News & notes, MHS 1968

Pat Adams retired from teaching. She and husband Al Marchant have three grandchildren.
Denny Aguirre wrote in 2008, "After 30 years as a police officer, I reinvented myself as a wine buyer for a small market in Chelsea, Michigan."
Byron Aldrich is in MHS's Athletic Hall of Fame. Byron is a journeyman sheetmetal worker. Over the years, he saved several lives while serving as a volunteer fire fighter.
Hilary Asher is a corporate vice-president. To relax, he pilots his maroon & white airplane above Michiana. He and wife Tamara Reed have three beautiful daughters.
Randi Baker works with Brooklyn AIDS Task Force. Here's Randi presenting at a conference: Randi on YouTube.
Gregg Baldoni was in Italy in the autumn of 2008, on a trip with his parents who return to Italy every year. He is retired after many years as a journeyman sheetmetal worker.
Jimita Baldoni taught for several years at Byrkit High school, an alternative school that was located at University Park Mall in Mishawaka.
Alice Marie Beard (JD, George Mason U.) went to law school when she was 50. For her 61st birthday, she spent a month in Europe. Among the places she visited was Schwaigern, Germany, birth place of her HUFFORD ancestor who got her into the DAR.
Mike Bellovich is head of Human Resources for a Goshen company. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a Lt. Colonel, and serves on the Mishawaka Mishawaka Common Council.
Tim Bess (Ed.D., U. of Minnesota) is an social justice consultant after a decade as an elementary school principal in Minnesota. He built a house in Arkansas and will be a "snow bird." Tim blogs HERE.
Greg Blimling (Ph.D., Ohio State U.) is Vice President for Student Affairs at Rutgers University.
Cheryl Bobson is a Certified Public Accountant.
Pam Bollaert and her husband live in Granger. Pam and Penny Reynolds visited in about 2000 (Pam on the right):
Roger Brady (Licensed Architect) is a continuing education consultant to the design and construction industry.
Neil Brioli is active with American Legion Post 297, in New Carlisle. He served 24 years in the U.S. Navy. In 1996, he retired from the Naval Reserve as a lead Chief Petty Officer.
Karen Broomall is a Realtor in Camarillo, California. Karen enjoys RV-camping along the Pacific Ocean, watching dolphins and seals.
Ron Brooks and Pat DeLaurelle, long married, are in Florida. Ron spent 20 years in the Air Force, retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1989.
Marsha Brown has her own software business: Total Software Solutions.
Ken Brugh is V.P. for Real Estate & Store Enviroment for Performance Bike. For many years he was a Sr. V.P. at Golfsmith.
Cathy Bupp, licensed clinical social worker, is a psychotherapist at Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida. Cathy lives in central Florida, in one of the 19 counties declared a disaster area after the hurricanes of 2004. CHECK HERE for Cathy's description of what the hurricanes of 2004 did to her community.
Brenda Burkett, Toby Roose, Debbie Koepke, and Sonia Kristoff all looked beautiful at a church event in 2010:
Denny Cackowski met England's Princess Diana and the Queen Mum at a London Royal Garden Party he attended during his time as a Fulbright Scholar. He moved to Florida after a career as coordinator of elementary enrichment programs schoolwide for P-H-M schools.
Debbie Callsen is a supervising nurse at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, on the open heart team.
Mike Campbell sent word in 2008, "I have taken early retirement from Public TV, and I'm playing in The Blenders, a great band with 5 vocalists. Also doing sound for national acts that come through North Carolina. I work in broadcast trucks at NFL and college games as video engineer. I live on ten acres where most folks live on postage stamps. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife and lots of dogs and cats. I have never been happier or in better shape."
Chris Carlson has a quilting business and donates some of her quilts for charitable projects.
Nancy Carner works in an office of three oncologists and spends her days helping young people who are battling cancer.
Henry Catalino manages properties, does business consulting, and is a continuing education instructor for Indiana real estate. In the past, he had his own Sicilian-Italian restaurant in South Bend called "Catalino's Trattoria."
Jerry Cavanah and Mary Ann Pechi are among of the nine married couples from the Class of '68.
Debbie Claeys is a registered nurse at Memorial Hospital.
Susie Collins and Don Plummer are another of the MHS '68 couples.
Pam Cook and Rich Kunkle, long married, live in Hawaii.
Keith Cooper has many of his photos online. Included are pictures of Beutter Park and the Riverwalk and various Mishawaka events. For those gone from the area, Keith's photos will let you see your old hometown.
Ron Cosner teaches German at LaVille High School.
Diana Costa is a grandmother and teaches 3rd grade.
Jean Craft trains bus drivers and is assistant manager of a crew of over 150 drivers. For several years, she was a professional truck driver; before that, an accountant. Jean also has a pilot's license.
Pam Craig has been a "tooth fairy" for over 35 years, owns 16 houses that she rents to families, has raised her five children, has seven grandchildren, and still looks like a homecoming princess. Here she is at her daughter's 2009 wedding, and dancing with her son at his 2011 wedding:
Mark Crocker and his wife live in Carstairs, Alberta, Canada. Population: 2,654. He wrote in December 2009: "Susan and I live on a small farm, enough for about 30 cow/calf pairs. We enjoy membership in the local Mennonite Church. We have no grandchildren and enjoy inflicting ourselves on our nieces and nephews. We have been blessed with world travel -- myself with 6 yrs in the US Navy and Susan with her position at Nexen, an oil company. I am semi-retired and enjoy driving a school bus part time, creating fixes on the farm, and bugging my wife of 31 years."
Cathy Cunningham is an emergency room nurse and grandma to three little girls.
Steve Cunningham (Ph.D., Ohio State U.) is Executive Director of the New-Albany-Floyd County Education Foundation. Previously, he was adult education director for six Southern Indiana counties. He has taught at colleges and has been a high-school principal.
Tom Daffron is an electrician.
Bill Daily is an engineer and a grandfather to three.
Cheryl Davis is Executive Director of Voluntary Action Committee in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Kerry Deardorff is a social worker in Chicago. He ran in a half-marathon race in September 2007. (A half-marathon is a 13-mile foot race.)
Greg Deitchley and Debbie Young are among of the married couples from the Class. Greg is with the Indiana State Police; Debbie is a school teacher. Debbie says they're both ready to retire.
Alan DeMaegd is a machinist.
Terry DeMaegd has retired after a government service career that included two years at the American Embassy in New Delhi, India, as Officer in Charge of the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. Terry also spent time in Washington, DC., with Department of Homeland Security, and before that he was a Federal Investigator with Immigration Service and with Defense Investigative Service. These days, Terry's back in Mishawaka and enjoying his granddaughter.
Joyce DeNeve and her husband moved into their new home on Waldron Lake in Noble County. October 2008, Joyce wrote that they lived in the garage during the summer as the house was being built: "It was worth the wait. Our home is beautiful, and waking up every morning to see the lake water outside our bedroom window is wonderful."
Stan Denney (now known as Stan Leslie) has a five-piece band called "In the Pocket." The band has performed several times at the Mishawaka Summer Fest, and Sundays at East Race in Seitz Park.
Gary Derbin is the contractor behind Riverside Construction of Mishawaka.
Mike DeVliegher is a mechanical designer with an electronics firm in Indianapolis.
Gerald DeWulf is an engineer in charge of hospital construction.
Mary Jane Dexter is a pharmacist and has served as chairman of the Council of Ministries at her church. Her younger son, a U.S. Marine sergeant, served in Iraq; he is now an embassy guard in Kabul. Photo below is Mary Jane and hubby in 2008 in Hawaii.
Spider Draves is a pyrotechnician and travels to China to buy the best fireworks supplies. His business is Spiderworks-Fireworks. With a food drive in summer of 2010, Spiderworks-Fireworks collected enough food donations to provide over 3,000 meals for the Penn Township Food Pantry.
Jim Dygulski owns and runs "Zimmy's Tavern" in Union, Michigan.
Clara Eberlein says her joy in life is her eight grandchildren.
Steve Egendoerfer is an electrician.
Janice Einfalt is marketing representative for Home Instead, a Michiana source for non-medical care for elderly people living at home.
Judy Emmons put hubby Gerald DeWulf through Purdue, raised their three children, and continues doing charity work.
Al Evarts performed with "Duke Tumatoe and the Power Trio" in the 1980s. In the "small world" department, Al's daughter married Randy Shayler's nephew.
John Fisher is an ordained minister, affiliated with South Side General Baptist Church in Mishawaka. John has married and buried lots of Mishawakans over the years.
Randy Frederick is an electrician.
Tom Fry is Director for Network Operatons for Verizon in Ft. Wayne.
Donna Games is mom to three Notre Dame grads and a new Eagle Scout. Daughter #2 married in 2008 and made Donna a grandma in late 2011.
Sharon Gill, grandma, is a genealogist. In addition to doing her own research, she maintains an excellent web site for genealogists researching St. Joseph County connections: www.rootsweb.com/~instjose. It was Sharon who began the MHS68 Yahoo Group, a way for folks from MHS '68 to keep in touch.
Tom Grau (JD, IU Indianapolis) is with Drewry, Simmons, Pitts, & Vornehm. One of his clients is the civil engineering firm FRP, where Mike and Cosimo Natali are engineers. Tom's first grandchild was born in October 2008.
Judy Greenlee (Ph.D., U. of Notre Dame) died November 11, 2011. She had taught at Pasadenan City College in Pasadena, California, before retiring because of ill health. Judy sent a special note in January 2009; it's HERE.
Frances Grisham has been in Arkansas since high school and is now retired after 34 years as an elementary school teacher. Francie has three grandchildren.
Bill Groth (JD, IU Indianapolis) is the "Groth" of Indianapolis law firm of Fillenwarth, Dennerline, Groth, & Towe. August 2010 news: "We are pleased to announce: the birth of our first grandchild, born June 3, 2010, in Indianapolis to our first daughter and her husband. Also the marriage of our second daughter in San Francisco on Nov. 7, 2009. And the marriage of our third daughter in Indianapolis on July 31, 2010." Daughter #1 is a lawyer; #2, a pediatric dentist; #3, a teacher for the deaf.
Kelly Guin plays bass in Stan (Denney) Leslie's "In the Pocket" band. In the past, Kelly played bass guitar with Davey Jones of "The Monkees."
Bob Harringer, grandpa, manages environmental, health, & safety for a campus of six buildings at a Lucent plant southwest of Chicago. Bob has been elected president at his church, Our Savior Lutheran in Joliet, Illinois, and he's still collecting rocks. The photo below shows Bob (far right) and his wife after some rock collecting at a copper mine in Michigan:
Chris Heckaman is an interior designer.
Susan Hess is a grandmother. Granddaughter Phoebe Marie was born in July 2007, and grandson Sean Deegan was born in November 2009. In Susan's words, "We are thrilled, of course."
Mark Hildebrand, CPA, is a partner at Crowe Horwath and is Chairman of the Board of Directors at Horwath International. For eight years Mark was CEO at Crowe Chizek, now named Crowe Horwath:
How Hildebrand restructured Crowe Chizek
Barb Hitchins moved to Arizona after decades as a Hoosier school teacher.
Chuck Hoffman is still married to his childhood sweetheart, Carol Jojo. Chuck is the general manager of Sonitrol Security Alarms in Mishawaka.
Cindy Hoffman is a special education teacher in Kokomo.
Tom Hummer is in sales with CIM Technology Solutions.
Dave Hoskins is booked on weekends performing with what is considered the best bar band in the greater Michiana area, M.G.B. If you ever get a chance to hear him perform, GO! You'll walk away with a smile on your face.
Cindy Houghton is a music teacher at Pierre Moran Middle School in Elkhart.
Dawn Housand lives just south of Mexico City, Mexico, and has been involved with a newscomers club. She wrote several feature articles for their monthly newsletter. CLICK HERE for a sampling.
Peggy Huff is alive, and well, and living in Washington state. The 2000 MHS Alumni Directory incorrectly reported her deceased. She's just fine. She and her husband have lived on the West Coast since the mid 1970s.
Larry Humphrey is self-employed as a charter captain in Punta Gorda, Florida. He's a licensed ham radio operator with call sign WD9BMR. December 22, 2010, Larry sent the following photo of him on the beach with the note: "Eat your heart out. 72 down here today."
Margaret Hutchison is a registered nurse in Minnesota.
Vicki Jackson writes, "I worked ten years in the Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office. I worked there when the Prosecutor's Office took on Ford Motor Company and filed criminal charges over the Pinto rear-end accident that killed three girls. For the last 20 years I have been a legal assistant at Cohen Law Offices in Elkhart."
Jim Jasiewicz and Regina Drury married on June 10, 2006, in Niles, Michigan. Regina is a 1970 graduate of Goshen High.
Joe Jasiewicz moved to Florida after retiring from teaching. As a teacher, he devoted years to teaching many Michiana young people how to build houses.
Marilou Karst, grandma to three, teaches 2nd graders in rural Wisconsin. In free time, she sews Halloween costumes, needlepoints, and cross-country skis.
Kathy Koleszar works with Afghan Hounds in her off hours. During her work hours, she works with patient financial services at a South Bend hospital.
Jo Kozlowski is a bank teller and has survived four bank robberies.
Jim LaBelle is grandpa to three little boys.
Linda Landaw works with deaf children. She learned to communicate in sign language after her first grandchild was born deaf.
Bob Lese is with Magnolia Mountain, a folk music group. He plays mandolin, harmonica, drums, and guitar. Bob has been an on-call and studio musician for over 40 years, playing blues, jazz, country, and southern rock in Chicago and in Cincinnati. He has also played with the country gospel group Roy Knipp & Southern Harmony. You can hear some of his music HERE (click and listen).
Larry Liffick is a machinist.
Sue Lightner had a kidney tranplant in 2005; she has recovered well.
Patrick Long retired from NIPSCO in November 2010, after 30 years of service. Since then, he has been traveling across the United States and Canada. Most recently he was in the Canadian Rockies, followed by Oregon and Washington. Here's Pat in the Canadian Rockies:
Joyce Mabie has a horse farm.
Al Maeyens is an Elvis impersonator, impersonating Elvis Presley as he was in the 1970s:
Becky McCoy is back living in Mishawaka after several years in Florida. She reports that she is delightfully happy.
Marc McCray wrote in December 2010: "Still living in Mishawaka. I left the Mishawaka Street Department after 22 years. I'm currently working in Elkhart, truck driving for C&J Steel. I enjoy riding my motorcycle, having a cold beer, and running into old friends."
Pat McGee (JD, Arizona State U.) was a judge for several years in Arizona and has done criminal defense work. Pat is "Grandma Pat-pat" to three little girls. In April 2010, Pat participated in a two-day swim. Day one was Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf; day two, under the Golden Gate Bridge. Mary Rhoade and Sara Hysinger were there to cheer her on. Here's Pat in rubber suit, jumping into the water (photo taken through a boat window):
Gary McGillem has three granddaughters, all beautiful!
Bob Mead's interior decorating has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens magazine.
Sandy Melton had emergency surgery for appendicitis when Hurricane Ike was blowing through her town in Texas in September 2008. She came through the surgery fine.
Michael Merritt is an electrician.
Connie Micinski lives in Colorado. She co-founded a rescue group for golden retrievers.
Paula Miller lives in Minnesota, has four grandchildren, and helps others stay healthy.
Patti Morissette is a fancy-cat fancier. For many years, she raised and showed pedigreed Norwegian Forest Cats.
Michael Morrison was Special Forces during his military days. These days, he's a licensed ham radio operator with the call sign W9MLM. He volunteers with A.R.E.S. (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), with National Weather Service as a SkyWarn Observer, and with Project Lifesaver International with the Mishawaka Police Department.
Betty Myers is a registered nurse in Tennessee.
Gail Myers lives in the mountains of Colorado and enjoys mountain hiking and snowshoeing with her husband. She retired after many years as a Montessori teacher.
Mike Natali is a Principal at FRP, a structural and civil engineering firm in Indianapolis. After 12 years as President, Mike is now on the Board of Directors and works on business development and structural engineering consultation. He has been with the firm for 33 years.
Cosimo Natali is an engineer at FRP. September 2010, he sent word that both of his sons are married and that he has two young grandchildren.
Gilbert Needham could benefit from your prayers: Early 2007 he got out of the hospital after his 4th surgery for a brain tumor. His father reports that Gil is recovering but that it has been one h*ll of a battle for Gil.
Gaelyn Nelson's daughter gave birth to twin boys in autumn 2004. That makes three grandchildren for Gaelyn.
Dave Nevel was busy the day of our 35th reunion, walking his daughter Amanda down the aisle on her wedding day, and now he's a grandpa! Dave's an optician, with his own business in Columbus, Ohio.
Dan Nicolini (JD, IU Bloomington) photographs comets, plays his balalaika, and is a prosecutor in Arizona. In addition to playing the balalaika, Dan still plays his clarinet and his violin with various music groups. He was in Hawaii scuba diving with his wife on his 60th birthday.
Carol Ann Nix (JD, U. of Notre Dame) spent 2009-2010 in Beijing, teaching English. She taught criminal justice at Valparaiso U. for several years. Before that, she was a prosecutor for 20 years. When she has the time, she plays with birds.
Doug Overman is owner of CityLights DJ Services
Andy Palatinus owned his own machine repair shop in Loomis, California, for 31 years. He helped with small engine classes at the local high school by donating motors and helping them find parts. Andy sold his business in 2009 and moved to Cassopolis where he had built a house on Diamond Lake.
Debbie Parnell designs office space, does interior decorating, and designs outdoor space and backyards. She's grandmother to five.
Jerry Parrish is a school bus driver with the PHM schools.
Susan Peterson (JD, U. of Memphis), grandmother of two, is a divorce lawyer in South Carolina. Susan was in the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia, when a judge was shot dead in March 2005.
Brenda Pfaller is an award-winning teacher at Emmons.
Don Plummer heads the machine shop at Plymouth Foundry.
Will Pooley is a counselor at an alternative high school in Wisconsin. He wrote on New Year's Day 2011, "I've been dancing for the past several years, mostly swing and Lindy Hop, but also ball room." Will is dad to two daughters and grandpa to three little ones. His daughters' mother is MHS '68er Marilou Karst. In 1967, Will, Doc Asher, and Mike Bellovich took their first canoe trip together. Since then, they've taken many such trips. In summer of 2008, they were canoeing in northern Ontario:
Timothy Przygocki retired in September 2010 after 34 years with San Francisco maritime National Historical Park. He was Safety Manager when he retired. His children gave him a birthday/retirement party, and his son Augustino arranged for a trip up the South Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge as part of his present to his dad. His photos from over the years are HERE.
Tammy Reed is a librarian for the St. Joseph County Public Library.
Penny Reynolds has four grandsons. Youngest was born March 7, 2005, and weighed 9 pounds 15 ounces. He was born to Penny's daughter -- who normally weighs only 100 pounds!
Mary Rhoade has two sons, five grandchildren, and another grandchild on the way. When not grandmothering, Mary is a librarian in a K-8 elementary school. She is a Master Teacher in Ohio and has National Board Certification. April 2010, Mary was in California for a mini-reunion with Pat McGee and Sara Hysinger:
Lois Rice manages a dental office and is a grandmother. In off hours, she's part of a crew on a a hot-air balloon that flies over Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lois' grandson came to the October 11, 2008, day at Castle Manor.
George Roelandts is a middle school principal in Wakarusa.
Toby Roose sent word in August 2010: "Been married twice (now divorced), I have 3 grown sons. I work for Meridian Title in South Bend and still live in Mishawaka."
Steve Saros is a plumber.
Nanette Schnaible is a missionary in Mexico. In early 2009, she was in Kenya, Africa, on a religious crusade.
Carolyn Schwartz and Steve Van Ooteghem, long married, have three sons and live in Florida. Their oldest son began medical school at Mt. Sinai in September 2008. One of Carolyn's pleasures is creating detailed dollhouse miniatures, complete with minature dishes and utensils, miniature-scaled wallpaper, and Victorian clothing on tiny dollhouse dolls.
Terry Schwier was a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. He retired in 1991, after 21 years of military service.
Sheryl Scott, a social worker, is director of mental health at SEAHEC.
Suhaila Shamsuddin has six children. The oldest -- a daughter -- is a physician. August 2009 she wrote, "Latest news is that I've got two grandchildren, a girl (2 years) and a boy (2 months). I'm enjoying them thoroughly!"
Randy Shayler is with Otis Eastern Service as Director of Resource Management. He left Mishawaka for Cornell University and is now president of Cornell's Delta Upsilon Alumni Association. Randy is a member of MHS's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Jim Shown served with the Indiana National Guard in the Middle East from Feb. 2003 until Feb. 2004. He retired from the Reserves with 30 years of service.
Becky Smith teaches music in the PHM schools.
Alan Stafford (DDS, Indiana U.), does business consulting and motivational speaking. For pleasure, he flies his own plane. July 2008, Alan wrote that son #3 had been in Iraq with the U.S. Army for five months. Son #1 was in the Army Reserve in 2003 and was called active duty as part of the initial invasion.
Phil Stillson is an assistant principal at Elkhart Central High School and a licensed educational administrator. He and wife Barb (Kleiser, MHS '69) have four grandchildren: two girls and two boys.
Bob Stretch (Ph.D., Purdue U.), psychologist, is with the Division of Scientific Review at Nat'l Inst. of Child Health & Human Development. Bob has studied post-traumatic stress among soldiers. He retired from the Army Reserve as a Lt. Colonel. He's a grandpa to two, with another on the way.
Sandy Stutzman is a licensed social worker in Texas.
Mary Ellen Sweeney is Mishawaka's Chief Deputy Clerk.
Jerry Thacker (Ed.D., Andrews U.) is superintendent of PHM Schools. and in 2011 was named Indiana 2012 Superintendent of the Year. Before moving to PHM, Jerry served eight years as the superintendent of Logansport schools.
Jim Thomas lives in southeast Arizona and works for the city of Willcox, Arizona.
Eve Thompson is a legal secretary. In off hours, she raises money for breast cancer research.
Mike Unruh restored a Christmas mural that his own father made in 1953. The mural has been used as a Christmas greeting from Mishawaka firefighters for decades. Here's the story from the South Bend Tribune: Son restores his father's mural.
Bob Van Arsdale spends some of his free time with three old cars: a '72 Nova SS (original), a '47 Ford Tudor Sedan (street rod), and a '36 Ford three-window coupe (street rod). Here's Bob with his '47 Ford:
Steve Van Ooteghem is a management consultant. He and Carolyn Schwartz have been married forever and have three sons.
Debbie Werbrouck has a dance studio. She began that studio right out of high school with nothing more than the ability to dance, the courage of youth, and her beautiful smile. She also teaches dance at Saint Mary's College.
Ray Wennerstrom lives in Texas, near his son who is a police officer. Ray also has a daughter and five grandchildren. In December 2005, Ray was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. With medical treatment, the advance of MS has been slowed.
Glenda White wrote in April 2009: "I married Ted Morgan, was widowed, and moved back to my birth place -- Waterloo, Alabama. I now own and operate the Riverwalk Cafe in Waterloo." Here's Glenda:
Rosemarie Wilkins is the secretary in the Buildings & Grounds Department of the School City of Mishawaka.
Jack Wilson fishes competitively. On many weekends he's out in his boat fishing for bass in competitions, and he is a frequent prize winner. And as Jack explains, no, catching the most and biggest fish is not just luck. If it were, how would the same fishermen consistently win the big prizes?
Glenda Young raised her five children while teaching school. She teaches kindergartners in West Lafayette. Now her children are grown-up, and she has two grandbabies.
Karen Young teaches 2nd graders at Battell Elementary School in Mishawaka.
Jane Zimmerman works with Mishawaka Education Foundation, fundraising for School City of Mishawaka students.

Your News Is Welcome!

PLEASE NOTE:
If there is any mention of you at this web site that you do not want here,
write and it will be removed immediately.
If you would like to add a note to this "news & notes" page
that is in your own words, send your words.