MESSAGES
Page 6"Members of the "Founding 5", now the "Founding 5 +", it seems that I've fallen down a bit on my correspondence duties in regard to our upcoming reunion. Let me update everyone. A reunion committee for the 2nd gathering of the Founding 5 has been formed and 3 meetings have been held. The class of 1965 has been added, dates and a location have been selected. Presently this reunion will be for the classes of 1960, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65. If anyone in any of the 6 participating classes has the urge to join those of us on the committee, please call Judy Brown Light (941-378-5295). Now, the particulars. Dates for the reunion - Oct 17+18, 2008. Location - Sarasota Hotel & Marina. This was the Holiday Inn North located approximately 1 mile north of the airport on US 41. It has been remodeled, is on the bay and was far and away the best buy of all the locations canvassed by the location committee.
Reunion Co-chairpersons - Judy Brown Light and Bill Glueck.
The next committee meeting will be in January and I will follow with specifics for the reunion. I look forward to seeing you all."
J. R. Leach (11 Dec 2007)
"I really regret passing on the word of another death among our little group, but the Sarasota Herald Tribune published this obituary of Judy Zeis Sultzman on April 24, 2007."
Tim Ross
"Judith Zeis Sultzman; June 10, 1942 - April 19, 2007. Judith Sultzman, 64, Seminole, formerly of Sarasota, died April 19, 2007. Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 10891 102nd Ave. Seminole. Survivors include her husband of 43 years, Charles O.; daughters Donna L. Grecko of Kennesaw, Ga., and Elizabeth K. Grondin of Largo; a sister, Jacqueline S. Lusby of Bradenton; and five grandchildren. Attended Florida State University where she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority; graduate of Riverview High School class of 1960 where she was editor of the school annual. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a favorite charity."
"The Riverview High School Foundation was established in 1982, and is now setting up a "Riverview High School Alumni Association". This could, I think, be a very worthwhile endeavor. You might want to check out their Alumni & Friends section, and perhaps register in their database."
Tim Ross
"...the attempts to SAVE [the original buildings] are not going away and we received some awesome news today. The national AIA American Institute of Architects has presented us with a resolution urging the school board to preserve the Rudolph buildings on the campus. This is a powerful endorsement and one we think may make a difference in the attitude of the school board and possibly the administration. We have recently had school board elections and 2 new members will take seats in Nov so we are encouraged to have new ears to listen to our SAVE RHS story..."
Mollie Cardamone [early RHS teacher and ex-Mayor of Sarasota] via J. R. Leach '62
"The Sarasota School Board met on June 20th, 2006, and voted five to zero in favor of Riverview's demolition. On September 11th, 2006, the American Institute of Architects issued a resolution to preserve the historic structure. They claim, probably truthfully, to represent 76,000 architects."
Tim Ross
"Riverview is to be demolished and rebuilt. See the details in these articles from the "Sarasota Herald Tribune" of February 6, 2006: article 1 and article 2 and this "Architectural Record" publication from February 28, 2006 (and thanks to Dan Silverman (class of '65) for letting us know about them). Now the current online version of "Preservation Magazine" also has an article about Riverview, including the color photo of the school used in the 1960 Tartan and on this web page. Dan Silverman has also reported a discussion about RHS razing at the "Lotta Livin'" website. In addition, a petition on the topic is being generated at this location and there is a blog on which a search for "Riverview" will currently yield 6 different articles on the subject."
Tim Ross
"Our lives have not really gotten back to normal - everyone speaks of the new 'normalcy' which is now New Orleans. Our neighborhood is pretty much back to normal, but the city as a whole has a very long way to go. And, of course, we keep hearing about how bad the levee system is, and that the Corps of Engineers really screwed up and that they've known the system would eventually fail, but apparently didn't bother to tell anyone. It wasn't Katrina, it was the Corp of Engineers; Katrina was merely the catalyst.
...I consider New Orleans my home, but I would have no qualms about moving. The city is badly broken, and it will take a long time and much money to fix it. It's a shame.
Jim Davidson [some 7 months after hurricane Katrina]
"We are lucky enough to be staying with friends in Bloomington, IN, and we are safe and sound, but I can't describe the mental anguish. It's all so unreal."
Jim Davidson [whose home is in New Orleans]
"Alumni of Riverview: It is with a very heavy heart that I must miss our Reunion and I was so looking forward to rekindling old friendships. Due to fast-rising fuel prices, possible fuel shortages, and this weekend being one of the worst travel holidays of the year, I feel it is just impossible for me to attend. After Hurricane Katrina, it is very possible that some of our Alumni may have been victims of the Hurricane or may be some of the volunteers helping out in this disaster. May our prayers go out to all of them. Let's try again next year. Best wishes to all and please stay in touch."
John Dunn, Email: john373dunn AT 550access DOT com, Home Phone: 352-529-0120 (evenings), Voice Mail: 352-373-3866
"I was born in Meredith [New Hampshire] as 10 generations before me. In fact, I am the only renagade, having graduated from Riverview as the rest of the 10 generations graduated from Meredith High School or Interlakes as it is now called. After graduating from nursing school in Tampa I returned to Meredith. I married and spent many years as a military wife living in Massachusetts, Arizona, the Phillipines, and Hawaii and Maine. I worked at the miliary bases as a nurse: Pease AFB, Tripler Army Medical Center, Hickham AFB, Davis Monthan AFB and the VA Hospital in Manchester, NH. I got divorced after 10 years of marriage. My daughters graduated from Wells High School in Maine. Pamela has just graduated from Framinham State and Tracey is Asst. Director of 'Its Possible' a non profit group in San Diego opening Sober Living homes. I changed careers after spending 24 yrs as a nurse, to the USPostal Service and spent 18 yrs there, retiring last Aug. During that time I found another calling that of a Foster Parent. I have been doing that for 9 yrs. Twenty-seven teenagers later I moved to San Diego. One of the foster children asked that I adopt her and I now have completed all that training again in California and she arrived last month. I have done much volunteering and worked on many Presidential Campaigns."
Barbara Marden Manson
"Hi folks — good to have a chance to visit with you... Briefly, I spent most of my career in Special Education. I taught in Massachusetts for many years and finally fulfilled a dream by completing my Ph.D. at Purdue. Then I was on the faculty at University of Louisiana at Lafayette for several years and rounded out my career as a supervisor at the State Department of Education. I have since retired and consider myself in "transition" right now. My time is spent with volunteer work of various types, cooking, and reading non-professional literature. I live in the heart of Cajun country, literally in the country. So, if you ever drive down I-10 or I-49, stop for coffee, visiting, or good Cajun food."
Judy Goodstone
"I was in but did not graduate Class of 1960, then moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, married Fran, had 2 girls and 1 boy, 3 grandchildren. Moved to Gainesville, Florida in 1968. Retired wood floor installation specialist. Present hobby is sharpening sawblades and other tools."
John R. Dunn
"I am sorry to tell you that Merek died Dec. 21 of 2001 of a massive stroke. I met Merek when he was in the Airforce, stationed here in Wichita. We were married for 39 years. We have one daughter and two grandchildren. Merek worked as a broadcast engineer for 33 years at KAKE Television in Wichita. He had a hobby that he loved. Keeping salt water fish. I guess that was a way to bring some of Florida back to Kansas. Our basement was full of a beautiful salt water aquariums. Merek was a great husband, father, and grandpa. We all miss him a lot."
Diane McConnell
"I'm unhappy to have to report another death. Our classmate Richard Tachney passed away May 31, 2005, and an obituary was published in the June 1 'Sarasota Herald-Tribune'."
Tim Ross
[Rocky Elvgren kindly provided the following autobiographical sketch — Tim:]
"Gillette (Rocky) Elvgren graduated from Tulane University (B.A./ M.A.) and after serving a term as a 1st Lieutenant in Vietnam graduated from Florida State University (Ph.D. Theatre Arts, 1971). He joined the faculty at the University of PIttsburgh at that time and taught there for the next 19 years — acting, directing and children's theatre. He was head of the MFA Directing program and staff director for a professional company called The Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival. On the side he co-founded a touring professional theatre company called Saltworks, that still tours social action dramas to children and youth throughout the tri-state area. It was in 1971 that Rocky also started working as resident playwright for a national evangelical organization called Children's Ministries that does beach Missions up and down the Eastern seaboard.
In 1991 Rocky moved to Virginia Beach area with his family to become head of the drama department at Regent University. He continues to teach there and to direct and to write plays. He lives in a Williamsburg style house which he built so that his wife Betty Jo, a professional fabric artist, could have a studio and gallery for her work. His sons: Gillette III (computer programmer in Pittsburgh); Erik (media specialist at the University of Virginia); and Kris (Mutual Funds Accountant in Boston) are a proud part of his burgeoning family."
Rocky Elvgren
"I am very sorry to report that Jack Halton died on October 17, 2004. His obituary is in the 'Orlando Sentinel'. Kay Kinney Shepard notes that it is also in the 'Sarasota Herald-Tribune'. Jack and I were never close friends, but were good acquaintances from elementary school through high school. He will be missed."
Tim Ross
"You found me right here in Sarasota... Semi retired and teaching adult sailing for Sarabay Sailing school."
David Bridges
"In June of l961 I decided to stay home with my two young boys, had a baby girl the following June and stayed home for seven years total. From l968 until my retirement in l997, I taught mentally handicapped, then learning disabled students at several different schools in the county. The last 15 years were at Sarasota High teaching social studies and English to LD students."
Betty Kuhns (faculty)
"After Riverview, I attended St. Pete Jr. College, became a legal secretary for a mayor of Clearwater, later joined UAL as a flight attendant, transferred to L.A. with a friend and then went back to secretarial (exec. sec. to the president of a major chemical company). Today I work with our family music business and do some
professional genealogy. My husband, Dan, is a music teacher/musician. He was with the Lettermen group back in the late 60's, toured with them. We met in 1968, married in 1969. We have 5 children (now have 3 grandchildren)."
Bonnie (Clarke) Whitley
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