Monday, June 7, 2010

Ken (Kenny) Alford - Class of 1961

1961 - 1962 Attended Santa Rosa JC. No real goal in mind.

1962 - 1983 Jeff Nelson and I decided that we wanted to “see the world” so we joined the Army. I spent 21 years traveling the world (6 years in South Korea, 3 years in Germany and 2 years in Tehran, Iran) and the United States (The Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Fort Huachuca, AZ, Charleston Air Force Base, SC and Fort McClellan, AL.)

During this period I managed to have 3 wives (still married to my last one after more than 37 years) 2 sons (my youngest son was born in Tehran, Iran) and 1 daughter (I adopted my wife’s daughter from a previous marriage.)

Retired from the Army as a 1st SGT (E8) in April 1983 at age 39 and went to work for a living (if you call going to work as a civil servant for the government, work).

In 1986 I finally got around to finishing my bachelors degree and even started working on my masters in Public Administration. However, my GI Bill money ran out after 18 semester hours and so did my interest in a masters degree.

I started working in civil service for the Army at Fort McClellan, AL in November 1984.

I then went to Washington, D.C. where I was a senior inspector for the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Justice.

From there I went to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts where I developed staffing formulas for the Federal District, Appellate, and Bankruptcy Courts and for the Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Offices. There are 94 judicial districts and I must have traveled to over 50% of them. The flight attendants started greeting me by name as I would get on a plane.

Anyway, I retired from civil service as a GS-14 in January 2000 and have been living here in Alabama with all the other rednecks. I play golf (I’m a 3 handicapper) 5 days a week (Mon-Fri) and fish when the weather allows. My wife developed a rare muscular disease (Poly-myositis) in 2005 which has severely limited her strength and stamina. We had hoped that we would be able to attend the reunion; however, the last few weeks her condition has deteriorated to the point where we will not be able to attend. She wanted me to go on alone, but I just can’t leave her for extended periods.

Hope you all have a fantastic time!!!

Ken

Tom Walker, Class of 1962

Married to Leslie 25 years, three children, eight grandchildren, and three great grandsons.

Retired from Santa Rosa Fire Department in 1998.

Built a home on the shores of Clear Lake.

Also own a car wash in the City of Clearlake.

Chairman of the board of directors for the Lake County Fire Protection District, past president of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Tom and Leslie spend time golfing, sailing, skiing (water and snow), traveling in their RV, timeshares in Kauai and Tahoe and trips to the coast to pick blackberries and visit friends.

Hope to make the class reunion if they can change reservations in Tahoe the same weekend to celebrate their anniversary.

Wanda Nenstiel (Webb), Class of 1962

I will send the 'Hilites' of my life for the last 50 years.

Married to Mervin (44 years)

Kids (two daughters) (5 grandchildren)

Traveled the world with my Career Navy husband for 26 years (lived on three islands and 6 different Navy Bases world wide)

Then more travel with him while he works for the State Dept (Hong Kong, Brazil, Nigeria (twice), Ethiopia and Belize.

Still traveling. last trip was to Europe for 6 weeks then two months in Florida.

Currently live up at Lake Tahoe with hubby, youngest daughter, her two boys and three cats.

We will be going to Hawaii in June, then taking a three-week trip with our 5th wheel to the east coast in August.

Altogether a nice life after High school.:


"Careers" I have had:
Navy Wife
Mom
Gramma
School Bus Driver
Dep. Sheriff for Mendo county
Club Manager for the Marine Corps and Navy Seabees on Adak and Guam
Bartender for AM Trak
Road Crew member for Ca. State Parks
Ghost Town Stabilization Crew for Bodie SHP
Wild land Firefighter for USFS ( when I was 52 till age 56)

Marvin Brodjeski, Class of 1962

Married, three children, four grand-children, three great-grandchildren.

Three years in US Army 1966-1969

27 years with the US Postal Service in San Bernardino, CA. Retired in 2000

Moved to Dayton, Nevada, in 2004 and this is where I plan to live out the rest of my days.

email is brodjeski06@att.net

Mike Combs, Class of 1960


Graduation, 1960



Where's my helmet?



I was born caesarean in Torrance, California in 1942. As a native born Californian, I was a rarity at that time. The doctor told Mom that she must not have any more babies, and she replied, "Put a zipper in that incision, I'll be right back." Eleven months and four days later brother Ronald was born, also caesarean, the greatest gift I could have ever had.

I often say I had the best childhood of anyone ever, and growing up with Mom, Pop, and Ron in Point Arena was what made it perfect. I've never told Ron how much he has meant and means to me, because we're guys, and guys don't tell each other that sort of thing - but we feel it anyway.

We moved to Bakersfield after the war, and I went to Catholic school kindergarten in 1947, then Pop bought a house trailer and we moved all around southern California from one drilling rig to the next for about two years. I went to the first grade in Lawndale, Carpenteria, and Fillmore, and should have in Newhall except there was too little time before the school year ended.

In the summer of 1949 my Uncle Walter, who had a small store in Gualala, wrote that "the sawmills are hiring." Mom was tired of the constant moving - she told Pop, "Honey, you've just become a lumberjack."

We arrived in Point Arena just after the Pacific Enterprise hit Wash Rock and sank off the Lighthouse Point in early September, 1949 (the 10th of September, I think). Ron and I started at Point Arena Elementary in the combined 1st and 2nd grade class taught by Mrs. Phillips.

I graduated from the 8th grade and entered Point Arena High in 1956.

After graduation in 1960, I went to Humboldt State for a year (roommate Gary Phelps), then Santa Rosa JC (roommate brother Ron). I enlisted in the Air Force in 1962, went to Russian training at Indiana Univ., and married Marilynn.

After 2 years of training, the Air Force sent me to Turkey near Istanbul to intercept Russian missile test activity. Later, the AF sent me to Univ. of Arizona for a BS in Acct.

I was commissioned in 1968, and went to Michigan State for an MBA. I was sent to England for 5 years, Illinois for 4, Hawaii for 4, and retired at Travis AFB as a Major in 1984 after 21 years in the AF.
Halloween at Lockheed, Sunnyvale, 1985

I worked at Lockheed, Sunnyvale for 10 years (Marilynn passed away in January 1988, not long after our Silver Anniversary - Alice and I met later in 1988 through Great Expectations, and we were married at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1989); then I worked at other CPA jobs at Power Spectra, Sunnyvale; NUUMI, Fremont; and Kaiser Permanente, Oakland until 1998, then retired to Gualala.

Disneyworld, 1990

Alice and I travel a lot - 4 month bike trip in Europe, 1998; two month bike trip in Scotland, 2002; Tahiti Honeymoon, 1989; and Caribbean holidays and cruises, Meditteranean and Alaskan cruises, Yangtze River (China) cruise, vacations in Mexico and Australia, October 2009 in India, March 2010 in Africa (Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda), June 2013 up the Mississippi from New Orleans to St. Louis, February 2014 in Argentina and Antarctica, and many others.
Catalina, 1991

Alice's Reseda High reunions always include a cruise, and we have been on 5 during the past 20 years. Point Arena reunions have been a lot of fun, and Alice and I danced so hard at the 1999 reunion that I had a swelling in my right ankle for eight years - but we still dance hard every chance we get!

Dian Clem (Garrett) - Class of 1955

Dian won't be able to make the reunion.

Married for 33 years to my second husband

Six children between us

11 grandchildren

7 great-grandchildren

2 AA degrees, one in early childhood education and one in liberal studies

Worked for Mendocino County Department of Social Services for 13 years

Worked for North Coast Opportunities for 10 years

Enjoying retirement, involved in church activities, veterans activities with my husband, and senior citizen activities.

Pat Ashurst, Class of 1950

Pat graduated in 1950, came back to teach in 1954

Pat writes:

I retired, 15 years ago, from teaching primary grades (two years of high school was enough, even then!!) after 32 years. Tom has also retired from farming and we live part time in Hopland where our son takes care of the orchards and vineyards and the winter in Reno, NV, where our daughter, husband, two grand kids and their families and a great-grandson live. Just got back from Arizona where our youngest granddaughter graduated from Arizona State University and has a job that she loves. Her brother lives with her and goes to college there too.

We have traveled to many parts of the world, by land and more now on cruises. We have had many adventures that our kids just shake their heads over - we've probably given them more grey hair than they have us!!!!

We enjoy life and seem to be healthy enough so we will go as long as we are able.

Sorry we will miss all the fun and reminiscing.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Gordon Crispin, Class of 1958

Gordon Crispin Bio

The reunion in 1999 in Point Arena was fantastic! I saw folks I hadn't seen since 1958 including you and I got invited to breakfast too. Now I'm sure that was because of Uncle Joe and Dorothy, but it was good and I enjoyed seeing you again too.

Unfortunately, Deanna and I will not be able to make this one: health problems.

Next time you speak to Sam Oglesby, tell him Hi for me. Last time I saw him was at Plieku, Viet Nam in 68 or 69. This young Lt. came by to say hello. I never forgot that. He was a good guy in school too even if his dad was the principal.

A short Bio is just that—short. I spent 29 years, 3 months in the Air Force, 1 July 1958 - 30 Sept 88.

I worked at the Air Force Academy for a year, Las Vegas, Nevada for six months, and then it was on to Alaska for eight years working mostly for ITT as a government contract supervisor.

I retired in 1997 and moved to northern Idaho. Oh yes, I also found my bride Deanna in Alaska.

In October 99 I went back to Alaska to assist another corporation "bed down" at the same radar site I was at before returning in April 2000 for total retirement.

I love it; we love it and really want for nothing. We have 6/1/4 acres in the woods to putz (sometimes work) at. We live in a double wide that is very comfortable for us. Nothing fancy, but compared to what I lived in as a kid, it's a castle!

Lawrence Girelli, Class of 1954

Hedden/Girelli Biography

I will use "we" rather than "I" to include my twin brother, Leonard.

1937 - Born in San Francisco to Silvio and Elvera Girelli

1946 - Mother re-married to Bud Hedden and we re-located to Point Arena. We were known as, and went by the name of Hedden. We lived across the street from Judge Mongevon’s home - "just a stone's throw away" from PA elementary school which was the Old city courthouse.

1950 - We attended Point Arena High School and lived next door in the house that was later used as the school's Administration Building.

1954 - Graduated from PAHS the year our school had it's first undefeated football team!

1955 - Attended Napa Junior College. Roommate and teammate of Dick Vermeil and participated in my last sport event at Napa. (See news Clip).

1956 - Volunteered for the draft. Married Sharon Ohleyer and had two wonderful daughters - Elaine who lives in Fort Bragg and Teresa who lives in Ukiah. Attended Army Security Agency School in Massachusetts and received a "top secret/crypto clearance." Stationed in Kenai, Alaska. Honorably discharged in October 1959.

1959-1960 - Worked at Bojock Lumber Mill to obtain funds to return to college.

1961 - Attended Santa Rose Junior College, took pre-med and received AA degree. Met my future second wife, Zoe.

1962-1964 - Attended San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco obtained B. A. and B. S. degrees.

1964 - Married Zoe - its been 45 years and counting.

1964 - 1968 Leonard attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Obtained a B. S. Degree in Geology. He later worked In the San Francisco Bay Area as a "Super Cargo" in charge of the loading and unloading of cargo ships. Leonard passed away in May 2003.

1965 - I attended the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco and received my Doctor's Degree and finished my Training in 1970.

1970 - 2005 - Started practice in Sacramento, CA. Received surgical staff privileges at Mercy/Methodist Hospital and served as Vice Chief and Chief of Surgery. Post Graduate achievements Included - Diplomate National Board of Podiatric Examiners, Fellow American College of Food and Ankle Surgeons, Diplomate American Board of Podiatric Surgery.

Retired and currently serve on the Board of Directors Alumni Association of the Medical school I attended in San Francisco.

Moved to and reside in Colorado Springs, CO and spend most of my time Fly Fishing and playing golf.

(The caption below under "DEDICATION" reads:)
POINT ARENA HIGH SCHOOL FIRST FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM 1953/54

We, the Foghorn Staff of 1954, respectively dedicate this edition of the Foghorn to our first championship football team. This being our fourth year of football participation, was truly a great year, and we salute a great team. While teams of the past have demonstated good sportsmanship, team spirit, and the traditional Blue and Gold fight, the 1953 team was the first undefeated six. May the memories of their hard blocking, charging, tackling, passing and running be remembered and also inspirational to future teams.

(Players, left to right: first row, Frank Moyles, Larry Herrick, Lawrence Girelli, Ted Griffith, Leonard Girelli, Dennis Craig; second row, Vernon Caughey, Jim Pierce, Gary Remstedt, Tom Piver, Henry Beebe, unknown, unknown; third row, Coach Ken Snow, unknown, unknown, Joe Smith, unknown, Tom "Pickle" Pike, unknown, Charles Cabassi

(Please help identify the "unkowns" - email me at mcombs@pacific.net)


Leonard and Lawrence, San Francisco, 1939

Leonard and Lawrence, Gualala River, 1946 or 1947



A recent photo of the Hedden home on Lake Street, where the family lived 1950-1955



Hedden/Girelli twins, Leonard and Lawrence, 1952



Leonard and Lawrence, 1996


Zoe and Lawrence, sometime in the 1980's



Lawrence, Catch and release, fly fishing high in the Rockies, 2009


"In my office before retiring"
Lawrence, Sacramento, 2004



Lawrence and Zoe on a golf outing in Nevada, 2008

Lawrence Girelli's Last Football Game

(Lawrence passed on this news clipping, circa 1955, which he had also sent to his teammate at Napa, the legendary Dick Vermeil. Lawrence noted that his twin brother Leonard missed the game with a knee injury)

CHIEFS END SEASON WITH 46-31WIN
Vermeil and Girelli Shine
By Bud Tucker
Register Sports Editor

SUSANVILLE — Napa College Chiefs sang their 1954 swan song to the tune of 'Crazy Man Crazy' here yesterday as they outscored Lassen Cougars. 46-31, in a free-scoring, penalty-studded contest which had everything but defensive play and took over three hours to complete. Casting aside such brutal actions. as the tackle, both sides had an offensive field day passing the lead back and forth while the men in striped T-shirts joined in the fun by gaily tripping off a total of 215 yards in penalties. An over-due explosion on the part of Chief quarterback Dick Vermeil led tile Napa squad to victory. The Calistoga Comet passed for three touchdowns and climaxed an inspired performance with a 70-yard scoring jaunt late in the fourth quarter.

Joining with Vermeil to pace the Chiefs was end Larry Girelli who latched onto two of Vermeil's touchdown tosses and electrified the crowd with great catches all after­noon. a third Vermeil to Girelli scoring throw was called back on a Napa offside.

The Chiefs started the wild and woolly proceedings early In the first quarter after recovering a Lassen fumble on the latter’s 40-yard stripe. Tom Henry and Bob Sowell carried down to the one and Sowell crashed over. Harland Morely kicked the convert.

The scoreboard was hardly lit up when Les Haug pounced on another Lassen fumble on the 7-yard line. Sowell again went over and Don Simmons’ convert attempt went wide.

The Cougars struck back immediately after the kickoff. On third down quarterback Gil Harris passed from his own 46 to Al Robinson the Napa 30 and the speedy halfback danced down the sideline to score. Bob Johnson kicked the convert.

Lassen knotted the count at 13-13 three minutes later after runs by Harris and Jeff Manning and two Napa penalties placed the Cougars in possession on the Napa one. Art Grohs carried over and Les Haug blocked the convert attempt.
POUR IT ON

The host team continued to pour it on and went into the lead for the first time when substitute quarterback Tony Flores dropped a pass into the hands of fullback Hale Yarber who was standing all alone in the end zone. The convert failed.

The Chiefs pulled back into the lead on a march from their own 39 in the dying moments of the first half. Vermiel passed to Girelli who was downed on the Cougar 30 and two plays later the Comet again hit the glue-fingered Girelli who made a sensational grab in the end zone.
Harland Morley kicked the extra point and the half ended Napa 20, Lassen 19.

It was the Cougars' turn again early in the third quarter after Tom Henry fumbled Flores’ kick and Lassen recovered on the Napa 15. On the first play Yarber charged over the left side of the line and fought his way in for the score which went unconverted.

Vermeil and Girelli then took over to put the Chiefs back in the lead once more. Vermeil passed to Girelli from the Napa 27 and the sure-handed end made another phenomenal grab at midfield.

On the next play Vermeil again pitched to Girelli who snagged it on the 15 and angled the rest of the way to pay dirt. Vermeil punched the convert through and Napa led 27-25.

The after-you-my-dear-Alphonse act continued as Lassen eased back to the front late in the third frame. Jeff Manning set it up with a 46-gallop to the Napa 8 from where Yarber bulled his way over.

Girelli blocked Johnson's kick and the third quarter ended Lassen 31, Napa 27.

ALL FOR COUGARS

That was all for the Cougars and. Vermeil assumed complete command for the balance of the game. He threw a 16-yard pass to end Leo Sandoval on Lassen's 21 and the lanky Leo fought his way through three defenders and went over standing up. The convert attempt went wide.

Vermeil then capped a brilliant afternoon midway through the final canto. With third down and 10 to go the blonde from upvalley slashed over tackle on a keeper play, shifted himself clear in the secondary and sped 70 yards to score. The convert was no good and the Chiefs were in front. 39-31.

Larrupin' Les Haug wound up the scoring three hours and five minutes after the start of the contest.when he lunged over from one yard out. Vermeil passed to Girelli for the conversion.

Jeff Manning came close to run­ning the kickoff back for a touch­down but was caught on the Napa 31. A long pass into the end zone was just missed by Anthony. Alosi as the gun ended the marathon with the final tally Napa 46, Lassen 31.

Chuck York, Class of 1959


Graduation photo, 1959


CHUCK YORK BIO

1959: Off to Santa Rosa Junior College for 3 years. Journalism major soon became music major, but the real learning came in mopping cafeteria floors and pulling greenchain during summers.

1962: Off to Humbolt State University. Continuation of music major along with a physical education minor. After 4 years, I had enhanced my cafeteria mopping skills and chain pulling. Band/Music teaching positions were available in profusion. Choice time reared it's head when the Humboldt people asked me to coach the JV basketball team. Opted instead for a music position at Overfelt High School in San Jose. Met first wife Kathleen.

1966: San Jose- Taught music, math, English and physical education for 4 years until San Jose became too big for this country boy. Filled out many applications for places north--signed a contract with Santa Rosa City Schools. During this time in San Jose I was blessed with a son and a daughter, and my mopping and chain pulling summers were replaced by recreation work and Boise-Cascade container factory shifts.

1970: Comstock Middle School--taught music, English and physical education again while spending lots of summer time at Schultz Bros. Bekins, and the Sonoma County Fair and worked recreation for the City of Santa Rosa. Opted out of music in 1987 for something with less pressure- math, as Department head with the responsibility of raising scores. Retired from teaching in 2000. While at Comstock I met second wife Mickie in Russia. Mickie moved to California when we married in 1989 and Mickie's 2 children (both in college at the time) followed her to California from Pennsylvania.

2000: Off to Tucson, Arizona. Mickie and I procured realty licenses---she loved it, I hated it. She became very successful; I spent 8 years sub-teaching, taking care of Mickie's folks, helping Mickie with her business, and running in the wonderful Arizona sun.

2008: Off to Stallion Springs, California (near Tehachapi), where we are now centrally located as far as 3 of our children and our grandchildren are concerned. Son, Michael, lives in Toronto, Canada. Life here is great, mostly because Mickie and I are now enjoying complete retirement. Gardening, fishing, grandchildren, traveling, viola/fiddle playing (M), banjo playing (C), model trains and a little snow are some of the things that keep us busy and happy.

2010: Point Area High School Reunion!