'54  "The Luckiest Generation"

Bruce & Mariellen Staller  Co-Editors…email your stories, pics and comments to mumarm1@aol.com

10-14-11 News of a '61 grad making good with a Nobel Prize.

MAD’54 for August 18, 2011…

Mariellen & I recently had the pleasure of attending a Screen Actors presentation by the cast and producers of Falling Skies. 

 

This future drama about aliens attacking the U.S. is about Americans banding together to throw the “rascals” out.  It is about people and not the sci-fi wannabes attacking our country.  Falling Skies,  starring Noah Wile, one of the docs on the old ER,has been renewed for a second season on TNT.  Reruns of season one will show on TNT. 

 

Also worth viewing are two fine films starring Academy Award Winner, Hillary Swank. 

 

P.S., I Love You from first novel by young Irish writer, Cecelia Ahern.  Swank plays the grieving widow, Holly Kennedy,  who lost her husband, Gerry (Gerard Butler) at 30 to a brain tumor.  Knowing he was going to die, Gerry leaves a series of letters to guide her through her grief and into the light.

 

Freedom Writers, is based on real-life California educator Erin Gruwell’s unorthodox teaching methods.  Her at-risk students keep journals about their troubled lives and apply history’s lessons to break the cycle of violence and despair that threatens their lives.   Starts a bit slowly but grabs you.  Her immediate “boss” is like every public educator you’d never want to meet let alone affect your children.  

Both films available on Netflix.
 

 

 

Welcome to the page that celebrates the lives of the unbeatable, best ever class to graduate from Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High, the Class of 1954.

 

Buz Buster and the MAD’54 Scholarship Awards. 

 

2010 Winner, Diana Ortiz, is all smiles on Myrtle Ave. before starting her freshman year at Pomona College.

 

This year your committee awarded Diana an additional $500.00 towards her mission internship with the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship at Pomona College.

 

June 6th saw Buz Buster(L) and Larry Cullinane(R) award $2000.00 MAD’54 Scholarships to Taylor Ortega and Tanya Jilkevorkian at Clifton Auditorium, MHS still under construction.

 

These two graduating seniors will enroll in college this fall. The scholarships were awarded by your committee on the basis of academic success, school activities, community participation and future career potential.

 

This is the 25th year we have given this scholarship and therefore we are very proud. Over the years all the recipients of this award, in every case, have been deserving of this scholarship and have gone on to the achievement of a higher education.

 

This year's recipients Tanya Jilkevorkian and Taylor Ortega will complete the appropriate courses in the Colleges they have chosen and then go on to pursue there objectives of becoming a registered nurse and a T.V. producer respectively.

 

We need your help to continue this noble cause in helping our young people achieve a higher education. I urge you to consider making a tax-deductible donation of $25, $50, $100, $500, $1000 or more if at all possible.  For naming the scholarship in your will email Bruce Staller at stckpkr13@aol.com Please make your check payable to MAD’54/Monrovia Schools Foundation.  Please mail to the foundation at P.O. Box 2447, Monrovia, CA 91017.  A receipt for tax purposes will be sent.

 

The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can put your contributions to work by placing them in an interest bearing account in order to reach the goal of perpetuating the annual scholarship(s).

 

Wildcats Forever, Buz

And Taylor Ortega Sends Her Thanks

 

 

 

Ray & Laurie Infantino have just returned from three weeks in Italy.  Great trip.  Much to show and tell.  Ray promises a full accounting with pics for our next webpage.  He did say that  he brought back several Pounds, won, presumably at Casino Roma.  But, surely Ray, you do know that the Italian currency is the Lira?

 

Met the Bradburnes, Tillie and Dick and other MADites over the Memorial Day Weekend in Idylwild and had a grand time  eating, getting current and reminiscing about old times and discovering the beauty of this mountain community.  

Dick and Tillie Tope Bradburne very comfortable and dressed for the Idylwild rain.

Outside The Red Kettle restaurant.  Back l/r: Bob Huntington,  your editor, Dick & Tillie Bradburne, Front l/r: Buz  & Marilyn Buster, Virginia Huntington and Mariellen Staller wait for their table to be called.  

 

It poured while we, dry inside, had a wonderful breakfast and more good conversation.  Inside, over the front door, the large sign read YOUR FOOD COOKED WITH BALLARD GAS.   So, you see, other classmates had been their ahead of us and their influence?, effluence?, affluence?, remains. 

 

Recovering……. 

Word has it that Marianne Semler Doty is making a full and fast recovery from a fall suffered end of May.  Email Marianne at mariannedoty@gmail.com with your best wishes.

 

Mike Mc Kinley is making great strides after major surgery  according to Ray Infantino.  Email Mike at

campmck2@alt.net and let’m know you care.

 

Your Health & Oxygen Enhanced Exercise

This article from the 9/2010 edition of Health Alert is worth your  worth your consideration.  For more information contact Health Alert, 30 Ryan Court, #100, Monterey, CA 93940

 

Joanie Biddle LeBlanc sadly reports the death of her husband, Ted LeBlanc on April 28, 2011

Sorry to report the passing of Robert Walsh on 7/14/2011. Condolences to his wife, Kay Walsh, c/o Cheryl Jack at timetochime@aol.com

"I Was Born In ’37 And Should Look This Restored, ed."

 In August of 2008, Reggie had his dream car, a l937 Packard Limo, original miles 2l000, V12, delivered to our Prescott home.  It's a beauty and we had a few people over and ended up having a Packard party.  Bob Walsh was having the time of his life that day.  Believe Kay had to drive him home and that was a first that we know of.  Anyhow, we are enclosing a few pictures of Bob at his finest, having fun.

Reggie Jack  (L) & Bob Walsh Hoist One In The Packard 
 

Bob was a car enthusiast also.  He built a 1933 Plymouth and towed a small little trailer behind it.  In 2001, Bob & Kay, Reg & I,  took our hot rods and drove 6000 miles across the states.  We went to Pigeon Forge, TN to a large car show.   From TN, we were off to Charlotte, NC to see my brother and his family.  We were in NC when 9/ll occured.  From there we were off to Michigan and attended the National car show in Kalamazoo and stayed at a friend of ours in Michigan.  Off to So Dakato to visit and meet some of Reg's family and off to see Mt Rushmore.  We were gone about 28 days and we had little problems with the hot rods.  It was a very memorable trip with Bob & Kay.

Kay & Robert Enjoy The Restored Luxury Of Long Ago

Bob later built a l94l Ford Pick Up for Kay.  She drives it to the grocery store and around town still.  Bob started another project which he just about completed, a l947 Ford Coupe which he painted red, white and blue. 

Bob & Kay lived in Monrovia forever it seems.  Once Reg & I bought a home in Prescott and had them visit as often as possible, they moved there when they retired.  They have been in Prescott well over l0 years.  I believe they have already celebrated their 50th Anniversary.  I remember the last reunion they attended, they were having people stand up for the amount of years they were married and they were at there 45th or more then.  That was the reunion before last, so that would make them past their 50th Anniversary.  Not too many of us can claim that.  Bob will truly be missed.   Cheryl JackBob & Kay lived in Monrovia forever it seems.  Once Reg & I bought a home in Prescott and had them visit as often as possible, they moved there when they retired.  They have been in Prescott well over l0 years.  I believe they have already celebrated their 50th Anniversary.  I remember the last reunion they attended, they were having people stand up for the amount of years they were married and they were at there 45th or more then.  That was the reunion before last, so that would make them past their 50th Anniversary.  Not too many of us can claim that.  Bob will truly be missed.   Cheryl Jack

 

 

 

 

 then remembers her life and all the nostalgic details of Monrovia.

 

Here she is at our 2009 Reunion at Santa Anita Race Track chatting it up with old Santa Fe School classmate, Jack and his wife Sally.

 

My Growing-up Life in Monrovia

By Joan Biddle LeBlanc

 

I was born on June 15, 1936 at 5:20 am in the Monrovia Hospital.  At that time, the Monrovia Hospital was a house on Lime Avenue and Heliotrope.  To my knowledge, that was the only local hospital, and many babies were still born at home.

 

My mother was Mildred F. Seitz Clark (class of ’34 MAD) and my father Lloyd Gould Clark (class of ’32 MAD).  They divorced when I was about two years-old and I lived with my mother and my grandmother Mildred F. Bogart.  The first home I remember was in the 200 block of East Lime.  The house is still there as is the second home I remember on Oakdale.  I attended kindergarten at Mayflower School and First Avenue in Arcadia, due to a babysitter in those areas.  I also spent about six weeks of kindergarten in Cabrini Villa, a Catholic girl’s boarding school in Glendale.  I was so homesick that I actually got very sick and got to come home to my mother and grandmother.  In 1942, my mother remarried to Bill Biddle and we moved to Temple City for two years where I attended South Santa Anita School for first and second grade.  I believe it is now known as Longden Avenue School.

 

During the summer after second grade, in 1944, we moved back to Monrovia where my parents bought a home at 231 W. Cypress.  The rest of my growing up years I lived in that home.

 

Monrovia has undergone many changes over the years, but I loved it best the way it was while I was a child.  I started third grade at Santa Fe School and my teacher was Ethel M. Wiley.  She seemed to be a very old woman and wore what I always referred to as old woman school teacher shoes.  They were lace-up shoes with big square high heels.  At this age I understand why the teachers wore those shoes; comfort.  We learned to read aloud in third grade and studied about Mexico.  Oral reading was frightening to me because at that time I could only read slowly.  My great goal was to read as well as Barbara Trydte who read as well as the teacher.

 

We lived one mile north of Santa Fe and I believe that at that time I rode the bus.  In the higher grades, I walked to school down Magnolia Avenue and I learned the length of a mile.  From my street south to Duarte Road was all orange groves on the west side of Magnolia.  Since we lived near the railroad tracks, ‘hobos’ would stay in the orange groves and my mother warned me not to ever go in there or even look into the grove.  I had bad dreams about being chased by the hobos.  On the corner of Magnolia and Central was the home of Robert Love from our class.  Behind his home was a corral with a buffalo.  That was an exciting thing to me, as at that time I just wanted to be a ‘cowboy’.

 

The Santa Fe Railroad was just across from the school and I can remember sitting in class and counting the cars on the trains as they would go by.  World War II was still on then and my dad bought a little coupe car with a rumble seat.  One of our favorite forms of entertainment was to take off east on Duarte Road and race the train to the end of the road.  My dad had a great love of trains and very often, for family entertainment and recreation,  we would go down to the station and watch the trains come and go.  We also loved to play board games, Parcheesi being the greatest.  We could play a game and listen to the radio dramas.  Who can forget the squeaking door of Inter Sanctum, the chilling voice of The Shadow, and the quiz shows like Truth or Consequences, the Sixty-four Dollar Question, and the Quiz Kids?  I could go on and on and then there were the soap operas that our mothers scrubbed floors and ironed to, and I am sure made those jobs a little easier.  One of my favorite kid shows was Uncle Whoa Bill.  We sure did have great imaginations then and each one of us saw our heroes with a different face.  TV came later, for me, in the 8th grade.  It was wonderful to actually have pictures come into our homes, but I think that our imaginations dwindled after that.

 

One of the highlights of our week was to walk to the market “up-town”.  As I recall we had four grocery stores uptown.  There were Gertmanians, Market Basket, Safeway, Charley Ginden’s on South Myrtle below Huntington Drive, and the market on Myrtle and Foothill where several different banks have been over the years.  Gertmanians was on Myrtle Avenue in the middle of the block below Colorado.  Safeway was on Colorado west of Myrtle.  Market Basket was on Myrtle Avenue below Lime on the east side.  It later moved to the 100 block of West Lemon and was our first “supermarket”.  There were many little corner stores in Monrovia which made it handy to walk to the store and buy things for our mothers or the neighbors.  I can remember being paid five cents to run to the store and pick up something for neighbors.  Milk was delivered to the house, and we could get bread from the Helms man.  I am sure that Gary Novell’ dad delivered ice to most neighborhoods in town.  In summer, while he was in the house delivering ice, we would run up to the back of the truck and find ice chips.   McBratney's, The Irish Linen Store was our big department store in Monrovia.  It was a complete store for household needs and carried high quality merchandise.  When I was in high school, in the ‘50s I had my first job there.  We actually had a saloon in Monrovia, on Myrtle Avenue a little north of Lemon on the east side of the street.  I was always very curious about that place because my mother would take my hand and hurry me by.  I always tried to get a peek under the swinging doors but Mother had a firm fast grip.  Krunk's Hardware was fascinating to me.  I will never forget Jack’s Wee Fit Feet right on the SE corner of Myrtle and Lemon.  What fun to look at my feet through the x-ray machine that made sure our shoes fit perfectly. . An even better thing was the treasure box where we could pick out a prize.  JC Penny on the SW corner and had a lovely store with the check stands and the little container that the clerk put the money in and it shot up to the upper floor where the transaction was recorded and our change returned in that little container.  Right next store south was W.C. Woolworth Ten Cents Store with their glass counters full of wonderful candy.  There was a lunch counter in Woolworth’s as there was in Cornet Dime Store and Kustner’s Drugs.  We also had a coffee shop, Waltz’.  With so many choices of where to eat, we felt very privileged.  Waltz’ later became Burton’s Malt Shop, which was quite a hangout when we were in high school. Our classmate Bill Burton’s family owned the malt shop.  The Streetcar traveled along Olive and was a straight shot to Los Angeles.  My mother, sister, and I made several trips there to see my grandmother model in the tearoom of J.J. Haggerty.  I am sure many of my friends will remember my lovely grandmother.  She was a very moving influence in my life.  She passed away when I was eighteen, and was a great loss from my life.

 

Will we ever forget Library Park where the old library stood with the huge fishpond in front?  What a lovely stately building.  City Hall was also in the park when I was young.  It was a lovely old granite building in the north corner of the park at Myrtle and Palm.

Most of you will remember that there was a stairway underground at the corner of the park the corner of Lime and Myrtle Ave. that led to a restroom.  I was warned severely by my mother to never go down there as there were undesirable people there.  That was one warning I took heed to and never went down those stairs.  I imagined something like ogres down there. 

 

The Van de Camp’s windmill was always a wonderful thing to me.  That bakery was just north of Palm on the east side of Myrtle Avenue about where Bank of America is today, or at least when I left Monrovia.

 

Downtown Monrovia was the place to go on Friday night when the stores stayed open until 9:00 and families would stroll up and down the street looking in windows and shopping.

 

Our family had a Friday night tradition, and that was going to the Monrovia Theatre and watching the cowboy movies.  Roy Rogers was my greatest hero, and I thought my dad looked like him.  When I was quite young and people would ask what my father did for a living, I would tell them that he was a cowboy.  He looked like Roy Rogers and we had a horse, so naturally..... Actually he was the produce buyer for El Rancho Markets.

 

There was another theatre in Monrovia, the Lyric.  The Lyric was the fancy theatre where the “better” movies were shown.  They even had loges at the Lyric.   As we got into Clifton, Jr. High, the Lyric was the place to go and meet a sweetheart and neck through the movie.  Of course I never did do that.

 

There is so much more that I could write about growing up in our sweet little town.  At that time we only had about 10,000 people in Monrovia.  After World War II, the produce fields in the south part of town were done away with, and Mayflower Village, a development of tract homes, was built.  Many of you may have lived in those new houses and played at the dairys in the late 1940’s. The dairys were also an employer of many Monrovians. After the war, things started picking up all over town and houses were going up in most vacant lots.  It took away many of our neat places to play cowboys and war, but that is progress. At that time, as I recall, there were no electric or power tools for building houses, and how I remember the sound of sawing and hammering as the houses went up.  The day the tar pot truck came to do the roof was one of my favorites.  To this day, I love the smell of tar.  The smells of our lives can bring to mind, so many memories.  When I was still in California, I used to like to drive out to Chino and places where there are still dairies.  Yes, that is a smell that is not unpleasant to me and makes me remember going to friends’ homes in Mayflower Village.  Life was different then and we had the best world.  Our parents were not afraid to let us walk to friends’ homes, and we didn’t have to lock our doors.  It is a time that will never be again, and we were lucky to grow up in the “Luckiest Generation”. 

 

Sadly we report the passing of classmate Mimi Martin Mency, June 21, 2011

 

 .

Midway Madness…All Class Reunion on the flight deck of  The Aircraft Carrier USS Midway, San Diego…October 2, 2010. 

 

Whether you were able to attend or not, you will want to own the Midway MADness DVD full of nostalgic pic of both evenings. 

 

 

Our host and committee chair, Jim Regan, has done a wonderful job of creating this DVD.  Own one by sending a donation of at least $15.00 to the Monrovia Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 2447, Monrovia, CA 91017 attn: Bruce Staller.  These funds will go to the Charles Dunson Scholarship given annually by the Class of 1950.

 

 

Duarte Grads…Find out what’s going on in  your old town…go to www.DCTV.com

 

Coming Soon... more Midway Pics, Reunion news and ??? 

 

Lastly, you have the pleasure and sometimes sad responsibility to send us your news and new email and home addresses.  Please email to: mumarm1@aol.com

Mariellen & Bruce 

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It Was The Very Best of Times…
Nostalgia reigned at our M.A.D, 55th Reunion held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd thru 5th.
Your committee invited members of the classes of ’53, ’54 and ’55. 

Many thanks to our Reunion Committee of Bob Huntington, Gene Bishop, fearless leader Ray Infantino, Enid Arozena Busser, Larry Cullinane, Mariellen Staller, Buz Buster, Bruce Staller. 

Special thanks to Harriett Cravens Bernard’55. Kathi Henry’53 and Gretchen Cacciotti’53 for working so hard to ensure their classes’ attendance.

But There Was A Downbeat…

They were supposed to attend the reunion but within days of each other we received messages that Gary Price gardon1000@sbcglobal.net, Robert McKinley campmck2@cox.net and Tom Flournoy flojo36@yahoo.com had serious medical problems and would not make the Reunion.  Glad to report that they’re on the mend and still among us.  Please email them your get well thoughts and your take on the Reunion.

Buz Buster on the Monrovia Tour
On Saturday, about 30 classmates and spouses participated in the Town Walking Tour. Marilyn and I started off at the new library. The staff was so helpful in showing us this great addition to Monrovia.

For those of you who did not go on the tour try to visit the library and take a look around. Don’t miss the Heritage Room - it has all the Monrovia High School Annuals dating back to the beginning up to the current edition.

Today, there is an art gallery on Lime, right across the street from Library Park. The gallery occupies the space once held by Burton's Hideaway, which was Bill Burton's dad's bar.  It is the only art gallery still open in Monrovia.  Quite a few more bars, though.

It was great that we had people that were born and raised in Monrovia because it was like a living history lesson of the town. One person would point out that their grandfather owned a certain store and they lived above it back in the 30’s and another would point out that there was a store such as McBratney’s and a whole flood of memories would come back. Everyone in the group would add their information and memories regarding downtown Monrovia making the walk a meaningful tour.   It was truly a wonderful experience.
Buz Buster
THE FRIDAY EVENING COCKTAIL PARTY
held at the Doubletree Hotel in Monrovia was a smashing success.  Over 75 grads and their spouses got reacquainted over cocktails and appetizers.

That bartender poured ‘em with a heavy hand at the Doubletree. Tony Saccoman and Don Polifka wisely sit next to the Lifesaver ring.

Memorybook maker Enid Arozena Busser’54 and Marlene Little Willet’54 recount 55 long years.

Marilyn and Buz Buster chat it up with Doctor Jack Kistler (center).  Jack’s still in practice in the Riverside area.

A pensive Scott Morris (center) pondering on the 35year old Bordeaux or the Two Buck Chuck.  You’re in Monrovia, Trader Joe’s Hq., Scott.  Take the Two Buck Chuck!

Bill Holmes took most of the pics of this party and the Santa Anita bash.  Thanks Bill. Thanks also to Judy Tope for sending along the pics her family took at Santa Anita and to Derwood Crocker for several sharp Sat. Eve. Shots.

Sandi Russell Pearson’54 and Pat Scott Lonon’54 were early arrivals and ready for refills.

Bob Tope’54, all the way from Alaska, Barbara Treydte Steggall’54 and Mariellen Matthews Staller’54 catch up on the last five years.

Barbara Prior Jameson’54, Jim Jameson’53 and Gloria & Gene Bishop’53 are all smiles at Friday’s party.  Jim went to West Point, retired as U.S. Army Colonel and then had a second career as a stockbroker.  Gene Bishop was a MAD yell leader and later served as president of California State Bank which he and brother, Tom ‘55, started.

Lyle’53 & Lorna Fleming greet arriving guests.
They now reside in Chico, CA, south of Groucho and west of Harpo.

THE SATURDAY EVENING AT SANTA ANITA…

Over 160 MAD Grads and guests gathered in the elegant Directors Room to celebrate at least 55 years since graduation.  Note the beautiful staircase whose use later in the evening would deliver a musical surprise to us all.

Ethyl Vance Wilson’53 and Don Polifka.  Ethyl brought down the house when she strode up to MC Infantino and loudly declared I’m here to tell you that I’m very much alive!  Seems our ’53 webpage had been misinformed of Ethyl’s demise.  Later in the evening, Ray went from table to table and had each alumni introduce himself.

Long time Arcadia classmates Chuck Williams’54, Derwood Crocker and Tom Tobin share the evening’s special glow.

Dick Bradburne, bro-in-law, Bob Tope’54 and his sis, Pricilla Tope Bradburne’54, share a laugh.

Fresh from a day at the races, Howard Krisvoy’54 and wife, Miko, chat it up Viola Feuhr Panman’53.

  

Judy Coleman Aronson’55, Audrey Crellen Beatty’53, Marilyn Jones Buster’56 and Carol Muffley Simms’54 get reacquainted in style.

Four 55ers ready to make it to the buffet.  Barbara Dollar’55 identified John Craigmyle and Alan Heritage as the guys to the left of Jimmy Olson and Hal Folts.  For her prompt identification of John and Al, Barbara wins two meatloaf dinners at Monrovia’s V&H Restaurant.  Well, Barb, the V&H has been closed for about 50 years.  The meatloaf available to us is more than a little green. How strong is your stomach? Can you come to CA as the FDA won't let the stuff across state lines?  Let Mariellen know at mumarm1@aol.com .

Leonard Wilmsen’54 tells Molly Hughes Holguin’54 and hubby, Vic, about moving north shortly before graduation.  

  

John Bianchi’55 and his lovely wife, Nikki enjoying Bob Huntington’s talk.  Bob eloquently spoke on the “Greatest Generation” and his remarks follow:

Many of you have heard of or read Tom Brokaw's best selling book "The Greatest Generation" written in 1999. It tells of some of the WW II heroes and their personal stories - stories of bravery, patriotism, self sacrifice, etc. And modesty!   Tom Brokaw writes:

At a time in their lives when their days and nights should have been filled with innocent adventure, love, and the lessons of the workaday world, they were fighting in the most primitive conditions possible across the bloodied landscape of France, Belgium, Italy, Austria, and the islands of the Pacific.

On the 40th anniversary of the allied landing at Normandy, Tom Brokaw began to see - and hear - the extent of their accomplishments.

As I walked the beaches with the American veterans who had returned for this anniversary, men in their 60s and 70s, and listened ta their stories, I was deeply moved and profoundly grateful for all they had done. I came to understand what this generation of Americans meant to history. It is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced.

I'm really pleased to introduce two graduates of MAD who were bonafide members of “The Greatest Generation"

Frank Bell, MAD Class of 1936 and wife Ramona. PLEASE STAND. Frank and Ramona are 91 and 90 years of age respectively and celebrated their 69th anniversary last July. Frank was shot down in WW 11- he actually lost one wing of his plane and his wife thought he was killed. They live on McKinley Place in a home they built 60 years ago. He sold his Monrovia insurance business to some lIupstart" or "punk kid" named Ray Infantino.

Bob Humble, MAD Class of 1948 and wife Marilyn. PLEASE STAND. Bob attended First Avenue School and MAD where he played football and ran track. He and Marilyn, also a graduate of MAD, have been married for 58 years. After graduation he joined the National Guard and went to Japan and Korea. He returned home in 1952 and continued with the military, completed the Command and General Staff College, and after 40 years of the military he retired as a Colonel.

Adding it up, here before you are four people with a total of 127 years of marriage!

These MAD graduates are our own home-town heroes of The Greatest Generation. We deeply appreciate your patriotism and sacrifice, the "sacrifice" meaning to the military, not marriage!

WE SALUTE EACH OF YOU!

Frank & Ramona Bell celebrate Frank’s 72nd reunion and their 69th wedding anniversary.  Frank piloted an A-26 bomber over Germany during the closing months of WWII.  He was shot down but obviously lived to tell about it.

Bob’48 and Marilyn’52 Humble celebrate his 61st and her 57th reunions.  Bob served in the National Guard, Monrovia, and was called up for the Korean War.  He made the Army a career and retired with the rank of colonel. 

At the bar, but not a lawyer among ‘em, ‘54’s Chuck Sihler, Derwood Crocker, Bob Tope, Ray Infantino, Bob Huntington, Bruce Staller and Reggie Jack pause briefly for the camera.

Gene’53 & Gloria Bishop and 54er’s Ron & Barbara Griep Solar share a shining moment.

Jim’54 & Arlene’53 Fremeau and Pat Bennett Rankin’54  trading MAD recollections with Phil Smith’52.

Robert Schow, ’52 webpage editor Jane Nash Millet and hubby, Tom enjoying a laugh with Sally Nash (left).

Sally Nash listens as Jack Nash’54 and Joan Biddle LeBlanc’54 remember their days at Santa Fe Elementary School.

Jocelyn Orth Pyle’53 and Karen Wenzlaff Saunders’53 whoop it up as Judy Coleman Aronson takes the mike from Ray Infantino.\

A disappointed Phelps Wood ’54 listens intently as Beverly Gaebel Wood’55 tells him he may have but one dessert.

Buz Buster and Don Thomas’54 trying to figure what went wrong with their 8th race selection.

Committee Chair Ray’54 and Laurie Infantino are all smiles anticipating their move to La Quinta.

Former jockey, Wolfgang Backstretch, autographs Barbara Dollar Rogan’s’55 program as a smiling Hal Folts’55 looks on.  After leaving racing in 1965, Wolfgang took part in an experimental drug program that injected retired jockies with Human Growth Hormone.  Now 6’2” and 260 lbs, Wolf had a second career as a circus lion tamer.  “Once you’ve had the whip, you can’t give it up,” said Backstretch.

Background, left, Harriet Bernard Cravens, ’55webpage editor heads for the buffet as Tillie Tope Bradburne’54 and Rosemary Armstrong Brown find a seat.

Ken Clark & Margie Van Gundy Clark’54, relax, as Moe Witt’54 and Reggie Jack’54 argue the relative merits of brewski and merlot. A relaxed Cheryl Jack texts her daughter.  Editor’s note: for this pic we moved Moe to his left so he would not be in jeoprady under the horse’s tail.

Marilyn Nollac Spears’53, ‘53webpage editor Kathi Phelps Henry and Gretchen Kambeitz Cacciotti’53 are excited and surprised as….. 

And then, surprise.  A unit of the MHS Marching Band announces its arrival while wending its way down the stairs.  Now, reflect.  Who among us, at our age, would care to descend that stairway, your vision impaired and center of gravity compromised by that bass drum?

The band, under the direction of MHS Band Director, Daniel Magallanes, played school songs that we knew and many that we didn’t.  For many alumni its appearance was the evening’s high point.  Your committee made a generous donation to the MHS Band Fund administered by the Monrovia Schools Foundation.

And one more cheer from Yell Leaders Judy Coleman Aronson’55, Gene Bishop’53, Ron Linderman’54 and Buz Buster’54.

Finally, Isn’t this what reunions are all about?  Two old friends, a little worse for wear, sharing old memories and making new ones.  This reunion also differred from all our previous ones.  There were no living teachers present.

Now, please all stand for the MHS Alma Mater.  Thank you for coming and sharing this evening.  Arrive safely at your homes.  Keep your health and we’ll see you soon.
 

 

Lastly, you have the pleasure and sometimes sad responsibility to send us your news.  Please email to: mumarm1@aol.com
Mariellen & Bruce
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