Bill R. AND CLASS 59,
I attended John J. Ingalls,Morse,John Fiske, & Junction Grade schools,Central Jr. High &"WYANDOTTE HIGH CLASS OF 1959". I have many fond memories but have forgotten some of the details. MY personality was a mix of quietnness & aggressiveness . How I dealt with the conflict within is a story within itself. I did have to learn that God is not the author of confusion or needless violence,but from his hand all good comes . When I graduated from Wyandotte and looked into the eyes of classmates,some smiled as if to say I am glad that you made it. I am glad that I was part of the "CLASS" Class of 59. I am happy to have read so many success stories since 59. I did not finish college but did go to tech school and received a diploma in Electronics Engineering Technology. I have worked as a technician for 30 years +. I like my work but also like rest. I am thankfull for my education but most of all my wife ,family & friends who believeed in me when I did not believe in myself. Sincerly William D. ( Bill) (Bud ) Thayer BTh9177409@aol.com

Joan McManis now J. Olivia Schilly
This is Joan (formerly McManis) now J. Olivia Schilly here. I'm the one with the glasses and a pink top. Husband Archie looks over - bless his dearness. (Picture could not be scanned) We both have arrived for the 40th Wyandotte High School reunion happening today. Happy to be there. Chapter 1. College years at K.U. were fun but a whole lot of work. Majored in Occupational Therapy; studied at the K.U. Medical center and had affiliations in various parts of the country, finishing at the Bronx V.A. Hospital where I stayed on. Good professional experience. During this period I learned to fly and loved sailing the Long Island Sound when ever possible. It is in the New York area where I met my husband Frank, (also a pilot) and had my son Martin. Rude awakening. Chapter 2. Awakened to the state of "motherhood" which was good, but also found that I was abandoned by my husband for such a long period that it was best that I come back home to Kansas City where my parents resided, but had moved from the Quindaro area to Prairie Village. I immediately found a job as Chief O.T. in Psychiatry at St. Mary's Hospital in K.C. Missouri. After a time I transferred (due to an offer I couldn't refuse) to what was then called Bethany Hospital - now called a medical center. I spent a most fulfilling job in setting up the department of Occupational Therapy. I thoroughly enjoyed my baby boy, and thank goodness my mom and dad helped this working-long-hours mom. Intimately speaking, however I struggled with depression, but made the most of two growing and groaning years in group therapy. Later, I returned to my husband Frank after missing him so. Chapter 3 Frank and I were remarried and honeymooned while flying our single-engine Bonanza over to Rome, Italy. Lots of intriguing countries and I dare say lots of water. Returning home with the monies from the sale of that Bonanza in Rome we decided to move to Florida and set up a small aircraft and flight school. By this time I was baby basketing my daughter Anna Marie. Another blessing to be sure. But another "awakening" was unfolding that tossed me/us around. First I found that our monies were lost and we were poor as paupers. Frank flew as an instructor after giving up his position with Eastern Airlines. Not O.T. jobs were available to me so I studied to get my teachers certificate to work in Special Education. Chapter 4 Frank decided to become an undercover agent for D.E.A. and Customs, and flew drugs and weapons into this country from South America. All hell broke loose as I was put in the middle of terror. Kidnaping, murders, and threats to my children and I. (A short list) On top of that I found that Frank had another wife. With that and a near nervous breakdown the children and I returned to Kansas City. I had the promise of a job and it seemed, with the help of the Lord, that the red carpet was laid out for us to leave safely. So back to K.C. OI came, which was in 1976. As it turned out the job opening was for Physical Therapy and not Occupational. Not having O.T.'d for a long while no job was to be found, either administratively or clinically. So I figured since every girl needs to type, I went to K.C. Business College and gained a diploma in Business Administration. Worked a short while at Midwest Cold Storage, but again dealt with the depression and Post Traumatic Syndrome. Gratefully received help. (Aided in organizing the 20 year reunion.) Chapter 5. Moved to Bay Area California, found an O.T. position (in Acute Burn Care, Psychiatry, and Oncology) a roof over our heads and a church very close by so I could be the best mom I could. Again a gratifying professional position. A short while later I met a man who seemed to love my children as well as myself, so I married and moved. Chapter 6. A couple of years later I experienced severe vertigo which lasted for several years but again upset what I expected of a normal life. Not only had I lost my orientation to space itself, I lost my ability to walk, even crawl, and of course lost my own identity in relation to job, marriage, motherhood and all activity. My marriage and job capability were gone. I searched the West Coast, and even nationwide for ear clinicians for answers to my physical disarrangement. It was/is exceedingly rare. The medical agreement was to destroy bilaterally my inner ear labyrinths, so that I could reorient and have a chance at redesigning myself. During my "down times" I read extensively, scripture, theology, philosophy, psychology and poetry. Got part way through my Masters in Psychology, having to give it up due to my inability to transport myself to get material for my research. Thus ended that endeavor. But not all was lost, and never for a moment did I know it. Chapter 7. When I got back on my feet, literally and mindfully, I started a support group for those with inner ear disorders, and also set up a telephone network support system throughout the Bay Area. However I had a another dream. What was to lose? Now I could get around on the bus and could write on a computer. Managed to pull together pastors from three (plus) towns and have them meet with Christian Counselors with the intention of training Lay Counselors to work in the church. It was called "Three- Fold Ministry" Had a large Board of Directors the wherewithal to incorporate. A separate meeting merged called "The Caregivers Forum". And many others caught the dream and we marched forward. Chapter 8. It was during this time that I met a wonderful man named Archie, a retiree of AT&T, who supported this endeavor and eventually we would marry. We organized two years of classes for persons wanting to lay counsel (under supervision). It was good- at least for a while. Then it seemed the devil had to play his part and there was much to-do between therapist and between religions. I did the best I knew, and was willing to let it go. Who knows where that endeavor went. Still having very much of a rich life, I married Archie in 1995 and we moved to the San Diego area. Had lovely home. Volunteered many hours at the San Diego Zoo. Presently, I am waiting for a book to arrive which for a year I helped put together having to do with the history of the zoo and the Wild Animal Park. Ver gratifying, indeed. Having left the area we received a thank you note saying "Thanks" for contributing so very much to the volunteer program development at the zoo. (Or some such words) Chapter 9. Since I hinted that we left the area, this is a brief scoop. We saw the prices inflate, and the population moving swiftly in to squeeze us out, so we sought to move. But s a result of another dream proposal we decided to do some motor-homing around the country first. Have many relatives, and a beautiful land still waiting for us to discover. So we left in April 1999. And here we are in September at my highschool reunion, and seemingly not by chance, and not rigidly planned, but I believe meant to be. W have seen a beautiful Northwest and upper Midwest, marking the places we still want to see or return to. Turned south from Minnesota; looked at the calendar and was approaching the 25th of the month. This afternoon Archie rests on the couch while I type away at this. We both look forward to a wonderful evening very soon to come, with a pile of memories to take with us. May the Lord add his blessings not only to my/our lives but to all of us of the class of ‘59. Chapter 10. Awaiting with joy.

Buzz
Here's my brief since '59"
Graduated from U.M.K.C. in '63. Spent two years in the Peace Corps - stationed in West Pakistan working as a surveyor and map drawer. Out in '65. One year as a full-time music student followed by two years teaching music in N.Y. state. Moved to Australia in '68 - seven more years teaching music and performing part-time. Returned to K.C. early in '76 - worked at a variety of day jobs while performing three nights a week. Boomeranged back to Melbourne in '78 - Worked for three years as a real estate property manager in the central business district (downtown) of Melbourne. In 1981 started working for a Melbourne Antique dealer restoring furniture. Began working for myself in '83 and have been doing so ever since. I am married for the second time and have three children, two daughters in their 20's and a son age 9. Three years ago I quit renting a workspace and built a structure in my backyard. That way I can keep working on my 100 year old wooden house while keeping up with the furniture restoration and furniture making work. We're in the process of getting on-line presently. See ya!" Cheers, Buzz




Cynthia Hinman Howell
Forty years since graduation - like everyone else, it's hard to believe so many years have passed.
After Wyandotte's graduation I attended Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas for a year. My father died in the spring of 1960 and I moved home to help my mother. After several years at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, I spent several months on a geography study cruise, traveling around the world.
Little did I know at that time, it was just the beginning of my traveling and living abroad.
After graduating in 1963, I started working for Defense Mapping Agency in Kansas City, Missouri training as a military cartographer.
Marriage to Bill Howell in 1964 started us on a life of traveling; he as a pilot for the Federal Aviation Administration and my work as a cartographer. As a graduate student at Kansas University in 1972, we had our first child, Julie. When she was six months, we were transferred to Minneapolis, Minnesota, living there 5 years, or 6 winters, depending on your view of winter. Our second daughter Jennifer was born there in 1974.
After working three years in Minneapolis for the FAA Air Traffic Control Center where Bill flew over the cold northern states in the winter, we transferred to the sunny south; Atlanta, Georgia. While his area of flying now covered the southern US, Caribbean and South America, I spent a few years at the US Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, (Atlanta) Georgia. Our girls, spending their formative years in Georgia, are very southern.
After nine years in Atlanta, we decided we needed something a little more fast paced, so we moved to Tokyo, Japan for a couple of years. Our kids loved it, especially the international schools. Bill flew the Far East rim and I worked part time for the Air Force, had to fund my shopping sprees.
Next move was to Norman, Oklahoma. Talk about culture shock! Oklahoma City is the international training center for the FAA. Bill flew a desk for three years and I tried my hand at geological mapping at the University of Oklahoma.
After three dazed years in Oklahoma, we all moved to Frankfurt, Germany. The youngest graduated from the Frankfurt International School and both went to college at the University of Maryland, Frankfurt campus. Bill flew over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. I worked for the U.S. State Department Consulate General in Frankfurt, traveled and shopped. This was to our retirement job, with a planned seven-year stay in Frankfurt. With federal budget cuts resulting in the closure of US military bases overseas, the FAA office in Frankfurt was closed and we moved to Oklahoma again. Since 1994, we have been living in Oklahoma City.
Our youngest daughter married last summer and just two months ago presented us with our first grandbaby, Nikolas. What a thrill being a grandparent. Unfortunately, they live in Indiana. Our oldest daughter has roamed a bit trying to find that perfect job. Atlanta, Seattle and surprisingly enough now in Overland Park, Kansas. We always told her Kansas was a great place to live.
At Frances Willard Grade School, Central Junior, Wyandotte and UMKC, I always played violin. At college, orchestra kept my grade point average up and all our moving has always provided me with an automatic circle of friends, whether I spoke their language or not.
Bill will retire in December of this year and I just stopped working after my stint with the State Department in Frankfurt. We both miss Kansas City but still haven't decided where to retire. We may stay in Oklahoma. The people here are courageous and kind.
We are looking forward to renewing old friendships at the reunion. Our thanks to all on the planning and organizing committees.
Thank you Cynthia.....I was happy to get this. You guys have really been all over the world. You make me very envious. Now where are the rest of the segments.

Carmen King (Connie Downs)
Hi Grandpa Bill, What fun lies ahead for you and Donna. Give her and the children a big Hello. I'll try to be short about my life since 59'. Attended the old KCK Community College and then on to George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee. Had a neat experience rooming with my Mom . She had returned to get her degree in Public Health Nursing. Returned to Kansas City and married Richard Walsh. We had four children which are all married with children of their own. Richard was active in politics serving as County Commissioner, Mayor and Trustee at the Community College. I worked at the KCK Board of Education and later the Wyandotte District Court in personnel. Got to see Judge Robinson trying more cases than most anyone else. Later we owned Richards Insurance Agency, which after my husbands death, my son and I operated. My son runs the business today, Goodman, Gravely, Richards Agency with office in Olathe. In l996, I remarried. Dick King, a retired school principal in Overland Park, Kansas. I have thought perhaps some of your children may have had him as their principal. We live in Shawnee, Kansas and spend our time with grandchildren (7) and visiting our kids who live out of town. We volunteer with Meals on Wheels, I serve on the Endowment Association for KCK Community College and belong to a few organizations that keep me busy. My husband enjoys golf and is a Marshall at Tommyhawk golf course. Looking forward to seeing classmates at reunion. Blessings to all. Carmen (Connie Downs)

Rita Hill Novak
I sent my reunion deposit so I thought I would send an update on what I've been doing since '59. After graduation I attended Junior College for a year. In October of 1960 I married Don Novak (Class of ' 56). The following year our first son Greg was born. In 1964 Don was transferred with his job to Houston , Texas. We lived there three years and our second son Michael was born there in 1967. Shortly after Michael's birth, Don was transferred to Corpus Christi, Texas and we lived there the next 28 years. I was a full time homemaker and mom, I also attend Texas A & M University- Corpus Christi. In 1978 I went to work for Corpus Christi National Bank as an Assistant Vice Pres. in their Investment Department, I was employed there for the next 15 years. Greg our eldest son graduated from Rice University and Texas Tech School of Law, he is a partner in a law firm in San Antonio, Texas. Michael our youngest son graduated from Tulane University , he is in restaurant management in Plano, Texas. Neither of our sons have been married so we have no grandchildren. In 1996 my dad passed away here in Kansas City and for the next year we traveled back and forth from Corpus Christi to Kansas City. Due to my mothers poor health and Don's folks illnesses we moved back to Kansas City in 1997. In January of this year Don's mother passed away, in April my mother passed away and in June Don's dad passed away. What a year this has been!

Mary Speer Rogeness
I've spent my discretionary computer time this summer reading the jokes, conversations and autobiographies of the rest of the class of 59, so today I have set aside a block of time to contribute to the cyberspace body of information about our class. My first stop after Wyandotte graduation was Lindenwood College in St. Charles, MO. After two years, it was on to Carleton College in Northfield, MN., where I completed a BA in the field then known as Government and International Relations. (Bob Kent was a classmate at Carleton. Has he kept up with any of you? I haven't seen his name on the reunion lists.) I went to Washington in the fall of 1963 to begin working as a computer programmer at the National Security Agency. The primary personal benefit of my time at NSA was getting to know Dean Rogeness, who I married in ‘64. We moved to Springfield, Massachusetts a few years later, where I settled in to lead the life of homemaker, community volunteer and mother to Emily, Jim and Paul (Dean is an attorney for MassMutual Insurance Company). Over time we have gradually become New Englanders. The kids are in Boston and Connecticut, and I have even convinced my mother to move to our town of Longmeadow. I became a political activist when our school board threatened to close my kids' school. Ran for the board and won. Though the school was closed in spite of my efforts, my political career was launched. After serving two terms on the board, I took the chance on a legislative race for State Representative. I prevailed through both primary and general elections in a special 1991 race and have held the seat since then. I am now Assistant Minority Whip, though I must confess that Minority in Massachusetts really means Minority. We have 27 Republicans in a 160 member House of Representatives. My latest hobby is Kansas history. I just discovered a link between my adopted and my native states. Massachusetts was an important supplier of settlers to Kansas Territory in the 1850s to provide the votes to make it a free state. And I feel really ignorant that most of that history escaped me as a Kansas schoolgirl. It fascinates me that people left their comfortable established communities in the East (some of my friends in Longmeadow live in homes that were built in the 1700s) to fight off the border ruffians and the wilderness and stake a claim against slavery. Are there any other history buffs among our classmates? Judge Robinson (ret.) listed my government website earlier this summer, and I have one additional reference for you to check. It's rogeness.com, an endeavor that I launched last month. By the way, aren't we all too young for such an auspicious event as a fortieth reunion? Congratulations to all of you for the organizing efforts you have put into the reunion. It will truly be the best ever.

Robert (Bob) Sparks
My doesn't time go by fast when you're having fun!
I have been enjoying the exchanges and the reminiscence since I called the Judge, and he added me to the "list". Just thought I would add some of my half-vast worldly experiences for those who have nothing better to do.
After graduation I went to work replacing half the roofs in KCK for Crumrine Roofing Company. There had been a big hail storm earlier in the spring that created lots of work. Most of the houses were in the older part of the city, east of 18th Street. Between that and participation in the Wyandotte County Centennial celebration the summer seemed to fly by. By the way "Gunslinger" Bill, re: the shooting at Blender's, I did not have a convertible, it was my '55 Ford Victoria Hardtop. Any way I roofed all summer, went to work at Kroger's at 29th and Brown Ave. for a few months then enlisted in the Air Force. Left KCK on the fifth of July, 1960, and spent eight pretty good years in the USAF.
After basic training in Texas, went to Denver Colorado for training as a radar technician for the gun directing radar on the B-47 Bombers. After completion of training I was assigned to Pease AFB in Portsmouth , NH. I spent three great summers and two terrible winters there. Mostly working nights and being a beach bum during the days. (You begin to realize the world is getting smaller when you are on a crowded beach, 1200 miles from home, enjoying the eye candy, and run in to one of your class mates from your old neighborhood. Just ask Wayne Preston about Hampton Beach New Hampshire.) September of 1963, I was assigned to RAF Station Fairford in the Cotswold area of Great Britain . (The recent events with John F. Kennedy Jr. brought back memories of a November day in 1963. Do you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I do. I was playing in a Inter-Squadron basketball game in the base gym when they announced he had been shot. A few minutes later the alert klaxon horns sounded and we spent the next 60 straight hours preparing our bombers to blow hell out of the Russians for killing our president. The good old days of the Cold War.) But I digress, after nine months they decided to close that base and I was assigned to RAF Station Upper Heyford just a few miles away. Since I had extended my original enlistment to go to England, I decided to re-enlist and get the bonus. England was great and I spent many weekends attending the Grand Prix and other sports car races at the various tracks.
In August 1964, I caught a space available hop back to the U.S. (Nothing like a three day flight across the Atlantic in a old C54 headed for the scrap heap to make you appreciate today's jets.) On August 14, 1964 I married Ruth Ann Snider, Class of '62. Her sister, Helen, was a member of our class, but died of cancer before she graduated. I spent most of my re-enlistment bonus to get us both back to England. We lived in a small village near Banbury, home of the Banbury Cross of the nursery rhyme. Another nine months elapsed and the government in their infinite wisdom decided to close that base also and I was transferred to March AFB near Riverside CA. Ruth took a clerical job at a Riverside High School and I worked on the B-52's. About a year later they decided to retrain some of us as Communications Technical Controllers and I went to Biloxi Mississippi . After that it was off to the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. While there we got to visit Nagasaki, site of the second atomic bomb blast, and Mt. Aso , one of the more active volcano's in the Japanese Island chain. Japan was supposed to be a three year tour of duty , but since the Air Force failed to have me sign another extension form , I told them we were going home at the end of my enlistment and we returned to KCK in July 1968 when I was discharged from the USAF. (Honorably discharged just in case there were any doubts)
My duties and training in the USAF gave me a pretty good electronics/communications background, so I went to work for AT&T at their toll center. Worked with Fred Haynes for a short while then he left for bigger and better things.. In 1970 I probably achieved my life's greatest accomplishment . Ruth and I had a daughter, Ramona Lynn. She is a MU graduate, twice, and is now married and lives in Mexico Mo. She graduated once with a degree in economics, came back to K.C. and worked for a year and decided that was not what she wanted so she moved back to Columbia, took a part time job with the University and went back to school and got a degree in Graphic Art Design. (Attn.: Dave Dunn, you may hear from her as she has started her own graphics design company and is still working part time in Columbia at MU. . I told her you were rich and ran a big company there. No thanks needed.). Spent six years with AT&T and then transferred to Southwestern Bell Marketing as a Communications Representative.
While working nights at AT&T I attended day classes at Donnelly College and started work on a degree in business administration. Between Donnelly and KCKCJC I earned enough hours for an Associate's Degree but that was as far as I got. In 1976 I went through a severe mid-life crisis, thought there ought to be more to life than what I had, (I was partially right, but mostly wrong) and got involved with a married co-worker from my AT&T days. As a result Judge Bill, he was still a lawyer then, came back into my life and Ruth and I divorced in 1978. Twelve great years, two not so great years. She remarried a couple of years later and is now retired and living the good life in Fort Myers FL..
Southwestern Bell promoted me and moved me to St. Louis in 1980. I managed a special service order and billing group that dealt with the Defense Department, FAA and GSA . I came back to KC in 1982 to marry one of my co-workers from when I was in the Mission KS, office. Of course she had been transferred to Topeka at that time so we had a commuter romance for some time. Becky (Spencer) Sparks is a SM South graduate, and is several years younger than I. In 1991 Southwestern Bell decided it had too many people and offered to let some of us retire early. Since they could not promise me a job that I would enjoy or any job for that matter, I accepted their offer and retired December 31, 1991 at age 50. I took the lump sum they offered, invested it in some stocks and mutual funds and have been riding the Bull Market for the past eight years. I had accumulated a lot of tools while restoring a century old house in St. Louis, and put them to work doing remodeling and maintenance for friends and co- workers. While I don't make much money I do enjoy the work, and we can live fairly comfortably on what Becky earns until she takes early retirement. Southwestern Bell moved Becky to Dallas in December 1997, and I joined her in August 1998. Went from a 110 year old house in St. Louis to a brand new one in Dallas.
We have had eighteen great years together and have traveled some. Took her to England, Wales and Scotland to revisit some of the places I had been while in the service. We went to Alaska with my brother Gene (Class of 62) and his wife for a week of fishing and a week of touring. I take her to a surprise location every year for our anniversary. We have been to several locations in Florida, the Bahamas , Jamaica, Barbados, Cabo San Lucas. See a pattern here. She likes the warm beaches and I like to go deep sea fishing. We only plan on being here a couple of years and then Becky will retire early and we will probably move to the Naples/ Marco Island FL. area .
I still have my health , other than some minor aging problems , for which after reading some of the E-mails I am even more thankful. My mother and brother Gene , and Becky's parents and sister still live in the Kansas City area so we get back there fairly often. We buried my father along with a can of Coor's to the strains of "Home on the Range" in the middle of the Flint Hills, near Strong City , Kansas in May of 1995. I thought it appropriate that he have one last one for the road. By the way Gene's wife, Justina Sparks, has been a teacher at Wyandotte for several years. We get frequent updates on what is going on in the hallowed halls. We still have a house at the Lake of the Ozarks which we don't get to use much now that it is 500 miles one way so if any one wants a quiet weekend at the lake let me know and I can put you in touch with my brother for access.
We have really enjoyed the last couple of reunions and Becky has ask if all the hotels in the Kansas City area had black listed our class after the last one. Is that why its at Painted Hills. Lets hear from some more of the Abbott /Northwest classes. I know there are only a few of us left and the number gets smaller each with each reunion it seems.
Looking forward to this years reunion and renewing some long lost acquaintances.
Robert (Bob) Sparks



Don Schone
Hello, friends and former classmates. My post Wyandotte life began by working for the City of Oak Park, Michigan in the summer of '59. As we watched Queen Elizabeth touring down the Saint Lawrence Seaway from my Uncle's summer home on Harsen's Island, this Wyandotte swim team member (foolishly) swam out and touched her ship. Once also swam to the opposite bank, which was Canada...though never made the drive. Attended Kansas State University in '59/'60 on a partial swimming scholarship. Got lucky and broke the Big Eight 100 Yard Butterfly record. Pledged SAE Fraternity, but drove back to KCK often to date former Wyandotte '58 best girl Barb Fabac. After both attending KCK Junior College, we became engaged, married, and moved to Southern California the year following graduation. Went to work for the State of California Division of Highways...Material Testing Lab, then Freeway Interchange Design. During that period, attended Los Angeles College at night, then transferred to California State University at Long Beach. Saved up six years of vacation time in order to go full time the last semester, then graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. During that period we had two fine sons, Scott & Steve, now 37 and 32. Lived in Downey, California, home of the first McDonald's and of Rockwell International of Space-race fame. Barb worked there (then North American Aviation) for six years...during the time of the first Moon landing...and had the opportunity to meet some of the astronauts. Accepted a position with Southern California Edison (SCE) in 1970. SCE (now Edison International) is the second largest electric utility in the U.S. Began original site preparation and hydrology design for the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station located near San Clemente. That summer was a busy one...graduated, changed jobs and bought first home in then new planned community of Mission Viejo in South Orange County. The 1971 Sylmar earthquake forced SCE to hold on construction activity for a re-analysis of the seismic design for San Onofre...a five year delay period. During that time worked on many design projects at Edison's headquarters in Rosemead, including a proposed plant in the high plateau area of Lake Powell, Utah. After actor Robert Redford was given a helicopter tour to show him how SCE planned to protect the environment, he appeared on the television program "60 Minutes," and the project was cancelled the following week. Barb was hired in 1971 by Mission Viejo Company, a Philip Morris company, the land developer that built Mission Viejo. She worked in public relations and recreation throughout most of that development until her 1997 retirement. I returned to the San Onofre Nuclear Plant Design/Construction Project in 1976 and was promoted to Site Quality Assurance Manager for all three Units at San Onofre during Startup and Operations, until retirement in October 1996. Son Scott earned a B.S. in Mathematics from California State University, Fullerton and Steve graduated from UCLA with an Economics Degree. Scott is a computer network engineering supervisor at an Irvine, California computer consulting company. He will be married for the first time in October this year, and is buying a new home in an adjacent community. Steve lives in Brentwood, California, remains single, and works for a national media communications company. Mission Viejo programs produced many Olympian swimmers and divers, but our boys chose other sports. Arriving for 5:00 a.m. swimming workouts before school would have been a lot tougher than Dad's workout schedule at Wyandotte. In 1977 I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the community water district providing northern California waters and Colorado waters to Mission Viejo and adjacent communities, including undeveloped areas (total of 68,000 acres...both water supply and wastewater reclamation). Reelected every four years and retired as President/Chairman in 1994 after serving ten years in that capacity. Had always planned to retire from SCE at age 55 and did so two weeks after 55th birthday. Just prior to planned date however, a company-wide voluntary retirement incentive was offered. Was able to take advantage of adding six years to my age, and two years to the already 26 years of service. The best incentive was the ability to roll over my pension and combine with the 25 year 401k, for a tax deferred and optional no penalty partial distribution program. This all happened at a great time in the Stock Market...am now doing better than anticipated in retirement. Barb also has great retirement benefits. If you are interested in 401k portfolios, see SchoneTrends web site: http://members.home.net/dschone/401k. The last slide even hyperlinks to the Wyandotte page. Summarizing...have enjoyed being part of Southern California's development of transportation, power generation and water reclamation infrastructures over a 35 year period. Happy to say we have remained friends with and visited with several '59 (and '58) Wyandotte classmates over the years. Though we enjoy and have done some travel, 1998 and 1999 have been busy retirement years. We are looking forward to more extensive travel soon. Perhaps we will yet become grandparents, the one missing desirable in our lives. So...happily retired and living in our second Mission Viejo lake-view home of 21 years, which we are in the final stages of completely remodeling. Though on a regular workout and swimming schedule at the recreation center nearby, seem to be slowly losing the retirement weight battle. Always say...if you are passionate about your work, you can easily be passionate about retirement. As one classmate recently reminded us, in the words of former Wyandotte teacher A. B. Spears: "Everything commeth, To he who waiteth, If he who waiteth, Worketh Like Hell, While he waiteth." Time for a nap now... Many thanks to a great reunion planning committee. Best to all, and hope to see you in September. ...Don Schone

Nancy Abbott Dillingham

(:::::standing on desk ..... smiling::::: I am proud to have received the following. Believe me, she has taken a BIG STEP not just for mankind but for bulldogs every where. A standing ovation to Nancy) To the class of 1959: I'm learning to work the computer, thanks to my kids Hope all of you get this after all the learning I had to go through to send this. I attended Colorado Woman's College in Denver for two years and then went on to KU. In 1963 after KU I was lucky enough to get a secretary's job in the Mayor's office in Kansas City, Mo. Through that job I met my husband to be John and we married in 1965. We moved to Mt. Vernon, IL. for 3 years and then back to Kansas City. We moved to Kansas City North and have lived here ever since. We have two sons, Allen and Bill. Allen is married and graduated from Colorado College and this year received his MBA from UMKC. One of his professors was Nolan Ellison (small world). On that front we are grandparents to a Golden Retriever named August. Our other son, Bill, is getting married in September on our 34th wedding anniversary, September 4th. We are in the throws of planning that. John is retired and does alot in the community. He is a consultant and will consult on anything that you would like. I sit on a few boards that has me very busy. One is the Kansas City Museum which is now restoring the old Union Station and putting a Science City in it. It will open in November. Hope this has not been too boring for you to read. I love reading everyone E-Mails. Sometimes my eyes get blurry just reading all of them. Bill and Kay are doing a great job. I have talked to Connie Morritz and she and her husband Don will be at our reunion. Look forward to seeing many of you al the reunion. (Signed) Nancy Abbott Dillingham


Rosemary Fry Plakas

Greetings to all Wyandotte 59ers! What fun I've had reading about your exciting and checkered lives. I expected doctors, lawyers, and teachers, but a female pilot and politician, as well as a college president and a judge! Bravo! I've always admired creative souls that take risks and live on the edge. But, alas, as you might have guessed, I took a more predictable path. Enjoyed my college years just across the river at Park College, where I had many opportunities for developing leadership skills while getting a rich liberal arts education with concentrations in political science and mathematics. Also toured the U.S. performing with the Park Singers, experiencing my first plane ride, electric blanket, and banana split. Then I headed west, as a Coe Fellow in American Civilization at the University of Wyoming, Laramie–where ironically my thesis was on Colonial America! I did go to a rodeo and finally made it to a real Cowboy bar! Next I taught American History and Government at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA and learned to ski. Returned to graduate school at George Washington University as a doctoral fellow in American History, followed by a short stint as a Social Security Claims Authorizer in KC while taking care of my ailing grand parents. I'm just about to begin my thirtieth year at The Library of Congress, your national library. Spent the first ten years producing ten volumes of the Bicentennial documentary history Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774- 1789 (always loved to read other people's mail). Also finally managed in 1974 to produce my only child, Costa, who is a sailor, world traveler, photographer and aspiring cinematographer (I suspect he is waiting for his inheritance to produce that break-through independent film masterpiece!). For the bulk of my career I've been curator of LC's rare Americana collection, which spans several centuries, from Columbus' 1493 letter describing his "new world" discoveries to Maya Angelou's latest poetry. In my most recent bidding at a Sotheby's auction I lost the first printing in Cherokee, a 1819 spelling book, to a private dealer for double my bid, but did get a rare female Indian captivity narrative for a "bargain" at only half my top bid. I also sweet talk and/or arm twist prospective book donors, recommend levels of conservation, select collections to be digitized for the internet, curate in house and traveling exhibits, publish comprehensive resource guides and critical essays about our collections and give tours and talks about Americana to members of Congress, scholars, educators, and international visitors. But most of all I love working with teachers in workshops designed to help them to use primary materials in the K-12 classroom. The true stories of history can be so much more interesting than fiction! This spring has been particularly exciting and demanding. Did three exhibits for White House Millennium evenings, twice within four weeks. Got to talk with Hillary during one reception. She is amazingly articulate and very gracious (I was standing in line behind Betty Friedan!) It was then a bit of a let down to chat with Bill, as he moved about the State Dining Room with his Diet Coke can in hand! Between White House gigs I did an hour-long LIVE nationwide interview on C-Span TV about Thomas Jefferson's Library (I'm responsible for the 2,600 books remaining of the 6,000 plus he sold Congress in 1815). I came on the Washington Journal program immediately after retired Army General Odom (former Chief, National Security Council) on the third day of Kosovo bombing–probably not the most appropriate venue. I had selected books to show TJ's interest in classical history, political philosophy, law, architecture, music, and poetry. The MC, as well as the "somewhat crazy," politically charged callers, were "in my ear" and while I was showing Mercy Warren's History of the American Revolution I was being asked about TJ's religious beliefs (had to diplomatically inform one caller that while TJ admired Jesus' moral philosophy, he was not a devout Christian); while I was showing Geminiani's Art of Playing the Violin, the first violin method ever published, the caller was asking about slavery at Monticello. Not being in control was quite stressful for me, but I hope that people at least realize that TJ loved and read a wide variety of books and that some civil servants (me) are passionate about their work and take seriously their responsibilities as stewards of the nation's memory. And you are each invited for a special sampler of Americana treasures, at least until August 2000, when I am eligible to retire and look forward to living and traveling in the 21st century rather than in the past. Outside of work I enjoy singing with church and semi- professional choral groups and have cut several tapes and records-- none on the top-ten charts! I thought I would enjoy getting away to my cabin in the woods north of the Catskills (Jefferson, NY), but seldom find time to make the 7-hour trek and am afraid to stay there alone since I've spotted bear and experienced a strange pulsating blue light! I'm a not-so-silent partner of the family marina on the Chesapeake Bay–retired from "active duty" a dozen years ago after spending four years of week-ends counting blood worms and pumping gas. I've returned to KC often in the last ten years, serving on the Executive Council and then as President of the Park College Alumni Association, as well as a stint on the College Board of Trustees. And received their Distinguished Alumna Award in 1995, presented by "Mother" Jean Curl, who first introduced me to Park as a member of Wyandotte's "Turkey" delegation to Park's United Nations Model Assembly. Sadly all my blood relatives are gone, but I enjoy visiting my old neighbors and surrogate parents Fern and Paul Jewell in KC and usually also visit Tom and Dixie O'Connor Morris when I'm in town. Hope to see many of you in September or before, if your path leads you to the Nation's Capital. Every morning I read a rose and yellow button sitting next to my pill box and try (not always successfully) to heed it's advice: " Enjoy Life: This is not a dress rehearsal!"