Sunday, June 28, 2009

News from Judy Heino Collette



Judy (Heino) Collette and her husband, George

After graduating from GHS, Judy attended the Stenotype Institute of Boston, which led to her first job in transcription at General Radio in Concord, MA. She married George Collette in 1961. Son David was born in 1962, daughter Lisa in December, 1963, and daughter Carolyn in December of 1965. Grandson Kyle was born in 1990. In 1970 Judy returned to work as a typesetter for a local printer. After 34 years working for four different printers, Judy retired in 2004 as a Graphic Design Manager.

In the late 1980s, Judy and George started traveling with her sister and brother-in-law, first to Bermuda, then later to London, Paris, and Jamaica. The "traveling bug" brought them to Aruba, Antigua, Australia, Barbados, Canada, Dominican Republic, Grand Bahamas, Nasau, Hawaii, and Ireland. Many of these places were visited more than once. Now, their immediate family frequently travels with them for family vacations in Maine, California, and Virginia Beach.

Judy's documentation skills have kept her very active with GHS Class of 1960 reunions. She has volunteered many hours organizing Holy Spirit Church fairs. Judy also volunteers for the United Way and local Red Cross Blood Drives.

For the past five years, Judy and George have supported their youngest daughter in her fight against Cancer.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

News from Eric Chapman


Eric Chapman and his beloved Viola

Eric Chapman started his teaching career in the History Department at St. Paul's School in NH from 1964-1968. He went to the University of Michigan where he was a Teaching Fellow in African-American Studies. Later, he supervised implementation of early childhood education programs for an educational research foundation. At the same time, he founded a violin making school in the United States which led to the creation of the Violin Society in America. In 1974, Eric founded the Ann Arbor Summer Sympony, now in its 35th season. By 1978, Eric started Eric Chapman Violins, Inc. which he still operates out of his home in Lincolnshire, IL . He also serves as contributing editor to the Journal of the American Viola Society. Eric writes that he "keeps active with the viola and plays with two quartets and the Skokie Symphony."

Eric and his wife Adina have two children, ages 13 and 15. Both are active musicians. Their son does trombone and voice and has sung in 24 concerts with the Chicago Symphony. Their daughter, 15, is a freshman at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Adina is a trombonist and former music school dean. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Adina teaches foods and gourmet foods at Hillary Clinton's former high school.

Would anyone like to send a "note" to Eric Chapman? Write to us at ghsclassof1960@gmail.com or add a comment to this post.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

News from Brendan Dunn


Brendon J. Dunn

Brendan has been married to his wife Connie (Constance Lessard) for 43 years and lives in Landing, NJ. The Dunns have three children, Shannon (41), Kathleen (38), and Bryan (31) and five grandchildren. Brendan worked as a Senior Toxicologist for Honeywell International (formerly AlliedSignal, Inc.) in Morristown, NJ for 27 years. He retired in 2003. Brendan continues to stay busy doing consulting work for the same company. His hobbies include rock/mineral collecting and photography. Brendan is a member of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society, the Fluorescent Mineral Society, and the Morris Museum Mineralogical Society where he participates as Membership Chairman and Editor of the Society's newsletter. Other interests include collecting and reading about Native Amercan Indian crafts and artwork, golf, and travel. Brendan remains an avid Boston/New Englad sports fan, following the Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

News from Helen Cormier Haga

Helen (Cormier) Haga and her brother, Robert Cormier

Helen (Cormier) Haga of Washington state writes that she plans to retire next year "if the economy picks up." She works as a medical Lead Procedure Technician doing Dexa Scans, Ultrasounds, and a variety of monitoring procedures for heart and lung conditions. Helen and her husband Tor spend most of their free time on a major reconstruction of their house on Camano Island. Camano Island is in Puget Sound, twenty-five miles north of Seattle. The house is a tri-level and Helen's dad will soon have his own one bedroom, full kitchen, living room and family room with fireplace and great view of salt water and mountains on the ground level. When she does retire, Helen says she wants to study Spanish, volunteer at the Raptor Center on Camano Island where they rehabilitate large birds of prey, and perhaps join the Friends of Camano Parks.