Thoughts and Prayers for Classmates Affected by Hurricanes & Fires

Thinking of all of our friends who were in the paths of the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida and those living near the terrible wildfires out west.  Please check in and let us know how you are doing.  If you send an email with details (including photos), we can add names to a list on this posting.  

Florida Surprise Get-Togethers

Thanks to David Perugini for sharing this news about a couple of meetings with classmates in Florida.

Surprises for Everyone!

In the middle of June I received a FB Message from Mlisa Manning asking if I could be available in Florida for her Dad’s birthday (Sept 23rd). We worked it out that we would be there to surprise him a week later, since we had tickets to the Sir Paul concert* in Syracuse. 

The Big Day comes for us to fly down to the Venice, FL area where Jay lives. Our first stop upon landing was to get something to eat, so we stopped in at the McDonald’s across from our hotel. Waiting in line, a lovely lady pops into my periphery. We stare at each other for a moment, until I exclaim, “Val!” Then, because she’s in apparent shock, I point to myself and say, “David”. SURPRISE! Turns out that Valerie and Ed were waiting to move into their home in Venice the next day — they were just killing time. We enjoyed each other’s company for about an hour while we chatted while our lunches got cold and I took an ‘US-ee’ photo for the Blog.

The next day we rang the bell at Jay’s door disguised as Happy-Birthday-singing Amazon boxes. We handed him his birthday gift (a T-Shirt remembrance of ’The Synners’, our 1965 band). Then we whipped off the masks to reveal ourselves. SURPRISE!  For the next three days we cavorted around the Venice area, enjoying it’s many treasures — completely unaware of the 12 years that have passed since we’d seen each other.

What the trip re-enforced was what wonderful friendships we forged back at OHS. Even after long gaps, it’s possible to just pick up where we left off because the foundations of those friendships are so strong. I don’t know if there are any major reunions in our future, but even such little micro-reunions as what I experienced with Val and Jay are life-affirming. If the opportunity arrises, grab it! You’ll be surprised at how natural it feels to look into the eyes of dear, familiar faces.

* turns out we couldn’t go because I got sick 🤧

Roosevelt School Photo

Ken Foyder has shared this photo and would like some help with identifying people...

Rear:  Ken Foyder, ?, ?, Chet Evans, ?, ?, ?
Front:  MaryAnn Vargo, Carmella Verzello, Marnie Stanley, Linda Knapp, ?

We Are Saddened by the Passing of Our Former Teacher, Earl Sipe,

Wth sadness, we have learned of the passing of our former teacher, Earl Sipe.  Mr. Sipe, a well-liked business teacher, was 92 years old.

EARL SIPE OBITUARY