Edited by author 09-09-2004 10:23 PM
In the midst of change what path are we traveling?

My wife and I have been together for many a year now and as our class motto states: “Together we go forward”. I want to share with you some excerpts from the MESSAGE BOARDS at Classmates.com and invite you to start other ongoing dialogues HERE to share what paths you are traveling. Click on a new topic or add a message here. Share with your classmates as: “Together we go forward” at a breakneck pace to old age. Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be!

TOPIC: Before McDonald's there was the DODO Drive-In !

From: RICHARD MAY 1965:

I remember the DoDo very well I used to work there and after football games it was a busy place. We served a lot of double decker (DODO burgers) out of that place. It was the place to be. The GUYS especially liked to show off their cars and lay a little rubber as they would leave. I believe I might have been one of those guys. I worked at the old DODO on the Beltline. I rec'd pretty good wages at that job for the time! a 1.59 an hour. Not bad for 1963. I drove around in a 1957 black ford conv. with a white rag top. I only paid $500 for that car.

From: BARBARA KOCH 1964:

My brother, Richard Koch, used to work at the Dodo Burger. It was right up the street from us. I really can't remember the food, just the name.

TOPIC: Where did you go from BTHS?

I like to ask because I hear some really good stories sometimes when I do. I lived in the Fairview Heights area when I was in High School. I went to BBC to become a barber and began my apprenticeship on State Street in Edgemont until Uncle Sam wanted me.

From: RICHARD MAY 1965:

Uncle Sam wanted me to take a cruise East. I came back to Belleville for a short time then moved to Missouri. I've worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone for 30 years and I'm about ready to hang it up and travel.

From: BARBARA KOCH 1964:

I married Jake Varadian from Granite City, Il. in 1967. We have two sons, 30 & 32. I've been teaching grade school for 30 years and night school at SIUE for 11 years. This is my first year at middle school. I'll probably stay in education for another 6 years then retire. We have land in Salem, Mo. where my husband, who retired 6 years ago from teaching, raises cattle.

TOPIC: Remarks from the 35th Reunion.

FROM: WILLIAM MARTIN 1965:

The class of 1965 had a reunion in August (2000). It was a fine night. I remember a lot of you from the yearbook. Sorry if I didn't get around to talk to you. This was my first reunion and time has taken a lot away from all of us. I wish I could have moved back to Belleville after my years in the service. But my wife was from California and my children were born there also.

FROM: MARY GOEPFERT-JANIK 1965:

It is so strange to review the messages in this forum and hear stories of Vietnam, careers, children and grandchildren. When I think of all of the kids from '61 to '65, I still picture healthy bodies, full heads of hair, frantic students running to class. It's sort of culture shock. I never attended a reunion until the 25th. I was newly single and a bit timid. I was so introverted in high school that most students (with the exception of drum corps) wouldn't remember me. I'm no longer shy. My husband asserts that I'm making up for all those quiet years.

FROM: WILLIAM MARTIN 1965:

I'm sorry to say, I was never in the drum corps. I ran around with a lot of the people though. We also ran with Dennis Ellerbrock. He is still living in Belleville by the new BTHS East. My wife and I stayed with Dennis and his wife in August for the reunion.
We met a few people from Belle Valley school at the (35th) reunion. For the life of me don't ask who. It had been 35 years since I saw any of the people we went to Belle Valley with. I went into the Navy and made a trip to Never Never Land (Viet Nam 1966-1967). Needless to say that had an impact on my life for many years to come and still does. I know that there are at least 2 classmates (from the class of 65) that didn't make it back. All total BTHS gave over 13 lives to that war. I think when they make the new high school they should have a monument to these people. The Bergman twins lived down the street from me. (in Dawn Heights) I went to the 35th reunion, and yes it was funny to see young bodies turn older. I remembered a couple of people and that was about it. The years have been good to me. I've been married for 36 years to the same woman. We have two daughters and three lovely grandchildren. We lived in California for 28 years and now live in Texas. HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE 40TH REUNION!

Having been involved in a bizarre business like professional wrestling (promoter, announcer), has never been dull but often frustrating. At least, I met a lot of true characters! Finishing a book that will be published in winter 2005, producing old tapes, playing around with internet contacts, keeping up with my daughter's progress in Atlanta, supporting my wife Pat. Love to visit some old friends, i feel like 16 mentally even if I'm well you know.

Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the process. As for me, still having fun and now living in Carefree, near Phoenix, AZ. Visited Belleville in March 2000. BTHS - now BTHS-WEST (?) - still looks very much the same to me; downtown has changed a little bit, tho! For anyone who might want to know: 'Graduated' US Army Jan '71, SIUE Apr '74, American Graduate School of International Management Aug '75 then on to San Francisco, CA for 10 years, Sacramento for another 7 and then transferred here to Phoenix in 1991 .. still working in data processing and married to Janie, who I met in Sacto. Best wishes to you all ... Steve

I have moved a great deal since my marriage to Jeff in 1970. I have two children, Nicole -29 and Ben - 21. My husband and I are retired and living in Bend, OR. I retired from Fed Gov and enjoy my "freedom". I do get back to Belleville about once a year. Would love to hear from you.

After graduation from high school I went to BJC and U of I. I got caught up in all of the late 60's stuff. We will never have another era lin history like that again. I graduated with a degree in accounting. Got married to a man that was transferred every year in his job. We moved 13 times in 14 years. Had two sons then divorced. I had to get a job then and decided that accounting was boring.I went back to college at the University of Kansas and earned my Masters in geography ( I know doesn't sound much better than accounting)but for the past 20 years I have been a cartographer the government in the Kansas City area and love it. I also wanted to explore spirituality for my own personal growth and eventually became an ordained minister. I read, camp, canoe, still go to a lot of concerts, have a antique booth, collect autographs, bake gourmet cheesecakes for my friends (of which I have sampled a lot) and really enjoy my granddaughter. My oldest son is a restaurant manager and my youngest son is a painter. I'm fortunate because we all live in the K.C. area and can visit whenever we want. I am planning on coming to the reunion next year. Hope to see everyone there. Take Care

Well, after graduation, I became an engineer (MSEE), spent some time with Emerson Electric, then Monsanto in St. Louis. Got married to Berneal Hobratschk from Kansas in 1987 (she was happy to have a shorter last name). I sort of drifted into Information Technology during my stay at Monsanto Agricultural Products in Chesterfield Mo. In 1992 we packed up and moved to California where I joined a biotech startup, left that and joined several semiconductor companies to do IT for them and finally ended up working at a Nanotechnology startup in Palo Alto. We don't have any children. We do like to read, garden (in a 10 sq. ft. California back yard) and get out and hike. My brother Phil is still in Belleville, so we do get back there once or twice a year, but, unfortunately it doesn't look good for getting back for the reunion. Take care.