I'll be posting photos from our reunion shortly - so busy............sorry for the delay! There seems to be no time lately!
I just received Kathy Stella's questionaire for the memory book. Kathy - at the end of her questionnaire - said and I quote "...........have been thinking of all of you since (the reunion)...........As I drove home on a beautiful Fall day...............I thought of how fortunate I am to know all of you." I think you would all agree that Kathy's sentiment is felt by all of us - we are all so different and doing so many different things yet we were all kids together - Corey Duvall said it too - we all come back to each other - its a constant and the bond grows stronger...............
I will post more as soon as I can you guys! I swear if you were on the fence and didn't come to the reunion this time - please reconsider next time - its in 5 years and you won't regret it..........
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Saturday, November 30, 2013
RHS Class of 1973 Packs the Park West!
On Friday October 18 - we started the first part of our reunion at 4pm at the Park West Tavern in downtown Ridgewood (it was really 5 but some simply couldn't wait to get there!) Well - actually the reunion started even earlier with a round of golf - the outing was arranged by Brian Alcock and the late Bill Lauerman - it hurts to say those words but we will never forget Bill or Dubs as he was known to his good friends and he will always be remembered.
Of course, Willie and Nepola - that was one of the many highlights of Friday evening. Attella and Gutting were a highlight but nothing can compare with the reunion within a reunion - the long-awaited and dramatic re-acquaintance of Tommy O'Connor and Bob Davis - see the 4 photos below that capture this drama!
Above - the Park West Tavern - the first day of the reunion!
The Park West was nice enough to set aside the outdoor patio for us and supply cheese, crackers etc. and the RHS crowd just kept coming! Among those that popped in and couldn't make the Saturday reunion were Leon Vanwagenen! You'd have thought that this was the official reunion! There were so many people from the Class of 73 that night. What made it fun was there were no name tags Friday night so you broke the ice quickly!
It was great to see so many that typically don't or can't make these things and they were very happy they did!
Enjoy the photos! Most of the photos posted here are courtesy of Terri Dimodugno!! There will be another large post of the reunion itself.
Click on photos to enlarge!
Mingling on the patio at the Park West - the weather was in our favor and we used the patio all night!
On the patio!
Lot's of people came through Friday night!
We had a blast Friday night!
Sharon DuFloqc, Diane Coleman and Paul Rypkema!
L to r Rob Kiernan, Scott Gutting and Paul Attella!
L to r Luann Speechley, Paul Rypkema and Diane Coleman.
It was too much fun!
Terri and Paul Rypkema!
Above l to r Terri, Bob Davis and Lorraine Davis.
There's Tom! "Hey have you guys seen Bob Davis?"
Here we go - this was the moment - Tommy and Bob - "Holy cow Tommy! You look great," Bob said.
"You too Bob!", Tom replied
And so the long-awaited O'Connor-Davis reunion came to be! All kidding aside - this was pretty much how it went - we have an awesome class that simply gets stronger over time!!
While a lot of us were hanging out on the patio, there were a ton of us inside as well!
We had so much fun - we went from 4pm til 2am and it seemed like 3 hours!
Nightfall on the patio.
Above l to r Diane Coleman Mary Humrich, Paul Attella and Terri Dimodugno - everybody looked amazing.
Of course, Willie and Nepola - that was one of the many highlights of Friday evening. Attella and Gutting were a highlight but nothing can compare with the reunion within a reunion - the long-awaited and dramatic re-acquaintance of Tommy O'Connor and Bob Davis - see the 4 photos below that capture this drama!
Above - the Park West Tavern - the first day of the reunion!
The Park West was nice enough to set aside the outdoor patio for us and supply cheese, crackers etc. and the RHS crowd just kept coming! Among those that popped in and couldn't make the Saturday reunion were Leon Vanwagenen! You'd have thought that this was the official reunion! There were so many people from the Class of 73 that night. What made it fun was there were no name tags Friday night so you broke the ice quickly!
It was great to see so many that typically don't or can't make these things and they were very happy they did!
Enjoy the photos! Most of the photos posted here are courtesy of Terri Dimodugno!! There will be another large post of the reunion itself.
Click on photos to enlarge!
Mingling on the patio at the Park West - the weather was in our favor and we used the patio all night!
On the patio!
Lot's of people came through Friday night!
We had a blast Friday night!
Sharon DuFloqc, Diane Coleman and Paul Rypkema!
L to r Rob Kiernan, Scott Gutting and Paul Attella!
L to r Luann Speechley, Paul Rypkema and Diane Coleman.
It was too much fun!
Terri and Paul Rypkema!
Above l to r Terri, Bob Davis and Lorraine Davis.
There's Tom! "Hey have you guys seen Bob Davis?"
Here we go - this was the moment - Tommy and Bob - "Holy cow Tommy! You look great," Bob said.
"You too Bob!", Tom replied
And so the long-awaited O'Connor-Davis reunion came to be! All kidding aside - this was pretty much how it went - we have an awesome class that simply gets stronger over time!!
While a lot of us were hanging out on the patio, there were a ton of us inside as well!
We had so much fun - we went from 4pm til 2am and it seemed like 3 hours!
Nightfall on the patio.
Above l to r Diane Coleman Mary Humrich, Paul Attella and Terri Dimodugno - everybody looked amazing.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Still Time To Return Memory Book Questionnaires or Order A Book!
The memory book is being compiled and will be sent automatically to those who came to the reunion.
If you did not get to come to the reunion and would like a memory book please send $15 (which includes postage) to: Rick Flannery, 86 Lake Ave, Danbury CT 06810.
Please - whether you want a book or not - return your questionnaires. We'd like to include as many responses as possible so send them to my address above or email to Terri at rhs73reunion@verizon.net. If you did not receive a questionnaire and would like to fill one out please contact Terri.
Remember these will go out after the holidays! Have a great holiday season everybody!!
Just got more orders for the memory book! Still plenty of time - we're trying to allow time for anyone who wants to part of the book! Lisa Faeth, Sue McClelland and Gary Clevenger among many others - just sent theirs in!
If you did not get to come to the reunion and would like a memory book please send $15 (which includes postage) to: Rick Flannery, 86 Lake Ave, Danbury CT 06810.
Please - whether you want a book or not - return your questionnaires. We'd like to include as many responses as possible so send them to my address above or email to Terri at rhs73reunion@verizon.net. If you did not receive a questionnaire and would like to fill one out please contact Terri.
Remember these will go out after the holidays! Have a great holiday season everybody!!
Just got more orders for the memory book! Still plenty of time - we're trying to allow time for anyone who wants to part of the book! Lisa Faeth, Sue McClelland and Gary Clevenger among many others - just sent theirs in!
Class of 1973 - Goes Back To School!
Saturday October 19 - day after the start of our reunion at Park West in Ridgewood brought about 50 of our classmates out to the high school alma mater at 10 in the morning to join Dave Vanderbush - former teacher, coach and Athletic Director for a really fun and nostalgic return to the halls we roamed for 3 years!
We went to the gym, the cafeteria, the student center and our gothic auditorium where we sat and took it all in recalling this and that, remembering special teachers we had and deciding at Westcott's announcement to go for lunch to The Fireplace where about 30 or so of us joined up for burgers!
All in all it was a great start to the day! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!
Click on any photo to enlarge!
Above l to r Ridgewood High School's new principal Tom Gorman and Dave Vanderbush just prior to taking our tour.
Above l to r Dave Vanderbush giving us a pep talk and Jeff Lockhart.
Above l to r starting in the very corner Paul Vinroot, Andy Cancelmo (Andy did you skip a couple of grades or what - Florida suits you!?), ?, Rosemary Harvey, Sue Yerger, Arne Olsen, John Wescott and Dave Vanderbush.
Above, well I won't go l to r but among the crowd are: Cindy Leather, Leslie Pope, Luann Speechley, Brian Alcock, Tad Shepperd, Andy Cancelmo, Cathy Hanneford, Paul Vinroot, Cindy Powers, and Bob Davis.
Above, Roger Sweeney had been inducted into the RHS Hall of Fame in 2012 and this tribute hangs on the wall near the entrance to the gym. Some had the honor to hang out with him for lunch and another tour of RHS back in 2010 - it was great - there's a post on this blog about it. Among others so honored are Walter Perdue and Andy's sister Lucia Cancelmo!
Above in the RHS gym l to r: Brian Alcock, Tad Shepperd, Leslie Pope, Sue Leahy, Bob Davis, ?, Bob Klatte, Arne Olsen, Keith Leackfeldt (Kathy Stella's husband), Kathy Stella, Cindy Powers, Cindy Leather and Nancy Sullivan.
Above in the RHS gym among the crowd are: Arne Olsen, Kathy Stella, Cindy Powers, June Keating, Gretchen Nienaber, Patty Murray, Cindy Leather, Nancy Sullivan, Shery Auger Shepperd, Errol Haznedar, John Wescott, Jeff Lockhart, Sue Yerger.
Above a tighter student courtyard. Crowd includes John Wescott, June Keating, Cindy Powers, Leslie Pope, Jeff Lockhart, Bob Davis, Bob Klatte, Paul Vinroot, Errol Haznedar, Arne Olsen, Nancy Sullivan and Tom O'Connor.
A plaque honoring Dave Vanderbush's tenure as RHS Athletic Director 1984-1999 - it hangs a few doors up from the student center.
The last stop on the tour - everyone remembering and looking forward to that evening!
More to come!!!!
We went to the gym, the cafeteria, the student center and our gothic auditorium where we sat and took it all in recalling this and that, remembering special teachers we had and deciding at Westcott's announcement to go for lunch to The Fireplace where about 30 or so of us joined up for burgers!
All in all it was a great start to the day! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!
Click on any photo to enlarge!
Above l to r Ridgewood High School's new principal Tom Gorman and Dave Vanderbush just prior to taking our tour.
Above l to r Dave Vanderbush giving us a pep talk and Jeff Lockhart.
Above l to r starting in the very corner Paul Vinroot, Andy Cancelmo (Andy did you skip a couple of grades or what - Florida suits you!?), ?, Rosemary Harvey, Sue Yerger, Arne Olsen, John Wescott and Dave Vanderbush.
Above, well I won't go l to r but among the crowd are: Cindy Leather, Leslie Pope, Luann Speechley, Brian Alcock, Tad Shepperd, Andy Cancelmo, Cathy Hanneford, Paul Vinroot, Cindy Powers, and Bob Davis.
Above, Roger Sweeney had been inducted into the RHS Hall of Fame in 2012 and this tribute hangs on the wall near the entrance to the gym. Some had the honor to hang out with him for lunch and another tour of RHS back in 2010 - it was great - there's a post on this blog about it. Among others so honored are Walter Perdue and Andy's sister Lucia Cancelmo!
Above in the RHS gym l to r: Brian Alcock, Tad Shepperd, Leslie Pope, Sue Leahy, Bob Davis, ?, Bob Klatte, Arne Olsen, Keith Leackfeldt (Kathy Stella's husband), Kathy Stella, Cindy Powers, Cindy Leather and Nancy Sullivan.
Above in the RHS gym among the crowd are: Arne Olsen, Kathy Stella, Cindy Powers, June Keating, Gretchen Nienaber, Patty Murray, Cindy Leather, Nancy Sullivan, Shery Auger Shepperd, Errol Haznedar, John Wescott, Jeff Lockhart, Sue Yerger.
Above a tighter student courtyard. Crowd includes John Wescott, June Keating, Cindy Powers, Leslie Pope, Jeff Lockhart, Bob Davis, Bob Klatte, Paul Vinroot, Errol Haznedar, Arne Olsen, Nancy Sullivan and Tom O'Connor.
A plaque honoring Dave Vanderbush's tenure as RHS Athletic Director 1984-1999 - it hangs a few doors up from the student center.
The last stop on the tour - everyone remembering and looking forward to that evening!
More to come!!!!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Willy, Patty & Sal, Lots of Highlights at the 40th Reunion!
This is the first posting from the 40th reunion - more to come! There were a lot of highlights!
The RHS Class of 1973 40th reunion brought with it some really special moments - and these are just the ones I saw.
The reunion began on Friday evening - by 8pm the buzz was that Willy was in town! He's one of those guys that you can simply call "Willy" and everyone knows who you're talking about. Well Nepola had gone out to California on business. Willy (McKee) knew Tom would be out to California and surprised him by sitting in his seat on the flight back to NJ! So in walked Tom and Willy Friday night at Park West Tavern and that in itself added much to an already great reunion! Willy and Tom had gone to college out in California together - after college Tom came back and Willy stayed on the West Coast!
Another great one was Paul Atella and Scott Gutting walking into Park West wearing their letter jackets - and they still fit!
And of course Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari - very special - see the photos below! Getting the Glen School crowd together for a photo was great too (Greg Rehe and Ed Nalbantian worked it out so they could come and that was a highlight too!)
And Cindy Leather, Colleen McCarthy, Anita Simos and Wendy Douglas together again!
And the agelessness of our class - we have got to be the youngest looking 40th reunion crowd ever! I mean if you walked around Friday and Saturday nights you would have thought you took a step back in time! All the girls look as beautiful as they ever did! And the guys - well, Steve MacKay, Andy! 2013 called and wanted to know when you might join the rest of us!
And of course "Boots" Tim Campbell and "Pineapple" Brian McMurry - picking it up with those guys like it was yesterday! It was the best! Anybody have a picture of those guys?
Anyway, this is the first posting for the 40th - there will be more!
Above, photo by me of Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari at our senior prom 1973!
Above, photo by me of Sal Furnari and Patty Vanlenten at our graduation dinner party at the Fountainhead June 1973.
Above, one of RHS' great couples - Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari at our 40th reunion in October, 2013! I love this picture!
Above, l to r Frank Petrucci, Dan Bradley, Willy McKee and Tom Nepola at Park West on Friday Night of reunion weekend.
Above l to r Scott Gutting and Paul Atella walked into Park West with their letter jackets!
Above Rob Kiernan, Scott Gutting and Paul Atella. Hey where's your jacket Rob!?
Above, another highlight Tom O'Connor and Bob Davis embracing - together - after 23 years apart!! Seriously though, that's how the weekend went!
Above, a favorite photo of mine! L to r Cindy Leather, Colleen McCartthy, Anita Simos and Wendy Douglas! Thanks Anita!
The RHS Class of 1973 40th reunion brought with it some really special moments - and these are just the ones I saw.
The reunion began on Friday evening - by 8pm the buzz was that Willy was in town! He's one of those guys that you can simply call "Willy" and everyone knows who you're talking about. Well Nepola had gone out to California on business. Willy (McKee) knew Tom would be out to California and surprised him by sitting in his seat on the flight back to NJ! So in walked Tom and Willy Friday night at Park West Tavern and that in itself added much to an already great reunion! Willy and Tom had gone to college out in California together - after college Tom came back and Willy stayed on the West Coast!
Another great one was Paul Atella and Scott Gutting walking into Park West wearing their letter jackets - and they still fit!
And of course Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari - very special - see the photos below! Getting the Glen School crowd together for a photo was great too (Greg Rehe and Ed Nalbantian worked it out so they could come and that was a highlight too!)
And Cindy Leather, Colleen McCarthy, Anita Simos and Wendy Douglas together again!
And the agelessness of our class - we have got to be the youngest looking 40th reunion crowd ever! I mean if you walked around Friday and Saturday nights you would have thought you took a step back in time! All the girls look as beautiful as they ever did! And the guys - well, Steve MacKay, Andy! 2013 called and wanted to know when you might join the rest of us!
And of course "Boots" Tim Campbell and "Pineapple" Brian McMurry - picking it up with those guys like it was yesterday! It was the best! Anybody have a picture of those guys?
Anyway, this is the first posting for the 40th - there will be more!
Above, photo by me of Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari at our senior prom 1973!
Above, photo by me of Sal Furnari and Patty Vanlenten at our graduation dinner party at the Fountainhead June 1973.
Above, one of RHS' great couples - Patty Vanlenten and Sal Furnari at our 40th reunion in October, 2013! I love this picture!
Above, l to r Frank Petrucci, Dan Bradley, Willy McKee and Tom Nepola at Park West on Friday Night of reunion weekend.
Above l to r Scott Gutting and Paul Atella walked into Park West with their letter jackets!
Above Rob Kiernan, Scott Gutting and Paul Atella. Hey where's your jacket Rob!?
Above, another highlight Tom O'Connor and Bob Davis embracing - together - after 23 years apart!! Seriously though, that's how the weekend went!
Above, a favorite photo of mine! L to r Cindy Leather, Colleen McCartthy, Anita Simos and Wendy Douglas! Thanks Anita!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Will Be posting More About Our 40th Reunion - Lots of Photos, Highlights!
I will be posting more about our successful 40th reunion shortly. There were a lot of highlights, lots of photos and not enough time! There were special moments to be sure.
There's already talk of our next in 5 years instead of 10! I know Terri is enjoying sending out emails to everyone - its like withdrawl - she may continue with the trivia!
Anyway, we're already discussing the next one!
Look here shortly for more stories and photos!
Willard and Orchard we don't have any elementary school class photos of yours - we need photos!
Due to extenuating circumstances over the summer we just couldn't get the memory book done in time for the reunion so you've got plenty of time to get the questionnaire and photos in! The book will go out just after the holidays!
Just a reminder if you came to the reunion you will receive your book automatically. If you did not make it to the reunion you can still fill out the questionnaire, send photos, etc but the cost of the book is $15 (includes postage), You can mail to: Rick Flannery, 86 Lake Ave, Danbury CT 06810.
See you in a bit!
There's already talk of our next in 5 years instead of 10! I know Terri is enjoying sending out emails to everyone - its like withdrawl - she may continue with the trivia!
Anyway, we're already discussing the next one!
Look here shortly for more stories and photos!
Willard and Orchard we don't have any elementary school class photos of yours - we need photos!
Due to extenuating circumstances over the summer we just couldn't get the memory book done in time for the reunion so you've got plenty of time to get the questionnaire and photos in! The book will go out just after the holidays!
Just a reminder if you came to the reunion you will receive your book automatically. If you did not make it to the reunion you can still fill out the questionnaire, send photos, etc but the cost of the book is $15 (includes postage), You can mail to: Rick Flannery, 86 Lake Ave, Danbury CT 06810.
See you in a bit!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Did Anyone Get A Photo of Willie McKee and Tom Nepola Together at the Reunion?
The Willie story - how he came to be at the reunion was a highlight to be sure! Did anyone get a photograph of Willie and Tom Nepola together or Willie by himself? Not gonna make a big deal about it in a post but I sure would love a photo to post..............
Special Thanks To Cindy Leather and Paul Attella and An Appeal for More Vintage Photos!!
I am indebted to Paul Attella for giving me a wealth of great RHS football memorabilia including clippings, the banquet booklet (which is phenomenal by the way) and 7 out of the 8 football programs! I was so psyched to receive them! Paul if you see this you left a couple of other items in the hall which we found and saved - I will email you.
To Cindy Leather - thanks a million for the use of your high school clippings, the Booster booklet, memory book, invitation, your 2nd grade class photo, etc - I will take good care of them and get them back you just as you gave them to me.
Also I want to sincerely thank all that have recently sent some really great photos: Janice Casper, Glen Campbell (and for the Trollgate covers), Chris Stella, Dave Burdick, John Oshin, Patty Murray, Patti Crawford, Gayle Allard, Terri, John Wescott, Erica D'Elia, John Nairn, Luann Speechley, Willie McKee, Nancy Turner and Sue Nunno. I really hope I didn't forget anyone!
I am amassing a growing archive of ourselves and our time in school and Ridgewood.
If anyone has any class photos PLEASE try and scan them and send to me at cmadbase@yahoo.com.
Also looking for party photos (anybody have any photos from Kinne's basement parties?), field trips, prom, graduation, anything with school friends (any years), Halloween photos, school events, sports photos or just hanging out!
The most important thing is to preserve all of this great "stuff" and not let it get lost or discarded.
To Cindy Leather - thanks a million for the use of your high school clippings, the Booster booklet, memory book, invitation, your 2nd grade class photo, etc - I will take good care of them and get them back you just as you gave them to me.
Also I want to sincerely thank all that have recently sent some really great photos: Janice Casper, Glen Campbell (and for the Trollgate covers), Chris Stella, Dave Burdick, John Oshin, Patty Murray, Patti Crawford, Gayle Allard, Terri, John Wescott, Erica D'Elia, John Nairn, Luann Speechley, Willie McKee, Nancy Turner and Sue Nunno. I really hope I didn't forget anyone!
I am amassing a growing archive of ourselves and our time in school and Ridgewood.
If anyone has any class photos PLEASE try and scan them and send to me at cmadbase@yahoo.com.
Also looking for party photos (anybody have any photos from Kinne's basement parties?), field trips, prom, graduation, anything with school friends (any years), Halloween photos, school events, sports photos or just hanging out!
The most important thing is to preserve all of this great "stuff" and not let it get lost or discarded.
Memory Book and More Posts!
Wow - I must say that our 40th reunion was the best! We easily are one of the best RHS classes ever........I will be posting more items on here shortly - playing catch-up with life at the moment!
As far as the memory book goes - it is being done - we are putting it together. See below:
IF you went to the reunion you will be receiving it at no charge - we will make sure we have your address.
IF you did not go to the reunion we still want you to fill out the questionnaire and if you would like a book the cost is $15 postage included.
To be honest you'll have to allow a couple of months for it - things came up over the summer and September that simply temporarily shelved the book but I promise it will be done!
Thanks to all who came for making this reunion a really good time! Special thanks to Terri, Frank and John - it was a pleasure working you!
Reminder: if you took reunion photos please send to me or direct me to where I might access them and use them for the blog.
Thanks you guys!
As far as the memory book goes - it is being done - we are putting it together. See below:
IF you went to the reunion you will be receiving it at no charge - we will make sure we have your address.
IF you did not go to the reunion we still want you to fill out the questionnaire and if you would like a book the cost is $15 postage included.
To be honest you'll have to allow a couple of months for it - things came up over the summer and September that simply temporarily shelved the book but I promise it will be done!
Thanks to all who came for making this reunion a really good time! Special thanks to Terri, Frank and John - it was a pleasure working you!
Reminder: if you took reunion photos please send to me or direct me to where I might access them and use them for the blog.
Thanks you guys!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Mrs. LaPointe's 5th Grade Class Ridge School - From Chris Stella!
Chris Stella recently sent a couple of great photos. I promise I will get all the photos up but I'm leaving for Ridgewood in a couple of hours! So here's Mrs. LaPointe's 5th grade class at Ridge. Thanks for sending it Chris!
Chris is coming to the reunion!
Keep sending the class photos you guys - this is great stuff especially since there's a ton of classmates in each of them!
Remember to click on all photos to enlarge.
Chris is coming to the reunion!
Keep sending the class photos you guys - this is great stuff especially since there's a ton of classmates in each of them!
Remember to click on all photos to enlarge.
Marianne Sullivan and Steve Florence Send Their Best Wishes for the Reunion!
Marianne's daughter googled her mom and the Limbacher class photo came on the blog! She was trying to talk her mom into coming Saturday but Marianne has a prior engagement. I know we wish her all well and hope catch up with her!
Steve "Flo" Florence also sends his best wishes and hope we have fun Saturday night!
Here's Marianne's note:
"Hi Rick,
I hear from my daughter Meg that you have been filling her in on the reunion. She was really tickled to see the pictures of our class and of her mother on the internet! I'm sorry I won't be able to attend this weekend as my husband and I will be out of town...but for future reference...please keep me in the loop. I moved back to Ridgewood in 1991 and we purchased my parents house on S. Van Dien, so both my kids went thru Somerville, BF and RHS! I have come across some of our former classmates in town - one in particular - Artie Brierley - was in Dad's night at Somerville with my husband Mike - he came home and told me about this funny guy... I knew that Artie had passed a few years ago and I was very sad to hear about Bill Lauerman. A friend's daughter had surgery with him in Washington and we had a good laugh at the time looking thru the '73 yearbook!
All the best...hope you post lots of pictures - hope to catch up with you next time!
Marianne Sullivan Mertens"
Above Marianne at Somerville!
Poignant Memories of Bill Lauerman From A Good Friend...............
Rick,
My name is Jack Kirnan and many of my best friends were from the RHS Class of 1973. I went to Paramus Catholic (Class of 1973) and was best friends with Bill, Dan Bradley, Jeff Auger, Robbie Kiernan, and Brian Alcock.
I had tried to post this attached note regarding Bill but I couldn't get it to work. I was hoping you might be able to add it to your blog. Bill was really special and I would imagine that many of the sentiments I express in the attached note would be shared by many of Bill's classmates.
Thanks for your consideration and have a most wonderful time at the Reunion.
Sincerely,
Jack Kirnan
Paramus Catholic Class of 1973
My Friend Bill
Bill Lauerman was one of the smartest people I ever met and also one of the funniest too. I knew instantly that we would become great friends and we became really close during our high school years, playing basketball together, lifting weights, studying on weeknights at the Ridgewood Public Library, and then going to the movies on weekends and stuffing ourselves silly at the Suburban Diner on the way home. Bill used to drive his Dad's 1971 Buick Electra sedan, a real beauty in its day and probably another reason why I have had a lifetime love affair with cars. That car also took on a life of its own after Bill unfortunately had backed it into a tree one night, an incident that my good friend Brian Alcock's penned into a famous poem entitled "The Buick Burger".
What made our friendship so special is that Bill, like most of my good friends, went to Ridgewood High School while I went to nearby Paramus Catholic. Despite going to different schools, Bill always found the time for me and would even come to my basketball games at PC. So I had the best of all worlds growing up in Ridgewood, with two great sets of friends in two different high schools.
During our college years, our friendship grew even stronger as it was clear that we both had bigger goals to fulfill. I went off to Fordham University for my Ph.D in Economics and Bill went to Georgetown Medical School after excelling at Johns Hopkins as an undergraduate student. Robbie Kiernan, a best friend since our days as neighbors in the Ridgewood Lawns, was already working in Washington DC and I would go down to see both Rob and Bill for long weekends. Needless to say it was always a good time and you could tell even then that Bill was well on his way to fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a really successful orthopedic surgeon. Jean and I can fondly remember Bill coming to our own wedding and then having to take a ferry to see Bill and Cindy get married a couple of years after us and oh what a beautiful ceremony it was.
After graduating from Georgetown Medical School in 1982, Bill fulfilled his service obligation with the US Air Force working at a military hospital in Texas, rising to the rank of Major before his discharge. As the years went by, I would often run into Bill and his own family during the Thanksgiving Holiday when my Mom used to take our kids up and down East Ridgewood Avenue and of course that annual visit to Santa's house in Ridgewood Park.
Life had a way of moving all too fast for all of us during the 1990s and the 2000s but Bill and I would talk on the phone every now and then and we always exchanged Christmas cards and notes over the years. Knowing that I worked for many years in the financial district around the WTC, I can distinctly remember how touched I was that Bill had gone out of his way to call me on 9/11 just to make sure I was ok, something that to this day always chokes me up when I think about it. The last time I actually saw Bill was in 2010 at Mt Carmel Church in Ridgewood after a memorial service for his Mom. By then, Bill was one of the most prominent spinal surgeons in Washington as well as a teaching fellow at the Georgetown Medical School where he also served as the Dean of Admissions.
Last April, Bill had called me after I emailed him and some other close friends informing them about Brian's prostate cancer and to ask for their prayers. It was a great conversation as all of my conversations with Bill were over the years. Bill was anxious to talk to Brian, having been a prostate cancer survivor himself some 10 years earlier and I know Brian really appreciated all of Bill's timely and helpful advice. We then talked about our families and you could tell how proud Bill was of his kids Kevin and Katie. We ended our conversation as we always did--telling each other to give our best to each other's families and expressing the hope that we could get together real soon perhaps later in the year. I remember being so happy after that call, not realizing that it would be the last time I would hear Bill's comforting voice and his incredible sense of humor.
Needless to say, I was shocked and saddened when I heard of Bill's passing last month. What made it even worse was that I found out without having the chance to say a final goodbye to Bill or the opportunity to express my condolences to Cindy, Katie, Kevin, and Bill's three siblings (Kathy, Coleen, and Steve). No opportunity to tell him one more time how much his friendship had meant to me or the incredible memories I have of him -- of working together as sophomores in high school at the old Kentucky Fried Chicken/Genos Hamburgers on Rt. 17 and walking into work one day dressed up as greasers with slicked back hair; or of hitchhiking down to Avalon, NJ in August of 1972 to see Willie McKee and then getting picked up in a van full of hippies on the Garden State Parkway -- boy was that fun; or of going to see the Woody Allen classic "Annie Hall" so many times in 1977 that we could perfectly recite virtually every key line from that movie.
A couple of weeks ago I was able to contact Bill's sister Kathy to express my condolences. It was a most poignant conversation, one filled with lots of tears and much sadness. Kathy had shared with me how unexpected and untimely Bill's passing had been for everyone in his family and to the many colleagues and students who just adored Bill and the incredible contributions he had made to so many people over the years. I told Kathy how much all of us who had grown up with Bill had loved him so much and how we wish we could be there for her and Bill's family. Kathy then mentioned that there will be a Memorial service celebrating Bill's life on Monday, October 28th at Georgetown University Hospital from 5-7pm in the Gorman Auditorium, an event that Jean and I look forward to attending.
Bill's memory and spirit will surely be alive at your Reunion this weekend, something Bill had been planning to attend. Bill was an incredible father and husband, a trusted and loyal friend and a gifted surgeon who had a lifetime passion to make his patients lives better in every way he could. For me, Bill will always be a very special person to a bunch of young boys who grew up together a long, long time ago in a special place called Ridgewood. They went to school together, they spent summers swimming and playing pickup basketball at Graydon Pool, they played dunk ball at the old Somerville courts, they enjoyed many nights carousing at the old Espositos Bar and Grill, and they loved grabbing a cheeseburger at the Fireplace or the old Barn in Wyckoff; These guys always found a way to stay in touch all through college and graduate school; they took trips together, they celebrated weddings with loved ones; and they found the time to share in the joy and magic that children bring to all of our lives. There is no doubt that each of our lives were so much better and so much richer because of Bill.
Nothing ever prepares you for the finality marked by a close friend's passing, that point in time when someone who is really special in your life leaves us so unexpectedly and where we don't get the chance to say just one more time how much we loved them and how lucky we were to have them in our life. No one really knows whether our most recent time together is really our last time together or whether the most recent phone call or text message from a loved one is that final opportunity to connect. In the days and months ahead, I hope Cindy, Katie, and Kevin can take comfort in knowing how really special Bill was to all of us and oh how much he was loved! RIP Bill--we will miss you and we will never forget you and the joy you gave to all of us along the way.
Warmest regards,
Jack Kirnan
My name is Jack Kirnan and many of my best friends were from the RHS Class of 1973. I went to Paramus Catholic (Class of 1973) and was best friends with Bill, Dan Bradley, Jeff Auger, Robbie Kiernan, and Brian Alcock.
I had tried to post this attached note regarding Bill but I couldn't get it to work. I was hoping you might be able to add it to your blog. Bill was really special and I would imagine that many of the sentiments I express in the attached note would be shared by many of Bill's classmates.
Thanks for your consideration and have a most wonderful time at the Reunion.
Sincerely,
Jack Kirnan
Paramus Catholic Class of 1973
My Friend Bill
Bill Lauerman was one of the smartest people I ever met and also one of the funniest too. I knew instantly that we would become great friends and we became really close during our high school years, playing basketball together, lifting weights, studying on weeknights at the Ridgewood Public Library, and then going to the movies on weekends and stuffing ourselves silly at the Suburban Diner on the way home. Bill used to drive his Dad's 1971 Buick Electra sedan, a real beauty in its day and probably another reason why I have had a lifetime love affair with cars. That car also took on a life of its own after Bill unfortunately had backed it into a tree one night, an incident that my good friend Brian Alcock's penned into a famous poem entitled "The Buick Burger".
What made our friendship so special is that Bill, like most of my good friends, went to Ridgewood High School while I went to nearby Paramus Catholic. Despite going to different schools, Bill always found the time for me and would even come to my basketball games at PC. So I had the best of all worlds growing up in Ridgewood, with two great sets of friends in two different high schools.
During our college years, our friendship grew even stronger as it was clear that we both had bigger goals to fulfill. I went off to Fordham University for my Ph.D in Economics and Bill went to Georgetown Medical School after excelling at Johns Hopkins as an undergraduate student. Robbie Kiernan, a best friend since our days as neighbors in the Ridgewood Lawns, was already working in Washington DC and I would go down to see both Rob and Bill for long weekends. Needless to say it was always a good time and you could tell even then that Bill was well on his way to fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a really successful orthopedic surgeon. Jean and I can fondly remember Bill coming to our own wedding and then having to take a ferry to see Bill and Cindy get married a couple of years after us and oh what a beautiful ceremony it was.
After graduating from Georgetown Medical School in 1982, Bill fulfilled his service obligation with the US Air Force working at a military hospital in Texas, rising to the rank of Major before his discharge. As the years went by, I would often run into Bill and his own family during the Thanksgiving Holiday when my Mom used to take our kids up and down East Ridgewood Avenue and of course that annual visit to Santa's house in Ridgewood Park.
Life had a way of moving all too fast for all of us during the 1990s and the 2000s but Bill and I would talk on the phone every now and then and we always exchanged Christmas cards and notes over the years. Knowing that I worked for many years in the financial district around the WTC, I can distinctly remember how touched I was that Bill had gone out of his way to call me on 9/11 just to make sure I was ok, something that to this day always chokes me up when I think about it. The last time I actually saw Bill was in 2010 at Mt Carmel Church in Ridgewood after a memorial service for his Mom. By then, Bill was one of the most prominent spinal surgeons in Washington as well as a teaching fellow at the Georgetown Medical School where he also served as the Dean of Admissions.
Last April, Bill had called me after I emailed him and some other close friends informing them about Brian's prostate cancer and to ask for their prayers. It was a great conversation as all of my conversations with Bill were over the years. Bill was anxious to talk to Brian, having been a prostate cancer survivor himself some 10 years earlier and I know Brian really appreciated all of Bill's timely and helpful advice. We then talked about our families and you could tell how proud Bill was of his kids Kevin and Katie. We ended our conversation as we always did--telling each other to give our best to each other's families and expressing the hope that we could get together real soon perhaps later in the year. I remember being so happy after that call, not realizing that it would be the last time I would hear Bill's comforting voice and his incredible sense of humor.
Needless to say, I was shocked and saddened when I heard of Bill's passing last month. What made it even worse was that I found out without having the chance to say a final goodbye to Bill or the opportunity to express my condolences to Cindy, Katie, Kevin, and Bill's three siblings (Kathy, Coleen, and Steve). No opportunity to tell him one more time how much his friendship had meant to me or the incredible memories I have of him -- of working together as sophomores in high school at the old Kentucky Fried Chicken/Genos Hamburgers on Rt. 17 and walking into work one day dressed up as greasers with slicked back hair; or of hitchhiking down to Avalon, NJ in August of 1972 to see Willie McKee and then getting picked up in a van full of hippies on the Garden State Parkway -- boy was that fun; or of going to see the Woody Allen classic "Annie Hall" so many times in 1977 that we could perfectly recite virtually every key line from that movie.
A couple of weeks ago I was able to contact Bill's sister Kathy to express my condolences. It was a most poignant conversation, one filled with lots of tears and much sadness. Kathy had shared with me how unexpected and untimely Bill's passing had been for everyone in his family and to the many colleagues and students who just adored Bill and the incredible contributions he had made to so many people over the years. I told Kathy how much all of us who had grown up with Bill had loved him so much and how we wish we could be there for her and Bill's family. Kathy then mentioned that there will be a Memorial service celebrating Bill's life on Monday, October 28th at Georgetown University Hospital from 5-7pm in the Gorman Auditorium, an event that Jean and I look forward to attending.
Bill's memory and spirit will surely be alive at your Reunion this weekend, something Bill had been planning to attend. Bill was an incredible father and husband, a trusted and loyal friend and a gifted surgeon who had a lifetime passion to make his patients lives better in every way he could. For me, Bill will always be a very special person to a bunch of young boys who grew up together a long, long time ago in a special place called Ridgewood. They went to school together, they spent summers swimming and playing pickup basketball at Graydon Pool, they played dunk ball at the old Somerville courts, they enjoyed many nights carousing at the old Espositos Bar and Grill, and they loved grabbing a cheeseburger at the Fireplace or the old Barn in Wyckoff; These guys always found a way to stay in touch all through college and graduate school; they took trips together, they celebrated weddings with loved ones; and they found the time to share in the joy and magic that children bring to all of our lives. There is no doubt that each of our lives were so much better and so much richer because of Bill.
Nothing ever prepares you for the finality marked by a close friend's passing, that point in time when someone who is really special in your life leaves us so unexpectedly and where we don't get the chance to say just one more time how much we loved them and how lucky we were to have them in our life. No one really knows whether our most recent time together is really our last time together or whether the most recent phone call or text message from a loved one is that final opportunity to connect. In the days and months ahead, I hope Cindy, Katie, and Kevin can take comfort in knowing how really special Bill was to all of us and oh how much he was loved! RIP Bill--we will miss you and we will never forget you and the joy you gave to all of us along the way.
Warmest regards,
Jack Kirnan
Ed Nalbantian and President Obama - Sent by Glen Campbell!
Now I know why its so hard to get hold of Ed Nalbantian! Here's a great photo of Ed with President Obama in 2008! Thanks for sending it Glen!
Nancy Turner Wishes She Was joining Us This Weekend!
Nancy Turner expressed her disappointment that she could not attend this weekend's reunion but sent along this photo from the Allendale Bar & Grill 1975!
She specifically asked me
"Rick,
Sorry I won't be at the reunion. We are off to our daughters homecoming at Baylor in Texas. Hi to all. Please mention to people in these photos I am missing them all!"
Click on photo to enlarge.
In the photo are Rob Kiernan, Mary Humrich, Paul Albus and Roy Zabriskie among others.
She specifically asked me
"Rick,
Sorry I won't be at the reunion. We are off to our daughters homecoming at Baylor in Texas. Hi to all. Please mention to people in these photos I am missing them all!"
Click on photo to enlarge.
In the photo are Rob Kiernan, Mary Humrich, Paul Albus and Roy Zabriskie among others.
Gary Clevenger Checking In!
Gary Cleveneger just sent a note and I will copy here for everyone - he wishes he could make the reunion!
Gary:
"I was the youngest of four brothers who went through RHS. I was mostly quiet and studied BUT my older brothers Wayne and John were sorta known for being troublemakers. I remember my senior year, (Vice) Principal McCutcheon stopping me in the hall near the front office and saying: “Thank God you are the last Clevenger brother going through this school”. He then walked off as if some burden had been lifted off him forever! RHS was a life experience for sure to everyone in their own way. May we all remember Jack Thompson who was a great friend and passed a few years back. Have a great time RHS at the 40th reunion. Sorry to miss it."
Gary:
"I was the youngest of four brothers who went through RHS. I was mostly quiet and studied BUT my older brothers Wayne and John were sorta known for being troublemakers. I remember my senior year, (Vice) Principal McCutcheon stopping me in the hall near the front office and saying: “Thank God you are the last Clevenger brother going through this school”. He then walked off as if some burden had been lifted off him forever! RHS was a life experience for sure to everyone in their own way. May we all remember Jack Thompson who was a great friend and passed a few years back. Have a great time RHS at the 40th reunion. Sorry to miss it."
Pete Offringa's 2nd Grade Class at Travell - Mrs. Reamer!
Here's a great one sent by Pete and Janice Offringa! This is Pete's 2nd grade class at Travell. His teacher was Mrs. Reamer. A side note - Mrs. Reamer's son was RHS teacher and football coach James Reamer!
Thanks for sending it Janice and Pete!
Please click to enlarge!
Thanks for sending it Janice and Pete!
Please click to enlarge!
In Memoriam - Keep These Classmates In Your Hearts............
As our lives move on and the years go by - sadly, we lose some of our friends and classmates. For me, losing Artie Brierley at the height of our reconnecting as friends was very hard - and so it is with our classmates - some we knew well, some were simply our classmates with that very familiar name but the passing of each makes us stop, pause and remember and maybe wish we knew them a little better.
As this was being put together, we lost another dear classmate and friend - Bill Lauerman. Bill and Brian Alcock had been planning a golf outing on reunion weekend and Bill was looking forward to seeing everyone. He passed away a couple of weeks ago. We also lost Jill Osborne and Brian Taylor recently.
So as we are about to get together for our 40th class reunion, here we honor these 29 classmates and friends - keep them in your thoughts and celebrate their lives!
John Wescott will take a moment this Saturday evening to toast each one of these classmates so please try to be in the dining room at approximately 10pm to raise a glass.
.jpg)
As this was being put together, we lost another dear classmate and friend - Bill Lauerman. Bill and Brian Alcock had been planning a golf outing on reunion weekend and Bill was looking forward to seeing everyone. He passed away a couple of weeks ago. We also lost Jill Osborne and Brian Taylor recently.
So as we are about to get together for our 40th class reunion, here we honor these 29 classmates and friends - keep them in your thoughts and celebrate their lives!
John Wescott will take a moment this Saturday evening to toast each one of these classmates so please try to be in the dining room at approximately 10pm to raise a glass.
.jpg)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)