Elementary school photos:
North Bellmore, Bellmore,
North Merrick, Merrick
(1), Merrick (2),
St. Barnabas.
2005 News:
Charlie
Frank recently restored
a number of photos from Merrick Elementary School days. Click
here to view.
You Gotta Start Off Each Day with a Laugh!
For all those who've seen Marty Lavanhar's cartoons in the reunion yearbook, here are his latest, inspired by a visit he and wife Caroline made to Tanzania, Africa. Click here.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!
Our East
Coast was really socked with a huge snow storm the weekend of
January 22-23. Marty's cartoon says it all!
2004 News:
Joe Zanchelli: Joyce
and I were thrilled to be a part of the 50th reunion of the great
Mepham clas of '54. What a wonderful evening! To be with so many
of our former students whom we haven't seen for 50 years was
such an emotional experience. We were able to get "caught
up" with some of you but not nearly enough of you. Time
just ran out.
We want to thank Al Haggerty, Carol O'Keefe House and the rest
of the reunion committee for giving us the opportunity to celebrate
with our favorite class. We enjoyed it so much.
The reunion committee did a fabulous job and their work will
be difficult to match for the next reunion.
Best wishes to the class of '54. We think you're the greatest!
John Bloore has moved from Virginia in September 2001
and relocated near their daughter and family in Little Rock,
Arkansas. He retired mid 2002 and has been doing a good deal
of traveling both in the states and Europe. They love being there
and being away from the cold (most of the time) but most of all
they enjoyvisiting friends and family, and not doing it on any
particular schedule.
Sad News: We offer our deepest condolences to Class Co-Representative Carolyn Summers Herrera and her family on the death of her husband, Chris, on June 15, following a long illness. Chris was a Class of 1955 graduate.
Gilgo Beach — Check out this new web cam at the beach.
http://www.bungersurf.com/Bunger_Surfcam/
2003 news: (listed in order received)
Bob Bosomworth
just
sent us a photo from the Merrick Elementary School January 1950
graduation. Click
here to view.
Al Ristori: Classmates will be interested in seeing Al at the NY Boat Show at the Javits Convention Center in NYC the end of December and beginning of January! Al will be doing seminars and appearing at the Fishing Line TV & Radio Show booth — his slide shows are on two Sundays: Dec. 28 at 2 p.m., and on Jan. 4 at 1 p.m. Will be at The Fishing Line TV Show booth (around seminars) from 12 to 4 p.m. Dec. 28 and 11 to 3 p.m. on Jan. 4. Will also do three seminars at the Garden State Sportsman's Show in Edison the second week in January -- and will co-host the Salt Water Sportsman Seminar in Boston on March 7. Hope to see old friends at those appearances! Click here to read an update letter from Al.
Sad News: We've been informed by his wife, that Emil Tucek passed away in 2001. Also, Carol Ferguson Bunze, passed away about 1998. Our condolences to both families.
This n that:
Al Haggerty is now at his Arizona winter home in
case anyone would like to contact him. Still flying back and
forth to M.I.T. as a visiting professor and consulting with Boeing,
as well. Carolyn Summers Herrera e-mailed us with the
exciting news that she and husband Chris are Great Grandparents:
Granddaughter Shanna and husband Chuck were proud parents of
Wyatt Blake, who was born recently. Carol O'Keefe House and
husband Ken are also new grandparents. A granddaughter, Jordyn
Hope, was born to their daughter Laura and husband Ed in August.
Margie Meurn Broderick is visiting her daughter in California
for an extended stay. Marty Lavanhar is traveling to Thailand
and Guatemala. Country squire Bill Hall had a close call
with a tractor fire in his garage in CT recently. Fortunately,
they were able to pull the tractor out in time to save the garage
and house. Whew! He said he's accepting "donations"
towards a new tractor (and a hairpiece and lipsuction.... ) :0))))
Bill O'Connor and his wife visited Long Island recently;
got together with John and Judy Carlson in Lindenhurst.
Regina Bucher Menton has just joined our Reunion Committee.
Welcome Aboard! She's still working, and plans to retire to Eastern
Long Island. Bob Meurn has retired from the the U.S. Merchant
Marine Academy and moved to Michigan. Frank Gobetz is
recovering nicely from recent knee surgery. Chike Dyott suffered
serious injury in a collision with a teammate on the softball
field last July. Recovering nicely and back playing ball. That's
our Chike!
 Bud
Bowen sent us some news
that he's now retired and  volunteering
at a local grade school in Florida, helping kindergarten and
first graders with their reading. Has six great grandchildren;
all girls! Click here for larger photo
and more information on Bud's life since graduation. |
|
Shirley met and married husband, Bob, in Northern California. They later moved to Colorado where their beautiful daughter, Jenn was born. She is a publicist/actress and owner of Studio Blue Promotions in Los Angeles, California. I was employed by the U. S.Postal Service for twenty-six years and retired in 1998 as Postmaster, Pine, Co. Shortly after retiring I became a widow. My current interests are traveling, shopping, decorating and dining with friends. All of which I will be doing on my visit to NYC in December, 2003. Will try to make the reunion! |
Claire Affourtit Stefanik — Claire just sent us a few photos
from their 
new
home/post
in Hawaii. "It's a hardship post (just
kidding)." Husband Al is the Priest in Charge at the Church
of the Holy Innocents in Lahaina,
Maui.
Click on the thumbnail photo at left for all the pics.
Warren Wissemann tells us that Ron and Norma Knettel
and Dick and Joan Beckmann visited his new digs in Virginia
in September. He also sent some memories of Jones Beach. You'll
love reading this! Click here.
New Photos:
In preparation for our upcoming reunion, some recent photos of
- Jones Beach and the
- Marriott Hotel have been added to our site. Check them out!
Bill O'Connor just sent in a photo taken from his home in Eagles Point, Oregon. Glorious view of Mt. Pitt! Click here to go to page.
Sad News — We have been informed by husband Mal, that Elsie Siltanen Sigman passed away on April 6, 2003. Our condolences to Mal and the family.
Doris Parrella O'Brien — Doris moved to California in '62; married to Walter; three children; six grandchildren. Worked in Special Education for the Santa Barbara school district. Hobbies: golf. Retired as volunteer Assistant League, Montecito CC Board member.
Bob Nufer and wife Carolyn have been living in Dutchess County,
New  York
for 37 years. After working for Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage
for eleven years, he joined IBM in East Fishkill and retired
in '92. He has been involved in investment real estate since
1979, (full time since retirement). Bob and Carolyn are presently
broker/owners of Seven Oaks Realty, located in Wappingers Falls.
See their web sites at: thenufers.com and sevenoaksrealty.com
or contact them at nufers@SevenOaksRealty.com. They have three
children: Doug; Suzi and Rob. Looking forward to the reunion.
Click here for full-sized picture
of Mr. Schneider's class at North Bellmore Elementary School. |
|
Bill O'Connor has joined our Reunion Committee. Welcome
aboard!. Bill lives Click here for a view of Bill's photo album from his homestead in Oregon. |
|
Carolyn Summers Herrera has just sent in a photo from the Camp
If you have any photos of individual classes, let us know! |
Avenue Elementary School Graduation.Happy Birthday on March 13 to Al Frankel!
Warren Wissemann tells us that they finally have moved into their new house in Virginia. Hooray! Meanwhile click here for more photos and news.
Martin Welch — Lived in Sayville, New York for forty years with wife Charlotte and three children. Now lives in Bolton Landing, New York and Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Follows the Mets and plays softball. Retired Principal (seventeen years) of Ronkonkoma Jr. High.Says hello to all particularly Janet and Ted Bailey and Chike Dyott. Would like to hear from anyone at my e mail address (check our e-mail address page).
Bob Ferrigno — Bob is living in Florida and owns his own business, which makes air conditioners and refrigeration equipment for the Defense Department.
Arline Beyer, living in Virginia, recently remarried (October) to Hal Nguyen. She has seven children.
North Bellmore Elementary
School graduating class photos have
just 
been uploaded. Click here for the images. Does
anyone have the the photo of and Mrs. Mediros' class?)
Also looking for photos from the Merrick Elementary School, as well as St. Barnabas. Contact Carol at: cbhouse@aol.com.
Bill Hall has sent us photographs from the Class
of 1950 graduating class at 
Bellmore
Elementary School. Click here
for the images. He's in Myrtle Beach for the winter months
to perfect the great game of golf (and escape Connecticut snow.)
Retired in
'96 from private law practice, but still active as an Attorney
Trial Referee for Tolland County Superior Court. Assistant Coach
of local high school golf team. Married, father of two children.
Huge UConn basketball fan. Bill is on the reunion committee and
working as our "Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons."
Or is he our Mr. Tracer, Keener Than Most Persons? (Remember
Bob & Ray spoof of the legendary radio series?) :0))
Marge Meurn Broderick has just moved to new digs in Stratford, Connecticut. Meanwhile, click here for a photo taken of Marge and several of our classmates at a class picnic in the 8th grade at Newbridge Road School.
Sad News: In searching for classmates for our upcoming reunion, we've found two more classmates listed in the Social Security Death Index: David Wilson (1-31-1996) and Virginia Vause Morochnick (2-26-1995). Our condolences to their families.
Robert Meurn — Bob was featured in an article in the July 29, 2001 edition of Newsday: "Reliving Wreck of Andrew Doria." Capt. Meurn is a professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and instructs students in Bridge Watchstanding on the CAORF simulator. He graduated from Kings Point in 1958, sailed for 20 years and has taught at USMMA since 1978. He will retire from Kings Point in 2003. Bob will be sending us some photos from Mepham circa 1954. Click here to view.
Carolyn Summers Herrera has just sent us a few historical photos from her collection. Old Merrick, Post Office, business district, St. John's Church, North Merrick school and Fire House. Click here for a look-see.
Toni Elling is now operating her crystallized flower business, Meadowsweets from upstate New York and California. Click here to read about it and view some photos.
George Munnich is keeping busy following retirement as a teacher from our school district — lifeguarding at Fire Island during the summer and assistant wrestling coach at Kennedy High School during the winter.
Al Haggerty spent the summer sailing out of Mystic, CT. Here's a snap he took at sunset of a local touring yacht. Al has retired after almost 40 years in Aerospace with Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, finishing up as the Vice-President-General Manager of Military Aircraft and Missiles for Boeing. He and wife Iris now live in Mystic about seven months of the year in an 1829 restored home overlooking the Mystic Seaport. In the winter, they live in Scottsdale, AZ. Al is a Visiting Professor at MIT in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics this year and "commutes" to Boston, so he doesn't forget what snow and cold weather are all about.
Warren Wissemann and wife Sue have made the big move from Long Island to Virginia this past spring. Warren contributes regularly to our web site. Check out the following:
- Here are some photos of the area where they are building their new home. This page includes a photo with Dick Beckmann when they had lunch with me (Carol) and my husband just before heading to the great state of Virginia. Family photos and a 1999 European trip shared with Dick Beckmann and wife Joan Harwood Beckmann are also included.
- Photos of Old Merrick,
- A spectacular aerial shot of late 1930s Merrick, can be seen here.
Sad News:
- We received a note from Rick Purzes that our classmate Jean Eastman Purzes passed away in November of 2001. They were married 47 years and had five children and six grandchildren.
- In searching for classmates for our upcoming reunion, we've found five more classmates listed in the Social Security Death Index: James Silverman Stanton (10-96); Robert Callanan (5-99); Arthur Dederick (4-01); Walter Keller (1-86); Joyce Marsiglia (8-89). Our condolences to their families.
- We were informed by her son, Ty, that Lydia Colon Melrose passed away in February. I sent condolences from our classmates.
Carol Alger Way — Carol and husband John retired this year and moved to Maine in December. She's involved in nature-related organizations; husband John with the Maritime Academy.
Elaine Burney Hazell — Purchased motor home and spent six months in Florida. Visited with Sue Gustafsen Hennessey and husband Paul, as well as Blossom Diener Grimm and Fran Robbins.
Rita Deschler Yeazel — Our resident class gourmet, Rita, tested bread recipes for "Artisan Baking Across America" by Maggie Gletzer, published in March 2000.
Cathy Dina McCabe — Cathy was recently elected president of the Rochester Council of the Navy League of the US; she's been a Councilwoman for the Town of Henrietta, NY since 1993. Elected first lady president of the Kiwanis Club of Henrietta. Presently is secretary. Charter member of "Operation Welcome Home." Co-owner of DINA Enterprises (www.dinasigns.com). And check out her web site at: www.cathymccabe.com.
Bette Lacza Raymond — She and husband Bill celebrated 41years of marriage last June. Three children, five grandchildren.
Virginia Mecking Hennig — Married 42 years to Bill; two children and six grandchildren. Retired from banking and lives in New York and North Carolina.
Robert Nufer — Retired from IBM; has over 60 inventions and patents, a Fellow of Society of Plastics Engineer. Broker/owner of Seven Oaks Realy in Dutchess County, New York.
Fred Quaderer — Fred has been a contractor/carpenter for many years.
Bob Raacke — Retired Director of Guidance at Riverhead High School.
Russ
Randall — Russ is
a retired aeronautical engineer, living in Oregon.
Click here for some photographs of Russ
and his bride of three years, Cathy.Still retired, bikes and
hikes a lot.
(Click on photo for larger photo).
Robert Remski — Retired International Manager at Honeywell in Minneapolis. Working part time as consultant enginner. Grauated California State with a BSME. Four daughters.
Al Ristori — Al lives the best life! Fishing and writing for a living! Type his name into the Google search engine, and you'll find some of his writing, photos. Click here for his latest letter to us.
Kathleen Shannon Neumann — (Inverness, Fl) Kathleen tells us that she has been married 46 years, has four children, eight grandchildren. She is employed at Citrus High School and oversees the student information systems and computer operations. Hobbies were and still are car racing and restoring vintage autos. Her two boys are now running their auto upholostery shop in Inverness.
