I have
enjoyed reading the bio's of our classmates, many of whom I remember
well. It has been quite enriching and enlightening to read the journeys
that we have been on. Here is my contribution:
For those who may not remember me, I was the
chemistry and biology lab assistant, was in the concert chorus as a tenor,
sang in 'Camelot' and 'My Fair Lady', and was in the Spanish Club. I was
a real geek.
After graduation, I went to Wake Forest
University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where I met my first wife
(you know where this is going), and majored in chemistry. during the
summers I had a part-time job at NIH in Bethesda, and in a local
hospital. Because of these experiences I
decided to go on to medical school.
I attended Bowman Gray School of
Medicine in Winston-Salem, stayed for a residency in general surgery, and
opened a solo practice in Statesville, North Carolina. Medical school
and residency are very hard on a relationship, and I ended up divorced.
We had one daughter who still lives in Statesville.
God then led me to the love of my live, Paula, who
was a nurse and now is a nurse anesthetist. We have been married happily
for almost 23 years, and have twin sons who are 17 and are in the process
of applying to college. My practice is now in Kinston, North Carolina,
in the eastern part of the state.
We enjoy camping and going to the beach, and are
very active in our church. We have been on several mission trips
(individually and together) to Russia and Ecuador.
Our sons are active in sports, and are on the
varsity football team as featured running backs, kickoff and punt return
specialists, and linebackers. Their team has qualified for the playoffs,
and we will be playing in the state semi-finals (hopefully) on Friday November
3. We are very excited about this, although it means I will not be
able to make the reunion on Saturday.
It has been clear from reading the bio's, and from
my own experience, that your relationship to God and your family is much
more important than your job or really anything that the world has to
offer. It is not what you have done but who your are that counts.
I pray that you will find peace with Him through Jesus Christ.
I have great memories of Walter Johnson, and
especially the people who were in my home room with Mr. Miers, and in the
concert chorus. I would love to correspond with any of you who want
to write to my email address, and you would be welcomed here at any time.
Best wishes for the reunion, and I hope to read
more bio's.
Wayne Jarman
dr wayne t jarman
EarthLink Revolves Around You.
................
Bio from: Laura Jean Jones
is a researcher,
writer, and photographer who specializes in health and the environment. She is
equally interested in Canadian life (social and political), and enjoys writing
about travel.
Early Years
After living in West Virginia, Ohio, North
Carolina, and Washington, D.C., Laura married photographer John Phillips and
moved to Toronto. For the next thirteen years, they owned and managed the
Baldwin Street Gallery of Photography, which was a gallery, a workshop, and a
small bookstore.
MAJOR INVOLVEMENT
Laura has been very involved in public service,
both as a volunteer and as part of her career as a researcher, writer and
photographer.
Her work has been recognized in publications,
exhibitions and awards. Laura Jones photographed three children's books, was a
participant as a photographer in the Art Gallery of Ontario's "Artist with
their Work Programme and included in collections such as the (former) National
Film Board Still Photography Division.
Laura has also consulted and written
extensively on the topics of occupational and environmental health. Her research
has been used in articles, speeches and reports for city and provincial
politicians, government agencies, environmental groups, and community health
centres.
In recognition of "significant
contribution to compatriots, community and to Canada", Laura was awarded
the Commemorative Medal for the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada
Although in January 2005, Laura completed her
term as co-chair of the South Riverdale Environmental Liaison Committee, she
remains actively involved. The committee was founded in 1982 to focus on the
problem of high levels of lead in the blood of neighborhood children. The
mandate expanded to include other health, environmental, and development issues.
Participants include representatives of all three levels of government, local
industries, health agencies and community groups.
In 2003, Laura was appointed by Toronto City
Council to fill a vacant seat (Toronto-Danforth). As a councilor, she served as
the Sustainability Advocate for the City of Toronto and Chair of the
"Sustainable Roundtable".
From 2001 -2003
Jones was a research consultant to the Riverdale Immigrant Women's Centre. In
this capacity she wrote four reports, including an environmental scan; a model
for a Parent Child Resource Centre; a catalogue of services for parents; and a
needs assessment focusing on South Asian women.
From 1987-1990, Laura served as the Community
Information Officer on the Getting the Lead out Soil Replacement/Lead Reduction
Project. She also served on the strategy committee to develop protocols for the
largest clean-up of lead contamination in Canada, and visited over 1000 homes to
gain cooperation, resulting in a 97% success rate.
http://www.laurajones.ca
416-461-5667
...................................
From
Allan Kaufman....Attended Earlham College (small Quaker college in Richmond, Indiana) with a
double major in Biology and Chemistry 1966-1970. Got married to a Hoosier
classmate my senior year. If I could do it over again I would go to Earlham,
but not get married so young (what a mistake).
Attended Univ of Maryland for medical school 1970-1974 (Baltimore campus).
I enjoyed med school & Baltimore a lot (even though the inner harbor had
not yet been rebuilt). Had my first daughter along the way. Med school was
rough on the marriage.
Spent 1974-1978 in Ann Arbor, MI doing a Diagnostic Radiology residency and
Interventional Radiology Fellowship. My son was born in Ann Arbor. Living in
Ann Arbor was great & I became an avid Wolverine/big ten fan.
July, 1978 we moved to Toledo, OH where I joined Toledo Radiological
Associates as an interventional radiologist. I'm still a partner at TRA.
I love my work and the people a work with are great. 1981 we got
divorced. 1983 I remarried (another mistake). 1986 my second daughter was
born. Around this time I started to listen to Jazz, collect Jazz CDs (CDs were
just invented), and go to jazz concerts/clubs, and enjoy audiophile stereo
systems. Of course Toledo had almost no jazz on the radio & Detroit
radio stations were not always strong enough. But now we have satellite radio
and I'm in "jazz heaven". My CD collection is around 10,000
(my storage space has max'd out). I have kept my season football tickets and
season basketball tickets for U of Michigan (only a 45 min drive to Ann
Arbor). Unfortunately, my second wife did not like jazz, did not like
football or bball, and did not like me. The marriage ended in 2001 (another
ugly divorce). After 2 failed marriages I became an avid reader (putting
radiology journals aside). I mostly enjoy mystery novels and read 1-2 per
week.
June, 2006 I married again (third time is the charm). Kim (my wife) is an RN,
she loves jazz, loves jazz concerts, loves wolverine sports, loves reading and
she loves me. She has 2 kids (nine & ten) from her first marriage. We
recently moved across "the border" and now live in Michigan (where
my heart belongs). All of my Buckeye "friends" are glad to see me
leave Ohio (of course I still work in Toledo). I am Director of Interventional
Radiology at Toledo Hospital and Vice-Chairman of he Dept of Radiology
(TRA web site http://www.toledoxray.com/).
My daughter Lisa lives in Scottsdale AZ, son Josh lives in San Diego, and my
daughter Amanda lives with her mother in Ohio and attends the U of Toledo
(pre-law). Kim and I are going on a JAZZ CRUISE in November,
2006. Unfortunately, it's the same week as the class reunion.
.............................................................
Bio from
Joy Keith ....married name Wright email
joydonwright@adelphia.net
I've really enjoyed reading all the bio's. I do have to admit that I remember only a few but, as someone else has
said, I keep the yearbook in my lap for reference!
·
Went off to the
University
of
Maryland
in fall of '66 not knowing what I wanted to do but everyone else was going.
I had a lot of fun but did not do much studying so after about a year, I
left and then really didn't know what I wanted to do so I attended a business
school.
·
Married Jim Krause (class of '64) in 1973 and had a daughter,
Jennifer, who is 27 and she has a 4-year old son. It is great being a grandparent.
Jim
was with the
US
Marshal Service, Department of Justice, so we moved around mostly in the
southeast--one time back to MD and lived on the eastern shore (which was great!)
·
Then moved to St. Simons Island, GA, for a transfer to the
Federal
Law
Enforcement
Training
Center
in
Brunswick
,
GA.
·
Jim and I divorced in 1997 after 24 years!
·
During those times, I worked mostly coordinating classes for
continuing education at several community colleges.
·
Now I have my
Georgia
real estate license and am using it to manage property and soon to list and
sell property.
·
Remarried in 2004 to Don Wright who is also in commercial real
estate.
Joy Keith Wright,
119 Harrison Pointe Dr
., St. Simons
Island
,
GA
31522
....................................
Info. from: Linda
Kenny email lindak@cybermesa.com
Sincerely,
Linda Kenny,
Santa Fe, New Mexico, (505) 438-3229
.....................................
Bio. from:
Gail
Kiesel
...married name Feeney email GEFeeney@aol.com
I have so enjoyed reading everyone's bio and although mine is plain, here
goes.
After WJ, where I knew alot of people but
didn't really know anyone, I went to the
University of Maryland. I graduated in 1970 with a degree in
Mathematics. I had worked all my summers during college for NIH and went
there (in a different department) in 1970 - National Institutes of Neurological
Disease and Stroke. Got married in 1971 to a New Yorker and have been in
Rye, New York ever since. Rye is on Long Island Sound about 45 minutes
outside the city, just below Greenwich, CT.
I worked for 3 years as an Institutional Trader with Lehman Brothers downtown
at 1 William Street. A lot of fun, but bad for the liver.
Left work when I had our first child, Elizabeth, who is now 31 and a corporate
lawyer with Pryor, Cashman, Sherman and Flynn in NYC. Stewart is 29, BC
undergraduate, and just got his Masters from NYU in Sports Business.
Christopher, 26, Quinnipiac undergraduate now working in advertising in NYC.
Jacqueline, 18 just started Bucknell where she is playing Div. 1 Volleyball.
With these four I have been on every field, court or venue in
Westchester County - field hockey (State champs), football (State champs),
Basketball (boys & girls - State Title run), Soccer (undefeated nationally
ranked), Lacrosse, Volleyball, and Track and Field.
I have been a real estate broker for 27 years here in Rye and have enjoyed the
field very much. Probably should have been an engineer or architect with
the mathematics but actually would really like to be an antique dealer.
I am just about to sell the house in Kensington in which I grew up so I have
been getting down to MD quite alot. I knew about the "Wildcat"
mascot thing from several years ago ...just does not feel right - bring back
Mighty Moo!!!
I will be at the reunion and look forward to seeing faces I know I will
remember and names that I don't have any shot at recalling. See you in
November...
.....................................
Here is
a short bio for
Dana
Leigh Kletzker (Alejalil)
Hi Tom, My maiden name was
Kletzker. My address is 1779 N. Rio Yaqui, Green Valley, AZ 85614.
I taught school at Takoma Park Middle School, in Maryland, for eleven years
and then I moved to Arizona. I taught at Rio Rico High School until 2007
when I retired. I subbed for a year but my mom's health took a turn for
the worse so I stayed home and took care of her until her death this last
March. I now take care of my 3 horses, dog and 2 cats. I
volunteer at the local no kill Animal League and when the heat is no longer a
factor I'll volunteer a local horse rescue.
I'd send you a picture but my attachment expertise is too limited.
Sorry. When I hear from you via snail mail I'll send a picture.
Glad I finally got you. I notice that your email is not yahoo
email
danaalejalil@q.com
..........................................
Here is
a short bio for
Steven
Jay Krensky:
I
went to work for my father in the Family Business, Country Squire Cleaners,
after graduation from WJHS while attending classes at
Montgomery
College
.
In 1969, I married my first wife, Dianne, and promptly enlisted into
the United States Navy. I served
for four years in
Pensacola
,
Florida
, as a Safely Officer,
packing parachutes for the Blue Angels among other responsibilities.
During our Navy years, Dianne and I had two children, Benjamin and Sarah, who
are now 36 and 33, respectively. After the Navy, I went back to college
and graduated from the
University
of
Maryland
with a major in Business.
I also returned to work in the Family Business and have, save for a few
short time outs for other endeavors, spent my working career at Country Squire
Cleaners, a business that I now own and operate. Dianne
and I were divorced in 1984; we have both remarried and have remained
friendly, sharing many family milestones over the years. In 1985, I
married my second wife, Linda, who came to the marriage with my three step
children, Kimberly, Adina, and Justin. Linda and I have a child
together, Zachary, born in 1987, which gave us an even half dozen children
between us, three girls and three boys. Linda completed her
undergraduate degree at
American
University
and her graduate degree at
Johns
Hopkins
University
during the early years of
our marriage. This year we
celebrated Zachary’s graduation from The Bullis School and his matriculation
into the
University
of
North Carolina
in
Greensboro
. Our son, Ben, earned
a Master’s from
Johns
Hopkins
University
and is a teacher at
Pyle
Middle School
in
Bethesda
; his wife, Kathy, has a
Ph.D. from the
University
of
Pennsylvania
and works in research at
N.I.H. Ben and Kathy have given us three little granddaughters, Ava, who
is five and two year old twins, Natalie and Chloe.
Our daughter, Sarah, who graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago,
is married and lives with her husband in
Berkley Springs
,
West Virginia
.
Sarah is our artist and is a phenomenal photographer.
Our daughter, Kimberly, a graduate of
Guildford
College
, lives in
Venice Beach
,
California
, and works in the legal
field for Trial Behavior Consultants. Daughter
Adina, a graduate of
James
Madison
University
, and her fiancé live in
Arlington
and both work for The Rand
Construction Company. Justin
graduated from the
University
of
Maryland
, is a teacher at
Northwood
High School
and is working on a
Master’s Degree in Education. I
think that accounts for everybody! In
case anyone is keeping track, that adds up to 7 undergraduate degrees with the
eighth one in progress, two master’s degree with a third one in progress,
and one Ph.D. That’s a lot of
tuitions! And that is not even
taking into account four private school educations!
I have always loved art and have been collecting original pieces for
many years. In the spring of 2004,
Linda and I opened Light Street Gallery (www.lightstreetgallery.com)
in
Baltimore
,
Maryland
.
Linda runs the gallery day to day and enjoys all the aspects of working
with the artists and the many people who love art.
We represent quite a number of supremely talented artists, some
are well known and some are emerging artists.
Now that we are empty nested, we are enjoying the freedom of being just
a couple. We still miss all
those years of chaos and activity during the years the children were growing
up – but only once in a while!
Steven
Jay Krensky
......................................
Bio from Gail Kiesel
(Feeney)....I have so enjoyed reading everyone's bio and
although mine is plain, here goes.
After WJ, where I knew alot of people but
didn't really know anyone, I went to the
University of Maryland. I graduated in 1970 with a degree in
Mathematics. I had worked all my summers during college for NIH and went
there (in a different department) in 1970 - National Institutues of Neurological
Disease and Stroke. Got married in 1971 to a New Yorker and have been in
Rye, New York ever since. Rye is on Long Island Sound about 45 minutes
outside the city, just below Greenwich, CT.
I worked for 3 years as an Institutional Trader with Lehman Brothers downtown
at 1 William Street. A lot of fun, but bad for the liver.
Left work when I had our first child, Elizabeth, who is now 31 and a corporate
lawyer with Pryor, Cashman, Sherman and Flynn in NYC. Stewart is 29, BC
undergraduate, and just got his Masters from NYU in Sports Business.
Christopher, 26, Quinnipiac undergraduate now working in advertising in NYC.
Jacqueline, 18 just started Bucknell where she is playing Div. 1 Volleyball.
With these four I have been on every field, court or venue in
Westchester County - field hockey (State champs), football (State champs),
Basketball (boys & girls - State Title run), Soccer (undefeated nationally
ranked), Lacrosse, Volleyball, and Track and Field.
I have been a real estate broker for 27 years here in Rye and have enjoyed the
field very much. Probably should have been an engineer or architect with
the mathematics but actually would really like to be an antique dealer.
I am just about to sell the house in Kensington in which I grew up so I have
been getting down to MD quite alot. I knew about the "Wildcat"
mascot thing from several years ago ...just does not feel right - bring back
Mighty Moo!!!
I will be at the reunion and look forward to seeing faces I know I will
remember and names that I don't have any shot at recalling. See you in
November...email
GEFeeney@aol.com [mailto:GEFeeney@aol.com]
................................
After graduating from WJ, I went to work as an engineering
aide with the Montgomery County Highway Engineering Department, testing
materials in the lab and testing construction procedures in the field.
After about a year, I received my draft notice, so to be contrary I joined the
Marines. I did one tour in Vietnam from 1968-69, mostly doing squad
patrols and manning forward observation posts. It was interesting work,
but I decided not to make it a career. I crossed paths with Kenny
Braitman (WJ '65), who was seriously wounded but survived.
After getting out of the Marines, I attended the University
of Maryland on a combined arts-law program, which allowed me to complete both
undergraduate school and law school in 6 years. While on the College
Park campus, I ran into Kenny Braitman again, who thankfully had fully
recovered from his wounds.
Throughout college and law school, I worked for Blalock
Cycle in Wheaton as a motorcycle mechanic and for Corson and Grumman
Construction as a ditch-digger. More interesting work, but these
experiences were my motivation to stay in school. While still in
undergraduate school, I met Monica. We were married just before I
started law school, so we were able to embark together on a life of poverty.
Despite the inauspicious start, Monica and I are still together after 34
years. (She gets most of the credit.) At our wedding, my groomsmen
included Doug Day (WJ '67) and Paul Day (WJ '66, now deceased). Also in
attendance were Rod Suarez (WJ '66) and Jim Jailer (WJ '67).
After law school, I went to work for the State's Attorney's
Office for Prince George's County, MD. I spent the next 12 years
prosecuting a variety of cases, from speeding to multiple homicides.
During those years, I encountered Mike Burrows (WJ '66), who was a witness in
a traffic case, and Dave Cross (WJ '66), who often appeared as defense
counsel. Finally, after 6 terms in office, my boss lost an election, so
I had to find another job.
I found a job with the Naval Sea Systems Command,
where I worked in labor and claims litigation and in the acquisition of
submarine combat systems and surface ship defense systems. After 10
years there, I transferred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, where
I am the general counsel. I "specialize" in criminal law,
military justice, national security law, and cyber law. Maybe you have
seen the TV show "NCIS," in which Mark Harmon depicts the exploits
of one of our more colorful agents. So far, no lawyer episodes though.
I have been with NCIS for 10 years, and don't plan to move unless I find
something more fun.
Monica and I have 2 girls. Laura is 28, majored in
math at West Point, did her 5-year payback tour in the Army with her
husband-classmate, and currently works as a senior analyst for Booz Allen
Hamilton at the National Security Agency. Amy is 25, graduated from
Towson University, and works for NCIS as an intelligence analyst in the
Multiple Threat Alert Center. She is currently on a 1-year sabbatical
earning her MS in strategic intelligence at the Joint Military Intelligence
College. Amy has the additional distinction of having been baptized by
Father Mike Wilson (WJ '66), who was our parish priest at the time.
Monica and I am looking forward to seeing as many of my old
classmates as possible at the reunion! See you then!
Norm
...............................
Nancy
Kolb ...married name Slovikosky Bio
Upon
graduation I attended
Montgomery
College
with a major toward elementary education. I met my future husband, John, who
was also attending there through a blind date arranged by Bill Edwards
(class of '66). We were married in November of 1967 and Bill was best man at
our wedding.
I
worked for the C & P Telephone Company for three years. We had two sons,
Bret in September of 1970 and Bary in January of 1974. I was fortunate to be
able to be a stay at home mom until they were both in school full time.
We
lived in Silver Spring, Poolesville and then in July of 1978 we moved to
Frederick
which is where we still reside. In August of 1980, after a year of
substitute teaching, I took a full-time job with the
Frederick
County
Public School
system. I worked with them for 25 years until my unfortunate disability
retirement in January 2006.
I
am the proud grandmother, known as "Mom Mom", to three
granddaughters ages 4 and twins age 2. My husband works at NIH in
Bethesda
and commutes up and down 270 each day. He is fortunate that our one son, who
also works at NIH, lives close enough that they can carpool together thus
they can use the "HOV lane". Our other son works too for the government but he commutes from his
home in
Carroll County
,
MD
to
Baltimore
daily. It is nice having my family close as we see each other often and I am
able to watch my granddaughters grow up.
I
feel very blessed to have a loving husband of 39 years who took his marriage
vows very seriously, two wonderful sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law and 3
beautiful granddaughters. Life has been good.
................................................
Bio from
Karen
Kreshover.....married Davis email KAREN.DAVIS@LongandFoster.com
First
of all, let me say "thank you" to Norris and all the rest who have
obviously worked so hard on pulling together this amazing reunion effort.
It seems as though the responses are accelerating and I am determined to try
to do what had seemed like sheer folly....put the last 40 years into an
email! I've sat at my computer for the past few weeks and essentially seen
the past four decades through the eyes of people I can only recall as
"teenagers". What a strange experience. Yes, we all actually
grew up! Not that any of us can really put our arms around the fact
that we are keying in all too quickly on 60 years of age.
So,
as the rest have done....here's a synopsis of my last 40 years:
After high school graduation, I had every intention of continuing
pursuit of a ballet career. However, to satisfy my parents' mandate of
"college", I enrolled at
Mount Vernon
College
in
Washington
,
DC
, with the thought that a two year degree might suffice. Dance quickly
took a backseat to academics and I next headed to
Grenoble
,
France
for a "Junior Year Abroad" program. After returning home, I
completed my last year of college at The American University. By this
time, I decided that I wanted to pursue a law degree...the only question was
where. Giving in to my passion for the Boston Red Sox, I attended
Boston University School of Law and received my JD degree in 1973.
Having become very interested in product liability and auto safety, I joined
a newly formed agency that was assigned responsibility to regulate the
automobile industry in the realm of safety. I became an attorney with
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and had the privilege of
being instrumental in the formulation of vehicle safety standards such as
fuel system integrity and passive restraints (air bags). My
advocacy and involvement in the entire field of automobile safety eventually
led to my appointment as Director of the Office of Consumer Participation
within the agency. I traveled around the country and set up
large-scale public town hall meetings, did extensive media appearances and
spread the word of the government's commitment to reducing the number of
vehicle-related deaths and injuries. As this era of my life was coming
to an end (the end of the Carter Administration), I married and gave birth
to my first child, Jeff.
During my pregnancy, I became very involved in the "home
birth" field. As a certified Home Birth instructor, I counseled
couples as they prepared for that experience. Two years later, my
second child, Lindsay, was born. At that point, as I have noted with so many
others in our class, my marriage began crumbling and I started the process
of moving toward a new career and new opportunities.
My legal background really provided me with an amazing breadth of
interests and possibilities. However, what most sparked my interest
was real estate. It was a perfect blend of disciplines and I didn't
feel as though I had abandoned my many years of education. After about 5
years of practicing in
Maryland
and
Virginia
, I moved into the management sector. At this time, I am a Vice
President with Long & Foster and manage two large and highly successful
offices...one in
Gaithersburg
(The Kentlands) with approximately 250 agents and one in
Germantown
with approximately 30 agents.
After
my marriage ended, I met and married the absolute love of my life. Tom
and I have raised 5 kids who are a source of unbelievable pride. Jeff
was a highly acclaimed baseball pitcher who went to
Middle
Tennessee
State
University
on baseball scholarship. An arm injury ended what we'd hoped would be
a professional career, but he now owns a promotions company that works with
the Redskins and the Washington Nationals. Lindsay is finishing up her
degree at the Rosen School of Hospitality Management at the
University
of
Central Florida
and working at Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort. Ben is Assistant
General Manager with a fine restaurant chain in
Northern Virginia
(Coastal Flats, Carlyle Grand, Sweetwaters, etc.) and is an avid Iron Man
Triathelete. Faith is in her last year of nursing school at
East
Carolina
University
and engaged to an Air Force officer. Our "baby", Matthew, is
in his third year at the
United States
Naval
Academy
. He is on the Color Guard, the Marathon Team (an accomplished
"ultra-marathoner") and Training Sergeant for his Company.
All of the kids are great!
Our life is unique and wonderful. My family moved to
Florida
many years ago and it had been Tom's and my goal to be there too.
After buying a "get-away home" in
Ponte
Vedra
Beach
about six years ago, we decided to bite the bullet and make
Florida
our primary home. Two of the kids were already in college, and the
three younger ones thought it was the greatest thing in the world. Tom
and the kids relocated to
Florida
and I began commuting. We have built a beautiful home in Viera (on a
lake and near the ocean...between
Cocoa
Beach
and
Melbourne
) and I travel down every Thursday or Friday and return to
Maryland
on Monday afternoon. Tom works with a major developer in
Brevard
County
and we spend every free moment traveling (cruising is our passion), routing
for Navy Football, attending marathons and "tri's" and being
Disneyholics. Retirement is no where in sight!
I can't wait until November 4th! What fun it should
be!
...............................................
Bio - Barbara
Kronstadt,
email at bfourt@yahoo.com
After WJ I headed off to
Washington
University
in
St. Louis
. I had intended to major in math,
but got distracted and ended up majoring in history, a direction I would never
have anticipated from my WJ experiences. Paul
(WJ ’65) and I were married while still in college.
We moved to
San Francisco
after my graduation in 1970. I had
a hard time finding a job with my history degree (“You can’t type?
But what would you do?” -
this from an employment agency – fortunately things have changed since
then!). In hopes that I would
someday be employable, we moved to
Philadelphia
so I could attend grad school in occupational therapy at Penn, then returned
to the
San Francisco
area. We built our own house in a
redwood forest in the tiny hamlet of La Honda in 1979, and still live there.
Actually, the house isn’t quite finished yet, after 27 years.
If you’ve done it, you understand.
I commute “over the hill” to
Menlo Park
where I own and direct a pediatric occupational therapy clinic.
I might have expected a little more dignity by age 58, but I still
spend part of my workday playing around with kids on the mats, blowing bubbles
and balancing on therapy balls. As
was his plan back at WJ, Paul is a writer, with quite a few novels published
under a pen name. We have three
grown kids, all in their 20s. Two
are married, but no grandchildren yet. One
lives nearby, in
San Francisco
, one in
St. Louis
(med school at our alma mater) and one, for the moment, in
Shanghai
.
I’m
not sure I’ll make it back for the reunion, but I’ve loved reading the
bios, hearing about what old friends have been doing and listening to the
reflections on life’s choices. And
on another level, as I think about eventual retirement and try to focus on
what’s important to me for the next chapter of life, it’s been a gift to
read about the many paths taken. Have
a great time at the reunion, everyone – and maybe I’ll see you there.
............................................
Waaaaay outside
the Beltway
My thanks to our classmates who have worked to make
our 40th reunion so special. I am sorry I will be unable to attend due
to a long-standing commitment to be in New York the weekend of
November 3-5. Very few, if any, of our classmates would know me,
anyway.
I also offer special thanks to several other
classmates. All the biographies have been interesting but I found
several to be particularly noteworthy -- those of our classmates who have
devoted significant portions of their lives to world peace, to helping our
environment and to improving our health. To me, your lives have
been the most impressive of a generally impressive lot. Thank you.
It has been surprising to read how many classmates' years
at WJ were similar to mine. I knew very few in our class. I
started to write that I had a very small circle of friends but that would
have been an exaggeration. I did not have enough friends to form a
circle. A small triangle would be more accurate.
My lack of social being was not due to any alienation or
disaffection, but rather to shyness and a lack of self-confidence that
I tried to mask with wisecracks and false bravado. No doubt, my
few friends sometimes found this trying. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my
high school years. I had a wonderful girlfriend, a young lady who
was in the class behind ours, and I generally muddled through without
serious incident.
After WJ, I attended American University and graduated in
1970. In 1973, I married Betty (Schindell) Thompson, WJ class of 1965.
She was in the process of becoming divorced when we met. I adopted her
son, Adam, and in 1975, we had another son, Josh. Adam now resides in
Los Angeles. Josh and his wife now reside in Athens, Georgia.
Betty and I were divorced in 1992 but remained good friends. Sadly,
she passed away from breast cancer in 2001.
Just a few years after college, my career in
real estate and development was cut short by the Arab Oil Embargo.
People stopped buying houses when they could not purchase gasoline to allow
them to drive. In 1974, in debt, with a small child and a pregnant
wife, I went to work for the Federal government. I managed
to have a reasonably successful career reaching a higher-than-I-ever-expected
level before finally being done-in by politics.
In the early-1990s, while still working for the
government, I began working part-time (summer vacations) for a specialized
travel company located in Massachusetts. For ten years, they actually
paid me to take people to Major League baseball games all over the country.
It sounds like fun, which it was, but it was also harder work than you may
surmise. Our clients paid big bucks to be entertained so I had to make
certain everything was perfect for them. In this work, I was fortunate
to see games at most Major League ballparks.
In 1999, I gladly accepted the opportunity to
take an early retirement from the government. Tired of politics, I
decided it was time for a major change. In a strange way, I thought my
life depended on it. It turned out, I was right.
So, major change it was. I moved to rural
Mississippi, where I now reside.
In all likelihood, many of you have not spent much
time in rural Mississippi. It is quite different from Bethesda
and from Washington, DC. Somehow, I have managed to become accepted as
a genuine good ol' boy. I have found Mississippians, in general, to be
warm and generous people. Rural life has some great advantages as well
as some disadvantages. It is something I always wanted to experience
and I am glad I have.
My parents followed me to Mississippi from Orlando,
Florida, where they had retired. They live just five miles from me.
As they live their final years, I am truly thankful to have had this extra
time to be close to them.
I must admit, however, there are days I miss Bethesda and
Washington, DC, a great deal. I also miss St. Albans, where I was very
fortunate to have coached boys basketball.
Whenever I pine to be back in Bethesda, though, I
realize had I stayed I would almost certainly be dead. In 2002, I
suffered a massive heart attack, the product of years of hard working and
hard playing. I was actually clinically dead four times. At one
point, the doctors told my parents and my younger son to, "Say your
goodbyes. We can't save him." Yet, somehow they did.
I was most blessed to have been stricken just a mile
from the hospital, with my family, in a car. I was at the emergency
room in under two minutes and that is what allowed my life to be saved.
I cannot imagine surviving under any other circumstances. I often
laugh that had I been stricken in Washington, DC, people would still be
stepping over my body in a Metro station.
As great as my time in Mississippi has been, once my
parents pass I suspect I will move on. I think I have one more
adventure in me. I don't know where I will go. I have always
wanted to be a cowboy so it could be southern Utah or somewhere like that.
But then again, I'd love to be able to hop on the subway and go to Yankee
Stadium whenever I want. Maybe I'll flip a coin.
Thank you again to our reunion volunteer workers and to
our classmates who have worked to improve the human condition.
Allen Leache
Walter Johnson Class of 1966
..........................................
Bio. from Binnie
Leipsig (Baumgartner) email to
binbaum@comcast.net
You have asked for this several times. I
didn't think I had anything to say that anyone would be interested in
knowing, but here goes.
After graduation I went straight into the
working world. I worked for C & P for two years until I got a
government job at David Taylor in Carderock where I met my future husband. I
left there in 1970 and went to Health & Human Services in Rockville as a
Unit Secretary in the Employee Health Unit. In 1971 I married Richard
Baumgartner, a 1964 grad of High Point in Beltsville Md. and on Christmas
day 1973 we had a son, Michael who is now a line supervisor for Ingersol-Rand
in Chambersburg PA. At that time I left the government to stay home
and raise my sons. The second son, Mark was born in 1978 and is now a
Prosthetist for an O & P company in Baltimore. After a 14 yr
service break, in 1988 I went back to work for the government as a
Purchasing agent for the U S Naval Academy. I am still physically
located there but I work for Fleet Industrial Supply Center Norfolk,
Annapolis Division as a Contract Specialist. I spend your tax money.
I am looking forward to retiring in July of 2008.
See you at the Reunion.
.........................................
Bio. From: Don
Lichterman WJ
63-64
I attended WJ for just one year before moving, however many of the kids at
WJ I grew up at Larchmont Elementary, and KJH so it would be great to see
them again.
WJ (attended 1963-1964
College - DeKalb (Atlanta GA) Math Major
Owner Operator (Robin's Clothes Closet, Crofton, MD, The Ultimate Look,
Pikesville MD. Marie's Clothes Closet, Olney, MD) for 25 years
Presently........President, Best Buy Mortgage Services, Clearwater, FL
I expect to attend the reunion and see many of you again.
Son 36
Daughter 33
Daughter 32
Regards,
Don Lichterman
3078 Eastland Blvd #308
Clearwater, Florida 33761
888-796-7211
.........................................
Thank you for calling about the Walter Johnson reunion. It's hard to
believe it's going to be 40 years.
I am currently on long term disability from my job as an executive with
the Associated Press in Los Angeles. I doubt whether I'll be able to
physically make the trip to Washington, but I'd still like to know the
details, and see where everyone is, who is planning to attend.
Please add me to the list for information.
I seem to recall that you played basketball, either for North Bethesda
Junior High, or Walter Johnson. I'm sure that you have gone on to other
exciting roles, and I'm looking forward to hearing about what other
graduates of 1966 are doing. I've really only seen about a half dozen of the
graduates since then, including John Hadary who I had a reunion with after
one of his Broadway performances while I was in New York.
I went into journalism after graduating from Northwestern University. I
spent my entire career with the Associated Press wire service, starting in
Tucson, and then as a sports writer in New York City. I was the head of the
AP's Cincinnati bureau and covered one of the deadliest fires in the
country's history; before becoming head of AP's operations in Kentucky,
Indiana and then Los Angeles. While I was in Los Angeles, I was in charge of
AP's coverage of the riots after the Rodney King verdict, the Northridge
earthquake and the OJ Simpson trial.
I was also a general executive for the company before going on disability
two years ago because of complications from immune system arthrtitis.
Please give my regards to my fellow Spartan graduates and thanks for
including me in any e-mail announcements for upcoming information on this
event.
Best
, Andy
.....................................
Bio. from: Gregory
A.
Long
glong@sheppardmullin.com
Mr. Long is a partner in the Business Trial
Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office. Prior to joining Sheppard
Mullin, Mr. Long was a partner of the Los Angeles firm of Overton, Lyman &
Prince.
Areas of Practice
Mr. Long has conducted approximately 40 civil
jury trials in state and federal courts in addition to a number of court
trials, arbitrations and federal, state and local agency matters and has
argued many appeals before state and federal courts including the Ninth
Circuit sitting en banc and the United States Supreme Court. In addition, he
has acted as an arbitrator for the Los Angeles Superior Court. The jury trials
have been in a number of substantive areas including products liability,
lender liability, commercial transactions, real estate, professional
negligence, wrongful termination, securities, unfair competition, trade libel
and false advertising, and patents.
Professional Qualifications and
Activities
Mr. Long was admitted to practice in California
in 1973 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court
for the Central District of California, the United States Courts of Appeals
for the Ninth and Federal Circuits and the United States Supreme Court.
He has served as
a member of the Executive Committee of the ABA Litigation Section and the ABA
House of Delegates, the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Los
Angeles County Bar Association and its Litigation Section Executive Committee,
and as chair of its Amicus Briefs Committee. Mr. Long has also been listed as
one of the "Best Lawyers in America".
http://www.sheppardmullin.com/attorneys/bios/bio.cfm?attorneyid=37
.....................................
Greeting from
Pete
Lucas.
Like most of us I have have a checkered career.
I graduated from U of Maryland with a Econ.
degree and joined the Marines where I became a data
processing officer and along the way picked up a M. S. in
Systems Management from Univ.
of Southern Calif. Not knowing what to do when I
became an adult, I moved on to Dental School at Maryland
and since the Navy payed my way through school I became
a Naval Dental Officer for two years. Following
that I returned to Maryland for a post grad dental
degree in Endodontics, root
canals. I had a private practice from 1982 until 2000 in Towson,
Maryland, when I sold out to the lady who had
worked for me. Currently I practice part time in
her office and split time between Towson
and Delray Beach, Fl
where I have a second home. Over the years I have
lived in Japan, Thailand,
Calif, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Virginia and Florida.
Spring Break of 68 while at the Elbow Room, on
the beach at Ft. Lauderdale, I met Amalia and
34+ years ago we were married. Since then we have
had two sons, Ben, 27, and Andrew, 25, both who played college lacrosse.
Ben graduated from Washington and Lee University, lives in Santa
Monica, Calif., trades commodities,
mostly oil and natural gas, for his own account.
Andrew graduated from U.N.C. Chapel Hill, lives in Ocean
City and is in the mortgage business NVR home builders.
click
on photo to enlarge
