Sunday, September 28, 2008

Singing Six

Bob Hails, Janet Beardsley Johnson, John Brownback, 
Bob Wicks, Judy Vicars Van Hagen, Carolyn Quinlan 

A sextet made up of Singing 7 and Senators.

Reunion head counts:
24 Golfers at Panther Creek  
37 for lunch at Panther Creek
165 for reception at Motor Boat Club
160 for dinner at Illini Country Club
71 for brunch at Panther Creek

That's excellent participation in all the events.

Thanks to Carolyn and Judy for picture and counts.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Last F-16

 
Shannon Kirshner,  State Journal Register
     The last of the F-16 fighter jets assigned to the 183rd Fighter Wing at Capitol Airport left the runway today. This marks the end of the unit's mission, which dates back to the 1940s in Springfield.
    In recent years, the unit focused on engine repair and controlling air operations in the Midwest. Now all the fighters are reassigned to other parts of the USA.
    The story in the SJR gives full details and provides a film of the last fighter's departure. Also see comments below the SJR story for some gripes by today's citizen residents.
    Thanks to Judi Dunkel Headrick for providing the story tip. 

Monday, September 22, 2008

Bob Owens

 
Bob at the 50th Reunion
     I'm sorry to report that Bob Owens died on Saturday, September 13 in the St. Louis airport. He attended the reunion and then spent time visiting family. A friend, Jim Sexton, drove Bob to the airport. A few minutes later, Bob collapsed inside the terminal. He was taken to a hospital but efforts to revive him failed.
     In his reunion biography Bob reported that he attended Cathedral Grade School and his favorite memories of SHS were the early morning gatherings in the auditorium. He was retired from a career with the Barnes Group, which manufactures components for a variety of industries.
     Bob is survived by his wife, Carolyn Ann, along with three children and one grandchild. An obituary appears in the SJR for Sep 28, 2008. You may sign the guest book and send messages to Bob's family.
Picture by Judy Van Hagen 

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Reunion Decor

Our fantastic Reunion committee worked hard to get the weekend right, from scheduling events at different venues to decorating the tables and providing souvenirs. (Click on pictures to enlarge.)


The primary color scheme (of course) was red and black. Somehow, they managed to locate black table cloths and napkins.

 
Here's a closer view of a table at Illini CC, all set for feasting.
 

And a final touch was 50s confetti, in appropriate shapes.
 
Pictures by 
Diane Gurgens Urbanckas
Judy Vicars Van Hagen 

Friday, September 12, 2008

Gettin' Their Groove On

Illini CC, Saturday Sep 6, 2008
Tunes by Evans Brittin and the Music Makers
Moves by Distinguished 58s
 Sam Gore, Ruth Lance Gore, Bill Irwin
 Jo Ankeny Lindamood, Bonnie Bruce Baker
Bill Irwin, Unidentified, Tavie Bunn Casper
Janet Bailey Kerner, Joyce Means Pardue
Sandra Murphy McCool, Suzie Lee Boyd
Tavie Bunn Casper, Pete Casper
 Pictures by Judy Vicars Van Hagen

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Lawrence Alumni


Alumni of Lawrence Grade School


Nancy Fromm, Don Arenz, Nancy Oldham 
Bob Hails, Jerry Pavlock, Pat Stein
John Yarbrough, Judy Lewis
 
Andy Holman, Don Arenz, Pat Stein
Bob Hails, Nancy Fromm, Nancy Oldham, Jerry Pavlock 
Pictures by Sid Arenz 

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Reunion Golf Results

 
Larry Jabush, Bob Wicks, Tom Brosch, John Dunn
SHS 50th Reunion Golf Results
Panther Creek Country Club
September  5, 2008
Super Shots
  • Longest Putt: (Hole 9) Chuck Harmon
  • Longest Drive: (Hole 4) Steve Kwedar
  • Closest to the Pin: (Hole 5) Jim Herron
  • Closet to the Pin: (Hole 11) Pete Casper
  • Longest Putt: (Hole 18) Bob Wicks
  • Longest Drive: (Hole 15) Don Eickhoff
Skins Game Winners
  • Roger Hocking
  • Pete Casper  (2 skins)
  • Scott Wike
  • Jerry Pavlock   
  • Chuck Harmon
  • Don Eichkoff
Picture from Tom Brosch
Stats from C. E. Welch

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Reunion Pictures 4

 
Group shot at Illini CC, Sep 7 2008
A preview of the official group shot, by Miriam Kennedy 
  
Closer shot, by Sid Arenz 
(Click on the pictures for larger views) 

Monday, September 08, 2008

Reunion Pictures 3

 
Carolyn Baldwin Quinlan, Sandra Murphy McCool, Judy Vicars Van Hagen 
at Panther Creek Brunch
Picture courtesy of Carolyn Quinlan

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Reunion Pictures 2

 
Alan Kennedy, Miriam Kennedy
  
Suzanne Lee Boyd 
Pictures courtesy of Suzi Boyd

Reunion Pictures 1

Here are early pictures of the Reunion, courtesy of Dick Hart. In this scene, we're greeted at the front entrance to the dining room of Illini CC by Leslie Heineke Sandlin, Ann Tobin Hart, Champ Davis, and Jan Curry Davis.
In this shot, Keith Schnepp appears to be addressing some of the '58 men. I'm not able to recognize all the faces, so perhaps someone who does will send in a helpful comment.

Update: please read the comment by Judy Vicars VanHagen. She explains the picture and lists all the names. 

Saturday, September 06, 2008

50s Party

 
Susan Farley, New York Times
For those of us unable to be in Springfield this weekend, here's a story in the NYT about "the world's biggest 50s party," held each Labor Day weekend in Parsippinany, NJ.
Check out the slide show of autos and fashions from those days. We won't call them vintage, right? But some of those folks do look a little grizzled!