Alan Greenleaf

To Fred, sequestered in his racially homogeneous gated community:

Happy birthday to Fred! 

We're glad you're not dead

Like fungi, you're a fun guy

But you spend like the Fed!

-By Limericks-on-Demand

Robert (Mike) Kelley

      Happy Birthday  Fred !  Hope you have many more.

  Thanks John, that was what I needed to know.

Fred Thomas

Jeff Fritz  R.I.P.

It's a little late to apologize to Jeff but I am sorry that I stood by and laughed with some other juveniles when someone stole his baton and then ridicluled him.  I should have been a bigger person but I was not.  I also apologizae for the gay jokes and gay bashing I have done in my life.  The gay folks that I have known have always treated me well.  Gays should be allowed to marry and serve in the military openly as far as I am concerned.  The country will be stronger because of it and we have much more important issues to deal with.

Paul Berns

 Interesting topic on gays.  Being in the arts my entire professional life I can assure you they are human and there when needed, believe me.  Great friends and great talents.

Does anyone know if band director Mr. Harlan Thomas (Mr. T) is alive - I hear he live in an apt. somewhere in RR.  If it was not for him who knows what I would have been doing for a living, though my brother did not like him.

Best to all - I head to a concert in a few minutes Four Freshman (or should I say their grandsons).  By the way it was a shame I was not asked to contract the music for the Royal Wedding!!!

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

fred,happy birthday,i agree with you about the gays, there just human beings,i work with a few gay guys, they are so nice and i'm glad i know them. i just found out my great niece is gay, doesn't mean i love her any less.i think in this country everyone should have the choice. no one should be treated different.i know i have mentioned the movie never been kissed, with drew barrymore, about how the nerds,geeks, or anyone different is treated. it's really a good movie,it just shows you we are all people, gay,nerds,black,or white. it really doesn't matter. well, enough on that subject-let the damm rain stop.

Barbara Peate (Sabo)

Was catching up on the board as when I get home after work I don't always want to get online.  Regarding Jeff Fritz, Lin & I used to ride the bus home sometimes (perhaps having been downtown--don't remember).  What I do remember is when his stop came up, he would say "Pernell Please" (his street) & people would laugh and whisper.  Lin & I always felt so sorry for him as he tried so hard to be the best drum major going--which I believe he was.  We tried to go overboard being nice as he was ostracized so much.  I work w/a gay man right now, & I see him as an associate & not as gay.  He jokes about it, as well as the rest of us but in a funny sense & not a criticizing sense.  He remembers the days he was made fun of & wanted to be different than what he was.  I do remember having heard he was murdered in downtown Cleveland.  Such a sad thing.

Just got home from visiting my son & his family in Dallas.  Kylee (4) had an ear infection, then Reese (8 months) got a double ear infection, & my son went to the doctor as he thought he had one.  As it turns out, he did not.  They will do an MRI on Wed. this week to rule out a tumor on a nerve in his ear.  So, say a few prayers that all go well.  As if that weren't enough, last night he was bitten by a snake & taken to the Emerg. Room.  Seems all is ok as they don't believe it was poisonous.  Exterminator is due to go to their house tomorrow to clear out any others that might be around.  Welcome to Dallas!!

Barb

Larry Gilbert

Paul, Harlan Thomas was alive as recently as six months ago.  The last several times I have seen him he was in a motorized chair, getting quite old and feeble, but in command of his senses.  For many years, while he was still younger and mobile, we would see one another (at the grocery store) and he would actually remember me from the time I was in band.  Can't be sure he is still with us, but if I can confirm one way or another I will let you  know.  Regards, Larry.

TAX SEASON AND VACATION OVER NOW.  WILL TRY TO GET BACK TO THE PIRATE AND THE WEB SITE.  HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT SPRING AND SUMMER.

Alan Greenleaf

WELCOME BACK, LARRY!!!

Fred Thomas

Hats off to our military for killing Osama bin Laden.  

We should be hated and FEARED by the world instead of just hated. 

Thom's Rules of Engagement:

1.  Kill the enemy and everyone in the surrounding area.

2.  Blow up their stuff and burn everything down.

3.  Take all their women, gold and oil.

Sarah Eakin (Webster)

Is it too late to add an RR Park memory?  Our Brownie troop met every week in the Chalet (was that its name) for years--2nd grade to 4th at least (once we became Girl Scouts, we maybe met somewhere else).  There we were in our Brownie uniforms:  Debbie Murray, Mimi Jontzen, Lynn Jaenke, Lynn LaFever, Ellen Stromberg, Julie Schatzinger, Bonnie Kraft, Suzy Sanders, Helen Hodgson, Kathy Rapprich, me....who am I forgetting?  We were all from Kensington.  Sarah

Fred Thomas

It's never too late for Rocky River Park memories like the fireworks.

I've mentioned the mud football games we played there on Saturday mornings.  We played tackle with no helmets  or equipment and we all thought we were Jim Brown or Otto Graham at times.  We loved to play. We practiced all the time and that's probably why we were so successful in High School.  It must have been a sight to see young boys butting heads like billy goats.  That's what male mammalion creatures do before they discover the female of the species and get their car keys.

Years later I got laid there...er...ah...I mean I got a good back massage from a beautiful young girl.  Ah yes it was wonderful!! I'll never forget Rocky River Park.

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

sarah, you forgot me, then we meant at suzy sanders house-wasn't her mom the leader, then sometimes we meant at theamerican legion behind my house off lake rd. i remember the first time i went to suzy's house i didn't know where she lived and a friend of lyle's walked me there-i was young, maybe 4 th grade.those were the days. i had alot of fun.

for all the mom's out there- happy mothers day. have a good day.

Ellen Aspinwall (Templar)

This is for all my 'mom' classmates but I especially want to dedicate it to my beautiful daughter, Cinnamon, who is the greatest mom I know!

Bruce McKelvey (McKelvey)

Somebody go to HERBS and have a beer for me. I am soooo ready to hang out there this fall.....

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

bruce, i'll go to herb's for you, but i don't drink-sorry. how about a cup of coffee-when you visit,we will make sure we have a ger together there also.

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

john, you are so sweet,i'll meet you there-maybe i will have some wine. our you comming june 5 to rrhs park when ellens in town. nancy

Bruce McKelvey (McKelvey)

John,

             Marsha is doing well..stuff hasen't shrunk...but hasen't grown. She is going in for another cat/pet scan at the end of the month...soooo...keep your fingers crossed...so..go ahead a torture your liver brother !!!!

                                                 Yo Bro,

                                                             Bruce

Linda Peate (Powrie)

It's been awhile since I've commented, but I have to comment on the whole gay thing. I remember just what Barb said: Jeff Fritz took the same bus we did downtown to work after college. I felt desparately sorry for Jeff. Why didn't I stand up for him when people acted strangely to him. Oh, how age gives you wisdom of "shoulda beens".  When I was doing some modeling in Cleve. (wow, I was very young I realize!), the guys who ran the salon who did our hair were gay. The one was soooo flamboyant it was hilarious. He loved it. But they were the 2 nicest guys I know. Generous, kind.  It's not right one little bit for what I see. Fred's sister has a daughter who is a Lesbian & is so worried about her acceptance. She's 3 yrs. younger than Tahnee would have been. I sent her a note of TOTAL acceptance. After the things w/my child, who the heck am I to judge anyone or anything?!!! Also Nance, I saw the guys above you said hung out at your house. I had a MAJOR crush on Chip Stouffer, and I remember at a dance Cheryl Grube came up to me & said I should be very grateful to her because she was setting me up to leave the dance w/Chip.  I was so over the moon happy, thanked her profusely, & went home w/him. We got something to eat, went to my house, & watched TV. He then told me that he only took a girl out 3 times & then moved on. What a horrible thing to say to a girl. I was devasted because that's exactly what he did!!!  No kissing, no hugging, nothing. I was crushed when he "dumped" me as he said he would. Then I dated a guy from St. Ed's named Michael. He ended up dating me all summer, tho he was at Cedar Point working. Broke my heart when he left me for college. (Why I don't know. He used to sign his letters Gunga Din!) He is now on CNBC or CNN--the one that shows the stocks (my husband watches it) & is a stockbroker or analyst or something. Oh, things do work out the way they should. I would love to talk w/him today & ask why in the world he signed letters "Gunga Din"!!!  Well, those are my memories! Oh Larry, I remember my first kiss in 6th grade was from Paul Hamilton. Remember him???

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

lin, i'm so sorry about chip,what a jerk, but he was so nice to me,as all the guys were-they were all  like extra brothers-i already had 6 who always stuck up for me.as we get older,i know i have become wiser with this gay stuff,i also wish i was stronger in school to speak up for certain things,it took me to be 24 years old before i started to speak my

john, my prayers will be with you and i will miss you on june 5,it doesn't sound like alot of fun with what your having done. we will catch you at the next reunion.love, you guys,this website is so "cool".

for years i always call everyone a "dork" when i'm kidding around.i just found out what this word means from a 18 year guy that i work with-do any of my friends from rrhs know the meaning-i'm not calling anyone a dork again-we laughed so hard when i heard the meaning.

Fred Thomas

If I could go back to high school I would certainly do things differently.  Being very popular,  getting A's and performing great athletic feats were too easy and yet boring to me.  I would rather have learned to be a good grease monkey and motorhead.  Growing up as a middle class white boy discouraged that ambition..  It took me years after college to learn to work on my own car, but when I did I had an epiphany that there is nothing more satisfying than working with my hands.  A face full of rust and hands and arms covered with grease and oil really does it for me.  It's better than sex.

Randall Smith

Fred

Some of us were not born with a golden spoon in our mouth.

We had to work on our own cars because our parents could not afford to fix our cars or give us new ones. At the same time we never had a chance to take our girl friends out on the lake in a blow boat or go to the yacht club for dinner. Unlike you I wasn't able to go to college and earn the big bucks at the post office.

I have been able to build cars for both of my children. I have not been bored like you. I enjoyed building cars for a long time, I'm on my last one now.

Being the rich athletic romeo scholar that you were must have been tough.

Buy the way my cars are not rusty or greasey.

Fred Thomas

Randy,

You don't know how lucky you were.  While I was trimming the jib on my dad's 41 foot yacht, you  were probably learning to put new brake pads on your car.  And while I was water skiing on Lake Erie you probably were tuning up your lawn mower.  And while I was having dinner at the Yacht Club with a sweet young thing, you were probably re-building a truck engine.  I had to learn all that stuff later.

Are you taking good care of my house in North Ridgeville?  I will be inspecting it when I come up that way.  If you and John want to visit my gated communitry down here, don't worry I put your names on the guest list and the guards have orders not to shoot. 

Randall Smith

Hi Fred

I added 500 sq ft and  we are working on the bathrooms. There pouring new concrete in the old drive and puting my sidewalk in the back yard. I'm just about done with the moulding. Other than that we haven't done much to the house. Stop by. I needed the 500 sq ft for the shoe boxes.

By the way I started sking when I was 8. We had a boat but it wasn't a blow boat.

We were going to Dallas for our Vietnam Reunion but changed our plans and are going to Branson then on to Phoenix. We want to contribute to the oil companies pension and bonus. I hope you told the guards in spanish so they knew what you were saying.

Nancy Westerfield (Depew)

hey guys, don't forget june5 at rrhs park, hope to see lots of you there,we need a get together so we can remember alot of the good times in school.

Ellen Aspinwall (Templar)

Hi Classmates:

I'm heading east starting tomorrow.  A quick stop in Wyoming and then picking up the family in a few days and on to Michigan and then Ohio (eventually). 

Really looking forward to seeing all of you on June 5th at RR Park!

Ellen