Ric Rivera

Another author tribute inking their pages that have and continue to enrich our lives in many ways. From Rainier Valley the melting pot of diversity Tracy comes from Brighton Elementary School. Thank you Tracy Dahlby for widening our horizons and being a mentor to young students. A distinguished senior fellow Tracy teaches Journalism at the School of Journalism at UT.

Among producing documentaries, courses and articles written for major magazines and news outlets. These two books are good reads especially the book of memoirs the stories behind the stories, “Into the Field.” 

Here’s a 2014 interview link with Tracy on that book.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141203-foreign-correspondent-tracy-dahlby-journalism-culture-ngbooktalk/

John MacLeod

I hope our classmates living in Texas, Louisiana, Florida and the Virgin Islands escaped unscathed during these last two hurricanes.  I have friends who just went through Harvey with very minor problems, but Irma was a different beast all together.  My imagination can't even bend itself around the thoughts of 100+ MPH sustained winds with higher gusts.

I'm sure that many of us still remember the Columbus Day storm of 1962.  Found out later that it stretched from Northern California to British Columbia, with Oregon suffering the main brunt of the storm.  We lost some 2-3' diameter Maple trees behind our house.  The fireworks from lightning and  exploding transformers across the lake were truly an awsome display of mother nature.

Thankfully the smoke filled skies have left Western Washington.  Now I can give up my newly acquired two pack a day smoking habit forced upon me by the Montana, Oregon and Eastern Washington fires.  I hope those of you living in Eastern Washington can breathe easier soon.

Mark Benecke

I hope this note finds all our classmates happy, healthy and enjoying an active and fun summer. I’ve been doing my best to stay in good shape by playing lots of tennis this Summer in the local Portland/Vancouver USTA adult leagues.   Our 65 & over men’s team, made up of players from Club Green Meadows & the Vancouver Tennis Center, won all of our local league matches and earned a spot in  the Northwest Sectional Tournament in Sun River, Oregon, starting Thursday, September 21^st and running through Sunday,  September 24th.  We’ll be competing against 7 Northwest teams from Tacoma, Mill Creek, Eugene, Bellevue, Olympia, Gresham and Salem.   The winning sectional team advances to a “national” tournament in January at Surprise, AZ.  I’ve included a picture of our 65 and over team.  Only two of us are native Washingtonians.  Aside from this Franklin alum, the other Washington player graduated from Lincoln HS in Tacoma in 1962.  Other home states of our players include Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, California, New York & New Jersey.  We’re just a bunch of mostly retired guys who became friends playing tennis.  This will be the third year in a row we’ve made it to the sectional tournament.  We’re all hopeful “the third time will be the charm” and then on to nationals. I'll let you know how we do.

Yaela Ettlinger (Yaela Ettlinger)

Sylvia Lovegren (Petras)

Peggy, any update on how Cheryl is doing?  Been thinking about her.  Send her our best and let us know.  xxooo

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Well Mark, if you guys make it to Surprise, AZ and it isn't when we are in Houston doing rebuilding, we can come out and root you on.

Eddie Lau

Hey Mark,

Congratulations to you and your team. I played USTA 3.5 this year for the first time since the 80s ;o)

I played in the 18 plus league and finished with a 4 - 1 record. It was a blast beating up on the "kids".

Unfortunately our club does not have a 65 team, not enough old guys I guess.

Ric Rivera

Bravo! Awesome Mark congrats to you and your team's accomplishments! This totally blows away the age old idiom of old fart guys thingy starting from age 60. Why should we be like the genereations before us that are seen as inactive, tired and frail? Ha! Needs no answer you already proved it! Good goings for the love of it and keeping in shape while having fun. 

Janice Lynn Ferrera

Hey Mark - Maybe I'll see you down there!!  My Women's 8.0 65 team also is playing at Sectionals in SunRiver this coming week! After all this beautiful weather, we may see rain down there!!!

Mark Benecke

Wow...thank you all for the wonderul comments.

To Yaela - I'm the one kneeling on the right.  In the 65 plus leagues, we only play doubles.  My partner is standing 2nd from the left.  Tom is 73 and measures 6 feet, 4".  I'm 5 feet, 7", so were kind of fun to watch. Tom, I call him the gentle giant, played college hockey back in Minnesota.  His height and reach is a big advantage at the net.  The guy next to him, a retired dentist, is 6 feet 6", and played college basketall back in Iowa.  The player next to me (with the shades) is a retired pediatrician. (We volunteered him as our team physician.)  Standing behind me, is a retired Naval Officer with 30 years of service, and we're all honored to have him as a teammate.

To Nancy - Thank you for the kind words.  I have a very close friend who retired to the Sun Lakes area south of Phoenix and an ex boss who ended up in Scottsdale.  Must be fun living in the land of the sun!  Be sure and come see us if you're in town and we make it to nationals.

To  Eddie -  Wow!  Great to hear from you and congrats on still playing 3.5 tennis at 67!  To finish 4 wins and 1 loss, playing much younger guys is awesome!!  I'd pay to see you play those young guys.  It must be fun winning the match and telling them how "young" you are!!  Way to go Eddie!  Where do you usually play?

To Ric - Thanks for the encouraging words Ric!  Always enjoy reading your positive, informative and insightful comments.  It's great to see you're still playing the guitar. I have over a 1,000 songs, inluding lots of music from the 60's and 70's, on my ipod.  You're welcome to use them if they can be of any benefit to the reunion.  Looking forward to seeing you at the reunion!

To Janice -  Playing 4.0 tennis is amazing!!  I can't wait to see you play at Sun River.  Does your sister play?  Have you been to Sectionals/Nationals before?  What club do you play at?  The 4.0 and 4.5 ladies who play at Sectionals are totally great and exciting players...and so fun to watch.  You probably know, playing at Sun River, with the light, mountain air and 4,000 feet elevation is a big challenge.  Best wishes for a successful tournament! I'll see you there!    

Janice Lynn Ferrera

HI Mark.  No, Linda doesn't play.  I guess I'm the athletic twin!  How about your twin -- does he play?  I belong to the Boeing club (BETC) in Kent.  I've been lucky enough to be on several teams that have made it to sectionals over the years and even made it to Nationals once.  That was a great experience.  Best of luck to you and your team!

Eddie Lau

Hi Mark,

I play at Broadstone Racket Club, but for USTA I played for Ed Mitchell Park, Folsom, CA

Ric Rivera

As was posted on our Facebook page "Franklin HS Quakers Class of '68 50th Reunion Seattle"

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's  PBS The VietNam War Series airing now. So honoring two who did not come home Larry G Dahl and Walter M Henry. RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtgYLD1_zzQ

https://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=SBVTimeLine&type=Person&ID=126291

Mark Benecke

Hi Janice - Jerry and I played a lot of tennis together growing up, always outdoors in fair weather, and always on the hard courts at Mt Baker Park, Franklin and once in awhile at Veterans Hospital on Beacon Hill.  Others who occaisionally played with us include Roland Caliboso, Howard Lee, Steve Mansell, Jim Santucci (Odea HS) and girl friends from Cleveland HS.  I also played a lot of tennis with friends in Moses Lake.  Unfortunately, Jerry has a taken a hiatus from playing due to back issues.

See you at Sun River!           

Peggy Johnson

Cheryl Carrabba is doing better.  She wants to go home, but she needs to heal a little bit more.  FYI

Peggy Johnson

Thanks for the responses regarding Cheryl. I will let her know. 

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

John MacLeod brings us sad news of the death of Lane Hartvigson on December 6, 2012.  Just wanted to let you all know.

Nancy Raetzloff (Groth)

Information recently received from Donna Mitchell Keene about the death of Linda Kris Thurman Maples, September 2017.  If I get more info, I will update the In Memory page.  RIP

Susan Niven

Wishing everyone a safe and....

Donna Amira

Donna Amira

Dorica Rockwell (Jackson)

John, your post got me inspired.  I'm not Jewish either, but I love to light this every year.  In past times we had an outdoor one.  Maybe I will post that.

Dorica Rockwell (Jackson)

Unfortunately this spruce root wad was relocated by some storms and high tides and is no longer in a safe place for lighting.  :(

John MacLeod

Dory, or do you prefer Dorica.  What a great picture of your outdoor Menorah.  Too bad the winds and tides relandscaped your front yard.  Hope all is well for the holidays in Ketchican.

John

John MacLeod

One thing I have always been proud of is the multi-ethnicity of Franklin.  I believe it has stood me in good stead when dealing with the variety of nationalities and religions that make up our population.

...............John