Message Forum

Mom's Wk-End was Sat. at U of I in Chambana, and I went w/our daughter, to visit our 6'6" grandson, Caleb. He's a sophomore and having a great experience. Had a great day and did manage to get in some shopping!!!

Linda

04/11/11 07:58 AM

#27

Jack....adding to what Sharon wrote about the exchange student that stayed W/Lowenburgs, she was from somewhere in the East Indies, IF I remember correctly, and I beleive that she died while she was here. As I recall, she was ill, in the hosp. and her religion prohibited her from receiving meds. for cure. Am also thinking she was ill before coming to the USA, but got a Dr. there to sign, saying she was ok. Hope I'm not just dreaming it or have it mixed up w/another student.

Linda

04/13/11 11:11 AM

#28

thanks you guys for the exchange student replies - now I have no clue where I came up with the Linkoping Sweden student memories - ship me to the home LOL

04/13/11 09:05 PM

#29

Jack....you're just fine, we're all in the same boat.

04/13/11 09:10 PM

#30

Had another reunion mtg. this eve. I was late again, didn't plan for a flat tire!!! Even had a surprise classmate show up....Mike Helenthal. Great to see him, he looks real good. Things are coming together and lots of people are working and helping on committees. Sharon is doing a great job being our leader and keeping us on track. We are easily distracted and visit a lot. It's fun working w/each other and remembering things about the "good ole days". It's going to be a fabulous reunion....can't wait for fall!!!

04/15/11 12:00 PM

#31

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

anyone have pix of the exchange students? - refusing to give up just yet on the Linkoping theory

04/15/11 04:30 PM

#32

Bill Orr

Jack,

On page 45 of our 1961 year book there is a picture of Lotta Brising from Linkoping, Sweden.

She stayed with the Lowenbergs.

Bill Orr

04/15/11 08:01 PM

#33

Linda, So glad to hear that Mike Hellenthal came to the last reunion committee meeting......it would be wonderful if he actually plans to come back in the fall for the reunion itself ! I think he told Bill in their last phone conversation that he was going back to Iowa in April for his Dad's 100th birthday, at the nursing home in Keokuk, so that might explain how he was in the area.

Good to see that John Frey has gotten himself registered and his profile on line..........looks like the numbers are growing all the time.

This reunion "bug" has prompted Bill to investigate online his Navy Buddies from 1961-1965 on the USS Savage, where he was assigned out of Pearl Harbor and then Viet Nam, after finishing his year of electronics schooling in Treasure Island, CA. In the past week he has either talked to or emailed at least 6 of his shipmates, after finding his ship's website. They have been holding reunions about every five years or so, and the next one is coming up in Norfolk, VA the week of Sept 12. Thank goodness Norfolk is less than 3 hours from us, so it looks like we'll be getting together with his shipmates right before we head back to Iowa.

I love checking our website every week to see who else is getting registerd. Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter Holiday and continues to count the many blessings that have been given to us !

Sandy Matthews

04/15/11 08:33 PM

#34

Bill, I stand corrected, I should have checked my 1961 yearbook. I only checked the freshman, sophomore and junior books. Mainly cause I thought Meiling was the only exchange student in our senior year. I wonder if Lotta was here only 2nd. semester.

Sorry Jack...my mistake!!! I completely forgot her.

Linda

04/16/11 01:27 PM

#35

Jack...

Do you still have your yearbooks?? This pic of the foreign students should be in each.

Linda

04/17/11 07:29 PM

#36

Hi Linda & Thanks Bill Orr for the exchange student info.. I do not have a yearbook. Does anyone have a digital copy they can send me?

04/18/11 01:12 PM

#37

Patsy Cordray (VanPelt)

It's so nice to hear what's going on in all your lives! Thanks to Sharon and the entire committee for all the wonderful information and hard work you've done to make this a great 50th reunion. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone. I'm not computer literate to know how to do the picture! I would love to see Mike Hellenthal!! It's been 50 years. We were neighbors on Avenue M when the Hy-Vee store was not there and Vincent Wright was also our neighbor. Sounds like Mike was quite successful at coaching - good for him! Also congrats to his Dad on his 100 birthday. We were just in the Carolina's on vacation and would love to have known where the Matthew's live. See you all at the reunion.

Patsy (Cordray) VanPelt

04/19/11 07:52 AM

#38

Sharon and & both heard from Bonnie Brown Sellers yesterday. Was great to talk to her and she's excited about the reunion. She had moved, so Sharon sent out the letter to her new address. She's still in TX. Had a good visit and am looking fwd to seeing her again to catch up.

Linda

04/20/11 08:11 AM

#39

Patsy: If you e-mail me a picture of yourself and you and Bob I will put it on your profile. FYI Glad to know that you are coming. It will be good to get together and see everyone again. Should be fun. If you are coming on Thursday we are going to have a 50th Reunion Float in the Homecoming Parade. Come join us.

04/20/11 09:07 PM

#40

Jack Sears and Linda Kirchner:

I just talked with Karen Lowenberg Hill and the class of 1961 did have two exchange students. Meiling Morales from the Philipines and Lotta Brising of Sweden. Karen said that Lotta lived with some family that she was not happy with and so AFS moved her to the Lowenberg home as they had applied and wanted a student but didn't get one. So afterall they god Lotta. Karen said that Lotta use to write to Lorraine, Karen's mother, while she was alive but after Lorraine died Lotta did not correspond anymore. She told me that when she gets back to Des Moines from Tulsa where she has a new granddaughter she will send me Lotta's address.

Also Karen said that the exhange student from the class of 1962 had an exchange student named Sutani Sukirno who in fact died while an exchange student here in l962. She said she actually died at the hospital but they thought she had arrived her from the Indonesia ill already. She said it was a real tragedy and so sad. I hope this helps with your mystery.

As ever, Sharon Tincher

04/21/11 12:36 PM

#41

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for additional Lotta from Linkoping info. Yep, that sounds very much like the exchange person I remember. It would be nice to hear from all of them.

04/21/11 06:06 PM

#42

Jack....your profile additions are a riot...really enjoyed then...any more??

Linda

04/25/11 09:02 AM

#43

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and celebrated for the right reason.

Linda

04/29/11 08:44 AM

#44

Got up at 4 a/m to watch the royal wedding...am wondering how many others did, also!!! Totally enjoyed it all, would like to hear other comments.....

05/01/11 08:30 AM

#45

Sandra Buckley (Matthews)

I too got up at 4. am EST and watched in its entirety gorgeous wedding and darling couple! Can't wait to see you all. Jack I will email you a picture of both Meiling and lotta when I get home from fla.

05/04/11 12:01 PM

#46

Class Members, Sure wish more of you would consider posting pictures along with your profile. It's going to be embarrassing for me if I struggle to remember a face from 50 years ago.......but, that's probably going to be the case for most of us............particularly those who haven't been able to make it to previous reunions.

Sharon, I'm not quite sure if Bill and I will arrive on Thursday, in time to participate in the Float for the Homecoming Parade. Do you know a time yet for us to be there, if we find we can make it ?

Patsy VanPelt, I am truly sorry you & Bob were'nt able to get the word to us that you had a trip scheduled to North Carolina..........would have been a pleasure to visit and show you our little part of Eastern NC on the Pamlico Sound.

I'm all for more class mates to use this Message Forum.........hoping those who might still be undecided about coming back for this Reunion, will try to work their plans to attend ! Life is short (and getting shorter !), so enjoy it while you can !

Sandy & Bill Matthews

05/05/11 07:45 AM

#47

Hey Sandy & Bill, we have a niece in NC, but in Asheville. Have only been there once. It's beautiful, love the rolling hills. Eastern TN is where our youngest went to college, really like the Smoky Mts.

I also agree, wish more people would write on the forum, it's great to keep up w/everyone. Looking fwd to seeing you both in the fall, should be a great time.

Linda

05/05/11 07:54 AM

#48

Sandy and Bill and all other Classmates: The parade is at 5 p.m and we are all to be in the Sheaffer parking lot by 4:30 p.m. The parade travels west to east down Avenue G to about 10th Streeet. Should be a blast and the more the people we have the more fun we will have. Consider it. Looking forward to seeing all of you.

05/07/11 04:53 PM

#49

Marcia Conley (Davis)

After a very busy past few months with the 2011 tax season and just before I start business travel for our tax utility software company, I have a couple of minutes to say "Hi" to everyone.

I would love to be a part of the Homecoming Parade and ride on the float. Is it Thursday or Friday? I plan to arrive on Thursday. Being a part of the Homecoming Parade is something in my wildest imagination I could never have done while in high school.

Since I travel over 100 days a year for business, I have several free airline tickets so will probably fly into St Louis and drive up.

This is an exciting time for all of us and I hope it is the largest attended class reunion in the history of FMHS!

Marcia

05/07/11 05:52 PM

#50