Judith Helf (Fishman)

Rocco, so glad that you are on the healing  part of your surgery. Wishing you all the best for a very speedy recovery. You've got a very wonderful nurse (Parma) to  help you through.

Jon Day

Hey Rocco -

Speedy recoveries happen at home with good support and rehab follow-up. Hoping it goes well and quickly for you. Want to see you crusing around CF again soon.

Edward Torchy Smith

THE FOLLOWING IS A POSTING FROM DENIS BAYER.

Many of you probably remember that our classmate, Marc Brenner has been battling Lymphoma now for over a year. Although, huge strides have been made in fighting this disease, Marc has a particularly aggressive type. He was too sick to attend the 50th reunion, but printed up and donated all those SHS Handbooks that were given out.

Marc went through a great deal of chemotherapy at Cleveland clinic, but the Lymphoma returned. So, he again went through some heavy duty chemo and radiation to prepare for a transplant. On September 10 he had what is called an autologous bone marrow transplant, using his own cells after they have been “cleaned up”. Unfortunately, this too failed. At that point he was put into a clinical trial as his options were running out. It was not successful. He has been very sick and in pain. We had been emailing, but the emails stopped coming and it was very worrisome. I then received an email from his wife telling me about all Marc has been going through. We have emailed back an forth a few time and she has kept me up to date on what is going on. Of course she is overwhelmed and Marc is not in the mood to write at this point.

Today, I received an email from Diane, his wife, telling me that hospice is now involved. She had known this, but wanted to wait until their children were told before letting me know.

Diane set up a Caring Bridge site several months ago to give updates, but she has been so busy with everything that she hasn’t been able to post too often. The site can be accessed by going to caringbridge.org and typing in Marc Brenner.

Marc has put up and amazing and courageous fight! We should all be thinking about him now!

Dennis Bayer

Jon Day

Prayers and wishes go out to all.

Nancy Livingston

Thank you Dennis for letting us know, it was a beautiful tribute to Marc's spirit. The fact that he reached out to his classmates in his last months to make sure they had the handbook for the reunion is beyond thoughtful. We can only be grateful that he is free of pain at last.......Nancy Livingston

Julie Hendricks (Gerhardt)

I am so sad that Marc has been so strong and positive without the results we all hoped for. He has not been defeated. He has fought the fight and we can only hope that he will be pain and worry free. Cancer sucks!  And I HATE IT!  Prayers to all of his family who have loved him so. Thank you Denis for this update. 

Robert Mann

Our prayers are with him..... 

Judith Helf (Fishman)

Thinking  of you and your courage to face all your challenges. My deepest prayers go out to you and your family.

Judith Davidson (Waller)

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. I am so sorry you are going through all of that and yes Cancer is horrible. Hugs to you and your family,  

Leah Ferstman (Barry)

So terribly sorry to hear the news about one of our classmates who cared so much much for us. Thoughts and prayers to Marc and his family.

Richard Brezner

Marc and I were in home room together. Even though I'd not spoken to him in 45+ years, my brother reconnected us a couple of years back through the school Marc owns. We contacted each other and became good friends again, corresponding numerous times a week via email & text. He kept me in the loop about his life, theater interests, travel, family and especially specifics and intimacies concerning his cancer treatments and surgeries which were then ongoing... That is, up until about 6 weeks ago when the emails became few. Never did I hear him complain, rather he would "state" that He was "very tired" which was holding him down from so many things he needed to do, and/or keeping him at home. I did hear from him as recently as about two weeks ago when he asked if I'd received his last couple of notes, which I had not. I wrote back but never heard from him again. During the last 1 to 1 1/2 years or so (my concept of time isn't the best), Marc was thought to have possibly been "cancer free" and things seemed to be looking up. But that was brief and tests showed it had returned shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, we'd talk about meeting up in New York City to share our interest in theater (his entire garage walls are filled with theater posters) or in California to attend The Magic Castle which is devoted to the art of magic (of which Marc is a member). He'd send me the members only newsletters with schedules and events because he knew of my interests and collection of turn of the century magic posters lining my own walls. But It's now clear that it was wishful thinking stemming from his positive attitude which is 100% Marc. I'd honestly thought these plans could become reality and looked forward to the day when he could put cancer behind him and we could reunite in person with his family beside him. This insidious disease consumed his life but it hadn't taken away his positive spirit nor his dreams for the future and expansion of his extremely successful technical school. Never did I hear disdainful or angry words from Marc no matter what stood in his way. I'm so proud to continue to call him my friend.

Thank you so much Dennis for continuing to be there for him as well. 

Tom Rison

I reconnected with Marc in the mid-1970s when he was just starting his school.  While my role in those early days was minor in the overall scheme of things, it was abundantly clear that he had a deep passion for this school, it's potential, and the opportunities he could offered the students who graduated.  At that time, there were not many avenues available to young men looking for a path to a better life utilizing their skills as they related to automotive technology.  Marc and his school have opened a lot of doors for people over the years. His success can be measured by the simple fact that the schools have lasted 40 years. There aren't many technical schools, let alone businesses, that can make that claim. 

The news about Marc is, indeed, saddening.  However, I know he has been the ultimate fighter in his battle with this horrible, horrible disease.  My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Marc is, truly, one of the real good guys.  While he will be leaving us too early, he has made this world a better place for lots of people: his family, his classmates, his friends, and the graduates of his schools.

"You done good, buddy boy." 

Edward Torchy Smith

I am sorry to inform you that Marc Brenner Passed away this morning.

His wife called me by phone. Marc wanted the class informed and had fond memories of his years at Shaker. He felt terrible that he was not well enough to attend our reunion. Marc reprinted at his cost the Shaker Heights High School Hand Book from 1965 (48 pages long). A copy was given out to each alumni at our 50^th reunion last August.

Marc had 4 children from his first wife and two small children from his second wife.

Here is his obituary:

http://www.johnson-romito.com/obituary?id=1588931

click on above.

Marcia Kessler

All my thoughst are for Marc and his family. Sounds like he had a fulfilling and successful life helping others reaching their dreams. Sounds like he reached his....RIP.

Ronald Adrine (Adrine)

This is sad news, indeed.  Ever since you posted the fact that he was receving hospice services, I've dreaded new posts to our website for fear that it might be this news.  Marc was a class.act!

Edward Torchy Smith

Greetings Classmates.....

I have started my own free radio station.

This is a talk internet radio station.

PLEASE go to my video on YouTube which outlines

more information about it. This is something that I hope will

be an extension of keeping in touch with our classmates

as well as other Baby Boomers across the world.

NO KIDDING....PLEASE WATCH. It is only 3 minutes long.

PLease click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjZk5k9wiHY

Edward Torchy Smith

Joan Habluetzel (Machovina)

Torcy, You are amazing!  Can't wait to listen to you in March. 

Marsie Martien (Martien)

Happy Birthday on March 11th to my childhood friend who lived 3 doors away and eventually married Torchy- Peggy Payner. Our birthdays were 1 day apart and we sure did have fun celebrating them together in the early years. Love and a very happy day to you, Marsie Martien

Linda Winchell (Smith)

Happy Birthday Marsie, it was so good to see you again. Next time maybe Destin?  Linda S

Judith Baron (Khaner)

heritageohio.org  THIS LINK WORKS.  VOTE SATURDAY until May 13.

 

I won the Heritage Ohio Preservation Photography Contest last year with my Cleveland Arcade photo, and I was just chosen as 1 of 4 finalists for the 2016 photo contest.  On Saturday, May 7, please go to website above and vote for my photo called Library Survival, Mansfield Reformatory.   (It has a reference sign and a red chair in the photograph.)  Please get everyone you know to vote for my photograph. The voting ends May 13.  Thank you so much. 

Judith Khaner

 

 

Joel Levinson

I was also in that play with Paul.  The play was "Best Foot Forward" which ran from July 17-28 (I believe it was 1965 but might have been 1964).  I spent three wonderful summers at Cain Park, and also was involved in the Heights Youth Theater Group for those same three year period.  I recently attended a reunion of people from the theater group, and everyone who was involved in that production had very good memories of Paul.

Edward Torchy Smith

This is what I received from Jim Wolson's wife , DALE:

There was never a formal obituary nor a funeral for Jim.  He was a cadaver donation.  I have held two memorials for him, one in Sarasota and one in Ann Arbor and will be holding a third in Chambersburg, PA, where we lived for 18 years, in September.  I'll try to make this short.

Jim Wolfson passed away on November 18, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida.  Although he had been ill for several months, his death was still unexpected. 

After leaving Shaker Heights High School in 1968, Jim attended the University of Michigan, receiving degrees in industrial engineering and an MBA in accounting.  At Michigan he met me ,his wife, Dale Marder Wolfson, and we were married for 45 years.

We lived in several places during those 45 years, including Tucson, Sarasota, Cleveland and Chambersburg, PA.  It was in Chambersburg that Jim had some of his greatest achievements.  He became what you could call a big fish in a very small pond.  Chambersburg has the dubious distinction of being the only town in the North that was burned to the ground by the Confederacy after they came demanding money and the townspeople refused to pay.  Jim immersed himself in the Civil War history of the area and gave much time to the minority and Jewish community.  He was responsible for restoring the historic Jewish cemetery in Chambersburg, where the only Confederate Jewish soldier can be found buried in a northern cemetery, and relentlessly sought and received five historical markers for the borough.  After writing several grants and starting in 2004, Jim was the executive director of a federally funded after-school program for students at risk in the Chambersburg Area School District, where he touched the lives of many children and their families.

Jim was always grateful for the experiences he had growing up in Shaker Heights and credited his education with allowing him to impact so many people in such a positive way.

Our children, Rebecca and Mandy, and I miss him very much, but we take great comfort in knowing that his life had meaning for many.  We are grateful that he had the years he had to live the life he lived. 

Dale Wolfson

Edward Torchy Smith

I just got the following message:

I am sorry to share with you that Annellen Minkin Simpkins recently passed away. I am sharing with you as requested by her husband, Charles Simpkins, who wanted someone to know. Thanks.

Best,

Sharon

Sharon Galin

Consultant, Alumni Liaison

Shaker Heights City Schools

15600 Parkland Dr.

Shaker Heights, OH  44120

(216) 295-4877

galin_s@shaker.org

Diane Rubin (Williams)

annellen had it all...brains, beauty and  a heart.  i am sorry she passed asway so young.  diane rubin williams

Kathy Slavik (Brandt)

HI torchy,

Karen Leheny died April 23rd of this year . My message below was emotional.

Her daughter Rachel will be dancing November 23rd this month with The Cleveland Dance Project.

I will be in Broadviw Heights to see it. It is at a  The Middle School and can be found online . Performances are at 3pm and 7pm. I will attend the 3pm  production .Everyone is welcome .

The Dance group is exceptional ; it should be a great performance .

I live North east of Phoenix near Scottsdale ,Az . I bought a new Winter Coat !

I asked if a relative , Karen Leheney , could be noted so that '65 classmates get the opportunity to donate to her cancer med bills. I think it's inappropriate and would like to cancel this request.

Please excuse this strange message .

Thank you.

Be well.

480-338-3234

Kathleen Slavik Brandt

"Kathy"