News from Jadwiga Narkevicius Earle

Jadwiga (Narkevicius) Earle, her husband Bill, and three of their grandchildren

Jadwiga writes, "After graduating from Bridgewater State College in 1964 I was hired to teach physical education at a small school, grades 1-12, in Sandwich, MA. There I coached girls varsity basketball and softball. I started field hockey the following year and continued to coach it for 18 years. When the first grade teacher retired, I was asked to fill her position and I did. I taught first grade for three years. I left teaching after I married Bill Earle, who was also a physical education teacher and coach. We have four children - Mary, 38, Katie, 36, Karen, 34, and Kevin, 30. My husband left teaching to run a family fuel business in Sandwich. I worked in the office for fifteen years and retired when the business was sold. My husband continued to work for the new owners. We have six grandchildren - Jonathan, 12, Joshua, 8, Madision, 8, Brandon, 6, Hailey, 5, and Chloe, 4. Since everyone lives in Sandwich, we get together often for birthdays, holidays, and our children's sport events. Bill and I enjoy spending time in Wells, Maine and have traveled to Ireland and Italy. We are looking forward to seeing other countries."

In high school, Jadwiga was elected class secretary in years 1 and 4. She played field hockey and basketball and was Pro Merito for years 3 and 4.

Finding Sam Evans

Sam Evans and daughter Emma at Organ Pipe National Monument, 2005

Sam Evans did not graduate from Gardner High School in 1960. His father died the year before, leaving his mother with three young boys. Sam's senior year was spent in a school in Connecticut (Wooster School, Danbury) - thanks to a family friend. The eleven years before that were spent in Gardner. Sam attended School Street Elementary School, Gardner Junior High School, and three years at GHS.

Samuel Porter Evans graduated from Washington&Jefferson College, served in Vietnam with an Army artillery unit, then earned an MBA from UCLA. He spent most of his business career in the cable television industry in the Pacific Northwest. Today, he lives in Tucson, Arizona and volunteers wuth and supports various conservation and humanitarian groups. Summers are spent away from the desert in a cabin on the British Columbia coast, 100 miles northwest of Vancouver.

Many classmates will remember Sam's "I Speak for Democracy" speach at a school assembly.

Sam has traveled extensively, living in western China for two and a half years and in Argentina for one year. He writes, "I will miss the reunion and opportunity to reunite with classmates. Thanks for introducing me to the GHS web log where I can read about classmates and learn what you have been doing all these years. I look back fondly on my Gardner days; life was much simpler then than it is for kids today. My thoughts will be with you as you gather in July and I wish you all the best."

How we found Sam: At one time, Sam joined Classmates.com and included a map of his location. We went to a telephone database and entered Sam Evans in Tucson AZ. Bada bing! The man at the other end of the line was Sam.

GHS Class of 1960 - By The Numbers

2 - children's sweaters, hand-made by Linda Giles Merikanto, and donated to the Reunion Raffle to be held on Saturday, July 24th, 2010.

247 - number of classmates pictured in the 1960 Argus yearbook

43 - number of classmates who are deceased

107 - number of classmates planning to attend a reunion event

75 - approximate percentage of classmates who are retired

25 - approximate percentage of classmates who are currently working full or part-time

84 - number of classmates with accounts on Facebook

34 - number of classmates contributing a memory to the GHS Memory Book

Top Ten Interests and Hobbies (as reported on Facebook and in updates privided to the GHS Web Log)

1. Reading and watching movies

2. Dining out

3. Visiting with children and grandchildren

4. Walking and excercising (biking, swimming, skating, dancing, hiking)

5. Traveling to other states and countries

6. Gardening and yard work

7. Concerts and theatre

8. Attending sports events

9. Photography and nature study

10. Practicing a new skill (musical instrument, speaking Spanish, wood-carving, etc.)

Did we miss something? Not get it quite right? Leave us a comment with your addition or request.

News from Walt Dubzinski, Jr.

Walt and Irene (St. John) Dubzinski

Walt writes "I'm still coaching football at Gardner High School after retiring from the faculty six years ago. I guess that means my days at GHS were very good or I wouldn't still be here today." In his contribution to the GHS Memory Book, Walt acknowledges that the teachers and coaches at Gardner High School were the greatest influence on his life and career.

Walt and Irene have three children - a son, Michael, now a guidance counselor and football coach at Wachusett Regional High School; a daughter, Kathryn, raising a family in Holden; and another son, Steve, a guidance counselor and basketball coach at Leominster High School. Steve also assists Walt with the Gardner High School football team.

This almost-but-not-quite-retired couple spend their free time visiting grandchildren, attending sporting events, and spending summers in Maine.

Coach Priscilla Power

Coach Priscilla Power

Gladys Narkevicius Richardson reports that Coach Priscilla Power will be unable to attend our 50th Class Reunion Dinner due to health issues. Coach Power lives in Maine with her pup, Chyna. She would enjoy hearing from her former students and athletes. Contact a member of the reunion planning committee for her address. We are not posting that for privacy reasons.

Gardner's 225th Anniversary Celebration

Judy Heino Collette sends a link to the web site for Gardner's 225th Anniversary Celebration this year, with events running from June to October.

http://www.gardner-ma.gov/pages/GardnerMA_Webdocs/celebrate225

Check out the program to see what may be happening when you are in town for the GHS Class of 1960 50th Reunion or other family visits. On June 26 there will be a Family Movie Night. Judy says the September parade promises to be one of the largest ever in Gardner, but she is looking forward to the "South Gardner Block Party" on October 2, (Union Street to Chelsea Street). There will be food vendors and bands.

At the Prom 1960

Six Senior Prom Attendees

Here is a photo from Linda (Giles) Merikanto showing "how we looked" at the Senior Prom in 1960.

Back row: John Tinker, Dennis Erickson, Larry Lundwall
Front row: Linda Giles, Candace Brooks, Elizabeth Carr

Do you have a late fifties high school photo you can share with us? Contact us at ghsclassof1960@gmail.com . We can scan and return your photos promptly.

News from Stan & Jan Gemborys

Stan and Janyce (Charles) Gemborys

After graduation from GHS in 1960 Janyce studied at the Henry Heywood Memorial School of Nursing in Gardner, receiving her diploma in 1963. Stan earned an A.B. in Biology from Dartmouth College in 1964. The couple then spent three years in Auburn, Alabama, where Janyce started her long career in Student Health and Stan earned his Ph.D. in Botany in 1967. Stan writes, " When we arrived there, segregation was still strong and it was certainly an eye opener for us Yankees. Lurleen Wallace, then Governor, signed my diploma."

Stan and Jan then moved to Virginia, where Stan took a position as Assistant Professor of Biology at Hampden-Sydney College, a small private liberal arts college for men in a county that had only recently reopened its public schools after they had been closed to avoid integration. Janyce worked in student health at Longwood College in nearby Farmville, Virginia. Janyce retired in 1990 after becoming ill, and Stan retired in 2005.

Over the years, Stan taught "classic" college biology courses such as Botany, Plant Ecology, Marine Biology, and Limnology as well as some more "esoteric" ones - Playing God with Nature, Agriculture and Ecology, and How Ecologists and Theologians Look at Nature. Stan taught his first section of Environmental Biology in 1968 and over time taught that course to over 1800 students. Together, Stan and Jan took over 400 students abroad to study ecology and natural history. Janyce served as resident nurse and advisor on trips to Bermuda, Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, Great Britain, and Central Europe.

Stan and Jan purchased a home in Eaton Center, New Hampshire - now their current legal residence - and have spent most of their summers and holidays there. Stan also conducted field research in the area. He studied the vegetation of the Bowl Natural Area, the land use of Eaton, and how the paintings of the White Mountain school of painters reflected the ecology of their times.

Stan and Jan have enjoyed skiing, horse keeping, attending antique auctions, and cultural events on the Hampden-Sydney College campus. Janyce is still a collector and Stan says he tries his hand at woodworking. In retirement they have enjoyed travel and in recent years have visited Japan, Tahiti, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Santiago, and Tunis. Janyce enjoys her membership in the DAR and Stan is a Rotarian.

Just this summer, Stan and Jan sold their property in Virginia. A few years ago, they bought a home in Manomet, Massachusetts to be closer to their daughter Kyra, and grandson Connor, who live in Duxbury. Stan adds, "Y'all come visit, hear?"

Where Are They Now?

Do You Recognize These People?

Our 50th Class Reunion will bring together people who may not have seen each other since the late 50's or early 60's. Although we have worked hard to keep our class database up to date, we still lack current and accurate contact information for the following GHS Class of 1960 graduates:

Mary Ann Kropotkin
James M. Perry

Michael A. Smith

Can you provide us with any leads, tips, or suggestions? We will follow up.

Crosby, Stills, and Nash will perform at the AARP conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on September 30-October 2, 2010. Video of their first live performance of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes at the 1969 Woodstock Festival is available on You-Tube.