Maxine Carvalho (Lucas)

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Ray Jones

Lorraine Lander (Rothbart)

Ray Jones

Lorraine Lander (Rothbart)

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Ed Harvey

Linda Toney (Schidecker)

Linda Bourne (Hellard)

Mary Jo Clark (Welch)

Linda Bourne (Hellard)

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Hi Everyone!  Happy Summer!

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the summer months.  Here in Ohio, for those of you that are out of state/country, it's been extremely hot and humid for June.  Lots of rain though but also thunderstorms and flooding in some areas.  But that's our region for you....wait a minute and it will change!

I'm glad to see so many of you using the site and checking it.  I just admit I have not been updating the home page as often as I should but with the rain and warmer weather, I seem to be on a mower more often than not and if not mowing then at work, so I do apologize and I hope to get more updates on soon.

As most of you know, Butler High School is in the midst of being "deconstructed and then reconstructed".  The destruction started about a month ago and today it is so sad to go by there where there are only the auditorium, the Student Activity Center and the lecture hall standing - the rest is gone!  There are pictures courtesy of Dave Luciano and Larry Coleman of the process and as soon as I figure out how to post them on here, I will.  There's also a Youtube video with a live stream daily so you can see the process.  The new main entrane will now face Alkaline Springs Road so everything that was in the front on Dixie Drive is gone.  They are extending Elva Court and as I understand it, it will go right into the student parking lot.  At least that's the last I heard.  It could have changed several times since now.  But anyway, I'll get those pictures on here so you can watch the progress......out with the old, in with the new!!!

AND, I would like to thank Linda Hellard for adding photos to the message forum.......the only thing is she used a great current picture of herself and used old senior photos for the rest of us!  Thanks, Linda....(I think!!!)

So, just wanted to thank everyone for supporting the site, keep it up and anything that you want to see us add, just let us know. 

Everyone take care!

Brenda

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Linda -

I do apologize about the comment about the picture!  Since I talked to you we found out that we don't know where those photos came from.  I certainly thought you had pulled one over on us and was really razzing you about it!  I told you I would post this so everyone would know!  Here it is! 

Take care.

Brenda

Sharon Moore (Harrison)

Brenda & Linda:  I just viewed the pictures from the 45th reunion and WOW were they wonderful.  Thanks for taking the time to post all of those great pictures for everyone who came to Friday & Saturday night gatherings.  You both do a wonderful job keeping this website up-to-date.  Thanks again.

Linda Bourne (Hellard)

Hi Everyone...Please note that I have just uploaded some newly discovered photos (thanks to Linda Turner Thomas) from our very first reunion (1972) to a gallery on the Photo Gallery Tab.  I also put a couple in the Gallery named School Days.  Please, if you note any incorrect identifications, notify me.  I did the best I could, but I'm sure there are many of you with better eyes and/or better memories who could help with the I.D.s.  Hope you enjoy looking at them.

Walt Neal

dear brenda, linda and the whole 45th class reunion committee,

i just played my dvd of the reunion and relived that fun weekend.  i want to thank all of you who worked on the event for those hundreds of hours for making that fall weekend such an incredible success.

for those of us who live outside the area the reunion and the beautiful dvd that linda turner and her husband, charlie thomas, made was a chance to reconnect that we probably wouldn't have gotten to experience without all your gracious efforts.

this vandalia-butler class of '64 web page is also lots of fun.  it's nice to know a little bit about what our classmates have done in their lives and in what part of the world they've ended up.  also the old fotos are such a blast!  i just want you to know that i appreciate everything you've done and very much look forward to the 50th reunion.  i hope even more olds friends attend.

Linda Bourne (Hellard)

Hi Walt,  I'm so glad that you enjoyed your DVD.  Thanks for your kind words of appreciation.  We, in turn, appreciate your making the extreme effort that you do to get here for these reunions.  Coming in from California is no small effort.  Maybe your enthusiasm will inspire others to make it to the 50th.  GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

Linda Bourne (Hellard)

Congratulations to Carolyn Cooper Klepinger for winning a second place ribbon in the amateur photography, miscellaneous subject matter, color competition at the GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR.

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Hello Everyone -- Walt, great to hear from you and that you enjoyed the DVD.  Linda and Charlie did a great job and spent many hours getting it together for us.  I still enjoy looking at it and remembering the great time and conversations with everyone.

And congradulations to Carolyn - we may have to have a "shoot off" between Charlie and Carolyn at the next reunion.  Its great that we have such talented people in our class....or married to a classmate!!

Hope everyone had a great summer....I on the other hand tried to relive my youth again and broke my ankle riding a bicycle.  It is true that you never forget how to ride, you just have to remember how to stop the darn thing!!  So I'm finally out of the big, black, ugly air cast and can drive again!!!  8 weeks of being hauled around and not being able to go and do things was miserable, but I had a couple of great "taxi drivers"....so all was not lost.

Everyone take care, enjoy the Fall and keep in touch.

Brenda

Joseph Reid

In response to those who have asked about my daughter.  I appreciate the thoughts.  The good news is that Joanna was able to move back into here own home last month after almost a year of at 2/3 time in the hospital and 1/3 at my home.  Other good news is that the fever she has run for about 9 months is gone.  I won't go over the trauma of this year except to say that from Nov 09 to Oct 10 she averaged a major brain or reconstructive surgery every month.

Less positive is that she is still needing daily antibiotic infusions and bi-weekly immunogobulin infusions to stay alive with no end in sight.  That alone assuming no more hospitalizations is about $25,000 a month.  She also still has wound (some 5-6 months old) that show no signs of healing.  

So the bad news is that her health insurance was finally cancelled and we are on a cash basis for now.  That is until  tomorrow when she will be back on my insurance until she is 26 thanks to Obamacare.  After her birthday next Nov.  we have no happy options.  With an exposure of at least $14,000 per month for the rest of her life no insurance company can wish to cover her.  So Joanna, who is already standing up to stresses that even I  can't fully come to grips with, has had to get a divorce so that we can have her declaried a permantly disabled dependent of mine and my then insurance has to cover her permanently. 

The only reason I have any option is that my insurance as a retired federal employee is the same kind of coverage that Congress gives itself; federally backed, federally mandated, and federally quaranteed - others need not apply.   Fortuantely for Joanna,  even if the new Congress does do away with Obamacare if won't affect my coverage - or your Congressman's.  (I wonder if there is a typeface that makes sarcasm obvious?)  

I'm glad to see that everyone had such a good time at the reunion.  If I can leave Joanna I'll try to make it to the next one.

Brenda Zenz (Windel)

Hi everyone!  Hope everyone is enjoying early summer and getting ready for the 4th of July.  I apologize that I have not been keeping the Home Page updated and changed, I think I'm in a slump or something.  Just can't seem to find things interesting enough to add, if anyone has any suggetions, just send me an e-mail.  

Just a couple of updates - Walt Neal did make a trip to Arizona and saw his sister Mary Ann.  They had a good visit and she is looking forward to hearing from former classmates.  She does not use a computer so you can contact her via regular mail or phone.  I have her number so if you want to give her a call, let me know.

Just got notified that Sharon Knuge Penn has joined the website.  Her e-mail address is in the class list.  Send her a note and let her know what a great site this is. 

Also, we still have DVDs of the reunion for anyone who didn't get one.  The cost is $8.00 and check should be made payable to V-B Class if 1964.

I guess that's about it except I have RETIRED as of June 1.  Our Dayton office is closing and the job moved to either Cincinnati or Columbus and I wasn't willing to move or drive it every day......so......now I'm my own boss and loving every darn minute of it! Now I can get my gardens back in shape and travel and play golf.  What a life!!!

Everyone take care, be safe and keep in touch!

Brenda

Arvie Schieltz

The Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio issue of Epilepsy Moments arrived today.  At the 2010 EFWO Holiday Party & Awards Dinner they thanked Jim Terry as a Distinguished Volunteer in appreciation of his selfless service to benefit people with epilepsy.  Congratulations Jim.

Mary Jo Clark (Welch)