Herbert Hoover High School Class of 1979

25th Class Reunion

Randy Lisbona was in town for a rare weekend visit.  He came over for dinner and we talked about all his shenanigans in grade school.  He did a lot more bad stuff in elementary school than I did.  I waited until college.  Jim Cunningham stopped by, too.  He was with Randy when they shot their BB guns from the sewer.  The rest of that story is classified.

I moved the childhood pics here.

August 26, 2004

John Sellers posted a bunch of pics here.  Great job, thanks, John!  I've appropriated several of them here:

I'm working on a key for this photo.  I think I know all but one or two....

The first shows Kris Kilborn, Blair Springer and Keith Bevan.  We went to St Andrew's Episcopal church and were confirmed together.

Then, we have me with Kris and Marty Plummer.  Friends from way back.  All the way back.

I ran with Kent Bragdon, Chris Williams and Robbie Sieck in 5th grade or so.  After school mayhem every day.

August 15, 2004

The reunion was last weekend and it really came off well.  Big turnout and I saw lots of people I hadn't seen since high school.  And the directory which Beth and Suzanne prepared really added a lot for me, since I was able to read bios on some of my classmates before seeing them.  Can't wait for the 50th!  And let's be real, I counted the lawyers and doctors:

Ellen Adair is a pediatrician at University Hospitals in Iowa City (her husband's an oncologist).  Keith Bevan, Scott Cahalan, Condon McGlothlen (didn't attend), Beth Flansburg, Jill Greaves and Jim Ward are lawyers.  I screwed up Friday night when Jill told me she was an attorney and I said, "Really?"

Bruce Bernhardt earned his doctorate in Electrical Engineering and designs cell phones for Motorola.  Mike Simpson and Randy Lisbona (didn't attend) are engineers, too.  I have lots of respect for these guys because I always loved math and science, but I was corrupted by music.  My parents warned me. 

Here I am with Suzanne Paca Morris, Jim Cunningham and Beth Gaulke Willem.  Jim is my neighbor so we see each other a lot.  Beth and Suzanne really did all the work to make the reunion happen.  Thanks, guys!

I get the biggest kick out of seeing the people I've known the longest.  Eric Fleming, Jay Thomas, Marty Plummer and Kris Kilborn all lived in my neighborhood and we went to Woodlawn Elementary School together.  They were really the first people I knew outside my family, my first peers.  

Here we have Tracey and me with Eric and his wife, Lesley.  Eric was as brash as ever.  He was a helicopter crew captain in Desert Storm and he has the manner of an old sea salt.  

These pics show me with Marty and Jay.

Here we have John and Chris Williams, with John's girlfriend, Paula, on the left.  

Both John and Chris had memories of going to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World during one of my birthday parties, so I told them I'd post some pics.  Check out this page for elementary school photos. 

Here we have Linda Olson, Kris Kilborn Middleton and myself.  Then, Nancy Van Hemert, Steph Luke, me and Keith Bevan.  Kris, Steph, Keith and I went to St Andrew's Episcopal church and were in the same confirmation class.  Keith is one of those shining people everyone wants to be around.  The last one shows Kris being confirmed.

Russ Kinney wins as the most changed since high school.  He's a minister and finish painter and just a great, positive guy.  All his hellion days are behind him, but he's still as funny as ever.

I ran into Jeff Payne about a year ago and we've stayed in touch ever since.

This is how I remember junior high school:  the Meredith Talent Show.  7th grade.

Updated July 30, 2004

The venue is set:

Friday night, Aug 13, 2004 at AK O'Connor's at Beaver and Urbandale Ave.

Saturday morning golf outing at Beaver Run Golf Course.

Saturday noon picnic at Lyon's Park, 72nd and Aurora in Urbandale.

Saturday evening banquet at Urbandale Golf and Country Club.

Sometime summer of 2003

Beth Gaulke Willem called me a few weeks ago and asked if I still wanted to help plan our 25th high school reunion.  I must have volunteered or something at the 20th.  I was glad she called because I get a kick out of seeing old friends.  We got together at a sports bar and settled a few things, sort of.

The date is set:  August 13-15, 2004.  This coincides with the Iowa State Fair, so alums coming in from out of town will have another event to draw them. 

Concerning venue, we narrowed it down to a couple places.  Beth or somebody was going to call and check into availability, pricing, etc.  Mulligan's on 100th St was suggested for Friday night.  A golf outing on Saturday is planned.  Saturday night might be at Raccoon River Nature Lodge, catered by Christiani's.  Nothing firm yet.

John Sellers agreed to produce a retrospective video presentation containing 70s themes and footage and photos from our class.  He said he has all the negatives used to print the yearbook.  Bet he can't find them, though.

Attending were:

Beth Roy

Beth Gaulke Willem

Suzanne Paca Morris

John Sellers

Kirk Trow

Don Severs

Kent Bragdon

Kirk Trow was there, but not to meet with us.  He just drinks there a lot.

We'll post more info here as it becomes available.  Please e-mail Beth, Suzanne or me for more info.

This is a photo from our 20th reunion, taken in June, 1999 at Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino.  I saw people there I'd known since I was 5.  That was 34 years ago.  It was a blast.  Growing up is fun.