'61

9-27-08 below is a new site for the class of '61, check it out.

http://www.mhsclass61.com/

September 26, 2006

Greetings for Gibson’s Landing, British Columbia,
I have been on the road for the last two weeks. It has been a wonderful trip
but with limited internet access. I am sad to report that Chuck Boyer wrote
me to let me know about the sudden death of Clyde Romney in August. Also, I
have recently learned of the death of Art Velasquez. Both Clyde and Art will
be missed. The reunion is now a short two weeks away, but it is still not
too late to make reservations. Details about the reunion weekend are listed
below. If you have not yet made reservations you can still attend, even up
to the days before the reunion, by emailing me to let me know your plans.
Arrangements will be made for you to pay at the door. This promises to be a
wonderful weekend.

Welcome Class of 1961
Monrovia High School Reunion
October 13-14, 2006 (Friday & Saturday)

Friday night October 13th, anytime after 6 pm @ Matt Denny’s Ale House
Restaurant, 145 E. Colorado Drive, Arcadia – Parking in rear. A casual
get-together on the patio/No-host beverages/Snacks. There is a full menu
available if you wish to eat dinner. Please check out the information board
Friday evening for Saturday activity possibilities.

The weekly Myrtle Avenue Family Festival is open from 4 pm to 9 pm.

Saturday Evening, October 14, 5:30 pm; Buffet dinner from 6:45 to 8:00 pm.
Arcadia Community Center, 375 Campus Drive, Arcadia (enter off Huntington
Drive). Suggested attire: Dressy Casual

See you there…looking forward to a great evening of food, drink, power point
presentation, trivia, Monrovia High School band, bring elementary, junior
high or high school class pictures (be sure and label) and much more.
Information: Diane’s cell 626-945-0349 or office 626-303-7917

Let other classmates and classes know there is still time to reserve

I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.

45 Year Reunion

October 14, 2006

Arcadia Community Center

$75 per Person

August 17, 2006

’61 Classmates,

The 45 year reunion is now a short two months away. The response has been wonderful. This promises to be a great weekend. If you have not sent in your reservations please do so as soon as possible. Reservations can be sent to Diane Belin Bowden at 212 W. Foothill, Monrovia 91016.

Bob Valentine, Rose Boughner Rogers, Judy Busik Enyeart and Walter Wright sent emails to help identify the classmates in the Santa Fe 1^st grade class picture. Can you recognize Sandra Ridenour, Jim Holmes, Jane Jacobs, Ethel Danchik, Carol Alshire, Chuck Cash, Pete Ellis and Marilee Noble in addition to Bob Valentine, Walter Wright and Susan Peters? I will post the answer key here and at the reunion. This week our featured class is the kindergarten class at Mayflower. How many of these classmates can you identify? Send your answers to me or Judy Kopecky Opel at judyopel@earthlink.net.

The last week of July my son Dean and I along with Art Farr, Terry Smith (Class of ’60) and a group from Monrovia had a wonderful time in Alaska fishing for salmon and halibut. Below are some pictures from our trip. The picture of the fish shows a 277 halibut caught by Terry.

In June I received an email from Mary Casner informing me that her husband Harold Casner passed away in 2001. Well, I am pleased to report that I received an email from Clifford Casner informing me that his brother Harold (Monrovia class of 1961) is alive and well residing in Sheridan, California! It turns out that Mary Casner found our web page and assumed that her husband Harold was a part of our class. So, if you see Harold at the reunion do not be shocked.

Please keep the emails coming. See you at the reunion.

’61 Classmates,

Here it is July 14^th. The reunion is now a short three months away and the response has been terrific. This promises to be a wonderful reunion weekend. If you have not yet sent in your registration for the reunion please do so as soon as possible. The reunion is scheduled for October 14^th at the Arcadia Community Center.

In the past month I have received, with sadness, email messages reporting the deaths of classmates. Beth Warner Field wrote to inform me that Karen Evans Rudden passed away in January of 2005. Beth reported that several of her classmates attended her services in Rancho Mirage where she had been a much loved teacher. Judy Roberts wrote to say that Carl Wittnebert passed way this past April. Family members of Harold Casner and Phil Gfeller also wrote to tell me that they had passed away. The Gone But Not Forgotten list on this page has been updated to include the new names.

Susan Peters Zmrzel sent me a fun idea – A CLASS OF 1961 ELEMENTARY TRIVIA! She attached a class photo of her 1^st grade class from Santa Fe elementary with the suggestion that the picture be posted on the web and have classmates identify the students. How many classmates can you identify in the picture below? Can you tell which one is Susan? Send your answers to donsamuels@msn.com or to Susan at zana@citlink.net. If you have similar elementary class pictures or other group pictures that you would like to submit please email them to me for future editions of ELEMENTARY TRIVIA.

So long for now. Keep the cards, letters and emails coming.

Don

Missing Classmates

Jocelyne Ailaud

Gary Alexander

Roy Arian

Donna Austin Boughmer

Doris Austin

Robert Autery

Roland Bell

Leroy Bender

Ernest Benson

James Bledsoe

David Boggs

Bruce Boston

Rick Bramble

Judith Brand Pasquesi

Bevery Brink French

Dolores Brown Moore

Jean Brown Johnson

Don Burleson

Sharon Butler

Kathryn Capen Arnold

William Cellini

Johnnie Charles Smith

Jack Chipman

Richard Clarkson

Robert Clyde

Darrel Cory

Hollis Cottingham

Robert Crellin

Jack Dahlka

Lynda Davis Vickers

Charles Davison

William Dettelbach

Lydia Diaz

Frank DiNoto

Colleen Donley

John Eckl

Lynn Eldred

Randa Elliott

Joel Farris

Paulette Feeler

Sharon Felts Davis

Carolyn Fennikoh

Jacqueline Fisher

Floyd Florek

Sharon Foley Abraham

Kathleen Folsom

Jesus Fonseca

Donna Froelich Exstrom

Don Fuelling

Linda Fuller

Thomas Gill

Virginia Gilroy Vorhis

Walter Goff

Lynn Gourley Quinon

Cheryl Griffee McPherson

CarolAnn Grimes

Lee Groghan

Judith Gross Mayall

Ronald Gus

James Guyon

James Halliwell

Mary Hanscom Milo

Alice Hansman

Raymond Hart

Ruthann Hazard

Sandra Hebert Collier

Charles Helle

Diane Hellyer

Janet Hendrickson Walton

Carol Hill

Loren Hollister

Bennie Holmes

Ernest Holscher

Kathryn Hose Cavanaugh

Carolee Hotaling Van Laar

Danilia Hutchinson

LeeEllen Jackson

Leon James

Maureen Jesseman

John Johnson

Rosetta Jones

Judith Keating Blackwell

Sharon Kwentus

Elizabeth Lampman

Katherine Lang

Nicole Litzman Thompson

Linda Logan

Betty Lookabaugh

Marylin Lothyan

Penelope Lykke

Sandra Mandell Wilson

AdelaneEve Marsden Kist

Marlene Martin Tratta

Joseph Martinez

Sherrie McCook

Patricia McKee Paulik

David McKinney

Allan McNichol

John McQuigg

Joan Moak Shafarman

Hydro Montgomery

Raymond Morse

Gwendolyn Mosely

Jerald Munson

Michael Newland

Kathelene Noel

Catherine Ogle

Patrick Osborn

Michael Oversby

Pamela Owen Helwig

Judith Patterson Berryhill

SusanAnn Peters

Achsah Powell Daigle

Herman Rhein

Betty Richardson Lee

Shirley Richardson

Sandra Ridenour Schaefer

Lillie Riney

Penelope Ririe

Maureen Robertson Owen

James Robinson

Patricia Robinson Brewis

Manfred Rode

Susan Russ Spring

William Rutherford

Sharon Ryan Parry

Carmen SanMiguel

Larry Sass

Linda Saunders

Bobby Schaper

Howard Schneider

Margaret Schneider

Sondra Schonfeldt Manwarren

Lynne Seargeants Feyka

Barry Sessler

Darlene Sherman

Sharon Short

Colleen Snowden

Judy Sperry

Sharon Swihart

Margaret Tanner

Art Velasquez

Barbara Vore Gard

Carol Wadkins Morgan

Douglas Wall

Gloria Washington

Judy Wilson Lloyd

Janet Woltman Ottosen

Sylvia Wright

Tregg Wright

’61 Classmates,

By now you should have received registration information for our 45^th Reunion scheduled for October 14, 2006 at the Arcadia Community Center. If you did not receive a packet in the mail it is because we do not have your correct address. Please email me with your address and I will make sure you are included. The reunion is open to friends from other classes so everyone is encouraged to invite any friends who might be interested.

Below is a picture of the reunion planning committee. Seated are Art Farr, Don McGraw and Don Samuels. Standing are Eva Margueriette Springer, Sandy Kenney Wessman, Rick McGrath, Gene Hartigan, Diane Belin Bowden and Cathi Conacher Lamm. Unfortunately, Judy Kopecky Opel, our spiritual leader and task master, was not present for the picture.

Classmate Mary Sivigliano Koviak emailed me with the sad news that her husband and classmate Jim Koviak died this past December. Knowing that many of Jim’s childhood friends would want to know about Jim’s life, I asked Mary if she would put something together that I could share with everyone.

May 4, 2006

Don, here is some of the information we put in the local paper for Jim’s obituary. Thank you for your sympathy. I do have a lot of family and friends around me.

Jim passed away unexpectedly on December 3, 2005. After high school he attended Citrus College and Southern Illinois University obtaining a B.A. in Sociology. After graduation, Jim traveled the country accumulating many memories. In the 60's he went to Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement where he was assigned the dangerous task of registering voters in the midst of a turbulent time. Following that life-changing experience, he moved back to California where he settled down. He worked for 25 years at the Fashion Center for Sears.

Jim is survived by daughters Michelle Hughes of Yucaipa, Rebecca Avila of Claremont, and son David Sivigliano of Fairbanks, Alaska. His sister Marlena Monroe lives in Claremont and his brothers John, Julian and Joel Koviak all reside in Monrovia.

Jim and I dated from 1960 to 1962. We lived across the street from each other. We broke up in the spring of 1962, got married to other partners, divorced and reunited after the 20^th reunion. Jim didn’t attend the reunion, but I did. The reunion made him start wondering about me, so he found me and it was like the 20 years hadn’t happened. We were looking forward to a fun vacation on our 25^th wedding anniversary in October of this year.

Don, here is a picture Jim had taken when he worked at Sears. Also, here is a recent picture we had taken for our Church directory. Jim also loved woodworking, bonsai, golfing and cooking.

As for me… I worked for 37 years for CUNA Mutual Insurance (they insure credit unions and their members). I retired almost three years ago. I volunteer at Pomona Valley Hospital working with the preemies and sick babies. That’s about all there is to report. I’m trying to keep this to one page. Hope everyone has a good time at the reunion. Someday you ought to hold it in the cafeteria at school???

Mary Sivigliano Koviak

’61 Classmates,

The reunion planning committee continues to prepare for our 45^th reunion scheduled for October 14, 2006. You should be receiving a letter with registration information in the next week. If you do not receive a letter please email me at donsamuels@msn.com with your correct address. In the past week I received an email from Utz Hofmann. He is working to clear his schedule so that he will be able to attend the reunion. He sends his regards to his classmates in the class of ’61. A few weeks ago I mentioned that Don McGraw (not Don McGrath!) had taken a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Below is a compilation of emails from Don describing his trip followed by some pictures of his trip. I am still waiting to hear from Susan Hancock Fesler about her recent travels to Central America and Cuba.

So long for now.

Don Samuels

Don McGraw

Dear Fellow Classmates,

Our good friend Don Samuels hybridized my name with that of fellow Reunion Committee member Rick McGrath in saying that "Don McGrath" would add pictures of my recent trip to the Galapagos. Too many Dons and too many McGra... types here!! All three of us are on the Committee and looking forward to seeing you all.

I just got back yesterday from the Galapagos on my second all-expense paid trip there representing two scientific organizations: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (the world's oldest and largest honorary for scientists and engineers and on whose Board I sit) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (world's largest general scientific association; publisher of the magazine 'Science'; I am an officer in their Pacific Division). Many of the passengers aboard the tour ship are members of one or the other or both groups. I lectured on both Darwin and evolution (See Picture 4)--one lecture was given on Darwin's birthday (he was born the same year and day as Abe Lincoln) (See Pictures 5 & 6) and another in Darwin Bay, Genovesa Island (which Darwin never saw!).

The blonde sitting next to the cake (Picture 5) is my eldest daughter Adrienne. Adrienne has a BA from Fresno State in a combined biology/geography major she devised and an MA from JFK Univ. in Museum Studies. She is doing individual consulting/contracting now just like I am, but had been in the museum world for the last several years.

The collection of signs (Picture 7) is indeed famous. It is the local 'post office.' A barrel (there is still one there amid all that build-up) was placed there in, I believe, 1785 for seafarers, primarily British military in the early days and then Brit and American whalers in the 1800s to 'send' mail home. Anyone who checked up on the barrel when they left their own mail was to see if they could take anything back to the addressee on their own return to their home territory. It was always expected that the 'carrier' would hand-deliver the message to the door of the recipient. The system is still in use today and the expectations are the same. Visitors often take letters/cards back to their respective home towns when a message is to go to that same place. Nowadays, it leads to new friendships, etc. Quite a history.

All of us hope you will join us for what will be a very important reunion!!

Best,

Don McGraw (granttree@yahoo.com)

I have been out of commission the last two weeks so here is the latest installment for the ’61 page. I am attaching a picture of a classmate (Tim Hammond) that I am featuring this week. It’s real simple - You send me biographical info you get featured! So please place the picture adjacent to the bio. Thanks.

’61 Classmates,

Between the flu that I wasn’t supposed to get (yes, I had a flu shot), the joyous occasion of the birth of my third grandchild and walking the LA Marathon (really, I did!) I have been occupied over the past three weeks. I placed 18,334^th in the marathon and have pictures to prove it but you will have to come back next week to see them. I also have pictures of my granddaughter but will pass on the pictures of me with the flu.

Plans for our 45 year reunion on October 14, 2006 are continuing. A mailing with registration information will be sent out on April 15^th. The next meeting of the planning committee is scheduled for April 12^th at 7:00 pm at 212 W. Foothill in Monrovia. If you are in the area please plan to attend.

Tim Hammond wrote recently to provide an update on how he has spent his years since leaving MHS 45 years ago. Below is the biographical sketch and a picture of Tim and Cindy on a recent trip to Alaska..

After high school, Tim attended Citrus Junior College and then served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. He returned to college to complete a MBA program in the California State University system attending L.A. State and Humboldt State Colleges.

He married Cindy in 1972 and together raised three daughters. Tim spent part of his career working with the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) as an audit manager overseeing audits of government spending in the domestic and international sectors. The Hammond family lived in Panama for three years where Tim helped establish the Latin America Branch of GAO. While there, Tim was responsible for audits of the Panama Canal and its turnover to the Panamanian government, foreign aid payments, and U.S. Embassy operations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, central, and South America.

Returning to the U.S., Tim changed careers and became Division Chief of Airlift Contracting at Scott AFB, Illinois where he was responsible for awarding and administering airline contracts for the Department of Defense until he retired in 2000.

Tim and Cindy, married thirty-four years, live in Swansea, Illinois outside St. Louis, Missouri where they love to volunteer, travel, and enjoy good restaurants. Their three daughters, Christy, Melissa, and Shelly live close by in St. Louis.

Tim and Cindy look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming 45^th class reunion. Tim would like to hear from you and can be contacted at: timhammond@sbcglobal.net.

So long for now.

Don Samuels

’61 Classmates,

In October a group of classmates from the classes of 1958 to 1961 had a reunion with Mike Giddings and John Daniels. The reunion was held at the Monrovian Restaurant in Monrovia and guys came from all over the country be a part of this special event. These men touched many of our lives and the evening provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances and thank both of them for their influence on our lives. Pictures from the evening can be found below.

I continue to hear from classmates. Jim McReynolds writes from Michigan to say that in the next year he will be relocating to the Northwest where he is building a home in Gig Harbor, Washington. John Spencer is now living in Park City, Utah and in the past year Ken Thormod moved to St. George, Utah. Andre Doyon put me in touch with Sharon LaCross Guy who is living in Colorado and Cathy Conacher Lamm connected me with Linda Thompson Clemens who now lives in Clark Fork, Idaho. Keep the letters and emails coming.

Check back for further updates. Don McGraw is now back from the Galapagos Islands and has sent material that I will post in the near future. Susan Hancock Fesler wrote to assure me she would share her experiences about her recent trip to Central America but that I would have to wait because she would be in Cuba during the month of March. Tim Hammond also sent some information about his life, so stay tuned for that also.

The next reunion meeting is set for March 22, 2006 at 7:00 pm at 212 W. Foothill in Monrovia.

So long for now.

Don Samuels

Picture 1 – Seated: Don Samuels, Bill Holman, Don Teasley, Mike Giddings, John Daniels, Gary Brewer, Tom Munoz, Terry Cady

Second Row: Dave Willson, Duwayne Stacy, Gene Hartigan, Dan Miller, Ray Sariana, Gary Hawthorne, John Walls, Ron Goldman, Art Farr, Greg Miller, John Shirk, Ed Zschocke

Back Row: Dean West, Jim Green, Chuck Cash, Roy Howell, Mickey Montgomery, Dan Pelkey, Dave Brubaker, Gary Ullom, Terry Smith

Picture 2 – Mike Giddings and John Daniels

Picture 3 – Ron Goldman and Jim Green

Picture 4 – Don Teasley, Dave Willson, Dan Miller, Greg Miller, Terry Smith

Picture 5 – Mickey Montgomery and Gene Hartigan

Picture 6 – Roy Howell and Mike Giddings

Monrovia High School Class of 1961

45^th Year Reunion

October 14, 2006

Arcadia Community Center

For Information or to make sure

You are on our mailing list contact:

Don Samuels at

donsamuels@msn.com or

mhsclassof61@yahoo.com

Diane Belin Bowden

(626) 358-2300

212 W. Foothill Blvd

Monrovia 91016

’61 Classmates,

The response to our recent mailing and email has been wonderful. And it is obvious that many of you have found our spot here at madcatsalumni. Please help us get out the word about this site and about the 45 year reunion. A list of missing classmates is listed below. If you have information about any of these classmates please send the information to donsamuels@msn.com. Better yet, tell them to log on to this site and send the information themselves.

It has been great hearing from so many of you. Susan Hancock Fesler is currently traveling in Central America and she wrote to say she will be at the next reunion planning meeting after her return. Don McGraw is spending the month of February on an expedition to the Galapagos Islands. I will ask him to share his pictures and experience for publication on this site. It was nice to hear from Barbara Noble, John Spencer and John McReynolds. I will let you know where they are and what they are up to in the next few weeks. Keep the emails coming and help us find the classmates listed below. So long for now.

Don Samuels