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Thomas Twitty

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The class of 61 is FaceBooking us about or 1962 50th Reunion being in St. Pete High School Territory?   The New St. Petersburg has become a Premier Waterfront Showplace of downtown cities.  I think we have the right to claim it for Bogie, don't you?  St. Pete Yacht Club and Vinoy Hotel, are Historic vinues to meet after 50 years? 

I remember the 10th reunion that we had at the Outrigger Inn out by the old Skyway..   Things have changed and the Outrigger is gone.  Sad to say but Gulfport does not have place for us to meet so the commitee selected the downtown St. Pete.   I like the idea,  how about you?   Make your comments please.   

Troy Nicks

I like the idea of the Bayfront for our Reunion venue.

Realistically, this 50th may be the last widely attended opportunity to get together, so let's do it in style! I'm good with the Vinoy.

David Ellis

Well, since I was employed as the Sailing Master at Saint Petersburg Yacht Club and collect my pension from there, I'm delighted to be attending a function where I'm a guest, not an employee!

Check out the picture in the lobby at the base of the stairs of the small boat with guys taking pictures........

Dave Ellis

Andrea Fuller (Cooper)

I am thrilled with having it at the Vinoy and St. Pete Yacht Club!  Good for you!  The 50th is so special, it will be done in style!  I think you will get a big group!

Andee Fuller Cooper

Stephen Bruder

What a difference a month makes-just a few weeks ago my life was going quite well. My business was good, I had a  wonderful girlfriend and friends and I had good health. It's that last category that has now dramatically changed-for the worse. I went to a dermitologist for a checkup, which I "ve done many times before, but not in the the last 2 years. Bad news awaited me as the doctor informed me I had a melanoma skin cancer on my chest. He cut a section out, sent it out for an official biopsy,and his prediction was confirmed 9 days later. It was large and it was "thick". Not things I wanted to hear. I have been up to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in N.Y.C. for preliminary testing (blood work, E.K.G., etc) and I will be having some pretty serious surgery next Thursday 4-26. I have a terrific surggeon at one of the best hospitals in the world, but the future is far from certain. They are going to make 2 large incisions in my chest  and remove a rather large portion of my personal real estate and sew me back up. The worst part is they need to inject me with die to see if the cancer has spread to my lymph nodes etc. I don't want to think about what's next if it has. Soooo....with all that said I don"t know if I 'm going to be able to make the reunion or not. I'm going to be on medical leave from my company for about a month, then I'll know more. I reserved the Vinoy last month for 4 days and nights and I'm going to stay positive and let that reservation stand. I have been enjoying this web site so much and it by itself has been a reunion. Hopefully I'll be there in St. Pete for the main events. My best to all.

Steve Bruder

Camilla Kilgroe

Stephen, I'm so sorry to hear about your medical ordeal.  I know it's a scary thing.  I had a melanoma on my leg in 1990 and obviously I made it through okay but I have a fairly large scar to remind me of it.   I know it's a very scary thing.  I'll keep you in my thoughts as you go throught the coming weeks.  Please keep us updated.  I want to see you at the reunion!  All the best, Cam.

Gail Danzig (Fore)

Stephen,

So sorry you are experiencing such a scare. Seems to me, your terrific attitude will see you through this, no matter the outcome.  The elements of optimism and gratitude that you have expressed here, are the 'stuff'' of a positive future.  Thank you for being so vulnerable to share this information, and so willing to receive our good wishes.

I agree with you, the website has been a reunion/ rewarding adventure, in and of itself; faciliting some very grand connections. 

I'm sending you lots of healing and loving thoughts, especially on April 26 and beyond! Gail

Thomas Luger

I've been an "OUTCAST "  from most of the  " Bogie Group "  but still intend to show at the Cocktail party & Dinner .  I would like to see some of the  " Old Gang "  again even if some people could care less .   TOM  LUGER

Sharon Aleta Cole (Peters)

It is sad to see how many of our class are no longer among us.  So many of them I remenber not necessarily as close friends but as fellow classmates sharing different experiences in each classroom through our 3 years at Bogie.  There are also names under those who have not responded that I would really like to see particularly those on the swim team who suffered through those cold morning practice times as well as those who pariticipated in our senoir Pirate Escapades.

For those who liike the downtown location, I live in Canada and really want the beach but since Tommy has gone to all this effort (great website Tommy) I will accede to majority since that main thing is we will all get together.

Look forward to seeing everyone

Sharon Cole Peters (yes I married Ronnie Peters' brother0

Joseph (Joe) Walsh

A HOTEL ALTERNATIVE: I heard about this website called airbnb.com and began a search.  I was lucky enough to find the following and booked it for the reunion period.  http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/364167   It looked like a great place to stay and very reasonable.  So, if anyone is adventerous go take a look. You may like it. 

I just read my posting (above) again. It sounds like a commercial pitch. (sorry)   But I posted it because I' m so 'psyched' about staying on a yacht across from the Vinoy.....for $75 per night..  .                                                                          

Stephen Bruder

Thank you to all who sent me your best wishes and words of encouragement as I fight my cancer battle. My trip up to N.Y.C. was a lot tougher than I bargained for, as the surgeons had to remove the lymph nodes under both arms as well as all the cutting they did on my chest. I sit here today with over a hundred stitches all across my front-not a pretty sight!  I have a nine or ten inch incision on my chest that looks like the laces on a football and three or four inch incisions under each armpit.. My movements are somewhat slow and rather painful, but...I'm here and I have a future. It was a scary day, as what was supposed to take four or five hours took almost 12 hours from start to finish. They scared the %*!#%& out of me when they said they may have to cut into my neck and chin, but after the doctors got together they finally decided I didn't need to have that done. I'm still somewhat in limbo until I go back to Sloan Kettering next week to discuss the forensic results and  see if I need Chemo or radiation, but I believe I will be able to avoid that if we got everything with the lymph nodes. So, that's the latest and I am still planning on spending a long weekend in St. Pete. for the reunion. My best to all and here's wishing you all a great. summer.

Steve Bruder

Gail Danzig (Fore)

Steve,

Thanks for keeping us updated;  sorry it was such a scary scenario but glad they didn't have cut any more than they did.  I will continue to hold a "sunnier" vision of your future, especially during this next week. Here's hoping at least  by October, your fears will have disappeared and your body will have healed. I admire your courage, but will look forward to the time when you can just relax again. Take care, Gail

Susan Buck (Schaff)

Steve, 

I'm just now reading the message forum and learned about  your ordeal.  I wish you only the best with the easiest recovery possible from your surgery.  One never knows what life holds for us.  Don't worry about the scarring.   Hang in there my friend and try to stay optimistic.  We're all pulling for you to make a complete recovery.  

Your home-room buddy,

Susan

Frances Bean (Leach)

Steve:

First time in this part of the website and am so sorry to read your difficult ordeal.  You have such a wonderful attitude and positive spirit I know you will get through this and be with us in October.  Looking forward to seeing you.

My prayers and good thoughts are with you. 

Take care from another home room buddy.

 Fran

Camilla Kilgroe

How are you doing, Stephen?  Sounds like they really put you through the mill.  Sounds ike you're going to have bragging rights for scars!  Take care of yourself and get stronger.  There are lots of us sending you good vibes during your ordeal.  I want to see you in October so follow dr's orders.  Cam

Alan Satterwhite

Cam asked me to say something about my 'exciting' life. here goes:

after I left Bogie, I went to U of F (dropped out of Aerospace), SPJC (boooring), U of Missouri (I knew more than the Prof about photojournalism as I had been on the cutting edge for 4 yrs), U of F (begged & pleaded for entry), SPJC (again! finally after 5 yrs, I get an AA, yippee!)- all of these fine institutions asked me to leave after 1 yr, poor grades- I was too busy working for the school paper, yrbook, UPI news service, working for the St Pete Times during the summer & shooting, shooting, shooting; afterwards went to work fulltime for the Times, lasted 6 mo, went to work for Gov Kirk as Personal Photog, lived in a Learjet for a yr as he was 'running' for VP to Nixon (ugh!) - Askew was a scary guy, once trapped in an elevator with him, the Guv & SS guys who looked like those other SS guys from WWII

     **story: jammed face to face with an SS guy between floors, he asks me who I am, I reply with my name & 'who are you?' -real smart ass, eh? - and 'I'm working for the Gov' - who takes the pipe out of his mouth & says, "never saw him before" - to which I replied, "oh, Gov, this is not the time." - Kirk was fun to work for & we had a great relationship - I saw him 6 mo before he died - once when I had become his only traveling Aide (no cameras), we had just landed somewhere & were playing our hundredth 'championship' Hearts game, we were on the final hand & he told the pilots to taxi around while we finished - what a hoot; another time, he asked for the "governors takeoff" - the pilots called the tower, got clearance, we took off at full power, wheels up, building speed, pulled back & went straight up to 6000 feet vertically - a real rush - can't do that anymore; nor land helicopters in the parking lots of 1st class hotels in Miami like we used to do in the 80's.....ahhh, the times have changed

that's my life up to about 1969 (I only stayed with the Guv for 13 action-packed fun months)...... after that I started working for the magazines, all of them nonstop for the next 12+ years

I don't want to bore you or sound like I'm making this up, but it's been interesting since I graduated in '62

Thomas Twitty

AL

Working with Kirk must have been a blast.  He was a Governor with Balls.  

I ran with the Ex-Beverage Director under Kirk (Joe Ridel) and his buddy Sandy Safely along with Kirk kaiser and Pete Dunbar.  The stories were many and great.  One was when they raided Key West and got run out of town by the Conchs.  Not enough Highway Patrol to protect them against 50 fisherman with shotguns at the local hot spot.  They hauled to the airport and left town.  Key West was then a true Conch Republic. 

Tom

Thomas Lang

I just found this site.  I hope that it finds Steve much better and I am glad that Tom created the ability to communicate

I have a selfish interest.  Is anyone interested in playing tennis during the golf tournament?

I do not play golf and would enjoy any opportunity to get on the courts

T.