Provided by Rich in February, 2019
My wife Judith and I live in a waterfront condo in beautiful sunny Lakewood Ranch, Florida. A suburb of Sarasota on the East Coast of Florida about one hour south of Tampa.
I retired from the Franklin County Purchasing Department at age 65. The following week, moved to Sarasota, where I did the purchasing for the City of Sarasota for 5 years, until retiring for the second time at age 70. Month later, the City still could not find anyone with government purchasing background, so they begged me to come back for a few months. I was there for another 2 years, until finally retiring for the 3rd time.
"What am I doing?" Like the scene in the movie Smokey the Bandit where Sally Fields asks Burt Reynolds. "Just what is it that you do?" Reynolds replied "I play." Then Sally Fields replied "And, you do,do that well." That's what Judith tells me, that I play, and that "I do, do that well." Of course I do not pole vault anymore, but do still lift weights and run sprints on the local football field. Judith and I are both in excellent health. I play tenor sax in the 65 piece Sarasota Suncoast Concert Band, the Venice 84 piece Concert band, and a Jazz ensemble and Dance Band. All while still playing and enjoying the piano and steel pans (drums).
Judith still owns and runs her lumber brokerage business which she has had for the past 25 years. She owns and operates her steel business and her pallet business. My little entrepreneur also owns and operates most of the Fifi's Fine Resale Apparel Consignment Stores and Fifi's Consignment Furniture Stores in Florida.
We are looking forward to reading other updates of our school classmates.
Best of Health and Happiness to all.
Provided by Rich for the reunion in 2007
I now live in Parrish, Florida, with my wife Judith. I work for the City of Sarasota, as a contract business analyst. I spent many years as a purchasing agent, retiring from Franklin County in 2005.
Judith works out of our home as a lumber broker. I have six children, a stepson, and nine grandchildren.
I spend my free time weight training, working on power boats, and playing piano.
I have many fond memories of Grandview
- Robert Louis Stevenson playground and Jim Shough's "Snake Gang" (of which I am proud to have been a key member)
- The Goodale railroad yard, quarries, and Grandview woods
- My paper route -- 151 dailys and 212 Sundays. $20.00/week and always had money
- Swimming team practice at 7:00AM in Grandview pool's ice cold well water
- Marching Band practice and trips. What great fun and enjoyment.
- Track swimming and football practice and competition
- My idol and mentor David "Thorpe" Yoerger, who was without a doubt the best all-around athlete ever to attend Grandview High School
- Dancing at the Rook House
- Parties at Susie Williams' house
But specifically relating to the class of '57:
- Eating lunch with Ozzie at his dad's drug store -- 2 hot dogs with relish and Ozzie would go behind the counter and make our milk shakes, filled to the top of the mixing tin; All-American Ozzie playing basketball.After high school I attended OSU for three years where I managed to clear 14 ft in pole vault competition.