Spouse: Carl Bannwart Phone number: (215) 369-8185 E-mail address: ibannwart@comcast.net Present occupation: Vice President at POWER MAGNETICS, INC
Life and Family: Life continues to be busy; hectic and challenging, raising our now 14 year old son, while so many of our classmates have several grandchildren already. I keep telling myself he's keeping me young! Have been working with my husband in his manufacturing business in Trenton, New Jersey for the last 6 years. No signs of retirement here! We still sing in a choir together, but I yearn to be back on stage in musicals again... Staying healthy, working out with a personal trainer 3 times/week and lots of 12 step meetings keep me going strong.
Our son is now over 6 feet tall, 155lbs, a strapping athlete and GORGEOUS (of course - I'm a MOM!). He's become a true teenager: payback time for me, and finally beginning to show signs of growing up a bit. He teaches me patience, humility and (sometimes) self control and has guided us to become avid Phillie's baseball fans. Last month we even made it to a Yankee's game in NYC. Our boy and I share a love of traveling, shopping and deep see fishing (well, he does, anyway), and he and I just caught 4 BIG bluefish in the Atlantic. Thank God the guys on the boat cleaned and cut them into filets.
My brother, Richard, who graduated from U. City in '61, moved in with us over a year ago due to health problems, but seems to be flourishing here. It's also been great for our son to finally have some family close and have an uncle to hit golf balls with.
Next 10 Years: Become Katie Couric's stylist (I'm convinced she needs me); work on being the next Meryl Streep and learn how to dance again... Also, see our son get through high school and college successfully!!!
Favorite Memories: Sophomore year dating a SENIOR, Alan Spector. Mrs. Extein getting me through Geometry with a "B" (the second time around)! Friday nights, dancing at Wig Wam, followed by Nino's or Rinaldi's or "H". The PRO shows (although to this day, I KNOW that he liked my sister, Becky, better than me). Senior year - those evenings on the "STRIP" with my beloved "SeaDog" (Warren Hoffman); my still dearest friend, Aileen Schumitzky (Melnick); Don Ferman; Barry Pessin; (who else was there???) with the guys doing their renditions of Smokey Robinson, The 4 Tops; and all those other wonderful K.A.T.Z Radio stars. Walking in the processional at graduation with my other dear friend, Gary Saks. Being a regular at Cyrano's, usually finishing a World's Fair Sundae (or was it Eclaire?) all by myself! And, my favorite night of any year, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! |
Spouse: Tarrell Portman Life and Family: Although I was never a serious student through high school, I went to college, mainly to avoid a free trip to Southeast Asia. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I actually liked education. After 7 years, four universities and five majors, I completed a B.S. in 1973, got married, and became a high school English teacher. In 1977 I completed an M.A. in school administration. In 1980 I became a father and in 1981 I quit teaching in order to make more money as a steel-worker. After 8 years, I realized I did not need the money or the wife, and quit both (a rather long story). My daughter is now 26 and is living in Evansville, IN. In 1988 I became a high school principal and the following year, 1989, I married Tarrell Cato, a high school guidance counselor. I completed an Ed.S. in school administration in 1994, and in 1995 Tarrell and I both quit our jobs, sold our house and belongings, and returned to graduate school to earn our doctorates. Upon graduation in 1999, we both accepted positions at The University of Iowa. Tarrell is now an associate professor and the coordinator for the Counselor Education program. I am the liaison between the College of Education and Iowa’s 365 public school districts; a position that addresses the various aspects of engagement, outreach, research and service. We live in a rural setting, 10 miles from campus, atop the highest hill in the area. The sunsets are pure beauty, the eagles and hawks over the valley below us are majestic, and life is paradoxically peaceful and invigorating. In May 2005, the Iowa Division of Human Services (IA DHS) placed two brothers, now ages 11 and 13, in our care. We are now in the process of adopting the boys into our family, where they will remain a part of our household, along with our two Chihuahuas and two cats. Next 10 years: While many friends have retired, or will retire shortly, I hope to continue working in my present position. I enjoy what I am doing and I believe it is making a difference in the lives of a large number of children. The pay is fair, the benefits are great, and I have enough vacation time to do most of the things I want to do. |
Life and Family: I guess I need to go back 39 1/2 years to college at the University of Wisconsin. After a fun college career amidst all the riots I, with regret, left that spledid atmosphere for a job at the State University of New York in Buffalo. I had switched from a dance major to a zoology major and worked in animal behavior. Then, after a fashion, went on to Michigan State for an MS in botany and plant pathogy. The whole process took awhile but in 1981 I took the job I still have as off-campus faculty with Michigan State University Extension as an agricultural agent in a area still hanging on to its agriculture by its toenails. It's only 30 miles north of Detroit, so the sprawl is mightier than the truck farms. Apart from the fact that we are the only non-Christians in the neighborhood, we like it here. I didn't hook up with my husband until I was 34, when we started our family: a girl, Lena, now 23, and my son Nate, 20. The daughter is off to grad school (!) at Indiana University next fall and the boy is a sophomore on the golf team at the University of Detroit. Larry is from the Detroit area, so we are close to his family. I don't go back to St. Louis very often. It broke Ruthie's and my heart when our folks died and it's still painful. But I'm looking forward to seeing you all and will do my best to drag Ruthie too. |
Spouse: Dennis Barbeau E-mail address: savetreesstaycool@sbcglobal.net Present occupation: retired-since 2002
Life and Family: The last 10 years have been some of the best for me. We welcomed our two grandchildren into the world - Kate, now 11 and Ashley, now 8. Our daughter Jill, who is our only child, received her Masters Degree. She and her family live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa - she is a 1st grade teacher. I've been married for 36 years to Dennis and we have a good life together-we can still make each other laugh. My mom died about 2 weeks after we graduated, and my life was put on hold. I discovered many outlets for hurt, anger and loss but got back on track, went to work for a small company that taught me their business from the ground up. Before I retired in February, 2002 after 32 years, my job involved traveling across the US, into Canada and Mexico, to Hong Kong, mainland China and the Philippines. It was great. Now Dennis and I travel whenever we can. I have been a volunteer at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Specialty Hospital here in Maryland Heights for the last 1-1/2 years I'm a real outdoors type person - my daughter and I took a 5 day backpacking trip in the Hon Rainforest of Olympic National Park in 2003 and that was a big accomplishment for me I enjoy my life Next 10 Years: I'd like to continue the journal I've kept for my granddaughters. I want to continue to take time and notice the details about my surroundings, whereever I am. And when my husband retires in about 4 more years I want to say to him "See, I told you it was awesome!!!!" Favorite Memories: Pratzel's through the back door, Heman Park Swimming Pool (I still have mustard on my popcorn but I think the damp paperbags made a difference}, getting my drivers license in Barry Selig's (65?) little Nash Rambler, Ruth Ann Topper, Gerri Veness, Judy Weinshenker, Robbie Hong, Cory Blackwell, Barb Bevers, I was sorry to read about George Cronin-we had been friends from grade school and I had some fun times with Ronnie Schneider. I can't think of a better place to grow up than U City. We still go to the Tivoli and shop along Delmar. I loved it then and love it now |
Life and Family: My life the past 10 years has been "feh" a lot of the time, but it's been quite rich lately and seems on the upswing. I took a couple of web design courses in the late '90s, partly to impress my girl friend (now my wife), and learned to use the Dreamweaver web-design program. I don't do really fancy stuff, but know how to tell stories with pictures. This skill has led me to the adventure of having a website, entitled "What Remains Is The Essence" (www.REALnothings.com), with all the poetry, stories, art, and even music I care to share with the world. My daily stats show visitors from an average of 20 countries! Even though I'm just a guy sharing, not a mega-corporation with a million hits a day, and days go by without any direct feedback, the sharing can be very gratifying, for someone who has not yet gained "commercial success" with his artistic works via the channels of the pre-electronic world. I joked with a friend recently, "God seems to get me in shape every ten years for the reunion."
Favorite Memories: I posted a poem entitled "Questions Looking Back" that alludes to some of them, like pool-hopping in the middle of the night in Ladue with friends. I have a short story online that tries to paint my world in 9th grade, a heavenly year.. "Coming of Age" with my friends in the Achim club, and other friends like Ron Anderson, Rick Barber, haunting the alleys and parks of U. City weekend nights, sometimes winding up at Pratzel's bakery at 3 AM when the hot bagels came out; the night before or after graduation, when a bunch of us idiots SLEPT in our sleeping bags, in front of the high school; playing football, though it wasn't so much the playing, as the comeraderie. I'll think of more, no doubt. I'll close with a short poem:
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Spouse: Elaine Gerber (U. City 1968) Phone number: (510) 280-2120 E-mail address: jimmy@redoakrealty.com Present occupation: Real estate guy
Life and Family: It's hard to fit it into a ten year period. It seems like everything I have ever done was to prepare me for the present. I fooled around with school and work for the rest of the Sixties, taking classes which interested me, but nothing which added up to much on a transcript (I think that was the general faculty opinion of me anyway - that I wouldn't add up to much). I got drafted in 1968, but defended a medical condition during my physical, and was passed over. In the wake of the 1970 Kent State shootings, my then school of choice was shut down, and I began a serendipitous path which took me back and forth across the country a couple of times. I was working at Rich and Charlie's when I met two of our classmates who had started Captain America Travel across the street on Delmar and Bonhomme. I think it was Steve Saphian and Dennis Nalick. They had a round trip Icelandic Airlines youth fare ticket, New York to Luxemburg for $165.00. Once you arrived, you could walk into the Luxemburg airport and book your return flight anytime within one year, so I rolled up a sleeping bag and spent the next 51 weeks hitchhiking around Europe and North Africa. There was a major hippie scene going on at the time, and old rebel like me fit right in. I have heard many people describe their military or college years as being the formative time for the rest of their lives, but for me, it was that 51 weeks. I returned to St. Louis, did a lot more hitchhiking literally and figuratively through academia, odd jobs, carpentry, photography, solar energy, woodworking, retail, and a marriage. As that marriage was dissolving, I was visiting a buddy, when his sister walked in and stole my heart on the spot! Elaine Gerber just happened to be in town for the class of '68 reunion, and I was hooked! Elaine is sophisticated, a terrific dancer, and an incredible cook. She is a great comedienne, part Imogene Coca, and part Woody Allen. I chased her to the San Francisco Bay Area where I taught woodworking and sold tools retail for several years. I love it here! I seem to have been groomed for this particular culture. We have a wonderful 11 year old daughter, Ava, who seems to be a thoughtful, considerate person exhibiting none of the antisocial tendencies I had at that age (my greatest fear). She is a real mench. |
Life and Family: After practicing architecture for twenty years, I joined Alberici in 1992. After serving as Director of Business Development for 10 years, I am currently Alberici's Director of Marketing. Evidently, Alberci was also part of my life while at UC. Mrs. Kimmel was Gabe Alberici's sister and I ended up living in the same condo building in the CWE with her, Gabe and Wanda Bowers. Yes, Wanda, as I now call her, is alive and well. She looks the same and is writng her autobiography. Next 10 Years: I would like to "retire" from Alberici nad become a "master gardener". Favorite Memories: Looking back, I only have fond memories of UC. What a time to be going to public school. We had a quality education that was comparable to a private school. It was a unique time in history to be growing up. |
Life and Family: Carolyn and I were newlyweds at the 20th. Now her two sons are out in the world and our youngest son is a new "Gator" at the U. of Florida. We moved to the country a few years ago and now have two horses and assorted other animals. Carolyn retired from teaching 1st grade last year and I am looking forward to the same fairly soon. * * * * * From Nathaniel Hawthorne to Rocket ScienceBy Joe Reynolds My family moved to U City in time for Priscilla and me to start school at Hawthorne-two blocks away. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Walker, lived on the corner. She had all four of our family in her class. I remember a young Miss Belt for second grade and then forget who came next. The best part of our neighborhood was Millar Park behind the school and the long hills for sledding on Wellington and Mt. Vernon. Jim Harrell was one of many who made up the daily sporting contests. Our school split between Hanley and Brittany so we lost some friends for a few years. I remember the ninth grade soccer team and still have that picture on the UCITY66 web site. After years of coaching my youngest son I’m convinced I didn’t have a clue when I played soccer then. But it was fun. Heman Park was an attraction for all seasons-swimming, baseball, tennis and even drivers-ed. We had everything between our schools, park, neighborhoods and especially friends. I was lured to Central Florida while completing my Civil Engineering degrees at UM-Rolla. My first company sent me to West Germany near Munich for a construction project. I enjoyed much traveling throughout Europe during that nine month assignment. I even saw Wimbledon-a week before the tournament. I started with Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin, in 1975 and am looking to retire soon. We were the R&D flight test facility for each new generation Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to plan and construct new launch facilities and a harbor for the Trident submarine. During the flight test programs I’ve worked in the mechanical support equipment group which was responsible for designing equipment for assembling and moving the missile components through various stages until time for launch. My wife’s two older sons live in Brooklyn and here in Central Florida. Between them we have five granddaughters with another coming soon. Our youngest son is starting his Aerospace Engineering education at the U of FL. He switched his sport from soccer to rowing crew a couple of years ago. We even helped unload the St. Louis Rowing Club’s boats at one of the regattas. He hopes to join the U of FL team this year. |
Spouse: John Schwartz Phone number: (323) 467-2630 E-mail address: sschw56079@aol.com Present occupation: actress/wife/mom
Life and Family: After graduating from U City I studied acting at NYU and the Academy of Dramatic Art in Michigan with faculty from the Royal Academy in London, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival (with classmates Robert Englund/Freddy Kruger and David Hasselhof). I performed in theatres in St. Louis, New York, Detroit and ended up in Los Angeles. I've done everything from loads of classical theatre to musicals, to contemporary comedies. Some career highlights have been co-starring in a laugh-in a television pilot with Jay Leno, being a company member of the Tony award winning South Coast Repertory Theatre when we received a Los Angeles Critics Award for best season and co-staring in a celebrity filled production of "The Merchant Of Venice". I've done other TV, "Life Goes on", Knott's Landing" and film, but my love is really the theatre. I've been married to John Schwartz, an attorney, for over 23 years. He's my second husband, but it's like he's been and will always be my one and only. We have two children. They've always been very spirited, lively, and challenging, in a good way, so as the years have passed I've been spending more and more time raising them and less and less time following a career. Trevor, my eldest, just graduated from Princeton with a degree in Philosophy. He'll be attending Northwestern in the fall getting a masters degree in a combined writing program for theatre, film, and television. That's why we're not at this reunion. We'll be moving him into his first apartment in Evanston that weekend. My daughter, Taube, has just completed her freshman year at Northwestern, as a theatre major, so they'll both be together. Her two passions are performing and politics. She starred in some musicals at Interlochen, but the past two summers she's been pursuing politics. Last summer when she was just 17, she worked as an intern for Sen. Spector in Washington, and had the honor and great responsibility of working on the Judiciary Committee on the Roberts nomination for the Supreme Court. This summer she just returned from a two week visit to Israel as part of a year long fellowship on terrorism she was awarded by the Foundation for Defense of Democracy in Washington. I think she would like to be our first singing President. She and Trevor are working on a book about ethics and film for students. Over the years we've taken about a half a dozen trips abroad, but have done less traveling with these uncertain times. My husband and I love to collect art and antiques. Our collection ranges from antiquties and old master prints to modern sculpture and paintings. I've also been active as an advocate for gifted children. I still come to St Louis several times a year to visit my mother. Now that the children will both be in the midwest, we'll be coming more often. About 12 years ago, my parents were visiting my brother, Howard, in Florida. They were crossing the street and were struck by an automobile. My father was killed and my mother was badly injured. It was a horrible familly tragedy. It took a long time for my mother to recover physically and emotionally from the trauma, but she's doing much better, still lives on her own, and is only now slowing up her activities due to age. I still keep in touch with a few friends from U City, but hardly get to see them. Next 10 Years: It will be nice when the children finally finish their studies, and everything will be paid off. I think we'll be paying for law school for at least one, hopefully not both, but that will cover a good part of the next ten years. I'm sure my husband, John, will be working for a long time. Now that the children are finally sort of, maybe, kind of, temporarily out of the house, it would be nice to focus again on my career. It's very difficult under any circumstance, but for actresses of a certain age it's almost impossible. Perhaps Trevor will write some parts for me. Any way it will be fun to watch the children pursue their passions. John and I are looking forward to more time alone. Maybe by then I'll know enough about computers to be able to send you our photos. Favorite Memories: My close friends, Suzan, Beth, Carolyn, and Laurie. Folkdancing and walking barefoot in the grass outside in the summer. Gaslight Square: hanging out in coffee houses, singing with my guitar, and starring in "Gigi" at the Gateway Theatre. Hanging out at Beth's house and also at Laurie's. Going to "H". Directing "The Glass Menagerie" at school. Working on various one acts at school with Steve Kowarsky, Zara Haimo, and Ricky Safron, having them cancelled at the last minute by Dr. Boyer due to bad language, and then having "The Zoo Story" performed at my house. Everything with Mrs. Gottlieb, Pen In Hand, and particularly class discussions and learning about great literature and life. Doing summer stock In Illinois for two summers and my high school friends visiting me there. Visiting the St Louis Art Museum at least once a week to keep me sane. hanging out at Wash U. being obsessed with "The Lovesong Of J Alfred Proofrock" senior year. |
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Life and Family: I retired from Lucent Technologies in Chicago after working as a product manager for 20+ years. We moved to Tucson in 1999, the day after I retired. We get back to the Chicago area frequently to see our granddaughter, Quinn, who is almost 2. She is the daughter of my husband's son, Ron, and his wife, Linda. My son Doug and his wife Sanae live in Kobe, Japan, where he is a chemist for a pharmaceutical company. We are going there in less than a month to meet the in-laws. I still play my flute and do all sorts of crafts knitting, beading, quilting, sewing. |
University City, Missouri, was founded by a charismatic and visionary genius at the beginning of the 20th century. Progressive from its inception, this St. Louis suburb was always a magnet for the region’s creative people and liberal thinkers. Fifty years after its birth, “U City” was to leave a deep impression on me and the kids with whom I grew up. Our parents were activists, deeply engaged in the community, nation and world. Concerned about racial prejudice, poverty and social injustice, we reflected their idealism, and as teenagers, we thrived on the intense intellectual life that animated this remarkable place. Naturally, we did what activist students did in the 1960s. We tutored children at Trinity Church in the Central West End. And we attended a weekend seminar at Grace Hill Settlement House just north of downtown St. Louis, to learn about poverty in one of the city’s oldest and most rundown neighborhoods. Urban Education Originally laid out by middle class town builders in the early 19th century, this near north side neighborhood became home for generations of immigrants. When we arrived, poor white families from Missouri’s “boot heel” filled the houses, which had been divided and subdivided over the years to accommodate the succession of ethnic groups. We spent the last day of the weekend with one of those families in their apartment at 1124 Madison Street. As we were to learn, the Morrisons—Paula, Brenda, Bobby, Debbie, Richie, Peggy, Baby John and their mom, Sylvia—were very warm, alive people, despite their burdensome poverty. But just a few weeks earlier the father had abandoned the family, and the kids were emotionally hungry when we came along. They fell in love with us—and we with them. The weekend, which had started out for us as a teenage bonding and learning experience, became something altogether different, something fundamental, shaped by deeper human needs that transcended everything else. Our close friendship with the Morrisons lasted all through high school and beyond, and we came to know their neighborhood well. What a contrast between suburban U. City and the very urban form of the near north side. Row houses, corner stores, factories, churches—everything built right up to the sidewalks and right next to everything else—lined the streets of the 19th century community. Layers of history and generations of human experience were manifest in everything we saw, smelled and touched. The very urban density of things, in contrast with University City’s suburban spaciousness, was a revelation to me. Intuitively, I understood that the near north side’s history and importance were far deeper than its visible poverty. Moreover, although its urbanity was something completely new to me, it struck a harmonic chord at every level. In “discovering” this ancient neighborhood, and through that discovery, in forging a lifelong bond with the Morrisons, I learned that I was made for city life. College in Philadelphia Then in 1966 I went away to Philadelphia to go to college. Classes with outstanding professors provided a lifelong framework for learning about cities, culture and the human condition. All night conversations with new friends anchored this framework in personal experience. Just as important, I had the opportunity to explore, first hand, Philadelphia’s vibrant downtown. I became familiar with its nearby, elite 18th century Society Hill neighborhood, which had been restored in the 1950s, as well as its adjacent 19th century counterpart, Rittenhouse Square, which had maintained elite status throughout its history. Back home, my family sold our house and left the St. Louis area, eventually ending up in Southern California. Still, I remained attached to the region, and I stayed in touch with its development through a subscription to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Along the way, I came to know the big cities of the east coast, and to compare them with St. Louis. I learned that the vibrance of the eastern downtowns was related to the vitality of their surrounding dense, row house neighborhoods. And I began to wonder why those neighborhoods had been restored and cherished, rather than neglected and forgotten like their counterparts in St. Louis. A 1967 article in the Post Dispatch (enclosed) framed the question clearly. With regard to St. Louis’s derelict near north side, the article asked “what are you waiting for?” What are you waiting for? The question has remained on my mind ever since. It firmly established St. Louis as my point of departure and laboratory for understanding American cities. And it has guided my professional development in architecture and urban planning ever since. I would acquire the knowledge and skills to help address the problems of the American inner city—in order to make its neighborhoods once more a vital part of American urban life, and by so doing, to revitalize the American downtown.
I graduated from college in 1970, a year after the gay “Stonewall Riots.” I came out as a gay man, became a gay activist in Philadelphia, and met Frank Lonabaugh. Frank and I were together for a decade. His family welcomed me, and we watched his younger brothers and sisters grow up, much as I had done with the Morrisons. But professionally, I found myself stuck in a job with no opportunity to move in the direction I wanted. My best energy went into gay activism and the relationship with Frank. Those were exhilarating years—at the dawn of the modern gay rights movement—and I met exceptional friends through the lesbian/gay community. However the relationship with Frank ended in 1980. Not because of any betrayal of trust, but by mutual consent. We loved each other no less than when we had met, but a basic incompatibility of expectations had worn us both down. Breaking up seemed like the right thing to do. Still, because the relationship had been so positive, there was one thing I knew for sure. An intimate relationship and domestic life with another guy was what I wanted more than anything else. In April 1981, I traveled to Southern California to be with my family for Passover. While there, I met Dan, a member of the lesbian/gay Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club. We talked all night. I was convinced that Dan might be the one for me. In January 1982 I moved to Long Beach to pursue a relationship with him. I joined Lambda and began a decade of gay activism in my new home, once again making wonderful friendships along the way. Dan and I, too, became close friends, but not spouses. Remaining single was a big disappointment to me, but professionally, good things began to happen. I joined a small architectural firm doing important adaptive re-use and restoration projects in downtown Los Angeles; I became a leader in the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Downtown L. A. Walking Tour program; I served on the board of directors for the wonderfully offbeat L.A. chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, and I was accepted into the masters degree program in urban planning at UCLA. Graduate school began in September 1985. UCLA UCLA was a phenomenal experience. Surrounded by gifted faculty and students, I performed at a level I’d never before achieved. My studies, organized around the subject of inner city residential abandonment, culminated with a masters degree thesis. The subject? St. Louis’s Lucas Place—the city’s first elite neighborhood—which developed adjacent to downtown in the 1850s but which was abandoned by the end of the century. It was my remarkable good fortune to choose that subject, for it led to amazingly clear and verifiable answers to the question I’d been pondering for decades, “What are you waiting for?” The reasons for the abandonment of Lucas Place explain at once both the subsequent widespread abandonment of St. Louis’s inner city row house neighborhoods, as well as the singular grandeur and staying power of the Central West End. What a gift—an MA thesis that uncovered real answers to a genuinely significant question! I graduated UCLA in 1988, and thus began the rest of my life. It certainly had its ups and downs, but it reached a high point in 1992 when I was chosen by a newly elected Long Beach city councilman to serve as his deputy. His district incorporated most of downtown Long Beach as well as its surrounding neighborhoods—which included the heart of the city’s lesbian/gay community. No question but that job was the most satisfying employment I’ve ever had. Although I had a rough start in such a high stress position, ultimately I was able to serve the councilman well. In 1994 a second high point came along. I’d been single ever since 1980, but eventually had come to accept it. Then, beginning in 1990 Frank and I re-established a long distance friendship. Only when Frank “proposed” to me in December, 1993, did I realize how much this friendship meant to me. Of course I said “YES!” and arranged to take a month off work in the summer of 1994 to drive to Philadelphia, have a union ceremony, and return with Frank to live in Long Beach. It was a year after Frank had proposed to me that I last sent a note like this to friends, scattered as they were across the country. The note talked of joy and satisfaction, of hopes and dreams realized. But it all unraveled in early 1996. With Frank, the old incompatibility of expectations exploded suddenly and unexpectedly. The next thing I knew, Frank was gone. With my job, something ugly was happening at city hall—though not with my boss, the councilman. The ugliness was tearing me apart and the councilman did his best to correct the problem. But the other council members didn’t have a clue. As the councilman’s employee I needed to let go of the situation. But I was unable to. I walked out of city hall in February—intending to attack the problem as a citizen—and never went back. Still, I ended up being powerless to do anything about it. I was devastated. Gradually it occurred to me that I’d never accomplished what I’d set out to do professionally so many years before. I’d never played a major role in city planning and design, in shaping the architectural setting for urban community life. Perhaps it was time to focus clearly on that goal. If so, the Los Angeles area—where community life is such a low priority to most people—was not the place to do it. But back in St. Louis, exciting things were happening in anticipation of the year 2004—the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase and the 100th anniversary of the St. Louis World’s Fair. Although community life in St. Louis is deeply fractured, people most definitely care about it. So I moved back to St. Louis in May of 1997. I’ve never regretted it for a moment! Update, May 2004 In 1997 I moved from Long Beach, California back to the place where I was born, St. Louis, Missouri. For these past seven years St. Louis has been a serene and beautiful setting for an inner journey that has been, at times—well, very intense. Each of these years, as the winter holiday season has approached, I’ve thought wistfully of sending greetings to many friends who live far away but who remain vivid in my thoughts, and for whose friendship I’m grateful. I’ve not been able to get it together to do so until now. Seven months ago I had to move again (happily just a few miles.) With this move, the convergence of the season and the desire not to lose contact with people I know, seems to have carried me beyond inertia and into the realm of actually doing this thing! It’s been a slow process, and the holidays are far behind us now. But, perhaps it’s still not too late to wish you the best for the remainder of 2004! This address is in the middle of a neighborhood called the Central West End of St. Louis. It’s a singular neighborhood—as grand, as beautiful and as fascinating as any I’ve seen in the United States. What an odyssey it’s been that brought me here! Although the story spans 55 years, its elements are so clear and striking that they collapse time and space into a simple narrative. (Note: As you'll see above, Rick has since moved from the CWE) |
We also took a very interesting trip to Kenya to tour the game parks and visit Lamu Island off the coast. Lamu Island is the center of Islamic culture in Kenya and the most exotic place I have ever been. There are no vehicles on the Island, but there are free-roaming donkeys that people use for transportation. But the main means of getting around are small sailboats called dhows that serve as water taxis. I have also become much more involved in my synagogue. I served as President for 2 years (not a pleasant experience). I have also chanted Haftarah several times and Torah a couple of times. I have been working for almost 20 years as an air quality consultant at a medium-sized international consulting firm. About 6 years ago I started telecommuting to my job. although I know that telecommuting does not agree with everyone, it has improved my quality of life enormously. My favorite project was designing and managing the first national air dispersion modeling study to estimate the concentrations of toxic air pollutants throughout the US for the USEPA. The project has since been adopted by USEPA as an ongoing program. Next 10 Years:
Favorite Memories: Nino's Pizzaria, Steak and Shake, Heman Park swimming pool, Gallant's Drug Store, Velvet Freeze, Wigwam, Trinity HELP, Mr. Hale's chemistry classes, Mr.Edenburn's math classes, Ms. Rothschild's English class |
Life and Family: Some spice; no spouse. I was close to married once. But somewhat naively, I moved from Toronto to Richmond to live with Sue before her 10-year-old daughter (who had ruled the roost somewhat) was ready, and the resulting tensions contributed significantly to the break-up. It had been quite amazing, and the break-up was dizzying. I've found community with the Argentine Tango group here at Penn State, and with various other groups, and enjoy seeing my parents (now 92 and 94), brother Ray, and his daughter, Liana, 13, who is a mancala wiz and will thank me some day, I hope, for the ballroom lessons I've given her. Next 10 Years: Finishing this degree, and, with some luck, finding support for implementing/researching some of these ideas. Continuing dancing -- movement has been an ongoing love: from folkdancing, improv, modern, ballroom, to most recently, Argentine Tango. Who knows, maybe there's a right woman waiting around the corner for me. I found a combo consulting-pleasure trip to Brazil fascinating. I'd love to be able to take some workshops on the road to experience different countries more from the inside. Favorite Memories: Larry Bluestone's report on the (completely fabricated) "Secret Treaty of Fiume"; Arlene (who invariably sat right in front of me) Rosenbaum's sexy leg bobbing up and down; dancing in "Music Man" and other shows; hanging with the geniuses (not me) in the Math Club; Joe Hale's arms behind the back and over the head trick; Evelyn Patterson's grace and stature; folk-dancing and the Go club; brewing NI3 (nitrogen tri-iodide) -- I forget: Marty F and Louis Z, were you the other co-conspirators? -- that exploded as people walked out of the senior assembly; running for President: I was very touched by some of your support; and most important, being a part of what I still think was a pretty cool, unusually human, caring place. (Was this most people's experience, or was it pretty different for some of you? I'd love to hear!) |
Spouse: Maris Meltzer Rovak
Life and Family: After graduation I worked in a foundry in Europe for a few months before starting school. A few years later, while in law school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I met my wife Maris. We've been married for 34 years. Maris is a reading specialist in the Ritenour School District, where she's been for over 14 years. She works with the little ones (K thru 5) and loves it.
We've two sons. The older one, Jason, got his M.D. at Duke and is in his last year of residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery here at Barnes. He starts a fellowship in hand surgery next year at the National Hand Center in Baltimore. His brother Todd just finished an MBA at Harvard and will start work in NYC in the fall. And on my last birthday Jason and his wife came up with a super gift -- a granddaughter!
After schools I spent a few years in the Army -- a stint in the parachute infantry (82d Airborne Division) followed by a Fellowship in Forensic Medicine at Walter Reed and a few years in the Pentagon (I transferred to the Air Force and stayed in the reserves until 2000). We came back to STL in 1977 and I've practiced law here ever since -- a real highlight was representing Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg a few years a go in a month long trial over the movie "Twister".
For the past few years we've lived in to a century old house in the Central West End. I'm told Miss Bowers lives around the corner! (BTW: The "CWE" is the best kept secret anywhere) Next 10 Years: Maris would like to retire from teaching in a few years. I'm still enjoying the law and have no plans to leave practice.
Favorite Memories: You don't really think I can remember that far back, do you? After all, memory is the second thing to go! |
Life and Family: In our 36 years together, Mike and I have lived in many places; Germany, South Carolina, Minneapolis, St. Louis and now Charlotte,North Carolina. It has been a great journey and we will probably remain Carolinians. After working many years ago in social work, I found my niche in healthcare; small practice administrator and now scaled back a bit to part time administrative work in a large business office. Mike is in marketing/product management for an old Monsanto product, Fome Cor, that is now part of Alcan. We have one son, Michael, who was near us in High Point for awhile, but has recently joined his girlfriend in Tampa and works in computer technology. |
Life and Family: Jerry and I have been living in Sarasota for the past 21 years and have been very happy in sunny southwest Florida. It's been a great place to raise our two daughters, Saralynne (who we simply call Sara) and Monica. Sara was married in November of '04 and is now expecting her first child! She is a financial analyst for Quest Diagnostics in Tampa. Monica lives in Orlando and we are planning her April '07 wedding. Monica is getting her Masters in Nonprofit Management. After two weddings in 2 years, I doubt we will be retiring anytime soon. Actually, we're really excited about all of these upcoming lifecycle events. |
Life and Family: The last ten years have been a blur. I got a cytomegalovirus (one of the kinds that cause mono.). This slowed down my drinking, which really slowed down my socializing!! Bars are no fun when you are drinking water. Likewise, it slowed down excesses such as over-eating, over-exercising, under sleeping. This lead to me becoming boring, but physically healthier. Boy, did i just give myself the kiss of death. The last ten years have shown me that I am very good in choosing golf clubs and friends but not so good at choosing business partners and serious relationships. Iwas married once to a woman with three fun boys--unfortunately, she came with them. I am currently dating a wonderful (I think) woman who is very self-sufficient and an excellent cook. I have been able to maintain one of my goals in life, which is not to work for anyone but myself, which has its ups and downs! Enough of being serious. I remember Wigwam, Steak and Shake , the race track,drinking in unsavory bars on the other side of the river, partying in south St. Louis, seeing the Ike and Tina Turner Revue for $.50, going to gaslight square and trying to stay out of trouble. I remember mooning constantly and watching certain women undress while three carloads of guys were watching. I bet that statement will make some of our u. city sisters a little paranoid. Well, that's about all I have to say. Hope to see you all in september. |
Life and Family: I have 2 grown children, Jennifer 30 and Timothy 26. Jennifer lives on her own and is working full time and getting her Masters degree. My son has developement disabilities, but lives on his own in a supporive living house. I am retired from the Missouri Department of Social Services, where I spent 28 years doing various social work jobs. I still live in St.Louis and only left U. City about 9 years ago. |
Life and Family: I have finally waited long enough to be able to say that I, too, am a grandfathermy daughter, Alyssa, one week ago had Amanda Lily and we are so excited! Alyssa is an attorney who works for a firm involved with juvenile court casesshe's also married to an attorney, and they live about an hour north of us. My son Adam works in the HR department of an aircraft parts manufacturing company in the San Diego area. My wife of almost 36 years, Daryl, has taught elementary school, gotten her masters in speech pathology, and for the past several years has been working in my officea private practice optometry office in a terrific San Diego community called Rancho Bernardo. We have all enjoyed living in southern California with other U. City classmates Stan, Adie, and Alan, and have made loads of other wonderful friends along the way. Next 10 Years: The simple life.......cutting back on work days and eventually retire within the next 5 years or so; sell our present house and downsize so we can get rid of 35 years of stuff that has accumulated; travel more and for longer periods wherever and whenever we want; maintain our present good health and active lifestyle; take music lessons I never seemed to have time for before; enjoy spending time with my grandchild(ren); and give back to my community that has been so good to us for so many years. Favorite Memories: Way too many to list but, as a child.......Jackson Park
school and being terrified of Miss Kerr; playing hide n' seek on hot summer
nights while getting bitten by mosquitoes as we caught lightening bugs; Kiddie
Land; Khoury League games and going to Steak n' Shake afterwards; Hanley Jr.
High and playing on the football and basketball teams; Rinaldi's ribeye steak
sandwiches; "H"'s fries with barbecue sauce; U. City Highfavorite teachers
Wally Klein and Henry Buffa, and a lot of unfavorite teachers I won't mention;
the excitement generated at all the sports events in which I participated;
meeting at the "Strip"; Wigwam, of course; and all the great friendships that
have endured to this daywhich is so rare, and for which I am truly thankful. |
Life and Family: Over the past 10 years some things have stayed the same and others have changed. I'm still married to Dottie, 34+ years. I'm still practicing general dentistry fulltime 4 1/2 days a week in Chesterfield, MO with the same associate for over 32 years. I am still active in sports, but here's where life has changed: I've retired the old hightop, white Converse sneakers and the "Heart of The Hide" glove. No more basketball or softball for me! My back can't handle the running, jumping (who am I kidding?) and twisting required to compete in those contact sports. I can still play racketball and tennis, but strictly for fun and execise.
Next 10 Years: As I begin to think about retirement,I would like to ease out of my practice, working less and playing more. I would like to travel more without time constraints, escaping from a "schedule" that has pressured me for over 32 years.Spend more time with family and friends and try to do things that will allow me to stay in shape and retain my health so I can enjoy my retirement years. |
James Scheiner Spouse: Linda Cohen Scheiner (U. City '66) Phone Number: (386) 736-9502 E-mail Address: jim@drscheiner.com Present Occupation: Dean, School of Business, Stetson University, DeLand, FL Life and Family: Linda & I got married shortly after the 10th reunion. We've moved 5 times over the years -- starting at Duke, then the University of Tennessee, Florida International University, Northern Michigan University and now Stetson University. |
Life and Family: Highlights have included the graduation from college and marriage of all three of our children and now the birth of two grandchildren, Cameron Schlansker and Gabriel Farr. We have a retirement home in Florida and have enjoyed travel to many places, including a visit this April to China. |
Life and Family: My wife and I successfully getting our two sons through college and into their careers. One is now a detective with the Warren County Sheriffs Department and the other is an engineer with Fedex out of Indianapolis, Indiana. |
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Spouse: Elizabeth Heinicke Life and Family: I had the good fortune to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. So it's interesting that I now divide my life into two parts. Pre-ms and post ms. I have been very lucky to be married to a wonderful lady. We have two boys age 16 and 21. My symptoms began in 1996, but I wasn't diagnosed until 1999. For those of you unfamiliar with MS, it is a debilitating disease of the central nervous system. I can no longer write, work, drive, or do much of anything. I am living proof of the theory that when MS strikes older men the progression is rapid. |
Life and Family: I have retired from my full time job in sales and from my volunteer job at United Hebrew pre- school. Harvey and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary. We have setteled into a retired life. But, honestly it is too quiet around the house for me. So, as often as I can, I visit our four grandchildren two girls and two boys Sam (12), Hannah (8), Tess (5) and Emerson (2). Matt lives in Chicago and has been married to Elana for almost two years.She is a computer consultant for IBM. A little more than a year ago he took a break from his accounting job to start his own business. I am keeping my fingers crossed! |
Life and Family: My greatest sources of pride: my daughter, HanaLena, age 25, my foster son, Juan Michael, age 23, my granddaughter, Derora "Rory" Esther, age 3. Where I've been: 1966 moved to Southern California, 1972 moved to Northern California, 1977 moved to Oregon (which I affectionately refer to as my 10 years in hell), 1987 moved back to Southern California. |
Spouse: Eric Seidel Phone number: (770) 971-4411 E-mail address: seidelmom@mindspring.com Present occupation: Specialty Advertising
Life and Family: Married 37 years this October to my college sweetheart. We have 2 grown daughters. Lisa 35 and Meredith 32. Both are enjoying wonderful careers, living in Boston. We are still waiting for them to bring us sons-in-law, and hope, hope, hopefully grand children. Eric and I love to travel and have been on some wonderful trips. We were in Israel last fall for the second time, Italy and Switzerland the Christmas before. Enjoying our 2 wonderful rescue golden retrievers. I guess it is that unconditional love thing...they are GREAT! Not thinking of retiring...what's that??? Next 10 Years: I would love to continue our many travel adventures. I love to paint funky furniture, faux paint walls and decorate..Would be wonderful to find a way to make money at it. Hope to keep healthy and enjoy an easier pace at some point. Would love to plan a couple of weddings... Favorite Memories: I loved being in art class. Adored "Mr." Lawless, Tom, we were pals. He was my art inspiration for sure. I kept up with him off and on for a very long time. Very sad when he died. I remember driving to school with my next door neighbor (she had a car) and good friend Susie Goldman Levin. We could leave all the things in the car that our mothers made us wear, boots, hats... It made us feel like we really got away with something... |
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Life and Family: I left a job with the State of Missouri after 13 year to
teach Drama in Junior High
School. While there I directed Arsenic and Old Lace and Directed,
choreographed, and
ran singing rehersals for Guys and Dolls. Since I am not a tenered teacher in the
State of Missouri my contract was not renewed. I guess other people wanted the
job.
I went to work for JC Penney in 2001 then hooked up with MBS and currently work |
Ron Seigel Spouse: Terry Winter Seigel Phone Number: (314) 469-1675 E-mail Address: dreamakr48@sbcglobal.net Present Occupation: nurse anesthetist Life and Family: I've been married to my wonderful wife,Terry for 31 years-We have 2 great sons-Jonathan 25 ,a 4th year med student at Mizzou and David 24 who lives in Chicago and is an actuary for a consulting firm- Ive been a CRNA(nurse anesthetist ))for 30 years-Im the guy who puts you to sleep for surgery - Im probably the only guy in the class who has an RN degree- went to St.Lukes in St louis for my RN -then on to Pittsburgh for my nurse anesthetist training-I was trained in the Army Reserves to be a medical corpsman after futzing around in college- I liked the training -and decided to become an anesthetist - |
Present occupation: Paralegal – 25 years Life and Family: Divorced since 1989
Two grown kids: Brandon, age 30, computer work Dana, age 26, 4th grade teacher
Two long haired miniature doxies: Punky, age 5, female, red Zoey, age 4 months, black and tan
I currently work at a law firm in Woodland Hills, CA as a paralegal/legal secretary. I taught photography at Valley College in San Fernando Valley, CA. I use to do weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah's and composites for acting.
I have all my hair left and it's 5% grey and I highlight it. J I must have an anti grey gene. Weight change since high school . . .probably about 10% heavier.
Hobbies: canning, baking, cooking and sewing – I make "Cherry Vishnick (booze). I am also still into photography.
Next 10 Years: Bonnie Shandelson, still taking it all in, "silence is golden" and so are we. . . .What it took me over 50 years to learn!
Do not confuse your career with your life. Never be afraid to try something new, remember that a lone amateur built the Ark, a large group of professionals built the Titanic. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip. There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
What has most changed about me since high school . . . wow did the time fly. I'm older, wiser and pretty much the same. I' m turning into my mother, which turned to be a good thing. I am basically pretty shy even today. |