Hello, Classmates!
It won't
be long before the "greatest reunion weekend ever" kicks off. Your
reunion committee continues to meet at the Cranford Hotel to firm up the
details. We're determined to make this a weekend you won't forget! You'll see
classmates who have never missed a reunion and classmates who are attending one
for the first time! Cougars, reservations are pouring in from all over the
country: AZ, CA, FL, IL, MD, NC, NH,
NJ, NM, NY, OH, PA, SC, SD, VA and more! Anticipation is growing and along
with the tremendous amount of enthusiasm being shown, we expect a record
breaking class turnout! We've
already surpassed the 30th reunion attendance and we're on our way to beating
the 25th!
We'll see you on Friday, October 24 at the Cranford Hotel at 8:00 PM. Frank Di Tullio, Jr. has offered to reserve a room downstairs (in The Cellar) just for us! Please note that there has been a small change in plans. The first reunion itinerary indicated that we would be meeting upstairs.
Please mail your payments by October 15. If you are unable to make the reunion and your plans change, reservations will be accepted up until the very end. A "Cougar" would never be turned away!
I’d like to share the following experience with you…
On Thursday, September 11, a memorial ceremony, in Crane Park, was dedicated to the six Cranford victims of the World Trade Center. The newly refurbished Crane Park and newly constructed monument is located on the NW corner of Springfield Avenue and North Union Avenue. Stop by during our reunion weekend or take a short walk from the Hanson House on Saturday to visit this beautiful tribute.
My photos of this "moving" dedication ceremony along with "Our Town" photos are now posted on our web site. Look for the "Welcome to Cranford" lamppost photo on our "home page" and take the tour! Take note, the buildings and stores just beyond the Martin Jewelers clock and plaza can be seen in the film "Far From Heaven" with Dennis Quaid and Julianne Moore. The scene in the movie, is a little more to the left and includes the green railroad bridge and the top of the Cranford Hotel on the south side. This scene is actually shown twice. Once in the first five minutes of the movie and the other time maybe half way through it! The "credits" at the end list several NJ towns including Cranford. It’s a very interesting film and can be rented now!
Visit us often at www.chs63.com. Marty is constantly updating the information and improving the format. Scroll all the way down to the bottom to click on the many links. Don't forget to check out our "missing classmates" list. We still have time to find them! Take a minute to look at our updated photo album and to read our classmate's biographies that were just added. Interested in golf? Rick and Cherie Klempa are! Read about their Saturday golf outing at www.chs63.com.
We're in the process of compiling our class booklet. What's new or old in your life? (Family, education, career, military, hobbies, retirement, fun things, not so fun things, anything!). If you haven't already done so, you can email me your comments or include them along with your reservation.
If you would like to attend the reunion and have second thoughts about going alone, to date, 50% of our classmates are taking a spouse/guest and you guessed it, the other 50% are going “solo.”
Dave Kelber (CHS '62), our very own Jean Kelber's brother, will be taking our class photo Saturday night following the cocktail hour. An 8” x 10” color photo of our classmates will be available at $10 and that includes the mailing!
Do you
have any CHS/Cranford memorabilia, old or
new photos to share? Don't forget to take them to "The Hanson
House" (was Dr. Hanson’s house) on Saturday afternoon. Can't wait to hear
your stories, Bob Morgan!
Please join us Friday evening and/or daytime Saturday even if you’re unable to attend the dinner dance. We’d love to see you!
A copy of the itinerary and reservation form can be emailed to you or printed from our web site at www.chs63.com. Please join us Friday evening or daytime Saturday even if you are unable to make the dinner dance.
Get in touch with your classmates and friends so you can all meet at the reunion!
If you would like their address, phone number, and email, please call me (Jackie) at: 908 653 0276 or (Judy) at: 908 272 7483
Classmates, electricity is in the air and we can't wait to see you! Have a safe trip to your beautiful hometown and to the…"Greatest Reunion Weekend" ever.
Jackie
and
Nelson Dittmar
Marty Gallanter
Bill Ray
Judy York Bell
Emil “Moe” Ciurczak
Sharon Pechin
Joanne Aliseo Gall
Karen Petersen Meliti
Carol Cawley Weshnak
Margaret Ramsey McCloud
9-30-03
Here's the Newsletter that was sent out in July!!!
Hello Classmates,
It's hard to believe that our class reunion is only four months away.
Thank you for your emails expressing so much enthusiasm.
For several months I’ve been searching for our CHS ‘63 classmates. Thank goodness for the Internet! I’m in touch with classmates we couldn't find since graduation! Communicating with many of you and listening to your unbelievable life experiences, coincidences and memories is wonderful!
I hope you enjoy the CHS ‘63 newsletter below. It’s just a "snapshot" of my many classmate conversations while coordinating our reunion!
July 1, 2003
CHS63 NEWSLETTER
I recently spoke with Ken Ingram. Ken, an attorney in VA, has never attended a reunion and was thrilled to hear we were having one this fall. His calendar is marked for the weekend of October 25th.
Finding Robin Clemons, in the past, has always been an unsuccessful challenge. Thank goodness for classmates.com! Robin’s reservation has been made and is thrilled about seeing everyone and taking a tour of CHS and Cranford. Now living in NC, she hasn’t been back to Cranford since graduation. By the way, ask Robin what it was like living in Alaska!
The last reunion Margaret Walton attended was our 10th. Margaret, an ordained minister, will be heading down from NH and is anxious to see everyone, too!
Pete Penvenne, now living in England, wouldn’t think of missing this one and is planning a trip "across the pond" as only Pete could phrase it!
Ron Farb is getting ready to climb Mt. Elbrus in Russia. It’s the highest mountain on the European continent. Mt. Everest, in 2005, is next. Ron is raising money for his foundation and will be sharing his experiences with all of us at our reunion!
Rich and Phyllis Rubenstein are blessed with four grandchildren and Carolyn and John Krip with five. Rich is busy running his own sports marketing firm and John owns a ’62 Corvette. They will all be there to experience an unforgettable CHS ‘63 weekend!
Connecting classmates and reuniting friends by exchanging email addresses and phone numbers has actually created a spin off of mini reunions. Carlynne Wolfe flew from San Francisco to Tucson to spend Memorial Day weekend with Fran Capodice Altemose. They lost touch and hadn't seen each other in 18 years! We'll see them in October.
Did you know that…
While in Vietnam, helicopter pilot Ron Farb flew classmates John Sharer and Ken Thorn.
About 15 years ago, Ken Ingram boarded a bus in Fairfax, VA and recognized classmate/passenger Rick Gross…It was catch up time!
Just months ago, Jackie Coleman and Hank Detering sailed on the same schooner in the islands! Read about their coincidence and see their great photo at CHS ‘63.com. Click on the "photo album" link at the bottom of the page.
Last year, Cleatte Briefer Fritz was working out at a gym in Ft Lauderdale and became friendly with a gal who revealed that her husband was from Cranford, NJ. It was Jim Bass’s wife!
Bonnie Brindley Morley, a real estate agent on the west coast of Florida was asked to share her desk with a "new couple" who were joining the agency. The new couple was our very own Gail Davison Ziegler and Barry Ziegler (CHS ‘62). Would you believe, they both live in the same town of Nokomis, FL!
Through email, Robin Clemons and Fred Atkins recently found out they live in the same town of Cary, NC and dinner was had by all. They hadn’t seen each other since CHS!
I was in Kings Supermarket and a lady whizzed by me. I said, "Sharon, Sharon Pechin, is that you?" It was, and while we played "catch up," I recruited her to be on our reunion committee. The rest is history!
It’s not surprising that Bob Morgan was the first to make his reservation a few months ago! Bob and Sharon are "booked" at the Crowne Plaza and are ready to rock and roll! Reminiscing with Bob is unforgettable! It looks like Saturday night will never end at the Crowne Plaza. Carol Cawley Weshnak and husband Barry have reserved a suite and they’re throwing a PARTY following our dinner/dance! I’ll be at Carol and Barry’s celebrating their annual 4th of July house party on the Manasquan River in Point Pleasant. Happy 4th of July classmates!
Please visit our web site often… www.chs63.com. It’s continuously being updated by Marty. Click on the links at the bottom to see old and new classmate photos, review the changing "missing classmates" list and check out our "class email" list. Keep an eye on our revolving news tickers. They will continue to broadcast CHS ’63 breaking news! Searching for a classmate and learning that he or she is deceased is the sad part. Please view our "memorial page" and take a moment to reflect.
REMINDERS:
Reservations are being made, please try to get your checks in by the end of August.
Don’t forget to Email or mail your comments for our reunion booklet as soon as possible to: Jackie , 30 Wadsworth Terrace, Cranford, NJ 07016. We’d like to hear about your education, career, family, grandchildren, travel, hobbies, retirement, fun things, not so fun things, etc.
Share your old and new photos at our web site. Email them to Marty directly from CHS63.com
Email or call me with any change in your address, email, phone, etc. ( 908 653 0276)
Gather your photos and memorabilia to share at the "Hanson House" on Saturday afternoon, October 25th.
It’s always great to hear from you. Drop me an email if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or just to say "hello." That’s it for now… Relax and enjoy the warm, balmy days of summer.
As promised, we’re on our way to making this the best reunion ever with a record breaking class turnout!
With great affection…
Jackie and your Reunion Committee