Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Aloha from Judy Goodwin Cross




Judy (Goodwin) Cross

Location, Location, Location. Talk about a dream come true! Judy and Alan Cross live in Princeville on the north shore of the "Garden Isle" of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Judy has been an independent contractor in the real estate field for over 25 years. Alan is still active in Oceanfront Realty International, specializing in condominiums, vacation homes, and single family dwellings on Kauai. Between them, Judy and Alan have four children. One son lives in Madrid, Spain. Two other sons and their families live in Ohio. A daughter lives in California.

Judy's current activities include snorkeling, yoga, and volunteer work for the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Association. Judy enjoys travel, seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, gourmet cooking, and wine tasting. She is especially fond of family sea cruises.

Judy will be attending the 50th Class Reunion in July.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

News from Rachel Hebert Reilly



Rachel (Hebert) Reilly and Michael Reilly

Rachel and her husband, Mike (GHS '59) have lived in Cape Coral/Fort Myers, FL since 1988. She has been a Professional (National Certified) Guardian since 1999 and is very close to retiring. Prior to that, Rachel was a full-charge bookeeper working for CPA firms. Michael, a Registered Nurse, retired in 2006.
Rachel's daughter Donna is now in business with her father running a floral shop in East Priovidence, RI. Her son David is an assistant VP of Finance at a college in MA. David has two sons, Ryan 13, and Terry, 10. Of her children, Rachel says "Watching them grow into wonderful, contributing members of society has been my greatest pleasure in life."

Living close to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Busch Gardens, and the Disney Parks has given Rachel and Mike the feeling that they have been semi-retired since they moved there. They enjoy the beaches, sunsets, resorts, and everything that Florida has to offer year-round. Rachel and Mike attend Boston Red Sox spring training games in Fort Myers. They hope to get to a Pawtucket Red Sox game when they are in MA this summer.

Rachel's is a familiar face to anyone who has attended a GHS reunion. Both Rachel and Mike look forward to seeing clasmates and friends at the 50th reunion in July. The weekend of July 23, 24, and 25 promises to be a very special occasion.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Elementary School Photo Collection

Connors Street School Class Photo Grade 5 1953


We have been collecting elementary school class photographs taken during 1949-1954 from the Hubbardston, Westminster, and Gardner schools. Our work is almost done, but not all collections are complete, and not all students in the class photos have been identified. We have prepared class photo albums for the following schools and grades:

Westminster Elementary Schools Grades 1-6 plus 7-9.
Hubbardston Schools Grades 1-6 plus 7 and 8.
Coleman Street School Grades 1-6
Connors Street School Grade 5
Elm Street Grade 5
Gardner Junior High School Homeroom Photos Grade 7 and 8
Holy Rosary School Graduation Photo
Pleasant Street School Grades 1-4
Prospect Street School Grades 1-6
Sacred Heart School Graduation Photo
School Street Grades 1-6
West Broadway School Grades 1-4
West Street School Grades 1-4

The following GHS classmates have helped by providing photographs to scan electronically or by identifying students or teachers in the photographs. Much of this work has been done through e-mail.

Robert Hunter Coffin Jr., Alan Erickson, Lloyd Hannula, Jerry Arsenault, Sandra Merikanto Hanson, Lorna Rivers, Jean Williams Mattson, Evelyn Hurme Fogg, John Oinonen, Ernest Lehtonen, Merilyn Ruuka Dunn, Marilyn L'Ecuyer Michelson, Robert Marien, Richard Donovan, Ronald Rosengren, Elaine Stanley Guaraglia, Brian Bjurling, Suzanne Skamarycz Nobrega, James Tamulen, James Ewing, Elizabeth Jacji MacDonald, Carol Johnson Smith, Nancy Ball Griffin, Carolyn Cunninghan Larson, Roger Kinnear, Gladys Narkevicius Richardson, Janice Goeke Tuffin, Shari Montville Whipple, Martin Anderholm, Priscilla Hubbard Brown, Linda Giles Merikanto, Louis Migliozzi, Bevertly Morze Piccone, Shirley Long Smith, Richard Goguen, Carole Nyman Platukis, and Thomas Ryan.

Our photo albums will be displayed at Reunion Events on Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25. You may be able to identify some "unknown" students in the photos. We hope you will be able to help us with this work in progress.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?



Judy Heino Collette reports that over 100 GHS Class of 1960 classmates and friends (not including spouses and guests) will attend one or more reunion events over the weekend of July 23, 24, and 25, 2010. What an opportunity to greet old friends and former classmates, to get re-acquainted, catch up on life events, and discover new friends with similar interests! Here is our classmates list so far, but be prepared for some "Wildcat" surprises.

David Ambrose, Martin Anderholm, John Awdycki, Nancy (Ball) Griffin, Peggy (Ball) DiStefano Carol Anne (Barry) Clark, Lucy (Belanger) Hebert, Robert Bernard, Charleen (Surrette) Bernard, Judy (Bishop) Farnsworth, Brian Bjurling, Donna (Blake) Beise, Virginia (Blake) Monette, John Brooks, Jeanne (Charest) Mallet, Robert Coffin, Carolyn (Cunningham) Larson, Gordon Dickie, Donald Diemdowicz, Janice (Dick) Drummey, Priscilla (Dionne) McKillop, Roberta (Dines) Graves, Richard Donovan, Paula (Lachance) Donovan, Walter J. Dubzinski, Jr., Dennis Erickson, James Ewing, Diane (Brazawskis) Ewing, Bill Farnsworth, David Feltmarch, Douglas Fleming, John Forrester, Stanley Gemborys, Janyce (Charles) Gemborys, John Gerrard, Geraldine (Girard) Nelson, Linda (Giles) Merikanto, Barry Glinski, Janice (Goeke) Tuffin, Judy (Goodwin) Cross, Judith (Goguen) Forest, Richard Goguen, Carole (Griffin) Cormier, Bruce Handy, Lloyd Hannula, Sheila (Harrington) Susen, Judith (Heino) Collette, Judith (Herr) Bonk, Karen (Heywood) Greenlaw, Rachel (Hebert) Reilly, Elizabeth (Hill) Rathburn, Marjorie (Jandris) Kraskouskas, Bruce Jacobsen, Carol (Johnson) Smith, Roger Kinnear, Carol (Kucinskas) LeBlanc, David Laroque, Laura (Davis) Laroque, Georgette Leblanc, Connie (Lesneski) Libed, Gloria (LeBlanc) Ley, Pamela (LeBlanc) Sogard, Winona (LeBlanc) Moeller, Shirley (Long) Smith, Robert Marien, Cecille (Maillet) Danielson, Claudine (Marchegiani) Reilly, Jacqueline (Manseau) Robichaud, Vincent Maillet, Lucille (Minns) Fagan, Louis Migliozzi, Shari (Montville) Whipple, Beverly (Morze) Piccone, Creighton Morris, Jadwiga (Narkevicius) Earle, Gladys (Narkevicius) Richardson, Edith (Needham) Godfrey, Donald Niemela, Brenda (Nyman) Clausen, Carole (Nyman) Platukis, John Oinonen, Elizabeth (O'Regan) Adkins, David Pachocha, Barbara (Pelletier) Bachand, Mary (Phelan) Nordman, Jerome Pierce, Ray Racette, Barbara (Reed) Fuller, Kenneth Rameau, Barbara (Osborne) Rameau, Anita (Roach) Cormier, Dave Robichaud, Dianne (Roy) Young, Donald Roy, Tom Ryan, Jackie (Tousignant) Ryan, Yvonne (Savaria) Perreault, Marcia (Shepard) Wilk, Suzanne (Skamarycz) Nobrega, Elaine (Stanley) Guaraglia, Claire (Sylvestre) Montgomery, James Tamulen, Alice (Teles) Stone, Janet (Therrien) Miller, Jacqui (Teir) Sanford, Carole M. (Tobia) Mumby, Richard Touchette, Robert Whipple, Jean (Williams) Mattson, Geoffrey Wood, Diana (Virta) Wood, John Yablonski, and David Zarozinski.
Cannot attend our 50th Class Reunion? You are welcome to send a greeting to ghsclassof1960@gmail.com and it will be posted on our GHS MESSAGE Board at dinner at the Wachusett Village Inn on Saturday, July 24th 2010.
Editor's Note: Attendee list updated on July 16, 2010

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Rietta Fleamarket Open for the Season


Sunday shoppers at the Rietta Fleamarket in Hubbardston

One of the fun things to do while you are in town for the GHS Class of 1960 Reunion Weekend on July 23, 24, and 25 2010 might be to visit the Rietta Fleamarket, 183 Gardner Road (Route 68) , in Hubbardston. The "ranch" has opened for the season and is open Sundays starting at 6:00 a.m. April through October. Admission and parking are free. Rietta has a reputation for being one of the largest outdoor fleamarkets in New England, with space for 650 vendors.

Some people go just to gawk. You can find old records, CD and DVD, sheet music, musical instruments, clothing, sporting goods, old hand tools, used tools, new tools, power tools, truck tires, furniture, glassware, old books, new books, seasonal plants, produce, toys, games, electronics, household items and collectibles of all kinds.

If you like a "bahgin" you could feel like a bandit after a visit to Rietta. Study those good old boys sitting on the bench very carefully, though. Some may be your old high school buddies.

To get yourself ready, take a virtual trip to Rietta by going to http://www.riettafleamarket.com/ .
It is one of Places to Go and Things To Do on our reunion weekend.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

News from Art Thompson


Arthur Thompson, Honor Guard

Art writes, "After 30 years of mariage I lost my wife, Dottie. Our kids are grown and I have grandchildren and great grandchildren to love and spoil. I retired from the City of Claremont, NH Department of Public Works and from the Vermont National Guard. After retirement I drove part-time for Dartmouth Coach two or three days a week. My wife Jan and I got married on 08-08-08 in a fun, family wedding in Las Vegas. We researched and traveled to different places and settled on Grand Junction, Colorado. There we have four seasons, 300 plus days of sunshine, mountains, mesas, and lots of wine from local vineyards. Jan and I are still both working part-time which leaves us time to travel and explore these beautiful western states. Since moving to Colorado we started our own "bucket list" and it just gets longer, not shorter. We've been horseback riding, skiing in Utah, jeeping over 11,00 foot passes, rode dogsleds in the Rockies, and watched the annual spring "Running of the Horses" in Maybell, Colorado. This year we are looking into whitewater rafting. There isn't enough time or days in the week to do everything we want to do. I joined the Grand Valley Honor Guard last year. It is a wonderful organization that honors deceased Veterans. We supply an Honor Guard for military funerals and parades and some local school functions."

Art says that he is sorry that he can't be at the reunion in July but will be there in spirit. Art and Jan will probably be on the road exploring an abandoned gold mine or a Colorado ghost town.

Do you enjoy reading about the lives of classmates like Art? Won't you please contribute a picture and a story to go with it? Everyone's story is different, but there are some common threads that weave across the years and life experiences of the Class of 1960. Please contact us at ghsclassof1960@gmail.com. We can help you tell your story.