MESSAGES
Page 5"You would not recognize RHS. Many additions are now in place and there are many portables...The large football stadium, the Ram Bowl, is the focal point for many athletic activities. The place seats 10,000 and used to be filled for each game but time has changed and kids don't follow as much as they used to. Of course when it gets to playoff time they sure get back of the team. RHS has around 2600 students now and the grades go from 9-12. The Middle school concept is in place and the former Junior Highs are now Middle Schools. This seems to be the general pattern throughout most of the state."
Ed Repulski (faculty)
[Coach Repulski also provided an address for a website for the Florida High School Activities Association Hall of Fame, which has his biography as a "Distinguished Member" detailing his many accomplishments. Tim]
"I won the recognition as 'Best Biology Teacher of the Year Award in the State of Florida' in 1964. That summer I went to India and taught Science Teachers new approaches in teaching Science. We (my wife Ardis Beland Thomas and two sons) then moved to Austin, Texas, to further my education and I received a Ph.D in the Sciences in 1968. That led me to a position as professor at LSU in New Orleans from 1968-1977 when my wife and I answered a call from the Lord and both left our secular teaching careers to go into the full time ministry. We pastored a church in Bogalusa, La. 7 years and then began traveling as evangelists. In 1989 we combined our travel with personalized marriage enrichment retreats. Through those retreats we ended up in one of the most beautiful places in this country. We now live in Bryson City, NC. This borders the southern part of the Smoky Mts. We live on the Nantahala River which is the most popular whitewater river in the US. If you paddle down the river you must pass our home and might catch me biding you a fair warning to 'have full at the falls'. Since there are only 8 private lots on the river you won't have trouble finding us with a cream home with green shutters and the only deck over the water. We are 1 ½ miles to the falls and the Nantahala Outdoor Center. We just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary and I'm having my 71st birthday Feb 2nd. We enjoy holding church services at Camp Inn (we manage that) on Sunday mornings during the camping season. You can see pictures of us at our website (river and family) and see the campground we manage."
Dempsey Thomas (faculty)
"My husband and I were married on September 2, 1960 – just 3 ½ months after graduation. One year and ½ later our son was born on November 27, 1961...My husband, Timothy P. Futch, is a retired Ordained Bishop with the Church of God. So, my life is being spent as a minister's wife. We pastored churches in Zephyrhills, Fla., Delray Beach, Fla., Cortez, Fla., Monticello, Fla. and Zellwood, Fla. In 1980 our ministry changed from pastoring to child care working. We moved from Florida to Sevierville, Tennessee (at the foot of the Great Smokey Mtns.). We were cafeteria managers of the Church of God Home for Children food program and fed children and adults for 18 years. Four of our 22 years there were spent as houseparents to 12 teen-age girls. We thoroughly enjoyed our ministry.
In 2002 my husband retired at age 62 and we moved back to florida to live. I now work as a cafeteria worker at the Suwannee Middle School in Live Oak, Fla.
Our son and his wife gave us 3 beautiful grandchildren: Taylor (girl) now 19 years old, Jordan (girl) now 15 years old and Sarek (boy) now 13 years old. They still reside in Sevierville, Tn.
Riverview High has some fond memories for me. One was chorus. Since I play the piano (I taught myself) and sing solo in church, I feel that chorus gave me a good start...Another class was good old Home Economics... this class boosted me along to part of my vocations. My life has not been glamorous, but I've had lots of love from my husband, family and friends."
Betty Jean (McCall) Futch
"I came to RHS in 1959 from the Michigan school system. I left in 1962 to pursue trust banking and stayed with it till 1968. I came back to RHS is 1968 and retired in 1985. While at RHS I coached football and track. Our track team won the State District meet in 1962. I taught classes in D.E. and Social Studies. After retirement i worked in R.E. and Insurance for a few years. Currently I am a coordinator for a traffic school at SC&I in Sarasota. That's it in a nutshell."
Jim Mason (faculty)
"What a tremendous project you are undertaking! I...would like to hear from those who may remember me. Principal Johansen assembled a superb faculty to get Riverview started. Briefly, about me – In 59/60, as the first Coordinator/Director of Riverview's Co-op Ed program, I initiated the Diversified Cooperative Training (DCT) Program, with about 18 students. I am confident these folks have gone on to great
accomplishments since '60. They were the best!!! For Riverview '62-'64, I was counselor/advisor to the class of '64. A brief synopsis of my career since Riverview:
'65, Consultant, Vocational Guidance, Florida State Department of Education, Tallahasee; '68, Professor, Industrial Technology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar
Falls, IA; '90 Retired, Cedar Falls, IA; Currently, Chairperson of UNI Emeritus Association. My wife, Audrey and I continue our annual snowbird treks to Sarasota.
Go Rams!"
Arnold Freitag (faculty)
"I am very interested in getting and receiving information concerning RHS and its personnel. I was the first teacher hired at RHS in 1958 and stayed there 38 years until I retired in 1996. I still am head golf coach at the school and do substitute teaching throughout Sarasota about 2 days a week."
Ed Repulski (faculty)
"How wonderful it was to be "found"...! I had no idea you all were so enterprising...but why would I be surprised, you all were always ahead of the action! I believe some of the best times of my life were being a part of the founding of RHS...to think that we were the beginning of what today is one of the premier high schools in the state is just an incredible thought!
I have enjoyed reading the various sites that you all have produced and certainly enjoyed some very good memories of you all and the experiences we shared. As you plan your 45th reunion it is interesting to note that I am involved in the planning of my 50th...SHS class of 1954! That makes us a lot closer in age than any of realized all those years ago. Pleased to learn how many of you went on to college and particularly FSU, my school...Go Noles!
I hope that the years have been as good to you as they have to me. My husband and I over the years have enjoyed seeing some of you and keeping in touch with your lives and your successes. We are retired now, sold our retail store and I chose not to run for re-election to the Sarasota City Commission where I served 8 years, 2 terms as Mayor of the City! Can any of you believe that?
My best to each of you, hope you continue to locate more classmates and that you all enjoy the reconnect as I have done after all these years!"
Mollie Cardamone (faculty 1958-62 and 1964)
"After Riverview, I received a two-year business degree from MJC. My family moved back to Syracuse, New York in 1963. Graduated from Le Moyne College with a BA in Accounting. Masters Degree (MS) in Management Information Systems from SUNY Binghamton. Presently one of three Assistants to Vice President-Administration at Morrisville State University (State University of NY) – in 30th year. My responsibilities include all university accounting and financial reporting, student billing and collections, university revenue projections, and internal audit. Married Ann Kendrick in 1972 and have two children: Robert (Senior Finance Manager – Gartner Group, Stamford, CT) Kerry (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications – Colgate University, Hamilton, NY). Empty nest since 1999. Ann (teacher – 3rd grade) and I plan to retire in June 2004. Interests: walking, skiing, golf, fishing (freshwater and deep sea), gardening, reading (mysteries), and travel."
Bob Van Malderghem
Messages Home Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 6