Alumni Sandstorm ~ 10/19/16 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber Memorial today: Dick EPLER ('52) Van VanDUSEN ('52) Norma LOESCHER ('53) ************************************************************* ************************************************************* BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jeanie TURNER ('61) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ray RICHARDSON ('69) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Larry DAVIS ('80) BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Kelly MONTGOMERY ('87) BOMBER CALENDAR: Richland Bombers Calendar Click the event you want to know more about. ************************************************************* ************************************************************* >>From: Dick EPLER ('52) Re: Remembering Lu IVERS Portch ('52-RIP) I knew Lu mostly through my wife, Madelyn "Lynn" HINSON Epler ('52). They were best friends in high school and for several years afterwards. They were a mischievous pair, playing tricks on the boys mostly. In fact, one of their capers was responsible for the first meeting between Lynn and I. It was in Viola Ellis' 1950 art class when the two girls conspired to steal and hide an oil painting I was working on. Shortly thereafter, I found it in my locker. How did that happen? No one had my combination... but for some reason Lynn was known forever-after as 'safecracker Hinson.' And that was my introduction to the pair. There was little interaction between the girls and I for the rest of our HS years, but after graduation a lot of us wound up working for General Electric in Ruth Tattu's 703 Central Mail Room, where the two girls continued to bedevil the boys... more sophisticated now... and perhaps a bit more targeted, at least in my case... necessarily so, as I was reluctant to become involved knowing that military service was imminent. I think, however, it was Lu who made sure that whenever there was an office get together that Lynn and I would wind up together. Gosh, that was some 65 years ago and I don't remember them all, but one event in particular stands out - a bonfire party under the stars out at the 'slab' (the old Columbia POW camp on the Yakima... the buildings were gone, but some of the concrete slabs remained. Lu and Lynn rode out there with me in my ol' '41 Willy's Americar (front bench seat only). That was when I first became seriously interested in Lynn to eventually result in a marriage of almost 62 years now. Sadly, Lynn didn't ride back with me that night (she went with another guy) so it was just Lu and I... and we talked a lot. But that was a situation that Lu never allowed to happen again. After that, I most remember us double-dating to see movies at the Y-drivein. And of course there were other private parties... but it all ended in Feb '53 when I left for the Air Force. We drifted apart in later years, but since Lynn and I still have family in the Tri-Cities, we'd get back from time to time and Lu would always make a special effort to get together to catch-up. She was like that. As Don LYALL ('52) implied, she was a facilitator extraordinaire, who kept track of most of the members of class '52, and Lu was responsible for much of the success for our class reunions. I think Em ('52) was part of that too, but I'm not sure... we were only able to attend one reunion. I think the last time we saw Lu was the spring of 2013 when she came to see us at our son's house in Richland. We're going to miss getting her Christmas Cards with her family photos. Indeed, Lu will be greatly missed by all who knew her. My sincere condolences to Bill, Terri & Scott, Karissa, Serena... and any greatgrandkids? -Dick EPLER ('52) ************************************************************* ************************************************************* >>From: Van VanDUSEN ('52) Re: Luana IVERS Portch ('52-RIP) To: The class of '52 I am not a very good note writer or letter writer and I will try. To the people who read the Sandstorm, then you have read the note from Marilyn "Em" DeVINE ('52). I hope that those who have read it will pass it on to those who do not have the Sandstorm. This is a little bit of Luana that I know about. She had many friends including me. She was truly a good friend. She was one of the people who started the '52ers noon lunch at Starlings on GWWay in Richland. She also was one of people who worked on our class reunion for many years. She also has a lot of other things to do. She always went to her granddaughters' soccer meets, plus going to hockey games, plus helping people. There are a lot of things that I could talk about her. I lost a very good friend with her. May the good Lord bless her!!!!!!!! Van -Van VanDUSEN ('52) ************************************************************* ************************************************************* >>From: Norma LOESCHER Boswell ('53) Re: Luana IVERS Portch ('52-RIP) To her family and all who loved Luana, my sincere sympathy! What a loss to all of us! Luana was a lively teen in the West Side United Protestant Church. She would take a bunch of us girls in her car after Fellowship meetings. We would go to drive-ins for burgers, hot dogs, French fries, sodas, milk shakes - and even to a place that offered timber floats (toothpicks floated in water) with their food. Luana ('52, one year ahead of me) and I became active in Club 40 as soon as we were eligible. I always admired her high spirits, derring-do and positive attitude. She was the kind of person who drew friends to her like a magnet. I liked the way she kept active in family activities. I will miss her very much! Bomber tears, -Norma LOESCHER Boswell ('53) ~ in Richland, where it's cool again ************************************************************* ************************************************************* Bomber Memorial >Betty GIER Hartcorn ~ Class of 1948 ~ 1922 - 2016 Bomber Memorials ************************************************************* ************************************************************* That's it for today. Please send more. *************************************************************