon, as a mere figurehead and those pesky impediments to unbridled greed and corruption like Ukraine, Poland and Taiwan will be Putin and XI"s problems. Forget about the chance to change things in 2 years - we will never see another free and fair election.

Katie Williamson (Ellisen-Doe)

 Thank you to Bob Willey and other classmates for your kind comments and reflections on our most recent presidential election. Also thank you to our classmates who took the time to serve as aldermen in Rockford included in the kind comments made by Jim Hughes. We are fortunate to live in a democracy in which we can all participate. In my heart I feel that hate will never make us great. Hopefully we can all strive to be true to our values and treat others the way we would want to be treated. Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others as you would want to have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." The Golden Rule is not unique to Christianity. It also appears in the works of Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates and Seneca. Its also present in many world religions . Also, "   If you feel pain, you are alive. If you feel other people's pain, you are human." Leo Tolstoy. God bless and keep you all safe and healthy. Katie ( Williamson ) Ellisen-Doe

BTW to Jim Hughes: Are you related to Joan (Hallden) Hughes who lives in Durand and attended West High School.? Joan's  deceased husband was Gerry Hughes. She is my cousin on my father's side.

Tom DiPuma

It is some comfort to think that the hate has been manufactured by the invasive use of coordinated information campaigns - designed to create fear, a sense of being a current of future victim or threat of loss of hard earned current of futre assets you have earned - pensions, dropping property values, cost of living increases, personal safety, etc.......  . 

Fabricated fear of "retribution" by a future administration is being promoted as justification for giving a free pass to a wide range of people for their activities that may or may not have been illegal.     Ooops, I decided to stop here.   The election is over.  I hope we afre so busy creating a prosperous and safe USA that there is no time for thjis kind of discourse.  

Have a great 2025 and beyond!!!!

Tom

Gary Knodle

Very astute assessment of the situation, Tom. I pray to God that we all remember our childhood and attempt to recapture the Patriotism of our youth. If we all return to being Americans, first, this country has a better chance of becoming unified and focused on a return to being the leader of the free world, that shining City on the Hill. 
 

Just an American!

Robert Jacobson

I just noted in the Rockford Newpaper that Catherine Peterson Stocker died.  Funeral at Emmanuel Lutheran. I was confirmed with her at Emmanuel.  Bob Jacobson

Bill DeWert

Wayne Christensen

Peter Porter

For those of us still here, this is the year we turn 80!  Wow !  How is that even possible?

My very best to each of my fellow classmates as we all hit this milestone in life

Peter J. Porter

Linda Bergquist (Johnson)

Yes, Pete it is very hard to believe we all turn 80!  My mind says I can do things that my body tells me that I should not think that way ---  but what can we expect at our age now!!

Sherry Johnson

To me it is SHOCKING!!  How can we all be 80?   We are still so young...well, maybe young at heart!!   Happy Birthday, everyone.  

Katie Williamson (Ellisen-Doe)

Yes we really have to be very thankful for each and every day at our age.

Curtis (Curt)) Johnson

Yes, it's great to be alive as I am aboout to turn into an octogenarian on Jan. 26. As I look at the picture of the 4 generations on my great-grandmother's 80th birthday (I was 2 years old then), the age of 80 now is like maybe 50 back then. 

I'm thumbing through out 1963 annual and see a picture of the First Family record album with Vaugh Meader's impersonaltion of President Kennedy. I now have the CD of that album and it's still just as funny.  I had the privilege of seeing President Kennedy in person and up close when he came to Chicago to dedicate the new O'Hare Airport.

On a personal note, Hugh Darsie, do you know if any of the guys in our old neighborhood are alive, like Seve Fabich and Jack Stegman? I know John Jacobson passed away several years ago.

Happy New Year, everybody. Enjoy our 80th year of life.

Curt

Chuck Divine

Yes, this is the big year. From talking to others. I believe I am the youngest graduate of the class of 1964 from Guilford High School.  Did attend East in my sophmore year.  I will turn 80 on December 21. Is there anyone in the East class of 1964 that has their 80th birthday later in December? I remember my parents telling me that was a decision that was hard to make, start school at an early age or hold me back.  I hope many of you celebrate this birthday in some fashion.  I intend to celebrate this birthday in Antarctica, it will also be a celebration  of not only my birthday but also of walking on the seven continents.

Gary Knodle

we should appreciate the fact that we are still alive. Many of our classmates have gone on to Greener pastures.  Hope you're all enjoying your lives, and I'll see you in the funny papers

well Chuck and others  I might have you beat on being the youngest in the class. I will turn 80 on February 13, 2027. Who knows? There might even be someone that's younger than me in the class.  
Gary Knidke

Linda Bergquist (Johnson)

I turn 80 on 12/22/2026 and I think there are a couple of people younger than me -- I am not sure !!

Linda Bergquist (Johnson)

It seems like we have the incorrect email address of the following people

Carol Nix, Pat Lassandro, Connie Wallenbert, Dennis Minter, Karen Walker, Jeff Huntley, and Wayne Lockett.  

You need to check and make sure that the class page has your correct email address.  It seems like the notices that I sent letting you know of the recent deaths came back and un-deliverable.

Linda 

Robert Jacobson

I realize this message only applies to those of us from Jefferson Jr. Hi, but I saw in the Rockford newspaper that Horace Box died. He played flute in our jr. high band and it sounds like he was pretty active with young people.  Any of our classmates in the Jefferson band from 1961 to 1964 would remember him.

Bob Jacobson

Jim Nelson (Nelson)

Richard Nelson

l also remember Horace and Box's barbacue and his brother the mayor Charles.

J. Steven Olson

I also remember Horace Box.  He was on the East High sophomore football team and we suffered through the August two-a-days together in 1961. I am not sure whether he transferred to Guilford or to Auburn the next year.

Mary Rhoads (Bredeson)

I have to reply here for my husband Paul Bredeson as he is occupied just now serving martinis in heaven. He had life long cleat scars on the back of his hand from when Horace stepped on it during a practice session..probably August 😓. Paul was quite proud of it and mentioned it fairly often as that..and his bad knees..were his reminder of those days since the NFL never happened. -Mary

David Quist

As many have posted here about this significant year in our lives, I turned 80 last month. (See my latest picture posted.) I, too, cannot believe it and after reading of the many classmates that have passed, realize how much luck and genes played a role. I have done many crazy things in my youth besides being in Nam. I'm very thankful for my current wife of 34 years in two weeks for showing me the right way to live and love. Finally I realize every day is a blessing and to live it as if it is the last one. I wish the same for all you fellow class of 64 Erabs.

Wayne Christensen

All of us who can still write birthday greetings on Classcreator.com to each other are indeed among the lucky ones!

Curtis (Curt)) Johnson

Hello, classmates. I'm sorry to have missed the 60-year reunion, and I will unfortunately miss he 80-year-old birthday celebration. I turned 80 on January 26. Having survived open-heart surgery two years ago and survived having a misbehaving heart valve fixed last year, I somehow manage to feel pretty good, walking 2 miles per day, doing pull-ups on a school playground before the kids arrive, and working out on my home gym. Also playing on my snare drum always boosts my spirits even when feeling punk. I wish you all who are above ground a very happy 80th birthday celebration. I will be there in spirit. And a special note to you, Hugh Darcie, my neighbor when growing up, I wish you a special happy birthday. Any of you who remember me, drop me a line or two if you feel like it. My email is curtjo@icloud.com