Home for the Holidays Part Deux

Linda reminded me of a really important thing that I neglected to mention in my last post:

Our class database needs updating. While we have modified and tweaked it with every bit of information that you have forwarded to us, we know that informing the reunion committee of every move or email change is not the highest priority in the grand scheme of things.

Especially locally, with the digestion of Insight by Time -Warner cable and the subsequent ingestion of Time-Warner cable by Spectrum, those of us who have cable/internet based email addresses have had their emails changed to something that we can't begin to guess.

So if you're one of these affected folks, do drop us an email so we can keep you informed about the latest reunion news. Of course, if you've moved to enhance your status as a built-in grandbaby-sitter or a parent caretaker, or simply because it is too cold for those old bones, let us know this as well. There's no reason to drop out just because of a little thing like moving out of town! You've got people who care about you and want to keep in touch.

Additionally, the 50th reunion will also make available a new class address book, and we want to get it right, if not quite as elaborately as we did for the 45th.

Home for the Holidays

Hoping to find a lull in the annual funnel of activities surrounding the Christmas/New Year celebrations, Linda is trying to hold a little class get together at Parkway Pizza on December 20 at 6pm. Any classmate who needs a break from holiday preparations and would like to join some classmates over pizza should head on over to Parkway. What better way to start off the holiday festivities, eh?

On a sadder note, we found out late (due to some tech problems as yet to be figured out) that Larry Procter passed away at the end of last week without ceremony. We try to pay our respect whenever possible. Short of that, this blog has to serve the purpose. Larry was the guy who missed the 44th at Cottonwood because he didn't see the sign that Bob Willis posted on the door of the Howell Shelter House when we outgrew the capacity of the place. Larry did make the 45th though and I for one was glad to make his acquaintance in person at least for that once. His obituary can be found for posterity's sake on the class website.

So while we're at it, and before the opportunity is lost, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Linda and me to you and yours. 

First Reunion Planning Committee Meeting Held

Just before the 95th Annual Fall Festival on Franklin Street, your reunion planning committee met as the class of '66 held their 50th reunion. 

Here's what we know for sure. The Reitz Class of 1967's 50th reunion will be held on October 7 at St. Phillips Conservation Club located off Upper Mount Vernon Road on Conservation Dr. For those of you who are not familiar with the location, we will publish a map, GPS coordinates, etc. It's a great venue, plenty of space, with room for a serving line and a cash bar. Additionally, they've got an outside deck, a lake, and plenty of parking. We'll be having the reunion catered by Schnitzelbank out of Jasper. For those of you unfamiliar with their catering, they prepare the food on site, in one of their mobile kitchens. 

At this point, we're working out the details of theme, decorating, and program, and the myriad other details involved in planning this very special event. We even discussed how to approach the loss of so many classmates this past year.

Here's how you all can participate in making this event a success: 

In addition to attending (which goes without saying) you can contact Linda at linday7632@gmail.com or 812-425-3255 with your current contact information. If you've moved, or changed your address, email address, or phone number, let us know so that we can include current information in the directory which I am working to update. We know that a lot can happen in 4 or 5 years. For example, here in Evansville, the purchase of Insight ISP by Time Warner instantly changed the email of many classmates, but others chose to jump ship to other vendor so we couldn't assume that all the @insightbb.com emails automatically became @twc.com emails.   Retirement, grand parental responsibilities, relocation to warmer climes all mean changes that must be made in the directory, and that's only a representative sampling of all that life throws at us that causes changes to contact information.

So that's what we know so far. We'll post as things develop. I know we've got a long time to go but the months go by quicker than we'd like. Till next time.......

Jay's Last Ride

The only time I ever
saw a picture of Jay in a tie

We said goodbye to our friend Jay Ayers yesterday. We only heard of his passing on Friday. We had every expectation that we'd see him on his bike just like we see Bob Willis every now and again. It seemed like only yesterday that we were sitting outside the Bishea building at Burdette Park for the Pig in the Park, and now he's gone and we had to share our deepest sympathies to Jan. We got to Alexander East a little later than I wanted, but I had to teach and I had to get back from Mount Vernon before we could head out. When we got there, we were greatly comforted to know that so many of our classmates took the time to do the same for Jay to help send him on his last ride.

I will miss seeing him sporting one of his special reunion shirts joking with Barry Weissmann and John Reynolds and Gene Hollencamp. At almost the same time I found out from one of my Wayne Valley High School friends that one of my classmates who had been "missing" had passed away suddenly in 2014.

Considering how many Reitz classmates we've lost in a very short time, (Janet Frohbeiter Cox, Tom Wright, Bill Wimberley, Jan Yestigsmeier, Steve Jarboe) I realized that for some of us, this upcoming reunion might be the last time we get to see old friends in this lifetime, and so I urge you all who live in those far flung places to try and make plans to join us on October 7 of 2017 just before Fall Festival for the 50th Reunion of the FJ Reitz Class of 1967 at the St. Phillips Conservation Club.

In writing for the Wayne Valley blog, I composed a statement that I repeat here:
"Time cares not where you went to school, but only how long are spun the threads of Fate, a longer length for which mere mortals can only hope."

It may be sad but it is true. There is no guarantee for tomorrow. Don't pass up the opportunity to see your friends before they are taking that last ride with Jay.

Jay's Last Ride

It's the last day of school for the Mount Vernon School District and I should be a lot happier than I am, ready to celebrate a glorious summer after 5 months of teaching English for the sixth grade. Maybe teaching is for the young and patient, not for old curmudgeons like me, but although physically taxing, it was a worthwhile experience. While I sometimes feared for the future of our nation, some of the kiddos really renewed my faith in the youth of America. Little do they know; little do they realize yet that Time is relentless and unforgiving and it is calling them as surely as it calls to us. To both young and old, the message is the same. Time is fleeting; do not waste it.