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.

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!

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!!!!

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!