John MacLeod

Nancy............Glad to see that you are still here on this corporeal plane of existence.  I see on the weather report that Phoenix is due for some outrageously high temps for the next few days.........John

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Yes, we are looking at high heat here in Phoenix.   Around here that means over 110 degrees.  The A/C is all tuned up and once we hit the road in the rental car, we will find cooler temps.

John MacLeod

Made it home early today with eye problems.  Eye couldn't see myself working anymore today. 

Checked my e-mails and I see that some outfit is still trying to sell me a new car.  They should know by now that we have a Ford and Toyota and have no intention of buying a Viagra.  Must be a foreign car because most of the dealers are in Canada and Nigeria.  Although I seem to have a extremely wealthy, yet long lost, uncle from Nigeria who occasionally contacts me about giving me a large sum of money.

Some of you may have known Jeff Beaudry from the class of '67.  He passed away last week at his home in Las Vegas.

John

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Happy 4th of July.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Is anyone out there?

John Hein

This just in: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=frank-j-ahern&pid=167392936&fhid=5922#fbLoggedOut

I think the Cofer brothers should weigh in here, eh what?

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

 

Frank J. Ahern

Born September 5, 1927 in Seattle, WA to Eileen and Daniel Ahern, Frank died peacefully at home on September 30, 2013. Frank is survived by his wife of 55 years, Dona, and his children: Theresa (John Greaney), Rosemary Leifer (Randy), Jeanne Sommerville (Tad), Paul (Regina), Ruth Caple (Phil) and Mary Thompson (Lincoln). He is also survived by his grandchildren: Joe and Hannah Greaney, Katie, Ian and Nolan Leifer, Blake, Connor, Evan and Kellie Sommerville, Allyson and Rachel Ahern, Toby and Emma Caple and Blaine and Cole Thompson. He is also survived by his sister, Kathleen, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Pat, and sister, Eileen.

A long time teacher and coach, Frank touched many lives. He loved his family and believed that he had won the wife lottery. Shortly before he died, Frank said, "I got to live the life I wanted" and the world was a better place because of it.

The funeral Mass will be at St. Edwards, Seattle on Saturday Oct. 12 at 10:00 a.m. with the reception to follow at Rainier Beach HS gym. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the "Frank and Dona Ahern Scholarship Fund" at P.O. Box 942, Kent,WA 98035. The scholarship will benefit inner-city Seattle high school athletes.

 

Published in The Seattle Times on Oct. 6, 2013

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=frank-j-ahern&pid=167392936&fhid=5922#fbLoggedOut

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Wow, that last post really skewed things didn't it?  Anyone around?

John MacLeod

Big doings in the frigid NW.  Tens of twenties of Seahawk fans will be sitting on the edge of their frozen home bleachers rooting for the home team which is away today In San Francisco.   Maybe that is tens of thousands of fans.  Interestingly enough the Hawks are 2 1/2 point underdogs.

Stepping into the Wayback Machine...............

I remember catching the Number 7 into town, transferring to the west Seattle bus(the  #35 ??) to get to Sealth stadium to watch the Quakers play on Friday nights.  Win or lose, the bleachers were cold  .Put me in good training for the frozen bleachers of WAZZU.  Let's see..... Sue Niven, Marcia Gross, Mike Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Mel Smith and others from the Class of 68' sat on those frozen bleachers in Pullman.  Perhaps I should get a bottle of hootch, move the TV out onto the deck and watch the game in the twenty degree weather.  Another feeble attempt to recapture my fleeting youth, which, I think, left the station some years ago. Maybe I'll try to be an adult today, after all the year end is closing in fast.  I make a tenuous attempt at this at least once a year.

Question..............If you didn't know how old you were, how old would you be?  There are no right or wrong answers, just yours.  For me some days the answer is 30-35 and others it is 80-85.

Rock on Moose and Squirrel..........................

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

I just posted some information that came my way today from the widow of Michael Wayne Diamond.  It is on his In Memory page.

John MacLeod

Nancy,

I read the update that you recieved from Michael Diamond's wife about his early and untimely death.  She mentions that Steve Gourd was their best man.  I didn't know Mike all that well, but I have a little story about Steve.

You may or may not remember that Steve and Walt Henry left school in our junior year and joined the Marines.  Walt was killed in Vietnam about two months after we graduated in 68'.  Steve made it home.  In 71' or 72' I was driving truck and made a drop at one of the freight houses on Airport Way.  Lo and behold Steve was the forklift operator that off loaded my truck.  We talked for a while and he related that things had been tough on returning home.  He virtually lived in Seward Park, stowing his gear in the brush during the day and living in a haze of alcohol and drugs.  While in that time of his life he got shot.  Don't know how or why.  He told me that was his wake up call.  Said that if he didn't change his life, he wasn't going to see his 25th birthday.  He made that change and when I saw him, he was married, active in his church and had adopted his wife's two children.  That was the last time that I saw him, but I've always carried that story with me and have told it to many over the years.  I was saddened to read his obituary in the Bremerton Sun.

Susan Niven

Wishing everyone a Safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year as well.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Thanks Susan for remembering all of us.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

I just posted more information on Michael Wayne Diamond from his widow.  If anyone was a special friend of Michael, or has a story to tell, it might help Michael's son to know the father who died before he was born.  Thanks everyone.

Susan Niven

Wishing you all the very best in 2014!

Sandra Smith (Hanson)

Happy New Year to you, as well, Susan and to all of the class of 1968.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

In case you missed it, Heather Tulloch found the website and registered.  In all the years of searching, I have never located her.  So, if you remember Heather, whay don't you welcome her to the website.  I just sent her a note today.  Thanks everyone.

John MacLeod

Well.................oddities continue to happen here in the Hoodsport Triangle.  I received a phone call the other day from someone looking to have a small job done at their place on the canal.  I arrived the next day and got started.  When meeting with a new customer I generally like to get to know a little bit about them.  Long story short turns out he was a Franklin grad from the class of 66'.  His name is Steve Farnan, but wait there is more.  His wife is Janice (Jan) Roulst from our class.  The job took a little longer than expected as we spoke of friends and times from those thrilling days of yesteryear.  I gave Jan the class's web address and she should be registering soon.  She is in contact with number of other classmates who are not on our class site and hopefully she will get them to register also. Oh, by the way.  I think she may have had one wrinkle.  She probably still has to show her ID at certain venues.

I had another job earlier this year.  For Rita Corpuz (class of 69)  her sister Sharon was in the class of 67.  My barber is from the class of 53.  One of our good friends here is from the class of 48.  Franklin is well represented here on the Canal.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Thanks for keeping us in the loop John.  I just posted two pictures of Michael Wayne Diamond that I got from his widow, Kathy Whitsett.  Since I couldn't find any photos of Michael in the annuals, I thought it would be nice to have something to remember him by.

John MacLeod

50 years ago today (02/07/14) The Beatles (Fab Four) arrived in New York City and started the second British Invasion.  Some of our classmates may claim that their parents brought The Beatles over in celebration of their 14th birthdays.  Not wanting to throw cold water on those claims, I might want to see some minimal documentation.  Not having  those documents I could be persuaded to accept " We had all those records, but 1) the courthouse burned to the ground and all records were lost, 2) the bank was robbed and the records were stolen from the safe deposit box, 3) the dog ate those records along with my 16 page essay for Language Arts, 4) fill in your own."

Susan Niven

John Hein

I gotta call from Gary Bingham today, sit down before you read on. Gary and Larry talked almost daily and were always helping each other with projects and such. Gary couldn't get ahold of Larry all day Tuesday so he went to Larry's Wednesday and found out why. Larry likely died sometime Tuesday (3-18).

Larry Bingham, 1950-2014, RIP

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

I just had an email from Ric Rivera giving me the link to the obituary for Larry.  The memorial service will be on Friday.  Here is the url to the link..  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldnet/obituary.aspx?pid=170371790  

So sad to have another one gone.

John Hein

I'd just talked to Larry the week before. We'd stayed in touch for most of the last 40-something years. We went to Lake Hills Roller Rink to hear local bands & attended many concerts at the Eagles Auditorium in downtown Seattle. I'd see him every now & again at the kitefactory (Boeing/Everett). He helped me build my house. We had to pry frozen siding apart to hang bevel cedar on that house (it's still standing after several earthquakes, so we did something right!). Larry was a painter for many of his working years; he was my go-to guy when it came time to paint anything. I will always miss him.

John MacLeod

Well, I see that many have been updating thir profiles.  Figured it was about time for me to get off the dime and do the same.  Hard to believe that it has been 5 years since my first one.  If I knew what was in store for me, I would have had myself plasticized, shrink wrapped and stood in the corner to be dusted off once a week.  I have made some new friends.  The twins (Ache and Pain).  I also have a new part time job, seven days a week.  I help Gravity hold the couch down. 

For those who have updated their profiles, it would be nice if you dropped a line to the messages. 

According to the height/weight chart at the doctor's office I am now seven foot six. 

Maintaining............