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Alumni Sandstorm Archive ~ August, 1998
01 08 10 11 11TTellier 12 13 14 15 16 17 18&19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
PEACE ~ Frank Osgard #1 ~ Frank Osgard #2
Zip's Tarter Sauce ~ Fight Song ~ Alma Mater
***********************************************
From: Gary Behymer (64)
TO: All Bombers
RE: Houses That Hanford Built ~ 8/1/98
The Houses that Hanford Built.... I believe these
to be the actual cost to the government to build
each house.
Type # Year Built Cost
A 408 1943-1945 ?
B 520 1943-1945 ?
C 85 1950-1951 ?
D 8 1943-1945 $11,570
E 84 1943-1945 $ 9,535
F 250 1943-1945 $10,562
G 8 1943-1945 $ 9,220
H 250 1943-1945 $ 9,220
K 60 1950-1951 $11,768
L 44 1943-1945 $11,733
M 25 1943-1945 $12,191
Q 143 1948-1949 $12,608
R 146 1948-1949 $13,580
S 19 1948-1949 $16,049
T 5 1948 ?
U 110 1947 $ 7,941
V 340 1947 $ 9,689
Y 950 1948-1949 $ 9,704
Z 50 1948-1949 $10,755
Prefabs
1-BR 150 1944-1946 ?
2-BR 675 1944-1946 ?
3-BR 517 1944-1946 ?
Where did you live?
******************************************************
******************************************************
....more Bomber Memories ~ 8/8/98
This question has been asked by Barbara Vaché
from the Class of 1968 concerning 'the camp' that
was located next to 'Horn Rapids Dam'.
>From Barbara Vaché '68)
We are looking for any printed information
stating what the camp was used for. Everyone
seems to know of it existance but there is little
info on the camp itself. I was visiting the area
several weeks ago and just wanted more
information on it and have run into dead ends.
Thanks
Barbara Vache Baird class of '8
>>From: Sonny Davis ('2)
My name is Sonny Davis and I graduated in 1962.
After I got my driver's license, I spent almost
every your I could at "the camp". The concrete
floors and foundations were clearly visible and
one could actually drive down the streets of the
camp itself. This was one of the hunting,
fishing, shooting, camping favorites of the area.
The indians were still fishing the river at the
Rapids. In about 1960 they had huge Army
excercises there and there were literally
zillions of tanks, armored cars, artillery
pieces, etc. all over that area. I don't know
what is there now but if I were there I could
take you right to it. I shot deer, trapped
beaver, hunted chukar, pheasant and quail there.
Probably around 1954 or 55 my Boyscout troop did
an overnight right on the old foundations.
Sonny Davis
>>From: Larry Smith ('1)
Hi, I don't have any papers regarding the camp,
but my dad always referred to it as 'the conchy-
camp'. It was a storage place for concientous
objectors durring the war time. I don't know how
long it was used, but when I first remember going
there in about '48-'50, all that was there was
the foundations and some trees. It was a common
camping spot for scout over-nighters without
having to go too far. Kinda secluded and like an
oasis, but still close to home. The water in the
river was pretty clear in those days.
>>From: Joe Ford (63)
Gary, I'm joining Ray Stein, and no doubt
dozens of other folks, in thanking you for the
research on Richland.
My dad told me that the Horn Rapids prison
camp had POWs, mostly German, who worked in the
harvest in the Yakima valley. They were guarded
and escorted but had a degree of freedom. By late
1945 or early 1946, most of them were
repatriated.
When I was a kid (1950 to maybe 1955) we
would occasionally go there on family outings. I
remember fairly tall trees, which probably were
remarkable for a born-and-raised Richland boy.
Anyone else have a version?
Best regards. --Joe Ford ('63)
>>From: Linda Sargent Evans ('7)
I just found out about your website! It's great,
and a wonderful way to keep in touch. Please add
my name to the list. Thanks so much.
>>From: Diane Brown Koehnen ('64)
Dear Everyone,
It is so fun to read these tales of us as kids
growing up in Richland and our shared experiences
like chasing the mosquito trucks, floating down
the flumes, cruising the Uptown, then the
Downtown, hangin' out at Zip's!!! I grew up in a
B house at 1414 McPherson. My parents still live
there and my younger brother Dan and his wife
live on Cottonwood. I ran into Darlene Huesties
in Seattle this week! She recognized me in a
checkout line at Fred Meyer - even after 34
years! Thanks, Gary, for making this possible and
all of you for the memories........
Dianne Brown Koehnen ('64)
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson ('68)
We moved into a pre-fab at 1808 McClelland in
1951. In '56, I remember going down to "housing"
where the Health Dept is now, and looking for our
name. Mom was expecting #3 and we were short on
room. Fortunately we got to move to 410
Cottonwood about a month before my little brother
arrived. The folks bought that house in '58 for
about $11,000. I still have the paper work. They
sold in '71 and my husband, new baby and I bought
it in '78. The small bedroom was just like I had
left it as far as paint and wallpaper. I remember
the painters coming down our block doing the
interiors. I could have any color I wanted, as
long as it was pink!! I tell my kids the only way
I am leaving this house is feet first : )
Mina Jo Payson, Class of '68
>>From: Tonny Tellier
Anyone remember:
By's Burgers
Ray's Market out at the Y
Highland Ranch Market in Kennewick
The Flume
The Men's Room At The Standard Station
Lucky 7
Atomic Frontier Days
Arlo
"Muscles"
Paul Schlagle
Officer Worrell
Warren Scott
Ida Me(a)chem
PasPort Plunge
Drift Inn
Wild Bill's
................more on houses...............
>>From: Bob Mattson ('64)
Hello, yes the DDT sprayers. Those little
jeeps, rolling down the streets of my home town.
Through a network of informats we could locate it
blocks away and swarm in it's clouds. What fun.
Started off in the Kadlec as a lot of us did.
Started off in a prefab on Snow, then to 1514
Marshall which I think was called an "A" house.
Two story half. Then on to 1606 Johnston, could
have been a "Q" house. John Corado, Tom Clements
and David Dowis shared the neighborhood. Quansit
hut at Sackie, Then Jason Lee, Christ The King,
Chief Jo, Then to Col-Hi as that was it. Anyboby
remember swimming at the passport plunge in Pasco?
Include the Nam, a marriage gone south, two
beautiful children, besides some live stage &
stand-up, in a band called Fat Chance, I'll have
some Tee shirts for sale when we all gather once
again next summer. A thanks goes out to Gary and
Maren, I'm sure.
Later, Bob "Tuna" Mattson ('64)
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
.....Several people have mentioned the Passport
Plunge. I believe it was out by the Pasco
Airport? Went there but once when I was a
cubscout.
>>From: James Armstrong ('63)
Hey it was another great reunion. I went on a
great sight seeing excursion up the RIVER to the
Hanford reach. With great running commentary from
Mike Quane about his adventures on the river way
back when. Long may you wave Mike! Great to see
everyone.
Jim Armstrong - "Pitts" ('63)
>>From: the Vaché Sisters
Hi from alumni of '59, '66, and '68. We are the
Vaché sisters having a sisters week in Lake
Stevens, WA. This is our first view of the Bomber
Home Page that we heard about from brother Jim ('64).
We are hoping to catch up on some news of "old"
classmates.
The Vaché Sisters: Mary Ellen ('59), Katie ('66),
and Barbara ('68)
================
This 'memory lane' trip is being sent to over 700
emailing Richland Bombers from class years 1945
to 1989. We know that each of you have different
'types' of memories. Realize that this group
represents 45 years and several generations!
Thank you for allowing us to share 'our' thoughts
and memories.
Maren Smyth ('64) & Gary Behymer ('64)
************************************
******************************************************
Richland Bombers Come Out of the Woodwork ~ 8/10/98
from Gary Behymer ('64)
... sending this to the Class of 1964. Note to
Maren -- Please forward to all other classes.
====================
>>From: Rob Williams ('67)
Hi Gary, I ran into an old friend last
spring, thanks to your great site. I saw Jamie
Worley's (Hills) name on the Bomber site and
contacted her concerning her brother Larry, we
all grew up together in Jack-Ass flats, West
Richland. I met with Jamie, she's still a fox,
Larry and his great family out in Benton City
last May, we all had a wonderful visit. What a
great family. Here is a picture of Larry's
youngest son Seth on my Harley. He also has an
older son Silas, both great boys. Larry and I
played baseball together, his father, Ralph and
my dad Richard started alot of the ground work
organizing teams and got the land to build the
baseball park by the golf course. Just to let you
know this site is working to bring old friends
back together...
thanks again, Rob Williams ('67)
====================
>>From: Teresa DiVine Knirck ('64)
Once again, it is great to read all the memories
of early Richland--It was fun to see Sonny Davis'
name. For those who went to Chief Jo, I think it
was Sonny Davis and Ronnie Hoglen who were sort
of folk heroes when I was in seventh grade. I am
sure it was they who somehow added their names to
those signing the copy of the Declaration of
Independence hanging in the foyer by the
auditorium entrance at CJ. Anyone else remember
that--like Sonny? :)
Teresa DeVine Knirck ('64)
====================
>>From: Roberta Gross ('70)
Hi Gary! Thanks for the info! How do I get my
email address added to the list: CLASS OF 1970 TO
1979 EMAIL ADDRESSES (for 1970 list)?
Roberta Gross Darrow ('70)
Another person who would like to get added to
the email list for 1970 is Gudrun Witt Zimmer.
She was the foreign exchange student from Germany
in 1970.
====================
>>From: Stephen Schraedel (79)
Gary, Are there any plans for a '79er's
reunion? Stephen Schraedel
====================
>>From: Barb Gore McCleary ('67)
I just heard of this awesome Web site. I'm a
'67 graduate of Col. Hi. My maiden name was
Barbara Gore, so plrase include me
Thanks! This is simply great!!!!
====================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
In reply to Tony Tellier and others
The camp: I agree, a POW camp during the war. My
brothers' Scout troop camped there often.
By's Burgers: My dad told a story about By's
Burgers and the painters. He sent use kids and
mom to grandma's in Seattle while our house was
being painted. One evening he went down to By's,
on the corner of Gillespie and Duane (Goethals,
now). Of course, the inevitable dust storm blew
up. He rushed home to close windows, but was too
late. We had some of the earliest texturized
walls in Richland.
"Muscles": I remember a guy who rode his bike
around town. As little kids, we would see him and
yell "Hey, hey, Muscles" and wave and he would
yell "Hey, Hey" back and wave. He was a fixture
for years. I guess he was retarded or just slow.
The rumors by the time I was 11 or so were that
he had gotten run over trying to ride his bike on
the freeway in California. Who knows?
Atomic Frontier Days: A good excuse for the men
not to shave for a week.
Ida Meachem: Was she the Dr. Meacham who taught
some of the science courses at CBC in the late
60's & early 70's? She was quite a character on
campus and seemed to be older than dirt.
PasPost Plunge: Never got to go there. I was
under the impression that it was reserver for the
military families in Pasco. I think there were
some naval air guys stationed there. It was at
the old airport. I remember going by there often
as a late teen and seeing the remains. No
building, just a big, empty cement pool.
Wild Bills Market: Used to be on the corner of
Lee and Jadwin. I think there was one at McMurray
and G. Way, too. I can remember that we alway
shopped at C & H Market on Wright, next to
Densows, because it was close to home. But
sometimes mom or dad would go down to Wild Bills
because they had good prices on dry goods.
Mosquito trucks: We used to chase them on foot
and on our bikes as they came down Cottonwood. It
is amazing we aren't all dead from inhaling that
stuff!!
-Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
====================
>>From: Kathy O'Neil (63)
Thanks for all the interesting information and
great comments by everyone. I really enjoy
reading them!
====================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
Hey! I am glad so many have yukked it up on
those snippets. The guy who threw in The Mad Turk
got an extra 10 points!!
Fission Chips
BB&M
McGuire's Shoe Repair
Skip's Drive-In
Q: was the Chinese place in Uptown the "Ming Room"
or was that in Pullman??
Hi-Spot (!!)
"Atomic Harvest" a book about releases of
radioactivity into the Walukee (sp) Slope to the
east
===============================================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
My last name at graduation was Gerry. I
remember the pink because mom had a bad habit of
moving bedroom furniture and I came home from
Marcus Whitman one day to find that I had been
moved into my brother's room, which was blue and
he got my pink one. That really frosted my
cookies, but I guess I lived.
===================================================
>>From: Bill Byrd (59)
Gary, here is another slant on the Horn Rapids
Camp. I remember my Father telling the story,
....following Pearl Harbor, the US government
decided to move all of the Japanese living and
working on the west coast of the US to inland
camps until the war was over. While at graduate
school, I met a Japanese who colaborated this
story saying that his father had a store in
Tacoma and was threatened with being turned in to
the authorities if he didn't sell his store (and
for a fraction of its worth). It happened anyway
and his family was moved to the Horn Rapids Camp.
I have no documentation and my Father is no
longer living, so take it for what it is worth.
=====================
>>From: Richard Baker (58)
By's Burgers: The original was located on the old
Columbia Park highway. I used to love it when my
folks took me there. Still today, I think those
were the best hamburgers I have ever eaten.
Later, he opened a By's below Lee Hill. Then, he
open Tim's near Uptown, named after his son. It
was at Tim's that I first remember hearing Elvis.
Ray's Market out at the Y: When I was growing up
at 216 Cullum Avenue, a neighbor, Bill James (who
has long since passed away) used to take me
fishing on the dike that connects Bateman island
with the road. Of course, Ray's is just across
the street. We got our fishing supplies and bait
there plus a treat after fishing.
Highland Ranch Market in Kennewick: I remember it
but don't have any memories associated with it.
The Flume: It was always neat to spend Friday or
Saturday night "shooting" the Flume and then
walking back across the ties to do it again.
Another night time activity we enjoyed was
sitting on the fenders and shooting jackrabbits
with 22's while driving all of the dirt roads
above the flume. Couldn't do that now, could you.
The Men's Room At The Standard Station: I don't
think I remember the Standard Station. But, I do
remember Pott's Rainbow at the corner of Casey
and Douglas. I think this was the only filling
station in town when we moved there in '43.
Safeway was across the street. I think Potts
eventually opened the first station on the corner
just south of the Community House.
Lucky 7: I remember what I thought was the Lucky
5 just across the street from the Gaslight and,
of course, the Frontier Tavern in the next block.
Atomic Frontier Days: I remember these days
vividly. It was a fun time. And then came the
Unlimited Hydroplane races. The night before the
races, we used to go down to the barricade they
set up in Columbia Park and spend the night
having a few bruskies and playing poker. Then the
next morning they would remove the barricade and
we drove (hurriedly) down to get our favorite
spot to watch the races. Chrysler Crew, Miss
Spokane, Miss Tri Cities, Atlas Van Lines, and
many more. Those are fond memories! The Chrysler
Crew actually had two Chrysler engines.
Arlo: Yes, I remember Arlo. His last name was
Beedles. His sister is Irma who graduated with me
and one of the folks I hope to see at the reunion
next month. Arlo used to hang out at the
Carmichael shop. When he got on a wood lathe, he
settled down and performed excellent work.
"Muscles": I had forgot all about Muscles. Yes, I
remember seeing him all the time around town. It
seems like he was always smiling. Boy, a real
long lost memory!
Paul Schlagle: I need a memory jogger here. I
remember the name but can't put a face or story
with it.
Officer Worrell: I remember him. I think we spent
a few times together over the years…if you know
what I mean.
Warren Scott: No memory.
Ida Me(a)chem: For sure I remember Ida. I had her
for biology at Columbia High in '57 or '58. Then
I had her again at CBC in '65 or '66. As I look
back, we kinda gave her a hard time, but she was
a very sincere, dedicated person.
PasPort Plunge: I used to swim at the PasPort
Plunge. It was the old military training pool. I
think it was Olympic size, but can't really
remember. Every time I fly back to the Tri Cities
and land in Pasco, I look over at the few
remaining buildings and think of swimming there.
Drift Inn: I kinda remember the Drift Inn. For
sure I remember the name and associate it with a
bar. But I can't place the location.
Wild Bill's: I want to add the word "Market" on
the end of this one. Am I right?? Was it located
in West Richland??
Thanks for giving me the chance to re-live some
great memories. Here are a few more:
The Richland and Village theaters where I used to
see Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, etc., etc. for a dime
and then 12 cents. The Stile family ran the
theaters. They had two sons. One older than me
and one younger. They originally lived above the
Village theater. And, how about the original
Richland swimming pool that was in the park below
the Community Center. It was so small, that they
rotated kids on an hourly basis. And, last but
not least, Ganzeles Barber Shop where from 3
years old to probably 18 years old, I got my hair
cut. There used to be a black gentleman, Otis,
who shined shoes. He was a nice old gent and was
there a long, long time.
-Richard Baker (58)
=================================================
>>From: Maren Smyth ('64)
I remember Otis!!!!! Must have been on a trip to
the barber shop to watch older brother, Tim ('62), get
his hair cut. And now the last name of Azure pops
into my head.
==============================================
In response to "Letter from a Friend" by Jim Hamilton:
>>From: Kathie Roe (64)
What a great letter!!! As I read Frank's
recollections, I chuckled at our shared experiences.
Misguided as it may be, I still feel a sense of pride
to be part of a generation who who grew up riding bikes
behind DDT jeeps, skating at the roller rink, going to
movies at the Uppy, savoring a hot & greasy Spudnut,
knowing where Zeb's Radiator Shop is located, sneaking
into drive-in movies, parking in North Richland,
swimming to The Island, living under the "mushroom
cloud", and knowing there is nothing more exciting than
chanting "On to State". You guys are the coolest.
Semper Bomberus......
Kathie Roe Truax ('64)
===============================================
Hi, I thought I did this before but maybe not,
you know how computers are, have a mind of their
own. Please add:
Linda Barott - Class of 1971
I am married to:
David Rodriguez - Class of 1969
Thanks
====================
>>From: Mary Lou Watkins Rhebeck (63)
I have loved reading all these wonderful
Richland memories...thank you for sending them to
me, too! Growing up in Richland must have meant
so much to so many people...just amazing. Thanks
again for your efforts....
Mary Lou
==============================================
>>From: Sandi Cherrington (66)
Hi Everyone, Good to hear about and remember the
"people and local hangouts" of the years gone by!
I do remember:
By's Burgers
Ray's Market out at the Y
Highland Ranch Market in Kennewick
Atomic Frontier Days
"Muscles"
Wild Bill's
Flumes
Does anyone remember going to the dances at
Howard Amon Park during the "Frontier Days"
celebrations?
How about going to the "Indoor Swimming
Pool" over in Pasco by the Old Airport? Our
family used to enjoy going there.
Sandi Cherrington (Class of '66')
===========================================
In Response to the Letter from John Coons
>>From: Larry Bowls (64)
John,
An interesting note you have written regarding
the significance of the August 9, 1945 date. By
your concluding comments, I am not sure, however,
if you are an apologist for Hanford war
contributions or condemning them. I'd rather
think the former.
As we know now, after two dropped bombs, the war
came to an abrupt end saving many American and
Allied lives that would undoubtedly have been
lost in an extended conflict in the Pacific. I
think it is fair to say none of us individually
take any pride in the destruction of life and
property caused by these bombs, but can be proud
of all collective efforts to effect the earliest
end to the war.
It is a given that history was made on those
days, but what other history would have been
written if had we not dropped those bombs.
Let's reflect on that too.
Larry Bowls, Class 1964
P.S. John, please say hello to Ginny ('64) from my wife
Donna Young ('64) who was a close friend of Ginny's
during high school. We trust that all is well
with you. We now reside in southern California.
=====================
>>From: Valerie Polentz Topham (72)
Hi Maren,
Glad you are the one keeping up the "page" and
not me! I am reading interestedly about an area I
had little interest for when I lived there. Now
that I'm older and wish to recount memories to my
child, it is soemthing new to tell her every time
I drive over the mountains.
Val (currently resting in Richland)
===============================================
>>From: Marilyn Henderson Boyd-Young (73)
Hey, this ones for Tonny Tellier- I'd like
to know what went on in the Men's room at the
Standard Station, seeing how my father owned
it:):):)-
================================================
>>From: Kathy Rathvon (63)
You're doing a great job passing along all
these memories. People mention things I had
totally forgotten about. This is great! Thanks,
Maren, for all your work.
===============================================
>>From: Jim Hamilton (63)
Received this letter from Frank Osgard today,
thought you might enjoy.
Dear Jimbeaux,
Sorry I missed the reunion. I would love to
attend, but still have trouble dealing with the
clothes I wore to our 10th reunion. I don't know
why I thought a pair of white patent leather
loafers and a matching belt would get folks to
sit back and say, "Hey, Old Frfand is doing OK".
I devoted a lot of time to make sure that I would
be looking "so sharp", that people would forget
about my Graduation Night indescretion on the
Columbia Queen, but I was wrong. That initial
reunion was the inagural trip to Richland for my
first wife. I had bought that paisley shirt with
the John Travolta long point collar to wear with
my sky blue Glen Campbell leisure suit. Then as
we were all crowded in the bar out at the "K of C
Smoker Drinker (fromerly known as the post office
where we used to go to see if Stanley Middelton
was on the wanted posters, yet)", someone yelled
"FIRE". I'm not sure if it was really spontaneous
combustion from all of that polyester and
hairsray, but I lost about 4" off my left "huck'a
huck'a burnin' love" Elvis sideburn. That was
when wife number one bolted and ran, never to be
seen again.
On second thought, I think that was probably
wife number two. I don't remember much else about
her, but I do know that number one would have
probably gone up in smoke as she is currently in
a 12 step program for polyester, big hair and
cheap jewelry abuse. Number one was from
Kennewick, but spent her formative years in North
Richland in the trailer courts and went to John
Ball. When she was six, they moved to one of
those houses up by Sanders Field and Zeb's
Ratiator Shop, that only had a basement. We first
met crawling under the fence at that Drive-in
down by the Y. Me thinks it was a "buck nite",
which should have clued me to the fact that she
wouldn't be real quick with numbers. Her brother
worked at the roller rink down by Tastee Freeze
and always wore black. He could smoke real cool,
and skate backwards with his hands in his
pockets. He still can and he still does.
Did you ever wonder why our folks always
said the Roller Rink was such a horrible place?
It was Ok to go there if it was a church deal,
but no other time. My sister went there on a
birthday party and with the Blue Birds a couple
of times. If memory serves me right, I think it
was over Chicken ala'King that she asked what has
come to be known at "The Hickey Ques-tion". No
way I can recreate the logic, but to Mom, Hickey
= Roller Rink. We never went there again.
We had experienced similar drama over the
pool hall at the "Rec Hall". I guess that is
where "Uncle Sugar's Finest" from Camp Hanford
went to eyeball High School girls. I can close my
eyes and still smell it. I remember it with the
same exhileration that you reserved for the first
day of school, or maybe the ski bus. Pinball
machines, Pools Tables and Bowling Alleys.
Probably the place which God himself would have
chosen to put peanuts in his Pepsi, and learn to
smoke.
Gotta rip, the wife is stranded down at
Costco. She locked herself out of the Volarie and
that case of Kid Bars is starting to melt. I'll
run down with a coat hanger and grab her a couple
of those Hebrew National Polish Sausages for a
buck. And she says we never go anywhere.
More later,
Frank
SEMPER BOMBERUS
=================================================
>>From: Al Parker ('53)
Tony Tellier ('57) asks: Anyone remember:
(Replys to his query in brackets)
By's Burgers
[Sure-- round and round we went, sesame seed
buns, "souvenierable" menu signs on the side of
the building, best Col-Hi hangout spot for class
of '53 and others.]
Ray's Market out at the Y
[Probably passed by it a number of times.]
Highland Ranch Market in Kennewick
[Sounds familiar ... specialized in meat and
custom cutting later on? Trying to remember name
of proprieter, last name started with a T?]
The Flume [Uh uh.]
The Men's Room At The Standard Station [Was it clean?]
Lucky 7 [Was that a tav at the Y?]
Atomic Frontier Days [Oh yeah!]
Arlo [Yes, I remember Arlo and his monkey.]
"Muscles"
[Yes... I remember him well... Quite a nick name
for that guy, but he didn't mind. Always a smile. And
a "hey, hey!"]
Paul Schlagle [Nope.]
Officer Worrell
[Sounds familiar, no specific recall. Did
he catch you going through a red light?]
Warren Scott
[Taught crafts, graduated from Central Wa
College of Ed. b.a., m.ed.]
Ida Me(a)chem
[Ida Mecum taught science, had a b.a. and
b.s. from U of Iowa. According to year book, but
while attending Col Hi, (graduating in '53), I
was under the impression that she also had a
doctorate.]
PasPort Plunge
[Yeah. Big indoor pool in El Pasco, near
the airport, had been built by military for
training and recreation, later operated as a
civilian facility. Good sized place to take a
bath.]
Drift Inn
[Another tav? Downtown? There was one tavern,
perhaps a different one, with doors that opened both
on GWWay and the Greenway. One Col Hi graduate drove
straight through the tavern in one door and out the
other on his Harley(?), in celebration perhaps, of his 21st birthday.]
Wild Bill's
[Don't recall. But do you remember the Mad Turk?]
And how about Ganzel's Barber Shop?
[Dozens of barbers. Hardly any waiting.]
And the Richland and Village Theaters.
[How much did it cost to see the movies then, 35
cents for a Saturday matinee? You could see the
continuing serials and newsreels to boot!]
We enjoyed the outdoor skating rink before an
indoor one was built near by, by the Bakers, I
believe, and the Brinkerhoffs had an amusement
ride enterprise just below Col Hi.
-Al Parker, Class of '53.
====================
>>From: Jay Jacky (64)
This is draggin' deep in the muck of my memory
but I think the "POW" camp was actually a
Japanese-American Internment Camp constructed in
Pearl Harbor hysteria. Incidentally a friend who
grew up in the camps loved it. "One long summer
camp" he said, "Mom and Dad weren't thrilled with
it though." Also, I can not remember a single
Oriental family in Richland, oops... forgot the
"mysterious" Golden Lion crew...told ya it was
muck...
-Jay Jackey ('64)
====================
>>From: Sharon Henry (64)
My brother-in-law has just got into the realty
business and says he has information on all the
houses including floor plans and pictures of each
type of house. He will bring me a copy tomorrow
night. Let me know if you would like to have
this information.
Sharon Henry Eckert, Class of '64
====================
>>From: Terrance K. Liechty (64)
Gary, OK.... how about this one. Does anyone
remember Mary's Doghouse?
It was a little hole in the wall at the "Y" and
run by a little old man who made the biggest
hamburgers I've ever seen. There where, as I
remember not tables or chairs but shelves along
the wall and you stood there and aite some of the
best and biggest hambergers around.
-Terry Lielchty ('64)
====================
>>From: Cathy Biehn Wickholm (64) & Berta Hettinger ('64)
Gary, I don't see Connie Fay Phillips ('64) listed
anywhere on the Bomber pages. Does anyone know
her address? Berta Hettinger ('64) and I would like
to find her again.
-Cathy Biehn Wickholm & Berta Hettinger
=====================
>>From: Joe Largé (class of '68)
Dear Tony,
Yes, I remember Atomic Frontier Days very
much. They had them at Riverside (Amon) Park. I
remember the parades. When I was a Junior Fire
Marshall, I remember walking in the Kiddies
parade. I can still hear the band playing "Stars
& Stripes Forever". We would have the fireworks
display in the Bomber Bowl. I remember as a kid,
sitting on the lawn in the bowl watching the
stationary displays, the waterfalls, etc.
Remember at Sacajawea park when they would
sell snow cones and cotton candy? You would get
SICK on the stuff. There was (is?) an old indian
artifact museum there, made out of round rocks.
You would go through and see the arrow heads, the
rock hewn bowls and utensiles, and the indian
skeleton.
There was a little drive-in right across the
old Pasco-Kennewick bridge (can't remember the
name of the place) that used to sell "Chicken-in-
a-basket". Dad and mom would take us there once
in a while. Delicious Chicken!
Dad played the banjo and alto saxophone for
a Mexican Group lead by Tony Sandoval from West
Richland. They would play for dances all over
the place, usually at a dance hall at the "Y", or
the Kennewick Highlands, or Prosser, Mabton,
Toppenish, Yakima, Grandview, etc.
One of my first recollections of a
basketball game was when we went to (I think)
Prosser, where we watched Richland play Prosser.
The family that we went to was named Szendre
(don't know if Sue Szendre is a relative or not),
but there was this darlingly cute little blond
girl about my age (I was only about 3 or 4) that
I played with. She and I fell asleep in the back
of the car on the way home, huddled against one
another. I can still remember the smell of her
hair. The little girl's name I believe was
Marion Szendre.
I guess that's where I learned to love
blonds. (My wife is a blond - she's definitely
more intelligent than I am. Her only mistake was
in marrying me. I think I got the better end of
the deal, though!).
-Joe Largé (class of '68)
==============================================
>>From: Marianne Matthews Wood (63)
Funny reading about the versions of the
"camp" out at Horn Rapids. I, too, used to go
out their with my folks and I remember being told
it was an internment camp but for Japanese, I
also remember the tall trees and the foundations
but nothing else. We used to watch the Native
Americans fish on platforms at Horn Rapids too,
but darned if I remember ever seeing anything
caught!
Also, someone mentioned the Passport Plunge
out in Pasco, the giant pool that had a great
rope swing out somewhere in the middle that was
so much fun. I really enjoyed swimming in that
pool because it was indoor but also because it
seemed so huge and rather mysterious.
-Marianne Matthews Wood (63)
=================================================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
And good replies!!!
Warren Scott was the Physics teacher ..
always touted steam power or some such thing.
"Paper-thin titanium heat exchangers" He cleaned
his Kaiser (or Frazer!!) with gasoline. Nice
paint job! NOT!!! Kind of a "Fast Times At
Ridgemont High" guy. And NOT Spicoli, either.
"Lucky 7" WAS the "5" Frontier was a block
north ... the Tremmels owned it.
Arlo was Irma Beedle's brother. Massively
strong. Like "Chalmers".
Wild Bill's Market: next to the Buck
Private. "No meal is a meal without spuds."
Paul Schlage was a juvenile officer.
Worrell was a cruiser cop. Al Ryles (sic) was a
bug sprayer AND a cop.
-Tony Tellier ('57)
====================
>>From: Bruce Edwards (62)
Might contact Benton County concerning the POW
camp at Horn Rapids. The County's master plan
includes a "developed" park at horn rapids, with
an interpretive center focusing on the activities
there during WWII. Best person to contact would
be the Facilities Manager -- the plan is to have
the Park up and going within the next 18 to 24
months. I'm sure you can get a good deal of info
that way.
-Bruce Edwards (62)
====================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
"We" used to buy beer underage at Ray's. He
was busted and "we" (i.e., me) had to testify ..
Bummer.
Almost ditto for the Highland Ranch Market.
Those pesky "21" states. WSU was close to Idaho
(20 age state) so ...
-Tony Tellier ('57)
=================================
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
Thanks for sending me all this good information.
====================================
>>From: Carol Carson Renaud (60)
I contacted one of my class of '60 classmates and
he asked if anyone was planning a 40th reunion yet? Do
you have a reunion committee or webpage?
>Response to the above from Maren (64)
If there is a reunion committee for class of '60
we don't know who is on it or if any of them have
email. As soon as somebody DOES know, let me know any
particulars and I'll put up a website.
========================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Please pardon any duplicates.... Maren forwards a
'lot' of information to me that makes all of this
possible. I also pull from my mail and add to hers.
That's why we might have a duplicate or 3 but at our
ages who will ever remember?
Gary Behymer (64)
********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/11/98
This "Alumni Sandstorm" is a joint effort by:
Chief Jo Warrior-Bomber, Gary Behymer (64)
and
Carmichael Cougar-Bomber, Maren Smyth (64)
Email stuff to either of us and we will email it to
online Bomber Alums. Gary collects e-mail and also gets
posts from more than one Bomber 'guest book'.
All I do is copy/paste then send.
Bomber cheers,
Maren Smyth (classes of '63 and '64)
================================================
================================================
>>>Response to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Steve Carson (58)
Tony, gee I didn't know that the action was
at the Standard station I thought it was at By's
Burgers, at least that worked for me.
Steve Carson (58) (Cedar St.)
==============================================
>>>Response to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Bill Byrd (59)
Tony, the younger Stiles boy was David (59),
who passed away in California in the '60's. He
was singing with a group called the Big Sky
Singers, who he hook-ed up with while at
university in Montana.
Bill Byrd (59)
===================================================
>>>Response to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Bob Maulsby (59)
Hi, Tony, This is Uncle Bobby (Maulsby).
Tell that mope that the Standard station was
company owned when we used the biffy as a relief
stop. The Stiles boys names were Doug (56) and
David (59). I think that Dave passed away some
years back. How about Ed Borasky? If you hear
from David Joseph, tell him I'm still waiting for
email. I talked to him a while back and asked
about you, but he hadn't heard from you. Keep in
touch.
Bob Maulsby (59)
===================================================
>>>Response to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Walt Bailey (60)
I too recall chasing the DDT foggers in the
evenings hours. One of my fondest memories is
the water slide on the hill at the south end of
Richland. There was an irrigation ditch on top
of the hill that went south from Carmichael JH.
Just before it reached the outer loop, there was
a gated spillway that controlled overflow and as
the water spilled over, it would form a slick
mossy surface. It was great fun sliding down the
spillway and into the catch basin below.
However, sometimes you would hit a dry spot and
the skin on the lower extremities would suffer.
It was a normal hot summer weekend gathering
place for young boys with bicycles and beebee
guns. Does anyone remember Neal Gray that
accidentally shot himself about 1955? Does anyone
know who was lost in NAM?
Walt Bailey (60)
===============================================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Anybody else remember Jet Jackson and his trusty
sidekick, Ikabod Mudd ("with 2 d's", Ikabod would say).
Maury Amsterdam played the part of Ikabod --- I thought
it was a weekly series -- maybe it was a movie?
===============================================
>>From: Sharon Panther Taff (57)
The memories are great. Thank you all for
your hard work and dedication.
I haven't seen anyone mention "The Mart". I
remember the day we moved to Richland and our 3
bedroom prefab was just finished and the
electricity wasn't on. My dad took mother, my
baby brother, and I to "The Mart" for dinner.
This was my first experience with cafeteria style
- I was truly amazed that I could push my tray
along and point and they would put it on the
tray. The Mart was like a great a big convenience
store - as I remember it was the only place to
shop in town at that time and it was located in
the building just south of the current post
office. Clothes, drugs, etc. It was a
carnivorous building like an airplane hangar.
Then there was CC Anderson's - a department
store that was in the building where Ariel's is
now located. Later became "The Bon". I remember
the hardware store on the corner where Jennifers
used to be with its sawdust floors. I also
remember the swimming pool in Howard Amon park.
When the Columbia River would flood the park and
the waters receded the pool would be full of
all these fish. No one has mentioned the Old
Dutch Tavern before you got to the Richland Y. I
remember it on the right just across the Yakima
River - the foundation was there for years after
they built the raised road. The Drift Inn was a
tavern in uptown - mother used to take care of
some children whose family frequented that place.
Used to say "Drift Inn and stagger out." My dad
and I also got our bait from Ray's to fish the
backwater for bass - it was the only place you
could get those black salamanders. I remember a
huge ball of string they had on the floor that
was almost as tall as I was. Doug Stiles was the
older son of the Stiles who owned the theater. He
later owned it. I believe he also started
"Bassett Transit". The only place my dad would
shop was Safeway and it was located just west of
Las Margaritas. The Richland Dry Cleaners has
always been here.
How many of us girls had to wear the old
brown oxford safety shoes our dads could get at
the company store for $3 a pair. I hated them.
They had steel toes. But with 5 children, dad did
the best he could. Oh how I longed for the fancy
"Joyce" shoes with the gillie tie that the
"popular" girls bought at CC Anderson's. I
survived that too.
Sharon Panther Taff (57)
===============================================
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
hi there guys i was wondering if anyone
here ever lived in N richland later called
hanford. we went to school in the quansit huts
rather known as John Ball grade school and the
later rode the bus to school to Chief Joseph jr
hi and then on to COL HI. the good old days
were fabulous don't you think?
Gloria Falls Evans class of 58
===============================================
>>From: Carol Converse (64)
I remember going to Pasco and swimming in
that pool. It was great fun. It was a few years
after it closed before it was taken out. I
remember each time that my parents and I went by,
I would look over at it with fond memories. I've
been to the POW camp quite a few times. When I
was in Girl Scouts, we went camping there once or
twice. I had always thought that the American
Japanese were taken out there for the duration of
the war.
Carol Converse Maurer (64)
===============================================
>>From: Sue Henderson Semler (68)
Hi, I was born and raised in Richland. My
maiden name is Henderson. My folks always said I
was born in a blizzard (January, 1950) At that
time we lived in a prefab on Thayer just off Lee.
In 1951 we moved to 803 Wright and rented one
side of a "C" house until 1958 when my folks
bought the duplex for $10,500. My mom still lives
there. I went to Marcus Whitman, Christ the
King, Chief Jo (I think it was Chief Jo, the one
on Lee? I only went there one year), Col Hi and
Columbia Basin College, then to Spokane to
Gonzaga, graduated, met my husband, got married
and moved to Colton, WA, 15 miles south of
Pullman. I'm a farmer's wife, raised 3 kids and
work at WSU's Environmental Health and Safety,
"out where the bears are!"
My dad work at Hanford from 1948 until he
retired in 1988. My mom stayed at home and raised
my younger sister and I. I remember going to
Zip's and cruising Uptown which was really fun in
my white polka-dotted red Corvair that needed
shocks! I also remember a few skating parties at
the Roller Rink and root beer freezes from Taste
Freeze. I remember the mosquito trucks, but mom
wouldn't let me chase them! and also the ice
cream wagon playing its tune. I could always
hear that tune a mile off and would run and ask
mom for a dime!
Was there a landfill at the Horn Rapids
Camp? I remember going with my dad and there
were tall poplar trees and concrete slabs. I was
the "boy" of the family so accompanied my dad a
lot. I helped him out in the garage which was
actually a shop. He built trailer hitches,
trailers, lead shot machines and various other
items out of metal in his spare time. I remember
water skiing on the Columbia River off Bateman
Island. Boy, you didn't want to fall down 'cause
you would be frozen in about 2 minutes even in
August's 100+ weather!
Kathie Roe, do you have a sister named
Virginia? I believe she was in my class. Joe
Large, I remember you.
I missed our reunion this summer! Hope it
was a good one. I need to see if there are any
extra reunion books.
If anyone wishes to e-mail me, please send
it to my home e-mail, It's great to hear how other
Bombers are doing and I would love to hear from my
classmates!
Sue Henderson (68)
================================================
>>From: Robert Kennedy (60)
Muscles - a friendly guy on a nice Schwinn
bike -balloon tires, chrome fenders, mud flaps
and a rear view mirror. My first memory of him
was in front of the Community House in about 1952
when he would regale us pre-teens with stories of
boxing and beating Joe Louis - hence the name
Muscles. The story that I heard was that Sonny
(his other name) was at one time a brilliant man
and that at some point his brain just snapped
(whatever that means).
When we talk about Col-Hi faculty, Fran Rish
is a must. I remember, while still attending
Marcus Whitman, walking down to the Bomber Bowl
with A. W. Harness and other neighborhood friends
to watch the football team practice and to hear
Mr. Rish cuss. By the time we were part of his
team, he must have mellowed, because I remember
him as a caring and demanding coach, with a sense
of humor, but without an excessive amount of bad
language.
====================================================
>>From: Marianne Matthews Wood (63)
Muscles, wow, the guy that did smile all the
time when riding his bike - you "had" to respond
to him, couldn't help it. Man, did that come
from the recesses. Anybody remember the trucks
building the dike? I was really little but I
remember the noise and the dirt. We lived right
on Geo. Wash. Way across from the Uptown. My mom
said enormous rocks would sometimes fall off
those trucks so that she was concerned about us
kids running around. I remember before the
uptown went in, all desert except for the ditch
running through it that had lots of tadpoles - we
were sorry to see it built up except for the
nickel movies at the Uptown and Spudnuts for a
nickel too. My brother Tom, class of '57, had a
paper route and delivered to the theater, so got
to sit up with the projectors and watch the
movies -so, when I delivered for him, I got to
watch, through a very small window (not very
satisfying, however).
Fun memories, hot tar on bare feet in the
summer, the bug-ma-spray-ma-man, daily swims at
the "big pool" with guys doing jack-knives
practically on top of you, dreams of war planes
flying overhead (I think from all the air-raid
drills we had in grade school (Jefferson),
sneaking into La Dolce Vita (we were bored!),
seeing South Pacific for the first time and
falling in love with love, submarine races on
flat top, those were the days.
Marianne Matthews Wood ('63), again!
=================================================
>>>Exchange between
Al Parker (53) and Vera Smith Robbins (58)
Al, your name seems very familiar to me.
Don't know if you would remember me or not. I
graduated in '58 and my name is/was Vera Smith.
It just seems to me that we either dated or had
some kind of relationship, but my old memory just
can't remember as well as it used to.
Maybe you can help. I'm at work right now,
but when I get home I will check my annual and
see if you're in it. The name is so familiar
that I feel I know you.
Hope to hear from you.
TTFN Vera >>
---
Hi, Vera-
Very nice to hear from you. We didn't
actually date, but you may still have my razor.
Does that ring any bells?
-Al
=================================================
>>From: Al Parker (53)
Oh yeah, and just because Vera Smith Robbins ('58)
may still have a razor of mine doesn't indicate there
was any hanky panky involved. (Wasn't) Had something
to do with a public shaving (of my face) at Camp Dudley
on Clear Lake circa 1955 or so. The shaver's first name
escapes me, although really should not. Her last name
was Paulson, sister of Lou Ann. Vera just ended up
taking the razor home. Of course, in actuality, I am
sure that Vera would have disposed of the razor long
ago since I didn't go after it.
Maren, This Institute of Col-Hi Memories you have
initiated is really getting interesting. It has spawned
all kinds of additional memories that I must further
respond to as soon as time permits. Lots of wonderful
feed back flowing back and forth between the troops!
Gotta love it! -Al
===================================================
>>From: Vera Smith Robbins (58)
What a wonderful array of memories you collected.
I can never remember the "site" for leaving messages
and/or reading them. Is there a Internet site where the
class of '58 can leave messages? Let me know.
Keep up the good work with keeping everyone
"connected". I don't know how you find the time. I sure
enjoyed reading all the comments and responses from
everyone. Picked up a couple of email addresses of
people I'm sure I remember, but can't put a face to
them. I've emailed them and I'm waiting for a response.
TTFN Vera
===============================================
>>From: Anna Dempsy Dixon (75)
Mosquito trucks: We used to chase them on
foot and on our bikes as they came down
Cottonwood. It is amazing we aren't all dead
from inhaling that stuff!! LOL... I lived on
Cottonwood too... right where Boulder was....
-Anna Dempsy Dixon (76)
================================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Hello Maren, Don't usually write, just enjoy
all the jokes and now all the Bomber News, i
Don't know if i should write to you or to the
Club Forty but don't know if they have a site or
not. Anyway, being so much older than all that
are writing, don't know as any would know about
what i would like to find out. Much to my
surprise on this last move, i started polishing
my folks bedroom set, as we now have a place to
settle in, and lo and behold on the back, it is
an issue of furniture for an F house clear back
to the lst days. I saw the site about all the
houses and the prices and now am wondering how
many people still have the furniture issued for
the houses. This furniture has been to India,
Spain, and California and still is holding up
real well, so even for issue , it is made better
than most today. I thot that amazing. anyway,
if anyone out there knows i'll be reading and
watching. As a youngster, we heard too that they
put the consciences objectors out at the camp.
Eva Clark Perry ('49)
================================================
>>From: Rick Maddy (67)
Can you put me on "the list"
I grew up at 707 Downing (54 - 67) across
the street from Lewis & Clark Elementary. My
parents shopped at Wild Bills. I believe the
Carnation (distributors) milk trucks were behind
the store. Saw The Old Man and the Sea at the old
Richland Theatre. Was officer Worrel aka Tom?
Wasn't it Mario's in Pasco that was a supposed
hot place to go?
I knew of Muscles. He had some really cool
stuff on that bike. i.e., a squeeze horn, a thumb
ringer warning bell.
Arlo, if it be the same Arlo, was
developmentally disabled and changed the
sprinklers on the L&C school grounds. He scared
me, but was a harmless, somewhat non-verbal, man.
My ole man caught me in the DDT one evening,
and that was my last ride.
Anyway - this is fun. Thanks
-Rick Maddy (67)
===================================================
Thanks for all contributions -- including pictures (HINT!)
===================================================
***************************************************
******************************************************
From Tony Tellier (57) ~ 8/11/98
Sending to ALL Online Bomber Alumni.
Bomber cheers,
Maren Smyth (64)
=============================================
In response to comments directed to him,
This just in from Tony Tellier (57)
***Mosquito trucks: We used to chase them on
foot and on our bikes as they came down
Cottonwood. It is amazing we aren't all dead
from inhaling that stuff!!***
Pretty a-mazing, huh. Cough, wheeze.. Now where
is that DAMNED O2 bottle fer my emphazema. And
light me up a Camle, Ma!
***The Stile family ran the theaters. They had
two sons. One older than me and one younger.***
Jim's the one I went to HS with.
***And now the last name of Azure pops into my head.***
not Larry Azure ... class o' '57?
***Hey, this one's for Tony Tellier- I'd like to
know what went on in the Men's room at the
Standard Station, seeing how my father owned
it:):):)***
it was the only open "bano" at night ... late
night. Seedy souls such as perhaps myself would
lurk there
***white patent leather loafers***
Hey! Quit cappin on my Dad!
********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/12/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>Response to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Pam Ehinger Naasen (67)
Hey does any one remember lost lake out in
West Richland, it was surrounded by tall trees
out in the middle of nothing? We used to have
some good parties there!! At least the ones I
remmber!! We went swimming and I got my folk's 66
SS Chevy stuck between first and revers. Lois
Burnley and her cousin Pam and I had to walk
about 1/2 mile or so to the main road and catch a
ride into West Richland. Then I had to do the
hardest thing for me to do... call Daddy to come
and get us!! Oboy did I hear about that one for
a long time to come.
Bomers Rule
Pam Ehinger Nassen '67
=================================================
>>>Reponse to Tony Tellier (57)
>>From: Gregor Hanson (65)
Maren - the following is some info that you might
want to pass on to others on the Bomber list!
Here's information on the prison camps
which from the chronological dateline entry in a
publication titled "The Long Road to Self-
Government - the History of Richland, Washington
1943-1968!! This is an awesome year by year
historical account of the making of the City of
Richland with lots of pictures, year by year
population count, Dupus Boomer cartoons (first
cartoon depicting Richland life was published Nov
29, 1945), and dates that indicate when various
stores, banks, and types of houses were built,
churches started, schools opened, community club
activities, photos of Atomic Frontier Days
royalty, local government officials, etc. It is
over 40 pages of information only a former
Richlander would cherish. I just learned that
Carmichael Jr. high was originally named Robert
Gray Jr High!!
April 28, 1943 - Housing construction began
in Richland. dupont was prime contractor for
both housing and plant construction, 4,000 homes
completed by 1945.
July 30, 1943 - First house occupied was a
"B" house (duplex) and was occupied by JC Lang -
Coal, water, electric service, furniture, lawn
mower, etc. all furnished.
Back to the prison camp item:
February 1944 - Columbia Camp on the Yakima
River near the Horn Rapids Dam was established as
a camp for Federal Prison Industries. The camp
was closed in October 1947. As many as 250
prisoners from McNeill Island were housed in the
camp and they cared for and harvested fruit from
the porchards left when the project started.
During the four years of operation an excess of
5,669 tons of fruit was harvested.
Since many of us were Hi-Spot dance
attendees the history on that is: December 21,
1945 - The Hi-Spot teenage club for Richland
teenagers opened inthe W-17 Women's Dorm under
sponsorship of the Jaycees.
In recalling some of the early "landmarks"
in Richland - glad that someone mentioned The
Mart Cafeteria and Store - I remember the Green
River lemon lime drink served there. Other early
stores in Richland started in 1945 included
Thrifty Drug, Binyon Optometrist, Mickey's Shoe
Repair, Style Center, Pennywise Drug, etc.
However, I didn't find any entries in the
publication about Johnny's Delicatessen where
teens got their first taste of men's magazines,
nor any rumors of the Sandman - alledged stalker
of parked cars in secluded places and preying on
the couples inside!!
Bomber Cheers!!
Gregor Hanson ('65)
=================================================
>>>Response to Rick Maddy (67) ~ Richland History Lesson
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
Rick ... Big Fun! You COULD add an
explanation about the huge flood that scabbed the
channel-lands ... or channeled the scab-lands ...
when Lake MIssoula blew through the ice dam ..
musta been something to see. And surf!
TT
=================================================
>>From: Sonny Davis (62)
Really enjoy the memory jogging.... there
hasn't been a name/place come up yet that I don't
remember. Thanks for forwarding it all to me. I
always anticipate reading the latest. I would
especially like to add that I was extremely happy
to hear from Big Frank Osgard. Who wudda thunk
it! Alive and kicking after all these years. I
would really like to hear from all you Bombers
and Bomberettes who were affected, like I was, by
Frank Osgard.
Thanks
Sonny Davis ('62)
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
PS. Ron Hoglen owns and operates Builder's Supply
in Kennewick... drop in and say hello!
===============================================
>>From: Vicki Schrecengost Carney (67)
Great website! I lived in Richland from 57-
66 and attended Col High my sophmore and junior
years. I, unfortunately, had to move east with my
family in 1966 and did not graduate from Col
High. However, my graduation gift from my
parents was a trip west to see all my childhood
friends graduate in '67! I have been to two
reunions there ('87 and '92) and am in touch with
many friends. My sister, Dianna, graduated from
Col High in 1964. She can be reached via email.
Good luck with the site!
-Vicki Schrecengost Carney (67)
=================================================
>>From: Vera Smith Robbins (58)
Thanks for the info. I've been wondering how
those great comments all came together for us to
enjoy. I really wish Florida had a Spudnut Shop.
That's the very first place I go when I get to
Richland. The first morning I'm there at 7 am I
HAVE to make a trip to the Spudnut Shop. You see
just everyone there.
Another drive in that I haven't seen
mentioned is ZIPs. By's Burgers and ZIPs were
about the only 2 places to get juicy hamburgers
where the juice would run down your arm! I can't
wait to tour around and see how much Richland has
grown since I left in 1968.
-Vera Smith Robbins ('58)
===============================================
>>From: Deborah Helin Dawkins (88)
I was forwarded the memory lane email for Richland
alums. If there is a growing list of people for this
group, please add me to it.
Thanks!
-Deborah Helin Dawkins (88)
===============================================
>>From: Veronica Yates Jones (64)
Maren,
It was Sky King (I think) that had the side kick
Ichabod Mudd (with 2 d's). It was my favorite show fron
the era. Remember one show where the daughter was
kidnapped and left behind a clue. She had the time (and
presence) to leave a blood mark on the wall calendar
that had a picture of the mountains. The clue was that
she was taken to the Red Mtns. Of course, Sky King used
his airplane to get to the mountains and rescue her and
send the bad guys to the pokey. How's that for a
memory!
Remember home delivery of milk and bread? Some
mornings just after I got up, I would go with my mom
outside to the bread truck and pick some goodies for
breakfast -- raisin bread or prune bread (yes, it was
good).
I remember Muscles riding his bicycle around the
Uptown--didn't know there were so many chrome
accessories that could be put on one bike.
Anyone remember the blizzard during the winter of
48-49? My mom and I were out, but when we arrived home,
we found that snow had blown in the windows and under
the doors -- little ridges of snow! Must be how all the
sand got in, too. My dad always talked about a flood in
48, too, but I don't remember that. After that the dike
was built.
No one has mentioned the stock car races that were
at the Benton County fair grounds. Had a driver Cassidy
that had only one arm who was sorta the race folk hero.
My mom had friends that lived at Camp Hanford in
the trailer park -- they were not mobile homes, but
trailers. Most had no bathroom facilities, so there
were bath houses that included washing machines on each
block. People lived in the trailers that were smaller
than our motor home!
Sorta sounds like we are a bunch of old folks
sitting on the front swing--but very enjoyable.
-Veronica "Ronnie" Yates Jones ('64)
==================================================
:>>From: Gary Twedt (62)
I've been following the fascinating
recollections of our fellow alumni. Across the
years and experiences, it seems that the same
memories are first in our minds. I thought I was
the only one who would remember the mosquito
jeeps. I haven't seen any mention of the
midnight drags at what is now Columbia Park or of
"the Sandman". We lived in a "B" house at 903
Torbett until '57 when the folks bought at 3-bdrm
"prefab" at 1427 Perkins. Anyone remember
watching TV in the front window of Greer's
Appliance in the early 50's? How 'bout the
booming sounds of dynamite on the Columbia in the
winter of '49 when the river froze over (before
the dikes were built). Brother Richard (64) and I
attended Sacajawea, Chief Jo and Col-Hi. I
recently discovered a number of class photos from
Sacajawea from '49-55, will share when I figure
out how to operate this new scanner (see Jeannie
Crigler, Elaine Wyss and Babbette Petty missing
their baby teeth). Alan Coffman was the fastest
rope climber at Pasport Plunge, toes were long
enough he could walk up the rope, gripping it
between his toes. Ya, I got the wammies from the
skeleton in the museum at Sacajawea Park too (got
over it, being a cop for 31 yrs). We're getting
older, but being able to share memories with
everyone is really great.
================================================
>>From: John Coons (63)
1. Tell the guy who wrote about the bomb
that everyone knows that they were B-29s, not B-
52s. (Thanks Alan, Chuck, et.al.)
2. Here are some more memories:
. Having coal, bread, & milk delivered to your home.
. Day care at the big nursery school at Lee & Jadwin
. Catching tadpoles, frogs, & fish at Welsian Pond.
. The Riding Academy
. C.C. Anderson’s, where you could x-ray your
feet to make sure your shoes fit properly and
have change sent down from the cashier's office
though a vacuum tube.
. The Passport Plunge: We climbed up a rope in
the middle of the pool to get to a platform
attached to the ceiling, then jumped off into the
water.
Later,
I helped tear it down and salvage the wood as a
church money making project.
. Patrol Boys & Girls
. Grade school lunches (Hamburger gravy over
mashed potatoes, carrot stick, & milk)
. Friday the 13th horror movies
. Drawings for live Easter bunnies
. Sleding down Carmichael Hill
. The Tri-City Braves
. The Ski Bus
. Hi-Spot
. Floating down the Yakima River
. Jumping off the rail road bridge
. Jump-Off-Joe
. Submarine Races
. State Basketball Tournaments
. The Camlin Hotel
. Drag races at Columbia Park
. Atomic Burgers at the Atomic Lanes included a fried egg.
. Bateman Island
. Third Island
. The Lagoon
. "Suntan Turnover Time" on KORD
-John Coons (63)
================================================
>>From: Maren (64)
COONS -- YOU were the guy who said they were
B-52's! Is this fun or what?
VERONICA -- OK, I'll buy Sky King, but where did
Jet Jackson come in??? Maybe he was on one episode of
Sky King?
KORD ... and I tell people to this day when they
ask where Richland is, I recite the KORD signoff
"...where the Columbia, the Snake and the Yakima form
their 'highway to the sea'".
...and YES, Richland WAS different from any
other town in the WORLD...
-Maren Smyth ('63 and '64)
================================================
>>From: Mary Collins Burbage (63)
Maren - it is so much fun sharing all these
memories with former Richlanders. I had forgotten
so much. I have been sharing some of these
stories with my co-workers and they think I am
making them up. Were our formative years so
different for everyone elses?
Does anyone remember lining up at CC
Andersons to see Santa Claus? I remember Bozo the
Clown always being there. Or the old canoe that
was in front of Lewis and Clark that we were told
was left there by Lewis and Clark?
I remember Ida Mecham. We used to count how
many times she straightened her bra strap in an hour.
My husband and I were in Richland in May. I
took him up to the Spudnut Shop and made a true
believer out of him. We were with a group of 20
people from Olympia and everytime I see any of
them, they want to talk about the Spudnut Shop.
It was neat to see that one thing from my
childhood had not changed -the best doughnuts
anywhere!!!
I appreciate all the hard work you and Gary
are doing helping all of us to keep in touch.
Thanks so much!!
Mary Collins Burbage (63)
===============================================
>>From: Carolyn Karns Keck (65)
Hi im class of 65 does any one remember the
milk trucks and the bakery trucks that came
around early every morning? Pasco plug was the
greatest. But most of all the bon fires we use
to have and got out of hand some times. My
parents came out in the 40s and then later all
came out in 46. My bother John Karns went to
school here can't remember what the school was
call then but he was 13 years older then me. The
uptown was my favorite place to spend time. Use
to live in "B" house on the corner of Hains and G
Way so got to watch every one curseing. Lots of
fun to grow up there . Thanks for all the
memories.
-Carolyn Karns Keck (65)
=================================================
>>From: Les Brown (66)
Les Brown ('66) sponsored a Association
concert at the Doubletree Courtyard in Richland
with amost 800 people attending - including ('66)
Mike Sheeran, Johnny Cole, Pat Mitchell, Lynn
Berry (Pielie), Gail Setbacken, Margie Legowick
(May) Caroline Stanfield ('65) Terry Knox
(Davis), David Rivers, Ginny Dawsen, Brian
Johnson The place was rock 'n rollin Stay tuned
to next year
=================================================
>>From: Carol Converse Maurer(64)
Maren, I looked up my class pictures this
morning. I wasn't in Mrs. Eubanks [3rd grade L&C]
class. My mother didn't write down the years of
the classes and some of the pictures don't have
the year written down with the class grade. Oh
well, thought that I could help. I remember
getting a spanking from her for talking in the
bathroom though.
Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
[TOUGH TEACHER!!! Talking? -Ed]
================================================
>>From: Lois Clayton Colton (72)
I am enjoying reading about historic
Richland. My father and mother moved there in
1949. My father, Aubrey Clayton taught Science
and Math at Carmichael, and north of town in the
huts, and night school at Col-Hi.
Lois
===============================================
>>From: Joe Largé (68)
Maren, My recollection of muscles was this
skinny blond guy with sort-of weepy, puppy dog
eyes that was friends with EVERYBODY! He rode
around on this old "40's" or so vintage bicycle
with rear view mirrors on it. The Richland police
would allow him to help direct traffic at some
special events. I remember he had mentioned that
he had always wanted to become a "Submarine"
captain. He and I were going to run away and
have our own submarine. Eventually he moved away
to Los Angeles(?) I think. Last I had heard was
that he had gotten into trouble for trying to
direct traffic in a busy Los Angeles
intersection.
The Spudnut Shop, my brother Dennis used to
work there, when he was a kid. Wasn't it "Ernie"
that owned the Spudnut shop? Anyway, while
washing a huge bunch of dishes, he cut his hand
really bad on some knives that were in the dish
water. They were "REALLY SHARP". Had to have
some stitches. I guess Ernie was the one that
took him over to Kadlec for that one. The reason
it was called the "Spudnut" shop, rather than
"Donut" is that "Ernie" used potato batter in
making his donuts, rather than wheat flour. In
any case, they sure were GOOD!
I also used to swim at the PasPort plunge.
I remember it was HUGE (of course, as a little
kid, anything was huge.) And yes, I do remember
it to being Olympic-sized. I seem to remember
that it was not the "standard(?)" 12 feet deep,
but like 15 feet or something of that nature.
Anybody remember the old "Columbians" Drum
and Bugle Corps? A few of us Richandites
belonged to the Corps. We practiced at the bowl
in Pasco. Sometimes in the Sears parking lot.
Started out at the old park with the railroad
train in Pasco. I used to be a member back in
about 1960. I played 1 valve bugle. We went to
VFW Nationals in Las Vegas, NV about 1962 and won
5th. Our chief rivals were the "Thunderbirds"
and later, "Shamrocks" from that stiff nosed town
called "Seattle". It was some blood-feuds
between us and the "T-Birds". One time, one of
our members had even took his Crystal knobbed
canes and placed a good sized dent in one of
their brand-new contra basses. The "Columbians"
got 5th in Nationals over there, the
"Thunderbirds" came in 7th! Yay!!!!
CIAO for Now! Joe Largé (68)
=================================================
>>From: Sandy Kaas Wallace (68)
I'm so glad I'm on this list. Reading all
these letters has been so much fun. I missed the
reunion this year, but this helps a little to
catch up this way. Dennis and I, both 1968
graduates, are in Redmond, Oregon. He teaches
math at the High School and I run the computer
lab at an elementary school. We have two kids.
Tawnya will be 25 in Sept. and Ben is 21. Tawnya
is a Nanny for two children and Ben is a senior
at OIT in Klamath Falls. His major is Mechanical
Engineering. Dennis has taken up fly fishing and
is out today on a two day trip to a nearby lake.
I am really into quilting and can't seem to find
nearly enough time for it. Work gets in the way!
And I only work half time! Thanks for taking on
this monumental task of keeping us all in touch.
Sandy Kaas Wallace (68)
=================================================
>>From: Marilyn Henderson Boyd-Young (73)
Hey Uncle Bobby, It was company owned, managed
by my father till 1960, then he bought it plus
had one built on the corner of Van Geisen and G-
way. (That still happens to be there.)
The Mope
=================================================
>>From: Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46)
Maren: This is in response to Eva Clark Perry (49),
requesting info re: anyone having any furniture from
the "old" days. When Eva was a freshman I was a senior
along with Paul Crowder whom I married. I do remember
her and we just looked her up in an old annual. My
parents were issued furniture in 1944 and it has been
to South Carolina where they worked in the 50's at the
Savanah River Project and then to Arizona where they
retired and where Mom still resides. The dining room
table, ladderback chairs and buffet with hutch are now
in our son's home. The desk and some chest of drawers
have vanished. Paul and I have the desk chair -- it was
called a Windsor-style chair. We also have a flip-top
table. Was interesting reading Eva's letter. I am not
aware of anyone in the class of '46 that we knew well
that is on E-Mail. Bernie Simpson of the '46 class gets
mail via his daughter. Wish more were on e-mail.
-Evelyn Meyer Crowder ('46)
===============================================
Editor's note: I got Eva Clark Perry (49) and
Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46) confused this
afternoon... sent e-mail for Eva to Evelyn (or
maybe it was the other way around)... all about
this picture that was labeled "Richland High
School"... only it's really Sacy in 1945.
http://richlandbombers.com/allbombers/0gspicsSacT.html
=================================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Hi, yes, that is funny, and you are right, seems
like everyone is getting on the bandwagon now and that
is great. I remember Evelyn Crowder ('46), but she
probably doesn't remember me. She must be the one
married to the Bomber..
I'm fianlly getting a chance to start going
thru the pictures in my albums and as i find the
good ole days ones, and will start sending some
along. Don't know how you can keep up with all
this but sure that everyone does appreciate it.
Keep up the good work.
-Eva Clark Perry ('49)
==================================================
>>From: Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46)
Maren: This is from Evelyn. My husband,
(Paul J. Crowder, Jr. '46) is also a Bomber. I
do not know about Eva's husband, but think you
were not even born when Paul lived there (1003
Williams in an "F" House). Think Steven's Drive
has been changed also, but the house is still
there. I lived at 1318 Goethals in an A house
while in high school and later in an "H" on
Barth. There was no UPtown. We are going up to
Richland for reunion next month (40s Club) and if
no one has let you know what kind of houses those
are in front of Sacajawea pic, I will find out.
Can understand your confusion. E-mail is so
fast, I sometimes forget if I've answered a
letter or not.
Evelyn M. Crowder '46.
================================================
Thanks for all contributions
================================================
************************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/13/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Ray Stein (64)
With all the interest on this site about
Richland's history, I thought I would share an
old newspaper. My mother kept the Tuesday, August
14th, 1945 issue of the Villager. The headline
screams in 4" letters "PEACE!", and below that it
says, "OUR BOMB CLINCHED IT!". There are several
interesting articles with quotes from people at
Ganzel's Barber Shop. But I think one of the
articles sums up how most of our parents felt at
that time. I'll quote it word for word below:
"It's Peace"
"It's Peace," was heard first by village
housewives who had done their housework with one
ear listening to the radio since Friday morning
when announcement was first made of the Japs
peace feelers.
"It's Peace," they screamed to anxiously awaiting
husbands as soon as jammed switchboards permitted
their calls to go through.
"It's Peace," shouted the men to others in the
office, warehouses, plants, stores and streets.
The four-and-one-half long years of war were over
at last. Sons, brothers and fathers - some of
them - would be coming home now. Villagers
exulted! The slaughter was stopped. Villagers
were thankful!
A bomb made in Hanford helped clinch the victory.
Villagers were proud!
As the lights went (o)n all over the world the
villagers joined with the rest of the world in
one joyous, surging son(g) - "IT'S PEACE!"
These are not my words, but taken verbatim from
the Villager. I added () letters that seemed to
be left out.
I suppose these newspapers are available in
archives, but if anyone wants a copy of this let
me know.
Peace,
Ray Stein ('64)
==================================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Certainly fears and feelings that we
ourselves would not be able to express unless
have lived through it. The above equates to my
answer to why we had to drop 'the bomb' or any
bomb to end a war.
==================================================
>>From: Kenny Wright (63)
Have been following with interest all the
remembrances of the "Atomic Town". A lot of
memories started flooding back. When I was
growing up I assumed all other kids grew up like
we did: no slums, no old people, all new houses
about the same, most all families were young
college graduates (usually WASP's) who were doing
their part for us baby boomers (on the 300 block
of Craig Hill at one time there were 31 kids
about the same age), no crime (as a kid I cant
remember seeing a cop car cruising), and no one
knew what their father did at work. I have a bit
more of a perspective now.
So I have succumbed. Does anyone
remember these:
(1) the last 5-cent Coke machine in Richland
that was in the hallway of old Police Station in
Downtown Richland
(2) the Government would: with just a phone
call come out and replace a broken window for
free; in the winter when you ran out of coal they
would come out and fill up the basement coal bin
for free; on alternative years they could come
out and paint the outside of the house, then the
next the inside for free
(3) when the family would pack up and go to the
drive-in you would leave the front and back doors
open (with screen doors closed and of course
unlocked) to air condition the house
(4) when mom would not let you go to the
community swimming pool in the mid 50's because
of the Polio scare
(5) on a slow Saturday night, ride inside the
Laundromat dryers for a dime
(6) when a kid could go to the grocery store
with a dime and buy 10 pieces of penny candy
(7) on Saturday afternoons for 11 cents you
could see a couple of cartoons, a Buck Rogers
serial, and then a full length Western at the
Village Theater
(8) the bowling alley/bus station (where the
Community Center is now) where a kid (you had to
be 15) could get a part-time job as a pin setter
(9) on Tuesdays and Thursdays the Bakery van
would drive up and down the streets delivering
phoned in orders; ala the Milk man early in the
morning
(10) water skiing behind a car on the West
Richland irrigation canals (you had to remember
where the signs were)
(11) the submarine races over looking the
Columbia in North Richland
(12) the 4th of July fireworks at the Bomber
Bowl where they would rope off 1/2 of the field
and all of us would sit within yards of the
rockets (would they let us do that now?)
(13) the Chamber of Commerce sign as you
entered Kenniwick by the golf course warning "all
negroes must be out of the city limits by sunset"
(14) before the lawns and trees were
established, the residue inside the houses after
a sand storm, or the tumbleweed forts we built
after one of those storms
(15) the 1 1/2-lane bridge over the Columbia
from Kennewick to Pasco, we would stop until we
were sure no trucks were coming
(16) Rachel Carson (Silent Spring) told about
the Eagles and DDT, she was about a decade too
late for the "baby boomers" of "Atomic Town";
ever wonder why the sperm count and infertility
rates are so low among us? It happened to the
eagles etc., etc., etc. .........!
(17) the 15 cent burgers at By's
(18) when a kid needed money we would either go
out along the roads and collect pop and beer
bottles for a penny return or go house-to-house
asking for clothes hangers and turn them in to
the Richland Laundry and Dry Cleaners (which use
to be just East of By's) and get a penny for each
hanger
(19) in the Fall, before school and after sun
rise, you could walk down to the Yakima River and
hunt Canadian Geese and with your limit still get
to first period on time
(20) hookie-bobb'in behind the Area Buses when
it snowed
(21) on one of the hottest days of the summer
chipping in enough money between your buddies to
buy a block of ice and "sledding" down
Carmichael Hill
(22) on a hot summer night when families would
leave their front doors open to cool off, a
couple of kids would go to the back of an "A"
house (is that the 2-story duplex), crawl up on
the backdoor roof, into the hallway window which
was always open, then run down the stairs and out
the front door screaming
(23) the "Why Me Worry" philosophy seemed to fit
(24) after we were suppose to be in bed,
getting up and listening to the old upright
Philco to Wolfman Jack playing the real rock-and-
roll which the TriCities didn't have
(25) the first working television picture in
the TriCities at Rexall Drug store in Downtown
Richland next door to the Richland Theater and
across the street from CC Andersons ( a little
kid could squeeze through the crowd to see a salt
and pepper snow job with things moving and
squeaking for audio)
-Kenny Wright ('63)
================================================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Response to Kenny's memories above:
(6) when jawbreakers were TWO for a penny.
(9) Our Darigold milkman's name was Jerry.
(12) We sat on a blanket on the hill.
(13) WHOA!! I don't remember THAT!!
(15) Only 1 1/2 lanes!! Explains my fear of bridges!
(20) Hookie-bobb'in behind ANYTHING... Ya think
we all had a death wish?
-Maren Smyth ('63 and '64)
================================================
>>From: Carol Wiley (63)
Maren, Thanks for forwarding the messages from
the alumni. I have laughed so hard at some of the
memories... I am fortunate to have some home movies
that my Dad took of my birthday parties. I have put
them on video and I pull them out every now and then
and look that those familiar faces that I knew from
Kindergarten [Spalding] through graduation. Tammy Bond,
Susie Rohrbacker, Judy Fisher, Emajean Stone, April...
We were such hams in front of the camera.! I talk to my
kids about home milk delivery they are amazed... and
better yet, walking to Densow's to have a REAL coke and
look at magazines. As I have met people from other
parts of the country, I am sure we lived a very unique
life growing up in Richland.. I haven't been home in a
long time, but after reading some of the memories, I
think it's about time to make the trip!.......
-Carol Wiley ('63)
================================================
>>From: Robert Stark (70)
RE: Columbia River High School
1970 graduate, live in N.W.Arkansas for past 5 yrs.
Lived in Salmon Creek but visited Richland alot.
================================================
>>From: Mike Franco (70)
WOW Kathie Roe!!!! so tell us.... did any of your
customers kids ever fall in love with their babysitter?
That old Davison street gang did have some raging
hormones working!!!!
================================================
>>From: Bill Compton (64)
Dear Gary, Please add me to the network list. I'm
alive and reasonably well and working as a starving
teacher in Oakland, CA. Isn't Chief Joseph buried in
Colfax? Bill Compton, '64
===============================================
>>From: Randy Buchanan (57)
I came to Richland in 1943, and I am still
here (55 Years!). There is a lot I can tell you
of what has happened in and around the Tri-Cities
during those 55 years. Anybody that would like
some information, I would enjoy hearing from you.
It is good to hear from Tony Tellier. I
don't believe I have known Tony's where abouts
since high school graduation. It seems strange
to think of Tony back then as an 18 year old and
now read his comments and thinking that Tony is
now around the good old age of 60! WOW
It is also great to hear from Bob Maulsby.
How are you doing Bob?
There are also other names that I recognize
from different classes. But, would like to hear
from those in classes '55-'59.
My wife, Karen Moore would like to hear from those
in class '75 also. Yes, we know .. there are a lot of
years betwen class '57 and '75!! Oh Well.
We love reading all the information that is
shared from the Bomber Alumni.
-Randy Buchanan Class of '57
=================================================
>>From: Harvy Irby (64)
Maren, Captain Midnight was also known as
Jet Jackson and "Icky" was his sidekick. Sky King's
real love and sidekick was the "Songbird" (at first a
Cessna Bamboo Bomber and later a Cessna 310). He was
always being helped (?) by his niece, Penny.
-Harvey Irby (64)
================================================
>>From: Vera Smith Robbins (58)
I really didn't think I had any interesting
memories to share with anyone until today while
reading recent stories from others.
My Poppy moved my mom and I to Richland in
1944. He had gotten a prefab on Potter (1210 or
1208) can't remember the address. Anyway, Pop
was on graveyard and it was early evening when we
arrived at the house. Mom dumped the sand off the
mattress, spread a sheet on it for my Pop to lay
down and get some sleep before having to go out
to the area. Then Mom and I went to grocery
store to "stock up". When we finished we started
home. HOWEVER, there were NO street signs and
Mom couldn't remember where we lived. Also, all
the prefabs looked alike in that area and she
couldn't remember the little number that was at
the base of the house. We drove up and down the
dirt roads trying to find our house. She said it
was something like 2 or 3 hours! It was getting
closer and closer to the time she needed to wake
Pop up for work. Needless to say, she finally
found it, but she was almost in tears by then.
Can you imagine all the houses looking alike, no
street signs and it's dark!
-Vera Smith Robbins ('58)
================================================
>>From: Bill Pollard (56)
Good work! Thank you for the "Alumni Sandstorm."
Bill Pollard
================================================
>>From: Ken Finley (64)
I was talking with Carol Southworth who
attended Richland High School and she would love
to find out how to contact Anna Glover. I told
Carol I would try to see if anyone out there
knows where she is. Thanks.
Ken Finley
===================================================
>>From: Carol Converse Mauer (64)
This was great reading about all those long
ago places that were so popular back when.
Nobody mentioned the movie house downtown. I
remember going there and seeing a movie for 10
cents. You'd get the news and a cartoon before
the movies started.
Carol Converse Maurer
===================================================
>>From: Mickey Lynch Rose (66)
Better known as Ronna Jo Lynch's "little
sister". We actually still live in Richland,
however I work for The Boeing Company in
Bellevue, WA. I telecommute two days a week to
Bellevue and am in Richland the rest of the time.
I am married, have two daughters and three
stepsons and one adorable grandson. Being a
grandparent is the best.
================================================
>>From: Kenneth Finley (64)
Someone mentioned Jump Off Joe in one of the
journies through Richland memories and I was
reminded of an attempt to be poetic as we
vacationed through the Tri-City area on the way
to Sun Valley. I thought some might enjoy this
free verse memory.
Vacationing Past Childhood Mystery
Touring in the shadow of Badger Mountain, one can
well imagine the inspiration of some ancient
naming pioneer -Although, I can't recall such a
four legged creature calling it home. Off to the
left, across fields of grain nearing harvest and
those furrowed new to strut future rippened head,
Rises Jump Off Joe like some giant ocean swell
against the horizon.
Ah, now there's the mystery!
Who was this Joe fella anyway?
And was Joe (Jo) ever a fella - we never thought
to ask in those days?
What drove Joe to jump if any jumping Jo did? I
never thought to probe such now tantalizing
mystery. Content was I, amid baseball games,
desert exploration, and quests to hook the big
one, To let truth and mystery play behind the
more riveting distractions of my youth.
-Kenneth Finley (64)
=================================================
>>From: Marilyn Thorp (63)
Maren, just wanted to let everyone know
about the Spudnut Shop. I missed visiting it
when I attended the reunion this year. Everyone
at our table that Saturday night was talking
about how good Spudnut's doughnuts were. Went
back for Mom's 92nd birthday two weeks ago --
phoned the Spudnut Shop and asked for the
manager. The original owner's daughter came to
the phone. She has been working there 28 years
and is carrying on her father's recipes/methods.
Spudnut Shops were a franchise operation and
originally there were 500 of them throughout the
U.S. Currently, there are 33 in business. I
brought a dozen assorted "spudnuts" to work and
everyone raved. My boss said she remembered a
Spudnut Shop in Minneapolis, MN where she grew
up....More later. Thanks for the memories... I
look forward to every day getting more messages.
-Marilyn Thorp (63)
=================================================
>>From: Terrance K. Liechty
I remember a swimming area by the ruver near
Keniwick that was outside not a park but like
atificial beach. It was down by the old highway
and I can't remember the name of it but it was,
for a while the "in" place.
The owner of the Spudnut shop was Barlo
Ghirado, Gail Ghirado's (65) father.
I worked at C.C. Anderson's for awhile. I
did my share of cleaning that old building. It
was one of the originals. I used to like the
western wear area because it always smelled good.
(Leather I guess) They also had a store in
Pendelton and when we went to the Round up we
would go in there and they had an even bigger
western dept. that smelled excellent.
I still have a sticker on a box from KORD 910,
Pasco, Washington.
Terry Liechty (64)
=================================================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Terry --- How about 'the Lagoon'??? GREAT
place to swim!!
Gail Ghirardo's brother is Kevin (78). Email
address for Kevin on "Decade of the 70's e mail site.
-Maren Smyth ('64)
===================================================
>>From: Pat Bezzio (63)
Does anyone remember Taco the Town in West
Richland - might have been my first introduction
to a pun.
================================================
For Veronica Yates Jones (64)
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
Veronica, I was one of the Bombers that
lived in N . Richland in those trailers it was a
lot of fun we did have the bathhouses and there
was a playground on every other corner. We had a
grocery, a pharmacy, a firehouse, a theater, a
post office and also a beautiful park that my
father took care of. There was also a trailer
retail supply, and yes they were called trailers
at that time. We moved in when the flood took
over previously had lived in Bunch Finnigans in
Kennewick and got run out of there and ended in
the Kennewick High School grounds for three days.
-Gloria Falls Evans ~ Spokane wa. CLASS OF 58
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
================================================
>>From: a Bomber guest book
Record 143
Name: Ed Bartol
Referred by: Just Surfed On In!
From: Marysville California
Comments: Class of 84.
================================================
Thanks for all contributions
================================================
************************************************
******************************************************
AlumniSandstorm ~ 8/14/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: John Bradley (65)
Gregor
Johnnies was located in the uptown shopping
center around the corner from the Spudnut shop.
The original owner was Mr. Napoli, his son John
graduated from rhs in 64. About in 64 or 65
he sold it to Jack, Jack was the original manager
of the place, and came to Richland from New York
City with the Napoli's. He lost it in 65 or so,
and went to Sears to work, then I lost track of
him. It's been a few years and my memory is
getting weak along with some other things.
If you can find Ken Johnson (65), John
Foster (65), or for that matter John Napoli (64),
they could really fill in the gaps.
I used to hang out there also, but that
ended when my dad found out and all hell broke
loose. Of course that was my normal state at that
time.
This is really a great site, and I enjoy it
very much. I think though, I chased to many jeeps
with the bug spray, and the effects have been
with standing for too many years.
John Bradley (65)
================================================
>>From: STEVE Carson (58)
This is an enjoyable trip down memory lane.
Nice Job!
Steve Carson (58)
================================================
>>From: Rich Henderson (62)
Some of the teachers at Chief Jo and Col-Hi
I well remember for their unique contribution,
style and character.
* Chief Jo - Mr. Harvey. He was my 8th grade
teacher, (1957-1958), and the most memorable of
all I've ever had - that includes college. He
was tragically killed in a bunkhouse fire trying
to save boy scouts. I am sure his memory endures
in many to this day.
* Chief Jo - Mr. Strankman. He was the P.E.
teacher. The part where the boys and girls
practiced dancing was awkward and funny - to me.
* Chief Jo - Mr. Pippo, (Mr. Twevo Pippo). He
was the health teacher (1957-1958). He would
warn us that the Russians were coming over the
hill to invade Richland -or so it seemed so.
Turns out he had good reason to fear; he was a
fighter pilot in the Finnish Air Force during WW-
II.
* Col-Hi - Vice Principal Tom Lyda. He always
seemed so serious and official looking.
* Col-Hi - Venerable Art Dawald. Not only was
he a living institution; he had a personality
that an Army drill sergeant could love. I well
remember his anticts and goofy style he would
pull on us in U.S. Government class. I Could
write a chapter on this alone. Long live his
memory.
* Col-Hi - Dr. Ida Mae Meacham. She taught
biology and physiology. She had this fish tank
full of rare tropical species. I think it was
her passion.
* Col-Hi - Ray Juricich. He was my safe-driving
instructor. He was a hard taskmaster on us in
both the classroom and behind the wheel. He would
have the girls in tears when they goofed up while
driving. NOTE: his admonishments remain vivid to
this day. (i.e., "you contol your car by
controlling your speed".)
Richland is my hometown no matter where I live.
Let us continue the journey down memory lane.
Bombers uber alles,
Rich Henderson
Class of '62
================================================
>>From: Shery Nugent Dupuy (62)
Oh - Randy Buchanan! Have you ever heard
anything of Sara Sartain/'57? She lived a couple
houses down from me and was like a big sister to
me. Would love to connect back with her and
thank her for it. These memories being recalled
bring home what a unique childhood we all shared.
Especially chasing the mosquito spray truck....
people look at me as if I came from another
planet when I relate that memory. God knows what
we breathed in. Does anyone remember what the
game was called when we chased around the well
laid out blocks in town with our headlights off?
And I remember watching Bob Irwin climb from one
car to another as they were driving side by side
at some ungodly speed. There IS a God and He HAD
to be watching over us.
Sherry Nugent Dupuy/Class of '62
================================================
>>From: Kenny Wright (63)
Maren, Something small but could be important if
someone wanted to Email me, on the newest posting
my Email was: [deleted for privacy]. At the very end
there should have been a "u" to complete the "edu".
Thanks Kenny
[Sorry, Kenny! My error.]
================================================
>>From: Chuck Crawley (67)
Maren & Gary, Good job making the Alumni
Sandstorm happen. Great idea!!
Does anyone else remember going to movies at
the Uptown Theater on Saturday mornings in the
summer for the price of showing a receipt from an
Uptown District merchant? We would go to the
Spudnut Shop (it's unanimous, the best donuts on
the Planet), get a glazed raised for a couple of
pennies and we were off to the movies. It was a
long walk from Lee & Wright and no trip home was
complete without trolling for tadpoles in the
drainage ditch behind Kadlec Hospital.
(Obviously, I was in high school at the time.)
Chuck Crawley, CtK, Carmichael, '67
==================================================
>>From: Peggy Sheeran Finch (63)
Don't know if I'm sending this correctly for
all to see, Maren, but you're a good bet, I've
decided.
More memories: Taking a bus with other school
kids to the Horse Heaven Hills as part of an
evacuation practice in case of bombs dropping on
us... Practicing bomb drills by lying in groups
of 3 in the school halls, face down with a hand
over the back of our neck (as though that was
going to save us from the bomb)
Howard Chitty's blonde 3 yr. old daughter as
our mascot at basketball games.
Dr. Ida Mecum keeping her lunch in the
fridge along with dead mice, etc. (And I've done
the very same thing in my classroom as a teacher
of health related things). The Caducean Club
supervised by her inspired me.
Saying "OOH" and "AAH" at the Bomber Bowl
lying on the hill on a blanket during the
fireworks on the 4th of July.
Initiation at Atomic Frontier Days (lipstick
smeared faces).
Using tokens to get into the movies at the
Richland and Village Theaters.
Otis, the only black man I remember seeing
as a child, who shined shoes at the barber shop,
and we had him over for a couple of Thanksgiving
Dinners, I think.
Peggy Sheeran Finch (63)
===============================================
>>From: Denny Hayward (62)
Really enjoy all the memories. Someone
mentioned old Otis who ran the shoe shine stand
at the Barber Shop. He lived down the basement
of the shop and I was there a time or two with
him and my dad - don't know why. I think my dad
was helping him fix something. As a 10 year old I
was amazed - but look back at his situation with
sadness as it was little more than a cot in the
corner and a pile of books.
Would love to Gab about digging artifacts at
Columbia point - I think we are too old for them
to send us to jail.
===================================================
>>From: John Fletcher (64)
There was a Wild Bills Market at the
Richland "Y". When I was about 11 years old
(1957) I was heisting comic books under my coat.
I had made 2 clean trips to the car while my
folks shopped and I got nailed on the 3rd trip.
A night to remember. I believe it was Wild Bill,
the owner, who caught me by the coat collar and
turned me over to my merciless Father. "Why
didn't you ask me for a dime?" Yeah, right. I
was stealing the big 25 cent comics. I was
guilty, and did pay the price. John Fletcher
'64.
=================================================
>>From: Mike Franco (70)
The stories are great... being a relative
latecomer to Richland, we arrived in 1954... some
of this is ancient history. ALL BOMBERS NOTE: if
you are in Washington DC go to the Museum of
Modern History and in the area that displays the
development of nuclear energy you will find
prominently displayed a green and gold Richland
Bombers T-shirt
My parents, Dr. Robert Franco and Ilene
still live in Richland and in 44 years have
become true natives who love hearing and reading
about times in the past. Please add them to your list
Any of you who remember them , Mom and Dad
would love to hear from you.... about half of you
out there must have been stitched up by Dad one
time or another!
[ANOTHER ONE FROM MIKE TO GARY BEHYMER]
Gary, please add my Mom and Dad (Dr. Robert
Franco and Ilene) to your listing...they still
live in Richland and would love to enjoy the
great stories. And my dad asked me to ask
you...do you know Bill Pinick? His mother was
one of Dad's nurses and Bill now lives in
Colfax. Bill's younger sister Marcia was a year
behind me (71) . Thanks for the fun
==============================================
>>From: Wife of Steve Cantrell ('68)
Although I graduated from Ki-Be in '68, I
lived in Richland up until the second grade,
attending the original Sacajawea Elementary
school. My husband, Steve, a '68 Col-High
graduate, and I remember the Frontier Days well.
They used to have an old-time carnival come into
Riverside (Howard Amon) Park just above where the
Fingernail is now --- complete with all kinds
game booths and only a few rides. Loved the
atmosphere there --- kind of Pollyannaish. Also,
the little train ride used to be located by the
market on the corner of Symons and Goethals ---
we lived on Torbett, just up from it. My first
memories of Richland are looking out on the old
trailor camp from my fenced yard (we lived in one
of the trailors) when I was about three.
===================================================
>>From: Arthur (TOM) Hughes (56)
My family moved into the Tri-Cities in late
1943. We first moved into Campbells Cabins on the
Kennewick side of the old Pasco Kennewick Bridge.
We lived there until our Pre-Fab was ready. Even
had a bee hive in the wall of the cabin to keep
things interesting. We moved into a 3 BR Pre-Fab
on Smith just to the east of the "Grocery Store"
behind Marcus Whitman Grade School. In First
Grade Marcus Whitman was not yet finished so I
had to walk to Sacajewa for that year. When
Marcus Whitman opened they also opened a "Candy
counter" in the back of the Grocery Store so kids
could by candy at lunch and recess. We still
lived there when the Bombs were dropped and I
remember how excited everyone was that "Our Bomb"
won the war. I remember the Navy planes from
Pasco dive bombing the hill out by West Richland.
They dropped little 25 pound bombs that had
explosives in them and you could see the bombs go
off. My best friend at this time, and for many
years, was Duane Knott. He first lived in a 2 BR
Pre-Fab but when his sister Jill was born the
moved into a 3 BR just behind where they had
lived.
I remember walking to the "Village Theater"
on Saturday mornings. The Saturday special was 9
cents for the cartoons, the serial and two
movies. We would get a dime and on the way home
we would stop in the dime store and by a bubble
gum. Walking up Lee Hill in the summertime,
barefoot with all of the hot asphalt and
cockleburrs will remain in my memory for all
time. We would stop at the irragation ditch to
cool off and catch pollywogs.
There used to be free bus service all over
town and you could just walk to the bus stop and
get on and go where ever you wanted. There were
always signs on the bus about "Loose Lips Sink
Ships" and "You never know who the Enemy is". The
kids were all told that secret agents would ride
around on these buses listening to you to try to
catch you saying something wrong. Of course we
never understood what was "Right or Wrong" to
say. Most of us did not even know where our
parents worked. Dad got on a bus at the corner
and came home on the bus and we had no idea of
what was going on. My Dad worked "Shift Work"
which meant that when he worked Graveyard shift
we had to be quite while he slept. I still
remember the Aluminum foil covered windows and
the "Day Sleeper" signs.
From the Smith address we moved into an "A"
house on Stevens Drive just a block north of
Sacajewea so I moved back to Sacajewa for my
schooling. I spent one year in the Quonset hut
class rooms on the east end of the school. The
Shegruds and Billy Everett were neighbors at that
time. Billy and Burt Rivers lived with us for a
time in the "A" house because of the housing
shortage at the time.
After the "A" house we moved into a Brand
New Pre-Cut on Willard just north of Marcus
Whitman so back I went to Marcus Whitman. When my
Mom decided she did not like the Pre-Cut because
of the cold floors we traded houses with some
people across the street. They took our Pre-Cut
and we took their 3 BR Pre-Fab.
I lived there during the years I went to
Carmichael and Columbia High. When I went away to
school my Mom and Dad moved into a Ranch House on
Olympia. They lived there until my Dad went to
work for the State of California in 1969. Helen
Cross and the Brileys were close friends from
that neighborhood.
About the Merry-go-round and Trains at the
bottom of the hill below the High School. Jess
and Elva Brinkerhoff and Their family operated
the amusement park for several years. I used to
go down and help Reed, Virginia and Doris run the
place every once in a while.
I remember that we used to go out to the old
prison camp at Horn Rapids after the war. It was
used during the war to hold Italian Prisoners of
War. Most of them decided to stay in the United
States after the war was over.We had some friends
that rented one of the old homes out there and we
used to go out there for picnics and for Easter
egg hunts on Easter.
Other pleasent memories include the
"Spudnut" shop, noon dances in the girls gym,
"Daddy" Dewald and Coach Rish, the NEW swimming
pool below the high school, the Uptown theater
which was a vast improvement over the Richland
and Village theaters, the Atomic Bowl and the
Frontier Days celebrations in the park below
downtown.
Thanks for the chance to remember some of
these wonderful years. I didn't realize how good
most of us that grew up in Richland had it. Our
families had no mortgage worries, rents were
cheap, jobs payed well and there was really no
class distinction in the town for most of those
years. For some of us the real world was a rude
awakening.
Arthur (TOM) Hughes "Class of 56"
==================================================
>>From: Don Panther (62)
I checked with the Hanford Historian, Dr.
Michelle Gerbr, regarding the Horn Rapids prison
camp. Here's what she has found in her research.
There are so many "tales" about the prison camp
that it would be good to pass this along....
The prison camp at Horn Rapids was known as
Columbia Camp and housed prisoners from McNeil
Island prison near Tacoma. These were Americans
-- low risk criminals -- NOT POWS! They were
ordinary offenders. They came here to care for
and harvest the fruit trees during 1944 and into
about Feb. 1945. Then Col. Matthias, the Site
commander, propsed having them do some demolition
work on some of the wartime structures that were
no longer needed -- starting with demolishing the
large construction camp that had housed WWII
construction workers. However, labor issues were
raised (I'm not sure by whom) and it was decided
to send them back to McNeil Island in mid-1945.
There were a few Italian POWs housed at a
camp up the Yakima Valley, but this was closer to
Yakima and not in the Hanford area.
================================================
>>From: Jim "Pitts" Armstorng (63)
Hi. Jim Armstrong again. First, did all you
Bball fans know that Theartis Wallace's "over 50
' team is kickin' butt at the Nike Tournament in
Portland.
More on the DDT sprayers. They were quite
efficient because they apparantly wiped out all
the flying insects and drove away those thousands
of beautiful nighthawks that came out every
evening. Remember them? They've been gone ever
since.
Interesting what Kenny Wright had to say
about those govt. services. We lived in an H
house on Haupt Ave. and my folks paid 50 bucks a
month rent . My mom said even though the houses
sold cheap they were sorry to give up that even
cheaper rent.
Does anyone remember Garmo's, Food liner,
The Hut, Rubinoff and His Violin, or Paul's Inc.
[ I loved their electric train set up at Xmas]?
How about the Goody Good Bakery in Uptown?
=================================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
If has been a 'fruitful' week for Richland Bomber
Alumni. 'Alumni Fever' has struck many of
us...so much that we actually sat down and wrote
a letter...a letter that 650 to 700 people
actually read! (Or so we think.)
Thanking Maren Smyth (64) for loaning me her copy
of Dupus Boomer by Dick Donnell. I do believe
that the Donnells' shared a boathouse next to
Richard Charettes' folks and mine.
Ellen Spitaleri took time out to send me a great
advertising book for 'The Tri-City Area'. It has a
number of Richland photographs. (1) Cambell's Grocery
Store on the corner of Williams and Thayer. Mom used to
walk from 1304 Mahan to Marshall to McPhearson to
Thayer to get groceries most every day. On a 'hot' day
or one that required extra help, I would go.
On Marshall, lived the Calvin Welsch Family. I
was forever over there trading baseball cards.
(Sold all 25,000) of them in 1973 for 7 cents
each! NO, I don't want to know what they are
worth now! There was Keith (64), Kirk, Kyle,
Kim, Klay, Kent, Kristy & Kline....or so that's
what I think? Marilyn Perkins (64) and John
Crigler (64) lived next to the Welschs'. If you cut
thru the alley one could find Joe Fordon McPhearson.
Thanking Frank Stratton (64) for the great!
information on Richland Housing. I will make
copies available to any/all for the cost of
postage.
Jamie Worley (64) has been a big player in sending
items, including photographs!!! Thank you so very much.
Jamie is a 'wealth' of information.
Ray Stein (64) was able to provide a 1964 Columbian to
Patti Mitchell (64)
Photo copies of the 1964 annual are available for
the asking from myself. Just let me know you
need one! (Class of 1964 only.) Norman Klusman (64)
may drop the 1964 Annual on CD and provide copies,
once his schedule slows down a bit.
The Class of 1964 is waiting for the 1st letter
concerning the 35th reunion to come from the pen
of Charles Faubert (64) Hello Charles (;-)!
'Say Hey!' I still have a few copies of the 1980
book Bomber Mania that cost but a mear $8.00
priority mail postpaid.
Gary Behymer (64)
===============================================
>>From: Rick Allen (67) and Jacki Shipman Allen (73)
Hi Maren, Good to hear from you. Yes you
have my name spelled right. Yes my maiden name is
Shipman. Rick and I have been married for 19
years. Yes I do use Allen As my Last Name. Rick
Is the year of 67 or so he says. And yes we are
having fun. We live in Lewiston Idaho. We have
been here for 10 years. We have 4 Boys Between
us, 32-17. You know his, mine and ours. Maren do
you remember Rick????? We have been talking to
Pam, For about a month. Do you know where Marti
Sterns might be located? Maybe somewhere in
California? Let us know. Time to go. Have to e-
mail Pam.
Love Always Two Bombers Rick and Jacki Allen
===============================================
>>From: Mary Lou Watkins Rhebeck (63)
Hi Maren... just got in for the evening and
had to check out what you all had on e-mail.. I
just love reading these memories every
night....so many different, yet so many the
same...tonight I saw a message from Bill Compton,
who was one of my favorite neighbors on Johnston.
Our families were close for many years and my
parents still keep in touch with his Mom,
however, I would love to e-mail Bill, but didn't
see an address... was it there? Or do I need to
look in a different place? Anyway, thanks... and
I will keep reading and enjoying what you send...
ML
================================================
>>From: Sonny Davis (Bomber Dad)
Regards
Having been a resident of the Hanford barracks
and the Richland community from 1944 to 1968, I
am quite interested in the type of information I
have seen coming from this e-mail address. I
will look forward to future episttles.
E.M. Davis
==============================================
>>>Response to Rick Maddy (67)
>>From: DeWayne F. Miller (??)
Rick, just wondering if you are still married to
Mary...if you are...tell her hi from Gay Wear
Miller...and to E-mail me...Thanks.
====================
>>From: Leslie Dreher Schroeder (63)
Where's my maiden name?
The risk of being so retro that you don't use
your maiden name is the risk of being invisible to
your oldest friends. I am, and remain
Leslie Dreher Schroeder
ps -- I married Class of '63 classmate Mike Schroeder.
We'll be there at Kathy's next summer, for sure.
========================
>>>Response to Kenny Wright (63)
>> From Earl Bennett ('63)
1) Heard about a night when the coke machine in
the police station started giving back more
change than put in PLUS a coke; milked dry while
hoping the desk sergeant didn't notice. Probably
not the same machine - memory says the amounts
were more significant than a nickel machine would
generate.
7) Ah, yes, newsreels (vaguely recall some
Korean war footage) and THE BIG PICTURE, INDUSTRY
ON PARADE, etc.
14) Late August, 10-15 foot high piles of
tumbleweed against the walls in the U-shaped area
behind Chief Jo.
23) That's "What, me worry?" Alfred E.
Neuman is alive and well on MAD TV - saw an
episode by accident a couple of weeks ago.
Believe Joe Ford was a dedicated proponent of the
Alfred E. Neuman mystique.
Other notes: Paddy O'Cinnamon, The Cinnamon
Bear, every afternoon/evening for several weeks
before Christmas on (?KORD, KALE?). My sister Sue
Meek ('68) taped a resurrection of the series a
few years ago and sent it to me - fascinating!
And I've seen Sunday Supplement ads for a stuffed
Paddy O'Cinnamon (outrageous prices).
Patronized a Spudnut Shop '81-'84 in
Charlottesville, VA, two miles from Uva and three
blocks from where I worked as translator at the
Army's Foreign Science & Technology Center (now
National Ground Intelligence Center). Just as
good (and fattening) as the Richland version, but
without the hometown memories. Made believers
out of my office mates. May try to get a job back
there again someday - nice place to live, though
not as nice as ...
"The Tri-Cities, in heart of the banana belt,
sunshine capital of the Pacific Northwest!" Was
that from radio, too? Can't remember where I
heard it.
Love the memories, saving the histories.
[more from Earl Bennett for Pat Bezzio Re: TACO THE TOWN]
Earl Bennett (63)
Hi, Pat! I do remember a Mexican restaurant in
West Richland that we went to occasionally when I
was quite young. Probably the same place.
(Maternal) Grandpa Norris immigrated from England
as a teenager with 50 cents in his pocket on
arrival, eventually established a ranch in
southeastern Arizona. I don't remember it, but
Mom said his Spanish was a funny mix of British
accent and Americanisms. Mom was born there in
1922, became quite adept at Mexican cuisine of
that region. Grandpa was living with us during
the warm part of the year, May - September, from
the time we moved to Richland in 1951 until he
died in 1962 (winters were split between my aunts
in California and Arizona). He always paid me $5
or $10 for the use of my room while he was there,
I slept on a cot in the utility room. I always
kept the Roi-Tan cigar boxes ("Stinky Pinkies" he
called them) when he finished with them - may
still have one somewhere.
Back to the point. Mom thought that
restaurant had excellent Mexican food, and coming
from her that meant something. I remember how
upset she got when Grandpa would eat so many of
the awesome jalapenos -I couldn't handle them! -
like they were candy. Eventually his ulcer put a
stop to that practice.
I don't know if Mom originated them, but
she used to prepare what we called enchilada
pancakes: Corn tortillas briefly sizzled in deep
fat, drained, and swished through warm Old El
Paso enchilada sauce; laid flat on a plate,
covered with shredded lettuce, diced tomato,
chopped onion, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar
cheese (if/when the cheese was in short supply,
it would only go on the top layer), and ladle a
bit of the sauce over it; add one to two more
layers of the same; for a special treat, add one
or two eggs (over easy) on top; serve immediately
(i.e., don't try to make this a sit-down dinner
serving everybody at the same time - lukewarm is
not good). Be prepared for a significant cleanup
effort.
If you can't tell, I'm using this forum
to document regenerated memories - haven't
deleted more than two or three of the emails yet,
although I will have to move it to off-line
storage pretty soon, 'cuz I can't afford a bigger
hard drive.
Later. ecb3
-Earl Bennett ('63)
===================
>>From: Gail Hollingsworth (56)
I moved to Kennewick in my Junior year, so didn't
get to graduate with everyone I had gone to school with
from 1st grade.. sighhhhh. But that's another story....
Been reading all this stuff, wondering if
any of you remember HI Spot? It was lots of
fun...... learned to jitterbug there...... and the
bunny hop and a few other fun dances. By the
way, I noticed you teasing someone about being
60..... LOL , hafta tell you, I am writing this
on my 60th birthday. Just got home from my night
job and it's after 2 am on the 14th.
Speaking of babysitters....... my next door
neighbors (when my son was about 4, and I was
working at Anderson's{during the transformation
to Bon Marche'} were the Crow's.....my son's
babysitter was Gary Crow....... now a pretty well
known dj in Seattle.
When we first got to Richland, in 44, my
dad was living with a bunch of the other men in a
house, each of them were waiting for the homes to
be completed so they could move into them with
their families...... My mom, and my sister and
myself all lived at the Desert Inn for what
seemed like forever, back then...... waiting for
our house to be ready.
My Dad used to bring home cartoons with a
character named Dupis Boomer.... does anyone
remember that? Had great cartoons of our
terrible wind storms, prefab roofs blowing down
the street, etc...... funny jokes, but I really
hated those hot sandy winds....... B.L (before lawns).
Oh, and one thing that was really wonderful
about Richland........ someone mentioned the
fireworks in Bomber bowl........ but did any of
you go to any of the Sunrise Easter Sunday
services there....... with the sun coming
up....... it was really beautiful...
Well, that's about all I can think of at
the moment..... hope we will be hearing from more
of the grads from the 50s......Thanx for
reading......
Gail Cherrington Hollingsworth
====================
>>From: Denis "Sully" Sullivan (62)
"Muscles", a.k.a. "Sonny", never without that bike.
PasPort plunge: My dad was a seaman at the Pasco
Navy Yards during the war. I remember his
telling me that the pool was used as a training
facility--something about having to swim under
burning oil a certain distance to demonstrate one
could escape a torpedoed ship.
Potts' gas station: spent lot of time there
filling my bike tires with air and pestering
Potts. The grocery store across the street was
not Safeway, but Campbell's, I think. We spent a
lot of time pestering the produce guys--I still
remember the smell of the place, riding our bikes
with playing cards on the spokes through the
parking lot and other annoying activities. There
was barber shop on the Potts' side of the
building and for a time a couple of us had a shoe
shine operation where more polish got on socks
than shoes.
The Village Theater, at 11 cents a matinee, was
king until it gave way to the "free show" at the
Uptown Theater. The merchants sponsored it to
draw the parents to the stores.
Captain Midnight became Jet Jackson (or vice
versa) in syndication. Kenny Wright and I
pestered our mothers to buy Ovaltine so we could
get the decoder rings that could create an image
when you held it up to the sun. I remember how
ripped off I felt when the first message I
decoded was: "Drink your Ovaltine!"
Remember the Bomber Mascot: the green and gold
bomb shell, in the middle of the floor before
every basketball game? The bomb shell gave way
to sensitivities, but we have never gotten rid of
the mushroom cloud. Most non-Richlanders I know
still cannot fathom that one!
I always thought the Spudnut Shop was a Richland
original. A franchise?
Picnics at Hat Rock.
Thanks for the memories and keep them coming.
-Denis Sullivan ('62)
===========================
>>From: David Clark (56)
These little vignettes have brought back a flood of
fond memories of growing up in Richland and I'll pass
on a few from my own memory bank.
1. The great flood and 'miracle mile' in 52-54?
Not sure of the date. We lived at 1319 Hains St
and watched the Corps put in the miracle mile
dike to save our home and much of downtown
Richland. Went right through our front yard. The
Columbia was full of floating debris and we used
to fish out boxes of apples floating down from
Wenatchee.
2. The winters with the big freeze sometime in
the early fifties. Had several small ponds along
the Columbia in front of our home that would
freeze over every winter - great ice
skating/hockey. What happened to winters like
those?
3. Horse back riding at the riding academy near
West Richland. Used to love taking out the
horses for riding in the areas around the
academy. Fulfilled fantasy's of Gene Autry, Roy
Rogers, Durango Kid, Cisco Kid, and other cowboy
heros we saw every Sat at teh Village theatre.
4. Flat Top in West Richland. Used to take my
old '37 Ford out on the trails to rabbit hunt,
look for old bombs, etc. As a youngster, we also
used to shoot fireworks out there and had the
unfortunate experience of causing a brush fire
which brought folks from all around to fight it.
5. Fishing with Bob Butler in the small creeks
near the Uptown Shopping center. Remember Bob
trying all summer to catch this large trout we
could see but not catch. Well, Bob stayed after
it and did finally catch him. Was over 20 inches
as I recall.
6. Grade school at Lewis/Clark and Jefferson.
Butler and I would spend a lot of time exploring
Jefferson after hours, paticularly in the gym and
stage areas. Jr. High, first at Carmichael where
my acadamic career changed with Mr. Bressler.
Home room teacher, small guy in stature but huge
in character. After one year, moved ot the new
school, Chief Joseph. At CJ, remember the first
boys Home Ec class with Ms. Spain. Still remember
the cooking one semester where we always doubled
the receipe for cakes (ate half the dough and
cooked the other half), sewing classes with the
pins and needles flying and finally
making/modelling shirts that we had made. High
school with Dawald as Home Room and Civics
teacher, Mrs. Buscher, the beloved math teacher,
Mr. Morris, the tennis coach, typing teacher who
nailed me and several others for throwing
snowballs in class by checking the temperatures
of our hands, and Mr Scott, the physics teacher
whom we wired his chair to the Van de Graf
generator.
7. First class at CBC over at the old Pasco naval
base. Think we had around 350 students of which
there were only 3 or 4 girls. Mostly Korean war
vets and us young guys. Ping Pong between and
sometimes during classes. Anyone remember our
first Ping Pong Tournament. .
========================
>>From: Gregor Hanson (65)
Another item I remembered last evening when
reading the posts about early childhood days in
Richland were the listening rooms at Korten's
Music Store in Uptown Richland where you could
play the latest 45 records on a phonograph in a
sound proof room!! They also had sound proof
rooms available for the practice playing of
insruments -especially if you didn't have a bass
cello or a tuba at home!!
-Gregor Hanson ('65)
==========================
>>From: Patty Stordahl (72)
Hello to all this is Patty Stordahl!! Yea I am
still Stordahl tried it twice couldn't do the
domestic thing. Wasn't worth it & kept me to
poor. So here I am & where are all of you? Call
me (206)242-7294 or e-mail me
Kraemer where are you your email keeps returning
to me need good number.
Nancy McWain stop telling people about my very
generous good natured agreement with you. I just
had a bird tell me you told them that while I was
in Walla Walla. I knew we were good friends but
that is a secret. MY MOM OVERHEARD. Silly gal
call me I miss you & Edie & all. I want to hang
with you when I come into town. Mom still lives
down there but I split years ago came back for a
bit & moved to Pacific NW. What's up with any
West side folks lets get together & play. I have
not changed much I still wander like a gypsy but
now I go 1st class & get paid for it. Still
sleep on the couch but now I own the home. Ride
in a van but lost the flower paint job. So call
me or write me lets get reaquainted. If I don't
respond within a day or two I may be on the road
working. See ya. Any one do anything with Trade
shows? That is what I do all over the US. Need
any help or ideas call me(888)767-4697 ask
specifically for me. Thanks.
Bye for now.
[MORE FROM PATTY STORDAHL (72)]
Thank you for sending this info to me. It is
great reading. Memories are too fun for most of
us. I am Patty Stordahl Bomber alum 72. you can
email me at I work on the road
alot so I don't get to read these daily but they
are great. I went to the old Sacajawea grade
school & then moved with my folks to Benton City.
Moved back into Richland summer of 70 to finish
school with old friends. Where is everyone??
with in the years 68 -75?? Talk to me I would
love to have a huge street dance & party with all
the old hippies & see how they have changed or
not changed. What are you all doing now? Any
responce for personal communitcation would be
super.
I was the era with Mr. Stevens, Vandeburg, &
Nash. They were three bad boys that tried so hard
to pretend they were good. Remember the hanky
panky with Ms.B & Mr.N? That was to weird for
me? What ever happened to Dimples, alias Mr.
Stevens? Karlyn, DI, Nancy, Eddie, Sue, Val, &
many more where are you all? Any one remember the
days when the bathrooms had doors. Wasn't it
nice that they took them off so the smoke could
filter out faster?? Hearts or Spades any one?
Where is Jessica Allen it has been a long time
since I have had my cards read. She was really
great. keep me in the loop this is great to read.
Susan Kramer your email address wont work please
find me I want to get together. I grew up to have
4 wonderful kids, Steven (23), Darcia(22) (bomber
alum 94), Rian(20), & Janea (15). No husbands
anymore I think I just move to fast. No time to
pick up any one elses socks. Shoot I have to
have a maid just to pick up mine. I have a great
job that is to much fun. Go figure I always had
to much fun throughout school. My gypsy
wandering ways have not left me. No longer
riding my thumb I now get paid well to fly all
over the US & flap my jaws only this time I
really know what I am talking about. I have
managed to stay out of jail though (knock on
wood). Any one need any help within the trade
show industry. From conceptual to actual
fabrication of display & marketing & graphic
design send me an email I would love to see what
I can do for your trade show needs. Again, keep
me in the loop.
You can call me when I am in town toll free. Try
me or leave a message.1(888)767-4697
Store D doll
[MORE FROM PATTY]
would love to hear from anyone Suzie Kramer where
did you go I have wrong email. Nancy McWain
please respond you been sharing secrets with my
Cousin Lizann. Edie J whats up with you. Any
happily divorced alumni out there? Lets remember
together.
-Patty Stordahl ('72)
======================
>>From: Berta Hettinger (64)
Hi, Maren,
I enjoyed reading everyone's Richland memories.
Thought I would add a few of my own. I lived in a B
house at 1205 Benham. We were the last house on our
side of the street. I think Benham ran into Duane. If I
crossed Duane there was a shelter belt of trees. Helped
to break some of the sand my Mother hated to clean.
Beyond that was the railroad tracks and eventually
Wellsian Way. When I used to walk to Carmichael Junior
High I would take a short cut across the tracks and
walk down Wellsian Way. I too spent many hours in the
swamp land collecting polly wogs and making trails
through the dried cattails in the Fall. There were many
adventures to be had beyond the railroad tracks. The
government had some buildings near the tracks. We kids
were always tresspassing , playing in the giant crates
filled with packing material. In those days our parents
felt safe to let us play unsupervised. I think they
would have changed their minds if they knew all that we
did! We would stay out until dark during the hot summer
evenings, playing hide and seek and various other
childrens' games. It was a wonderful childhood. One
time I woke up to a herd of horses in the vacant field
outside my window. Some men had to come and round them
up. We used to pick wild asparagus near the Yakima
River. My Dad, with a little help from me, dug our
basement out one bucket load at a time. He then built
two bedrooms downstairs. We had a coal bin in one
corner of the basement. I can remember when the coal
deliveries were made and loading the furnace. My
Mother's screams were heard after the cat fell down the
chimney into the cold furnace. I ran to the top of the
stairs to see what had happened and there she stood
with coal dust from head to toe. The cat was unharmed
and Mom said that she had had a catastrophe! Along with
sand, Mom did not like dealing with coal dust. Dad took
Cathy Biehn and I hiking in the Horse Heaven Hills a
couple of times. Cathy and I used to go horseback
riding at the Riding Academy in West Richland. We used
to walk or ride our bikes to Lewis and Clark and come
home for lunch on nice days. I can remember going to
the gas station next to Campbell's grocery store and
getting the used oil cans. We would stomp our shoes
into the sides of the cans and wear them around on our
feet for the added height and noise they made. Does
anyone remember "White Christmas" showing at the uptown
theatre during many a Christmas season? The Spudnut
Shop is a delicious memory for me too. The closest
thing to them is Dunkin' Donuts glazed in New England.
My Mom used to buy sample shoes (her feet were so
small) from the Bootery in Uptown. My friends and I
would stop at Tastee Freeze and buy nickel ice creams
on our way home from the big pool. I better stop
rambling.
-Berta Hettinger ('64)
=====================
>>From: Carol Converse Mauer (64)
I remember going to the movies a few times in
North Richland. I remember my mother made me stay
real close by, as the soldiers were there also.
I can't remember how old I was at that time. Not
very. Maxine McCune and I would ride our bikes
out there in Jr. High school and early High
school. All that remained were the concrete
pads.
-Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
===========================
>>From: MLou Williams (60)
to Maren
re: Kenny's #13 - In 1958 when the Bombers were AAA
all-state basketball champions, there was a celebration
party at the Kennewick Social Center(?) and our All-
American Norris Brown and his brother, C.W. weren't
allowed in! Were they the only black family in Richland
then? Anyway, it nearly caused a riot and suddenly the
Tri Cities and we sheltered children from the only town
in the world that was its own suburbs became aware of
discrimination. In 1962 CBC students held a peaceful
demonstration, marching in Kennewick. It was covered by
the Tri-City Herald and the now defunct Columbia Basin
News.
And those Spudnuts, which along with Coke in
bottles were our dance refreshments at Chief Joe,
started out at 52 cents a dozen. That was with 2 cents
tax. Muscles, also called Sonny, lived in a house near
Jason Lee, I believe. There was a pet monkey there, in
a cage we used to stop by on the way to and from school
and one day the monkey grabbed my glasses and really
wrecked them. Boy, was I scared to go home! It cost $15
to replace them. Muscles died in Richland many years
later -I remember his obit in the TCH. I'd like to
write more, but the end of the fiscal year calls, and
I'm at work. It's great to be reminded of all those
good, bad and otherwise times when we were growing up.
-MLou (formerly Mary Lou) Williams, class of 60
============================
>>From: Michael Figg (70)
Just like Mike Franco (hi Mike), I also remember
very much about growing up on Davison St. For
Mike, his Davison St gang was probably Dick
Boston and Paul Wittenbrock plus a few others.
For me, a quarter mile south on Davison it was
the Twins, William and Richard Rathvon, Bob
Gustavson and others. Growing up on Davison there
is one thing that really sticks out, as it
probably did for many others in the neighborhood
and all over town, The River! It was only about
150 yards from my back door - through the Raile's
back yard, across Hunt St and up and over the
hill next to the Salinas'. It seems like I grew
up on that river, sailing or swimming over to the
first island.
The other favorite memory was going to Bomber
games and walking home eating sunflower seeds,
then stopping at the Spudnut Shop to satisfy the
other essential food groups needed in a well
balanced diet. And if that didn't do it the Artic
Circle wasn't far away either. It seems like by
about 1975 there were two places I didn't want to
live in; eastern Washington and Southern
California. I've changed now, after 14 years in
Columbus, Ohio, even Southern California sounds
good. I can't imagine what it would be like to
live back in Richland, but I wouldn't mind
trying.
Mike Figg
[MORE FROM MIKE FIGG]
Hi Gary,
Kathy Rathvon is definitely the twins sister.
Just like Kathie Roe use to babysit Mike Franco,
I'm sure (although don't remember) that Kathy
Rathvon probably babysat me. And you must of
known one or two of the Gustavsons, like Julie or
Martha. There were 6 of them, about every three
years and I think Martha must have been about '62
and Julie probably '65. But then there were alot
of Bostons too with Jeff, Janet, Dick and Martha.
My mind is a little foggy as to where Hains is,
is it up there along the dike between the river
and Hunt? And near the Manolopolus's (I'm sure I
messed up that spelling)?
-Michael Figg (70)
===================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
....."no slums, no old people, all new houses
about the same, most all families were young
college graduates (usually WASP's) who were doing
their part for us baby boomers (on the 300 block
of Craig Hill at one time there were 31 kids
about the same age), no crime "......
This is so true. No other place like it, I
guess. No unemployment. And all the free stuff:
trees, house painting, busses ....
=========================
>>From: Vonnie Reed (60)
I'm from the class of '60 (Vonnie Reed) and
thoroughly enjoyed your history paper on
Richland. I never knew the story! Thank you.
I lived at 1311 Haines (right along the dike and
close to the George Washington intersection) in
an F house. I think someone from the Class of 62
or 63 lives in there now. My grown children
visited Richland a few years ago (maybe 1994) and
asked the new owners if they could walk through
the house where I grew up. My kids were surprised
at how little it was because we housed me, my
sister, five brothers and a grandmother, along
with my mother and stepfather in that house! We
built 4 bedrooms in the basement after hauling
all the dirt out and getting rid of the coal bin.
I moved to California in 1963 and am busy within
the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley--I want
to get out! It's too fast here and crowded and
expensive and it's time to take the time to smell
the roses!
Richland was a great place to grow up. I have
many fond memories and go back every once in a
while (for my 10th and 20th class reunions) and
the last time was 1992. Our 40th reunion would be
cool because it will be the year 2000. That
should be a wonderful celebration.
P.S. I noticed Eva (Clark) Perry wrote in (class
of 49). I lived two houses away from her! She
didn't give an email address but if you have one,
I'd love to have it.
-Vonnie Reed (60)
====================
>>From: Dale Hosack (69)
5) Riding the Dryers for a dime: we called it
"Turning Orbits" (Now I build satellites for a
living...) 7) Free movies in the "Uptown" theater
on Saturdays with any receipt from an uptown
merchant. We used to go around the corner to the
five and dime and snatch a receipt off the floor
to get in.
12) Bomber bowl Fireworks: A spinner came off the
post one year and burned my next door neighbor
Bill DeHollander above the eye.
16) Running behind the DDT Jeeps until I was
covered with slimey oil.... Maybe that explains
my fondness for peanut butter, pickle and mayo
sandwiches.....
26) Surgical tubing squirt guns that shot a 1/4"
stream of water 25 feet.
27) Building Snow Jumps on Col Hi and Carmichael
hills for sledding. I remember Larry Worley
coming about 6 feet off his sled. Landed where
you don't want to land...If 'ya know what I mean.
28) The trampolines next to the Atomic Lanes.
29) Ice skating at Wellsian and the "Y".
Finally....
Whatever Happened to "Sure Lloyd"
-Dale Hosack (69)
===================================
Thanks for all contributions
===================================
***********************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/15/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Marilyn Groff Taylor (63)
Thank you so much for jogging my gray matter,
I have a few more thoughts to add to the list:
Saw my first Television at Bill Redmond's
house. A bunch of kids from Jason Lee followed
him home to see the test pattern.
Buying 5 cent ice cream cones at Tastee
Freeze after a day of swimming at the big pool
by Col Hi.
Climbing "Flat Top"
Saw my first MicroWave at Sears in Pasco
about '54 or '55
The story Vera Smith Robbins talked about her
mom getting lost, my folks told us once dad came
home from work and yelled "Honey, I'm home."
This strange woman walked out and said "Hi,
Hon....... ekkkk" Wrong house, but our families
made some new friends.
When I was about 14, I travel by train with
a group of kids, to Seattle. My folks
instructions to me were: Don't tell anyone where
you are from, where your folks work or what they
do for work. My mom worked in a Biology Lab
where they experimented with radiation on
animals. My dad worked at the bus lot where they
bussed people to the areas.
I remember the bomb drills in grade school.
Once they wanted to see how fast we could
evacuate the town and my part of town walked to
Chief Joseph, got on a bus and were transported
to Prosser. Pretty scary for kid.
One more comment: The talk about Muscles. You
know we were pretty special people, the whole
town excepted, loved and kept an eye on him for
years. He would get into the movies for free,
wearing his gun, holster and cowboy hat. The
police let him feel as if he was a help to them.
I understand when he moved to California it was
not the same. He became an oddity, someone to
stare at. We cared about him and even now we
love him and miss him because he was a part of
our childhood. We're pretty cool.
Hey, does anyone out there Motor Home a lot?
Would like to talk to anyone who goes into
Mexico in the Winter. my email is
-Marilyn Groff Taylor (63)
========================
>>From: Tony Sharpe (63)
HEY HEY HO HO
Does that sound familiar? I remember him a
smallish and lean. With lots of teeth. Remember
that they took up a collection to give him a new
bike. It was a Schwinn with fat tires and the
"Springer" front end. He was definitely
retarded, but not a "Downs Syndrome" type.
-Tony Sharpe ('63)
================================================
>>From: Lois Clayton Colton (72)
I remember when the coal furnace exploded
soot all over our house. It was impressive
washing the ceilings. :-)
RE: FIREWORKS I remember the spinners. It
was great.
Thanks for the second half. I loved it.
-Lois Clayton Colton (72)
=======================================
>>From: Teresa DeVine Knirck (64)
Hi Gary and all "old" Richlanders - Does
anyone else remember going to dances at the
Social Club in Kennewick by Sanders Field? Judy
Campbell, Kathy Hoff and I used to go there
quite often during our junior year. Paula Jill,
too. They had live music. Wasn't there also
briefly a place in the uptown where the old C
and H grocery store was called the Hideaway -
live music and dancing I think. During junior
high and even high school the girls would walk
around and around the Uptown and the guys would
cruise - all checking out each other. Anyone
else remember the old girls' gym at Col-Hi? It
was so dark - I think we had dances in there
too, but they tore it down in 63 to make way for
the new gym, then the boys' gym became the
girls' gym.
Thanks Gary and Maren
-Teresa DeVine Knirck ('64)
======================================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
What ever happened to Col Hi teacher Jo(h)n
Reid/Reed? I recall something untoward, as it were.
Edgar Haag, the VP?
"Smiley" ... The Principal?
Mister Keech?
Pappas the band leader.
Who knows the whereabouts of:
Larry Dibbern
Al Figliola
Richard Chandler
Moonbuttons?
-Tony Tellier (57)
==================================
>>From: Patsy Noble Eichner (61)
I have really enjoyed reading all the info
from the past. Thank you for sending it my way.
-Patsy Noble Eichner (61)
===============================
>>From: Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
Hi!
I'm Patri Largé deVargas-Walker. My dad moved to
Richland in '43' and the family followed in '44' when I
was 3 yrs old. We lived at 1308 Perkins and I started
school at Sacajawea and then transferred to Spading
when we moved to Birch Street. The first thing I
remember is a cow tied to a post in front of a drug
store and lots of sage brush. I survived the wind storm
in '47' with my brother and sister. We had to walk home
from the bus stop by Spading to Birch Street, and the
wind was so bad we couldn't see where we were going. I
attended school Columbia High until the end my Jr. Year
and graduated after I married. I would like to hear
about reunion plans for the class of '59'. It's great
reading the notes from all of you. Somewhere, I have
some photos taken at High Spot. I will try and find
them.
Patri Large deVargas-Walker ('59)
=================================
[Patri -- http://richlandclub40.org/
Click on the class of '59 site and if there is NOT
reunion information there and you find out anything,
let me know and I'll get the information on the site.
Also, you might want to check with Bonnie Webb Roe...
I'd really like to see '59 and '64 do reunions on the
same week end next summer... pretty cool idea, huh? Get
those pictures to me and I'll get those on the '59
site, too -- Maren Smyth]
======================================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Hello Maren, this is Eva again, in response
to Evelyn, and I'm wondering if Chuck Crowder,
was his younger brother?? and if so, does she
remember Colleen? Gee's these really are shades
of yesteryear.
Also, does anyone out there remember, Bettye
JO (Warren) Forsythe, she just had a Birthday
and if anyone knows her whereabouts, tell her
that Penny is really wondering what happened to
her. She last lived in Murfesborro, Tenn.
I'm sure that a lot of you out there should
know my siblings, Carolyn (Clark) Burbach, Davie
Clark, Larry Clark and Kathy (Clark) Hale, our
plan was to hit the reunion this year, but don't
know if it will be possible now, but betcha, i
will make the 50th for sure.
Even tho long past the time a lot of you
younger ones that are writing, I'm sure that you
must be children of (KIDS) I went to school
with, and really enjoy everyone's thots on what
Richland is all about. Thanx again to Maren and
Gary.
-Eva Clark Perry ('49)
=======================================
>>From: Dave Miller (67)
Hi Vegas [aka Maren] real nice you doing
this. I was wondering if there was any one out
there for a long time now. Now it is here,
congrats on a great site. I am also on a site
for midway island (navy, dependents, etc.) very
similar site.
My folks moved to a- house in I think 1958
from Longview WA. We lived an "A" house on
Jadwin next to a very large church? Moved to
Ritch court about 1960, moved to Jonhson about
1966. Went to Sacajawea Elementary then to Lewis
& Clark Elementary. I thought it was Jason E Lee
Elementary. Then to Chef J0 and on to Col high.
June67 Grad. Nov67 in the Navy 4 years. Met girl
Santa Clara/Sunnyvale CA. I year 4 months Midway
Island. Folks moved to Illinois Chicago 1970.
Never been back other than hitchhiking thru in
1972 and on bus to Snoqualmie pass for pacific
trail hike in 1974 (alone) and 1975 hike with
brothers to Lake Chelan.
Dave Miller 67
====================================
>>From: Mike Franco (70)
My parents are Dr Robert Franco and Ilene, Please
encourage anyone interested to contact them. They moved
us to Richland in 1954. I remember starting school at
Jefferson as being one of VERY few kids whose dad did
NOT work at Hanford. We started out in a Richland
Village house on McMurray, then to Harris, then Davison
then finally out to the "new " part of Harris where my
parents still live.
We are all enjoying the great stories
-Mike Franco (70)
===============================
>>From: Maren Smyth (63 AND 64)
The 8/14/98 Alumni Sandstorm was WAY too big! And
it was only 24 hours worth of collections. If we get
that many again, we'll probably split them into EARLY
and LATE editions -- something like that.
Also put links as the last entry for how to get to
the FIRST Bomber Alumni Site and a link for the ALL
Bomber Alumni Links site. Had 15 kick back because of
'data format error', so I learned not to do THAT
again!! Also, at least one person (from AOL) reported
that only about HALF of the text showed up. Another
person had some difficulty trying to 'view part 3' --
something like that -- whatever THAT means. Appears the
part that wouldn't open was the little section with the
stupid links in it!! Guess we need to come up with
something so everybody will know FOR SURE that there
isn't any more...
This one isn't as big. WHEW!
=======================================
DON'T MISS THE NEXT Alumni Sandstorm
=======================================
***************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/16/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes! They keep coming...
support your "Alumni Sandstorm"
by sending your contributions....
this is a joint effort by:
Chief Jo Warrior-Bomber, Gary Behymer (64)
and
Carmichael Cougar-Bomber, Maren Smyth (64)
and YOU!
================================================
>>From: Wife of Steve Cantrell (68)
Hi!
The camp was used to house those living in the
surrounding areas (complete families) who were of
Japanese descent following the bombing of Pearl
Harbor during WWII. They were not actually POW's,
but were considered to be possible security
threats and, as such, had to give up their homes
and remain restricted to the camp.
Sue Cantrell
(wife of Steve Cantrell---class of '68)
================================================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
I used to think that living in Richland was a
pretty normal way to grow up.. .but looking back,
it was not ordinary!! How could "bomb drills"
with heads to the hallway wall at school, with
rears in the air and locating out evacuation bus
stop be normal?
I remember we got our first tv in about '55. I
used to watch Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse and the Bert
Wells Show. I remember sending my mom's 30th b-
day in to Bert Wells and he read it on the air.
She was MORTIFIED!!
Spudnuts are still a treat! I have gotten them on
occasion for students as a reward.
Does anyone else remember Miss McGillicut (?),
second grade at Marcus? We built a store and sold
school supplies to learn about making change. I
remember coming to school 20 min early for the
privilege of going in and minding the store when
the big kids came to buy pencils and notebook
paper. We used the profit to tour the
transportation center in Pasco -- the airport,
railroad hump yard (where they put trains together
by running them over a hump and down a hill. Get
your mind out of the gutter) and roundhouse,
finishing with a train ride from Pasco to
Kennewick. What a day that was!!!
-Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
================================================
>>From: Peggy Hartnett (72)
Dear Maren,
We have been offline for a couple of
months it seems, the hotel business is wacky and
when your monitor dies and you are on the edge of
the universe, well these things take time and
patience is the lesson we practice. When I finally
downloaded all the mail, Bomber stuff certainly
was in the land of overwhelm, I have been sifting
through it this evening and I have a few things to
add. I think the "camp" at the Rapids has been
thoroughly covered but my dad, in later years
worked with a young Japanese-American out in the
area who had been interned there and later came
back there to work. I remember going to Seattle to
his wedding, I was just a kid, and as a Catholic
in Richland I don't think I had even been in a
Protestant church let alone a Buddhist temple-
that odd town led me to some surprising places.
When you leave Richland is when you "get
it". We went to public schools and yet got
outrageously great educations. I have yet to meet
anyone who got the chance to study Russian in a
public high school. I have recently gotten to know
some folks out of Chicago who work in the field of
chemistry, the company they work for was started
by one of the guys who figured out how to test all
whose urine samples fast enough to do anyone any
good. Well, they thought their boss was kidding
them and they were astounded when I confirmed that
the urine samples in the green boxes were right
next to the Carnation milk boxes on the front
porch. They were beyond amazed that someone
outside the "field" knew what the periodic table
was and could identify radio isotopes, of course
they did want to know if I glow in the dark. One
of their proud gifts to me was a Bomber T-shirt
with cloud - not really my style but it gets
noticed.
It was nice to see the note from Mike
Franco and Mike Figg, the decade of the 70s being
somewhat absent in all the messages, but as I
recall we were somewhat absent.
As far as Atomic Frontier Days go, you
know it has a certain sardonic quality but
somewhere I have a box of color slides from the
parade one year and photos of my dad, unshaven. My
sister Mary Mike has some early 8mm film - my dad
was quite the avid amateur.
A couple of questions, when they built the
dikes during the flood, was it 1948? did they
actually sandbag in trucks, etc. for foundations
or was that just more tall tales? Does anyone
remember "whole body counters"?
And one last bit from the "small world
Dept." a guy pulls up to the hotel last week, has
WA plates on a very road tired Kawasaki, he takes
a room, eats and the next morning we get to
talking about WA, seems he is from the "other"
side of the Cascades but briefly lived in
Kennewick "63-'64, his dad was working on
something at Hanford. His big memory was getting
out of school and being taken by an older brother
to the groundbreaking of the N(?) Reactor when JFK
came to the ceremony. I loved his memory because
he said he was so struck that Kennedy had auburn
hair - he expected him to be in B&W -- too cool y
hasta luego!
Thanks to you and Gary-
Margaret (Peggy ) Hartnett ('72)
================================================
>>From: Dave Edgar (56)
While stationed as a helicopter flight instructor
at Fort Wolters Texas I ran into "muscles" bicycle
and all in Mineral Wells Texas. His Parents had
retired there and they were living at the Brazo's
hotel which had been turned into a retirement
facility. This was in 1974. I left the same year
with the posts closure. When I found him he had
the same support base he enjoyed in Richland.
D. Edgar (56)
================================================
>>From: Art (TOM) Hughes (56)
Someone mentioned the dances in the Girls Gym at
Col Hi. I was a member of the Lettermen's Club and
in 1954 we went to Mr. Haag and got permission to
have dances at Noon in the Girls Gym. We charged 5
cents for the dances. I was responsible for going
up to Kortens Music Store every week and getting
the latest records from the top 20 that were good
for dancing. We kept this going until I graduated
in 56. Don't know what happened after that.
Does anyone remember the floods of 1949 when we
had to go through Benton City to get to Kennewick?
I think that was the year Vanport Oregon washed away.
Art (Tom) Hughes
Class of 56
================================================
>>From: Kathy O'Neil Stine (63)
Thanks so much for all your efforts to send us all
the Bomber information. My family and I are really
enjoying it.
Kathy O'Neil Stine
================================================
>>From: Susan Kraemer (72)
Attn: Patty Stordahl ('72)
I'm alive and well and living in the Mill Creek
area. Call me. Don't know why e-mail is not coming
through. "Vegas" is coming through loud and clear.
Spell my name right? Kraemer with an "e"!! I have had
to spell my name at least a billion times over the
years! Price you pay for keeping a name that doesn't
spell the way it sounds.
Hello to sister Kathy. I saw you too have shared
your memories. Cool!
Hey to everybody. On behalf of the Kraemer Clan,
Phil (dad), Florence (mom), Kathy '67, Ken '68,
Mike '69, Cindy '71, Susi '72 (me) and Marlene
'75, we cover a few years of Richland history. The
family is doing well. Mike and Cindy are in the
Spokane area, Ken and Marlene are in Richland with
Mom and Dad and Kathy and me are here in Western
Washington. The family moved into an "A" house,
our permanent residence, across from Christ the
King School about 1960, and my folks still reside
there today. Thus we all attended CK. How
convenient to hear the 5 min. bell from your
bedroom window then run across the street to
school. There were many large Catholic families in
the neighborhood (Plachata, Huff, Danhauer,
Hodgson, Kaftantzis) to name a few. It was great
for a kid. I would like to "hats off" to mom for
those great CYO dances and activities she
coordinated in the late 60's early 70's. Her kids
were teens and there wasn't enough for them to do
besides get into trouble (that was me!) She worked
together w/Father Monahan. What a team. They were
great dances and filled the CK cafeteria to
capacity! They would bring bands in from Seattle
per our requests. Dad would work "security"
checking the dark corners with his flashlight. He
always thought he might find me there "making out"
or something but I was always one step ahead of
him! Thanks for the memories!!
-Susan Kraemer (72)
================================================
>>From: Denis Sullivan (62)
Somebody mentioned Kortens. Remember sometime
after school, but before the evening news?:
"I'm K-K-Kenny from K-K-Kortens and I'm here to
bring you Komik-k-kal Kartoons."
Thanks for keeping this going.
-Denis Sullivan ('62)
================================================
[Denis -- I even remember that TUNE that goes with
K-K-K-Kortens! Maren]
================================================
>>From: Ginny Rowe Duve (68)
Hi Gary,
My siblings are:
Dennis-59 Andrea-64 Joe-66 Kevin-72
I've really enjoyed viewing the old pictures of
Richland and the memories people have written down.
:-)
-Ginny Rowe Duve ('68)
===============================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Hi again, seems like after i read all the daily
notes from everyone, i have more to say. Does
anyone remember the North Star theater, ran by Mr.
and Mrs. Honey, i worked there for awhile., back
in those days. Then in 51 Jerry Fazendin and I
were married at the rectory where Mr. and Mrs.
Barlow Ghirado stood up for us, so we were real
familiar with the Spudnut shop too. We later were
divorced but Jerry remained there and was probably
the milk man that everyone is talking about.
Surely takes a person back a lot of years
remembering all these things.
We used to lay on the bed upstairs on Haines
during the flood and wave at the fellows doing the
dike work. We were lucky, we had a layer of water
in the basement but they got the dike up so fast
that it was an amazing thing to watch. Guess all
of our little secrets are coming out. Thank
everyone for all the work that they are doing to
make this a success.
-Eva Clark Perry
================================================
>>From: June Smith Colletti (63)
I have read everything that has come over email.
Memories! I wanted to savor all of it, so I have
saved to discs. That way I will have them forever!
It is wonderful to read from all of you and to
know, I did have a normal life. Outside the tri-
cities they didn't. People can not comprehend what
our childhood was. Several have said they envied
me (smile). Our little world of the the Tri Cities!
My first memory of Richland was being 5 yrs old
and my Pop and I went out fishing (just past the
Knights of Columbus near the bridge that linked
Richland and the Y.... I'm talking back in 1949-
50). The Columbia and Yakima river had over flowed
and it was just receding. It was hot........... no
one had caught fish.......... and I landed my
monster! I brought that giant in............. all
the men clapping and applauding because I caught a
fish. My Pop beaming with pride.
I couldn't understand why I couldn't take that
fish home and feed my family for at least a week.
Pop then explained quantify to me.............. a
fish 4 inches long just couldn't feed anyone! I
just couldn't throw it back; so Pop did!
My first day of Kindergarten. My sister Vera ('58)
was to take me. She walked me to the end where
Kindergarten doors were. She was "much older" and
couldn't be seen at the Kindergarten end (she was in
6th grade). She got to enter in the big kids doors! I
cried all the way home.
My recollection of Kindergarten class............
teacher said that we were to place our coats and
mittens on the hook (in the closet). I went over and
mine was on the hook. Someone threw my mittens on the
floor. The teacher took a ruler to my hands. It hurt!
[June -- I was in that Ktgn class and Miss Stewart was
MEAN. You remember the day she chased John Poynor out
of the class waving that ruler/yardstick at him? He ran
home and she didn't catch him either!! --- Maren]
Oh yes, the bomb/radiation drills in the halls.
Lying 3/4 rows deep....... on our tummies, eyes on
our arm and the other hand on the back of the
neck. Smelling the shoes in front of you and hoped
that you didn't get a fellow student that stepped
in something a dog left behind.
In grade school I was the tallest person in the
whole school (which included some of the
teachers). Went to Jr. High and some of the fellas
grew tall!
[June -- and I was only 1/4 inch or so behind you -
- we were EVEN in Mrs. Atwater's third grade
picture-- Maren]
In PE we had to learn how to dance. Loved dancing
with Gary LeClair and Jim Maulsby. Oh yes,
PE................ going into the girl's dressing
room and find that all the corners were taken so
you had to dress and undress out in the
open......... being tall was noticeable
enough..... but not developed yet............ oh,
how embarrassing!
I learned how to kiss (thanks to Robert Riley). I
learned to kiss at the swimming pool under water
(took me many years later to know I could breathe
and kiss at the same time)!
The sock hops............... the dancing came easy
for me............ (those long legs did pay off).
I had just one little problem....... no boy asked
me to dance (the little wall flower).
Thanks to my sis, I found a road that led out in
the boonies and then you came upon the Snake
River. A secluded spot. I learned about skinny
dipping. I felt sorry for a friend of
mine.......... she just bought the 2 piece bathing
suit and during our skinny dipping, her bottoms
sank to the bottom (neither of us would swim THAT
deep to get it). Which by the way..............
does anyone know the where abouts of Sandy Dreher?
I lost track of her after I married. Where, oh
where, can she be?
High school................ trying to figure out
what I want to be when I grow up..... Ah.... a
police woman! Women had to have a college
education (men didn't). Women worked only in
offices (no such thing as out on the street).
In college, you needed to take Zoology. Before
Zoology, you had to have Chemistry, before that,
Geometry, before that Algebra. Lordy, you're
talking to a person who hated math in any way
shape or form!
Algebra I had the light bulb go on and got to
understand it very well. [Sounds like Mrs. Nina
Johnson!] Then came Geometry....... squares and
triangles... Nope, can't do it. Requested a second
study hall.
I want to be a police woman. So, summer school
here I come! Gave up being an Aquanaut (at the
pool). That was a sacrifice! Hey, Geom was a piece
of cake, especially when the teacher had the hots
for my sis and I let him know I was her sister!
Passed with a C : )
Now comes Chemistry................ Elmer Fudd!
(Mr. Gentle). I just couldn't blow out the Bunsen
burner and asked to leave the class (another 2nd
study hall). No, he said, "The only way you can
prove to me that you don't understand is to fail
the quarter"! Boy, I showed him! Test time. He
passed out the exam. Then passed out 2 pieces of
blank paper for working formulas.
Well shoot, I couldn't make heads or tails of the
test, so I sat there during the test and wrote a
note to a friend (to pass during change of
classes). The note explained why I hated Elmer
Fudd (oh yes, I did use is nick name). Test over,
passed the tests up front. Then he asked for the
scrapes of paper (ah oh)! Of course, as it was
being passed up, everyone had to read bits and
pieces. You know what? Yep, I failed and yep I got
out of the class. Boy, I showed him!
I was thinking of college until my sis told me in
secret that mom and Pop had enough money saved to
send one of us to college (of the three siblings).
As she reminded me, it was more important for the
male to go....... so, my brother Chuck was to get
the college. I chose the Navy. Hey, thought it
would be fun with McHale's Navy... I could handle
that way of life!
The Saturday am movies. WOW! I remember Johnnie
McBrown; Hop-a-Long Cassidy. The Three Stooges.
After the movies to walk in the old cemetery and
clean off the plates of the babies. To kneel and
say a prayer. I remember going to the movies with
my mom and sis to see Transula (the BIG black
spider). I had to go to the bathroom (good, cause
it got me out of the theater). But, wait.........
there was the big spider hanging over the women's
bathroom. I'M NOT GOING IN THERE.... NOT ME! So, I
went in the Men's. That was first experience with
the funny looking drinking fountains.
Memories........................ I have a life
time full of them.
The day of my 15th Birthday my girlfriend (Sherry
Mason '61) and I drove up to Seattle (alone).
Picked up another girlfriend of hers (college) and
on to Penticton, BC. We took sleeping bags (the
stars will be the roof over our heads). Met
fellas. My second experience of french kissing
(first time was a friend of my sisters). Hey I
liked that! Hey, I read those Romance Magazines
(that Pop forbid in the house.... (thanks to Vera
who brought them in behind his back). I knew when
to quit! Years later I asked my mom how could she
have let me go up there...... just the two of us?
She said that was the hardest thing to do.... she
said she hoped and prayed that I knew right from
wrong. Thanks mom for teaching me.
I remember taking a bunch of kids on a hiking
trip. Walked from Richland, to Hanford (where the
base used to be) across the desert and ended up in
West Richland. Took them up Rattle Snake
Mountain.... oh, look at all those big holes in
the side of mountain. One fella wanted to cr awl in
one. I don't think so..... the sun was going down
(dah..... sun goes down, cools off and big and
little slithering things come out of those holes)!
Thank God no snake bites.
Back down the hill... now the sun is down..... ah
oh, how do we get back home? I went in a bar (I
remember the saw dust on the floor). I didn't have
any money. I told the owner what I had done... I
needed to call my mommie. He gave me a nickel (I
remember it having an Indian Head). I wasn't tall
enough to reach the dials on the pay phone, so
some nice man dialed the number. Pop
answered...... ah... ah..... Pop, I want to speak
to mom. (Where are you)..... ah.. ah I'm over
here... (where). When I told him, he sounded so
angry (I'm dead.... I know I'm dead). He said I
was to wait there with the other kids until he
came and got me. Yep, I'm dead! He came to get the
kids and he said "Sorry June, there is only enough
room for everyone except you. You will have to
wait until I get back". Most definately dead! He
doesn't want any witnesses. What's the big
thing.... we just took a short hiking
trip............... wasn't until years later that
I discovered the way we went was 13 miles!
I didn't die. Pop was more relieved to know I was
ok along with the kids. When he lectured me about
rattlesnakes, I told him I had the kit (remember
the razor and rubber suction cup). I didn't know
how to use it, but having it protected us!
Well..... that does it for me. Again, if anyone
knows the where abouts of Sandra Dreher, please
contact me. Hope I didn't bore anyone death?
-June Smith Colletti ('63)
[June-- Not me for sure! I was right there with ya.
Don't know about Sandra Dreher, but I'll bet Leslie
Dreher can put you on the right track. --Maren]
================================================
>>From: Judy Shaw (65)
Love the Bomber page!!
Please add me to your list for E-mail addresses
and info sharing. Thanks.
Judy Shaw, RHS class of '65.
------------------
We will add you!... You a sister to Byron Shaw ('64)?
-Gary Behymer ('64)
===============================================
>>From: Chris William Reuther (65)
Maren - Having a great time reading your sandstorm.
Many of these memories you were right in the middle
of... There was a huge neighborhood full of kids who
played games at the Roberdeau Playfield: Smyths,
Castos, Hawks, Williamsons, Gosnells, Webbs, Rhoades,
to name just a few. We had fantastic summer games at
the big field till after dark... mostly kick-the-can,
two-feet-in-the-mud, and sardines. Played till after
dark.
I remember my folks talking about the deer in the
field in the early years. They came to Richland in '47
and we were fortunate, moved into an "L" house
immediately. The area was pretty wild still, and I
remember one summer day when Gary Webb's 5 year old
brother, Randy, found a rattlesnake in their back yard!
At the playfield there's a baseball field and a
basketball court where Gary ('64), Tim ('62), my
brother, Jay ('63RIP), and others played for hours at a
time. Bobby McClellan ('66), too.
Favorite summer memories include all afternoon at
the Big Pool, horseback riding at the Riding Stables
(their sign was still there last time I looked),
playing on that huge playground at Spalding School -
I've never seen anything as big or open since at a
school. One of the most significant events of the year
was the Halloween Party and Costume parade each year.
One year my brother, Jay, over ate and ended up with
appendicitis. He was about 16.
I'm enjoying the Sandstorm and familiar names.
Someone mentioned Gary Crow being a dj in
Seattle... Where? What class is he? Looking
forward to more. Thanks for your efforts.
-Chris Williamson Reuther (65)
==========================================
That's all --- til YOU send more!!
==========================================
******************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/17/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Bob Mattson (64)
Thanks for the Alumni Sandstorm..
A Bomber till I DROP!!
Bob Mattson, class of '64
================================================
>>From: Gary Turner (71)
After spending our first three years in Richland in
a tiny prefab on Rossell, we moved in 1958 into a
Ranch house on Birch. After my dad's death in the
1983, while sorting through all of his old papers we
found the original bill of sale: $9,500!! The
payments, if my memory serves me correctly (yes, we
had the foggers on Birch also) were about $60 per
month. My Mom still lives there with many of our
original neighbors - the Utechts, Steelmans, Geiers,
Christophers, Strankmans, and others. Still a
wonderful neighborhood, where all of the longtime
residents look out for each other and maintain the
neighborly feeling that makes it such a comfortable
place to go back and visit.
-Gary Turner (71)
================================================
>>From: Debra Cravens Biondolillo (73)
Hello all fellow Alumni, Just an update of where
I am these days. I have been married for eleven
years to a theater major who is working on his
maters in theater performance. I have 3 children
Amber who is almost 21 years old and she is married
and has two children, I have two boys Aaron who is
10 and Andrew who is 7. they keep me very busy. I
have graduated from CBC with an AAS in Human
Services and Alcohol and chemical dependency
counseling. I am now going to WSU extension to get
my Bachelors in Social Science. And then I'd like to
get my masters in Counseling.
I'd love to hear from any of my old friends Like
Dana Goecke, Wendy Gower, Gayla DeVries, Sue Hinkle,
or any of my old participants in J.C. Bridge. Feel
Free to write me at any time.
-Debra Cravens Biondolillo (73)
====================
>>From: Vera Smith Robbins (58)
Maren, I sure hope these comments and stories
continue to roll in to you and Gary. It's the
highlight of my morning at work when I can open up
my email and read all these stories. I start my day
off smiling, which causes everyone that passes my
desk to also smile. Good way to start the day.
I wonder if anyone remembers the USO Club? I know
a lot of parents weren't very happy about it being
there on Geo Wash Way because all the Camp Hanford
soldiers went there.
I was a USO girl for a short time. We were there
just to play cards, shoot pool, dance or talk with
the lonely GI's. That's where I learned to shoot
pool and play Pinochle. It was later turned into a
dance club but I don't remember the name of it.
A big "atta boy, girl" to you and Gary. Also to
all those Richland Grads that pass along all those
memories. I can't wait to come back to Richland for
my reunion.
Vera Smith Robbins '58
================================================
>>From: Pam Ehinger Nassen (67)
Answer to Bill Compton's question. Chief Joseph is
buried in Nespelem, just as you come into the town
there is a statue of him. Nespelem is on the
Colville Res. in the Okanogan. I lived in Omak for
17 yr, plus that is where my grandparents lived,
(dad's folks). Also I don't remember any sign out
side of Kennewick stating no negros after dark. But
I do remember that they bragged that they had no
colored people living there, but banned the book Tom
Sawyer because it used the word nigger in it and
that they were offended by that! Now go figure!!
There are so many of my old class mates that I would
loved to hear from, Marti Sterns, Willie Mitchell,
Pat Blake, Patty Shelton, Lewis Gray..... Those are
just a few. So if anyone knows I'd love to hear from
you.
A lot of talk of the West Richland canal, well just
one week before graduation '67 I gave my car or
rather my folk's car a bath in it!! Had 3 kids two
dogs and a cat in the car at the time!! What Fun!!
It happened right in front of Jim Howard's place in
West Richland. There are so many memories that we
all have to such a small town, then, but they are
ours. Bombers Rule
-Pam Ehinger Nassen '67
================================================
>>From: Kim Edgar Leeming (79)
Both my brother, Gordy, and I are all enjoying this
Bomber stuff.
Thanks
-Kim "Edgar" Leeming, Class of 79
================================================
>>From: Walter Gordon Edgar (78)
What could be more normal than chasing mosquito
trucks and getting your radiation level checked at
grade school? In 5th grade (Mr. Miller) at Jason Lee
the entire class was marched single file to a
trailer in the parking lot and we were checked one
at a time for radiation while the rest of the class
waited outside.
-Walter Gordon Edgar (78)
===============================================
>>From: Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
I can't believe the amount of information about the
Bombers. It sounds like we all had the same
childhood. The exception might be that we were the
only Hispanic family in the area for a number of
years. I don't remember any discrimination, however.
People pretty much accepted everyone else for who
they were. I'm thrilled to see the names of people I
had lost contact with and look forward to more.
Please send me the site for the '59' Bomber e-mail.
-Patri Laargé deVargas-Walker ('59)
============================================
>>From: John Northover (79)
The Alumni Sandstorm...
I remember the Tri City Braves, my dad would take me
to the games, do not remember but I think they were
a AA club...the big memory was the right field foul
pole. Every baseball field has advertising on the
fence. There was a plumbing repair/supply company,
do not remember the name, but they had a commode
mounted just outside the right field foul line near
the top of the fence in right field. If one of the
players managed to hit a ball in the commode, they
would receive some grand prize. My dad said during
one game, as though he had some revelation...looking
at the commode hanging on the right field fence,
'That would really be a foul ball!!!' He was very
happy with himself, for thinking of that. I think he
actually bought a bag of peanuts after that. The
swimming pool in Columbia park that was fed by the
cold water from the Columbia river. having to get
out of the pool every hour and let the next batch of
kids in. Once in it took several minutes to get used
to the water again...
Using Crisco or that yellow stuff...as suntan lotion.
Trying to get some adult to purchase beer for a
friday or saturday night.
The dances held on Friday night in the Richland
Community Center????
The 45's we played???
Does anyone remember the headlines in the Tri-Hard
Herald that announced 'MOTHER THWARTS BEER BUST' or
some thing to that effect???
How about lagging for pennies, nickels, dimes,
quarters ... in the boys head in the new section of
the high school???
Drinking beer during lunch time at the high school
parking lot???
Francis Coelho ... the art teacher ... I will admit
to drinking vodka [and not mention others that may
have ... ] in the back work room of the art class
room during my senior year...
I remember sitting in physics behind Mike Patzer in
Mr. Scott's class after a liquid lunch ... and
hearing Mr. Scott say 'someone smells like beer ...
' I set a world record holding my breath ..!!
Does anyone remember getting the 'office girls' to
mark us present and then taking off on a trip to
somewhere and back before school let out???
The smoking areas????
Dumas Gains???
"New wonders, fast beginnings Slow endings, all the
same As they fade, all the same Never to be heard
again" Sue Birge '59
Jay Butler and Pat Hartnett ... the Basket Ball
managers???
Setting firecrackers off in the men's room in the
UPTOWN Theater???
Operation Weed ...???
Roger Sharp ... editor of the '59 Columbian
The top five .... Susan Myhre, Judy Rees, Loretta
Reich, Gerogette Anderson, Tom Beaulieu
'59 was the first year to wear T-shirts and shorts
to school
Remember the '59 Tolo Royalty, King Ernie Trujillo,
Senior Princes Gary Lind and Sandy Kross, Junior
princes Dennis Waltman and Don Smith, Sophomore's
Don Ott and Chuck Rathbun
Newberrys hot dogs???
The State national Scholastic Art Awards, Columbia
High School took 27 of the 75 awarded to the entire
state....GO BOMBERSSSSS!!!
Remember the Sandmen, R. Williams, D Robertson, C.
Carlson and V Bates.
the Senior trio ... J. Lambert, E. Belliston and S.
Seely.
"Plants swaying to their leaning for a bend petals
open with a secret hiding hidden to the bee a leaf,
its vein\s crawling creeping for the sun, stems
support the carring of their secret. plants have a
life so different." Mary Mankowski
'59 ASO Officers, Bill Roe president, Jeff Hartman
vice president, Barbra Haugen secretary, Karen Howe
treasure and Helen Clark Publicity Manager...
'59 Cheer Leaders, Ernie Trujillo, Sandy Kross, Kit
Bridges, Barbara Stanfield, Vonnie Reed, the YELL
QUEEN!!!
Rick Johnson and his radio program???
Pancakes my dad made on a Saturday morning???
'59 Song Leaders...Diane Glover, Judy Fellman, Susie
Fisher [SONG QUEEN], Darlene Manning, Mickey
Ellingson, Nancy Manning [little sister of Darlene]
and Pam Shine
THE boys pep club ... in its first official year
ROTTA...ROOOTTTAAAA!!!
Going hunting with a bow and arrow with spent casing
of 38's as tips, looking for pararie dogs...
Walking around the hills with a 22 cal cannon
hunting rabbits???
Searching
"Searching through a square,
A barren field appears,
Watching close to see,
What little life is there
In the distance stands
A hill in silence bare." Chris Midkiff
Some on in a previous emailing ... asked the name of
the C and L Tahitian Room
'59 IN MEMORAIM: Leslie Mc Intosh, Super of
schools??? and Dan Cambell, dove off a bridge and
broke his neck...
Sleeping out ...
If our parents only knew!!!!
WWHAT A TIMMMMEEEE!!!
John Northover ('59)
====================
>>From: Robert Davis (73)
I moved to Richland in the summer of 1970. My Dad
took over as Project Manager for the construction of
the FFTF (Fast Flux Test Facility) that Becthel was
building 'out there'.
So, I don't have a lot of the 'early' memories of
Richland that some of the 'old timers' have written
about. But I still have more than a few fond
remembrances.
Visiting the 'visitor center' and collecting my
irradiated glass marble.
Collecting the tumble weeds from the backyard fence.
Watching the construction of the (then) new Hanford
K-12 school, just a few blocks north of our house.
Even in the early 70's, Richland was a safe place to
be. A tennis buddy (Bill Koshman) and I would walk
the streets downtown on Friday night with some of
the summer seminary students discussing philosophy
and the bible while sucking down real draft root
beer from the A&W.
My best bud (Mark Van Tuyl) and I jogging down to
the picnic benches 'down the hill' from Col High and
playing chess every Sunday... our version of the
Boris Spasky and Bobby Fischer face off.
Learning to peck out the Canadian national anthem on
the piano in the locker room before cross country
practice. ( Olympic fever )
Shaking my head at the mania (and maniacs) that went
to the roller derby event in the main gym.
Coach Jensen - Higgins, Melton, and the Rice boys
bringing the State Title home for three years in a
row in Cross Country. Running miles along the 'green
belt' and sucking water from the busted irrigation
pipes. Running miles up and down the hills and
multiple circles around the pool to check out the
females and their swim fashions.
The Guardian Angels cheering all the sports folk on
every week. The Bleacher Bums of America... raggedly
singing slapped together challenges to the
opposition at the B-Ball games.
Me and the entire graduating class of males sweating
out the last official lottery to see who might be
going off to 'clean up' the mess in Viet Nam.
The Nixon years... and more people bitching about
the trials pre-empting their daily soaps than why
and what the trials were all about.
And a whole bunch more I'm probably missing at the
moment. Makes me sorry I couldn't get up there this
summer for the 25th reunion.
-Robert Davis (73)
===================
>>From: Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46)
Dear Maren -- I had trouble on AOL yesterday so
don't think my mail reached you as it doesn't show
up on list.
I did get to the url and the picture, etc., for 1942
turned out perfectly. What a great job you and Gary
are doing.
In response to his question about John Crowder - he
comes from a different family.
In response to Eva's question about Chuck Crowder'49
and Colleen, yes, Chuck is my husband's brother.
Unfortunately he died from a heart attack in 1989.
Saw Colleen a few years ago at a 40's reunion in
Richland. Think she lives in northern Arizona but am
not in contact with her.
Keep up the wonderful work.
-Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46)
=======================================
>>From: Don Winston (63)
TO: Richard Henderson (62)
Rich,
You don't know me, but I was in the Class of '63
and my sister, Liz Winston, was in your class. I was
just reading your post on the 8/14 On-line
Sandstorm, and your mention of Mr. Pippo (wasn't it
spelled Toivo? -- I seem to remember the
pronunciation as "toy-vo") brought back a memory
that no one has mentioned --- the "Lung Cancer
Film". Did you guys ever see it?
I can remember Mr. Pippo showing the film in, I
think, 8th grade (for me). It was a pretty graphic
film of a lung removal operation, complete with the
darkened lung displayed by the surgeon at the end of
the surgery. The shock of the first cut with the
scalpel caused the whole class to gasp (and some to
leave), and the cranking open of the poor guy's
chest with the rib retractor (looked like a torture
machine from Hell) was certainly graphic in my mind.
I never became a smoker, and I attribute a lot of
that to watching that film one afternoon in 8th
Grade Health. Thanks, Mr. Pippo, wherever you are.
Regards,
Don Winston, Class of '63
=================================
>>From: Marilyn Thorp (63)
TO: Jim Vaché (64)
Jim, this idea just percolated to the surface. It
would be great if all class members would give you
permission to use the pertinent memories/stories for
your book (if appropriate). You could make/fill in
situations using the stories. Just a thought. What
do you think Gary, Maren? Too far out?
Maren, I went through my annuals and have some names
for the three class pictures you put out. Will bring
tomorrow. Some names just came to me as I looked at
them, but there were no corresponding pictures in
high school. For what they are worth. More later. I
have two pictures from Marcus Whitman, but haven't
scanned them yet. Would it crash e-mail systems to
send them as an attachment? Let me know protocol.
Thanks.
-Marilyn Thorpe ('63)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Marilyn -- send scanned pictures to me and I will see
that they get on the pictures site for class of '63.
The BIGGER the BETTER!... Gives me more pixels (little
squares) to work with. Can't attach the pictures to
the Alumni Sandstorm because that messes up some
computers. --Maren]
=====================================
>>From: Jim Haun (71)
Please add me to the Class of 71. Thanks, Jim Haun
=======================================
>>From: Barbara Seslar Brackenbush ('60)
Still in Richland and retired almost one year!
Hi! I am really enjoying all the memories. Although
I have remained in Richland, the changes going on
all around are really something! If you have been
gone awhile, it would surprise you.
No one has mentioned yet - Hanna's Malt Shop that
used to be in Downtown Richland across from Bell
Furniture (which is still there!); JJ Newberry's on
the corner of Uptown Richland that used to have a
lunch counter; Densow Drug and their wonderful ice
cream counter (they had the BEST ice cream!); The
Tahitian Room (it hasn't changed!). My family moved
here in about 1954 or 1955 and they are still here,
too. Thanks for the memories.
-Barbara Seslar Brackenbush ('60)
===================================
>>From: Jim Vaché (64)
I found Mr. Maddy's paper very interesting.
For those who don't know, much of the recent
topography of the area, other than the river and the
higher hills, is the product of the great Missoula
floods of the late ice age. The channelled scab
lands were formed by immense floods that burst
through ice dams that formed in the ranges in the
Rockies (Bitteroots, Cabinets, etc.) The immense
floods (one thinks of biblical proportions!) deluged
the area thru Spokane, south to Wallula gap and west
to the grand coulee area. The effects on the
landscape were tremendous, as one can see from the
air flying in the area, and also far reaching. There
is respectable opinion that part of the Willammette
valley is from deposits from these floods. The sandy
soil in the Tri Cities area is primarily silt and
loess that was deposited in the area when shallow
lakes formed as the water backed up at the Gap. I
used to wonder how a big piece of granite (much
older rock than the lava and basalt deposits that
dominate the landscape) came to be deposited on our
property in West Richland -- the answer is, I think
that it was carried out of the Rockies by these
immense floods.
I seem to remember as well that the Palouse Hills
were formed by these floods, either directly, or
indirectly as a result of the prevailing winds from
the West carrying the sand/silt from the Tri Cities
area to the Palouse. (And you think the sandstorms
in our time were awful!). Steptoe Butte, a
dominating feature of the Palouse and its companion
Kamiak Butte, a party favorite for cougs in my day,
are left over remnants of the old North American
continent western edge, and are composed of that
same billion year or so old rock that forms the
Rockies.
I am writing this from memory of reading I have
done, so there may be some mistakes in it. I would
be glad to send out a short biblio. on these general
topics, if anyone is interested.
BTW, it is ironical that Mr. Maddy's alma mater was
the home base for the man who propounded the Great
Flood theory back in the 20s or 30s, and who was
laughed out of the mainstream Academy because his
theory was thought to be so outlandish. I believe
the man's name was Harlan Betz, and if I remember
the story right, he lived long enough to be
vindicated in his theory in the 70s.
regards and in the search for knowledge,
jmv.
-Jim Vaché ('64)
==============================================
That's it for today -- looks like this is going to
be another 'late' edition --- ummm... or EARLY
tomorrow.... since I'm working on it on the 17th,
will leave it that date even though it will, I'm
sure, go out VERY early of the 18th. More
tomorrow... I'm SURE you will send more. -Maren
===============================================
***********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/18-19/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Re: Bomber Mania
The History of Richland High School Basketball 1953-
1980 By Ernest Z. Jensen and Richard W. Swanson.
This book was put together and released in 1980. It
is 52 pages -- mostly written commentary -- of each
season from 1953 to 1980 of Bomber Basketball. It is
full of statistics, records and even some cool
pictures. Information gathered from the Tri-City
Herald, the Bomber Booster Club & many individuals.
I have secured a limited number of these booklets
and if you want one, send me e-mail and I'll save ONE
just for YOU. Would like to give everybody a chance at
them, so one per person, please.
They are a modest $8.00 and that's POSTPAID. Checks
only, please.
Gary Behymer ('64)
======================================
>>From: Marilyln Groff Taylor (63)
My brother Phil must of graduated in 1958. He was a
good looking blond, now he's a good looking bald
headed man. Lives in Post Orchard,WA near Bremerton.
One adopted son and two grandkids. My brothers do
not have email. Phil has a computer but hasn't
gotten with it yet. My sister and I talk (email)
almost daily, it's as if I haven't left Washington,
I still feel she is next door. She lives in
Richland, after several years in the state of
Michigan. My husband and I went to visit my daughter
in North Carolina a couple of years ago and stopped
in New Orleans on the way back. I agree it's a nice
place to visit but I don't think I would want to
live there. But we really like the whole country in
the south. It's just so pretty, but I guess it is
real humid in the summer. We met a man in a small
town in Mexico. He was from New Orleans, he worked
on one of a cruise ship or river boat (not sure).
Anyway, he worked on the ship for 2 weeks then had 2
weeks off. He flys down to Mexico for his weeks off
(every month). He said he could fly down and rent a
small villa, cheaper then he can rent a place in New
Orleans. Sounds kind of crazy but he seemed very
truthful.
-Marilyn Groff Taylor ('63)
======================================
>>From: Carl Lorenzen (98)
I am doing my best to take care of my own class
http://members.aol.com/timeball/rhs98.html By
maintaining a smaller one class sight, I ensure that
the page will have higher priority on any search
engine if someone searches by name alone. And thus,
the Internet works a little better for everyone. I
would appreciate any e-mails from my class that you
could give me (I've already got a good start).
Thanks,
Carl Lorenzen (1998)
=======================================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Re: Clear Lake -- I saw somebody mention Clear Lake. I
have a memory of my Dad saving me from drowning in
Clear Lake. I must have been real little... like
maybe only 4 or 5 ... does anybody know WHERE Clear
Lake is?
ReL Hat Rock -- Remember going there a couple of times
on family outings in the summer. Is that in Oregon
somewhere?
-Maren Smyth ('64)
=====================================
>>From: Tim Lippert (79)
I've really enjoyed reading all the e-mails
from everyone. I graduated in '79, but I still
remember alot of the things everyone is writing
about. I printed a couple of days worth and showed
them to my dad. (Carmichael Cougars: My dad is Mr.
Lippert) He recognized a few names and remembered
alot of things too. We moved into town, from Benton
City, when dad got a job teaching at Carmichael in
'63. We lived at 1446 Agnes, off of Cottonwood at
the south end of town, until 1978. I remember the
irrigation slide near the by-pass and catching
pollywogs at Welsian pond. The shelter belt was
another big draw and we spent alot of summer days
climbing trees and damming up the little irrigation
canal that ran through it. I'm lucky that I get to
go back quite often, the folks live in West Richland
now. Kind of spooky is that my wife grew up in a
parallel town in California, Ridgecrest. It has the
Naval Weapons Center at China Lake and from what
I've been told they made and assembled the lenses
for the bombs that Hanford made the plutonium for.
The two towns are strikingly similar in geography
but Ridgecrest is a bit less thriving so retains
some of the "older" feel to it that Richland seems
to be growning out of. I mean who ever thought that
7-hills would be a posh golf development and that
Sham-na-pum would go upscale? Thanks again for
sharing .
-Tim Lippert ('79), Shoreline, WA
========================================
>>From: Jim "Pitts" Armstrong (63)
Hey! Theartis Wallace's ('63) over 50 team "The
Oddballs" won the silver medal at The Nike Games at
Porland last Friday. The team included Jerry Skaife
from CBC/Idaho and Jack State from EWSC. I talked to
Theartis Sat. evening and he was quite pleased with
their performance since they only had one practice
before the games.
Jim Armstrong ('63)
========================================
>>From: June Smith Colletti (63)
Re: Sandy Dreher
Thank you soooooooo much! She was part of my high
school childhood. Each time I came across a picture
I had (taken of a group of us after my return from
boot camp) I would wonder where oh where can she be!
I'm just so excited about it. Just another piece of
my life! Thx again!
-June Smith Colletti ('63)
========================================
>>From: Cappy Haines (63)
Do you remember the Columbia River MTA (midnight
timing association)? Does it still live?
Cappy Haines 63 Bombed out!
[ANOTHER ONE FROM CAPPY HAINES]
Thought some one of us could use this.
PRAYER OF THE GOLDEN YEARS
Blessed are they who understand,
My faltering step and palsied hand
Blessed are they who know that my ears today
Must strain to catch the things they say.
Blessed are they who seem to know
That my eyes are dim and my wits are slow.
Blessed are they with a cheery smile
Who stop to chat for a little while.
Blessed are they who never say,
"You've told that story twice today."
Blessed are they who know the ways
To bring back memories of yesterdays.
Blessed are they who make it known
That I'm loved, respected, and not alone.
Blessed are they who ease the days
On my journey Home, in loving ways.
-Cappy ('63)
=======================================
>>From: Ellen Spitaleri (65)
Hello Gary - glad you got the magazine I sent you -
hope you like it. I have just one memory to add, and
it may be a "folktale." My mom tells me that I saw
Sharon Tate crowned Miss Richland in the late '50s.
But shortly after she won the title, her dad was
transferred somewhere else and she had to give it
up. Wonder if that is true? Thanks for all the fun
forwards!
Ellen Spitaleri (65)
Newspaper adviser
Lake Oswego High School
==================================
>>From: Bill Byrd (59)
RE: Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/17/98
The note from John Northover brought back so many
memories of the summers the neighborhood gang spent
together. John's dad would put up a large 16 man
army tent in their back yard each summer and the
whole neighborhood gang would read comic books
during the day and sleep out there during the
nights. John mention-ed his dad's pancakes. On
Saturday morning, John's dad would make pancakes in
the shape of animals for the whole gang ie. Rick
Johnson, Steve Baker, Pete Bradley, Ron Crawford and
sometimes George Pruden. As we got older(14 or 15)
we would "borrow" John's Dad's old Ford and joy ride
around town before replacing the car back in the
exact place where his dad had left it. We played
baseball in the front yard until we broke a window
in Steve Baker's house. Rick and I use to ride our
bikes to the pump house on the Columbia River after
school to fish. This is where the irrigation ditch
that ran through town was pumped over the dike into
the river. Many great memories of catching fish
there. Later during high school days we water skied
from Jim Warren's dock using his family's ChrisCraft
mahogany hull inboard with the flat head six. What a
great boat! Plenty of power to pull two skiers off
the dock or the island. Paul Knutson was there and
Jim's younger brother David. We had many a good
night sleeping out on the dock.
More later.
Bill Byrd (59)
==================================
>>From: Jill Walser (81)
Hello everyone! I thought I'd join in as a member of
the "younger generation". I remember swimming and
floating on the Columbia River and under the
railroad bridge with Joyce True, Barb Hodges, Rob
Gibson, (he married Joyce) and Gauin Moore. I
remember getting dizzy on the fastest merry-go-round
in Howard Amon Park. We'd routinely stop for pasty
faced younger kids, so they could recover...in time
to get right back on. I remember walking home alone
from school. As an adult I thought how great it was
we were so safe then that we could do that. Then I
read about Wesley Alan Dodd and what he was doing to
children and animals during that time. I remember
Wesley playing in the RHS band. I look forward to
hearing from more of my age classmates.
-Jill Walser '81
========================================
>>From: Al Parker (53)
I've been reading all the memories people have sent
in to Maren and Gary. I'm getting the itch to sell
my house and move back to Richland. The desire is
sooooo strong right now. Wow Truly amazing to me,
and wonderfu also, all this Bomber bonding
happening!
-Al Parker ('53)
====================================
>>From: Patty Stordahl (72)
Thanks she already responded this is way cool. Hey
Peter Brandt I accidentally deleted your message
write again. Soon as I am headed out of town on
business next week & only back for 8 days befor I go
to Boston. Then back to CA & MT.
Big stuff coming down the pike.
Patty Stordahl
[ANOTHER ONE FROM PATTY]
Peter Brandt I accidentally deleted your message
write me again please or call (206)767-4697 see ya.
This is way cool. I really appreciate this effort by
every one. Nancy still has not responded. I know she
has a computer.
-Patty Stordahl ('72)
================================
>>From: Rich Baker (58)
Maren, I read John Northover's e-mail and it brought
back a couple of memories I would like to share. He
mentioned the Tri-City Braves. I remember going to
the games, but the highlight for me was when I was
playing Little League for By's Burger's and the Tri-
City Brave's catcher at that time was Nick Pesuit. I
was the catcher for By's and Nick came to one of our
practice sessions and gave me some pointers.
Barbara Seslar Brackenbush mentioned JJ Newberry's. I
started working there when I was in 9th grade for 75
cents an hour and worked part time all the way through
high school. Isle Sessions ran the kitchen. Gerald
Burdsall (56 or 57) was the dish washer. Unfortunately,
Gerald passed away a little over a year ago.
-Rich Baker '58
====================
>>From: Grover Shegrud (56)
Wow this is terrific!! I have found a justifacation
for my computer money now. We moved to Richland from
Minn. in 1944 to 1320 Stevens Dr. (couple doors from
Tom Hughes). I went to Sacajawea (the only word I
ever learned to spell) remember Mrs. Dunn, Mr.
Webber, Mrs. Peterson (principal I think), Cheif Jo,
shop class and home ec * still make baked potatos
from that recipe * Then out of Col Hi 1956. Best
memories from algebra Mrs. Skogen and english class
Mrs. Brown (only english class I passed). and
Mr.Hartly. I remember one winter diving into a pile
of tumble weeds covered with snow (my brain must
have gotten fried very early). My summers we spent
each day reading first in am then walking across
play field at Sacajawea to the men's dorms and
picking up 5 pop bottles. Then to the store downtown
to cash them in $.15 dime for locker at old pool
where I'd swim all day, then walk to uptown for a
soft ice cream cone at the Spudnut Shop.. then do it
again the next day. Our family sent Spudnuts to
brother Terry (still in Richland) they took weeks to
get to him in England by APO don't know if he was
ever able to eat them but I could't think of
anything better to send to him. My sister Beverly
class of '50 is still in Richland too. running out
of words I can spell.
-Grover Shegrud ('56)
====================================
>>From: Maureen Fleischman (76)
Hi! I am Maureen Sullivan, a 1976 graduate of RHS.
Please add me to the small list of 76 addresses.
====================================
>>From: Mary McGuire Druffel ('65)
Hi Gary - remember me, Mary McGuire Druffel '65,
former fellow classmate of Herr Stoebner. I just
found out about the Alumni Sandstorm from my
daughter who lives in Seattle who works with a
former Bomber. He knew about the Bomber alum website
and passed the news on to her because she told him
her mom was a Bomber. So how are ya' doing? Are you
working hard at getting the price of wheat up? Hope
so. We need all the help we can get. Harvest is
winding down here - it sure has been great weather
for it - will be wanting rain soon.
Enjoyed reading all the memories of Richland from
other alums. I recognized some of them. You can put
me on the website. After graduating from Col Hi I
went on to Sacred Heart School of Nursing,
graduating in 1968. I married Mike Druffel, Colton
area farmer, in 1970. We have five children. In
Richland we lived on the south end of town on
Cullum, then Douglas.. My dad was on the Richland
Police Dept. for 25 years. They moved to Clarkston,
Wa. in 1978 to be closer to us. My mom died in 1989
and my dad still lives in Clarkston - he is 85 years
young. I went to Christ the King grade school, then
Carmichael for 9th grade, then on to Col Hi. My good
friends were Janice Turner and Patsy Bolson. Janice
used to pick me up for school in her brother,
Paul's, "50 Ford. I could hear her coming from
blocks away. One day we dropped the universal joint
in the Col Hi parking lot. I remember tooling Zips,
frosty mugs from the A&W, Tasty Freeze treats, cheap
movies, the Downtown and Uptown, skiing on the river
with Flinn Curren, the lagoon, great basketball
teams, the spudnut shop, and lots more. Lets hear
from some more '65 grads!
-Mary McGuire Druffel ('65)
=====================
>>From: Maureen Sullivan (76)
Class of 76'--Where are you guys?
Hey, this is great! My brother Denis (62) turned me
on to this bombermania. Loved reading the stories
and laughed out loud at some of them. Our 1400 block
of Marshall was filled with Bombers: Crowleys,
Gregers, Foleys, Schumachers, Jones, and of course
the Sullivans from 62'-68' and then me in 76. Would
love to hear from more 74-76 alums. How about some
Christ the King memories?
-Maureen Sullivan ('76)
=====================
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
Here are a few more memories:
"Collection" containers which mysteriously appeared
on front porches and disappeared just as mysteriously.
Frequent stops to J. J. Newberry's as we walked
around and around the Uptown. Checking out the candy
in the long rows of candy bins, getting a bag of
popcorn or eating at the lunch counter. I believe
that Newberry's was the only store Uptown that we
were allowed to enter from the alley. Plus you could
go upstairs using the flight of stairs on the north
side of the store to use the bathroom without even
asking. At Christmas time Santa's Toyland was
upstairs. We used the west stairway to enter Toyland
to "dream" and to visit Santa.
Does anyone remember when the Payless store was
located on The Parkway? I remember shopping there
for a Christmas present for my brother, Jim ('62). I
purchased a sno-cone making machine and thought it
was so neat! The store was located on the northwest
corner of Lee and The Parkway.
How about shopping for groceries at the Army
Commissary? I remember going there with one of our
neighbors. She probably asked me along because I
could keep an "eye" on her five children! The prices
really were much cheaper there.
I have noticed references to Dr. Ida Mecum. I
checked our yearbook for the correct spelling of her
name and found that in addition to teaching Biology,
she also taught Physiology. I was in her Biology
classroom my sophomore year when the announcement
came over the intercom that President Kennedy had
been "fatally wounded".
Remember Mr. Matt Greenough? Neat teacher! He was my
Economics teacher my senior year. I was also taking
"Steno" from Mrs. Georgia Burns at the time. Mr.
Greenough asked Mrs. Burns if I could use one of the
typewriters to type our semester final test which he
had written. He told me not to pay any attention to
the answers which were written by the questions as I
would be given an entirely different test. Guess
which test he ended up having me take ...? Yes, the
one I had typed! I believe I got a B+ on it, too!
By the way, both Dr. Mecum and Mr. Greenough have
passed away.
I remember having Mr. James Loss my sophomore year
for English. It was his first year of teaching, so
he was pretty young then. I thought it was pretty
"cool" that he was also a D.J. on KORD! Teachers
frequently have to have a second job to support
their families, unfortunately.
Did anyone else ever wonder about the "friendly
relationship" between Miss Joyce Larson and Mr. Bill
Allen (both English teachers)?
Uptown Thrifty Drug was a favorite place to stop at
their "fountain" for banana splits with Ellen
Bohringer Bjorn ('66) as we "walked the Uptown".
Remember the LONG lines to see a movie playing on a
Friday night at the Uptown Theatre? They would be
way back past the Spudnut Shop. Of course, that was
way before the roof collapsed on the Uptown Theatre.
Thankfully, no one was inside at the time. The
structure was rebuilt and redesigned. No more makeup
benches to sit at in the girls' bathroom now!
Did anyone have the opportunity to walk through the
cemetary on Williams on the way to school at
Sacajawea? That was the shortest route for us when I
attended Sacajawea my 6th grade year. I remember
also playing with friends under the shrubs in the
cemetary (west side). There were long paths which
you could walk/crawl on under the shrubs. I have no
idea why they were there, though.
I remember walking all over Richland with Ellen
beginning about 9th grade. We walked at night, too,
with no fear of being harmed. One night, though, we
were walking to Ellen's house on McMurray from my
house on Johnston and took a shortcut behind Chief
Joe. It was really dark on the north side of the
school (the court yard side), and we SCREAMED AND
SCREAMED when we came upon TWO DEER walking back
there, too!
By the way, Chief Joe was closed for a number of
years due to a lack of middle school aged students
in that area. When the school population warranted
another school, however, Chief Joe was redesigned
and rebuilt. I believe it reopened the fall of 1994.
This spring Mr. Piippo received the honor of having
the school gym named after him. He is still living
in Richland and remains pretty active.
Mr. Strankman was named to the "Hall of Fame" at
Hanford High School last spring due to his huge
success as the first boys' high school basketball
coach at HHS (yes, there is another high school in
Richland!).
The gym at Christ the King School was named in honor
of Superior Court Judge Albert J. Yencopal several
years ago. Of course, a lot of students remember Al
from their basketball days at CK. Byrne Haskins
('65), my brother-in-law, was instrumental in having
the gym named after Al.
That's all for now, Maren. "Thank you" falls very
short of the appropriate words to say both to Gary
and to you. The memories are cherished by so many
people. You two are GREATLY appreciated!
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
=================================
>>From: Joe Largé (68)
Dear Larry, (and Maren, and Gary),
Just wanted to take a minute and say thanks for all
the memories you folks are bringing our family's
way. Since I've gotten "online" with y'all, we have
been scaring up friends we haven't talked to since I
was in High School. Thanks for sending me the copy
of the Sandstorm with my sister Patricia's message
in it. I was sort of absent when Patri and my other
sister, Delores experienced the "big Sandstorm". I
don't remember the cow out in front of Densow Drug,
but I certainly remember Mr. Lytle, the Druggist. I
wonder where he is now! I used to play with Vicki
Lytle, his daughter quite a bit. They lived about 3
houses down from us. I remember in the summer,
climbing up "Flat Top" and the stories people would
tell of driving up to the top of "Rattlesnake" and
listening to the "Rattlesnakes" in the night. Been
there, done that (sort of) in Tonopah, Nevada where
I climbed up to the top of an 800 foot Cinder Cone
and was greeted at the top by a large Red
Diamondback rattler shading himself under an
overhanging rock. Got the picture to prove it, but I
didn't wait around for him to autograph same.
Has anybody ever heard any more about the
whereabouts of Mr. Aubrey Clayton or his son,
Dennis. He was my Jr. High (Carmichael) biology and
science teacher. I really enjoyed knowing him. I
counted him as a good friend.
I'm sad to hear about Maryjane Cross. I wouldn't
mind knowing how she died. The Crosses lived across
the street from us on Birch and we played together a
great deal. She was the first one I ever considered
as a "girl friend".
Thanks again, folks!
Joe Largé (and family)
Note to Dennis Largé
My dearest Bro Den,
I wanted to include the website address for the
"All Bomber Alumni Links". Patri and I have been
getting re-aquainted with old friends through all
this. Talk to you later, bro! Hope you enjoy this!
RichlandBombers.com
Love,
Joe
-Joe Largé ('68)
============================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Interesting statistic: We have 65 pairs of Bombers
who married Bombers. TRIED to eliminate duplicates
of this issue.
I was in Miss Heath's Shorthand class when JFK was
shot. WHERE WERE YOU???
================================================
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS "ISSUE" .. SEND MORE.
************************************************
************************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/20/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Bill Lattin (58)
Thanks you for these memories of Richland. One that
I remember that no one has mentioned is surf
boarding in the irrigation ditches. We would put a
rope from an old car to a homemade surfboard, drive
along the service road pulling this piece of plywood
with one of us on it. You would have to lean away
from the road side of the ditch just to stay in the
middle of the irrigation ditch through turns and
your friends trying to get you to fall off. At times
the rope would hit the vegetation along the side and
start pulling you to the edge. It's a wonder that no
one got hurt but a great memory.
-Bill Lattin (58)
====================
>>From: Jack Spanner (70)
I enjoy reading all these old stories. One of
folklores is absolutely true. In response to Ellen
Spitaleri (65), Sharon Tate lived in the house
behind mine on Berkshire Street in Richland Village.
My Mom still says that our lawn was never mowed as
often as it was then. Sharon and her friends used to
catch some rays in preparation for the for the
Frontier Days pageant.
-Jack Spanner (70)
======================================
>>From: Jean Nelson Minor (57)
Hi, Gary and Maren, thanks so much for all your hard
work. I notice the time that the e-mail is sent out
and I appreciate all the time you put in on this for
our benefit. I lived in White Bluffs until they
moved the whole town out (about 3 months, I think.)
Then we lived in Sunnyside for a year and then moved
into a prefab at 808 Willard. We lived there for
several years across the street from my grandparents
(there were some older people in Richland.) We also
lived across the street from Lenora, Tom and Howard
Hughes. Then we moved to a "K" house at 2201 Swift
Blvd, three houses from Dixie Dye.
Yes, Ellen, Sharon Tate was not a folklore, she
really was crowned Miss Richland and her father was
transferred with the Army and she did give up the
crown.
Does anyone remember trading comic books? It was so
exciting to get all new comics books about once a
week! I remember doing this for a couple of years.
Also helping at Brinkerhoffs amusement park, driving
the train and running the merry-go-round and sitting
on a horse backward once I got it going. That was a
carefree time of life!
I went to Marcus Whitman where my mother was PTA
president. I remember in kindergarten I was helping
lower the blinds and the whole thing fell. Boy did I
get into trouble. There I met Joan Campbell who was
a great friend clear through high school.
We had a terrible blizzard about the time I was in
fifth grade and my fingers got frostbitten walking
the three or four blocks home. My fingers have never
been that cold since. I went to Carmichael Jr. High
and then to Col Hi. The students all liked Norris,
CW and Yolanda Brown but when we choose Norris as
Tolo king the parents were up in arms and tried to
stop it. Norris and his brother did a lot for our
basketball team and he deserved the honor. He has a
full page picture in the annual as I remember, I
haven't seen it for years.
I have to mention Elvis in his first movies at the
uptown theater and how I screamed for 2 hours
because he was so cool!!! Setting there with my
friends and our feet on the seats in front of us.
Six couples went on a midnight picnic to the lagoon
and we thought we were sneaky until a cop chased us
off. I don't know about the other 5 but it scared me
to death. My best friends were Lenora Hughes, Joan
Campbell, Arlene Gruver, Hope Northrup, Dixie Dye,
Kenny Gruver. Does anyone know where Hope Northrup
and Arlene Gruver are??? Email me
-Jean Nelson Minor (57)
======================================
>>From: Earl Bennett (63)
In the Fall of '63, I was taking second year
Russian at WSU. The professor was a very kind, white
haired native Russian, name long forgotten. He was
late for class one day, walked in with shoulders and
head down and said "President Kenney's been shot,
probably killed." He paused, said he didn't feel
like teaching, and left. A few students had gasped
at his first announcement, but I don't remember
hearing much conversation as we all gathered our
books and headed for wherever we could find out more
- in my case, the dorm.
John Coons - great to hear from you, how's
Tony and your Mom? Thanks for reminding me of school
patrol boys and girls. I don't remember if we were
enlightened enough to have girls involved when you
and I participated at Jason Lee in 5th and 6th grade
- the hot chocolate in the Principal's office on
winter mornings was always great. Do you, or anyone
else, remember the name of the police officer who
came about once a week for those two years and
taught us close order drill? After two years, we
were pretty impressive - "To the Four Winds, March!"
and back and stayed pretty much in proper alignment.
I was way ahead of everyone else in my basic
training squadron at Lackland Air Force Base in '65
as far as marching was concerned, and I had later
chances to use make use of that training, too;
punitive drill practice - a long story.
Does anyone know if Sonja Harmon (RHS
Russian teacher, Chief Jo French teacher) or her
husband Merle are on line? I know they live on
Whidbey Island now, I trade Christmas cards with her
each year. I guess I could write and ask, couldn't
I. Another teacher I've not seen mentioned -Mr.
Calvin Gentle, a superb math teacher but not much of
a disciplinarian. I guess we could have been kinder
... I also remember Mr. Harvey fondly from Chief Jo,
as well as Mr. Piippo's enlightening health lessons
- was he the one who got so upset when a cheerleader
misspelled "success" on a paper on the same day she
spelled it right in public at a pep rally? I may be
mixing memories, but Sharon Tate comes to mind in
that context - and yes, she was Miss Richland one
year, which links us to the several mentions of
Atomic Frontier Days, but I don't remember that she
had to relinquish the crown. Don Winston, you are
right about his first name - but I gave up
correcting folks after a couple of years of marriage
to a poor speller -might have saved my marriage! And
I've seen several spellings of his last name, too,
with no chance to check on it - seems, being
Finnish, he would be obliged to have a double
consonant somewhere.
Ray Stein, good to see you on line. Whenever
I'm among people bragging about their high school
sports programs, I mention your appearance on Ed
Sullivan's show as one of the top ten high school
All Americans - was that 63 or 64? I remember we
took 3rd at the state tournament 62, 63 and 64, with
you on the team, and I was at the game when RHS
"broke the clock" at Eisenhower HS in Yakima -
scored over a hundred (103 to 58 if I recall
correctly) on a 2-digit scoreboard. The ride back in
Jim Jensvold's car was scary - Bombers lined up for
miles on the Yakima Valley highway, maintaining 50-
60 mph, and Jim stayed about 10 feet behind the
bumper ahead of us.
And thanks, Jim Armstrong, for the news
about Theartis and crew. Some international senior
softball championships occurred here in the DC area
these past few weeks - separate division for each
five years of age grouping. The over-75 group had a
whole article about them in Sunday's paper. Nearly
all have had heart surgery.
Maren, Gary, thanks a heap! I don't know how
you do it - I feel guilty just taking the time to do
this reply.
Later. ecb3
-Earl Bennett ('63)
=======================================
>>From: DeeDee Willox Loiseau (64)
RE: Sharon Tate. Yes, that's true. She was crowned
Miss Richland, but I don't remember what year. She
did transfer after that and had to relinquish the
title to the runner-up. I remember that my sister
thought she had already known her dad was being
transferred and that it was tacky for her to do
that. Later she played in the movie "Valley of the
Dolls". She was one of the people that was killed in
California by followers of Charles Manson. There is
a book written by one of the followers who did it.
Mr. Clayton moved to Puyallup, Washington where he
died last February. I don't know where his son is,
but his daughter, Lois Colton, has a message on one
of these Alumni Sandstorms. We have "spoken" because
I saw her message and remembered Mr. Clayton. He was
one of my favorite teachers. Lois has e-mail
RE: The Lagoon -- It was called the Lagoon. It's
still there, but not allowed to swim there. Not sure
if polluted, but think it's a drainage for water
from lawns of Kennewick and has chemicals in it.
People still go there, but not to swim, and
certainly it's not as crowded as it was when we swam
there.
-Deedee Willox Loiseau ('64)
========================================
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
TO Ellen Spitaleri -- I believe Sharon Tate was in
class of 57. She became the movie star that was
tragically murdered in a very bad situation in CA.
========================================
>>From: Mary Lou Williams (60)
Re: Ellen Spitaleri's inquiry about Sharon Tate.
Sharon Tate went to Chief Joe one year, I believe,
and Col Hi one year. She won a title as some kind of
Miss Car, about 1955-56, and if she was around long
enough I'm sure she would have been Miss Richland.
She was gorgeous - and truly very nice. She wore
makeup in junior high and had flawless skin. Her
military dad was transferred to Italy, and she was
featured in a background shot there when Pat Boone
did a live TV show from Italy. The wind was blowing
like crazy, and only us who knew her recognized her.
The Tri-City Herald advanced the show like crazy, so
everyone was looking for her. What a sad day when
she was killed. She became part of America's
history, but not how she wanted to be.
I also remember the A&W - over by the old Safeway in
downtown. They had 5 cent root beers in frosty mugs!
I think it was a day place, while Zips and Bys were
more for "evening-type" activity.
And who remembers grade school Mondays at 10 when
the sirens went off and we all went out in the
school hallways and laid down against the walls with
one arm covering eyes and one over the neck because
that would save us from the bomb fallout?
I worked at J.J. Newbery's in 9-10th grade during
Christmas and Easter breaks, in the candy counter.
After opening a cardboard box of chocolate covered
peanuts full of worms, I never again bought candy in
a dime store! Also worked in the school store at
Chief Joe, then again at Col Hi and Mr. Wick came
over from the Junior High to Senior High as our
advisor and a great teacher. He farmed across the
river in the summer. Did they ever wish for a bridge
across back then!
And I remember when Edo Vannie managed the Tri-City
Braves. And also the commode on the fence wall they
tried to hit balls into for bucks!
Are you the Richard Baker who used to go with Missy
Keeney from Cottonwood? If so, Hello! I married her
brother, Gus, class of 57, one of the Sandmen then.
The Stiles' older son, Doug, ran the theater after
his folks quit. He also started Bassett Transit,
which was the forerunner for bus service (FINALLY!)
in the Tri-Cities. I believe he still lives in
Richland and runs the bus to Seattle and Spokane
daily. Haven't thought of Doug and Sally for years -
this is a nice way to conjure up pleasant past
memories. Before Bassett, WAY BEFORE, in the 40s and
early 50s, there was bus service around town. It
stopped across the street from our house on Van
Giesen in front of the Eckerts' house. Cost a whole
nickel, and took 30 minutes to get to downtown. I
recall it was yellow - maybe school bus
moonlighting?
Enough of this -- I'm hooked but there is a real
life out there needing occasional attention! Thanks
a lot, though, Gary and Maren, this is really
terrific of you!
-MLou Williams '60
==================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Ok, Ellen Spitaleri (65) has brought up the question
about Sharon Tate? I believe she was Queen of Atomic
Frontier Days in 1957 or 1958. Anyone have any solid
'printed' proof?
=====================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Ok Class of 1961. Sharon Tate (Deceased movie star)
would have graduated with the Class of 1961. Her
parents were Doris and Paul Tate. Her father was a
lieutenant colonel in Army Intelligence. She won the
title of "Miss Richland, Washington," at the age of
16. (?1959?)
Does anyone from the Classes of 1958 thru 1960 have
any annual photographs of Sharon Tate and/or a
picture of her as Miss Richland or Miss Atomic
Frontier Days?
-Gary Behymer ('64)
=============================
>>From: Bill Compton (64)
I teach at a public alternative school, K-12, in
North Oakland, called the Arts School. Two of us
"cover" grades 7 and 8, so I have to teach some
things that I am not well equipped for: English, for
example. Math is my main deal. But the students are
great, I continue to learn from them, and feel very
lucky to be in the job I'm in.
The last time I played hoops I became aware of an
approximate 1 second lag time between determining
what to do and STARTING to do it. This makes me like
a loose cannon on the court, and I am considering
retirement from the game. Tennis is now my thing (I
find jogging and gym exercise excruciatingly
boring), but alas I'm not very good. I've only been
playing four years and WILL GET BETTER, dadnabbit! I
plan to take two courses in the Fall: tennis and
Spanish.
-Bill Compton ('64)
=================================
>>From: Dan Gire (83)
Wow, this is great! The memories are just flowing
now. Anyone in my generation remember Officer
Panther sitting across the street in the church
parking lot during 6th period, taunting us on his
P.A. horn?
-Dan Gire (83), my wife's parents are
Ken Johnson (65) and Penny Zbyszewski (66)
============================
>>From: Creede Lombard (72)
Hi Maren -- these Alumni Sandstorms have been quite
interesting. I don't remember a lot of what the
older "kids" are talking about because I (a) was
born after some of them graduated and (b) was never
into just "hanging out."
One thing I don't remember seeing in here so far is
mention of the local radio stations. I remember
three specifically in the Tri Cities, KEPR and KOYN
in Kennewick and KALE licensed to Richland but I
think it was actually across the river somewhere. I
don't remember much about KOYN except that they
started out playing rock 'n' roll (from my
perspective, i.e. when I first discovered them) and
changed formats somewhere along the way. KEPR was an
MOR (middle of the road) station, playing occasional
"light folk" like the Serendipity Singers but mostly
a lot of instrumentals and Brothers Four - Perry
Como - Peggy Lee type vocals. Nothing in any way
weird or way out there, except for once a year when
they did "Radio In Retrospect" with all older (30s &
40s mostly, if I remember) music and radio shows
like "The Whistler" and of course "War Of The
Worlds" in the evening. Great stuff for an 11 year
old kid. But KALE . . . ahhh, KALE . . .
Now that I look back on it I remember KALE as being
a pretty hip radio station for a conservative town
like Richland. They carried all of the Bomber games
and as I remember they had Sonics games as well, but
their format was top 40 and then some. I say "and
then some" because mixed in with the bubble gum and
vocal pop, we occasionally got things like the full
versions of Eric Burdon's "Sky Pilot," Phil Ochs'
"Small Circle Of Friends" or Spanky and Our Gang's
"Give A Damn." If you know these songs you know what
I mean. Very political stuff.
There was at least one other station in town that
opened when I was at Carmichael (late 60s). I don't
remember the call letters. All I remember is
listening to them once and deciding then and there
that country music wasn't for me.
You ask about where we were when we heard Kennedy
was killed. I'm a bit confused on this one for some
reason. On 11/22/1963 I would have been 8 years old
and in the fourth grade at Lewis & Clark (with Mrs.
Minor) but for some reason I associate it with being
in my third grade class (with Mrs. Phillips). In any
case I remember the teacher crying. I'm pretty sure
we went home at noon. I remember Richland pretty
much shut down for about four days. We lived on
Benham on the south side, and I remember walking
past the lumber yard about 1/4 mile from the house
and noticing that even it was closed until Tuesday.
I think it hit a lot of people hard because, let's
face it, Richland was a government town, but also
more so because (again, if I have my time line
straight) Kennedy had just been out there to speak
the previous July. I remember being out there and
thinking something important was going on but boy it
was sure hot.
Anyway that's my memory du jour.
-Creede Lambard ('72)
==============================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
The Palouse Hills are vast deposits of "loess" ...
glacial powder moved and deposited by the prevailing
winds.
TT In Hb
(Tony Tellier '57)
==============================
>>From: Anna Dempsey Dixon (76)
Loved reading the stories and laughed out loud at
some of them. This is Anna Dixon (Dempsey).... funny
you mention living on Marshall...Our 1400 block of
Marshall was filled with Bombers: Crowleys, Gregers,
Foleys, Schumachers, Jones, and of course the
Sullivans from 62'-68' and then me in 76. Would love
to hear from more 74-76 alums. How about some Christ
the King memories? Hi Maureen!!!
Amelei Greger was one of my best friends in school.
There aren't very many of us 76'ers on this Bomber
list. It has been a blast reading it all.. my
husband, dghtr and I live the Ft Worth TX area and
have lived here many yrs. We come up every summer to
visit my family ..was just there for the month of
July..my 3 yr old dghtr just loves the Columbia
River.
WHERE WAS I WHEN JFK GOT SHOT???
I was getting ready for kindergarten..
-Anna Dempsey Dixon (76)
==============================
>>From: Mark Woodward (81)
Well I just made one of my last trips to Richland -
Home of the Bombers! My folks are now moving from
the desert to lush Gig Harbor on the west side of the
mountains. (Lived on Comstock Street for past 30 years)
Reading the emails has brought back many memories. Even
though I am on the younger end of the Alums that have
been sharing - my mother Dorothy Osborne Woodward (54)
- brother Bill "Woody" Woodward (75) were all Bombers
and have shared many memories. My folks are not on
email - but I have been printing them out and they have
truly enjoyed them.
Some thought my mother had; Muscles - remembers the
town of Richland purchasing him a new bike. Big Wayne
and Little Wayne performing at Atomic Frontier Days.
Miss Larson - anybody remember how she could add?
Also how sad she was when that little dog died.
Coach Covington - How could he wear those short
sleeve shirts?
Carmichael - Anybody remember the wrestling room
with it's pipes wrapped in asbestos?
Big Pool - Having to swim from end to end before you
could go off the "High Dive".
Lewis & Clark - Mr. Carlson's toupee?
I loved growing up in Richland and my family has been
there since 1948. Great to have the same friends since
grade school! Thanks for the great Alum news.
-Mark Woodward (81)
===================================
>>From: Marilyn Thorp (63)
RE: JFK Assassination
I will never forget that day/hour I found out. I
was attending CBC at the time and I hadn't been
feeling well that day (premonition?). I went out to
my car in the parking lot and fell asleep. My beau,
Gary, came out to wake me up for my next class. He
didn't know about the shooting, but as we came into
the lobby of the school everyone was crying and in
total shock. No one was functioning very well for
the rest of the day. On the home front, my parents
were also in shock. Mom was a staunch Kennedy
supporter at the time. I don't know that there are
many other events where everyone can remember where
they were when the event happened. In our lifetime,
maybe Princess Diana/Mother Theresa were the only
people that have affected the whole world
emotionally in the same way as John F. Kennedy's
death.
-Marilyn Thorpe ('63)
=======================
>>From: Jeri Shaw Rodinsky (73)
Hello from a proud "Col-Hi " grad (1973)
My name is Jeri Shaw Rodinsky. I've lived here in
Richland forever. (except for a few years on the
outer edges of Kennewick Lion country). I've been
married to a Pasco Bulldog for 12 years and have an
8 year old son who is attending my own elementary
alma mater (?) Jason Lee. My sister Judy -Class of
'65 - and I are residing in the "B" house our parents
purchased from the government lo those many years ago.
She has the side we always lived on and I'm on the side
we always rented! In reality, we are probably just a
little bit more "native" to this area than most. Our
mother was raised in old Walulla . . . the one that is
under water now! She told stories of driving along the
river through what is now Richland, and seeing only
a few houses surrounded by acres of orchards, or
wheat fields. They met when our dad was stationed
here in the Navy. Mom was working in a little cafe
in Pasco, and stole Dad's heart by playing hard to
get! When W.W.II was over, they married and spent
some time in Michigan with Dad's family, then moved
out here to work at Hanford in 1947. Judy was part
of the 2nd kindergarten class at Jason Lee.
I've been reading all of the posts and must say it's
some of the best email I've ever gotten! It really
is fun to have my memory jostled by everyone else's
memories! I know there is much that I have forgotten
. . . (I'm afraid I've killed off a lot of innocent
brain cells over the years. While I'm sure they died
happy, I find I'm beginning to miss them more and
more all the time!) but I have thought of a few
things:
One biggie that I can think of right off hand . . .
the collapse of the Uptown Theater roof, just hours
before a matinee of "Star Wars?" That movie was so
popular that the lines went all the way around
Uptown ending near the Towne Crier. What a disaster
that could have been!!!
Another . . . How many of us were on boats or lining
the shores of the Columbia River, waiting for the
next heat of Hydroplane Racing to begin when man
first set down upon the moon? Speaking for Judy and
I, we were aboard Judge John Day's paddlewheel boat
the Snake River Kate when those historic words were
spoken: "The Eagle Has Landed!"
John F. Kennedy's visit to Hanford was called to
mind. Like thousands of others, I was there to see
him at N-Reactor. I was so young, I don't remember
anything about what he said, but I remember seeing a
"Presidential" speck up on a platform. Then, I
remember being in the cafeteria at Jason Lee when
the announcement was made that he had been killed.
Payless Parking Lot! I'm not sure when it started to
be the place for everyone to gather on a weekend, or
when it stopped, for that matter, but I know it was
the place to be in '73! Also . . . I miss the phones
and car hops at Zips! And I definitely miss A&W! My
mom and I always mourned the passing of their Deluxe
Cube Steak Sandwich! Without a doubt the best burger
in my memory.
The first (to my recollection) Pizza delivery in
town was Pizza Pete. They made a great pepperoni
pizza and a fabulous Chef salad and would deliver .
. . Life was great!
Someone mentioned the Drift Inn tavern. Dick Watson,
and Jerry Hudson owned and operated it. It was the
favorite hangout of my mom and dad. In fact, my dad
had to be called there during the Saturday Night
Fights so he could come home to take my mom to the
hospital to have me! Sometime later, Dick and Jerry
collaborated again in opening the Gaslight. I
remember sitting in the family room of the Gaslight
watching the sign painter put the finishing touches
on the mural over the order window, while munching
on our favorite Sausage and Black Olive pizza. Mom
was always pleased when Dick would ask her to taste
test a new pizza he had in mind for the menu. Both
Judy and I remember feeling it was part of our rite
of passage going into the bar to have a beer on our
21st birthdays. Mom and Dad took Judy, and Judy took
me! I also remember the bowling alley that used to
be right next door.
I remember as a kid going to the Drive-in Movies.
There were drive-ins all over the place. North
Richland, West Richland near Flat Top, at the Y, in
Kennewick, and in Pasco. Now they are all gone. I
for one miss them greatly! It was so much fun going
to the movies in our pj's with pillows and blankets!
Great family entertainment!
I just thought about the modern version that was
attempted out west of the Richland Y. Several
screens all in a circle. Cars would park in front of
a screen, tune in the audio on the car radio and
enjoy some of those marvelous
X-rated movies. I think most will remember or can
imagine what everyone called that place.
I guess I'd better quit for now, but before I do, I
want to add my voice to those who appreciate this
service you two are doing for all of us! Keep up the
good work!
Until more cells are resurrected . . . Cya Later
-Jeri Shaw Rodinsky (73)
=============================
>>From: Melinda Robison Smith (61)
Hi,
This is Melinda Robison Smith (61). I am married to
Larry Smith (61) He wrote in about the camp at Horn
Rapids. What neat memories and history from reading
all the comments written! Our 2 daughters are also
interested in all that’s written as both sets of
their grandparents moved to Richland in '44 - '45..
-Melinda Robison Smith (61)
==============================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
Where was I when Kennedy was shot: I remember being
in 8th grade math class at Carmichael. Mr. Billings
was my teacher, I think. The principal made an
announcement to the entire school that the President
had been shot, but I don't remember if he said
anything else. That year our annual cover was black.
I wonder if there was a connection, because the
dedication was to President Kennedy.
-Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
=============================
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
Does anyone remember watching Starlet Stairway? It
was a talent show filmed in Spokane with "future
stars" from the Tri Cites and Spokane areas
appearing. The "jingle" was something like ... "When
you need coal or oil, call Boyle, Fairfax 8-5121!".
The prefix for Richland phone numbers was ...?
"Whitehall", of course, which eventually became "94".
Does anyone besides me STILL have dreams about
forgetting school locker combinations or class
schedules?
What ever happened to students playing "jacks" or
"marbles" at recess? Of course, I bring up that
question because I just happened to have been the
"State Jack Champion" when I was in the 6th or 7th
grade. I remember traveling by car with "Tiny"
McDonald, Karen McDonald ('66), and Roger Bergdahl
('67) to the Seattle area so that Roger could defend
his "marble championship" and for me to defend my
"jack championship". I believe I came in 2nd or 3rd
in that competition. I don't recall how Roger fared.
Did you grow up with an alley between your house and
the house behind you? I remember using the alley
behind our house on Johnston to play baseball with
my brother, Jim ('62), and a lot of neighborhood
friends. My sister, Barbara ('71), was too young to
play with us, though.
I recall the two story dorms located on the 1100
block of Jadwin. The dorms were torn down to make
way for The Richland Clinic and other professional
buildings in the early 60's, I believe.
Everyone is remembering the mosquito sprayers, but I
have a story to beat those memories. Prior to moving
to Richland permanently when I was in the 1st grade
(March '55), we moved according to the work
assignments dad
received through the "Guards' Union". Our family
lived in Missouri; Klamath Falls, Oregon; Illinois;
Kansas; and Indian Springs, Nevada -- HOME OF THE
MERCURY TEST SITE FOR ATOMIC BOMBS! We lived in an
adobe house about 35 miles from the actual test
site. From Feb '53 until June '53 we witnessed TEN
mushroom clouds from the atomic bomb tests. Do you
think the "fall out" had any thing to do with the
growth on my thyroid which Dr. Franco's medical
partner, Dr. Flannigan, removed in March '81? Dr.
Franco was unable to perform the surgery because he
was going to be out of the country visiting his son,
Marc ('66).
Yes, Sharon Tate did live in Richland and was
crowned "Miss Richland" in the late 50's. I believe
her family did move as her father was in the
military. I don't know if she "lost" her crown,
though.
My husband, Dennis Haskins ('66), and I celebrated
our 25th anniversary this year. So, yes, Maren, we
are one of those "Bomber Classmates Marriages"!
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
===============================
>>From: Karen Kleinpeter Kroger (63)
Hi, Maren,
The Clear lake I know of is on Hwy. 12 on the way to
White Pass. It is just past Rimrock Lake. Someone
mentioned Camp Dudley, which is on Clear Lake.
I have sure enjoyed reading all the memories of the
"good old days." Thanks for all your work! It is
wonderful to hear from everyone, and see all the
familiar names.
We should get some organized "library type" like Joe
Ford, to compile a bibliography of all the
books/articles about early Richland and Hanford. I'd
like to see the Villager article about "Peace" that
Ray Stein mentioned. It sounds as if several people
have some interesting things.
Thanks, again!
-Karen Kleinpeter Kroger ('63)
=============================
>>From: Mary Collins Burbage (63)
Maren - I was in the lobby of my dorm at CWSU in
Ellensburg when I heard that JFK had been shot. Was
eating lunch in the commons when it was announced
that he died. I'll never forget that whole week.
Long distance phone calls weren't made as often back
then (at least in my family) so I couldn't talk to
my family. Besides - we only had one phone line in
the dorm so they couldn't have gotten through to me
if they had tried to call. I remember being horribly
frightened. The dorms did not have TV's so we were
dependent on the radio for the news and updates. I
think that is the time a lot of us truly began to
grow up and realize what sheltered lives we had been
living.
-Mary Collins Burbage (63)
=========================
>>From: Richard "Dick" Swanson (64)
RE: A 1944 Souvenir Program "Christening of the
Bomber" If anyone is interested I scanned an old
program that my Mom had in her scrapbook and put it
on my homepage.
http://www.richardeswanson.com/
-Richard Swanson ('64)
============================================
THAT'S IT FOR THIS ISSUE --- SEND MORE.....
============================================
********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/21/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
Haha - yes, you have it straight. You aren't as
confused as you think. Larry sent you his background
info last night. I am just responding to this email
to keep us straight.
There are 3 Brackenbushes: Larry ('58), Rita ('60)
married to Dan Sevcik; and Don ('63). I (Barbara
Seslar) married Larry. Lila Jenne ('63) married Don.
-Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
======================================
>>From: Sherri Fisher (74)
I graduated in 1974. Please add my name and e-mail
address to that list. Thanks. I have lived in Puerto
Rico for 6 years now.
======================================
>>From: Vera Smith Robbins (58)
If anyone out there knows where Andrea Bennett is I
love to hear from them. I think she married a Jerry
Miller, but not positive. Her mother is Kate Bennett
and I know they used to live on Cottonwood. Her dad
died.
-Vera Smith Robbins ('58)
=======================================
>>From: wife of Bob Taylor (63)
Hello! My name is Dianne Taylor and I've just received a
phone call from an old neighbor of mine, Linda Belliston
Boehning ('63). She was actually calling to talk with my
husband, Bob Taylor, but he is out at a meeting and I was so
excited about her call that I thought I would e-mail you tonight
to tell you that we have a lot of information on Columbia Camp.
You see, Bob's father, Harold E. Taylor was the Superintendent
of the Camp. Harold Taylor was sent out in the winter of '43 to
set up the camp and he ran it until it was closed down in
October of 1947. The inmates consisted, for the most part, of
Conscientious Objectors, and minimum security prisoners from
various federal prisons around the country; they were sent here
to work the fields as so many of the local men were at war or
working out in the area. Bob and his mother moved there on June
6, 1944 and lived there until the camp was shut down. He has
lots of great memories. I should also mention that we have quite
a few copies of letters between the Camp and the government,
personal letters, etc., all relating to the operations of the
camp. Harold kept copies of all of his correspondence. We also
have a few pictures of the camp. It's really interesting stuff,
that is to us it is. Two years ago, one of the local TV stations
did a segment on Columbia Camp and Bob.
I'm sure Bob will get back to you soon. Feel free to e-mail us.
Dianne Taylor (not a Bomber)
========================================
>>From: Donna Seslar White (68)
I have really been enjoying this walk down memory
lane. One forgets how good things were "back then".
All the stories of being able to go anywhere without
fear of being hurt or killed. Wish the young people
now could have known life like that!
Re The day President Kennedy was killed. I remember
in distinctly. I was in homeroom class when the
announcement came over the intercom at Carmichael
Junior High. I remember the shock and horror. Later
in chorus class with Mr. Ronald Knight, my friends
and I were upset and crying and he tried to get us
to sing and get our minds off of it, but we were too
upset.
Does anyone remember the Bob-a-Lou restaurant? From
what I can tell, it must have been the same as By's.
Corner of Goethals and Stevens. My friends, Karen
Pierce, Kathy Berreth and can't remember who else
used to walk down there and play the jukebox 3/$.25
as I recall, eat fries and drink cokes and watch for
cute guys. Oh the memories.
How about Mildred Finney? She was my absolute
favorite teacher in junior high. I had her twice. So
sad when she died.
In high school, after getting a car, my friends and
I would "tool" around the Tri-Cities. Zip's was the
favorite hangout then.
Someone mentioned Payless on the Parkway. Yes, I do
remember that and think about it whenever I pass by.
I remember CC Anderson and later the Bon in that
location.
How about Dietrich's Market. Some have mentioned a
market near Marcus Whitman. Must be the same. I
would walk or ride my bike up there. We had a charge
account there. All I had to do was sign my name! So
cool!
I have a lot of good memories of those times also. I
remember Greg Markel being a boxboy there.
Mina Jo Gerry Payson - I remember you from Marcus
Whitman and Carmichael. Any one remember Mrs.
LaBorde, home ec teacher at Carmichael and how she
would rip out girls hems if their skirts didn't
touch the floor when they were kneeling? Remember
Granny dresses? The OTHER extreme!
Would love to hear from any '68 graduates who are
online. I am still in the Tri-Cities. Only left for
about 3 years when I got married in 1972.
-Donna Seslar White (68)
========================================
>>From: Doreen Ostler Blanding (68)
Hi! This is Doreen (Ostler) Blanding. You can email
me or visit my husband's web site at
www.jetcity.com~stevebl I personal thinks it a great
site.
-Doreen Oster Blanding ('68)
========================================
>>From: Pam Ehinger Nassen (67)
Maren and Gary; Let me first thank you from the
bottom of my heart for this page you two are doing,
it is FANTASTIC!!!!
Okay lets see if I can answer some of these questions.
1) Sharon Tate was Miss Richland in 1959. Jean
Demiter Middleton went to school with her and
Jeannie live next door to me on Wilson I lived at
1304 so she lived at 1308, just a house between us.
Her sister Sandy Demiter, I were child hood friends.
2) I was in home room class at Cheif Joe, Mrs.
Latta's class. Does any one remember her? We used to
have squirt gun fights only we didn't us water, it
was VERY OLD perfume!!! It was very bad smelling.
But I think she had no sense of smell, as she would
just smile and go about her business. Until we put a
tack on her chair and she never noticed it until
after class, and them make the comment that was very
dangerous.
3) The lagoon, was a great place to go and see
everyone during the summer break. I'll never forget
when I ran into Larry Muir the summer of 64', we had
all call him Shorty in the ninth grade, and now we
were going to be mighty Sophomores. I said hi Shoryy
and he stood up and said "Who's Shorty now!" he had
grown about 4-6in. I looked up at him as I'm only
5'2" and said Hi Larry!
4) Does any one remember the Roller Ring, and the
dances we'd go to? I met Paul Riever (sp?) and the
Raiders, Mark Lynsey. Marti Strens and Shari Tadloc
and I all most had Paul talked out of his feathered
hat he wore. We saw the Hondels. Oh boy did that
group ever get us into trouble!! The got lost the
first time, so the dance was canceled They went to
Pendleton to play, so we all told our folks we were
going to the triple feature drive in show (remember
those, Starlit Drive-in) Well need less to say we
got caught, Big Time. Then the Hondels came back to
Richland and a way we went again. Mom asked haven't
they got you into enough trouble? I was always
getting grounded for one thing or another. Do people
still ground their kids?
5) Remember stealing concord grape in peoples back
yards? How about the watermelons out in West
Richland? Do you remember Big Foot?
6) Of course you can't for get the submarines
races!! I always bet on the Pink pokadoted one.
7) There was a spot in the road outside of Kennewick
or Pasco along side of the Columbia, that if you
came at it very very fast and hit the dip your car
would leave the ground. It's a wonder we never got
killed or crashed real bad.
Well I've rattled on and on so, it's time to rest
this old brain. Oh one thing more, am I the only one
that when reading this messages I see young men and
women still 18yr. rather than the 30-60 years olds
we really are?
Bombers Rule
-Pam Ehinger Nassen '67
=======================================
>>From: Gail Cherrington Hollingsworth (56)
Hi Maren......
Just thought of a couple more things......
I had a 'very favorite' Art teacher at Lewis and
Clark Elem. named Miss Fenstermacher........she was
also a good friend...to those of us who loved
hanging around the art class whenever we could...
She told us one day (Probably sometime in 49-50,
when I was in 5th or 6th grade......can't remember
the timing exactly) that there was a Prince coming
to America to search for his Princess.......
something right out of ' Cinderella'... At first I
think we took it, tongue in cheek...... but later we
did read lots of articles in the newspaper about
Grace Kelly and how she left the Motion Picture
Industry to become a REAL-live Princess.
Yum, that A & W root beer Stand........ for
years, whenever I went to Richland to see my folks,
after moving to Puget Sound in '63.......... that
would be one of my stops. Often got a jug of root
beer and a carton of Vanilla ice cream....
I remember Muscles too......... riding by,
downtown Richland.....on his bike, greeting everyone
with 'Hey, Hey, Hey!' As much a landmark as anything
you could name from Richland.
Loved sitting in Densow Drugs, sipping Cherry
Cokes...... nothing like that anymore...... with
real cherry syrup in the coke....or Chocolate Cokes,
even Vanilla cokes...... And fountain made Green
River.......
Had some friends working for a while at the
Downtown theater, who would let me sneak in and see
a free show...... think I remember paying 15 or 25
cents for a movie, in those days, when I HAD to
pay... :) Remember the format? A Cartoon, a
newsreel, a serial, and then the movie....... wow,
we got lots of entertainment for our quarter, in
those days..... but when I think of it...... I only
got a couple quarters for my allowance in my younger
years......... good thing things were cheap.
LOL.....
Well, guess that's all I can add for now, gotta
get off to work again.... keep those memories
coming............. still would love to hear from
some of the 'kids' I grew up with on
Barth.....Annette Verellan was my 'best' friend, for
many years.. but there were many others living near
us and we all went to Lewis and Clark Elem. all
those years together........ Had to stay there in
7th Grade instead of going on to Carmichael, while
we waited for the construction on Chief Jo to be
finished. Had Mr. Harvey for my 7th grade teach at
Lewis and Clark.
Woops, better not get started again,
cya.......
-Gail Cherrington Hollingsworth (56)
=====================================
>>From: Jo Cantrell Lee (82)
Hi,
This is great to read these about Richland, in the
past. I'm from the last of the Baby Boomers which
was anyone born in 64. I remember alot of stuff from
my older brothers though. I'm the youngest of 5 and
hung out with others who are the youngest of 5. My
older siblings went to school with students that
have the same last names as those I went to school
with. I don't know if that's common anywhere else,
but I always thought it was unique. The names
mentioned in the Alumni Sandstorm e-mails are very
familiar to me, but I think it might be of an
earlier generation than what I know. :-)
I went to Spalding, Carmichael, and Col-High. I
graduated from Col-High the last year that it was
called that. 1982. It's now Richland High.
Anyone remember Tri-Cities Race Ways? I spent alot
of time out there when I was 5 years old, while my
dad and brothers planted trees out there. Use to
fall asleep on my mom's lap as the race cars went
around the track. I guess the sound of the loud
engines put me to sleep.
Mosquito trucks... Those crazy older kids riding
their bikes through the clouds. I wasn't allowed...
Too young.
Being the youngest was a major bummer, because I
missed out on alot of things because I wasn't old
enough. These e-mails tell me what I missed. :-(
-Jo Cantrell Lee (82)
==================================================
>>From: Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
Hey Sonny, [Davis - 62]
Jan (Kelly mailed me the Alumni Sandstorm - what a
kick. And who did I see as a contributor but you.
Chief Jo Junior High came up in a discussion
recently (Char Goodnough Wilson, Patsy Loman
Podesek, Nancy Fellman Lysher, and me) Anyway, I had
just told them the about the Independence Caper
where you, Ron and a third person (was it Kerrick
Lambert) took the Declaration of Independence down
from the hallowed halls and added your signatures.
Guess the officials thought there was some
inappropriate signature contact. No official
indictments though but I sort of remember that you
were "out of school" for a few days?
Don't have to go to Builder's Supply to see Ron -
Patsy, Nancy and I ran into him at McDougall's over
the holidays but unfortunately they just closed
McDougalls. I saw Bob Irwin (we would see him more
if he didn't have a full-meal deal but that's
another story), Bill Blankenship (alias Estel or
vice/versa), Coffman, Gable, Sybertz (sp?) recently.
Cowgill was missing in action that day but is
usually around too. Craig Lansing is also back here
in Richland but he insists that we salute him from
time to time - you know those ex-military types.
Mike Taylor is also still here - he honked - and
then sailed by me in a corvette out on the Richland
by-pass a few months ago. Sonny - as far as Big
Frank goes - he doesn't have much of a kick anymore
and he hasn't shown up at any parties lately - maybe
the right people haven't been inviting him?
I remember Lost Lake, the Prison Camp, (did anyone
mention swimming in the irrigation ditch at West
Richland), dragging in Columbia Park, the social
club, etc, the first Zip's Drive In. In fact, Tastee
Freeze was still Tastee Freeze until just recently.
I still have a very slightly chipped tooth from a
"coke" bottle I dropped on my face during a party) -
no vanity here - it's kind of a bomber badge of
courage (or stupidity)! Does anyone remember the
song "Give a cheer, give a cheer, for the girls who
drink their beer in the cellars of old Richland
High"...... Guess this tells you something about the
group I ran around with.
Gary and Maren - the "Alumni Sandstorm" is a neat
idea (Bob et al...I'll forward to you under a
separate EMail - you'll have fun reading it). Would
also like to be included on the mailing list. Sonny
- nice to run into your EMail address and know that
you, unlike Frank, are still kicking!
-Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
====================
>>From: Mike Figg (70)
Hi Gary,
It just keeps coming doesn't it? As others have said
you and Maren are doing a great job with this and I
am sure all of us are feeling thankful. And as
someone else pointed out, I saw the time stamp on
the last Alumni Sandstorm - 3:08 AM!
Geez, this latest Sandstorm blew in a lot of old
memories.
Creede Lombard ('72) talked about the three radio
stations in the Tri-Cities KEPR, KOYN, and KALE. I
really don't remember KOYN, but what about KORD? It
seems like they were big before KALE took over
playing the Tri-Cities flavor of watered down
pop/rock.
Jeri Shaw Rodinsky ('73) talked about Pizza Pete
being the first to deliver pizza. I don't know if
they were the first but I was out there doing it for
Pizza Pete from about August '74 through February
'75. We used a old red VW bug and at the time the
only manual transmission I had driven was in a jeep
out in the desert when I was about 12. The boss told
me to just go and I would pick it up quickly. I did,
but it took killing the car about 4 times between
Swift and Symons on GW Way. But 6 months later when
I got a job out at WPPSS #2 I bought a red VW bug.
Shirley Collins Haskins ('66) mentioned the old
Boyle advertisement on Starlet Stairway. I had
forgotten about it but it came back clear as a bell.
And did anybody else learn to swim or race in Howard
Chitty's pool? It seemed like I learned to swim at
an early age in his pool and later for one or two
winters worked out with a few other kids working at
being racers. I didn't know Chitty from Carmichael
since I went to CJ but sure spent a lot of time in
his pool. He had a bubble over it in the winter so
it could be used year round.
Somebody mentioned Newbury's. I remember the snack
counter they had and eating egg salad sandwiches
there. But what I remember even better was an
upstairs they had that wasn't usually open but at
Christmas time they had a Toyland up there. It was
right out of Jean Shepard's Christmas Story. Ohh, a
Red Ranger BB gun!
Somebody mentioned Peter Brandt. Are you out there
Pete? I don't remember you that well but didn't we
spend an evening talking during a party at an
apartment I had somewhere near that small shopping
area on Van Giesen near the By-Pass?
Mike Figg ('70)
===========================
>>From: Ellen Spitalari (65)
Hi Maren and Gary! I'm hooked now! As I read the
message about radio stations I recalled that I dated
a disk jockey on one of the stations in 1966. His name
was Sherman Meyer and he got in big trouble once
because he said: "That's the news from the Trishitties."
The FCC was NOT amused!
-Ellen Spitalari (65)
===========================
>>From: Jack Grouell (61)
The 1959 Columbian has a picture of Sharon Tate as
the sophomore homecoming princess. I will try to get
the time to scan it and send it this weekend. Keep
up the great work!
-Jack Grouell '61
===========================
[Jack -- So this settles it. Sharon Tate WOULD HAVE
BEEN class of '61 --look forward to seeing that
picture!! -Maren]
===========================
>>From: Larry Reid (68)
Wow! I haven't thought about Mr. Clayton for ever!
That really brings back memories. I wouldn't have a
clue where he might be now but would love to know. I
remember his stories about how he survived when the
ship he was on during WWII was hit. He was my
favorite teacher at Carmichael. Remember Mr. Jantz,
Algebra teacher. His favorite saying to teach about
the equal sign was "What you do to grandma, you do
to grandpa". I still remember both of those teachers
vividly.
I worked at Zips 66 - 68 and Mr. and Mrs. McDonald
(who owned Zips) still live next to my parents on
Cottonwood. I see them now and then and they look
good. Do you remember Zips? I worked around alot of
Bomber Alumni including Delores and Carolyn
McDonald. Haven't seen Carolyn, Delores, or Steve.
Anyone ever hear from them?
See ya for now.
-Larry Reid ('68)
==================================
>>From: Jo Frick Haverfield (??)
Gary,
I would like to purchase a Bomber Mania book. I will
be sending you a check soon. Please tag one for me.
My father is Bob Frick who played in the State
championship in 1958 and I would like some history
on his basketball era.
Thanks
-Jo Frick Haverfield
=========================
>>From: Berta Hettinger (64)
Hi Maren,
When I was in 5th grade, I went to a Girl Scout
Camp on Clear Lake. I believe it was located on
White Pass near Tieton Reservoir.
Do you know anything about Mike Blalock who was in
our class? I don't remember seeing her name on any
list.
Thanks so much for Connie Phillips' address.
Have a great day.
-Berta Hettinger ('64)
======================
>>From: Joanne Hilbert Stahler (76)
This has been too funny... like spending an
afternoon in the Twilight Zone. Thanks for the laughs!
Please add my name to the list of '76 grads.
Recently moved from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle. Any
other '76ers up this way???
-Joanne Hilbert Stahler ('76)
==========================
>>From: Jo Cantrell Lee (82)
Hi,
This is great to read these about Richland, in the
past. I'm from the last of the Baby Boomers which
was anyone born in 64. I remember alot of stuff from
my older brothers though. I'm the youngest of 5 and
hung out with others who are the youngest of 5. My
older siblings went to school with students that
have the same last names as those I went to school
with. I don't know if that's common anywhere else,
but I always thought it was unique. The names
mentioned in the Sand Storm e-mails are very
familiar to me, but I think it might be of an
earlier generation than what I know. :-)
I went to Spalding, Carmichael, and Col-High. I
graduated from Col-High the last year that it was
called that. 1982. It's now Richland High.
Anyone remember Tri-Cities Race Ways? I spent alot
of time out there when I was 5 years old, while my
dad and brothers planted trees out there. Use to
fall asleep on my mom's lap as the race cars went
around the track. I guess the sound of the loud
engines put me to sleep.
Mosquito trucks... Those crazy older kids riding
their bikes through the clouds. I wasn't allowed...
Too young.
Being the youngest was a major bummer, because I
missed out on alot of things because I wasn't old
enough. These e-mails tell me what I missed.
:-(
-Jo Cantrell Lee (82)
=====================
>>From: Karen Stinsman Nowitzki (65)
Junior English class when the announcement came in
about Kennedy - still remember which seat. We moved
to Richland one day before my 8th birthday in 1955
and lived in the "Stilts" for a couple months. Then
Cottonwood and the 1118 McPherson ( an A house) next
door to Sharon Brown's family. Went to Sacajawea and
Junior High at Highlands in Kennewick when we moved.
Came back to Richland for High School. Enjoying all
the "memories" and sharing them with my sixteen year
old. Thanks.
-Karen Stinsman Nowitzki (65)
====================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Interested in 'live chat', where you and whoever you
are writing to are 'live', typing on the same page?
No waiting for email!
This 'live chat' is call ICQ for Windows 95 or
better. (Mirabilis)
I would suggest a 486 or better with windows. Maybe
even suggest a 100 or better. It is free and
requires a download which I will send you.
The following class members from the 1964 class are
already there.
Gary Behymer... Maren Smyth... Larry Bowls...
Charles Soloman... Art Nelson... Vernon Blanchette
You don't have to chat if you don't want to but it
let's you know when people are on line and you may
request a chat. Try it...If you don't like it,
delete!!! Safe!!! Not a 'virus'...
-Gary Behymer Class of 1964
====================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Searching for a lost Richland Bomber? 'Say Hey' let
us know who it is and any/all of the information
that you might have about this person. (Namely,
brothers, sisters, parents names...Where lived.
Check first with those in your email group. (Same
class i.e. 1964) Then come to us and I will be glad
to start the hunt.
-Gary Behymer ('64)
====================
>>From: Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight (59)
Hi, I think this is really awesome that we are all
connecting like this, over all these years! I wonder
if any other towns are having this phenomenon, or is
it Richland, itself (and all of us) that are
different???
I went to Chief Jo, and always had to carry my
violin with me everywhere, I felt like a nerd, but
never wanted to quit playing it. I still do, in a
Scottish band in Bend, Oregon.
....I remember walking home from Uptown with Nancy
Stull, hooking arms together in case any kidnappers
came by in a car and tried to grab one of us.....we
never really thought any would, but we had a plan in
case they did....One day on the way to school (we
WALKED everywhere until we could drive) I asked Judy
Drott's mom how she was feeling, and she said, "With
my fingers."
And during one of our slumber parties in high
school, Judy and I, with Joyce Farley, Lorna Lee (I
think) Carol Jean and Ginger Munson, and Jeannette,
(I forgot her last name,) we went into the high
school in our p.j.'s and looked around all the
halls. There was a game that night, and there were
lots of people in the school, so we were trying to
hide, yeah, right!
Thanks for all the memories, it's really fun to read
the Sandstorm before going to bed every night!
-Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight ('59)
=======================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
=======================================
***************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/22/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
Anyone from the 1956 to 1960 period remember Larry
Coryell? He became the lead guitarist for the
Dynamics. And while we are on music do you recall the
Pacific Northwest bands that used to come to our area?
The Fabulous Wailers (Tacoma), The Sonics (Tacoma)(Hey
Pitts (63) you remember these fellows!, The Kingsmen
(Still around), The Bards (Moses Lake), Jack Bedient &
the Chessmen (Wenatchee), Paul Revfere & The Raiders
(Still around)(Originally Boise, Id), The Four Winds
(Ken Finley, Joe Keefe & Sandy Sanders (Class of
1964), The Pastells, a Pasco group that played 'Cicuit
Breaker', Don & the Goodtimes, Jimmy Hanna & the
Dynamics, Little Bill & the Bluenotes, The Ventures,
The Gas Company (Spokane), The Mark V? (Spokane), the
Viceroys, The Frantics, George Washington & the
Cherrybombs.....any many more. 'Garage Rock' was in
and every neighborhood had a 'noise group' that most
any parent would be glad to shoot.
Score 10 points if you remember the Wilson McKinley
group from Spokane. (;-)
-Gary Behymer (64)
=======================================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
Re: "How about Dietrich's Market.
Some have mentioned a market near Marcus Whitman.
Must be the same. I would walk or ride my bike up
there. We had a charge account there. All I had to do
was sign my name! So cool!":
How about Chuck Dietrich??!! He got a law degree then
ended up in Phoenix where the high-paced lifestyle
overran his common sense, so to speak. For a variety o
unsavory and illegal reasons he was/(is?) disbarred.
He was running at full throttle when I ran into him.
He also got a LOT of media attention. I believe he is
living up in Payson (AZ).
-Tony Tellier ('57)
======================================
>>From: Greg Sletager (72)
Anybody remember? -
Black low top Converse - in '68 you had to have 'em.
Learning to drive and park (parallel and the other
kind) at the old trailer courts north of Richland.
Mr. Covington saying, " You're idlin' on me" when you
weren't paying attention.
Morely Paul waxing eloquent on his favorite subject -
sailing his San Juan 21. (Often a welcome reprieve
from the planned curriculum).
Multiple bomb scares at Col Hi in the spring of 72,
strategically timed to get everyone out of school
early.
Bleacher Bums of America chanting, "Elevator,
elevator, we got the shaft" whenever the refs made a
call against the Bombers.
Richland teens referred to as "A-city Youths" in the
Tri-city Herald.
The "fingernail" stage in Howard Amon park. (What was
the name of that park before - Riverside?)
The hill outside Mac hall. For when you needed a
little "fresh air".
More later as the search for dormant brain cells continues...
Greg Sletager (72) Carmichael and Col Hi.
======================================
>>From: Susy Rathjen Whitney (71)
I grew up across the street from Betsy O'Dell ('64)
and her family. I still see her once in a while. I
don't know her address of phone number, but you can
contact her sister, Bobbie Shipman. I am having so much
fun with this alumni stuff. My sisters and I all went
to Col-Hi. Our last name was Rathjen. I feel a kinship
with everyone, having all lived in this unique town and
all being Bombers... even my kids were Bombers.
My sister Kathy was '66, Betsy was '68 and Karen was
in '74. I'm going to send in some of my thoughts and
memories soon. I talked to Patti Snyder last night,
class of '65, she's going to send in her e-mail
address, too. You know, I had been thinking about
doing something like this, but with more of a
newsletter. But this is MUCH better. Thanks.
-Susy Rathjen Whitney (71)
=======================================
>>From: Patti Snider Miller (65)
Hey this is a great page! I would like to get info
also. . I remember when I moved to Richland when I was
13... 3/4 of the way through 7th grade. Came from
Puyallup(west of the mountain). No one could pronounce
the name.. they would say Pullyup, etc. Coming from
raining country to 110 degrees!!! I never thought I'd
make it. I'm still here too! Someone mentioned the
ground breaking of the 'N' reactor and getting to see
President Kennedy. I did too and also had to stay
after school for a couple days for going! My Mom took
my brothers and I (Mike Snider class of 62, Richard
Snider class of 66). Hey it was worth it! I also
remember being sent home from Chief Jo because my
skirt was 2 inches above my knee!!! My how things have
changed... Keep up the good work on the Bomber
page!!!!
-Patti Snider Miller ('65)
========================================
>>From: Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
I used to work with a very pretty, dark haired girl
named Patty Ludwig who was telling me (along with
others) that she was Miss Tri-Cities when Sharon Tate
left. She commented that she got the title but not
the roses! Patty later married and her last name was
Forrest, then married again and her last name was
Dubsky. She died of cancer some 20? years ago. Since
this is coming from memory (long ago), better check it
out before believing it as fact. Maybe it will ring a
bell with someone else.
-Barbara Seslar Brackenbush ('60)
====================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Starlet or Starlit Stairway? Their phone # Fairfax
8-1521?
=======================================
>>From: Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
Hi Gary -
No relation to the Colfax Aeschlimans. The "Tri-
City" branch came from Missouri and were the only ones
local. You and Maren deserve special thanks for
your Herculean efforts. I plan on taking copies home
this weekend and reading through the data.
Here are E-Mail address of my children and a few
additional I thought of. My son, Torry, was a 1984
Bomber, my daughter Tasha was a 1987 Bomber and my
sister (Joahn Husted Nield) and her husband (Gary
Nield) were 1949 Bombers.
I believe that Tony Tellier - the name seems familiar
- ran around with one of my brother-in-laws (Denny
Brown (57RIP). Denny passed away in December 97.
Torry Webb - Class of 84
Tasha Aeschliman - Class of 87
Nancy McMurray Bell - (sister-in-law)
Bonnie Webb Roe ('59) (sister-in-law)
And husband Bill Roe ('59)
-Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
========================================
>>From: Patty Stordahl ('72)
Any one who wants to get tougher before the weather
turns bad this side of the mts. call me while I am in
the tri cities at my mom's 545-5848. I would love to
hear from any one direct susie I got your e mail peter
I received yours as well. Nancy McWain 72 is still
hiding. All this memory lane stuff is making me feel
older than I want my plastic surgeon to know I really
am.
Any more 72 alumni out there Sam Morris, Wayne
Wallace, remember the Butternut gang? Late night
sneak outs, zips, Salad burgers, skipping class.
what ever became of good clean fun is it really all
outlawed??? Skinny dipping behind the race track, well
almost in the buff. Some of us were just to chicken
to bare it all.
I remember the hill & all the long hairs that used to
hang out there. Wayne Bloomster the notorious smoke
bummer on the hill. What happened to him? He was
always so nice & friendly. Still can't locate Jessica
Allen. Peter I hope that you are doing super in your
button business haven't heard from you regarding any
display upgrades. It is time you did some really cool
digital stuff. come in the office lets do lunch.
Susie K join Tina & me. We are going to mazatland in
Oct 12 -19 rates only $356.00 RT you can stay with us.
Company has a condo & we are going to play for 7 days.
lots of Tequila??? No I refuse to change I was a wild
child then & I still am. To many awesome memories to
slow down now..
Chitty's pool wasn't every protestant baptized there??
I was by the Rev Jeske In fact I liked his wife so
much as a kid in church I named my last daughter after
her Janea I spelled it different Mrs. Jeske's name was
Jene'. I remember the weird christmas decorations one
year they had sand & tumbleweeds.
Responding to Mike Figg:
Peter Brandt is alive & as cute as ever. He is the ceo
of Button Gallery a company he started from a dream so
now he rolls in the dough & plays while all his
computers do the work. He always was the smart on of
the butternut gang. Ask him about how he got his
girlfriend it is to funny.
-Patty Stordahl ('72)
=======================================
>>From: Joe Largé ('68)
My Dear Friends,
I am sad to announce that I had heard that
Mr. Clayton died in February of this year. Can't
remember who told me this, but I have it on my computer
at work. If I can remember, I'll forward the e-mail to
you when I get to work.
Also, Mr. Lytle who owned Densow Drugs passed away
awhile ago. Not sure if any of you remember him, he
was really a neat person to know, very kind person.
We lived about 3 houses down. Vicki Lytle and I
played together as children.
If anybody could find out the details surrounding
MaryJane Cross's death, I would appreciate it. She
and I were good friends when we were in grade school.
Thanks
-Joe Largé ('68)
P.S.: About Mr. Jantz, he also used to like to lean
back in his chair and throw his chalk behind him in an
effort to hit the chalk railing on the blackboard. If
I remember right, he was no basketball star in that
regards.
Anybody remember the Astronomy teacher (Dang, can't
remember his name). Tall, skinny guy with white hair,
stringy voice and glasses (I think). Oh, Yes! Mr.
Klukas. His son, Craig, played Trombone in the band.
-Joe Largé ('68)
=========================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Hi Maren, this is Eva again, and I'm writing for my
baby sister, Kathy (Clark) Hale, and she is wondering
if anyone out there knows where Patty McLaughlin is.
Contact me here and I will forward it. When JFK notice
came out, I was on the hiway to Lynnwood Wash. to
visit a friend and the drive line fell out of my car
on the Highway, had 4 little boys at the time and had
to wait for the S.P. to call my friend to come and get
us. How can one forget those times.
-Eva Clark Perry (49)
===========================
>>From: Dianne Cherrington (54)
Hi guys,
Just wanted to send my thanks and let you know that I
am really enjoying the contributions of generations of
Col Hi students. It is particularly amusing to see
that we share so many of the same memories, in spite
of the span of ages.
Both of my sisters, Gail (58) and Sandi (66) have
already sent some memories we have in common so I will
try to add a few of my own....
First job (that gave me a regular paycheck). I was
one of those uniformed usherettes at the Village
Theater that watched over, cleaned up after and "put
up with" a lot of the younger crowd... (I was all of
13 or 14 myself) and unless memory fails me, I earned
about .35 per hour. It was a fun job and I was so
proud to have it!
The old swimming pool! Learned to swim there and
later, was a member of the water ballet team. We had
great fun practicing when the pool was closed!!
Homecoming floats... One year we used tumbleweed for
decoration. Friends and I borrowed Dad's old pickup
to go bouncing off across the hills to collect "the
best ones".
Shield's in Uptown (is it still there?) was where I
worked during high school years and was a good place
to be for after work fun.
I was in 6th grade (or was it 7th???) at Lewis & Clark
when fire closed down our part of the school. It
didn't get us off the hook, though. They sent us to
Spading to finish out the year! Carmichael was brand
new when I started there the following year.
Mr. Jantz! Tried to teach me Algebra too....and
remembered that I wasn't one of his better students
when my sister had him 11 years later!! He was still
teaching Algebra when my daughter was in his class 20
years after me. Where does the time go????
To Mark Woodward: I remember your mother. We were
friends so many years ago! Just to be certain, I went
digging through my old Columbians and sure enough, I
found her in the '53 issue (junior students). Please
tell her "hello" for me.
Speaking of early '50s......I keep hoping that I will
see more old friends write too. In spite of the fact
that my Mom and Dad lived in Richland the rest of
their lives, I've lost touch with too many of you.
To Gary Behymer: Thank you for mentioning ICQ. My
sisters and I have been using it for well over a year
now. It's a great way to communicate. We have even
used it to visit with family members in Florida,
Canada, Walla Walla, Tacoma, Seattle & Vancouver, WA
simultaneously. I will include my ICQ# with closing.
Thanks again, Maren and Gary (and anyone else that may
be helping you keep this together). Your efforts are
really appreciated.
-Dianne Cherrington (54) ICQ#1291506
====================
>>From: Helga Blankingship (66)
Gary, My brother Bill Blankingship ('62), just told
me about the Alumni Sandstorm... I graduated in class
of 66... Are you sending this out to anyone? Can we get
a copy? or is there something we can do on this end..
-Helga Blankingship ('66)
==============================================
>>From: Dianne Brown Koehnen (64)
To Berta Hettinger ('64):
I remember going to a Girl Scout camp one summer,
too. It was called "Camp Singing Pines" and was on a
lake in the Cascades with an island called Strawberry
Island. Maybe it's the one you remember, too. One of
the campers stepped on an underground hornets nest on
a day hike and freaked everyone out screaming and
jumping around with bees swarming all over her legs!
I remember winning a big spatula as first prize for a
flapjack flipping contest! I always thought it was
near that stumpy lake on I-90, but am not sure. Anyone
know for sure?
-Dianne Brown Koehnen (64)
====================================
>>From: Carol Converse Mauer (64)
I'm sure enjoying all these memories!! I remember
being in Homeroom when the announcement came over the
loud speaker about Pres. Kennedy being shot. Actually,
I was sitting close to the front of the first row. I
don't remember anymore of that day. There was no
other talk but that. I also remember going to JJ
Newberrys and going upstairs to see Santa Clause.
Those were sure great days. I was at Clear Lake a few
years back, actually, quite a few years back. It is up
White Pass. I remember how cold it was and my son,
then 2 years old, didn't think anything about going
into it - burrrr!!! I remember back in elementary
school, racing home each day right after school to
listen to a radio program right before the Christmas
holidays. Does anyone remember which program that
might have been and what it was about? I don't
remember.
Bye for now.
-Carol Converse Mauer (64)
========================================
>>From: Gerald Stein (66)
Hello to the class of 1966
Finally figured out how to leave a message, so here
goes. We are currently displaced Texans, our house is
in Granbury, Texas, but I am doing Management
Consulting work and my spouse (Lovena) and I travel
around the country now. We are currently in New
London, CT. All the kids have flown the coop, one is
married and has given me a grandchild, the other two
are in college. While flying through Chicago about two
months ago I ran into Walt Sommers and his spouse
(Grace). He is the Director Of Student Activities at
Northeastern Illinois University. Maybe if some other
individuals E-mail him we can get him to come to the
next class reunion.
-Gerald Stein (66)
====================
>>From: Al Parker (53)
Memorial services were held for my cousin, Jack
Russell, 1960 RHS graduate, on Aug 4, 1998 in Seattle.
I learned at his memorial service, from his
associates, that he was considered somewhat of a
genius in atmospheric science and research at the U of
W. He engineered, designed, programmed and maintained
much of the equipment that was used in the research.
He died suddenly from a massive aneurysm. He was
scared to death to fly but in spite of that fear, went
on over 1700 missions to take samples of particles and
gasses in the atmosphere throughout the world. Those
samples were then analyzed for "good" and "bad"
particles, gasses, density, etc., determining whether
from natural or man made causes and more. Flights
included chasing and entering storms, skimming the
surface of the ocean, frequently flying over St.
Helens in its pre-eruption stages, etc. His
associates and family are going to miss him much.
(Maybe this info could be included in one of the
Alumni Sandstorms?)
I should mention also that Jack was the brother of
James F. Russell (58)
-Al Parker ('53)
========================
>>From: Kerry Kelly Compton (64)
Coming from Catholic school in 1960 to 9th grade at
Chief Joseph was terrifying to me. Sister Superior had
told us stories about how Protestants hated Catholics
and would persecute them. I felt very awkward and
didn't know what to wear because I had been wearing
uniforms for four years. I was in awe of those
sophisticated Chief Jo kids - but they didn't
persecute me at all!
-Kerry Kelly Compton ('64)
==========================
>>From: Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight (59)
RE: Gary Behymer' question: "Is Craig Gostnell your brother?"
Gary, Nope, my former husband Dave's brother.
However, I have a brother, Craig Smith, class of '69.
As well as brother Larry Smith, '61, and sister
Francine Smith, '63. We lived at 607 Comstock til
about '51, then to 1520 Butternut, and then to West
Richland on Canal Drive in about '56.
The Gostnells lived at 1121 Perkins, across from the
Smyths. Youngest brother Mark, then Craig, then Dave,
up to Roger and big brother Gene. Parents are Ray and
Naomi Gostnell.
Craig (Smith) was here today when I opened your email;
we are really enjoying all this "daily news". Thanks
again for all your time, and for starting it
all.......
-Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight ('59)
============================
Gary found this on a guest book in a Sharon Tate site.
============================
Janice ? Age 55
Comments:
When I was little, I lived in a small town in
Richland, Washington. They had an annual celebration
known then as "Atomic Frontier Days." Sharon was
crowed "Queen" at this festival, this would have been
late 0's-early 50's. My father met her father, who I
believe was an officer in the military, and he
introduced us. She was supposed to be around "16" at
this time. I could never figure out how I ended up
older then her! Maybe she had a sister? Do you have
any pictures of Sharon at that event?
====================
Gary finds another Richland Bomber entry in a Sharon Tate guest book.
====================
>>From: Alan McMurtry (61)
Comments:
I remember Sharon as a friend and eighth, ninth and
tenth grade classmate in Richland, Washington before
her family was transferred to Europe. She was rather
quite, almost shy. I am looking at her now in our Jr.
Hi year book, eighth grade group picture and the
radiance of her beauty leaps off the page at you even
then. She was crowned "Miss Richland" at age 16,
shortly before she and her family moved away from the
community. It saddens me still to think of her tragic
loss.
====================
>>From: Jack Grouell (61)
Maren
I have attached a scan of the picture of Sharon Tate
from my 1959 Columbian. I did not know Sharon
personally but everyone knew who she was. For those of
us who grew up in the safe and very sheltered world of
Richland, her violent death was a shock beyond belief.
I wish I had more time to work with the images and
restore the original quality. I have to tear down our
whole computer room tonight because we are having new
computer room furniture delivered tomorrow. I will
begin working on my contribution to the Sandstorm,
including "Tiger" Gentle and the parking stall caper,
-Jack Grouell, class of '61
=====================================
[Picture of Sharon Tate came thru GREAT. What a beauty
she was!!! Can't put the "ALL Bomber Alumni Links"
site address in this e-mail or I'll just get a BUNCH
of 'kick backs'. I will, however, upload the picture
to the net and put a link to it somewhere on the "All
Bomber Alumni Links" site. Anybody who doesn't have
that site bookmarked by now is either new or not paying
attention. Ask and I'll send you the link. -Maren]
==========================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
==========================================
******************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/23/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
When sending your Bomber Memories for the Alumni
Sandstorm it sure would save me some time if you
would start off the body of your text with who you are
(including maiden name if applicable), your class year
and your e-mail address that will save me a LOT of
time. THANKS!
There's a picture of Art Dawald and Gene Conley in
that Bomber Mania booklet that Gary Behymer has. What
class was Gene Conley?? Hmmm... wonder if he has a web
site.
-Maren Smyth ('63 and '64)
=============================
>>From: Earl Bennett (Gold Medal class of '63)
TO Carol Converse Mauer ('64)
The radio program was The Cinnamon Bear, I think it
ran daily for a half hour (including recap of the
previous episode) for about three to four weeks before
Christmas. Some witch came out of the picture on the
wall and stole the star off the top of the Christmas
tree, so the kid(s?) had to join the stuffed reddish
teddy bear, Paddy O'Cinnamon, to go into the picture
and retrieve it. A kleptomaniac dragon was involved
among other fascinating creatures and implausible
adventures and situations - was that on KORD or KALE?
My sister Sue Bennett Meek ('68, aka Birkenstock Sue
of the former BB&M Sporting Goods store -sadly had to
close down recently due to competition from the Mall)
taped a re-creation of the series a few years ago and
sent me a set - 6 tapes, I think they're 90 minutes
each! It must have been syndicated nationwide because
I've also seen ads in Sunday supplements here on the
East Coast for a stuffed bear commemorating the series
(outrageous prices), for some reason Chicago sticks in
my mind as the ordering address I did NOT use.
Carol, you would have been in my sister Diana
Bennett Ground's class, now living in Alaska with
husband Bobby but retiring back to Oregon within a few
years. I remember your name but little else. Another
sister Cecilia Bennett McCartney ('65) might have
known you as well - She's in Richland with husband
Marvin and children Meaghan and Kerrie (both now
living the jr hi/hi school memories we're sharing on
line). Cecilia's a nurse at Kadlec. A couple of days
ago Dr. Franco's son was on line -yes, he stitched up
my finger when a hatchet I had thrown at a tree stump
bounced back.
Someone else in today's Sandstorm mentioned Patty
McLaughlin -was she around '64 class too? Once again I
may be mixing memories, but her name rings a bell
about walking a girl home from a dance at Chief Jo to
a house near the North end of Cottonwood - if I'm not
mistaken, that house or one next door was on my paper
route (Oregon Journal). I still enjoy a vivid memory
of the sweet sound of mourning doves on the power
lines over the shelter belt on sunny summer mornings
while delivering the papers. I digress: The girl I
walked home, of course, had to call her folks for
permission, and her Dad drove to the school to bring
her a sweater for the walk home on a cool spring
evening - how patient our parents were! Are we as
well?
Gary - yes, Larry Coryell (2 l's?) had a band in
Richland, I believe Paul Anderson ('63) was also a
member (last I heard of Paul was around our 10 year
reunion somebody said he was an executive in the
Escort division at Ford motors - not surprising at
all). Somewhere around 59-60 I was asked to join them
to play piano, but I didn't think I was good enough.
In retrospect I probably could have handled it, but I
quit piano after 3 years of lessons. Larry Coryell is
a staple artist on a station set on my car radios,
"Soft Rock 97.9 WASH-FM" in DC, superb jazz guitarist
(hope it's the same guy - how many can there be?).
Anybody know if Larry Tew is still the master
trumpeter he was back then? Your rundown of Northwest
artists should include Merrilee Rush and the
Turnabouts (Walla Walla?) - the original "Angel of the
Morning," better than Linda Ronstadt in my opinion.
And I seem to remember Spokane being the home of the
group that did "Sugar Shack," whoever that was. You
mentioned the Kingsmen - who can forget "Louie,
Louie?" I never could understand all of the lyrics
(enunciation was not their strong point), but they
were reputed to be exceedingly raunchy, even offensive
(for that era) when performed live.
One last memory: First formal job after paper
delivery was bagboy at the C&H next to Densow's, then
bagboy and produce work at the one next to the Rexall
Drug store on Thayer. Started at $1.35 per hour
(believe that was considered the "minimum wage" around
'60). A co-worker there, young man named ?Thad? became
a worker for the union and I never understood why I
had to pay him dues out of a meager paycheck for
something I didn't care about, until much later when I
learned more about the history of the union movement.
Later. ecb3
-Earl Bennett ('63)
======================================
>>From: Patsy Noble Eichner (61)
Re: Sharon Tate, if memory serves me correctly, wasn't
Sharon crowned Miss Autorama before the Miss Richland
title.
-Patsy Noble Eichner ('61)
======================================
>>From: Alan Sargent (56)
There's been some mention of the "Blizzard of '48-'49.
There was another snowstorm, much earlier I think,
that really sticks in my memory. At the time we were
living in an "A" House at 201 Benham. There was
nothing between us and "The Rose Bowl" but a huge
sandbox. It snowed, followed by a dust storm which
turned the snow brown! I remember it vividly because
on the same day "The monster in the basement" (coal
furnace) belched soot all over the place. My mother
was tearing her hair out and I know if she had had her
way we would have left Richland that very day. Maybe
it only was a problem in the South end. By the way,
weren't those furnaces wrapped in Asbestos? At about
the same time we were chasing DDT trucks and playing
under the funny orange clouds periodically released
from Hanford. I wonder if that's why my grandchildren
all seem to glow in my eyes! I'm positively drooling
thinking about a big By's Burger, a fresh
banana/chocolate Tastee Freez shake, topped off with a
bag of warm Spudnuts. Three of the basic food groups!
Following that I want to jump in a cool "49 Chev (like
the one my sister wrecked) load it up with a bunch of
friends (hide a couple in the trunk) and go to the Y
Drive-in. Someone would then produce those terrible
crooked "Rum soaked cigars" and we would try to be
cool while turning various shades of green. I still
can't stand Cigar smoke The memories are terrific.
Your might think about putting them in a book down the
road.
My neat spouse just informed me that the drooling is
not out of the ordinary and not yet a major problem.
Alan Sargent "56
"Tough as nails, hard as bricks, we're the class of "56"
=======================================
>>From: Larry Reid (68)
Hi Donna (68), remember you well. I remember Sharon
Tate and I was friends with John Tate (wasn't that her
brother?). I think he is married to someone who
graduated with us in '68. I have been living in Benton
City since '81 all my kids have gone through Ki-Be. My
oldest son is a Math/Science teacher at McLaughlin
Middle School in Pasco. He is married and has two
kids. He now lives in Richland! My Daughter is married
and has 1 kid and lives on my property in Benton City.
I still have two boys at home - one is a senior and
the other is in 7th grade. I celebrate 28 wonderful
years of marriage December 28th. I love being a
grandpa!!
My kids all look at me in dismay when I reminisce
about my HS days!..."Wow, you guys were pretty weird
Dad!"...I was good friends with Bruce Latta and
remember his mom well. Bruce was killed in a one car
accident near the Meadow Springs area of Richland
around 20 years ago! I remember the Roller Rink and
the local bands of the time. I also played in a local
band and met several of the other band members of the
time. Some went on to play professional for awhile.
Last night I played my guitar for the first time in
seven years (I only do country these days!) at a
friends family reunion where we had about four guitars
and sit around and jam-what a night!! Memories are
made everyday and as time goes by they sustain us and
give us hope. See ya all later.
Larry Reid (68)
=========================================
>>From: Don Winston (63)
Re: Larry Coryell
I'm sure many remember Larry Coryell, but don't
know how many people know what a huge success he has
been in the guitar world, really in the whole music
business. He is considered a truly world class
guitarist, and has often been rated as the #1 jazz
guitarist in the world in various polls. That puts him
in the ranks of Les Paul, Joe Pass, Al DiMeola, etc.,
so it's pretty lofty company.
In addition to issuing about 60 albums, he teaches
occasionally at advanced guitar schools, has published
videos to teach advanced guitar playing techniques,
and has at least one signature model guitar on the
market (Cort Model LCS-1 -- $1,495.00).
Any fans out there can find a good Larry Coryell jump-
off site at:
[deleted URL for this e-mail -- if you want it send e-
mail to Don or Gary and ask for it]
Re: JFK
I heard about JFK being shot from my roommate in
our freshman year at the U of W, Joe Kaveckis. In fact,
Jim House ('63), Joe and I were reminiscing about it at
the 35th reunion. Joe and I were roommates, and Jim
lived across the hall. I think Jim was in our room, (he
remembers it the same way), when Joe came in and said,
"The President's been shot."
For those that remember, there was quite a bit of
campus unrest at the time, including student
occupation of Administration Buildings, etc. I thought
Joe meant that the President of the University,
Charles Odegard had been shot, and it took a few
minutes to get out of him that he meant JFK.
When he, Jim and I were talking about it last month at
the reunion, Jim mentioned that he had exactly the
same initial reaction -- that Odegard had been shot.
It was really interesting to learn that we both had
the same erroneous first interpretation of what Joe
said. I don't think it was Joe's communication skills
-- they were OK. It was just that with what was going
on on campus, it seemed at least plausible, while the
shooting of JFK did not.
Regards,
Don Winston ('63), father of..
Glen Winston Budding Guitarist my source)
====================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Larry Coryell (61) was at the U of W when you were
there and wrote for the Daily. He being a Journalism
Major.
========================================
>>From: Larry Brunelle (67)
Still here and alive
Richland High School Class of '67
Our family is spread from Alaska to Southern
California. Feel free to contact me for any
information on my seven brothers and their locations.
Good Web Site.
-Larry Brunelle ('67)
====================
[Larry....How about the email addresses for all of
those other Brunelles? -Maren]
==========================================
>>From: Terry Liechty (64)
Speaking of bands... Revere Dick (real name of Paul
Revere of PR and the Raiders) was my cousins' uncle.
He came from a little town just west of Boise,
Caldwell, I think and when I was young he lived in
Boise and commuted to LA for his television show.
My cousins lived in Boise and they took me to his
house to pick up some amps and instruments that he no
longer used (a cousin had a band and got all the hand
downs.) I remember him as a nice guy and he and his
wife made me feel at home. He had a lot of cars from
Rolls to Wagoneer. He did commercials for Pontiac and
had a Judge (here come da judge) and some other one
they gave him.
Two of my uncles by marriage were his brothers. Well,
that's my brush with fame.
Terry Liechty (64)
=======================================
>>From: Melinda (Mindy) Robison Smith (61)
My husband (Larry Smith '61) and I remember Larry
Coryell. He graduated in our class. He has several
albums out. He is played frequently on the local
(Seattle area) jazz station.
Thank you Gary & Maren for all you are doing to make
the ALUMNI Sandstorm possible! It's great!!
Melinda (Mindy) Robison Smith '61
=======================================
>>From: Randy Buchanan (57)
Some things of interest regarding Richland memories:
My family and I arrived in Richland in 1943, and moved
into a prefab on Winslow. We moved to Farrell Lane (a
"B" house") around 1946. My Mom is still living in the
same "B" house. Mom still remembers many of us through
the years.
My school years were at Sacajawea, Chief Joe, and
Columbia High. I married in 1962 and had 3 children -
Jill (class of ’81 and married to Rick Rose of class
of ’78), Dana (class of 1984 of Hanford High) and
Steven (class of 86). I remarried in 1985 (Karen Moore
- class of 1975) and still hanging in there! I worked
at Hanford for 30 years and retired four years ago.
Hooray!!!!
My Richland Memories:
· Dust storms of the l940’s. The Dupus Boomer cartoon
book depicted it best. Cartoons were done by Dick
Donnell, a good friend of my parents. · Old swimming
pool in the park (swim 1 hour, get back in line and
wait for the next turn). I remember the water being
sooooo cold!
· The little round wading pool in the park.
· Village Theater on Saturday - 2 cartoons, 1 serial,
news & 2 westerns - all for 12 cents
· Playing in the irrigation ditches
· Clod fights
· Playing army & cowboys and Indians in the desert
· Riding bikes everywhere
· Playing kick the can, anti-anti over, wolfman, and
bicycle tag
· Remember Muscles? Sonny would sit in the movies
with his pet monkey. How about those stories about
people taking him to Walla Walla?
· The Prisoner of War Camp on the Yakima River. In
high school, we had keg parties out there.
· The blizzard of 1950? Almost didn't get home from
school.
· The floods of 1948
· Playing in the buildings when the Uptown was being
built
· We use to play in a swampy area call the "lumber
lost". The Uptown business area was built over it.
· Sleeping out in sleeping bags in our friends back
yards. It seemed like we did this every night during
the summer.
· Atomic Frontiers Days down at the park and the parade.
· The air raid sirens each month
· Riding horses at the Riding Academy.
· Cruising the Uptown after school
· High Spot on Wed and Saturday nights. I did not
dance, but was always there.
· Old girls’ gym sock hops at lunch hour
· And, do many of us remember the basketball state
tournaments? What a deal, huh? Bombers won
championships in ’58, ’72, and ‘79.
· Friday & Saturday nights at By’s Burgers, then later
was Skip's, then on to Zip's. The old building of By's
is till there but vacant. Lots of memories of By's.
· Max’s Stop & Go in Kennewick was Kennewick’s kids’
hang out in the 1950/60’s.
· Remember the Pasco Pas-Port Plunge to swim in?
· The new George Prout Swimming Pool next to Col High
was great to have - could stay in there all day. It
was warmer and way bigger than the old pool.
· Skip's Drive-In - liked their ham & cheese sandwiches.
· Tastee Freeze had a great hamburger (the banquet burger).
· The water skiing & parties at the Buchanan’s boat
dock during the 1950’s & early 1960’s. Many Bombers &
others participated during these fun times!
· The soda fountain at JJ Newberry’s. Loved their
cherry cokes and club house sandwiches!
· Frank Berry’s Sporting Goods
· Dawson-Richards Clothing Store - It is still there!
I've had a charge account there since it opened ~1950.
· Midnight shows at the Uptown Theater - It is still there!
· Garmo’s Grocery & Castleberry’s Drug Store on
Goethals & Symons street. My hangout as a young boy.
My dad played softball for Garmo’s. Playing under the
grandstands at the softball field down at the Richland
Park. Eddie Feinter (the King and his court?) would
come there to play. The ball field is still there.
· Pennywise & Densow's Drug Stores
· Thrifty Drug next to the old Richland Theater.
· The Frontier Tavern - still there. Tilbert Neal
(class of ’56) owned it for awhile. He still lives in
the area.
· Stan's Lucky 5, Uptown Tavern (Tommy's) and the
Towne Crier Tavern. The Uptown Tavern is still there
and the Town Crier is still going strong.
· Remember the kids’ fishing pond below Carmichael Jr. High?
· Atomic Bowling Alley where many would have a late
(early morn) breakfast after a night on the town.
· TV was introduced to Richland in 1953 - I remember
seeing TV advertised at the old Desert Inn Hotel. We
bought one in 1954 (what a snow job!).
· The drive-in theaters - Hiland Drive-In, StarVue
Drive-In at the base of Flat Top in West Richland, the
Skyline Drive-In at North end of Richland. The River
View Drive-In in Pasco and the "Y" Drive-In. Remember,
sneaking into the drive-ins in the trunks of cars? Got
caught once or twice!
· The drag race strip we set up by the Richland Y in
the park. I ruined a perfectly good 1949 ford there.
· AND, the Spudnut Shop. It is still going strong. I
personally am there every morning at 7:00 a.m. My
coffee fix since 1954. The SPUDNUT Shop is celebrating
its 50th birthday this year. I have given Val (Girardo
?) Driver (the owner) the Bomber email address as she
is an ex-bomber (don't remember which year).
There is more that comes to mind, but have been long
winded enough. So will leave you with these thoughts.
TO TONY TELLIER (’57):
We had an island beer party one night. Dave Gilpin’s
(’57) boat sunk because too many people were in it. Me
& Jim Morton (’56) retrieved Dave and his boat & I
want to think you were also hauled in being you
couldn't swim. All you had left on was your underwear
and leather jacket!!! DO you remember this?
Randy Buchanan (57)
========================================
>>From: Dick Boehning ('63)
Paul Boehning ('85)
Suzanne Christensen Boehning ('85)
Corey Boehning ('87)
Also please add us to the mailing list for Sandstorm.
It is great!!!!
-Dick Boehning ('63)
====================
>>From: Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight (59)
Hi Maren,
You and Gary are providing all of us with a great and
unique service! Kudos to you, and as my ex Dave used
to say: "You'll receive your reward in heaven!"
Really! It was him who said it first, and I still say
it to friends from time to time. Seems funny that it
came to mind while I was writing to you!
-Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight ('59)
========================================
>>From: Susan Rathjen Whitney (71)
I can't help it..I have to do this....
If you need coal or oil call Boyle, Fairfax 8-1521,
Fairfax 8-1521 For all your heating problems Be your
furnace old or new, Just call the Boyle fuel company
And they'll solve them all for you. If you need coal
or oil, call Boyle Fairfax 8-1521, Fairfax 8-1521. And
now, back to our master of ceremony........ what was
his name??
Susan Rathjen Whitney '71
========================================
>>From: Amanda Hitt LaRiviere (86)
Hi! I'm a Bomber from the class of 1986.
Thanks for adding me. Go Bombers!!
I teach Spanish at RHS.
-Amanda Hitt LaRiviere (86)
========================================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
Responding to: "I believe that Tony Tellier - the name
seems familiar -ran around with one of my brother-in-
laws (Denny Brown - Class of 57). Denny passed away in
December 97."
I sure did. What brought Denny down? Did he ever get a
good operation for his hip??
-Tony Tellier ('57)
===============================
>>From: Jim Hamilton (63)
Another to me from Frank Osgard. He sent another msg
that he meant Pepsi rather than pizza, in his
reference to the "Big Y Tavern", I think Hawkin's
mother was the gray haired lady of which he referred.
SEMPER BOMBERUS
--------------
From: Frank Osgard
RE: I'm still stuck in let's remember
15 Aug 1998
Jimbeaux,
Jeeze,
I can't believe all the flack over my saying that the
Rec Hall was the best place to put peanuts in your
pepsi and learn to smoke. Is there ANYONE who doesn't
have an opinion? The signal station below Carmichael
got a lot of votes, as well as the bus station on
G.W.Way. There was a surprisingly large number of
votes for Boy Scout meetings and Church Youth Group
meetings.
My mom referred to the Signal Station as the "Rat
Hole". It was inhabited after school by a bunch of
guys in jeans (with tow buckled skinny belts) and
teeshirts with rolled up sleeves. Most of these guys
had (and some still have) "DA's, Flat Tops with
Fenders and an occasional Wally Cleaver Jelly Roll. No
tennis shoes or fruit boots here, these cats wore
"mile high" thick soled wedgie shoes, some with the
soles painted white. These weren't white buck frat
boys. Speaking of wedgies, that's what you got if you
stood too close to Wally Meyers. He was on Big League
Bad Ass. He's probably in the Rotary Club now, selling
Amway and driving a nine year old Dodge Caravan with
pink dice hanging from the mirror, full of kids and
his third wife, but back then he was some kind of a
serious dirt boppin' Mike Tyson.
I digress
Any of the windbreaks were a great place to smoke, but
there were always a lot of bugs and irrigation water,
so one really couldn't sit down and have discourse
with your friends. Another negative was no pop
machine. Curley's 76 and Wascher's Mobil have gotten
some mention as a good place, if your folks or their
friends didn't buy gas there. The bus station was cool
'cause it had pinballs, but the machine to buy smokes
was outside in the sun, so you could count on your
Pall Malls to burn faster than det-cord. The good news
was that they only cost a quarter. It also had a back
door, in case your Aunt came in on the Greyhound from
Salt Lake. Quane claims they had a bar there, and
food. It did have a pin ball baseball game, that's
where my lunch money went. Of course you could always
have a heater at Hi-Spot, and don't forget the
library. You could suck down a Lucky and fine tune
your plagerization skills at the same time. Steal
couple of smoke from the folks, and fill out a couple
of dozen 3x5 cards with all kind of minutia about
George Bernard Shaw and his clim to literary
prominence.
We seldom needed to go to the library after the Old
Man bought a used set of World Book. He saw them
advertised in the Works News that came out every
Friday. The "Trading Post" was his favorite part. I
remember that there were always pictures of someones
Dad getting a safety prize, a perfet attendance pin
and then a couple of colums of killer deals on cars,
old furnaces, bicycles and kittens. That parat must
have eventually become the Big Nickle. There was
always pretty major ocerage of Fire Prevention Parades
and Atomic Frontier Days. Back to encyclopedias, the
Old Man figured that all you needed to know was in
Volumes 1-13. Even though they were ten or more years
old and made no mention of Joseph Stalin or
television, "Don't make me get out of this chair, you
can damn well find it if you'll just look".
Heard from some folks that went to the reunion, that
spudnuts are two bits, I can't believe it. Wife number
one, was from Kennewick, but never developed a taste
for those little rings of grease. Spudnuts and Apple
Juice were the main stay of every Halloween party. She
(wife number one) had an infatuation with Maple Bars
from Wild Bill''s down at the "Y". I think she
developed the taste when her Dad would buy the kids a
bag of day olds and and a couple of pizzas, then leave
them (the kids that is) in the car while de ducked
into the "Big Y Tavern" for a couple of hours to pound
"red oly's" and play shuffle board. Some gray haired
gal who owned the place, whose name escapes me, would
run him off after about three hours. He would navigate
home by landmarks. Up the road past the Buck Private,
turn right after Ray's Grocery where he bought his
crappie bait. Go past Hank's Auction and then straight
through the Mad Turk Intersection, at what time the
old Kaiser he drove would go on auto pilot. Like an
old fire horse to the barn.
Is it true that they have opened up the old Fred
English as a B&B, that might be a very appropriate
place for our next reunion. That's another place I
really wanted to visit, like the Ritz Rooms and the
Waldorf Hotel in Walla Walla. But alas, I never made
it.
Was watching some drag race shown on TNN last Sunday,
and swear I saw a couple a couple of the old Columbia
Park regulars form t he early 60's. They had a couple
more chins, had gained a lot of weight, but they had
the same tee-shirts and haircuts. I miss the sounds of
those friday night drags. Cecil Howard uncapping his
lake pipes (actually 2" galvanized pipe) and the
pulsating sounds of Duane Eddy out of the reverb unit
on someones '50 Ford. Hearts never beat as fast as
when someone yelled "COPPPPPPS", except of course when
the chant of "ON TO STATE, ON TO STATE" began.
Gotta check off now, since Wrestle Mania XII is this
evening. I'm pulling for Steve Austin to crack open a
"Big old can of Whupass" and take care of Hulk Hogan,
and that stupid black beard.
What an idiot
Frank Osgard ('63WB)
========================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
========================================
****************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/24/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Had been sending Alumni Sandstorm to a wrong address
and discovered this day before yesterday. Here is the
response.....
=====================================
>>From: A Corvallis, OR Grad (72)
Dear Vegas68-
I had actually started a note after I received the
first couple sandstorms. I found the notes interesting
and wished something similar was happening with CHS.
Where did you first find email addresses for the alum?
My only connection with the Tri-Cities area is that my
folks' RV has twice had vehicle problems there on 100
+ degree days. We joke about the area as a sort of
"Bermuda Triangle". ; )
BJ
========================
>>From: Valerie Polentz Topham (72)
Does anyone else remember dragging out of bed those
summer mornings to go out to Staples' orchards to pick
cherries?
Dave Vetrano et al drove out to climb the ladders,
fill the buckets and return home filthy.
If you 'graduated' as Dona and Lana Pfeifer, Sue Goff
and I did, we landed in the sorting and packing plant.
I still have a hard time looking at a bing cherry!
Any CUP "Group" members out there online?
Valerie Polentz Topham (72)
===================================
>>From: Robert Shipp (64)
I finally got my home computer on-line and when Dennis
Strege (class of '71) gave me a printout of the Alumni
Sandstorm the other day, I was prompted to check out
the Bomber web site. The Sandstorm and the web site
both brought back a lot of memories. As you may have
guessed, I'm back in Richland. I left here when I went
to college, came back in '76, moved to Kennewick (I
know that's sacrilege, but I couldn't afford a house
in Richland at the time) in '78, left the Tri-Cities
in '83, back to Kennewick in '88, and finally bought
the house I live in now in '90. After all that moving
around, I ended up living just 3 houses down from the
one I had lived in since second grade (my mom still
lives there). Looking forward to hearing more about
the old school and our classmates.
-Robert Shipp ('64)
========================================
>>From: Jim Armstrong (63)
Hey don't forget The Gems {Walla Walla}. Larry Coryell
played in a band at Chief Jo it included Grant Ross
and Don Ott I believe. He also played with The
Checkers {Yakima]. They had a great piano player who
later played with Larry in his Jazz group. Also
Richland's own Chessmen were one of the best of the
local Rock and Roll groups. Plus I believe Dean
Heiling was in a group. Darrel Glasford was in an
excellent Ventures type group {I forget their name},
before he joined The Chessmen. THE FABULOUS WAILERS
{my all time favorite Rock and Roll group] are
together and performing in Western Washington and
still sound great. They just released a C.D. in June.
-Jim Armstrong aka "Pitts" ('63)
P.S. Gary I hope you still have your Like Longhair
album. It should be worth a few bucks.
======================================
>>From: Maureen Sullivan Fleischman (76)
Hey! This is really a kick, reading all these
memories. I think I'm getting a bit addicted...
Regarding JFK's death: I was 5 at the time, in Mrs.
Clayton's kindergarten class at Sacajawea. When I
arrived home, my mom was as white as a sheet. She told
me and my best friend (Cindy O'Brien, where are you?)
to kneel down and say a prayer for President Kennedy,
who had been shot. Now I felt like Mr. Kennedy was
practically family, being an Irish Catholic democrat
and all. My whole family had piled into the old green
Pontiac and gone out to the desert to see him cut the
ribbon on the reactor. I remember my brother Denis
pushed his way up to the front that day, and all that
week he went around saying, "shake the hand that shook
the hand of John F. Kennedy." Well, when I learned he
was dead, I consoled my mom by saying, "just think
mom, God gets to see President Kennedy in person." Mom
would vouch for that story if she were still here.
I recognize a lot of the names from the sixties. I
remember our house being full of my brothers and
sisters' friends. Lots of card playing, watching
sports on tv, and debating. Ray Baalman, Gerry
Schirado, Jerry Hurley et all were always speaking
French to each other.
A few years later, there were Mark Painter, Emmit
Jackson, Scott Woodward, Chris Nickola and a host of
others drifting through. I remember pouting because
they wouldn't let me play hearts with them (I think I
was 8 at the time). Then Mark Painter came in to my
room and said, "all right, Squaz, you can play!".
Thanks, you guys, wherever you are -- I can still play
a mean hand of hearts, and so can my kids!
Did anyone mention Newberry's, on the corner Uptown?
That store had everything, even a fountain where you
could get great hamburgers and milkshakes. Upstairs at
Christmas, Santa always waited for any kid who could
make it up those steep stairs. Thrifty drug, next to
the Uptown Theater, had a cafe too, and a small attic
where Santa would sit as well. I always felt sorry for
that guy -- it was kind of spooky up there.
All for now -- thanks for all your hard work!
-Maureen Sullivan, 76'
=========================================
>>From: Ken Heminger (56)
My name is Ken Heminger, I attended several schools
in Richland from 1947 to 1955. Spalding, John Ball (in
North Richland) Chief Jo, and then Columbia High.
Seems like there were others but hard to remember now.
I grew up in what is now West Richland. Then it was
Enterprise. My dad tried to make to make a name for
himself and bought some property and sold lots to
businesses. The area was developed and was called
Heminger City. It was just west of Enterprise
separated by an irrigation ditch. As time progressed
the town folk of Enterprise got to fussing about what
to call the whole thing. The folks in Enterprise
wanted it called Enterprise, and the folk's in
Heminger City of course wanted to call it Heminger
City. To make a long story short, the town of Richland
kinda settled the matter by calling it West Richland.
I am glad I found this page, I have read a lot of the
msgs and it has sparked many good memories. I enjoy
the pictures also. Wish there were more... I had
forgotten what many of the places looked like.
-Ken Heminger ('56)
====================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
To Randy Buchanan ('57) wrote:
"Remember Muscles? Sonny would sit in the movies with
his pet monkey. How about those stories about people
taking him to Walla Walla?"
Scary, huh?
And regarding sinking that boat ... REAL scary how
many mighta ended up downstream up against McNary. A
boat load of drunks all piled in into Dave's dad's
outboard and we all were in the back. The river water
came in over the transom in the dark of night and the
thing went down big time. I recall kicking off my
water logged "501"s and somehow getting to shore, the
island that is. I don't remember HOW we got back off.
Another boat? Q: didn't we ~ or some of us ~ get a
lift back into town in Dave Clem's hearse?
What ever happened to Richard Perry? George Pruden was
around the LA area, or so I heard but ...
-Tony Tellier ('57)
========================================
>>From: Bomber Combo Ralph & Sandy Hardin Koontz (62/65)
Gary/Maren,
Please include us on distribution for the Alumni
Alumni Sandstorm. Sandy (Hardin - Class of 65) and I
(Class of 62) currently live in Northern Virginia
about 15 miles from Washington, DC. I am now a defense
contractor after retiring from the Air Force in 1993.
I work for Teledyne Brown Engineering and am involved
with requirements definition for the Joint Strike
Fighter Program Office. Sandy is a Fairfax County
special education teacher where she works vocational
programs for handicapped children. We are interested in
hearing about other alums activities.
Thanks,
-Ralph Koontz ('62)
======================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
I have found a nice black and white photograph 8 1/2"
X 17" that I could have reproduced. It is labeled
Hanford Engineer Works Staff January 11, 1944.
Photograph + lisiting of names. Approximately 180 men
+ 1 nurse. If you are interested in knowing if your
dad is in it or if your mom is MM Shaw, please let me
know. I will have copies made up.
=======================================
>>From: Jane Walker Hill (62)
Larry Coryell graduated w/ class of '61.... he was a
very quiet, studious person... I have his albums.
Kippy Brinkman, also '62, very talented 'harpist'....
played in Reno or Las Vegas casinos for years. Lots of
talented Bombers out there! Sharon Tate's brother,
Terry, was also '62..... a cool "big" guy. Anyone know
what happened to Mr. Thomas Knudsen.... a terrific
person and art teacher??
-Jane Walker Hill ('62)
========================================
>>From: Ginny Rowe (68)
In case anyone is interested... I have the original
recipe for Zip's tartar sauce. Zip's fries, tartar
sauce, and cherry 7-Up.... still my favorite meal! :-)
========================================
>>From: Sue Henderson Semler (68)
I remember Sonia Harmon. I was in love with the French
language and took four years of it. There was another
French teacher but I don't remember his name. He must
still live in Richland 'cause I've seen him in church
when I've been down visiting my mom.
When JFK was shot I was in eighth grade at Christ the
King. I remember being in the hallway on the upper
floor near the principal's office when I heard about
it.
It's been great fun hearing about all the memories and
getting in touch with schoolmates from the past. I
hope I can keep up with answering e-mail!
Hi Mary McGuire Druffel, fellow Bomber, Coltonite and
farmer's wife!
Sharon Ghirardo, daughter of the Spudnut Shop owner
was in my class and lives in Pullman. It was a small
world when she came into WSU's Parking Services, where
I was working, to get a parking permit! And the world
was smaller still when I met Janet Davis ('68) in a
store in the Pullman area. I used to walk to Col Hi
with her and her twin sister Jean, Jane Brown and
Peggy Standefer. Peggy was my best friend for a lot of
years and though we are both terrible writers and have
drifted apart, we've just been reunited by e-mail
through the On-Line Sandstorm!
Thanks Gary and Maren!!
-Sue Henderson Semler (68)
=================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (46)
Hello. this is Eva Clark again, just found another
Bomber Pair, Jerry Reed (55) and Ginger Rose (55). They
live in Spokane, hopes to get his computer soon and I
told him to be sure and look this all up. Next time we
go to Spokane, will give him a call. Thanks, to Vonnie
Reed Hoff, his little sister, I was able to contact
him.
-Eva Clark Perry (46)
======================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
Re: Cinnamon Bear -- Finally someone else remembers
that program. I was beginning to think it was a
figment of my Imagination. I remember Judy and Jim and
their amazing adventures each December. My kids really
find it hard to believe how I used to listen to radio
programs. I remember a lot of the soaps -- Our Gal
Sunday, The Romance of Helen Trent, etc. If I was
good, I could stay up late and listen to Gunsmoke.
Donna Sesler -- We did go to Marcus together. I
remember biking to Dietrick's Market, too. Mom would
send a note and we would buy her cigs and maybe get a
candy bar or one of those twin popsicle. I loved
banana or root beer. How times have changed.
Bob-a-Lou drive in -- My best friend, Linda Flagor and
I would walk there from her house on Duane and get a
coke, if we were feeling rich. One of its many
incarnations was a great Mexican place called Jose's.
I just noticed that it is closed. Bummer!
Looked at the Sharon Tate sit last night. It is very
well put together.
My hubby was surprised to learn that the military was
here into the 50's. He's from a small town near Fort
Lewis -- Steilacoom. Went to Clover Park High School.
They aren't as electronically inclined as we former
Bombers. I guess it comes with those weird orange
clouds that came from up wind.
-Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
====================================
>>From: Carol Converse Mauer (64)
TO: Earl Bennett,
Thanks for writing to me about the radio program
that was on when we were younger. All I remembered of
it was someone going through the mirror. Would it be
possible to perhaps get a copy of those tapes? You can
write to me your answer. Would love to listen to that
program again.
-Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
========================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
I have scanned all of the Richland house types...
schetches included. The URLs foul up people with
'juno' and a handful of other ISPs. (Internet Service
Providers) I will drop them on to a web site and or
you can request one and I will send it as an
'attachment' or I will be glad to 'snail mail' you a
copy.
-Gary Behymer ('64)
================================
>>From: Karen Kaas Foster (64)
I have really enjoyed the Alumni Sandstorm, I finally
realized tonight that it was our school newspaper.
"Brain F--t!!
I am impressed that so many remember Sharon Tate, my
last visions of her are as "Miss Frontier Days" on a
float. I remember when she was in the "Valley of the
Dolls". I felt honored that she was from Richland.
After her brutal death I was really into the Manson
thing. I couldn't imagine any human being doing those
things to another. I think I have read all that has
been published about her death and "the Manson
Family", may he rot in hell!
One thing I would like to hear response on is the
death of "JFK", that is a time period that I will
never forget. I remember it all in detail, especially
since he was at Hanford the month before he was
killed. There was something about him, when we met him
at the dedication of the first dual purpose reactor in
the areas. I will never forget the sight of those
helicopters coming in to land, five of them. That was
the most impressive point in my life, he was the
"President" and we got to shake his hand and talk to
him, he had such a way with the people, you were
hypnotized by his presence. Dianne Brown swore she
would never wash her hand after he shook it. I will
never forget coming home from lunch on that day, with
a car full of friends, walking into my house and
seeing my Dad crying, by that time time we knew he was
gone. When we went back to school after lunch, my
class was psychology, the teacher (I don't remember
his name) started bad mouthing him, one of our class
stood up and basically told him to shut his mouth,
shortly after that we were let out of school. The next
five days are unforgettable to all of us.
I just wonder if any others have any memories that
stick out so much during that time.
-Karen Kaas ('64)
==========================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
==========================================
******************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/25/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
I forgot who was looking for Patty McLaughlin. I have
information on her, so whoever you are, drop me an e-
note and I'll send it to you.
=========================================
>>From: Rick Maddy (67)
OK Ginny -- I put the fries, tarter sauce and the
cherry 7-UP in my blender, but it doesn't taste the
same. Did I forget the pickle juice? Please send the
recipe :0)
-Rick Maddy ('67)
=========================================
>>Frokm: Ginny Rowe Duve (68)
I've had several requests for the recipe for Zip's
tartar sauce so here it is. Remember I said this is
the original recipe. What's a cube of mayonnaise???? I
was a car hop. Any of you Zip's cooks out there who
can interpret this recipe and convert it to a family
size portion rather than an army size?
This is straight from the bulletin board in the
hallway next to Mary's office:
1 Cube Mayonnaise
2/3 Can Relish
56 Squirts Catsup
50 Squirts Mustard
1 Ounce Garlic Salt
2 Ounces Celery Salt
1/3 Can Pickle Juice
Enjoy!
Ginny Rowe Duve ('68)
====================
>>From: Terry Liechty (64)
Gary,
I found some pictures and I put them on my site. Copy
them, use them or link them.
from the 1959 GE Newsn - 700 area (in town) from 1948.
http://AlumniSandstorm.com/htm1998/pics/700Area-48.jpg
If anyone is interested and for what it is worth.
-Terry Liechty ('64)
==========================================
>>From: Linda Davis-Brede '63
Gary and Maren- I'm looking for a lost bomber class of
63, Peggy Wirth. She lived on Swift next to Sandy
Riggins. Her folks were Mary Lou and Roy Wirth. She
had two sisters and a brother, Patsy Wirth probably
Class of 65, Barbie Wirth younger and a little brother
Rob. Peggy went to CBC for a year and then moved with
her family to Nevada I think. I used to go camping
with her family to Lake Conconully near Omak. Its so
hard to trace women as they lose their identity over
their lifetime as their names change. I'm enjoying
reading the Alumni Sandstorm, no one else in the
family gets this much e-mail
-Linda Davis-Brede '63
=============================
>>From: Gary Behymer n(64)
To Linda Davis-Brede '63
For What It's Wirth! I believe that most of this
family is still in Nevada. By searching thru some of
the 'people finders', I come across the following:
Roy Wirth
4340 Matich Dr
Reno, NV 89502 (702)825-0993
Robert Wirth
Reno, NV 89501 (702)852-4899
Barbara Wirth
434 Greenbr Twnh Wy
Las Vegas, NV 89121 (702)454-1359
Invest a quarter or 2. I bet you hit a homerun your
first call.
Gary Behymer ('64)
===============
>>From: Steve Oak (67)
Re: Spudnuts!
I moved to Richland in 1960 just in time to be in
Mr. Yance's last 6th grade class at Sacajawea Grade
School (I think he moved on to high school). He worked
a second job (seems to be the requirement for most
teachers...unfortunately) at the Spudnut Shop in
Uptown. The big treat was when he would bring us the
holes...made us all spudnut addicts for life.
The thing I remember most about Richland is the great
water skiing. I have never skied any where else that
is better and most places are terrible in comparison.
I remember cruising the shoreline in my old Renault
4CV (this is when it was still pronounced with a "t"
at the end) with my ski down the middle of the front
seats looking for friends with a boat in the water for
a quick ski. Some of the best summers of my life.
-Steve Oak (67)
=======================
>>From: Pat Bezzio (63)
RE: When Kennedy was shot and other brief topics
Well, I was attending a Catholic university when
Kennedy was shot -imagine the uproar! The only really
clear memory I have now, though, is that those of us
in the University Chorale were rushed over to rehearse
briefly for a requiem mass, which I believe we
performed that day or the very next day.
We had only recently (that same autumn) sung the Mass
of the Holy Spirit at St. James Cathedral - the
pageantry (all professors wore those academic,
medieval-style robes in the colors of their own
universities, many priests and altar boys, and guys
chanting and playing organ along with us up in the
choir loft) was truly incredible. The requiem for
Kennedy was a bare-bones affair held on campus, but it
and the tragic event of his death made a profound
impression on all of us.
I wonder if our classmates Rosemary Qualheim and Gary
Bartram were at this Requiem.
Things I was wondering if anyone else remembers:
The goofy names of the streets in North Richland -
trailer court area -Cosmic Lane, Proton Lane, Log Lane
- and since the abbreviation for Lane is "Ln", the
sign for the latter read, of course, Log Ln.
I am pretty sure that some place - Spudnut Shop? made
lemon soft ice cream. Also, it was considered
revolutionary when Popsicle came out with new flavors
- two I recall were blue raspberry and white licorice.
And remember how there was a science to breaking the
popsicles down the middle - any kid who goofed had to
take the tops and not have a stick.
Has anyone mentioned Tangee natural lipstick yet -
sometimes a girl whose mom wouldn't let her use real
lipstick would be allowed to use Tangee natural.
[Pat -- Nobody's mentioned Tangee yet, but I've been
watching for it!!! You know that stuff turns your lips
RED after a while... and my Dad said "You look like
you cut your throat and your bleeding from the mouth.
Go get that stuff OFF... RIGHT NOW!!" -- Maren]
There was that ritual of how the jr. high boys would
find the outgoing 6th grade girls, the ones they
considered "cool", at the drugstore or similar places,
and smear them with lipstick. Those who did not get
smeared were already suspected of not being "cool".
And somehow, even though it was still summertime, word
got out as to who got smeared. P.S. No, I did not get
smeared. I wore braces and glasses and was good in
science and math, and to top it all off, my mom did
not let me wear any type of lipstick!
-Pat Bezzio ('63)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Pat -- I didn't get smeared either!! hehehe -- Maren]
=====================================
>>From: Katie Sheeran Johnson (61)
RE: A PENNY'S WORTH OF INFO
Just thought I'd add some info. First off, Gene Conley
graduated in 1948.
About 1980, I was working in a place called Jazz Plus
down in Waikiki and we booked Larry Coryell for a
week. He played to a packed house every night and
after the shows we had a chance to talk about the old
Richland days.
Oh, and did you know that Sharon Tate appeared in
quite a few of the Beverly Hillbillies shows? That was
soon after she left Europe. She was the secretary to
the secretary of the bank. They had her in a black wig
to disguise her and Jethro always had a crush on her.
-Katie Sheeran Johnson '61
==================
>>From: Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
To: Tony Tellier ('57)
Re Denny Brown ('58RIP)
Denny died from a heart attack in December of '97
(Seattle, WA). And, he did finally have a successful
operation on his leg - he even played baseball for a
period of time. He spent a good part of his life
overseas (Thailand and Indonesia) and returned to the
States in the mid eighties.
Assume you also knew Joel Tremmel and David Joseph
Joel lives in Benton City - has been retired for more
years than he has worked and David, last I knew, had a
bar in Arizona.
Maren - Someone also asked about Richard Perry in one
of the messages I read. I can't remember who
specifically, but Richard married Joanne Coyne, Class
of 61 and they also live in Richland. I've copied
Joanne in case she would like to contribute and/or have
herself and Richard added to the list. Also, any info
I sent back re your personal request on updates of the
Brown/Webb/Bells is fine to include.
Maren -
You really have the Brown/Webb/Bell clan figured out
compared to most -it has always caused mass confusion..
Here's responses to some of your questions:
1. Denny Brown is Bonnie Webb's brother but I might
have the year of graduation wrong, but was the same
year as Joel Tremmel. Bonnie graduated in '59 and Denny
might have been '58 but thought that they were two
years apart. Denny was living in Seattle with his son
Ron and had a heart attack and passed away shortly
after arriving at the hospital.
[Denny was also brother to Terry Webb ('63RIP),
Gary Webb ('64) and Randy Bell ('72)]
2. Yes - I was married to Terry (1st husband) and then
Larry Aeschliman (class of 60) second husband (now
divorced). Terry passed away in February of 85, also
heart attack, but his was precipitated by his diabetes
which he never would take care of. He must have had a
premonition as he called quite a few of the guys he
ran around with several weeks before he died. Torry is
Terry's son and he does look like him but is not as
tall or as skinny as Terry was (looks like Terry but
built more like Gary). In fact, people have stopped
Torry on the street and asked if Terry was his father
because of the resemblance. I don't have a scanner
that's appropriate for me to use at work, but my
girlfriend Nancy Fellman Lysher, currently out of
town, has one so will have her scan a picture of Torry
when she gets back. Nancy can send you her E-Mail
address also - I have forgotten it.
3. Gary [Webb] works for a company out of Seattle
(Zetec) and travels all over the world. He is in
Sweden right now. Saw him several weeks ago and he is
still the same old Gary.
4. Randy lives locally also - Nancy McMurray Bell is
his wife (Randy was a Bell). He has had heart problems
too, had a five-bypass some years back and everyone
worries about him particularly.
5. Ilo [Webb], or Grams as we called her, passed away
just a bit over six years ago in August. And yes she
was a very special person. She "ran" around with me
and my friends, as well as all of the grandchildren.
Often when my daughter would get home from college she
and her friends would call Grams to come meet them at
the Red Robin or wherever. Quite frankly, there aren't
many like her.
6. My sister (half-sister) was Betty Joahn Husted, but
usually went by Joahn. Her father died when she was
just a small child. Our Mother, then married an Ingram
who was my father.
7. Yes I remember Tim. Didn't know him well but I do
know who he is. In fact not to long ago a bunch of the
"girls" were going through the '62 Columbian so for the
time being, names and faces ring even more bells! Can't
remember what we were looking for - but maybe that's OK
at our age!
7. I read all the E-Mails that I received last week
and noticed there were some questions about Sharon
Tate. One of my girlfriends in high school (Vicki
Fitzgerald) ran around with Sharon. If I remember
correctly, Sharon's father was transferred to Germany
(he was in the Army) so Sharon didn't graduate from
Richland but would have been a 61 graduate. Don't know
if Vicki is online with everyone, but last I knew she
was in Seattle. Haven't seen her Since Terry passed
away in 85 but she would have more details or probably
know someone that does.
Can't think of anything else relevant right now, but
did thoroughly enjoy going through the messages this
weekend. And, it was nice to hear from you! Have a
good week.....
Marilou Ingram Webb Aeschliman (62)
============================
>>From: Ned Barker and Susan Birge Barker (59)
Gene Conley was in a class sometime after 1945. He was
the center on the first team that went to "STATE". By
the way they played in what everyone refers to as the
girls gym. My father E.R. (Joe) Barker was the coach
at that time. My sister is Jan Barker who I think was
in the class of 56 or 57. I am having a great time
reading all of the posting. Keep up the good work.
-Ned Barker and Susan Birge Barker (59)
==================
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
to ken heminger: ken I also went to john ball grade
school. what a experience it was. i remember it well
the bomb shelter in the ditch out back, and all the
huts and the cafeteria where everything was held. I
only lived across the parking lot in the trailers at
that time.
-Gloria Falls Evans ('58)
====================================
>>From: Ray Hall (57)
hi friends! thought i would share some memories of the
early years in richland. i moved to richland in
october of 1948. my dad opened the richland jewelry
store at the corner of lee and george washington way.
our government house was at the corner of stevens and
wilson. i will never forget the famous dust storms we
had. i can visualize one in particular when mom and i
were leaving the jewelry store to go home and it was
so dusty that she had to have here lights on the car
and started heading to kennewick it was so bad: i
informed her to turn around and get headed in the
right direction. i remember, to young, the liquor
store was behind the jewelry store and on friday
evenings the lines would wrap around on gw way. some
of you may remember hurts apparel in the same building
as ours. and naturally you all remember the village
theatre; where on saturdays we could pay 12 cents to
get in, buy 3 boxes of popcorn and a hershey bar and
still have two pennies left from a 50 cent piece; my
how times have changed. on the other side of the
theatre was a rose garden that was maintained by the
rose society. then the desert inn hotel was the cities
only place to stay overnight. i used to get my haircut
there or at ganzels barber shop. you guys remember the
great black man that shined shoes called otis; he was
very nice to everyone; and how many chairs did that
shop have, seemed like 20 or so, anyway a lot. i would
entertain my self in the old recreation hall. i
remember the manual pin setters in the bowling lanes
there and the 30 or so pool tables, quite the hang out
and we kids could go into the pool hall to play. as i
remember it had a restaurant there also. then the
community house at the other end. i spent many a day
there playing ping pong, pool and shuffleboard. i
think al maurica, and ernie curtis were the directors.
riverside park as it was then called had many games
for us to play. no for you younger graduates that is
what is know howard amon park. and the old bus depot
with its music blaring out over the area, what is now
the jackpot. a very busy place as people took the bus
to the basin area for work and the bus was a major way
to travel at that time. those softball games by the
bus depot. i can remember them starting at 4pm and
lasting until late evenings. great games to watch.
another place was the mart, corner of knight street
and jadwin, but someone else has talked about that
place. we would take the ferry in north richland to go
hunting across the river in the blocks. i often wished
that i was older when this place was being developed.
i don`t think the younger people can appreciate what a
fast growing town we lived in. i remember selling
trees that my neighbor, mr christensen, had purchased
to the people in north richland. at one time it was
the world`s largest trailor court. i can remember just
barren dust that their trailors would sit on and they
were happy to purchase a tree for 25 cents. they would
wash there clothes at building, brick, that the
government built for the residents. north richland had
a theatre called the north star i believe, and even a
big department store in which we even had a jewelry
section. john ball school was there, and i think, not
sure, that a bowling alley was there also. i went to
the old sacajawea school, corner of williams and
stevens, went to the great chief joseph junior high
school, we were warriors then, they call themselves
eagles now, but it will be warriors to me. went to the
great columbia high school. many memories of dutch
haag and mcintosh trying to catch smokers between
classes. we had a pretty good system of notifying the
smokers who was on the prowl. i didn`t smoke but was
one who would kind of keep watch.
i enjoyed writing this and reading all of your others.
brings back memories, that i can honestly say were
great.
hope to hear more about the history of this great
town. we not only lived hear, but we are the history.
i am trying to locate a high school friend of mine:
kenny roberts 57 anyone know his whereabouts
-Ray Hall ('57)
========================================
>>From: Pat Vaché (60)
My sister, Barbara, sent me e-mail with all sorts of
fun and interesting stuff from your site. I have spent
a very interesting morning reading and remembering. I
even got off an E-mail to a lost friend from CBC.
Thanks and GOOD Work.
I am a Cougar-Bomber, class of 60. From our home in
West Richland, I think that I went (by bus) to every
grade school in Richland, but one, even John Ball in
North Richland. It was at John Ball that we got to
practice hiding from "the bomb" in a large trench in
back of the school.
Last moth the local museum held a display Smithsonian
display of WWII posters. My mind immediately took me
back to C.C. Andersons and the scary posters reminding
us to that at every turn there might be a spy or other
evil lurking about.
Interestingly, a generation later, in a different time
and place, my children were all Cougars (Redmond
Junior High) and wore the colors Green and Gold at RHS
(Redmond High School)
Please. if you have a mailing list, add me.
-Pat Vaché ('60)
========================================
>>From: Margaret (Peggy) Hartnett (72)
Sue Henderson asked about the "other" French teacher-
the one I remember was Gerard Lebreque -- the
Lebreque's who moved into your house Maren [at 1205
Perkins]. I always think of Mrs. Harmon as the Russian
teacher-she was the best I ever had.
Here's my entry into the Where Were You When JFK....."
well, at the moment I was in Mrs. Nichola's 4th Grade
class at Christ the King, as I recall we immediately
hit the aisles on our knees, the rest is pretty common
to everyone's memories until later that evening, My
older sister Mary Mike (61) was getting married the
next day, whether it is family lore or the truth,
Father Sweeny asked her if she wanted to postpone the
wedding, but people had come from out of town, etc.
When we went to the rehearsal that night the church
was draped in black, somewhat ominous. Next morning
the church wasn't in black, just everyone's mood but
the wedding went on and since Irish/Catholic wakes and
weddings call for the same sort of behavior.........so
that's my memory.
Gary, my dad was W.S. Hartnett, nicknamed Gabby, he
was there earlier than '44 so would you see if he's in
the photo? Thanks........and finally, it is
interesting how many people know about Hanford, the
most commonly asked question I get: "Do You Glow In
the Dark", my common answer, "What's Dark" takes them
a minute. I have had a few occasions to meet people
from Nagasaki, they get asked that too.
On the Sharon Tate topic, my sister Mike (61) and she
knew each other, I don't remember her but am pretty
sure there are some photos around. I currently live in
the town that Charles Manson says he would move to if
ever let out--we have our own thoughts on that, but
rumor has it that Squeeky has a house here and is a
part time rez. I guess everything is connected.
-Peggy Hartnett ('72)
====================
>>From: Irene Smith Gostnell (59)
I was just sitting here reading today's Alumni
Sandstorm (truly a miracle, the paper we all can read
and write an article for at the same time: thanks to
M. and G.!) and I just thought of Flattop. No one has
mentioned it that I've noticed. When we moved out to
West Richland I was 16, but we had been building our
house on Canal Drive since I was 6. The family built
it ourselves on weekends and evenings after work and
school - a great family project. It kept us from
having to get a teevee for years - we were never home!
But us kids went up Flattop many times over those
years, and I remember running down all the way without
stopping, or tripping and falling, rolling back up on
my feet again and running on, flyyy-ingggg, that was a
trip!!!
In 1959 after I graduated I bleached my hair in the
canal with Joyce Farley egging me on. We used a 4 oz
bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and while it was wet it
didn't look much lighter, so we just kept pouring it
on til the bottle was empty. Of course it was almost
white when it dried!! Looked smashing with my black
eyebrows and glasses! My dad took one look at me and
said if I ever did that again I would have to move
out. Of course I'd never have done it again anyway.
That was also the summer that I was "Carp Queen of
'59" for loaning Dave
Stiles and some other guys my dad's pitchfork to go
carping in the Yakima at the end of our land out
there. I don't remember them ever stabbing any carp
though.....
-Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight ('59)
======================
>>From: Jack Grouell (61)
RE:Larry Coryell Correction,
I'm sure you will get lots of mail on this but Larry
Coryell was class of 1961. I'm looking at the '61
Columbian and in the seniors section (page 24) there
is a picture of Larry Coryell. Besides, I had a couple
of celebration drinks with Larry and my cousin Bill
Grouell (also class of '61) in Bill's dark green '54
Merc Sunvalley (Plexiglas top!). Time for a new
celebrity Thread? Who remembers Beth Pederson (class
of '61 of course). She sang around the NW for a long
time. I have a record titled Beth and Cinde recorded
in 1977 in Sandpoint Idaho. Does anybody know if she
recorded anything else? Still working on a list of
things I remember, but for now, Does anyone remember
Tiger Gentle and his parking stall name change? Or the
disappearance of his beloved star chart? I have the
details!
Maren -- The teacher you are thinking of was Mr Scott,
the Physics teacher. He had a VW microbus. One of the
big things to do at lunch was for a bunch of guys to
pick it up and turn it sideways in the parking stall.
I think on time it wound up on the steps in front of
(Help me here, what was the annex building called).
[Mac Hall -- MacIntosh]
You and Gary really are doing a GREAT job keeping all
this going. If you ever question whether it is worth
the considerable effort it must take to do this, trust
me, it has made a LOT of people very happy to be in
contact with old friends and finding out they have
many shared memories with people they never new. Thank
you very much for doing this.
Jack Grouell ('61)
===================
>>From: John Northover (59)
For those that remember what great burgers By's cooked
... How many remember sometime in '58 or '59, By's was
shut down for a few days by the food inspector due to
some mix-up with the butcher ... seems as though there
was a little more equine mixed in with the bovine,
than there should have been ... or the shipments from
the butcher got mixed up with what was supposed to go
to the dog pound ... Regardless ... they sure did
taste good!!! I do not remember any one getting ill
over a little equine burger... or that it kept anyone
from returning as soon as they re-opened.
In response to Gloria Falls Evans (58) Sharon Tate was
the Sophomore Princess at the '59 Bomber Home Coming,
along with Katie Sheeran, Junior Princess's Sandy
Stice and Cheryl Weihermiller, Senior Princess's Sandy
Witherup and Betty Baker, AND Judy Rees the Queen of
the Ball! ... which would put her in the Class of '61.
Maren, Noticed several people mentioning Sharon Tate,
here are a couple of sites people might be interested
in ... In addition do a search in any browser ... tens
of sites show up... just ordinary people that cared
for her...
[deleted URLs so everybody can get this e-mail... put
URLs on the ALL Bomber Links site --Maren]
john northover ('59)
==================
>>From: Janice Mulroy Wick (58)
Thanks you guys for the great job your doing!!
In reply to Karen regarding JFK and the day he came to
Hanford and the day he died. My name is Janice Mulroy
Wick class of '58. I was married and was home
vacuuming the living room when my phone rang and my
mother was screaming turn on your TV the president has
been shot. My husband had just left to go to Pasco for
something and heard it on the radio and turned around
and came back home. Like everybody else we never left
the TV for 5 days and were in total disbelief that he
had been assassinated.
When he came to Hanford my husband (Roger) was a State
Patrolman. He was one of the 8-10 chosen to be on the
honor guard for Kennedy. He was on the stage right by
him. What a thrill for both of us. I was left to fin
for myself in crowd and I was rabid about getting
close enough to see him. I was practically on the land
pad when his helicopter landed!! When he was leaving
and walking by the people I was right there and got a
fast movie picture of him.
Anybody out there that hasn't heard about the class of
"58's reunion on Sept. 25, 26 can contact me at
and I will see to it you get
the information.
I hope the memories never end!! I just love reading
them and I had forgotten so many things. What goes
right after the memories ¿
Thanks to all
Janice Mulroy Wick (58)
===========================
>>From: Micki Spears Rose (61)
Hi Gary and Maren...
I can't believe how fast the Bomber site has expanded
since I first found it last year!!! I think there were
only a handful of visitors when my brother Jerry
Spears ('64) told me to look it up and sign in. It has
been incredible to read all the memories that we have
in common. We are, indeed, a very unique group.
All of us that were born here or lived here during the
war years, when it was Hanford, up until the military
left (1961-62) lived and shared a very different
reality from most other children growing up in the
United States at that time. I am curious whether the
families of Oak Ridge, TN (the only community that
might have been the same), have this same intense
connected awareness, or is it just us Richlanders?. I
think it would be interesting to contact their High
School and see if some of them are interested in
sharing their stories as group recollection, and if
their stories have a thread of similarity since they
were raised in the only other situation similar to
ours. War stories that my father told me were that the
first atomic bomb (Hiroshima) originated from their
location, and the second (Nagasaki) from Hanford. My
father worked for DuPont (at Oak Ridge) in 1942, and
was sent here as one of that first group of "Manhattan
Project" engineers in 1943.
[Micki--have some inquiries in to some people from Oak
Ridge High School. Will let everybody know if I hear
anything -- Maren]
I was born in February of 1943 and took my first steps
later that year in the trailor camp called Hanford. We
moved to 1616 Perkins (a two bedroom pre-fab) then to
a "Ranch House" at 633 Cedar Street where I went to
Marcus Whitman (Kindergarten and half of first grade)
and then to an "A" house at 514 Delafield (Hazel and
Arlene Gruver lived next door) where I went to Lewis
and Clark Elementary (we played in one of the
authentic canoes from the L&C expedition for years
before someone realized that we were tearing a piece
of history apart and moved it to the Sacajawea Park
site), then on to Carmichael Jr High and then Col Hi.
In the 3d grade we had moved down the street to
another "A" house at 509 Delafield that my parents
bought in 1957 for 7,900.00. They still live in that
house and I sleep in my old bedroom when I visit my
parents.
Sharon Tate was indeed from my class of 1961. I was a
Carmichael kid, so I first really knew her from our
Sophomore year at Col Hi. I don't think I have ever
met anyone as beautiful, both physically and
spiritually. She had a very sweet nature and was kind
and loving to everyone. She was one of the least
snobbish persons I have ever met. She would be as
likely to seek out and walk to class with a "nobody"
(high school hierarchy) as she would one of the
"cheerleaders". I personally witnessed this many
times. I believe that the year we were 16 (1959), she
held these titles:
Miss Frontier Days
Miss Richland
Miss Tri-Cities
Miss Water Follies
Miss Auto-Rama
Robley Johnson Photography also won a national contest
with a picture of her in a straw hat that year. It was
such a beautiful picture. It hung in the window of his
studio for years. I wonder if Bill Johnson ('61) would
have a copy of it in his fathers files? She always
looked and acted so serene and composed for a girl our
age, and was eons ahead of all of us in compassion and
grace. It is so hard to understand the event that took
her life, and the life of her baby. Vicky Fitzgerald
('61) was one of her best friends, and would be able
to fill in a lot of details about her before she left
to move to Italy with her family, and I know she
continued to corresponded with Sharon for some time
after she left Richland. I will look for her address,
or maybe someone else has it on hand and can contact
her. She might be able to confirm the titles that
Sharon held that year we were all 16, I know she had
many...and deserved them all. So many other "beauty
queens" are only superficially beautiful, while anyone
who ever met or knew Sharon will attest...she was
"truly" an exquisitely beautiful person ...from the
inside out.
Do any of you from that year (1959) remember "squash
heels"? Actually, I think Sharon Tate started that
craze at school...I remember her having the first pair
I ever saw...cream white ones. I nearly put my parents
into fits that same evening to get to the store to
find mine. Within a week there wasn't a pair available
in the Tri Cities. Girls were driving to Walla Walla
to get theirs...ah! the joys of high school fads...but
it was so simple then...just a pair of shoes with a
squashed down heel.
I do remember the white lipstick too, the Bridgitte
Bardot look. And, in 1960, the exchange student that
taught us all to "rat" our hair (later called
'teasing")? I have forgotten her name, but she was
from Italy and years ahead of Richland in fashion. It
didn't take long for us to get the hang of it though,
and we went into the 60's with beehives and ratted
french twists to be proud of.
Reading these stories that could so easily have my
name instead of the authors and it would be my own
authentic experience is fascinating. My mother worked
at The Mart and I remember Muscles so clearly and how
my mother taught me to be compassionate and not make
fun of those who were different...good lessons. The
Village theatre where, on Saturdays, you could get 2
main features (Roy Rogers,Tarzan, Lash LaRue, Hopalong
Cassidy, The Lone Ranger...I guess we were big on
westerns) plus 2 cartoons and a serial. The price?...a
whopping 25 cents. That also included popcorn and a
candy.
Unfortunately, my brother and I had to walk past the
downtown Richland theatre to get to the Village. I was
older and a real adventurous kid...so I talked him
into going to see the House of Wax in 3-D one Saturday
instead of the kiddie show. Big Mistake. Scared both
of us half to death with nightmares, and when we broke
and told...the teller got in trouble for letting us
in.
Thanks so much for your considerable efforts, Gary and
Maren!!! I can hardly wait to read each issue of the
"Sandstorm"!!!
-Micki Spears Rose ('61)
=====================
>>From: David Rivers (65)
What a great idea. I can't believe the number of
people I've seen in the pages of the cyber-sandstorm
that I've thought of for years and years but never
known where they are. I just saw Jerry and Vonnie
Reed's name (without addresses unfortunately). I lived
next to Jerry. Vonnie, Sharon, Larry,
Johnny and Billy Lipke from god knows when till 2d
grade. My mom still talks about those kids all the
time and has always said the last she heard, Jerry was
in Spokane. Kenny Peterson now lives in the Reed's
house...the "new" people have put an addition on at my
house next door at 1309 Haines. Guess the old girl was
right. I got the address for Gene Conley from Bo
Belinski, an old Angels friend of mine: 12 Ridge road,
Foxborrow, Mass 02035. I remember meeting him one
time. My dad took me to his folks' house and all I had
for him to sign was an old chewed up ball my dog had
got. He signed it and I still have it. You can no
longer even see his name...but I know it's there. Bo
said the first time he met Gene, he also met Wilt the
Stilt. He said he felt like he was standing between
two redwoods.
We (the 65ers) just finished our yearly get-
together...(thanks Maren for the web page). As you and
Gary know (but others may not), a bunch of us from '65
get together every year during the 2d week in August
for a get-together. This year the same gang got
together and even managed to get some new faces to
show up. As usual, Brian Johnson, Terry Davis, Jim
Heidlebaugh, Jack Keeney, Tony Harrah, Steve Simpson,
Lyman Powell, Carl Beyer, Terry Werner, Jim Adair and
I got together. We managed to attract Laura Parker,
Greg Hanson JoAnn Bushnell and Marv Steele to join us
this year. Absent were Pete Carrol Larry Greer, Bobby
Commings and Rick Warford this year. I'll send pix
when I remember to bring them in. We started off with
an "Association" Concert on Friday (not quite our era
but sure was fun) and we had two rooms behind the
stage...cut up the whole night and had a ball.
Saturday a party on Carl's dock and the usual
breakfast and Brian's house on Sunday. It's a blast.
Hope more can join next year!
Well, gang it's great to have this wonderful forum to
get together with other Bombers!
-David Rivers ("65)
=======================
>>From: William Porter (68)
RE: Larry Coryell
I never knew Larry in Richland, but have come to
admire his guitar work.
I have quite a few of his albums. This reminds me,
Richland has had a hidden treasure in John Lachappell,
a fine guitar teacher. Is he still teaching or retired
now. I remember most of those band names. How about
the Daily Flash? I also remember the pseudo bands that
came thru town. The Animals at the Roller rink, THe
Zombies at the Pasco Armory, THe Buffalo Springfield
in Walla Walla. Who were these bands really? Oh yeah,
who could forget the Morning After, or Carmichael's
own, The Penquins. I always mention The Penguins when
I see Larry Horne, he just shakes his head and smiles
-William L. Porter ('68)
==============================
>>From: Susie Dill Atlee (64)
You and Gary are doing a wonderful job with the
Sandstorm. I tell ya, these random thoughts from
alumni have certainly dredged up some
memories...things I haven't thought about in eons.
I remember vividly what I was doing when JFK was
killed. I was one of those students who "worked" in
the school office during my free period. That's where
I was...with Sharon (Sasser) Warren, who also worked
in the office. I had forgotten how compelling the TV
coverage was 'til Karen (Kaas) Foster brought it up.
We were glued to the television from the time of the
assassination 'til the funeral. Remember John-John
saluting his Dad's casket? Hard to believe it was
soooo many years ago.
Does anybody else remember heading to Zips for lunch
during school for our usual order of fries, tartar
sauce, and a Vanilla coke with extra vanilla? This was
a daily routine for many of us! Don't think I've had
fries quite that good since. :o)
Keep up the good work!
-Susie Dill Atlee....'64
=======================
>>From: Julie L. Thompson (79)
Maren, would you please add my name and e:mail to your
list. I graduated in 79 and have enjoyed reading
everyone's memories, some are familiar some were
before my time.
Can you also explain how this works?
Thank-you,
-Julie L. Thompson (79)
================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
RE: Also Richland's own Chessmen were one of the
best of the local Rock and Roll groups.
OK, then how about Galen Walley and the Pyramids ....
Tony Tellier ('57)
================================
>>From: Carol Carson Renaud (60)
I love reading all these "memories". I loved the one
about Mrs. LaBorde. Boy - did we think she was a witch
at times. Does anyone remember Tim's (down across from
the Richland Cemetery)? One side was for families and
the back part was for all of us kids to sit around,
drink cokes and eat french fries and try to pretend we
were ignoring the opposite sex! What a life. Keep all
the memories coming.
Carol Carson Renaud ('60)
===========================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
===========================================
*******************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/26/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: John Northover (59)
One couple more things come to mind...
FLAT TOP, they had motorcycle climbs out there. One
day when Ned Barker, myself and a couple of other
guys, bored as usual and out to find any kind of
excitement. We drove to the top, to watch the climbers
attempt to reach the top. We were all watching in a
somewhat detached attention, when Ned said something
like "I wonder if we could drive down the front of
this hill." He had his parents car, a little green
french machine. It was not a fiat, possibly a Simca,
or something like that ... some little obscure brand
made in france. A four banger with a four speed
transmission. We all looked down the 'hill' and
decided it could be done. However, two of the four of
us suddenly realized that this was DUMB!!! STUPID!!!.
SOooo Ned and I climbed into the little green car and
headed over the edge, nose down ... transmission in
first gear, foot on the brake... It was not to bad for
the first half of the 'hill' or so ... After we had
passed the 'no way one can turn around mark', the only
concern of mine was that we would get down with all
our parts in place...As we descended even further the
front wheels would not give us any steerage... A
combination of wet ground and traction. There were
several times that I thought for sure that the end was
near...but Ned somehow kept the little green car
pointed down the 'hill'. Ned and I were so engrossed
in just getting down, that we did not notice that the
motorcyclist had stopped the climb and the spectators
had turned their attention to this car coming down the
front side of FLAT TOP. As Ned guided the car to a
flat spot, and stopped his father was running over to
us yelling '*&%**&( *#&$(* [those kinds of things].
Ned's father had come to the races with a neighbor of
his and had witnessed the entire event. The only thing
I can remember Ned saying to his father was 'What the
Hell are you doing here?' Ned did not get to drive the
car for a while....
Mark Krepsky ... had a 48-49 Mercury. Ken Free's
parents had an Oldsmobile. Mark's key would open Ken's
parents car, and he could start it. But Ken's key
would not work in Mark's. One of the great remaining
mysteries in the universe.
Yours in perpetual confusion
john northover ('59)
=====================================
>>From: Sherri Fisher (74)
Yes I am a Fisher. My grandparents Howard and Hazel
Fisher arrived in Richland in 1942 and lived at White
Bluffs. They then moved to 308 Abert and finally to
325 Goethals. My grandfather worked at David's Shoes
in the Uptown. That's the place you went for your
saddle shoes. They produced the following Columbia
High School graduates:
Don Fisher ('50)
Jack Fisher ('51)
Wayne Fisher ('54)
Sharon Fisher ('56)
Susie Fisher ?
Patti Fisher ?
She married Ronnie Campbell Class ?
(Sue and Patty have always lied about their ages and
giving their graduation dates would blow their cover.)
Don Fisher is my father and I have seen his trophies
for the football team. He was the quarterback. Maybe
someone out there has more of the gory details? There
are 4 ColHi graduates in my family: Sherri Fisher (me)
('74)
Mark Fisher ('76)
He married Melinda Cole ('76)
Brenda Fisher ('78)
Donna Fisher ('80)
Hope I got all this right!
Where was I when Kennedy got shot: I was in the 2nd
grade and it was my birthday and the teacher canceled
my party and made my Mother take the cupcakes back
home. My Grandmother had taken me to see him that
summer out at Hanford and I remember how HOT it was.
Guess this is all. Thanks.
-Sherri Fisher (74)
========================
>>From: Erin Owens Hyer ('66)
I was out of town for a month and it took me a full
day to read all the fun stuff you have been
circulating. Thought I would throw in a few memories.
Mr. Carlson, ColHi Biology teacher - known as "earwig"
Did all the girls belong to Girl Scouts but me? I was
a Campfire Girl -stayed in long enough to sleep in the
tepee's at Camp Rogununda. My dad was the manager of
Pennywise Drug - next to Campbell's Grocery. They had
a great little fountain, too. My mom worked the
"jewelry counter" when I was in elementary school. She
later worked at the Bon before it moved to Columbia
Center. She worked the Estee Lauder line at the Bon
until about 1984. Dad bought the Prescription Pharmacy
when I was in college. He sold it in about 1980. Did
anyone ever see "The House of Wax" with David Niven?
Scared me to death when I was quite little. On the
cemetery on Williams - one year in high school a bunch
of us snuck in on Halloween (I think) and stole some
plastic flowers. We felt so guilty later we took them
back but couldn't remember which ones went where. Are
there any guys out there who remember Mr. Barnard's
hack board at Chief Jo? I remember walking to West
Richland on a Saturday morning several times with my
friend Kathy Thompson. We climbed Flat Top so I could
look down the back side and try to get a glimpse of my
junior high heart throb. I remember the Patrol Boys
and Patrol Girls at Jason Lee. The girls had to wear
those silly hats that had PG embroidered on them.
Sigh! Thanks for all the memories.
-Erin Owens Hyer '66
======================
>>From: Earl Bennett (Gold Medal Class of '63)
Ralph Koontz - where you are, you beltway bandit!? I'm
in Woodbridge, working for HQ INSCOM at Fort Belvoir,
at least for now. My wife, Barneata (from
Pennsylvania), has a hair salon in Nokesville, about
5-6 miles south of Manassas on 28. Being in Prince
William County, I'm not willing to pay $35 for the
Northern VA phone books. Guess I could call 411 - but
this is funner.
*************
!!!! Just learned great granddaughter #2 was born at
8:18 am today, Alexis Marie Kinsey, 8 lbs 2 oz
(attended the 1st birthday party of her sister,
Courtney Gwendolyn, 3 weeks ago). Yes, I know, us
'63ers aren't old enough to be great grandparents - my
wife has a couple of years on me. I was in 9th grade
when her first daughter was born.
************
Memories jogged over the last couple of weeks:
- "Muscles" (was he also called Sonny?) parking that
amazing bike and directing traffic at MAJOR
intersections. A policeman would show up pretty
quick, thank him and take over for him, and he'd be on
his way, happy as ever. Mom said it happened a lot,
but I only remember seeing it once, at the traffic
light just down Swift from the pool. Everybody was so
understanding and patient - I shudder to think what
would happen to someone like him in DC, or even out
here in the suburbs.
- Saladburgers at ZIP's - basically coleslaw on a
hamburger - messiest sandwich ever invented!
- The TEENBURGER at A&W - even today's Burger King
Whopper pales by comparison for flavor. Remember the
A&W up the Yakima Valley from us (Sunnyside,
Grandview?) with one door in the back marked "EITHER?"
I seem to recall seeing it nearly every time my family
traveled up that way or I rode the bus to Richland
from UW.
- Mentioned "Sugar Shack" last week - heard it on an
oldies station today (not normally my choice, but my
Sweetness Barneata had the car last night), then
forgot to pay attention when the artist was announced
- Ray something? The lyrics reminded me that I heard
somewhere the song was named after a coffeehouse in
Spokane.
- Neil Armstrong on the moon - somehow my folks had
wangled an invitation from a family I'm not sure I
even knew to watch the Atomic Cup from half way up the
Pasco bank - down to the rec room between heats to
watch the landing progress - Mom and I so sorry
Grandpa Norris (her Dad) had not lived to see it, as
he had firmly believed in its inevitability all his
life (we were close, must be why I became a sci-fi
freak).
- Speaking of sci-fi, Mrs Cottrell, (9th?) grade
English at Chief Jo, caught me reading a Heinlein or
Asimov space opera in my lap instead of working on the
lesson. She hated to punish someone for reading, but
... We all were amazed that the school put her son,
Bob, in her class, but they did a great job of not
letting the relationship interfere with the classroom
atmosphere. She also had very strong hands and
forearms which she attributed to long summers working
and picking in the melon fields as she grew up - she
would take on all comers at the soc hops in the double
handed, bend back the opponent's wrists game. I don't
remember anyone ever beating her, and we had some
serious athletes who tried.
- The reference to the letter/word prefixes for phone
numbers: In addition to Whitehall, I recall either
Juniper or Jupiter.
- Before they were refinished one year, Dad said there
was one lane at the bowling alley where he knew
exactly where the groove was that practically guided
the ball into the strike pocket - he could usually hit
over 200 on it.
- The Cuban missile crisis. Has anyone else seen the
superb documentary done by one of the networks a few
years back, with all the footage of Kennedy's closest
advisors, including his brother, their uncertainty,
and the interviews with Kruschev's children and other
Russians involved? Riveting drama, even when you know
the outcome. At the time I was scared stiff that
nuclear war was about to break out.
- Someone from a fifties class mentioned teachers
named Fenstermacher and Harvey at Lewis and Clark - I
had a good fifth grade teacher at Jason Lee named Mrs.
Fenstermacher who left in mid-year to have a baby.
The replacement, Mr. (Nesbitt?), was fresh out of the
Navy with his last tour being in Hawaii - I remember
learning some Hawaiian words, but Mom said he wasn't
much good at teaching us anything else.
Later. ecb3
-Earl Bennett ('63)
==================================
>>From: James F. Russell (58)
Bomber Memories
We moved to Richland, November 1949.
We lived at 211 George Washington Way at the southern
entrance to town. (I hated filling out those endless
forms asking for my address, the form allowing only
enough room for "211 George!") Ours was one of those
'F' houses angled to the street, across the road from
the Columbia River. One of the unique features of
housing in Richland was the open "compounds" in the
backyard of many homes. Bill Berlin (56), John Cowen
(56), Pat Murray (60) my brother Jack Russell (60),
Jim Hamilton (did you ever graduate?) and many from
nearby neighborhoods spent many hours playing "touch"
football, "500" baseball and other sports activities
in those city-maintained grasslands. Also, exciting
bicycle races were held on an imaginary oval track. We
didn't wear helmets, but we had lots of spills and
thrills. Those central compounds also were the scenes
of neighborhood circuses and magic shows we kids put
on for our admiring or embarrassed parents.
When George Washington Way was widened from two lanes
to four, the fill dirt to widen the road toward the
Columbia River was drawn from the flatland between the
roadway and the river. Among the dirt and debris came
any other critter unfortunate enough to be in the way
of the earth-mover. I remember watching from the
safety of my upstairs bedroom as workman retreated to
whatever safe distance was available to throw rocks at
the nest of snakes deposited in their midst.
During one annual flooding of the river, before the
installation of McNary Dam to control such natural
causes, a "rattler" took to the safety of our half-
basement. It was with some trepidation that we finally
had the courage to test that he (or she) had finally
departed for more accustomed living quarters.
The flatlands across the road were sources of many
hours of entertainment and adventure. We would dig for
hours (and days) to create large pits in the sandy
earth, cover them with boards and those with dirt to
create large caves and tunnels. Tumbleweed and other
brush would conceal the entrance(s). These were our
fortresses, lighted with candles, to sit and talk
about our plans for the future, "spy" on any
unsuspecting "foot soldiers," or just do whatever a
modern-day Huck Finn might feel like doing.
Asparagus grew wild in the flatlands. We would pick
enough to bring home for dinner. One always wondered,
as we stooped to pick, what else was lurking in the
field to share our time in the sun. More than once, we
startled a snake or four-legged critter. More than
once, we "ran for the hills" to live to play another
day.
The tall weeds and sagebrush and tumbleweeds I guess
are gone now for the more refined use by golfers. They
can't be enjoying the course nearly as much as we did
"in the good old days."
-James F. Russell (58)
===================
>>From: Creede Lambard (72)
RE: Radio Stations in Richland
Last time I wrote I talked about radio stations in
Richland. Mike Figg pointed out that I made a mistake
on one of the radio stations' call letters. I
misidentified KORD, which played Top 40 for quite some
time. They may have changed their call letters to KOYN
somewhere along the way, though I don't remember for
sure. I do remember that somewhere along the way KEPR
changed their radio call letters to KONA, though the
TV station kept KEPR. I never did understand why they
changed. I mean, KEPR obviously stood for KEnnewick
Pasco Richland. Of course most of us probably didn't
listen to KEPR/KONA unless Mom was in the car and in
control of the radio.
Cheers,
-Creede Lambard ('72)
=====================================
>>From: Toni Zima (62)
I never felt like I got to know a whole lot of people
in my high school class. I don't recognize a lot of
the names and I don't have my old yearbooks handy to
look them up! But after high school, I went to college
in Ellensburg to become an art teacher. My first year
of teaching was in Las Vegas, Nev. and then I went up
to Seattle for a year and then down to Long Beach,
California for two years. Then I moved to New Mexico
and went to UNM to get my MA in Art Ed. I have lived
in Santa Fe and surrounding areas, with a four year
period out in California at Lone Pine, Laguna Beach
and Santa Barbara, until recently when I took a
teaching job in the Four Corners area, in Farmington.
I've never been married or had any kids. My older
sister, Rita, lives in Houston with her husband of
thirty + years, Tom Helgeson, who also was a Richland
Bomber. I hung around mostly with Andi Heim, Jane
Warford, Irene de la Bretonne. I never really had a
boyfriend during high school, but I was good friends
with Dave Bell, who moved to Kennewick for his senior
year.
The last I heard of him, he was a lawyer in Houston .
I also remember my art class buddies, Jane Walker,
Jill Butler, Cliff Bowers, Kim Watson, Irene, Rick
Donnell and others. We had a lot of fun and did a lot
of good art in Mr.Knudsen's class!
-Toni Zima (62)
==============================
>>From: Ray Hall (57)
i remember the store across from our jewelry store;
richland jewelry, at the corner of lee and gww called
"The hardware store" and across what is now the
parkway a 5-10 department store. next to it was a
little restaurant originally called sowell`s, later
gordon hanna`s parents owned it and somewhere in
between was mickey`s shoe repair, already talked
about. my question is that i vaguely remember that the
parkway was originally called the greenway and had
grass in between, help me am i right or wrong on this
one.
i remember watching the trains go to and from the
hanford areas with actual armed guards on them that
you could see with their rifles. i remember in the
stores little posters that the government would place
saying something like loose talk can sabotage. people
weren't suppose to talk about anything concerning
their work; if they did you were to report them to the
fbi. while living in the early years i can remember on
more than one occasion being interviewed concerning a
neighbor by a couple of fbi men.
it was nice to hear about enterprise and heminger city
yesterday, for you youngins, that it the two cities
that made up west richland.
remembering an incident from the advanced choir i was
in. my voice was so bad that during the practice for
the messiah the choir director would give me a
permanent study hall pass. and that he would instruct
me the day or night of the performance to just mouth
the words. it was our very famous harley stell that
was the instructor. i understand that i wasn't the
only person he did this to.
i also remember going to the gym on fridays or
saturdays waiting for the gates to open for a
richland-wapato basketball game. we would go to the
gym at about 3pm and the janitor bill hartley would
let us in to shoot some hoopes until there were to
many people waiting outside and then we would have to
wait in line till the gates opened at around 6. bomber
basketball was great, fantastic, and you would have to
get there early for a good seat, of course at that
time we were the best show around.
-Ray Hall ('57)
=========================================
>>From: Doris Van Reenen (61)
Love the Alumni Sandstorm have told everyone i talk to
who went to Riceland. Just ran across 3 years of real
Sandstorm papers in a box of old pictures I was going
through. Talked tonight two two girlfriends from
Richland days Roni O'Donnel and Billye Conley both
would like to get on your mailing list. Please forward
Alumni Sandstorm to Roni and Billye. Please let me
know if you got this message ok. Thanks for the great
job.
-Doris Van Reenen (61)
========================
>>From: Cindy Johnson Vinson (73)
This is great I went to Chief Jo Jr. Hi. From 1973 to
1975. I loved the Tri-Cities. My name is Cindy Vinson
(was Johnson). I got married at the beginning of 9th
grade to a guy that Graduated from Col Hi in 1973.
Everyone knew him as "Davey Dodge" or David Vinson. We
are still married after all of these years but we are
a long ways from Richland. We live in San Angelo,
TEXAS and have one Daughter 14 and in ninth grade. We
would like to know if there is anyone from those years
that remember us? Dave used to Race his Charger,
Roadrunner, and a Superbee. would be nice to hear from
others from our time. Have a supper Day and keep
smiling.
-Cindy Johnson Vinson (73)
====================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Responding to 08/25/98 'Alumni Sandstorm'
>>From: Jack Grouell (61)
Who remembers Beth Pederson (class of '61 of course).
She sang around the NW for a long time. I have a
record titled Beth and Cinde recorded in 1977 in
Sandpoint Idaho. Does anybody know if she recorded
anything else?.......... Jack.....I have the album
with Beth & Cinde and that is the only one that I have
ever seen.....Gary (64)
Re: Teachers at Col-Hi.....Mr Hubbard who taught
physics starting in 1963 for 10 years, Bob
Blankenship, history and Norma Boswell, english all
all on line...........
Re: Sharon Tate....Several of you have forwarded 8th
grade thru sophomore pictures of Sharon Tate. I thank
you. These were forwarded to a Sharon Tate site on the
internet. Whomever runs it was thrilled!..........
>>From: William Porter (68)
How about the Daily Flash?
..........
William.....There was but one Daily Flash Albums and
try as I have, I could never forget their 'Jack of
Diamonds'. They were a later 60s group with several
members from The Fabulous Wailers.....Gary (64) P.S.
Can't/don't remember but the Northwest had a group
named the Springfield Rifle who later became Jeff
Afdem and the Springfield Flute. Gary (64)
...........
OK...Now I have a question. Any class from 1966 to
1970 or so know Tom aka Tommie Sparks? He turned out
to be the lead guitarist on a late 60s group named
Magic Fern! I would like to contact Tommie. He also
did some 45s ala 'country western'. Gary (64)
..........
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
K, then how about Galen Walley and the Pyramids ....
..........
Tony.....NOPE! You've stumped me now! How about you
Pitts? Know this group?.....
-Gary Behymer (64)
========================
>>From: Donna Seslar White (68)
Everyone has been talking about celebrities "in our
midst", how about Michael Peterson, class of 1977. He
is a country singer now with his videos being shown on
the country video channel. TCH had an article on his
visit back to the Tri-Cities for his class reunion!
Just had to add my two cents!
-Donna Seslar White (68)
=======================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
=======================================
***************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/27/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Jack Evans (62)
So how does one get on your mailing list for the
Sandstorm....
-Jack Evans (class of 1962)
=======================================
>>From: Gary Behymer (64)
Teachers:
Chief Jo 7th grade teacher Mrs. Cottrill (New Name)
now lives in Colville.
Chief Jo+Carmichael 7th grade teacher Mrs. Linn now
lives in Spokane.
Chief Jo+Carmichael 9th grade teacher Mrs. Edwards now
lives in West Richland.
Now you know.
-Gary Behymer (64)
====================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
What about Mrs. Nina Johnson -- 9th grade Algebra at
Carmichael. She was so important in my life.
-Maren Smyth ('64)
============================
>>From: Janice Klusman McCurdy (66)
Maren -- Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate
your forwarding the Sandstorm to me! I have really
enjoyed it and print it and take it to work, as I work
with a classmates sister who is not on the net and she
enjoys it too!! I will E-Mail you in the near future
with some memories of my own to share with others on
the Sandstorm.
-Janice Klusman McCurdy (66)
==============================
>>From: Ann McCue Hewett (63)
Maren, you and Gary are doing a fantastic job! Ann
McCue Hewett-Chief Joseph-Col Hi (63)
What great fun to plug in to all the memories!
Reading all the messages for the past several days has
jarred some back for me, too!
A BIG DAY was walking or biking to the Uptown and
making the block --- of course stopping at Johnnies
Delicatessen and buying pepperoni by the inch, hitting
Newberry's (?) and then around to the Spudnut Shop.
I grew up on Whitten Street. My parents still live
in Richland but on Birch now. In fact, all the McCues
in the Richland phone book are "kin".
Sorry I missed the 35th reunion but we made the
annual trip in June and 1800 miles one way just
couldn't be done again so soon! My husband is a
Spudnut convert, but as we all no, that wasn't even a
challenge! I sure wish I could remember all the TEXAS
jokes that were told when we were kids --- never in my
wildest dreams did I think I would ever go to Texas,
much less live there. We have been here since '72.
Both our sons are AGGIE grads, for heavens sake!
Does anyone else remember Ronald Reagan - then an
actor, not the president, speaking at a
Father/Daughter banquet - probably in the late 50s.
Don't remember if it was DuPont then or GE but I think
it was GE that my father worked for at that time.
[ANN -- I went to that, too!! And even got Ronald
Reagan's autograph on the little program -- which I
still have!! -Maren]
Thank you, Karen Kleinpeter Kroger (63) for getting
me on the list for Alumni Sandstorm... I look forward
to each edition.
Reading about all the goings on during the high
school years makes me realize I led a very sheltered
life and missed out on a lot... drat it!
Betsy Fuller - are you out there??! We sometimes go
through Shiprock NMX on the way to Washington and I
get to thinking special thoughts about you.... didn't
you teach there for a while? I'd love to hear from
you!
I must get back to the present day-more memories
later. "Ya'll" have a great day!
-Ann McCue Hewett (63)
============================
>>From: Mike Figg (70)
A couple of people have mentioned Beth Pedersen. I
don't remember her but the name rings a bell and I
also have a recollection of their being a group out
around 1972 named Joy of Cooking that was two women
and that one of them was possibly Beth. The memories
are vague and distant and probably are residing in the
same part of the brain that remembered Ray Stein
leaving River City to play college ball at Ohio State,
and that he must be the same Ray Stein that now is a
sports writer for the Columbus Dispatch. Ray (Richland
Ray) straightened me out on that one. There was some
kid named Lucas at Ohio State about that time, maybe I
confused the two.
Back to music - Does anybody remember a guy
from Richland, I think named Paul, and probably around
the class of 66 or 67? He played keyboards in a band
called Factory around 1972 that I remember playing one
night in the old library behind the Police Station. He
stuck in my mind and I found that ten years later in a
computer class at North Seattle CC. I should have
talked to him the first night of the class but waited
until the last one and then asked him "Aren't you the
Paul (??) that played keyboards with the Factory about
10 years ago in Richland?" That blew his mind.
Mike Figg ('70)
============================
>>From: Veronica Yates Jones (64)
Mr. Hubbard was chemistry a teacher. When I was in
college as a requirement for my teaching certificate,
I did what was called "September Experience" before my
classes started. I spent 2 weeks in his class as an
observer/helper/pseudo teacher. It was kinda funny,
because I wasn't much older that the students and
there was one guy from my neighborhood who has a
terrible time calling me "Miss Yates."
Also remember the trip to the plant for the
dedication that President Kennedy did. It was a very
hot day. Have a picture of him on the platform shaking
hands with Father Sweeney who did the invocation.
There were rows and rows of porta-potties, and rows
and rows of cars. Just think if that happened today -
all the vendors that would gather with water bottles,
t-shirts, and who knows what!
Do any of the gals remember the father-daughter
banquets that GE sponsored? I think I attended 2 with
my dad, probably in the late 50s. Seem to remember
Ronald Reagan speaking at one of them -- he was the
host of the TV show GE Theater on Sunday nights. The
other one had a female Olympic swimming champion.
This is great - keep the memories comin'.
-Ronnie Yates Jones ('64)
==========================
>>From: Kelly Weil Austin (81)
Gary - I caught your website! Well, it's about
time! (ha ha)
It really is fabulous to have a website where all
of us can come to catch up with our fellow classmates.
I am a Class of 1981 graduate. My maiden name
was Kelly Weil. Just have anyone who wishes to
contact me e-mail at .
By the way, do you know who is handling the class
of '81 20 year class reunion for 2001? If so, who
would I contact?
Thanks for giving us old alums a place to come to
to reminisce about our Bomber days!
-Kelly Weil Austin ('81)
=========================
>>From: Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
More RHS teachers. . .
Miss Brown, English, almost as wide as she was
tall, but what a sense of humor!! When I went back to
teach at RHS, she was subbing, lost weight through
Weight Watchers but didn't loose her humor.
Mr. Allen, English again, with the bad toupee in
later years. He is still active in local theater.
Miss Swain, Home Ec, the last of the "old maid"
school teachers. I took home ec as a senior. In
those days it was required for all girls before
graduation and I already cooked for my family and made
all my clothes. Didn't see the need and would have
rather taken auto shop.
Love getting these memories every day. Gary &
Maren, you guys are doing a great job!!
-Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
=======================
>>From: Jim Russell (58)
Toni Zima (62) mentioned a girl friend Irene de la
Bretonne, who I knew because one of my favorite places
to visit was Ernie's (de la Bretonne) Typewriters and
Repair, when it was located near the Richland Theater
on George Washington Way. Ernie was a wonderful man
who always had a smile and warm and friendly greeting
and who seemed generally interested in our latest
projects.
My best friend Bill Bettenberg (58) and I produced
a monthly newsletter, the "Atomic Blast," for the
Richland Chapter, Order of DeMolay. Ernie printed and
counseled us in the finer art of newsletter
publishing. Bill and I later attempted to help Ernie
make a go of it at publishing a shoppers newspaper,
but couldn't compete with the much larger and heavier
financed Columbia Basin News, which chose to launch
its own shoppers newspaper that same summer (60?). The
experience was invaluable to me, and I found it of
great interest to cover the breaking news at City
Hall, human events, local police calls, the political
scene, as well as calling on local businesses for
advertising.
Is Ernie still living in Richland? I would imagine
that he has sold the business by now, which was later
moved and changed to Ernie's Printing, I think.
To Sherri Fisher (74): Susie Fisher was a charmer
who graduated in 1960. As a sophomore, she was a
"princess" of the 1957 Homecoming Royalty. Sandy Olson
was Homecoming Queen, Vonnie Reed, another sophomore
princess, and Carolyn Ficter and Colleen McDermott
were senior princesses. Since Susie doesn't want to
talk about her age, I should suggest that she was a
very precocious child, probably well ahead of her age
group in school!
-Jim Russell ('58)
=====================
>>From: Sharon Panther Taff (57)
Response to Tony Tellier's inquiry about Galen
Walley and his group the Pyramids.
I remember Galen. I believe he graduated with us
Tony. I remember Galen from Lewis and Clark in the
40's and of course high school. He was in my geometry
class with Mrs. Butcher - one of the best. No one has
mentioned Mr. Kelly the history teacher. A very frail
old man it seemed at the time to a 15 year old, but
had been a golden gloves boxer.
Anyone remember the shorthand and typing teacher
Miss Redinger? And the 25 pages front and back of
shorthand homework required every night. She did her
job well - I remember getting an award for being able
to take shorthand (and being able to transcribe it) at
200 wpm and typing 90+. Has kept food on my table for
40+ years.
Someone mentioned Calvin Welch. He was the
industrial arts teacher and we got to make those
plastic laminated gear shift knobs. Also the "necking
knobs" so you could drive with one hand.. The year he
was President of the Washington Education Association
they paid me a $1/hr after school to do the typing for
him in regard to the position. That seemed like a
bundle to me since I only got 25 cents an hour
babysitting. That was probably 1955.
Re: Principal Haag. He had three daughters I
believe. The middle one died several years ago of a
brain tumor - she was married to Doyle Ehl and lived
here in Prosser. The other, Lori, still lives here.
I remember Ida Meacum. Since I've always been
interested in science, I thought her classes were
great with all the wild life, floral, and fauna in her
classroom. Later my best friend move next door to her
prefab and it looked just like the classroom - a
science lab. I remember feeling bad at how poorly
several of the students treated her - but she seemed
oblivious.
Speaking of playing in the sand - those of us in
the Cottonwood, Swift, Lee area had the sand hill to
play and dig in and make forts. I remember we would
get the dried mustard plants, get in our fort, break
it off, and light the end. The pith of the plant would
burn and about choke us as we tried to inhale. Then we
went for the coffee grounds in the corn cob pipes.
Never worked very well. Finally all the mothers
complained about the sand blowing in the house and the
city came out and covered it totally with river rock.
What a fantastic place to hunt for agates. Every day
we went hunting we would come home with a coffee can
full of big agates. Now that hill is gone and there is
nothing but houses.
Another favorite past time was going down below
where Einans is now and catching the riding academy
horses and riding them bareback with our hands and
face buried in their mains since none of owned a
bridle. We would have died if our kids had tried that
(and we found out about it).
-Sharon Panther Taff (57)
==========================
>>From: Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46)
In response to a question about Gene Conley, he
graduated in 1948. His brother, Ray Conley '46, still
lives in Richland.
I really enjoy reading what you younger graduates
did while in High School. For fun, we rode the buses
all around the town. It was free - we sang and cut up
and no one minded. We went to the cafeteria in
downtown Richland after games for hamburgers and/or
chili. We rowed on the river - no one had fancy boats
at that time. Went dancing at the Hi-Spot and at
Playland in the Kennewick Highlands. I lived in Pasco
half of my Sophomore year. I remember how I told my
Mom and Dad I would not go to high school in Pasco as
it was so small. I lost and when our house was ready
on Goethals, I rode a bus back and forth to school in
Pasco each day as I liked Pasco Hi so well. Also liked
Columbia Hi. My dream of living in the West was to
ride horses and I, too, hitchhiked out Van Giesen to
the stables in what I think was West Richland with
Betty Priest' 47, among others. Can you believe
hitchhiking --- everything was much safer in those
days.
In P.E. Class we would go down to the Rec Hall
and bowl --- no automatic pin setters -- I use to feel
sorry for the guys having to set the pins up. I worked
on the Sandstorm my senior year -- also on the annual.
Wish I could figure out why we didn't put the senior
pictures in alphabetically.
Paul Crowder '46 and I were married in the United
Protestant Church in '47 after a year of college.
Lived in a trailer out in North Richland for a year
and in a pre-fab a year before going back to college.
Paul's parents lived in Richland and Kennewick the
rest of their lives. My parents moved to Aiken South
Carolina with the Savanah River Project in 1951 after
my brother Dick '51 graduated from Richland Hi. We go
back often for the reunions.. my wish is that some of
our classmates would get On-Line, but can't seem to
talk them into it. So far, we are the only people from
the '46 group that we know of that are On-Line.
-Evelyn Meyer Crowder '46
====================
>>From: Wanda Wittebort Shukay (53)
Boy, you guys make me really feel old. I have no
idea what you are talking about, but I want to add
going to Col High from 49 to 53 were some of the best
years of my life. Carefree days. Never afraid to
stroll at night, course we had NO TV until 56.
I have many fond memories of all my friends from
49 through 55 classes. I moved to Calif in 55. Lived
there until 69. Moved to Concord, Mass till 72. Back
to Calif until 76. Moved to Virginia in 76 and here I
am in Alexandria VA still (except for three and 1/2
years in Frankfurt Germany. I've been working for the
Army since I divorced in 81. Still a Senior
Contracting Officer but just recently transferred to
Navy Projects (Construction worldwide). Still enjoying
my job, so I don't intend to retire "just yet". As
long as its "fun".
I enjoy reading the Alumni Sandstorm. Keep it up.
Was nice to hear "Don Fisher (Class of 50) is
still going strong. I was good friends with Don and
his brother Jack. In fact I took Jack to a school
dance. Both were super people, and I must admit I had
a crush on them. But during those years, having a
crush on someone meant you really admired them.
-Wanda Wittebort Shukay (53)
====================
>>From: Susan Nussbaum Reeb (63)
Hi, everyone. I've been enjoying hearing from so
many present and former Richland Bombers who share
common childhood memories.
After reading Erin's note today, I had to
respond. She talked about her parents and Pennywise
Drugstore. I worked for them while I was in high
school and on holiday vacations when home from WSU. My
brother Skip ('65) also worked at the store when he
was in high school. It was a fun place to work, and we
were treated very well. Yes, Erin, there were other
Campfire Girls in Richland. I was one and loved adding
beads to my vest as I earned new ones. And those
Campfire mints we sold door to door weren't too bad
either. And . . . I was a patrol girl at Jason Lee, so
you brought back those memories for me, too.
An update of myself and my family. My husband Tom
and I live in Boise, where I have worked at Boise
Cascade for nearly 27 years. My brother Skip and his
wife Debbie are teachers in Richland. And my sister
Jan ('55) and her husband Jack ('53) just retired in
June and are living in Sacramento. I see that several
of their friends are on line, and it's fun hearing
their names again too.
Thanks for the memories... and keep them coming!
-Susan Nussbaum Reeb (63)
===========================
>>From: Chuck Smith (69)
Class of 1969 "where are you?" I read your
Sandstorm almost every day and never seen anyone from
the 69ers...... I was able to contact a few old
buddies through the Email section.... what a great
happening...... What's up with you people from 69?
Drop a line or two and tell us about yourself.....
another neat thing too,... my sister who is from the
Class of ..... ah.... 57? I think, also writes in....
really neat hearing about her days of Columbia
High..... Anyway, I would sure like to hear from
anyone who was either a 69er or lived on
Delafield...... also attended Carmichael....
Was reading a clip from Ginny Rowe (68)... she
has the receipt for Zip's tarter sauce..... Hmmmm,
never had that, all I remember is their Vanilla
Cokes....... Hey anyone got the recipe for Artic
Circle's special sauce.... Yummy.... I know it's Mayo,
Ketchup and Lea & Perrin sauce... Anyone know?
Chuck Smith.... 69er
==========================
>>From: Patti McLaughlin Cleavenger (65)
Hey, I'm still in Richland - just the name has
changed for awhile. Patti McLaughlin Cleavenger
====================
>>From: Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
It is great to read the comments about Gene
Conley. We lived next to him in a great big "A" house
on Perkins. He and his family were so wonderful. Gene
or his sister sometimes baby sat for my sister
Delores, my brother Dennis and me. I remember very hot
summer nights when his dad would round up all the kids
in the neighborhood and take us for ice cream. I would
get to ride on old Mr. Conley's shoulders (wearing
only a nighty because I'd gotten rescued from going to
bed before the sun was down.) Mrs. Conely made the
best cookies, I was always a regular visitor, and
always ready to share with a five year old. They were
truly wonderful people.
How many remember the Christmas parties at the
old community house? I remember the stories, songs and
socks of candy from Santa Claus while my older
brothers entertained themselves and their friends at
the Hi-Spot.
-Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
=======================
>>From: Patti Snider Miller (65)
Hi Everyone! The opening day of the
Benton/Franklin County Fair was Aug. 25th. My husband
and I went out and saw Gary Lewis and the Playboys.
They were popular in the 60's. Anyone out there
remember them besides me? "This Diamond Ring," sold a
million records! Followed by "Count me In," "Save Your
Heart for Me," and Everybody Loves a Clown". Remember
that he played the drums and sang when he first
started? He put on a great show last night and
afterwards he signed autographs and let people take
pictures,,,yes, my husband took a picture of Gary and
I.. He and his group sang some medleys of the Beatles
as they were an inspiration to Gary. They were doing
so well until Gary got drafted. Now he and his "new"
Playboys tour the fairs all over the country.
Bye for now,
-Patti Sniser MIller ('65)
=======================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
=======================================
***************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/28/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From: Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
You are right! Mid-sleep last night after writing my
comments I had doubts about the Conley family I
described. So, I called my 85 year old mom to refresh
my 57 year old memory. The family that lived next to us
was the Jim Conley family. They had three kids, Kay
graduated in about 47 or 48, Sue was next and Tom was
the youngest. They were very nice, but not the Gene
Conley who was the ball player! Sorry, I will check out
my memory next time before I speak!
-Patri Largé deVargas-Walker (59)
========================================
>>From: Judy Shibly Cozad (63)
Maren and Gary,
YOU ARE DOING A F A N T A S T I C J O B with
the Alumni Sandstorm!!! Like everyone, I look forward
to it every day, it gets my day going! I print off a
copy and send it to my mother who still lives in
Richland and she's really enjoying it too. The
memories!!!! You forget so many things but once they're
mentioned, they're right back. I'll submit some of mine
in the near future. In the meantime:
In the 8/26 (I believe, could have been 8/25)
Alumni Sandstorm, Gary mentioned a web site for Sharon
Tate. Can you please send that URL to me? I would like
to see it. THANKS!
-Judy Shibly Cozad (63)
=========================================
>>From: Vonnie Reed Hoff (60)
I remember playing/climbing around all the
construction at the Uptown Theatre while it was being
built. We'd climb up into the air conditioning ducts
as well. It's a wonder we didn't fall and break our
necks! My younger brother, Jonnie, and I would play in
the alley behind the deli (just around the corner from
the Spudnut Shop). We'd use all the discarded packing
boxes and built forts; buy some cookies at the deli
and spend hours there.
The big pool--I'd spend my whole summer there! My
blonde hair would turn green from all the chlorine.
And remember the bathing caps we used to have to wear?
We'd get sun-tan marks where the strap went under our
chin. Back in those days (late fifties) we wore one
piece swim suits--no bikini's (at least I wasn't
allowed to wear one!). Today, girls go half naked at
the beach! Which brings me back to my cheer leading
days. Our skirts were clear down to our knees or
barely above! I think the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders
changed all that!
While Jefferson was under refurbishing (year?
early 50's) we had to be bussed to another school -
I'm thinking it was "clear across town" - into
Carmichael territory. (I didn't know anybody from
Carmichael until I got into Col Hi.) Great fun on the
bus!
The last time I knew, Susie Fisher and husband,
Carl, and two daughters, were living in Fredricksburg.
I've lost contact with her. Does anybody know where
Mickey Ellingson is living these days? Her sister,
Patti?
Message to David Rivers.... I remember you well--
being my next door neighbor and all! Your family was
great! and you were such a cutie!
Randy Buchanan--nice to hear from you! Where's
George Mulligan?
I know Sandy (Stice) Smith is still living in
Richland... would love to hear from her on line.
In the fifties - when it would really get cold in
the winter, the trees would all be covered with ice
and frost. It was such a beautiful site seeing our
tree lined street dressed all in white. I remember the
Chinook winds... the warm breezes would come in and
melt any snow left on the ground.
My brother and I would sneak in to the swimming
pool at the Desert Inn during the evening. We never
got caught! The Desert Inn is called something else
now (along GWW).
I remember going to "State" up in Seattle for the
Basketball tournaments (late 50's). John Meyers,
Russell Burks, CW Brown, Jim Castleberry (can't
remember who played what year). It was great fun--
competing against all those schools and being away from home!
Remember Burks Brothers Texaco gas station?--
gasoline was about 35 cents a gallon.
You could also buy a loaf of bread for 25 cents
in those days. Sometimes, when there was a special at
the grocery store (name?), north of Jefferson, my mom
would send me down there and get 3 lbs of hamburger
for a dollar! A Snicker's candy bar was only 5 cents!
They're still my favorite candy bar today! I used to
babysit for 35 cents an hour.
That's all my brain cells can recall for now--
in Mt. View, California (45 miles
south of San Francisco)
-Vonnie Reed Hoff ('60)
====================================
>>From: Linda Davis Brede (63)
To: Gary Behymer ('64)
RE: "Did you call any of the Wirths' in Utah?
Gary, I had called those 3 numbers in March or
May, two are definite no's and the third I have left
messages to call me collect but haven't been able to
get any response except answer machine. I've also
tried to search for Peggy under Margaret Mary Wirth
her full name and found a woman at UCLA but alas not
my Peggy Wirth. I'm hoping some younger classmen might
have some connections with her siblings. I'm not ready
to quit yet, thanks for your help.
-Linda Davis Brede (63)
===============================
>>From: Jim Hamilton (63)
RE: High Centered on Yeah I Remember
Funny that no one has mentioned the "Midnight
Show" which they showed on friday the 13th and
halloween. Creature from the Black Lagoon,
Frankenstein and the scariest movie I ever saw (except
for that VD film in the Army) "Invaders From Mars". It
still gives me the creeps. If everyone who claims they
went to the Village Theater on Saturday for the Las
Larue/Captain Video serials, and a couple of
cowboy/war flicks had actually shown up, the Kingdome
wouldn't of held them.
Was it Joe Banana and his Bunch who played every
Prom /Tolo/Dress up deal? I recall some rockers from
Walla Walla called "Kit Kat and the Kasuals " or did I
make that up to stump "Curtis James the King of Soul".
The bravest man I ever saw was that cat wearing the
Richland Bomber teeshirt and talking to the butcher at
Uwajimayas in Bellevue.
Was I the only person who delivered the Columbia
Basin News in the morning and the Tri-City Herald
(remember Ernie Carlson) in the afternoon (had a short
lived and surely non terminal case of ambition one
summer)
Hey Irwin, how many cars now?
Anyone know how to contact Tom Knudsen? He had a
great effect on my life. Last I heard he was teaching
at a college in Oregon. Would like to have a chance to
tell him how much he gave me..
-Jim Hamilton ('63)
=============================
>>From: Larry Brunelle (67)
Gary,
I signed in the other day and have gotten a
couple emails from classmates already along with
people looking for my brothers. I am not listed in the
1967 email directory yet and am wondering if I need to
do something else to get there. Also wondering where
my note is posted as I can't find it - yet people are
responding to it. Maybe it was sent out and dropped as
I assume the Sandstorm is all about. Just learning the
process.
My brother Gary (69) Will be emailing you.
Thanks
-Larry Brunelle (67)
===========================
>>From: Ken Heminger (56)
This Sandstorm idea is great, I couldn't think of
a more appropriate name either. I can remember some of
the nose bleeds I would get when caught outside in one
of those storms. It is so neat to read comments from
those of my era and from those who came later. A lot
of holes in my memory are being filled reading the
Sandstorm. My thanks go out to Gary and Maren I would
have graduated from Columbia HS in 1956 but I quit
school in my Junior year along with some others and
joined the Air force. I was reading the msg's and the
name Mrs. Mecum kept coming up. I had her for Biology.
I would like to relate a incident that happened in her
class. Maybe there is some one out there that will
remember it. Mrs. Mecum would at times have a
mannequin sitting out on her desk, you know, the kind
that you can take the heart, lungs etc. out for
demonstration purposes. She always had a towel wrapped
around the bottom portion. Us boys, and I suppose the
girls too, always wondered if it was anatomically
correct. One day Jerry Peterson and I came into the
room and we were the first ones there. The mannequin
was out with the towel wrapped around it. We both had
the same idea and we grabbed the towel. I cant say for
sure now if it was anatomically correct or not at this
late date but I think it was. Anyway we hid the towel
and left the room. A couple of minutes later we came
back and the room was full of students and there was
much laughter and giggling going on. Me and Pete acted
really surprised to see the naked mannequin. We had a
rock solid alibi, no one saw us do it, and we were not
the first ones into the room. When "Old lady Mecum",
(as we affectionately called her) came into the room.
She had a habit of sitting on the corner of her desk,
one leg up and the other on the floor. Anyway she
entered the room, passed the mannequin and took up her
position on the corner of her desk. The class was
having a very difficult time containing their
laughter. Mrs. Mecum was trying to get across the
lesson for the day but everyone had the giggles. She
decided that she didn't have the attention she wanted
and felt it necessary to give us some extra work on
the black board. She rolled off the desk and proceeded
to write on the black board. Then one of the girls
begin to laugh. I wish I could remember who it was, I
think it was Mary Jones but Im not sure. Anyway Mrs.
Mecum turned and said "What's the matter with this
class today" As she said it she looked right into the
butt of the mannequin. A photo of her face at that
moment would be priceless today. She ran to the front
of the desk and had a look, and then all hell broke
loose. As I remember it she right away figured that me
and Pete had something to do with it, but we had our
alibi.. She called the Principle down to the room. I
forget his name, heaven knows I should remember it, We
were down to see him often enough.
He too blamed us for the incident but couldn't
prove it. We were 15~20 minutes into the next class
before we finally got out of there. Now if there is
someone out there that remembers and has always
wondered who did it..... Now you know. I also remember
that she gave me a "F" on one of my report cards and I
went back to her and told her that my dad would beat
me if I brought back a "F". Out of the goodness of her
heart she gave me a "D-" Ahhh..Those were the days...
I don't want to wear out your eyeballs so more
later.....
-Ken Heminger ('56)
==========================
>>From: Maureen Sullivan Fleischman (76)
Gary,
Yes, I am Mary's little sister. I'm the baby
Bomber. Denis, 62, Mary, 64, Ned (Ed), 65, Terese, 66
and Kerry (68) round out the bunch. Mary is just now
getting an e-mail address via hotmail. She doesn't
have a computer, but has daily access to one. She's
been reading and enjoying the Sandstorm stuff, and
will probably sign the guest book soon, when she gets
a little more familiar with the system. Keep up good
work!
-Maureen Sullivan Fleischman (76)
=============================
>>From: Art "Tom" Hughes (56)
Someone mentioned the common areas in the backs
of the houses. When we lived on Stevens Drive the area
behind the houses was the site of many a softball game
with myself, Bill Everett, Terry and Grover Shegrud
and many others from the neighborhood. Even the older
men in the block would get out to play.
The area between the "Hardware Store" and the
"Dime Store" was a grass island with sidewalks along
the buildings on both sides. The fronts of most of the
stores faced the grassy area. I remember when they
paved it and made it a street. We really hated that
because it was a nice place to walk.
Does anyone remember Pleiss Davis Furniture? It
was across the street to the west from the Bank in
Downtown. For years it was the only furniture store in
town. Does anyone know where Penny Pleiss is now? I
think she would have graduated about 1960 or so.
I remember when they built the ranch houses and
the Bypass highway. I lived on Willard at the time and
it destroyed a lot of the area where we played. There
were a lot of old asparagus fields out there. Lester
Parker and I used to go out there with his bows and
arrows and shoot at ground squirrels.
Dick Oaks and I used to go over to Densow Drugs
and sit at the soda fountain and drink green river
floats and cherry cokes and play the jukebox.
More later as I get the time.
-Tom Hughes ('56)
========================================
>>From: Dennis Wallace ('68)
Please add me to your list.
I thought I better sign on for the Wallace clan,
since we all graduated from Col Hi:
Arlene Wallace Towne (56) -- Retired living in Puyallup
Dee Wallace (60) - Works for County at Serria City, CA
Ron Wallace (62) - Works for NASA with retire soon
Dennis (ME)(68)- Math Teacher in Redmond, OR
Randy Wallace (69) - Carpenter (I remember I
misspelled this in the 7th grade and Mrs. Dykes let Jan
Wingfield win the spelling be)and Adoption Agency in
Hawaii
If anyone would like to send them a message you
can do it through me.
I don't think there was a recipe for the special
sauce. I think it depended on who made it. But Zip's
and the 3 movies at the drive in for a buck did keep
me busy and less bored.
-Dennis Wallace (68)
==================================
>>From: Cheryl Simpson Whitaker (64)
Gary and Maren - keep up the good work. This is
really an interesting process...
=====================================
>>From: Connie Witherup Isakson (63)
RE: Bailing Out
Maren, thanks for the Sandstorm subscrip but I'm
going to jump off. My memories are bitter sweet and
this journey hasn't been without a little pain. But
primarily, I deal with way too much email on a daily
basis (mostly business/church related) and I can't
afford the time. However, please subscribe my sister,
Sandy Witherup Hankins (59) a legend in her own right.
I've been forwarding to her and she and brother Bill
(53), who is not on line, are enjoying. If my name
pops up or anyone is looking for me, by all means
forward that edition or particular email. Not likely
to happen; haven't kept many close Bomber ties.
Thanks!
Before I totally bail out of this loop, I should
share about my siblings.
Sister Sandy (59) is a musician (was also homecoming
princess). She's part of an all female cajun band (Les
Femmes d'Enfer) which plays the Seattle circuit.
And lest I neglect brother Bill... he's a published
poet (and much more), with several anthologies. He's
active with Physicians for Social Responsibility (no
he's not a doctor) and carries the anti-nuclear flag.
Both live in Seattle.
Brother Merv (Lucky), class of 61 is in Spokane
slugging it out making a living and looking after a
huge passle of grandchildren.
Speaking of anti-nuclear, I have the dubious
distinction of being part of a government study for
those born in Benton/Franklin Counties (I think)
between the years of (early to late 40s). I've yet to
receive the survey but understand it is coming soon.
Brother Bill has been archiving family/Hanford
memories at the University of Washington. He was also
instrumental in arranging for our mom to be
interviewed for a documentary about a family growing
up in the shadow of Hanford. (I have yet to see the
video but understand it was well done.)
-Connie Witherup Isakson ('63)
================================
>>From: Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
I confirmed with three other coworkers from my
past that Patti Dubsky did receive the crown when
Sharon Tate moved.
I was there when President Kennedy visited
Hanford and spoke. It was wonderful. I had forgotten
the helicopters(!) but did remember an open pickup
selling apples. They were doing pretty good sales
because it was so hot.
Someone mentioned Gordon Hanna (Hanna's Malt
Shop). I saw Gordon a couple (maybe three or four?)
years ago and he has all white hair. Lives around
Portland. He has a younger brother Lonnie; they were a
part of the crowd I ran around with. They were in town
for a funeral (Janet Zepp Spinks).
Has anyone mentioned the Spudnut Shop celebrated
50 years recently (1948-1998)? Richland Assembly of
God is also celebrating 50 years in September. It is
next door to CUP and across the street from the
Catholic church several have mentioned.
Thanks again for the Sandstorm! (I never thought
we would give thanks for a sand storm!!) :<)
My sister (Wanda Seslar Piper) would like to know
if anyone recalls the words to the song "I Love
Columbia"? Also, any of the pep or cheer "yells"? I
have been printing the Sandstorm for her. She is still
in Richland, also.
-Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
====================================
>>From: Dale Hosack (69)
Maren, I'm trying to find Email addresses for the
following old friends who would have been Class of
1969 (at least they would have been when I moved away
in '64):
Mark Gostnell
Howard Horrocks
Rennee Rathbun
Bob Thorsen
Jim Jones (I know, that's a tough one! He lived three
doors down from our house at 2209 Putnam)
Dick Staley
Kathy Knox (Susan's little sister, Terry Davis's
Sister-in-law at one time)
Patsy Brown from West Richland
Stephen Mueller, my arch-rival pianist nemesis
Thanks for any help anyone can give!
Re: Now to the memories:
Teachers:
Miss Koss the Art teacher at Spalding. She was
great! And Mr. Carlson seemed to make an impression on
everyone.
Mr. Chitty, who was a gym teacher at Carmichael.
He used to set up "War Ball" in boys gym with shirts
and skins on opposite sides of the gym. We'd use these
6" inflatable balls and he'd watch from the stands as
kids would get smacked with one of these balls
especially hard. He'd laugh this maniacal laugh while
he watched the welt develop on the kid's bare back.
Used to issue corporal punishment in the form of a
plastic football uniform belt across the backside.
Wonder what ever became of him?
I remember two other teachers at Carmichael mostly
because of their names: Helen Maude Baudendistel, who
was my homeroom teacher in 7th grade, which is where I
was when the Kennedy Assassination news came out, and
Birdie Maude Jernigan. I didn't have her for a teacher
but could never forget the name.
Another particularly fond memory was opening day
of fishing season when we would go down to Wellsian
Pond which had been freshly stocked with 6" trout.
We'd be elbow to elbow, tangling our fishing lines,
and catching little Trout to take home and show to
Mom. Great times.
How about the display at the community center
that had manipulatable arms where you could stack
stuff on the other side of the window. This was
supposed to be a duplicate of a handling device used
out at Hanford.
I remember having my own charge account at Densow
Drug's Fountain. What a great place to sit and drink a
Cherry Coke or have a Float.
Maren - You and Gary are really doing a great
service for all of us Bombers. What a great thing the
"Alumni Sandstorm" is. It's making me homesick after
34 years of being gone! Thanks so much and keep up the
good work!
-Dale Hosack (69)
==================================
>>From: Deedee Willox Loiseau (64)
The Christmas radio program that we listened to
every day (for 26 days) before Christmas was "The
Cinnamon Bear". They are available on tape now. I
bought myself a set and my granddaughter a set so we
can both listen every year (she lives in Everett and I
live in Tri- Cities). You can order from:
Radio Spirits, Inc.
P.O. Box 2141
Schiller Park, Il 60176. $25.
I believe Barnes & Noble can order them for you.
-Deedee Willox Loiseau (64)
=================================
>>From: Gloria Falls Evans (58)
To: Mina Jo Payson (68)
I remember the same teachers you had. Miss Swain: I
remember well she wore the same suit all year long.
She was a great instructor for Home Ec, in the 50's
Wonder what happened to her?
To: Vera Smith --Do you remember Miss Swain?
-Gloria Falls Evans ('58)
=============================
>>From: Gregor Hanson (65)
Maren -
Nina Johnson passed away several years ago - she
lived at the corner of GWWay and Gowen in Richland
until time of her death.
Vic Hubbard - chemistry teacher - still lives in
Richland, as do other former Richland School District
teachers Mr. Jantz, Ray Juricich, Howard Chitty,
Fran Rish, Julia Davis, Marian Hankwitz, Helen Skogen,
Tiger Gentle, Gerald Labrecque, Gene Dudley,
Ernie Unruh, etc.
Also could you put in an item suggesting that
readers check out the links to the missing list for
Bomber classes of '64 and '65 as their 35th reunions
are coming up and would like to be able to find more
classmates. With many of the Alumni Sandstorm readers
having brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors, etc. in
other classes, this should help spread the search!!
A couple of other items -
Gene Conley went on to play baseball and
basketball for WSU, as well as a having successful
professional career in both sports for the Milwaukee
Braves, Philadelphia Phillies in baseball and was the
backup center to Bill Russell on the Boston Celtics in
the NBA. He later owned and operated his own company
in the Conn area where he still lives, perhaps paper
or tape products (not sure). His parents and my
parents were friends and I have collected all of
Gene's baseball cards which show him as from Richland,
WA!! Great trivia item - Gene is the only person to
have ever won World Championship rings in 2 major
professional sports -World Series champs with the
Braves and NBA champs with the Celtics!!
Great recall by someone of the urine specimen
bottles that were placed on the doorsteps (right next
to the milk bottle containers) of homes in Richland
and collected periodically by the guy who drove a big
silver walk in van that looked like a milk truck!!
Guess Richland was just 50+ years ahead of its time in
doing urinalysis testing, though obviously for
different substances than currently!!
Another good memory about the pneumatic tubes in
the JC Penney store that sent your money upstairs to
the main cashier and returned your change a few
minutes later.
The restaurant located inside Thrifty Drug in the
Uptown area was called Tammy Coffee Shop - my first
job was as a dishwasher there - not much pay, but free
food and milkshakes!!
After home delivery of milk declined there were
the drive through dairy marts for milk, eggs, cheese,
etc. One was located on Lee, between Zips and A&W, and
another on Williams, east of the older Richland
cemetery near where Dog 'N Suds drive in was once
located. Tomlinson's and Stiller's Dairy marts were
the names as I recall. At age 16, being able to drive
the car to go get milk was a valid excuse for a little
extra cruising, as well!!
Also, I think Mr. Carlson, Biology teacher, was
known as "Grasshopper" rather than earwig.
Kevin Ghirardo - part of the family owned Spudnut
Shop - works right next door to my office and he
enjoys reading all of the input on people's memories
of the Spudnut shop, particularly the person who
bought a couple dozen and shipped them to Europe. The
shop celebrated their 50th anniversary this summer -
Kevin informed me they started in '48 at a Richland Y
location and then moved to the Uptown in 1950. His
nickname is Spud, as well.
I laugh out loud when I read Frank Osgard's
contributions of his childhood days in Richland - he
is quite the humorous author of some great stories -
hope he keeps them coming, and/or that Jim Hamilton
continues to share them with us!!
Go Bombers!
-Gregor Hanson '65
=============================
>>From: Grover Shegrud (56)
Great times in the Civil Air Patrol based south
of town just west of Yakima bridge. Remember watching
Bill Boeing, Jr. fly a B-17 in for our air show about
1953, and taking part in several search and rescue
missions; one was looking for Sam Ellis and his air
coupe. A train crew found it by the tracks in Blue
Mts. Had some terrific times on encampments at McCord
air base. Names from Civil Air Patrol: Rod Linkous,
Joe Polson (53); Pat O'Conner, Doug Robbins, Marvin
Moeller, Loretta Ostboe, Harriet Moore, Sonya (Sona)
Hankins all of (55), and a bunch of Kennewick folks.
I was in the theater on George Wash way across
the street from optomatrist watching the movie when
the show stopped and we all went outside to celebrate
the end of world war 2.
The last and much needed HS credit to get me out
of Col Hi was in typing ( I wish I had learned better)
Mr. Morris signed off on me just 3 hours before
graduation.
Hey! Any one out there put time in with I B M? I
am in 34th year. I worked with Maynard Moody for a
short time in Seattle and there were a couple more I
knew of Don or Dan Mckenzie and Miles Isom (I think).
That's all for now!
-Grover Shegrud (56)
====================================
>>From: Irene de la Bretonne Hays (61)
I am Irene de la Bretonne, now Dr. Irene D. Hays. I
would like to be placed on the Alumni Sandstorm
distribution. Can you do this for me? I was a member
of the class of 1961.
From a forwarded Sandstorm message, I learned
that Toni Zima may be on this distribution and that
Jim Russell asked about my father, Ernie de la
Bretonne. I would enjoy hearing from both Toni and
Jim.
My parents, Ernie and Inez de la Bretonne, are
living well in Richland, both having retired some
years ago. Ernie's Printing still exists, though now
on the corner of.... Jadwin and Williams, I believe.
After receiving my B.A. in 1967, I taught school
in Idaho, Hawaii, and in Richland at Columbia High
School (1974-1980)-- our old home! (At "Col Hi", some
of our old teachers became my colleagues, several
children of former classmates were my students, and
one of my own children had "mom" as a teacher!!) In
1980, I earned my Masters and accepted a position at
Battelle in Richland, where I remained until 1994;
then transferred to Battelle in Seattle, where I am
now. Also completed my doctorate in 1997. Much of my
work takes me other places; I'm writing this message
from Washington DC.
I'd enjoy hearing from friends who receive this
message.
-Irene de la Bretonne ('61)
===============================
>>From: Jack Evans (62)
Maren--
I won't bother your brother, Tim, at work...
just tell him Jack Evans said hello.
On a sadder note, Mrs. Nina Johnson passed away a
couple of years ago. She was special to many of us. I
kept in touch with her both by some visits when she
was still here in Richland and by Xmas cards we
exchanged up until a year before her death. She
remained mentally alert up to the very last and was
able to keep in touch with her daughter who is a Doc
in the Seattle area. She moved to a church type
retirement place south of Seattle and lived her last
days there. It made me feel really good that she got
to know our two children and always had nice things to
say about them as well as always commenting about
members of your brother's and my class... tell Tim she
remembered him in her conversations with me.....
You guys are doing a great job with the
Sandstorm... I've turned about ten or so of my friends
on to it in the last day or so...
-Jack Evans ('62)
==================================
>>From: Jo Heidlebaugh (74)
Jo Heidlebaugh here, and yes I am the baby sister
of Lola (60) and Jim (65) Heidlebaugh.
Found the web page and wanted to let it be known
that I am and will always be a SPUDNUT fan. I
graduated from Col High in 1974 and would like to get
in touch with other '74 alums.
Please advise. Thanks bunches
-Jo Heidlebaugh (74)
============================
>>From: Kathie Roe Truax (Chief Jo-Bomber '64)
Like Chuck Smith from the Class of '69, I also
used to love the fries and special sauce at Artic
Circle. I heard from someone who swore to know the
real skinny that the special ingredient was tomato
soup not ketchup. Don't know the exact proportions
though ...
-Kathie Roe ('64)
===================================
>>From: Margaret Gilstrap O'Hara (74)
Thanks for emailing me the Alumni Sandstorm. It
is the first email I read in the morning. One of my
fondest memories happened in my junior year. My dad
who was on the school board that year, caught me
skipping school with my best friend Kim Lampton. Out
of no where he taps my shoulder, and says " I bet you
beat me home and I will be going in the car". That was
the one and only time I skipped. Does anyone remember
four wheeling down by the river during lunch break?
-Margaret Gilstrap O'Hara 74
===============================
>>From: Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53)
Hello: I'm enjoying reading the Sandstorm. I'm
from One of the original families in Richland. I was
in Second Grade when the project began. Only five
families were allowed to stay. We were one of them
because my father was the Postmaster. Kassie and I
both went to Lewis and Clark, Carmicheal and then I
graduated in 53, she in 55.
Kassie died of cancer in 1986. I live with my
husband Lee Whitley (class of 52) in Renton, Wash.
Would love to hear from any one who remembers us or
would like to know more about the real early days in
Richland.
-Marilyn Peddicord Whitley ('53)
===================================
>>From: Valerie Polentz Topham (72)
I caught the note about Cal Welch. He and his
wife live across the street from my folks on Ada. My 2
nieces, daughter and I raked leaves for them just last
Fall. We fly up to the Pac NW to do chores for the
folks and often end up doing a little here and there
in the neighborhood. Mr. Welch would be happy to know
we remember him fondly and I will see if he is online
via my dad.
-Valerie Polentz Topham (72)
==================================
>>From: Judy Shaw (65)
Hi Gary. I'm curious. My sister has received
several e-mails with postings about fellow Bombers. I
have not received any since this previous one. Was I
supposed to do something else to begin to receive
Bomber stuff? Please let me know.
Thanks,
-Judy Shaw (65)
=====
[Judy -- I think you did everything right -- must have
been me who messed up. I remember your name -- and
Gary asked if you were By Shaw's sister, but somehow
didn't get you on the list.. You're there now, though
-- Sorry for delay -- Maren]
======================================
>>From: Bill Byrd (59)
Maren, attached is my 2nd grade class picture at
Sacajawea. Mrs. Meigs' 1949 class. I am the striped
shirt in the back row. I can remember some of the names
but not all. jpeg file.
BACK: 1.TomBiers, 2.JohnMcKinna, 3.DavidCarlson,
4.JimCrum, 5.___McDonald, 6.BillByrd, 7.JohnFredrick,
8.GailBaker, 9.Mrs.Meigs
MIDDLE: 1. Buddy ____, 2.TimBrown. 3.RonCrawford,
4.AllenCross, 5.KenFree, 6.ClarkHenderson, 7._______,
8.LindaBowman, 9._________
FRONT: 1.MinnieSueHarris, 2.Maryanna________,
3.CarolBowman, 4._______, 5.PattyCruz, 6.PeggyBellards,
7.HelenClark, 8.JanetBest
Maybe we could make a contest out of this to fill in
the blanks.
Cheers,
Bill Byrd (59)
===================
[Bill --- What's the prize and who's gonna pay off???
Anybody who wants to see this picture, go to the
ALL Bomber Alumni Links site and click on the
"Alumni Sandstorm" Link --Maren]
=============================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
If you want OFF this list, PLEASE let us know.
==============================================
**********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/29/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FIGHT SONG
Fight, fight, fight for ol' Richland High
Win that victory
Let it be told we'll fight for old green and gold
Best in the west
You know we'll all do our best
Fight, fight, fight right on to the end
[R I C H]
Honor and glory we will win
[L A N D]
So fight, fight, fight for ol' Richland High
and victory
===================================
>>From: Thomas W McGuire (54)
I'm Thomas W. McGuire from the class of '54.
Looking for classmates. One in particular is Jerry
Swain. Do you have a clue? Nice Web Page. I have a
sister that still lives in WA and she let me know about
you endeavors.
-Tom McGuire ('54)
==================================
>>From: Richard Huske (61)
Couple of the Huske's still kicking in the Tri-
Cities, Rich in Richland, John ('58') in Benton City.
Verne in Newport, Or., Mike in Olympia, Wa. This is
great, enjoyed reading about the Bombers. Our kids all
graduated from Richland and are 'Bombers'.
Vera Smith Robbins, great to see you're doing well.
-Richard Huske ('61)
======================================
>>From: Mike Swallow (69)
I was wondering where the 69ers are as well,
Chuck. There must be a few of us kicking around. I
would like to hear from Duke Mitchell, Pat Maki and
Dick Foley (68). I think the four of us still hold the
880 relay record for RHS (So what if they quit running
that race). My wife tells me the "older I get the
better I was" (even bought me a shirt that said so).
Could use a chat with someone who remembers like I do.
By the way, anybody -- any plans underway for our 30th
reunion?
-Mike Swallow (69)
======================================
>>From: LeeRoy Parchen (59)
Hi. I graduated form Col High in 1959, lived in
Richland since 1942, been there, done that. Richland
needless to say has changed a whole lot, not sure for
the better. Member of the 1958 state championship
basketball team. Will always be a BOMBER.
-LeeRoy Parchen ('59)
=============================
>>From: Sandra Witherup Hankins (59)
Hi...My sister (Connie Witherup '63) has been
forwarding these wonderful memories to me. Please add
me to your distribution list and I'll jump in when I
can find the time. Thanks for doing this!
-Sandra Witherup Hankins '59
=================================
>>From: Maren Smyth (64)
Nothing like basketball games in the 'old' gym!!
The 'new' gym didn't get the THUNDER we could make
when EVERYBODY stomped their feet on the bleachers of
the 'old' gym. NOTHING LIKE IT!!
-Maren Smyth ('64)
===================================
>>From: Harold (Hal) Burger
What a wonderful find!
Hello to all my fellow classmates. We just got this
electronic gadget so I'm still lernin'. My wife and I
just celebrated 30 years, with three sons, 6
granddaughters and 1 grandson, wow! Going to roam the
pages and start catching up on what the rest of you
have been up to. Does anyone know the whereabouts of
Judy Shuey?
Regards,
-Hal Burger ('62)
=============================
>>From: Dave Rodriguez (69)
I figured after reading so many letters and
remembering so many fond memories and old friends I'd
drop line or two, too. What I remember was Ernie's
Rack and Cue, burgers at Zips and Tastee Freeze, truck
races in the senior parking lot and sharing bourbon
floats with Jeff Zwicker. Boy were those the good
years or what and we can't forget War ball in Mr.
Rish's class. It's good to hear all the memories that
everybody has of Richland High and Richland in
general. My family moved here from Texas in "53" so I
remember some of the old buildings too. The Saddler
Hotel, Skyline drive-in and I don't recall it's name
but there was a building in the Richland Y where they
use to hold dances but it burned down. Lost friends
like Joyce and JoAnn Scott, Mickie Knowles, Peter Bird
and Sandy Workman. Some of you may remember my
brother, George, from the class of '68 who died in
Vietnam or my brother, Richard, still lives here in
the tri-cities. I also have my sister, Mary, in Boise
and a brother, Michael, in L.A., if you want to hear
from them just let me know and I'll pass it on. I hope
to hear back from some of the other senior "animals"
from the class '69 and anybody else that just wants to
talk. Oh, by the way, I married Linda Barott (71).
Here's to the good old years and to the people who
started and run this Alumni Sandstorm, thanks for the
memories.
-Dave (Taco) Rodriguez (69)
=====================================
>>From: Judy Shibly Cozad (63)
Maren and Gary:
YOU ARE DOING A F A N T A S T I C J O B!!! Can't
tell you how much we're ALL ENJOYING IT! THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
It was WONDERFUL seeing everyone at the '63
reunion in July!! For those who were unable to attend,
'PLAN ON IT NEXT TIME'!!!! We all had such a great
time! You may think you have nothing in common after
all these years but . . . N O T! It's great getting
back together and it's as if 'time stood still'!
THANKS AGAIN to everyone!!
More Memories:
Mrs. Georgia Burns placing typewriter covers
over the knees of mini-skirted students in steno
class. Receiving 80, 100 & 120 Gregg shorthand
pins/charms as you passed shorthand speed writing
tests. Purchasing a specific brand steno pad so you
could write shorthand faster and faster, sliding the
page up as you wrote.
Cruzin Zips and ordering french fries with tartar
sauce! (Thanks for the recipe!) In those days,
remember: the lady sat right next to the guy!
Teen burgers and root beer floats at A&W. Mrs.
Hunter wouldn't hire me as a car hop because she said
I couldn't carry the heavy trays full of mugs of
rioter. She was probably right but . . . I THOUGHT I
COULD!
Finding a calf's eyeball looking up at you from
the drinking fountain as a result of Mr. Clayton's
Science Class projects.
Along with everyone else, all these messages
revive many, many wonderful memories! THANKS!
-Judy Shibly Cozad, Class of '63
=====================================
>>From: Penny Smith (65)
Have a confession to make. The first OA download you
sent me I deleted. I did not recognize your E-mail
address and I get so much unwanted mail, that I trash
without reading. I do not download anything unknown
either.
I finally opened one and realized what it was! That
one started with the Zip's Tartar Sauce recipe.
If you can, I'd like the two you tried to send me
before that one. I understand if its too much of a
problem.
Do enjoy reading them. Brings back alot of memories.
Of which, I am organizing and will send you some of
mine soon.
Again thank you and sorry for the mix-up.
-Penny Smith (65)
===============================
[Penny -- Can BARELY keep up now. This STARTED around
8/4 with an e-mail with the subject line: The Houses
That Hanford Built. Remember the recipe, but have NO
IDEA which day that e-mail went out. Sandi Cherrington
is working on a "Bomber Memories" site with all the
"back issues". You can get to that site from the ALL
Bomber Alumni Links page. I can't put a URL in this
email or it will mess up the incoming e-mail for a lot
of people. Send me a request for that URL (if you
don't already have it bookmarked) and I'll send it to
you. - Maren]
=================================
>>From: Earl Bennett, Gold Medal Class of '63
To: Evelyn Meyer Crowder (46):
Read your note to us younger alumni and saw the
reference to Aiken - I frequently go to Fort Gordon
from the DC area on business for the Army (civilian
employee managing training programs for intelligence
units). It's a pretty nice area, considered taking a
job there about four years ago but it didn't work out.
I believe Dad, a nuclear engineer at Hanford (GE then
Douglas) went to the Savannah River reactor site once
to present a paper or research results or something
related his work on reactor cooling systems. He had me
get a book of steam tables for him when I went to WSU
- I was amazed at how many properties and graphs are
associated with steam!
Did you and Paul have children attend Col Hi? The name
sounds familiar from my time frame or shortly after.
Love the memories - thanks, Gary and Maren.
Later. ecb3
-Earl Bennett ('63)
===================================
>>From: Betsy Rathjen Taylor (68)
Vonnie Reed Hoff (60) mentioned the Burk's Brothers
Gas Station. Our dad always went to that Texaco for
gas and to have the car repaired. I loved those red
fire engine hat suckers they would occasionally give
out -- they tasted great and sometimes had a very thin
soft outside to them, which I loved. I was really
disappointed when they stopped handing them out. I
don't know if it was because they didn't have them any
more or they decided I was too old to receive them.
Little did they know --I wasn't too old to enjoy them.
-Betsy Rathjen Taylor (68)
================================
>>From: Creede Lambard (72)
Hi Maren,
I just wanted to add my voice to those who have said
you're doing a great job with this. For all I know
this could be the first all-class online reunion any
high school has ever had. :D
It sometimes amazes me, the shared memories we take
for granted that are unique to Richland. I'm not
talking just about living in the shadow of Hanford,
though that's unusual enough. Just to give you a for
instance, I tell friends that when I grew up it we
didn't think anything of it to see tumbleweeds rolling
down the streets. I haven't seen one since I left
Richland although it stands to reason they don't have
many in Seattle (or any of the other places I've
lived, for that matter).
-Creede Lambard ('72)
===============================
>>From: Kathy Staley Berg (65)
Maren,
Can I request my sister be added to the mailing list?
Susan Staley Mitchell (71). She Her and hubby Ed
Mitchell have enjoyed all of the Alumni Sandstorm
material I've been able to send.
Also, just want to say that you and Gary are doing a
great job. Sure has brought back lots of memories for
me who was born and raised in Richland.
Thanks,
-Kathy Staley Berg ('65)
=======================================
>>From: Mike Figg (70)
About Beth Pedersen, as I should have expected, I was
wrong about she being a part of Joy of Cooking. After
a little research last night I found out that Joy of
Cooking was a Berkeley based group primarily composed
of two women, Toni Brown and Terri Garthwaite. But I
do remember vaguely that an album by them was pretty
good.
Somebody else mentioned Johnnie's Delicatessen and
buying pepperoni there by the inch. I don't think I
was old enough to do that on my own when Johnnie's was
still around but do remember going in there with my
parents.
Someone also mentioned father/daughter nights. I
remember some similar father/son nights and going to
the circus (in Kennewick, I think) but since my father
died when I was about 6, I went with Pam Sloat's (68)
dad.
Vonnie Reed Hoff (60) mentions the grocery store north
of Jefferson. Was this the Mayfair at McMurray and GW
Way? Somebody mentioned Campbells and I am wondering
if it was that before (or after?) it was the Mayfair.
Johnson Drugs was right next door, with a great soda
fountain. And across McMurray was Wascher's Mobil
station.
-Mike Figg (70)
==========================================
>>From: Cheryl Moran Fleming (66)
Hi! I will add my thanks to both of you for your
successful efforts with the e-mails. I'm Cheryl Moran,
class of 66. My father came to Richland right after
WW2 to visit my mother and her family. Her father was
working at Hanford. My mom and dad met while in the
service. My mother was a marine and my father was in
the air force. I used to wear their uniforms outside
playing. My mom's cap made a great policeman's cap!
Anyway, they got married in the CUP church and had to
go to Yakima to get their wedding cake because of the
sugar rationing/shortage. They were able to rent a
ranch house at 2406 Torbett St and we moved there when
I was 3 months old. That was the last block west
between Birch and Cottonwood. There was a neat moss-
bottomed drainage curb at the corner of Torbett and
Cottonwood that the parents refereed to as Polio
Water. And we were cautioned to stay out of it. All
the kids called it the "Polio Water".
I married Jim Fleming (65) and we have great
discussions about Richland and Hanford and our
wonderful childhood there. Someone from Seattle calls
it a "Social Experiment" and that is probably what it
was.
My dad would drop my sister (Janie 64) and I off at
Newberry's every Christmas and give us each 5 dollars
for shopping. We loved that Toyland upstairs! And the
bright decorations hung up around Uptown.
Jim says he used to get into the dumpster at the C&H
Market and eat old sweet rolls. I remember going over
to the laundry mat and sitting under the salon size
hair dryer they had there.
I went thru our old house last year. Yeah, just went
to the door and told the lady I used to live there and
she was really nice and friendly and let Jim and I
wander around inside. Those ranch houses were really
tiny. I always envied kids who had basements!
-Cheryl Moran Fleming (66)
====================================
>>From: Rob Piippo (74)
======================================
>>From: Richard Bronson (59)
I went to grade school at Sacajawea, and graduated
from Columbia High School in 1959. I now live in
Independence, Missouri. Snail mail address;
Richard Bronson [removed for privacy]
-Richard Bronson ('59)
===================================
>>From: Margo Heiling Barron (57)
I saw Miss Ruth Swain (home ec teacher) at the Manor
at Canyon Lakes (retirement community--more like a
cruise ship on land) in Kennewick last October or
November where she had recently moved. She looked
exactly the same except that her hair was white. We
had a nice conversation. She was my teacher in 7th
grade at Chief Jo.
She never married but she did adopt a troubled teen at
some point and raised her to be a good citizen (I
never knew this back then, but this was a subject of
the conversation when I ran into her last fall.)
Fortunately for me I don't think she remembered me
being in her class -- if she did remember me I'm sure
she wouldn't have been so cordial.
-Margo Heiling Barron (57)
=============================
>>From: Leona M. "Mari" Eckert Leahy (65)
Hi. I dropped out of High School in 1964. Since I was
born and raised in Richland, I have a lot of interest
in finding out what has happened with so many of the
kids that I attended school with. Is it possible to be
put on your list to receive information and updates of
events that involve the class of 65? I would really
appreciate it.
My name in school was Leona M. Eckert, though several
knew me as Mary Eckert. I lived at 1108 Van Giesen my
first seventeen years. My current name is Mari Leahy.
Thanks for this wonderful website!!!!!!
-Leona M. "Mari" Eckert Leahy (65)
==================================
>>From: Peter D Jensen (57)
I have thoroughly enjoyed the pages expounding the
exciting times of RHS. However, when I accessed the
ALL BOMBER ALUMNI LINKS site, I can understand the
AMAZEMENT of an old (sic) friend, Tony Tellier, that
it was indeed Peter D Jensen. The red name indicates
that, as Mark Twain once so eloquently expounded, the
reporting of my death is greatly exaggerated! I am
actually alive, and somewhat well, living and working
in Megapolis (Tri-Cities) and close to retirement.
Hope the untimely announcement of my "life" does not
bring dismay to anyone.
Thank you for the continued light you all bring to us
old Bombers.
Long Live The Bombers (Col Hi, Richland Hi, who
cares!?)
-Pete Jensen ('57) - Alive and Well
===============================
[Pete --- Got a GREAT laugh over this one -- GEEZ!!
800 Bombers with e-mail and there was BOUND to be ONE
messed up! ...went to the '57 site to 'fix' your
untimely death -- only to discover that your name is
NOT in red -- it's in BLUE and UNDERLINED and THAT
means you have an e-mail address and people can click
on your name to send you e-mail. ARE YOU COLOR
BLIND????... Now having doubts about combining the red
and blue names all on one list. Hmmmmm..... Or is
Tony Tellier causing trouble again? --Maren]
==============================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
If you want OFF this list, PLEASE let us know.
==============================================
**********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/30/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALMA MATER
Oh, we love our fair Columbia
As we see her in our dreams
Looking o're the infant city
to her namesake's royal stream
As it's mighty tide resistless
Surges onward to the sea
So may our own Columbia's course forever onward be
And as the years go by
We'll sing her praises high
Remembering once again her pride and fame
And though we may depart
A corner of each heart
Will cherish ever more the hallowed name of
Columbia, fair Columbia
Where we learned of loyalty,
And we shall not forget that lesson through eternity
==============================
>>From: Carol Boyd Breckenfeld (72)
Creede stated that when he tells people not from
Richland about the tumbleweeds, nobody believes him.
I've run into the same problem. "Normal" people just
don't believe that we have streets named Neutron Lane,
or the Atomic Bowl. When I tell them of the mushroom
cloud logo, well, I get blank stares. Over the years,
I've realized how special Richland is. I've realized
how special WE all are. I brought my husband to
Richland last year for the 25th reunion. He just loved
our town! He saw his first "dirt devil", and heard
stories from other Richlanders about the beer parties
out in the desert. Now, he wishes he could be from
Richland.
Cheers,
-Carol Boyd Breckenfeld (72)
===========================
>>From: Greg Swank (65)
RE: DON Jones (64 - "Missing")
I think the dude lives on Riverside in West
Richland and likes to fish a lot... REALLY a lot!
-Greg Swank ('65)
==================================
>>From: Vern Blanchette (64)
Thanks for all the Sandstorms... speaking of that does
anyone remember the time when we had a whopper of a
sand storm. I remember seeing a wall of dust coming
from all directions. It was clear and sunny where I
was, but after the wall of dust passed I found myself
in a very windy dust laden storm. It was unique... I
think I only saw that happen once in the 16 years I
lived in Richland. Lots of dust storms, but just not
that sharp a defining edge.
Anyone remember the name of the shop teacher at Chief
Joseph... taught drafting and drove a VW bug...
painted like a lady bug?? Mr. Sauer or something like
that. I remember his tales of being in the army
driving tanks in WWII... how he and his crew got lost.
Swung a sincere paddle too!
-Vern Blanchette (64)
=============================
>>From: Steve Oak (67)
RE: Water Bombs
I remember bombing the parkers down in the park behind
the dike.
We would take 2 strands of surgical tubing and tie
them to the knotted end of a cutoff pant leg (always
plenty of those around since school jeans became
cutoffs the day school ended... sooner in some cases).
Two people would stand on the top of the dike holding
the loop of the tubing at the halfway point and a
third would walk down the grass side and load the
pocket with a nice sized water balloon. 1-2 & 3 and
unsuspecting parkers would be interrupted with a load
crash when we got lucky and actually hit a car! Don't
try this at home... only should be done by
professionals.
-Steve Oak ('67)
=============================
>>From: Jim Hamilton (gold medal class of '63)
Meryn (pronounced incorrecrtly)
Please add daughter number one's mother-in-law to the
list: Mary Winston Wymer ('55)
Thanks to you and Gary, you're doing a lot more good
than you intended or ever imagined.
Laughter is a great medicine you know.
jimbeaux
SEMPER BOMBERUS
-Jim Hamilton ('63)
===========================
>>From: Tony Tellier (57)
RE: Maren's comment Re: Pete Jensen's 'demise':
Hmmmmm.... "Or is Tony Tellier causing trouble again?"
Hey! I ain't ever stopped!
-Tony Tellier ('57)
================================
>>From: Joe Largé (68)
Dear Maren, et, al.,
You know, I never did KNOW the words to the RHS
Fight Song. Being in the band, I was never able to
actually SING the fight song. I know practically every
trumpet part (to this day) to the fight song, just not
the words. Difficult (not impossible) to sing and play
at the same time.
By the way, weren't Sharon Tate and Kippy Brinkman
good friends? I had always heard that the two of them
would sing together for special school occasions. We
all know what happened to Sharon Tate (sadly), but I
wonder where is Kippy Brinkman?
Dear Mike Swallow (69):
The older I get, the better I was!!!!! OH, I LOVE
IT!!! By the way, if you ever make up a tee shirt with
that on it, I'd love to buy a copy of that from you!
CIAO for now!
-Joe Largé (68)
=====================================
>>From: Rod Brewer (65)
Maren and Gary, I just want to add my thanks to you
and all the contributors to the Sandstorm "on line". I
check it out daily and really enjoy the flashbacks
everyone's comments revive. Keep it up!
While I'm at it, Maren, one of my fondest memories
growing up near the "park" is the Tri City Braves
games your Dad would take us to in the summer.
Bill Compton, glad to hear you are alive and sounding
somewhat well. I seem to recall you used to have about
a 2 second lag time when playing ball for the Green
and Gold. You must be getting better. Just kidding.
RE: The 'old' gym
Now you've done it. Talk about memories. I remember
walking into the gym with Allen Strege before our JV
game. It had been packed for at least 2 hours before
our game. Strege and I looked at each other and said,
"gee, all these people here just to see us". I think
we knew they were really there to see Thea and Jim and
Ray and Dave and Pook...
...And the night in that gym when it looked like the
Bombers would lose our first ever home game to
Kennewick when, down by 1 with 3 seconds left,
Wallace's half court shot was rebounded by Simpson who
was fouled at the buzzer. And after Dave converted the
One and One to pull out the win, how his Dad, who was
sitting right in front of me, raced out onto the floor
and pressed a $50 bill in his hand. Wow, thanks, for
the memories!
-Rod Brewer (65)
==============================================
That's it for today. Please send more.
If you want OFF this list, PLEASE let us know.
==============================================
**********************************************
******************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 8/31/98
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This "Alumni Sandstorm" is a joint effort by:
Chief Jo Warrior-Bomber, Gary Behymer (64)
and
Carmichael Cougar-Bomber, Maren Smyth (64)
E-mail stuff to either of us and we will e-mail it to
online Bomber Alums. Gary collects e-mail and also
gets posts from more than one Bomber 'guest book'.
I copy/paste, spell check (if I remember), and send.
Bomber cheers,
Maren Smyth (classes of '63 and '64)
====================================
>>From: Art "Tom" Hughes ('56)
I took Kippy on her first "date". Her sister, Sandy
was going to a Janzen Party in the Kennewick Highlands
with Dick Oaks. Kippy's Mom did not want them to go
alone so she asked me to take Kippy along with them.
Kippy went to Las Vegas where she was the headliner in
one of the lounges in the Dunes. She retired several
years ago and I think she still lives in Las Vegas.
-Tom Hughes ('56)
=================================
>>From: Bill Yandon (68)
Gary and Maren:
Why would I not want to receive all of these stories?
They remind me of when I had more hair and less
weight. Even though I was only in Richland for two and
a half years they were good years to remember.
For me the best memories were the year we went to the
basketball championship in Seattle (1966 I think).
Please, keep me on the list.
-Bill Yandon, Class of 1968
====================================
[Billy -- The reason we added that little blurb was
because of a FEW Bombers who have (VERY SURPRISINGLY)
responded negatively and want OFF the list. Didn't
even THINK about the possibility til we got the FIRST
one of those. We'll DEFINITELY keep you on the list!
Waiting for YOUR 'memories... Maren]
===================================
>>From: Lucy Schmidt Mahoney (61)
I am thoroughly enjoying the Alumni Sandstorm. My
family moved to Richland in 1959 just before my junior
year so I didn't have the pleasure of growing up in
Richland but I spent a lot of my adult years there and
watched all the changes that were made. We lived on
Goethals (now Jadwin) just past Comstock. The Mayfair
market was on the corner of Comstock and Goethals,
very convenient for the quick trips for last minute
meal items. My cousins, the Deans grew up in Richland,
(Connie graduated in '60).
One of our neighbors were Ed and Tess Haag. Ed was our
principal at the time. They retired to Port Angeles
and Ed died just a few years ago. Their granddaughter
Laurie (daughter of Janette) is the bookkeeper at the
store where I work in Prosser.
Kippy Brinkman and her parents went to the same church
I went to (Southside U.P.) and the last I heard Kippy
was living in Las Vegas and playing her harp for some
top name entertainers there. She makes it home
occasionally and whenever I visit in Richland her mom
gives me updates.
So many of the memories that have been related in past
issues are also my memories. When I got my first car a
bunch of us along, with my brother Harry and sister,
Georgia and sometimes younger brother Richard would
go cruising down GWWay up Jadwin then down Stevens all
on a dollar's worth of gas. I usually got my gas at
Burkes brothers. We usually ended up at the A&W or
Zips. Also made it to the Artic Circle after it was
built. I worked there when it first opened. As to the
prison camp in North Richland, that used to be a
favorite parking place for my then boyfriend (later
husband) and I to park. We had a favorite tree that we
parked under. I remember going to the Village theater
to watch the movie "The Longest Day". Where were you
when the roof of the Uptown Theater collapsed? What a
shock that was.
Alum that I am looking for are Rod Burril, Tom Hann
class of '61 Pat Hagimier class of '63. Please feel
free to e-mail me if you remember me. Two of my four
boys graduated from RHS also, Edward Mahoney and Erin
Mahoney '85 and '86 respectively.
"Long live the class of '61"
-Lucy Schmidt Mahoney (61)
===================================
[Lucy -- Linda Belliston Boehning (63)
will have information on
class of '63 (Patty Hagemeier) To my knowledge, Patty
does not have e-mail, but think Linda may have a
'snail mail' address for her. --Maren]
=====================================
>>From: Eva Clark Perry (49)
Haven't seen anyone mention the A & Z Dress shop ran
by Agnes and Zelda, the real classy place to get
clothes back in those days. Her daughter-in-law,
Roger's wife, now has the Annie Z's. They were the
McVicker's.
-Eva Clark Perry (49)
======================================
>>From: Gary LeClair (63)
HI MAREN
Somebody asked about Ms. Swain. Ruth Swain is still
alive in a nursing home -- I think in Kennewick. My
brother, Bob (65), parked our old camper there until a
couple of years ago when she got so frail she had to
sell her house on Cedar. She never married, but did
have a foster daughter named Yvonne. Bob and I used to
visit her, as our Mom (Peg LeClair) taught
kindergarten at Jason Lee and our Dad (Jim LeClair)
was principal at Sacajawea. We saw Ruth frequently
over the years.
-Gary LeClair (63)
********************************************
********************************************
That's it for this month. Please send more.
********************************************
********************************************
September, 1998