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Har-Brack High School Class of 1963 Newsletters

 

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

 

JULY/AUGUST 2023 NEWSLETTER

 

MAY 2023 NEWSLETTER

 

 

Christmas 2022 Newsletter

 

 

 

2 New Newsletters for 2021

From Suzanne Gearinger Burley

From Dotty Sue

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 News Letter

Another

Another

Another

 

 

 

 

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Click here for the December 2017 Newsletter

Second Part of The News Letter Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

4/20/2017 Newsletter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A CLASS OF 1963 BIRTHDAY GATHERING

 

 

YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO A PARTY TO CELEBRATE OUR 70TH BIRTHDAYS

 

FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 2015  FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 (or later)

 

AT THE ANCHOR INN, FREEPORT RD., NATRONA HEIGHTS, PA

(www.anchorinnrestaurant.net)

 

EVERYONE PAYS FOR THEIR OWN FOOD AND DRINKS

 

THE PURPOSE IS TO MINGLE FOR REMINESCING AND CATCHING UP

 

THERE WILL BE CAKE!      SPREAD THE WORD!

 

KINDLY LET US KNOW IF YOU PLAN OR HOPE TO ATTEND

    suzburl@icloud.com  or dhjrw@ptd.net

 

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

PLEASE SEND YOUR ITEMS FOR THE UPCOMING NEWSLETTER TO

     Dotty Hunter Welsh   dhjrw@ptd.net         Thanks!

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H-B CLASS OF ’63 NEWSLETTER Jan 2015

 

Everyone is invited to share your news with classmates through this newsletter.  With luck, it will be sent out every other month.  Please email your items to dhjrw@ptd.net.  Photos as attachments to emails are greatly appreciated.   Thanks!

 

~~~Celebrating

There is a plan germinating to gather later in 2015 to celebrate that big 70th birthday.  The idea is to have a truly casual gathering, possibly in the afternoon, so folks can mingle and visit and reminisce and eventually partake of a birthday cake.  Informal, low key, just for airing all those good memories and tall tales.  Perhaps we can share those “bucket lists”.  But the idea is to seize the opportunity to have a birthday party for all before our class dwindles further.

Some of us gathered in Dec at Eat n’Park to discuss this event.  Here’s that gang.    Who do you recognize???

~~~Recovering

Janet Carnahan Makuchowski had surgery on her shoulder and reports that she is doing well.  She started PT  last week.

 

~~~Trivia

According to the program from our 50th class reunion, class members live in good old PA, 28 other states (AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, KY, ME, MA, MD, MI, M , NE, NJ, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV), and Scotland.   By now some of you may have moved.  Please send new addresses, phone numbers, and email contacts to dhjrw@ptd.net or to Suzanne G. Burley suzburl@gmail.com or to Jim Horneman www.harbrackclassof63.org/index.htm

 

~~~Traveling

For some of us, now retired, “foot loose and fancy free” is applicable.  So where have YOU been recently???  How many of you travel in RVs???

 

Stasia and Neal Fitzgerald are off to Florida to visit relatives, soak up the sunshine and escape the cold.      How many of you travel to warm climes in the winter?  What’s your favorite spot?

Ken Ray and his wife Kathy celebrated their 50th anniversary on a trip to Alaska last summer.

 

Joe and Dotty Welsh wandered West in June with family.   Then spent “Noel” in Montreal.

Donna Evans Cashdollar is fully recovered from broken ankle (Dec ’13) and traveled with husband Chuck quite a bit last year–to NC, the Outer Banks, D.C., Winchester, VA, & Lancaster.

Moon rise over Nags Head

 

~~~Back in Stride Also

Sheryl Orr Asbury and Dolly Plocki Meyer and Suzanne Gearinger Burley have recovered from broken bones and surgeries.  Hard to keep “tigers” down.

 

~~~Military Pride

Matthew Hunter Welsh, son of Joe & Dotty Welsh, was promoted to Captain, USN in Aug.  Joe was honored to put on his son’s new rank insignia.

How many of you are veterans???  How many years did you serve???

 

We thank you for your service to our country.

 

 

 

~~~Condolences

 

Since our 50th reunion in 2013, we have lost these classmates

Lawrence “Larry” Ballay     Sylvia Burin Weingold      William “Bill” Hazlett 

    William “Bill” Kurn         Janet Klingensmith Cravener      “Jim” Scotty Montgomery

                                                            May they rest in peace.

 

~~~Getting to know folks

At the lunch in Dec., I got to meet (literally) Mark McCool and Darwin Stivenson.  It was a wonder to me that I’d never talked with them before.  Our chat revealed that we had a lot in common in experiences since high school.  This is another great reason to attend the upcoming 70th birthday party.

 

~~~A little Levity

When God finished creation, he told Man that there would be lots of fantastic women in every corner of the world.  Then He made it round and laughed!

 

~~~Memories

Consider sending your favorite memories of Har-Brack years—events,  teachers,  mischief,  achievements,  friends,   “adventures”.  These will be included in the next newsletter.

 

~~~Just in

Don Pinkerton has been back from Diego Garcia for about 6 months.  He reports that he is doing well after surgery for cancer and intends to be at the birthday party emphasizing that his birth date (12/3/1945) makes him a youngster in our class.  “I believe that I am now the youngest in the class,,,so all you OLD FOLKS try to keep up.”  His current address is 1302 117th St. S., Tacoma, WA 98444

 

~~~Book Corner

Lots of us are avid readers (fighting to keep the brain working).  Let’s share worthy titles.  Consider Paddy’s Lament by Thomas Gallagher about the Irish potato famine and its wide effects,  Grandma Gatewood’s Walk by Ben Montgomery, and The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

 

 

Alma Mater

 

We sing to Har-Brack, our voices raise,

To  Alma Mater, our tribute and praise.

We will be loyal and ever true.

Dear Har-Brack High School,

We’ll always love you.

 

 

 

 

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Bonnie Bole Orkow Australia and Fiji Vacation

 

 

 

 

 

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From Stasia

During the evening of the reunion ( July 26th) while we watched our granddaughter Kristie pitching in the USSSA  Eastern World Series in Salisbury, Maryland, I knew fellow classmates would be mingling amongst  each other at River Forest and the J-Barn.  From viewing the online photos; I have to say everyone looks fantastic.   Priority took us to Maryland that week, otherwise I would have been celebrating "50" years with the class of  '63.

About myself?   Well, Neal and I keep busy with three grand-daughters, ages 15, 12 and 5.  Having two on travelling teams (lots of weekends out-of-state), they are pitchers for the "Pittsburgh Passion Premier FastPitch Softball"  teams.  Then like other grandparents that are able, we are on the go with their volleyball, basketball, concerts,  etc. throughout the seasons. 

Through all this we spend time with our family (dtr. Kim an RN at Allegheny-Kiski Hospital and son-in-law John, math teacher at Highlands School) and with friends at camp in Slippery Rock (my little corner of the world)  and enjoy some winter time in Lakeland, Florida.

No mountain climbing...we leave that to the Wilson family.  Right Jim?

We have enjoyed reading the "Clive Aliston" series...great job Bill!

Rich Pinkerton's "Loveable" contribution should be framed in gold. 

While Bob's artistic talent in creating his beautiful miniatures is unique and in a class by itself.

And Bill Ryan was at the reunion?  No way....now that made me smile and think that little miracles do happen.

In a sad and happy note, I believe that Vicki was at the reunion celebrating our "50" years....she was a friend to all who knew her, my bridesmaid and my friend for 62 years.   Starting in 1st grade with the Benedictine Nuns and marching every morning in line to and from  Mass.   The classmates from St. Lad's can recall all those memorable years.  Two days before Vicki left us, I gave her a kiss and whispered that we all loved her, feel comfort in knowing that those words included her classmates.  She is now at a greater reunion and most likely volunteering on several heavenly committees.

In ending, kudos to the reunion organizers;  and to the "Class of 63".......wishing all of you health and happiness filled with laughter and joy in your lives. 

Stasia (Sadulski) Fitzgerald

fitz1331@verizon.net

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Patti Pierce:

 Great idea to keep in  touch....I spent yesterday at the beautiful Rose Parade in Pasadena only a 20 minute drive for me. It’s been beautiful weather here in LA ( 70's and 80's ) not meaning to rub it in ....I am watching your snowstorm back east and I do remember those days.. (Waiting for school to be cancelled)  Hello to everyone.. Happy New to you all....Patti  Pierce   

 

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Tom Delp:  

I'm looking at a back operation sometime soon. Pain when I stand, sit, or lay. Not many other options left. Belly's too fat to hang by my fingernails for too long. Arthritis got me. I hate it when that happens. Island fever kept me from accepting a job in Hawaii. Hope Pinky is immune. I got a fruit cake for Christmas. This one was really good. (I say was because it went fast.) My daughter knows that I am one of only three people in the world who actually likes fruit cake. Somehow, I missed out on the cookies. Didn't even get to sniff one. Did everyone stop baking? Wal-Mart was selling them at about a buck a piece but no thanks. OK, so I could break out the old baking sheet but it'll be easier to just wait and see if I score next year, Did I mention that my enthusiasm seems to be waning? I have it on good authority that I'll be around for a long time. My daughter absolutely forbids me to die until I clean up around here and finish all my projects. OK. Cold snap moving in - may get into the sixties. Brrrrr. Banana trees didn't produce again this year. Must be some trick to it. Grapefruit are ripe but the yield is lower than last year. A citrus blight called Greening, is taking out lots of trees all over the state. I guess a Mexican orange tastes the same as a Florida one but it's the idea of the thing, I guess. I guess that's all the news from sunny southwest Florida where it seems that everyone from all the other states (and Ontario) have decided to invade. I've seen license plates from everywhere including Alaska. What some people will go through just to get out of a little cold, and snow, and ice, and fender-benders, and did I mention C-O-L-D? Where is that old pioneering spirit? What happened to the old days where men were men and women would make them take showers before letting them into the house?   Anyway - bye. Ken/Tom Delp

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Joe Ryznar's Artwork Added to Accomplish Page

 

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From Suzanne Burley:

Thinking of my friends from Har-Brack as I plan my next trip to Pittsburgh.  Some of the reunion committee met for lunch at River Forest CC on my last visit.  Janet (Carnahan) Makuchowski came in from Connecticut while Dotty Sue (Hunter) and Joe Welsh came from central PA to volunteer to help with continuing reunion ideas and projects.  Dotty Sue offered to put together a newsletter for the class website, so send her info (dhjrw@ptd.net)) you want to share, and she'll occasionally put items together for Jim Horneman to post.  See the website for updates and the picture of our group at River Forest.  An example is posted below:

 

 
Pinky's idea of "just another day at the office."

Two notes from him were edited below.  I think he could use some visitors.

1.  Hello to all friends, family and Loved ones(all inclusive). As I have excepted an assignment to a remote island called Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, I'll be out of touch until I can re-establish a new address. I'll be there for 1 year starting 16 Nov, serving the US Navy and the US Air Force as a contractor for Air Field Management. I certainly wish for and will NEED to continue to keep in touch. You can visit the Island web site on google, not much there! Thanks to all for the past emails, the sympathies and well wishes this past year, they all helped me get through Della's passing. Love to you all, Rich, Donald, Pinky. ( Identity Crisis).

2.  Hi, getting settled finally into a somewhat normal routine, stranded on this absolutely beautiful island. It's been over 30 years since my last stay here, lots of changes, kinda modernized  now but still lots of charm. Just getting my comm lines connected so bring on the EMAILS !!I'm limited on minutes and bytes so slower responses can be expected. Hoping to stretch my stay to 2 years.

 

 

Other ideas include attending a Pirates game next summer.  Dolly (Plocki) Meyer is going to look into purchasing group tickets.  If you're on FaceBook, you may have seen the postings from different classes and the idea of holding a multiple class reunion.  Go to Har-Brack High School Friends on FaceBook.  ST Joe's folks from '63 seemed interested in joining the party.
Terry Driver mentioned sharing birthdays.  His is April 12, same day as my husband's, so it's easy for me to remember.  Some are listed on FaceBook.  Also, he thought it would be fun to share vacation time, which brings me back to inviting classmates to Boulder, CO.  Our home is open to visitors whenever we're not traveling.  We'd love to share our new city with all, one couple at a time.  It's a small house, but we live outside most of the time.

So, again, Happy New Year.  May 2014 be full of joy and good health for all.  Remember to keep us (Class of '63) updated with new addresses, e-mails and phone numbers.  You can send the information to me of to Jim Horneman <jch@harbrackclassof63.org>.  We don't want to lose touch with you.

Suzanne (Gearinger) Burley

 

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Reunion Committee meeting at River Forest Country Club on

November 13,2013