Just stumbled across this. I'm one of the ones who feels like he'll work forever (though that seems to be a bigger problem among my female friends, many of whom never worked anywhere long enough to vest in a pension plan). Anyway, I'd love to hear from Steve Flach, whom I haven't seen since high school. Or anyone else who remembers me. jchamless@sptimes.com.

Retirement was wonderful until the past year. Sandy lost both of her parents (August and May), which was not completely unexpected.Then earlier this month we lost our daughter-in-law (who was more daughter than in-law) at age 32, whom we all loved very much.
Hope things are going well for everyone else...looking forward to the reunion in 2010...Can it really be 45 years. Other than the above mentioned events, travel and volunteering with our church and Habitat have kept us very busy. See you all in October...let me know if I can help with anything...Roger Anna

Glad to hear there will be a 45th. I am still in the burbs of Chicago...doing the grandma thing with my 3. :)
Hope all is well with everyone from the class of '65
Linda

At our last meeting we chose Columbus Day weekend of 2010 for our next reunion. Place and time (date) to be decided. Anyone interested in helping to plan please contact me at koehlerlynn@aol.com.

I too am looking forward to a reunion. I live in Kansas City but if there is anything that I can do please let me know. I have moved since the last reunion but my email is janet.jacobs@jcw.org or frazierjac@comcast.net.Thanks for starting up the web site again.

Good news about the reunion. Donald and I will try to attend this time. We are in town for my mother's memorial service at Valhalla. Though a sad occasion, she lived a full life and was 93 when she passed. Will be great to see family, and already caught up with a few friends from BTHS, as well. Lots of changes in Belleville and surrounding area. I forgot the humidity and head combo. Will be happyt to be in our AZ heat at home.

Well, we had our first reunion meeting tonight at Lynn Koehler's home and the committee has started to make plans for our 45th reunion. We hope to get the website active again and to get all of you out their active again in posting messages and helping us update lost classmates with addresses and emails. It's hard to believe time flies so fast that another reunion could be coming up so fast. Let us know what is on your mind and give us suggestions and catch us up on your lives and families. We want to hear from you.

Dale and Donna Zink, Class of '65

Edited by author 02-22-2009 09:17 PM
In Remmeberance:

SANDRA LYNN MCCLUSKEY HOLDGATE - CLASS OF '65

Dear friends,

No other way to say it but Sandy passed away at 3am this morning. (DECEMBER 31, 2008) She fought a good fight, but she was needed somewhere else and by some one else more powerfull than me. She is at peace now. She did not want anyone to morn her passing, but she would love everyone to have a drink for her and remember her living. She never recognized how many people she touched in such a special way. Guess that is why I asked her to marry me 42 years ago the first time I met her. I told her that she was the girl I was going to marry some day--HER responce " BULL SHIT." It has been a hell of a ride and I am so lucky to have won her over to my dark side.
Thank you all for loving her!

Pete
spholdg8@embarqmail.com

P.S. You can see a picture of us elsewhere on the website in happier times. Third picture down on CLASSMATES page.

There will never be retirement when you have to worry about social security and an 88 yr old father sliding into dementia. Otherwise I have 1 grandson, 5 grandpets and a granddaughter on the way.

Lee, Carol View/Sign Guest Book
 
 
Carol Lee
Carol Kay Lee, nee Randle, 61, of Albany, Ga., died Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, following a graceful and courageous 20 month battle against pancreatic cancer.
Born in 1947, to William and Una, nee Valentine, Randle, Carol was raised in Fairview Heights, Ill., and graduated from Belleville High School. Carol worked for years for the court system in Albany, Ga., including Dougherty County Juvenile Court, Superior Court Dougherty Judicial Circuit and, most recently, as executive administrative assistant to U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands since 1994.
A devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, she enjoyed reading, trips to the beach and the mountains, laughing until tears ran down her face and spending time with her extended family. A member of Porterfield United Methodist Church, she spent many hours of her life volunteering for various organizations, including U.S. Army Community Services in Butzbach, Germany, the Liberty House in Albany and Theater Albany, where she was involved in numerous productions in various behind the scenes rolls.
Carol was preceded in death by her father, William Randle; grandparents; aunts, uncles and cousins; who have all welcomed her home.
Surviving are her husband of 12 years, Terry Lee of Albany, Ga.; daughters, Karen "K.K." Snyder of Leesburg, Ga., and Kristine Elizabeth (Les) Deere of Hendersonville, Tenn.; son, David Louis (Carrie Ross) Lee of Clarksville, Tenn.; step-children, Kim (Noel) Ubiadas of Riverside, Calif., Margaux Lee, of Atlanta, Ga., and Livia (Kale) Suggs of Albany, Ga.; grandchildren, Garret and Caitlin Snyder of Leesburg, Ga., Tyler, Hannah and Alexis Deere of Hendersonville, Tenn., David, Suella and Jillian Ross of Clarksville, Tenn., Savannah, Rachel and Lilah Ubiadas of Riverside, Calif., and Colton Suggs of Albany, Ga.; her mother, Una Randle of Columbia, Ill.; brother, Ned W. (Rita) Randle of Smithton, Ill., a nephew, Adam (Joyce) Randle; nieces, Allison Randle and Katherine Randle; great-niece, Audrey Randle and a vast number of faithful friends.
Those desiring may make donations in Carol's memory to: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Attn: Charitable Accounting, One Kroc Drive, Oak Brook, Ill., 60523 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105-1942. To sign our online registry or to send condolences to the family, you may visit www.mathewsfuneralhome.com.

I found Irma Marler. She is in Kansas City, KS
Thanks to all who have helped me with the search!

Hi
I'm looking for Irma Marler. Does anyone know of her whereabouts? She had a brother named Mildy.

Thank you!

Hey Tom, sorry about that. My E-mail address is DAmenn@aol.com. Hope all is well with you. And yes, the MG is buried somewhere in the garage. Hope to work on it some year. I'll probably be to old to care when that time comes around. Hope to here from you. I did write to you at the adress you gave me but I guess it didn't go through or it's lost in cyber space somewhere. take care, Don

Hey Janet.....I sure rememeber you! I wonder what we would all be like now if we could go back and sit in those classes! Bet things would be very different ...........don't you think!
Nice to see people keep stopping by...........hard to believe we are all this old..........holy cow : )
We had a miserable winter too........still not warm in Chicago
Linda

I just decided to check in on the site and was pleased to see new posts. It's great to see that some of us are still kicking. We have had a tough
winter in Kansas City. Very cold. I am so glad and thankful that spring is finally coming.
I guess it's time to start thinking about spending my winters on a beach somewhere. I just sold my home and moved to an apartment last year. Downsizing and saving for my retirement place in the sun. I like the apartment life. It's small and no YARD WORK or snow to shovel.
I remember some of the people that have posted-Jan Hunt, Linda Betten, Sharon Sandberg. Our class was so big and I was sort of a loner.
All of those names brings back memories. I had some good times at BTHS and BJC also.
I plan on making it in 2010. It will be great to see some of you.
Take care and God bless all of you

Don, I do not have your email address. Here is mine "cooterr2003@yahoo.com"

From your posting, am I to assume that the MGB has not seen daylight for awhile? ggg

Hey Tom, it's good to see that you are still haggin in there. I'm still pushin snow and grading ditches for IDOT and probably will for awhile. But Aunt Fannies Donuts is still a up and coming business. We just ran Cripy Cream out of town. And I too am glad to see that the car show season is coming around again. It's a great way to relax and indulge in the oldies. I've still got the MGB in the garage somewhere. I know it's there. Yes I do keep in touch with T.Davis and J. Brown. I see Bill Vogel and Barry Norman now and then. I haven't seen Don Muskopf in 20 or more years. Don't know how he is.

Well, the good weather can't get here soon enough. Hope all is well with all our class mates and that they too can enjoy the good spring weather just around the corner. For all of those living in the St. Louis Metro East area there is a new radio station coming on line April 1st. Call leters KZQZ 1430 AM will play only 50's and 60's music. So far the prevues have been great. If youget a chance tune it in. It's just the cure for all of us stuck in that era and loving it. We may have to grow older but there is no rule that we have to grow up.

Well guys, my best to all of you. Tom if you get a chance drop me a e-mail. Love to hear from you. Take care all. Don

It's time to get the car ready for another summer of car shows, cruise ins and old "rock and roll". The kids are out of the house, daughter's married and my son bought a house and the wife is working. Ahh, Life is good.

Glad to hear that you guys are still around and causing trouble. About my only contacts with the class is here on this site or the reunions. I've been living in Indy since college. I didn't attend the last get together and wish I had. If all continues to go well, then the next reunion, it will be.

Don, Are they still selling "Aunt Fannies Donuts"? What else is going on in town these days. I almost hate to ask, but do you have any contact with T Davis, Roger Anna, J Brown, B Vogel, Muskopf, Barry Norman.

Well for now this will have to do. It's always good to see a new post and Kent, I'm glad to hear that youve retired from commercial flying. I'm sure your flying was better than your Driving!! (GGG)

Eight months since the last posting. Wow! Time flies. Another school year almost over. Nice hearing from you Don and seeing you, too, recently! I agree, it's fun to catch up on old times! I always hope a new posting will get old class mates writing again. Barb Johnson from Notre Dame has a great email list going for Donna and their classmates. We get emails sometimes weekly. But, most times it's for classmates or families members that have passed! Yikes! So, let's hope that everybody that reads this makes it to the 45th Reunion! Happy Spring to everybody and summer, too, if I don't write for a while!

Dale and Donna Zink
BTHS and Notre Dame Classes of 1965

Hi to all, Yep I to am still working and probably will be for a long time. I still pass the old BTHS campus everyday and the memories just pop right out. We sure did have a lot of good times there. If I just knew then what I know now. You know that old story. Hope all are doing well and looking forward to retirement sometime. It will be a while for me but that;s alright. I do run in to some class mates now and then and it is great to talk old times. Our forty-fifth will be coming up in a few years and I hope to see a lot of you there. Take care all and God bless.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my classmates. Kent Keller

At age 59, I still work as a counselor at Belleville Township High School (Belleville West now, of course)... so I guess I am one of the very last links to the past. Dave Dressel contacted about a year or so ago to touch base with a another old friend who still worked for the district and for the life of me, I can't remember who. Dave and I emailed for a while and then lost touch again. I called Donna into my office to tell her that Dave had passed away and she couldn't remember him, but she remembered Roger Anna right away and I had to look your picture up Steve, but memories came back right away. I still have the old yearbook in my library of favorite books.

I became a grandfather for the 7th time yesterday! Her name is Audrey Marie. My son's third. So, time marches on! Good luck and God Bless to everyone! So sorry to hear about Dave Dressel. Hope everyone fairs well for the remainder of the summer and into the autumn. Keep writing everybody and keep in touch!

Dale and Donna Zink

Hey Janet, I had totally forgotten about Delta Psi Omega...seems like a million years ago. My husband, Dave, and I have lived in Naples, FL for the last 12 years after spending 18 years in the Chicago area. He retired about a year ago fom his job as a 777 captain for American Airlines and doesn't miss flying in the least. Our three sons and four grandchildren are kind of scattered and I seem to spend a lot of time traveling to visit them Other than that I can be found on the golf course. Summer's a bit hot to play but doesn't stop us.

Missed the reunion due to a conflict that I couldn't resolve so I hope I am still around and kicking for the 50th. I really don't stay in touch with anyone I knew at BTHS but I do have lots of fond memories.

Roger,
  I really don't know much about life after retirement, I am still working and will be for a few more years. Berneal and I are still in California, and with housing prices out here, I will probably be working for a bunch more years. I am working for a Nanotechnology startup in Silicon Valley which is fun, very busy, but fun. I get back to
Belleville every so often to see my brother, Phil, who is retired.
Take care,
Steve

< replied-to message removed by QT >

For those of you who remember Dave Dressel, he passed away suddenly at the beginning of this month. Dave and I were best friends through high school and college years, and I have many fond memories of him. I remember waiting outside the lounge at Panorama on the night of June 7th with him so we could share my first "legal" drink after midnight. We were in each others weddings and kept in touch for many years after that. It was also a shock about Terry Davis...I'm glad I got to see him at the last reunion. Both were great guys and I'm proud to have known them........roger

Hi Kent ,
Yes, that was my dad. My parents were very good friends with Jane and Frank. Lovley people. My parents have both passed away. I don't have any family left in Belleville. I certainly remember you from classes. I am sure many of wonder if you were our pilot :)
I have been retired for a long time......hitting the big 60 in a few weeks and have two more grand babies arriving this year, my daughter is having her first! That makes three for me.
My summer vacation just went up in smoke......Tahoe fire...we were scheduled to leave soon.
I see many names I recognize....Janet...Jeanne..Dale... and Hi Gail.. we chat on the internet. Time has really flown........have a great fourth......love to hear about everyone!!
Linda

Sharon, for the life of me, I can't find your e-mail address in my list, so could you please send it to me again. My e-mail is gdslusar@aol.com, and put BTHS in the subject line so I can recognize it. Enjoy CA, sounds great! Have not been there since last year when we went to Disneyland (still my favorite place on earth, as much as everywhere I have been western Europe). And Namaste to you...how did you come to learn that one? My best friend (now that Sandy's gone)is Brahmin, so it's a common greeting for us.

Hello Everyone!! It sure is nice reading everyone's posts. Retirement for me is about 2 years away-Maybe-my grandaughter wants to go to Harvard Medical School and be a Dr.. If that becomes her reality I will be working for a long, long time. She's only 13 so who knows. She has held this vision for herself since she was 5 though. So what will be will be.

I remember Sharon Sandberg!!! I also know Ed Hiser. I think I went out with him a time or two when we were in BJC together. If you are the same Sharon that I remember I think that you were going into graphic arts at that time. I think we were in Delta Psi Omega together?

If I do ever get to retire I plan on living in Key West Fl. and working with the Unity church there. I can retire from my cartographes job with the government and use my ministerial degree at the church there. I think it will be the perfect fit for me. Sun, ocean, laid back environment and working with the prayer ministry.

It was great to see all of the posts. Take care everyone and God bless

Gail
Good to see your name on line again - I'm out your way in LA for a friend's retirement party (Ed Hiser-he was 2 years ahead of us) from teaching - I'm also retired now and spend time much of time working in the yard and traveling. Upcoming trip next year to Australia to visit my mom's relatives and Denmark when things quiet down overseas to see my foreign exchange student and wife. My two girls are doing well, one is about a year+ way from teaching degree and the other will graduate in 2009 with Social work degree and then plans to continue on with her masters. Love my 5 grandchildren and see them as often as I can.
Tell me how things are in your area. Namaste, Sharon

To Kent Keller, No, I didn't spell my name differently, and didn't have a brother named Steve. Retirement is just a distant hope here. I still teach gifted kids for Mesa Public Schools. My husband Donald teaches for another district and we still have some years to make the golden "points" necessary to retire. Good thing is we already live in a retirement area in Arizona, so we don't have to move. Have a great summer everyone!

Gail Slusar, Did you spell your name different and do you have a brother Steve? Kent Keller

Linda Betton, Did your father own Suburban Motors and was good friends with my uncle, Frank Bloomer? Kent Keller

Tom Miller, I was based in the Air Force at Grissom AFB in the reserves flying A-37 fighters till 1982. I lived in Kokomo til 1979 and Wheatfield till 1984. I moved to North Carolina in 1984. I have spent a lot of time racing at IRP in INDY in SCCA in a GT1 Corvette. My home track was Road America in Wi. Yes I do remember the 60 Chev. I replaced all my old cars except the 60 and 62 conv. Tom I think you were refering to my driving down the highway backwards and going off into a 20 foot ditch and we didn:t damage the car. Do you remember the lady that stopped with the fresh hair doo and got stuck above us and had to walk in the rain for help. Life was so simple at 16. I have been very blessed all the years racing and was never had a severe injury yet. I have to say yet, since I am now spending a lot of time driving and teaching. This is a wonderful site . I hope everyone has a great holiday this July. Kent Keller

Well, I thought I'd visit again after a long hiatus here. I'm on vacation again. Just got back from one trip with my son's family and soon to leave with my middle daughter's kids and husband to Blue Springs Resort and then later in the summer with my oldest daughter and her clan. All short trips this summer. Saw Randy and Diane a couple of weeks ago. Diane lost her father. Got to see all her kids though which was nice. They've got four wondeful children. I met their two sons on the way out of church... fine young gentlemen. Anyway, great summer so far. No one has written or posted lately or maybe I just have'nt figured this quick topic thing out. Have a great summer everybody! It's been 40 years since the Summer of Love '67! Time Flies! Take care.

After 25 years with the Federal government and numerous other jobs I retired at age 55 - little over 4 years ago. Retirement is the BEST! My husband, Jeff, and I moved around quite a bit over the 37 years of marriage. He was corporate for PepsiCo. When we retired we moved from Southern California to Bend, OR and love the slow pace and the mountains. NO, I do not snow ski! We have two kids - our daughter, Nicole, lives in the San Francisco area and our son, Ben, stayed in Southern CA. Neither are married - hence no grandkids. I spend quite a bit of time doing volunteer work for the Assistance League in Bend. I also workout a lot - which I love.

I have great memories of the four years at BTHS and growing up in Belleville!

Wishing you good health and happiness!! (e-mail address: jklightburn@bendcable.com)

We have been living in California for the past 15 years (wow, it doesn't seem that long)and retirement is sort of expensive out here, so I think I will be working for the next 5 years. The job is interesting, I work for a 5 year old Nanotechnology startup, so another 5 years of work is not that bad.

When I got Kent's Email, I wondered how many of us from '65 were retired. After reading your posts, I'm envious! I still have at least FIVE years to go! Now I'm really envious! My wife, Sharon and I and our daughter and her family all live in Champaign-Urbana (the only place to live if you have to live in central IL). I pastor a church here in C-U, taught at U of I (go Illini) and work as Chaplain with the Champaign Fire Dept. Because of the pension structure in the UMC, I'm caught until 65. Must be nice to retire.

Good to see that retirement (or relaxing work) is still alive and kicking out there. If retirement means doing something because you want to vs. need to, I've been retired for as long as I can remember. I truly enjoy my work and the 40 years (and counting) that Diane and I have been together with four children and now four grandchildren (so far). We live in Quincy, IL and I run a food ingredients company with operations across the US so I get a lot of travel time in. I hope all of us continue to enjoy good health and our families and friends for a very long time.

Hello everyone! I don't know how many of you might remember me, but I remember many of you. I have lived in California since 1970. It's a whole different world here from the midwest, and a beautiful place! The sad part is that it has gotten VERY expensive to live here. As you most likely know, the price of homes and property is outrageous, and the traffic is terrible! I am looking at the prospect of moving back to that area (since I had to retire because of a bum back), although I am so spoiled with the wonderful weather here, I am not sure how I will handle the snow and humidity after being away from it for so long. The good part is........ NO MORE mortgage payments, and I will be closer to my family and my best friend from (and since) high school.

This message board is a great idea, and I would enjoy reading messages from any of my old (no pun intended) classmates. It's interesting to make contact after all these years, and to learn where life has taken each of us. I'm hoping it may even put me in touch again with some of my old "buddies". I wish you all a great year!

A big Howdy to all!!!

Kent, I'm sure glad you fly better than you used to drive. ggg remember the white 60 Impala.
Susan and I have lived in Indianapolis for the past thirtyfive years or so. Our Two kids are grown and out of the house with no grand children in the immediate future. As for retirement, it probably won't happen. Our hobbies will keep us working to some extent. Susan has horses that she likes to take to scenic locations around the country and play like Jerimiah Johnson. I have a car hobbie that is one of those black holes for dollar bills. It is amazing how old the Kingston trio and the rest of that ilk have become. What happened to them???

Okay, I already did it. :-( Whoever e-mailed me over night or this a.m. (Sunday), will you resend? I accidentally deleted it, and since it was in the Spam folder, it's gone forever. PLEASE resend and I promise I will control my index finger. Thanks! Gail

Hi Linda, yes I remember you! Sounds like you've had a busy life. E-mail me, Linda, and anyone else who wants to chat. I'd love to catch up...if it's possible after this long. Mail to: gdslusar@aol.com Put your name, or BTHS in the subject line. I get mucho e-mail because I am a webmaster in my district, and I delete it if I don't recognize the sender.

 Retirement...we can't be retired......... we are all toooooooo young!!!
Hi Gail! Rememeber me? I think many of us have to run get our year books for a quick identification :>)I know I do.
Hmm .....I guess you could call me retired,as I gave up my career in the hospitality industry in 1993.
I can't say I miss working, as the late hours and commute were a bear!
I am having two new grandchildren that are due late this summer and just a month apart! That will make three for us. I have been day care Grandma for my Grandaughter since birth. I feel like Mom all over again..picking up from pre-school .....ice skating etc. That alone does not make me feel that I am retired.
My husband Rick and I live in Kildeer, Il., which is a burb of Chicago.He is not retiring "EVER" so he says, so I guess I won't see the likes of a Sun City!
Kent Keller.....PILOT! : ) I have flown on Continental many times. I should have been listening to see who was at the controls!
Happy ...Healthy...2007!

Retirement, what is that?! I am working on a Masters Degree, this time in Gifted Education. My husband is working on a Masters in Special Education. Dale, your ears must be burning. I often tell my students (I teach grades 3-6 gifted) to quit whining because their last name starts with "V" or "W" and so their notebooks are on the bottom shelf, that I had fellow students named Zink and Zweig and they were always last. We live in Mesa, AZ where we met 6 years ago and married 3+ years ago. Donald teaches mild and moderately mentally handicapped kids.

Wonder if anyone knows that my dear friend of 50 years, and fellow BTHS graduate, Sandy Shack Canterbury passed away after a long battle with cancer, September, 2006. I miss her and the world is a poorer place for having lost her quirky, ever positive presence.

Well, as you can see by the date and time, I'm home on a Saturday night, so that tells you something right there! Life is good. Tuesday I was the guest speaker at the Belleville Kiwanis and on Thursday morning I was a guest at the Issues and Eggs Belleville Chamber Breakfast. After a three-year retirement, I'm back at work with Dist. 201 and Chestnut Health Systems. I work 4 days a week at the West High School Campus and on Wednesdays I work at East. I am still a Senior after all these years. Donna and I finished the 50 states last summer and plan a Continental Introduction to Europe this coming summer.

Life is much better after retirement...I'm now into my third year and my wife in her first. I'm not sure how we ever found time to have a job. I still do some contract work with the school district here in Elgin, and quite a bit of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity. We haven't decided if we will stay in Elgin or not, but enjoy traveling and try to spend at least two weeks a year in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

 Posted Nov 7, 2006
 News from Kent Keller - Retirement
 
I will have my last flight as an airline capt. for Continental Airlines on Feb 5 2007 from Hawii to New York