This page was last updated in 2007.
Debbie was diagnosed with Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) the summer between our Junior and Senior years. Debbie graduated early and moved, by herself, to Southern California to be treated. Shortly after graduation, I moved in with Debbie. We were roommates for about year and then, I moved on. Debbie lived many years beyond her life expectancy.....she was amazing, she never gave up. I believe she passed in 1995. I miss my friend.—Carol Schwartz, 3/27/06 |
Buzzy was a funny, energetic guy! I picture him with his "brillo-pad hair", laughing at one of his own wise-cracks. My "premier" memory is of finding him smoking in the bathroom in 9th grade. What happened to him? —Max Reif, 3/26/06 Buzzy Bleiweiss passed away on June 18, 2002 of cancer. Buzzy lived in the Loop on Leland and we went all through school together. He was a great guy with a fabulous laugh.—Terry Lynford, 4/03/06 Always looked forward visiting Buzzy at his Pawn Shop on Delmar. It was about a year since my previous visit, and I asked the counter clerk if Buzzy was there. The clerk just about broke down...the then told me that Buzzy had passed on. Buzzy was just so full of life. While his life ended too soon...he was not cheated— Bill Thornton, 5/07/06 |
George was a loveable guy, always a jokester, and always looking for the silver lining. He was a nice person, a gentleman and honest as can be—Farley Malorrus, 3/31/06
George was very proud of the fact he was well-known all over Las Vegas as a poker dealer. He had a nickname, but I don't recall what it was. (I don't recall a lot of things.)—Barrie Sher, 4/02/06 |
Fred's death has had a profound effect on my life. Fred was a friend as well as a distant relative. He did die from cancer. His father preceeded him in death and I believe two brothers, all from cancer. I was honored to be a pallbearer at his funeral. I will never forget the sadness of his mother, Jeanette, at the funeral. Perhaps it is because he was my first contemporary to die from "natural causes" that I have never been able to get his death out of my mind. Whenever someone I know has a tragedy, I always bring up the experience of Freddy Dorn. To this day, I am not ashamed to say I cry when I think of Fred.—Alan Nakisher, 3/30/06 I also remember Fred Dornwe went to Hebrew School together. And I do remember him being a very funny person. If I'm not mistaken, I think he discovered a growth on his leg and by the time he had it checked out, the cancer had spread significantly. I also remember feeling very sorry for the family as I think his father also passed away not too long before Fred died. Please correct me if I'm wrong.—Jack Fishman, 3/30/06 I remember him as being funny...had a great sense of humor.—Sydney Diamond Farber, 3/30/06 |
Paul Eisen passed away in a freak accident. He was a wonderful man with an enormous heart and smile.—Terry Lynford, 4/03/06 Believe it or not, I still have the book from our 20th reunion. In that book it shows that Paul Eisen had died. If I am not mistaken, he was married to someone else from our class. I also believe you are correct, he died in an electrical accident.—Alan Nakisher, 4/03/06
I believe Paul was married to our classmate Diane Bernstein, and he did in fact pass away from an accident.—Barry Sher, 4/03/06 |
He was a fine man and a doctor. He also had the most beautiful blue eyes.—anonymous, 4/05/06 My husband and I knew Dave Finbloom when he was an Intern at St. Luke's Hospital. We never knew what became of him. My husband thought he would become a fine doctor. I think my husband was Chief Resident when Dave was an Intern. I remember working in Drama Club with Dave. He did lighting on a production that I stage managed. I think it was The Glass Menagerie. Sorry to hear that he is gone.—J. Dani Wolf Narayan, 4/19/06 David and I were cousins. We were born 2 weeks apart, always lived a few blocks from one another, and were very close. David succumbed to complications from a brain tumor on March 5, 1999, but left behind a strong legacy. — Jay Reiter, 5/30/06 David was my best buddy. We shared so many intertests and foibles together both at UCity and then through college at washington u , medical school, and then whe he was at the FDA and I was at the D.C. Children's Hospital. David had the most beautiful eyes to go with a most beautiful person. He was blessed with his outstanding wife Thera and their two sons. He died after being tortured by a brain tumor in 1999 and is buried in Washington....and he died in his prime. Oh my... — Charlie Stolar, 7/23/06 |
I remember the day that Doug was killed. He told me that he and Bernedette Helmich were cutting class and taking his motorcycle out for a ride. Someone hit them when they were turning a corner. Doug was killed instantly and Bernedette was critically injured. I remember the funeral, there were hundreds of people there to pay their respects.—Jerry Goldblatt, 3/26/05 (Jerry adds that Bernadette, or Bonnie, as she is better known, recovered completely and has attended one of our reunions.) I remember that day, Doug and I were supposed to meet up on the circle. Doug had just borrowed Bob's Honda and I had that S-90 Honda. We were going to do some dirt biking at the old clay mines,but Doug was crazy about Bonnie and she is a lot cuter than me. We were suppose to meet at his house or Jerry's house later . Doug was a good friend and his parents are wonderful people.—Robbie Hong, 3/27/06
I shall never forget the day that Doug was killed and Bonnie injured. Doug was a good friend. I think about him and feel sad that he was taken so soon. —Jaryl Ambler-Brown, 4/04/06 |
Larry was a genius, a wizard, and always had an answer or a fix for things. I went camping with him a couple of times, and he was always someone you wanted to have around in the "middle of nowhere". I felt like he was a green beret in training. He was a wonderful man.—Farley Malorrus, 3/31/06
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Warren and I became great friends at Florissant Valley CC. We would play Hearts for hours. We would go to Wash U. and sucker kids into games to earn money. I will always remember him making the most non-sensical comment I ever heard: when asked about a mutual friend he said, "nice guy, rotten Hearts player". I still use that line whenever I can. I miss Warren, and I wish I knew what happened to him.—Alan Nakisher, 3/28/06 We used to call Warren “Seadog” but I can’t remember why. He always had a smile and brought lots of laughter to any gathering. I think he used to drive this huge car, perhaps an Olds 88. Some years ago I was told he had attended Yeshiva in New York and became a Rabbi, but I’m not certain whether that was factual. I always got a kick out of thinking that the “irreverent” Seadog had become a religious leader.—Ken Birenbaum 3/30/06 |
What I've heard is that Elliot died of a heart attack while playing raquetball at the JCCA. It must have been in the early '90s or so. He was a memorable presence, kind of a joker and a bit of a trickster. I remember him from age 7 or so, when I went to "Camp Council", the JCCA's (maybe it was even YMHA, then) summer day camp. This guy, Eliot, seemed like the most "in" guy there. I went to a different elementary and junior high than he, and only got to know him personally in 10th grade.—Max Reif, 3/30/06 Elliot Kalmes was my nemesis in Hebrew School, always trying to intimidate me, but never succeeding. Our rivalry extended to college when he pledged Sammy and I pledged Aepi. I had the utmost respect for Elliot and I believe he liked me because unlike most, I stood up to him. He was a tough kid with a smart mouth, but developed into a wonderful man with a kind heart. I knew Elliott since I was 9 years old. May you rest in, Peace old friend.—Farley Malorrus, 3/31/06 |
Yvonne was the 'cousin' I had that I wish I would have been closer to. She was wise beyond her age, and as mature as they come, with an awesome sense of humor. Had she not been my cousin, I'm sure she would have made a fine girl friend, as she was one of the nicest people I ever met. Her life was taken prematurely, but I'm sure she lived it to the fullest, leaving smiles on everyone's face whom she touched. See you in Heaven Yvonne. Miss you, cuz.—Farley Malorrus, 3/31/06 |
Phyllis and I went back a long way - all through grade school at University Forest our parents would carpool us, along with Marilyn Koslow and Charlene Ponstingl. Throughout the years, Phyllis gave so much back to her community in steady, quiet ways, and she was a mainstay at Congregation Shaare Emeth. Her sudden tragic death, along with her husband, was a terribleshock and loss. She was very proud of her children and always had a kind word or question of interest whenever we would run into each other. It's hard to believe how fragile life is, yet Phyllis truly enjoyed hers.—Ken Birenbaum, 4/3/06 Phyllis Marx passed way on September 12, 2004. She and her husband, along with two friends, perished when their private plane went down on Howell Island, close to Spirit of St. Louis Airport. Phyllis never met a person she didn’t like. She lived only a few doors from Hamburger Heaven, so going to her house in high school was extra special! She was always there if you needed help, especially if it was for creative ideas. She could take a plain flower pot and make it into a bouquet of roses. Phyllis was an incredible woman who died in the prime of her life.—Terry Lynford, 4/03/06 |
Don Reiter was a quiet guy, kind of shy, with a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an excellent sense of humor. Everyone that knew Don liked him, and I don't believe he had any enemies. Don was truly evolved beyond his years, and a gentle man.—Farley Malorrus, 3/31/06 Don was my good friend and college roommate our freshman year at Mizzou. During high school he was a regular at our weekend poker games with Bob Mayer, Mike Jagust, Mark Wilensky, Mike Malevan, Steve Wyde et al. (What a motley crew that was). He was enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program and served after college. Don was married and living in Aiken, S.C. when his brother Ken called me early one morning and told me that Don had died of a bloodclot in his leg that migrated to his heart. He died quite suddenly. I would guess it to be about 28-29 years ago, when he was in his late 20's. I miss you, buddy. —Barrie Sher, 4/02/06
In the dictionary under friend should be Don's picture. Always a supportive word, never a negative comment about anyone, always there for you...we are all better for having known him.-- Mark Wilensky, 4/04/06 |
Laurie Ritzlin was one of the most attractive ladies in our class. She was not only gorgeous, but she had a heart of gold and a smile for everyone. Vibrant, healthy, active, and always friendly, she was one of the ladies all the guys wanted to be with, but was very shy and selective. I am sad she has passed over, as she had always been an angel to me. Now, she is an Angel, of this I am sure. Bless you Laurie.—Farley Malorrus 4/2/06
Did Laurie take her own life, as I heard years ago? That would be sad, if true. Obviously, she was so lovely and talented. I was a bit piggish in high school toward anyone who seemed to me aligned with "beatnik" mentality. I must have felt threatened. So many things to repent for. Fortunately, time to do that—and to change—is abundant.—Max Reif, 4/02/06 Laurie and I were very close during highschool and college. She married a few years after graduating college and was living in Cambridge, Mass. She was happily working at one of the labs at Harvard, and I visited her there. She had a bout of breast cancer, which really shook her entire being. She was just in her early twenties. She fought it off and seemed to be doing well. A few years later when she was still in her twenties, it reacurred. She felt the cancer was a particularly fast growing kind, and she took her own life. Her husband called me that night. I really did not keep in touch with him, but I would always visit Laurie's parents when I came to town. She was an only child. Her mother passed away I think within eight years of her death, and then later her father. I still have all of Laurie's letters which she sent me almost daily when I was doing summer stock when I was sixteen and seventeen. They each included a vitamin pill. She had this wonderful off beat sense of humor. She was lovely, and I miss her.—Sarajane Robinson Schwartz, 4/30/06 |
I wish I knew what happened to Joel, and when. It's hard to imagine him "going" young. His mischievous smile and laughter seemed like they'd be around a long time. They live in my memory as though I'd seen and heard them yesterday.—Max Reif, 3/30/06 Joel Rosenberg was a tall, handsome man, that everyone wanted to be like. He was very selective in who he was friends with, athletic, charming, and intellectual. He always had a sarcastic comment, or statement whenever anything got intense or stressful. He was a winner with confidence, arrogance, and high self esteem. The ladies loved Joel, and I believe the feeling was mutual. Joel has been missed very much by all the people who loved and adored him.—Farley Malorrus 4/2/06
My first cousin Joel married Beverly Handler, and they had a son Brett. (Brett Rosenberg's doing well, earned a master's degree in an environmental field from the University of Michigan, and he is working in Washington DC for an organization representing city governments.) Joel and Beverly divorced, and Joel remarried Carol (I forgot Carol's last name). They lived in Kansas City quite a while. Joel worked in the field of chronic pain -- promoting methods/materials/clinics to help patients deal with chronic pain. At age 39 or 40, in Kansas City, he had a sudden fatal heart attack. —Ellen Zemliak Tanenbaum, 4/27/06 |
Carol was my beautiful friend she introduced me to my husband Steve. She became a most popular and sought after girl at W.U. She was always finding guys for me to go out with. Carol had a life some would envy. Her husband, Marshall was a big lawyer and she had 5 kids. Yes, she did commit suicide, and to this day I always think of her . She must have really wanted to go. One day she had called us to say she was naming her last baby Stephen, for my husband. The next thing we knew his name was Robert. Her Dad had died a little before her. I remember she was very close to her parents.I still miss her and maybe people just did not read the signs.—Sandy Cohen Patz 4/23/06 |
Pete was killed in Nam.—Jerry Cohen, 3/27/06
Pete was a good artist and drew some fun cartoons. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and was a true friend. I heard from him several times when he was in Viet Nam. He was KIA on 11/9/67, just a few weeks before he was due to come back to "The World" He stepped on a land mine while walking point. He was a proud marine. He is buried at Calvery Cemetary on W. Florissant. On "The Wall" In DC he is on panel 29E line 62. I still miss him. — Cathy Short Moore, 7/23/07
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Charley Silverman was a comedian and one of the funniest people I ever met. Was he ever serious about anything in life? I don't think so. I never got an honest answer out of him, but he always left me laughing, and wondering why I even asked the question. Always one with a quick retort for teacher's boring lectures, he often time left a class in stiches with his remarks, often times beating me to the punch. He was a classy gentleman with a heart of gold and everyone liked him.—Farley Malorrus 4/2/06
Charlie made me laugh, too. In many of my memories of him, he speaks in a kind of mock, comic voice that he cultivated. I can't remember whether it was based on some TV character or comedian, or what? Charlie is another of those people whom I feel "still with us"...who will always be walking the halls of U. City High in my memory.—Max Reif, 4/02/06 Charlie was a good guy, he said hello to everyone. He made everyone laugh with his dry quick wit. On thinking back after reading what Max wrote, Charlie’s comedic voice reminded me of Don Adams doing Maxwell Smart. Charlie will be missed.—Jeff Silver, 4/20/06 |
