| Needham High School Class of 1964 |
If you have a note of interest for our classmates, send it to the webmaster via the link at the bottom of each page. Here are some emails from classmates...
Leslie wrote the Reunion Committee about how easy it was for her to attend the reunion and on her travels in the past year. Read Leslie's 2020 note.
Leslie wrote the Reunion Committee about missing the reunion and on life on her ranch in Texas. Sure doesn't sound like life in Needham! Read Leslie's 2014 note.
I've recently found the Class of 64
website and read about the plans for the upcoming reunion. I also noticed that,
unsurprisingly, I'm listed as one of the "missing".
Anyway, I'm still around. My wife Beverly (from West Boylston; we met while in
high school and married in 1967) and I emigrated to Scotland in 1974. We've
lived here happily ever since. We spent a few years up in the Scottish
Highlands, teaching in little country schools and enjoying the "good life". At
the beginning of the 80s, we worked as teachers for two years in Saudi Arabia,
returning to live in Edinburgh. We've been in central Scotland (Edinburgh and
then Glasgow) ever since. Two years ago I retired from the University of Glasgow
where I had worked for 25 years in the Department (now School) of Computing
Science, finishing as a senior lecturer.
Beverly and I now split our time between Glasgow and our second home in Saint
Romain en Viennois, in the northern part of Provence in France (www.tandem.demon.co.uk/lescolonnes).
I would love to be able to attend the reunion, but don't know if that will work
out. If not, I'll be thinking of you all.
Best regards,
Phil Gray
So much to catch up on! I'll start with the most recent news. This past week Joe Driscoll and I met for the first time since our class reunion in 2004. It is remarkable that our paths have paralleled. Junior high at Pollard, Needham High School, Pony League, University (Joe at Syracuse) and me at Boston College and Boston University, PLC during the summer of 1967, commissioning in the USMC, flight school (Joe in helicopters, me in jets). Vietnam service, Joe in Cobra helicopters, me in A6's flying off the USS Coral Sea. All this time we did not know about our common USMC service. We both had 4 children. etc. etc. etc.
We had planned this trip for last
October, but health issues due to complications of radiation therapy, precluded
my trip last year. Phyllis and I took a trip to California (San Francisco,
Redwood Forest, Sonoma Valley and Monterey). In Monterey, Joe treated Phyllis
and I to dinner at the Tap Room at Pebble Beach Golf Club. What a fantastic
time! And it was so great to see Joe and his friend Tucker! It was great to see
Joe after all these years! (Photo)
Bruce Rogers
Cell: 217-390-1645
email: rogers6234@hotmail.com
Hey Phil,
I wish I could be there, but I'll be out of the country at that time.....sorry
regards to all of my NHS classmates.....I'll see you at our 50th (not that far
off, is it.....)
Ron Weaver
Hi Phil,
Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make this one. The World Handball
Championships are in Portland Oregon that week and I am primed and ready to play
in the Master's events. Of course, I could blow something out between now and
then, and in that case, I would gladly hobble into the reunion on crutches!!!
I will miss not being there and I greatly appreciate all you and the committee
do to keep us all in touch. Keep up the good work and let me know if there is
anything I can do to help with your efforts of keeping the Class of "64 together
Many thanks,
Joe Driscoll
Hi Phil
I know that your name is on the email but there is a huge cadre of others
involved in the reunion committee invisibly working in the wings.
I can't tell you how disappointed my wife Laurie and I are that we can not
attend the reunion this year. She is now recovering from her second stem cell
transplant for multiple myeloma and we will be celebrating her good health in
Barcelona.
My thoughts are with you and the attendees of this reunion. I am anxious to find
out how Walter Kent (Ken) Olson is doing and would love to hear him recount his
story of being struck by lightning while hiking the Appalachian Trail, or if
Dwight Merriam ever achieved his high school goal of getting a speeding ticket
on his candy apple red Vespa. As I recall he was going to use the gravity of
Birds Hill to help generate the necessary speed to warrant a ticket. I have
wanted to reconnect with Linda Roethlisberger, too, but have been unable to find
her. Kudo's to you and the entire committee for a job well done.
Have a super fantastic reunion and I when you have the next date set, let me
know and I will wipe my calendar clean for the event. Keep up the good work and
we will be thinking of every one of you while we are trekking Spain and Italy.
We both are enjoying retirement yet still find time to do some volunteer work
for Governor Gregoire and Bob Craves (co-founder of Costco). We helped them give
away 35,000 free, four year tuition scholarships, to needy students in
Washington state.
Art Dolan
Hi,
Looking in some old stuff, found class picture from the old Carter Avery school
not sure (mind is going) what year it is, if I was home I could tell you-will
bring copy to reunion.
Any way in the past 5 years not much has changed with me-except I now have 2 new
knees-got rid of all the animals (chickens, goose, pig & the turkeys, dog and
the cats), kept husband (after 42 years figured I might as well) and never did
have the empty nest when both kids finally left for good. Three years to
retirement!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again this will be my 9th reunion.
Pam (Calitri) Balabanis
Staff Accountant/Accountant Receivable
Dunkin' Donuts Northeast Distribution Center, Inc.
150 Depot Street
Bellingham, MA 02019
Phone: (508) 422-3830
Fax: (508) 422-3838
Pam.Balabanis@ddnedc.com
Hi All:
Got a bit of bad news. For several years my PSA tests have been high and
increasing. Three previous biopsies were negative --- no prostate cancer.
My last biopsy showed prostate cancer. Over the next few weeks I will be
undergoing various tests and procedures, most likely culminating in surgery in
mid October. As a result I will miss a reunion I have been looking forward
to since our last reunion on Cape Cod.
I wish you all a wonderful time! I wish I could be there...but it's not in
the cards.
The good news is the curability of prostate cancer. I think we have caught
it early. The prognosis should be good to excellent. The good Lord
willing, I will enjoy spending an evening or a weekend with all of you for our
50th.
We are so lucky to have a corps of dedicated class officers and others who have
given us so many wonderful reunions over the years. Thanks to all of
you...and to the memories!
All the best,
Bruce Rogers
1401 Grandview Drive
Champaign, IL 61820-6826
Cell: 217-390-1645
email:
rogers6234@hotmail.com
Hey Phil
How are you? I am so sorry I won't be able to make the reunion. I am living and working on Margarita Island (an island in the southern Caribbean- a 40 minute plane ride from Caracas). I am working on getting a mortgage and real estate business going here. I was hoping to get back because, in addition to the reunion, my oldest boy, David, just became a father for the 2nd time. He lives in Newton about 2 miles from my old house on Paul Revere Road (though his first house, which he bought about 4 years ago, was 750k while I think my parents paid 18,500 for their first house over by Rosemary Lake!).
I speak to John Isham by email a fair amount, and he just sent me a message he is not going to be able to make it either, though he is doing okay and am sure will tell you directly.
If I can get around to it I would love to send you some information about this island for everybody, as it represents a great opportunity for those looking for a relatively inexpensive vacation / investment property, or for a place to retire. The exchange rates (unofficial but what everybody uses) are very favorable to the American dollar, so your money goes a long ways here. I started the 2 companies here- Margarita Mortgages (margaritamortgages.com) and Playa el Agua Realty (playa-el-agua-realty.com) on the theory that there is only so much ocean front property in the world, and there is a wealth of it here. You can buy an oceanfront apartment for as little as 50k and can even live on your social security check! lol (but seriously- there are ex-Pats here living on 1k a month! It is an oil rich country, so a tank of gas here literally costs less than $1- not per gallon, or Liter, but for the whole tank, plus they even have attendants! Health care here is fantastic (and cheap).The island is south of the hurricane belt, and pretty much every day is in the mid 80´s. I couldn't tell you the last time I wore a sweater. It rarely rains during the day, and there are many beaches, mountains, restaurants, resorts, discos, etc. The only thing is it helps if you learn Spanish (lol- I should have paid more attention in school but have progressed to the point where I can write it well and speak it passably). If anyone is interested in more information or maybe coming down and checking things out, they can get in touch with me through the website or at dhumphrey10@gmail.com. I´ll take care of all the arrangements for and whoever takes me up on it will have a grand old time. My phone here is +58 412 195 2185.
Give my warm regards to everyone, and get some people together to plan a road trip! Well, maybe an airplane ride. The Needham reunions have always been my favorite- much more fun than college or law school, and I am very disappointed. I won't be there. But I will definitely make the 50th (oh my God).
Have a great time.
Don
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